Overnight Lifesaving Support Needed
Dec 07, 2021 In September of this year, a fire at a pet boarding facility north of Austin tragically took the lives of 75 dogs in the middle of the night. Just days earlier, an overnight fire took nearly two dozen feline lives at a shelter in Florida. As much as we wish they were, these are not isolated cases. From natural causes like lightning and heat waves to accidents like electrical shorts, the causes of fire are innumerable. At Austin Pets Alive!, we are ever vigilant and hyper-aware of the devastating effects of fire. We know that the...
How sustainable is your dog or cat’s lifestyle?
Your four-legged friend’s carbon “pawprint” is probably larger than you think! Here are 8 ways to make his lifestyle more sustainable. Sustainability is a hot topic these days. McGill University in Montreal defines it as “meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” When we take steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle, we also need to factor our dogs and cats into the equation, and find ways to reduce their own carbon “pawprint”. What...
Holiday fostering resources for your animal shelter or rescue organization
This post originally ran in December 2019 during the Foster Express Challenge period. These resources are a great jumping off point to start or expand your foster offerings. Whether you are participating in our Foster Express Challenge or simply thinking about offering a holiday fostering program, we have everything you need to get you started! Holiday fostering is a gift for everyone. The dog or cat gets to experience a fun day out or simply is able to nap in a warm and cozy home. Shelters benefit from having a quieter space (which...
Superman Actor Credits Beloved Dog Kal With Saving His Mental Health
Henry Cavill is known for playing Superman, but the English actor knows the true source of his strength. According to CNN, Cavill was promoting the second season of his current project, The Witcher, when the actor applauded his dog, Kal, for preserving his mental health. “He really is (my best friend),” the action star told the show’s host, Lorraine Kelly. “We go everywhere together. He’s 8 now and he has saved my emotional, psychological bacon plenty of times.” Cavill and Kal are so close, in fact, that...
Beloved Campus K-9 Comforts Students After Bomb Threat On Campus
Officer Heidi is a trained K-9 and service dog working with the Yale Police Department. She’s also the first service dog posted to an Ivy League campus. “Meet Heidi, Yale Police’s service dog!” officers wrote on Facebook. “Her sole job is to be a calming, comforting presence for students, staff, faculty, hospital patients, and the community at large.” Officer Heidi is still relatively new, but she’s quickly become the most popular officer on campus. “She just makes my day so much...
Dog Showers His Mom with Snuggles and Makes Her Laugh During Cancer Treatment
This story has been shared as part of the Fur Fam Story Contest. Submissions were accepted through December 5th. Voting will run from December 6th through December 31st. Three grand prize winners will receive a $500 prize, plus $2000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. See all the stories here! We adopted Tracker in August 2019. In November 2019, I was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer. “Wolfie” made it his job to take care of his momma! I didn’t train him, he just knows when I need his lovies and...
One-Eyed Chihuahua Wants A Home Of His Own For The Holidays After Spending The Past Year In A Shelter
Calling all women who love that “bad boy” personality… Meet Willie. This adorable six-year-old Chihuahua mix has been waiting at Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary for over a year, with little interest. He is described as a “complicated chap”, but who isn’t? All Willie wants this Christmas is a home to call his own… Can you help by sharing his plea 🥰Wee man Willie has been… Posted by Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary on Saturday, December 4, 2021 With the holidays just around the corner, he...
Arizona Firefighters Help Rescue Kitten Trapped In Sewer Drain For A Week
A tiny kitten trapped in a sewer drain in Phoenix, Arizona, meowed until help arrived. Phoenix Fire Station 61 arrived to save the ginger feline after receiving multiple calls from people who heard “meowing” coming from an underground pipe. Phoenix Fire Department posted, “We save cats out of trees, drains, or wherever they may be! 🐈” Photo: Facebook/Phoenix Fire Department Arizona Humane Society’s (AHS) Emergency Animal Medical Technicians assisted in the two-day rescue and said it took “all hands...
On the Twelfth Fail of Christmas
My German Shepherds, Fritz and Mina, love the holidays. While they’re very intuitive and sensitive, absorbing and reflecting the extra gaiety and joy of the season, they also have been known to land on Santa’s “naughty list.” Here are some of my dogs’ Christmas capers — and some shared by friends, neighbors and family — that might sound all too familiar. Countdown to a vet visit When my first German Shepherd, Greta, was an 18-month-old monster — er, I mean puppy — she discovered and ate 23...
Do dogs grieve?
Dogs may not experience and process grief the same way we do, but the behavioral changes that occur after a human or animal companion passes indicate they do feel a sense of loss and bereavement. Back in 1969, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote the definitive book about grief, titled On Death and Dying. In it, she speaks about the universality of grief and how it’s a process we all experience when a loved one passes away. One of the key contributions of the book are the five stages of grief: denial, bargaining, anger,...
