PETS AND ANIMALS

When it comes to adopting pets, there are many options. People have different reasons for adopting a pet, and often this reason influences where they look for their new friend. For some people, whether the animal is a purebred or not is important, so they will pursue breeders. Others are interested in saving an animal from the fate of a life without a loving family. These people will typically search animal rescue organizations or animal shelters. Both purebred and mixed breed animals can be found at these organizations, as well as older animals and animals that need special care. This guide will help you explore your options when considering the adoption of a new family pet.

Choosing a Breeder

You’ve decided that it’s time for your family to have a brand new pet. Everyone is ready to play with it, feed it, clean it, and care for it every day. You know that you want a purebred, and you’ve researched the genetic and behavioral disposition of every breed, and you know the breed that’s best for your family and your lifestyle. The final step is to find a good breeder.

First, avoid pet stores. It is a known fact that most pets that are offered in pet stores come from mass breeding facilities more commonly known as “puppy farms” or “pet farms.” This is not a business practice that you want to support. It’s best to do the ethical thing and avoid them at all cost.

There are several methods you can use to evaluate breeders. Initially, obtain a list of referrals of reputable breeders from your veterinarian or local dog shows. Always visit where the breeder raises the dogs or cats, and bring the following checklist in order to determine whether the breeder is a good one.

Does the breeder:



Raise the animals in a home, as part of a family?

Have animals that appear healthy and excited when visitors arrive?

Maintains a clean area where the animals are raised?

Shows you the animals parents when you visit?

Knowledgeable about the breed?

Can produce records of veterinary visits for the animals?

Provides references?

Offers guidance for caring for your new pet and for the particular breed?





Purebred Rescue

An even better option than buying a new animal from a breeder, is to invest in saving a purebred living at a purebred rescue group. Purebred breeding groups are wonderful organizations that accept purebred animals that are typically abandoned, found as strays, or from local animal shelters. Purebred rescue organizations typically have a great deal of knowledge about the breed they work with, and usually offer a great deal of guidance for adoptive families.

When you purchase a purebred from a rescue group, you can feel good about having saved an animal from living a life without a loving family. You can find local rescue groups in your area through the newspaper classified section. A great resource for rescuing purebred dogs is to search through the contact list at the American Kennel Club. Another great resource for both cats and dogs is AllAboutDogsandCats.com, which provides a list of hundreds of national breed rescue clubs and organizations.

Animal Shelters

An animal shelter is the best source where you can find a family pet. Family shelters are home to many wonderful animals who mostly are only there because of the humans who previously owned them, not for any fault of their own. Often life changes, unrealistic expectations, or other reasons force families to give up their animals to animal shelters. Half of these animals end up euthanized because there simply isn’t enough space. This is why, obtaining your family pet from an animal shelter is the greatest thing you can do, and it is something you can feel very good about.

It is a common misconception that the animals at animal shelters are all mixed-breeds, poorly behaved, or poorly kept. While this may hold true for a minority of them, many of the animals found at shelters around the country are actually purebreds, nicely kept, and very well behaved. Many shelters even offer adoption counseling, training classes, and even discounted or free neutering. Some great resources to locate animal shelters around the country include Pets 911, 1-800-Save-A-Pet, or Petfinder. Another good resource is the classified section of your local newspaper, or the yellow pages under “Animal Shelters”.

A Pet Portrait of Your New Pet

Once you discover that special pet that will become your friend for life, there is no better way to celebrate than to commemorate the beauty and overwhelming “cuteness” of your new family friend with a painted pet portrait.

Pet portraits are sweeping the country as a very popular form of recognizing how much your animal friend means to you and your family. Pet portraits can be especially meaningful because when you see a pet portrait on the wall, it is a statement that this animal isn’t just “another animal”, but it shows that your pet is a loved and cherished member of the family.

The best pet portraits in the country are created by artist Nikky Hughes of Los Angeles. Nikky was classically trained at the Mission Renaissance art school, and she focuses on capturing not only the beauty, but the unique character of each animal. Her artwork is soft and romantic, and a portrait of your pet by Nikky will become a family heirloom for many generations.



By: Nikky Hughes: Pet Portraits

About the Author:

that moving can be very stressful to the people who are moving, but it can be more stressful on pets. Animals can have a real hard time dealing with this stress, so you need to prepare for the move well ahead of time so that this stress is reduced as much as possible.

Moving Methods

There are various different choices when it comes to moving your things. You might decide that a professional mover is the right method for you, or you may choose to do it yourself. In the case where you own pets that need to be moved as well, moving truck rental is probably the simplest moving method that you can choose.

Moving Truck Rental and Pets

There are many benefits that you will see if you choose to relocate with a rental truck. Most importantly, you do not have to bring unknown smells and people into your home. Pets take time to get to know new people, so if you can avoid bringing professional movers in, along with the sweat, machine, and equipment smells that they come with, then your pet will be much happier.

Taking Time

A moving truck rental will allow you to take all the time that you need to help your pet remain stress free. You can and should schedule extra time into your moving schedule when you have animals because they may not always react as you expect. Plan ahead so that you have the truck for a couple of extra days. This will allow you to take the time before, during, and after the trip to do what you need to for the move, but to also give your pet extra attention.

In Transit

When you rent a truck for your move, you will need to set up a driving schedule. You will be in charge of all the aspects of a move when you go with this method. This will give you the freedom that you need to make sure that your pet is comfortable. You will also be able to plan in stops that will allow your pet time to exercise and get some fresh air. This is imperative, as exercise will enable your pet to relive some of the stress that they get from all that is going on around them.

Moving with Pets

You do not have to find your beloved pet a new home when you move, but you do not need to deal with the effects that stress has on them either. This information can really help you have a move that is stress free. Remember, moving is a chaotic time, but there are some things that can help decrease the stress you both feel. Obtaining a rental truck is the easiest way to get rid of the most stress in one single step.



By: Jennifer Strong

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Animal massage can benefit all animals from companion pets such as cats and dogs to horses and livestock and even zoo animals. The benefits of massage for animals mirror those for people, including decreased stress and improved circulation.

For many, pet massage sounds like a luxury for pampered pets only. However, many canines receive massage to help recover from surgery or injury and athletes such as racehorses or agility dogs receive sport massage to improve performance. Service dogs and dogs used in police or military service have high stress jobs where massage can mean the difference between early retirement and more time on the job.

Many studies have been conducted to verify the benefits of massage. For instance, massage has been proven to lower blood pressure, increase appetite and reduce the perceived pain and discomfort of arthritis.

For those with aging dogs and cats, animal massage therapy provides one more tool in the management of age-related conditions and helps to improve the quality of their pet’s life. Pet health care has moved beyond the age of grocery-store dog food and once-a-year vaccinations. Today, pet health supplies include vitamins, specialty food and treats, hydrotherapy, acupuncture and chiropractic and, yes, pet massage therapy.

The focus of animal massage for many years was horses, particularly racing and show horses. The benefit of massage for horses is well recognized among horse owners. Massage certification has been offered in equine massage therapy for years, but only recently has the focused turned toward pet massage certification. With literally billions of dollars flowing into the pet care industry and pets living longer and more active lives, pet massage therapy is now being offered at veterinarian clinics, grooming salons and doggie daycare establishments all over the country.

One of the benefits of massage for animals mentioned was improved circulation. Better circulation can contribute to improved digestion and better metabolism, a tremendous benefit for the large number of pets suffering from obesity and gastrointestinal disorders. Additionally, improved circulation can slow the degenerative process of arthritis and improve energy levels in geriatric pets. Better circulation means better immune function, helping to reduce the risk of infection or illness and assisting in the rapid recovery from injury or illness. Better blood flow also contributes to improve healing post-surgically.

Two of the most common conditions plaguing our dog population today are hip dysplasia and soft tissue injuries to the knee such as ACL tears (ruptures or strains of the anterior cruciate ligament in the stifle joint). Both are generally corrected by surgery and, particularly in the case of ACL tears, have a high rate of reoccurrence and post-surgical development of arthritis. Pet massage therapy can play a crucial role in optimal and rapid recovery from such surgeries and may play a role in reducing the risk of re-injury. Post-surgical confinement also causes boredom and restlessness for many animals and diminished the health of the immune system which is dependent on activity for optimal health. Animal massage can be used to reduce boredom, decrease stress and increase relaxation for dogs and cats during periods of confinement.

Equine massage therapy has a long history in the United States and abroad. For racehorses, massage can mean reduced recovery time between races and reduced incidence of injury due to improved flexibility of soft tissues. For investors, time off for recovery or lay-up due to injury is expensive and can reduce the career of a horse dramatically. In this case, the benefits of massage for animals is not only physical and psychological, it is also economical.

Even exotic species and wild animals have experienced benefits from animal massage therapy under the skilled hands of specialized animal massage therapists. The benefits of massage for animals in a zoological park fall under three categories: training, enrichment and health. Veterinarian staff can use massage to minimize the time that an exotic species spends in the hospital following surgery or illness, a critical element in the success of the animal’s return to the wild or onto exhibit. Specific massage techniques can be used to improve the production and movement of lymphatic fluid and assist in metabolism of anesthesia and related medications.

Animal trainers can use certain massage techniques as reinforcement for performed behaviors when food rewards are not safe or effective. Massage can improve nerve function and brain function as well, making training easier. Enrichment involves providing activities to captive animals that stimulate them physically and psychologically and improve their quality of life. Studies indicate that enrichment programs in zoological parks may contribute to the longevity of individual animals and may reduce safety concerns with animals that may become aggressive due to stress or boredom. Massage can be a valuable tool in enrichment programs for many species.

In closing, the benefits of massage for animals are as numerous and varied as those for people. In the last decade more and more people have added massage to their own health care regimen and seen tremendous benefit. Many of these same people have seen the power of massage add quality and time to the lives of their adored pets. Considering all that animals contribute to our lives through companionship, sport and service; a massage now and then serves as a powerful sign of gratitude.



By: Lola Michelin

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One of the most gut wrenching things that happens on a daily basis is animal cruelty. For those who love animals, the sight of an abused creature can make them fighting mad.

Understanding what constitutes cruelty to animals can be difficult for some to comprehend. That is why many agencies that deal with this inhumane behavior have categorized the abuses into two types, thus making the topic easier to understand and perhaps to further help in the prevention of cruelty to animals.

The first of the types of animal cruelty that one should be aware of is passive cruelty, also known as an act of omission. This is the crime of neglect and is not an actual physical action perpetrated upon an animal. In other words, this is when an individual neglects their pets animals through starvation, dehydration, inadequate shelter or failure to seek the services of a vet when required.

This type of cruelty to animals can cause severe pain and suffering that often leads to death. In some cases, the reason for the cruelty is lack of education, and when informed of the cruelty to animals, the police can step in and educate the owner about being responsible for their dogs and cats, zoo animals and farm animals.

The opposite of passive cruelty is active cruelty to animals. This is when an individual deliberately and with intent causes physical harm to an animal. Those who display these acts of commission, as they may also be called, usually suffer from severe psychological issues.

If a child displays this behavior at any time, then a parent should seek immediate help. These occurrences have been linked to sociopathic behavior and can become worse as the child reaches adult life. As well, this type of cruelty often happens in an abusive home. In a union between humans, often an abusive partner will abuse the family pet for revenge.

Animal cruelty is one thing that can be stopped if individuals will only take the first step. Through education, people can learn about the types of cruelty and how to stop it from happening. Animal abuse will not be stopped or contained in one day.

However, if we, as a collective community, can become active in helping the animals that are mistreated, then perhaps one day we can put an end to this epidemic. All it takes is education and becoming involved in just a small way. One person can really make a difference in the life of an animal.



By: MIKE SELVON

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“No pet left behind” became the vow of every pet lover who watched with horror as beloved family pets were abandoned when their humans were forced to evacuate without them during Hurricane Katrina. That promise was definitely evident during the California wildfires of 2007 when families refused to go to the refugee centers and instead camped out in tents so that their pets could stay with them.

If you are preparing for disaster survival, do not forget to prepare for your pets as well. These beloved companions enrich our lives and it is important that we consider their welfare in the event of a disaster. Remember that they are domesticated animals and not trained to survive on their own. Without their humans they will often experience a horrible death.

Here is a list of things you can do to ensure that your pets are protected in the event of a disaster:

1. Locate possible shelters, including hotels and motels in the area you plan to evacuate to that will accept pets. Make sure you include that information in your own bug out bag (BOB) and in the pet’s individual go bag.

2. Keep identification tags and vaccinations current. Consider getting your dog or cat micro-chipped so they can be identified in case you get separated.

3. Keep the necessary item(s) handy for secure transportation, such as: leashes, pet carriers or harnesses.

4. Keep a copy of your pet’s medical record in your BOB and also in your pet’s go bag.

If the worst should happen and you must leave your pet at home, there are some steps you can take to ensure that they are as safe as possible. Leave them loose in the house with plenty of water and food. In the bathrooms, leave the toilet seats up, remove the tank covers and place something in front of the doors to keep them open.

Place large signs on the outside of each outside door notifying authorities that there are pets in the house and their location. Include the name and number of your vet, as well as a phone number where you can be contacted to be reunited with your pets.

Animals are more sensitive than we are to atmospheric changes that signal bad storms and will often try to hide well in advance of the danger. It is therefore imperative that you bring them inside as soon as you become aware of an approaching threat.

During the actual storm or disaster there are some immediate steps you can take to ensure the safety of your pet. First of all, never leave your pet outside. Bring them inside, use newspapers for sanitary purposes, and feed them canned food that has a high percentage of moisture content. This will cut down on the amount of water they will need to drink.

If you have more than one animal, you would be advised to separate them. Even if they normally get along and are best of pals, disaster situations can cause them to react in an unpredictable manner. Fear and uncertainty can unset your pets’ normal equilibrium resulting in aggressive or defensive behavior.

Very few of the pets left behind during Katrina were ever returned to their rightful owners. Right now there are steps you can take to ensure that that vow of “no pet left behind” is fulfilled when the next great disaster occurs. There is nothing more heartbreaking than being forced to leave a beloved pet behind as you are being rescued.



By: C.L. Hendricks

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Reasons People Get Pets into their Households

1. When a person is alone in the house a pet companion is the solution. Individuals find it comfortable to select bird or animal pet because it emits trust. You’ll likely distrust more individuals from your own peers than pet animals.

2. Many people choose parrots because they could easily communicate and could return back conversations as they have instinctive qualities to mimic.

3. Pets, regardless of kind have therapeutic implications to the aged, or desperate.

4. A parrot helps to usher the presence of somebody thru noisy enthusiastic antics to welcome a friend it recognize.

5. Birds are nature-groomed, tidy, beautiful, and attractive because of its colorful feathers.

6. Unlike any other pet, parrots never get contaminated easily being caged and are not able to stray on grounds.

TYPICAL PET PARROTS

There are many parrot classifications from so many kinds in various countries of origin. But there are more to a dozen of species for each type mentioned in all those actively trainable birds. To illustrate a few from among the types “Conures,” will tell that each one comes from a certain wild place of origin, almost all from the wilds of South America or South and Eastern Africa where vast virgin forest still abound.

* Sun Conure – A type of Conures parrot it is a very beautiful bird in a mixture of yellow, orange and red with a slight touch of green on its wings. Green is more dominant in the young suns and color become brighter in a series of molts. An adult sun weighs 100 to 120 grams. Gender can’t be detected easily except when one observes closely. Female birds are more rounded and smaller than the males that are square, flat and larger. Known for being loud and noisy, are possibly easy to train. Comes from the wilds of Brazil (Northwestern), Venezuela, and Guyana.

* Green Cheek Conure – Originated from South America. Body and wings are of olive green colors, and tail of crimson hue. Throat is of grey-green with small flecks of green. Sex can’t be distinguished easily.

Things common among parrots regardless of species are loudness in noise, multi-colored, gender are hard to detect, trainable but need attention, otherwise it’ll go naughty. Parrots’ life span is mostly average.



By: Low Jeremy

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2) During a Disaster

-Make sure all your pets are inside immediately: Some animals can foresee severe weather changes, and may be spooked by an approaching storm, causing them to run away. The earlier you get them inside, the less likely this is to happen.

-Separate dogs and cats: though your dog and cat may be best friends, the anxiety caused by a disaster can cause them to act completely out of character. Animals that normally get along may show fear related aggression to one another.

-If you must leave your home: Take your pet with you. Often people have been told to leave their homes for a short time, only to be unable to return for days or weeks. Even a gas leak or minor flooding could leave your pet stranded for a considerable length of time. If you have to leave town you must take your pet with you or make appropriate arrangements for his/her care. Your pet is unlikely to survive on their own.

Make sure each pet has a secure collar and leash/harness. Take your Pet Survival Kit and Pet First Aid Kit (see above) along with your pet, in his/her secure and clearly labelled carrier. Ideally this carrier should be airline approved. For housing purposes cat carriers should be large enough to hold a small litter tray and two small dishes and still allow your cat enough room to lie down comfortably or stand to use the litter tray.

Dog kennels or collapsible cages should be large enough to hold two non-spill bowls and still allow enough room for your dog to stand and turn around.

Call your prearranged evacuation site to confirm availability of space. Make your way to your evacuation site. This might be a friend or relative, a pet-friendly hotel, a veterinary hospital, a boarding kennels or an animal shelter. In case your evacuation site does not have the space or facilities to board your pet, have a collapsible cage or carrier with living space beyond the requirements for short distance transportation, including proper bedding.

-If you must leave your pets at home alone: some useful suggestions.

1. Make sure they are all clearly identified with your contact details

2. Make sure they have access to the bathroom. Leave the toilet seat up, so they have a refilling supply of water

3. Leave out plenty of dry food, which will not go off quickly like wet food will

4. Close curtains or blinds if severe adverse weather expected, to minimise stress

5. Make sure there are high counters or areas where animals can climb to safety in case of flooding

6. Do not leave a dog with a chain link or choke collar on as it could become tangled up and trapped

7. Separate your dog and cat into separate areas if possible (see earlier)

8. Put a note securely on your front door when you leave indicating your pets name, what they are and where they are. This will be of great assistance to any rescue teams if the situation arose



By: Matthew Homfray

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Pet adoption agencies are available throughout the United States and it is an excellent way to get your own pet. The adoption agencies in the U.S provide homes for the pets brought from animal rescues, animal shelters and humane societies. Some pets are brought there due to ill treatment by the pet owners or would have got lost having not having a family. Many of the pet adoption agencies work over time in order to find a constructive solution for the U.S pet population issue. They work hard in finding adoptable pets and provide them caring and loving family homes.

The websites of the pet adoption agencies provide the potential pet parents to search for a pet of their choice without any need of going to chaotic and noisy locales. You can search for your preferred pet of any breed, size, age, and sex and also even from any specific organization from where the pet came before it made its way to the adoption agency. The websites have pages that list photos of the animals offered by the agencies with their names, their place of birth or from where they came and such related information along with their preferences. Information like vaccinations, eating habits, likes and dislikes and health conditions are all available prior to pet adoption.

If you are not in a position to adopt a pet but you love pets and want to help them, then you can send your donations to the pet adoption agencies. They always welcome volunteers for helping them in services like pet adoption, administrative support, and marketing and fund raising events. There are many programs that facilitate pet lovers to play with pets for certain duration of hours. This service is offered especially to help those pets that are homeless and mistreated earlier, for spending time with loving and caring humans. All the pet adoption agencies provide help and extend their support for the families who have adopted pets recently and for pet adoption seekers. They offer advice on what kind of a pet can suit your family and in-house training. They advice you regarding separation anxiety, basic techniques on obedience, introduction of new pets and how to adjust the new pet with additional pets in your home.

You have multiple benefits in adopting a pet, which was already owned. By adopting a pet you are giving a chance to the pet to live with committed parents in a happy home. Many pet animals when adopted tend to be closer with your family. Initially after pet adoption some pets will be cautious and tentative but they will change along with time when they realize that they have actually been rescued it. When you adopt a pet it will reward you with the satisfaction that you have helped your community by some means. Though pet adoption is a lifetime commitment it will not be that hard for you. All these unfortunate pets are waiting for a chance to join with your loving families to take care of them very well. You always have this option of adopting a pet and a pet will make your family complete. Pet adoption is available not only for cats and dogs but you can also adopt pets like bunny rabbits, rats, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and also some varieties of birds.



By: David Hensley

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How to Choose a Pet Name

Coming up with good pet names can be very challenging sometimes, especially in a very large family where everyone has their own ideas about what the best name for a new pet would be. For other people, names like “Spot” or “Fluffy” get very old after a while, and people are looking for something unique and new. There are some wonderful websites online that can help with the process of selecting a special name for your new pet that reflects their character and personality well.

Bowwow Pet-Names With Personality

Bowwow is a website that is truly dedicated to the quest for the perfect pet name. There are a multitude of search options, including:

Top 20 names

Names of the month

Visitor suggestions

Single name search

Paired name search

Alphabetical search

There’s even a dog age calculator and e-Cards! You can search in categories such as cartoons, movie stars, or personalities for names of famous people that you might like to name your pet after. The website even features a “pet name search engine.” If you want to have fun with pet names, you should definitely make this one your first stop.

World Wide Pet Names Project

The world wide pet names project provides a list of favorite names that website visitors have submitted. You can even submit your own suggestion if you have an idea for a favorite pet name. Because it’s primarily user-driven, this list has grown exponentially to almost 7,500 pet names. If you simply want a comprehensive list of names to rattle off, hoping that one simply sticks out as the perfect name for your pet, then this is the website to visit.

Pet Names World

Pet Names World is another very fun pet name selection website. It is definitely geared toward children in that it features fun cartoon images and a cute poll where kids can select what animal the name “Ruth” best fits.

The list of names on this website is also fairly comprehensive. They are listed in alphabetical order. But one of the unique things about the list on this website is that the list also includes whether the name is intended for a male or female, the origin of the name (Latin, Hindu, Hebrew, etc.) and also the meaning of the name. This website is fun to browse just to learn the meanings of some of these names.

Cat & Dog Names

Cat & Dog Names is a somewhat simple website that allows you to browse through dog names, cat names, or mixed pet names. The unique thing about this website is that it also allows you to view lists of suggested names that are based on the appearance and features of your pet. Some of these lists are extremely long, and cover categories such as popular Irish dog names, unique Australian dog names, stray kitten names, and black cat names. There is a huge variety of other categories.

Cat Names

Cat-Names.us is a fairly large database of over 5000 unique cat names. This database allows you to search using a category of appearance or behavior, a sub-category if appropriate, and gender. These search criteria offer a list of names in the database that match those characteristics. The names in this database are actually fairly unique. Additionally, this website also offers visitors a free “custom naming guide” which walks pet owners through the process of selecting the perfect name for their cat.

Dog Names

Dog-Names.us is also a large database of over 6000 unique dog names. This database also allows you to search for dog names the same way the cat name search works. The names in this dog database are unique as well.

A Pet Portrait Featuring Your Pet’s Name

Once you’ve decided on a name that represents your pet’s personality and characteristics, there is no better way to celebrate this new name than with a painted pet portrait.

Pet portraits are sweeping the country as a very popular form of recognizing how much your animal friend means to you and your family. Pet portraits are an ideal way to preserve the name of your pet by asking that the name be placed somewhere on the portrait.

The best pet portraits in the country are created by artist Nikky Hughes of Los Angeles. Nikky was classically trained at the Mission Renaissance art school, and she focuses on capturing not only the beauty, but the unique character of each animal. Nikky is more than pleased to accept requests for incorporating the pet’s name somewhere in the picture. Such a beautiful portrait of your family pet would become a family heirloom that would stretch for generations.

By: Nikky Hughes: Pet Portraits

Anyone who has owned a pet knows that buying pet supplies can become an extremely expensive endeavor. Pet needs are almost always underestimated until you actually have the animal living in your home, and you quickly realize that the animal needs proper bedding, toys, a carrier, leash, outdoor containment, grooming tools, as well as medicine and food. Properly taking care of your pet shouldn’t have to cost a fortune.

The resources below will help you find pet supplies, medicine, and food that will cost far less than the retail prices you’ll find at any grocery or department store.

Coupons for Pet Supplies

One of the first places to look for significant savings on pet supplies is through using coupons. Coupons can provide some significant savings on supplies, sometimes up to or greater than 50%. Various outlets, such as PetSmart, even offer free shopping for orders over a certain size. This means that by simply doing your pet supply shopping online, you are saving a fortune.

One of the best coupon providers with the most coupons for pet supplies is Coupon Mountain, with coupons for pet supplies, pet medications, and online deals for most of the major pet supply retailers. A few examples of the deals to be found at Coupon Mountain

$5 to $20 off K9 Advantix at 1-800-PetMeds

Get $15 off orders of $75 or more at PetCo

15% off orders over $40 at PETsMART

10% off any order at DogToys.com

15% off orders over $100 at PetCareRx

15% off Lambert Kay Pet Care products

This is only a very small sample of the long list of coupons and deals provided at Coupon Mountain.

Direct Pet Superstore

Direct Pet Superstore is a large discount retailer of everything you could possibly need for your pet. This includes toys, treats, grooming supplies, flea & tick management, medicines, and even an entire section with additional coupons and promotions.

Direct Pet has an entire section dedicated to saving money on your pet’s prescriptions called “Pet RX”. You can find medicine from Pfizer, Virbac, Boehringer Ingelheim, and other pharmalogicals at impressively competitive prices.

Other ways to save at Direct Pet Superstore:

Sign up and you will be notified of exclusive specials on new products and sale prices for existing products.

A current promotion is a $100 shopping spree for five lucky winners.

Request a free catalog

Discounts on supplies and medicine throughout the website

My Pet Outlet

MyPetOutlet.com is a fantastic discount pet supply website with multiple deals going on every month. A few examples from the main page include Dr Noys Swizzle Teaser for 15% off, a Merrick Meaty Beef Dog Bone at 25% off, and Kitty Hoots “Zoom” Organic cat nip at 20% off.

Categories at MyPetOutlet.com include supplies fro dogs, cats, birds, fish, and even reptiles and small animals. There’s even a clearance section where you can find some rock bottom prices. This week MyPetOutlet.com is offering 15% off every order over 50, as well as a free toy and free shipping. With prices this low, it doesn’t make sense to walk into a retail pet store anymore – shopping online saves so much more.

Pet Portraits, Send 5% Savings to an Animal Rescue Foundation

One of the most unique things you can do to capture the character of your pet, and to show people how much love you have for your furry friend, is to have a pet portrait done by professional artist Nikky Hughes of Los Angeles. Nikky was classically trained at the Mission Renaissance art school, and she focuses on capturing not only the beauty, but the unique character of each animal. She will accept photos through the mail of pets, and then create stunning portraits from those pictures. Pet portraits are ideal because they can be done from a photo (as apposed to getting the pet to “pose” at a studio.)

The great thing about Nikky is that she’s a pet lover herself, and this is reflected in how she runs her business. She discounts every commissioned painting by 5%, and sends those savings as a donation to an animal rescue foundation. This shows how Nikky’s love for all animals is not only reflected in her heartfelt portraits, but also in how she runs her business.

PetCo

Of course, another way to save a fortune off of pet supplies that you wouldn’t normally save if you simply visit a brick-and-mortar store, is to visit that store’s website. Petco also has a comprehensive online website where shoppers can shop virtually for all pet supplies. Petco provides internet only discounts to internet shoppers, such as free shopping, some of the lowest prices available anywhere for Frontline products, and each category (dogs, cats, fish, etc.) has a section devoted to sales, where you can find some impressive discounts off all kinds of pet products.

By: Nikky Hughes: Pet Portraits