Cats Enjoy Cat Penthouses at Second Home Pet Resort
Why It’s Best to Keep Your Cat Indoors

Cats Enjoy Cat Penthouses at Second Home Pet Resort

Cats Enjoy Cat Penthouses at Second Home Pet Resort
What’s Special about a Stay at Second Home Pet Resort?

Cats Enjoy Cat Penthouses at Second Home Pet Resort

Why It’s Best to Keep Your Cat Indoors

Indoors or outdoors. What’s best for your cat? There are some cat people who believe their cats should be inside all the time, while others think that having them outdoors all the time or part of the time is a good idea. So, what’s best for your cat?

There is a lot of information pointing to keeping your cat indoors for safety reasons. “Indoor cats live significantly longer than outdoor cats, whose lives are often cut tragically short by disease, injuries, and many other dangers that they may face outside,” according to the article, “10 Reasons Why Your Cat Should Be an Indoor-Only Cat” at PetHelpful.com.

The article mentions some of the following reasons for keeping your cat indoors where it is a safe environment. Indoor cats are:

• Safe from other animals.
• Safe from humans.
• Safe from vehicles.
• Safe from inclement weather.
• Less likely to get diseases.

According to the article, “Why Your Cat Should Stay Indoors: Part I” at PetHealthNetwork.com, “Did you know the average lifespan for an outdoor cat is just 3 to 5 years while indoor cats average 13-171?”

The PetHealthNetwork article warns about other dangers to outdoor cats including cat fight wounds from fighting with other cats, viral infections, parasites, car accidents, poisons, and wild animals. Keeping them indoors typically means keeping them safe 24/7.

Staff member of the month – Sherry Blake – our cat expert and Guest Service Attendant

As a guest service attendant at Second Home Pet Resort, Sherry Blake is responsible for the care of the animals, feeding, cleaning their rooms, and administering medications to the cats. While she works with dogs and cats, she has an affinity for felines, and she is also known as the “cat expert” at Second Home. “I am really good at noticing medial issues in cats because of my vet tech background,” Sherry said.

She grew up with pets in her home, so it’s no wonder she became a vet tech. She has been with Second Home for 11.5 years, and she views the pets as her own. “I’ve seen puppies and kittens become seniors there,” Sherry said. “I connect with them. I bond with them a lot so it’s very rewarding that way. It’s a family there.”

Sherry likes to ensure pet parents that their pets are in good hands. “I definitely put people at ease,” she said. “I take care of the animals like I know the owners would want them taken care of.”

The reason Sherry has been at Second Home so long is because of the “family feel” and the respect that everyone has for the animals.

Play Sessions at Second Home Pet Resort Rule!
What’s Special about a Stay at Second Home Pet Resort?

Play Sessions at Second Home Pet Resort Rule!

What’s Special about a Stay at Second Home Pet Resort?

There’s always something special at Second Home Pet Resort, and it’s not just the way we care for your pets. It’s also about how sweet our suites are when it comes to accommodation.

Sure, Second Home is an all-suite resort for pets, but some suites for dogs stand out from the others. The Elite Patio Suite for dogs is the most spacious one available. It measures 7 feet by 7 feet and has lots of space for your dog. It has a 7-ft.-by-7-ft. outdoor patio with a gorgeous view of the mountains and the play yards. The Elite Patio Suite is perfect for giant breed dogs, multi-dog households, or for those dogs who love the lap of luxury. They also feature a home-like feel, comfy bed with fleece cover for each pet, and most often a flat-panel TV playing the latest from Animal Planet.

The Pavilion Patio Suites are 4 1/2 feet by 7 feet and are perfect for dogs up to 100 pounds or for multi-dog households. There is also an adjoining patio the same size as the suite. The view is of the mountains and Second Home’s spacious playgrounds. A comfy bed and fleece cover are available.

One side of the Second Home facility features a waterfront/poolside view while the other side of the building offers mountain views. Dogs can go in and out as they please during the day but the doors to the suites are closed at night. While the suites have bedding, pet parents can bring their pets’ own bedding.

For more information about suites or pricing go to the Second Home website or call (602) 997-6600. Remember to book the patio suites ASAP as they go fast!

The Benefits of Fostering a Rescue Pet in Need
What to Do About Community Cats and How to Help Them
The Benefits of a Martingale Collar

The Benefits of Fostering a Rescue Pet in Need

Animal shelters across the country are overcrowded, making it difficult to save more animals. You can help by fostering an animal in need.

Whether you foster a kitten, cat, puppy, or dog, they all need love, care, and a place to heal and decompress. By fostering “you help give them the space, experiences and resources they need when they go to new homes,” according to the article, “Top 5 Reasons to Foster an Animal in Need.”

The article offers other reasons to foster, including:

• Fostering opens up space in shelters for other animals.
• Having an animal makes life more interesting. Animals bring so much to our lives including companionship and snuggles.
• Foster parents are great publicists for animals in their care and can help get them adopted.
• Fostering does save lives. “Animals in your care can go on to loving homes and animal shelters have more space and resources to help even more animals in need,” the ASPCA article said.

There are other reasons to foster pets. “Fostering a pet does not require that you have loads of free time or advanced dog training skills,” according to the article, “Top 10 reasons to foster a pet” at Best Friends. The need is great for foster homes and “most shelters offer foster opportunities that fit your schedule.”

Other great reasons to foster, according to the Best Friends article, include:

• You can teach foster pets new skills.
• Spread the word and share a post on your social. It could lead to adoption.
• Your foster pet will have a chance to really exercise.
• Foster to find out if you are ready to adopt.
• “Fostering is a temporary commitment with permanent rewards,” the Best Friends article said.

Take time to foster. You’ll help an animal and feel better for doing something positive.

What to Do About Community Cats and How to Help Them

It’s not uncommon to see cats in any given neighborhood. If you see one or more cats, you may wonder if they belong to anyone or if they are strays. They are called community cats, often known as feral cats.

Community cats are not owned by anyone, and they live outside. “Like indoor cats, they belong to the domestic cat species (felis catus),” according to the article, “How to Live With Cats in Your Neighborhood” at Alley Cat Allies. These cats typically are not socialized or friendly, making them unadoptable, the article said. “They live full, healthy lives with their feline families, called colonies, in their outdoor homes.”

It is important that these cats are spayed or neutered, which is done through Trap-Neuter-Return-Monitor (TNRM) to manage their populations, according to the article, “A Closer Look at Community Cats” at ASPCA.org.

“TNRM is the method of humanely trapping community cats, having them spayed or neutered and vaccinated against rabies, and then returning them to their managed location to live out their lives,” the ASPCA article said. There is also a caretaker who takes on a particular community and “provides food and monitors the cats’ wellbeing as well as identifying and quickly trapping new intact cats.”

According to the ASPCA article, you can help neighborhood community cats by doing the following:

• Take on the role of cat caretaker and TNRM the community cats where you live. This could be you and/or a group of people who help. You will provide food, water, shelter, spay/neuter, and the well-being of the cats.
• Assist other established cat caretakers in the community doing TNRM.
• Find out if your local shelters have a TNRM program in your neighborhood.
• Check the ASPCA guide, if you ever find kittens outside.

The Benefits of a Martingale Collar

There are so many types of collars for your dog, but which one do you choose? These days the martingale collar is becoming more popular especially because it helps prevent dogs from slipping out of their collars.

“A martingale collar consists of two interconnected collars, one connected to the lead and the other wrapped around the dog’s neck,” according to the article, “3 Benefits Of Using A Martingale Collar” at Sit Stay. “If the dog pulls on the lead, the one around their neck tightens.”

The martingale collar is made of soft fabric and was originally designed for greyhounds since their necks are wider than their heads, the article said. However, the collar is a great choice for many dog breeds.

Not only does a martingale collar prevent dogs from slipping out of their collars, but it also prevents neck injuries in dogs. Martingale collars have a loose fit, “and only tighten when necessary, such as in cases where your dog is trying to back out of their collar,” the Sit Stay article said. They are helpful because you can keep your dog under control and keep him safe.

According to the article, “What Is A Martingale Collar?” at Vet Ranch, “Martingale collars are also a good choice if you are looking for a more humane form of correction than a choke chain.” It is a “gentle way” of telling your dog to stay by your side.

The collars are known to be “effective, adjustable, and humane” and a great option for many dogs, according to Vet Ranch. They are often used if your dog pulls on leash. Ensure that you use the collars correctly. Speak to your veterinarian or a trainer to find out if the martingale is a good option for your dog.