More Than 190 Countries Reach Deal at COP15 Summit to Halt Nature Loss
World leaders have agreed to a deal that sets a framework for halting nature loss. This includes steps to meet the ambitious goal of protecting 30% of the planet by 2030. Early Monday morning, a deal was struck by more than 190 countries at the United Nations’ COP15 summit in Montreal. The event was meant to be held in China, but with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed and ultimately moved to Canada, with both nations serving as hosts. The aim of the summit was to address the biodiversity crisis, which is putting...
Man Writes Song About Getting Trapped With A “Cat On My Lap”
If you’ve owned a cat before, you know just how hard it can be to get stuff done when they’re in the mood for snuggles. After all, if a cat plops down in your lap, it’s nearly impossible to get up until they’re good and ready to move. They’re like royalty and they deserve our utmost respect – at least, that’s what they think. Some cat owners agree with that, and they want to pamper and spoil their furry friends and allow them to have uninterrupted lap time and snuggles whenever they want. Photo:...
Christmas Week Cold Emergency in Austin – Help Needed to Protect Pets
Dec 19, 2022 Dangerous winter weather with temperature lows in the teens is predicted to hit Central Texas this week. With some of our animal enclosures exposed to the elements, temperatures this low severely strain our facility so we must get our Town Lake Animal Center shelter pets in warm homes by THIS THURSDAY. We’re calling on our community members for help needed NOW: Foster homes for cold shelter animals We need our animals, especially our dogs, out now, before the coldest weather hits Thursday. With Christmas week/holiday...
A Sweet Rescue Dog Still Needs a Home After Being in Shelter for More Than a Year
Meet Mister, an adorable shelter dog who’s been waiting for a forever home for more than a year in southern Arizona. A 6-year-old neutered male, he’s a gorgeous tricolor pit bull terrier that weighs approximately 70 pounds. Mister may be a formal name but he’s a pretty casual kind of guy. He loves mellow strolls, giving smooches, and wearing Hawaiian shirts every day (not just casual Fridays). Mister enjoys car rides, loves to play fetch, and knows basic skills like sit, down, and stay. Ok, his down isn’t perfect but...
Pretty in Pink, CuppaPug Cafe’s Pint-Sized Pack of Pugs Decked Out for the Holidays
Pug lovers in London have something to be excited about over the holidays. CuppaPug, a cafe for snuggling with the little flat-faced goofballs millions have come to love, is celebrating the holiday season in pug style. Dressed up like Santa and his helpers, the cafe’s motto is “pugs’ welfare first, cafe second,” and is home to seven resident rescue pugs: Gaston, 6, Bruce, 5, Bowser, 3, Beau, 2, Gizmo, 1, Bebe, 1, and cute little Baloo, that’s just six months old. Photo: Pixabay/judygraham Pugmas Opened by pug...
Unsuspecting Cat Is Bombarded With Video Game Lasers
An unsuspecting feline was bombarded with video game lasers in an adorable viral video. The video was first shared years ago and it received a lot of attention, but the owner of the Xxiou Games YouTube channel recently brought it back. Photo: YouTube/Xxiou Games In the clip, you can see a tuxedo cat named Quint perched right in front of the video game monitor. He has no idea that a game of Metroid: Other M is raging behind him, and suddenly, the lasers start pointing and firing right at him! The lasers bombard the cat until he lets out a long...
Rescue Dog Warms Heart of His Grieving Human When He Picks Up Habit of Her Old Dog
This story is a finalist in the Fur-Ever Family Photo & Story Contest. Voting runs through December 31. Three grand prize winners will each receive $500 in cash and $2,000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. See all the entrants and finalists here! Banjo was adopted on March 10, 2017, about a month after I lost my dog Bonnie. DOG. PHOTO: PIXABAY / FERNANDO LATORRE I wasn’t going to get another dog. Bonnie was a special girl and had seen me through the hardest times of my life: Cancer and the loss of my husband to...
Woman Taking Dog For A Walk Accidentally Leads Police Raid
What started as a normal day for Taylor Lumpkin quickly turned into a morning she’s unlikely to forget. Taylor (TikTok user @tayylumpp) shared about the morning, explaining that she woke early before work to take her dog, Gracie, out to potty like usual. Photo: TikTok/@tayylumpp What started as a typical doggy potty walk, though, turned into her leading 15-20 armed officers dressed in tactical gear in a raid! “Never a dull moment living in good ole MKE,” she captioned her video. @tayylumpp Never a dull moment living in good...
Cat Lost On Cross-Country Road Trip Returns Home In Christmas Miracle
Losing a pet can be devastating and we do our best to search high and low for our furry friends when they disappear. Sometimes, though, it can prove quite difficult – like if a pet goes missing in an unfamiliar city. It’s a scenario Jamie McCall found herself in while taking a cross-country road trip from Florida to Michigan. Photo: YouTube/WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7 According to WXYZ Detroit, McCall was moving up to Michigan with her 3-year-old cat named Tucker. Sadly, the cat escaped from her hotel room in Cleveland, Tennessee....
A Pretty Name For An Equally Pretty Fish – The Rose-Veiled Fairy Wrasse
A beautiful new species of fish was just discovered in the Maldives. The rose-veiled fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa) is equally as pretty as its name. Finifenmaa is Dhivehi, the Maldivian language, for rose, and it refers to the species’ wonderful coloration. And to add more meaning to its name, the national flower of the Maldives is the Pink Rose, or Fiyatoshi Finifenmaa. PHOTO: Pixabay/David Mark Technically, the species isn’t exactly new to researchers. Although it’s newly discovered, a specimen has been sighted...
How much does the microbiome REALLY contribute to animal health and wellness?
We were taught in school that the genes we inherit from our parents are the biggest driver of health outcomes. Since Antonie van Leewenhoek’s discoveries in the 1680’s that there are visible differences in microbes from the mouth vs. feces, the microbiome and its influence on health and behavior is slowly being realized (cardiovascular, neural development, metabolism, immune regulation, bacterial infection and anxiety to name a few), yet there is so much that remains unknown. [1-6] We know that the cellular power of the microbiome...
Meet the Brave Norwegian Elkhound
Where does the Norwegian Elkhound come from? Norway. He is one of the oldest European breeds, is a member of the Nordic Spitz family and is the National Dog of Norway. How did the Norwegian Elkhound get his name? The name is a direct translation from the original Norwegian name Norsk elghund, which means “Norwegian moose dog.” That’s right, moose, not elk. What is the Norwegian Elkhound like? Friendly, confident, dependable, affectionate. Stubborn and independent. Reserved with strangers until properly introduced. How active...
27 Roosters Rescued From Cockfighting Urgently Need Sanctuary Placement
Dec 19, 2022 Twenty-seven roosters who were rescued out of cockfighting, now need urgent placement at sanctuaries or approved homes. If they are not placed, they may be euthanized as soon as early next week. These roosters were rescued out of a cockfighting bust on November 10, in which the Austin Police Department Animal Cruelty Unit seized 43 animals (9 hens and 34 roosters). After the court case, the animals were removed from the owners. The hens and two roosters were quickly adopted, leaving 32 roosters remaining at Austin Animal Center...
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: Online Instructor-Led Courses, resources and more!
Happy Monday! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. Apply now: Maddie’s® Online Instructor-Led CoursesMaddie’s Fund® Online Instructor-Led Courses provide an interactive educational opportunity for those who are looking to benefit from the wisdom of established innovative programs. They’re the catalyst you need to take your programs and learning to the next level! Class size is limited and the selection process is competitive. View courses Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion resources...
Horse Gallops Across Field To Greet Friendly Cat
It’s true that love knows no bounds, and Champy and Morris are doing their part to prove it! The unusual friends first met back in 2013 when a woman named Jennifer went to the shelter and adopted a black cat, Morris. She wasn’t sure how Morris would fit into her home life at first, but it wasn’t long before all her fears disappeared. Not only did Morris make himself at home but he quickly befriended the family horse, Champy! Despite being such different sizes and breeds, the two became BFFs and virtually inseparable. Champy...
Friendly Squirrel Leaves Christmas Cookie For Her Neighbor
You never know what you’re going to see when you have a doorbell camera set up. Sometimes, they help solve mysteries we’d never come close to guessing without them! That recently happened to Hannah (TikTok user @southernupnorth) when she found a random cookie left by her front door. Photo: TikTok/@southernupnorth At first, Hannah thought a child had left the cookie for her but then she reviewed her doorbell camera footage and couldn’t believe her eyes! It wasn’t a child at all, but a squirrel who left the cookie....
How To Wrap A Rescue Dog For Christmas
With Christmas right around the corner, many parents are working on putting presents together for their children. While it’s never recommended to gift someone a purchased pet, deciding to adopt a rescue pet for your family can be a fun and rewarding surprise for kids. If you decide to welcome a rescue pup into your home around Christmas time, you may be wondering an important question: How do you wrap a rescue dog? Photo: YouTube/ViralHog Deanna from Papillion, Nebraska is here to answer that along with her two models, Shiloh and Abu....
Playful Cat Caught Frolicking In The Snow
Cats and water are notorious enemies. Felines tend to avoid the wet stuff and don’t typically enjoy swimming or splashing around. Most cats also have a disdain for snow. After all, it’s basically like water but colder and crunchier! When winter time rolls around, many cats can be found seeking refuge and hiding out in warm, dry spaces. Photo: Pexels/Dave Haas However, not all cats are the same, and some enjoy the white powdery stuff. Some cats even find it a lot of fun to play in! Kayleigh Keen (TikTok user @snaileighh) lives in...
What’s the Best Dog Brush for Shedding?
Your dog sheds all over the place. While you love him dearly, you want to make sure he doesn’t cover your home in hair or fur. By researching the best brushes for dogs with short hair and long hair – and purchasing the right product – you can combat shedding and keep your dog looking great at the same time. The difference between a regular dog brush and a shedding bush A regular dog brush smoothes the surface of your dog’s fur as well as removes loose debris and hair on the outer coat, according to Megan Conrad, a...
Skip the Processing, Feed Your Pets a Living Food Nutrient-Rich Diet
Like most humans, pets often lack essential nutrients in their foods. Each year, hundreds of dollars are spent on expensive processed foods that are filled with preservatives and nutrient replacers. Why not provide your pets with the high-quality living food they deserve? Supplement your pet’s regular food regimen with healthy, nutrient-dense grass and sprouts or microgreens. Your cats, dogs and birds will love you for it! Living Foods Encourage Healthy Body Function in Animals What are living foods? They are foods containing living...
