Pet Sitting and Services
March 19, 2011
Weather Disasters -- Are You and Your Pets Prepared?
If a major disaster befalls your area, it likely will be several days at minimum before vital services are restored. In the recent Japanese earthquake many tsunami victims were trapped in traffic jams trying to evacuate. Roads not only become parking lots as people evacuate prior to the event, they often are impassable afterward -- damaged, blocked by live wires and fallen trees, or dangerously chaotic with no working traffic signals.
Central water can be polluted, electricity knocked out, phone lines downed and cell phone service overwhelmed. When the supply trucks can't make it in, food and gas shortages arise and the ports can even be closed. Curfews are imposed. Flooding creates life-threatening sanitation issues. Also remember the disaster happened to your local emergency crews as well.
We have gone through this nightmare several times after hurricanes--mild compared to Haiti or Japan--and the first time were not as well-prepared as we might have been. www.72hours.org is a San-Francisco based web-site that will help you to prepare yourself, as well as any pets, elderly, and children in your house, for an emergency. You can also learn what to do in response to a specific disaster, like a tsunami, earthquake, terror attack, evacuation, contagious disease and more.
March 7, 2011
PetScoop: L.A. Businessman Cloning His Dogs
Peter Onruang, an LA-based businessman is in the process of having his two cherished pet dogs cloned, reports the LA Times. Before his best-buddy terrier mix Wolfie died at age 15 in 2009, Onruang preserved her genetic material and that of her sister Bubble as well, with plans to have them cloned down the line.
Onruang says he has paid a South Korean company for the cloning procedure, and he now eagerly awaits the births of Wolfie and Bubble clones. He also has established an informative cloning web-site My Friend Again where he says it takes $100,000 and 6 months to clone your dog. Look-alike probable, but not certain, and personality not guaranteed.
Photo: My Friend Again
February 23, 2011
PetScoop: Careers for Pet Lovers -- Buy a Pet Franchise
Can't get a job or unhappy with the one you're in? Maybe it's time to take the plunge and work for yourself! For those who are seriously interested in working with pets as a career, the WSJ lists some intriguing franchises in their brief article Itching to Buy a Pet Franchise? These franchises include:
- Zoom Room (www.zoomroomonline.com) -- dog-agility training.
- Dogtopia (www.dogdaycare.com) -- overnight boarding, spa treatments, training classes and retail items.
- Fetch! Pet Care (www.fetchpetcare.com): provides in-home, overnight or daily care to any kind of pet.
- DoodyCalls (www.doodycalls.com) -- cleaning up after dogs and washing and sanitizing litter boxes.
- Pet Depot (www.petdepot.net) -- pet supplies and veterinary hospitals.
- Camp Bow Wow (www.campbowwowusa.com) -- along with its sister brands, Home Buddies and Bow Wow Behavior Buddies, provides 24-hour care for dogs.
August 6, 2010
Disney World Pet Resort -- Day Care, Water Park, Boarding, Bedtime Stories and More
Pets truly are members of our families. Next time you do Disney, you can bring your pets along, unless they have scales and hiss a lot. Walt Disney World is scheduled to open Best Friends Pet Care this August 27, providing the usual boarding services, but also bedtime stories and a water park for dogs, just for starters.
The luxury facility will accommodate 270 dogs, 30 cats and assorted other animals, including birds, potbellied pigs and small mammals such as hamsters and guinea pigs. Sorry, no reptiles.
Upgrades for dogs include ice cream treats, bottled water and premium/orthopedic bedding. Your pampered pooches can enjoy vacation villas with outdoor patios and flat-screen TVs for watching videos or 226-square-foot luxury suites with private outdoor play yards and personal pet concierges. Cats can choose between two- and four-story condos along with tuna on a Ritz, their own cushy bed and special toy.
Other services offered at Best Friends are day care, play groups, outdoor runs, walking trails and areas for playing ball or Frisbee. And if you miss your best buddy, owner visits are welcomed!
Best Friends Pet Care via TCPalm
July 30, 2010
Need Work? 5 Super Cool Low-Entry Pet Jobs for Animal Lovers
Do you love animals? But of course. Now, do you need a job or some extra spending money?
Bankrate.com is here to help. Get the scoop on the popular pet jobs out there. You don't need formal job training for most of them, and your start up costs are relatively low. Plus you are your own boss and can work on a schedule that suits your lifestyle. The jobs are:
- Pet sitter
- Dog walker
- Pet groomer
- Pooper scooper
- Pet masseuse
Check out this helpful article for income potential, start-up costs and other tips.
July 2, 2010
"Found My Animal" Leash and Collar Celebrates and Supports Adopted Pets
These attractive "Found My Animal" Leashes and Collars
celebrate and support the worthy cause of pet adoption. Twenty-five percent of the vendor's profits go directly to the Louis Animal Foundation, a non-profit group dedicated to spaying/neutering and providing loving homes for animals.
The 100% cotton canvas collars are treated with animal-safe wax for waterproofing and added durability. In Small, Medium and Large sizes.
The rugged, old-fashioned rope leashes are custom-made by New England professionals, using no leather or animal-based materials. The rope can be held, looped around your waist or over your shoulder to free up your hands. The marine-grade solid brass o-rings and solid bronze clips make the leash easily adjustable and allow you to secure it to a fence or tree.
Each leash comes with an individually numbered, stamped brass decorative tag that is specific to your pet and indicates how many other dogs have been helped before your own.
"Found My Animal" Leashes and Collars
March 24, 2010
Stamps to the Rescue 2010 -- USPS, Halo and Ellen DeGeneres Help Raise Awareness of Shelter Animals
Good for Ellen DeGeneres. The United States Postal Service is releasing new Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet stamps. During the launch of the stamps, Halo: Purely for Pets, the pet food company co-owned by Ellen DeGeneres, will be donating a million meals to animal shelters around the country.
Their goal is to educate Americans about the plight of millions of homeless pets living in shelters. Almost half of them will be euthanized. These animals need good homes. The Stamps to the Rescue 2010 campaign encourages us all to adopt a pet, volunteer at a shelter, or just promote the cause by buying these stamps.
Halo: Purely for Pets
natural pet food is fortified with vitamins, minerals, prebiotics and probiotics, free of artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, gluten, wheat or corn, rendered meats, poultry or fish, animal or plant by-products.
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.
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