Pets Plus Us funds HomeSafe™ Recovery Services for all Canadians

PRESS RELEASE

CALGARY, AB - PetLynx Corporation is pleased to appoint Pets Plus Us as the new Sponsor of the HomeSafe™ Recovery Service.

As sponsor of the HomeSafe™ Recovery Service, Pets Plus Us is funding free recovery services (lost and found) to all Canadians. Now when Canadians lose or find a pet, the HomeSafe™ recovery service provides them with a place to post pictures, automated searches of shelters and pounds, printable posters and the very unique DataSketch™ technology that creates searchable digital profiles of the animals involved. 

Pets Plus Us already has a world-class reputation as the Champion of Pet Owner Happiness. All Pets Plus Us customers will receive a complimentary subscription to the HomeSafe™ Animal Record which stores all pet information online for the benefit of pet owners and authorized service providers.  This is in addition to the PetHub tag customers receive as a part of their Blue Ribbon Benefits. Blue Ribbon benefits are provided to all customers which also include thePetHelpFone, Compassionate Care Line, Pet Poison Helpline and other pet services.  

"We strongly believe pet registration is key to reuniting pets with their owners if they ever become separated," said Randy Valpy, Pets Plus Us Top Dog. "It's why we include the HomeSafe™ Animal Record program as part of our coverage."

Today, the HomeSafe™ portal provides recovery services to more than 350 Canadian communities. Since May of 2006 when HomeSafe™ launched online, the automated recovery service has assisted the Canadian public in more than 295,000 recovery episodes. In many cases lost pets are returned to their owners within hours of being reported lost. The Pets Plus Us sponsorship ensures the Canadian public will continue to be served promptly with the best automated recovery technology in the world. 

"By adding the strength of the Pets Plus Us brand to the HomeSafe™ Automated Recovery Service, we continue our tradition of service and underwrite our vision: Lifetime protection for Pets...  Peace of mind for people," said Larry R. Evans, CEO of PetLynx Corporation.

Pets Plus Us launched in the Canadian market in 2013 with a re-imagined pet health insurance model that includes Canada's first Wellness-only plan. High in their priorities is the support of a dynamic community that can empower pet owners to make the right choices regarding the wellbeing of each pet. This support of the HomeSafe™ recovery service positions Pets Plus Us as a world-class leader in the Urban Animal industry. Pets Plus Us is a founding member of the Alliance for Urban Animals, an industry group creating healthy communities for pets and people. Pets Plus Us is a division of RSA Canada, a leading home, auto, lifestyle and commercial insurer in Canada. 

ABOUT PETLYNX: The HomeSafe™ recovery service and pet owner portal is owned by PetLynx Corporation. The PetLynx Utility is a registry of Urban Animals that offers recovery services, medical records and connectivity to all registered service providers in the Urban Animal industry. PetLynx services are delivered across the Internet to all entities in a community, from pet owners to shelters, pounds, breeders, retailers and veterinarians. The PetLynx Utility is a proven game changer that in 13 years has registered nearly 10% of the total cats and dogs in Canada as well as the active consumers who own them. PetLynx is the largest, fastest growing and most recognizable pet service brand in Canada.

ABOUT PETS PLUS US: Pets Plus Us is on a crusade to create pet owner happiness. We've reimagined pet insurance with vet-designed coverage and Canada's first Wellness-only plan. We're also building a dynamic community that's empowered to make responsible choices for their pets' wellbeing. Pets Plus Us is a division of Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada and its products are offered and underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada.

"SAMMY" -- ONE YEAR LATER

A DIFFERENT KIND OF STORY
 

In the fall of 1998, a mouse ran across our kitchen floor, ... we decided that we needed a cat! We drove to the SPCA. My son's girlfriend said "look, he's so cute!" We took SAMMY, a little orange and white tabby,  home.

That Christmas, my visiting daughter fell in love with Sammy. I wrapped his papers and put them under the Christmas tree. They left, driving 1000 miles North. When my daughter's first child was expected, she brought Sammy back to "Mom" in S.E. Edmonton.

Thank You for Caring for Cats!

 

"We are only one month into the 2011 Year of the Cat (YOC) campaign and already we have made significant progress!" says Judi Cannon, Collaboration Manager Care for Cats. "Reports about the Year of the Cat have appeared in dozens of newspapers, websites and other media outlets in the past four weeks. As a ‘behind-the-scenes’ member of the Care for Cats Committee, I extend a heart-felt THANK YOU to everyone involved with this important project for making this progress possible."

In the months leading up to the official YOC launch on January 5th, Canada’s companion animal industry rallied together in an amazing spirit of collaboration and commitment. Although we are still in the early stages of the program, all indicators are that we are moving in the right direction. Our combined efforts are creating a heightened awareness about the plight of cats in our communities and the industry is combining resources to insure a successful project. Well done!

Wackiest Pet Names of 2010

For many pet owners the names 'Max' and 'Bailey' may sound mundane and  simply boring. In order to pay homage to those who take pride in their pets’ unconventional names, Veterinary Pet Insurance set out for the third year in a row to find the 50 most unusual dog and cat names in the United States.

VPI employees selected the most unusual dog names from the company’s database of more than 470,000 insured pets, and narrowed them down by voting for the 50 most unusual names in each category.

Some of the funny names for dogs included: Pickle Von Corndog, Bettie Poops and Virginia Woof.  

Wacky cat names were Bing Clawsby, Cleocatra and Chairman Meow.

 

Does your pet have a funny name?

Share it with PetLynx HomeSafe followers!

Comment below or send us an email.

Read more funny pet names HERE.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Lost, Found and Retuned Safe and Sound

... thanks to the kind-hearted folks at Petsecure

In early December, Petsecure Pet Insurance, one of PetLynx Corporation's industry partners, sent us this wonderful story of how they helped a lost dog.

It's such a great story ... we want to share it with you!

Meet ‘Bosco’, Petsecure pet insurance’s lost and found pup! We’re not sure what his real name is though we nicknamed him Bosco’for the 6 hours he spent with us in the office!

Early this week, Bosco was found unleashed and dodging traffic down one of Winnipeg’s busiest streets during early morning rush-hour. With her quick thinking, one of our employees managed to get a hold of the dog and brought him into our office, away from the -20 temperature and the slippery streets.

Loyal Dog HomeSafe After Auto Accident

Photo credit: Love Me Tender Animal Rescue Website

PetLynx was not involved with the amazing pet recovery story, but we know it is a story you will enjoy!

This dog's love of and loyalty to her family is showcased in a heart-warming  CBS News Assignment America video.

This Rottweiler, named Ella, was rescued from the side of a highway by a volunteer from Love Me Tender Animal Rescue in Tennessee,  is a true testament to the depth of the human-companion animal bond.

Here is an update about Ella from Love Me Tender's Website:

"THANK YOU! We want to thank everyone who wrote in response to the recent story on CBS News.  We very much appreciate your taking the time to find us, and the animals in our community thank you too!

Ella is still with Kathy, and spends several hours a day in group play with the other rescued dogs at Love Me Tender Animal Rescue.

Our thanks go to the American Humane Society for the grant to help with Ella's medical care.  We are very grateful for their help and for all the wonderful work they do to help animals."

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Did you miss the 'Cat Crazed' Documentary on CBC?

As a proud sponsor of Care for Cats and the 2011 Year of the Cat initiative, PetLynx Corporation encourages people in the community and those working in the companion animal industry  to become part of the conversation to change public perceptions about cats.

To gain insight into the magnitude of the cat overpopulation crisis in Canada watch the CBC TV Doc Zone special 'Cat Crazed' on line.

Interested in being part of the solution to the cat overpopulation crisis? Participate in the 2011 Year of the Cat initiative.

Learn about the International Summits for Urban Animal Strategies.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Companion Animal Industry Rallies Together to Tackle Cat Overpopulation Crisis

2011 is declared ‘The Year of the Cat’ —
launching a nation-wide campaign
to encourage people to treat cats like dogs

Conversations about the cat crisis in Canada that started at the International and Regional Summits for Urban Animal Strategies have evolved into an unprecedented national campaign to tackle the cat overpopulation crisis and raise the social status and value of cats in our communities.

At the 2009 Summits for Urban Animal Strategies (ISUAS), Dr. Elizabeth O’Brien, one of only four Board Certified Feline Specialists in Canada, was one of the featured speakers. She showcased a successful Year of the Cat education campaign created by the Hamilton-Burlington SPCA. Enthused by the support she received at the ISUAS and the Regional Summits, Dr. O’Brien agreed to become the spokesperson for a national Care for Cats committee. The Year of the Cat campaign is the committee’s first project. Coincidentally, 2011 is officially the Vietnamese Year of the Cat.

A Happy Holiday HomeSafe Story

A Happy Holiday HomeSafe Story


Max, our 13-year-old Shepherd/Husky-cross, ran away from home on December 17th. The last time we saw him, he was running toward the bush behind our home. My partner and I followed what we thought were Max's tracks through the fields and bush for two hours without setting eyes on our dog.

Our search was was very frustrating. We eventually become separated ... and, miles from home, I fell in the frozen field and sustain a knee injury. I was driven home by a kind woman whose backyard I finally found myself in.

As soon I returned home I posted a missing dog report on PetLynx. Then, I spent a very long, very sad weekend thinking that old Max  -- who's sight and hearing are very poor -- had either frozen to death or may have been attacked by coyotes.

My partner never gave up hope that Max would find his way home. Eventually, he did .... but not on his own!

A school teacher had spotted Max walking down the middle of the highway, being dodged and honked at by passing traffic. She loaded him into her car and took him to the Dundas Animal Hospital were they sheltered him and searched for his owner. They found our report on PetLynx and called me Monday morning.

We are so grateful to ...
the woman who drove me home when I hurt my leg,
the teacher who rescued Max off the highway,
the people at Dundas Animal Clinic who cared for Max,
and the people at PetLynx for helping Max get home ... safe!

You are all truly Christmas angels and we cannot thank you enough!!!!

        Merry Christmas

        Susan and Max

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Injured Dog Struggles to Raise Litter of Five: Four Puppies and One Kitten!

At  PetLynx  Corporation we LOVE happy endings! So we are thrilled to share this amazing story from Edmonton, Alberta, of how love and family are important .... especially at Christmas!

She was a young, homeless single mom trying to raise her puppies, but true to the spirit of the season there was room for one more...

The badly injured  German Shepherd-cross was caring for her newborn puppies — and a kitten — on a central Alberta reserve when she was found by rescue volunteer Criss Gerwin.

Gerwing took the entire family to the Edmonton Humane Society, where veterinarians thought they'd have to amputate the mother dog's bad leg. But local vet, Dr. Milton Ness, Capilano Veterinary Clinic, volunteered to do a special surgery that saved her hind quarter.

The dog is expected to fully recover.  She, her puppies and her kitten may soon be available for adoption. Her new name -- Esperanza -- bodes well for her and her furry family's future — it means "hope" in Spanish.

Check out this amazing rescue story in the Winnipeg Free Press

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Dog Rescues Human

In the spirit of love and compassion that is the foundation of the Christmas season, we share the following adoption story as a way to acknowledge and thank people across Canada who work tirelessly to rescue and re-home lost, abandoned and abused animals.

In the companion animal industry we always talk about humans adopting animals... but in many cases it is the animals who give unconditionally of their love and are our salvation. Enjoy this adoption story from an dog's point of view! 

Merry Christmas from PetLynx Corporation

I RESCUED A HUMAN TODAY. 
 

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.

Lost Cat Returned to Family after 2-1/2 Months

Another heart-warming HomeSafe story!

Saturday evening of the Labour Day long weekend I saw an orange cat hanging around in the dark in a big parking lot at a mall. I happened to have a can of cat food with a flip lid in the car, so I laid an open can down for him. He scurried right over and gobbled it up.

The cat was so hungry I knew that he must be lost... so I took him home, kept him safe in my garage, then posted his information on PetLynx and Kijiji. I knew I couldn't keep him as I already have three cats of my own.

If I couldn't find the owner, I had planned to take him to a neighbourhood vet clinic on Tuesday morning. On Monday, I received a welcome phone call and at 7:00 that night a man came over and identified the cat as 'Oliver'. His family was ever so grateful to have him back as he had been missing for two and a half months and they had assumed their much loved cat was dead!

I have since heard back from the family and was relived to hear that Oliver had settled back in nicely. Thank God for PetLynx! I had never used this service before. We have rescued and found homes for a number of cats over the years.... but this time it was so easy because of PetLynx! God bless you for your filling a much needed void the SPCA just can't match! 

Hooray! Deb E.

Calgary

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Lost, then Found, Thanks to PetLynx

Asha is a 9 year old, Shih Tzu but she looks and acts like a puppy. She has come to work with my husband and me since we opened our office in 2005. Our patients have come to expect seeing her as soon as they walk through the door, and as you might expect, Asha looks forward to seeing them, too

The day Asha went missing from our office was, by far, one of the worst moments of my life. We have had Asha since she was a puppy and I panicked at the thought of never seeing her again. Of course, worst case scenarios immediately ran through my head!

Petsecure Pet Insurance Ensures BC SPCA's Adopted Pets are "All taken care of

PetLynx Corporation is please to share some exciting news from one of our  industry partners!

On November 29, 2010, Petsecure pet insurance and the BC SPCA are proud to announce a new partnership that will provide all cats and dogs adopted through the BC SPCA with a six-week trial of pet insurance through Petsecure's Adoptsecure Program.

Each pet adopted from any of the 36 BC SPCA branches across British Columbia will go home with a trial of Petsecure pet insurance for accidents and illness valued at up to $500.

Three cheers for PetLynx!

Our goal at PetLynx is to provide pet families with the best possible chance for recovering lost pets by automating real-time searches of registered admissions at emergency hospitals, shelters, clinics, and pounds, and by providing important recovery tools the whole community can access with a simple web browser.

Whether it is PetLynx Automatch technology that helps bring a lost pet home or not ... we love a good HomeSafe story! Here are a few recent short and sweet accolades for PetLynx:

Thanks for the PetLynx Team, I found my cat Taddy. What a great use of the computer! He is so happy to be at home, his behavior has changed, he even sleeps with me and the dog now.

     Harry

Thanks to PetLynx I have found my pet. She was accidentally locked in my neighbor's garage.

     Sandra

Maggie has been found. Thank you, PetLynx, for this service.
     Cecil

I have Elli back ... thanks to the PetLynx website ... though it was a poster on a mailbox that ultimately resulted in her return. :) Please update my 'lost' pet to 'found!

    Thanks
    Gord

Do YOU have a HomeSafe story to share? Email us today!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

More Short & Sweet HomeSafe Stories

PetLynx helps animal companions get home ... safe!


PetLynx turned out to be very successful for me as I found Oreo the very next night.  A lady had found him and posted it on PetLynx. Thank you very much for this site,  I didn't even know that it existed until my dog went missing.

    Sherry

I have PetLynx to thank for reuniting me and my pet! After three months of seemingly endless searching, within 5 minutes of posting her on PetLynx she was found! I was overjoyed with tears and was so happy to see my pet was safe. Thank you PetLynx and Calgary Animal Services. Without you I wouldn't have been able to find my cat :) .

   Kendra

Thanks to PetLynx I have my dog is now home safe and sound. I would like to thank you and your staff for a job well done. So, on behalf of Sheeba (my friend's dog which I lost) and myself, I'd like to thank all who helped with her safe return!

Pearl O.

Find out how PetLynx could help your pet get HomeSafe? Click here.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Cats need our help ... this is the help they need!

THE OPPORTUNITY: Care for Cats and the Year of the Cat are the first major initiatives resulting from ideas born at the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. This national program will enable all sectors of the companion animal industry to work together to tackle the cat overpopulation crisis while raising the social status and value of cats in our communities.

Care for Cats is a long-term project that will respond to the cat overpopulation crisis by creating and distributing public education programs and support materials, encouraging community collaboration across all industry sectors; providing accurate resources; and collecting and evaluating national metrics to measure success.

  We cannot expect to completely solve the cat crisis in a single year. Care for Cats was formed ... Year of the Cat is its first project.
Launch date: January 2011.

Happy, Healthy Cat Photo Contest!

At PetLynx Corporation we know that cats are much-loved and valued members of your family. So we want to share this good news about an exciting new photo contest!

America’s Golden Girl Betty White is joining forces with Sergeant’s® Pet Care Products and Morris Animal Foundation for the Happy, Healthy Cat Photo Contest.

The contest celebrates Morris Animal Foundation’s annual campaign to bring attention to feline health and features the wide range of products from Sergeant’s Pet Care that promote happier, healthier  lives for cats.

The contest runs October 26 to December 15, 2010. Enter @ sergeants.com

Tips to Keep Dogs HomeSafe

It is good to know what to do when you lose your dog ... but it is better to do your best to prevent your pet from getting lost in the first place!

Here are some valuable tips from PetLynx Corporation and the American Kennel Club:

Don't be a Fraidy Cat!

Entertain your friends and family this Halloween with these spooky dog tales from the good folks at Dogs in Canada Magazine.

Click here for some Halloween safety tips for people AND pets!

PetLynx wishes you a a safe and Happy Halloween.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor