Dog Breaks Up Fight Between Two Birds
Dogs aren’t just loyal companions, they’re also pretty good at keeping the peace. In our household, whenever the cats got into a disagreement, it was usually our dog who would be going to investigate and trying to make the two animals stop swatting at each other. Because of our dog’s natural nurturing energy towards the other pets in the house, we nicknamed her Mother Hen. She was always the one we could count on to keep the other pets in line. In fact, whenever we left the house for work, we’d tell her “watch...
Cattle Dog Digs Trench To Help Owner ‘Herd’ Water Through The Yard
Some dogs just want to help out and feel purposeful in life. Take Sissy, for example. As an Australian cattle dog, herding cattle is in her blood and DNA. She needs to have a purpose and that purpose should preferably be herding. Considering Sissy lives on a farm with plenty of animals, she doesn’t have any trouble staying busy. She’s constantly helping out her family with work around the farm and sometimes, she helps out in unexpected ways! www.instagram.com/p/CbdrgAOuZwy/ You see, it’s not just animals that Sissy herds....
Best Podcasts for New Pet Parents
When preparing to bring home a new addition, many pet parents will scour the web for videos and blogs that will prepare them for what’s to come. What they don’t realize is that they’re missing an entire category of resources – podcasts! There are numerous podcasts dedicated to helping pet parents navigate this new and exciting stage of life. We’ve rounded up five podcasts, hosted by both trained professionals and experienced pet parents, that focus on different areas of pet parenthood. Dr. Dunbar’s iWoofs...
Jacksonville Humane Society’s whole-shelter approach to shortening length of stay
Since winning the Get ‘em Home Challenge in 2018, Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS) continues to innovate, whittling days off the average length of shelter stays for both dogs and cats. At a time when length of stay appears to be increasing nationally, JHS’s length of stay for cats has decreased from 29 days in 2018 to 17 days in 2022, while their length of stay for dogs went from 12 to 11 days. How did they do it? “It isn’t just marketing,” says Lindsay Layendecker, JHS’s Director of Community...
Dog That Spent Her Whole Life in a Pet Carrier Finds Loving Home
This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog! I still remember the first time I saw Bitsy so clearly to this day. I was outside my home when my neighbors got home. They took a tiny pet taxi out of their truck, and all I could see was a white snout and big brown eyes. But that was the last time I ever saw her. I never saw her outside or going for a ride in the car, until I started doing housework for my neighbors for extra money....
Three Iditarod Mushers Punished For Sheltering Dogs Inside During A Massive Blizzard
Ever since it began, the Iditarod–which demands sled dogs race 100 miles a day in brutal conditions–has countered charges of animal cruelty. But even while dogs are overworked, exhausted, and even die on the trail, organizers have failed to improve conditions for Alaska’s racing dogs, who are even excluded from the state’s usual animal cruelty laws. Not surprisingly, this year’s race further underscored the Iditarod’s callous approach to animals. Photo: Pixabay Not only were about 250 dogs pulled off the...
Pit Bull Falls Head Over Paws in Love with a Great Dane
“Where do I beginTo tell the story of how great a love can beThe sweet love story that is older than the seaThe simple truth about the love she brings to meWhere do I start . . .” If George and Sophie had a love song, this would be it! The Facebook group Happy Pit Bull, with more than 45,000 members, is having a blast talking on Facebook about the pit bull named Sophie who has fallen in love with a Great Dane named George. Tracey Kerschner Stahl, Sophie’s human owner, could hardly contain herself as she observed adoggy...
6 dog breeds prone to obesity
Certain dogs have a predisposition to being chubby — but that doesn’t mean it’s a given. One of the frequent myths perpetuated around canine obesity is that some dog breeds are just chubby and there’s no way to prevent obesity for those dogs. While there are conditions that slow pups’ metabolisms down and there are breeds with naturally slower metabolisms and lower energy levels, there is no specific dog breed where canine obesity has to be an inevitability. Here’s a list of the most commonly overweight dog...
Boy Writes Heartfelt Notes To His Foster Dog’s New Family
Fostering a dog is so special and meaningful. It’s a selfless act that allows more and more dogs to be rescued and helps prevent dogs from being euthanized. Fostering dogs can also be heartbreaking. It’s hard to say goodbye to an animal once you’ve formed a bond with them, but it’s something that many people do in the best interest of the pet. Recently, 6-year-old Roman Duncan learned just how hard and rewarding fostering a dog can be. Photo: flickr/Pete Markham According to a blog post from the North Shore Animal...
PETA Germany Rescues Over 700 Animals From Ukraine
PETA Germany has continuously been working hard to try and rescue as many animals as they can in the midst of Russia’s war in Ukraine. PETA Germany has been dispatching teams to Ukraine’s western borders in order to provide assistance to the refugees and their animal companions. Loaded down with food and other emergency supplies, PETA helps provide meals, beds, and assistance with paperwork for both the refugees and their animals 24/7 since their first trip to the Polish border on February 25. With the help of several other animal...
Talented Cat Sings The Blues With His Owner
Recently, the world was introduced to Bruce the signing cat. The black feline became Internet famous for his ability to sing blues with his owner. It seems that Bruce isn’t the only black cat with that talent, however. There’s another black feline who can not only sing blues but other music as well! Badu the singing cat made his musical debut on YouTube just a year ago, and he’s already got hundreds of fans. The feline may seem like an average kitty who loves catnip, but he’s quite talented! When Badu isn’t...
Cat Doesn’t Want A Bath So He Turns The Water Off Mid-Rinse
Cats are notorious for hating water. They bathe themselves with their tongues, lap up water from a bowl or stream, and call it a day. They don’t enjoy swimming or getting wet, so when a cat is forced to take a bath, it can become a real challenge. Even celebrities like Jennifer Garner struggle to bathe their feline pets. But every once and a while, a cat just needs a good bath, regardless of if they like it or not. Some cats find their ways to protest getting a bath, by scratching their owners or fighting back. Photo: Pixabay/rihaij But...
Pup Is Spoiled With Luxurious $75,000 Wardrobe
Coco the 8-year-old poodle mix doesn’t live like your typical lap dog. She lives like a queen. According to the New York Post, the pup boasts a $75,000 wardrobe complete with designer pieces from brands like Louis Vuitton, Valentino, and Tiffany & Co. Coco lives in Sydney, Australia with her owners, 32-year-old insurance adjuster Alina Michaels and her husband, 39-year-old Sarmen. They do their absolute best to spoil Coco and give her all of the most glamorous things in life. Michaels and Sarmen have purchased over 500 items for the...
Australian Shelters Are Filling Up With Dogs Following Lighter COVID Restrictions
It has been two years since COVID-19 came into our lives. Since then, we’ve faced global lockdowns and restrictions – on and off – in order to try and reduce the damage brought on by the pandemic. At the start of the pandemic, there were a lot of animal adoptions as people wanted furry companions to help get through the tough stretch of isolation. However, since the world has started to open back up and restrictions are being lifted, there is now an increase in dogs getting surrendered to rescues and shelters all across...
Maryland Is Joining New York To Ban The Declawing Of Cats
New York passed legislation in 2019 and became the first state in the United States to ban declawing cats. Maryland is now set to follow. Declawing cats is a process that removes a feline’s nail bed as well as the nail along with part of the bone. According to those who support the ban, including the Humane Society, declawing is inhumane because it’s unnecessary and can lead to lasting physical and behavioral issues. Photo: Piqsels In Maryland, the only way that you will be allowed to legally declaw a cat is if there is a medical...
Dogs in the Classroom Program
Jackie Brown Pet expert Jackie Brown has spent 20 years following her passion for animals as a writer and editor in the pet publishing industry. She is contributing writer for National Geographic’s Complete Guide to Pet Health, Behavior, and Happiness: The Veterinarian’s Approach to At-Home Animal Care (April 2019) and author of the book It’s Raining Cats and Dogs: Making Sense of Animal Phrases (Lumina Press, 2006). Jackie is a regular contributor to pet and veterinary industry media and is the former editor of numerous pet...
Are superfoods worth the hype?
How do we know if a superfood is really “super” or just marketing fluff? As more dog and cat guardians embrace wellness and healthier eating, we have become more aware of what’s on our plates — and what’s in our animals’ food bowls. As a result, superfoods have become an essential piece of the puzzle when selecting the best diet for our dogs and cats. But how do we know if a superfood is really “super” or just marketing fluff? The origins of superfoods The word “superfood” is defined...
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: Going live on social, We Foster Huddles and more!
Happy Monday! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. 7 tips for going live on social media during shelter and rescue emergenciesLive streaming on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can help you create connections with supporters and get the word out quickly during shelter and rescue emergencies, but the prospect of live video can feel daunting. However, creating a successful live stream doesn’t need to be complicated. Jennifer Held, Operations Manager for Norfolk Animal… Learn More...
Cat Missing For 8 Years Shows Up At The Vet’s Office
Losing an animal is incredibly hard. When a cat or dog goes missing, their owner is left wondering where they’re at, if they’re ok, and if they’ll ever see them again. Typically, days following a pet going missing are full of frantic searching and hope. But as the days turn to weeks, months, and eventually years, most pet owners assume the worst and give up all hope of being reunited with their fur missing fur baby. It’s a scenario that Georgina Louise found herself in 8 years ago. She was used to her orange tabby cat,...
Dogs For Veterans Graduate Service Dog Training Inside Correctional Facility
Inmates from the Niagara County Correctional Facility in New York have been working hard to train service dogs for veterans. It seems that all of their hard work has finally paid off because the dogs have officially graduated from training and are making their way to their new veteran owners. The training is part of program called Pawsitive for Heroes that’s run by a small nonprofit that supports veterans. The Pawsitive for Heroes program was launched back in 2014 with a mission of providing service dog training to veterans in need at...
