Fido Finder and Tabby Tracker

I’ve been writing a lot of articles lately that relate to what it’s like to be a pet lover in the internet age. The internet has changed how shelters can communicate and how potential pet owners might find their future animals. Today I will examine how we can use the Internet as a tool to locate missing pets. People probably began posting messages about lost pets online almost as soon as the internet was introduced. Now that sites like Craig’s List and similar local-based online classifieds have put the concept on the computer, we can find pets, supplies for them, … Continue reading

Microchip Law Passed in the U.K.

The British government has just passed a controversial new law: all dogs are required to have microchips by 2016.  After then, the owners of any dogs found without microchips will be fined the equivalent of nearly $800.  The government isn’t marching door to door testing dogs for microchips, but the owners of any unchipped dogs taken to shelters will face the fine when they come to pick up their dog. The move is controversial because it’s seen as the government interfering too much in private affairs, as an Orwellian move.  Officials say they have everyone’s best interests at heart.  No … Continue reading

Fourth of July Pet Safety

On Friday one of the DJ’s for my local radio station mentioned upcoming Fourth of July celebrations, and she warned dog owners about fireworks. She said that she sees more fliers go up for missing dogs on July 5 than just about any other day of the year, all because of the fireworks noise. It’s something that never occurred to me, but it makes a lot of sense. Depending on where you live and how loud noise from fireworks might be in your yard, Independence Day, while fun for us humans, could prove frightening for our pets. If you keep … Continue reading

Yappy Hours

On-leash food and fundraising events are more common, but the trend is changing Dogs and – alcohol? There’s a new trend going around in parties, often fundraising ones, which combines these two unlikely partners. Meet the Yappy Hour. Yappy Hours are times bars hold that allow patrons to bring their dogs along for some socializing fun. Bars realize they’ll get more dog owners (39% of the U.S. population, if the Humane Society’s statistics are to be believed) to come out to their normal happy hours if they allow them to bring their dogs, and the patrons are happy for the … Continue reading

Amazon Launches New Pet Website

Amazon.com recently premiered a new online pet store, wag.com. Don’t go looking for Amazon shipping fulfillment or for your prime membership to apply, however; wag.com is technically part of a subsidiary Amazon bought back in 2006, and there’s no hint of Wag’s corporate owner anywhere on the site. Wag.com is a well-organized, colorful site divided into multiple sections based on the type of pet for which you want to shop. These range from dogs, cats, and small (mammal) pets to fish, birds, and reptiles. Once under a species section shoppers can then conduct their business by choosing to browse under … Continue reading

Baby’s Animal Fur Allergies

Bringing a new baby home to a house with pets can be nerve-wracking. One might be concerned with how the pets will react to the child. Even if a pet doesn’t seem jealous of the baby, will it know to be gentle enough around the infant? Will exposing a newborn to a house with pets, and the many allergens they release, cause the child to grow up with sensitivity to that animal? Earlier this year I covered the former concerns in depth. Today I’m going to look at the latter: are children who grow up in a home with pets … Continue reading

You’re Not in Kansas Anymore, Toto: 5 Steps to Help a Stray Pet Find Home

Photo by Bethan Hazell Extraordinary things happen on the most ordinary days at the most unexpected times. That’s always the case for me, at least. I never wake up thinking, “Yep, this’ll be the day I rescue a stray.” I can just be sitting at home, minding my own business, and suddenly have a stray run by, or come up to the door (it honestly happens), and next thing you know I’m making a new friend and trying to figure out where he or she came from and how to help them get back. One little neighborhood escape artist, Luke, … Continue reading