78 Sandra Murphy How Shelters Are Dealing with Returned “Pandemic Pets”
Dog and cat adoptions skyrocketed during the pandemic, but now that life is going back to “normal”, a lot of these animals are being returned to shelters and rescues. How are these organizations dealing with the problem? For most of us, dogs and cats are for life. Sadly, not everyone feels the same way. Others may be forced by circumstance to give up their animals. This has become especially apparent in the wake of the pandemic, when a lot of the dogs and cats adopted during the early months of lockdown are being returned as...
How to add “bad pet portraits” to your animal organization’s fundraising repertoire
You may have seen the trend of “bad” (or in some cases, good) pet portraits from animal well-being (welfare) organizations on social media. For those unfamiliar with it, a donation is made and in return, a portrait of the donors’ pet is drawn. How good the portrait is depends on the artist assigned to it. Last month, Maddie’s® Pet Forum Resource Drive focused on fundraising ideas. The “bad pet portrait” was mentioned by several organizations as a successful concept for them. Motley Zoo Animal Rescue...
How APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on Love and Life
Jun 01, 2023 Large breed, adult dogs have a lot of love to give the right human, but they are often the last to be adopted, placing them at risk for euthanasia. The Dog Behavior Program at Austin Pets Alive!, however, may be their lifeline. The program has successfully supported thousands of large adult dogs in need of grace by providing the precious pets with tools to cope with past traumas as well as the gift of time to heal and learn. Hudson is one of them. He entered our care in 2021, coming to us from Dogs Playing for Life. Our team has...
APA! Gives Behavior Dogs a Second Lease on Life: Hudson
Jun 01, 2023 Large breed, adult dogs have a lot of love to give the right human, but they are often the last to be adopted, placing them at risk for euthanasia. The Dog Behavior Program at Austin Pets Alive!, however, may be their lifeline. The program has successfully supported thousands of large adult dogs in need of grace by providing the precious pets with tools to cope with past traumas as well as the gift of time to heal and learn. Hudson is one of them. He entered our care in 2021, coming to us from Dogs Playing for Life. Our team has...
Can CBD Help with Your Dog’s Dental Health?
Human studies indicate that CBD can have applications for dental health. The results can be extrapolated to our dogs too. Recently, a dog parent asked me if there was any value in using CBD in canines with dental disease. I took a look at what the published evidence says about CBD and dental health, and was surprised by what I found. In previous articles, I’ve described CBD as a “Swiss Army Knife” herbal supplement with a nearly global effect on a dog’s many different organ systems. In humans — and by extension,...
Navigating Compassion Fatigue in Animal Welfare: How to Combat Burnout and Enhance Resiliency
[embedded content] Human and animal welfare is incredibly rewarding, and also incredibly challenging. Compassion fatigue is a common experience for animal welfare workers, but not one that we have to navigate alone. Hilary Hager, Vice President of Outreach, Engagement, and Training for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), provided this live training, typically given as part of HSUS’s Law Enforcement Training Center, on how to better combat compassion fatigue and burnout. This webinar training covers the causes and symptoms of...
Let’s Talk About Burnout in Animal Welfare
As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s only right that we talk about a topic that hits really close to home for so many of us in the animal welfare space—BURNOUT! Burnout is something that any person working too many hours, under too much stress, and in a challenging environment, is likely to experience at some point in their lives. As a social worker, and particularly a social worker in an animal shelter, I’m often asked if burnout is avoidable. I don’t, unfortunately, have a universal answer to...
5 Signs Your Dog Needs a Friend
Dogs are pack animals and often enjoy the company of other canines. Here are five indications your dog might benefit from having a friend to play and hang out with. As pack animals, dogs are very social and love being around others. You probably spend as much time as you can with your dog — and that’s great! — but might he be even better off if there was another dog around to play with and give him company, especially when you’re out? These five signs can help you decide if your dog is in need of a canine friend. 1....
Found on a Roadside with a Broken Jaw, Pit Bull Puppy Gets Her Second Chance at Love and Happiness
Just recently, a homeless man appeared in headlines around the world after his two dogs were brutally killed by members of the Metropolitan police in Limehouse Cut in Tower Hamlets, east London. Eyewitnesses countered the police officers’ claim that the dogs — bull terrier type or pit bulls — were aggressive. Another witness denied the story that the dogs had attacked a woman earlier, leading to the police report. Photo: YouTube/On Demand News “I can tell you for a fact that the dog didn’t attack the woman, it...
Funny Pet Behaviors Explained
From their active sleeping habits to seemingly random zoomies, dogs have a knack for charming us with their endearing quirks and captivating behaviors. If you’d like to have these funny pet behaviors explained, join us as we explore what is going on inside the mind of your four-legged friend. Funny pet behaviors explained: Head tilt Dogs tilt their heads in response to certain stimuli or to gather more information about their surroundings. There are a few reasons why dogs exhibit this behavior: Sound localization: Dogs have a keen sense...
