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pets
pets
FDA Still Not Sure Why Chinese Jerky Made 1,000 Dogs Sick
By Laura Northrup on May 23, 2012 12:36 PM
32 Comments
Pet owners think that we're doing our pets a favor by purchasing treats for them that are just pure dried meat: no flour, no soy, no additives, just meat. But these treats may not be as healthy as they seem. Many dog owners claim that these treats have made their pets ill with problems ranging from diarrhea to kidney failure, and many animals have died. The Food and Drug Administration continues to investigate, even sending inspectors to the production facilities in China, but can't determine what causes the illnesses. More »
Be Ready For A Hassle When Flying With Your Snub-Nosed Dog
By Chris Morran on April 20, 2012 2:40 PM
58 Comments
A number of airlines already have bans on allowing snub-nosed dogs like pugs, bulldogs and boxers to be checked in their planes' cargo holds. However, traveling with one of those dogs in a carry-on bag in the cabin should be just fine. The problem is, not everyone at the airlines is aware of this fact. More »
How My Stupid Cat Has Cost Me $5,500 Over Three Years
By Laura Northrup on April 20, 2012 8:00 AM
141 Comments
Pets provide us with much-needed companionship, cuddles, and photos to illustrate Consumerist posts with. But they're not cheap to have around. Food, toys, litter, collars, leashes, routine vet care...those are all of the things you consider and budget for when you start cruising Petfinder to look for a new buddy. Only there are larger expenses that are large, sudden, and impossible to plan for. After one illness, having a pet could cost as much as a decent used car. That's what happened to Carolyn Kylstra, whose cat Hooligan (great name) has cost her $5,550 over three years. That's an average of $150/month...money that could go far in an otherwise frugal lifestyle. More »
(sussmanb)
Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Get A Dog
By Phil Villarreal on April 6, 2012 10:15 AM
119 Comments
If you're thinking about bringing a dog into your life, you've got some homework to do to make sure you set yourself up for success. Before you choose your new best friend, it's a good idea to take an inventory of your lifestyle to determine the traits you're looking for. More »
PayPal Leaves Small Business Out $500 And A Snake
By Laura Northrup on March 30, 2012 11:30 AM
76 Comments
Shawn runs a small reptile business, selling habitats, supplies, and animals. A customer's purchase of a $500 snake went smoothly, with payment via PayPal and a critter off to a happy new home. Then the buyer reported the transaction to PayPal as fraudulent. They ruled in the buyer's favor after an "investigation" that didn't include talking to Shawn, and took back the $500. Voilà - free snake. More »
Puppy Vs. Airline Personnel: How Misinformation Messed Up Our Vacation Plans
By Laura Northrup on March 29, 2012 12:45 PM
100 Comments
On its surface, the facts of David's story are the very definition of a "first world problem." His family missed part of their tropical vacation because misinformed American Airlines personnel wouldn't let their puppy on the plane. They incorrectly believed that St. Maartens, their destination, requires incoming animals to be microchipped. It's true that no one has to vacation with their pet, but sometimes transporting an animal by air internationally is necessary due to a move or a family emergency. And when that happens, hope that you don't encounter the American Airlines employees who cost David's family a lot of money by keeping them off their flight. More »
Before You Get A Pet, Determine How Much Money It Will Steal From You
By Phil Villarreal on February 1, 2012 11:15 AM
123 Comments
When you're looking for a pet, you're probably thinking with your heart rather than running a cost-benefit analysis. But animal sidekicks come with a plethora of hidden challenges, including financial demands that you'll need to make sure you can handle. More »
(person)
Get Your Barking Dog To Shut Up
By Phil Villarreal on January 30, 2012 9:30 AM
77 Comments
Even otherwise well-trained dogs sometimes can't control their urge to romp around your back yard and bark at everything that moves, annoying your neighbors and making you feel guilty. But with a soft, firm touch and dedication, you can probably get your pooch to pipe down. More »
(sussmanb)
Kroger Now In The Business Of Filling Your Pets' Prescriptions
By Chris Morran on January 23, 2012 1:40 PM
29 Comments
Tired of paying exorbitant prices to your vet to get those prescription pills, creams, eye and ear drops for your pets? The folks at Kroger hope you are, as they have just expanded the availability of pet medications to all the supermarket chain's in-store pharmacies nationwide. More »
Arizona Clinic Won't Take Credit Cards Over The Phone, Euthanizes Cat Instead
By Laura Northrup on December 29, 2011 11:30 AM
208 Comments
An Arizona man didn't have the $400 for his injured cat's vet care, and the Humane Society clinic he visited wouldn't take his mother's credit card information over the phone or wait for . So he did what he thought was the best thing for 9-month-old Scruffy: surrender ownership to the organization so she would receive treatment. He was told that he could adopt her back later on. A lack of resources meant that Scruffy, whose injuries were not life-threatening, was euthanized instead. More »
D.C. Residents, Recycle Your Cat Litter Or Face Garbage Snooping, Fines
By Phil Villarreal on December 14, 2011 9:00 AM
97 Comments
The Washington, D.C. Department of Public Works is apparently so dedicated to enforcing recycling laws that they're willing to dig through trash to find evidence to issue fines. A resident says she's been stuck with $2,000 worth of fines, some of which come from a government employee who admits to discovering her violations by snooping in her garbage. More »
(nvaine)
5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Warm During Cold Months
By Phil Villarreal on December 12, 2011 3:15 PM
85 Comments
Dogs are better equipped to handle the cold than humans, but Jack Frost can still put the hurt on pooches. If you own a dog who spends a lot of time outside, there are things you can do to make sure he stays warm when temperatures bottom out. More »
Illness In Dogs Traced To Chinese Chicken Jerky
By Laura Northrup on December 1, 2011 11:30 AM
79 Comments
The first thing that I do when looking at a bag of pet treats is turn it over and look for the country of origin. I'm not alone—and not paranoid, as it turns out. A few weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration reminded American pet owners about unexplained and sometimes fatal illnesses related to chicken jerky treats imported from China. The FDA and its counterparts around the world have been warning consumers to be alert about jerky-related illnesses since 2007. More »
Why Is There A Dog Sitting At The Table At Outback Steakhouse?
By Laura Northrup on November 10, 2011 10:30 AM
349 Comments
If they knew what an Outback Steakhouse was, most dogs would want to visit there as often as possible. But non-service dogs aren't allowed inside. Reader Erik and his wife recently attempted to dine at Outback, but the presence of another customer's large, poorly behaved ostensible service dog drove them out of the restaurant. More »
NYC Pet Stores Linked To Midwest Puppy Mills
By Ben Popken on November 10, 2011 10:00 AM
71 Comments
An undercover video investigation shows that many New York area pet stores are getting their pets stocked by so-called "puppy mills" with a history of USDA violations. More »
Jack The Cat Found After Two Months In JFK Airport
By Laura Northrup on October 26, 2011 8:00 AM
71 Comments
Before the flight to his new home in California, Jack the cat escaped from his travel carrier and disappeared into John F. Kennedy Airport. The airline organized searches and put out food, and animal lovers all over the world helped in any way they could, from performing their own searches of the airport and nearby neighborhoods to getting word out to employees of nearby businesses and other airlines. We're happy to report that Jack has been found. In two months, he apparently never left the airport. More »
(superfem)
Animal Shelter Manager Reveals Horrors Of His Job
By Ben Popken on October 20, 2011 4:00 PM
277 Comments
An anonymous posting by an animal shelter manager whose job, which often involves putting animals down, is shooting around Facebook. It offers a sobering look into what goes on behind the scenes at animal shelters. More »
Purina Goes After Desirable Doggy Demographic With Sounds Only Your Pet Can Hear
By Chris Morran on October 4, 2011 12:15 PM
67 Comments
While fast food advertisers have taken a lot of heat in recent years for packaging and marketing that is targeted heavily toward children, the evil ad geniuses of the world have found another demographic on which it can focus its marketing laser — your furry friends. More »
Cat Lost In JFK Airport On August 24 Still Missing, Internet Swarms In To Help
By Laura Northrup on September 22, 2011 10:00 AM
47 Comments
Have you seen Jack the cat? According to his Facebook page, he's been on his own in Queens for more than four weeks now. He allegedly disappeared from his carrier in the baggage area of New York's JFK airport on August 24th, as he, his feline brother, and their human were flying to their new home in California. Employees searched for him. Then Hurricane Irene happened. More »
Six Flags Saves Dog Left In Car, Then Loses Dog
By Laura Northrup on September 14, 2011 9:00 AM
134 Comments
If you visit California's Six Flags Magic Mountain while vacationing with your dog, it's probably not a good idea to bring your dog with you. Dogs aren't fans of roller coasters... well, that, and and non-service animals aren't allowed inside the park. For this reason, Six Flags provides a free kennel for the pets of guests. One recent visitor to the park was upset after her service dog escaped from the kennel. After all, she had never put the dog there in the first place. She had left her in the car. More »
