Rebekah’s problem with American Airlines is very simple. She paid them extra for the privilege of bringing a pet on board. Two, actually: dogs small enough to fit under the seat. She ended up in a row with no seat in front of it and nowhere to stash her dogs, because animals don’t like the overhead bin. [More]
dogs
Ex Walmart Worker Says She Was Fired For Telling Police About Dog Stuck In Hot Truck
By 7.11.13
A woman in Ontario, Canada, says she was fired from her job at Walmart earlier this week because she called the police on a customer who had left his dog in a hot car with the windows rolled up — and after she told her boss she’d do it again. [More]
Getting Health Insurance For My Pet Was A Bad Deal. Here’s Why
By 4.9.13 — Updated: 4.29.14
Insurance is always a gamble. Pet health insurance, much like human health insurance, is a bet that your pet’s covered medical expenses over its lifetime will add up to more than the premiums you pay. Following that logic, Howard got a health insurance plan through VPI for his late pet Chihuahua, Tonka. He paid his bills faithfully and filed only a few small claims over the years, until his pet suffered from heart problems in his last six months. This is the very situation that pet owners buy insurance for. How did things work out financially? [More]
Natura Pet Recalls Four Brands Of Cat And Dog Foods For Possible Salmonella Contamination
By 3.19.13 — Updated: 3.20.13
It seems like only a week ago that we last shared with you the news of a pet food recall––because it was. This week, a kibble sample from Natura Pet turned up with salmonella bacteria, and the company has recalled a wide variety of cat and dog kibbles sold under the California Natural, Evo, Healthwise, and Innova brand names. [More]
Accidental Pet Poisonings On The Rise: Keep Your Meds Out Of Rover’s Reach
By 2.13.13
My friend’s dog has a drug problem. If there are Nyquill gel caps anywhere in the apartment, she will seek them out and snarf down as many as she can. Which leads to said friend panicking and having to call pet poison control, pay $65 to discuss what happened and then mix up a dish of hydrogen peroxide and peanut butter per their instructions to make her throw up the meds. It’s not fun, and she’s not alone — a new study says accidental pet poisonings in the U.S. are on the rise. [More]
Does It Make Sense To Ban Pit Bulls When Most People Can’t Even Identify One?
By 2.8.13
Pit bull owners have long spoken out against the inaccurate portrayal of the dogs as vicious attack animals. Some municipalities have gone so far as to ban or highly regulate residents’ rights to own a pit bull. But a new poll shows most people can’t even correctly pick one out. [More]
Now An Apartment Complex In Texas Is DNA-Testing Dog Poop
By 1.23.13
I often see canine leavings at the side of the road, and wonder which of my fellow dog owners left them behind. (It certainly isn’t the dog’s fault.) In recent years, homeowners’ associations and apartment complexes have answered this important question by requiring DNA samples from dogs living on the property. When staff find an abandoned pile, they match the DNA it contains to a resident dog, and fine the owner $250. [More]
Don’t Fall For The ‘Buy Puppies From The Airport’ Scam
By 12.7.12
So you’re thinking of getting a dog and then you see an ad using the local airport’s logo, images and letterhead saying you can get a pooch from the airport’s kennels; you just have to pay hundreds of dollars in advance before you pick the puppy up. It might seem like an obvious scam to you, but plenty of people are falling for it. [More]
Animal Shelters Make ‘Black Friday’ Literal, Adopt Out Black Pets For Free
By 11.20.12
You may have noticed in the past few years that the staff and readers of this site are rather fond of animals. Specifically, cats, and the occasional dog. That’s why we wholeheartedly support a Black Friday promotion we can get behind that involves no doorbusters, no big-ticket item lines, and can even help you get rid of your leftover turkey this holiday weekend. We’re referring to the Black Friday weekend adoption promotions aimed at finding homes for black cats and dogs. [More]
L.A. Pet Shops Won’t Be Able To Sell Pets From Puppy Mills
By 10.25.12
Following similar bans by smaller municipalities in the U.S. and Canada, the Los Angeles City Council has tentatively adopted a ban on pet stores’ sales of many animals obtained from commercial breeders. [More]
Study Says All Your Snuffling & Sneezing Could Give Mr. Whiskers McKittyton The Flu
By 10.10.12
You might want to think twice the next time you sneeze in the general direction of your beloved pet* — according to researchers, people underestimate their ability to pass on illnesses like seasonal flu to their furry friends. Instead of blithely breathing into Rover or Fluffy’s face, researchers say you should be as mindful of passing on bugs to your pets as you are with your friends, family and co-workers. [More]
Two Dog Owners Speak Out About Pets Killed During United Flights
By 9.26.12
Two dog owners from different parts of the country have spoken out against United Airlines this week, telling news outlets that the airline broke its promises of pet safety while they took cross-country flights with their dogs in cargo. Both dogs were young: a golden retriever and a Neapolitan Mastiff, each only two years old. [More]
Town Thinks Ban On Dogs Might Revitalize Business District
By 9.11.12
To some folks in Beaver Falls, PA., the sagging sales and foot traffic in the downtown business district isn’t a result of a depressed economy or consumers opting for online retailers and big box stores. No, it’s too many people walking their dogs down the sidewalk. So apparently the solution is to ban dogs from the area. [More]
Tenant Says Doggie DNA Program Hasn't Helped Curb Poo Problem
By 8.21.12
As we mentioned yesterday, more condo associations are turning to mandatory DNA testing for dogs in an attempt to rein in an apparent rampant poop problem in this country. But one tenant at a complex that is trying such a program says it hasn’t done anything to stop the fecal madness. [More]
Yet Another Condo Complex Requires Tenants To Provide Doggie DNA
By 8.20.12
Requiring DNA test for dogs living in condo complexes is now officially a trend, with yet another condo association demanding that canine-owning residents provide samples of their furry friends’ DNA so they can identify those pooches that poop in public. [More]
Contest Winner Says 1-800-Flowers Won’t Make Good On Year’s Supply Of Dog Food Prize
By 7.23.12
UPDATE: After becoming the object of Internet ridicule, 1-800-Flowers has decided to change its position and not only provide the rescue group with the year’s supply of dog food, but two years’ of supply. [More]
FDA Still Not Sure Why Chinese Jerky Made 1,000 Dogs Sick
By 5.23.12
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]
Petition Gets United To Remove Ban On Pit Bulls, 8 Other Breeds
By 5.8.12
After United Airlines merged with Continental, it adopted its new spouse’s PetSafe program, which includes perks like climate-controlled transport and cargo holds, and the ability to track your pets’ whereabouts. But it also meant that nine breeds of dog, including pit bulls, were no longer allowed to fly United. Following customer backlash in the form of nearly 46,000 signatures on a petition, the airline has changed its tune. [More]
