Two brand new, state-of-the-art pet Best Friends Pet Resorts open this month: one in Pineville (Charlotte), N.C. and the other in Indianapolis, IN. "These new resorts combine the best of the hospitality industry with the highest quality standards in pet care," says Dan Charleton, Chief Marketing Officer of Best Friends Pet Care, Inc. "They are more than just kennels. They are full-service facilities offering top-quality dog and cat boarding and day care, grooming services, dog training, and a retail boutique, along with pet owner education and advice Ð all in a state-of-the-art building never seen in either community before." Each resort is a two-story, 17,000-square-foot facility designed to accommodate up to 230 cats and dogs. The buildings, constructed with special materials, are clean, odor- and sound-proofed, flea-free and offer the highest level of comfort for pets.

With the addition of these two new resorts, Best Friends chain of quality pet resorts includes 38 locations in 17 states. A resort in Greenville, SC is slated to open this summer and Best Friends expects to begin construction later this year on three additional properties in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Congress Passes New Legislation on Pets
(April - 2000)

Legislation passed last month by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton will require U.S. airlines to compile and release information on pets that are injured or killed while traveling. Congress took action on the issue in response to reports of pets hurt or killed by rough handling on the ground, or by temperature extremes and oxygen depletion in the air. Critics of the airline industry charge that as many as 5,000 pets are hurt, killed or lost each year. Under the new regulations, airlines will have to submit monthly reports on animal injuries and deaths to the Department of Transportation, which will publish the information.

Animal welfare organizations including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Human Society of the United States have hailed the legislation as a victory for pet owners and pets who must travel by air. However, the industry has warned that the new rules may cause some airlines to stop accepting pets, and the American Kennel Club lobbied against the legislation.

For additional information, visit www.aspca.org or www.hsus.org.