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,...
Missouri Shelter Pets Experience Toys And A Soft Place To Rest For First Time, Thanks To You
Animal shelters are in crisis mode with an influx in pets and decrease in adopters. Dogs and cats are spending more time in shelters waiting for a forever home. They are using every dollar to feed and care for the animals and don’t have any to spare for things like toys and treats. That’s where Greater Good Charities’ GOODS program comes in to help with donated pet food, treats, toys, and much more. Thanks to your generous donations, shelter pets at Kansas City Pet Project are getting some much needed and deserved treats and...
Special Needs Kitten Named Tater Tot Who Inspired People Worldwide Passes Away Suddenly
A tiny kitten with twisted legs and a “grumpy” face won the hearts of people around the world in a matter of weeks. The disabled ginger kitten was rescued by Kitty CrusAIDe in Salt Lake City, Utah. “This bean was born with some pretty obvious malformations, most noticeably his twisty back legs. His front legs appear to be stuck at a sharp angle, and he was also born with a cleft palate. We are currently tube feeding him, since his palate prevents him from latching onto the bottle, and we will be getting him into the vet next...
Managing Food Allergies in Dogs and Cats
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 Refuses to Walk if Her Human is Around to Carry Her
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! She was a delicate flower princess that did not walk if I, her loyal stewardess, was around to carry her, draped lovingly over my shoulder. PHOTO: ASHLEY SCHWEISS She loved to have her primordial pouch shaken and tried to con our other cats into grooming her by sadly swiping at her face and meowing sadly at them....
Unused COVID Meds Meant for Humans Earmarked for Cats in Cyprus as Thousands Die
According to a piece in The Guardian, unused medicines will be made available through veterinarians after a COVID-19 outbreak has wreaked havoc among Cyprus’s robust feline population. Cats have been dying by the thousands from feline Covid there, officials noted. So, the government gave them the green light to use the medications, which was said to be in line with a recommendation from the agriculture ministry. Photo: Pixabay/AmberShadow Feline Coronavirus Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which is a variant of the coronavirus, has...
Abandoned Husky Cries on the Street for Help in Ukraine Until Someone Steps Forward
A beautiful husky girl living in Ukraine was recently spotted tied to a pole in front of a cafe. There was no note, no food, no water, and no supplies left with her, and she’d been tied up since early morning before one of the cafe workers finally reached out to Love Furry Friends Rescue for help. It was getting late in the day, and the dog had been crying for hours, likely wondering when her person would return for her. In a video of the situation, you can see people just walk past her and ignore her desperate pleas. While the breed is...
Protective German Shepherd Fosters Adorable Abandoned Ducklings
An extremely protective German Shepherd took on a clutch of abandoned ducklings to tuck under his large, furry wing and became their surrogate dad when they needed him most. Not long ago, a dog named Ben living in New Zealand had a brief friendship with a mama duck that flew the coop unexpectedly, leaving their newly-hatched ducklings unattended. Photo: Pixabay/mristenpart Protective Dog Breeds Ben and the sweet little brood immediately bonded, and before he knew it, he was spending most of his time watching over them as they slept, ate,...
Foster a Pup…Save A Life!
Aug 03, 2023 German Shepherd pup Wile E. Coyote was deeply in need of help when he arrived at Austin Pets Alive! (APA!). He was so emaciated that he could not stand or walk. Then Katie Plunkard entered his world and decided to foster the shy, sweet-faced puppy. “This sweet boy was my first foster experience and, boy, was it more than I bargained for. He was in such rough shape but the payoff in watching him overcome it all and get back to 100% has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” she said. Under her diligent...
