10 Alternatives To Getting Rid Of Your Pet

So you've had your dog or cat for a while, and your life is changing, and now you think you need to get rid of your pet. But are you sure this is what you want to do? Getting rid of your pet is a very drastic measure. If you leave your pet at a shelter, you may think he will find a new home soon. But it is unlikely. Many high-kill shelters must euthanize animals each day in order to make room for new ones who have come in. Some animals are only at the shelter for four or five days before they run out of luck. Fifty-six percent of dogs and seventy-six percent of cats in shelters are euthanized... many of them healthy, well-behaved animals whose owners simply didn't have time for them anymore. Even in a no-kill shelter, your pet may be doomed to live out the rest of his life in a small cage if he is not chosen for adoption.

If you are willing to try keeping your pet, there are many things you can do. Lets look at some of the most common reasons why people get rid of their pets, and how to get around them.

Reason 1: I'm moving.

Solution: Bring your pet with! A quick Google search for "pet-friendly housing" will show you many different directories of rental housing that allows pets. Here are just a few that I found: People With Pets, Pets Welcome, My New Place, Pets911, Home With Pets, and Dog House Properties. And pet-friendly housing is not just limited to those sites! Many apartment buildings and complexes will allow pets. You may have to pay an extra security deposit. But in the end, it will be worth it, to keep your pet with you!

Here is something else you should know. If things get really bad and you have no place to live, you still may not have to give up your pet. Pets Of The Homeless is a website that works to help homeless people to keep their pets, or find temporary homes for their pets until they get back on their feet.

Reason 2: I can no longer afford my pets.

Solution: Call your local animal shelter, or food pantry, and ask about pet food banks. They do exist, and are becoming more and more common! You can even make your own dog food, which may be cheaper in the long run. (Its not difficult! Dogs can eat much of the same things we eat!) Your local animal shelter, or your veterinarian, may also be able to tell you about free or low cost vet care for your pets.

Reason 3: My new boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/roommate doesn't like pets.

Solution: Are you really going to sacrifice your pet on someone else's whim? Are you sure you want to date someone or live with someone who doesn't like pets? That's a pretty big lifestyle change to make for someone else. If you're sure you want to stick with this person, work out a compromise. Maybe your pet can be banned from certain areas of the house, like the bedroom or the kitchen.

Reason 4: My new boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/roommate is allergic to my pet.

Solution: As long as the person's allergy isn't life threatening, there are many things you can do to greatly reduce the allergens on your pet. Keeping your house clean is a giant step. Dust and vacuum frequently, and use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter if possible. You can buy an air filter for your home that sucks the allergens out of the air. A company called AllerPet makes a special liquid that you can wipe your pet down with regularly to get rid of the allergens on him. Sprinkling flax seeds in your pet's food can also reduce the amount of dander he produces. The person may even be willing to take allergy medication! After all, many people have seasonal allergies and take medicine regularly. They don't just get rid of the seasons!

Reason 5: We're having a baby.

Solution: Pets and children are a great combination! Most pets are perfectly fine around children, although they may be a little confused by the new arrival at first. You should always supervise your pet around young children. When your child is an infant, he probably won't be unsupervised anyways, right? As your child gets older, you will have to teach the child to be gentle with the pets. Do not allow your child to pull your pet's tail, poke him, pick him up, etc. Many people feel that a pet should be obligated to put up with whatever your child deals out. But that is not good for anyone involved! Teaching your child, from a young age, to be calm and nurturing around pets, is a great learning experience for the child. If you have a dog, you may want to do some extra training with him before the baby comes, to teach him not to jump up on you when you're holding the baby, etc. Other measures may include banning the pets from certain areas of the house, hiring someone to come walk your dogs or clean up after your pets when you don't have time to, etc.

Reason 6: I have developed health problems.

Solution: Speak to your veterinarian, neighbors, friends, people at your place of worship, etc. You can probably find some volunteers to help you take care of your pet. Having a pet can be a source of comfort when you are ill. In fact, many studies have shown that people with pets have lower blood pressure, lower heart rates, and are generally more healthy, than those without pets. If your health problems are so severe that you must move into a nursing home, maybe you can find someone willing too foster your pet for you.

Reason 7: My pet has developed costly health problems.

Solution: Speak to your veterinarian about this. They may be able to guide you to low cost veterinary clinics, veterinary schools that offer low cost treatment, etc. Many veterinary offices now offer payment plans for treatment. They may be able to help you find creative ways of raising money to pay for your pet's treatment, too!

Reason 8: My pet still isn't house trained.

Solution: If your pet is suddenly having "accidents" around the house when he used to be house trained, there could be a medical reason. You may want to consult your veterinarian. If the house training has just never completely been accomplished, you may have to start over from scratch. For a dog, take him out more frequently and try to get him on a schedule. If you are not home during the day, and your dog is eliminating on the floor or furniture while you are gone, you may want to consider crating him while you are not home. For a cat, switching to a different kind of litter, getting a bigger litter box, or moving the litter box to a different area of the house, can help. Clean up accidents with a mixture of vinegar and water. This mixture gets rid of the scent of urine or poop, so that the pet doesn't feel the need to "mark" that area again.

Reason 9: I work long hours, and don't have much time to spend with my pet. Its not fair to him.

Solution: While it may seem unfair that your pet has to spend time alone, it is still better than making him take his chances in a shelter! There are simple measures, such as providing stimulating toys for your pets, or leaving the TV on during the day, that can help your pet to feel less lonely. One nice thing you can do is buy your pet a special blanket. Sleep with it in your bed for a few nights before you give it to your pet. It will smell like you, and offer comfort to your pet when you are away from the house! You may also want to consider pet day care, or hiring someone to stop in during the day to play with your pets. Also, spending as little as fifteen minutes before you leave for work, just playing with your pet and spending quality time with him, can make a real difference. You don't have to be a perfect owner and spend tons of time hanging out with your pet. He will love you the way you are... and again, it is better to be alone at your home than to die alone in a shelter.

Reason 10: My pet has behavior problems. He bites/scratches/jumps on me, barks too much, etc.

You may want to consider a training class for yourself and your pet. Petco and Petsmart offer fairly inexpensive training classes. It can be a good investment! If you can't afford this, then the library can provide books on dog training, and the Internet can provide websites with tips. Try Googling a specific problem you're having. For instance, search for "teach dog to stop barking." Spending ten or fifteen minutes a day working with your dog, and then consistently rewarding your dog for positive behavior, can make a huge difference.

These are just a few of the common reasons why people consider giving up their pets. But remember, every problem has a solution. So, before you give up on your pet, please take some time to remedy the problems!

Nicki Mann lives in Chicago with her two dogs, Trixie and Lily, and her cat Sammy-Joe. Nicki's pets have taken over the computer to create their own blog about pet life! You can find it here: Trixie, Lily and Sammy-Joe.

Getting Ready For Your Pet Bunny Rabbit

How To Teach Your Children The Proper Care For Your Pet Rabbit!

Children are naturally innately drawn to cute, cuddle-y little creatures, and they will probably want to pick up, stroke and play with your new pet rabbit. But while this may be tempting, it's potentially quite dangerous -- both to the bunny and to your child.

Rabbits are sociable animals and generally like human companionship, but unlike dogs and some cats, they do not enjoy the same type of close contact. They are ground-dwelling creatures and prefer to have all they're legs on the ground. If your child tries to pick up your new pet, the rabbit will likely squirm, claw and perhaps even fall to the floor. Moreover, children may want to rough-house with their new pet, but rabbits can easily be harmed by such behavior, because their bodies are so fragile.

For all these reasons it is essential to teach children in advance about what to expect from their pet and how to treat their new fuzzy friend. Read the next chapter, which is all about understanding handling your new rabbit, and then sit down for a talk with your kid or kids. Explain that rabbits are not like other pets, and that they don't like being picked up.

Also, be aware that rabbits do not respond well to stressful or very noisy environments, so households with very hyperactive or very loud children may just not be suitable to a pet bunny. And if you have a particularly energetic young child, you should certainly supervise the child's playtime with the rabbit, so that you can affirm good behavior and correct bad habits.

There are several supplies you will want to purchase before you bring you new pet bunny home. You will need to have most if not all of the following items on hand:

Cage

Water bottle

Food dish

Food pellets

Fresh veggies

Hay

Litter box/pan

Rabbit toys

Make sure that you have enough of those essential supplies on hand before you bring your rabbit home, so that you don't have to run out and buy supplies while you're in the midst of getting your new pet settled into your house.

by Andrea Austin,

http://www.rabbits-n-bunnies.com

We hope you enjoyed this article. If you would like more information on pet rabbit care, click on this link to get your FREE Rabbit Care Guide: Bunny Rabbits

Thinking Of Getting A Pet?

Having an animal in your life can be a rewarding and enriching experience. However, caring properly for an animal involves a considerable and long term commitment. With the scientific improvements in nutrition and veterinary medicine, many dogs and cats live into old age; over 12 years is not uncommon (on average dogs live for up to 15 years and cats up to 18 years). Unfortunately, thousands of animals are destroyed every year as they are given up when their owners can no longer care for them. If you really care about animals, it is worth giving consideration to the common reasons for animals being given up - here are a few other points worth considering before adopting or buying a pet.

Think about how you see your life developing. Do you plan to have children, do you have travel plans, do you intend to move house or emigrate? Any big life change will impact on your pet and may mean you have to give him/her up.

Involve all members of your household in this decision and think carefully about why you want a pet; getting one to keep your children entertained, will end up being a mistake. If you are a student or travel frequently, it is best to wait until your life is more settled before getting taking on an animal.

Pets take time, every day - even if you are working, busy or tired. They require more than food and water and are solely reliant on you for companionship, exercise, stimulation and care throughout their lives. Whilst all pets require time and a regular routine, some types of animals need more than others. All pets are entirely reliant on you to meet all their needs - you can't send them to their room to play a computer game!

If you work full time, it is advisable not to get a dog. Dogs unlike cats experience boredom and loneliness without human companionship. They require a lot of attention and several walks and play time every day and most dogs require regular grooming especially if they are long haired..

If you are not sure if you could provide properly for a dog, a useful exercise is to write down what you would see them doing each hour of each day - i.e. put hours 1 - 24 down on paper and write an activity next to each hour. You will quickly see that even if you are able to provide three hours of walking per day and say 10 hours are for sleeping, this still leaves 11 hours when your dog will be inactive and reliant on you for a game or some activity.

Don't get a dog if you are going to let him vegetate; they are working animals and soon become very frustrated if they are not getting a regular change of scenery, daily exercise and games where they interact with you. In fact, most behavioural and many health problems are triggered when a dog is not getting the exercise and stimulation that he needs and in many cases the solution to a behavioural problem is to regularly tire the dog out with mental and physical exercise.

Cats are more independent than dogs, however most do need company and it is advisable to get two cats if you are out at work all day. Long haired cats require regular grooming.

Rabbits require company, stimulation, grooming and regular cleaning of their accommodation area. Smaller animals such as hamsters, guinea pigs, exotics, etc require specialised care and contrary to popular belief, they are not an easy option; even though they are smaller than a dog, they still require a lot of care and attention.

Pets cost money - according to the RSPCA, it costs approximately £700 per year in the UK to keep an average sized dog. Your pet will require a healthy diet, bedding, toys, vaccinations flea & worm treatments, micro-chipping, neutering, and veterinary checks.

Trips to the vet can be expensive and it is advisable to purchase pet insurance. Other costs can include; training classes and grooming and if you are unlucky, you may have to pay out for ruined carpets or furniture, flea infestations and unexpected medical emergencies. Consider who would look after the animal if you cannot take him on holiday with you and remember that any type of boarding will cost you money.

Check that no-one in your house is allergic to animals:- it is one of the biggest reasons that animals have to be given up. The other top reason is not having enough time.

Establish whether you are allowed to have a pet where you live. If you are renting your accommodation, you may find that you are not allowed to have a pet on the property and it is important to know this before you get an animal.

If you are pregnant or intend to have children in the near future, it is advisable to wait until your children are older before getting an animal. Many pets are given up when their owners have children as it is very difficult to maintain the commitment of caring for an animal and at the same time look after a young baby.

Animal rescue centres are excellent places to get an animal from. Most provide helpful after care such as low cost veterinary facilities, behavioural & training classes and grooming. Rescue centres will ensure that the animal is neutered, micro chipped and vaccinated and this is often included in the adoption fee. The adoption fee from an animal rescue centre is normally a fraction of the cost of buying an animal from a pet shop or breeder even though animal rescue centres are usually set up as registered charities and are entirely reliant on donations to keep their services running.

http://www.animalresources.co.uk has further information and useful links related to this subject.

Writing 101: Getting an Idea for a Children's Story

I guess you've noticed that children's books are often about everyday happenings. The Cat in the Hat is an exception that everyone loves. So are fairy tales involving fire-spitting dragons. But those types of stories are less common than the stories you find at garage sales.

Some writers say, "If I only had an idea." Then they go off without writing a story when they could easily generate an idea for a story if they just tried.

I was reading the newspaper classifieds a couple of hours ago. I was looking at the ads my competition were running to see if I couldn't get one-up on them by writing a better ad. I read about everything so I read the lost pet ads which had nothing to do with what I was doing.

As I looked at the ads for lost pets I could feel the pain the owner's were going through. I thought if there was only a Pet Detective to help them find their lost critters.

It immediately dawned on this old gray head that there was great story idea; A series of books for children staring the Pet Detective. I immediately sat down and wrote the following to show you how easy it is to write such a story.

Can you write a Pet Detective story right after you've read this story?

Give it a go!

Remember as you write that everything has to be made obvious to children.

Lost Pet Detective: The Firehouse Dalmatian

The Pet Detective read in the local paper that the firehouse Dalmatian in Clinton City had scampered away when the gas tank of Fred Smith's car exploded before the firemen could get the fire out.

The newspaper article said that Fred saw smoke from under his engine hood so he pulled off the farm road one mile east of town. He got out of the car and dialed 911 on his cell phone. While he was calling, the car burst into flames. He quickly told the 911 operator where the car was and then ran to the Barker farmhouse for help.

The farmer's wife, Sarah Barker, answered the door. When she saw the fire, she quickly helped Fred fill a couple of farm milking buckets with water. They saw that the fire truck was already coming from town, speeding down the road with the siren screaming. It kicked up a big cloud of dust that could be seen for at least a country mile.

Fred got to the car about the same time as the fire engine did. He realized that the water he was carrying had almost all spilled out as he ran to put out the fire. He threw what was left on the hood of the car.

George Spellman, the Fire Chief, grabbed Fred by the arm and said, "Get out of here, Fred. The gas tank might explode."

Ginger, the firehouse Dalmatian dog watched with interest from the top of the cab of the fire truck. That is where she always sat during a fire. She wanted to see what was going on.

The firemen pulled out the water hoses from the truck and sprayed water on the fire from a good distance. They were afraid that the gas tank would explode. At first, it looked like the fire was going out. That's when a great explosion roared forth knocking the firemen to the ground as well as Fred and the farmer's wife.

They were not hurt but they all watched Ginger, the firehouse Dalmatian, jump of the cab of the fire truck and run as fast as she could across the farmer's hay field.

According to the newspaper article, George Spellman, the fire chief, said, "Well, we'll see Ginger back at the firehouse."

Bill Flock, one of the volunteer firemen who had driven his pickup to the fire, said, "Well, we may not see her for a while. She's going the wrong way."

The article said that when the fireman got Fred's car cooled down enough to be safe they went back to the fire house. Fred's car was totally destroyed but the firemen knew that he would get a new car paid for by his insurance company. They were not worried about Fred but they were worried about Ginger. She was lost!

The newspaper article also said that later that evening while the firemen sat around the table in the Fire House kitchen eating sandwiches, the Chief said, "She'll be back! She is just scared." But she didn't come back that day or the next or the next.

The Pet Detective laid the newspaper down on the kitchen table and said to his wife, "Nancy, I'm driving over to Clinton this morning. Would you like to tag along?"

Nancy was towel drying a breakfast bowl that she had just washed. She said, "I would love to go but today is the church luncheon. Guess who is in charge? I know why you are going to Clinton. It's Ginger, isn't it? I would love to go but I guess you will have to find Ginger without my help. She probably ran back to the puppy farm."

The Pet Detective laughed. He said, "Well, I'll see you later!"

But he thought about what his wife said. He knew that Ginger was only about one year old. Instead of driving off to Clinton, he grabbed the telephone book. He looked under kennels until he found one that bred Dalmatians. There was such a kennel in Bradley City. He called over there and a lady answered the telephone. He said, "I'm looking for a lost Dalmatian. Have you got a stray over there?"

The lady said, "Yes, we have a Dalmatian about one year old that came here the other day. We couldn't tell from her markings who she is. I think she is one of our dogs or why else would she come here? We have been looking at our puppy photos but there are a lot to look at. We sell a lot of dogs."

The Pet Detective said, "So it is a bitch of the right age." Do you remember selling a dog to the Clinton fire house?" A bitch is a female dog. It is not a swearword when used properly.

The lady said, "We did sell a dog to a lady in Clinton early last year."

The Pet Detective said, "What was her name? Do you remember?"

The lady said, "Just a minute. I can look it up."

A minute later the lady came back on the telephone. She said, "We sold her to a lady by the name of Mary Spellman."

The Pet Detective said, "That is the Clinton Fire Chief's wife. Is the dog in good health?"

The lady said, "When she got in here she was exhausted and filthy dirty. We cleaned her up and fed her and she is just fine. I think she drank a gallon of water after she got here."

The Pet Detective said, "I'm coming over. I know who she belongs to. Will that be okay?"

The lady said that would be fine and hung up the telephone.

The Pet Detective took Ginger back to the firehouse and half the town showed up to see her. The Fire Chief thanked the Pet Detective and some of the guys got up a collection to pay for the gasoline that the Pet Detective had used to get Ginger and bring her home. The Pet Detective said that he did not want the money but Bill Flock, the volunteer firemen who had driven his pickup to the fire, said, "Take your wife out to dinner. That will make us happy and your wife happy too."

So that's what the Pet Detective did. They went to dinner two days later. Nancy said, "I guess that was some bit of detective work to get Ginger back."

He took a bite of cat fish and said to her, "Yes, it was. I had to use all of my detective skills."

Nancy spun a girl on her forehead with her finger. She said, "I can't imagine where you got the clue that solved the problem. You must have used all of your imagination."

The Pet Detective said, "I guess you saw today's paper. Did you go down to the newspaper office and get an early copy?"

She laughed and said, "I guess I did and I guess I know how you solved the case. You went right to the puppy farm. Now where did you get such an idea?"

They both laughed.

copyright©2006 John T. Jones, Ph.D.

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com), a retired college professor and business executive, Former editor of an international engineering magazine. To learn more about Wealthy Affiliate University go to his info site. If you desire a flagpole to Fly Old Glory, go to the business site.

More info: http://www.InternetBusinessToolCenter.com

Business web site: http://www.AAAFlagpoles.com

The Trend Of Getting Pet Memorial Jewelry Is Catching On Across The World!

Pets are good company for people of all ages. They add pleasure to life since they are loyal and they bring life to most homes. Pets give unconditional love and comfort to the owner and they share in most of the good times and the bad times. They eventually become members of the family and they end up becoming best friends. Some pets such as cats, dogs, parrots, and horses are known to save people's lives in different circumstances. It is important to treat pets as if they are part of the family, or as friends.

Everybody who has a pet has to deal with pet loss every now and then, since there are no many pets that can outlive the owners. For that reason, many people look for ways for keeping memories of their pets. Children and some adults are accustomed to taking photos and framing them when the pets are gone. Others make sure that they keep offspring of the pets to continue their linage. There is a new trend of getting memorial jewelry to commemorate pets after they are gone. Jewelry can be worn by anybody at any time to help deal with the loss of a pet.

Comfort jewelry is becoming popular especially with children and teens, although any individual regardless of age or preference can have one made for him or her. The good thing about jewelry is being versatile since they come in many types and you can custom make your own. There are many different types of jewelry for grieving pet owners. The most common ones are chains that are customized with lockets, which carry the photo of the pet. The locket can also have an engraving of the pet's name together with a lovely message from the owner. An individual can wear small lockets on bracelets and anklets. The jewelry carries the pets' memories and these help people to remember their pets for a long time.

Some people wear jewelry pieces with engraved animal parts to commemorate their pets. These could have anything from feathers, paws, or faces of animals engraved on them. Furthermore, some people have their watches, earrings, and other pieces customized to remember their pets. Some jewelry is made with hollow parts that can hold cremation ashes. These are made in such a way that the ashes are sealed into the piece and the pet's memory can stay with the custodian forever.

There are some special lockets for boys, which have features that look good on boys. They come in chunky straps and pendants as well as the detail. Some are custom made for girls since they come in soft colors such as blue, purple pink and more. They have glitter detail of sparkling jewels. You can find pieces that are unisex as well as some for all ages. Go to stores that sell customized jewelry and they will direct you on where you can get custom work done. Online shops can also provide you with the specific kind of pieces that you want. Happy shopping!

Before buying pet memorial jewelry online, make sure that you have done extensive research and confirm that the vendor is authentic.