Category: Uncategorized

Traveling across the Country – Just a Man and His Dog!

Imagine taking off, just you and your canine best friend, on a great adventure across the country.  That’s exactly what a blogger named Will and his dog Mr. Eko are doing. With the support of petcentric.com, they’ve set out on the road looking for adventure and trying to find the best pet-friendly destinations the country has to offer. Thanks to their blog, you can be right there with them…virtually, at least. You can suggest destinations for Will and Mr. Eko, and you might even get ideas for trips you and YOUR dog can take together! What a fun project!  Check it out at www.markingourterritory.com.

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Ways to help animals in need over the holidays

Our friends over at Petcentric.com have some great ideas of ways you can help animals in need over the holidays! The holiday season can be a wonderful time when we all come together with family and friends, and focus on fellowship and service to others including  abandoned animals in our communities. Many people take vacation around the holidays leaving animal shelters and rescue facilities understaffed. This is a wonderful time to volunteer your labor and skills to help animals in need. While you might not have the time the rest of the year, you can ask your local shelter if they need help with feeding, exercising or cleaning kennels — especially on the holiday days. If you have a large vehicle like an SUV or van, you might even be able to assist in the transport of animals. If the shelter is closed to the public or requires you be a trained volunteer to help on-site, you can offer to launder bedding, make fundraising calls, or organize adoption events at local businesses.

Photos & Videos. Animal shelters are often in need of a lot of professional services that they cannot afford to pay for. If you have experience photographing animals or making family videos, you can offer your one-time (or more!) service to photograph their animals for listing on adoption websites and promotional materials. Off-site adoption events are a great place to do this, as the shelter will have arranged for staff and volunteers to handle the pets, and you can focus on photographing and videoing them.

You can register on Adopt-a-Pet.com as a volunteer to be contacted by your local rescue, or search Volunteer Opportunities posted by your local shelters and rescues here:
www.adoptapet.com/get-involved

Donate Items or Cash.  Shelters and non-profit rescues are always in need of donations, both of money and essential items. Cash is always welcome and helpful! You can see if your local shelters and rescue have included a link to their donation page or Paypal by searching for them on Adopt-a-Pet.com here: www.adoptapet.com/animal-shelters –click on the shelter name, then look on the right for their “Donate to our Shelter” or “Donate to our Rescue Group” link, or their website link.

Donations of both new and used items are also often appreciated. Ask your shelter if they have a wish list. Shelters often can use donated food and treats, used kennels or crates that you no longer need, newspapers, old blankets, sheets, towels, and washable dog beds.

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Virtual "Pooch Protest" Launches Today

Campaign garners donations of much-needed flea and tick treatment to animal shelters nationwide

July 18, 2011

Release Link: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/7/prweb8647245.htm

An innovative national campaign designed to educate the public about the dangers of fleas and ticks while helping animal shelters protect the dogs in their care against the troublesome parasites launches today. In addition to its national online presence, the “Pooch Protest” campaign is featured on billboards which will begin in Charlotte, North Carolina, and then roll out to Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The “Pooch Protest” against fleas & ticks, a partnership between Bayer Animal Health and national pet-adoption charity Adopt-a-Pet.com, invites the public to visit http://www.PoochProtest.com, where they can register their dogs as members of the virtual protest. For every dog registered*, Bayer Animal Health, the makers of flea and tick preventive K9 Advantix® II, will donate a tube of the product to Adopt-a-Pet.com, who will, in turn, distribute the tubes to its member shelters and rescue groups across North America.

“Protecting pets in shelters from nasty parasites and pests is important for so many reasons,” says Adopt-a-Pet.com executive director Abbie Moore, “not the least of which is that a healthy pet, treated for fleas and ticks and other pests, is much more attractive to potential adopters. Treating with a flea and tick preventive can truly help to keep a shelter pet more comfortable and adoptable.”

David Meyer, president and co-founder of Adopt-a-Pet.com, stresses the importance of coming together as a community to help homeless pets. “There are many ways you can help animals,” says Meyer, “but this is perhaps one of the easiest ways of all. It just takes a computer and a few minutes to join, so that you can make a difference in countless lives.”

K9 Advantix® II is for use on dogs only. For more information, see http://www.PoochProtest.com.

What Does It Mean to Rehome a Shih Tzu?

To rehome a Shih Tzu means that you take the time to find a new home for your dog when you have to give her up. This is different from surrendering your dog. When you surrender a dog, you do so at a shelter or a rescue. The facility is then responsible for your dog and trying to find someone to adopt her. However, this isn’t always possible.

You’ll want to learn more about some of your options for rehoming and how to do it correctly. This ensures that you can find the perfect new home for your Shih Tzu.

Rehoming on Your Own

You have the option of finding someone to adopt on your own. One of the simplest methods is to talk with people you know. You might have a family member or a friend who has been thinking about adopting a dog. Even if they can’t adopt, they might know someone else that’s looking for a new dog. Talk with people you know first, as it can be one of the easiest ways to find a great home for your dog.

If you don’t know anyone personally, you can still opt to put your dog up for adoption online. Of course, you need to be sure you’re using the best and most reputable sites. Don’t simply choose to use Craigslist because it’s easy. You never know who will see the ad or what they have planned for your dog. Some people troll these sites looking for free dogs they can sell to labs or use for bait for fighting dogs.

For this reason, you should also make sure that you charge a rehoming fee. There’s some controversy about these fees, but it’s necessary to have them. People who have bad intent won’t want to pay for a dog, so it helps to keep your dog safer.

Rehoming with Rehome

Rehome is a peer-to-peer pet adoption service provided by Adopt-a-Pet.com, that helps make it easier for owners like you to find someone to adopt. This platform connects you with people who are looking to adopt dogs just like yours by publishing your Shih Tzu’s profile directly on Adopt-a-Pet.com. Rehome is free for owners to use, and the adopters will only have to pay a small adoption fee that’s similar to what they would be paying at a shelter or a rescue.

You’ll also find tools that help to ensure you find the right home for your dog. You can create a bio for your dog and add some photos and videos. The bio should be detailed enough that it highlights your dog’s personality, likes, dislikes, health problems, etc. You want the bio to have all of the information that someone who is adopting will need. Don’t try to hide any issues your dog might have. You want them to find the perfect new owner.

Once people start to send in adoption applications, you can then examine them and find the people you feel will be the best fit for your dog’s new home.

What Does It Mean to Rehome a Doberman Pinscher?

To rehome a Doberman Pinscher means that you find your dog a new home when you have to give him up. When you first get your dog, you never imagine that one day you might have to give him to someone else, but life can throw all manner of curveballs. Whether you have to move into a location that doesn’t allow large dogs, you’ve become ill and unable to care for her properly, or you’ve had financial setbacks, you want to do right by your dog. Rehoming is a good option, but you need to know how to do it.

Know What Your Dog Needs 

The first thing that you have to do when you’re rehoming your dog is to think about what needs they have. How much exercise will she need? Does she have any health issues that a new owner will need to know about before they adopt? Does she have any problems with smaller animals? You know her better than anyone, so make sure you list all of the traits of your dog, so you can be sure that the new owner is the right choice before rehoming.

How to Rehome

You have several options when it comes to rehoming your Doberman Pinscher. You might find that you have a friend or a relative that would love to adopt her. As long as they can take proper care of her, this could be a great option. It ensures that she’s going to someone who will love and care for her properly. It also means you don’t have to worry about charging a rehoming fee since you already know them.

However, if you’re going to be giving your dog to someone you don’t know, such as someone that you find in your area who wants to adopt, rehoming fees are important. These fees are used to reduce the risk for your dog. Some people want to find free and cheap animals that they can sell to labs or use for fighting. They don’t want to pay rehoming fees.

Another good option for rehoming your Doberman Pinscher is to use an online pet adoption platform like Rehome. Part of Adopt-a-Pet.com, Rehome lets you create a profile for your dog with a bio, photos, and videos. Those who want to adopt can review the profile to see whether your Doberman Pinscher would be a good fit for them or not.

With Rehome, you also have control over who gets your dog. You can review all of the adoption applications that arrive and then make your choice. It’s free for owners to use the site, as well. Rehome only charges those who are adopting the dog. It’s a small fee that’s similar to what they would pay at a shelter or a rescue, and the money goes into helping more animals get adopted.

Rehoming your Doberman Pinscher might take some time and some work, but you’ll be happier when you put in the effort. You’ll know that she’s going to a home where people will adore her.

What Do You Do With An Abandoned Cat?

There are a few options of what you can do with an abandoned cat including adopting him (after speaking with animal control), finding him a new home, or surrendering him to a shelter or rescue. Before doing any of those things, you’ll want to make sure the cat is really abandoned. It could be a feral cat or it could be someone’s lost pet.

Cats On The Street: Abandoned, Feral, Or Lost? 

It would certainly make things easier if a cat you found could tell you their story. Instead, you have to piece it together using clues from the cat’s condition and behavior.

Feral Cats 

Feral cats are those who were born outside and are usually part of a colony. Most of these cats will not make suitable house pets as they have not been socialized and are afraid of people.

There are exceptions to this, but socializing them is a long process, and some cats will never be comfortable around people no matter how much time goes by. While feral cats will not make good house pets, they can be used as mousers in a barn-home-type arrangement.

Clues that you’re dealing with a feral cat include:

  • The cat runs when approached.
  • The cat will not meow or purr.
  • You may see the cat in the same place at the same time each day.

Lost Pet 

When a house cat escapes his home, it’s possible for him to become disoriented and have trouble finding his way back home. A lost cat will typically be socialized and may approach people for pets or food.

If you find a social cat, bring him to a vet or shelter to see if he has a microchip. You can also check community pages like NextDoor or local Facebook lost pet pages to see if any listed cats match the one you’ve found.

You should also notify animal control if you think the cat is a lost pet, as that’s the first place many pet owners look for a lost cat.

NOTE: In some locations, animal control will require that you hand the cat over to them. If this is the case where you live, and you worry for the cat’s safety, make it very clear that you’ll take the cat if his home isn’t found.

Abandoned Cat 

Many times, abandoned cats are identified by neighbors who know the family moved and left the cat behind. Abandoned cats will often be social, may be hungry (they don’t know how to fend for themselves), and hang around the place where they were abandoned waiting for their family to return.

Once you know that the cat is not feral and no pet owners have been located, you’ll have to decide what to do with the cat. Your options are:

  • Keep Him: Thanks for being the cat’s hero and congratulations on your new family member!
  • Surrender Him: You can leave the cat at an animal shelter and the staff will do all they can to get him adopted. However, the reality is that many shelters have high euthanasia rates—especially for cats. Be sure to do some rehome_research before surrendering a cat.
  • Rehome Him Yourself: Taking the time to find a cat a new, loving home is a true act of kindness. Visit the Rehome website for tips and tools that make the process easier. 

What Does It Mean to Surrender a Dog?

Surrendering a dog means that you are relinquishing ownership of the pet to a shelter or rescue. Some pet owners think that when they surrender their pet to a shelter that the pet will be loved and spoiled for as long as it takes to find them a home—the truth is often quite different. Depending on the facility, it can be hard to find space to properly care for the dog. When shelters run out of kennel space, sometimes even healthy adoptable dogs are put to sleep. Some shelters simply don’t have the manpower to spend time with each dog, so they spend most of their time alone in a small cage. Of course, many shelters are wonderful places that do have the resources they need to provide a loving environment, but some do not. What is true at every shelter is that when you surrender a dog, what happens to him is completely out of your hands.

The Shelter Environment

After you pay the fee for surrendering your pet, you relinquish all rights. Even in the best shelters, some pets suffer from separation anxiety, fear, and confusion. Ideally, your pet will be placed in a loving home but, sadly, this is not always the case. Your pet was part of the family, so when you surrender them, it can be hard to know you have no control of what happens to him. Consider these alternatives: 

Keeping the Pet 

This should always be the first choice. Whatever is causing you to consider not keeping the pet, including behavior issues or financial problems, you may be able to find help. Shelters are a great place to find such resources as the shelter staff’s goal is always to help the pet owners keep their pets. You can also view our Keep Your Pet guide here. It may not be possible, but responsible pet owners will try. 

Finding a Rescue

When a rescue takes your pet, you are still surrendering him, but you are surrendering him to a private group that will give the dog as much time as he needs to find a new home. It can be difficult to find a rescue with space, but this is certainly an avenue worth exploring. If your dog is purebred, look for a breed-specific organization as this may increase your chances of finding a quality rescue that will take your pet.

Rehoming the Dog Yourself 

If you’re willing to put in a little time and work, you can find a loving home for your dog yourself. This is a great option because you remain in control of where your dog ends up, you’re able to choose the family, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing your dog is in a safe and loving home. Our program called Rehome can assist with the process by allowing you to create an online profile that will be seen by people looking for a pet. If keeping your pet isn’t an option, this is the next best solution. 

What does it mean to surrender your dog? Uncertainty. Instead, consider one of the other options above so your loving dog can go on being loved.  

What Does It Mean to Surrender a Golden Retriever?

When you surrender your golden retriever, it means that you have given up your legal rights to him. Typically, you’ll surrender your dog to a shelter or a rescue. If you’re finding a home for your dog on your own, it’s called rehoming rather than surrendering. Let’s take a closer look at what surrendering means and what you’ll need to do.

Contacting the Facility

You can’t show up at the doors of a shelter or rescue with your dog and just hand over the leash. These organizations have protocols that need to be followed, and this means you’ll need to make an appointment first. Check out websites of local shelters and rescues. Sometimes, you might even have a rescue in your area that specializes in golden retrievers.

It’s important to note that many times, rescues will be full whether they specialize in a certain breed or not. These are no-kill facilities, and this means that people typically want to place their dogs here rather than putting them into a shelter. Be prepared to find out that the rescue is full.

When you call the shelter or rescue, they’ll need to have some information about your dog. They’ll want to know the breed, the age, and the temperament, for example. They’ll also want to know why you need to surrender him. They aren’t trying to pry, but they may have some solutions that would let you keep your dog.

Keeping Your Dog

For example, if your golden retriever has some behavior problems, it doesn’t always mean you need to surrender him. The shelter or rescue might recommend some trainers that could help with the problem. If you aren’t able to walk your dog during the day because of work, they might have contact information for local dog walkers. There could be ways that you can keep your dog rather than surrendering him, but we understand that this is not always possible.

Consider Rehoming Your Golden Retriever

You could choose to rehome instead of surrender, too. With this option, you’ll put in some time to look for the perfect home for your golden retriever. You can put him up for adoption on pet adoption sites, such as Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com. This is an easy-to-use platform that will make it possible to put your pet up for adoption and get him in front of the many potential adopters that visit Adopt-a-Pet.com every month.

When you set up a profile, you can add photos and videos. You’ll also create a bio for him that will let the potential adopters know more about him. It’s important that you’re honest in the profile and that you mention all of the good things about your dog, as well as any problems that he might have. Does he have a great time chasing cats? You probably don’t want to let someone with cats adopt him. It wouldn’t be fun for those cats, and the new owner might have to give him up.

Once you have some adoption applications rolling in, you can go through them to find the perfect new home for your dog. Many prefer this option to surrendering him to a shelter.

What Does It Mean to Rehome a Pomeranian?

To rehome a Pomeranian means that you take the time to find your dog a wonderful new home where he’ll be happy and safe. You can do this using several methods both online and offline. Naturally, you want to be sure that you can find a great new home for your dog, so it’s time to learn more about the options that are available to you.

How Do You Choose a New Owner? 

When you’re rehoming your Pomeranian, you have to be choosy about who gets him. After all, you aren’t rehoming an inanimate object. This is your dog, a wonderful, fluffy little guy that needs to be cared for properly. Always take the time to think about what your dog requires and compare that to what the prospective owner can provide. Does he need to have special medication or a special diet? Does he not do well around cats?

Think about all of the quirks your dog has, good and bad, and make sure that anyone who might become the new owner is aware of them. You need to make sure the owner’s right for your dog before rehoming.

Methods of Rehoming to Consider

One of the fastest and easiest means of rehoming your Pomeranian is to find someone that you already know who wants to adopt. This could be a relative that has been talking about getting a little dog, for example. Let friends and family know that you need to give up your dog, and they or someone they know might be willing to adopt. Of course, you still need to be sure that they can meet your dog’s needs rather than just handing them over.

If you don’t know anyone who might be willing to adopt, other options remain. You could use the Internet to find people in your area or further afield to adopt. Rather than going on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, though, you should make it a point to use a pet adoption service like Rehome. This platform from Adopt-a-Pet.com is a good option that’s easy to use, safe, and can quickly put you in touch with potential adopters.

The site is free for owners to use, and you’ll find that the cost of adopting through Rehome is similar to what would be paid as an adoption fee to a shelter or rescue. Owners can set up a profile on the site for their Pomeranian and add videos and pictures. You can also create a bio that includes all of the most important things new potential owners will need to know about your dog.

You’ll also appreciate that you have full control over who adopts your dog when you’re using Rehome. View the applications that have been submitted by people interested in adopting and then determine which of those will be the best choice to be your Pomeranian’s new owner. Having this amount of choice is sure to help you rest easy at night, knowing that he’s going to a wonderful, loving home.

What Does It Mean to Rehome an Australian Shepherd?

Rehoming an Australian Shepherd means that you will find a new home for your dog where he will be safe, loved, and given the care and attention he needs. There are several ways to rehome your pet. Always take the time and care needed to ensure that you find the best possible home for your dog.

Rehoming with Those You Know

Naturally, one of your first inclinations, when you need to rehome your dog, is to give him to someone that you know. You should ask your friends and family if they or anyone they know is looking to adopt a pet.

If they are, you will still want to make sure that they will be a good fit for your dog. For example, if you have an Australian Shepherd that likes to “herd” other animals, it might not be a good idea to have them in a houseful of skittish cats. Screen the prospective new owners and make sure it’s a good fit.

Using the Rehome Site

Another option that many people today are considering is Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com. The site helps to make things faster, easier, and safer for owners who want to find a great new home for their dog. You’ll also find that it doesn’t cost anything for owners to use the site.

You will create a profile for your Australian Shepherd complete with a bio, photos, and videos. The bio should be detailed and provide the prospective owners with information about the animal to ensure it’ll be a good fit for their home. Note any medical problems that might exist, the dog’s personality, things they like to do, etc. The more information the better, as it helps you to find the perfect fit for your pet.

Are Shelters the Same as Rehoming?

It’s important to understand that surrendering your dog to a shelter is not the same thing as rehoming. When you give up your Australian Shepherd to a shelter, it means that you’re giving up your legal rights to the animal and you have no control over who adopts them.

In many cases, the animal may never be adopted out of the shelter. Although shelters do their best to care for the animals, some can spend a long time there. With some shelters, animals could be euthanized after they have been there past a certain period. A shelter should always be the last resort when you have to give up your Australian Shepherd for these reasons.

Rescues are another option to consider. Rescues tend to have no-kill policies in place. However, there is still no guarantee that anyone will adopt your pet, and you can’t control who adopts them. Another issue with rescues is that they often don’t have any room available for new pets.

Although there are many options available for giving up your Australian Shepherd, think about what’s best for them. Choosing Rehome or having someone you know adopt your dog is often best for you and your beloved Australian Shepherd.