Paw Damage: Heat and your dog’s paws
If you’re a dog owner the first thoughts that come to your mind when summer rolls around are long walks with your favorite companion, road trips and just exploring the great outdoors. You want to take your four-legged friend with you everywhere you go, but did you know that some of these excursions may not be as fun for your dog as they are for you? Being out in the summer heat can actually cause damage to not only your dog’s skin but to its paws as well. How heat can hurt your dog’s paws What many people...
All You Need to Know about Elbow Dysplasia in Dogs
Finding out that your dog has elbow dysplasia can feel absolutely devastating. Elbow dysplasia in dogs is hereditary, abnormal development of the elbow joint causing malalignment of the forelimb bones. Even if you don’t know exactly what elbow dysplasia looks like in your dog, you likely know that it’s incurable and can greatly impact your dog’s life. Understanding which dogs are more susceptible to elbow dysplasia, as well as symptoms, diagnostics and treatment options, will help you identify what’s happening with...
From Champ to Chomp: Dog Takes Time Out from the Spotlight to Taste the Simple Things in Life
With almost half a million followers on Instagram and prestigious awards for being a golden champ, Kevin sure is a celebrity! But this golden retriever does not let fame go into his head. He remains down-to-earth, lovable, and dedicated to his duties like making coffee for his fur mom and inspiring her to smile when the day is not that bright. His fur mom is very special to Kevin who has supported him all the way in every dog show. He is the light of her life, her pride, and her doll. Well, sort of a doll, who dons a cute costume every...
Woman Refuses to Stop Walking Rottweiler After Neighbors Say He’s a ‘Threat’
Certain dogs breeds get a bad rap because people assume they’re violent. This includes pit bulls, German shepherds, and Doberman Pinschers. Another unfairly judged breed is the Rottweiler, and a young woman who owns one says she’s had some pushback from neighbors. In a popular thread on the AmITheA**hole subreddit, user jaywearsblack said she adopted a Rottweiler last year because she lives alone and enjoys night walks and doesn’t want anyone to hurt her. She said she trained Draco as a puppy and he doesn’t bark or act...
Cat Born With Deformed Legs Looks Like A Giant Spider
A cat born with malformed legs has found a forever home and a growing fan base thanks to his unusual leg deformities. Aries was born to a cat at a rural shelter and because of his deformities, he was lucky to survive at all. According to American Humane, an estimated 71 percent of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized (including kittens). Photo: YouTube/We Love Animals Being a deformed kitten born into a rural kill-shelter is a likely path to being euthanized, but Aries got a lucky break when he was taken in by a local animal rescue....
After Woman Goes Into a Nursing Home, Foster Ensures She Can Keep Seeing Her Cat
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 volunteer for a rescue that takes in and re-homes pets that have been left behind when someone dies or goes into hospice or a nursing home. Most of them are traumatized, sometimes neglected due to the condition of the previous owner, lonely, and scared. CAT. PHOTO: PIXABAY / ALINE DASSEL One kitty, Sweetie, came to us after her mommy went into a nursing home. She was old and rather...
Meet Wally, An Emotional Support Alligator Running For America’s Favorite Pet
It’s not uncommon to hear about people’s emotional support animals. Dogs are a popular choice among ESA owners, but it’s possible to have other animals fill the role of an emotional support animal as well. ESAs range from dogs to bunnies, I even went to school with a girl who had a chicken as an emotional support animal (it stayed with her in her dorm room!). Have you ever heard of an emotional support alligator though? If you haven’t, it’s because you’ve never heard of WallyGator before! Photo: YouTube/60...
Rescue Rebuild Teams Up With Good Flights To Help Shelter Pets In Louisiana
Since Flights to Freedom began in 2015, GreaterGood has saved thousands of lives by flying shelter pets from the South–where shelter overcrowding leaves animals at risk of euthanasia–to shelters where they can get adopted. On Aug. 30, our Clear the Shelters Flight to Freedom will fly 135+ shelter dogs and cats rescued from overcrowded shelters in Louisiana and Alabama to safety in New Jersey, where they’ll be transferred to shelters where demand for adoption is soaring. On Aug. 2, our first Clear the Shelters flight of 2022...
Piglet Rescued From Hoarder Now Living in Sanctuary and Getting Snuggles on Demand
Animals born into hoarding situations can face malnutrition, health issues that aren’t addressed, and poor living conditions. One special piglet began his life at such a farm, but these days, he’s living it up at a sanctuary. Sawyer was born to breeders who were hoping to make money off of him at a swap meet. He was among a litter of piglets with physical abnormalities, including no back legs. Hercules’ Haven, the farm animal sanctuary where he is now, said this was likely due to inbreeding. While he escaped that, his next...
Ducklings Follow Their Golden Best Friend Around In This Adorable Video
Duck, Duck, Go…lden Retriever? By now, we have all heard so many stories of unlikely or unusual friendships. A goat and a horse, dog and a fox, these stories usually are between two fellow four-legged friends. Now what about two bipeds and everyone’s favorite floof, a Golden Retriever? PHOTO: Unsplash/Christian Bowen The unlikely pair of a bipedal and a dog really isn’t that rare to see. We have had quite a few stories about them before like when a Labrador adopted 15 ducklings or this story about a husky and his duck...
Vet Tech Adopts Senior Dog Who Was Returned To The Shelter After 12 Years
Being a rescue dog in a shelter is hard, but being a senior makes things even harder. Older dogs are far less likely to be adopted or find homes. Plus, no elderly dog should have to spend weeks, months, or even years in a small shelter kennel, but it’s a sad reality that many dogs face. We like to think that when a dog is adopted from a shelter, he or she goes on to live a happily ever after with their new family. But sometimes, things don’t always go as planned. Photo: PXHERE When a sweet 3-year-old pup named Netty was adopted...
Produce Truck Driver Donates Squashed Melon To Wildlife Rescue After Accident
When a prodcuce truck got into an unfortunate accident in Louisiana, melons were spewed across the road. The truck was headed to a watermelon festival but many of the melons ended up damanged in the accident. Rather than letting the melons go to waste, the driver decided to donate them to a local wildlife rehabiliator! Photo: flickr/Audrey Wildlife rehabilitator Leslie Greene shared about the situation on Facebook, writing: “It’s the Watermelon Festival in Farmerville, unfortunately this truck had a little mishap. Lucky for us...
Dogs Can’t Contain Their Excitement When The ‘Doggie School Bus’ Pulls Up
Riding the school bus can be an exciting thing for not just humans but dogs as well! In West Linn, Oregon, a special Doggie School Bus rides around the neighborhoods and picks up pups for a day of fun. The dogs that the bus picks up don’t go to school, instead, they go to a daycare full of play, food, and stimulating activities designed with canines in mind. Photo: YouTube/ViralHog Dogs can be pretty clever and they pick up on things quickly. Naturally, some pups who ride the Doggie School Bus regularly have learned that the bus means a...
Protection of Animal Amendments Laws Could Bring Hope To Survivors Of Abuse And Their Pets
Domestic abuse and animal abuse are closely linked. According to Humane Action Pittsburgh, “Animal cruelty is often an indicator of interpersonal violence such as child abuse, intimate partner violence, and elder abuse.” Source: Adobe Stock / New AfricaPeople who use violence and threats to control and abuse their family are commonly willing to do the same to pets. People who use violence and threats to control and abuse their family are commonly willing to do the same to pets. Studies show that more than 70% of pet owners at...
The Humane Education Online Instructor-Led Course is back! Apply today
Are you an animal well-being professional looking to expand your shelter’s reach and engage with new community members while generating additional revenue? A humane education programs allow you to do all of these things with the added benefit of creating a more compassionate community! You’ll learn everything you need to know in the upcoming Online Instructor-Led Course from Maddie’s® University. You can apply until August 31! In just one month, you’ll learn about the tools and techniques needed to garner...
What Dogs are Low Maintenance?
Can dogs really be low maintenance? Likewise, are some dog breeds truly high maintenance? Yes and yes — although some of the reasons may surprise you. Here are some helpful factors to consider, along with a list of breeds that are generally the best low maintenance dogs to consider as your next best bud. First, what makes a dog low maintenance? Honestly, this question makes many experts chuckle! There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all, low maintenance dog — that was the first reaction from Dr. Bruce F. Smith, professor...
How to Use Top-Quality Treats and Toys to Help Separation Anxiety in Dogs
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...
A Stray Cat Followed a Woman Home and Became a Mom to Rescue Kittens
Cats are amazing creatures, and part of what makes them interesting is their ability to judge characters. They have this sixth sense to know if a human has good or bad vibes. Felines are always on guard, especially with strangers — making them experts in reading body language. For this reason, cats are excellent at choosing the right human to take care of them. Cat parents shared their experience of when they were claimed them as their humans. Stray cats would surprisingly appear in their backyards or patio. In Charli’s case, a...
Owners Help Cat ‘Reset’ His Long Tongue By Tapping On It
Porkchop the cat is like other cats in a lot of ways, but he has an unusual characteristic: his tongue is so long that it hangs out of his mouth at all times! The 7-year-old cat was adopted by his current family back in October of 2021 and he now lives with them in Nepean, Ontario. Porkchop’s tongue is so long that it doesn’t fit all the way in his mouth, so it’s always hanging out. Photo: YouTube/ViralHog Sometimes his tongue sticks out just a tiny bit, but other times it sticks out a lot. Porkchop’s owner told...
Man Stops Walk To Introduce His Puppy To A Cat
A dog owner went viral for introducing his puppy to a neighborhood cat while out for a walk back in October of 2021. Cheyenne (@cheyennetylerberry) spotted the puppy, Ted, on a walk outside her home’s window. She must’ve suspected something sweet was about to take place because she pulled out her phone to start recording and it’s a good thing she did! Photo: TikTok/@cheyennetylerberry “Caught this pure moment and I haven’t stopped smiling since,” Cheyenne captioned in the video. In the clip, you can see...
