COMPLETE PET HISTORY & INFORMATION PACKAGE

 

 

Where do you keep details of your pets' records and information? PetsLife is a new product on the market that files together all the important facts about your cats, dogs, fish, birds and small animals, in one central place.

 

PetsLife provides pet owners with a permanent record of information about their pet, from birth or purchase, throughout its life, recording all the special events and memories, vet details, pet
insurance documents, vaccine dates and much more, building into a Complete Pet History and Information Package.

 

Stored in an easy to use and operate computer program, and also soon to be introduced A4 loose-leaf binder, PetsLife is all the information and memories a pet owner will ever want or need on their pet.

 

That means no more having vets details in one drawer, photos in another, insurance documents in a cupboard somewhere... PetsLife has everything in one place.

 

There are five different versions of PetsLife, for cats, dogs, fish, birds and small animals, each with its own detailed sections and index, making it easy to find the information you want.

 

PetsLife is available in PC and shortly, Binder versions. Each have their own distinct blend of information and contents tailored to each kind of pet, with both systems having been specifically designed by us, with ease of use and practicality in mind.

 

The PetsLife software can be downloaded immediately from the order form on the company's web site, allowing you to start organising your pets' life within minutes.

 

Click on to PetsLife.co.uk, and see for yourself!

http://www.petslife.co.uk/

 

BABY BOOM: COPING WITH KITTEN SEASON

By Rebecca Simmons

You've heard of the dog days of summer; what about "kitten season"?

No, it's not a fifth season—it's the time of year when cats give birth, flooding animal shelters across the nation with homeless litters. Kitten "season" is really three seasons in one, starting in spring, peaking in late spring or early summer, and ending in fall.

"In New Hampshire, kitten season lasts from early spring through late fall," says Jen Corbin, adoption center manager at the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Stratham, New Hampshire. "We are actually seeing kittens earlier and earlier each year."

Domino Effect

So why does kitten season occur?

"The warm weather coincides with female cats' heat cycles," says Cory Smith, program manager of animal sheltering issues at The HSUS. "When female cats go into heat, male cats come running from near and far. Cats' reproductive hormones are very powerful."

And no matter where the cats are, they don't have far to go.

"In every community in the nation, there is an over-abundance of unsterilized cats both owned and un-owned, says Smith. "A frenzy of mating takes place each year." 

The easiest way to help reduce the overwhelming numbers of unwanted cats is to spay and neuter your own cat and encourage others to do the same.

"It makes a huge difference," says Smith. "Even if your cat only goes outside occasionally, or there's a chance that he may get out, it allows plenty of opportunity for him to mate. Unaltered cats are driven by their hormones and tend to sneak outdoors primarily in search of a mate. Mating just once can start a domino effect that can result in dozens, even hundreds or thousands of unwanted animals."

These unwanted cats and kittens, when not left on the street to fend for themselves, often turn up in high volume at the local animal shelter.   

Shelter Strain

Kitten season presents many challenges for shelter staff and the cats in their care. Resources already hard to come by—like food, money and space—are often stretched to their limit as shelters, that often take in thousands of animals every year, are inundated with homeless cats.

Typically, the adult cats feel the most immediate effects, as they are often overlooked by potential adopters when kittens are in abundance.

"During kitten season it becomes more difficult to place adult cats. Even when people come in with the intent to adopt an adult, their heads are turned by the cute, active kittens, and the adult cats are passed by," says Corbin. 

As shelters struggle to accommodate as many cats as possible, the risk of illness also increases.

"As we reach our capacity, the close quarters cause the cats additional stress, and they begin to spread germs, get sick—and the whole population suffers," says Corbin. 

The animals aren't the only ones who feel the effects of stress. The burden often carries over to staff and vet services as they attempt to cope with the overwhelming number of cats.

"Often the staff takes home the overflow and become overwhelmed as they care for animals during the day and the night," says Corbin. "The burden also affects our local vet population as we scramble to find enough vets willing to help us get the cats spayed and neutered."

An End in Sight?

The vast numbers of cats that shelters accommodate across the nation during kitten season will not drop overnight. But there are many ways to help reduce cat overpopulation and to bring much-needed relief to the animals, and to the people, affected by kitten season. Here's how you can get involved: 

TODAY'S PET TIP

 

Many people are tempted to feed their pets raw foods as they seem to desire it when we are preparing food for ourselves. Be aware that raw foods can contain dangerous parasites and harmful bacteria. For example the bacteria Salmonella, which is found in many raw foods, can make both pets and people very sick. Feed your pooch a commercially available high quality dog food.