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Making an international move can be both exciting and tiring. There are so many things to remember, that it sometimes seems as though the days run together. Just when things start to fall together, something else doesn’t work out and it’s easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed. However, one area that you will want to pay close attention to is moving your pets. To many people, their pets are like members of the family. However, every country has their own laws regarding the importation of animals. Therefore, perhaps these tips can help you get more organized as you prepare to move your pets to your new home abroad.

1) Plan ahead. Just like everything else with moving overseas, it takes time. Nothing moves too quickly in this process and moving your pets to a country overseas is no different. Get all of the information you can, write everything down as you talk to various people and most importantly, be patient.

2) Find out rather or not your pet is allowed into your new country. Some countries won’t allow pets into their country at all. Other countries will allow it, but there are certain papers, requirements, etc. Find out exactly what is involved before you plan to move your pet.

3) Find out the requirements of your new country. Every country has their own set of rules and regulations for moving pets. For example, if you move your pets to England, your pets must have a six month quarantine period, micro-chipping, blood testing and up-to-date shots. You have to take specific routes and airlines. There also has to be last minute testing for ticks and tapeworm. And all of this is just for England! So, be sure and check for your specific country. There are also some excellent websites that will give information regarding the transporting of pets to other countries.

4) See your veterinarian to get the required vaccinations, health certifications, and advice. Most countries require at least a Veterinary Import Permit or certificate from your veterinarian to prove that your pet has been vaccinated recently and is free from all parasites or infections. Also, your veterinarian is who you need to see to get a microchip implanted into your pet, which is a requirement in some countries. Be sure and get a list of every document you will need in your new country. Do not depend on your vet to know this, as something could easily be missed and the moving of your pet can be delayed.

5) Learn if there are quarantine laws in effect for incoming pets. This is probably one of the biggest factors for moving your pet that you will have to consider. Your pet may have to be quarantined for up to six months within a facility in your new country. Make sure you understand everything about your new country’s quarantine laws, as this whole process can be stressful to both pets and their owners.

6) How will you move your pet? Most people who used to move their pets sedated them to help make the flight less stressful. However, there have been some problems with sedation and even though the move may be stressful, the majority of people agree that it’s safer than sedating them. Some pets have had breathing problems due to the sedatives and some pets have even died. These are areas that you can discuss with your veterinarian.

7) Will you be using a pet travel container? It is important to have a crate that is well ventilated and is large enough for your pet to sit, stand and lie down comfortably. Also, some air lines will allow your pet to travel in the airplane’s cabin, if the cage is small enough to fit under your seat. Otherwise, your pet will need to be flown in the cargo bay, so be sure and ask about the air pressure and temperature in that area of the plane. Be sure and find out the requirements of your airlines, as they also vary in what animals they allow and the sizes of the cages.

8) Count the cost. It is pricey to ship animals overseas for many reasons. The vaccinations, certificates, quarantine costs and other unavoidable expenses can add up rather quickly. Even the airline cost for moving your pet can be expensive, depending on where the pet will be during the flight and the size of the crate.

9) Consider a pet relocation service. There are many good services that are specifically for helping you relocate your pets. Often, these services will actually save you money in the long run because they know the best deals and can lead you through the process in the right manner.

10) Your pets will be stressed too. When you finally move your pets, be sure and take along some of their favorite items, such as toys and blankets. Remember that your pet will be in a new place, so be sure and keep them in the house or fenced in so they don’t run away.

It’s true that there are many things to consider when you want to move your pets, and it can actually be discouraging. Only you know how important the companionship of your pet is to you, and that makes it all worthwhile. It helps to remember that you and your pet will soon be settled in your new home.

Throughout history the Greyhound has been the darling dog breed of royalty and nobility. From the ancient Egyptians, who often mummified and buried favored dogs with their owners; to the English nobility who enacted a law banning so fine a beast from being owned by mere commoners. Even the Bedouin (who as devout Muslims shun dogs in general for supposedly being unclean) since time immemorial have so revered the Greyhound (or its derivative or ancestor) that not only was contact permitted, they even allowed the consumption of game caught by such dogs.

Fast forward to today and it is hard to believe that this dog breed once held such an esteemed position. Currently over 100,000 Greyhound dogs are destroyed each year worldwide, as a result of the cruel sport of dog racing!

In times long past a messenger carrying both good news and bad always supplied the good news first in order to lessen the effect of the bad news and thereby increase his chances of living to see another day (hence the expression: Don’t shoot the messenger!) So borrowing from that tactful approach, this article shall address the Greyhound’s glorious past first before covering its dismal present:

The Greyhound is a dog that stands apart from the other dog breeds not only for the fact that it happens to be the speed champion of the dog world but also because it holds an unparalleled array of records which include:

1. The fastest dog in the world across short distances: the Greyhound dog can attain speeds in excess of 40 mph (64km/h)

2. It has the longest stride of any dog breed whilst it is in full flight. One Greyhound dog is on record of having covered a distance of 30 feet (9.14m) in a single leap. The Greyhound’s sprint is described as a double flight gait which involves the dog at some point having all of its feet off the ground. When a Greyhound dog is sprinting it propels itself first with its hind legs and then momentarily lands on its front feet before cantilevering off those while reaching forward with its hind feet (at which point for an instant all four feet are off the ground).

This double-flight gait is extremely fast but also very unstable which explains the many injuries that befall racing Greyhounds. The Cheetah which is the fastest mammal on earth has a somewhat similar sprint pattern which also entails the Cheetah’s four limbs being fully off the ground at some point. The Greyhound however is no match for the Cheetah which can attain speeds of 70 mph (114 km/h) and maintain that speed for 3.5 miles!

Though the Greyhound cannot match the Cheetah’s speed, it obviously is no slow coach either and the reason why this dog breed can attain such speeds (other than its obvious aerodynamic-enhanced morphological structure and muscle mass) is because it packs so much hemoglobin in its blood. Those elevated levels of hemoglobin ensure the transfer of more oxygen to the tissues which also bestows the Greyhound dog’s blood with a sludge-like quality (thick blood). If the human heart were to attempt pumping such a thick mixture of blood it would most likely go into failure.

3. The Greyhound boasts the longest documented history of any dog breed. Ancient drawings and records place the Greyhound dog as a distinctive breed over 6000 years ago.

4. The Greyhound is the most expensive dog breed; it is not unusual for champion racing Greyhounds to command a price tag in excess of $70,000!

5. The Greyhound dog is the one breed that has been most favored by royalty and the aristocracy throughout all of dog history. In fact so much so was this dog breed viewed as the epitome of canine excellence that a law was passed in England in 1014—part of the Forest Laws—which categorically forbade commoners to own a Greyhound dog! Those persons other than nobility who were permitted to own a Greyhound, such as Freemen, could only do so, so long as the dog was deliberately maimed if they lived within 10 miles of a royal forest.

Interestingly enough, royal households used to employ select dog-mutilators whose job was to rove around the countryside ensuring that nobody not born of noble birth or titled by the king was in illegal possession of a greyhound dog that was not lamed! However, as the acreage of the great forests dwindled, and with the rising importance of agricultural and domestic livestock food sources, the function of the Greyhound dog declined correspondingly! Even so the Greyhound still remained the favorite dog of the landed gentry especially as the popularity of hare coursing grew. By the 1800s hare coursing had become a favored pastime of the upper classes in England.

Greyhound Dog: Origins & History

The Greyhound dog is evidently a breed of antiquity stretching back thousands of years. There are several references from many ancient cultures citing the Greyhound throughout history. Although many dog books note the Greyhound dog as having originated in Britain this is very unlikely. It would be more accurate to concede that the Greyhound in its modern form most closely resembles the dog that was selectively gene-trait refined according to English standards.

Historical data tends to suggest that the Greyhound evolved from early Sighthounds that existed in ancient Egypt. Paintings, decorations, and other artifacts from early Egyptian culture celebrate a dog very similar in appearance to the Greyhound. Indeed several pharaohs are known to have owned Greyhound-looking dogs. Some of the pharaohs included: Cleopatra (yes the seductive femme fatale), Tutankhamen, Queen Hatshepsut, to name but a few. The Greyhound also so happens to be the only dog breed to be mentioned by name in the Bible (Proverbs 30:29-31, King James Version). Ancient Greek and Roman mythology is rife with tales describing Greyhound-like dogs.

It is not unreasonable to speculate that the ancient Greeks attained their first Greyhound specimens (or at least its progenitor) from Egyptian merchants. In Greek mythology their gods were often portrayed with Greyhounds. The Romans in turn probably first stumbled across the Greyhound via their interaction with the Greeks. However it is equally possible the Romans got their original hounds from the Celts, seeing as the well regarded Roman authors, Ovid and Arrian often referred to the Greyhound as a Celt Hound. However, whatever the Greyhound’s origins, what is known is that since its earliest affiliation with humans, this dog breed has wowed mankind the world over with its speed and agility, most notably through the sport of coursing. Hare coursing is an old sport practiced since the time of the Romans who probably exported it to Britain when they invaded.

Strangely enough it appears that the Romans were much more sporting than their modern dog-racing counterparts, with respect to the welfare of both the dogs and hares involved in the coursing event, as amply illustrated by the following excerpt written by Roman Flavius Arrianus (Arrian) in 124 AD: “The true sportsman does not take out his dogs to destroy the hares, but for the sake of the course and the contest between the dogs and the hares, and is glad if the hare escapes…whoever courses with greyhounds should neither slip them near the hare, nor more than a brace (two) at a time.” Simply put, no more than two dogs were to be used in the chase and they were not to be released too close to the hare!

The Many-Named Dog

Across the breadth of time the Greyhound dog has been designated almost as many names as the number of years for which the breed has existed (okay…I’ll admit that’s a bit of an exaggeration but you get the point). In the English language alone, the Greyhound has had at least 50 names. Unsurprisingly there has been considerable debate concerning the meaning of the various names:

1. Grewhound; the “Grew” portion of the word meaning “Greek.” A similar but variant school of thought postulates that the “Grew” was actually “Graius” which still means Greek; again these old English names tend to lend credence that the Greyhound originated elsewhere other than Britain.

2. Greyhounds are certainly anything but grey so it is highly unlikely that the word ever reflected the breed’s color. Some believe that the “grey” in Greyhound was once “grei” which meant beautiful.

3. Great Hound; another school of thought speculates that the Greyhound was once known as the Greathound (the name evidently reflecting the dog’s exalted status in gentrified society) but as time progressed the term somehow mutated into “greyhound.”

The few examples above are a minuscule sampling of the various names the Greyhound has been called at one time or another during history in some variation of the English language.

The Harsh Unforgiving World Of Greyhound Dog Racing

It truly is hard to imagine how so exalted a dog breed could end up where it is today—slaughtered in the thousands each year. This is all the more shocking when one considers that at some point in Greyhound dog history it was a crime punishable by death to kill one (during the reign of King Canute). However currently each year thousands upon thousands of Greyhounds are destroyed, a good number before they’ve even attained the tender age of 2 years!

The reason for this mass slaughter can be defined in 3 words: Greyhound Dog Racing! Every year the Greyhound dog racing industry breeds several thousand dogs, far more than the number that get to compete. The reason for this over breeding—ambitious Greyhound dog breeders looking for that elusive but ever so lucrative champion dog racer! The dogs that don’t make the cut are typically destroyed or in some cases actually subjected to a fate worse than death!

The Greyhound dog racing industry certainly pulls no punches with respect to the maltreatment of animals. Since the inception of modern dog racing around the 1920s, the Greyhound (and affiliated industry animals that act as live bait) has suffered unimaginable cruelty; in this industry there is no reprieve or second chance and the vast majority of dogs never get to live anywhere near their expected life expectancy! Instead most dogs are befallen by anyone of the following fates:

1. Killed;

2. Experimented upon as a laboratory animal; the Greyhound’s superb physiology makes it a prime lab candidate for cardiovascular research;

3. Shipped abroad to countries such as China where animal cruelty laws are extremely lax (to say the least); and let’s not forget that dogs often end up on the dinner table there; and

4. Used as food fodder in commercial dog feed (euthanized pets are commonly recycled as commercial dog chow).

A very small percentage of lucky dogs eventually make the transition from Shelters/Rescue Home, to permanent adoption! One need only conduct a cursory search through online Greyhound Adoption centers to see just how bad the problem really is. And perhaps the most tragic aspect of this tragedy is that the Greyhound dog truly is a sweet-tempered and loving dog that some have described as the “speediest couch potato!”

Greyhound Dog Breed

Oftentimes considered the most intelligent of all breeds of dogs, the Border Collie originate in the English and Scottish border country, and is an excellent sheep herding dog.  They were plentiful in numbers in England and Scotland during the 1800s when they were used as fetching dogs in order to circle sheep herds and keep the animals close to the shepard. By 1873, sheepdogs known as Border Collies and became extremely well known when the breeds character was tested at the first official sheepdog trial in England.

The first known Border Collie on record, tested at this trial, was a male named Hemp.  He was used to sire more offspring and has oftentimes been referred to as the Father of Border Collies for this reason alone.  Hemp used a combination of eye contact and fear in order to herd the flock, and was considered the most intelligent dog of his day in the British Isles.

Despite the fact that the breed had been recognized since the 1800s, the name Border Collie was not deemed as the official breed name until 1915.  Sheepherders in the US who were in dire need of a smart herding canine welcomed the Border Collie with open arms upon their arrival in North America.  Unfortunately, where the AKC is concerned, they were never considered as a competitive show dog until the mid-1990s.

The two primary traits of the Border Collies personality are obediency and intelligence.  Unfortunately, if they are kept indoors to long and not tended to, they can become rather destructive in their efforts to entertain themselves and stimulate their brains. Additionally, the Border Collie at times will display an aloof, guarding type of behavior as they are extremely loyal and protective.  And this behavior is exhibited the moment a strange human, dog, or other animal gets too close to their masters.

Mental and physical stimulation on a day-to-day basis are critical issues with Border Collies and many breeders and dog experts have the tendency when appraising the dogs personality to say that the breed simply has a job to perform.  So they will take advantage of any such opportunity as it arises.  In so many words, this dog has been genetically programmed to perform a multitude of work functions.

Despite their desire to be indoors with their families, they are quite capable of tolerating mild to cooler weather conditions.  As the breed requires significant amounts of room to roam around for exercising, it is ill-advisable that you subject the dog to an apartment-like environment.  In fact, the more astute breeders will deter you from obtaining one if you reside in an apartment, condo, or studio-type residence.

Border Collies have been known to live as long as 15 years, but 12 years is their average lifespan.  Fortunately, there are no major health concerns with this breed so you do not have to worry about anything unforeseen arising during the dogs life.  The only issue on rare occasions is CHD – Coronary Heart Disease.  Minor health issues include CEA, hypothyroidism, lens luxation, OCD, PDA, PRA, and seizures, but these conditions are rare and seldom occur with any documented regularity.

Pet health insurance is the latest buzz word in pet care today. However, for all the hype that it’s making, it can’t magically make all your expenses go away. Before purchasing a pet health insurance plan, there are many aspects that need to be examined. This article outlines the most basic points one should think about before purchasing a pet health insurance plan.

Discount Plan vs. Comprehensive Insurance plan

Before signing anything on paper, pet owners should try to figure out what’s more suitable for their budgets. Pet health insurance plans usually come in two forms: a discount plan and a comprehensive insurance plan.

A discount plan has an easier scheme, which gives you annual discounts on veterinary fees. A comprehensive insurance plan may offer more benefits, but the scheme is similar to a human health insurance plan-which means that there are more conditions to follow.

Choosing your own Veterinary

Most pet health insurance plans may take away your privilege to choose your own veterinary. When shopping for an insurance plan, make sure you examine the clause which states this condition. Most pet owners feel more comfortable working with the vets they trust the most. However, cheaper pet health insurance plans may not have this option.

Period covered

Be very particular about the period that your pet health insurance plan covers. If you’re a pet owner of a new born pup, go for a pet health insurance that covers veterinary services immediately. There’s no use in investing too soon on a pet that’s not fully grown yet.

Exclusions

Like health insurance plans for humans, pet health insurance may have a number of exclusions. Most insurance companies would try to waive off illnesses which are common in some breeds. To take advantage of this situation, read up on the common illnesses experienced by your pet’s breed. This will prevent you from purchasing a useless insurance hyped up by a sweet mouthed insurance agent.

Routine treatment and check ups

A huge bulk of any pet owner’s pet care expenses come from routine treatments and checkups. Before signing any documents, you should be very particular about the services that are included in the package. A pet healthy insurance policy that covers most, if not all, of routine veterinary expenses is a better deal compared to a pet health insurance that only covers accidents and major illnesses.

Deductibles

Most pet health insurance would require its purchasers to make a down payment before rendering any services. Make sure that the benefit of the insurance plan is worth the deductible that you need to pay for it. An insurance agent may try to lure you with a lot of fluff during sales talk, but you need to be wiser and check if these promises are included in black and white.

Company’s reputation

Always make sure that the company who’s offering you a pet health insurance is reliable. Looking for reviews online is very helpful for someone who’s never heard of pet health insurance plans before. Agents are only too quick to prey on uninformed consumers.

Anaconda snakes, for sure, conjures up an image of a gigantic, black, serpentine creature slithering in mud and constricting a hapless creature to death. You are not to be blamed for this. Instead, blame those numerous movie directors and novelists who, thanks to their imagination or lack of it, portrayed these docile creatures as vileness epitomized.

Urban legends and rumors are awash with horror tales of anaconda snakes gobbling up innocent kids, regurgitating and re-swallowing their victims thereby giving them a slow and painful death and so on and so forth. So much for the creativity of human brain! Ask a biologist and you will get a drastically different image, an image of a docile, fearful and reclusive creature tucked away in the dense forests of South America.

Classified as members of the boa family, anaconda snakes represent one of the lowermost strata in the pyramid of evolution. Found naturally in the dense tropical forests of South America, these serpentine creatures are worlds one of the biggest constrictors. Anaconda snakes come in two distinct and attractive colors, dull yellow and green. Wet and tropical climates, dense forests and undergrowth, and abundance of food are what make the ideal habitat for these visually majestic snakes.

In this era of instant gratification and consumerism, you do not need to go all the way to the dense forests of Trinidad or the swamps of Amazon to achieve the glory of viewing an anaconda alive. Drive down to the nearest snake park, or even easier, search for a view of anaconda in many famous sites and you shall get to see many antics of this particularly gigantic snake head. However, to appreciate Mother Nature true wonders you have to get your boots dirty.

Anaconda snake viewing is one of the most exotic adventure tourism available to us. All you need to do is consult your travel agent, fix up a packaged tour, and get a guided tour of Amazon. With a little luck and some time, you can see not only live anacondas, but also experience anacondas in conjunction with their own, natural ecosystem. No amount of National Geography documentaries viewed in widest of the wide screen televisions can substitute the rush of adrenalin that you will get while watching a true anaconda snake attacking a wild pig.

Planning a trip to the exotic Amazons is easy enough. A little research on the internet will give you sufficient information to plan your trip depending on your appetite for adventure and precious time available with you. A session with your travel agent will further fine-tune the travel plan and will ensure that what you get dovetails with what you expect.

Starting from specialized and trained guides, to boutique hotels offering you unmatched view of the jungle, a whole industry is waiting to help you experience the nature in its purest form at the Amazons. Now get out of that couch and grab a ticket to the Amazons, for watching anaconda snakes in its natural habitat is a sight to remember.