Websites Pet Owners Should Know About

The internet can be a wonderful resource for pet owners. Websites are available covering a wide variety of pet related topics such as health questions and answers, training tips, traveling with pets, dating sites and chat groups for animal lovers, or other areas of interest to pet owners.

Finding valid information on the internet can be a bit overwhelming. It takes time and patience to weed out the good information from the bad.

Not everything a person reads on the internet is 100% accurate, complete, or reliable. The websites listed below are recommended by reputable sources or have been proven trustworthy by the test of time and personal use.

Pet Health Care Websites

The Care for Animals website was created by the American Veterinary Medical Association, which represents more than 76,000 veterinarians. Pet owners will find information on veterinary medicine and animal health. Educational topics covered on the website include pet health (signs and symptoms of general illness), pet loss (euthanasia resources and grief counseling), selecting a pet (breed specific details), animal safety (travel and home safety), and tips on how to select a veterinarian. The website has an interactive section for kids to teach them how to be a responsible pet owner.

The Pet Center website focuses on health care information for dogs and cats. The site has been online for ten years, was created by veterinarians, and is supervised by T. J. Dunn, DVM. Sponsors support the site and the information provided is free for users to access. The layout of the site is organized like a virtual animal hospital. Visitors to the website will find a waiting room, exam room, surgery room, x-ray room, lab, and pharmacy. There is a large selection of photos of actual hospital procedures and surgeries. The articles in the vast library have been written in non-medical terms so they are easy to understand. There is a section for visitors to ask a question and have it answered by an expert or a veterinarian within about ten minutes. They also have a search function to locate a veterinarian in your local area.

Social Websites for Pet Lovers

The Pet Community website is sponsored by Petsmart and has a real world appeal where regular everyday people can join in and communicate with other pet owners. Users are required to create a username and password in order to join the community, but membership is free. The Pet Community is a place to blog with other pet owners and share stories or photos, ask questions, give real life tips to others, adopt a pet, or simply make new friends with other people who love pets as much as you do. There is also a resource page with fun tools like a pet name finder as well as the latest trends in pet care and training.

My Pet Friends is a social networking site for dog and cat lovers. Membership is free and users must register to participate in the forums. There is a separate registration for dog lovers and one for cat lovers. The site has a blog written by a team of pet specialists who write about topics such as product reviews, training ideas, and the latest tips and tricks on pet care. This fun and useful site also includes blogs where users share personal stories, home remedies or their own tips on how they resolve pet related issues. Members have the ability to upload videos and photos of their pets. The site features a pet directory and classifieds section.

Dating Websites for Pet Lovers

The Must Love Pets dating website was created in 2005 and is still going strong in 2008. If you are single and love pets and want to meet other single people who love pets as much as you do, then this is the website for you. Users are required to create a free profile in order to communicate with one another. All profiles are pre-screened and qualified by the site managers. Members can post up to 5 photos of themselves. The website has different search options available, making it easy to narrow down the search results based on the criteria you choose. Whether you're looking for a new friend, someone to date, or searching for true love, Must Love Pets could be the place to find your perfect companion.

Dog Lover Personals is powered by TangoWire, which is a large network of over 4,000 websites. This means the members who join Dog Lover Personals will have access to more than 70 online dating communities. The search criteria built into the Dog Lover Personals website allows members to narrow down their search to find people who love dogs as much as they do. Users have the option of choosing from a free or paid membership. Both types of membership have the same options, but the free membership comes with pop-up advertisements. Members can upload up to 5 photos of themselves, and the photos are screened by the website owners to make sure they are tasteful. TangoWire is committed to providing a safe non-offensive environment. The site has a full disclosure page telling of their privacy practices and ethics.

Pet Insurance Websites

The VPI Pet Insurance website is the official site of Veterinary Pet Insurance for dog and cat insurance. They also have alternate coverage for birds and other exotic pets. VPI has been in business since 2001 and have insured over 1 million pets. VPI is licensed in all 50 states of the US. Their policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company of Brea, CA; National Casualty Company (Nat'l), Madison, WI an A+15 rated company. The VPI website clearly shows pet owners what the pet insurance policy covers and how the program works. They also show real life examples of actual claims filed by VPI policyholders. The site also offers the ability to get a quick quote online. Pet owners can read actual customer reviews about VPI at this link.

The ASPCA Pet Insurance website is sponsored by the ASPCA, which is known for rescuing animals from cruelty. Many people are unaware that they also have a passion for helping pet owners obtain affordable pet health insurance. Their website offers free quotes and gives tips on things to look for when searching for a pet health insurance provider. The ASPCA offers 5 pet insurance plans with varying coverage. The plans range from basic accident coverage to more comprehensive protection. Users can manage their account online and there is a 30-day money back guarantee.

Pet Travel Websites

The Pets Welcome website is dedicated to providing a vast list of pet friendly spots for people who travel with their pets. Their listing includes not only hotels, but also bed and breakfast locations, ski resorts, campgrounds, and beaches. The site features an "Info Xchange" area where you can get find answers from other travelers. There is also helpful information and tips on how to keep your pet safe while traveling, such as checklists of things to take on the trip and air travel policies.

The USDA APHIS website provides basic information on domestic and international travel for pet owners. Visitors to the site will learn about vaccination, health certificates and cargo requirements from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) when importing animals or traveling to or from a foreign country with a pet. Links to many of the forms needed to travel abroad with a pet are found on this website. There is also a section to help pet owners avoid being scammed by alerting them to any known fraudulent companies claiming to provide safe cargo holders or travel containers for transporting pets.