Pet Care Tips
Understanding the golden rules of responsible pet ownership is an essential part of caring for your pet.
Much of being a responsible pet owner is understanding what your pet needs and also being aware of what your responsibilities are to the community. Following are some basic rules for pet care:
- Learn about your pet's special needs - dietary, health, housing and general care
- Provide appropriate housing and shelter for your pet
- Provide your pet with an adequate balanced diet and ensure it has access to clean, cool drinking water at all times
- Provide appropriate housing and shelter for your pet
- Regularly exercise your pet according to its needs Train your pet using kindness and positive reinforcement
- Provide appropriate housing and shelter for your pet
- While unsupervised, keep your pet safely and securely confined to your property at all times To minimize boredom, provide your pet with sufficient companionship and a stimulating environment
- Protect your pet's health by taking it to a vet whenever health problems arise and by ensuring all necessary vaccinations and treatments are up-to-date
- To help prevent disease and illness, ensure your pet has a clean environment
- Microchip your pet (where appropriate) and where required register it with your local council to increase the likelihood of return when lost
- De-sex your pet at an early age to prevent unwanted offspring
- If your pet requires grooming, do so on a regular basis
Many pets need to be socialised with other animals and people, particularly at a young age - give your pet appropriate opportunities for mixing with others - Teach your family, friends and children how to interact with your pet
- Find suitable boarding facilities for your pet whilst on holidays
- Respect the rights of non pet owners by keeping your pet under control while in public and by disposing of any droppings made in public areas
- Provide your pet with love and attention and commit to caring for it for its entire life
Pets and Excerise
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"Eufloria": Catnip Isn’t the Only Plant Scent Cats May Love
27 April 2017A recent study revealed that catnip isn't the only plant cats tend to enjoy. From silver vine to honeysuckle, learn which plants your feline friend may go crazy for.
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Want to Take Your Cat on a Walk? How I Do It
27 April 2017Taking your cat for a walk isn't impossible... even if your kitty isn't comfortable on a leash. Here's one editor's experience with her cat, Trixie.
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Lyme Disease: What Dog Owners Should Know
25 April 2017In certain parts of the U.S., up to 90 percent of dogs may test positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Here's how vets tend to treat the disease.
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Why Does My Dog… Dig in the Carpet?
21 April 2017There are many reasons why dogs dog in carpets. Our veterinary behaviorist shares a few theories behind the common dog behavior — and what you can do to stop it.
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A Letter to My Dog Rudi on Her 10th Birthday
19 April 2017Our editor's Lab mix, Rudi, just turned 10 years old. In this personal essay, the editor shares a few lessons she's learned from her dog over the past decade.
Pet Food Recalls & Safety
Stay up to date with Petfood Industry’s list of US and international cat and dog food, pet treat and companion animal feed recalls. According to FDA, pet food can be recalled by a manufacturer to remove product from the market, by FDA request or by FDA order under statutory authority.
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Plant toxin caused Australian dog deaths, illness
22 July 2021Australian investigators identified a plant toxin, indospicine, as the cause of numerous dog deaths and illnesses clustered near Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.
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Sick dogs, deaths correlated to raw pet food in Australia
19 July 2021Australian authorities are investigating a cluster of dogs affected with severe liver disease. The dogs all ate fresh or frozen meat from a specific source.
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Manna Pro recalls Flock Party Quack Snack poultry treat
05 July 2021Manna Pro Products of St. Louis, Missouri voluntarily recalled a single lot of Flock Party Quack Snacks poultry treat with a Best By date of 12/2023, packaged in 1.68 pound bags because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
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130 blood disease cases in UK cats correlated to food
17 June 2021In the United Kingdom, officials advised cat owners not to feed their pets specific foods after finding correlations to a rare disease.
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Freshpet recalls one lot of dog food for Salmonella
14 June 2021Freshpet had designated this single lot for destruction. However, it was inadvertently shipped to retailers in limited geographic markets between June 7 to June 10, 2021.