Ultimutt Contest for Cutest Dog In anticipation of National Pet Day on April 11, Outlets at San Clemente is seeking the cutest pup in Southern California to become the “Ultimutt” of the oceanside shopping center. Beginning March 26 and continuing through April 4, interested dog owners can enter their dogs into the contest by sending […]
Top 5 Tax Deductions for Pet Owners in 2021
After the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone could use a break on their taxes. Even though pet parenting might feel like a full-time job, you can’t claim them as a dependent on your tax return. But you might be able to qualify for pet-related tax deductions that can help you keep more of your hard-earned money […]
Gifts for Pets
Holiday gift ideas for all those furry members of the family. West Paw Toys Pets-, people- and planet-minded toy and accessories manufacturer, West Paw, has an extensive line of durable dog toys for all chew and snuggle levels. This year, the company also launched a line of holiday-themed toys to keep in the season’s spirit. […]
Dogs & Separation Distress
All the time at home may create some separation anxiety issues for pets in the future. We’ve been spending a lot of time at home. And for pet owners that also means more time with our pets — a good thing. But this can also potentially lead to some distress down the line when we […]
Sharing the Love of Dogs
Irvine mom and artist writes children’s book to help spread compassion and understanding of dogs. When Desiree Udell-Nguyen was 10, she didn’t like school much. “I was bullied and felt terrible when I was at school,” says Udell-Nguyen, of Irvine. “What got me through the day was knowing my dog, Ben, was waiting for me.” […]
Pet Therapy Goes Virtual
Even pet therapy groups are changing the way they do things in the COVID-19 world. We are all adapting to our new world of sheltering-in-place and social distancing in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. That includes therapy dog teams like those with Orange County Animal Allies, formerly known as Orange County SPCA. […]
Sheltering with Pets
Staying home can provide some new avenues to bond and play with pets. We’re all home. Stress is high and a version of cabin fever may have started to set in. Our pets may be getting a little antsy too. But just because we’re at home doesn’t mean we can’t have fun and de-stress — […]
Can Pets Get COVID-19?
The pandemic is causing anxiety about the safety of all members of the family. There is a lot of anxiety about Coronavirus Disease 2019, aka COVID-19. For pet owners, that anxiety has undoubtedly extended to the safety of their companion animals. Can pets get sick from coronavirus? Though more information and research is still necessary […]
Pet Friendly OC Locations
It isn’t difficult to find fun places to spend quality time with your pets in Orange County. Spending time with pets is always a treat for everyone in the family. Who doesn’t get a little sad when you can’t take the pets somewhere? Lucky for us in Orange County, there are actually plenty of places […]
The Benefits of Classroom Pets
How children can benefit from pets in the classroom. Pets and kids seem like a natural match. Not always, but many times they are quite fond of each other. And there’s something to it. Research has been supporting the idea that animals can benefit children — even in the classroom. “Many studies have shown and […]