Adding a Pet to the Family This Holiday Season?

Trusted Choice® insurance agencies urge families to consider risks and liabilities before giving or receiving pets as gifts.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 1, 2010 — The holiday season often includes images of cute puppies under a Christmas tree or a kitten with a sparkly ribbon around its neck. But before you do your holiday shopping at the pet shop, Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents and brokers recommend considering the risks and liabilities you may also be bringing home.

A new national survey by Trusted Choice® found that 29% of respondents, representing more than 65 million households in the United States, said they have either given or received a pet as a gift. Of those, 73% said they never considered liability or risk factors of pet ownership such as higher insurance rates or the need for specialty coverage.

“Many people don’t understand or take into consideration the huge financial risk and expense they may be presenting along with that cute puppy,” says Madelyn Flannagan, Big “I” vice president of agent development, education and research. “Pet owners are responsible for their pet’s actions and could be held liable if, for example, their animal bites or injures someone or property.”

Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents urge consumers to consider these points before giving someone a pet for the holidays:

• Sick puppy? While the concept of health insurance for pets has received a lot of attention lately, it is important for pet owners to know that this coverage is NOT suitable for everyone. These policies are non-regulated insurance products, so purchasers have no recourse through state insurance regulators if there is a complaint or problem with their coverage. In addition, many pet insurance policies exclude routine examinations, vaccinations and pre-existing conditions. This coverage may have some merit for certain pet owners, but consumers should research any pet insurance product carefully before buying it.

• Is Fido a biter or a chewer? As a dog owner, you can be held financially responsible if your animal attacks and injures a person or property. That bite can also have huge implications for your insurance. Most people are bitten by dogs they know, not strays. About 50% of all dog bites happen on the owner’s property according to the Insurance Information Institute. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says children are the victims of about half of the 800,000 dog bites that are reported yearly in the United States, with the highest rate among children ages five to nine and many requiring medical attention. However, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 10% of children (7.5 million) in the United States do not have health insurance. Talk with your independent agent before you bring a new pet into your home to make sure you have adequate liability coverage and inquire about safety measures to take to protect your family and those who visit your property.

• What kind of dog is that? Many insurers are now routinely asking in their policy applications if homeowners or renters have dogs and if those dogs have a history of aggressive behavior. Some companies may even deny coverage to those who own certain breeds of dogs, including wolf hybrids, pit bulls and Rottweilers. Insurance companies can deny claims or limit coverage for dog owners who do not take precautions to prevent their animals from attacking. Many agents recommend at least $500,000 in liability protection for owners of large dogs or for those who own certain breeds.

• How much was that doggy in the window? Pet owners must understand that no matter what they paid for their pooch (or any pet), most homeowners insurance policies exclude any damage or injury to animals. So if your pet is injured or killed in a fire or other disaster, it is not likely you will be able to claim it as a loss with your insurance company.

• Cruisin’ with canines. Some auto insurers are now including a pet clause which allows for a certain amount of coverage for expenses relating to your dog’s injuries in the event that you are involved in an accident when your dog is in the vehicle. Ask your independent agent about the availability of this special coverage.

• Beyond cats and dogs. Does your little princess want a pony? Or maybe your future farmer wants a baby goat? These types of gifts are not uncommon, especially with the popularity of state fairs, livestock competitions and youth agriculture programs. Families who are considering the purchase of horses, goats, calves, pigs and other farm animals may want to consider livestock or animal mortality products that cover certain losses, including drowning and electrocution. These are considered specialty products, though, and are not available through all agents.

”Independent insurance agents not only advise clients about insurance, but they’re risk and liability experts,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO. “We recommend meeting with a Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent who is an expert in assessing your risks and insuring that you and your family know what you’re getting into before adding a pet to your household.”

The survey was conducted for Trusted Choice® via telephone by International Communications Research (ICR), an independent research company in Media, Pa. Interviews of a nationally representative sample of 1,048 households were conducted in November 2010. The survey has an overall margin of error of +/- 3.1%. For more information about ICR, go to www.icrsurvey.com.

For more information on the survey results or to request an interview with a national spokesperson or local insurance agent in your area, please contact Sue Nester (broadcast), (703) 706-5448, susan.nester@iiaba.net or Margarita Tapia (print) at (703) 706-5374, margarita.tapia@iiaba.net.

Trusted Choice® was launched by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) and independent agency companies. It is the premier consumer brand for independent insurance agents and provides national advertising and other strategic tools to reach consumers. Trusted Choice® educates consumers about the benefits of using independent agents and brokers for their insurance needs: choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support. Trusted Choice® is the consumer marketing identity for more than 11,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 58 leading insurance companies. For more information, go to www.TrustedChoice.com.

The original Sasquatch pet bed was such a huge hit that it led to the design of the Sasquatch II. The Sasquatch II looks exactly like a giant Croc shoe with a very comfortable, furry interior. It is available in several colors to match your decor and can be personalized with your pet’s name and “hole poppers.”

If you are looking for the perfect gift for your pet because you love them as much as I love mine, then the Sasquatch II truly is the perfect gift.

For me, my pets are who I would turn to for a little cuddle time and cheering up.  I loved buying them costumes for the holiday’s and even went to the extreme by creating them a separate little “about” page on my personal website (oh yes, I totally went there).

I remember my friends and I signing our pets up for websites such as Dogster and Catster, both equally adorable websites, and swapping out web addresses.  What we did not realize at the time was how inconvenient those websites were.  And then I found Cuteness Pet Store.  At the Cuteness Pet Store you can not only research all things pet related, but you can shop for your pets, create an online profile from them and communicate with other pet lovers.  Rather than having to peruse several websites all at once, everything on their website is one click away.  Pet loves are also given the several entertaining options such as the 24/7 Battlezone, competing for prizes by going head to head in the Thunderdome, challenging any pet to a cuteness duel via Pet Challenges and chatting with other pets at the Dog Park.

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My boy, Toby

Almost eight years ago, I bought my dog from the pet store. He was adorable and weighed all of four pounds. He had (still has) the sweetest face. I fell in love and so did my husband. We paid $1500 to bring him home with us. We named him Toby.

I was 22 at the time and knew nothing about puppy mills. Now I know different. Puppy mills churn out puppy after puppy without regard to any of the dogs involved. If you were to visit a puppy mill you would find hundreds of cages with one or more dogs per cage. There would be adult dogs and puppies. Some dogs would be sick or injured; full of mange and fleas. Others would seem perfectly content, but that is because they have given up. You would see female dogs that have had 3 litters in as many years. And what happens to these dogs when they are no longer of use to the puppy mill? Well their fate is sealed and I would rather not go into detail.

The dogs at a puppy mill are treated simply as products. They are not loved. They are barely cared for. They must produce litters or perish. The lucky puppies are sent out to stores to be purchased. But when this happens, people are putting money into the pockets of the puppy mills. Some people feel as if they are rescuing pet store dogs from the puppy mills they came from. While this may be truth, purchasing a puppy mill dog is supporting the puppy mills.

Would I do it again? If it were 8 years ago and I was in the same position, knowing what I know now, yes I would still buy my Toby. But that is because I know the love and joy he has brought to my life. But I will never purchase a dog from the pet store again because I refuse to support cruelty to animals.

Granted I do enjoy dogs but there is something about the aloof attitude of a cat that doesn’t require the attention generally a dog does. Although cats will give you the attention you want when they want it of course. The place I’m staying at has a gorgeous tuxedo cat that only wants attention when I am reading my book of course. Then it rubs against the book and has me lose my spot. However, the cat is so gorgeous you just can’t get upset. You sigh and try to find your place repeatedly however, by the end I just give up and give the darn cat its attention because well arguing with an animal is just a waste of time since they don’t understand what they are doing wrong and all they want is love. Until this cat turns on you at bites you when it is finished. Ahh, the joys of being an animal owner.

I’ve owned all types of animals but really I always had cats growing up and they were so much fun. I tormented them as a child, like all children do dressing them up and playing dolly with them but really there is just something about a cat. They are easier maintenance they have no potty training its like a natural instinct they have where you just show them the cat litter box and that is that it seems. It is to me the perfect solution for a low-maintenance animal for a first time apartment having woman that I am.

Now the good part: Bit-O-Luv is giving 5 doggie lovers on our site a chance to win one of each flavor for their doggies! Just follow the rules below to treat you puppy with these fantastic treats they will love you even more for! Bit-O-Luv treats are made in the USA with USDA-inspected chicken and beef that’s good enough for humans, but specially formulated for dogs.

Rules

1. Contest is open to U.S. residents only.

2. You must leave a comment.

Additional Entries:

1. You may join our RSS feed preferably through the email subscription having the same email address on the comment that you have in the RSS feed.

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CONTEST ENDS:  December 19, 2009 @ MIDNIGHT EST.

This is a small, 69-page pocket-book that lists 101 tips. Each tip has a short but sweet paragraph of explanation. As the back cover states, “Step-by-step information bringing you expert advice at an affordable price. Quick answers to all questions. Bite-size points you can grasp in an instant.” And that’s exactly what this is – quick, brief answers and reminders. Reminders are good. I like reminders.

I instantly went to the leash walking tip because that’s where our 55-pound bundle of joy still occasionally gives us problems. Dr. Fogel’s tip was right on the money: every time s/he pulls, make them sit. Every time.

Obviously a tip book is not going to give you all the information you need, but it will help get you started or be that gentle reminder.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

One of the cutest things I’ve seen is this online store that not only sells gift baskets for people but they also sell pet gift baskets!

The one you see to the left was my absolute favourite. It has the bowls and the bowl holder along with several goodies for that special kitty in your life!

This is actually a new idea for me gift baskets for pets. We’ve always made our own little stockings for our wee ones. They have them for dogs and cats on this site. They are called “Paws Fifth Avenue” They also have a blooming tray cookies and brownies for your pets. With up to 48 cookies/brownies! That one is their priciest. But they have awesome products to fit anyones budget!

That is what I love about the internet you can find some of the most creative things. I would have never have found these things locally. They have an amazing selection of online pet gift baskets. They have two pages of create selections for your pets. They are not only fun for the furry creatures but also for the owners too. So you can be a little selfish while you’re being giving at the same time. That is my favourite thing of all, granted this is going to sound so self absorbed but its fun when a gift not only is fun for me but for the person I get the gift for.But honestly I’d like to think I’m not the only person out there who feels this way! I hope not!

But even if you don’t pick up something from here for a furry friend check out their people baskets too! For people who have everything or someone you have no clue what to get them since they are friends enough to exchange gifts but not that good yet where you know them so well, heck or even a co-worker. Thats what gift baskets are fabulous for. They general enough to be giving someone a gift of nothing specifically but still viewed as thoughtful!

Where to get your new friend:

With all the strays and puppies brought to shelters we wanted to check those first. Besides, I’ve heard so many stories about pet stores and puppy mills, that it freaked me out and so off we went to the local shelters. But we didn’t pick our little ball of fur on the first trip; we went several times over a period of about four months. And we went to three local shelters to see which dog really would be picking us. It sounds a bit weird, but when that perfect doggie comes along, it’s like s/he picks you.

Before deciding that we were going to get a dog we had a “Brady Bunch” family meeting to discuss our plans and make sure everyone was involved and on the same page and to clue them in to what are plans were. My daughter and her fiancé live with us, in addition to my very spunky mother – they were all included. To be well-informed, I went to the library and got out books on breeds and such. The four of us work full-time but my mother would be the one home with Fido to assist.

At our local shelters they allowed us to take dogs out for walks for bonding, etc., and we took a couple of them for a walk. One was a gorgeous female Akita who broke free from my husband and tried to flee the grounds – okay, that was a bad choice. Then we took little Eddie for a walk, a gray, medium-sized Norwegian Elk Hound. But he lifted his leg to everything outside and had way too much fur that was flying all over the place, so on we trudged.

We just kept our eyes opened and settled on a brand new puppy that way we could train him or her our way, the right way. For our house.

A female that is spayed before her first heat cycle has a dramatically reduced risk of various cancers including mammary tumors. They also will never develop an infection of the uterus called Pyometra. This infection can be fatal and is fairly common in older females that have not been spayed. False pregnancies are also common in unspayed females. She will exhibit all of the physical and behavioral aspects of pregnancy without actually being pregnant.

Males also reap the benefits of neutering. After being neutered early on, there is a much lower risk of various cancers including prostate cancer. Neutering also helps to diminish certain behaviors such as territorial aggression, urine marking, etc. While it may or may not curb the behavior completely, it does often make a big difference.

Naturally, the female surgery is much more invasive, but it is well worth it in the long run, and they normally recover very quickly. Both my girls were back to normal after a couple of days.

Also, keep in mind that spaying/neutering applies to more than just cats and dogs. Don’t forget the smaller pets! Ferrets, rats – they also will benefit from the surgery. They just require a vet that is experienced in small animal surgery. I lost two precious rats to mammary tumors because I didn’t have the foresight to have them spayed. If they had been spayed, I would have enjoyed their company for much longer than I did and it is something I will always regret. Definitely something to consider if you are an owner of small pets.

None of the information contained in this blog should take the place of consultation with any dog expert. My knowledge comes from books, personal experience, and a fantastic dog trainer who set me straight about dogs and packs. Also, it doesn’t hurt to watch “The Dog Whisperer” – check your local channels.

Before you bring home that cute dog you’re wanting, you should do some homework and background work first. Why are you getting a dog? Besides the obvious costs, what about the emotional costs, both to you and the dog? Dogs are very demanding creatures, but the rewards of their love and companionship is immeasurable. If you don’t believe that, just look into their eyes sometime when you’re feeling sad; they really do sense your emotions.

Question number one: where do you live? It’s the first question you must consider. If it’s an apartment, are you going to be able to get that puppy outside quickly to do its business when you’re house training? Will your landlord and neighbors who you share a wall with appreciate your new roommate? If you have a yard, is it fenced in? How high is the fence? What material is the fence made of? If it’s not a sturdy fence, can Rover eventually just knock it down and terrorize the neighborhood? These are important factors to review.

Question number two: what size is your house or apartment? How much room do you honestly have? Dogs need room; even the little dogs need room.

Question number three: what other humans live with you? Do they want a dog, too? If they don’t, you’ll have problems down the road during training. Do you have little ones? How little? Do you have overly rambunctious children that could possibly hurt the new dog? Though that sounds harsh, we all know someone who has a dog that just shouldn’t even have children. I won’t go there right now.

Question number four: final question for the day, how much can you afford? Doggies are not cheap. Their food, toys, snacks and vet bills cost a small fortune – and you have to always expect the unexpected, just like with children. When my husband and I shop at those large chain stores catering to pets, I realize where the funds have been going instead of refinishing my basement. But it’s more than a fair trade-off. I wouldn’t trade my “Googlybear” dog for anything in the world. That’s why I have him. He’s a member of our family.

Now, do you still really want one?

Part II next week.

The way pet insurance works is you purchase a policy and pay either monthly or annually, in some cases. You can go to any vet you choose. You simply fill out a claim form and submit the form and documentation to the insurance company. They go over your claim and reimburse you in accordance to your policy. Meaning, you pay the vet in full out of pocket and wait to be reimbursed by the insurance company. Different companies offer different benefits. You will have to research them to decide which suits you and your pet best.

One of the most recommended companies is VPI. They have been around for a very long time and are a solid company. I have had a reasonable amount of experience with them and they are who I choose to have insurance with for my smallest chihuahua.

One thing to remember about pet insurance, though, is that most companies do not cover hereditary or breed specific conditions. Hip Dysplasia and Luxating Patella are two examples of such conditions. Larger breeds are more prone to hip dysplasia and therefore it is often not covered. Smaller breeds are prone to luxating patella. You will have to check over what various insurance companies cover and don’t cover very carefully before making a decision to purchase a policy.

Many people will tell you that pet insurance is a must. Others will tell you that it is just as easy to open a savings account to use for vet expenses. As I said, it is really just a matter of personal preference. I used to have policies on all three of my pets. I decided to drop the policies on the older two because they have proven to be quite healthy. I felt better having a policy on my smallest chihuahua, though, at least for now. Whether you choose to have pet insurance or simply have a savings account, it is good to have something to help with unforeseen vet expenses. You just never know when an illness or accident might happen. Best to be prepared.

Regular brushing can keep tartar under control and help to ward off possible dental related health problems in the future. Problems with the teeth can also cause problems elsewhere. Some dogs and cats don’t mind having their teeth brushed, but others will fight with everything they have. Introducing the tooth brush early on can help them learn to accept it easier. An excellent choice for toothpaste is C.E.T. which can more than likely be found at your vet’s office. This special enzymatic toothpaste inhibits the formation of plaque on the teeth. I use this for my pets and they seem to like the taste well enough.

While a vet can scale the teeth for a more thorough cleaning, this procedure requires the use of general anesthesia. There is always a certain amount of risk involved when putting an animal under, so this is not a service you want to make use of often. In fact, it is best if you can avoid it for as long as possible. It isn’t a cheap procedure either. My oldest dog had this done earlier this year when the services were discounted and it still came to well over $300. Ouch!

In addition to brushing, there is a product on the market called Oravet. This is a gel that is applied to the teeth once a week and helps by creating a barrier that keeps bacteria from attaching to the tooth’s surface. It is simple to apply and is affordable. This is another product I use and highly recommend. Definitely worth asking your vet about.

There are many foods that are yummy for humans, but just plain toxic to our beloved pets, and it is important to know what they are and to make sure that your pets don’t get their paws on them.

Most pet owners are aware that chocolate is a big no-no. Baker’s chocolate is by far the worst and most dangerous, especially for dogs, but also for cats and other pets. Just a very small amount can prove fatal for many animals. Onions and garlic are also very bad for your pets, as both can affect the animal’s red blood cells and cause anemia.

Other foods that need to be avoided include grapes/raisins, mushrooms, and foods that contain artificial sweeteners. These things all contain toxins that can cause serious illness, and possibly even death.

Again, it’s hard to say no to our furbabies, but just like with our human kids, sometimes we have to say no because it is for their own good.

For a more thorough list of foods to avoid, and why you should avoid them with your pets, visit Pet Education.

Ticks can be a dangerous problem. One of the most commonly spread diseases associated with ticks is Lyme Disease, which can be deadly. Spread by the Deer Tick, Lyme Disease has been reported all across the United States. Signs of this disease include loss of appetite, lameness, fatigue, fever, and hot or swollen joints.

Fleas bring their own sets of problems. Not only are they an extreme nuisance to your pet (and humans), they spread tapeworms, can cause anemia, and many pets are allergic to flea bites.

Mosquitoes, of course, can spread heart worm, and are also an annoyance. Given all of these risks, it is important to talk to your vet about a preventative. There are many brands of heart worm preventative, such as Heart guard. There are many, many types of flea/tick preventatives, some of which also repel mosquitoes. While some of these products can now be bought in major pet stores or online, it is extremely important that you talk to your vet first, because, depending on the breed of your pet, choosing the wrong type of preventative can do more harm than good. For example, some flea/tick preventatives for dogs are actually very toxic to cats. If you have both cats and dogs, this is a serious concern and something you must be very careful of. There are also risks of allergic reactions to these products. This is why a trip to the vet is necessary before choosing which pest preventative to use.