You may have heard of the popular new designer pet called an allergy free pet. You may also have a lot of questions regarding which types of pets fall under this category- is there an allergy free cat? How about an allergy free dog?

What are allergy free pets?

You may be surprised to know that allergy free pets are most naturally so.  An allergy free pet is a specially bred animal that has either little or no allergic affect on allergy sufferers. Also known as hypoallergenic pets, they are naturally bred pets that are not genetically altered in any way (though some companies are supposedly trying to genetically alter pets, amongst other life forms).

The reason that pets, specifically cats and dogs, send allergy sufferers into a sneezing and sniffling fit is because of a protein in their skin; this special protein, called Fel d 1. This protein is not only found on the skin, but also the skin cells that pets shed and their dander as well.

The key to making a hypoallergenic pet is to try to either eliminate this protein altogether or find pets that have little or no Fel d 1.  Many cats and dogs naturally come with a low dose of Fel d 1 in their DNA, therefore making them naturally hypoallergenic. Only the most severe of pet allergy sufferers will have any troubles with such animals, making them natural allergy free pets.

What the companies who breed these allergy free cats and allergy free dogs do is to bring these breeds together in an environment that encourages them to breed together to make more allergy free pets.  Allerca, a San Diego-based company, was at the forefront of this movement, making an effort to mass produce allergy free cats. They hope to have up to 9,000 of the pets by 2009, though right now there is a huge waiting list for them and the price tag does make the cost prohibitive for some persons and families.

For more information on allergy free pets, visit:
http://petinfo.org/articles/allergies.shtml

What allergy free pets exist today?

Cats and dogs are popular hypoallergenic pets that exist today.

Today, Allerca produces allergy free cats, while an Australian-based company became the first to produce hypoallergenic dogs (even though there are many hairless breeds and breeds that have little to no Fel d 1).

It is important to note that these allergy free pets still shed- but there is so little of the irritating protein in the shed fur and dander that it is not really an issue for most allergy sufferers. Those with the most severe allergies may still have issues, but it is very rare and only makes up a small percentage of those with allergies.

The list of naturally hypoallergenic dogs is astounding. Though all still shed and can cause an outbreak of your allergies, these breeds generally will allow those with allergies to still be able to own a dog: Afghan hound, greyhound, Cairn terrier, Lhasa Apso, Maltese, most poodle breeds, poodle hybrids, Schnauzer (all sizes), Shih Tzu, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, Spanish Water Dog, Yorkshire Terrier, Whippet, Native American Indian Dog, Border Terrier and several others.  There are also hairless breeds that make great allergy free dogs. Those include the American hairless Terrier, Chinese Crested, Mexican hairless dog and the Peruvian hairless dog.

How much does an allergy free pet cost?

An allergy free pet is a big financial investment though worth it to many.  Most of the aforementioned breeds of dogs do cost a little more than others, because in order to make sure they are truly hypoallergenic, they must be pure breeds. If a pet is a mixed breed, they will likely carry the protein gene that makes the allergies act up.

The cost of a pure breed varies from dog to dog but can be very high and sometimes into the thousand in terms of dollars. But there are many allergy sufferers that have been allergic their whole lives and have always longed for a pet. The longing was so much in fact that many are willing to shell out the big bucks for an allergy free dog or allergy free cat if they have that kind of cash.

An Allerca allergy free cat will cost you $3,950 USD, according to their official website. Though this may seem like a hefty price tag, it does come with a year of veterinary care, a special chip implant to identify the allergy free cat, complete vaccinations, a home environment allergy test, two FDA approved allergy tests, an Allerca certified cat transporter, vinyl nail caps so the cat won't be able to scratch, a starter pack including food, toys, additional nail caps and other goodies and of course the cat itself, at the ripe old age of 12 weeks.

A hefty investment to be sure—yet, it is worth every penny to many with allergies who crave the companionship of a pet. In fact, the demand is so high that there is a long waiting list for an Allerca cat, with no signs of alleviating the wait.