Pet Sitting and Services
February 22, 2010
Care for Pets Left Behind by the Rapture -- Eternal Earth-Bound Pets
Do you believe your pet has a soul?
Anywhere from 20 million to 40 million people in the melting pot we affectionately call the US of A are devout believers in The Rapture. To refresh your memory, in the off chance you find yourself excluded from this group, Jesus will return to Earth in the Second Coming. The righteous, both dead (what have they been up to in the meantime?) and alive, will ascend to a better place, while the unsaved remain behind on Earth. Hence, the Rapture.
But what will become of all the pets doomed to remain here on Earth, since these 20 to 40 million believe animals do not have souls and hence cannot partake?
Business Week reports that a new service called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets (219 comments on the article at this writing), all confirmed atheists, will step in to provide for the animals left behind by the 'saved'. Required qualifications of the reps: "animal lovers, are moral / ethical with no criminal background, have the ability and desire to rescue your pet and the means to retrieve them and ensure their care for your pet's natural life."
The service is limited to dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and small caged mammals. For $110.00 they will guarantee that should the Rapture occur within ten (10) years of receipt of payment, one pet per residence will be saved. Each additional pet at your residence will be saved for an additional $15.00 fee.
January 15, 2010
Dogged Health -- Canine Health and Wellness
This morning we had an "eureka" moment over canine skin symptoms that have confounded us for over a year. We arrived at a pretty certain diagnosis over at Dogged Health, found via a newsletter from the American Kennel Club. We entered the bare minimum of information in their Diagnostic Dog - Symptom Selector and went from there. Nifty tool--check it out.
From the site: "DoggedHealth is the most comprehensive and authoritative canine health and wellness site on the Internet. We are both an information resource as well as community empowering users to make educated healthcare decisions for their dogs. Each and every piece of content is provided by a vet or, when appropriate, a certified trainer."
January 12, 2010
How to Pay Those Skyrocketing Pet Bills -- Pet Insurance Resources
We don't begrudge anyone the right to make a living, but vet bills sure mount up very quickly these days. Office fees, lab fees, x-rays, dental care, surgery, vaccinations--we are talking hundreds if not thousands per visit.
And, sad to say, the line between medical care and salesmanship is starting to look a little blurry. Do you know how or even if you would cover your pet's veterinary bills if they become seriously ill or need surgery?
Currently, around a million U.S. pets are insured, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. The Wall Street Journal recently ran an excellent overview of pet insurance, making the following points:
Consumers need to be careful, since many pet policies can be as confusing as coverage you buy for yourself.
Pet insurance often places strict limits on how much it will pay for particular procedures.
And policies can have tricky designs that can leave consumers with big out-of-pocket bills for their animals.
Premiums vary from around $10 a month to $75 a month, depending on factors including the richness of the plan, your location and your animal's breed and age.
Continue reading: "How to Pay Those Skyrocketing Pet Bills -- Pet Insurance Resources "
January 7, 2010
PetScoop -- Pet Airways Adds Three Destinations
We just received the following notification from Pet Airways:
Hey you with the furry paws!
Throw away your human sweaters and earmuffs! Get out of New York and come to Florida for the winter!
Actually, break out the earmuffs and sweaters. Florida is in the midst of an endless cold snap. Freeze warning tonight. Here in South Florida we just wore coats and mittens out on walkies with the dogs.
In any event, Pet Airways is now offering pet flights to and from Phoenix, Omaha, and Atlanta starting January 30, 2010. They just fly once a week, and seats are limited.
December 16, 2009
Hunch -- Practical Decision-Making About Pets and Other Stuff
Can't decide? Don't know what kind of dog or cat breed is best for you, what to name your pet, what kind of food to feed your pet, or even if you should get a pet? Hunch is a super cool site that helps you make these decisions and more.
Hobbies and Pets are only one of multiple categories (beauty, business, clothing, etc) and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of topics at Hunch. You can create a free account and then answer a few questions so Hunch can get to know you and figure out what you'd like best. You can also just browse and see what is generally popular based on other contributors' feedback.
October 14, 2009
National Pet Obesity Awareness Day -- How Many Calories are in Pet Food?
The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention has declared today Wednesday, October 14 National Pet Obesity Awareness Day. Sensing a lecture? Not to worry -- we are not getting on our high horse here, since we all know first-hand how hard it is to look into those beautiful beseeching eyes and deny them a treat.
That said, according to the Association's research, an estimated 50% of dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese and an estimated 14% of US dogs and cats are actually obese. Excess body weight, health problems, pet mortality and vet bills go hand-in-hand.
So if you are curious, at their site you can find your pet's ideal weight range, pet caloric needs, and the caloric content of many cat and dog foods, dry, canned and pouch.
September 18, 2009
Are Your Pet Products Toxic to Your Pet? Find Out at HealthyStuff.org
Here at Super Cool Pets our goal is to feature products and news that will enhance and improve the lives of the animals who live with us. The sad, bad news is that there are products sold out there that may easily be toxic to our pets and ourselves, unbeknownst to any of us.
The good folks over at HealthyStuff.org tested over 400 pet products, including beds, chew toys, stuffed toys, collars, leashes, and tennis balls. They are finding elevated levels of lead, mercury, arsenic and other chemicals that can be hazardous to human health, especially for pets and children.
The HealthyStuff.org site has an interactive database listing the products by brand, type, or level of concern with a product search as well. You can request new products to be tested. Their product database can also be accessed using the Flash Widget, SMS Texting, and a mobile application.
The site is not just about pet products. You can review 15,000 test results on over 5,000 other common items including children's products, cars, apparel and accessories, back-to-school products and more.
September 6, 2009
Mint Robot 2 Pet Care Robot
Pet home all alone? You can monitor your pet's activities remotely with a Mint Robot 2 Pet Care Robot, assuming you have an internet connection.
Mint Robot will follow your pet around the house, and you can watch your pet through the web cams in its "eyes. Through its embedded microphone you can talk to your pet and even issue commands.
The Robot will also play with your pet. Its front side has a scented toy ball ("pet ball") that detaches, rolls and moves automatically or by remote-control. You can view your pet playing and exercising with the ball on your mint pad (photo below).
[via Hometone]
August 6, 2009
Knit with Hand-Spun Yarn from Your Own Pet's Fur -- Pet Yarn Chic
Dog and cat fur can be hand-spun into beautiful yarns, particularly long-haired cat fur and the fluffy undercoat of a dog. So the next time you groom your pet, you might think about saving the fur.
As you gather and save your pet's shed or groomed fur, you join Pet Yarn Chic and set up your "fur collection account". You send them your collected pet hair, they hand-spin it into yarn, and mail the finished yarn back to you. You can then knit your own clothes and accessories or they will connect you with a skilled hand-knitter for custom-made items of your own design.
Need some project ideas? Try Pet Projects: The Animal Knits Bible
[via LATimes]
July 27, 2009
How to Cover Expensive Veterinary Bills -- Trupanion Pet Insurance
Veterinary technology is advancing and becoming more expensive to the point where the cost of quality veterinary care often exceeds a pet owner's budget. Many pet owners are forced to choose between burdensome debt or medically neglecting their pet.
According to the American Pet Products Association, only 2% of all United States pet owners currently carry pet insurance and up to 6% of pet owners will by 2010. Pet insurance tends to cost between $2,000 and $6,000 over the lifespan of the average pet.
Christine Merle, an Indianapolis-based veterinary consultant quoted in this Chicago Tribune article on pet insurance, suggests pet insurance policies be thought of, in a financial sense only,
as more akin to car insurance than human health insurance. You're hedging your bets against paying out of pocket should catastrophe strike.
"It's like indemnity insurance," Merle said. "For individuals looking at how to reduce the cost of vet care, especially the accident and illness side, and who don't want to have to make a financial decision, it can be useful. Is it for everyone? No."
One affordable and practical type of coverage we have found is a high-deductible plan, such as the Trupanion Veterinarian-Approved Pet Insurance
, recommended by PETCO.
This American Animal Hospital Association guide will help you to prepare yourself for potentially expensive urgent pet care.
June 15, 2009
PetScoop -- USA Airports to Create Designated Pet Relief Areas
It's a great thing to fly with your pet, but what to do at the airport when those big brown eyes look up at you beseechingly? No, they're not hungry...well, yes of course they are, but they need to "go outside".
Harriet Baskas, writer of Stuck at the Airport and contributor to USAToday.com and MSNBC.com, reports that as of May 13, 2009 the US Transportation Department has directed that all airlines must provide pet relief areas, as well as escorts to those relief areas, for any passenger traveling with a service animal.
Across the country airlines and airports are working together to create or upgrade pet relief areas that are open for public pet use.
photo: Phoenix Bone Yard via Stuck at the Airport
June 7, 2009
PetScoop -- Pooper Scooper Services Growing in Popularity
Need a new career? Or tired of cleaning up after your pet in the yard? A new type of pet service growing in popularity is the pooper scooper business.
One such is DoodyCalls, a nationwide pet waste removal service for homeowners and communities. "Doody is our duty, and we take our job seriously--with all our services 100% guaranteed. Our friendly, professional technicians pick up where your dog left off, so you don't have to. We're guessing you have much better things to do with your time!"
Today's Sunday New York Times has the scoop:
Most local pooper-scooper laws deal with public spaces, not private property. But in suburbs of New York and elsewhere, mom and pop operators with a sense of humor (the companies have names like Poop Patrol and ScooperDude and slogans like "We're No. 1 in the No. 2 business"), have found a market: the super-busy, families with children who play in the yard and homeowner associations with common greenspace or dog runs.
To increase their marketability, many of the companies cast themselves as environmental guardians, emphasizing the dangers of dog waste, which can carry bacteria and parasites that cause disease and contaminate waterways.
The scoopers, who also handle cat, goose and deer waste, typically place it in plastic bags and, depending on local ordinances, dump it in the homeowner's trash or drop it off at local landfills or incinerators. Their growing popularity parallels that of styling boutiques and travel services that have sprung up to help Americans spend about $45 billion on their pets each year.
May 22, 2009
Shop FetchDog's Memorial Day Event May 22-25 -- Give Back to Our Veterans
Our veterans served us. Award-winning actress Glenn Close's fabulous new pet gear site FetchDog
wants to return the favor.
With each item you purchase during their Memorial Day Event May 22-25, FetchDog will contribute $2 to the Puppies Behind Bars' DogTags program.
When Puppies Behind Bars was featured on "Oprah", Friday, May 15th, more than 1300 disabled veterans contacted Puppies Behind Bars to request service dogs. We're in a race to raise money - and meet their needs.
Puppies Behind Bars (PBB) trains prison inmates to raise service dogs - and to learn the joy of selflessly helping others. PBB established the DogTags program in 2006 to provide service dogs to physically and emotionally traumatized Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
FetchDog's Memorial Day Event runs from May 22, 2009, 9:00 a.m. EDT through May 25, 2009, 11:59 p.m. EDT.
Help Protect Pets from the Dangers of Hot Cars -- MyDogIsCool.com
With Memorial Day weekend coming up, summer officially kicks off. Pet lovers will be out and about, often with their pets aboard. Sadly, sometimes people don't realize how quickly a car can heat up and just leave their pets in the car while they shop or grab a bite to eat.
Even on relatively cool summer days in the low 70's, a car's internal temperature can rise to a scorching 116 degrees in just an hour. And keeping the windows open a crack barely makes a difference.
A new web site from United Animal Nations, MyDogIsCool.com explains how you can help to protect dogs from the dangers of hot cars--how quickly cars heat up in warm weather, whether it's too hot to take your dog along today, and ways to educate our fellow pet owners about the hazards of leaving a pet in a hot car, even for a little while.
If you see a parked car with animals inside, you can have some "Don't Leave Me in Here -- It's Hot!" fliers at the ready and place the flier under the windshield wiper. If an animal seems to be in imminent danger or a child is left unattended inside a car, call 911 for assistance.
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