Senior Dogs at Austin Pets Alive! Fetch Life Saving Grant
Aug 20, 2021 AUSTIN, TX — Tails are wagging at Austin Pets Alive! this summer, as the Central Texas shelter was announced as a winning recipient of one of The Grey Muzzle Organization’s annual grants for the fifth consecutive year. APA! is one of 77 animal welfare groups chosen from 266 applicants to receive a grant to help local senior dogs. The winning groups received more than $616,000 in grants to help save or improve the lives of at-risk old dogs in their communities. 11-year old Tiana is one of several sweet seniors at APA!...
Adopting an Older Dog: What You Need to Know
Senior dogs are often overlooked by adopters and rescues. Those who decide they’d like to adopt an older dog find them to be genuine companions and get much joy in owning an adult dog. Older dogs tend to adapt quicker, they are most likely already housebroken and seem to have better manners than younger dogs or puppies. Reasons to Adopt a Senior Dog PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK/LUCIANO Dogs older than 7 years old fall into the senior dog category. Depending on the dog’s breed, they could live for many years after that. Old dogs may not be...
Poison Hemlock Is Toxic To People & Pets, And It Is Blooming All Over The U.S.
Poison hemlock is popping up all over the U.S. and while it looks like a cluster of pretty white flowers, it is toxic to both people and pets. The entire plant, including stem and flowers, contains a neurotoxin that can be deadly if eaten in large quantities. It poses the greatest threat to livestock and horses who graze in fields, but is a plant you should be able to identify and avoid. Photo: Pixabay/AnoukBakkerFotografie Pet owners need to be on the lookout for this invasive plant that is sprouting all over the country due to favorable...
Feral Kitten Rescued From Highway Becomes New Family’s Beloved ‘Semi-Wild Cat’
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! On November 1, 2017, which was unusually cold for our area (teens), I was on my way home from choir practice around 9:30 at night. I got about a mile from the church where I turn onto a 4-lane divided highway (US-411 in Tennessee). There are numerous businesses and plants along the highway, so it is generally busy. In the middle of the road was a gray and white kitty huddled in fear that...
130 Dogs Dead And Hundreds More Sick From Eating Contaminated Dog Food Linked To Midwestern Pet Foods
Hundreds of dogs have died or become sick after consuming contaminated dog food by Midwestern Pet Foods. The company issued recalls earlier this year, but the FDA just sent a warning letter to the company after its manufacturing facilities failed inspections. In December, the pet food company recalled their SPORTMix brand after reports of illnesses and sampling found high levels of aflatoxin, a byproduct of mold. The recall was expanded in January and included all dog foods containing corn made in their Oklahoma plant expiring on or before...
How to support your pet’s gut health when they need antibiotics
A course of antibiotics can upset the balance of your cat or dog’s gut microbiome. Here’s how to support their gut health both during and after antibiotic treatment. Although you can’t see them, trillions of bacteria and other microbes live in and on your cat or dog, and play a critical role in nearly every aspect of their health. Although the vast majority of these microbes are beneficial, sometimes “harmful” ones, called pathogens, can lead to an infection. Your veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics to treat...
How Tui Na can help ease your cat’s arthritis
Tui Na, also known as acupressure-massage, is an effective way to alleviate the discomfort of arthritis in cats. Cats are tricksters. Their wild ancestors evolved not to show weakness or pain lest they fall prey to other predators in the wild. Our domesticated cats have the same “ancestral” mindset, so it can be difficult to assess when they may be suffering from painful conditions such as osteoarthritis. That means it’s up to us as to watch for any subtle signs of arthritis encroaching on our cats’ joints, and to take...
Brainstorm Open Arms Challenge ideas with these resources
With the Open Arms Challenge registration just around the corner (August 23!), we want to make sure you have what you need to succeed. With six areas of focus, the possibilities are nearly endless. With these resources and the Huddles (coming in October!), we think you will be well-equipped to determine the direction your organization will go. As a refresher, the welcoming practices are: Processes are equitable and inclusive; customer success is ensured through customer service; marketing and communications are directed towards entire...
Senior Cat Brings Home New Friend, Who Ultimately Moves In, Too
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’ve had cats my whole life. At one time, we had eight rescue cats and were also helping a stray mom and her litter. Over the years, we’ve lost all but two of them to something: cancer, kidney failure, just to name a few. My 17-year-old Cotton passed away on a Friday. We were devastated and our old cat Mic was grieving, as well. We decided we did not want another cat. We have...
Dog Finds Woman’s Lost Wedding Ring At Beach
When a Michigan woman went to the beach with her son and two friends, she was hoping for some rest, relaxation, maybe even some sun. She certainly didn’t expect to lose her wedding and engagement rings in the sand. But that’s what happened when Elsa Green took off her rings to apply sunscreen, according to the Washington Post. After briefly placing the rings in a ball cap, Green was was startled by a huge beetle. In the confusion, the rings went flying. Photo: Facebook/Keweenaw County Sheriff’s Office Elsa and her friends...
Survey Finds Americans Would Sacrifice Relationships, Internet, Junk Food And Much More For Their Pets
Is there anything you wouldn’t give up for your dog or cat? Apparently, Americans are willing to part with most things for their beloved pets. Honest Paws, a pet CBD company, surveyed over 1,000 pet owners to see just how far they are willing to go for their pets. Photo: Pixabay It turns out people will sacrifice entertainment, money, and relationships for their furry companions. Entertainment 96% said they would rather give up all junk food than their pet. While soda pop, candy, and chips are delicious, they don’t compare to the...
Kitten Shows Up at the Back Door of a Human Who Had No Plans to Get Another Pet
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 never intended to become a pet parent again. I had buried enough of them over the years. So when an eight week old tuxedo kitten showed up at my back door, I was ill-prepared but I could not say “no.” A few days later, a friend commented that my new family addition had a face that reminded her of Michelle Pfeiffer, and just like that, Pfeiffer had her name. CAT. PHOTO:...
Dog Rescued From Hot Car In Disney World Parking Lot After Barking For Help
Hundreds of pets die every year from being left in hot cars. But one little dog trapped in a hot car used all her might to bark for help. The Maltese dog was left alone in a locked car in Disney’s Hollywood Studio parking lot and had to fend for herself as temperatures continued to rise. Photo: Pixabay/EDUARDO ROMERO The small pup barked until she captured the attention of a passerby, Jerry Dana Frech. Journalist, Parker Branton, shared the intense rescue story on Twitter. DOG RESCUED FROM HOT CAR AT DISNEY WORLD — A Hollywood...
A Dark and Stormy Night Brings a Bright, Happy Cat to a New 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! ‘It was a dark and stormy night’. It truly was! I was living in the U.S. Virgin Islands in an isolated house surrounded by jungle. There was a storm raging, with torrential rain, thunder and lightning when I was awoken by insistent howls at the french doors of my bedroom. CAT. PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK/YULANAOM Illuminated by the flashes of lightning, I could see the outline of a...
German Animal Shelter Turns To Popular Dating App, Tinder, To Find Loving Homes
Animal shelters are always looking for new ways to find loving homes for shelter pets. A German animal shelter decided to try posting profiles of shelter dogs and cats on the popular online dating app, Tinder – and it was a huge success. The Munich Animal Welfare Association (MAWA) had a local advertising agency take professional headshots of 15 dogs and cats and then posted them among the other single people looking for love. Jillian Moss with MAWA told Reuters that countless people are swiping right, which means they’re...
Pet Evictions – A letter from Dr. Jefferson on the Looming Crisis in Austin
Aug 17, 2021 You are likely well aware of the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the emerging eviction crisis, which threatens to displace millions of Americans from their homes. The Washington Post, in an interview with our national arm, American Pets Alive!, just shared the massive potential impacts of the end of the eviction moratorium on pets. Evictions are on track to be the number one reason cats and dogs enter the public shelter in Austin. Based on our Pet Eviction Calculator, in Travis County alone a whopping 37,340...
Ayurvedic health for your dog
Incorporating these ancient Ayurvedic principles and techniques into your dog’s lifestyle will help prevent illness while increasing his everyday health and well-being. The oldest tricks in the book are sometimes the best. This is certainly true of the timeless healing science of Ayurveda. This proven and highly effective 5,000-year-old modality can be applied to our dogs with good results. Using some simple and easy-to-apply techniques from the Ayurvedic approach, your dog can enjoy great improvement in his overall health and...
Join shelter medicine pioneer Dr. Lila Miller for this inspiring chat!
Join us on Tuesday, August 24 at 12:00 noon PT for Maddie’s® Candid Conversation with Dr. Lila Miller, a groundbreaking and trailblazing visionary. Dr. Miller has long been a pioneer and leading voice in veterinary shelter medicine. She transformed the lives of countless pets, developing the first veterinarian-written guidelines for shelter animal care, which are now used in shelters across the country to ensure the humane treatment of shelter pets. An unassuming trailblazer, she’s educated a generation of students about...
P.A.S.S. Program Keeps Families Together
Aug 16, 2021 Christopher was facing a difficult decision, he knew his cat needed medical attention but like so many, he was struggling to afford the ongoing vet bills. Not wanting to have to surrender his family member to the shelter because of this, he turned to our P.A.S.S. Facebook page which stands for Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender, and asked for help. Tiger is Christopher’s sweet little orange slice you see here. He was attacked by a dog which left him with open wounds that needed immediate attention. Tiger soon...
How to Discipline a Puppy Without Being Mean
New puppies are the best! They’re cute and playful and snuggly, most of the time. But puppies can also be mischievous. They’ll pee on the floor, bite your ankles and chew up your new shoes. So, how do you get your new puppy to stop being naughty, without being mean? Learn the basics of how to properly discipline your new pup, to make sure you’re doing it correctly. When can you start to discipline a puppy? PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK/OLYA Young puppies have short attention spans but you can expect them to begin to learn simple...
