For Immediate Release
Irvine, Calif. (April 1, 2015) -– In a surprise announcement, Catster.com and Dogster.com have declared they will merge to become Rockster.com. The groundbreaking website will be dedicated to the care and comfort of the often overlooked pet rock and pet rock parents.
To explain the change, Keith Bowers, senior editor at Rockster.com (formerly of Catster) addresses the subject:
“For millennia, humans have regarded rocks as either debris or building blocks. We blast away rock beds to build mountain highways. We mine gravel for construction, taking billions of rocks away from their homes. We expose rocks to brutal elements outdoors in the name of ‘guarding’ flower beds. Today we begin the process of ending this cycle of abuse. April 1 marks the conversion of Catster into Rockster, a website devoted to the pet rock.
Vicky Walker, executive editor at Rockster.com (formerly of Catster and Dogster), remembers her first pet rock, named Rocky, whom she eventually returned to the wild: “Rockster.com is for all the other Rockys out there and their pet rock parents who care so much for them.”
“This is a website that’s at least four billion years overdue (if the Internet was that old, that is),” says Janine Kahn, executive editorial director, digital at i-5 Publishing. “The pet rock is the original pet. Think about it –- what did cave kids play with? Rocks! But through the course of history these pet pioneers have been overshadowed and diminished by the emergence of modern, and might I add, higher-maintenance pets. Rockster.com is our chance to give back to the legacy of the original pet and show that you don’t have to have a heart and fur to be a lovable, lifelong pet.”
Rockster.com digs up the dirt on issues directly related to pet rocks from the tiniest pebbles to overgrown boulders. Along with uplifting and hilarious stories of pet rocks, Rockster.com also includes important features on how to raise a healthy and happy pet rock. The editors and writers of Rockster.com plow through the rubble of responsible rock ownership with features on rock care, rock style, rock training, as well as inspirational real-life stories of pet rocks who have changed the lives of their people.
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Some of the articles featured in Rockster.com include:
- “Ask a Vet: How Can I Get My Rock to Stop Peeing Outside the Box?” by Dr. Rockus: Rocks peeing in the wrong place can have dire consequences — learn why.
- “Texts From Rock” by Angie Bailey: Rock gets intimidated by a slab of concrete outside, so he takes up his smartphone and texts!
- “Watch and Learn: I Give My Pet Rock a Fashion Makeover” by Rock Dandy (formerly Cat Dandy) Keith Bowers: Any rock can look extraordinary with the right accessories.
- “5 Ways My Pet Rock Helps Me With Anxiety” by Angela Lutz: One woman explains how a pet rock named Benedict Cumberbatch helps her through life’s difficult times.
- “Stop Trying to Shame Me for Being a Crystal Collector” by JaneA Kelley: Many people adopt rocks from gravel pits, sure, but this commentary covers why it’s OK to buy a purebred crystal from a store.
- “The Pet Rock Revolution Is Here: Dogster Is Now Rockster” by Keith Bowers and Michael Leaverton: We explain the reasons behind the transition and celebrate the switch with a “Take Your Rock to Work Day”
- “What Do I Feed My Pet Rock? Why Does He Eat Poop? Our Vet Has the Answers” by Dr. Rockus: Rockster’s resident vet answers some of the most common questions he gets about rocks — sort of.
- “5 Tips for Taking Your Pet Rock to the Dog Park” by Wendy Newell: Until there are designated rock parks, pet rocks must share with pups. We share tips for doing so safely.
- “Greater Sedona Pet Rock Rescue Clears the City of Stray Rocks” by Michael Leaverton: This rock rescue group gives hundreds of thousands of rocks new homes … and has a special on landscaping services.
- “Do You Let Your Rocks Sleep in Your Bed? All of Them?” by Heather Marcoux: A queen-size bed can get pretty crowded when humans and rocks all pile in.
- “4 Tips for Introducing Your Pet Rock to a New Dog” by Jeff Goldberg: Tips on how to create a bond between a resident rock and a four-legged newcomer.
Rockster.com is not only the most consummate source of information on the world’s most ignored pet, it also champions the plight of homeless pet rocks. In an inspirational call-to-action, Rockster.com will donate a portion of all proceeds from merchandise purchased from the Rockster.com online store to the Palm Desert Pet Rock Rescue.
How did the idea of Rockster.com originate? Walker recalls her first pet rock and a time in her childhood when the pet rock enjoyed a small revival.
“In the 1970s I remember getting my first pet rock for Christmas. I wasn’t much into fads at the time, but that little rock just grew on me. Rocky meant the world to me. Many years later when I returned home from college, I noticed Rocky had lost his glow. He wasn’t’ the same. Even his haystack bed was brown and brittle. I took Rocky to the riverbed by our house and gave him back to the Earth. Ever since then, I vowed that one day I would be in the position to give Rocky and other pet rocks a voice.”
Rockster.com is scheduled to launch on April 1, 2015. Also in the works is a Rockster real-time webcam where viewers can watch the large collection of pet rocks at the Rockster.com headquarters. Rockster.com will also lead and sponsor the upcoming “Bring Your Rock to Work Day” campaign.
About Rockster.com
Rockster.com collects helpful and hilarious information for the worldly but still infatuated rock aficionado. A resource for pet rock parents raising pebbles to boulders and all sizes in between, Rockster.com is devoted to the care and comfort of the creature that rules its quarry. Founded in 2015, Rockster.com is owned by i-5 Publishing and is based in San Francisco. Follow Rockster.com on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
For more information or for interviews, contact: Lisa MacDonald, marketing director, 949-855-8822, ext.3345 lmacdonald@i5publishing.com
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