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Take Your Pet To Work Week

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No matter whether you are back in the office or still working from home, you can participate in Take Your Pet To Work Week June 21st through 25th.

Created in 1999 by Pet Sitters International (PSI) to highlight dog companionship and to encourage adoptions, Take Your Dog To Work Day has grown. What was once a single Friday event just for dogs has expanded to a weeklong event that includes cats.

Monday, June 21st, get out your hashtags and kitties and #takeyourcattoworkday. PSI will share their favorites photos from the submissions they receive. [Read more…] about Take Your Pet To Work Week

Five Things You May Not Know About Jennifer

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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 Jennifer. She is a Pet Care Specialist and covers the Lombard area.

 

What is the funniest thing you’ve seen a stranger do? “The funniest thing I’ve seen a stranger do was when these two people were walking in the revolving doors and one of them pulled it to a stop so the other person ran into the glass.”

What was your favorite toy growing up? “My favorite toy growing up would be this big scruffy dog with one ear that I named Ralph.”

What is the best advice you’ve received? “The best advice I’ve received would be When you notice something nice about someone, even a stranger, say it to them because they might be having an awful day and your complement might make a difference for them.”

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?  “As a child I wanted to be a zoologist or own a rescue.”

What would be your spirit animal? “My spirit animal would be an Arctic Fox (they are beautiful and I love the cold).”

National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week

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This week kicks off National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week. We think November is a great time to mention some of our favorite groups.

The first week of November is set aside as a way to honor animal shelters and the dedicated people who work in this field.

According to The Humane Society of the United States,  there are “approximately 3,500 animal shelters across the United States, available to serve the estimated 6–8 million homeless animals that seek refuge each year, but only about half are adopted. While 63 percent of American households include pets, fewer than 20 percent of them were adopted from shelters.”

Floofins & Co. supports the Hinsdale Humane Society and the West Suburban Humane Society at their annual events.  [Read more…] about National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week

Do You Need Pet Insurance For Your Floofin?

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Like people, your faithful pet will most likely need to see a doctor at some point in their life. If you are lucky, it will be for very routine matters. That will make it relatively easy to calculate how much you will likely need to set aside on an annual basis for your pet’s medical expenses.

However, even the most healthy among us can be unexpectedly hit with an unplanned medical emergency that we did not see coming. It could be an accident, a hidden hereditary flaw, or just the realities of a long life and aging.

So, when you consider the cost of having pet insurance against not having pet insurance, how do you decide?

Let me give you an example of a recent experience I had with my senior dog, Ginger.

Senior Pet Experience

When Ginger, who is currently 10 years old and a rescue of unknown origin, began skipping meals (unheard of) and stumbling periodically on walks, I took her to the vet. For roughly $300 I found out that her physical exam and blood work deemed her to be healthy. The stumbling and legs giving out continued.

At the suggestion of a behaviorist that I worked with to transition a new pup into our home, I took Ginger to a specialist to examine her for physical issues that might not have shown up in blood work. This included a gait analysis; telemedicine visit; and a 30 minute in-person evaluation. Total cost: $276. They recommended X-rays of the spine and pelvis. With the X-rays and a pain medication prescription, I chucked nearly $600 on that visit alone.

Final Results

My dog has arthritis and spinal disc disease. I can run her through one month of rehab for nearly $800 that will include exercises, massage, electrical stimulation, etc. While I am still considering that option, I have to say that pet insurance sounds like a pretty good idea right now. I don’t have any for Ginger, but her new roommate – the puppy Jameson – may end up with some type of insurance to avoid this same situation down the road.

I am fortunate to have had an emergency fund saved up that will cover her expenses. Also, I have a credit card that allows zero percent interest on charges at her normal vet’s office (for a certain number of months for charges over a certain dollar amount).

However, I am not the average person. You’ve probably heard the statistics that the average American doesn’t have $500 on hand for an emergency. I don’t have a spouse, children, or other factors that would turn those dollar values into decisions between my pet’s health and feeding my children or making a car payment to get to work. That makes me extremely lucky. I’m fortunate that the pain medication alone seems to have altered the quality of life for Ginger. She is playing and doing things she hasn’t done recently. Will I need to spend additional funds on her down the road? Most likely.

If your pet is healthy and you wondering what choices you would have made if Ginger were your dog, now might be a good time to examine the costs and coverage of a pet insurance policy. September is Pet Insurance Month. I promise I’ll do the same as I consider what is best for my finances and my new puppy.

Be Kind To Animals Week

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When you take part in Be Kind to Animals Week, you become part of a celebration of one of the longest commemorative weeks in U.S. history. According to American Humane’s website, they began the event in 1915. It is celebrated the first full week of May annually.

This year, the week kicks off May 3rd and runs through the 9th.

American Humane suggests several different ways that you can get involved this year. They include:

  • Taking a kindness pledge;
  • Adopt from a shelter or rescue;
  • Commit to year round kindness; and
  • Showing support on social media.

By visiting their website you can select one of four (or all) of the kindness pledges available. You complete your name and email and will receive your pledge electronically.  [Read more…] about Be Kind To Animals Week