Pets
New Options for Pet Owners and How to Find Them
By
Sep 13, 2006, 21:55

(ARA) - There are more than 60 million pet dogs in the United States and nearly 70 million pet cats, according to the latest edition of the U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook. The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association estimates that $38.4 billion will be spent on pets in the Unites States during 2006, a more than $2 billion increase over what was spent in 2005.

Just as they seek out goods and services for the humans in their lives, today’s animal lovers are looking for grooming salons, veterinarian clients and specialty stores that offer top-notch products and care for their pets. Whether you are looking for a pet hospital, pet-proof seat covers for your car or a pet sitter to watch Fido for the weekend, searching online is the best way to locate the pet-friendly stores and services near your home. With just a few clicks, the Internet will help you find everything you need to provide care for your pets, complete with door-to-door driving instructions.

Health care for your pet

Picking the right veterinarian for your pet can be tricky. Today there is an array of choices for everything from animal dental services to doggie yoga to therapeutic massage. Narrow down the options available for pet healthcare with one of the Internet’s leading local search sites, Yahoo! Local (http://local.yahoo.com). Through business listings and ratings and reviews, you’ll be able to see where the business is located, their hours of operation, as well as what other pet owners think about a particular vet or pet hospital. This information combined will help you make smart decisions about your pet’s health.

Pampering your pet

Not sure what to give your puppy on its first birthday? Using a local search engine allows you to uncover specialty stores and services you might not have ever known were in your neighborhood. On Yahoo! Local you can search for “pet boutique” or “pet accessories” and reveal rare gems like canine B&B’s or organic pet food supply stores in your own backyard. Discover unique finds in your hometown like San Francisco’s Urban Pet, the city’s only pet portrait gallery or Seattle’s DowntownDog Lounge which lets you admire your pet via webcams when you can’t be together. Whatever you need to delight and pamper your furry friends can be found locally by searching online.

Quality pet time

New pet owners have the chance to rediscover their towns and neighborhoods from a pet owner perspective as they learn which parks, stores and cafes are most pet-friendly. Veteran pet owners can review pet-friendly establishments and post their thoughts on Yahoo! Local. They can also contribute valuable information such as which dog parks are less crowded on Saturday mornings or where to go to get the best obedience training. New pet owners can also pull up driving or walking directions to their newly-discovered pet-friendly destinations.

While you are away

Getting recommendations on dog walkers, sitters or kennels helps soothe worries about leaving your pet in another’s hands. Yahoo! Local can show you options ranging from royal spa treatments to basic boarding. Reviews by Yahoo! Local users will help put your mind at ease. If you’re not satisfied with what you find in your immediate area, Yahoo! Local can help widen your search to a broader geography.

Using Yahoo! Local is easy. Just go to http://local.yahoo.com and put your Zip code or city and state in the box to the right, and what you’re searching for in the box on the left. Yahoo! will take care of the rest. Faster searches are right on your doorstep.

For more information and to start searching in your neighborhood, visit local.yahoo.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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