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Pets on the net

After talking about CAPS in my last blog post, who work tirelessly to improve the life of companion animals, today I received news about a website that seeks to unite companion animal owners. At ThePet.net, you can share your knowledge and experiences of hotels, shops and services with other pet owners all around the world.

You can hear one of the founders, TV vet Marc Abraham, talking about the site in Episode 62 of DogCast Radio.

As a dog owner, I know how easy it is to fall into conversation with other dog owners, and invariably you end up comparing notes on what you think of your veterinarian, or a great dog friendly holiday location and so on. Now you can do that online, with the benefit of numerous other opinions from an international community of animal lovers.

I love the Internet because you can have so much fun on it, finding out more about your favourite breed, seeing photos of other people’s dogs, and chatting on forums, but I think the web will become more and more instrumental in empowering pet owners. Whether you’re after a good dog training manual, or a new dog bed, you can track them down on the net – but you can also see what others think of the product, before you spend your hard-earned cash. At a time when money is a problem worldwide, what a great resource to have.

Of course, for me, the best development on the Internet is podcasting. And of course the best podcast for dog lovers is DogCast Radio. (www.DogCastRadio.com) So listen cuddled up on the sofa with your dog, or take us with you on your iPod when you walk the dog, either way is just as good, and we’ll bring you the best of anything and everything dog-related.

See below for more information about ThePet.net.

Take care,

Julie x

New Pet website praised by Parliament in Early Day Motion
ThePet.net

In the first of two Early Day Motions (EDMs) for a debate on animal welfare, Bob Spink MP praises the new pet owners’ website – ThePet.net – for its work in promoting positive pet ownership. He also highlights its role in increasing the public’s understanding of companion animals.

Entitled ‘Promoting the Welfare of Pets and Responsibilities of Pet Owners under the 'Animal Welfare Act’, the EDM is already gaining massive support from fellow MP’s.
Animal welfare is a hot topic this Christmas as the credit crunch has already resulted in a massive increase in the number of animals dumped in rescue centres nationwide. Sadly many centres are already now full and as the festive season gets even closer, the situation is expected to get much worse.

The public is once again reminded that a dog is for life and not just for Christmas, with pet owners being encouraged to remember those animals less fortunate than their own this year by making a donation to an animal charity.

Mr Spink, MP for Castle Point, Essex, said “This House congratulates the creators of a new and free internet site ThePet.net – Marc Abraham and Andrew Seel. We believe this website will increase public understanding of pets, promote more and better pet-friendly services and enable people to obtain more enjoyment from their pets and improve animal welfare.”

Created by TV vet Marc Abraham and online media expert Andrew Seel, ThePet.net is more than just another social networking site and aims to revolutionise our global pet industry forever.

Launched this October, this free website already allows passionate pet owners to share and rate their own experiences of pet-friendly hotels, shops and services, and to ultimately find the best their pet can get.

Pet owners have always exchanged experiences and recommendations in the park or in the vet’s waiting room, but ThePet.net goes a step further, acting as a portal for all pet owners, taking word-of-mouth on a global level.

Marc Abraham asks, “Why should your pet suffer because of the credit crunch? At last there’s a free online service where owners can search, list and evaluate pet-friendly businesses that pride themselves on putting your pet before profit. What’s more, as the credit crunch bites deeper, we offer free advice and up-to-date information, even including a list of pet-friendly landlords, for those worried about taking their pets into rented accommodation.”

To find reviews of pet-friendly services, list your favourite pet-friendly businesses or even connect online with your friends and their pets, visit www.thepet.net.

Sharing

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