There are more than 150 million dogs and cats in the United States and close to four in 10 homes count a feline or canine as a member of their household. Most of those animals were saved from shelters or purchased from a pet store, costing no more than $100 or so, but pet owners looking for more specific breeds can spend hundreds getting a cat or dog with breed certification papers. Then there are the rich pet owners who willingly throw down tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars for an animal that will not only provide comfort and companionship but might also make their friends jealous. Some of the most expensive cats and dogs in the world are intensively bred to be hypoallergenic while others are just rare. Whatever the reason for the eye-popping price tags, the following cats and dogs can set you back an arm and a tail. The posting of advertisement, profanity or personal attacks is prohibited.

The snow has melted in our yards, the grass is greening, trees are budding, flowers are blossoming, noses are running, eyes are itching, people are sneezing. My doctor suggested it was time to see an allergist to find out what exactly I was allergic to so it could be treated more specifically. Trees, grasses, weeds, molds, dust mites, house dust, horses, cats, dogs! I had my sweet Elliott for 15 years, and the whole time I was allergic to him? Never found the zen people talk about, having my hands in the soil, nurturing plants, one with the earth, blah, blah, blah. And while we’re at it, let’s examine the fact that I’m allergic to house dust.

FOR animal lovers who suffer from streaming eyes and a runny nose every time they so much as give their pet a friendly pat, caring for man's best friend can seem like walking an endless tightrope. A common misconception is that fur causes an allergic reaction, however it has been proven that the shedding of dander (dead skin) is actually the main cause. It is an active breed with a robust coat and has also claimed fame as the White House canine, Bo Obama, is a Portuguese water dog. The Devon rex cat - so named because it was first spotted in 1960 living in Devon - has a short, rippling coat made of down fur. Syrian hamsters, the most common pet hamster, are an excellent choice simply because they are generally confined to a small living space and thus do not have constant interaction with the home environment.

Rick and Rosa Haberman’s kitchen is a pig sty, but that statement has nothing to do with their housekeeping. Rick and Rosa started ChinaDoll Farms in Avon Park 2½ years ago as a moneymaking opportunity after Rick retired. Rick and Rosa purchased a couple as pets, then added a couple more and finally started to breed and sell them. Currently the farm is home to a menagerie of four dogs, 16 pigs, six goats, 10 geese, 10 ducks, 12 rabbits and more chickens than they can keep track of. Two years later, Rosa retired, moved to Florida and married Rick.