Consumerist
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signage
Pet Store Takes Advantage Of Grocery Shrink Ray
Dan sent in this pic from a local pet store. It reads, "After January 1st, bag sizes will be decreased, and these new prices will stay the same. For the rest of 2009 you will save 12.5% on all big bags of Science Diet dog food!!" I like how they're spinning the reduced packaging in a way that benefits them and the customer, while also making sure nobody is fooled come January 1st. -
pets
Litter Robot Replaces Box Destroyed By Cat's Poor Aim
Jon wants the readers of Consumerist to know about the excellent experience he has had with Automated Pet Care Products, makers of the super-cool Litter Robot, which looks like a space station but actually eliminates the need for cat owners to scoop litter. More » -
higher education
Keep Track Of Which Diploma Mills Will Work Out Best For Your Pet
In this job market, anything you can do to give your cat or dog an edge is worth pursuing. That's why you shouldn't enroll your pet in just any diploma mill—you want one that's a proven scam. Boingboing points out that there's a Wikipedia page to keep track of animals with fraudulent diplomas to make it easier to comparison shop for that next fake certificate.
"List of animals with fraudulent diplomas" [Wikipedia via Boingboing] (Thanks to Trai_Dep!)
(Photo: ourdogholly) -
H1N1
Iowa Feline Catches Swine Flu
When you're home sick, snuggling with a pet can have tremendous healing powers. "Plus," you might say to yourself, "at least Fluffy can't catch this awful swine flu I have." Well....not so fast. It's not common, but a cat in Iowa has been diagnosed with, and recovered from, swine flu. More » -
outbreaks
Tiny Turtles Spread Joy, Salmonella
Turtles remain a popular pet with kids. In 1975 the U.S. banned the sale of ones smaller than 4 inches, but the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) estimates almost 2 million were being kept as pets as of 2006. They're also responsible for one of the slowest outbreaks of salmonella we've seen in recent years. More » -
sexy
Now Available For Halloween: "Sexy" Costumes For Dogs
Last year, we highlighted sexy Halloween costumes for inappropriately young girls, but costume makers have decided to take it farther. To sexy costumes for dogs. More » -
your health
Homes With Cats 8 Times More Likely To Contain MRSA
You may have thought you could only get MRSA at hospitals and the beach, but apparently researchers have discovered that it can be transmitted via pets and lead to repeat infections, reports the New York Times. One recent case involved a baby elephant and 20 human caretakers at the San Diego Zoo last year, but at the domestic level it looks like cats (and dogs, but not to the same degree) somehow contribute to cycle of infection at home. More » -
entrepreneurs
Atheists Sell Pet Care Service To Christians Anticipating The Rapture
An atheist in New Hampshire is hiring out pet care services to Christians who believe that there will be a rapture and they will leave behind their pets. He won't tell Mainstreet whether the business is very successful—he says his clients number "more than one and less than 175," but it's certainly an interesting way to bring two traditionally opposing groups together under a common (profit-making) cause. More » -
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gift ideas
Never Curb Your Dog Again, But Embarrass Him Forever
Your dog thinks he's so fancy, walking around and ejecting poop wherever he wants like a furry softserve machine. You know what would put him in his place? A harness that lets you attach a poop bag to his butt. For the curious, there's a video below that includes action shots. More » -
poor taste
Personalized Jerseys Available For Michael Vick's Canine Fans, If He Has Any
In what we wish were an oversight by NFLSHOP.com, you can purchase a Philadelphia Eagles jersey for your dog...customized with Michael Vick's name and number. The New York Daily News ordered one yesterday, and the NFL has no intention to block customers from buying canine jerseys with VIck's name. Should they? More » -
marketing
Certified Pre-Owned Cats: Inspected, Detailed, Better Than New!
The problem: thousands of sweet, cuddly, adoptable adult cats languishing in shelters. People gravitate toward tiny kittens, which are plentiful in the summer months, leaving adult shelter cats without humans to own. A possible clever solution: Clever marketing ploys. Which is the origin of the Michigan Humane Society's Certified Pre-Owned Cats campaign.
With $0 down and 0% financing, you can bring a brand new (to you) cat home today! More »
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allerca
New Jersey Man Sues Allerca For Non-Delivery Of Amazing Hypoallergenic Cat
Allerca's elusive hypoallergenic kittens remain elusive. A few months ago, we posted about Allerca and their amazing genetically engineered allergy-safe felines. "Lifestyle Pets" charged thousands of dollars for the kittens, but failed to actually deliver any. We featured one scammed reader's story, and now another kittenless customer is suing the company. More » -
amex
American Express Doesn't Care About Your Sick Dog
It's not the responsibility of a credit card company to take care of you in an emergency, it's true. But amid the many reports of canceled cards and slashed credit lines we've been receiving was the story of Elizabeth, her dog, a veterinary emergency, and a most inauspiciously timed credit line cut. More » -
pet stores
Petland Employees Drowned Rabbits, Posted Photos on Facebook
We've written about pet store chain Petland before, due to their documented use of puppy mills and snarky response to groups that protested said use of puppy mills. Now PETA claims to have found photos on a Petland employee's Facebook page that show her grinning while holding up the wet, lifeless bodies of two rabbits she had just drowned. More » -
perfectly natural
If Your Dog Is Lonely, Buy Him A Sex Doll
It's not enough to drape your best friend in his own custom-made Snuggie. After all, a robe alone doesn't keep away the haven't-had-sex-in-years blues—you need ice cream for that, and dogs shouldn't eat ice cream. Instead, you can pamper him with his very own fake dog sex toy. More » -
infomercials
Snuggie For Dogs Strains Human-Canine Relations Nationwide
When you wrap yourself in a Snuggie on a cold evening, does your dog stare up at you with sad, wistful eyes? Even when you're not holding a bowl of popcorn? It's time for you to acknowledge that your dog is jealous of your Snuggie.
Fortunately, there is now a solution to this problem. Meet the Snuggie for Dogs. Yes, there's a video. More »
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infestations
Help, There Are Bugs In My Kitty Litter!
Dawn is freaked out because when she got up this morning, she found bugs in her cat's litter box. She called the company that makes the litter to ask them what to do, and they offered coupons but no real explanation. "Maybe some of your readers have had the same experience and could help me figure out what to do," she writes. "Thanks!" More » -
dog walking
Should PetSmart Provide In-Home Services?
Would you hire your next dog-walker from PetSmart? RetailWire says the pet store chain is considering offering in-home services such as "dog walking, backyard clean-up and aquarium set-up," to help differentiate it from retailers like Walmart (who offer steeply discounted fish). More »
pets
New York, 7:10 AM
Sun Nov 22
8 posts in the last 24 hours
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