Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: Volunteer recruitment, 2022 Avanzino Leadership Award and more!
Happy Monday! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. Attract more volunteers with help from Maddie’s® Pet ForumCaring for and improving the lives of our pets often goes hand in hand with the challenge of finding and retaining volunteers. From volunteer shortages post-COVID-19 to the struggle of standing out in your community, the Maddie’s® Pet Forum Attracting Volunteers thread can help you. Earlier this year, Jim Wieszczyk from A Second Chance Animal Shelter sought… Learn...
Does Your Dog Really Have Separation Anxiety?
Understanding the differences between separation anxiety and separation-related behaviors will help with the diagnosis and treatment of an affected dog. The term “separation anxiety” is more widely known now than ever before. During the pandemic, lockdowns and work-from-home mandates hugely increased the number of dogs no longer left home alone on a regular basis. Add to this the equally large number of dogs that were adopted during the pandemic but never introduced to being alone because of the circumstances. When people resumed...
Pit Bull With Volleyball-Sized Tumor Gets Adopted By Vet Tech
Libby, a 5-year-old pit bull, arrived at The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County with the largest mass they have ever seen on her front leg. The staff immediately fell in love with her sweet demeanor and were determined to help her. They recalled, “When we laid eyes on Libby, the first thing we noticed was her sweet face and kind eyes.The second thing we noticed was the volleyball-size mass on her shoulder.” An examination and X-ray confirmed what they feared most, cancer. “There was a massive tumor in the bone of...
Factory Mattress
Sep 29, 2023 Whether your dog sleeps curled up at the foot of your bed, or your cat sleeps resting peacefully at the top of your pillow, one thing can be guaranteed — a bed without a pet is not a bed at all. At APA!, we dream of a day that every shelter pet is invited into a home — foster or adoptive, with the opportunity to jump into a bed and snuggle up with a human who cares for them. Until then, we’ll be here to give them the love and care they need and deserve until they find a family to call their very own. And right...
Elephant Returns Child’s Shoe in Remarkable Display of Emotion and Sensitivity
While the delicate balance between survival and instinct often takes center stage in the animal kingdom, there occasionally arises a heartwarming story that reminds us of the beauty of empathy and compassion. Such a story unfolded recently, as an elephant in a Chinese zoo demonstrated a remarkable act of kindness and understanding that left the world in awe. Photo: PexelsElephants in zoos often face a challenging and unnatural environment. A Gentle Giant’s Benevolent Gesture The story revolves around an elephant named Shan Mai,...
Senior Shelter Dog Overlooked Due To Age And Size Just Wants Someone To Love
Meet Sigmund. The 8-year-old German shepherd mix is a big fella weighing 115 pounds. He has been patiently waiting at the Humane Society of Broward County in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for many months for someone to pick him. Sadly, he is constantly overlooked due to his age and size. Sigmund has a huge heart and is ready to find a loving home to spend his golden years. Screenshot: TikTok/Humane Society of Broward County A heartbreaking note on his kennel explains how he ended up in the shelter. “I ended up getting lost. But my family...
Farmer’s Unexpected Encounter Could Signal Rare Species’ Return to the Wild
In Beachport, South Australia, where tranquility often envelops the landscape, a farmer’s ordinary morning transformed into an extraordinary encounter. Frank Pao-Ling Tsai, a diligent trout farmer, rushed to his chicken coop, responding to an unusual commotion that shattered the dawn’s stillness, the Miami Herald reports. What awaited him was a creature that had long eluded human eyes, an animal considered locally extinct for over a century – the enigmatic spotted-tailed quoll. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Joshua CunninghamThe...
Seizures in Dogs: Triggers, Treatments & Solutions
Whether it’s your first time or the tenth, seeing your dog experience a seizure is always scary. It’s heartbreaking to see our furry friends’ bodies and brains struggle through a seizure event, and it can leave us living under a cloud of concern, waiting for the next storm to break. To make it less scary and, more importantly, give your beloved pooch’s body a break from the stress of regular occurrences, it helps to understand seizures in dogs – and learn what we can do to help. Let’s start with the good...
Best Friends Teams Up With ABC’s The Golden Bachelor To Give Senior Pets A Second Chance At Love
Gerry Turner, 72, is ABC’s first Golden Bachelor who is hoping for a second chance to find love. He shares his home with a senior dog and hopes to find someone to enjoy life with. But he’s not the only one looking for love in his “golden years”. Best Friends Animal Society decided to team up with ABC to promote some of their senior dogs and cats looking for a second chance. They are going to waive adoption fees for senior pets starting on the debut night of The Golden Bachelor (September 28) through November 30. The...
Mysterious Dog-Fox Hybrid ‘Dogxim’ Is World First
In 2021, an injured animal was brought to an animal rehabilitation center in southern Brazil. At first glance, it appeared to be a dog. As veterinarians delved deeper into its behavior and genetic makeup, they uncovered an astonishing secret — it was the world’s first known dog-fox hybrid, aptly named ‘Dogxim.’ Photo: Facebook / Le Double Expresso RTL2Dogxim is the world’s first documented dog-fox hybrid. The Bizarre Encounter While Dogxim barked like a dog, it sported long, fox-like ears and exhibited behaviors...
Senior Lab Mix Finally Finds Her Person After Nearly 10 Years In Shelter
A black Labrador retriever mix named Bean has spent most of her life (nearly 10 years) at Animal Refuge Center in Fort Myers, Florida. She needed a home without children and someone who would give her time and space to adjust to her new surroundings. While staff and volunteers did their best to spoil her at the shelter, it didn’t compare to having a loving home and a family of her own. Her profile told a little more about the 11-year-old. It states, “Bean is an extremely loving, affectionate and intelligent girl. She knows many...
New Pangolin Species Offers Hope Amidst Extinction Crisis
In the world of wildlife, few creatures are as enigmatic and endangered as pangolins. These unique, scaly mammals have long been victims of relentless poaching and trafficking, pushing them to the brink of extinction. However, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon – the recent discovery of a mysterious pangolin species, previously unknown to science. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Rachad sanoussiPangolins are the only mammals covered in protective keratin scales, similar to human fingernails. Pangolins: The World’s Most...
Dire Threats in the Gulf of Mexico as Rice’s Whale Faces Extinction
In the vast expanse of the Gulf of Mexico, where offshore oil rigs and a thriving oil industry dominate the waters, a remarkable discovery emerged – Rice’s whale. This newfound species, also known as the Gulf of Mexico whale, has sent shockwaves through the scientific community and triggered a fierce legal battle pitting environmental conservation against fossil fuel interests. With just around 50 individuals remaining, Rice’s whale stands as one of the planet’s most endangered marine mammals. This is the story of how...
Baby Elephant Separated From Its Mother Fends Off Lions In Kruger National Park
People come from all over the world to see the animals who call Kruger National Park in South Africa home. Visitors are never disappointed, and one recently captured a moment so rare that even guides have never witnessed it. A baby elephant was separated from its mother when she hurried across a road. As the little one tried to catch up to its mother it found itself face to face with three lions. Brent Schnupp, a paramedic firefighter from Virginia, was the lucky guy who recorded the unbelievable encounter and shared the story with Latest...
Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Releases Community Values Survey Results
(AUSTIN, TX) September 28, 2023–Human Animal Support Services (HASS), an international project revolutionizing the animal welfare industry by cultivating a movement toward uniting the human and animal welfare approach, is sharing the preliminary results collected from its Community Values Survey. The survey, facilitated by the HASS Data and Research team, is the first step in introducing what the average citizen’s values are in relation to the human-animal bond and how it applies directly to animal welfare. “The HASS...
Online Tool Helps Identify Top Pet Toxins
Submission Guidelines Thank you for your interest in writing for Animal Wellness. As the #1 natural health magazine for pets in North America, we take pride in providing our readers with the information they need to make wise health care choices for their animal companions. Our publication embraces the entire holistic spectrum, from physical health issues to the emotional and spiritual well being of our animals. We welcome unsolicited articles and story outlines as long as they focus on holistic healing, whether physical, emotional or...
Cat That Was Hit by a Truck Miraculously Escapes Uninjured, Now She’s Looking for a Home
This story was submitted by our shelter friend The Cat House on the Kings. The Cat House on the Kings saves pets’ lives in the Fresno County, California area, and the Animal Rescue Site is proud to share their stories. You can learn more about their work here! What do we love about super heroes? Well, one thing might be the fact that the same harm that would kill us doesn’t kill them and barely slows them down. We wish for the power to not be affected by pain, to heal with the speed of light, to keep going without the stress from...
Cat That Went Missing Over the Summer Finds His Way Home for the Holidays
The following story was an entrant in the Tales of Summer Tails Photo and Story contest. The top three finishers received $500 in cash, as well as $2,000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. To read more stories, click here! Reese is an indoor/outdoor cat that enjoys hanging out at a pool, even stepping onto a wet pool ledge to drink! Reese will walk down to the pool with me and chase flying insects and butterflies, or simply lay around and watch me swim. PHOTO: DEBORAH LYNCH One time, Reese started pacing back and forth, meowing,...
‘Forever Chemicals’ Contaminate Every Continent, Endangering Wildlife Worldwide
The menace of “forever chemicals” is wreaking havok on our natural world. While the impact of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on human health is well-documented, a recent study has revealed the alarming toll these toxic compounds are taking on wildlife across the globe. Photo: PexelsPFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have profound effects on wildlife. PFAS: An Unseen Peril What are PFAS? PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic fluorinated chemicals that have been manufactured since the...
7 Dog Breeds Prone To Deafness
Deaf Dog Awareness week is always the last full week of September. Deafness in dogs is more common than you may realize, especially among certain breeds. Dr. George M. Strain, former veterinarian and researcher at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Louisiana State University, discovered, “8% of all dogs in the US are bilaterally deaf and 22% are unilaterally deaf”. Photo: Pixabay Any dog can have congenital deafness (present at birth or shortly after) but breeds with white pigmentations are at a higher risk. Multiple studies...
