Search and Rescue Dogs in Northern Ireland Deploy to Turkey to Assist in Quake Efforts
After the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, help began pouring in from around the world. Unfortunately, one of the most needed resources is specially trained canines for search and rescue efforts. Dogs, who weigh less than humans and have a much better sense of smell and hearing, are well-suited for the difficult work of locating survivors. Many have arrived but more are still needed. Now, a search and rescue charity from County Down in Northern Ireland is preparing to deploy to one of the hardest-hit regions to try to assist...
Where We Find Hope and a Call to Action in the (Pretty Dismal) 2022 Shelter Data
You probably didn’t need to see a comprehensive report to know that 2022 was a tough year in sheltering. But we do have the data, thanks to Shelter Animals Count. Here’s their newest report: Intake and Outcome Data Comparison for the Full Year, Q1-Q4 2022. The long and short of it is that by most metrics, 2022 was worse than 2021, but still significantly better than 2019. While encouraging you to read the whole report, some of the most important and salient data points and findings include: 2.7 percent more pets entered shelters...
The January Weekly Community Conversations grant giveaway winners are…
On Monday, Maddie’s Fund® gave four organizations a $2,500 grant for attending the January Weekly Community Conversations! A total of $10,000 in grants was given to four people chosen at random. These four people won a grant for their organization: Kyle O’Neill, AniMeals, (Missoula, MT) Cecilia Oliveros, Animal Friends (Pittsburgh, PA) Vickie Ramirez, One Health Clinic Seattle (Seattle, WA) Jenna Riedi, Animal Friends Alliance (Fort Collins, CO) Want a chance to win a grant for your organization? All you have to...
Sometimes All It Takes is a Bag of Food to Keep Pets in Homes
Feb 08, 2023 What can 24 pallets of donated pet food do? It can connect a community, build a community, and keep the individuals in that community fed and safe. In 2022, APA! became a benefiting partner of a program created by the Humane Society of the United States and Chewy that connects Chewy’s warehouse returns to shelter partners in need. This collaboration has helped build upon our expanding PASS (Positive Alternative to Shelter Surrender) program, which has seen extreme growth over the last few years. A large delivery that we...
Can Dogs Sense Human Emotions?
It goes without saying that as pet parents, we develop a close emotional connection with our dogs – we’re able to recognize their feelings as easily as we do our own. But have you ever wondered “can dogs sense human emotions”? Extensive research has been done in this field and the results may (or may not) surprise you. How well can dogs sense human emotions? Pet parents know very well that dogs have an extraordinary ability to read human emotions, but in recent years this hunch has been backed by scientific research....
Best Automatic Litter Box (Self-Cleaning Boxes) Reviewed
Felines make up a big part of the average American’s life, with almost one in three Americans keeping at least one feline friend at home. But, with a cat’s companionship comes the responsibility of cleaning out litter boxes, a task not all cat owners can do regularly. This fact is why many pet brands offer automatic litter boxes. Let’s look at what an automatic litter box is and what the best automatic litter boxes out there look like. What Is an Automatic Litter Box? An automatic litter box is a litter box for...
Reversing Diabetes in Cats – Can It Be Done, and if so, How?
The answer is yes! This article explains how and why diabetes develops in cats, and the steps you can take to reverse the process and regain health for your feline friend. Diabetes mellitus is a very common endocrine disease in cats, and its incidence has risen dramatically over the last several decades. In 1970, one in 1,000 cats developed diabetes; by 1999, the numbers had risen to one in 100 to 200. Today, the incidence of feline diabetes is closer to one in 100 and is correlated with a rise in obesity, which is estimated to affect 63% of...
3 Things to Help an Anxious Cat Settle in a New Home
Adopting a cat is exciting, but when your new fur baby has post-traumatic stress disorder, CBD may help to ease anxiety and ease the transition into your home and family. Cats can experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as anxiety, just like humans can. Insufficient socialization with humans and/or cats, a lack of stimuli as a kitten, traumatic events, and genetic predisposition can all cause anxiety in cats. When acclimating to a new home, some cats only need a week or two while others need a few months. It depends on how...
Please take our National Foster Survey!
Maddie’s Fund® is looking to collect accurate information about foster programs at shelters and rescue organizations based in the United States. If this sounds familiar to you, that’s because we conducted this same survey several years ago. Our goal is to learn what has changed since then. You will be asked to provide information about your organization such as: size, intake numbers, work structure. We will only include one response per organization in our results; please make sure that the person most familiar with your...
Is Your Dog a Barker or a Howler? One is Genetically Closer to Wolves
When your dog hears a siren, do they begin to howl? How about if another dog kicks off the chorus first? Are they apt to join in, or maybe they just bark at all the noise? How your dog responds could be an indicator of the nearness to their wolf ancestors or if they’re more akin to the new kids on the doggy block. Photo: Pixabay/Andrey_and_Lesya Canine Communication Science tells us that older dog breeds are genetically more similar to wolves than modern canines. The big question is whether or not there are any indicators we can use to...
