Interesting Cat and Bird Houses

Bird House Photo:  John Looser

Even a birdbrain can appreciate this wonder. With 103 compartments, 13 roofs, and 32 dormers, it is more like a bird hotel than a birdhouse. Built by former Canadian homebuilder John Looser, the enormous 8-foot-tall, 9-foot-wide Roxbury Inn is made of reclaimed barn wood, with a steel roof constructed of almost 100 hand-painted pieces. Compartments face in all directions, making checking in and out a breeze (the kitty doorman notwithstanding). This house was built as a Do It Yourself project.

Cat House Photo:  Asahi Kasei

Sometimes when felines and humans live together things can get, well, catty. Japanese home builders Asahi Kasei designed and built the Plus-Nyan House with special features that cater to the needs of cats and their owners, including cat walks and tunnels, climbing steps, and sleeping nooks. All materials in the home resist scratching and are easy to clean, and the house encourages cat/human interactions throughout, even in the bathroom, which has a special alcove for a kitty litter box next to the toilet. When tired of the amenities inside, kitties can explore a fenced-in outdoor area on the roof.

Source:  This Old House magazine

Posted:  Just One More Pet

It’s a dog’s life for travelling pooches – Part 1 Travelling Series

The civilised world today is divided (among other things) into people who take their pet dogs with them when they stay at hotels, and people who think that a hotel is no place for any creature with more than two legs.

Similarly, hotels around the globe are divided into those which happily accommodate dogs and other pets, along with their owners who can’t leave Fido at home or board him in kennels, and those which side with people who think canines should be banned from hotels except maybe for guide dogs for the blind.

There are extremes on both sides.

Take the five-star, 326-room Mandarin Oriental in Miami, Florida, where guests dogs are offered a range of services matching those for their owners and make their pampered pooches truly believe that man is their best friend.

To begin with, each doggy guest is presented with a golden Mandarin Oriental collar tag, to keep.

Then there’s a plush pet bed with turndown service, a bone-shaped place-mat for food and drink, bowls filled with special food treats and bottled water; the in-room menu includes Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Grilled Organic Chicken Breast and “gourmet desserts”.

Also available as optional extras: a beauty treatment day with an exclusive pet groomer, special doggie bathrobes and shirts, and doggie-sitting.

That’s just indoors.

Outside, they enjoy entertainment and exercise at the Doggie Boot Camp for which the guests, with a certified dog trainer, can reserve a Play Date or a Training Date for the pet, while there’s a complimentary once-daily pet-walking service.

The Play Date is “geared for dogs that need some good, old-fashioned fun doing what they love to do” – walking on a leash down a special 2km-long trail, running, and playing as well as meeting other pets and people, according to a hotel spokesperson.

The Training Date gives guests some “quality time” with their pets and also professional advice to show them how to walk dogs with leashes properly and to correct such problems as excessive barking and jumping, or not being truly housebroken.

Regarding the last-named, a fee of $US100 ($A150) is added to the guest’s account if “special deep-cleaning of the room” is deemed necessary.

As part of the pets-stay deal, the guest checking-in also is required to pay a $US200 ($A300) deposit of which half is returned at checkout “provided the room is in order”.

The Mandarin Oriental sums up: “Pets are welcome in public areas of the hotel (excluding restaurants and the spa) and in the guest rooms and suites.”

But that’s not the case in many other world hotels.

For example, the world’s biggest group Accor has a policy that dogs and other pets are not normally allowed in hotels for health and safety reasons.

Exceptions are made in the case of guide dogs, and where the accommodation includes villas with separate gardens, or by prior arrangement in exceptional circumstances – “but in the main, because of other guests, we don’t encourage this”, Accor says.

In Australia, details of dog-friendly hotels are available on websitehttp://dogfriendly.com/server/travelguides/world/worldcountryAustralia/shtml

Arguably Sydney’s best example is the Hughenden in the eastern suburb of Woollahra, which vows to make pets as comfortable as possible, in “tiled (carpetless) rooms” with a private courtyard or glass atrium, also in special areas of Quaifes Restaurant where they can dine with their masters.

Specialist dog-walkers and washers are available; or owners can walk their pets around on leads and let them play in run-free areas, also attend weddings and other occasions in the hotel’s Civil Ceremony Rooms.

But the Hughenden (www.hughendenhotel.com.au) is careful, too.

As well as paying a pet fee of $20 a day, pet owners must sign a form in which they agree to take responsibility for any personal injury or damage caused by the animal.

Among other conditions never leave the pet unattended – if this happens, and the owner cannot be located within 30 minutes, “Animal Control” is called in and the owner faces a possible $150 “handling charge”.

Any disturbance or damaged caused by the pet and the owner will be asked to arrange for it to be housed elsewhere, with the cost of any damage or extra cleaning be added to the guest’s bill.

AAP – Originally Posted December 2008 – Austrailia

Related Articles:

• New Pet Airline – Airline Just For Pets Takes Off
• Jet Blue Introduces JetPaws Program
• Honda’s Dog Friendly Element
• It’s A Dog’s Life For Travelling Pooches

Easter Identity Theft – Pet Easter Photos

Dear Dogs and Cats…

Dear Dogs and Cats,

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The
other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw
print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it
becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing
in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack.
Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help
because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry
about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to
ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when
they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other
stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that
sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other
end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by
some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut (!), it
is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get
your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit
through the same door I entered.

Also, I have been using the bathroom for years — canine or feline
attendance is not required.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat’s
butt. I cannot stress this enough!

To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on
our front door:

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don’t.

2. If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the
furniture. That’s why they call it ‘fur’niture.

3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, it’s an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter
who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn’t speak clearly.

Remember: Dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

1. Eat less

2. Don’t ask for money all the time

3. Are easier to train

4. Normally come when called

5. Never ask to drive the car

6. Don’t hang out with drug-using friends

7. Don’t smoke or drink

8. Don’t have to buy the latest fashions

9. Don’t want to wear your clothes

10. Don’t need a gazillion dollars for college, and…and…and

11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.

12.  Are loyal to a fault.  

13.  Always love you, no matter what, the best!

 

Holidays Went To The Dogs and Other Pets This Year

The slow economy may have influenced some people to cut back on extra spending this holiday season, but their pets likely didn’t suffer.

The American Pet Products Association speculated before the holiday that more than half of dog and cat owners will buy holiday gifts for their pets.

That averages out to 20 million people spending $210 million.

“A lot of (customers) don’t have family members other than their pets and that’s what we cater to – people who really love their pets,” said Sherri Cartwright, an employee at the Welcome Wagg’n Home in Upland.

This time of year, the store usually sees an increase in customers, Cartwright said.

Everything from sweaters, treats and toys are being sold at a higher volume.

“We have a bakery, so they buy a lot of dog cookies that are Christmas cookies and then we sell sweaters and jackets and, of course, toys,” Cartwright said. “We sell a lot of treats this time of year.”

Welcome Wagg’n also provides a year-round dog daycare, but many pets have been getting dropped off in the days leading up to Christmas, so their owners can do some holiday shopping or visit with family.

“We have more dogs about this time. People go out shopping and don’t want their dogs to be neglected or get bored at home,” Cartwright said. “They can come here and play with other dogs.”

Pat Williams of Upland was dropping off her recently adopted Lab and border collie mix, Chance, before heading out of town.

Williams has given Chance Christmas treats, toys and even has a stocking waiting for him at home.

“He gets a little bit at a time,” Williams said. “He got a couple cookies, which he really likes, and has gotten several toys. … He’s kind of spoiled.”

Katie’s Pet Depot in La Verne has also been seeing extra customers the past couple of weeks.

“We have done exceptionally well over the last two weeks,” manager Taryn Hartless said. “People buy extras, like extra treats, extra toys, and people come in and buy animal-related gifts for people.”

Holiday pet treats have also been one of the store’s most popular items of the season.

Even pets themselves have been selling more.

“Within the last couple of days, a lot of animals have been sold,” she said. “Parents have come in to buy kittens for their kids.”

Posted 12/24/08 By Sandra Emerson

Wishing You All A Very Merry, Happy and Safe Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanza

We wish you and yours, including your furry, feathered and scaled family members Blessings and a Great Holiday!!

Tim, Princess, Santa, Apachi, Angel, Marion and Angelina

The Cat’s Diary

Day 983 of My Captivity

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am. Bastards!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now …

Great Pet Gifts For You and Your Furry Friends

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13 Halloween Safety Tips To Prevent Scardy Cats & Pups

 

Halloween Safety Tips

No Scaredy Cats This Halloween: Top 13 Safety Tips for Pet Parents

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowlful of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy.

• Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Symptoms of significant chocolate ingestion may include vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, increased thirst, urination and heart rate—and even seizures.
• Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol sweetener can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures. In cases of significantly low blood sugar, liver failure has been known to occur.
• Ingesting tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can pose a choking hazard or cause intestinal blockage.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are swallowed.  (As we head toward decorating for Thanksgiving or Christmas… some popular plants used are much more toxic and hazardous).

3. Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise extreme caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets, and can be fun and great with others!! Please don’t put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams and some are pretty neutral!).  Some even love going out with the family in costume for trick or treating.  But for pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume can cause undue stress.  For some pets walking with the adult who is supervising the trick or treating is better than leaving them home, but don’t send your pets out with your children.  It can end up being traumatic for both the kids and the pets.

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn’t annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal’s movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also try on costumes before the big night (at least during the day today, if you haven’t already). If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au natural or donning a festive bandana.  Also, if you are one to dress up to give out candy, make sure your pets are comfortable with your costume or mask.  And make sure that your pets are either their to watch you and kids dress up or remove the masks and scary parts before they see you, after coming home.

7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.  Another option is to put up a baby gate in front of the door, so you don’t have the constant ringing of the door bell.  Many pets do much better with that because they feel part of the activities without the noise.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn’t dart outside, another plus for using the baby gate idea.  Make sure that birds, exotics, and pocket pets, etc are in their cages or in restrained areas as well.

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification, and today is definitely a day when they should be wearing them!  If for any reason your pet escapes and become lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you.  And if you are taking your pet trick out trick or treating with the family, ID’s and leashes are a must!

11.  Do not leave your pets at home alone during peak trick or treating hours, (or during ‘trick or treating hours’ at all if you can help it).  The noise of children running, the strange sounds, and the doorbells can be very stressful and even traumatic for pets.  If you can’t be home, get a pet sitter or drop them off with someone who will be home.  For most of us, someone can stay behind to give out candy and be with the pets or if you are going to a party, they usually start, or at least get going, long after the trick-or-treaters have gone.

 

12. If you are Having a Halloween Party or Going to One, take your pets to a friends’ or family member’s house, board them, or take them to a sitter.  Large amounts of people, lots of costumes and scary noises, doors opening and closing where they can get out and lost, and dropped food or food and alcohol given them by unknowing or drunk friends can mean disaster for your pets!!

 

13. Be a responsible pet parent, companion and animal caretaker and use your common sense like you would with your small children to keep your pets’ safe and stress free!  If you do suspect your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Source: ASPCA & Common Sense

 Happy Howl-oween!!

In Pets We Trust

Kathleen McCabe weeps when she recalls the death of Alexis Jarose. Not only did McCabe lose her best friend, but she couldn’t save Jarose’s dog, Schweppes, a wirehaired fox terrier. “I would have willingly taken him, but when Alexis died, her caregiver immediately put the dog to sleep. There was nothing I could do, because Lex had revised her will leaving out any mention of Schweppes,” she recalled.

A similar fate won’t befall McCabe’s beloved terrier, Spencer. Since McCabe first crafted a will with her husband, Stephen, 40 years ago, provisions have always been made for their pets.

Animals who outlive their owners face uncertain fates. Under the best circumstances, a family member or friend cares for your pet for the rest of its life. If not, your pet goes to a shelter, is euthanized, or is simply let out the front door. The Humane Society of the United States estimates six to eight million dogs and cats enter shelters annually. Only half are adopted.

Should an accident befall payroll specialist Millicent Reed, 50, or her husband Jimmy, her sister-in-law Patricia would get first right of refusal to their seven cats. Another sister-in-law is next in line. Reed said a plan is essential. Six years ago, her aunt was in an auto accident and later died.

“We knew my aunt’s cat, Pepper, was alone, but it took us a week to fly to my aunt’s home,” she said. By then Pepper was out of food and scrounging through the garbage cans. Now Reed always leaves her pets enough accessible food and water to last at least a week should something catastrophic occur. 

Thinking of leaving a chunk of change to Fido or Fluffy? Think again. “In our current legal system, an animal can’t own property. Some human has to be in charge. A will is a transfer of assets. Once it’s done, there’s no ongoing supervision,” explained Mary Randolph, a non-practicing lawyer and the author of “Every Dog’s Legal Guide” (2007).

Randolph suggests a pet trust. This legal document—recognized in 39 states and the District of Columbia—outlines the continued care and maintenance of domestic animals and names new caregivers or directs trustees to find new homes for pets. “A trustee has a legal duty of carrying out your wishes,” she said.

While owners may simply include their pets as provisions in their wills, Michael Markarian of the Humane Society believes a trust is a better option in case of disability. He said, “Wills may take weeks to be executed and could be contested, but a living trust can be written to immediately take effect.”

Creating one does take time. Select a pet-friendly lawyer or estate planner and expect to pay from $500 to $1,000 for their services. Be sure to consider your pet’s financial future. Some owners make outright gifts of cash for their animals’ care.

Hilary Lane of Louisville, Colo., has set aside $5,000 to offset costs for the person who ends up with her dogs, Luna and Frisbee. Likewise Carol Brown, 72, an antiques dealer in Walpole, N.H., has money set aside for the care of her three Norwich terriers and two horses, should any outlive her. “I didn’t want to place a financial burden on their caregivers,” she said.

Some animal lovers don’t advertise the fact that money is part of the deal. One pet owner who wishes to remain anonymous reveals that upon her death, there are 10 people listed as potential trustees to take care of her male cat. What the new caregiver won’t know at first is that the estate is instructed to award the person $10,000 if the feline is still with him or her after six months. “I want someone to take him out of the kindness of their heart and be rewarded if they keep him and fall in love with him like I did,” she explains.

Others leave money to be distributed over time—monthly, annually, or as reimbursement for expenses. 

Want even more security for your pet? Name someone other than the caregiver as trustee to dole out the cash. This reduces the risk of someone taking the money, but selling or destroying your pet.

That’s Dane Madsen’s plan. After his divorce, the 50-year-old corporate strategist from Henderson, Nev., created a living trust for his three rottweilers. “Should my ex-wife be unable to care for any of my pets, two trustees have explicit instructions to use their best judgment to find homes for my pets. The dogs should be kept together, and the new caregiver will receive $150 per month, plus money for veterinary bills and other expenses,” he said. “In the event an animal falls ill, the caregiver and vet jointly decide their end-of-life management.”

More of a do-it-yourselfer? For $89, Peace of Mind Pet Trust (POMPT) will e-mail you simple forms for creating a trust according to the laws of the state in which you live. The brainchild of an Illinois lawyer, Peter Canalia, the kit includes checklists, tips for funding your trust, and paperwork to create a durable power of attorney. Pet trusts can stipulate all the details an owner finds important, from the kind of food the pet eats to its medical needs and walking schedules. The Humane Society also offers a free fact sheet on estate-planning. The sheet includes advice on both wills and trusts.

Bottom line: Just as you would if you were picking a guardian for a child, talk to potential caregivers for your pets. Find someone you trust. After all, what you really want is someone who will love your pet.

By: Laura Daily | Source: AARP.org

Pets in Estate Plans Fact Sheet in English

Pets in Estate Plans Fact Sheet in Spanish

 Every Dog’s Legal Guide