The importance of picking the right mate

Pets and relationships

No, I’m not talking about a mate for your cat or dog.  I’m talking about a mate for yourself.  Finding someone who shares your outlook on animals and their well-being is important.  When it comes to pets, I think people often underestimate how important having the support of their partner really is.     Read more

Pet cloning and why I’d never do it

cat dog pet cloning

Recently, Barbra Streisand admitted she’d cloned her dog.  As more details came out in a second article a few days later, as well as all the interest in cloning I saw generated online, I decided out of my own curiosity to peek into the nuts and bolts of pet cloning.  Knowing nothing about it, I quickly found myself horrified reading about the dark side of the industry.  It’s one that’s seldom talked about openly and definitely not during magazine or tv interviews, and of course not by Barbra or any of the other people who have decided that a clone of their deceased cat or dog is worth whatever the cost.       Read more

My experience with an animal communicator

While hiring someone to “talk” to your pet might seem crazy to more than a few people, when you find yourself in a situation where you feel like you’ve exhausted all other options, it starts seeming more and more like a good idea.  That was the case for me when one of our barely one-year-old neutered male cats decided to go on an unauthorized journey.  While I wanted to believe an animal communicator would be the answer to my prayers, I went into it with a healthy bit of skepticism.  I hoped that this stranger I researched and hired was the real, legitimate deal and could help me get my young cat back.

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Lacey’s Story

Three years ago the end of this month, a smelly, messy, long haired dog with bright blue eyes, poor treat taking manners and food aggression, showed up in the yard. In over 14 years of living here, not a single dog had ever come down the long drive to the house and hung around.  They had all stayed up on the road where there was traffic and where they had been dumped out, waiting for their owner to return. Maybe Lacey was different because she had just wandered off or was older.  Possibly, because the time was nearing when I had to let Justin, my 14-1/2-year-old dog go, Lacey was sent to help take away some of the pain.  Or maybe it was just fate for her remaining time on earth to be spent in a loving home.

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Pet care reference books reviewed

Over the years, I’ve purchased several books on cat and dog care.  Some have been more helpful than others in certain situations, and although I have not always entirely agreed with the information provided, I have found most of them to be very helpful and insightful.  As someone who has no access to local holistic vets, and prefers to treat my pets as naturally as possible, I wanted to share my thoughts on these books with others who also prefer to go the natural route whenever possible and are interested in starting or adding to their resource collection.

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How to get rid of fleas

how to get rid of fleas

One of the biggest headaches a pet owner can face is the dreaded flea. If you are one of the unfortunate flea-fighting warriors reading this, and you want to know how to get rid of fleas, hopefully this post will help you finally free your home and pet from the annoying little pests.  If you are fortunate enough to be flea-free, I think you’ll find some valuable tips to ensure your home and pets stay that way.

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The importance of good pictures of your pet

If you’ve ever had a pet go missing, you might understand what I’m talking about.  If not, let me share with you the reason why it’s so important to have good pet pictures.  I’m not talking about the cute ones where they are sleeping or 1/2 a mile away from the camera or hiding behind the curtains, I’m talking well-lit, in the daylight, full body shots.  The kind that you can put on posters if you ever have a pet go missing.

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