National Pet Week is widely celebrated throughout the United States from May 6-12. The goals of National Pet Week are to promote responsible pet ownership, celebrate the human-animal bond, and promote public awareness of veterinary medicine.  Five Cat Facts- You may not already know There are 10 million more cats owned in America than dogs. Cats are less than half as likely to be seen by a veterinarian and receive healthcare. There are "cat-friendly" practices that focus on making trips to the veterinarian less stressful for your cat. Cats CAN be trained. Maine, Vermont, Oregon, Idaho and Washington have the highest percentage of cat-owning households. Fun Facts about Dogs Dogs only sweat from the bottoms of their feet, the only way they can discharge heat is by panting. Dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with the ears. Dogs have about 10 vocal sounds. Dogs do not have an appendix. There are more than 3 ...

Cinco De Mayo is a fun holiday celebrated by many bird owners, but it can be far too easy to let your pet's safety go by the wayside when planning your fun Cinco De Mayo events. Check out this list of Cinco De Mayo safety hazards to birds for some help with making sure your bird stays safe during your Cinco De Mayo celebration this year and in years to come! Toxic Foods Most Cinco De Mayo celebrations involve eating! This can pose a problem to birds and their owners, however, because many "human" foods can be toxic to our feathered friends, including dishes like candy and guacamole. Do your pet bird a favor and make sure that any poisonous foods are contained away from his/her cage and general area. Failure to do so could spell disaster for your pet! Alcoholic Beverages Beer and other alcoholic beverages can mean big trouble for pet birds. Many mixed drinks are brightly colored and can look very attractive to parrots, and drinks left unattended by guests can pose a great risk to a curious bird. To preven ...

Spring is not just for cleaning. It is also a good time to catch up on necessary home maintenance. Otherwise, nature and chaos will begin slowly reclaiming your abode, and small problems will magnify into big headaches. 1.     Check and clean all gutters and downspouts for proper operation. Paint if needed or replace any rusted parts. 2.     Test operation of hot water tank. 3.     Check roof for any repairs such as shingles, flashing, chimney and gutters. 4.     Look at your vents and louvers for free moving air. 5.     Close shut off valves to outside faucets and waterlines and be sure to drain. 6.     Clean your gas heater- shut off first then clean the exhaust vent, shutter openings and burner. 7.     Refill water softener with salts. 8.     Install moisture barrier in your basement or crawl spaces and inspect for any signs of water damage ...

Home-ownership comes with many responsibilities and expenses. Insurance is one expense that is just as necessary as taxes, repairs and the cost of general upkeep. The cost for your homeowners insurance will vary according to your home’s features and location. But there are things you can do to help save money while receiving the added benefit of improving your home’s safety features. Increase your deductible. By taking on more risk yourself through a higher deductible, you can reduce the amount of premium you pay. Deductibles are the amount of money you have to pay toward a loss before your insurance company starts to pay a claim, according to the terms of your policy. The higher your deductible, the more money you can save on your premiums. Nowadays, most insurance companies recommend a deductible of at least $500. If you can afford to raise your deductible to $1,000, you may save as much as 25 percent. Remember, if you live in a disaster-prone area, your insurance policy may have a separate d ...

Before you invest in the purchase of your family’s newest furry member, you should consider a few things that could ultimately affect your home insurance policy. It may sound bizarre but as a pet owner you are liable for the potential damages that your pet may induce and your homeowner’s policy is your only source of collective liability protection against those reparations. A few factors that affect your home owners policy are: The Homeowners Insurance Company Itself Each insurance company offers different policies regarding home insurance and how their rates apply. Size Their Bite Frequency Their Reputation Take for example, Gina, who is an avid cyclist and occasionally takes trips around the neighborhood to dodge the local traffic pattern. One morning, Gina and a friend were carrying on about their day as they cycled through the development. A few hours later Gina awoke in the local hospital confused as to why she was there. Her friend explained to he ...

Every homeowner should understand their Homeowners Insurance policy in terms of its exclusions and extent of coverage. It will help your insurance agent if you are familiar with your policy and able to ask them any questions you may have about changes when you are reviewing it. Homeowners Insurance (also known as Home Insurance, Hazard Insurance, HOI) - is a type of insurance that protects the insured property against losses. Most often those losses occur from disasters such as fire, lightning, storms, explosions as well as theft or vandalism Personal Property- is defined as any property of an insured individual other than real estate. Include: personal effects, movable property, personal goods and chattels. (jewelry, equipment, cars, furniture, and pets) Real estate- is defined as any land, permanent buildings on the land Appraisal- is an evaluation of a claim by an authorized expert whose job it is to decide the property value or damaged property value Cancellation- is the termination of a home insur ...

Sunday, February 5th wraps up National Football League’s 2011 season with Super Bowl 46. Considered one of the most watched American television broadcast, Super Bowl 46 ensues gatherings, social events and a significant amount of chips and dip.   As many people begin planning their Super Bowl activities, you as a party go’er or party thrower should keep in mind a few risk of the party that you may not realize until after the potential damage is done. Limit the booze: A staple of most Super Bowl parties is intoxicating beverages of some sort. No matter the beverage you choose, there have got to be limits, and here’s why: as a homeowner you are ultimately accountable for any accidents that take place caused by over consumption of your guests. Seems hard to believe but there have been many lawsuits brought against hosts who served alcohol to a guest who over-consumes and later experienced an accident or injury. So keep a responsible eye on your visitors and don’t be anxi ...

Today is the last post in our Renters Series. Though renter’s rights can vary depending where you live there are several that are considered universal. If you feel that you have a legal issue with your landlord first try to resolve it by speaking with them if that is unsuccessful then consider legal action as a last resort. For more information on your legal rights for your area NOLO “LAW for ALL” has a list of legal statutes for each state pertaining to landlord-tenant laws. http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/chart-landlord-tenant-state-laws-29016.html Below are some sample items that are likely addressed in your state’s landlord-tenant law: 1.    The Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords from denying anyone housing due to their race, color, sex, religion, disability, family status, or national origin. 2.    All rental units have to be safe to live in and follow all housing and health codes. Those codes are in place to ensure that the building ...

Whether you’re the parent of a college student or an individual renting a town house in downtown Charlotte, the risk you incur while renting a property vastly range. How can you fulfill this protection? Its simple; Renter’s Insurance. Renter’s Insurance assures you protection of personal property, medical expense, liability, and various other optional coverages when renting a house or an apartment. Personal Property Coverage Renter’s Insurance covers your personal belongings such as computers, electronics and jewelry up to full replacement cost against damage from fire, smoke, vandalism, theft and more as well as coverage while your belongings are in your vehicle. As a college student, you are excited about moving into your new dorm room. After your first week away from home, you return to your room and notice your laptop missing. Fortunately, the Renter’s Insurance policy your parents invested in covered the replacement cost of the laptop and within a week, you have your new ...

Today is our second day in the Renters Series we are covering the last eight tips from the top 16 things you need to know when signing a rental agreement (lease). Tomorrow (Wednesday) we will cover what exactly renters insurance is and why you may need it. Renters often do not realize their rights or that they even have any when it comes to disputes with their landlord. “Your legal rights as a renter” will be our blog topic for Thursday. 9.    Safety- Many apartments have front doors with secured deadbolts but a backdoor that is completely unsecured. When previewing the property take a moment to Some apartments have a front door with four locks, but a backdoor that leads into an unlocked alleyway. Check the security system and if possible ride through the complex or building space at night to see where lights are located and assess the general safety. 10.    Cable and Utilities Included? Often times landlords do not let the tenants know until down the road that ...