How Dogs Are Helping People with Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s service dogs are a relatively new concept, but they can make a positive difference to the lives of people diagnosed with this devastating disease. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease that affects many of our seniors. In the US alone, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than six million people are living with this dreaded disease. Short-term memory loss, confusion, and an inability to navigate familiar surroundings are some of the signs. This progressive condition is extremely stressful for both patients...
Adopting a New Dog? Follow These 10 Steps to Success
Whether you’re a first-time dog parent, or are adopting your second, third (or tenth!) dog, following these ten steps will help ensure success — and a happy, healthy companion. Congratulations on your new dog! If you’re a first-time dog parent (or even if you aren’t), you may have some questions. How much exercise does your new dog need? What should she eat? Where should she sleep? How do you go about training her? Below are ten steps to establishing a trusting, loving and healthy relationship with your new four-legged...
Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Receives $90,000 Grant from PetSmart Charities
(AUSTIN, TX) November 29, 2023–Human Animal Support Services (HASS), an international project revolutionizing the animal welfare industry by uniting the human and animal welfare approach, is the proud recipient of a $90,000 grant from PetSmart Charities® to benefit an initiative entitled the Competitive Pet Placement project. With this $90,000 grant from PetSmart Charities, HASS will conduct research on how to effectively reduce barriers to adoption within five pilot shelters, implement best practices associated with the...
Produce Power: Boost Your Dog’s Well-Being with Fruit and Vegetables
Once upon a time, long, long ago, dogs were wolves, and wolves ate meat. Ergo, dogs should, by the very laws of nature, be almost exclusively meat eaters. Not so? Not quite. Fruit and vegetables for dogs not only have their place, they can be quite integral to a healthy, happy life for man’s best friend. Here’s why, and how, you should be harnessing the power of fruit and veg – alongside meat of course – to power pup your dog’s vitality. The first step to understanding why your dog needs fruits and vegetables in...
There’s Likely a Better Way to Get Lost Pets Home: Public RTH
Traditionally, a return-to-home (RTH) takes place when a family arrives at the shelter to be reunited with a lost companion, or whenever animal services have made it a priority for field officers to take pets home vs. bring them straight to the shelter. There is another way shelters can facilitate RTH, which HASS data indicates is likely to be even more effective—working with finders of lost pets in the community and avoiding shelter custody altogether. Where this has been tested in HASS pilot communities, we are seeing that...
Let’s Get Out of the Way of Getting Pets into Homes
Over the last few months, 12 HASS pilot shelters took a deep dive review into their shelter operations and programs, aiming to identify any lingering barriers to positive outcomes as part of a formal Competitive Pet Placement project. An initiative supported by PetSmart Charities, the goal is to make sure animal shelters are not making it harder for people to adopt and foster than it ought to be—and to make it easier for pets to get into homes. HASS trainer, Jenifer Reed with Onyx. Throughout the beginning stages of this process, the...
Tackling Obesity in Dogs and Cats — With Simple Low-Cal Recipes to Try
Find out why obesity is so bad for your dog or cat, and help her lose weight by addressing exercise and diet, including some nutritious low-calorie recipes. Obesity in dogs and cats has reached an all-time high. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention states that more than 50% of our dogs are overweight. Meanwhile, 25% of cats in the Western world are overweight, according to the United States National Research Council. Let’s look at the signs of obesity in dogs and cats, and why it’s so bad for their health. We’ll also...
The next Maddie’s Insights will cover the Family Bondedness Scale
Join us on December 14th for the next webcast in the Maddie’s® Insights series, “The Development of and Research on the Family Bondedness Scale.” This one hour event will be presented by William M. Nugent, PhD, Professor at the College of Social Work, The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. The Family Bondedness Scale (FBS) was designed to measure scores which represent the degree to which a person is emotionally and affectionately bonded to a pet as a member of their family. This presentation will cover...
How Sourcing Can Impact Pet Nutrition & The Planet
Wise pooch parents know that not all dog foods are created equal. Some are delicious, some are nutritious, some are neither. And some, albeit a rare handful, are both! The best dog foods are made by those that understand two critical things: the importance of BOTH excellent flavor and nutrition, and how the sourcing of ingredients can make a difference to both pets and the planet. Like human diets, pet nutrition is significantly impacted by the origin of the chicken, beef, turkey, seafood, and more that goes into their bowls. One dog food...
Taking Your Dog or Cat to an Integrative Vet – How to Get the Most Out of Your Appointment
Veterinary visits are a necessary part of being a dog or cat parent. Here are some tips to help you prepare for an appointment with an integrative veterinarian, so you can get the most out of it. If you’re among the growing number of dog and cat parents seeking alternative therapies for your four-legged companion, you may be considering taking him to an integrative veterinarian. But how does integrative medicine differ from conventional medicine, and what’s the best way to prepare for your appointment? The following tips and...
