|
FACTS AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This page contains important information followed by a list of
Frequently Asked Questions. If you have any additional questions, please
call or email us and we will gladly respond.
-
Our company is now in its 7th year of operations,
which began in 2004.
-
ALLERCA Lifestyle Pets delivered its first
hypoallergenic kitten in October 2006 and its first hypoallergenic
dog in early 2008.
-
100% money back guarantee: for your security and peace
of mind, your payment is held in an independent escrow account with
Escrow.com and
released to us ONLY when you receive your kitten or puppy and are
100% satisfied that you don't have any allergic reactions (see
How To Purchase page for details).
-
Sometimes people ask us if our hypoallergenic pets
are genuine. ALLERCA GD cats have been featured on a number of
national and international televisions shows, including The Today
Show, The Rachael Ray Show (also featuring a client), NBC, CNN, etc. Of
note is that The Today Show and CBS Early Show were live broadcasts
with allergic individuals (included well known TV presenters) successfully exposed to the ALLERCA GD
cats - the ultimate live test. Click
here
to view.
-
In 2006, the ALLERCA GD was honored as one of
TIME magazine's Best Inventions.
-
Five percent of our clients return to purchase a
second pet.
JABARI GD as a youngster, delivered 2010
-
Please be very suspicious of anonymous blogs
or postings on the Internet about our company and our pets. Unfortunately, animal
rights extremists, PETA, people on the web posing as clients and just plain "nuts" disagree with what we do and
feel that you and your family should not enjoy our unique
pets. Click here and
here for some of our "favorite" examples of the threatening messages we receive
(WARNING:
Please lower
your computer's volume and do not play in the vicinity of minors as
these audio files contain obscene and explicit language).
The effects of these continuing activities
makes it difficult to reduce our prices to a level where
more pet-loving individuals and families can own one of our
wonderful pets. They also make it harder for Pet Buddies to provide
pets under the program.
PLEASE NOTE: We offer a reward of
up to $5,000 for any information on anonymous threats, postings,
bloggers or similar entities who threaten or defame our company and
where the
information provided results in successful legal action or prosecution. All information provide
by you is
treated with the utmost confidence. If you have any such information,
please contact us via the secure form on our
CONTACT page.
-
Many breeders who for years have been touting their
"so called" hypoallergenic pets and whom we and our clients have
exposed have also tried to discredit us. Remember that your purchase is covered by our guarantees - and as stated below,
you can speak with existing satisfied clients when you are ready to
purchase. The testimonials you see on the Testimonial page
are REAL. While we aim to protect the privacy of our 350+ clients and
don’t simply have them talk to anyone making initial inquiries, if
you place an order with our company we WILL let you speak with
existing clients and we WILL refund you in full if what you hear is
not to your liking.
-
There are NO other types of scientifically proven
hypoallergenic cats or dogs, regardless of claims made by certain
breeders (not even the hairless breeds - see paragraph after next). Many of our clients have
tried these other "so-called" hypoallergenic cat or dog breeds and
have
seriously reacted, sometimes resulting in hospital
treatment. These same people had no reaction to our
cats or dogs and 5% come back to purchase a second hypoallergenic
pet.
-
Unlike cat
breeders who will try to sell you a "so-called" hypoallergenic cat breed
with no scientific backing, ALLERCA
conducted an independent study under the supervision of
world renowned UCLA allergist, Dr. Sheldon Spector. This study
confirmed that none of the human subjects exposed to the ALLERCA GD cats reacted
while those same subjects exposed to non-ALLERCA GD cats demonstrated classic
symptoms of a feline allergic reaction, including watery eyes, runny
noses, hives and itchy skin.
-
Beware of "so-called" hypoallergenic cat breeds,
such as Siberians, Russian Blues or hairless cats (we love these
hairless cats but they are probably the worst cat for people with
allergies because you come into direct contact with the cat's skin
and the allergens). We have seen all sorts of claims made, and
plenty of these breeders continue to claim that their pets have
"hypoallergenic fur" (if you have read through our website you will
understand how absurd such claims are). The same is true for
"hypoallergenic" dog breeds. NONE of these cat or dog
breeds are truly hypoallergenic and you are
very liable to react to these animals with serious consequences.
Even if you do not react immediately, a reaction WILL occur as
allergen from these cats or dogs builds up in your home environment
over time. In our years providing hypoallergenic cats and dogs we have spoken to
many people who have unsuccessfully tried these "so-called"
hypoallergenic breeds, people who have then become clients
and owners of our own kittens and puppies.
-
ALLERCA Lifestyle Pets does not claim 100% success
for the hypoallergenic cats, as there are still a number of minor variables;
however, we have a 95% success rate amongst our clients who are
extremely allergic to cats. All of our cats and dogs come
with a 14
day return policy allowing you to live with one of our pets and
ensure your are compatible with each other (in addition to our 12
month guarantee).
-
Great news for allergic dog lovers: we have
an amazing success rate with our hypoallergenic
dog, the JABARI GD. Jabari GD owners are generally SEVERELY allergic
to dogs and have no reaction to the Jabari GD.
-
The Pet Buddies Program: those who have a companion animal understand that the human-animal bond
provides important benefits, including the positive effects on those
undergoing therapy for life threatening diseases. After a very
successful pilot program run in California in 2008, Lifestyle Pets donates
a small number of our hypoallergenic ALLERCA GD
kittens or JABARI GD puppies to an allergic child currently undergoing or
recovering from the treatment of a serious disease.
-
Click
HERE to subscribe to our newsletter.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
|
With the precarious state of the economy when even banks
can fail, how is my payment secured?
For your security and peace of mind, your payment is
held in an independent escrow account at Escrow.com and
released to us only when you receive your kitten or
puppy and are 100% satisfied that you don't have any
allergic reactions (see How To Purchase page for
details).
Is there information regarding the independent
verification of your claims?
|
|
|
|
LIFESTYLE PETS has spent much time and energy in
achieving its final goal of delivering consistently
hypoallergenic cats to our customers, and therefore our
protocols and procedures remain proprietary and
confidential.
However, in 2006 we conducted a highly successful trial supervised
by Dr. Sheldon Spector, a renowned allergist at UCLA.
Since then we have conducted our own trials, and of
course, having begun deliveries of kittens to customers
in 2006, we have had a great positive
response from our clients, who are now living for the
first time with a kitten (also see the
Testimonials page
on our website).
|
Will my kitten be declawed or can I declaw my kitten?
At LIFESTYLE PETS we are strongly against declawing and do not
recommend the procedure. If you decide to declaw your kitten,
all warranties, guarantees will become null and void.
One option are vinyl nail caps applied to your kitten's claws
that effectively cover the claws so no damage occurs when your
kitten scratches. For additional information on Soft Paws please
visit the manufacturer’s website at
www.softpaws.com
|
If I am allergic to the LIFESTYLE PETS kitten or puppy can it be
returned for a refund?
|
|
|
|
We allow you to keep your hypoallergenic kitten or
puppy for up to 14 days to ensure compatibility and you
can return your pet within this timeframe for a full refund from the
escrow company.
We have yet to see any known allergic reaction to the
main Fel D1 cat allergen in known cat allergic
individuals who have been exposed to, or who own our
cats; however, occasionally we see a reaction to other
minor allergens in cats, and so in the rare event that
someone should react we will help you to return the
kitten or puppy (within 14 days or receipt) and you can
then request a refund from Escrow.com.
|
|
Can we order two kittens or puppies of the same gender?
|
|
|
|
If you purchase two kittens or puppies in the same order, we would
do our utmost to provide you with two of the same
gender. Please note that you may have to wait a few
weeks longer than if you allow our automated system to
allocate your kittens.
|
What happens if I order a kitten or puppy while living
the US and then I move overseas?
|
|
|
|
You have two options: you can collect your
kitten here in the US and be responsible for
importing it into your country of residence, or
we can ship directly to you by changing your
order type from a U.S. order to an international
order.
We do recommend that you allow LIFESTYLE PETS to
ship internationally as the company then assumes
responsibility for the paperwork, additional
international vaccinations etc. required to
import you kitten into a foreign country.
|
|
Is there any way to visit an ALLERCA pet or the
breeding facility prior to purchase?
|
|
|
|
For security reasons, we do not provide public
access to our breeding facilities (see the first
section on this page about security threats we
have received in the past).
As far a visiting with a kitten or puppy, a
couple of hours exposure does not provide any
real indication of long term exposure, which is
why we allow you to keep your ALLERCA pet in
your home environment for up to 7 days to
ensure compatibility or return to us for a full
refund.
|
|
Can I give a LIFESTYLE PETS pet as a gift and/or
do you offer gift certificates?
|
|
|
|
We do not provide gift certificates as our
owners must undergo a suitability and approval
process prior to receiving their kitten or puppy. If you
would like to purchase a LIFESTYLE PETS kitten
or puppy as a gift, we would first suggest that
you discuss ownership and responsibilities
involved in the long term ownership of a pet
with the intended recipient. If the recipient is
agreeable, we would then recommend that the
purchase amount be gifted to the recipient who
can then purchase a LIFESTYLE PETS kitten or
puppy on their own accord; or you may purchase
directly by contacting our Sales Department by
phone and we can create a special order for the
person receiving the kitten or puppy.
|
|
How do I purchase a LIFESTYLE PETS GD kitten or
puppy?
|
|
|
|
To proceed, please click on the" How To
Purchase"
tab at the top of this page and follow the instructions. If you have
any specific questions that cannot be answered
in this FAQ, please call us by phone or contact
us via email.
|
|
Will the price of a LIFESTYLE PETS kitten or
puppy drop
over the next few years?
|
|
|
|
Although we will do our best to keep prices at
their current levels, we expect additional price
increases in 2010.
|
|
Can we transfer our kitten or puppy orders to a
third party if our situation changes?
|
|
|
|
We appreciate that situations can change and
will work with you to transfer your order to a
third party.
|
|
If we wish to cancel before our kitten or puppy is
delivered, what is the refund policy?
|
|
|
|
Upon receipt of your payment into an escrow
account held by Escrow.com, you can cancel at
any time prior to delivery where you will
receive a full refund less the escrow fee (about
$180).
|
|
Can I choose a kitten or puppy's gender and color?
|
|
|
|
Yes, you are given choices at the time that you
place an order, and we will do our best to
accommodate your choices of color and gender.
|
|
If we want more than one LIFESTYLE PETS kitten
or puppy ,
will we receive them at the same time?
|
|
|
|
If you purchase your kittens or puppies under the same
order and they are the same type of LIFESTYLE
PETS, they will be delivered together.
|
|
Do your cats have any recurring health problems?
|
|
|
|
Our cats are extremely healthy and originate
from strong breeding lines. However they
are living creatures and sometimes an issue
might arise - this is why our animals are
covered by a one year guarantee.
|
|
Do you have a catalog or other printed
information on the LIFESTYLE PETS kittens or
puppies?
|
|
|
|
We do not have any printed material (catalogs,
brochures etc). We aim to provide the most
updated information on our web site.
|
|
Are there color variations in the current
LIFESTYLE PETS animals? If so, what are they?
|
|
|
|
The ALLERCA GD kittens come in multiple color
variations, including solid colors and mixed
colors and tabby variations. The ASHERA GD come in one variation. JABARI GD's
are normally light in color but some variations
do occur. Please view the HYPOALLERGENIC PETS page for more information
and photos.
|
|
Do the LIFESTYLE PETS kittens still produce the
Fel d1 allergen?
|
|
|
|
The LIFESTYLE PETS GD kittens do continue to
express Fel d1, (the known allergen that is
present in saliva, fur, dander etc.) but at a
different molecular weight. In human exposure
tests, and with further feedback from our
clients that own LIFESTYLE PETS GD cats, this
molecular weight does not trigger allergies in
the same way that "normal" Fel d1 does.
|
How do you make your pets hypoallergenic?
|
|
|
|
The LIFESTYLE PETS GD pets have a
naturally occurring gene mutation that
produces a different "flavor" of the
common cat or dog allergen which in turn does
not appear to cause allergic reactions
in allergic individuals. The technology
behind the discovery and detection of
this mutation is proprietary but please
refer to our website for an overview.
|
|
|
How long do the kittens and puppies remain with
their mother? And are they socialized?
|
|
|
|
The LIFESTYLE PETS kittens and puppies remain
with their mother until at least 12 weeks of
age, at which time they are dispatched to their
new owner. The LIFESTYLE PETS kittens and
puppies receive many hours of human
socialization every day from numerous trained
personnel in addition to constant on-site
veterinary monitoring.
At LIFESTYLE PETS, we want to ensure that your
new kitten or puppy is healthy and fully
socialized when he or she arrives at their new
home. Clients have marveled at how friendly the
kittens and puppies are on arrival and how
quickly they adapt to their new homes.
|
How will my LIFESTYLE PETS kitten or
puppy be delivered?
|
|
|
|
Your kitten or puppy will be delivered
to the nearest major airport ready for
collection by you or someone you
nominate. We will contact you nearer the
delivery date and will discuss the most
convenient airport.
|
|
Do the LIFESTYLE PETS GD pets have
effect on asthma suffers?
|
|
|
|
Although we have not run any asthma
specific trials, feedback from customers
have indicated that asthma sufferers do
not react to the LIFESTYLE PETS GD pets.
|
|
|
|
Can other factors still make you
allergic to the LIFESTYLE PETS kittens
besides Fel D1?
|
|
|
|
LIFESTYLE PETS has only completed
research specific to Fel D1, the major
cat allergen. To date we have not seen
any confirmed reactions to Fel D1 in
known cat allergic individuals who have
been exposed to the LIFESTYLE PETS cats.
|
|
|
|
|
