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...
Old Video of a Raccoon’s Birthday Celebration Catches the Attention of Netizens
Even before the idea of selfies, groufies, and vlogs, became a trend, people already had various ways of collecting memories. Gatherings are documented with digital cameras, film cameras, instant cameras, and camcorders. They would compile pictures in photo albums and transfer videos on computers. Transferring the memory in VHS tapes is also an option, so you’ll always have a copy. A video recorded with a camcorder is quite helpful, especially with a timestamp. It makes remembering dates easier — takes you back in time while...
Dog Breeds That Will Enjoy Accompanying You in Local Pubs
Nowadays, people bring their pets almost anywhere they go. You’ll see cats and dogs in malls, salons, restaurants, and even inside offices. Establishments that allow pets indoors have enforced policies for a clean and safer experience. Regulations also ensure that other people won’t be bothered by the presence of animals in the vicinity. Other than following policies, you must be aware of your dog’s social skills. If they tend to act aggressively with strangers, then it’s best to avoid big crowds. It is the...
One-Eyed Cat Captures Heart of Shelter Volunteer, Is Now ‘Spoiled Rotten’ in Her Home
The following story is a finalist in the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo contest. The top three finishers will receive $500 in cash, as well as $2,000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. Voting runs through June 1. To read more stories and cast your vote, click here! I’m Arrrrrrgento the Pirate, with my one all-seeing eye. I used to be a Goathouse Refuge kitty, where my mommy is a volunteer. She used to visit me all the time and give me pets. PHOTO: JACQUELINE MARX I was just playing it cool on my perch, biding my...
Dog Kept in a Cage for Five Years Gets Rescued, Is Immediately Ready to Be Loved
The following story is a finalist in the Pawsitively Picture Perfect photo contest. The top three finishers will receive $500 in cash, as well as $2,000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. Voting runs through June 1. To read more stories and cast your vote, click here! Peanut came to us as a rescue. He had been kept in a cage for five years, and he had very bad infections on all four paws. We knew he was going to need a lot of time to get used to humans, and to trust them… or so we thought! PHOTO: ADRIENNE WINK From the...
Protective Border Collie Plays “Lifeguard” When Kittens Go For A Swim
When a litter of foster kittens took a swim in their Texas family’s home, there was a trusty lifeguard on watch: the family’s border collie. While the kittens worked to get out of the water, the protective border collie played “lifeguard” and ensured they made it to safety. Photo: Facebook/Bordernerd She even helped warm then up afterwards! The dog trainer behind Bordernerdshared a video of the moment on Facebook with the caption: “Kitten school — emergency preparedness.” She went on to say that they...
Cat Falls 6 Stories Down, Through Car Window And Lives To Tell The Tale
They say a cat always lands on its feet. Likewise, they say that cats have nine lives. For a cat in Thailand, it seems that both sayings are true after the cat fell six stories and smashed through a car window – and walked away unharmed! Photo: Facebook/Amarin TV 34 The cat was six stories up when he slipped (or jumped) and fell to the ground below, hitting a third story ledge on the way down. While that seems like it’d be a death sentence in its own right, the cat didn’t have a soft landing. Instead, he smashed through...
Stray Dog Wanders The Streets With Deadly Mass On Her Belly Until Someone Finally Cares
Life can be difficult when you’re living on the streets. As a stray dog, you have to worry about where your next meal is coming from and there is nobody to take care of your needs. Such was the case with a small stray dog that was wandering the streets for two years. People would see her at times, but eventually, someone with a kind heart decided to step in and help. Photo: YouTube/DAR Animal Rescue It was just in time, too, because this small stray had been wandering the streets with a large mass under her belly. After the kind person...
Deaf And Blind Dog Digs For Treasure Using Her “Superpowers”
When you have a dog in your family, it doesn’t take long to learn that they have special powers. Those powers can be the love that they show or perhaps a unique trick that they learn on their own. Such is the case with Nellie. As a cocker spaniel, she has all of the adorable traits of the breed, including the pink nose and cute markings. She even has two different colored eyes. Photo: YouTube/GeoBeats Animals According to GeoBeats Animals, Nellie is a sweet dog that loves playing and her curiosity sometimes gets the better of her. When...
Scientists Discover an “Elephant” Graveyard in Northern Florida
Actually, the amazing discovery centered around gomphotheres, extinct relatives of elephants that died in or very near an equally extinct river that once ran through northern Florida. How distant were these relatives? They are said to have lived approximately 5.5 million years ago! Early in 2022, scientists and volunteers unearthed the gomphotheres at the Montbrook Fossil Dig in what is considered a record-breaking discovery. The fossils are providing paleontologists with incredible insights into life in prehistoric Florida. “This is a...
Do Freshwater Turtles Bask in the Moonlight for Romantic Reasons?
A lot of cold-blooded animals bask in the sun to raise their body temperature, conserve energy, and for comfort. Many of these animals are insects, birds, and reptiles. Freshwater turtles are among them, a fact known to scientists for many years. Photo: YouTube/Who’s Who But a new phenomenon was discovered by Eric Nordberg, an ecologist at the University of New England in Australia, and Don McKnight, a biologist at La Trobe University. Freshwater turtles basking in the moonlight! They made the discovery along Ross River in the coastal...
Friendly Golden Retriever Demands Snuggles From Strangers On A Train
There really is nothing more wholesome in this world than a dog determined to make friends. That’s what’s so special about them, it’s their ability to befriend perfect strangers and coax a smile out of the most serious of people. There is one dog, a golden retriever named Hugo, who loves to make new friends. Photo: TikTok/@hugoandursula In fact, Hugo’s owner has compiled a very sweet video of her friendly pooch cuddling people on the train. In the TikTok video, you can see Hugo has no shame about going up to strangers...
Dog Rescuer Meets A Stray Mini Chow Chow And Changes Her Life Forever
As an animal person myself, I can never wrap my head around the concept that there are people in this world who literally don’t care about animals and their welfare. It amazes me that kind of level of selfishness. I’m that person that will always stop and try my best to help an animal in need. Photo: YouTube/The Asher House More than once I’ve been a foster fail, and one man was pretty much the same when he saw a little mini chow chow that had been rescued from the streets. Lee Asher fell in love with the sick mini chow chow...
Yellowstone Tourists Get Too Close To Bison For Photos And Bison Retaliate
Bison are a main attraction at Yellowstone National Park but have injured more people than any other animal in the park, due mostly to people not following the rules. The massive furry animals are WILD and do not appreciate people invading their space. They can and will gore, chase, and attack when they feel threatened. The park wants visitors to observe these magnificent creatures from at least 25 yards away. However, every season countless people choose to break this rule. A frequent visitor to Yellowstone started an Instagram page called...
Senior Cat Escapes Euthanasia And Lives To Be 27
It is a hard life being a stray cat. But that life gets even harder with age. While every cat should be able to enjoy a loving home in their old age, the sad reality is that a lot of old cats get forgotten about. Even those fortunate enough to get picked up by a rescue organization have a hard time getting adopted because everyone wants the younger cats and kittens. Photo: YouTube/meowynuggetsociety For one little calico, Sweetpea, things worked out in the end. According to her story shared on YouTube, the sweet tempered calico had a pretty...
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...
Kaley Cuoco Mourns Beloved Chihuahua “Dump Truck” With Heartfelt Post
Saying goodbye to a furry companion is one of the hardest things we must do in life. They wiggle their way into our hearts and take a piece of it when they cross the Rainbow Bridge. Actress Kaley Cuoco took to Instagram on May 30 to share that her beloved Chihuahua named Dump Truck had passed away. She wrote, “‘A dog is the only thing on earth, that loves you more than he loves himself’ My sweetest Dump Truck, saying goodbye to you has deeply pierced my soul.” Even though she only had a few years with the sweet fella...
