We thought it would be a nice idea to share some animal-related sites we have visited and enjoyed. If you have favourites of your own, let us know and we’ll add them, we always welcome contributions from animal-loving readers.
You’ll notice that quite a few of these links are from a fantastic site called Pet360 – a veritable goldmine of information about pets of all kinds. So first of all here’s a list of a few of our main sites:
http://www.petmd.com – for medical info of all kinds about your pet
http://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/ – animal-related stories, info, articles, topics, shopping
http://www.freekibble.com – cute pictures, fun, free kibble for homeless animals!
Children and Pets
One of THE most important (and most easily ignored) aspects of having pets in the home. Thank you very much Melanie Wright for so thoughtfully and thoroughly filling a big gap on this page. If you are thinking of bringing a domestic animal into your home as a companion to your child or children – or indeed already have pets and are planning a family – this very thorough, sensitive, and compassionate article will ensure that you are as well-informed as possible. From safety, health concerns, and the risks involved, to canine body language – everything you need to know to ensure peace of mind for all concerned is covered here. Read this article and you will be as well-prepared as possible to maximise happiness in your home.
https://www.zocdoc.com/blog/how-to-teach-your-kid-about-animal-safety/
The dangers of air quality to pets, both indoors and out
An extremely thorough and well-researched article on the various dangers to your pet’s health of air quality, both inside and outside the home. Personally, I found the article a trifle alarmist – after all, many pets live long and healthy lives in homes where humans smoke and use all kinds of aerosols, for example. Having said that, the article contains a lot of extremely useful information, and the section entitled ‘Indoor Air Quality Improvement Tips’ is especially thorough, practical and helpful. A big Thank You to Maggie Strife for an important contribution to improve the health of both humans and our pets.
For children on the autism spectrum, pets can be immensely helpful
This very sensitive and knowledgeable article submitted by Brooke Bingham provides all the information a parent of a child on the autism spectrum might need to know when looking for ways to improve their child’s experience of life, from helping to choose the right kind of pet, to the benefits that can be expected from bringing an animal into the family. An excellent resource for assistance in a challenging situation.
https://www.elemy.com/studio/
A Guide to Travelling Internationally With a Service Animal
It is thorough, it is clear, it is indispensable for all people everywhere needing to travel by any means anywhere in the world accompanied by their service animal companion. Produced by Henry Peckett and published on the Dyefor website, it was brought to AWARE’s attention by indefatigable world-improvement person McKenna Geer. Thank you McKenna for a valuable contribution.
https://www.dyefor.com/blogs/news/service-animals-and-international-travel-guide
This contribution from Dan Patrick explains how a pet owner can ensure the safety of their pet in an evacuation situation such as a natural disaster. It covers how to prepare your pet for a disaster situation, what supplies your pet will need if living in the wild, and basic health and safety to ensure the well-being of your pet in the absence of proper veterinary care. It’s a very thorough article and contains a welter of information on every relevant topic imaginable. The one aspect that we at AWARE would stress more than anything is to STAY CALM – fundamentally the best way to help both yourself and your pet. Thank you Dan for this very well-researched article.
https://survivaldan.com/how-to-ensure-the-safety-of-your-pet-in-an-evacuation-situation/
While redecorating or making other household interventions involving strangers disrupting the home environment, the responsible pet owner will bear in mind the distress this can cause their 4-legged friends. Following the advice in this excellent article from Maggie Monroe at Five-Star Painting will ensure that your pet not only survives, but thrives. The advice is very sensible and very thorough, covering every aspect of having strangers in the house doing incomprehensible things to your pet’s secure environment, like bringing strange smells, toxic substances, and change. The article does contain advertising, but is a must-read before ever embarking on home improvements, including DIY.
A Guide to Pet Safety During Home Renovations and Remodeling
When was the last time you gave your dog chocolate? If you don’t want to feel guilty about sharing your supper with your best friend, don’t read this article. But if you are concerned about your dog’s health, and want to make sure you only feed her or him foods that are healthy for canines, DO read this excellent, very thorough and easy to navigate compendium of canine dietary advice. It is brilliant. Thank you Janet Walker, of puppybeing.com
https://puppybeing.com/foods-dogs-can-cant-eat
CATS! CATS! CATS! Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about those fascinating felines! Here is a list of links from AWARE contributor Hazel Harred, providing very comprehensive and detailed information about every aspect of cats and their care, including how to turn your apartment into a cat paradise.
http://www.fanciers.com/– online community for cat lovers
https://www.wirefence.co.uk/cat-care/ – large list of cat care resources
https://www.abodo.com/blog/apartment-cat-tips/ – advice for cat owners living in an apartment
https://www.buyrope.co.uk/diy-cat-craft-ideas/ – purrfect DIY projects for cat owners
Also from Hazel, here’s a link to an excellent source of information for any animal (and that’s any animal – not just cats) needing to use the human travel network:
https://www.pettravel.com/index.cfm – worldwide travel resource for pets
Thank you Hazel for this tremendous fund of very comprehensive knowledge.
On the subject of travelling with your pet, here’s a link to a very clear and thorough guide to travelling by all conventional means with your pet. While the article is specifically about travelling outward bound from the USA to other countries, much of the information is of a more general nature, to ensure your pet will be as comfortable and relaxed as possible during the journey. Thank you very much Brittany Danielle for this very nice article.
https://www.advantage.com/blog/a-guide-to-traveling-with-pets-internationally/
Here are two links to nicely presented and interesting animal-related articles which appear on the website of a UK insurance company. We’re posting them here despite the advertising because it’s good and useful information (though partly UK-specific).
Adopting and Caring for Rescue Animals. This is a terrific resource for anyone thinking of taking an animal into their home. The information comes from the UK, so obviously some of it – for example the sections that deal with animal shelters – does not apply to shelters in Guatemala (and probably other less wealthy countries). You’ll find Guatemala-specific info elsewhere on the AWARE site. Meanwhile this clear and comprehensive guide will give you plenty to think about.
https://www.directline.com/pet-cover/rescue-animals
Benefits for children of pets in the home. Another clear and comprehensive article, especially regarding children with emotional problems.
https://www.directline.com/pet-cover/pets-for-kids
Many thanks to Carrie Wright for this excellent and thought-provoking article about the often unrecognised threats to your pet’s health from your own lifestyle and the products you use in your home. (Smokers beware! – here’s another compelling reason to ditch your dangerous habit.)
http://breazy.com/blogs/education/effects-of-air-pollution-on-pets
A big Thank-You to Marissa Krick for this link to an excellent resource for people helping those struggling with addiction. If you thought that animals couldn’t do much except lie around your house and keep you company, read this and think again!
https://www.drugrehab.com/treatment/types-of-therapy/animal-assisted/
Another good introduction to the benefits that animals bring to our lives, especially those of us needing emotional support and/or recovering from a form of addiction comes from Sabrina Williams at Laguna Shores Recovery. Thank you Sabrina for your interesting contribution.
https://lagunashoresrecovery.com/emotional-support-animal/
With thanks to Julia Dunlap of CreditCards.com, here is a link to an excellent summary of information for people needing to fly with their animals:
https://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/pets-reward-frequent-flier-miles-1263.php
The article is very thorough and informative, but is primarily about people travelling to or from the USA. If you have details about flying with animals elsewhere in the world, please let us know so we can make this section more comprehensive.
Thanks to Sarah P for the link to this nice article about how to help your pet adjust as smoothly as possible to the already stressful process of moving house.
https://www.rockethomes.com/blog/2019/01/help-your-dog-adjust-to-new-home/
https://www.thesimpledollar.com/pet-cost-calculator/
The Pet Cost Calculator is a great resource for anyone in the USA thinking of having a pet in their home and wondering about the cost. The calculator includes both primary expenses – such as relative purchase prices of different breeds of dog, and hidden costs, like toys for your pet, or professional grooming. With many thanks to Dana Matocinos.
And here are a number of general assistance resources for pets and Service Dogs, with many thanks to Meagan Clark, a member of ForeverCurious – a group of educators and librarians – who visited this page, found it useful, and wanted to share some interesting results of her own research. Thank you, Meagan!
Keeping Spot Safe: Pet Safety in the Home
And here are some general interest, curious and humorous pages that you might find useful or simply entertaining.
Some exceptional cats throughout history
have assisted in humans’ communal endeavours
How magnificent they look!
25 ways to know
that your cat
really does love you
… and of course your dog loves you too!
So many uses
to which animals
are put
No need for fear
Some beautiful dogs
Nothing like a Chihuahua
Everybody loves chocolate,
but it is NOT GOOD
for your dog
If you don’t want to be vegetarian
don’t read this
An astonishing story of
canine altruism
A short article about adopting ex-military dogs in the US, with some links to a number of websites about military dogs
Common health problems
of older dogs
You enjoy gardening
and your dog does, too.
An excellent Podcast
Will dogs eat anything?
Who came first?
Mental processes –
fraught with controversy
It’s not easy being a
household pet in this
day and age
Cartoon fun
from Australia
Everyone has feelings,
and your dog is
no exception
Understanding your Rescue Dog’s behaviour
Only your dog knows
what her life was like
before she was rescued
If you like animals and enjoy a laugh –
this is for you!
British teenagers visit Guatemala
There are shocking differences between the lives
of children born in different places.
These pictures give you a glimpse into the lives of those less privileged. No wonder countries like Guatemala need projects like AWARE.
