Are you one of the 80% whose home is also home to a dog or cat? I am. I have had a dog in my life since I was in college and each one has been extra special. I am one of those pet owners who celebrates their pets birthdays. One who buys their pets and their friends’ pets gifts at Christmas. So it is no surprise that at the death of each dog, I took the loss hard. But when I lost two dogs within two weeks of each other one summer, the grief was overwhelming.

Our dog Fox was diagnosed with Mast Cell Tumors. The prognosis was not good but we went with the surgery and were among the lucky ones. He bounced right back and we had him for another three years. Then our luck ran out. He became very ill, very quickly and knowing …

Does Your New Pet Really Need a Pedigree?
Does Your New Pet Really Need a Pedigree?

Recently, some of my acquaintances decided to add a new Birman kitty to their family.

Birman kittens usually come with a hefty price tag of several hundred dollars and, often, a waiting list for the few available each year. These drawbacks didn’t deter this family in the least. They had their hearts set on a Birman cat, no matter how much they had to pay or how long they had to wait.

As it turned out, they ended up having to travel several hundred miles to find a breeder for this particular specie, and, when they did arrive, the owner brought out, not one, but two of the most adorable little balls of fluff they had ever seen. Of course, they went home with both of them, and a huge dent in their credit card.

Nevertheless, the proud Birman owners have never regretted their decision. The tiny kittens have grown …