PetSummary

Funny what you see in a parking lot

So, I was in Foxboro, MA last weekend to watch our favorite football team take the field. It was a surprise 33rd birthday gift to my wife, who is a rabid fan. Neither of us had been to a pro game before and figured our old stomping grounds would be a great place to start.

We were running late (my fault) and were trying to get into the stadium as quickly as possible. With my head down, I literally bumped into a guy wearing this t-shirt:

One thing anyone who abuses dogs has to remember: dog lovers are everywhere. They do not care who you are and are none too forgiving. If you know of someone who is abusing a pooch, a child, or a woman, do them and society a favor by contacting your local police.

Cat Flexibility? Give Away

I have to ask: Is this idea insane, brilliant, or both? Rick Tillotson has a new book out for those interested in CAT YOGA. I'm not even sure where to begin with this idea....

I think it is brilliant for the crazy cat lovers out there and something no one would have ever thought of. (If you read enough Seth Godin, you'd recognize the value in providing something that delights a small segment of people out there. This certainly qualifies.)

I'll send 1 copy to the next 5 people who purchase a Guardian Pet Tag for their cat. 1 book per person, not feline.

Magic Bullets

I've had the great fortune of recently running into Laurie Kaplan, dog lover, educator, writer, and director of The Magic Bullet Fund. After reading that as many as one third of all dogs will be affected by cancer, I started doing some research into organizations that support dogs in need. A little searching landed me on her door step.

There are a number of impressive groups and resources out there for those dealing with canine cancer. All are going to the same goal: help support victims of canine cancer and support research in finding more effective cures.

The Magic Bullet Fund is a bit different. While providing a great deal of information regarding canine cancer, the group actually helps raise money for specific pets and families in need AND provides a strong, knowledgeable, and caring shoulder to lean on. Cost of dealing with canine cancer can be astronomical (reason alone to get some pet insurance) and not everyone is lucky enough to support their four legged loved one as much as needed.

The Magic Bullet Fund does great work and needs your help. Laurie is currently putting the finishing touches on the 2008 calendar. It only costs $12 and the money raised goes to help the dogs in need. (Disclaimer: PetSummary.com is a sponsor of the 2008 calendar.) It's a great cause and they need your help.

Ready? Set?

Whether you know it or not, September is the official National Readiness Month. Sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, its the government's (i.e., our) effort to ready all of us for natural disasters, pandemics, or mass causality situations.

If you've not thought about the possibilities, you should. Whether its a hurricane beating down your door, tornado carrying off your roof, or the power lines failing due to ice/winds, you should have a small bag ready. (If you want a bleak, thought provoking and incredibly well written story about readiness, check out The Road by Cormac McCarthy.)

As a member of the National Preparedness Month Coalition, it's my duty to ask you to prepare. So, GET A LITTLE ORGANIZED! I'm not suggesting packing a wad of hundreds in cellophane next to a couple bottles of bourbon and a handgun. No, no, no. I'm suggesting you collect enough food, water, medication, and other needs for 3-5 days worth of survival.

This type of preparation especially includes your pets. Sure, a big dog will probably be able to revert a little and get what it needs but our little toy schnauzers are going to have a hard time.

And, as a provider of electronic medical records for pets, I'd be remiss if I did not mention you should have an updated PetSum Card in your wallet as well as the right info displayed on your Guardian Pet Tag. Finally, you need similar protection for yourself. Check out MedicalSummary.com to get yourself organized. (Hey, if something happens to you, who is going to take care of Fido or Fluffy?)

So. What are you waiting for? We, the people, are asking ourselves to take a few minutes to get ready for the worst (even while we all hope for the best.) Get shaking. 

Sorry...

I know I've been a little remiss in following the pet world of late. Please see the below post to find out why. (Little Luke was born 3 weeks early and is at home, doing fine.)

Hopefully, I'll carve some time out soon to finish the most recent newsletter and get everyone up to speed on the Michael Vick tragedy. So many things went so wrong for so many.... Here is a good review of the situation.

It will be interesting to see what he learns from this and how he moves forward with his life. Will he become a spokes person for a local humane society? Will he figure out a way to educate, through positive action, the millions who used to and most likely still do look up to him? Or, will he complete his fall from grace into deeper realms of stupidity and ignorance? It will be interesting to see.

Anyway, more on that later. I'll catch back up to speed next week!

Sorry I've been away - we've been busy welcoming Luke into the world!

PetSum Revamp!

Hello everyone! I hope you are doing well and staying out of the heat. With as hot as it's been, now is a good time to remember those "Beat the Heat" ideas we put up earlier on the blog and in the newsletter.

Starting Page

Just wanted to let everyone know we've made a few useful changes to PetSummary.com. If you are a current subscriber, you'll notice a change to the summary page. This will make it easier to go to the pet you'd like more quickly. Plus, your fabulous four legged family members will be smiling back at you from the start. I hope you'll find it useful.

Manage My Profile

I was tired of having to input my basic information (Vet, emergency contacts, Insurance Info) with each pet I protected. So, we've made a change. When you add or update your Profile through the "Manage My Profile" button on the summary page, this information will be automatically added/changed to all the pets you protect. This occurs for both the PetSum Cards you print and the Guardian Page.

Hopefully, these new changes will make things easier for everyone to use PetSummary.com. And, of course, it is still free and we'd love for you to tell your friends about. If you have any other ideas on how we can make things better, please don't hesitate to email or call!

Best,

Cole

706.247.5743

cole@petsummary.com

Back At It!!

Hello, everyone. I'm happy to report the PetSummary team (i.e., me!) is fully back at work after a much needed and in no way restful vacation. I'll have a number of updates in the coming days including changes to the site, updates on the service, and our most recent media exposure. Today, however, I want to draw your attention to this past week's Business Week.

The Pet Economy certainly opens the eyes to what we are all spending, as a nation, on our four legged family members. Some of these costs will lower over time. Pet Insurance will lessen the impact of major health spending and food prices will normalize. Some costs will continue to rise - more toys for the little fellas, more traveling with them, etc. It is an interesting read and I fully suggest you take a look.

The sidebar article regarding end of life decisions was most interesting to me. I believe that vets get into the business they are in because they love animals and want whats best rather than seeing the profession as a way to fleece their customers. Hopefully, most vets take the pet's needs into account first and the owner's second. I'm all for preparation and doing what you can to make life more enjoyable for our four legged family members and firmly believe that nature will tell you when to let go. I good vet will help you with that decision.

Tripping with....

Off for two weeks to my favorite vacation land, the little cottage in Cape Elizabeth, ME. Kate, the boys and I will be heading off tomorrow while the pets will be off to the spa, care of some close friends.

The prep for our trip and this blog post got me thinking about traveling with our furry friends. There are certainly a ton of good resources out there. For my money and time, I have yet to find a better group to work with and trust than TripswithPets.com. They've got great lists of airline policies, pet friendly hotel locators, and more.

If you do travel with your furry family, please make sure to have a sturdy tag and collar and all of your paper work handy. We can certainly help!

Students and their Pets

Is it just me or have numbers of pet owning college and grad students exploded in the past 15 years? I can remember 1 friend at my school (Go Hoos!) who had dog. It seems like every other person at my local state college (Go Dawgs!) owns a dog or cat and transports them back and forth between "college home" and "permanent home."

What happens when there is an emergency at school or at home? Have they remembered to bring everything they need with them - vaccine and medical records, medical history, past procedures, current needs, etc? What if the pet gets away from them - which address and number is on the tag? Are they tagged for both residences? Are the numbers up to date?

I would think PetSummary would be a great solution for everyone moving between home and a second home, be it a college or retirement setting. You can access your records from anywhere, have a quick cheat sheet in your purse or wallet, and use an ID Tag that is easily updatable.

Hmm.... I think this could be a great fundraiser for any cannine or feline clubs at college. If anybody is interested in pet health and safety on campus and wants more info, drop me a line!