A Kenneling Alternative

dog

June Is Adopt A Cat Month

by Leave a Comment

June isn’t just the month of summer. It also serves as Adopt a Cat Month.

One of the primary goals of the month is to home cats and kittens. Shelters continue to struggle with funding and and covering supplies.

Since June coincides with the height of kitten season, a time when the largest number of cats give birth to litters, there is often an influx of felines into the shelters. This year, American Humane will celebrate their 48th annual June focus on adoption. American Humane has “provided lifesaving animal first responder assistance at the sites of virtually every major national disaster response from Pearl Harbor to 9/11, and from Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Dorian to the novel coronavirus pandemic.”

For folks interested in donations, you can head over to the ASPCA Adopt A Cat webpage or you can donate to American Humane’s Feed The Hungry campaign which delivers food to shelters all over the country. Or, as we like to encourage, donate to your local shelter where you can have an immediate and close to home impact.

You don’t have to simply donate, ASPCA has a fundraising page where you can build up donations on your own or by creating a team.

If you opt to bring a new cat into your life this month, don’t forget to utilize the great resources that American Humane offers on their website. You can find reference materials on topics such as

  • Adoption Checklists
  • Cat to Cat Introductions
  • Dog to Cat Introductions
  • Cat Collars
  • Scratching
  • Litter box usage

And if you are in the Chicagoland area and considering adopting a cat, please visit your local rescues and shelters. 

Consider Microchipping Your Pet

by Leave a Comment

In the chaos of moving from a house in the suburbs to a condo in the city, I missed one very important step. In the hundreds of updates, decisions, and changes that relocating can involve, I had forgotten microchipping. I hadn’t updated the contact information registered to my dog’s microchip.

When adopting from a shelter, microchipping is a given in most instances.  However, if you haven’t microchipped your pet you might want to consider doing so. It is a great way to ensure identification of your pet in the event a collar breaks, your pet panics and runs away during fireworks, or if your pet is lost during a natural disaster. [Read more…] about Consider Microchipping Your Pet

National Dog Mom Day Is May 8th

by Leave a Comment

As a native West Virginian I know the backstory behind Mother’s Day. But did you know there’s a National Dog Mom Day?

Back in 2018, the personal dating app Dig – an app designed for people with dogs – established the holiday. National Dog Mom Day happens the Saturday before Mother’s Day.

While the pandemic may still limit some of the things that can be done to celebrate, we think that any holiday that involves your dog is a winner.

And according to a survey by rover.com, 3 out of 4 ladies consider themselves dog moms, not just pet parents.  [Read more…] about National Dog Mom Day Is May 8th

Avoiding the Summer of Separation Anxiety

by Leave a Comment

As we watch vaccination rates increase and society slowly tiptoe towards one another again, one thing those of us with pets will be attempting to avoid is separation anxiety. 

My dog, like most people, has a routine. And she likes to keep things in the rut in which she has grown accustomed. Just like humans, pets need to acclimate to new routines in order to mitigate the most severe reactions of separation anxiety that could occur.

As summer nears, people and pets may find themselves struggling to readjust. Just as you would prepare your children for bedtime hours in the days leading up to the end of summer vacation, you should consider how to manage your pet.

What to Consider

If your pet has grown used to having you home all day long and you immediately disappear as you begin to work outside the home again or go on vacation, your pet may demonstrate separation anxiety. It could be as simple as an involuntary urination in the house or as destructive as chewing drywall or breaking through windows or doors.

The best way to avoid any extreme reaction is to transition your pet back to your typical routine. Floofins & Co. can assist you by helping you get your pet out the door and back to a normal midday walk with our pet care specialist. We can also help you build up extended periods of your absence to reacclimatize them to potential travel periods.

What You Can D0

If you have a new puppy, you want to build times into your schedule where you leave them alone. Also, you want to get them used to a dog walker during the day. Exposing them to different schedules and people, with safe social distancing, will help to prevent separation anxiety.

We want to help you get out and be in the world again while making sure your floofin has had the time to remember what those periods away from home will feel like.

Hopefully, you can avoid any behavior issues from separation anxiety by taking steps now to get your pet readjusted slowly to different routines. Contact us to find out how to schedule your pet on walks with us and ask about any special accommodations you may have. Stay safe, transition slowly, and avoid separation anxiety.

Five Things You May Not Know About Gabriella

by Leave a Comment

 

Floofins & Co.

Sure, you know that the Floofins staff you interact with LOVE your pet, but have you ever wondered… Is there more to this super-duper, pet-loving person?

To that, we say, YES!

Your Floofins are like family and we want to give you a more rounded picture of our great staff members. So, we dug a little deeper into their psyches to get you the kind of information only Floofins & Co. can provide.

The staff member we are highlighting this month is Gabriella. She is a Pet Care Specialist and covers the Elmhurst area.

What is the funniest thing you’ve seen a stranger do? “Walk straight into a glass door because it was so clean!”

What is your favorite cheesiest pickup line? “Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only 10 I see!”

What is your pet peeve? “When people chew loudly.” 

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? “A teacher because I had some amazing teachers and I wanted to be just like them.”

What would be your spirit animal? “Dog for sure! They all have different personalities and they’re just the best!”