It’s the problem that has vexed cat and dog owners for centuries: How the hell do I get all this damn fur off everything. There have been countless inventions that promise to lift animal hair off your furniture and carpet, but do they work? [More]
pets
Continental Loses Dog, Offers $1,000 Reward For Her Return
By 8.31.10
It’s been almost two weeks since Daisy, a 4-year-old Golden Lab/Shepherd mix, broke free of her leash during a layover at Newark Liberty International Airport, but Continental Airlines is holding out hope that she’s still alive and is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone that finds her. [More]
Does Your Pet Need Health Insurance?
By 8.20.10
Most pet owners grumble at vet bills, and wonder whether health insurance for their pets would be cost-effective. Consumer Reports Money Adviser crunched numbers for a hypothetical dog from puppyhood to euthanasia, and concluded that pet health insurance is a sound investment…if your pet has a serious or chronic health condition. Wait, that’s just like health insurance for humans. [More]
Should Dogs Be Allowed In Places Of Business?
By 8.19.10
Yesterday, we ran the story of a Consumerist reader who couldn’t seem to convince Continental her service dog was the real deal. At the opposite end of the spectrum, SeattlePI.com writes about a woman who brought her dog into a grocery store and just left it on its own while she went shopping and store employees did nothing about it. [More]
Kids Could Be Getting Salmonella From Pet Food
By 8.9.10
No, it’s not what you’re thinking, parents are not feeding their kids pet food. Instead, a new study finding a link between salmonella contaminated pet food and children posits that the kids might be touching affected animals or their pet food dishes, and then putting their hands in their mouths. [More]
Hot Flash Spray Evamist Causes Boobs On Pets, Kids
By 8.2.10
I like FDA warnings like this new one about Evamist, because I can file the symptoms away and use them to impress someone with my Sherlock Holmes skills. Friend: “How did you know she used Evamist?” Me: “Note the tell-tale breasts on her grandchildren and her terrier.” [More]
What's The Best Airline For Your Pet To Travel?
By 7.28.10
Sometimes you don’t have a choice–you have to fly with your pet. In memory of Paco, the dog Delta Airlines lost back in May, here’s Petfinder.com’s updated list of the best airlines for traveling with kritters. All of the recommended carriers have changed from last year. Spoiler alert: Delta is not on it. [More]
San Francisco Considers Ban On Almost All Pet Sales
By 7.26.10
A few months ago, in an effort to not contribute to the puppy mills and kitty factories of the world, San Francisco began mulling over the possibility of forbidden canine and feline sales within city limits. But, as happens when the discussion turns to the critters of the world, that ban has now grown to include just about everything you would ever want to even consider having as a pet. [More]
Dog Chew Toy Can't Withstand Chewing, Hartz Issues Refund Without Receipt
By 7.15.10
Dogs sure can chew. Taryn’s puppy, Bacon, destroyed a stuffed toy in a matter of minutes. The toy’s packaging claimed that it was able to endure sustained nomming, so she complained. An e-mail to the manufacturer, Hartz, led to a refund for the toy’s purchase price, even though they had misplaced the receipt. [More]
DC Airports Get Super Cute Pet Bathrooms
By 7.13.10
DC’s Dulles and Reagan airports have just opened new “pet relief areas” for your pooch’s pooping pleasure prior to plane-boarding. [More]
Petsmart: Bad News Is Your Guinea Pig's Dead, Good News Is We're Taking It Seriously
By 7.2.10
Katie bought a pair of guinea pigs from a Bay Area Petsmart and noticed one was having sneezing fits. She took the furballs into a vet, who recommended taking them back to the store, which could get them treatment for upper respiratory system treatment. The company refunded her money and told her it would keep her posted on how the pets were doing. [More]
Tiny Turtle Makes AirTran Return To Gate, Girls Forced To Get Rid Of Pet Before Reboarding
By 6.25.10
Maybe it was Michelangelo and they were afraid he would eat up all the in-flight pizza. A 10-year old girl’s teensy turtle posed enough of a risk to an AirTran flight that the plane was forced to turn around and return to the gate. The girl and her sisters were told they could not get back on the plane with the turtle. [More]
Petsmart Manager Not Too Concerned About This Parakeet Corpse In Bird Habitat Door
By 6.25.10
Jack is an animal lover and a mechanic. He writes that when he went to fix a habitat door at a local Petsmart store, he found a dead parakeet trapped inside a hollow part of the door. It wasn’t the dead bird that bothered him the most, though: it was the manager’s total lack of concern about the situation. He was upset enough to e-mail Consumerist. (Warning: post contains non-graphic dead pet photo.) [More]
IAMS Recalls Vitamin-Deficient Canned Cat Food
By 6.18.10
Do you feed your cat or kitten Iams ProActive Health canned food? Check the dates on the cans, because your noms may be part of a recall. The food isn’t dangerous in itself, but has dangerously low levels of vitamin B1, which is essential for cat nutrition. [More]
Delta Paid $2,800 For Lost Dog Valued At $20,000
By 5.10.10
Paco wasn’t the only dog lost in transit before it was loaded onto a Delta aircraft. Four years ago, Vivi, a whippet who won the Award of Merit in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog show, escaped from her kennel as it was being loaded onto a Delta flight and was reportedly seen running across the tarmac before escaping into the marshy marsh. A media frenzy ensued…. [More]
Delta Offers More Money For Pooch Lost In Transit, Apologizes
By 5.7.10
Paco is still missing, but after we contacted them, Delta reached out to Josiah and said sorry, along with offering to reimburse him for all the costs he put into the dog and two additional $200 vouchers for future travel on their airline. Josiah says that’s unnecessary, as he still probably won’t be flying Delta ever again after this experience. [More]
Entire Dog Lost, Delta Offers $200 Credit
By 5.7.10
Where’s Paco? Josiah doesn’t know, his girlfriend doesn’t know, someone at Delta might know. After all, Delta was supposed to load Josiah’s new dog on the same plane that Josiah got on. Paco didn’t land with them. Frantic, Josiah called around desperately before being told that Paco was safe and sound, being taken care of by Delta employees, who would put him on the next flight out. Paco wasn’t on that one either. More harried calls and Delta told Josiah Paco had “escaped” and the best they could do is refund his $200.00 pet transportation fee, but only as a “credit” for future Delta travel. That doesn’t do Josiah any good, as he’s vowed to never fly Delta again. Here’s his story, and more adorable/sad puppy pictures: [More]
Tips For Taking Toto On A Trip
By 5.1.10
If you’re like us, you occasionally get a yearning to escape the concrete jungle or that suburban enclave and head for less familiar surroundings. But what what about your furry friend? The Chicago Tribune takes a look at a few tips and tricks to help get Rover on the open road with you. [More]
