11-Year-Old Rescue Pig Enjoys First Walk Around Her New Home
When rescuers with Ziggy’s Refuge in North Carolina heard about Belle the pig, they knew they had to step up and help. Belle spent her whole life being neglected and she was on the brink of death when help finally arrived. Photo: TikTok/@ziggysrefuge Rescuers with Ziggy’s Refuge weren’t sure if she’d survive the ride back to the sanctuary, but she pushed through and made it. Ziggy’s Refuge shared on TikTok that Belle is around 400 pounds underweight and suffers from ulcers and pneumonia. Her condition was so...
Good Samaritans Spend 16 Hours Helping Injured Dog Down A Mountain
A dog named Bruno can rest easy thanks to 15 volunteers who helped rescue him while hiking. According to New England Cable News (NECN), Bruno was hiking with his owner on Mount Jefferson, a popular hiking destination in New Hampshire. Photo: YouTube/WMUR-TV Unfortunately, the rough terrain upset the dog’s paws and he wasn’t able to finish the hike. Being alone, the dog’s owner wasn’t sure what to do. So she took to Facebook to ask for help. Amazingly, around 15 Good Samaritans saw the post and stepped up to help...
26 Horses Die In Georgia Barn Fire
Owners are mourning big losses after 26 horses passed away in a barn fire in Forsyth County, Georgia. According to a Forsyth County press release, the Forsyth County Fire Department was dispatched to the area of Blue Springs Farm around 6 a.m. on Sunday, August 6 for a report of smoke. Photo: Pexels/Carlos Reyes By the time the fire department arrived, it was too late. The press release says they found a “fully involved large barn containing multiple horse stalls. The fire was well advanced, and it was determined that the fire had been...
Kentucky Animal Rescue Faces 91 Counts Of Animal Cruelty
An animal rescue in Elizabethtown, Kentucky is facing 91 counts of animal cruelty after police witnessed unsanitary conditions and code violations. According to WAVE 3, three people associated with Always Faithful Animal Rescue are involved in the case, including Amy Smith, 46, Kevin Smith, 55, and Jessica Wagner, 28. Photo: Pexels/sergio souza Those people are being charged with 91 counts of second-degree animal cruelty (one count for each animal in their care), along with 31 counts of not licensing dogs with the county. In addition,...
Unusual Mixed-Breed Loki is a Keeper, but You’ll Have to See for Yourself
This is Loki, an unusual French bulldog and Shih Tzu mix. He’s described as being goofy, sweet, gentle, and your very best friend who will never let you be alone again. He loves to chase tennis balls and make you laugh. When you’re not letting out a giggle due to his adorably silly hi-jinx, his warm brown eyes will follow you around as you go about your daily tasks. And, if you happen to look his way, he’ll always have a happy tail wag to offer you in greeting. Photo: San Diego Humane Society Loki also enjoys car trips,...
Traveler Faces Charges After Abandoning Dog At Pittsburgh Airport
A traveler in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is facing criminal charges after abandoning a dog at the Pittsburgh International Airport before catching a flight. It’s hard to think of abandoning our fur-babies anywhere but it’s a sad reality that many pets face. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Piotrus License: CC BY-SA 3.0 The Allegheny County Police Department took to Facebook to share about the incident. On August 4, 2023, they posted a photo of the dog and said, “Dontt leave your pets behind! This morning at approximately 5:30 a.m.,...
Doting “Single Dad” Cat And His Two Kittens Hope To Find Loving Home Together
Most orange tabby cats (roughly 80%) are male but not all are doting dads like Archie. The orange tabby cat family, which included mama cat and six kittens, was found in an Amazon box that had been duct-taped closed. During the rescue and transport, mama cat escaped and has not been recaptured. The kittens and their protective dad were brought back to the Cuddle Buddies Rescue in Katy, Texas. Four of the kittens have since been adopted. Archie and his remaining two kittens, Jughead and Josie, are hoping to find a loving home together. Archie...
How the “Mushroom of Immortality” Can Benefit Your Dog
With its treasure trove of health benefits, Reishi is an important medicinal mushroom that can help with your dog’s allergies, arthritis, and more. Selecting the right medicinal mushroom for your dog can be quite a daunting task, since there are so many to choose from. In this article, we’ll focus on a well-known mushroom with a long and revered history. Reishi (Ganoderma lingzhi, formerly known as Ganoderma lucidum), offers a range of amazing properties that can help with allergies, arthritis and other health issues in dogs....
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: The return of Maddie’s Insights, Open Arms Challenge 2024 and more!
Happy Monday! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. Maddie’s® Insights returns next month featuring the social behavior of cats in group housing at sheltersThe wait is almost over! Maddie’s® Insights returns this September with the latest research in animal well-being (welfare) and how you can use the findings in your shelter and community. The first webcast will be Social Behavior and Implications for Bonded Pairs in Group-housed Shelter Cats on Thursday, September 14th at 12p PT/ 3p ET....
Nutritional Support for Your Dog or Cat’s Gut-Brain Axis
An imbalance in the gut microbiome can affect your dog or cat’s brain and cause changes in their mood and behavior. Learn more about the gut-brain axis and how to support it with diet and supplements. This is the age of communication. Sometimes, though, communications can turn from good to ugly. The same concept applies to the systems in our bodies, and those of our companion animals. For example, did you know that your dog or cat’s gut and brain have been communicating with each other since they evolved into their present forms?...
7 Things Dogs Need to Be Happy and Healthy
Dogs are beloved companions and family members. Their unwavering loyalty, unconditional love, and playful nature have brought us great joy and happiness. However, being a pet parent comes with the responsibility of giving them proper care and attention. In this post, we’ll look at seven things dogs need for health and happiness and provide tips on how to meet them. 1. Social Time with the Family Dogs are pack animals and love the company of people. Whether surrounded by human family or animal companions, dogs have an innate desire to be...
Majestic And Steadiness: The Siberian Tiger’s Two Major Personality Characteristics
Nonhuman species all have personalities. But since humankind is more focused on human psychology, research in this area isn’t exactly a priority. “Animal personality refers to consistency in the types of behavior that individuals exhibit. Behavioral biologists, psychologists, endocrinologists, and evolutionary and developmental biologists are now studying animal personality,” according to researchers. “Only over the last decade has the study of animal personality gained momentum… But animal personality was not...
Offering Hearts and Home to Better Dogs Lives
Aug 05, 2023 We love getting to know the pets while they are at the shelter, but when you take the dog out of the shelter environment, you get to see their personality really blossom! Jessie and Chris Montoya have had a front row seat witnessing many fosters bloom since 2017. When APA! jumped into action to support the dogs and cats who needed help during hurricane Harvey, many individuals and families joined in, including the Montoyas. This couple knew they could offer their hearts and homes to pets in need and quickly found their niche form...
Cat Comforts Her Human As She Deals with Breast Cancer and Her Husband’s Death
The following story was submitted in the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo 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! Lola is amazing and so loving. PHOTO: JUDITH TAYLOR In 2019 when I was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer, Lola did not leave my side; she was especially close to me after my chemotherapy treatments and after my mastectomy. SHARE YOUR OWN RESCUE STORY She was close to my husband, too. He passed away...
Troublemaker Rescue Cat Leads Family to Install Child Locks, Remove All Their Plants
The following story was submitted in the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo 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! Artemis is a rescue. He walked into someone’s apartment like he owned the place and ended up at the shelter. PHOTO: MICHELLE NELSON He is not afraid of anything, except our female cat. SHARE YOUR OWN RESCUE STORY We had to put child locks on every cabinet. We could no longer plastic the windows in the winter....
‘Curious, Fun, Loving’ Hen Rescued From Factory Farm is Now Living Peaceful Life at Refuge
Battery cages, cramped spaces, no sunlight, and incessant egg production. That’s all Lolly the hen knew in her early years. She was born into the factory farm life, where if she’d been a male, she’d have been killed immediately, possibly sent through a grinder. Instead, she was debeaked and had her toes clipped to keep her from pecking herself or others in her tight, roughly 8”-by-11” space within her battery cage. Her life would have come to an end when her egg production started decreasing, around two years of...
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: New Delhi Issues Order to Hide Street Dogs Ahead of G20 Summit
“There are approximately 6.2 crore stray dogs and 91 lakh street cats in India, with 77 percent of the country’s population reporting seeing a stray dog at least once a week. The problem of stray animals in India is not only a humanitarian issue but also a public health concern.” In case you’re wondering, a crore equals 10 million, and a lakh equals one hundred thousand. If that doesn’t blow you away, we’re not sure what will, but those statistics were reported in January of 2023 by The Times of India,...
Do You Live in a Certified “Better City for Pets”? You Could!
Some towns and cities are pet-friendlier than others, but that’s not always apparent from the outset. Sure, places get a reputation for having more dog-friendly dining establishments, or for working hard to reduce feral cat populations with TNR programs, or ensuring that animals within their community are fixed before they’re available for adoption. Recently, the city of Santa Monica qualified for a “Better City For Pets” certification. These are awarded after conducting assessments regarding the pet-friendliness of a...
SPCA Leaders Say Animal Abuse Cases Are On The Rise Post-Pandemic
Back in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused global lockdowns. As people found themselves spending more time at home, their bonds with pets strengthened and more people started adopting pets. In fact, some shelters were completely emptied of pets due to an increase in adoptions! As COVID restrictions lightened, though, people started returning to work. Social events picked up. And people found themselves dedicating less time to their so-called pandemic puppies. Shelters started to fill back up as people returned the pets they’d rescued...
Pennsylvania Cafe Helps Rescue Cats Find Loving Forever Homes
Cat cafes have been growing in popularity, largely in European countries like Ukraine. As the trend has grown, cat cafes have popped up in the United States, like the Toe Beans & Dreams Adoption Café in Oahu, Hawaii. Photo: Pexels/Lina Kivaka Now, Devon, Pennsylvania has its own cafe that’s working to help rescue gets get adopted! It’s called the Black Cat Cafe. The cafe, which is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., uses all of its proceeds to support cat adoption and rescue efforts! According to ABC 6,...
