For some reason people are mass-sending me entries for the contest at the last minute!!!

 I’m going to get all the entries up by Friday, then give another whole week to vote…

ANY ENTRY RECEIVED AFTER 5 PM EST TOMORROW Thursday September 2nd WILL NOT QUALIFY.

But — you are more than welcome to come back for the ThoughtsFurPaws October Contest (gifts courtesy Fun Time Dog Shop) and the SUPER-SECRETIVE-SUPER-SWEET Holiday Contest for November and December…(one hint – Holiday Contest winner (1st place) gets a gift valued at $189.99…)

Sooo… again, here are some more August Photo Contest entries, and read the older posts (here is another one to review for voting) to review the rules of the contest.  The remaining entries will be posted by Thursday, and voting ends at 9 pm EST SHARP on Friday, Sept 10. Winners will be announced on the 12th as I will be out of town…

*Full-grown animals are UNFORTUNATELY not being posted as this is a KITTEN and PUPPY contest only; all prizes are oriented as such.

8 week old Great Dane Frank

Frank at 4 months

8 week old Travis

Clancy

Emerald

Foxy

Gator

Jasper six months

Peebles

Sadie

Pretty Puppy Bear

Tika

Tika II

Sweet Praline

Who wants to meet other pet-fanatics??

Snuggle Session Complete!

Who wants to learn how to get more traffic?

Who wants to get relevant pet information about pet nutrition & animal welfare??

Who wants to learn more about pets in the news & pet charity??

Who wants to learn how to make $$$ major moolah from advertising???

ME!!! I mean WE!!

ThoughtsFurPaws.com wants to know all of the above – which is why Mom is headed to BlogPaws West 2010.

It’s in Denver from Sept 9-11, and the conference is filled to the brim with fun, fur, friends, and… oh yeah, TONS of information on how to make your pet blog ROCK:)

Mom went to the very first-ever BlogPawsEast in Ohio & had a total blast!

She only decided to go to this one at the VERY last minute — when she found out ThoughtsFurPaws.com was a finalist in Dogtime.com’s Petties Awards…

** So we’re totally pumped about that nomination, but Mom thinks she has zero chance of winning considering who she’s up against…

Anyhow, according to the website, BlogPaws West is being held to:

“continue building our Be the Change focus on a national scale, to embrace the exciting momentum of BlogPaws East (thank you, thank you, thank you EVERYONE!), and to give our peeps in the West a chance to meet and connect, we’re offering: more learning, more networking, more blogging, Tweeting, laughing, raising funds for shelters/rescues, shouting, singing, partying, listening, hugging, crying, cooing, clapping, and learning at BlogPaws  2010 West. “

And guess what we just found out?? Our super-good buddies at IAMS/Eukanuba are sponsoring our trip! HOORAH! We can’t wait to see our friends from there!

We will for sure return that favor somehow – Mom is already thinking of ways in her mind – she has steam coming from her ears and that means she’s on a mission. (When Mom is on a mission we do not interrupt!!)

There’s going to be lots and lots of pets there and lots and lots of people and food, and treats and vendors, and sponsors and all-around FUN!!

We also can’t wait to see our best friends from Bissell, Inc, too — they are sponsoring BlogPaws for the second time this year and we’re looking forward to catching up with our fellow Bissell Pack of Pet Lovers members.

Anyhow, we think everykitty and everydoggy should go to BlogPawsWest. You can get more information on the BlogPaws Community of Pet Bloggers here.

The August Kitten and Puppy Photo Contest lasts a whole week longer, so let’s keep those cute pet pictures comin’ in.

And don’t forget to vote, vote, vote!! I’ve only gotten like 10 votes so far, and half of them are for the same animal!!

Here are some more cute kittens and funny dogs/puppies for the contest… actually, it seems this is turning into another dog and cat photo contest for pets of any age… some people just send in pictures of their pets as they are now… oh well…

Let me know in the comments or in an email who YOUR favorite is!

Andy, Banks and Oliver

Bella

Aries

Anne

"Fi Fi the Wicked Frenchie Witch"

The Famous KC

Peanut

Putty Tat

Sammy vs Dumbo

Chloe

Daisy and Deeogie

Thomas Fiddlehead and Lewis

The August Puppy and Kitten Photo Contest is in full-swing mode now…

Here’s the first round of pictures!

 * Remember, you can vote for up to three pets in a comment or an email to me at thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com. You CANNOT send 3 votes for the same animal. *

Bailey

Bailey and Toffee

Ginny

Iris

Koko Bean

Koko Bean II

Logan

Oliver

Rumble the Shar-Pei

Angie Kitten

Get your votes in today or this week via email and comment! If you see your pet on this post, don’t forget to send all your friends and network here to vote! More cute puppy and kitten photos to come later this week!

** This is a guest post written by a friend, Heather Reynolds.

First, here is my introduction to this post. Since I’ve been talking about pet insurance – and it seems to me that more and more pet owners are buying policies now-a-days (according to statistics from companies like PetInsurance.com, etc.) – I got an insider’s professional view of the pet insurance industry. Many of you either commented or emailed me after the last post with tales of how pet insurance saved your animals’s lives, or how you WISHED you had bought it when you had the chance because you now have $6k in vet bills…

Heather Reynolds works for Trupanion here in the U.S. So since we already discussed pet insurance and pet health earlier I thought I’d allow a guest post rrom a knowledgeable industry rep. on the whole pet insurance concept. Heather is representing Trupanion, a pet insurance company based in Seattle. Although it’s fairly new to the industry in the U.S., the company has been thriving in Canada for the last decade, and actually ranks 5th in Google for the term “pet insurance.”

In fact, recently, the pet insurance industry was reviewed by Consumer Reports and Trupanion was named as thee one company that provides everything Consumer Reports looked for in a preferred plan.

The report states, “We prefer coverage with simple, percentage-based payouts, and no reliance on judgments of what’s ‘reasonable’.”

Trupanion offers one simple plan, pays a straight 90% of veterinary costs, and does not impose ‘reasonable’ fees. There is no payout limit over the life of the pet and no limits per year, claim, illness, procedure, or condition. The report also looked at two specific scenarios in which pet insurance could be applied – one in which the dog was basically healthy and one in which the dog had chronic problems.

While none of the nine policies reviewed would have been cost-effective for the healthy dog scenario, Trupanion provided the highest net benefits for the chronically-sick dog scenario.

Another portion of the review told the story of two cats with rare conditions – one young, one old. In this scenario, Trupanion’s coverage paid the most for both cats, at both the $100 and $500 deductible levels. Check out the full report here. Also, check out Trupanion’s blog here.

Anyhow, here is Heather’s guest post: (thanks Heather!)

None of us want to think of something disastrous happening to our beloved pets. But the truth is that three out of four pets require emergency medical treatment in their lifetimes. With veterinary costs rising every year, it’s getting harder and harder to pay for needed veterinary treatments.

This is where/when/how having pet insurance will help.

First, be wary – there are many pet insurance carriers out there, some of them “less than reputable” to put it nicely, and so choosing the policy that’s  right for your pet(s) can be a daunting & sometimes confusing task.

Here are a few tips on getting started with pet insurance coverage:

1. Do your research. Check out www.petinsurancereview.com for an unbiased review of several pet insurance companies.

2. Use word-of-mouth. It’s well-known in the Marketing and PR industry today that word-of-mouth advertising beats any ad you’ll see on TV, hear on the radio, or see online or in a magazine. So visit some pet forums (i.e. Iggy Planet, Petfinder, PetLovers.com or The Nest) and search for the term ‘pet insurance’. (Most forums already have a chat room open and lively for this topic.) Chances are that you’ll find other people asking the same exact questions — and perhaps they’ve received solid advice. Also, there’s no harm in asking friends, neighbors, people you know from the dog park, and/or even your vet for their experiences and/or preferences. (Be sure to explain you’re not asking their OPINION on the concept – just if they have pet insurance and who it’s through…)

3. Get quotes. Visit several pet insurance websites and receive quotes for each pet you want to insure. This will give you up-to-the-minute pricing that may be outdated on other sites.

4. Read the fine print. Many pet insurance companies only disclose ‘reasonable costs’ and other fees in their fine print, which many people don’t see until they actually have to file a claim.

ThoughtsFurPaws recently published a post about Petplan. I would like to tell you a little bit about Trupanion, a different pet insurance company. Recently, the pet insurance industry was reviewed by Consumer Reports. The report reviewed nine policies from four companies, including Trupanion. After comparing all companies against certain veterinary scenarios, Consumer Reports determined what they would prefer in an insurance company. They state: “We prefer coverage with simple, percentage-based payouts, and no reliance on judgments of what’s ‘reasonable’.”

Trupanion mirrors those preferences by offering one simple plan, paying a straight 90% of veterinary costs, and not imposing ‘reasonable’ fees. There is no payout limit over the life of the pet and no limits per year, claim, illness, procedure, or condition.

You can read the full report here: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/insurance/pet-insurance/is-pet-insurance-worth-the-cost/overview/index.htm.

Just as with human health insurance, pet insurance is only financially beneficial if your pet becomes seriously ill or injured. But also like human health insurance, it’s extremely beneficial to have in place if the unthinkable happens. You don’t want to have to wait to make a medical decision so you can ‘crunch the numbers’, and you don’t want the financial stress piled on top of the emotional pain you feel when your pet is sick.

You do so much to protect your pets… so it only makes sense to protect your pocketbook as well by investing in pet insurance.

 Top 5 Reasons to Choose Trupanion

No Payout Limit – No dollar limit on the cost of care if your pet becomes sick or injured.
Higher Payout – We cover 90% of your veterinarian’s bill.
Fast Approval – We approve and pay claims faster than any other competitor.
No Penalties – You are never penalized with higher rates for submitting claims.
Fair Premiums – Premiums won’t increase due to your pet aging.

Heather Reynolds is a pet lover and internet journalist at Trupanion. Feel free to contact her with any questions related to cat and dog insurance at heather.reynolds@trupanion.com.

Every 6 Seconds a Pet Parent Gets a Vet Bill
for Over $1,000. Bow-Ouch!

I know how much animals mean to you—whether they live in the wild, on a farm, or in your own home. If you’re anything like me – they are your kids and you would do anything to protect them, right?

The concept of pet insurance is definitely a “controversial” one — some say it’s a waste of money while others thank God they had it when their dog was run over…

I feelthat it’s definitely necessary if you have an outdoor animal who roams free around the neighborhood (like my Sasha) – but I really am not sure about other circumstances.

I suppose if you have a gold ribbon/medal winning dog breed than he/she should definitely be insured for possible pt health problems… stemming from unknowingly poor pet nutrition, lack of care, or sensitive and likely to be injured bones and joints (for bigger breeds), etc.

Anyhow, for many reasons the HSUS has decided to team up with Petplan, the world’s largest pet insurance provider; to ensure that your four-legged family members live a long, happy life togethger. (And don’t have to worry if your pet gets severely ill and you can’t afford the vet bill… God I’ve been there and trust me, it’s NOT fun.)

Across the globe, Petplan is recommended by more veterinarians than any other pet health insurance provider and is consistently rated No. 1 in independent reviews by pet parents. Join over 1 million policyholders who already enjoy peace of mind with these benefits:

–   Covered for Life Guarantee™—once your pet is insured with Petplan, any condition they develop, including all chronic conditions, will be covered into their old age with no extra surcharges or riders.*

–  Coverage of all hereditary and congenital conditions—conditions such as hip displaysia, mitral valve disease, and luxating patellas are covered without dollar or time limits.*

–  Customizable coverage for your dog or cat—set your own co-pay and deductible according to your needs and budget.*

And when you get a quote, Petplan will make a $20 donation to our Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association’s Field Services program, which provides free veterinary care to pets in underserved communities. Be sure to use code “HSUS20″ when getting a quote to indicate that you’re an HSUS supporter & to receive an additional 5% discount!

Celebrate the animals in your life — and protect them for good so you can enjoy a longer lifetime with them…

Visit Petplan today to see if it’s right for your pets.

*Portions of this important pet health and wellness article courtesy Wayne Pacelle/HSUS . Photos courtesy Petplan.com

AUGUST KITTEN & PUPPY PHOTO CONTEST EXTENDED!

So I know I hardly gave ANY time at all for people to enter the August Contest — so I’m extending it for another two whole weeks!!

WHY???

Because I have a CRAPLOAD of AWESOME cat and dog prizes — but only three entries so far!! That’s not even enough to post for one day!

Keep in mind, this is a KITTEN AND PUPPY PHOTO contest – not an adult animal contest. Even if your pet is an adult, you can still enter his/her cute pet pictures as puppies and kittens.

*** There will be awesome prizes again this time around, and I will choose  3-5 winners.  (Think PetSmart gift cards, new Martha Stewart toys, boutique puppy shampoo, fancy kitten toys and surprises, a Furminator, treats, leashes, snacks, etc. PLUS — each winner also gets something FOR THE HUMAN this time!

Since this is a puppy/kitten photo contest, please don’t send pictures of your babies unless they’re 9 MONTHS OR YOUNGER!

The new entry deadline is Friday, September 2nd at 7 p.m. EST; so get your entries in before that time. Entries sent after 7 p.m. EST will not qualify.

Like last month, you can vote once through comments (but vote for up to three pets) and also vote once by sending your pick in an email.

Again:

** YOU CANNOT VOTE THREE TIMES IN ONE EMAIL FOR THE SAME PET***

* LIKEWISE, YOU CANNOT VOTE THREE TIMES IN ONE COMMENT FOR THE SAME PET*

And please remember the warning I posted about “vote-stuffing” last month… you will unfortunately be disqualified or, if I’m in a good mood, pushed down in the rankings if you attempt this again*** If multiple people live in your household, then please tell me that in the email when you send it so I know.

RULES/PROCESS:

1. This contest, again, is being judged by reader votes/comments. You can vote for up to three pets in a comment and up to three in one email – but not the same pet three times. Entries that do not follow this procedure will be disqualified.

2. Send up to 2 WEB-COMPRESSED JPEG,  TIFF or GIF files to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com. You can also just paste the photos into the email body.

3. Please put “AUGUST PHOTO CONTEST” in the Subject Line.

4. It is VITAL to include the names of your pets  when you email the entries in. *** Entries received WITHOUT the pets’ names won’t be considered. Sorry, but it gets entirely too confusing with the number of entries I get.***

5. Send your friends, family and “network” to the post that your pet(s) appears on. That way they can vote in the Comments. I also highly suggest (based on last month’s results) re-posting the post your pet appears on on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, Share This, etc…so you can get your followers to vote!

Good luck and start sending me your best shots!

It’s time for Funny Friday pictures again!! Okay so it’s actually Saturday when this is being published but Ive been super busy this week…

These funny cats and dogs photos  and cute pet snapshots are from all over the place-- some are my friends’ pets, some from Facebook, a few from those forwarded emails, and of course, some from my fellow blogger friends’ (PSST–that’s you Life With Dogs), etc… so thanks for the cute pet pictures everyone!

Taken at volunteer event @ Ohio Basset Rescue

Cute little cuddlers

I'd LOVE to know how he got up there...

Life With Dogs posted this on Facebook...

Nothin' like a Bulldog in a Baby Carriage...!

My Fave Life With Dogs Photo

Myniece Lily in the window-her fave spot:)

Yet another Life With Dogs Fave...Neil you are just too good...

I WANT THIS KITTEN!!!

Rescue Kittens from somewhere...??

What a GR-eat shot!!

From ASPCA site...cutie pie!

So tell me — who’s your favorite? I can’t decide…

Some of you may have heard these famous, funny or serious pet dog and cat quotes before – at least one or two of them - but a good friend of mine sent them to me as a “cheer-up-Charlie” note on Facebook last week.

So here they are: the most popular of ALL the funny cat quotes, dog quotes, pet loss quotes, and all animal quotes throughout history. Some famous animal quotes, mostly dog quotes and cat quotes, were not sent to me but taken from the ten million books I own on pets, cats, dogs, pet care, funny pets and animals, etc (and some that I know by heart as a rescue volunteer):

“Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.” – George Elliot

“Dogs come when they’re called. Cats take a message and get back to you later!” – Mary Bly

“The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.” – Andrew A. Rooney

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” — Gandhi

“All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it.” — Samuel Butler

“To err is human. To forgive, canine.” – Unknown

“Did you ever walk into a room and forget why you walked in? I think that is how dogs spend their lives!” – Sue Murphy

“No heaven will not ever Heaven be, unless my pets are there to welcome me.” – Unknown

“The trouble with a kitten is that eventually it becomes a cat!” – Ogden Nash

“If I have any beliefs about immortality it is that certain dogs I know will go to Heaven, and very very few people.” – James Thurber

“I’ve met many thinkers and many cats, but the wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.” – Hippolyte Taine

“A dog has lots of friends because he wags his tail and not his tongue.” – Author Unknown

“The dog represents all that is best in man.” – Etienne Charlet

Introducing the August Puppy/Kitten Photo Challenge!

It’s that time again — PET PHOTO CONTEST TIME!!!  I want to announce the August Photo Contest.

It starts RIGHT NOW and I will accept ONLY TWO entries per email pleae.

This is a KITTEN & PUPPY PHOTO CONTEST only, so please don’t sendpictures of your babies unless they’re 6 months old or younger! The entry deadline is next Friday, August 20th at 7 p.m. EST. I will then allow the whole next week for voting. You can vote once through comments (you can vote for three pets only), and once in an email.

** YOU CANNOT VOTE THREE TIMES IN 1 EMAIL FOR THE SAME PET***

And please remember the warning I posted about “vote-stuffing” last month… you will unfortunately be disqualified or, if I’m in a good mood, pushed down in the rankings if you attempt this again***

RULES/PROCESS:

1. This contest, again, is being judged by reader votes/comments. You can vote for up to three pets in a comment and up to three in one email – but not the same pet three times. Entries that do not follow this procedure will be disqualified.

2. Send up to 2 WEB-COMPRESSED JPEG,  or GIF files to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com. You can also just paste the photos into the email body.

3. Please put “AUGUST PHOTO CONTEST” in the Subject Line.

4. It is VITAL to include the names of your pets. *** Entries received without the pets’ names will not be considered as it gets entirely too confusing with the number of entries we get with no pet name ***

5. Send your network to the post your pet(s) appears on to vote in the Comments. Or repost the post your pet appears on, put in on Facebook, Twitter, Share This, etc, to get your followers to vote!

6. Voting ends on Saturday, August 28 @ 9 pm EST.

7. Winners will be announced (either 3-5 winners) on Sundat 8/29!

PRIZES:

** The August kitten and puppy photo contest has tons of cool prizes, including one hand-held Bissell Spot-Bot, perfect for puppies learning to be house-trained (retails value $129.99) Furminators (retails value $49.95), PetSmart gift cards (Retail Value $25.00), boutique puppy shampoo, puppy “accident” cleaning products from Clean and Green by SeaYu, pet photo albums, toys, treats, and a special surprise for the human!! ** WOWWEEEE

– Needless to say, you don’t want to miss out on this one So start sending entries to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com ASAP! Thx!–

————————————————————————–

A Gift for Mom Too - A BEAGLE Book!!

On another note, the reactions I received from last month’s winners are overwhelming; you can even read about Shiloh and Shasta’s exciting package-opening, plus I put some pix of them opening the package in this post. Their owner was also SUPER-STOKED about the Beagle book I included for her, Dog Park Diary.

We Opened It! Wow- Look at all this stuff!

The first place winner was so grateful for the Bissell Vac that she was crying because she and her fiancee are in such bad financial straits and to get a box of play things for their rescue efforts was the best possible “picker-upper.”

The owner, Amber, of Simba and Murphy said: “My fiancee and I both work for newspapers and are underpaid obviously but we are dedicated volunteers to pet rescue. The Bissell vac is hands-down the most amazing pet hair pickup tool Ive ever used. It get EVERYTHING – even stuff you can’t see – and we use it on the couches and bed too! I had never thought of trying a Bissell cleaning product but from now on am a Bissell fan! Thank you for your generous prize – it was too much – it literally brought us to tears.”

Looks like help was given where needed! All-in-all over $450 worth of prizes were given last month…

So – REST ASSURED THAT YOU DO WANT TO WIN THE THOUGHTSFURPAWS.COM PRIZE OFFERINGS BECAUSE THEY’RE EXTREMELY VALUABLE!!

Get your August Pet Photo Contest entry – whether cute kitten picture or funny puppy photo – in now!