.

Photo of Expresso courtesy of  Stephen Mech

This is a guest post from Margo Smith

Healthy Pet
Get the information you truly require to keep your pets healthy and happy at this site awarded for its excellence by the Veterinarian’s Association. Incorporated into this site’s contributions are sections discussing issues like traveling with your pet, selecting a pet for you and your family and so much more. Become a part of the society of pet enthusiasts at this superlative website.

Care for Pets (AVMA)
Let the vets teach you how to best care for your pet. Be part of the dialogue by frequenting this site. Find journal articles on the most pressing and current and issues for pet owners today. Learn the appropriate do’s and don’ts for your animals from the care for animals page. Be well informed and become a more conscientious pet owner with the helpful topics covered both for you and your pet.

Pet Welcome
If you will soon be taking a vacation don’t forget to go to this site for useful suggestions. They feature places where your pet will be allowed to accompany you on your journey. If it is not practical to take along your beloved pet, this site will point you to various people and places where your dear animal will be given the kind of tender care you are seeking. Check in to see if your concern is treated by the bulletin board they offer their readers.

Pet Forums 2000
If you want to be able to discuss your questions about your pet, or tell about the latest antics performed by your pets, stop by and become part of the various forums here. You’ll be sure to have lots to say if you own a bird, rabbit, cat, hamster or dog at these pet-centered round-table discussions. Maybe you’ll wish to start a new conversation and begin your own group via this website.

Petland
Providing you with stores internationally, and ranked among the top 500 U.S. businesses, you are sure to find an animal to love by visiting their site or their stores. Find links to their community service projects, enjoy their kids corner and learn about your own franchise if you’d like to open your very own pet store.

Second Chance Pet Adoption
When you or someone you know is interested in becoming a pet owner, or you want to give a good home to a homeless creature, be sure you don’t miss this site. See their calendar of events and browse the cute animals. They specialize in kittens and their home base is in Illinois.

Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP)
This website for CAP (Citizens for Animal Protection) founded in 1972, is geared to help animals in a multitude of ways. Become acquainted with their shelter, adoption, foster care, rescue and other invaluable services to animals in need. CAP also gives you a pertinent community outreach program and humane education for proper care of animals.

Petboro
This service and website has been available since 2004, giving you a place to find all kinds of animals to bring into your home to love. Read their newly launched blog, scan their free pet resources section for items that interest you. They also feature an entire directory of pets – find just the right one.

Homeward Pet
Located in Washington, Homeward Pet Adoption Center is a no-kill, not for profit animal shelter serving the entire Seattle area. They aim to give homeless animals a second chance through their rescue, shelter, and adoption programs.

Simple Pet Care
Stumble on an assorted range of facts for passionate pet fans here. Topics vary from suggestions for careers for animal lovers to an overview of breeds of dogs that make great pets. Find out about which puppy food is best or the preferred method for choosing the best bird cage for your feathered friend with the information contained here.

About the Author: Margo Smith graduated with a B.S. degree from BYU. Working through college and being in the corporate world give her a great deal to say about subjects as diverse as employee motivation to online schooling to kite making.

Since I have been busy all day and did not get the planned post finished–I thought I would share a couple of videos with you that would make you smile.

For some reason people have been calling my attention to trampoline loving canines this week.

Below are two videos–one of a boxer on the trampoline and another of two foxes playing on another.

Must be a new trend in trampolines!

As a matter of fact, if you do a search on YouTube you can find a bunch more.

Social sites for animal lovers that allow interactions are sweeping the web in a mind blowing pace so I thought I would spend a little time to introduce you to how you can connect with other animal enthusiasts.

Professionally I interact at Facebook, Twitter and a little over on LinkedIn as well as in some private paid forums.

But pet lovers and other animals lovers tend to congregate in a few different environments online.

Dog Book and Cat Book are applications and communities you can join if you are on Facebook.

Once in you create a profile for your pets it is possible to interact in a lot of different ways.

In Dog Book you can learn about Parks around the area and add your favorite dog friendly ones. This is great if you like to travel.

Groups are other areas on Facebook where you can interact with others with a common goal or interest and that are optional to add.

Toys is a section where you can earn Petbucks from actions you take and so “buy” toys with those credits.

There are Contests and a few other tabs to explore but I like the Arf Alerts or Meow Alerts.

If you lose your pet you can send out an alert to your network right from Facebook.

Dogster and Catster are two different communities where you can find expert advice and information on pets.

Once you are part of the community, you can make pages for your pets, leave comments and interact in a variety of ways.

There are photo galleries and ways to search out pet professionals in your local area.

You can also find a pet or use applications to find names for your new pet and lots more.

ZooToo has a lot of different information on products, news and blogs within the community.

You can learn where to find animal for adoption, play games and find answers to questions you might have about pets.

There is a vast array of pet websites out in cyberspace and these are a few of my favorites.

You must have a few favorites of your own, so feel free to share those in the comments…and be sure to sign up for advance notice about the Pet Parenting School.