We’re not quite sure how this happened, but it’s an important cautionary tale for all pet owners. A British couple says that their puppy’s chewing antics caused an explosion that did about $3,300 in damage to their home. Bad dog. [More]
pets
Bags Might Fly Free On Southwest, But Your Pet Will Cost You An Additional $20
By 11.26.13
For several years, Southwest has charged one of the lowest fees ($75) for passengers flying with a carry-on pet. But starting in January, that price will be going up to be more in line with the fees charged by Southwest’s competitors. [More]
United Leaves Dog Bleeding & Sick, Won’t Pay Vet Bill Unless Passenger Agrees To Hush Up
By 11.22.13
So the airline mistreats your beloved pet and you end up with thousands of dollars in veterinary expenses to keep the dog alive. Eventually the airline agrees to cover those vet bills, but only if you agree to not say anything publicly about what happened. What do you do? [More]
FDA Needs Help Solving Outbreak Linked To Jerky Treats That’s Sickened Thousands Of Pets
By 10.22.13
There’s been a recent spate of pet deaths and illnesses connected to jerky treats made in China in the last few years — with almost 600 pets killed and 3,600 more sickened as of now — but federal animal health officials say they’re puzzled over exactly what’s actually causing the illnesses. [More]
Air Canada Loses Dog, PR Guy Sends Dismissive E-mail To Reporters
By 10.11.13 — Updated: 9.23.14
Everyone in the news business knows that people love stories about animals. Is it the opportunity to gaze at photos of furry faces? A sign of the ultimate decline of American civilization? Probably a little of both. Larry the Italian Greyhound was flying from San Francisco to a new home in Canada when a well-meaning worker let the dog out for a walk. He ran away, and was last seen in a parking lot. [More]
Fake Service Animals Hurt Real Disabled People, Store Carpets
By 10.10.13
No matter now much you wish you could bring your pet everywhere, it’s not cool to pass your dog off as a service animal in order to do so. The problem is that impersonating a service dog is very easy to do, thanks to the privacy rules that are part of the Americans with Disabilities Act. [More]
Will A Pet Harness Actually Keep Your Dog (And You) Safe In A Car Crash?
October 9, 2013
In a new study looking at the durability and reliability of automobile pet harnesses, 36% of the 11 restraint systems tested failed initial strength tests, and of the seven harnesses that then went on to be subjected to an actual crash, only one showed that it would reliably keep both the dog and the vehicle’s passengers safe. [via Consumer Reports] [More]
Community Protests Restaurant That Kicked Out Veteran And His Service Dog
By 8.27.13 — Updated: 2.11.14
The owner of a Massachusetts restaurant thought that he knew what service dogs look like, and the terrier in his dining room didn’t fit the profile. “It just looked like a regular mutt,” he told a reporter. Not like the guide dogs for the blind or alert dogs for the deaf that most people picture when they hear the words “service dog.” He threw the dog and his owner out of the restaurant, prompting boycotts and howls of protest. [More]
iPad Classes For Dogs Are Stupid And You Should Feel Stupid
By 8.13.13
My dog has been known to paw at my iPod and smartphone, sometimes turning off the music, calling my friends, and once sending a gibberish text to one of the Consumerist bosses. I thought she was just being a dog and randomly stomping on things that I pay attention to instead of her, but there could be more to it than that. Maybe we should check out the iPad classes for dogs now offered in Manhattan. [More]
Man Steals Puppies By Shoving Them Down His Pants
By 8.12.13
Puppies are small, cuddly, and pricey, so why not stuff some down your pants and shoplift them? That was the logic of a man in Florida, who stuffed a dachsund puppy and a pug puppy down his pants on two separate trips to an Orlando pet store. [More]
American Airlines Charges Me To Carry On Dogs, Gives Me Nowhere To Put Them
By 7.15.13
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]
Where’s The Best Place To Get Drugs For Your Pet? The Human Pharmacy
By 5.17.13
Generally, when you go to the doctor for a checkup, you don’t fill your prescriptions right there in the office at the same time that you hand over your co-pay. That generally is what pet owners do at the vet, though. As it turns out, the cheapest place to get your pets’ drugs may not be mail-order pharmacies or your vet’s office, but the chain or independent pharmacy where you get drugs for the human members of your family. [More]
More Readers Crunch The Numbers, Figure Out Pet Health Insurance Doesn’t Work Out So Well
By 4.17.13
Last week, we shared an account by reader Howard about his dog’s illness and the results of his decision to get a VPI pet health insurance policy. While health insurance is just that–insurance, not an investment vehicle–Howard and other readers have crunched the numbers and found that the policies are a worse deal than just sticking the money in the bank. [More]
Make Your Own Automatic Pet Feeder With A Litter Bucket And A Pie Tin
By 4.16.13
Do you have pets who won’t eat an entire bag of kibble in one sitting? If so, your household might be a good candidate for an automatic pet feeder. What you might not realize is that you can make your own auto-feeder out of ordinary products that you probably have sitting around the house. [More]
Surprise! Pet Owners Find Out Toy Poodle Is Actually A Giant Ferret On Steroids
By 4.8.13
Any pet owner knows the joyous feeling of bringing home your chosen perfect pooch, sweet cat or cuddly whathaveyou. But then there’s the feeling of finding out your precious toy poodle is actually a giant ferret, pumped up on steroids and groomed to resemble a dog. That feeling is one we might call, “horrified beyond comprehension,” which is likely how many pet owners are feeling in Argentina right now. [The Daily Mail] [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]
United Airlines Thinks Dog Would Rather Take A Trip To Ireland Than Fly To Phoenix
By 3.18.13
While plenty of people would love the chance to visit Ireland, land of at least four green fields and a rich cultural history, maybe sending a six-year-old dog on his own to the Emerald Isle isn’t a great idea. Especially when United Airlines was supposed to send the pooch, Hendrix, from Newark to Phoenix. [More]
February Food And Drug Recall Roundup – Antibiotic Pig Ear Edition
By 2.28.13
Chewy pig skins, chia seed treats, brownie mix, and herbal supplements that are a little too close to actual drugs: it’s all here, in the Food and Drug Edition of the Recall Roundup. [More]
