Cats And Coupons

If you’re a pet owner you don’t need a futures broker to tell you there’s a good chance that you’re going to have to deal with shedding. I’ve heard a lot about the Roomba, but have never tried one. Over on the RedPlum website I found a Roomba contest that ends in a couple of days, the prize is a Ibot Roomba. It’s worth $300, so I’m guessing it’s a decent model. Are there many different models? Whenever we move any furniture in our house we usually find enough pet hair to make a whole new pet. How do you deal with shedding and pet hair?

Have you ever heard of the television show Dog Whisperer? It’s a show where Cesar Milan, a dog trainer, tries to help solve dog problems, or problem dogs depending on how you look at it. Today I learned he’s now got a site called Sessions with Cesar. Cesar is offering people a six month membership to his online training courses for $129.95. I myself think that’s too much money. Many people enjoy training their dog their own way. For dogs with behavioral problems I don’t feel an online course that anyone can take is of value. You could learn most of the same material from watching his show, reading books or going online. The site is attractive and easy to navigate. The one thing I thought was of value on the site is the online community people can join for free. If you check out Sessions With Cesar, stop back here and let me know what you think. By the way, this is not a paid post.

ASPCASpay.org is part of the ASPCA website. It contains a searchable database of low cost spay and neuter programs by geographical location. There’s a list of the top ten reasons to spay or neuter your pet. They made an awesome public service announcement featuring Tony La Russo of the Cardinals that really brings home the most important reason to spay or neuter your pet – the amount of animals it saves. If you haven’t had your pet spayed or neutered, please don’t wait another day. Check out ASPCASpay.org to find an affordable spay and neutering program near you.

Spay USA is a nationwide network and referral service that helps people find affordable spay and neuter services. Another service that they offer is helping individuals set up their own program in their area. Veterinarians are welcome to join the network. The site explains the different procedures available, the different type of clinics, links to other pet related websites, information on current laws and legislation and frequently asked questions.

As I’ve mentioned previously, the homeless pet situation is a big problem. I was having a discussion recently with TJ, my twelve year old, and mentioned to him that the nearby shelter had just expanded so it could hold all of the animals it was receiving. The number of shelter animals is on the rise. Before you go get yourself an expensive purebred, consider checking the nearby shelters. The animals there are in desperate need of a home and you’re one of the many mortgage lenders out there. Think of the upside too. Shelter animals are grateful, because they’re happy to have been chosen and they know what it’s like to be homeless or to live in a cage. You’ll spend less money adopting an animal from a shelter rather than buying from a breeder. You might not have to housetrain a shelter animal if they’re older. And guess what, Even purebreds end up in shelters and need homes too, so you might find exactly what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for an animal, think shelter. And spread the word.

I am a great believer in adopting animals. There are so many unwanted animals out there that need homes and would make terrific pets. Adopting has numerous advantages over buying from a breeder. Petfinder is a website that offers a searchable database of animals that need homes and shelters, rescues and adoption groups within the United States, Canada and Mexico. The database is updated daily. If you’re looking for a pet, Petfinder should be the first place you look. Petfinder is free to use. I’ve added their search widget to one of my sidebars.

I found another social network just for pets and pet owners, it’s called Zootoo. Zootoo content comes from regular people like you and I. Zootoo is free to join. Members can share photos of their pets. Users can find and submit reviews of services in your area such as vets, groomers, shelters and pet stores, amongst many others. Users can search for other pet lovers, events, groups and services by zip code or description. There’s even a section of nothing but free sample offers. One thing about Zootoo that you might not know is that it’s primary goal is to help pets. Zootoo runs different programs and promotions designed to help shelters and rescues. They just wrapped up a nationwide contest where the winning shelter received a makeover and the first and second runner up shelters received generous cash prizes. If you like animals, be sure to check out Zootoo.

Petcentric is a social community by Purina especially for pet lovers. It offers listings of events, news, products, reviews and promotions. Members can share pictures of their own pets while making friends. Users can search for other users by dog, cat or person. Search parameters include zip code, state, breed, gender and age. My favorite part is the pet activities and interests. I bet this grows into a really fun site.

Today I was surfing the web, mainly looking at funny cat pictures a la icanhascheezburger. In my travels I came across several really odd pet products. Cat owners, would you buy a talking stuffed gefilte fish? How silly. I’d sooner buy a box of new pocket watches. Dog owners, would you buy a screaming or howling stuffed musical ghost? Do you need a dog stroller? A dog umbrella? What about a product to freeze dog poop? What about a pet cellphone collar? What about a backpack that attaches to your dog and catches his poop? There is some crazy stuff out there. Have you seen any other weird pet products? I haven’t seen anything stranger than the ones I just listed.

Jessica sent me a link to a Pet Celebrity Look Alike page over on the Petside website. If you haven’t seen these you ought to check them out, they’re fun. First you’re shown a picture of an animal and you’re supposed to guess what celebrity it looks like. Then you’re shown side by side pictures of the pet and the celebrity. Users that already have or create a My Petside account are even able to upload their own celebrity look alike pet pics. Thanks for sending me this link Jessica!