Sweet Pets

Many people now prefer to sponsor an animal in addition to - or rather than - having their own pet. And this is good news! Sponsoring an animal has many benefits - both to the person who is taking out the sponsorship and the organisation - and the animal - being sponsored.

So how does it work? Basically, sponsorships of an animal, whether it be a lion or orang-utan, a donkey, rabbit or a rodent tend to be run by animal welfare organisations such as charities and other non-profit concerns.

Benefits for the sponsor

People tend to take out a sponsorship for one of three reasons:

1. As a gift for someone for Christmas or their birthday
2. Where a person would really love a pet but does not have the space or the time for them
3. Where they want to help animal charities or a cause (such as saving endangered species)

Of course, there will be the ‘feel-good’ factor thrown in on top of this well, giving people the satisfaction that they are actually making a difference to the lives of animals, whether it be an endangered species or a rescued domestic pet.

With most sponsorships, you will receive a certificate to show that you have sponsored the animal and normally a glossy photo. Some organisations will send you a newsletter to update you on your sponsored animal or maybe a small gift - these tend to vary from sponsorship to sponsorship.

Some places - such as wildlife parks - allow you to sponsor an animal and will then put a plaque on the cage with your name on it.

The cost of a sponsorship will vary too, from a small minimum donation to a set fee.

Benefits for the organisation/charity

For the organisation, running a sponsorship programme has immense benefits. It can help build a rapport with the general public as well as getting the message of the cause across.

Once a sponsorship programme is set up and all the hard work is done in arranging the photographs and certificates (or whatever their particular sponsorship features), a sponsorship programme is easy to run and manage. It also leaves the door open for further contact in the future.

Of course the main reason why sponsorship programmes are run is to bring in money to help pay for costs - but rather than asking people for a one-off donation where the person feels that they have paid out money but not got anything back, a nice sponsorship package adds value.

This means people are more likely to come back again and take out another sponsorship or buy an additional one for a friend or loved one.

It may not bring in big bucks for the organisation concerned, but the combined factors of having that ongoing almost personal communication with the sponsor (for example, in the form of a quarterly update) means that they are more likely to stay loyal to your concern and give further support in the future.

Overall, sponsorship of an animal is a win-win situation for everyone concerned - to least the small furry or the big lion who is being sponsored!

About the Author: Jason Hulott is co-founder of CavyRescue (registered charity number 1111583) which is the UK’s first and only dedicated http://www.cavyrescue.co.uk rat rescue charity. Set up in 1999, the aim of the charity is to educate individuals and organisations on small animal healthcare and welfare and they regularly run successful campaigns to this effect.

You are the proud owner of a parrot and you are looking for a toy for your pet. The offer of parrot toys on the market is huge, so how do you know which parrot toy is safe for your pet? Because you should be aware that some of them are dangerous for pets as they may hurt them. Therefore, an important parrot care issue is its toys.

The first aspect you should take into consideration when buying a parrot toy is the size of the toy and the size of the pet. Basically the parrot toy should fit the size of your parrot. Why is that? Well, because a big size parrot is strong and can easily break a small toy into pieces which can be easily ingested by your pet. Therefore, try to avoid small parrot toys if your pet is big. You should know that nowadays there is a large array of big parrot toys which are made from thick plastic, perfect for a big strong-beaked parrot.

Things aren’t easy with small parrots wither. A small size parrot can be afraid of a big toy so try to fit the size of the toy to the one of the pet. If you can’t tell which parrot toy is good for your pet, look at the label or ask for more information.

Another important aspect is the type of the parrot toy. You should avoid buying parrot toys which are made out of small pieces as the parrot can remove them and, consequently digest them. Remember that a parrot has a strong beak therefore any piece which is bite-size for the parrot should not be on the toy.

A parrot toy is usually hanging on some chains. These chains can represent a possible danger for the health or life of your pet. How is this possible? Well, chains come in two types: the chains with welded links (which are safe for your parrot) and the chains with closed links (which are not safe). The parrot may try to open up the link which is not weld and its beak would get stuck in that space. The parrot may get hurt while trying to release itself. Consequently, examine carefully the chains attached to your parrot toys.

But the chains are not the only dangerous pieces of a parrot toy. Parrot toys made out of wood may also be dangerous. Therefore, wood is another important aspect to think of. Parrots are birds which love to chew wood. They do this to find bugs hidden inside the tree bark in the woods. So a parrot will always start chewing a toy made out of wood. Some types of wood are not good for parrots, so you should check the internet for a list of parrot-safe wood.

Parrots are also birds which enjoy preening and grooming. Their instinct is telling them to constantly pick or even chew their feathers. This is not a healthy habit for your pet. So you should buy a chew rope, which is a very useful parrot toy as it allows your pet to exercise its habit every day without causing any problems to itself. But pay attention to the deterioration of the toy as it gets extremely ragged and worn out. Replace it with a new toy as the clumps may cause accidents to your pet. Your parrot could catch its feet into the clumps and could get hurt while struggling to escape.

In conclusion, there is only one rule to apply for this parrot care issues: whenever shopping for a parrot toy use the common sense rule. If you look at a parrot toy and it doesn’t seem safe, don’t buy it. Don’t buy any parrot toys which can get ingested or which can get a foot or a beak caught inside them. And always examine the parrot toys carefully before putting them into your pet’s cage.

And if your parrot is ignoring its new, shiny toy, don’t worry. It doesn’t hate it, it is just being cautious. Parrots don’t like change, like most pets. And a new toy represents an unexpected change for their habitat. Therefore, the toy must be put under strict observation to make sure it is not a possible enemy. After two or three weeks of monitoring the intruder (the toy) the parrot will gain confidence into its new toy and it will start playing with it!

If you have a parrot and you want to know all the parrot care secrets that you need too keep him happy and healthy then you have to join us at the parrot care information center. You will find out useful things about parrot food, parrot health, parrot breeding and best parrot toys suggestions.