Pet Obsessed: The cost of cute

Whether you’re a dog or a cat person, there’s no question that our four-legged friends provide us with the kind of companionship you just can’t put a price on. That didn’t stop the folks at USA-based www.mint.com from doing just that however. 

The company's latest info-graphic takes a look at the true cost of sharing your home with companion animals, along with the requisite cute photos. How much do Americans spend on pet food, supplies, and pet food? And how have the big pet supply retailers done during the economic downturn?

This info-graphic is based on the aggregate data from over one million Mint.com users, a representative sampling of US consumers, along with data from wiki.answers.com.

The blog posts to this information are interesting, too. Tell us what you think of mint.com's statistics.

Posted by Terri Perrin, PetLynx Online Communications Editor

Fur Flying in Los Angeles Over Dog License Drive

A recent news report on KTLA TV, featured on L.A. Times video, reported that the cash-strapped city is going to the dogs — literally.

The Los Angeles City Council voted February 23, 2010, to have two departments share information in order to track down people who haven't licensed their pets.

The City of LA estimates that two-thirds of the city's canine are unlicensed. Licenses cost $15 for a sterilized dog and $100 for an unaltered pet. Getting all dogs licensed would mean at least an additional $3.6 million in fees to the city.

The Department of Animal Services has eight full-time people whose job is to find and license dogs. The Department of Water and Power keeps a meter-reader database of homes with dogs. The council ordered the departments to coordinate to find (and license) those dogs that are currently not bylaw compliant.

This unusual use of a civic database would make for lively discussion during networking opportunities at the upcoming Regional Summits for Urban Animal Strategies!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

H1N1 Confirmed in Canadian Ferret and American Cat

November 6, 2009: Yesterday, PIJAC Canada received notice that the first confirmed case of H1N1 in a ferret was reported to the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association.

In addition, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) put out a press release yesterday stating that there has been one confirmed case of a cat in Iowa contracting the H1N1 virus from the owners.

Please take notice of this PIJAC Canada bulletin to learn more on what you should do.

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association has also posted an information sheet on their website for pet owners.

Questions for PIJAC Canada?
(p) 1-800-667-7452 or 1-613-730-8111
(e) memberservices@pijaccanada.com.

Summit Presentation Synopsis #2

Learn to be a CATalyst for change
Presenter: Dr. Jane Brunt

Regardless of what segment of the companion animal industry you represent, statistics relating to urban cats and cat ownership can be discouraging.

The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators, for example, reports than an average of 70% of cats presented to U.S. animal shelters are euthanized. For every four cats coming into shelter, only one finds a permanent home.

This, despite the fact that statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association reveal an "owned cat" population of 81.2 million. That's almost 10 million more cats than dogs -- making cats America's number one animal companion. Yet in 2006, 36% of those 81.2 million cats did not visit a veterinarian. Cats are twice as likely as dogs to not be taken to a vet, leaving many of them undiagnosed and untreated for illness, disease, pain and discomfort.

The CATalyst Council is an initiative to champion the cat in light of these troubling statistics -- in effort to change society's image of cats as aloof creatures, not in need of human contact or care. The vision of CATalyst is to raise the level of care and welfare of cats by cat owners, supported by increased adoption rates, the highest quality of veterinary care, preventative medicine and cat-friendly products.

"The Summit for Urban Animal session will provide an overview of the CATalyst initiative, its challenges and achievements, and show the results of collaborative efforts across all channels to reach common goals," explains featured speaker, Dr. Jane Brunt, a feline-exclusive veterinarian and executive director of the CATalyst Council. "By working together, CATalyst intends to make a difference in the way people in the United States and elsewhere see and experience cats."

Campaign to End 'Cattiness'

National Survey Reveals 'Catty' Stereotypes Amongst Non-Cat Owners

Thought leaders attending the October 2009 National Summit on Urban Animal Strategies are not the only pet industry professionals who have recognized the need to address the status of cats in our society. It seems we need to examine the status of cat owners, too!

A recent study in the USA shed some light on what non-cat owners think about those of us who share our homes and hearts with more than one cat. The survey revealed that much work still needs to be done to change public perceptions of multi-cat owners from 'crazy cat ladies' to simply people who love cats!

ST. LOUIS, July 27 /PRNewswire/ Owning multiple cats is a way of life for millions of Americans. In fact, 71 percent of all domestic cats living in the U.S. reside in multiple cat households. However, while owning more than one cat is the status quo in America today, a new national survey reveals a surprising number of stereotypes still exist about people who own multiple cats.

According to the survey, the majority of non-cat owners have negative perceptions about multiple cat owners and their homes, saying that they would describe people with more than one cat as....

* A homebody (75%),
* Lonely (69%) and
* A "crazy cat lady" (58%).

And, multiple cat owners' homes as....

* Smelly (75%)
* Having furniture and bedding covered in cat hair (85%) and
* Being cluttered (66%).

To help debunk these perceptions and celebrate the millions of multiple cat owners, Tidy Cats brand cat litter launched the "Tidy Cats Campaign to End Cattiness." The campaign includes a national contest in which multiple cat owners can share their stories about their fulfilled lives with their cats to help redefine what it means to be a "cat lady."