PetLvr.com - [The Blog]

I worked for a large retail chain dealing in live animals and pet supplies as my first job out of high school. At the time, I thought it would be the perfect job for a young pet lover eager to make money while introducing people to the joys of pet ownership. As it turned out, this was not the case. While pet supply stores that don’t sell live animals tend to be fairly pleasant work environments for people who thrive on customer contact and keeping a store neat and tidy, stores selling live pets aren’t a great employment choice for people who love pets.

Without naming names and while keeping things mostly light-hearted, I’d like to poke a little fun at my expectations (and the expectations of most newly hired pet store employees) by comparing them to the realities of working at a pet store. More →

There’s nothing like the bright red dot of a laser pointer racing across the floor or wall to get a cat’s attention. Many dogs also are fascinated  with and will chase laser pointer toys. Even fish often follow the red dot, at least until they get bored or something startles them. Some birds and small pets also show interest. But are laser pointer toys safe for your pets? Stories of retinal damage due to looking directly into a laser abound on the web and in “My cousin told me that her grandmother’s college roommate’s aunt’s dog’s sire was blinded by a laser pointer,” form.

The Real Risks of Using Laser Pointer Toys

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Regular readers know that I tend to avoid political topics in this blog. They’re too contentious, and there are many sides to every issue. However, there is a bill currently being considered by the United States House of Representatives which I feel is too important to my readers for me not to mention it. H.R. 699, also known as the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, would prohibit ownership of many species of exotic pets throughout the United States. The reason given by supporters of this drastic measure is the danger of introduced species becoming established in the United  States and harming native flora and fauna.

What HR 699 Would Do

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As Earth Week ends, tree-planting events and free seed offers die down, CFL bulbs return to regular price, and most people go right back to the lifestyle they’re accustomed to during the other 51 weeks of the year. If you’d like to be one of the minority who continue living more sustainably all year, not just during Earth Week, here are some tips to be a greener pet owner year-round.

Buy Sustainably

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Once upon a time, including pets in a wedding would have been a massive social blunder frowned upon by the majority of guests. Now, many pet lovers can’t imagine marrying without their pets present. It makes sense: When pet owners marry, they’re agreeing not just to combine their own lives, but the lives of their pets.  Olympian couple Karen and David O’Connor married at their equestrian facility with their horses looking on from the pasture, and many couples involve animals directly in the wedding, as ringbearers or in other roles.

Dogs As Ringbearers

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Easter is just around the corner, and sadly, as usual at this time of year, many children will have more than plastic eggs and jellybeans waiting in their baskets. Every year, thousands of baby rabbits, chicks, and ducklings are given as Easter gifts. Sadly, most of these living gifts will be abandoned or dead before they are one year old. Like giving pets for Christmas, giving a living creature as an Easter surprise is a bad idea, and often downright cruel.

But the Kids Are Begging for a Bunny…

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Your pet’s safety should always be among your top priorities when traveling with pets.  Most people wouldn’t leave a chocolate bar next to a dog, or leave a pet in a hot car, but many drivers do something just as dangerous every time their pet is in the car: Leave the pet unsecured and without any type of safety device.

Fortunately, it’s possible to do more to make sure your pets arrive safely with you at their destination than just wish for good luck. Here are some ways to keep pets safe in your vehicle. More →

Don't Let Your Dog Chew Your Guests Shoes to Pieces! (S.R.B. Photo)

Hosting a houseguest can be a wonderful experience for humans, but a visitor staying in the home is often a less-than-good experiences for pets like dogs, cats and birds.

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Take Care of Your Bird This Holiday Season! (Frank Hermers Photo)

There are many holiday hazards facing dogs and cats, but what about the birds? You’ll find lots of literature out there on how to avoid illness, injury and other catastrophes involving dogs and cats during the holiday season, but birds are often overlooked.

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If you’ve ever had a young cockatoo or a playful caique handed to you at a pet store, you know how hard it can be to resist bringing a parrot home. At their best, they’re cuddly, loving, fun, and eerily intelligent. But once you own a parrot, you discover that they’re often also ear-shatteringly loud, may bite hard enough to require stitches, and their cages require constant cleaning.

Parrot ownership isn’t just a lifelong commitment. In  the cases of many species, it’s also a commitment you’re making for your descendants, because macaws, cockatoos, and some other parrot species are fairly likely to outlive their owners! Before bringing home a parrot, do at least six months of research (that’s not much for a 50+ year commitment) and make sure you can answer these questions in the affirmative: More →