Why "alternative"?


ALTERNATIVE PET was founded by Eva Saks and Leslie Rugg in 2010 to address topics too controversial for advertiser-driven, mass-market publications. Saks and Rugg first worked together in 2007, after meeting through their dogs. They collaborated on two Public Service Announcements for no-kill animal shelters starring Laddie, the 9th generation Lassie, who was then managed by Rugg. Saks wrote and directed, while Rugg wrangled the star. Rugg and Saks found they had common interests in canines, culture, and critical inquiry. They began writing together and published fifteen pet-related articles in one year. Their work appeared in AKC Gazette, Animal Wellness, The Bark, and Fido Friendly – as well on the websites of The Bark and Tigertail Foods. (To read these articles, click on the Publications tab above.)


Why "alternative"? Alternative to What?
by Eva Saks, Editor


Why I Switched to "alternative": The Chances of a Lifetime
by Leslie Crane Rugg, Contributing Editor