Purrfect Properties Blog

Archive for the ‘Pets and Real Estate’ Category

When the B.C. Foreign Buyers Tax Goes Wrong

Thursday, February 10th, 2022

It began with Bill 28 back in 2016. Lower mainland folks have complained since the 70’s that housing had gotten too expensive. In 2016 Vancouver’s housing was the third most expensive in the English-speaking world, with a ratio of real-estate prices to local earnings of 13 to 1.
 
In 2016, the Housing Priority Initiative Amendment Act was passed and it included two parts directed at Foreign ownership. One part was the Vacancy tax and the second part was the Additional Property Transfer Tax also commonly known as the Foreign Buyers Tax. Personally I agree with the Foreign Buyers Tax but believe it should be implemented across Canada
 

Foreign Buyers Tax - Additional Property Transfer Tax in BC

Foreign Buyers Tax – Additional Property Transfer Tax in BC


 
Real Estate regulations do not require a REALTOR® to evaluate if a consumer is a Foreign National. There is a perspective that a good REALTOR® would ensure their client can complete a transaction. To do that effectively, a REALTOR® would need to have item 24 of the residential purchase contract initialed by the buyer. Item 24 requires the buyers to initial off yes or no; if they are a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
 
The law worked as it was intended to and Vancouver area sales dropped nearly 40% in October after the tax was introduced. Chinese buying inquiries for the Vancouver area dropped by 25%. In 2018 the Foreign Buyers Tax was extended further into the Fraser Valley, Capital, Nanaimo, and Central Okanagan Regional Districts, at 20%.
 

CAPITAL GAINS AND G7 COUNTRIES

Of all the G7 countries, Canada is the last remaining country to not have a capital gains tax on residential property ownership.This likely explains while homes are still being scooped up by foreigners. At 18-37% additional tax, it’s easy to see why. The tax becomes payable when you sell, cutting into your profits and handing them to government for housing initiatives. Let’s take a look at the following chart:
 

G7 Country Foreign Ownership? Capital Gains Tax
Canada Yes Zero
France Yes 19%
Germany Yes 25%
Italy Yes 26%
Japan Yes 20%
UK Yes 18-28%
USA Yes 20-37%
EU Yes 19.3%

 

ON NOTICE – THE CONSUMER

A consumer needs to move forward with all purchases keeping ‘buyer beware’ or ‘caveat emptor’ in the front of their minds. It definitely helps to have a REALTOR®, like myself, who has your back and searches for the answers instead of casually answering questions on paperwork. If you have just moved to Canada, I encourage you to check out the mortgage process on my webpage. If you have any questions, feel free to text or call me.
 

HOW THE FOREIGN HOME BUYERS TAX CAN GO WRONG

The following incident has made it’s way through legal systems and a judgement was only reached this week. Keep in mind it was not the B.C. Financial Services Authority that brought this summary forward but the Canadian courts:
 
SOURCE: Kelowna News – Castanet.net
New Article link: here
 
A REALTOR® and a lawyer owe $170,000 in regards to the B.C.’s Foreign Buyer’s Tax. A B.C Supreme Court ruled both share some responsibility for their client’s large tax bill.
 
The couple retained a lawyer to assist them with the purchase of the home. In their introductory emails, the buyers noted they were new to Canada and naïve to the house buying process.
 
Ultimately, they were unable to secure financing on the the first home they wrote an offer for. They messaged their REALTOR® they were not Canadian and we didn’t have PR status – they couldn’t make the finances work on a reno of this scale. The couple then wrote another offer on an $862,000 property. The REALTOR® said he misunderstood a discussion he had with his clients; and had “understood that their citizenship status had been finalized.
 
So on the second offer, the REALTOR® changed a section stating the buyers were citizens/permanent residents of Canada. The buyers signed the new contract without noticing it.
 
About six months after they purchased the home, the buyers received a notice of assessment from the B.C. government in the amount of $172,400 for the unpaid Foreign Buyers’ Tax owing on the purchase.
 
The couple later secured permanent residence status in Canada, but because they were not permanent residents at the time of purchase, the tax still applied.
 
The court ruled the REALTOR® did not have a duty to provide advice as to whether the tax applied to them; he had a “clear duty to inform the plaintiffs of the existence of the tax.”
 

“I find that any reasonable realtor would understand that the risk, or the requirement, of paying an extra 20% for a family home would be an extremely important piece of information for prospective purchasers,” Justice Ross said.
 
“It is reasonable to assume that the prospect of paying an extra 20% for a residence would prevent most, if not all, purchasers from proceeding with their search for a home. That is especially true if the purchasers planned to obtain permanent resident status in the near future.”

 
The court ruled the REALTOR® was responsible for 75 per cent of the loss suffered by the buyers – $182,813 with accumulated interest – but he also found the lawyer was responsible for 20 per cent.
 
“I find that the lawyer, having been introduced to the plaintiffs and having welcomed them to Canada, should have inquired about their residency status.”
 
But the buyers shared some of the blame, five per cent’s worth to be exact.
 

CAVEAT EMPTOR – BUYER BEWARE

In this quick moving market, where listing agents give so little time, unfairly, for buyers to do due diligence on a property, do yourself the favor they won’t. It’s a rush, it’s hectic, but take time to read your offer fully. Ask the questions, comment when you see something wrong. It might just be the difference between 10 minutes spent on redoing some paperwork, or years chasing down another party through court.
 

TO SPEAK WITH JEANINE OSBORNE ABOUT BUYING A HOME IN BC – CLICK HERE

TO VIEW HOMES FOR SALE IN THE LOWER MAINLAND – CLICK HERE

B.C. Real Estate News for January 2022

Thursday, January 20th, 2022

What is Currently Happening with B.C. Housing?
 
BC Real Estate News for January 2022

BC Real Estate News for January 2022


 
BRITISH COLUMBIA REAL ESTATE NEWS


Canada’s real estate sector expected to rebound with economy in 2022 (Western Investor)
 
The great affordability squeeze? Home buyers confront rising ownership costs (RBC Economics)
 
B.C.’s homeowner grant threshold raised as property values increase (CTV News)
 
Real estate Q & A: Expert highlights trends in latest B.C. property value assessments (CTV News)

 

LOWER MAINLAND REAL ESTATE NEWS


Home sales in Metro Vancouver reached record high in 2021, latest real estate report says (CTV News)
 
The pandemic push: Home sales hit an all-time high in Metro Vancouver in 2021 (Vancouver Sun)
 
Vancouver real estate inventory hits 30 Year low as prices soar, and sellers pull back (Better Dwelling)
 
Vancouver realty report lists 3 market realities for 2022: “cost of housing is never going to come down” (Straight)
 
Burnaby home sales – and prices – part of record-shattering year in real estate (Burnaby Now)
 
Burnaby houses soar in value by a staggering 19% in latest assessments (Burnaby Now)
 

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How do you know if you’ve picked a good REALTOR®?

Friday, November 5th, 2021

Some people think it has to do with availability and responsiveness. Some folks say it has to do with ethics and honesty.
 
I think it has a lot to do with protecting my clients from many pit-falls that can occur in their purchase process. I help my clients navigate their adventure through blind bidding, price baiting, unconditional offers, direction of presentation of offers and many more industry specific and time sensitive scenarios.
 

Here’s what some of my past clients had to say about me:

 

Local REALTOR® Testimonial – Jeanine Osborne


 
Jeanine helped us buy our first home and we could not have been more pleased with the process! My partner and I contacted Jeanine initially based on the positive experience I had when I accompanied a friend to look at homes.
 
Jeanine came to our first meeting enthusiastic and well prepared, and every interaction we had with her after that was the same. She’s the perfect balance between professionalism and complete honesty which was a real asset given we were first time home buyers. Jeanine provided us excellent direction, prompt availability, and a wealth of knowledge regarding various homes that we looked at. Moreover, she considered our personal plans for the future to help guide us make the right choice towards a home with potential for growth.
 
Given the stories I’ve heard related to the quality of service my friends have received from various realtors – I’d say we hit the jackpot with Jeanine!
 
I hope we’re in our new home for a long time, but when it’s time to move, I definitely wouldn’t hesitate to work with Jeanine again or give her anything but the highest recommendation.
 

View my other testimonials here

 

View Homes for Sale in the Lower Mainland Here

Search Pet Friendly Stratas for Sale in the Lower Mainland!

Monday, November 1st, 2021

You find a great home, you write an offer, all to find out that Fido isn’t allowed to come. The property is not pet friendly, yet the MLS® listing said there were no restrictions, how does this happen? Well it happens all too often in the Lower Mainland and Buyers with pets pay the price.
 
How do I find a Pet Friendly Condo in the Lower Mainland that will allow both me and my pet to move in? Are pets allowed at Condos?  Get help finding the right home for you and your pet(s) with this Lower Mainland Pet Friendly REALTOR®.
 

Pet Friendly Homes For Sale in the Lower Mainland

Pet Friendly Homes For Sale in the Lower Mainland


 

Click here to search all pet friendly condos for sale in the Lower Mainland.

 
The search is probably frustrating for you when you try to find that feather or fur friendly home.  It’s a bone of contention with me, I love pets and think REALTORS® could work a lot harder to be more clear with listing this correctly. It doesn’t make up for the problematic system; however the best reason I can give you as to why you see discrepancies like this is because:
 
Many REALTORS® choose not to read the condo documents before they list a property. Many REALTORS® don’t look at condos docs, at any point. Perhaps even your buyers agent won’t look at condo docs for you.  Every agents services are different and industry standards are changing all the time.
 
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Hi! I Am Your Local Realtor in South Surrey White Rock

Wednesday, March 10th, 2021

I’m not just a Real Estate Agent, I’m also your Neighbour!

 

South Surrey White Rock Realtor

South Surrey White Rock Realtor


 
I am Jeanine Osborne! As a resident of our community, I know just how great it is. If you have any questions about buying or selling, please feel free to reach out. I am always more than happy to help! I have selling and buying resources, can offer you a free valuation on your own home and even set you up with local suppliers and contractors in our area.
 
Call 604-368-8880 for your free home evaluation or to set an appointment to view a home for sale.

Looking for a Great REALTOR?

Tuesday, February 16th, 2021

Consider Jeanine Osborne as your Real Estate Agent

 
Here’s what our most recent home buyer had to say…
 

South Surrey Realtor Testimonial

South Surrey Realtor Testimonial


 
Jeanine Osborne is a very professional, hardworking and reliable realtor. She would be the one you will get when you prayed for someone to help you in buying a house😊 and would go the extra mile just to help people…sweet and funny also.😁
 
-Robert Faustino-

Pet Friendly Homes For Sale

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020

I am often asked how difficult it is for a buyer to purchase a strata that will allow their pets. As an interested buyer in a property, it can be a bit difficult and time-consuming to sort out Pet Friendly homes at multiple properties, especially in a hot market like we’re in. All is not lost though, it is challenging, not impossible.
 

Pet Friendly Homes For Sale

Pet Friendly Homes For Sale


 

The Challenges

 
The biggest challenge that you would face is whether or not the listing agent has presented the correct information on the listing. Plenty of agents do not have or have not read the bylaws and rules of a community before they listed it. They often use the general terms; pets restricted or pets allowed, assuming there will be some type of restriction on animals.
 
Specifically speaking the bylaws of a strata community may not necessarily match the rules or adopted policies of a strata community. So for example a community has a bylaw reading that 3 pets are allowed, yet the rules go on to read that those pets must be under 22 inches at the shoulder. A dog that was over 22 inches at the shoulder would “be allowed by the bylaws and not by the rules.”
 
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Fresh Air Sells Homes

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020

When it’s time to sell, it’s time to clean up the air too. Fresh Air Sells Homes. Household smells in our own homes can be a problem because we get accustomed to them. However, it takes just a few seconds in a stranger’s home, to know if a smoker lives there. The smell is in the air!
 

Fresh Air Sells Homes

Fresh Air Sells Homes


 
So, when you put your home on the market, think about the common smells you might have lingering in your home. Remember, you may no longer notice them, but a prospective buyer will.
 
Check out my list of smells to watch for when selling your home
 
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How to move internationally to Canada

Friday, April 26th, 2019

International relocation can come to light for dozens of reasons. You might have to move for work, family, or maybe you just need a change of scenery. Either way, packing up and making Edmonton, Canada your new home is just the dose of change that you need.
 

The sprawling city, the wide open outskirts and the scenery of Edmonton will take your breath away. Located in the Province of Alberta, Edmonton boasts some of the most stunning wilderness in the world. Plus, the family drama ‘Heartland’ is filmed in Alberta. It doesn’t get any better than that.
 

Even if you’re currently living close to the Canadian border, you’ve still got to get your ducks in a row before you make the move. You’ll be living in a new country, under a new government, and you’ll have to make a few changes.
 

How to move internationally to Edmonton, Canada

How to move internationally to Edmonton, Canada


 

Importing Your Personal Belongings

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108 12804 140 Avenue *Just Sold*

Friday, February 22nd, 2019
108 12804 140 Avenue *Just Sold*

108 12804 140 Avenue *Just Sold*

🐾🐾 #shoutout to @streetsideyeg by @qualicoyeg for their excellent work at #aloftskyview 💖💕💓💖💘 🐈🏡 #PurrfectProperties 🏡🐈 #yeg

With gratitude and thanks for a beautiful property with quality workmanship. Judy was a tough client to find a #home for and the great folks over there did everything they could to make this Judy and Lewis’s new home.

You see Judy has a #bigdog and those big dogs 🐕🐶 just aren’t allowed at many #condos so we were looking for a #builder that understood the meaning of #furbabies and these folks stepped up to the plate.

What a swing they took. They know that it’s usually bad owners, not bad dogs. They were kind and didn’t refuse this 8 year old #labrador.

What really needed to happen happened. Lewis, was trained as a #searchandrescue dog but so many properties had no room at the inn for him. Trained to help us all and these folks have helped Judy, Lewis and myself just #love their shopping experience.

They made a #unique request possible and are so #cool in that they offer #homebuyers a 15 month workmanship warranty instead of 12. (What does that say about their quality and willingness to please their clients?)

#twothumbsup #bigdogsofinstagram #instastories #searchandrescuedog #petfriendly #dogsarefamily #dogowner #doggy #mansbestfriend #furbabymom #dogsthatexplore #puppydogeyes #puppy #dogslife🐶 #doggo

Simply Elegant in Sherwood Park – 28 Oriole Crescent

Tuesday, December 4th, 2018

NEW LISTING ALERT:

Simply Elegant! in Sherwood Park!

Simply Elegant! in Sherwood Park!

Welcome to 28 Oriole Crescent in Sherwood Park – This 3+1 Bedroom, 2.5 Bathroom Bungalow home in the charming Brentwood neighbourhood, complete with squirrels, chirping birds and tall trees! Be greeted with Seating and Storage Benches at each entrance, and beautiful Engineered Hardwood throughout. A Trio of Work stations in the Island Kitchen feature Quartz Countertops, Brand New Stainless Steel Appliances, Full Height Upper Cabinetry, Crown Molding and Gorgeous Backsplash. Enjoy peace of mind with 2018 SHINGLES, WINDOWS, Decking, Flooring, Paint, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, FURNACE, APPLIANCES and more. Brand New 600 ft2 Garage and Driveway added to the property in Fall of 2018. Get your kids to school quick with Brentwood and Ecole Pere Kenneth Kearns Elementary schools nearby! This Fresh and Updated Bungalow is Turnkey and ready for Quick Possession.

Peta Action Alert – Urge Retailer Patricia Nash to Stop Selling Fur!

Friday, April 22nd, 2016

I WON’T SHOP AT MACY’S, DILLARD’S AND NORDSTROM UNTIL THEY DON’T SELL FUR

Confined to small, filthy wire cages
Hung up and skinned alive
Death by neck-breaking, suffocation, poisoning, or anal electrocutionThat is the reality for animals on fur farms.

Despite hearing from PETA about how animals are abused to obtain their fur, retailer Patricia Nash continues to sell handbags and accessories cruelly made with fur at various department stores, including Macy’s, Dillard’s, and Nordstrom. Please urge Patricia Nash to stop selling fur immediately. Please let the company know that you will be shopping elsewhere until it does.

http://www.peta.org/action/action-alerts/retailer-patricia-nash-fur-sales/?utm_campaign=032416%20Retailer%20Patricia%20Nash%20End%20Fur%20Sales&utm_source=PETA%20E-Mail&utm_medium=Alert

Humane Society International Top Achievements 2015

Tuesday, January 19th, 2016

Hi Folks,

I watch the HSI a lot, I watch their request for public support, signature on petitions and involvement within our communities.  I am proud of the work these people do and I can only imagine how much pain and reward their work brings. I am saddened by the dog and cat meat trade, yet when I hear of the work that gets accomplished by downward and upward pressure from our people.  I am saddened by the welfare, transportation and living conditions of Farm Animals, especially when you consider we eat their meat and essentially their ‘feelings’ or ‘tortures’.  So in respect of this great work, this important movement and the future of animals on the planet, I gladly copy and paste from HSI and present to you – their top achievements in 2015.

 With significant operations in 20 countries, and a presence in three dozen more, HSI has made a difference on a wide range of issues: working to combat the dog meat trade, pressing for 21st-century methods in animal testing, persuading corporate giants to adopt humane food procurement policies, ending the commercial slaughter of marine mammals, aiding animals in disaster, fighting trophy hunting and the wildlife trade, and eliminating spectacles of cruelty — from bullfighting to animal sacrifice to dogfighting and cockfighting. Since January, we’ve had a torrent of accomplishments, demonstrating that HSI has become a dominant and powerful force for animals on the international stage.

1. Taking on the dog meat trade

We are exposing the dog meat trade in southeast Asian nations, where the practice is often conducted in open-air markets and where tens of millions of dogs, who look just like the ones in our homes, are butchered for human consumption. In South Korea, HSI shut down several dog meat farms and rescued hundreds of dogs — treating them as ambassadors for the millions still at risk. In China, we set up a new China Animal Protection Power task force and command center, and supported partner groups as they pulled over dog meat traders’ trucks (leading to more rescues and delivering the animals from purgatory to safety). We’ve also been instrumental with partner groups in exposing the barbarism at the Yulin dog meat festival, holding it up as a symbol to the world that this trade must end.

Help us do even more for animals in 2016.

2. Seal trade ban

Last year, the World Trade Organization once again upheld the European Union’s right to ban seal product trade, a ban we helped to achieve and defend against all challenges. In 2015, the EU strengthened its ban even further and the EU market will remain closed to the products of cruel commercial seal slaughter — a vindication of the right of nations to restrict trade on animal welfare grounds. This has been perhaps the signature victory in our relentless 10-year campaign to keep the sealing boats in Canada at the docks. In 2015, the number of baby seals killed was the lowest it has been for more than two decades, continuing a rapid downward trend that started when the EU closed its market to seal products in 2009.

3. Ending animal testing

Strong campaigns by our #BeCrueltyFree team led New Zealand to ban cosmetics testing on animals, South Korea to make government-approved non-animal alternatives a legal requirement for cosmetics testing, and both Canada and Taiwan to propose legislation to end cosmetics cruelty. Brazil and India heeded our call to remove a year-long dog-poisoning test protocol and other cruel studies from its safety testing requirements for pesticides, while the EU has taken up a number of animal testing alternatives championed by HSI that could spare millions of animals from suffering and death in chemical poisoning tests over the coming years.

4. China steps up to combat wildlife trafficking

In a surprise but very welcome move, aided by Prince William’s appeal to President Xi Jinping and a host of organizations around the world working against wildlife trafficking, China pledged to ban the ivory trade. China has the largest ivory market in the world and is a substantial driver of the poaching of elephants. With a similar U.S. pledge, the potential shrinking of the world’s top two ivory markets offers the prospect of diminishing the incentive for poaching to kill elephants in Africa.

5. Airlines join the campaign against trophy hunting

After the killing of Cecil the lion set off a worldwide campaign against trophy hunting, HSI pressed for action on the part of major carriers and airlines. Some airlines had already prohibited shipment of certain animal trophies before the killing of Cecil, but many more took this step immediately after. So far, 45 airlines, including nearly all the major airlines like Delta, United, and American Airlines, have stopped shipping hunting trophies of the Africa Big Five — African lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and Cape buffalo.

6. Taking our anti-confinement campaigns for farm animals global

We are pressing globally for an end to gestation-crate and battery-cage confinement, and we’ve had tremendous success in Brazil, one of the world’s biggest agricultural nations. There, following discussions with HSI, JBS – the world’s largest animal processing company and owner of SEARA, Brazil’s second largest pork producer — announced its commitment to a complete phase-out of the use of sow gestation crates. JBS will transition to group housing systems for breeding sows in its entire supply chain by 2025. We also convinced Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest baking company, to announce a commitment to go 100 percent cage-free globally. Our campaigns led to a ban on the production of foie gras in the Brazilian cities of Blumenau and Sorocaba. Sorocaba also banned foie gras sales.

7. Ending the world’s largest animal sacrifice

In cooperation with Animal Welfare Network Nepal and People For Animals in India, HSI helped secure a pledge to end, once and for all, the Gadhimai festival, the world’s largest animal sacrifice, where hundreds of thousands of large and small animals were butchered. This barbaric spectacle has occurred every five years starting in the 18th century. At the most recent festival in 2015, thanks to volunteers at the Indo-Nepal border and appeals to the courts and administrative authorities, the number of animals reaching Gadhimai to be butchered was greatly reduced, lowering financial returns for the temple and merchants involved. The Gadhimai Temple Trust decided that they would make the festival a celebration of life moving forward. Nepal was also the site of our largest international disaster deployment in 2015, as team members provided emergency veterinary aid and care for animal survivors after a massive earthquake rocked the nation.

8. Passing and using animal cruelty laws throughout the world

In a strong test of our commitment to expanding legal protection for animals in other nations, Honduran lawmakers approved a new animal welfare law that criminalizes the intentional mistreatment of animals, among other provisions. In Costa Rica, where we’re highly active, The National Animal Health Department (SENASA) attended nearly 2,000 complaints about animal welfare issues, including animal hoarding, puppy mills, and dogfighting in 2015. The Court of La Unión de Tres Ríos for the first time convicted a person for breeding dogs in a puppy mill. In India, HSI sought and won judicial intervention to stop cockfighting in Maharashtra, a large western state.

9. Putting street dog programs in place to help tens of thousands of dogs

In India, where we’ve long been active on the ground, the Supreme Court ordered the implementation of an Animal Birth Control program (spay/neuter) — rather than culls — to control street dog population in all states of the country. We have several major street dog projects in India and, at the beginning of the year, we signed an MoU with the State of Haryana to vaccinate 350,000 street dogs against rabies and to sterilize at least 65,000 in the next two years. That program is now underway. In Bhutan, we are working with government officials to draft an omnibus animal cruelty bill following our six-year partnership with the Royal Government which has resulted in the sterilization of 63,000 street dogs. We also are supporting active street dog programs across the globe, including in the Philippines, American Samoa, Guam and Saipan, Bolivia, Chile, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Malawi. Our Canadian affiliate is also providing care to the dogs of aboriginal communities in northern Quebec.

10. The UK sticks it to glue traps

In the United Kingdom, the Booker Group (202 stores), British Garden Centres (nine stores) and leading online wholesaler MX Wholesale stopped selling glue traps as HSI’s campaign against cruel glue traps, mostly targeting small rodents, got underway in October.

We are winning the biggest of battles, making real change happen for animals. With your support, in 2016, we will continue the fight to help them around the world. Please donate now to help.

Peta Action Alert – Putnam County Fair

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

Animals won as “prizes” often become victims of cruelty or, as the novelty wears off, are surrendered to already overburdened shelters or bounced around from home to home, relegated to lonely rooms and backyards and forgotten. Others are abandoned outdoors to fend for themselves, only to die as a result of starvation, dehydration, exposure, stress, or attacks by other animals. Upon hearing that rabbits are being doled out as booth prizes in Cookeville, Tennessee, at the Putnam County Fair, which is scheduled to run through August 8, PETA implored the members of the fair board to cancel this aspect of their event but to no apparent avail. We need your help now!

Action alert for animals

Action Alert for Bunnies and Rabbits

Please call or send polite comments to: John Allen, President
info@putnamcountyfair.com |     Putnam County Fair Board |     931-528-9316

My letter:

Dear Members of the board for the Putnam County Fair and president John Allen,

I strongly urge you to reconsider your policy and plan to give away live animals at the County Fairs that you hold.

Animals are not prizes to be won, they are creatures that deserve warmth, food, shelter and attention.

To purchase, adopt or guard an animal requires responsibility, time, effort, money and most importantly love.  Often when a person is forced to pay for something they take much better care of it.  Even online community sales organizations like Craigslist and Kijiji have stopped allowing ads to run that give away free animals.

If a member of your public wishes to purchase an animal for companionship, they will.  They animal will then most likely have the best chance of survival, having had its’ shots and a person who sought out ownership/guardianship of a live being.

Please re-consider, animals are NOT TOYS, NOT PRIZES and should be shown to the public as something more than a “stuffy’ that is discarded after the novelty wears off.

Please give these bunnies a fighting chance and don’t replace the bunnies with any other living creature.

In thanks for what you can do to alleviate unnecessary animal cruelty on this planet,

Jeanine

A Canadian First – Hawk the Trauma Dog

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014

Calgary Police Trauma Dog

Hawk the Trauma Dog – Calgary Police



Here is a large step in understanding the abilities of our creatures on this planet of ours. I love animals. I am happy to showcase another example of the good animals give us. Which brings me to Hawk.

I call him the ‘Wonder dog’. You can refer to him as a Calgary Police dog. His title is a ‘Trauma Dog.’ Hawk started his career in 2013, and just over a year later he is helping a very little girl.

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Tips and tricks for Selling a Pet Occupied Home for more money.

Wednesday, April 9th, 2014

Selling your home can be a fun process, however it can sometimes also be a little stressful. Selling your home when you have pets offers some extra challenges, what to do with your furry family members while the home is being shown is one of the many questions this Realtor gets asked frequently. Unfortunately, not everyone loves our pets as much as we do. It is important to consider why people may have a negative reaction to our pets so that we can remove any possible barriers in order to sell your home. There are many reasons that some buyers may have such reactions, allergies, fear of certain animals, and smells generally top the list. Here is a list of things to consider when selling your, and your pets home.

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Come and Find us at The Pet Expo this weekend…

Friday, January 18th, 2013

This weekend, January 19 & 20, 2013, Edmonton and the City of Edmonton will host the annual Edmonton Pet Expo in the Expo Center of Northlands.

I hear that Buttercup can handle the board and for an English Bulldog, that is some fancy paw action.

Dockdogs however has really caught my attention.  For those of you that know me well, I have a dockcat; Sailor.  I have seen her jump into the pacific northwest and hang out, swim with the seals, and hop back onto the floating thumbs.  Should be a show worth catching.

Wiener races, Understanding Dog Body Language, Dog Sports and Flyball, Zero Gravity Disc Dog and Petting Zoo with Pony Rides. ( I sure hope there is a baby kangaroo)

Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 10-5

Be sure to pick up winters copy of Edmonton Pet Connect and check out our ad on the Services Page.

 

Edmonton Pet Expo with Jeanine Boutet, The Cats Meow

Find us at the Edmonton Pet Expo, this weekend.

Look for us and come over and say hi, Now that would be the Cats Meow.

Sign this Petition to Stop Dolphin Deaths Unnecessarily

Friday, August 3rd, 2012

A Funny Realtor Story with The Hermitage Veterinary Hospital

Friday, May 11th, 2012
Hermitage Veterinary Hospital Edmonton

Hermitage Veterinary Hospital Edmonton

As I’m working away a couple of weeks ago, I get this call from Joe.  Turns out, there’s a home he and his wife Gina would like to look at.  Purrfect…. I get all the regular details and finally ask for Joe’s email address.  He says, well the wife handles that kind of stuff- so I’ll get her to call you.

I hang up and start working away again.  The phone doesn’t ring.

Finally, the phone rings and I notice that it’s my Kittes Vet Clinic. Hermitage Veterinary Hospital.   All right I’m thinking, it’s time to bring the girls in, I better make an appointment.

Turns out it’s Gina, she tells me that her hubby probably picked me because of the girls.  Sophia and Sailor.

Now Joe and Gina are just about to take possession of their new home.  The girls are all caught up on their shots and I have some new friends at the clinic.  So thanks to Dr. Howard, Gina and all the rest of the staff.

Now that’s the Cat’s Meow in Real Estate