On Giving Tuesday Find an Animal in Need and Donate to their Wishlist
Giving Tuesday celebrates generously giving back after spending like crazy on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Marking its 10-year anniversary, the annual day of giving began in 2012 as a way to honor the value of generosity, Asha Curran told USA TODAY. Curran, who is the CEO of Giving Tuesday, went on to say, “There’s not a person or community in the entire world where generosity is not important.” And she’s right. Since its inception, the movement is officially celebrated or observed in countries all across the globe....
The Best Advent Calendars for Dogs and Cats in 2022
Are you one of those people that buy their tree and start putting up Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving? You might even put your tree up on Thanksgiving and start hanging exterior lights the following day. If so, you’re in good company, with 43-55 percent (depending on the source) queried admitting to jumping the gun and getting into the Christmas season early. Including Pets in Christmas Sound like you? If that’s how you roll and you’re a pet parent, then there’s also a good chance you’re of the...
A holistic healthcare plan for senior dogs and cats
Following this 5-point holistic healthcare plan will help your senior dog or cat stay well and live longer. As a holistic veterinarian, I like to divide my patients into three populations based on age. The first stage is puppyhood and kittenhood (until animals are 12 months old), then adulthood (five to ten years depending on breed). Finally comes the senior or geriatric stage, which lasts from around eight to ten years until death (usually 15 to 20 years, depending on breed and species). Dividing the population in this fashion allows me to...
If You’re Thinking of Fostering an Animal or Adopting a Special Needs Pet, Know the Challenges First
First things first. Adopting a rescue pet or fostering are two of the greatest things you can do in life if you love animals. The rewards are often immeasurable, but they’re not without their challenges even under the best of circumstances. Unfortunately, a lot of people go into these acts of love with blinders on. To make matters worse, sometimes they do so for the wrong reasons. So, before you rush in, it’s a good idea to know what you’re letting yourself in for first. Photo: Pixabay/mochawalk Special Needs Pets Animals...
Planning for the Inevitable: Living Arrangements for Surviving Pets
It goes without saying that nobody wants to think about death. But unless you’re planning on some sort of sci-fi ending involving a cryogenic freeze and rebirth, the truth is we’re all going to go someday. One of the last things people think of, as far as long-term, is what would happen to my pets after I’m gone. Generally, it’s not until people age, and the concept becomes more relevant that they start to give it any thought. Pet Planning The problem is, even if you have family that will outlive you, do they want to...
Humans Have Cared Enough About Their Pets to Provide Them with Burials for Thousands of Years
You’ve likely heard of pet cemeteries but assumed they were a relatively new concept. Perhaps not much older than the 18th or 19th centuries. That assumption would be false. As it turns out, humans have cared enough about their beloved pets to provide them with burials for thousands of years. Some individuals have even been discovered to have their pets buried with them in centuries-old tombs or graves. Photo: Pixabay/jenniferva Ancient Egypt & Roman-Era Pet Cemeteries About four or five years ago, a group of Polish archeologists...
Are Your Cats Ready for Holiday Gatherings? 5 Tips for Calming and Readying Fussy Felines
Got a kitty that has difficulty adjusting to visitors, added commotion, and/or more noise than usual? While some cats are oblivious regardless of the situation, others just aren’t happy when their routines are disrupted and will show it in the most pointed ways. If you have one of these easily irked felines, or you’re planning on hosting the holidays at your house this year and you’re not sure how your little darlings will react, we’ve got some tips for you. Photo: Pixabay/Sbringser 1. Holiday Decorations with Pets in...
Pet Food Donations Desperately Needed Across the Country
With inflation dinging so many people’s pocketbooks, many pet owners are feeling the squeeze this fall, and experts in the animal welfare community are concerned things could get worse for pet parents as winter approaches. The winter months can be a difficult time of year financially, even under normal circumstances. There are the holidays, with food and gifts eating into our bank accounts, and it’s a time of year when many are out of work in states that see regular snowfall. Add to that unexpected colds and injuries that force us...
November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month!
Senior pets and those with medical needs are by far the hardest pets to rehome, hands down. A lot of that has to do with the idea that they’ll be more work or that they’ll be too old to train if need be, propped up by the false adage that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. The old tricks part is definitely not true, but animals with medical needs can come with more time and responsibility. That does not mean they’re not worth every moment or penny spent on them. Adopt a Senior Pet Since November is the official...
Feeding Dogs Table Scraps Isn’t In Your (or Their) Best Interest
We’ve all heard that feeding dogs table scraps should be, well, scrapped. Not only is the habit bad for your pet’s health, but it undermines teaching them not to beg. Yes, you can always wait until after the meal and then place scraps in their bowl, but it’s still not good for their health and most pets are significantly overweight right now in this country. Additionally, your veterinarian would most likely have a few choice words on the subject, were it to be brought up. Photo: Pixabay/Mylene2401 How Stuff Works A recent...
