It’s like a real-life version of the movie “Chicken Run,” only without Mel Gibson and much, much slower. Near Summerville, Georgia, there is a turtle farm. Thousands of adult turtles, all native species to the southern United States, live in ponds on the property. Thanks to vandals or scrap metal thieves, breaks in the fence have allowed the turtles to wander off the property, taking up residence in surrounding waterways. The operation is something like a hatchery, and about 1,600 of the 2,200 turtles that form its breeding stock have run away. [More]
FDA Still Not Sure Why Chinese Jerky Made 1,000 Dogs Sick
By May 23, 2012
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 April 20, 2012
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 April 20, 2012
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]
Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Get A Dog
By April 6, 2012
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 March 30, 2012
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. Voil√† – free snake. [More]
Puppy Vs. Airline Personnel: How Misinformation Messed Up Our Vacation Plans
By March 29, 2012
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 February 1, 2012
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]
Get Your Barking Dog To Shut Up
By January 30, 2012
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]
Kroger Now In The Business Of Filling Your Pets' Prescriptions
By January 23, 2012
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 December 29, 2011
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 December 14, 2011
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]
5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Warm During Cold Months
By December 12, 2011
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 December 1, 2011
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 November 10, 2011
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 November 10, 2011
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 October 26, 2011
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]
Animal Shelter Manager Reveals Horrors Of His Job
By October 20, 2011
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]
