This trend probably won’t do much for your faith in humanity: Around the country, an increasing number of ethically challenged human beings are faking disabilities in order to snag good parking spots, cut lines at theme parks, or just bring their dogs into restaurants.
dogs
‘Pet Flipping’ Is Now a Thing
The term sounds absurd, along the lines of “cat juggling,” the fake underground gag used for laughs in the old Steve Martin film The Jerk. But apparently, pet flipping is a real scam — and it’s on the rise.
Dog Bites Insurance Companies: Man’s Best Friend Behind One-Third of All Homeowner Claims
Over the last decade, the number of insurance claims related to dog bites has basically remained flat. But the amount of money paid out in claims has soared, and last year dog bites accounted for more than one-third of all
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The 12 Most Awkward Product Recalls Ever
Yoga is supposed to enhance transparency, but not like this. Trendy apparel manufacturer Lululemon Athletica had to cover its butt this week by pulling some of its pricey yoga pants off store shelves after discovering that a …
Millions on Pet Halloween Costumes? Why We Spend More and More on Pets
American consumers are expected to collectively spend $370 million on pet costumes this Halloween. That’s $70 million more than last year, and a whopping 40% increase compared to 2010. And how’s this for perspective: Americans …
9 Products Enjoying a Curious Surge in Sales
It’s always interesting when sales of one product or another suddenly take off. Sometimes it’s just a passing fad, while other times a curious sales increase is a sign of a shift in the economy, or it comes in reaction to a major …
Even in This Uncertain Economy, Pets Are Worth the Cost
When I adopted two kittens from a shelter a couple of weeks ago — both as adorable as anything can possibly be, but with the relentless destructive energy of two tiny hurricanes — I didn’t realize that I was bucking a …
Gambling for Good? 8 Ways Lotteries Could (in Theory) Make the World a Better Place
Few people would make the case that we should encourage gambling. But what if gambling could be used as a ploy to improve road safety, recycling, school attendance, the financial well-being of citizens, and society as a whole?
Maybe Pet Spending Isn’t Recession-Proof After All
Throughout the worst of the economic crisis and a post-recession era bogged down by uncertainty and high unemployment, consumer spending on pets remained strong. In surveys, owners said they refused to spending on their dogs …
Valentine’s Day 2012 Spending, By the Numbers
According to one estimate, 60% of all Valentine’s spending occurs in the five days leading up to and including the holiday. That means we’re in the prime Valentine’s spending period right now. Here are some more factoids related …
A Deal Just For You: Niche Sites With Deals for Moms, Dudes, Jews, Dog Lovers, the Military & More
All along, skeptics said that the enormous success of daily deals couldn’t be sustained in the long run. And indeed, in recent months, the industry appears to have suffered some setbacks. Roughly one-third of all deal sites …
The Super Bowl Has Morphed into an Entire Season—for Advertising
Now that the New England Patriots and the New York Giants are set to play in Super Bowl XLVI, the hype for the “Super rematch” of the championship from four years ago can begin. (Where is David Tyree these days anyway?) The hype …