10 Awesome iPhone Apps for Animal Lovers

Our furry friends are well taken care of in the App Store, with tons of animal-themed iPhone apps available. But which ones should you choose? We've pulled together a handy list of ten of the best, so whether you're dog mad, feline fancy or just a bit Doctor Dolittle, you should find an app to suit you and your pet(s).


1. Off Leash



With the option to either use the "Locate Me" feature (which will triangulate your position via your iPhone's GPS functionality) or enter a zip code, this free app from Eukanuba will find dog-friendly parks when it's time for walks at home or away. Use it to generate a list of the five nearest parks that allow off-the-leash action and help make it the best dog park locator around by suggesting any that aren't included.

Cost: Free

 2. Catbook



Already popular on Facebook, Catbook is an iPhone version of the social networking app for cat owners and lovers. You can profile your own precious puss(es), complete with pictures and breed info, browse profiles of others, become feline friends, join groups, and post status messages to get your cat's meow heard by the million-strong community.

Cost: Free

3. Paw Card



This "pet tracker" lets you create healthcare profiles for each of your pets, including data such as I.D. tag numbers, vaccination history and vet details. In addition, there's the ability to keep track of medication and weight with "notes" and "journal" functionalities to add more details. The killer feature of this app is the option to email a pet's "Paw Card" - offering a quick way to send data to your boarding kennel/cattery, dog walker/cat sitter, or vet.

Cost: Free

4. DogIDuty



DogIDuty is a must-have app for busy dog owners that share doggy chores with others in the family. This app lets you note -- and crucially share with others via email -- just when the pooch did a poo, had a wee, got fed, walked, enjoyed a tummy rub, etc, so everyone involved in the dog's daily welfare is up-to-date with happenings.

Cost: $0.99

5. iRate Cats



iRate Cats (as opposed to "irate cats," although no doubt there's an app out there that caters to that) lets you cast judgement on the cuteness of others' kitties with a one to five rating as well as offering the option to add comments. You can also submit your own puss pics to the public for similar appraisal. It's a fun, positive app with some really cute images of kittens -- great for any cat lover.

Cost: Free

6. Pet First Aid



Would you know what to do if your pet got stung by a wasp or fractured a bone? While we sincerely hope you'll never need to use this app (and it's certainly no substitute for veterinary advice) downloading it will make you more prepared in an emergency situation should the worst happen. Pet First Aid offers articles, illustrations, and videos for informative advice and action available to you on your handset 24/7.

Cost: $3.99

7. Fido Factor



If you're a San Fran-, Boston-, NYC-, Portland-, Seattle- or Chicago-based dog owner then Fido Factor's free iPhone app will help you find places you can go with your best doggy friend. Expanding on more than just the parks offered in the Off Leash app (as described above), this app also lists dog-friendly bars, restaurants, attractions, hotels, pet stores, transportation, and more. With a bit of planning you need never leave Fido home alone again.

Cost: Free

8. LOLcatMaker Free



The free LOLcatMaker app allows you to LOLcat-ify images from your iPhone by adding two lines of text (you know the drill -- "Im in ur___, __ing ur ___"). You can then either save the pic back down to your phone or submit it directly to icanhazcheeseburger for consideration for possible publication on the blog. It's easy to use and you'll never have to fuss around with extra image editing software to create LOLcats.

Cost: Free

9. BowShot



If you love those photos of dogs with their heads cocked inquisitively but can't get your canine to comply, this app should help. It offers five sounds (such as squeaky toy and whistle) to get your pet's attention at the crucial moment so you can snap the perfect shot from within the app. MewShot is also available for cat owners.

Cost: $0.99

10. Be Humane



The official app for the American Humane Society will not only help you show your support for the organization, but offers info on its work, notes on how you can get involved, and options to donate and challenge friends to "Be Humane." If you enjoy the video and images of the AHA in action then you might also like to check out The Humane Society of the United States HumaneTV app, another free way to stay up-to-date on the Humane Society's latest news.

Cost: Free

Did we miss any apps that you love for your furry friend? Let us know!

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