How Your Dog or Cat’s Gut Microbiome Affects Overall Health
When we think of the gut microbiome, we consider it mainly in terms of digestive health. But the truth is, the state of your dog or cat’s gut microbiome can affect other parts of his body, from his brain to his lungs. Every surface of your dog or cat’s body (and your own) has a microbiome. However, the vast majority of microbial biodiversity is found in the nutrient-rich environment of the gastrointestinal tract. At least 200 times as many cells, and even more unique gene products, are found in the intestinal microbiome than in...
Sweet Siamese and Snowshoe Mix Wants to Move in With You Now!
Meet Shere, a gorgeous tortie point Siamese and Snowshoe girl who’s been spayed and weighs approximately 11.28 lbs. The shelter staff at Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) in Tucson, Arizona, believe sweet miss Shere is about 6 years old. Regardless, she’s an exceptionally good girl who wants very much to find her forever home so she can get out of the shelter. Animal Rescue Shelters and rescues, no matter how well-equipped and/or maintained they are, create high levels of stress in animals. That’s why it’s so important...
Senior Sanctuary Looks After the Most Vulnerable Rescue Pets
Cherished Tails Senior Sanctuary is a 501(c)3, all-volunteer, foster-based rescue group in Marana, Arizona, that rescues senior shelter dogs at high risk of euthanasia due to age, illness, or behavior. The group keeps the animals until they’re able to find forever homes or hospice care for them. The work they perform is so valuable because so many people consider animals like these unadoptable. Together, CTSS has been able to save more than 1,000 pets since its inception, which — all things considered — speaks volumes....
Pot-Sniffing Dogs Retiring Early Around the Country Now that Weed is Legal
As Virginia prepares to legalize adult possession of up to an ounce of marijuana on July 1, drug-sniffing dogs working in departments around that state are being forced into early retirement. The news follows a trend in other states where legalization has led to dogs cut loose from their jobs earlier than originally planned. Photo: Pixabay/mariuszopole Connecticut K-9 Units In Monroe, Connecticut, they retired a pot-sniffing German shepherd named Murphy in September (2022). The reason is that the department can’t untrain him and they...
Pickles the Puppy Found Forever Home After Her Testy Littermates Attacked Her
A sweet puppy named Pickles had a rough start to life when at just 3 months old, she was tragically attacked by her littermates and rushed to the Humane Society of San Diego‘s Pilar & Chuck Bahde Center for Shelter Medicine. Lethargic and still bleeding from wounds to her legs and shoulders, their veterinarians jumped into action, performing an emergency exam and radiographs, followed swiftly by surgery to repair her wounds. While they don’t specify her breed, she looks to be a Frenchie-pit bull mix. Photo:...
Our Top 2022 Blogs: Facing Challenging Times with Compassion, Collaboration, and Innovation
Don’t ask us to choose our favorite blogs of the year—it’s like asking who’s our favorite pet! (Seriously, don’t ask that.) But we didn’t choose our top blogs of the year. You did! These ten blogs from 2022 got read and shared the most, and, honestly, we’re pretty excited about the ones you picked. They encompass a lot of what we’re proud of and excited about at HASS—innovation, collaboration, learning from one another, compassion, and finding hope through challenging times,...
Fireworks Can be Scary for Our Pets
Dec 28, 2022 In the US, New Year’s Eve has the second highest number of reported lost pets. Keep your furry family safe this year by: Keeping all pets inside. Reducing stress by running music or white noise. Keeping their collars on with updated ID tags. Updating their info on their microchip at found.org. If you come across a lost pet, there are simple steps you can take BEFORE going to a shelter. We know you’re trying to do the right thing when you bring them to a shelter. But this year more than others, shelters across...
From Preparing for New Year’s Eve Noise to Avoiding Lost Pets
It’s almost upon us! Yes, Christmas is behind us and New Year’s Eve is on its way. If you’re looking forward to the parties and fireworks displays, you’re not alone. But not everyone shares your enthusiasm. Dog and cat owners across the globe both dread and curse NYE because of what it does to many animals and pets. If you’re the parent of a dog or cat that does not handle loud or rumbling noises well, you can relate. Photo: Pixabay/nck_gsl Microchips To begin, if your pets aren’t chipped, they should be....
Wiggle-Butt Boxer Mix Going on a Year Old Needs a Forever Home
A sweet boxer-mix puppy in central Arizona known for being a wiggle butt is in need of adoption. The cutie-patootie is named Bella, but she’s also called Smiley. This is what she has to say about herself in her bio from Desert Labrador Retriever Rescue: Photo: Desert Labrador Retriever Rescue Bella the Beautiful Boxer Mix “The pictures don’t show it but I have a real wiggle butt when I get hugs and pets. I love people! I am a 1-year-old boxer mix. I am smaller than your typical boxer, only weighing 42 pounds. I had my first...
Letter from Dr. Jefferson: Saving Lives Together
Dec 24, 2022 As I write this letter, we are preparing for the dangerous Arctic cold front that is about to blast freezing temperatures into our community and throughout Central Texas, just in time for the holidays. Our shelter becomes severely strained with temperatures this low. To keep our animals warm and safe during this cold emergency, we asked our community to take in a foster pet during the storm, give funds to support the increased cost of shelter operations, and help under-resourced shelters across the region. And you’ve come...
