Things for Pets You've Bought or Sold

[Rainbow]

I got a big cage at a garage sale to take them to the vet if necessary. While not in use I wired the door open, put in bedding and leave it in the garage for them to sleep in.

I make pet collars out of used belts using velcro to fasten. Have a pink fabric one I''ve yet to hot glue the bows on.

Most things I bought retail for my cats they don''t care for...A kitty tunnel, a kitty camper, and lots of toys. So I sold them at my garage sale.

[Good Buddy]

We replaced our old cat carrier with a thrifted one.
Any old or not-uses-much pet items should be donated to an animal charity thrift or a shelter maybe.

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I bought a couple of pet Halloween costumes at Goodwill for one of my friend''s cats. They were SOOO cheap and absurd-looking, we both got a huge laugh over it.

The cats, however, were less than amused.

I think I have a photo of one of the cats wearing a witch costume online on this page:
http://web.mac.com/thriftshopromantic/iWeb/The_Thrift_Shop_Romantic/Spellbound_By_Savings.html

Yes, yes, I know, I should be using my thrifting powers for Good instead of Evil...

[alexandra]

Stuffed animals are cheap and can make good pet toys -- the only problem is that if your dog is accustomed to chewing them up, you''ll have to be careful whenever you visit folks with kids (or have them come visit).  My dog happens to think all stuffed things are toys!

I am making a pet bed for my sister''s cat.  I picked up a storage bin with legs at Big Lots.  It will sit nicely over a heat register on the floor.  I found a lovely thrifted pillow case that is tiny -- and it will fit the cushion perfectly.  It has old fashioned crochet for the border.  I have a baby quilt that serves as a blankie for my dog.  I love old vintage linen that can be used to cover furniture -- and I use a lot of it in order to keep pet hair off of sofas and chairs.

Each time I see a pet carrier or crate, it is overpriced -- forget about bird cages, which are really outrageous.  But I do love using old cushions for the cat and dog. 

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com

[Tammy]

Seeing as how I have dogs, parrots, horses, goats & cats, I''m always on the lookout for pet items or things to use.  My best parrot buy was a metal playstand similar to this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Bird-Parrot-Toy-Floor-Perch-with-Play-Gym-Free-Shipping_W0QQitemZ270087001463QQihZ017QQcategoryZ3211QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem that I purchased for $30.00.  The GW employees had no idea what it was suppose to be used for and said a customer suggested it was something to hang wet clothes on to dry.  I''m forever buying balls and stuffed toys for the dogs although neither lasts.  GW & SA & garage sales are great places to buy things to make bird toys.  I pick up cheap musical little kid toys as the birds like to walk on them or I hang them off the sides of the cages.   Great topic!

Tammy

[Tammy]

I forgot to add that last fall I was in the Sal Army and heard chirping.  I found out that during the chilly evening someone had dumped 2 cages of cockatiels (1 was a pair with newborn chicks in a nesting box) at the back door.  The employees found the birds the next morning.  The store sits at the edge of a cornfield where coyotees could have found the birds before the employees.  Anyway, 2 of the employees took the birds home but I knew the one guy wouldn''t end up keeping his and I was right.  Early Jan. he asked if I wanted them since they all know I have birds.  Of course I took them and put them in with my other tiels. 

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Unbelievable that people just dump pets that way! (Though good fortune they had a tiel-lover like you to rescue them!)

My father lives in Florida and I visited at Thanksgiving to discover that many people have let their pet iguanas go when they move instead of taking them with them. And these babies LIKE the climate, and get BIG. I about had a heart attack when I saw this monstrous 3-4 foot Godzilla sunning itself in Dad''s backyard.

Sorry, totally not a thrifty story. I digress.

[Cookie]

Good Buddy thrifted our couch years ago in Sedona, Arizona, and the cats obviously think he bought it for them.  They have ripped it to shreds over the years, and our big grey cat, Joey, will only jump up and sit next to me if he has a full cushion of space.  If I''m even just partially sitting on the end cushion, he''ll just sit there and look at me like, "Move it, Lady," until I scoot over, and then he''ll jump up, make a few turns on his cushion, and then allow me to pet him.  These cats are running our lives!  GB has also thrifted cat carriers for transporting stray cats to the vet to get them fixed. 

[Mattie]

I bought a set of dog socks at a thrift store.  They were so cute - four identical little socks with dog faces and little floppy ears on the top.  Gromit, however, had a very different opinion of them.  He wore them for about ten seconds, then off they came.  And if looks could kill...!  I knew he wouldn''t like them and I only wanted him to wear them long enough for me to take a picture, but noooooo. 

His favorite thrifted dog item is the sofa.  He thinks I bought it just for him.

[Rainbow]

If you don''t already know this one, I got some small beanie baby stuffed animals and put some catnip in them for the cats. So much cheaper than those in pet shops.

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I LOVE that your dog is named Gromit, Mattie. Too fun!

[Mattie]

Thanks!  He''s now my avatar.

[Rubysky]

I''ve bought lots of stuffed toys for the lads. Since they don''t tear them apart I get the ones  that talk or have sound effects.

A second crate for travel. Both can fit into this one. In fact we even had the third dog in with them once.

2 wooden port-a-cribs. They sleep in one upstairs. They would keep me awake if I let them sleep with me. If I had them sleep downstairs they would spend the night barking at varmints. This seems to tick off several neighbors.
I keep the second one in the family room for emergencies.

Infant to 6 mo. knit shirts work well for sweaters. Sometimes they fit better if you put them on backwards. Ragland sleeves are best.

[aGentlerTime]

I am so loving checking out this forum and had to tell you about my lil' guy. He is a 110# akita/lab that adores stuffed animals that daddy (what I call my hubby) or I buy him at the thrift stores.  He particularly likes ELMO but Daddy recently got him this care bear that says about 1000 things. Funniest thing ever last weekend. Our Puppy was playing with his care bear, making the bear talk, and the next thing you know, the boy (our dog) was "talking" "howling" back at the care bear in what appeared to be his own special conversation.  At first I thought I was hearing (or imagining) this but he continued to converse with his bear for about five minutes. Oh so freakin funny.  By the way, he never chews his stuffed animals. He lines them all up and keeps them close to him at all time.  He acts like a kid.

[valleythriftshopper]

I am so loving checking out this forum and had to tell you about my lil' guy. He is a 110# akita/lab that adores stuffed animals that daddy (what I call my hubby) or I buy him at the thrift stores.  He particularly likes ELMO but Daddy recently got him this care bear that says about 1000 things. Funniest thing ever last weekend. Our Puppy was playing with his care bear, making the bear talk, and the next thing you know, the boy (our dog) was "talking" "howling" back at the care bear in what appeared to be his own special conversation.  At first I thought I was hearing (or imagining) this but he continued to converse with his bear for about five minutes. Oh so freakin funny.  By the way, he never chews his stuffed animals. He lines them all up and keeps them close to him at all time.  He acts like a kid.

That sounds so adorable, you should make a video of it & put it on Youtube!  I have found two play tunnels for my cat at the thrifts, he loves pouncing out of them when someone walks by. 

A new thrift opened in Springfield that benefits the ASPCA.  That is a little too far for me to drive, but I will check & see if the info is up on the web & add it to the directory.