An 85-year-old retired engineer in Iowa is pushing the Spencer City Council to fund and develop the first city-owned pet cemetery in the country.

Ted Cate, whose German shorthaired pointer Elizabeth Ann died five years ago, has been advocating for the municipal animal burial ground for half a decade, wishing to honor his fallen hound and offer a benefit to the environment, the Chicago Tribune reports.

"It provides a legal and respectful place to bury your family pet," Cate told the news source.

He added, "By burying your pet in a pet cemetery as opposed to burying it in your backyard, you eliminate the possibility of polluting the groundwater and hence your neighbor’s well."

In the meantime, Cate keeps the ashes of Elizabeth Ann in an urn in his home office.

Cate’s proposal would establish the pet cemetery in a 10-acre park on the town’s eastern edge and would charge $60 for the burial of a cremated pet and $70 for other pets.

Spencer City Manager Bob Fagen said the council agreed to pursue the idea and will announce details about finances and procedures in March or April.

According to Costhelper.com, the cremation of dogs that weigh more than 50 pounds can cost up to $350.

Pet owners typically rely on veterinarians to diagnose and treat issues pertaining to an animal’s physical health. But when frightened cats, lonely dogs and turkeys struck with seasonal anxiety endure emotional pain, one Arizona woman claims to pick up where veterinary medicine leaves off.

Debbie Johnstone, who calls herself an animal whisperer, says she depends on her sight, hearing, smell and taste to read animals’ thoughts, the Arizona Republic reports.

"As a child, I collected stray animals," Johnstone told the news source. "I thought everybody heard them the way I do."

The self-proclaimed animal communicator typically services clients who are dealing with the possibility of euthanizing an animal or those who want to know if a deceased pet has passed on to a better place.

An at-home visit from Johnstone costs $125 per hour, though the specialist can perform sessions over the phone and by e-mail.

Though Johnstone has made a modest business with her niche enterprise, her line of work is not free from judgment.

Arizona veterinarian Dr Gregg Townsley told the news provider that owners are taking a "dangerous risk" when they rely on animal whisperers as an alternative to veterinary services.

The North American Pet Health Insurance Association says veterinary insurance can be used to protect pet health and ensure the financial stability of the animal’s family.

Certain unwritten rules among pet owners keep dogs and cats the objects of affection, rather than scorn, in many communities across the county. Owners know that a specific level of training and decorum is necessary to bring dogs into public places, a pooper scooper should always be kept handy and scratching boards will help cats keep their claws to themselves.

Abiding by these general guidelines will often keep pets a topic of light banter rather than city council discussion.

Now, however, pet owners in Beatrice, Nebraska, are scratching their heads after hearing that members of the city council are planning to amend the area’s animal control policy by imposing a limit of three dogs or cats per household, the Beatrice Daily Sun reports.

"I refuse to pick and choose which animals I keep and which ones I throw away," said pet owner Cindy Vetrovsky, indicating that her animals were shelter pets who likely would have been euthanized had she not adopted them.

Councilman Dwight Parde told the news provider the proposed ordinance would be a way of controlling the overpopulated cat colonies that have grown in the city, and indicated that exceptions would be made for owners with ample space and history of responsible pet care.

According to the U.S. Humane Society, about 34 percent of American households own at least one cat.

In folklore dating back to the Middle Ages, black cats have been thought to bring bad luck and conjure images of witches and demons. In the legends of the British Isles black dogs have been likened to ghastly apparitions – evidence that evil may be lurking.

Perhaps that’s why owners of pet shelters find it so hard to find homes for their darker animals, a phenomenon described within the industry as "black dog syndrome."

On Black Friday, the managers of the Animal Rescue League in Bedford, Maine, are encouraging the adoption of black pets by offering a 50 percent discount on the animals, the Concord Monitor reports.

Danielle Hasting, the shelter’s vice president of adoptions and customer service told the news source, "We’re hoping to drive more traffic into the shelter and get more animals adopted out."

She added, "Black animals in general tend to linger longer in shelters. We thought this was a fun way to do it."

The Black Friday sale will apply to black adult cats, dogs and rabbits. With the discount, cats can be adopted for $90, dogs for $125 and rabbits for $25.

According to the Humane Society, a total of 10 percent of owned dogs in the U.S. were adopted from an animal shelter.

Dogs prodding around under the Christmas tree this year should not be surprised if a few presents squeak to their delight. An Associated Press-Petside.com poll shows that more animal owners this year are planning to buy their pets holiday gifts.

According to the recent poll, a total of 52 percent of pet owners plan to buy their animals a holiday gift, representing a 9 percent increase from last year. Nearly 60 percent of dog owners and 40 percent of cat owners will visit the pet stores for the perfect present in the next month, the Associated Press reports.

The idea of gifts as a part of pet care comes naturally to Debra Jenson, who owns a Labrador and a German shepherd-Siberian Husky mix.

"The dogs are our only children. I love my babies," Jensen, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, told the news source. This year, her pups can count on leftover ham, among other holiday treats.

According to the AP survey, owning pets changes how families prepare for the holidays in more ways than one. Erica Peterson is among the 59 percent of pet owners who consider their animals before picking out decorations – no cranberries, popcorn or gingerbread men will adorn her tree this year.

According to the American Humane Association, a total of 40 percent of dog owners and 37 percent of cat owners hang Christmas stockings for their pets.

With the New Orleans Saints sitting atop the National Football League’s leader board with an undefeated record, Saint Bernards aren’t the only dogs rooting for the sacred-named football team.

Pet shops around Louisiana are claiming that the success of the New Orleans Saints is drawing pet owners into stores and helping merchandise fly off the shelves, WDSU reports.

"We can’t even keep [Saints gear] in stock," Sharon Collitt, owner of the French Quarter Pet Asylum, told the news source. "People are flying in here. They want to buy our tee shirts and collars for all their dogs, big and small."

As football fans continue to dress their pets in black and gold this season, Collitt said that the sale of New Orleans Saints pet gear has gone up 100 percent, giving pet shop owners another reason to cheer on their team each Sunday. Last year the team finished with an 8-8 record.

On Monday night, Saints fans and their dogs will be howling for their team to beat the New England Patriots, the last NFL team to finish a season undefeated. The game will be played in New Orleans.

The holiday season isn’t all stockings and treats for household pets. Winter vacations mean that many animals across the nation will be spending the season in kennels and foster homes, bringing in big business for pet sitters.

"We get really crazy. During Thanksgiving last year we had 219 dogs and something like 16 cats – and a bird," Indiana kennel manager Pam Hardebeck told the Lafayette Journal and Courier.

So far, Hardebeck has 161 dogs signed up to stay at her boarding facility over Thanksgiving weekend, though the manager attributes the decrease in numbers to procrastination, rather than economic woes.

An interesting alternative to kennels like Hardebeck’s, the Lafayette, Indiana business, Critter-sitters, run by Tracy Walder, provides in-home pet care for owners who wish to leave their animals in the comfort of their home.

With a business like Critter-sitters, the holidays take on a unique meaning for Walder and her family. The owner told the news source, "Most of our family members understand that from about the 20th of November to the 10th of January we’re unavailable."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the companion pet population, which drives employment of animal caretakers in kennels, grooming shops and animal shelters is expected to increase until 2016.

Some proud pet owners are likely to know about Petsintouch.com – an online social network that connects owners, allowing them share advice, pictures and videos. However, even these affiliated animal lovers may not know about the websites newest feature, which lets browsers shop for their pets at more than 70 nationwide pet care retail partners.

According to the Human-Animal Bond Survey by The Hartz Mountain Corp, about 75 percent of pet owners consider their animal to be a member of the family. As the holiday season approaches, many will be looking for a treat for their dog or cat that they can put under the tree.

While these animals may end up having more fun with the wrapping paper, Petsintouch will likely give buyers some great gift ideas to help spread holiday cheer to the family’s four-legged members.

"The concept was to create a one stop destination that will provide members with a full shopping experience," said Vanessa Serrano, the website’s managing director.

She added, "The new petmall is basically the destination for thousands of products for all of Petsintouch.com’s eight pet categories."

According to Pet Age Magazine, the average animal owner spent about $38 per transaction in pet stores in 2006.

Just in time to accommodate holiday-shopper traffic, the Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services (FACS) has announced it will conduct a thorough review of state pet stores until the end of the year to ensure that consumer protection regulations are being met.

Primarily, the FACS will be checking to ensure that retailers are meeting the requirements of a state statute which mandates that dogs and cats must be at least eight weeks old when put up for sale, First Coast News reports.

In addition, to ensure high quality pet health, all animals sold must be accompanied by a Florida certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian, which documents vaccinations, tests and treatments.

"It’s important to do business with a reputable pet store or dealer who knows and follows the law to avoid problems after a purchase of an animal," FACS commissioner Charles Bronson told the news source.

Under state ordinances, buyers have 14 days to return or exchange any pet if a veterinarian finds it has a health problem.

According to Bronson, the FACS has secured nearly $80,000 in restitution over the past four years for people who have been sold unhealthy pets.

The American Pet Products Association estimates that $45.5 billion will be spent on pets in the U.S. in 2009.

For whatever reason, dogs seem to want whatever their owners are eating significantly more than the food that is actually in their bowls. But as most pet owners and carpet cleaners know, canines cannot always stomach the foods they desire so much.

Observing this trend, a 16-year-old entrepreneur set out to work in an effort to placate neighborhood dogs who were screaming for ice cream, the New York Times reports.

As a young child spending hot summer afternoons with his grandmother’s dog Max, Christian Liendo remembers the pup whining for lick of the cool treat and relishing any drips that might fall his way.

When the teen enrolled at an entrepreneurial competition sponsored by Goldman Sachs and Prep for Prep, a nonprofit that prepares minority students for private schools, it didn’t take long before these memories began guiding him towards his first business venture.

Blizzard Dog, a frozen concoction of carob powder and soy milk, is the first ice cream made to accommodate a dog’s digestive system. Earning an honorable mention in the competition, Liendo won $250 and the confidence to go public with his invention.

"It’s going to be sold in ice cream stores," the inventor told the news source.

According to Petwave.com, though most pets cannot tolerate dairy products, cheeses and unpasteurized yogurts typically have the lactose content removed, making them safe for pet consumption.