Say the word, “Hemingway”, and author Ernest Hemingway, a man as colorful as he was talented, quickly comes to mind. But did you know that the word “Hemingway””also refers to any six-toed domestic cat?

It seems that Ernest Hemingway acquired a six-toed cat from a sailor he met in Key West. Hemingway was quite fond of the polydactyl (the proper term for felines with more than five toes) and as a result, was delighted when many of its descendants were polydactyl’s too.

Now, I might have already known this interesting bit of trivia, if I had ever taken advantage of the opportunities in Key West timeshares. Key West is not only a great place to soak up some sun and just relax, it is also home to “Papa” Hemingway’s museum and it is just the type of picturesque locale that many visitors to the Keys include in an afternoon of sightseeing.

The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum is a tribute to the author’s life, especially the years he spent as a resident of Key West. Winner of both the Nobel Prize for Literature and the Pulitzer Prize, Hemingway lived in Key West for approximately ten years, between 1929 and 1939.

Today the museum is known for providing a glimpse into Hemingway’s life, an archive for some of his memorabilia and a home to the multi-generations of multi-toed felines that are descendants from Snowball, Hemingway’s original six-toed cat.

The Hemingway cats have been in the news lately because they are entangled in some government red tape. Last year, the US Department of Agriculture cited The Hemingway Museum for exhibiting cats without the proper credentials, namely an Animal Welfare License issued by the USDA. The position of the USDA is that the museum is exhibiting the cats (there are approximately 50 at last count) and like a zoo, must therefore keep the cats in cages. Other new articles suggest that the neighbors may simply be tired of living next door to such a large and growing cat population.

This blog posting includes several good links, so you can read more about the battle between the museum and government officials. But I’ve also included links to some wonderful Key West timeshare locations.

If you have been to Florida, but never been to the Keys, you have really missed a unique experience. And timeshare resales and timeshare rentals make an excellent way to enjoy the island lifestyle of Key Largo, Marathon and Key West.

Here’s a fun You Tube video of The Hemingway Home and Museum, that may make you want to book that Key West timeshare now and spend some time off the beaten path.

Over on our website, www.sellmytimesharenow.com, we’ve set up a new media center. Now you can track all the news and growth at our company, Sell My Timeshare NOW.

The Sell My Timeshare NOW Media Center includes press releases, company facts and some general information about the timeshare industry. We think it will be helpful to researchers, timeshare owners, and everyone who wants to buy, rent, or sell timeshare.

Visit our media center to learn more about our fast-growing company and the opportunities for vacation ownership or the easy and affordable ways to sell timeshare you no longer need or use.

As always, the Sell My Timeshare NOW timeshare resales professionals are available to assist you, answer your questions, or help you decide if timesharing is right for you. Call us at: 877-815-4227.

After updating you in yesterday’s Timeshare Owners Blog about the idea of timeshare ownership of a dog, it seems a good time to talk again about timeshare vacationing with a dog, or for that matter, a cat, or other favorite pet.

Many timeshares do not permit you to bring your pet. The reasons for this are easy to see. Pets have been known to damage property and pets at a resort increase the resort’s liability that someone will be injured because they have been bitten, scratched, clawed, or even just knocked down by a friendly Fido. Timeshare owners and guests with allergies are entitled to know with complete assurance that they will be staying in a pet-free timeshare unit. Even thorough cleaning is not always enough to remove the residual traces of pet hair or pet dander that could trigger serious responses in people who have pet-related allergies.

But for everyone who loves his or her pet and hates to leave it behind while the rest of the family enjoys a timeshare holiday, it is important to know that timesharing with your pet is an option at select resorts. When you take your pet along on vacation, you, other family members, and your pet, do not have to deal with separation anxiety. According to statistics reported in the Miami Herald, on a survey conducted by BringYourPet.com, 77 percent of the pet owners surveyed say they take their animals with them when they leave town and that 63 percent would be more likely to lengthen their stay if they could take their pets with them.

Another advantage to traveling with your pet is that you avoid the cost of boarding your dog or cat, which if you own several pets, could be the deal breaker between whether or not a vacation fits into the family budget.

If you are planning a vacation with your pet, start by confirming that the timeshare resort selected permits pets and that they will have a pet-friendly timeshare unit available for you. Before you leave home, schedule a visit to the vet and make sure your pet is healthy for travel and up to date on all vaccinations and shots. It is a good idea to take along your pet’s favorite brand of food, as well as items that are familiar to it, like a feeding dish and blanket or bedding.

The website for “Bring Your Pet” offers many good suggestions for traveling with your favorite animals.

On the Sell My Timeshare NOW website you will find a wide selection of resorts where you can rent or buy timeshare resales that are pet-friendly. The links below are only a few of the many choices:

• Silverleaf’s Oak ‘n Spruce Timeshare Resort in South Lee, Massachusetts
• Green Mountain Timeshare Resort in Branson Missouri
• Celebration World Timeshare Resort in Kissimmee Florida
• Premiere Vacation Club at Bell Rock Inn and Suites Timeshares in Sedona, Arizona
• Silverleaf’s Fox River Timeshare Resort in Sheridan, Illinois
• Banff Rocky Mountain Timeshare Resort in Alberta, Canada

When an idea works, it’s bound to be copied. And the concept of timeshares, which we all know from vacation ownership, has shown up in many other industries. There are timeshares for jets, timeshares for luxury cars, timeshares for sports stadiums, and now – timeshares for dogs.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about actually timeshare resorts for dogs; I mean timesharing OF A dog.

Flex Petz is a California-based company that now allows you to be a pet owner for only the percentage of time that fits your schedule. Membership in Flex Petz includes dog food, toys, a dog bed, veterinarian care, pickup and delivery of your pet, an identity chip for Fido, boarding at a cage-free kennel, and of course, your part time pet.

ABC News affiliate KGI-TV/DT in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose reported that Flex Pet owner Marlena Cerantes said, “We’re connected with our dogs through local rescue groups and shelters.” She describes many of their dogs as, “retired show dogs and retired studs.”

Members of Flex Petz cite the need to travel and other job-related responsibilities as reasons they can’t always be there for their pets and would rather be timesharing their dog with others than leaving Fido home alone. Critics of the service say that bouncing a dog around among multiple owners may not be good for the animals’ emotional state.

Flex Petz reportedly screens their members and requires them to participate in dog care training. Currently there are Flex Petz locations in San Diego and Los Angeles, with plans to open in San Francisco, New York, London, and other cities around the globe.

If your idea of a California timeshare, New York timeshare, or London timeshare has more to do with relaxation and luxury accommodations then you will want to check the great timeshare deals at Sell My Timeshare Now.