November/December 2007

Hampton Roads "Pets" Magazine

Our entire staff has gone to the dogs ... and cats, birds, lizards, hamsters ...

By Mary Burnham, Jessica Carlson, Betsy DiJulio and Meredith Hemenway

There are hundreds of studies out there about the benefits of owning a pet—pets help lower blood pressure, pets fight depression, pets make you live longer, pets reduce stress—but does that really matter? People treasure the companionship of their pets so much that even if the benefits were the opposite—pets gave you high blood pressure, depression and stress—I think we'd still love them just the same.

I know I would. Curtis (our cover dog) has definitely added some stress to my life—an early birth defect and major surgery as a puppy sent us on many nerve-wracking trips to the vet. And the dozens of chewed up shoes, pairs of underwear, socks, pillows, towels and even glasses that he has destroyed definitely didn't add to my sanity. Just last week, in fact, he devoured the sleeve of my favorite cashmere sweater. (I know—he looks so innocent, doesn't he?)

But even when I catch him with half of a stiletto heel in his mouth, I can't stay mad. How can I hold a grudge towards someone who always listens, never judges me, loves to cuddle, and will do just about anything for a finger scoop of peanut butter? I just can't.

That's why 71.1 million households in America keep these little buggers around. They are the best friends we could possibly have.

And that's why HRM wanted to give them the attention they deserve with our first Pet Issue. In the following pages, we have included typical topics and sections that we cover in HRM—health, travel, art, people, shopping, food, etc.—all specifically centered on pets in Hampton Roads. Enjoy the section—keep it out of drooling distance, and don't use the pages to line your cages!

— Jessica Carlson, section editor

For the complete feature dedicated to all things pets—including a listing of the Top Vets in Hampton Roads, dog park dos and don'ts, the best shops, Q&A with a trainer, pet health tips, doggie treat taste test and more—see the November/December issue of Hampton Roads Magazine, currently available on newsstands.