DNA Test Confirms That Endangered Wolf Was Killed in New York During Coyote Hunt
DNA testing on an animal killed during a coyote hunt in New York State last year has confirmed that the animal was actually an endangered wolf. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently shared the news, explaining that an initial analysis identifying the animal as an Eastern coyote was inaccurate. Eastern coyotes are slightly larger than average and have a mix of wolf, dog, and coyote ancestry. The animal’s DNA had been submitted voluntarily by the hunter for further testing to confirm these findings. It was...
Keeping Pets Through Financial Hardship is Easier Than You Think
This week in the news, there were no less than three stories published about dogs chucked off bridges or into rivers as if they were garbage — and it’s only Tuesday. This senseless crime (and it is a crime) of abandoning animals in cruel and unusual ways has been on an uptick of late, and some people are worried it’s happening due to economic hardship. While no excuse is good enough for this kind of behavior, there are ways for people to keep their pets with them, even during difficult times. Resources for Pet Owners Most...
Arizona’s Grand Canyon Bison Being Relocated to Tribal Lands
Many people have no idea there are bison living in Arizona, much less in the Grand Canyon National Park. Viewed as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the iconic canyon stretches 227 miles in length and averages more than ten miles across. Each year the attraction draws visitors from all over the globe, but seldom (if ever) are bison seen as backdrops to vacationers’ travel photos. Commonly identified as plains creatures, where they’re known for idyllically munching on tall grasses in places like South Dakota or any of...
We Need Your Help Ending Needless Euthansia!
Sep 27, 2022 It’s so important to me to give every vulnerable animal the chance at life they deserve. That’s why APA!’s No Kill mission is at the heart of everything I do, even at home. When my own pup Echo came to APA! during Hurricane Harvey, she and her brother had distemper, a dangerous virus with symptoms like tremors, lethargy, and fever. Echo’s brother sadly passed away shortly after arriving at APA!, but Echo has been by my side ever since. If Echo had stayed much longer in another city without the resources to...
Guide to Dog Obedience Training
Picture being transported to an alien world where nothing makes sense. Similarly, entering your home can be such a confusing, scary place at first for your dog. He doesn’t know our language or our rules until we explain them to him. This is where basic training or puppy training comes. Some people still call it dog obedience training. However, dog obedience training is not a term positive reinforcement trainers use anymore as they don’t focus on forcing a dog to “obey” but rather work on helping us effectively...
Daffodil’s Family Rejected Her for Being Born Without Front Legs
Humans and animals often experience the same treatment when deemed different or defective. They are either rejected or excluded, which can impact how they see themselves. This is hard, especially for children, as it will alter their perspective of the world. As for baby animals, they may develop trust issues with humans or may not survive without a home. Daffodil, a Chihuahua puppy, had a tear-jerking story that began when her previous owner discovered that she was born without front legs. She was rejected and was abandoned on the streets....
Register now for Maddie’s Insights: Social Pain in Dogs
Join Dr. Franklin McMillan, DVM for a fascinating webcast, “Social Pain in Dogs”. The second in the Maddie’s® Insights webcast series, Dr. McMillan will explore the topic of emotions and the importance they play in a dog’s life. Maddie’s Fund® Director of Outreach and Research, Sheila Segurson, DVM, DACVB will host this 60-minute webcast on Thursday, October 6 at 12:00PM PT/ 3:00PM ET. The experience of unpleasant emotions is often referred to as “emotional pain,” such as when someone loses a...
Owl Welcomes Her Rescuer with a Long Hug. Watch the Heartfelt Reunion!
Being appreciated for what you did is certainly heartwarming — it can instantly change how you look at yourself. It’s even more touching when the expression of gratitude is from an animal. You wouldn’t expect them to do that — they can’t verbally say “thank you!” Although they are unlikely to show appreciation verbally, animals still do and have a much more special way of expressing it. These ways make the moment more meaningful and remarkable — making you feel that you really did the right...
Woman Catches Two Men Stealing Her Pregnant French Bulldog
A woman in California returned home one day to an unexpected and horrifying scene. According to KSBW News, Amanda Hightower walked into her home in Hollister, California on Thursday, September 15, where she was met with two strangers. Photo: Instagram/@amanda_bully_mama The masked intruders had Amanda’s dog, Milani, in their arms and were ready to flee but Amanda put up a fight. She was beaten and hit in the face with a gun, but in the end, the thieves escaped with her dog. The 11-month-old French bulldog has a rare merle coat that puts...
Watch Family’s Emotional Reunion With Missing Dog After 10 Months
As a dog owner, one of my worst nightmares is losing my pup. He’s a part of the family and I can’t imagine anything bad happening to him. The sad reality is that many pet parents experience losing a dog, either to a tragic accident, theft, runaway, or something else. Photo: Facebook/Highlands County Sheriff’s Office When a family in Hardee County, Florida lost their puppy, Conway, they hoped to reunite with him as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the days slowly turned to weeks and then months, and Conway was nowhere to...
This Cockatoo’s Favorite Thing Is Strolling Around Home Depot
One of the perks of being a pet parent is that you eventually earn a buddy — someone you can do things together with. Although it may not seem like it at first, your pet will eventually warm up to you, especially if they feel your genuine care. You’ll find yourself eating breakfast with them, jogging at the park, or going on road trips. The two of you will grow fonder of each other until you find one activity that excites you both. As for Beau the cockatoo, he loves spending time with his dad at Home Depot. Photo: Youtube/The Dodo...
Boy Abandons Puppy In A Box With Heartbreaking Letter For Whoever Finds Him
Giving up a puppy is never an easy decision, but sometimes it’s the most compassionate choice. When 12-year-old Andres left his puppy in a box outside the Xollin animal shelter in Mexico, he did it from a place of love. As the shelter shared on Facebook, the child didn’t just leave his puppy in a box on its own, the puppy was accompanied by a stuffed animal and a heartbreaking letter. As the letter explained, the boy decided to give up his puppy because his father was violent and had kicked the small dog. The letter read,...
APA!’S Parvo Puppy ICU Began at Home
Sep 26, 2022 Austin was a very different city for vulnerable companion animals just 14 years ago. Some of the animals most at risk were puppies with parvovirus. Each day these tiny lives were needlessly lost because shelters didn’t have programs set up to treat parvo. Veterinarians learn how to treat parvo in school, so we wondered why animal shelters couldn’t or wouldn’t. If these puppies could often be saved, why wasn’t treatment the norm? To save these pets and increase lifesaving in Austin, we had to start...
Bald Golden Retriever Dumped at Shelter, Waits for a Forever Home for Months
This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog! I lost my beloved golden retriever Bud at only 8-years-old to a hideous blood borne cancer. The cancer was so aggressive, he went from feeling fine one day to passing only three days later. I wanted to honor him by rescuing another special golden in need. DOG. PHOTO: PIXABAY / CONGERDESIGN I was looking on the website of DFW Metro Golden Retriever Rescue when I saw her. She was...
90-Year-Old WWII Vet Goes Sledding With His Dog
Perhaps you’ve heard the expression that you are only as young as you feel. That is an expression that most of us tend to use more and more as we gain additional years of experience in life. Most of us hope that we will live a long life and if we reach the age of 90, it is our hope that we are still active and living life to the full. It seems as if one 90-year-old is doing just that, and we have the video to prove it. Photo: YouTube/Anthony Smith Claude Bratcher may be 90, but he can show us all how to have fun. His family was there to...
Country Music Sensation Miranda Lambert Working to Provide Millions of Needy Pets with Meals
If you’re a country music fan or an animal advocate you’ve likely heard of Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation. She’s frequently in the news for her generous efforts to help animals in need, and now she’s teamed up with our non-profit partner, Greater Good Charities, via their GOODS program to provide 2 million meals for pets of families experiencing economic hardship. For anyone unfamiliar with MuttNation, it was founded by Lambert and her mother Bev back in 2009 with the aim of promoting and facilitating...
11 Top Dog-Friendly Beaches
You know the saying … a dog is a man’s (and woman’s!) best friend. So, it’s no surprise that pet parents not only love their furry friends at home, but they also enjoy taking them on vacation —especially trips that involve romps on dog-friendly beaches. Are you looking for a dog-friendly beach to visit? From California to Florida, from the Redwood Forest to Gulf Stream waters, Dogster found these popular dog-friendly shorelines the entire family can enjoy. Dog-friendly beaches in California Carmel Beach...
A Literal Family Meal— Eagle Ended Up Adopting A Baby Hawk She Caught To Feed Her Eaglets
Found family is one of the tropes that I find very enjoyable; stories like this are very heartwarming, and they just have a way of tugging at everyone’s heartstrings. The main characters are usually humans though. I mean, fiction is kinda catered to human audiences. But what’s more lovely than found family in fiction? Real-life stories that transcend even species boundaries. For our story today, we have a found family between two birds of prey of different species. PHOTO: Pixabay/danawcac As you could probably guess from the photo...
Dog Who Has Been At Shelter For 7 Years Goes On Weekend Getaway In Tear-Jerking Video
Senior dogs are sadly passed by at shelters – especially ones that need to be the only pet in the home – but adopters are missing out on amazing dogs who have so much love to give. Senior dogs are not as energetic and destructive as puppies and teach us to enjoy the little things in life. An 11-year-old dog named Leroy has been waiting for the past 7 years at Dog Tales Rescue & Sanctuary in King City, Ontario, for someone to adopt him. He has spent way too many nights in the kennel alone. @stephaniemunro7 Adopt Leroy! @Dog...
Habitat Destruction, Poachers and Human-Transmitted Disease Could Erase Progress Made With Endangered Mountain Gorilla
The Mountain Gorilla is one of the 10 most endangered animals on Earth, and it may not be here much longer. For decades, mountain gorilla populations have been dwindling as uncontrolled hunting, disease, habitat loss and the ravages of human conflict have taken their toll. The mountain gorilla are now considered endangered. In the 1980s, some estimates counted less than 400 mountain gorillas worldwide. Conservation efforts over the following decades brought the mountain gorilla population to over 1,000. The International Union for the...
