The Terrifying Black Shuck of English Folklore
Regardless of which country you hale from, there is bound to be ancient folklore surrounding animals and humans that were otherworldly in the eyes of the people that inhabited those times. Always searching for something to explain that which they feared or didn’t understand, a lot of it focused on cats and dogs. This didn’t bode well for animals if their coats happened to be black. As scientists now know today, the gene for black coats is the most common. Back then, however, anything and everything could arouse suspicions of...
New Study Says Baby Talk with Cats Actually Works
A recent study conducted by French researchers points to baby talk as being a good way to converse with your cats. Let’s face it, most of us are guilty of baby-talking to our pets, anyways. We can’t help it. Pets are like our kids, so it would make sense that that’s how we’d engage with them. Now, you don’t have to feel silly or guilty about it if you get caught doing it. Just point to the research and go about your day. Baby Talk According to the study, the researchers conducted three rounds of testing using 16...
Rescue Dog “Scooby” Has Finally Found His Voice After Being Saved From a Life of Fighting
While most of us will never be able to wrap our minds around it, dogs are sadly and regularly forced into fighting rings. Such was the case for a sweet pit bull mix named Scooby who, after being saved from that same fate, finally gained enough confidence to bark again six years after he was rescued. Before that, the best Scooby could muster was what amounted to pitiful puppy yips. In the meantime, he was a quivering mess that needed all the help he could get just to make it through each day of freedom. End Dogfighting Rings A man by the name...
Pumpkin is a Healthy and Natural Alternative for Settling Upset Tummies in Pets
Sometimes our pets get upset tummies just like us humans. This can lead to all sorts of digestive issues causing pain and discomfort. For us there are a number of over-the-counter products we can take advantage of, but with dogs and cats, we have to be careful of what we give them. We don’t want to make the situation worse or end up doing something that can escalate a relatively minor situation to a trip to the vet. Pumpkin is a fiber-rich food containing important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, E, and C, as well as...
5 Ways to Help Arthritic Dogs and Cats
From acupuncture to weight control, follow this approach to easing arthritis in your dog or cat. Arthritis is a common problem in dogs and cats, especially as they age. It can cause significant pain and decrease your animal’s enjoyment of life. Fortunately, there are many ways to help treat and manage arthritis, thereby improving your dog or cat’s health, quality of life, and longevity. Here are five ways to help animals with arthritis. 1. Weight Control and Diet The most effective and important way to help control the pain and...
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: A new workforce development program, what people like about Maddie’s Pet Forum and more!
Happy Halloween! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. San Francisco SPCA announces new workforce development program, #ThanksToMaddieThe San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SF SCPA) is offering a three-month paid Community Medicine Education Training (CoMET) program. In partnership with Young Community Developers (YCD), this program is designed to reduce the barriers to entry for the animal well-being field while also supporting the SF SPCA’s broader efforts to… Learn...
Eastern Food Therapy: the benefits of balance
Your dog doesn’t have to be limping to be out of balance. There’s such a thing as your dog having internal imbalances, which can be the result of a poor diet and an unhealthy lifestyle. Eastern food therapy (EFT) aims to fix internal imbalances, so your dog can become its healthiest and happiest self. What is Eastern Food Therapy (EFT)? EFT has been used for thousands of years stemming from the belief that food is medicine. It is based upon the understanding that when an illness occurs it means that there is an imbalance somewhere...
How You and Your Dog or Other Pets Can Become a Pet Therapy Team
You may have seen them in airports surrounded by harried travelers or in hospitals visiting patients. They make the rounds at nursing homes, crisis centers, schools, and any number of places people need a lift in spirit. We’re talking about dogs and their owners teaming up to bring smiles to the faces of those who are stressed or lonely. They’re generally referred to as pet therapy teams, and there’s no shortage of need for them across the country. Pet Therapy Programs If you are the owner of a dog who is gentle and...
6 Great Ways to Help Animal Shelters, Rescues, and Sanctuaries Year-Round
Many people are under the common misconception that the only way to help animal shelters and rescues is by donating money to support their efforts, but that’s not true. There are plenty of great ways to show your support in earnest that don’t include writing a check. With that in mind, we wanted to share with readers some of the many ways their good intentions can be realized beyond a once-a-year cash influx. Volunteer at Your Local Rescue One way you can help is by donating your time, not necessarily your money. In many ways,...
Black Cats and the Many Myths that Surround Them, Including Adoption
National Black Cat Day falls on October 27th. Every year around Halloween, rumors start to swirl, dredging up myths that black cats are bad luck and harbingers of dark things to come. One of the most common myths is that black cats are evil and difficult to find homes for. They opine that these felines are at risk of being “irresponsibly adopted” and that once the spooky season is over, they’ll be right back to where they came from: shelters and rescues. Photo: Pixabay/Virvoreanu-Laurentiu The Curse of the...
