Essential strategies for protecting kittens from feline panleukopenia
Join us on Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 12PM PT / 3PM ET for the webcast “Protecting Kittens from Feline Panleukopenia: Essential Strategies for Animal Shelters and Rescues.” Animal shelter and rescue organizations across the country often struggle to protects cats and in particular kittens from the infectious diseases that tend to rise as kitten season surges each year. This webcast focuses on safeguarding cats of all ages from feline panleukopenia (sometimes also called feline distemper or FPV), a highly contagious and...
Why Does My Dog Growl When I Pet Him? 8 Vet-Reviewed Reasons
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Click to Skip Ahead Dogs can’t speak, but they still have ways to communicate with us through body language and vocalizations. One way that dogs can communicate is through growling. Dogs typically have more than one type of growl, from a playful growl to a more aggressive warning. Recognizing the cause of a growl helps you know how to react and the steps you need to take to help your canine companion. Typically,...
Family Looking for a Little Dog Ends Up with Giant Who’d Been Waiting a Year for a Forever Home
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! We were looking for a dog to heal our hearts, as our previous dog Didi had left us far too soon. A small dog was our goal, so it was off to the shelter with us. We went to the first Pop Up Adoption that the RSPCA had ever had in Brisbane, Australia, with high hopes. Unfortunately, all the smaller or medium-sized dogs were being adopted so fast that I couldn’t find anything. PHOTO:...
New Discovery About the Teeth of Endangered Komodo Dragons May Help Us Learn About Dinosaurs
The Komodo dragon, the largest living lizard, usually tips the scales at around 150 pounds, though they have been observed at more than twice that size. They are also predatory, eating a wide variety of animals, from tiny bite-sized rodents to water buffalo. Scientists recently conducted a study to see how their powerful teeth can manage to take down all this prey, and the findings may help us understand how larger extinct reptiles – dinosaurs – managed their diets. Researchers at King’s College London used chemical and...
Why Do Dogs Bite Themselves? 6 Vet-Verified Reasons & Tips
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Click to Skip Ahead It can look alarming to us, but it’s common for dogs to occasionally bite themselves. Dogs will usually lick, bite, chew, or scratch their skin when they experience a mild itch. However, it’s still worth paying attention to dogs biting themselves because repetitive biting is usually linked with a health condition. Dogs can develop a habit of biting themselves for several reasons. It can...
Fur Sure Roofing Gives Back
Jul 31, 2024 It’s no secret that our main location is old and falling apart in many places. This location, originally built to serve as the city’s municipal shelter, boasts a host of issues, but has also been a haven for so many pets since we moved here in 2012. What originally was not built for lifesaving, became the answer to APA!’s big questions — “Where are we going to go? How are we going to continue to save more lives?” And luckily, we’ve had friends along the way who have helped us with the...
The Vet Clinic Is Closed, What Do I Do? 6 Vet-Approved Steps & Options
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Accidents and medical concerns can occur at any time of day or night. So, it’s important to be prepared and have a plan for potential emergency situations that occur outside of your vet clinic’s business hours. Fortunately, several resources are available to give you immediate answers and peace of mind about your dog’s health. Here are some things you can do if your dog has an injury or other medical...
Weak Laws Leave Ohio Animals in Terrible Conditions
Ohio has garnered unwanted attention as a hotspot for poor animal welfare practices, particularly in the context of puppy mills. The Humane Society’s “Horrible Hundred” report, which highlights the worst puppy breeders in the United States, places Ohio as the second-worst state, surpassed only by Missouri. This report, among others, underscores the severe gaps in Ohio’s animal protection laws and the resulting dire conditions for animals in the state. Photo: PexelsOhio ranks second in the nation for problematic puppy...
Over 300 Dogs Rescued From Frontlines Have Full Bellies, Thanks to You
Courageous rescuers continue to enter heavily bombed areas in Ukraine to save abandoned animals left without food or water. The terrified and traumatized animals are brought back to shelters who feed them nutritious food, thanks to your donations. A truckload of dog food was distributed across Ukraine to help feed over 300 dogs rescued from the frontlines. Photo: United for Animals Greater Good Charities’ partner, United for Animals (UfA), shared with us the current situation and how your donations are making a huge difference in the...
Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Announces Results of Competitive Pet Placement Project
Supported by PetSmart Charities, the Competitive Pet Placement Project aims to identify barriers and produce solutions for increasing adoption outcomes (AUSTIN, TX) July 31, 2024–Human Animal Support Services (HASS), an international project revolutionizing the animal welfare industry by uniting human and animal welfare, announced the results of the Competitive Pet Placement (CPP) Project. An initiative supported by PetSmart Charities, five shelters, alongside HASS, took up the challenge to evaluate internal shelter practices or...
The Great Escape: Manic Longs for Freedom
Hi, I’m Allison! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my three mixed-breed dogs from Thailand, Jelly, Lorraina, and Manic. Uh-oh. It is quiet. Too quiet. That can only mean one thing: my dog is up to something. Those moments of silence always made me panic slightly. Manic loves looking for adventure, trouble, wild animals, anything! Even though we had a fenced-in yard, the fencing was old, so Manic would find a weak spot and squeeze himself underneath. Despite having 2.5 acres of wooded land to explore, Manic always...
Venezuelans Battle to Ban Bullfighting Amidst Cruelty Concerns
Bullfighting, a tradition deeply rooted in Venezuela’s history, has become a focal point of controversy and debate. In cities like Mérida, this practice, part of the annual Feria del Sol festival, continues to draw both fierce support and vehement opposition. As the nation wrestles with its identity and values, the movement to ban bullfighting is gaining strength, pushing for a break from a tradition many see as cruel and outdated. Photo: PexelsBullfighting in Venezuela is a contentious tradition with deep colonial roots. A...
‘Ugly Last Cat in the Cage’ Finds Forever Home
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! “She’s the last cat in the cage. I think she’s too ugly,” my friend said. That was all it took. I dashed to the pet shop and bought her. And so Strudel, the ugly cat with a beautiful heart, came home with me. PHOTO: PIXABAY / ENGIN AKYURT This beautiful soul lived with me for 20 years. And every night for twenty years, she patted me on the nose, and I would lift...
Orphaned Weeks-Old Walrus is Getting Round-the-Clock Care to Help Her Survive
Pacific walruses can grow up to 12 feet long and weigh up to 4,000 pounds. One substantially smaller than that, though, was just rescued in Alaska. In a series of social media posts, Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward has been chronicling the care of a tiny orphaned female Pacific walrus calf. She was found alone, malnourished, and dehydrated in Utqiagvik, Alaska, in late July and is believed to be no more than a few weeks old. To help her survive, a rescue team provided emergency fluids and stabilizing treatment before getting her to safety....
I Am A Mutt
Jul 30, 2024 I am not a dog that people dream of when they are small. I am not a dog that can be easily identified. I am not a dog that has a list of traits packed neatly in a box. I am a mutt. I am a mutt. Mutts have been passed over for no crime, but that of not being by design. Mutts don’t fit into any category, just a category of their own. Mutts aren’t considered when asking a dog to do a job. But I can do a job, and do it very well. I can love you, which is the best job a dog can do. I am a dog that was pieced together,...
Why Does It Matter That Hays County Wants To Build A Pet Resource Center?
Jul 30, 2024 FACT: A pet resource center is NOT the same as an animal shelter; however, it does include animal sheltering as a component of the services offered. In a traditional animal sheltering model, the animal shelter is where pets are taken to get any kind of resources or help, but is not usually the best solution. Lost pets → go to the shelter where they almost never get reunited with their families. Pets who are sick or injured → have to be surrendered to the shelter and separated from their families to be treated if the...
My Dog Ate Lavender Plant! What Should I Do? (Vet Answer)
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Click to Skip Ahead Why is it that some dogs just cannot resist the urge to eat things they shouldn’t? A lot of the time, you don’t even realize that certain things could be considered appealing or edible by your naughty canine until they’re hanging out of your dog’s mouth! And by the time that happens, you find yourself frantically searching for answers about what household ingredients, items,...
Ukrainian Dog Severely Abused While Held Hostage for Months is Recovering Alongside His Mom
A sweet dog named Adik and his owner, Irina, have endured unimaginable abuse while being held hostage for eight months by Russian forces in Ukraine. United for Animals (UfA) shared the heartbreaking story with Greater Good Charities and asked for support to help Adik get around. Adik was viewed by the Russians as a “trophy” of war and severely mistreated. UfA said, “This enemy shows no mercy even towards such defenseless creatures like animals.” Photo: United for Animals When Adik was finally released along with his...
Why Is My Dog’s Vagina Swollen? 5 Vet Explained Reasons & When to Worry
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Click to Skip Ahead Your dog’s genital area seems bigger than it normally is, so you naturally wonder if it’s time to call the vet or if it’s something normal that will pass on its own. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why your dog’s vulva might become swollen. The 5 Possible Reasons Your Dog’s Vagina Is Swollen 1. Estrus or the Heat Cycle If you notice that your dog’s...
Why Does My Dog Stare at the Wall? 5 Vet-Verified Reasons Explained
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Our dogs do all sorts of things that make us go, “Hmm.” If your dog seems to be staring at the wall, you might wonder why. But the real answer to why is that it honestly depends. Have you paid attention to body language? Does the dog seem excited, lethargic, rambunctious? The overall vibe can tell you a lot about the underlying reason. Here are five reasons that might be why your dog is staring at...
