Pets

The American Veterinary Medical Association provides online brochures on buying and caring for five specific types of animals: dogs, cats, horses, rodents, and birds. The literature details all the basics you should consider regarding compatibility and health care. For information about specific breeds, look elsewhere, but this is a good source of general advice on pet selection.

ThePetCenter.com introduces readers to the idea of a “zoofamily”: a unit that incorporates a pet as a family member. The center’s questionnaire helps prospective owners decide whether they’re ready for the time commitment and emotional responsibility it takes to transform from a human-centric family to a zoofamily.

The American Animal Hospital Association publishes research about the factors associated with abandonment in an article that brings home the challenges of animal companionship. In addition to this study on why many people cannot commit to pets, you’ll find FAQ sections and articles about caring for dogs, cats, and exotic pets. Read these sections before you commit to an animal so you’ll know what to expect and won’t feel overwhelmed once you’ve acquired a pet.

PetEducation.com offers lots of information on all types of pets. You’ll learn about the environment required to care for each kind of animal and receive information on different species, nutrition, behavior, possible health issues, travel issues, and requisites for ownership. Visit the FAQ section to see if a question you have has already been answered.

The American Pet Association introduces you to the most important matters to consider when you’re thinking of incorporating a dog or cat into your home. Visit the links provided for each species to read articles discussing basic care and animal needs.

The Humane Society of the United States writes that 15 percent of the population is allergic to dogs or cats. The Humane Society has a page of advice for allergy sufferers who are considering a pet anyway (for example, you’ll learn what breeds are less likely to provoke an allergic reaction) and for those who discovered their allergy after getting a pet. Visit any of the links under “Pet Care” for information on caring for your pet—no matter what type of animal it may be. There’s even a section on helping “neighborhood critters in need.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers help to anyone worried about the health risks that pets might pose. By and large, medical professionals stress the benefits of ownership, but some people (pregnant women, people with HIV/AIDS) may need to exercise caution when deciding whether to live with certain animals.

Petfinder.com is an extensive nationwide service for animal adoption. Here you’ll learn where to look for a homeless animal, how to choose the right pet, and what health issues to be aware of. In addition, there’s a searchable database of sheltered animals around the United States. Be warned: there are pictures of waifs and strays here that can be difficult to look at.

The Humane Society of the United States recommends that potential adopters consider adopting homeless animals from their local shelters. Shelters have all kinds of domestic animals—dogs, cats, rabbits, and even hamsters—and they screen for good health and behavior. There’s also a section that’ll help you find a local animal shelter.

DogInfomat provides contact information for canine rescue centers. In addition to working to find homes for rescued dogs, these facilities frequently offer educational materials and advice for people looking to adopt.

Canis Major Publications is the publisher of Dog Owner’s Guide. Its online manual for matching owners with breeds is informative and includes an overview of the seven dog groups: sporting dogs, hounds, working breeds, terriers, toy breeds, nonsporting dogs, and herding dogs.

The American Kennel Club covers the essentials of buying a dog. A lot of the information on this Web site is repeated from the American Veterinary Medical Association brochure, but anyone serious about buying a dog is sure to benefit from repeated exposure to this vital advice. Visit the site’s database of breeds to learn about important factors like size, appearance, temperament, and exercise requirements.

The Animal Planet Web site has a breed selector to help match lifestyles with appropriate dogs. Be sure to cross-reference your results with another source to make sure you’re heading toward the right kind of canine.

HomeAgain a pet identification and retrieval service, here posts an article from the Kansas City Star that discusses the importance of breed selection. “You don’t buy a dog the way you buy a new suit,” says a Kansas City dog breeder quoted in the article. “You need to consider the dog’s needs and wants.”

Cats International discusses certain essentials to ponder before getting a feline friend, including cost, its longevity, and its need for stimulation and attention. The site states, for example, “Cats are the most intelligent of all our domestic animals and they need a stimulating environment in which to thrive.”

The Cat Connection recommends a number of ways to assess the health and temperament of a cat you’re thinking of buying. It also features a useful discussion of the health matters most pertinent during a cat’s early stages of acclimatization to a new home.

The Cat Fanciers’ Association is a resource geared toward cat show attendees and enthusiasts, but their Web site also carries information helpful to anyone researching a breed.

LiveAquaria.com offers sound advice for setting up a fish aquarium, on topics from choosing the size of the aquarium you want to populating it with your favorite fish. You’ll also learn how to find the fish that will get along with each other in their new living space.

I Do Dog Tricks has employed a little technical wizardry to create a virtual Yorkshire terrier to ease the heartache of the frustrated would-be dog owner. This spirited little guy will do his best to obey your every command and become a surrogate for the pooch of your dreams.

EternalAnimals.com presents research conducted by Cats Protection, Britain’s oldest feline welfare charity, showing that 51% of women cat owners surveyed said that they enjoyed a better night’s sleep with their cats than with their spouses.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) offers information on dog, cat, horse, and small-pet care that is compiled and written by professionals. Essentials such as training, behavior, and nutrition are broken down into subheadings arranged neatly so that the site is easy to navigate.

The BBC provides this section on animal history and necessary pet care for all sorts of animal types. Choose “Articles” for pet care advice both general and specific. For a discussion of an animal’s history and lifespan, plus information about how it would have lived in the wild, click on “Fact Files” and then select an animal from the options in the drop-down menu. Animals discussed include hamsters, cats, dogs, goldfish, gerbils, ferrets, guinea pigs, horses, mice, parrots, rabbits, and more.

PetEducation.com is a great resource for general health and caregiving information on all types of pets. Be sure to revisit this site after you’ve brought your pet home.

Pet Library is a magazine-style Web site with an array of articles on dog health and behavior, and even a few on cats, too. A broad span of subjects encompasses issues such as dealing with high-energy dogs, house-training, and poop-eating pooches.

Pet Dental sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the pet food manufacturer, is devoted to raising awareness among owners of the importance of keeping pets’ teeth clean. The site recommends asking your vet for a dental exam if you suspect a problem and offers tips for a home dental care regimen.

The Pet Food List came into being as a result of the pet food recall that began in March 2007. The list puts recalled foods in red for ready identification and is also a useful source of information about the ingredients in many types of nonrecalled products.

Whole-Dog-Journal.com has an article on how to choose from the wide range of dog foods available. For those determined to provide the perfect meal for their canines, this is the place to go.

Doctors Foster and Smith offer advice to cat owners looking for the perfect meal for their felines.

The Dog Owner’s Guide is the online version of the same publication, published by Canis Major. Here the guide presents an annotated essay on the raw food diet for dogs, a controversial diet that has grown in popularity recently. The most commonly mentioned is the BARF diet, known variously as “biologically appropriate raw food” or “bones and raw food.” The thought behind raw diets is simple: dogs and cats do better on what they ate for millennia before the pet food companies appeared. However, many vets are skeptical about the benefits of these diets.

Aquatic Community offers some suggestions for finding the right food for your tropical fish, an introduction to the feeding habits of fish, and tips for encouraging your fish to eat.

The American Animal Hospital Association offers tips on how to negotiate that sometimes-difficult getting-to-know-you stage. A pet will need time to adjust to a new environment and form a routine. In addition, before your animal companion crosses the threshold, you should think about pet-proofing your home. This site helps you prepare for the change.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals fills you in on substances that any normal house may contain that could be dangerous for the pet you bring home, including everyday foods that, while harmless to humans, can be toxic to certain animals.

Best Friends Animal Society has a PDF article covering the important points of those exciting early days with dogs. You’ll need a few supplies before your pooch arrives, and this site can help you start planning.

Best Friends Animal Society also hosts a comprehensive collection of articles on behavior, training, health, and getting to know your dog.

The International Association of Canine Professionals has a searchable database of trainers and other dog care professionals, such as groomers and dog walkers. Only members are listed, however, so bear in mind that the results provided are far from comprehensive.

Urbanhound has sites dedicated to dogs in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, but the information supplied on these pages is of interest to dog owners the world over. This enlightening, witty online magazine covers as much ground as a racing whippet. The database allows you to search for vets, day-care centers, walkers, and other services according to location. You can also find information on health and behavioral issues and local dog laws.

Best Friends Animal Society provides a compendium of articles on behavioral and health issues for the feline companion.

The Feline Advisory Bureau (Fab) addresses common cat issues, such as nervousness, aggression, overdependence, scratching, and spraying and soiling indoors. If you have a baby at home or are expecting one, make sure to review the “cats and babies” section.

Karawynn Long was determined to toilet train her cat, Misha, and wean him off the litter box. After much research and a lot of patience, she succeeded, and she generously shares the secrets to her success on this Web site.

BirdChannel.com offers this link on bird training and behavioral issues. While there are lots of helpful tips and suggestions here, don’t miss out on the rest of the site. You’ll get tips on bird health, feeding, housing, and more.

Parrot Parrot provides this helpful article called “Why Did My Bird Bite Me?” Here you’ll get sound advice on why birds can sometimes act out. This site is also full of helpful bird tips—learn about bird health, alerts and toxins, basic care, breeding, and wing trimming, and get a guide to various species.

Petfish.net is a forum for fish enthusiasts. If your aquatic companion has been acting up, post on the forum and see if other experienced fish owners can help you. There are also articles and reviews that can expand your understanding of the life in your aquarium.

SPAY/USA works to reduce the number of dogs and cats euthanized each year by advocating spay/neuter services. This site can help you locate a low-cost clinic in your area.

The American Animal Hospital Association is the only agency that accredits animal hospitals and veterinary clinics throughout the United States and Canada. It provides a searchable database of facilities and a pet-care library covering important health-care issues.

Pets 911 has a database of veterinary and emergency clinics, searchable by location. There’s also information about adoption, animal shelters, and what to do if you’ve lost or found an animal.

The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine has published a variety of short articles for animal owners. This column on pet insurance is fairly basic, but it does include a list of insurers.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) offers an insurance plan that is the recommended choice of many vets. Better yet, the premiums help the ASPCA to continue its work to improve the welfare of America’s animals.

Veterinary Pet Insurance is a popular company that provides competitive services and, like many up-to-date providers, also offers a plan that covers wellness support to help with checkups and routine procedures such as flea and worm prevention.

HomeAgain manufactures one of the most commonly used pet microchips. If you’re worried about your pet getting lost, explore this site to learn about your options for help with pet recovery.

National Geographic looks into the ways that dogs return the care and love we lavish on them and how that ability to raise the human quality of life qualifies some to work as “therapy dogs.” The therapeutic powers of canines are such that medical professionals now solicit for amiable animals that can bring a little sunshine into the lives of people in hospitals, nursing homes, shelters, and mental health centers.

Waggin Tails concentrates on natural and organic products for dogs, cats, and birds, and promises that every edible offered is healthy and nutritious. The layout of the pages is attractive and easy to navigate. Shoppers can get detailed nutritional information here, and user reviews are posted for each product.

PetFoodDirect.com provides a detailed write-up for food products and stocks a raft of grooming devices, toys, collars—all the necessary accoutrements of the modern household animal. The site also offers discounts on quality products, definitely making it worth a visit.

PETCO.com is the online outlet of the PETCO chain. It can be a handy site if you don’t want to lug a 25-pound bag of kibble from the store, or you’re trying to track down a must-have toy for your pet. The selection of food isn’t necessarily high-end, but you’ll find all the other accessories that your pet craves.

The Gilded Paw is for the owner who thinks neglecting to use a conditioner when bathing an animal is tantamount to cruelty. The Gilded Paw offers outfits and accessories for cats and dogs, often themed for the holidays. Kitsch products aside, there are also mainstream goods of more general appeal for both cats and dogs, though no food or treats.

1-800-PetMeds is an online pharmacy that can be convenient for those who find it hard to get to the veterinary clinic. You may also find cheaper generic alternatives to the brands most readily available elsewhere. If a prescription is required for any medication that you order, then 1-800-PetMeds will contact your vet. Be aware, though, that not all vets will supply prescriptions this way, and you may not have the same legal coverage from the manufacturer.

SturdiProducts sells waterproof fabric carriers in a wide selection of sizes. These products are sold only online, but they come in larger sizes than any carrier you’re likely to find in a store. Read “Leaving on a Jet Plane” if you’re planning to fly somewhere and thinking of taking a four-legged friend with you.

Pets Alley sells dog and cat carriers for animals of all sizes. In addition, you’ll find lots of other accessories, like beds, bowls, and feeders, along with toys, clothes, and featured top sellers.

Doctors Foster and Smith is an online store that sells all kinds of pet supplies, including various sizes of U.S.-airline-approved crates. If your dog needs to travel in the hold of a plane, you’re sure to find a crate to suit it.

DogPoopBags.com has one of the most transparent names on the Internet. If sandwich bags or old grocery bags are not doing it for you, this is an inexpensive resource for black, tie-handle bags that will discreetly clean up your best friend’s mess.

Petswelcome.com has a searchable database of fun places that welcome pets. The listings are not comprehensive by any means, but this is a good place to start if you can’t let a vacation come between you and your pet. There are also useful tips on how to travel with your animal companion.

Officialpethotels.com is a search tool that’s fast and easy to use, and there’s a short section on travel tips for your pets.

The Humane Society of the United States provides a summary of the pet travel policies of many of America’s airlines. Links are supplied to the airlines so you can easily check to see whether requirements have changed since the Humane Society compiled its information.

ThirdAmendment.com presents “Animal Airline Incident Reports” based on reports filed by U.S. airlines since May 2005. Any incident involving a pet on a U.S. airline must be reported here. If you really must check out an airline’s record on pet care, this is the place.

The Air Transport Association of America states that pets “can and do travel safely aboard commercial aircraft” and provides a checklist for owners to help them ensure that their pet flies happily and in relative comfort.

PetTravel.com details the airline requirements for pet carriers and crates. If you’re planning overseas travel with your pet, carefully review the “Pet Immigration Info and Quarantine Rules” page for important things you’ll need to know about foreign travel.

The Humane Society of the United States has a concise checklist, much shorter than the many pages offered by the ABKA (see above), to help you find the right place for your animal to board.

PetSmart PetsHotels are generally well reviewed by customers, they are reputedly very clean, and each “hotel” has a vet on 24-hour call. PetsHotels welcome both cats and dogs, and they provide grooming, training, play, and day-care services at indoor facilities that many owners will find more welcoming than the traditional chain-link-fence-encircled kennels.

BestFriendsPetCare.com is an ABKA-accredited franchise offering boarding and grooming services for cats and dogs, as well as training for the canine student.