Posts Tagged: Pet Safety

For owners who love to run, jog, hike, and enjoy outdoor activities, allowing their dog to walk off-leash makes good sense. These activities keep your energetic dog moving while also providing opportunities for sniffing, exploring, and running free.

However, off-leash roaming is a big responsibility for any dog owner. Training and practice must be provided to ensure the safety of the dog and other humans and animals. Continue…

It’s almost contradictory that a season replete with joy, family time, and indulgences is also rife with dangers. While it can be exciting to get swept away in all the festivities, lights, and gingerbread house contests, it’s important to remain in tune with your four-legged friend to best protect him or her from illness or holiday-related calamity. Plus, your pet may be wondering when you plan to slow down a bit for a nice lasting cuddle or some other version of quality time, say, a long walk or laser chase.

In response, we’ve prepared the following guidelines for your pet and the holidays so you can close out this year in safety and peace. Continue…

Who do voodoo, that black cat crossing in front of you, do.

Our dark, non-photogenic furry friends get a bad rep, but do they deserve it? Where did it come from, and is there any truth to the myths about them?

Black cats have their own almagate of evil tales of dark art aid and bringing good luck to their owners in both iconic form and breed specific reality. Read on to learn more about black animals and their stereotypes, history, and odd anecdotes surrounding their dark furry coats. Continue…

Living in the Southwest, there are some lurking desert dangers to our pets that you should know about; especially before anyone sets a paw or a foot outside the door. Whether you’re roaming the wilds of rural Texas, or venturing west toward Arizona, New Mexico, or California, you’ll want to bone up on the dangers of the desert. Continue…

How many times of you seen this scenario: it is 90+ degrees and someone is out walking the family dog on asphalt or concrete. Perhaps you have even made that mistake, thinking the breezy warm day wasn’t too hot, ignoring the ground temperature.

Unfortunately, hard surfaces can soar to scalding temperatures during the afternoon, which is why protecting pet paws from becoming burnt is a matter of awareness. Continue…

Your pet experiences his or her environment through the nose, eyes, and ears – and fireworks trigger all of these senses to the extreme. Even the most serene and relaxed among the four-legged set can become extremely agitated by fireworks and the chaos of the 4th. So what can we as pet owners do to keep our pets happy and safe during the 4th of July celebrations this year? Read on to learn more… Continue…

Record-breaking rainfall, rising lakes and rivers, and mass flooding over the past few weeks have been on everyone’s mind. Tragedies of lost lives, homes, and personal possessions have weighed on our hearts, whether personally affected or not. For many loving pet owners, fears were realized with missing or injured family member pets. For those unaffected, we may wonder how we can better protect pets during floods and disasters.

Emergency Preparedness for Floods and Disasters

As you may have learned in Scouts or through taking basic first aid, being prepared is your best line of defense in an emergency situation. Yet fewer than 20% of all households have a disaster plan or kit. Fewer still have plans that include the family pets. Continue…

Your azalea’s look absolutely splendiferous in your garden beds and your lilies are simply gorgeous this year, but did you know that both flowers are dangerous to your pet? Fortunately for your green thumb, there are loads of pet-safe plants to choose from, and we’d like to spread the news about the risks associated with the most common flora possibly growing in your own backyard.

A Green Oasis

Homeowners typically invest a good amount of time into garden projects and curb appeal. Plants like rhododendron, oleander, and foxglove are extremely pretty and popular, but  super toxic for your pet. The good news? You can still create and maintain a lush garden – and a safe, non-toxic one, as well. Continue…

It’s late and your pet has managed to sneak out. It’s happened before, but he’s usually home by now. You call his or her name into the darkness and hope that any second you’ll hear the sound of sweet relief coming from the tags or bell dangling from his collar. When all you hear is silence, a specific dread may wash over you: your pet is out and about, maybe lost forever.

Microchipping your pet adds a certain type of security to this scenario, and can even lead to a sweet reunion. Join us as we describe the process, and list the benefits of microchipping your pet. Continue…

As the holidays descend rapidly upon us, it’s time to consider more than the shopping and the Naughty-or-Nice list. After all, the holiday season is as ripe with excitement and temptation for pets as it is for their people. As with humans, pets can behave more easily when the temptation to misbehave is limited.

Christmas Trees

As we strive to bring home the tallest, most perfect tree and get it set up without putting a hole in the ceiling, our animals know exactly what we’re up to. The cat is sure you found it the most amazing scratching post. The dog knows it’s an intruder that must be vanquished. Continue…