Leaf Them Alone - A leaf pile may look like an invitation to play, but it could be home to hazards, such as ticks or toxic toads, which enjoy the cool wetness the piles provide, or bees and wasps left homeless by seasonal plants.

School Spirit - Sending your kids back to school can be tough on your pet too. After a summer of fun, suddenly being left all alone at home can lead to separation anxiety, stress, shoe-chewing, rug-peeing and more troubling behavior. Learn how to help your pet cope with all the extra free time by brushing up on boredom busters.

Come Snail Away - Fading summer rains and cooler air temperatures can lead to soggy September gardens, which are perfect for snails. Unfortunately, many snail baits on the market contain ingredients such as metaldehyde, which is not only toxic to snails, but to pets too, even in very small doses. Play it safe by finding pet-safe alternatives to fight the slime.

Vets for Pets
(August blogs to boost your pet prowess!)

Gentle Giants -The bigger they are, the harder you fall for them. Large or giant breed dogs may look imposing, but there's more to them than meets the eye. Follow along as Dr. Mantione discusses the gentle nature of these lovable giants and the funny encounter she recently had with an English Mastiff, aptly named "Bear." Special thanks to Kathy Freeman for lending us a photo of Petplan-protected (and winner of the Pet's Eye View Camera contest) Renn!

Please Don't Go! - Leaving your pet at home alone is hard enough to do (especially when they look at you with those puppy dog eyes), but coming home to a disaster zone as a result is just downright frustrating. In this blog post, Dr. Mantione talks about separation anxiety - from both a veterinarian's and a pet parent's point of view - and how to cope.

Feeling hot, hot, hot -This summer saw record high temperatures in many parts of the country. While it may have been hard on us and our air conditioners, just imagine how hard it was on our fur covered companions! Did you know dogs can't even sweat to cool down? More importantly - did you know that it doesn't have to be that hot out for our pets to be at risk for heatstroke? Learn more about how the temperature affects your pet and how to prevent or treat heatstroke!

When Kitty Meets Mickey -Next time you plan to visit the Magic Kingdom, bring your pet along! Disney recently opened a brand new posh pet resort "tail-ored" to accommodate up to 270 dogs and 30 cats! Even better, the prices are super affordable. Learn more about Doggy Village and Kitty City at bestfriendspetcare.com.

Nose Fly Zone - Planning a trip with a pug? You may want to consider driving. Short snout breeds (aka brachycephalic) have accounted for about half the deaths of purebred dogs on airplanes over the past five years. Brachycephalic breeds have a harder time breathing and cooling themselves down because their airways are more compact, so a long flight in a warm cargo area can be trouble.

In our "vintage" issue of fetch! magazine we gave readers a chance to win a Pet's Eye View camera. All they had to do was send us their favorite pictures of their pet and tell us why he or she would make a great photographer. Of course, choosing just one winner was tough. So we picked three. Huge congratulations to Kathy Freeman and her unbelievably gorgeous English Mastiff puppy, Renn; Jannae DeSienna and her handsome 2-year-old Airedale Terrier, Kramer; and Sandra McGonigle and her two adorable (and adored!) boys Tucker and Jack - both Doxies who found their way to Sandra after being fostered by a local foster group, Foxy Doxie. We'll share all three winning stories in our next issue of fetch! magazine, due out at the end of November.

Model Behavior - Do you have a photo of your pet that's worth a thousand words (or ten)? If so, post a pic of your four-legged photo-worthy friend on our Facebook page for a chance for it to be captioned by fellow Petplan family members. Prizes will be awarded to the winning photos and captions! Now that's something to wag about!

Pawing it Forward -Two-year old Ricochet was originally raised to be a service dog, but he loved chasing squirrels too much! Now, Ricochet helps raise thousands of dollars each year for charitable causes as a SURFice dog. When he's not patrolling the beach for the next big wave, he's helping out at surfing and fundraising events to raise awareness for groups like the Association of Amputee Surfers. Visit surfdogricochet.com to see Ricochet in action.

Whine and Dine - Bringing home a treat for your best friend? Forget the doggy bag. Many restaurants are now catering to pets - literally. Some, such as Bahama Billy's Island Steakhouse in Carmel, CA, actually encourage patrons to dine in with their pets!

A Grey-t Reason to Give - Greyheart Greyhound Rescue and Adoption of Michigan, a nonprofit group that has rescued over 500 Greyhounds from racing tracks across the country in the past ten years, will hold their Annual Fundraising Clinic on September 12 in Northville, Michigan. The funds generated are used to help pay for the medical care incoming rescue Greyhounds need, as many of them suffer from bone and soft tissue injuries as a result of the racing. As many as five to eight thousand track dogs are euthanized each year, but thanks to your support, many are rescued and adopted out to loving families instead. Find out how you can support their cause at Greyheart.org.

Fluffy Football - Playing with the big (and little) dogs has never been such fun! Make your pet the MVP of any party. Perfect for everything from “Friday Night Lights” and “Monday Night Football” to the local Halloween festivities! Pet Halloween Fluffy Football Dog Costume, PetSmart.com.

The "Antser" to Ants - Tired of pesky ants that consider your pet's food a free meal? End their all-you-can-eat buffet with this pesticide-free ant-proof platform, large enough (9" x 13") to hold most feeders. The Antser, TheAntser.com.

Down, Set, Scratch! - Don't let kitty fool you, she's just as much a football fan as Fido. This season let her scratch away the quarters happily on a 100% recyclable football style scratcher, guaranteed to "go long," unlike your sofa cushions. Imperial Cat Football Combo, AllPetFurniture.com.

August Poll Results
What's your four-legged friend's favorite flick?
Marley and Me: 43%
101 Dalmatians: 30%
Milo and Otis: 27%

"Healthy Pet!"
Tell us what you do to keep your pet healthy and you could win your choice of a Kong Wobbler or a Planet Dog Fetch Ball!

August's Contest Winner
"There are many things we do to keep our three-year-old Goldendoodle, Monroe, healthy. In addition to an excellent dietary plan, Monroe gets plenty of exercise and interaction with others pups - like his friend (and fellow-Doodle) Kevin. The cherry on top is a game we play each morning called 'Where's Waldo.' I take Monroe through the house looking for 'Waldo' (my husband of 35 years). Before I open the bedroom door I whisper 'Where's Waldo?' in Monroe's ear - and off he goes! I feel these are the types of things that make him physically and mentally healthy, as well as the types of things that help enrich our human lives in countless ways. For us, one of the most important things is his Petplan health insurance plan. Without the confidence of knowing his medical care is secure, it would be difficult to watch Monroe be a 'Doodle' and not worry."
- Deborah Doodeman - Carmel, Indiana

Pet Stars - The HSUS recently launched a new Celebrity Supporter Facebook fan page which features live HSUS Twitter feeds, events, giveaways, photos and videos from celebrities who support The HSUS and their cause campaigns. It's the easiest (and most entertaining) way to stay in touch with pet loving Hollywood stars such as Kristen Bell, Pierce Brosnan, Sheryl Crow and more!

The information contained in this newsletter is for illustrative purposes only and coverage under any pet insurance policy is expressly subject to the conditions, restrictions, limitations, exclusions and terms of the policy documentation issued by the insurer. Availability of this program is subject to each state's approval and coverage may vary by state. Pet insurance policies from Petplan in the United States are administered by Fetch Insurance Services, LLC (Fetch Insurance Agency, LLC in Michigan) and underwritten by AGCS Marine Insurance Company, a member of the Allianz Group, and North American Elite Insurance Company, all rated A or A+ by A.M. Best.