Sometimes people and their pets just don’t work out and the pet needs to find a new home. When this occurs, the New Hanover Humane Society is there to help. Their pet adoption program has matched many humans and animals over the years, and the fee is reasonable. Just $70 gets you a new furry friend, all shots, worming, spaying or neutering, a collar and a leash for dogs and a cardboard carrier for cats. Please make your payment in cash. They offer other services as well. Animal sheltering, a spay/neuter program, rabies shots, a lost and found service, emergency service and cruelty investigation are some of the things they do, all on a not-for-profit basis. Want to help? They are always in need of volunteers to play with the animals. You are welcome to visit the shelter any time during business hours, which are Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM.

The Pet’s Pal Inn offers a variety of services for the comfort and care of your pet, such as soothing music in the kennel area, five large play areas and a small dog room where dogs less than 30 pounds are free to roam all day. Other services include bathing, grooming and nail trimming, playtime, a 20-minute private walk and “office time,” 30 minutes behind the counter with the staff. Since they have only 48 indoor/outdoor kennels and 20 spacious cat condos, it’s a good idea to make your reservations early.

Owner Kim Benton offers full-service animal grooming, including dental care, flea treatment, nail trimming and Furminator Shed-Less Treatment, for dogs and cats. K & K’s Pet Grooming is licensed to dip and accepts pets by appointment only.

Your pet will be covered in hugs, but not fleas, when you take him to Huggie Bear’s Pet Grooming Services. Roger Thornton (aka Huggie Bear) offers all services except teeth brushing. He will bathe, clip nails, clean ears and anal glands, even flea dip if necessary. Services are offered for both dogs and cats. Huggie Bears is located across from City Hall. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 8 AM to 4 PM and Saturday 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

It’s a doggie (and doggie owner) dream come true. The Wilmington Dog Park is a first for the city and offers 2 acres of fenced open space for Fido to run, play, chase the ball and socialize with other canines. There are even benches for humans to sit and relax. This off-leash park, adjacent to Empie Park, has two separate areas, one for dogs less than 20 pounds and another for bigger dogs. Pet waste stations with clean-up bags and containers are provided, as are water stations for rinsing off muddy paws. Ample parking is available.

The Gurney Hood Barking Lot is a fenced pooch-play area adjacent to Joe Eakes Park in Kure Beach. Sandy soil, trees, play equipment, Frisbees, balls and other doggie amenities make this a fun place for your pet. Water is available, a couple of benches are provided, and clean-up bags and trash containers are supplied so you can be a responsible pet handler. An especially good feature is a fenced entry area for holding your dog until you're ready to go into the main play area. Latches on both gates prevent your pup from accidentally getting loose outside the Barking Lot.

Before photography, images of loved ones were preserved in portraiture. Artist Deborah McDuffie revives this timeless custom with pastel and mixed-media portraits of your family and pets. She uses lots of texture and elements of realism and the abstract to create a unique and interesting painting. She can create a portrait from a photograph you have, or she will come to your home and take a photo from which to work. Deborah finds the inner being and displays it on canvas in an original painting that will become a family heirloom you’ll treasure for years to come.

Best Buddies Pet Sitting provides limited security measures for the home as well as pet-sitting services to dogs, cats, birds, small animals and reptiles. Services include feeding and watering, pet sitting, walking, play time, overnight care and transportation to vet or grooming appointments when necessary. Each visit is 20 to 30 minutes long and rates vary according to your selection of services. Best Buddies Pet Sitting is bonded and insured and a member of Pet Sitters International.

All day or just a few hours, whatever your dog care needs, you have plenty of choices at Give A Dog A Bone Play Spa. Day care hours are Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 7 PM, with nap times from noon to 2 PM. Rover can play and romp with other dogs his size (there are separate indoor and covered outdoor areas for large and small dogs). They even have a pet-sitting service that picks up your pet in the morning for a full day of play, then brings him home at night. Professional grooming is available, as is a self-serve dog wash.

"Eat, Drink and Be Hairy" is the motto of Kritter Care. It’s also the name of the first service on the list of several that includes "Who Let the Dogs Out?" (a 30 or 60 minute individual walk), "Deja Poo" (multiple daily visits) and "See Ya Later Alligator" (one-way transportation to the vet, groomer or family friend). This fun-oriented pet-sitting service comes to your home and offers everything from feedings to a bath and a brushing, all done with loving care. Overnights are also available.

When you leave your pet with Jeannie Mintz at All God’s Kritters, you can be sure he’ll be well cared for. Jeannie believes that animals, like people, need different experiences. She will take your pet for walks, swimming, to run errands, to play on the beach, to the dog park, the groomers, the vet, whatever is needed. Jeannie’s care and concern also extends to animals in crisis. She is President of Saving Animals During Disaster, a volunteer support group that works with the Red Cross and Carolina Canines to help evacuate and care for pets in time of need. If you’d like to work with the group or know more about it, give Jeannie a call.

Diane Gallagher offers years of experience as a dog handler and trainer. Her passion for showing dogs won her numerous awards, including Best of Show for her own dogs as well as dogs in her care. At Dogtrain, Inc., Diane brings her knowledge of dogs and her training expertise together to teach students to use a balanced training approach, reward training in conjunction with gentle compulsion as necessary, to achieve the desired effects. From Puppy Pre-School classes for puppies younger than six months of age, to mature dog obedience training, Dogtrain, Inc. offers group classes as well as private instruction.