by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

The 30th Annual ARF (Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons) Garden Tour took place this Saturday in the towns of Wainscott and Sagaponack in the Hamptons.   I believe this is my 4th time going, I feel like this was the best year yet.

We joked at the first house, that we didn’t need to go to any other houses, because the Landis house was pure bliss, the gardens the pool, the view overlooking Georgica Pond, frankly I don’t even remember looking at the house at all!  It was exactly what you think of when you think of summering in the Hamptons – and why some people would just be happy staying at their homes – so much to do on that property, really no need to leave!

I have said it before, if you have yet to go, be sure to go next year – you will not be disappointed!  (And as a pet pro – it’s such a cool way to host a fundraiser for pets, because you tap into an entirely different crowd – not just pet parents. Wheels spinning yet with ideas?) 🙂  Enjoy the photos, link on bottom to access all pictures:

To see MANY more pictures of the amazing houses and gardens, CLICK HERE!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Go Green with your pet!

Celebrating Earth Day, April 22, and going green is something you can make a choice to do all year long with your pets.  The natural pet product category in the pet industry has grown tremendously in the last decade and now many pet product manufacturers are offering: earth friendly; sustainable; biodegradeable; products that are locally sourced; and some are even using packaging that breakdowns naturally or are made from recycleable materials.  So there is really no reason you can make your pet a planet embassordor too.   These days pet parents can make the choice to go green with their pets simply by choosing products that are often healthier for their pets and better for the environment.

Pet Food:

• Look for pet foods and treats with the official organic seal that are made in the USA, with locally sourced ingredients.  If it says, manufactured in the USA – some of the ingredients may not be from the USA.  Not sure? Contact the company and ask them.  Using locally sourced, organic and high quality ingredients help keep our farms sustainable!
• Recycle any of your pet food packaging properly.  Dog and cat food cans and tins, plastic, and food bags can all be put in your proper recycling bins.

Walking:

• Many people don’t often think to take their dog for a walk to do their errands.  Now, not everyone can do this – depending where you live, but if you live in a walkable distance, (a mile or 2) from your local down town, take your dog with you for a walk.  Have to go to the bank? Oddly enough most banks are pet friendly and more than likely will welcome your four legged, well behaved and leashed friend with you inside! (Your pup may even get a treat while there.  My Max was known around town at all our local errand stops – he got a lot of treats at the bank!)  This is going to help you and your dog get exercise, cut down on your car emissions and spending on gas.
• While on that walk, be sure to have poop bags with you.  There are many poop bag companies out there but you want to be sure to bring bags with you that are biodegradeable.   Personally I like EarthRated’s poop bags – the dispenser has a easy clip to attached to your dogs leash handle.
• Walking your dog in the park? For a hike?  Seek out plant based flea and tick spray or preventatives specifically for dogs and cats.  There are many great green, all natural products that help deter mosquitos, ticks and fleas.  They don’t harm the enviornment and they work – I have tried a few different brands over the years and they all worked great.

Bath time!

• Use pet shampoo and conditioners that use all natural ingredients and essential oils.  A great product that has the Green America Seal is Jorge Bendersky’s new line at M. Boutique. http://www.mboutiqueintl.com/31-pets-by-jorge

• If your bring your dog or cat to get professionally groomed ask them about what products that they use: are they earth friendly, natural and safe for your pet’s coat.

Don’t forget your cats!

Kitty litter is a needed product if you own a cat.  But have you ever thought about if your clumping clay cat litter breaksdown while in the landfill? A lot of clumpling clays litters do not breakdown.  There are a lot of earth friendly kitty litters these days to choose from so take your time and do your research! A great all natural product that uses wood and papers is Okocat by Healthy Pets.

Okocat is 100% natural – made completely from wood or paper, it is completely biodegradable and it is free of clay or silica and free of any smell-masking chemicals that your kitty tracks all over your home. It is also 99% dust-free so great for any allergy sufferer (human or pet!). The natural antimicrobial effect of coniferous wood kills 99.9% of bacteria and fights bacterial growth for weeks, keeping your home cleaner and healthier. You don’t really ever have to “empty” the litter box, because due to okocat’s amazing absorption, this litter lasts for weeks…just scoop out clumped waste daily. The litter the remains stays clean, dry and odor free.

Toys:

• Many companies are now starting to make pet toys from organic materials that are free from harsh dyes and chemicals (that they could ingest while chewing or playing with toys).
• Organic catnip.  That’s right, while your cat is bouncing off the walls enjoying their catnip – you can feel even better about it knowing it’s organic. 😉

Easy Green Pet Tips for everyday:

• Carpool with your dogs to the park – given the dogs get along (save on gas, emissions).
• Wash old blankets, towels, comforters and donate to your local animal shelter.  In Home Pet Services, Inc., has a special month long MayDay for Mutts campaign where they collect gently used pet products and donate them to a local animal rescue group.  They collect upwards of $3,000 worth of products every May that donated!  This is something you could do within your own home or business.
• Adopt a pet from your local animal shelter – a way to help a pet who has been recycled.
• Seek out holistic veterinary care for your pet.

Check out our segment recently on News 12 talking about this very topic, click to watch:

It’s easy being green with your pets!

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Love is in the air, and while everyone is out buying roses, jewelry and chocolate – I know many pet owners are buying gifts for their pets too.  But what about combining the two ideas?  How about getting your sweetheart something for them of their pet?  A beautiful gift to get is a custom painting of their pet to cherish for years to come.  Jan Guarino, a pet portrait artist of Guarino Graphics in Huntington, N.Y., among one her many talents, paints lovely custom portraits of pets – and this could be the gift to remember.

You can see more of Jan’s beautiful work here and click around on her site to see her other artwork.

Since we know that dogs cannot eat chocolate, (it can make them very sick), why not get them scrumptious, healthy dog biscuits made with human grade ingredients?  A great choice is from The Pert Will Company, made locally right here on Long Island, and available at Barkfield Road in East Northport and Bubbles & Biscuits in Holbrook. It’s great to get dog treats for your own dog, but a nice Valentine’s is to get some as heartfelt gifts to give to your loved ones pets too!

Visit The Pert Will website to learn more – and if you’re a retailer looking to bring the line into your store, click here.

Giving back and spreading some love doesn’t just have to happen around the holidays – why not think of giving your local animal shelter some of their wish list items.  You can be a shelter pet’s Valentine by donating products and good they need and adore.  Simply call and ask what they are in need of, or check their facebook pages – many times they put a call out for items needed.  I can tell you one thing, most shelters always need Kongs and peanut butter for their shelter animals.  But don’t forget about the cats who may not get any cat toys or the shelter often needs newspapers or litter too.

Here’s a nice way to help your local animal shelter have a sweeter smell when you enter their lobbies – ever notice that smell when you walk in?  CritterZoneUSA makes a small air naturalizing unit that plugs into any regular wall outlet and creates a natural, charged flow that fills the room or vehicle and continually cleans the air. Perfect for lobby’s, offices, and other areas that will impact would be adopters the moment they walk into the animal shelter.  A powerful device that packs a punch, and is quiet too. You can purchase a unit or 2 for your local shelter and help make the environment more inviting. Also great for cars that have pets in and out constantly – purchase the ‘corded air naturalizer with travel accessories.’ It’s also Made in the USA baby!

You can save $10 today off your purchase price by using the code LIPP when you check out on their website. How lovely is that? Click here to purchase.

Loving our pets is a given, but having an anxious pet can really try to connect with them even more.  If you have an anxious pet who may be stressed out on a walk due to noise of traffic, thunder, fireworks – or if you’re on a trip with your country pup in the big city.  Some dogs have extreme fear of loud noises they are not used to.  A great gift for your anxious pup is the new UltraCalmer collar device by Pet Acoustics.   The UltraCalmer is a tool for pet owners to aid anxious canine behaviors. UltraCalmer is pre-loaded with frequency-modified UltraCalming Music, created specially for dog hearing. Simply attach it to your dogs collar, adjust the volume and you will notice your dog become in a calmer state.

While the snow is still on the ground, dreaming of warmer days playing with your pup in the sun is not that far off.  You and your dog will love the new Wham-O Pet Frisbee! The Wham-O Pet Frisbee is not like your ordinary flying piece of plastic, but instead this 9 inch soft rubber disc features raised Bone-Tec patterning, which adds dimensionality to a product and provides tooth grip and chew feel.  It’s made from a new custom design consisting of heavier rubber, which makes it extremely durable. Our canines can easily crack or chew apart an ordinary plastic flying disk leading to a potential choking hazard. Priced between $10-15 each, Wham-O Pet’s high-quality Frisbee will give pet owners piece of mind during playtime and last much longer than traditional discs.  It is also colored blue and yellow so your dog can see it better vs. a regular red frisbee that may appear grey to them.

We wish you a lovely Valentine’s Day with your pet and loved ones and can’t wait to hear what your favorite pick from our list is!  Please tell us if you did anything special for your pets or a shelter pet!

This article was a sponsored post.