Care to Your Dog!

Well the kids are back at school, the weather is getting cooler, alas summer is coming to an end.  It’s been a busy first summer for Pets Bureau.  There have been many many happy reunifications, but to go along side all the happy endings there are of course those which didn’t end so happily or in some cases the nightmares still haven’t ended.

I’m sure many of you have been away on holiday this summer and left your beloved pet in a Cattery or Kennels, but let me ask you, did you do your homework and research the business that you left your pet with?

It may surprise you to know that even with the stringent laws and regulations in place for businesses such as Catteries and Kennels some, not all, fail to provide adequate care for your pet.

There have been numerous cases from pet owners who had left their Cat or Dog in a Cattery or Kennel while going away on holiday, then on return to find that their beloved pet has gone missing!  As a fellow animal lover I was shocked and appalled to hear these distressing stories.  But what distressed me even more was the lack of help and support some of these businesses offered after the unthinkable had happened.

One case in particular which spurred this piece on was the case of a Pets Bureau member whose cat escaped from a carrier and ran off.  The Cattery insisted the cage was shut securely much to the owners disbelief.  The owner returned to the Cattery to see if there was any news of her cat and to search because the Cattery had offered no assistance only to be confronted by staff who proceeded to ban her from the premises!

Most recently we had a Pets Bureau member contact us to register a lost dog, this case was most bizarre.  The person was looking to rehome a Dalmatian and had been visiting each day to go for walks and bond.  The day they were due to collect the dog to finally take her home they were met with shock and horror when the owner of the business told them “you already have her as she is not here.”

It really does leave you lost for words when you think about how we put our pets in possible harm’s way when we leave them with a carer without researching first so next time you decide you leave your beloved pet in the care of someone else, remember to research before deciding on a place.

The majority of Catteries and Kennels are respectable and trustworthy and will take care of your pet to the highest standard, but there are those which will sometimes endanger your pets, intentional or not, by not following protocol, regulations and the law.

So in future, if you want to leave your pet with a carer, research!

James Jay

Pets Bureau

Excerpt from: Lost Pets – The Unthinkable!

Health insurance is going through some major changes in the coming years as new policies are implemented to allow all individuals, regardless of pre-existing conditions or not, to obtain coverage for the sake of their well-being.

As the importance of health insurance has been drummed into humans, pet owners have begun to wonder if applying for a pet insurance policy is a necessary part of their pet’s overall standard of care.

Why would a pet owner want to make insurance a part of their pet care regimen?

Protecting the family members and their finances is one of the chief reasons that a pet owner will seek out a pet insurance policy. In other words, the remedies for certain animal ailments can cost more than what a family is able to afford without the insurance coverage.

For example, in April 2010 pet owners spent an average of $5,000 on their pets for treatment of neurological issues, over $4,000 on kidney problems, and close to $7,000 for different cancer treatments – all without the help of insurance to take care of the fees.

Avoiding these high costs and the possibility of cleaning out one’s savings account as a result can be eliminated with the purchase of a pet insurance policy, where many different types of plans are available for each individual animal concerned.

And, one of the more important aspects that owners point out about having pet insurance is that it helps the human make a less selfish decision on treatment options since money is not such an issue when insurance is covering the costs of managing the ailment.

How do pet care insurance policies work?

A pet insurance policy operates in a very similar fashion to a human health insurance plan – payments are made to the insurance company on behalf of the animal, opening the way for discounts as well such as five percent off the total cost of the microchipping procedure, as well as an additional five to ten percent off the cost of insuring more than one pet with the same policy.

Policy plans and subsequent costs depend on such factors as whether or not the pet is primarily an indoor or outdoor animal, the age of the pet, or if it is of a purebred breed.

As a pet is equivalent to a member of the family, it pays to make insurance part of the pet care routine.

See the original post here: Is Pet Insurance Necessary For The Good Health Of One's Beloved Animal?

Most children love animals and will usually start asking for a pet. Allowing them to have one can depend on many factors including where you live, how much time you have to give to a pet and your child’s maturity level. Is your child ready for a pet? Does he display real interest in an animal friend, or is it just the latest whine-de-jour? How does he handle responsibilities? Does he complete his age appropriate chores or is it a constant struggle to get him to do anything? If you cannot get him to pick up his dirty drawers, will he really feed, water and clean up after a pet?

Apartment dwellers are often drawn to the exotic pets because they are small and relatively easy to care for. Before starting to look at actual animals, make sure you know your child’s temperament and level of commitment to the idea and then narrow down the search. Find the right category of animal first and then start looking. Your search should take you to a reputable pet shop where a knowledgeable salesperson should take the time to match your child to the right pet, and not just try to make a fast sale. Make sure that you know what kind of equipment your new pet will need to stay happy and healthy before even heading down to the pet shop; some pets will be far more expensive initially than others.

Understand that while the child is the one that is asking for this pet, you will ultimately be overseeing its care, and potentially taken over full time. With that in mind, you will want to consider if you will be able to tolerate the chosen pet. If you are anti-snake, and your son has refused to clean the cage, what will you do? Also, consider the pet’s diet before allowing him to become part of your family. Snakes for instance, eat rodents. Will you be able to handle that? Will it be too intense for your child?

Finally, realize that the attention span of even the most patient child can be as short lived as the toy filled commercials they are bombarded with. Today’s “hot” pet will be tomorrow’s passé reject, so be prepared to step in and adopt the cast off. Until your child is older than ten, you might want to stick with fish, or birds, both of which require minimal human contact, are pretty and rarely creep out Mom.

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Is your best friend getting older and having problems with pain or arthritis? Take a look at Pet Bounce.  Have a wonderful day!

More here: Exotic Pets and Children

The term “exotic pets” leads many people to think of expensive, hard to manage and maintain animals that try hard to escape and want only to eat your family. This is not necessarily true; the category encompasses a whole lot of much smaller, and family friendly pets. Cats and dogs are nice family pets, but are not always a real viable option. Apartment dwellers might find it easier to keep a small, exotic pet, and in fact, in some buildings certain types may be the only ones allowable.

Some of the best and most popular exotic pets for children are some of the simplest to care for. Look for the animals that are most child friendly, which would rule out any potentially poisonous, feistier than average or Houdini-esque pets. Keep to the ones that have at least a modicum of the cute factor to them, and always keep in mind that you are going to potentially be adopting this animal in a few weeks.

A great starter pet is a Guinea pig, especially for an older child, as long as the child is capable of dealing with some simple rules. A quiet, gentle child will find a guinea pig becomes fairly easy to handle with regular handling and they rarely bite unless frightened. Guinea pigs are also fairly inexpensive, needing only a basic cage, some clean fresh bedding and an easy to find diet. They do require Vitamin C because they are prone to scurvy, but can get that from the same fresh fruits and vegetables that your family is already eating.

Other rodents are fairly good choices as starter pets, but each have their own benefits and drawbacks to consider. Rats might creep out some family members, but are remarkably intelligent and have been known to bond with their human keepers with consistent, gentle handling. Some rodents are best kept in a pair, while others are better kept as single pets, so make sure you know which is which.

If buying a rodent for a pet is just more than you can really handle, there are other exotic pet options that are still small and relatively easy to care for. Smaller birds like the finch and parakeet are very good starter animals, although are a lot more fragile than the rodent groups. Birds are best left for the older child. Another option is lizards and snakes. Some are kind of hard to maintain and need a lot of work to care for. Remember, the larger the reptile or amphibian, the larger the cage and the more intensive the “zoo-keeping.” Keep in mind the snake’s diet before you allow him to slither home with you.

Finally, if you truly want a low maintenance, nearly hands off pet, consider the hermit crab or the Madagascar hissing cockroach. Neither really needs a lot of human interaction, both only need a small space and will not pout if their keepers ignore them for days on end.

Read the original here: The Most Popular Exotic Pets

Researchers at Warwick University in Coventry found that having a cat or dog at home exposed children to more infections early in life produced a stronger immune systems and are less likely to have days off school sick. While research with preschool children, psychologists at Oregon State University found that teaching children to care for a puppy enhanced their social skills becoming more cooperative and sharing. 

Pet Health benefits for Children

Studies have shown a lower incidence of allergies in children who have pets. Researchers also found young children exposed to one or more pets actually had decreased allergic reactions to other allergens. The supposition is that given that pets lick the children, (and who hasn’t seen that happen!), and bacteria from the pet hone the child’s immune system for exposure to future allergens.

Research has shown that antibody levels in children from pet owning families were significantly more stable which indicates a robust immune systems. This supports the suggestion that too much cleanliness early in life, so-called “dirty hypothesis”, can leave the immune system weakened later on and is considered the reason for soaring rates of childhood asthma in recent years.

Further

Pets do have health risks for children but the study from Warwick University found that three out of 10 children admitted sharing food with their pets while 21% let their pets lick their fingers despite these dangers. One of the biggest risks is the roundworm Toxicara canis which infects dogs. This can cause anything from stomach ache to eye damage. Despite these dangers pet owning children achieved nine days extra at school over the course of a year compared to children without animals.

Social skills in Children with Pets are improved

Children with Pets learn Responsibility

By having a family pet children can also learn how to care for others by taking on responsibility. Through this they learn what is required to take care of another instance, walking a dog shows the child that there is responsibility involved in taking care of a pet. The child will at the same time strengthens his or her relationship with the animal who, in return, will become a loyal friend who is always there to play with or to turn to in tough situations.

Emotional Health Thanks to Pets

Children with Pets learn Acceptance and Compassion

Sometimes a child can find it difficult to be accepted by others, even by members of their family and can result in low self esteem to develop. A dog or cat is non-judgmental and when a child needs an impartial party for comfort they can turn to their animal.  Children and Pets both in their natural state give love freely and with no strings attached except to be nurtured back. Pets love to have attention paid to them, and reward the giver with a like return of warmth. Kindness can also develop because the child has to care for a being that needs him or her to cater to its every need. Without the child, the pet would starve. So, the child learns responsibility and compassion.

Pets help Children relieve Stress and Provide Entertainment

Pets relieve stress, when no one else will listen, a pet will. It is nearly impossible to stroke the soft fur of a dog or a cat and maintain any level of stress. Pets can also be a calming influence to both parents and responsible children. Just watching a cat bat a ball around, or a dog chase its tail, can bring families closer together. Everyone gets involved in the care of the animal, so it becomes an integral part of the family.  No matter what the choice of pet children will benefit greatly from adding an animal into the family mix.

Socializing and Exercise

A child who has a pet will have many stories to tell people and this intern helps the child to socialise. It matters not if the person listening has a pet or not as most pets are universally known. So many times we hear children say “I have a rabbit, dog or cat” and the conversation suddenly follows.  The pet can also provide exercise, be it grooming, walking or play, taking the child outside. A permanent playmate can be on hand at all times for the child who may otherwise sit in front of his computer or television for hours on end.

There are many beneficial reasons why a child should grow up with an animal in the home. Pets can teach children so much, including responsibility, kindness, and love and make great friends and playmates for a child. So, if you’re trying to find a way to get your kid off the couch, consider bringing a pet into your home, but don’t mention the 9 extra days at school!

Continue reading here: Pet benefits for your Children