In my own home, I don't free-feed my pets. Scheduled meals allow me to know who ate, how much they ate and when something has changed. It also allows me to offer fresh food at each meal.

Your calendar can become a useful pet-safety tool.

Leashes, harnesses, carriers, bowls, blankets, toys and travel bags went to many of the same places we did.

But as a pet columnist and a devoted pet parent myself, I recently had a sobering reminder that what we see on the outside doesn't always tell the whole story.

What if today was about the day your pet saves you? It may sound like something out of a movie, but remarkable stories happen every year involving ordinary family pets doing extraordinary things.

It sounds like a silly question until it isn't. Pets go missing all the time.

People also wonder if humans are at risk. Human cases are uncommon, but they can occur.

A properly stocked pet first aid kit helps bridge the gap between the moment an injury occurs and the time veterinary care can be reached.