Blog posts Categorized under ‘Pet Insurance News’

Have a dog or cat? Must travel! Adopt that motto and you will truly rank as your dog or cat’s best friend.

One way to guarantee a fun, safe trip for your pet in a car – and in an airplane – is to ensure that his pet carrier is the right size and offers the right canine amenities.

Run down this quick checklist:

-Comfy blanket to provide warmth and cushioning on his joints
-Travel water bowl or bottle
-Spare identification on your dog and in the carrier
-In addition, be sure to pack some healthy treats, a favorite toy, spare leash and collar, travel bowls, any necessary medications and spare poop bags.

Pet carriers deliver the safest way to transport your dog or cat. Just like you, pets need to be safely restrained inside your vehicle. Select carriers that can be secured in place using the vehicle’s seatbelts to keep your dog or cat inside from shifting on turns or sudden stops. Cute as it may look, dogs hanging their heads out car windows risk eye injuries from speeding debris in the air.

Also, resist the temptation to place the pet carrier in the front passenger seat. You can be distracted from driving by being tempted to pet your dog and take your eyes off the road. Also, the air bags can severely injure your dog in a collision. The safest spot for your dog is inside a pet carrier in the back seat or in the back end of your SUV. When you arrive at your destination – or at pet friendly rest stops – you can dole out attention to your furry travel mate.

Fortunately, we at Pet Airways are happy to unleash some grrr-eat news regarding transporting your devoted dog or cat from Point A to Point B for air travel. When your pet checks in as a pawsenger on one of our flights, there will be a right-sized pet carrier awaiting him to be tucked inside before take off. So, the next time you’re ready to take a trip with your dog, select the airline that is true pet friendly, Pet Airways!

Arden Moore is a pet expert, best-selling author and radio show host who travels all over North America. Visit her website: www.ardenmoore.com

Keeping tabs on your tabby when you travel and pinpointing where your door-dashing dog may be is getting easier – and in some cases, going a little high-tech.

It goes without saying that all pets – whether they prefer to live a pampered life indoors or are tail-wagging and ready to join you as a travel mate – need to sport collars with identification tags that post the pet’s name and your phone number. Yes, even though your cat may vow to never step a paw outside, he could suddenly find himself in the outside world due to a loose window screen or a door inadvertently left open by say, the handyman. Some dogs with high-prey or hunting drives may slip off their collars on a walk in pursuit of a squirrel or the ice cream truck.

An ID tag should include your cell phone number so you can be reached quickly should you and your pet be separated when you are away from home during pet-friendly travel and stays at hotels.

Double up on the safety side by also booking an appointment with your veterinarian to inject a microchip into your pet in the shoulder region. This chip, about the size of a grain of rice, offers lifetime identification and contains vital info that can be read at animal shelters and veterinary clinics simply by waving a hand-held scanner around the shoulder area.

Don’t worry, this procedure is quick, virtually pain free and may not require your pet being place under anesthesia. The vet cost, depending on your locale, can range between $30 and $50. Some clinics offer special discount days, so be sure to ask to save a little money. In addition, the specific microchip company charges a nominal activation fee (under $20). Some companies donate some of that fee to animal rescue and recovery efforts.

You must enroll with the microchip company in order to activate the chip’s info. Sadly, nearly 40 percent of people forget to do this and all a shelter or vet clinic can detect is the presence of a microchip. So, please fill out the enrollment form the day your pet is microchipped.

Help for Houdini hounds has also gone high-tech. Just like you have GPS navigational systems in your car (to avoid making wrong turns or finding the closest sushi bar), there are bite-sized GPS systems for dogs that fit onto collars. If your dog leaps over the back fence or gets away from you on a trip, you can quickly locate him in real time using your laptop computer or cell phone.

No matter how cautious you may be, more than 5 million pets get lost or stolen each year. Currently, only 1 in 10 returns to their homes. Equipping your pet with these forms of ID can go a long way in improving the odds that you and your pet will be happily reunited. Don’t forget to include identification stickers on the pet carrier when you plan to travel with your dog or cat.

Sure, that puppy or kitten in the window is cute. Yes, they’re looking at you with pleading eyes. But that doesn’t mean you should take them home.

Will your potential cat require lots of grooming? Will she spend more time lounging in your lap or sprinting through the house, attacking dust bunnies? Will she be patient enough to deal with children?

Or, how large will your dog grow to be? Will he need to run for miles every day? Will he be likely to suffer from specific kinds of hereditary health problems? There are plenty of questions to consider before you snap on that leash and take your new pet home.

First, you should compare information on various breeds to know which kinds will be a fit with your household and your lifestyle. It’s true that there are an overwhelming number of breeds – there are dozens of cat breeds and over 150 dog breeds commonly recognized in the U.S. – but don’t worry; numerous books and websites have been written to help make this comparison relatively painless.

Make a list of the breeds that might be compatible with your family and use it as a guide while you check out pets that are available for adoption. Keep in mind, though, that general breed characteristics won’t guarantee the specific characteristics of an individual animal.

You’ll also find plenty of mixed-breed animals for adoption. Because these animals don’t conform to breed standards for behavior and physical characteristics, you’ll want to make a checklist of the qualities you’re looking for: Will your new pet need to be patient with young children? Get along well with other pets? Behave when left home alone for hours? When meeting potential pets at a shelter or adoption center, the people there should be able to tell you about the animals’ individual temperaments – be sure to ask lots of questions.

Also, think about whether you should adopt a full-grown animal versus a puppy or kitten. Little ones may be adorable, but they may also pose more problems. Will a member of your family be home to care for them until they can safely be left alone? Most shelter animals are full grown animals who have been around the block, experienced a few things, and may appreciate a good home even more.

Did you know you can earn redeemable points each time a friend you’ve referred purchases a policy? Start earning points you can redeem for gift certificates at stores you already love. Now, friendship and rewards go hand in hand.

By referring friends, you can easily earn gift certificates valued between $15 and $50 at popular merchants. Set up a referral account quickly and easily through our online account access, and when you send friends to us, be sure to have them sign up through your referral link so we can credit points to your account.

Log on to your account (or set one up for the first time) to learn more, access account information and start earning points when you refer your friends to Pets Best!

If you haven’t had a chance to register for online account access to see your processed claims and policy information, take a minute to find out how simple it is to access your account online.

*Not available in all states, certain restrictions may apply.