Friday, April 25, 2008

Lots of new collar designs for spring & summer!

After taking our own creative ideas and some customer requests into consideration, we have a number of fabulous new ribbon collars available for spring and summer. Each day we are adding more products, so be sure to visit our store often. Here is a preview of some of a few of our newest pet designs.

We've had an overwhelming response to our cupcake dog collars & cupcake cat collars.

However, we've just added an ICE CREAM CONE dog collar to our collection. We'll bet ya haven't seen this anywhere else!


That's not all folks, we've just unleashed some great new patriotic pet products!


I think the design we may be most proud to offer is this new "Support our Troops" dog collar. We handcraft all our our designer collars, but this is a special product with a lot of thought and care behind it. Many of us have friends or relatives that have or are currently serving our country, and we wanted to let them know that we support them 100%.

There are SO many more, but we just can't list them all here. Come take a peek for yourself. Be sure to lookout for our new flip-flop dog collars and goldfish dog collars!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Harry Pugalicious promotes Do Da Day 2008

One of our favorite customers, Harry, the rescued Pug, was featured on his local news station to promote the upcoming event, “Do Dah Day 2008”. This event has become a yearly occurrence that benefits animal charities in the Birmingham, AL area. The Do Da Day event draws in approximately 40,000 visitors each year and has raised over ½ a million dollars for animal shelters in Jefferson County, Alabama.

Harry’s mom, Heather, rescued Harry from Southeast Pug Rescue & Adoption last year. Not only did she save Harry’s life, but she’s worked hard to send a message about responsible pet ownership and lend a helping hand amongst the rescue world ever since. We met Heather & Harry when they ordered a spay & neuter collar from us several months ago (which he happens to be wearing during on his big televison debut). Soon after, Heather nominated SEPRA as our rescue of the month for February 2008. She didn’t quit there, she’s now also on the board of directors for Do Dah Day. Kudos to you Heather, you truly are making a difference, and Harry, you are pugalicious indeed.

If you live in the Jefferson County area of Alabama, or you don’t mind taking a road trip to support a good cause and have a great time, be sure to check out Do Dah Day in Birmginham, Alabama on May 17, 2008!

Without further adu, we present to you Harry Pugalicious on Fox 6 News

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

April is autism awareness month

Since April is designated as Autism Awareness month it seems like a suiting time to spend more time talking about, Autism and our efforts behind our autism awareness dog collars, leashes, etc. Most of you reading this already know that many of the items on Felinefido.com are products we have created that are near and dear to us. This also applies to the products we have designed to support awareness for autism. -- Let me stop for one second to toss in a number and please pause and think about this for one moment...it is now estimated that 1 in 150 children are diagnosed with some type of Autism Spectrum disorder. -- Did you give that a chance to sink in? 1 in 150. This is an epidemic -- we need to use our voices to promote awareness, donate to causes benefiting those with autism and donating to research efforts.

A few months back we elected to donate a portion of our autism awareness dog collars, leashes, key fobs, etc. to a special organization called 4 Paws for Ability that specializes in training and placing autism service dogs . More and more families are coming forward to rave about the positive experience that is a result of the addition of an autism service dog. Yesterday, ABC posted a story about service dogs helping autistic children. The article includes several personal accounts from families that currently have a service dog for their autistic child, a few of them from 4 Paws for Ability.

We currently donate to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of a little boy in Alaska named Trapper Leeth. We posted about him a few months back, you can read the previous post here. Trapper's family resides in a remote area of Alaska where his wandering tendancies can pose a huge danger in particular. Trapper has been approved for his service dog and is in the process of trying to raise the $13,000 donation needed to train and raise his dog through the 4 Paws for Ability program. Thanks to so many generous folks, he is nearly 1/2 way through his fundraising requirements. We are excited to hear this news and hope that through the donations made through so many caring folks, their local community, some generous businesses contributing to their cause and our autism awareness product sales that we will be able to see Trapper bring his dog home within the next year! If you have it in your heart to help, you can donate directly by visiting Trapper's website.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Baseball Dog Collars in MLB Team Colors


It's spring and it's one of our favorite times of year...the start of BASEBALL SEASON!!! We love it so much, it just seem suiting to find a way to incorporate our favorite MLB team into one of our designer dog collars. We've just unveiled a line of designer dog collars with the big league baseball fan in mind.


Check out these color coordinating dog collars that allow your dog to show some team spirit for your favorite baseball team. Currently, we offer collars for the following teams:


  • Red/navy baseball team dog collar for Boston Red Sox fans

  • White/navy baseball team dog collars for New York Yankees fans

  • Red/blue baseball team dog collars for Chicago Cubs fans

  • Orange/blue baseball team dog collars for New York Mets fans

Now, don't be discouraged if we don't have your favorite team available, just click on our contact us page to drop us an email, we can usually accomodate a color request that will coordinate with your MLB team!


Now if that's not enough, we also offer each of these designer collars with the option of a custom engraved metal buckle! That means you can take supporting your favorite team to a whole new level. Wanna engrave the name of your favorite team to the metal buckle? Or No problem!! How about some a local slogan that supports your team of choice? We can customize your baseball dog collar with 2 lines of text in your choice of 3 different team spirit font options.

To keep the lawyers happy, we need to let you know that these are handcrafted designer dog collars - they are our own creations - no logos or copyrighted materials have been used to design them and they are not licensed MLB products. Our baseball collars are WAY cooler than those mass produced major league dog collars you see time after time on every dog in your town! Who wants to be like everybody else? A unique designer collar is the way to go, and now you can support your favorite team in style!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Shop for collars & help GREAT dane rescue



This month we've partnered with Heartland Great Dane Rescue. These folks are really fabulous. One of the most crucial aspects of dog rescue (in my opinion) is pairing up the dog with the right home, not just any home. Pile on the fact that when you are dealing with Great Danes, a giant breed dog - that becomes even more challenging for rescuers. Education is so key...potential adopters must know what is required of them when adopting one of these gentle giants. All too often, these loveable creatures get dumped simply because the previous owner 'didn't know they would get so big' or 'couldn't afford to feed them'. Argh...

Okay, okay, I'm getting off topic here, but my point is that rescue is HARD work. VERY hard work...and well...very expensive too. Heartland Great Dane Rescue has really put the time and effort into providing a wealth of education and information on the great dane breed that would be beneficial for all to read, but especially so, if you are considering adoption. They do their absolute best to ensure that every dane is fit with the right home, and they will not rush into an adoption just to get the dog placed. Large expenses, particularly medical to rehabilitate danes who have been abandoned, neglected, abused or diagnosed with medical conditions that were left untreated by their former 'families' are often incurred. Heartland also saves senior dogs (that might not otherwise stand a chance at a nearby shelter) so they can be placed in homes to live out their last years being pampered and spoiled!

Of course, this all comes with a price and it ain't cheap. The consensus of the general public is that adoption fees cover the costs associated with rescued animals, but in a lot of cases, adoption fees don't come anywhere close to covering the costs associated with saving, fostering and providing medical treatment. Again, add the increase of costs associated with providing care and treatment for a giant breed and you're looking at one hefty bill. Now, imagine that times multiple dogs and the numbers can be frightening! Wanna help them out? Read on, we're getting to that.

There are many, many fantastic rescues out there that do not get nearly the credit they deserve and this group of folks surely makes up one of them. If you want to add to your pooches wardrobe, but also do a good deed, pick up a collar or two from our store and type in the code: HGDR at checkout. Be sure to use the code - or we won't know your order is intended to help benefit Heartland.

And, of course, donations are much appreciated and desperately needed. You can even read through their list of available danes and choose a dog you'd like to donate to. That's right, if you fall in love with a face (did somebody say Dante??) you can contribute directly to the doggy that tugs at your heart strings! The other thing you'll like about these folks, is that they have found a way to provide you all the important details, but they talk down to earth and have a great sense of humor. You'll actually ENJOY visiting their site. Check it out!

Friday, February 29, 2008

Skagway, Alaska - Small town, Big Heart

Many of you know that we are supporting the efforts of a 3 year old boy in alaska to bring home his autism assistance dog. We were so excited to read the story Trapper's Keepers (as a child of the 80's I can certainly appreciate this cute article title!)in his hometown newspaper, the Skagway News. Have a looky at the article, you'll really gain some insight as to what this family has been through and overcome in less than a year. You'll also get to see a cute photo of the Leeth family at dessert time!

It just goes to show you how much heart lives within a small town. The local community is really pulling together to help the Leeth family. Just a few weeks ago, their local fire department raised over $1,000 towards Trapper's fundraising requirement. A local church is hosting a spaghetti dinner in Trapper's honor, the Skagway police department has an event coming up where a "criminal" can call friends and family to post his faux bond to bail him out of 'jail' and lastly a silent auction is being held this week. All the money raised from these events will be donated to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Trapper Leeth.

Trapper still needs well over $11,000 before he raises the $13,000 required to bring home his autism assistance dog. A dog that will also be trained in search and rescue , which is crucial to keeping Trapper safe from the elements and natural wildlife that surround him and his home in remote Alaska.

If you have the heart to help this wonderful little boy, please visit 4 Paws for Ability and make a donation in honor of Trapper Leeth. Be sure to include Trapper's name on your donation! Just a few dollars, the money from your daily cup of coffee can add up quickly and make a huge difference for this family.

Lastly, a big thanks all that have posted about Trapper's Dog and spread awareness about Trapper and Autism. His family has been touched by all the support and warm wishes and all the awesome folks that have posted about him on their blogs. Thank you all!

Monday, February 11, 2008

Spay & Neuter Collars on Newsday Blog


So, we usually don't "toot our own horn" but we just got word that our spay & neuter collars are in a Newsday bloggers entry titled 'handmade fashions go to dogs'.

This is exciting for us, as we are very passionate about rescue and responsible pet ownership, thus the reason we've custom designed our line of designer dog collars to promote such an important cause.

By sure to check out the rest of the Cheap Thrills Newsday Blog - they provide links to a lot of crafters, etsy artists and DIY-ers that offer unique, high quality items you can't find anywhere else!

And, of course, follow this link to see the entire collection of Save Lives, Spay & Neuter collars for dogs AND cats!

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Help this little boy bring home his assistance dog

A few days ago, I wrote to tell you about some plans to shift our autism donations to a group that provides service dogs to autistic children. I also metioned that google had guided me from link to link to link, which is how I arrived at 4 Paws for Ability. First though, I stumbled upon the webpage of Trapper Leeth, a 3 year old boy with Autism.

Trapper's family started updating their website after learning of his autism diagnosis in April, 2007. Guess what? Trapper has been approved for an autism assistance dog. Great news, right? YES! However, before he can bring his dog home he must meet his fundraising goal of $13,000. Not an easy task to begin with, but Trapper's fundraising is several months behind where it should be. Just days after Trapper's family was notified of their approval for a service dog, they were involved in a very serious vehicle roll-over accident. Trapper's mother, Jami, was hospitalized in Oregon and subsequently released to the care of her mother with strict orders not to travel. She returned home to Alaska, 3 MONTHS later - in body braces! Any of us parents out there know what an exhausting task it is chasing after a toddler, but can you imagine having this sort of set back?

Trapper & his family live in a remote area in Alaska. They must travel several hours by Ferry, to get much needed medical service for both Trapper and his mother. Have you ever traveled hours at time by boat with two small children? YIKES!

Please learn more about the Leeth family by visiting their website. You'll also find a wealth of information about autism, service dogs. Meanwhile, we will work hard to get the word out for Trapper. Don't forget, 15% of the proceeds from all Feline Fido Autism Awareness Dog Collars, Leashes & Key fobs will be donated to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Trapper Leeth.


Please share this story, the more the word gets out, the more support we can rally to bring home Trapper's dog! Hopefully a business or entity with resources larger than ours will have the heart to help this beautiful, strong, inspiring family in Alaska. I hope that soon enough, we'll all be introduced to the dog that changed the world for this family.

P.S.
Here is a slideshow of Trapper & his family.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Fate of rescued pugs in our hands...

The pug doesn't need to be your favorite breed to care about this announcement. You just need to be an animal lover at heart. If you are, you'll keep reading.

One of our favorite customers, Harry the rescued Pug, alerted us of an emergency financial state of Southeast Pug Rescue & Adoption (SEPRA). You see, Harry came from SEPRA, they saved him when he needed help, they provided his medical care, they found him the BEST home in the world and he wants to make sure that SEPRA is able to continue doing this for all the other lost, abandoned, neglected, abused and rescued Pugs out there!

So, for obvious reasons, we have designated SEPRA to be the recipient of our monthly Spay & Neuter donations program (15% of the sales from Spay/Neuter items are donated to a designated rescue each month). However, this month we are stepping it up a notch. Listen up, listen closely, get a pen, use your copy and paste functions, just do whatcha need to do to spread the word...This month we are donating 15% of ALL sales to SEPRA to any customer that uses the code: SEPRA during checkout. Now, what we need you to do, is start barking the news to all your animal obsessed friends...and some fashionably aware duds for Fido.

Come on people, save a pug! Don't forget, you can also donate directly to SEPRA. Their pug medical bills are throught he roof - read this letter from their President!!

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Thank you, Google for helping us find 4 Paws for Ability

Wow. The internet is really an amazing source of information. Have you ever found yourself searching for something specific and then finding yourself completely engulfed in something other than what you typed in the google search box? Well, that's how we found an organization called 4 Paws for Ability. Sometime last year we started our line of dog collars to support awareness of autism, as you know we currently donate 15% of the proceeds to the Autism Society of America. For some time, I have wanted Feline Fido to form a relationship with an organization (supporting autism) that would be a little more intimate. By "intimate, I basically mean, that I'd like to have a contact at that organization, I'd like to have more insight as to their specific goals and for us to feel like we are helping support a team effort. So, as stated before, I did my google search...after clicking on a link, that took me to another link, which took me to another..(you get the idea) I found my way to 4 Paws for Ability. I am so glad.

Their mission is to:
"Our mission at 4 Paws for Ability is to enrich the lives of people with disabilities by training and placing service animals to provide them with companionship and promote independent living. We specialize in placements with people who are turned away by many other agencies."

There are other organizations that place service dogs, but here are a few things about 4 Paws for Ability that we really find unique:
--ONE (of many) of the areas that 4 Paws for Ability specializes in, is placing service dogs in homes of autistic children
--They don't focus on any specific region, they offer placement of dogs nationally.
--They do not have any age restrictions.
--You are NOT required to give up your family pet in order to qualify for a service dog. (Many other organizations require the service dog to be in the ONLY pet and/or dog in the household)
--The also adopt and train many RESCUE dogs to become service dogs. (Yippee, did someone say rescue dog?)

Karen Shirk, founder of 4 Paws for Ability, has to be one of the most inspiring people I've personally come across. She started this organization after her own challenge in finding a service dog. She was turned down by every agency she contacted. Still seeking the companionship of a dog, she brought Ben into her life. A very special dog that Karen says, saved her life on more than one occasion. After training Ben herself and realizing the loyalty he had for Karen, she began to train service dogs that were provided to those who may not otherwise qualify for one through other organizations. Watch the videos on Ben's page - it will definitely be the best 15 minutes you've spent this week. I can guarantee you that.

I think you get the idea...this organization is truly spectacular. And, since they work on placing service DOGS - to those with AUTISM - and we craft DOG collars to promote awareness for AUTISM...you can bank on some upcoming announcements about the restructuring of our autism awareness collar proceeds donations...

Monday, January 21, 2008

Skull & Crossbones Dog Collars & Cat Collars

We all know the skull & crossbones is a hot thing in fashion right now and we've started adding to our our collection of skull & crossbones dog & cat collars. Skulls don't have to be just for boys, we have pink skulls, too - and for the girliest pooches, check our our girlie skull dog collar. This one is adorned with hearts and the skull is wearing pink bows! Feline Fido carries a large line of computer engraved pet id tags, including the skull & crossbones tags! Be sure to stop by if you looking for some punked out gear for feline or fido!

Friday, January 18, 2008

The 'cool factor' of barcode recycling...



By recommendation of a close friend who raved about how I must, must have a Nahui Ollin bag, I ordered a "Moonlight Barcodes Candy Wrapper Clutch" from Save the World Designs. I must admit, I was skeptical at first...a bag made out of candy wrappers? I just don't know. And, what did you say the name of these bags were? Nah-wa-what? After a quick google search I learned that Nahau Ollin is pronounced (Now-we-oh-lean). Okay, I was intrigued....

I also learned that every one of these candy wrapper purses is made from factory rejected candy bar wrappers that have never been used and would have otherwise ended up in landfill poluting the earth even more. Each bag uses up to 4,000 candywrappers and some take up to FOUR DAYS to make. What a fab way of recycling!!

After sifting through several photos of the different candy wrapper bags, I settled on the idea of the nifty looking barcode wristlet. I am forever darting out the door with my coach wristlet dangling from my left arm, so it was a sensible choice. Did I mention, I have also had a tiny obsession with barcodes since childhood? Maybe it was due to my infatuation with playing "store".

So just a few hours after my friend shared this interesting tidbit with me about these fascinating candy wrapper purses, I took the plunge and ordered one from Savetheworlddesigns.com. Boy am I glad I did! I'm not sure if I should rave more about the bag by Nahui Ollin, or the personalized service from Karen at Save the World Designs. Both are amazing. Only two days after clicking the 'send my order button' I came home to find a package sitting on my doorstep.


Being a self-proclaimed purse-a-holic, with a closet full of designer bags from floor to ceiling, I was truly amazed at what was inside this package. The craftsmanship is superb...the design is genious and this thing puts my dinky coach wristlet to shame. As excited as I was, I couldn't wait to email the company and tell them how pleased I was. As a small business owner myself, I know first hand how much I appreciate every email compliment from my customers!

Well, to ice the cake, I got a quick, personable reply from Karen. What a nice gal! If any of you are as intrigued as I was about these hot new eco-friendly candy wrapper purses, definitely head over to Save the World Designs, they have a great selection, awesome service and their prices were lower than many of the other sites selling the same exact products!

Now excuse me while I go save the world, one candy wrapper purse at a time!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

2008 rings in lots o' new Feline Fido pet products!


Wow, we have been super busy. We've crafted quite the selection of Valentine's Day and St. Patty's Day collars and leashes! Be on the look out for our irish dog collars in the next issue of Dog Fancy Magazine! We've also been having a 'whale of a time' whipping up some new preppy novelty style dog collars. We just added some preppy alligator, whales and martini dog collars to the store!