Create the perfect pet for your Sims to train, play with, and love as their own. Get more info at www.TheSims2.com.

Danville officials: Lock up pets; boa constrictor on loose
DANVILLE The Danville Humane Society's director says residents should keep pets indoors until a boa constrictor that escaped is retrieved. Danville police say the 5-foot-long snake escaped Wednesday from its owner's car. Boa constrictors aren't poisonous. The snakes constrict and suffocate their prey.

Read more on The Virginian-Pilot

N.C. may allow dining with pets
Many N.C. restaurants allow pets to join diners on outdoor patios, even though food service regulations ban Fido or Fluffy. But that could change soon.

Read more on The Charlotte Observer

The jury is out on what constitutes the "best" pet for children. On one side of the fence are those who say that it is the independent cat; perfectly happy to allow themselves to be observed from a safe distance, and occasionally deigning to allow a small sticky hand to give them a pat. On the other side of the pet fence are the dog lovers, who claim that no childhood is truly complete without the lapping tongue of a four-legged pal. Of course, there are those people who suggest that the best pet is no pet at all, but let's ignore those people, shall we?

For apartment dwelling children, smaller pets are the best, and are, often times, the only choice. Fish are beautiful and relaxing to watch, but do not really give the whole pet experience. Small birds can be trained to sit on a gentle finger, but are susceptible to colds and drafts and are messy beyond belief, something you might consider if you are a true neatnik. The rodent family offers many different types of options, some better choices than others. Rats are smart, if you can get past the fact that they are, well, rats. They can also be surprisingly affectionate and are rather easy to care for. Not ready to swallow your loathing of rats? Guinea pigs are another option to consider- less rat-like, the sweet natured guinea pig can be a really great first pet for most children to start with. The only thing to remember about them is the need for daily vitamin C to prevent scurvy.

If space is not a consideration and the entire family is in agreement, then a dog is a good choice as well. Remember that there are many factors to consider when choosing a dog breed, but there are several that will fit in with virtually any family. These include the gentle pug, the intelligent beagle and the ever-popular Golden Retriever. Of course, all families are encouraged to check their local shelter for their new family member first.

And, in the interest of fairness, there is the cat. Often given a bad rap for being too aloof, the cat is a very good pet, especially for those families that are involved in lots of activities. Properly fed, a cat will not really pout and mope if he is left for long periods of time- he will content himself to curl up on your bed until you get home. No matter what pet the family chooses, make sure it is a safe, loving choice for everyone, including the child that will bond with it stronger than anyone else in the household.

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There are some differences when keeping snakes as pets or as breeders. SnakeBytesTV will show you some of those differences as well as share a few tips to help get them to breed. Tweet me at: www.twitter.com Join the community at: www.snakebytestv.ning.com

The term "exotic pets" leads many people to think of expensive, hard to manage and maintain animals that try hard to escape and want only to eat your family. This is not necessarily true; the category encompasses a whole lot of much smaller, and family friendly pets. Cats and dogs are nice family pets, but are not always a real viable option. Apartment dwellers might find it easier to keep a small, exotic pet, and in fact, in some buildings certain types may be the only ones allowable.

Some of the best and most popular exotic pets for children are some of the simplest to care for. Look for the animals that are most child friendly, which would rule out any potentially poisonous, feistier than average or Houdini-esque pets. Keep to the ones that have at least a modicum of the cute factor to them, and always keep in mind that you are going to potentially be adopting this animal in a few weeks.

A great starter pet is a Guinea pig, especially for an older child, as long as the child is capable of dealing with some simple rules. A quiet, gentle child will find a guinea pig becomes fairly easy to handle with regular handling and they rarely bite unless frightened. Guinea pigs are also fairly inexpensive, needing only a basic cage, some clean fresh bedding and an easy to find diet. They do require Vitamin C because they are prone to scurvy, but can get that from the same fresh fruits and vegetables that your family is already eating.

Other rodents are fairly good choices as starter pets, but each have their own benefits and drawbacks to consider. Rats might creep out some family members, but are remarkably intelligent and have been known to bond with their human keepers with consistent, gentle handling. Some rodents are best kept in a pair, while others are better kept as single pets, so make sure you know which is which.

If buying a rodent for a pet is just more than you can really handle, there are other exotic pet options that are still small and relatively easy to care for. Smaller birds like the finch and parakeet are very good starter animals, although are a lot more fragile than the rodent groups. Birds are best left for the older child. Another option is lizards and snakes. Some are kind of hard to maintain and need a lot of work to care for. Remember, the larger the reptile or amphibian, the larger the cage and the more intensive the "zoo-keeping." Keep in mind the snake's diet before you allow him to slither home with you.

Finally, if you truly want a low maintenance, nearly hands off pet, consider the hermit crab or the Madagascar hissing cockroach. Neither really needs a lot of human interaction, both only need a small space and will not pout if their keepers ignore them for days on end.

Pets need a little help to beat the heat
Man’s best friend may not be human, but sometimes he should be treated as such. Seguin Animal Hospital veterinarian Bill Campaigne said animals can suffer from heat exhaustion just like people, and can be treated in a similar fashion.

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Save The Pets Alliance and Harry Chapin need help
The Save the Pets Alliance was started to provide the food and supplies necessary to keep pets in their homes, rather than in shelters.

Read more on The News-Press