The pet sitting industry is growing, and driving pet sitters to be the best at what they do by being professional and offering excellent service, while building a profitable business. So when I was offered an advance copy of How to Create Excellence in Your Pet Sitting Business, by Danielle Chonody, I hoped it would be a book worth reading – one that would help pet sitters up the game a bit for themselves and the industry as a whole.
It is!
How To Create Excellence in Your Pet Sitting Business is a must read for all pet sitting business owners – rookies as well as veteran pet sitters. In it Danielle will guide you through the steps to create exceptional service for your clients and their pets, while building your company into a profitable pet care business.
Rather than taking a cookbook approach like some books on starting and operating a pet sitting business, How To Create Excellence will force you to think like a successful, professional, business owner. Danielle outlines various steps to take and systems to set up, but she also asks questions that will guide you into making appropriate decisions for your particular business.
The pet sitting industry is growing and pet owners are becoming more discriminating about who they hire to care for their pets. Because of this, the pet sitters (and other pet service providers) that are going to succeed are the ones that operate in a businesslike manner, offer great customer service, and provide the best care possible for pets they’re entrusted with. How to Create Excellence in Your Pet Sitting Business is a resource that will help you become one of the success stories.
How to Create Excellence was designed with pet sitters in mind, but in reality, it’s a great book for owners of any type of pet business.
How to Create Excellence in Your Pet Sitting Business
(affiliate link) is available from Amazon, or you can get started with a free chapter here.
Disclaimer: I was offered an advanced copy of the book for review purposes, but even if I’d bought the book you’d get the very same review.
The pet food recall announced by Nature’s Variety last month has been expanded to include all frozen raw chicken cat and dog food due to possible contamination with salmonella.
LINCOLN, Neb., March 8 /PRNewswire/ — Nature’s Variety has expanded its voluntary recall of Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for dogs and cats to include the “Best If Used By” dates of 10/29/10 and 11/9/10 because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to these products.
The recall includes the following products with a “Best If Used By” date of 10/29/10 or 11/9/10:
- UPC#7 69949 60131 9 – Chicken Formula 0.75 lb trial sized medallions
- UPC#7 69949 60130 2 – Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
- UPC#7 69949 60120 3 – Chicken Formula 6 lb patties
- UPC#7 69949 60121 0 – Chicken Formula 2 lb single chubs
The products included in the expanded recall are any Chicken Formula or Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with a “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11, including:
- UPC#7 69949 60131 9 – Chicken Formula 0.75 lb trial sized medallions
- UPC#7 69949 60130 2 – Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
- UPC#7 69949 60120 3 – Chicken Formula 6 lb patties
- UPC#7 69949 60121 0 – Chicken Formula 2 lb single chubs
- UPC#7 69949 50121 3 – Chicken Formula 12 lb case of chubs
- UPC#7 69949 60137 1 – Organic Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
- UPC#7 69949 60127 2 – Organic Chicken Formula 6 lb patties
The “Best If Used By” date is located on the back of the package above the safe handling instructions. The affected product was distributed through retail stores and internet sales in the United States and Canada.
No other Raw Frozen Diets are involved in this expansion other than chicken, and no other Nature’s Variety products are involved.
Consumers with additional questions can call the Nature’s Variety dedicated Customer Care line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-374-3142. For additional resources about High Pressure Pasteurization or other Nature’s Variety food safety protocols, visit www.naturesvariety.com.
Read the rest of the release here.
Important information from FixAustin.org regarding the Austin no kill efforts:
This is perhaps the biggest news in the No Kill world since Reno, NV, went No Kill in 2007. This Thursday, March 11, the Austin City Council will decide whether Austin, Texas, will join the ranks of America’s No Kill cities. The Council is considering a plan of proven methods to produce No Kill success: (1) low-cost and free spay-neuter programs; (2) a comprehensive adoption program including off-site adoptions; (3) keeping open the downtown shelter once the city’s new shelter opens outside of the city center; and (4) a large-scale foster program.
The No Kill plan has now been posted on the City Council’s website in Agenda Item #21.
If you want to help make Austin a No Kill City, we ask that you please send an e-mail to the Austin City Council members asking them to pass the plan. Their e-mails are: lee.leffingwell@ci.austin.tx.us, mike.martinez@ci.austin.tx.us, laura.morrison@ci.austin.tx.us, chris.riley@ci.austin.tx.us, randi.shade@ci.austin.tx.us, bill.spelman@ci.austin.tx.us, and sheryl.cole@ci.austin.tx.us.
Even if it’s just one sentence, please take time to email the council members to let them know Austin needs to be a no kill city!
Tequila, Feb 14, 1998 - February 27, 2010
Tequila lost her battle with cancer on Saturday night, February 27, 2010. She was in my arms when she slipped away.
Tequila was in the process of being diagnosed with cancer. Her case was baffling to the veterinarians because none of what they saw pointed to any one type of cancer. It may have been lymphoma, small cell myeloma, multiple myeloma – they just weren’t sure. A month ago I took Tequila in for a routine exam & blood work. The blood work showed something was up, but she didn’t start showing signs of being sick until Thursday when she quit eating. Friday she spent the day with her veterinarian. Then Friday night I took her to the emergency clinic because she couldn’t breathe. I visited her a few times on Saturday and then late that evening when I went to see her, she died in my arms.
Tequila as a kitten
I talked with Tequila’s vet this morning (her regular vet, not the emergency clinic vet). Based on what she knows, and how things went at the emergency clinic, she’s thinking Tequila was being eaten up by cancer, and that there’s nothing we could have done. Even if we’d done more aggressive diagnostics (exploratory surgery) when all this started a month ago, she doesn’t think it would have helped. The cancer just had too much of a head start to do anything about it.
My heart aches beyond belief! Even though Tequila was a little kitty, she had a huge presence. Without her there is a massive hole in my heart and a very empty feeling in my house. Archie, Lydia, and I are all grieving pretty deeply this morning.
This has been a very rough month with both Tequila’s and Lydia’s health problems (no word yet on the biopsy). It really touches my heart to see how many people I’ve met online through Facebook and other places who have wished us well and kept us in their prayers. And of course, my family and real life friends have been a huge support. Thank you to everyone. It has helped very much (and continues to help).
Godspeed my sweet Tequila kitty. I love you so very, very much but I know we’ll see each other again someday.
Technorati Tags: cats, pet loss
Laura Bennett from Embrace Pet Insurance has been named Chairman of the Board of Directors for North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA).
February 19, 2010 (Las Vegas, NV) During the Western Veterinary Conference, The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) announced that Laura Bennett, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Embrace Pet Insurance has been appointed Chairman of its Board of Directors.
According to Loran Hickton, Executive Director of NAPHIA, “Laura Bennett has earned an excellent reputation within the pet health insurance industry. Laura Bennett has been a prolific communicator of the positive principals of pet insurance as a means of support for better pet healthcare for all pets. Her efforts speaking in countless venues around the country, as well as her daily blogging have earned broad and positive recognition. These efforts are in addition to building a great team and solid brand at Embrace Pet Insurance. While serving on the NAPHIA Board, it has become clear that she has extraordinary leadership skills and a desire to build consensus among all stakeholders. As an industry, this is the key to unified standards and that will support the robust growth in our industry”.
[..]
“It is important that the industry adopt unified standards and provide greater transparency in our products and services. While we are pleased with the consistent double-digit growth of most leading companies, this makes it all the more critical that we all work together. I am thankful to my colleagues serving on the Board, and the many leaders in the industry that support the NAPHIA mission,” added Laura Bennett.
See the NAPHIA website for the rest of Pet Insurance Association Appoints Laura Bennett Chairman, Board of Directors.
Laura is a prominent pet blogger. She blogs about the pet insurance industry and pets in general at Embrace Pet Insurance Blog. She’s a real advocate for keeping pets healthy.
Congratulations, Laura!
Technorati Tags: pet health insurance, Embrace Pet Insurance, NAPHIA, pets
Lydia went in for a recheck last week and while she was there the vet found a lump in her leg. My stomach started doing somersaults as soon as the vet said the word lump. Then he said it felt like the lump was in a lymph node, and my whole body ached. Of course lymphoma immediately came to mind, which is not a good thing. (Insert expletives here and you’ll probably be right on with what I was thinking!) We’ve been down the lumpy, canine cancer road before and it’s not a fun road to spend time on. I hate cancer, but I also hate even the possibility of cancer!
The vet tried to get a few cells with a syringe but he wasn’t able to get enough to say conclusively if it looked like cancer or not. So, after two or three tries with the syringe, he gave up and said we should take it out. So, yesterday Lydia had surgery to have the lump and lymph node removed. Since the tumor was in the lymph node, canine lymphoma is a possibility. After the surgery though, I got a call from the vet, who said that while the lump did look abnormal, it didn’t look like the typical lymphoma tumor. One possibility is that the tissue was bruised from when they tried to get the cell samples with the syringe. That is what we’re hoping for! We do not want lymphoma or any other type of canine cancer!!
Last night was a bit rough for all of us. Lydia wanted desperately to sleep on the bed, so that’s where she spent the night. (notice I didn’t say that’s where she slept?) Neither of us slept all that well. She was up and down quite a few times, and so was I. She has pain meds, but I know from experience that doesn’t always guarantee a good night’s sleep. She’s feeling a lot better this afternoon, although I’m thinking it might be about time for a nap.
So now we wait until next week sometime when the vet calls with the biopsy results.
I’m thinking, hoping, and praying I’ll hear the word benign!
Visit Lydia’s Facebook fan page to follow her throughout the day.
Technorati Tags: canine cancer, lymphoma
Tequila’s been trying out a new cat toy lately called the FroliCat BOLT. The manufacturers sent us one to try out and we both like it!
The BOLT is a pretty cool cat toy. Inside the little bowling pin shaped device there’s a little laser light that reflects off of a mirror. When the mirror moves around, so does the laser, keeping your cat busy for quite a while. The BOLT can be placed on a flat surface, like a table or the floor, but it’s also small enough to hold in your hand so you can direct the laser yourself. Once it’s turned on, the laser will move around on the floor, the wall, and everything in between!
As I write this, Tequila’s eyes are glued to the little red dot that’s moving around the room. Since she’s not been feeling all that well lately, she doesn’t pounce like she would have a few months ago, but the laser light still keeps her attention for a long time! She’s figured it out though and wants to check out the toy itself. For this reason it’s important to be sure the laser doesn’t get directly in your pet’s eyes as well as your own.
The BOLT has a timer on it so that when you turn it on, it’ll go for 15 minutes then turn off. I’ve turned it on at least three times so far this morning and kitty is still interested.
Tequila’s giving the BOLT a paws up and I’m giving it a thumbs up. This is a great cat toy.
WIN YOUR OWN FROLICAT BOLT!
So, do you think your kitty would like one of these cool cat toys? If so, tell us a little about your cat – we’ll accept entries until Sunday, March 7. Then, on Monday, March 8 we’ll pick a winner, who will get his or her very own FroliCat BOLT! (be sure to read our contest rules.)
UPDATE: Congratulations to our winner, Urbancritter, of Seattle!
