Unusual Pet Career - FlexPetz Rent-A-Pet Service

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I found a press release on several newspaper websites today about an interesting new pet service based in Los Angeles - Pet Rentals. Actually the owner Marlena Cervantes doesn’t like her service to be called pet rental - she prefers the term “shared pet ownership”. Her business is called FlexPetz and she caters to people who do not have the time or space to care for a full-time pet.

Her 10 dogs are available for rental by members who pay a $99.95 yearly membership fee, $49.95 monthly payment, and a $24.95 -$39.95 per visit charge. The dog supplies come included in the package so members don’t have to worry about bowls, leashes, beds, or food. Her service also includes training of the dogs, veterinary care, delivery to home or office, and liability insurance.

Members are able to enjoy the companionship of their favorite dog one day a week and take the dogs to the beach, hiking, to the dog park and other fun activities. This is a new age of commitment free pet ownership. FlexPetz has announced that they also plan to open locations in San Francisco, New York, and London by the end of this year.

This kind of lifestyle is not suited to all dogs as some may be stressed by the constant change of scenery. FlexPetz dogs are all rescued from local shelters and go through a full training program.

I have often wondered why no one offers a pet rental service for travellers who are away from home. When I’m staying in a hotel out of town I always think how nice it would be to be able to borrow a pet to take for a walk! Perhaps this is another twist on the rent a pet service that could be explored….

This service has raised controversy on the web as many people feel that dogs are not something that should be rented as if they are a movie or automobile. Please leave your comments and let me know what you think of the service.

Grab a free copy of my Ebook - Your New Pet Care Career

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Your New Pet Care CareerToday I’m releasing my ebook free so that everyone is able to use it to investigate pet care career options and pet business opportunities. 

Please feel free to pass on the book to friends and customers.  you can use it as a bonus or giveaway when selling another item or as a bonus for subscribing to your newsletter.

 In the book you will find:

A description of each professionals day to day activities

Links to resources on education and training

Advantages and Shortcomings of each profession

Expected income and pay rates for different careers

Comparison of start-up investment costs

Ways to get in touch with professionals in your career of interest

Pet care services and products that lend themselves to be combined as add-ons to other services to increase income and customer convenience

And Finally! Understand how you can start working with pets today no matter what your current circumstances

I would greatly appreciate your feedback about the book so please leave a comment!

You can download the book right now by clicking here.

Unusual Pet Career - Dog Runner

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Dog RunningToday I spotted an article on the Pet Sit USA blog with another great idea for a new pet care career or business. In my e-book and articles I have mentioned the growing business of dog walking for owners who are not able to give their pets the exercise they require each day.

The article highlights another growing pet care trend - dog running. This service caters to active dog breeds for whom a walk is just not enough daily exercise. Read more here.

Unusual Pet Careers - Pet Acupuncturist

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Acupuncture is a therapy that orginated in China around 4000 years ago. The therapy aims to balance the bodies energy by stimulating selected points of the body using small thin needles. It is often used as an alternative therapy when conventional techniques are having adverse effects or when surgery is not feasible.  It can also be used to keep the energy in the body of the pet in balance to prevent problems.

Usually accupuncture treatments last from 10 seconds to 30 minutes, depending upon the problem being treated.  The treatment will be repeated 1-3 times per week for 4-6 weeks. A positive response is often (but not always) noticed within the first 4-6 treatments, sometimes earlier, depending on the condition treated.Some of the conditions that may respond to acupunture include:

1) Musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, intervertebral disc disease  

2) Dermatological conditions such as chronic ear infections and chronic allergic dermatitis  

3) Respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic viral infections

4) Neurological conditions such as traumatic nerve injury and epilepsy

5) Gastrointestinal conditions such as chronic diarrhea and constipation.

6) Urogenital conditions such as chronic urinary infections, bladder stones or incontinence

The American Academy of Veterinary Medical Acupuncture, in conjunction with the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CSU-CVMBS) and the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association offer a couse in Veterinary Acupunture at their website. Other courses are offered by the International Veterinary Accupunture Society.   

Accupuncture is provided by some veterinarians as a supplementary service to their clients and others choose to specialize solely in holistic medicine techinques such as accupuncture.  A directory of veterinary accupuncturists can be found online at the International Veterinary Accupuncture Society and the American Academy of Veterinary Accupuncture.

Unusual Pet Careers - Pet Nutritionalist

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Amid the latest pet food recalls and recent FDA investigations into pet foods distributed in the US that have been contaminated with melamine, many owners are now considering making their own pet foods instead of relying on the quality of store purchased products. 

Many online articles have recommended that owners seek the advice of a pet nutritionalist before changing their pets diet as they must ensure that home prepared foods contain the full range of nutrients required to maintain their pets long term health. Healthy dogs require 38 different nutrients in their daily diet and a healthy cat requires 40.

There are only a handful of pet nutritionalists wordwide - you can find them listed at the American College of Veterinary Nutrition website.  The small numer of qualified nutritionalists means that this is a pet care profession that is in high demand. As the interest amongst owners to protect their pets health grows many new pet nutritionalists will be needed to meet consumer demand.

Pet nutritionalists evaluate the pets age, breed, activity level, and exisiting medical conditions to determine the correct daily energy and nutrient intake that is required in their daily diet.  They then recommend a mix of foods and supplements to meet these needs.

If you are interested in getting a nutritionalist to evaluate your pets dietary needs you can visit PetDiets.com to receive a written evaluation. They also have some great information on pet nutrition at their site.

A full overview of the requirements and duties of a pet nutritionalist are outlined in an Occupational Profile put together by Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service in the UK.

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