The Pet Lodge

10/12/2024

Be careful please!!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/FWiw7CLEAkUumpWb/

06/08/2024

So very true!!

Please always do your homework before adding any animal as pet to your life!
Also look up breed specific behavior!

Or foster to adopt and see if a bunny, cat or dog fits into your life at all.

I truly believe that if Steve Irwin were alive today, he would have a dedicated group of people who hated him for how he treated animals.

Steve always treated every species he worked with, as the species they were, not forcing them to change their nature.

More and more I find myself trying to convince people to "let the dog go outside, it's okay if they get a little dirty" or "your snake is arboreal and can't just be confined to a small tub." Or "Your working breed dog is not happy being still and lazy in your one bedroom apartment with nothing to keep them active and thinking."

It seems in this next generation of animal husbandry, we're deciding that all animals are now going to become (and be treated as) our little babies.

Now, is it okay to refer to your furry, feathered, scaly friend as such? Of course!
Is it okay to treat them as human babies...absolutely not at all.

As we see this change taking place, so to do we see more and more stressed out animals. Ones with a lack of structure and mental enrichment...but tons and tons of random toys and bags of treats.

What Steve Irwin did is create an environment that was enriching for the animals he had. Not attempt to force the animals to adjust to his environment.

Taking your Border Collie or herding, working, hunting, breed on a 10 minute walk (as long as you remember, it's not raining or just not feeling upto it) once a day, is not cutting it.

Locking your pyrenees or Shepherd breed in a kennel all day and then keeping'em in a small apartment, but still expecting the dog to be still and always cuddling...not cutting it.

Keeping your African grey parrot in a small enclosure with a few items that you've not replaced...is not cutting it.

When you bring an animal into your life. It is so important to understand what that animal is and have a structured enrichment routine and appropriate setup for the breed/species before you take in the animal.

Anything less than what your animal needs is a disservice to your best friend.

Be kind to your animals, enrich their lives (in a way that's appropriate for them). Keep them thinking. Keep them exploring. Give them understanding and structure and you will keep them happy.

~Benjamin McGill, M.C.B Owner of GoodBoy animal training.

Picture taken while visiting local aquarium store.

20/07/2024

I lately receive more and more calls, emails and texts if I have availability for dog boarding.

Sorry, The Pet Lodge is only for cats, bunnies and other small animals.

Thank you =)

20/07/2024

A little reminder that bunnies are even less able to handle heat then cats and dogs.
For indoor buns you can lay a tile in the fridge, some love to lay on that.
A frozen water bottle with a towel around is comfy to rest against for others.

Outdoor hutches that are not placed in the shade and without a enclosure to be able to dig and lay on the ground can become a death trap in these temperatures.

Hope everyone and everybun is coping in this hot weather 🐰🐰
If you are going out for the day, make sure your rabbit's are shaded, and that they can keep cool , have fresh water and are safe from Heatstroke.

23/06/2024

Probably not only in the UK, but here too.
The most misunderstood pet of our time and they suffer and die in silence.

If you think about adding a bunny to your family, please reach out to chat.
They are wonderful pets if kept right!
I can help you make a good start and happy relationship.

20/02/2024

Good Advice!!!
I'm in the pet sitting business for 19 years now and heard a lot about previous experiences from my customers, some really make you wonder...

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/r2zo6nPjJobUGJoK/?mibextid=oFDknk

10/02/2024

Please, take this to heart!
So many ads locally selling bunnies cheap.
So many bunny rescues full.
They are not a pet for kids!!
Unless you are willing to learn about them and not just stuff them inside a cage, they are not a pet for anyone.
They have very specific needs for a healthy and fulfilled life!

Don't just get them because your child wants one.
Do your research first!
Then adopt, don't shop!!!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/yJTRtngPBXpxzxoJ/?mibextid=2JQ9oc

Are bunnies starter pets? Yesterday, we got several applications which said “a rabbit will be a great starter pet” for their kids. So we thought we’d briefly explain.

No, they are not starter pets or pets for children, and here’s why:

1. Rabbits live 8-12 years
2. 80% of unfixed females get uterine cancer
3. Rabbits are classified as exotic animals due to the sensitivity of their G.I tract
4. Cages, bottles, and most pet store treats are actually improper or unsafe for rabbits
5. They require hours of socialization or else become bunstructive
6. Bunnies can spray p*e
7. They bite to deglove with their 28 teeth
8. They are prey animals so do not enjoy being held or picked up
9. Exotic veterinarians have high vet fees

This is not to say that rabbits don’t make great companions…they do. They’re just not starter pets and not pets for children unless an adult is the primary caretaker.

Want a starter pet? Try a rock.

To learn more, you can sign up for our free virtual education course here: https://forms.gle/rNTYqNijXz9Qc65i8

05/02/2024

For all my south traveling pet parents.
Please keep this in mind. Thank you.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/mBUQcJAcP94TXjmN/?mibextid=qi2Omg

Don’t touch starfish....❌❌❌
This is a request to all tourists, don’t tuch starfish. REQUEST TO ALL GUIDE Please make your clients aware of this.
What happens when we lift a starfish out of water for an impromptu photo session?
All over the body of starfish are papules called dermal gills. Carbon dioxide gases are exchanged for oxygen between the coelomic liquid of the starfish and the water. Essentially, it’s how they breathe, like having hundreds of tiny noses all over your body.
As fresh air is toxic to starfish and they can’t hold their breath for very long, each time they’re lifted out of the water for a photo op, they are drowning and suffering from a build up of carbon dioxide. It’s the equivalent of someone filling your lungs with water for a little while and then emptying them again. It’s not a good day out. When this is done repeatedly, it’s a flip of the coin as to whether the poor creature can die from drowning or the stress of being semi-drowned so many times.
Wildlife are not our playthings. Just because a creature is slow enough to be caught by human hands, that doesn’t give us the right to do so, and the social media attention gained certainly does not justify the harm caused to the critter.
This is an act we’re all guilty of at some point. What was happening to that animal in the moment didn’t cross our minds. But now we know better, so we must do better.
Shared from Caluya Municipal Tourism Office

14/01/2024

24/12/2023

Merry Christmas