by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

About six weeks ago I hosted a networking event for pet professionals with the topic, “Think outside the box,” because so many of us get stuck in a rut with the same pet events, marketing plans, etc.  It can be challenging to think of something new to do to promote your pet business or rescue group.  One rescue group that often thinks outside the box in a very creative way is the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons.  ARF has many different events that are not your norm, and they wisely use the location in which they are situated in to host such unique events.  All which help the animals in which they rescue and care for.

Over the Memorial Day weekend I was at the 2nd Annual Designer ShowHouse at the ARF in Sagaponack, NY.  ARF transformed their thrift and treasure shop into a designer showhouse for the weekend to raise funds for ARF to help the organization continue to find homes for the animals in need.

Talk about thinking outside the box, most people wouldn’t think of interior design and pets as a hand-in-hand event, but ARF and the designers pulled it off flawlessly.  Ten rooms were beautifully styled by some of New York’s most illustrious interior decorators in which some of the rooms had whimsical pet themes.  Over 200 people attended the kick-off cocktail party fundraiser held on Saturday, May 26th from 5 – 8pm with 5pm being the exclusive preview hour at $300 per person and $150 per person for general admission at 6pm.  The showhouse was open to the public for a suggested $10 donation Sunday & Monday, May 27th & May 28th as well.

The Thrift and Treasure shop itself is a priority for the organization’s long term strategic planning as almost 20% of ARF’s annual operating budget comes from funds raised there. Last year, the Thrift Shop, a charming Dutch colonial building was renovated and expanded allowing ARF to accept more donations and continue to successfully fund the organization’s animal Adoption Center.

Sara Davidson, Executive Director of ARF with one of the ARF dogs up for adoption

“Last year’s first designer showhouse and grand re-opening was such a success that we decided to make the designer showhouse an annual event for ARF. The funds raised by the designer showhouse and Thrift & Treasure Shop are vital to the organization and its mission to provide for the health and welfare of dogs and cats on the East End of Long Island.  We are in awe of the designers’ creativity who will transform the shop.” said Sara Davison, Executive Director of ARF.

The line up of top designers, who created rooms for the second annual showhouse, included: Jeffery Howard Brodersen, Nancy Corzine, Gary Crain and James Alan Smith, Michael Grim, Gigi Mahon, Jeff Pfeifle, Scott Salvator, Rob Southern, and Tony Urrutia.  All the designers are animal lovers who are donating their time and expertise to help the ARF cats and dogs, who are less fortunate than their own beloved pets.  Each room will feature Thrift Shop items and pieces donated from the designers’ own collections.  Unlike traditional showhouses, every item in the ARF designer showhouse was for sale. There were also many adoptable pets on hand in ARF’s brand new adoption truck in which they rolled out for display for the evening’s event. 

So regardless of your location, think outside the box of something different you can do for your rescue group or pet business.  What is in your local community that might be different than others?  Start thinking more creatively and look around in your own backyard to see what you can come up with!

More Pictures below of the ARF Designer ShowHouse!

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

With summer almost upon us, and vacations or day-cations being planned, as pet owners we may think we are limited as to places or people our pets can stay with while we are away.  Often times we rely on family or friends to watch our pets, but that may not always be fair to them.  And sometimes our family or friends may not be as responsible about our pets as a professional pet sitter or pet boarding facility might be.  I have heard stories of dogs getting out because a family or friend watching the pet forgot to close the gate or door – especially if they are not pet owners it is easy for them to forget by accident or habit (not worrying about a pet getting loose).  Last year I knew of a Doberman in a local shelter who got out after the owners brother left the gate open – the dog wound up at a local shelter and was there for weeks, and almost got adopted out.  The dog had no ID and the owner was in a different country for over a month and didn’t know the dog was missing.  The happy ending to this story is that the dog and owner were reunited when she got back – but it might not always be the case.

In our world today, we are fortunate to have many pet professionals who are experienced, trained, licensed, insured and bonded who are available to care for your pet.  Whether it is someone staying at your house, stopping in to take your pet out or clean a cage, or if you are leaving the pet overnight at a pet sitters house or boarding facility.  This is their passion, caring for pets, and their livelihood – so why not interview a pet sitter or visit a boarding facility. Ask your friends and veterinarian for referrals of who they hire to care for their pets when they go away.  It could make your vacation that much more pleasant knowing your pet is in the hands of a professional.  Many companies can even send you emails or text message updates about your pet, and some are even equipped with live camera feeds of your pet.  On Long Island and the surrounding Burroughs there are many sitters and boarding facilities for you to choose from. Check out the ones below and contact them for more information about their services:

Queens & Nassau County:

In Home Pet Services, Inc., in Bellerose, NY, has a cage free, boarding facility that provides boarding for their clients and all the IHPS locations are able to access this if there is room available.  Call Robyn Elman at (718)-347-PETS (7387) for more info.

In Home Pet Services of Nassau’s Gold Coast offers boarding in Great Neck, NY, for small and medium sized dogs. They also have cage free boarding with 3-4 walks a day, a private dog run to play off leash, toys, treats, bedding, and more. Call Heather information (516) 829-0707.

In Home Pet Services of East Nassau offers boarding for cats as well as dog walking and other pet sitting services.  They are located in Levittown, NY. Contact Danielle Citarella at (516) 442-2822. Meow!

The Barrie Inn in Woodmere, NY, is celebrating 10 years of service this year, but also offer cage less boarding in their facility specializing in overnight boarding for all dog breeds. tel: 516-569-PAWS (7297).

Crawford Dog and Cat Clinic in Garden City, NY, offers veterinary supervised kenneling for dogs and cats. Pets stay in their own runs or cages. Dogs are walked 2 – 3 times a day. Contact Keith Niesenbaum, VMD for more information.

Little Paws Of Hope – Boarding Daycare, Training offers in-home boarding that is cage free. Each pet has personal attention, walks, swimming, movie night, socialization and live web cams to check in on your pet’s fun.  They are located in Levittown and can be reached at 917-519-5708.

Goodnight Lucky has a rather unique approach to dog boarding: they board dogs with loving host families, where each dog has free roam in the home of a true dog lover and his regular routines and schedules are maintained.  They offer this service throughout Nassau County, western Suffolk County & eastern Queens.
Suffolk County:

Fetch! Pet Care of Islip to Lindy, offers private boarding at various boarder’s homes, incorporating them into their family while clients are away.

Fetch! Pet Care of North Central Suffolk County offers private boarding in their pet sitters homes where pet’s are integrated into their sitter’s home environment as part of the family. Pets will not be caged or kenneled during his/her stay unless specifically requested by pet parent. They also offer In-Home where their sitter arrives at your home at 6:30 pm & stay until 8:00 am. Visits include a dog walks (where applicable).

Huntington:

Devine Solutions located in Huntington Station, NY, provides boarding for small and big dogs in their home.  Call Jennifer Devine at (631) 697-5995.

We Board Labs, Inc. located in Huntington open their home to caring for well-behaved Labrador Retrievers.  Dogs have free run of their entire home and quarter acre, fenced-in shady yard; it is not a kennel. Call (631) 549-8263 for more info.

The K-9 Keeper located in Huntington offers cozy, cage-free, family-style boarding in our home. And they also welcome dogs that have special needs. (631) 219-3719.

Medford:

Paw-Fect Dog Training and Pet Sitting, Inc., located in Medford, NY offers pet sitting in their home where the pets are treated just like if they were in their own homes. Any size dog is welcome contact Lissa Blom at 516-779-2309. Email is lissablom@yahoo.com.

Centereach:

Pet Peeves Dog Training LLC located in Centereach, NY, provides boarding for all their clients at an affordable rate.

East End:

C-Dogs Unlimited LLC, in Calverton, NY, offers home boarding in a country setting, complete with professional grooming services. They also offer personalized care in a holistic environment with reasonable rates.

Dog Town NY located on the North Fork in Southold offers the only Dog Boarding, Daycare (socialization) & Grooming on the North fork. Call 631-765-8844 to find out more.

East End Boarding Kennel located in Westhampton Beach, NY, is a boarding kennel situated on four quiet country acres and your dog will be attended to by caring and attentive staff. Open 365 days a year and can accommodate up to fifty dogs in an environment that is clean, safe, and secure. All dogs are housed in large individual heated indoor- outdoor runs and enjoy time outside in one of our grassed exercise yard several times a day.

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

The 24th Annual Pet Industry H.H. Backer Spring Trade Show took place April 18 – April 20, 2012 at the Atlantic City Convention Center and this was my first time attending.  While always wanting to attend, something always came up so I was thrilled to finally make the event this year, and it was well worth my time!  Some veteran attendees may have said they could do the show in one day – but they also knew what pet products they were looking for. I took my time walking the show floor, looked at ton of pet products and took a couple of the seminars – which were really great.  I met so many fantastic people, great new pet products, many of which are Made in the USA (warms my heart) and thought the event was run so smoothly and everyone was super friendly.  Kudos to H.H. Backer, Pet Age Magazine and Royal Pet Supplies! I will definitely be back and am looking forward to the Chicago show too (October 12-14, 2012, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Chicago, Ill.). You have to love the camaraderie in the pet industry.

Rin Tin Tin one of the Performers in the Special Events - Beautiful!

Some of the new pet product finds that sparked my interest will be covered in upcoming articles – with some pet product reviews and giveaways too – my dog Max will be putting them through the test! However a nod too many of the products I liked can be found below and some fun pictures of the event too.

Always rooting for the underdog, or in this case a smaller business, on day two I was walking the show floor and spotted the To Go Bowl, their signage showed a picture of it and it said, “fits in your car’s cup holder!” I went back to the booth.  My dog Max has a few of the collapsible or fold-able travel dog bowls which I like, but he doesn’t like drinking out of them.  He doesn’t really like to put his face into them, I know he’s weird.  So I stopped and spoke to the gentleman in the booth and he explained the product, they are a smaller company and it’s made entirely in the USA!  Manufactured and distributed by Furry Travelers, Inc. you can even store some kibble in the cup part of the bowl that screws into the bottom of the bowl.  Ingenious if you ask me.  Max will be testing this out on his next trip in the car to go on a hike.  Product review and giveaway coming up soon!  Thinking this would be a great product for those that like to camp with their pet.

One of the food products that I really liked was the brand new, Spring Naturals pet treats.  Max is already going nuts over them.  They too are made in the USA and all natural ingredients and you can see the blueberries in the actual treat themselves.  I will be buying these again in the future.

Another pet food product is Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried Dinners – a couple samples of those were in one of my bags while walking the floor and every dog I stopped to meet was trying to chew through the bag to get to them.  It was quite funny.  Max has been a huge fan of these for a while now.  Oh and yes, Made in USA too!

Then I saw something else that caught my eye, Beer-Bones.  I didn’t know what to think of that, the booth was too crowded the first day, so I went over the next day to find out more.  Basically they dog biscuits are made from brewers wet grains, whole wheat flour, peanut butter and egg.  I never knew you could use the left over brewer’s grains from beer to put into dog bones, but apparently dogs love them.  They are made in USA as well.  They would not be good for dogs with allergies.

After all those food products you are going to need poop bags to bring with you when you walk your dog!  Earth Rated Poop Bags were giving out a lot of biodegradable green poop bags that are lavender scented and are larger than most poop bags, for those bigger breeds too, but fit into standard dispensers.  They also offer poop bags made out of corn so they are 100% compostable and dissolve in only 40 days after use.  These are made in Canada.

Pet Buddies had a pretty big booth and a lot of different pet products, one of those that stood out was the Pooch Super Bouncer Ball.  It bounces like a tennis ball, is heavier and more durable than a tennis ball and has a hole in the center (with openings on both sides) for treats or peanut butter.  It’s also dishwasher safe.  Seems like a cool dog toy – will have to see if Max likes it or not.  Review and product giveaway to come!

There were many other pet products that I liked at the H.H. Backer show, and more pet product reviews and giveaways to come over the next couple of months – so stay tuned!

Cute beagle attending event with his owner from SOS Beagle Rescue in NJ

Now that is a cat scratching post!

Dogs playing poker.

Puppy girl bloodhound!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Charlotte Reed & James Bell going over the features of the Chevy Volt.

When you think of the New York International Auto Show, the first thing that comes to your mind probably
is not dogs –and is more likely what the new concept car is.  But this year on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, Chevrolet,
in celebration of National Pet Day, teamed up with pet expert Charlotte Reed to talk about safety for our pets while
traveling and versatility for pets in their vehicles.

With many pooches on hand, some even famous in the NYC area, like Cubby and Porscha from ‘Doggie Moms,’ the dogs were ready, willing and able to try out the different Chevy models and all they have to offer our pets.

Cubby (white dog) and friends check out the car!

According to a 2011 AAA/Kurgo survey, nearly six in 10 respondents said they had driven with their dog in the automobile at least once a month in the past year.  But the question is, was the dog on their lap or properly secured in a doggie seatbelt or in a crate?  At the Chevrolet National Pet Day, both Charlotte Reed and James Bell, who is GM’s Head of Consumer Affairs, took us on a tour of different vehicles had to offer what works best for our four-legged friends.

“From subcompact hatchbacks to full-size SUVs, Chevrolet vehicles today provide plenty of choices to meet the needs of owners and pets of all shapes and sizes. To avoid stress, do your homework in advance and make note of your specific pet’s needs and review safety features,” said Charlotte Reed, a pet lifestyle expert.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind for finding a pet-friendly vehicle:

Safety features. According to the 2011 AAA/Kurgo study, three out of 10 pet owners admit
to being distracted while driving. One in five admits to driving with a pet in their lap. The
Chevrolet Equinox, for example, has lane-departure warning systems, stability and traction
control and forward-collision alerts that help heighten driver alertness to possible danger.
Owners can reduce distractions by keeping pets restrained in the back seat with a dog seatbelt or in a secured pet carrier.

Hannah being with her doggie seatbelt on.

Exterior and interior features. Look for vehicles that are wide, tall and slightly square at
the back. This will make it easier to get pets and pet equipment into and out of vehicles.
Cargo room and additional cup holders are useful to stow pet food, water and accessories.
The Chevrolet Traverse crossover sport utility offers best-in-class roominess and class-
leading cargo space. It has flexible and fold-flat seating, as well as a rear cooling system

Talking OnStar capability for a Pet Emergencythat is ideal for pets on a hot summer day.

In-vehicle technology. The Chevrolet Equinox, Traverse and Tahoe SUV offer power lift-gates that make it easier for pets to access the vehicle. They also have fold-flat seats offer more space for transporting pets and crates. Additional safety and security technology such as remote unlock, vehicle location and crash-detection services from OnStar can provide
live help at a touch of a button during pet-emergency situations.

So the next road trip you take with your pet, even if it is just to the local dog park, think safety first (dog seatbelt, crate, secured pet carrier), and look for a car or sport utility that will suit you and your dog’s lifestyle.

Charlotte Reed, James Bell

Chevrolet at NY Auto Show, 2012

Testing the pet ramp

Blade, one happy pup checking out all the rides!

Beau

Hannah the model pup for the day!

Charlotte Reed & James Bell, NY Auto Show, 2012

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

On Monday, April 9th, after a busy morning of client meetings and errands, I was driving to my office on Sunrise Highway near Islip heading East and I saw a lot of smoke in the distance.  I said to myself, “Wow, something is seriously on fire!”   And within the hour I learned that there was a big and growing brush fire in Manorville, NY.  Didn’t think that much of it at first other than it reminded me of the Pine Barrens fire in the 90’s.  A few minutes after learning of the fire, I saw a post on Facebook by a Long Island Equine Disaster Preparedness, (which was originally created during hurricane Irene by a horse owner on LI), that there were over 200 horses needed to be evacuated and the call for help was very urgent.  Being someone who has been riding horses my entire life, I was immediately sick to my stomach at the thought of spooked horses near a fire.

Horses being lead out of Fire zone. Photo Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas

So I re-posted the original post on both my personal and business Facebook pages to see if any of my horsey set connections could help.  I also called a few of the phone #’s  on that were posted to see if I could get updates and spoke with Christine Distefano from Amaryllis Horse Equine Rescue to get any updates.  The response from both dog/cat and horse people was amazing of everyone wanting to help and people that were already on their way to help.

On the ground reports of it being chaos and people having to walk in and walk horses out were coming in from a few different places.  But an army of people were there to help with horse trailers and had places to bring the horses – posts were coming in from all over LI of people offering up stalls and stables.  It is a wonderful and amazing thing that all the horses and their owners made it out safely.  We also had a group of Long Island Pet Professional members from all over LI ready to help as reports that Kent Animal Shelter may have to evacuate their 110 animals were being posted, but thankfully they ended up not having to evacuate.  (Big thanks to everyone who offered help!)

But the question remains in my mind, are you ready in case of an emergency with your pet?  Whether it is a dog, cat, horse, bird, or reptile, do you have a plan of action, back up plan?  Unfortunately in disasters like this is when we realize just how important a plan is.  Just something as simple as having your dog’s or cat’s ID tags up to date, extra set of collars and leashes readily available, and of course pet medical records and proof of vaccinations – seriously you can scan onto your Smart Phone or ipad these days.  But I would suggest having a hard set of copies in your car glove compartment.

Other important things you should consider when having an evacuation plan are to have a contact near your home – that if you can’t get there in time they can.

• Contact information for your pet’s veterinarian
• Recent Photo of your pet
• Water, food and containers
• Leash/muzzle/harness
• Any Medications for your pet and/or list of them
• Pet carrier or cage
• Kitty Litter & container for cats
• Also put your veterinarian phone # into your phone
• Sign or decal on your windows alerting firemen how many pets and what type may be in your home
• First Aid Kit for pets in your car at all times – in case your pet gets injured and you can’t get him or her to the vet right away

Remember too, that your pet may act differently during an emergency, so make sure their collar and/or harness is on correctly so the don’t slip out of the collar and run away.  Have a family meeting to discuss a plan of action for any emergency and be sure to include all pets in that plan so everyone knows what to do, where to meet during emergency etc.  Suffolk County residents please know that emergency shelters are often pet friendly – they work with animal organizations to ensure you leave your home With your pet and will help keep your pet safe.  More information on this can be found here.

Thank you to all our volunteer firefighters, police and rescue for doing what you do! Crossing fingers and paws that this fire will be out in a day or so.  A big thanks to Fetch Doggies, SuperPaws, Sit, Stay and Play (sitstayplaydogs@yahoo.com),  Iguana Party,  East End Boarding Kennel, Pre-K-Nine Training (PreKnineTraining@aol.com), Pet Peeves Dog Training, ArtCasso for contacting me to offer help if anyone needed it, I was just one of many messengers getting the word out.  And if I forgot anyone thank you too.

Horse being lead to safety. Newsday Photo Credit: Photo Credit: John Roca