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Greetings, Everyone! Santa and Scooter have dropped by to tell you that FloridaPets.net has been online since January, 2002. Check out how the site looked back then. We've learned a lot since those days, about Web page design and site marketing, and have decided to give FloridaPets.net a face lift. Don't worry, we won't be changing the quality of our content. Actually, we'll be adding more content for you. Be sure to visit us toward the end of January, 2006 and let us know what you think of the upgrades. Last month, the Pinellas County Health Department issued an advisory for the beach along the Gandy Causeway (Pinellas County side.) Bacteria was identified that indicated a potential health risk to people and pets. Many people interviewed at that beach didn't know about the warning. Because alerts aren't always broadcast long enough, or because people don't always see posted signs, how can you know if the beach is safe where you and your dog romp? A great resource to bookmark is the state's Healthy Beaches Program which reports water quality by county. In this month's NewsPetter, we feature a wild event, a get-away involving a pier, a photo of a heavenly canine, a few pet-related tips and of course, FloridaPets.net's contest! This month you could win delicious doggie biscuits in holiday-inspired shapes from the new 7 Dogs Tropical Bakery, owned by none other than the canines at FloridaPets.net. Just check the end of the NewsPetter for all the poop on how to enter. And speaking of prizes, congratulations to Michele Ash of Sun City Center, Florida, the winner of last month's contest.
We hope everyone will enjoy this issue of the
NewsPetter. Please pass the word about
FloridaPets.net and write us with any suggestions or
requests. Your opinion matters to us. Until next
month, thanks for "tailing" along
with us and remember our motto:
Patricia Collier
Special Note: If you cannot see the photographs in this NewsPetter, you are missing a lot of neat stuff! Some of our readers just can't get email in the HTML format that allows them to view pictures and other artwork, so we've come up with this solution:
By Patricia Collier On Saturday, December 17, Peace River Refuge & Ranch, the exotic animal sanctuary, will host their annual Christmas for the Animals event from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It's a special time for sanctuary residents including tigers, cougars, leopards, wolves, bears, and smaller primates and cats. Although the animals are provided with enrichment year around, it is during this event the staff adds holiday-themed goodies. Organizers said such enrichment programs aren't just for fun; they also help combat boredom and loneliness in wild animals living in captivity. An example of the theory behind enrichment is shown above as a lynx at the sanctuary has some fun with a nicely-wrapped Christmas present. No computer games for him, however. This box likely contains something to eat. Stuffing treats or food into containers such as these challenge animals to work and obtain goodies before being able to enjoy them - as they did when living in the wild. Admission for the event is $10 per person, adult or child. During the course of the event, the public is educated on the plight of exotic animals in captivity and the habitats and behaviors of their wild counterparts. For more information, or to register for this event in advance, visit Peace River Refuge & Ranch. You may also call the refuge at 863-735-0804 or email them at info@peaceriverrefuge.org.
Peace River Refuge and Ranch, located in Zolfo Springs (Hardee County), Florida, is fully licensed, is accredited by the American Sanctuary Association (ASA) and is a member of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). The sanctuary's stated mission is to provide lifetime care to abused, neglected, confiscated or unwanted exotic animals to prevent them from being destroyed.
By Patricia Collier I'm not sure where else in Florida you can dine and shop 800 feet out over the ocean. I am talking, of course, about the famous Cocoa Beach Pier which offers four restaurants, two lounges and enough shops and arcades to keep you and the family busy for a day or two. Only a block away, the Days Inn Oceanside at 5500 North Atlantic Avenue can provide you with pet-friendly accommodations. One pet is allowed per room and a $25 pet fee is charged per visit. Pets are not permitted on the beaches of Brevard County, a situation we hope will soon change, but there are some nice dog parks in the area, including Melbourne, Palm Bay and Satellite Beach.
You can keep the human kids occupied at the Kennedy Space Center, only 13 miles away. Orlando, is a 45-mile ride, but it's worth the time just to see Epcot's famous Holidays Around the World, which runs from now until the end of December. Also running the entire month of December is the 5th Annual Space Coast Lightfest in Melbourne, just a few miles south of Cocoa Beach. And if you decide to stick around until after New Year's, you can enjoy ringing in the new at the "Rockin' the Dock" party - right back on the wonderful Cocoa Beach pier.
Meet Boo, companion to Victoria Warfel of Gainesville, Florida Boo is a gorgeous three-year-old Siberian Husky Victoria found about a year ago. Victoria suffers from Neuro-Cardiogenic Syncope and faints frequently. Without any special training, Boo started "alerting" to Victoria's fainting spells. Once house-bound, Victoria says she now feels comfortable enough to go to the park or shopping with Boo, her trusty service dog by her side. Go here to read more about Boo and her magical powers. Would you like FloridaPets.net to feature your pet(s) in the NewsPetter or as Pet(s) of the Week on the Web site? If so, please email WebMistress. Send 1-3 photos of your pet(s) and tell us things like breed, age, sex, personality traits, likes and dislikes, how you found each other and anything else you would like to share with others. Please type "Submission" in the subject line of your note and send your photos in JPG or GIF format only.
Daisy the Shih Tzu and Chelsea the Pomeranian, companions to Nancy Quinlan and Lisa Praderes, of Holiday, Florida. These precious little elves are former Pets of the Week. Has your pet ever written to Rudolph? We're sure your companion animal has been nice, so help him or her dash off a note to the North Pole folks, asking for a few extra yummies in their stocking this year. Psssttt...Rudolph writes back! Would you like a dog park in the Clermont area? One of our readers, Jenni, tells us for her Girl Scout Gold Award (the highest honor in Girl Scouts), she is going to create a dog park in Clermont or south Lake County, depending on where she is able to get land. If you or anyone you know has land to donate, knows how to write grants or would just like to help Jenni with her project, please contact her at jenni88@gmail.com. Are you a potty mouth? A recent survey of 1,000 dog owners conducted by Braun Research Inc. found that 32 percent of Americans have kissed their dogs, despite the fact that 34 percent of the canines have been known to drink out of the toilet. Correction from November's NewsPetter: We reported that due to increased safety concerns, US Airways will no longer accept pets and other animals for travel as checked baggage or cargo. We should have said they'd no longer accept pets as cargo. Pets up to 20 pounds can fly coach as long as they are placed in airline-approved carriers, such as Sherpa bags. As we said before, the policy change does not apply to the transportation of service animals such as seeing eye dogs. Time for
the repetitive
subliminal
message
from
FloridaPets.net:
Paw Patch Shoppe We now accept all major credit cards and PayPal and you can now order online or by phone! Besides Liquid Syn-flex, the wonderful alternative to harmful arthritis drugs for both pets and people, the Paw Patch carries dog cookies made by the 7 Dogs Tropical Bakery who believes dogs deserve treats in all shapes and sizes, such as the holiday cookies we're giving away in our contest below. See what else our creative canines have been up to in the kitchen at the Paw Patch Shoppe.
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Contest Ends:
5 p.m. Friday, December 23, 2005
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