Pet insurance is not a new idea, but there seems to be great debate recently about purchasing such policies. As pets become more and more a part of families, it has become harder to say “no” in their time of need. But a recent article on Salon.com asked its readers to think about if there was a point at which they would have to let their pet go due to the inability to pay for care. The article sparked great discussion on CPR’s volunteer message board, and our president took the issue over to her blog. Local TV station WSAV will even have a segment about pet insurance on their news tonight at 6. We invite you to take a few moments and consider what you would do if your pet faced a veterinary emergency. Making a plan now could make the difference in saving their life later.

We’re all worried about the environment. As animal rescuers, our primary focus is on saving the lives of homeless, abused and neglected pets. But we can also be responsible pet lovers and care for the environment at the same time. So let’s introduce you to RaiseAGreenDog.com.

RaiseAGreenDog.com provides tips, tricks, products, processes and other information on how you can help your pup go green. It’s always much easier to follow advice from someone else when you’re first starting a lifestyle change, so we hope you’ll find the site as educational and practical as we did.

Who in southeast Georgia hasn’t had a flea problem the last few years? We never have a hard freeze, so the fleas never really die. At Coastal Pet Rescue, with 149 canines and 47 felines last year, you can only imagine what we go through to get rid of those darn things.

Our routine usually consisted of rotating Frontline Plus with Advantage. We had pets that would react to the topicals, others that would put up a fight trying to put the topicals on them, and others that seemed unaffected after the topical was applied. We used Capstar pills every few weeks as well. With animals continuously coming from the shelters and the streets, it seemed as if we’d never be rid of the flea problem.

But late last year, our vet introduced us to a new product called Comfortis. It’s a little more expensive for a six pack than the other products we use, so I was hesitant. But I had to do something… with 14 dogs in and out of the house, the regular stuff just wasn’t cutting it. So, I decided to take a chance. We were using the Frontline and Advantage stuff almost every third week, so we would still be spending just as much money for the Comfortis as the other stuff, if it worked.

It took two months, but I am completely convinced Comfortis is the way to go. It is so much easier to give the pets, and actually seems to work for a full month. I no longer hear the constant rattle of ID and rabies tags from dogs scratching. They have more time to play and be doggies rather than worry about scratching, biting and losing fur to fleas.

I have read other reviews that say there are some side effects such as vomitting and that it shouldn’t be used on young puppies. Other reviews said it doesn’t help against ticks or mosquitos, so make sure you talk to your vet about the best product for your pet before making the switch.