by S. August Abbott (TheCaretaker)

Created on: November 21, 2008   Last Updated: January 13, 2009

Whether your pets are an extension of your family or the only family you have, we all tend to indulge them. We want the best for them when it comes their needs because it's relatively easy to make those provisions. Even the most expensive doggy coat or kitty collar, bird cage or ferret hut won't set you back the cost of college for four years or a new car. So with the ability to spoil our pets such a reasonable option, we hit the store aisles and web highway.

The other popular net option for pets is finding information, medical care options and other health supplies. Many of them are quite reliable with honest, professional guidelines, answers to your questions, care options and products you really do need. Many of them are selling items that are only necessary to make the seller richer.

I own an animal care organization and animal care ministry with a special focus on helping people who cannot afford to waste any portion of their income on nonsense. It's also extremely important to me that no animal suffers a moment of mistreatment due to bad advice, perpetuation of old wives tales or urban legends. Over the years I've found some websites that are so well put together and held to a higher standard enough to get my glowing seal of approval.

One thing I've continuously found is that some websites look unbiased, ethical, factual and very professional, right until I get to the bottom line. When they end up selling the very same product they spend a great deal of time recommending, outlining the benefits of and "debunking" the myths about, well, there's an ulterior motive. Money.

People don't realize that pets are considered nothing more than chattel. Property that we own. If and when a product harms our pets, as upset, heartbroken and devastated as we might be, there is very little we can do about it. For the most part, few lawyers find cases against pet product suppliers, manufacturers or providers are worthwhile. Again, money. The animal's life will only be worth their replacement value and that's only if the lawsuit ever gets that far.

No matter how much our companions mean to us; no matter how valued a member of the family they are, their lives come down to, "how much will it cost to get another one?"

With this in mind, please don't be so anxious to pursue advice, products and treatments you find on the internet. Surely you wouldn't trust your child's or any other human family member's life and wellbeing to someone online who will never be held accountable for

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