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...
Toxic Dust Storms Loom as Great Salt Lake Faces Environmental Collapse
The Great Salt Lake, a unique and vital ecosystem in Utah, faces unprecedented threats. As it continues to shrink, the repercussions for both the environment and local communities are becoming increasingly severe. Multiple factors contribute to this crisis and there are dire consequences if no action is taken. Photo: PexelsThe Great Salt Lake has lost two-thirds of its water since the 1980s. Dwindling Waters and Its Impact Once a vast saline sea, the Great Salt Lake has shrunk dramatically, losing two-thirds of its size since the 1980s. This...
Animal Welfare Concerns Ignored as Iceland Greenlights Whale Hunt
In a surprising and controversial decision, Iceland’s government granted a whale hunting license to the country’s last remaining whaling company, Hvalur hf., for the 2024 season. The permit allows for the hunting of 128 fin whales, a move that has sparked significant backlash from animal welfare groups and conservationists alike. This decision contrasts with recent global efforts aimed at protecting marine life and highlights the ongoing debate over the ethics and necessity of commercial whaling. Photo: PexelsIceland has granted a...
The Ultimate Guide to Bioavailability in Pet Food
Find out why bioavailability in pet food is just as important as the ingredients! Pet parents have long known about the importance of choosing dog and cat foods with real foods and high-quality ingredients. Unfortunately, just reading an ingredients list doesn’t tell you anything about the bioavailability of the nutrients in the food. So how is a doting pet parent to choose the right food? Let’s learn more about bioavailability in pet food, what it is, factors that impact it, and why you should consider it when choosing food for...
Join us Thursday, August 1 for Foster-to-adopt programs: Supportive pathways from shelter to home
Join us on August 1st at 12pm PT/ 3pm ET for Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection! This month, Lauren Nickerson, Executive Director, Hawaii Island Humane Society and Katie Hutchinson, Outcomes Manager, Pima Animal Care Center, will present on Foster-to-adopt programs: Supportive pathways from shelter to home. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Hawaii Island Humane Society launched their Foster-to-Adopt program as a means to get pets out of the shelter and into homes during a time when the public was not able to enter the...
Littermates, One of Them a ‘Secret Service Agent’, Warm Home of New Empty-Nester
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! One September, I lost my best friend, Tiggy, to chronic renal failure. He died 10 days before his 20th birthday. I was devastated. This cat had grown up with my son and had comforted me as he left home for college and I became an empty-nester. I knew when Tiggy passed away that I would get another cat, but I needed to grieve first. PHOTO: PIXABAY I soon found myself on the internet...
Search and Rescue Member Runs 1.5 Miles to Rescue Puppies From Wildfire
The Park Fire, which has already scorched more than 350,000 acres and destroyed more than 100 buildings in California, has prompted multiple evacuation orders. One resident fleeing the flames had to leave their dogs behind, but a dedicated search and rescue crew member ran to the rescue… literally. According to a Facebook post from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, a resident was evacuating a remote area near Campbellville when their truck stopped working. There was no time to lose, so they had to leave it behind. Unfortunately,...
Endangered California Condors Suffer From Illegal Hunting, Lead Poisoning, Habitat Loss
The California condor, with its impressive wingspan and distinctive bald head, is North America’s largest land bird. Despite its grandeur, the species teeters on the edge of extinction. Once widespread across the continent, the condor’s population dwindled to a mere 22 individuals in the 1980s due to a range of human-caused threats. Today, conservation efforts have increased their numbers, but significant dangers remain. Photo: PexelsCalifornia condors are critically endangered with only around 500 left. Lead Poisoning’s...
Dog-Friendly Restaurants: What Are Penny’s Favorites?
Hi, I’m Savanna! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my spunky Chihuahua mix, Penny. You should know by now that we love to travel with Penny. So when we do, we are always looking for places we can take her, including dog-friendly restaurants. Not only are the number of restaurants that allow dogs increasing, but some of the restaurants even have menus just for dogs. It’s always awesome to stumble across restaurants with secret dog menus, because Penny gets a yummy treat too instead of having to beg for our...
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: Short-term foster can boost adoptions, monthly foster & behavior meetings and more!
Happy Monday! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. Now there’s more evidence that short-term foster programs can help boost dog adoptionsResearch in U.S. shelters shows that short-term foster programs like field trips and overnights are powerful tools for increasing dogs’ chances of adoption. Dogs who go on a field trip are five times more likely to be adopted than those who don’t, while those who go on a sleepover are an astounding 14 times more… Learn More A free editorial calendar...
The Benefits of Emotional Support Dogs
For those with anxiety, depression, and other emotional and mental health issues, an emotional support dog can be a lifesaver. Find out what these dogs do, and how they help their humans. Dogs can be trained to assist humans in a wide variety of ways. From performing search and rescue tasks to helping those with disabilities live more independently, our canine companions play valuable roles in our lives. This article focuses on a particular type of working dog — the emotional support dog — and how these canines enhance and improve...
How to Get Rid of Dog Pimples: 10 Vet-Approved Dog Acne Treatments
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » People usually associate pimples with those difficult teenage years when hormones are out of whack as sexual maturity approaches. Dogs can also get acne too, most commonly affecting their chin and muzzle. The pimples in canine acne are caused by folliculitis, which is inflammation of the hair follicles. As it progresses the hair follicles can rupture and cause a deeper infection called furunculosis. For some young...
12 Best Behaved Small Dogs for Easy-Going Companions
Click to Skip Ahead You’ve heard the rumors about small dogs—potty training nightmares, little dog syndrome—the works! So, you might be a little hesitant to own one. After all, are there any well-behaved smaller dogs out there? Every dog has a different personality, so when it comes to specifics, it’s hard to tell how any dog will train (big or small). However, there are certain breed traits that can determine just how easy or difficult these dogs can be in different aspects. Here are some of the small dog breeds that...
Why Are My Dogs Paws So Rough: 5 Vet-Verified Reasons & Protection Tips
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Click to Skip Ahead If you have been shaking your dog’s paw recently, you might have noticed that their paw pads are a little bit rough. While sometimes this can be normal, other issues could be a cause for concern. And sometimes, changes in paw pads might signal an ongoing or chronic underlying health concern. In this article, we’re going to aim to discuss everything that can go wrong with paw pads and...
