It’s A Make-Or-Break Moment For Florida’s Manatees. Here’s How You Can Help Save Them
2021 was rough, but it was especially deadly for manatees, which saw 15 percent of their population die off in a single year alone. Most of the 1,110 manatees who perished in 2021 died from starvation, which is a growing threat in the waters where they live. In the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) one-third of Florida’s manatees call home, poor water quality and harmful algae has decimated 60% of the seagrass they once fed on. Photo: Greater Good Charities Florida’s Fish & Wildlife Foundation is racing to replant the seagrass, but...
Dog Left To Die In Heap Of Trash Defies All Odds And Pulls Through
‘Love conquers all’ is proven in the following rescue story. A dog on the brink of death in China was rescued just in time and thanks to an outpouring of love and amazing care he is on the road to recovery. Humane Society International shared the incredible rescue story on Facebook and thanked their partner VShine, an animal protection agency in China, who rescued and helped care for the dog. Screenshot: YouTube/ The Humane Society of the United States Rescuers were heartbroken when they found the large dog dumped on a pile of...
Nationwide Shelter Crisis: Over 100,000 Additional Shelter Dogs & Cats At Risk Over Last Year
The country is still trying to get back to “normal” but, just like many other businesses, animal shelters are struggling. The shortage of staff, increase in animal intake, and a drop in adoptions pushed many shelters to their limits. They are operating in crisis mode and need help. Best Friends Animal Society’s Chief Executive Officer, Julie Castle, urged supporters and animal lovers across the country to help by adopting, fostering, volunteering, and spreading the word to friends and family. Photo: Unsplash/Thomas Park...
How to Get and Maintain Attention
Getting our dogs’ attention is truly a foundation skill. It’s a signal for your dog to look toward you and to be mindful of what will follow. This can be a verbal signal, such as their name, or an audible signal like a “kissy” noise. Get attention I personally have two ways of getting my dogs’ attention. Both of my dogs were conditioned in this exact same manner. Each has a different schedule of reinforcement connected to them. Saying their names The kissy sound So what’s the difference? By saying their...
Florida Animal Shelter At Max Capacity Waives Adoption Fee For Large Dogs
Large dogs spend more time at a shelter compared to small dogs, so shelters have to come up with ways to encourage people to adopt the bigger dogs. A Florida animal shelter hopes to find homes for many of their large dogs by making them “free” for three days. Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS) is at max capacity with dozens of big dogs patiently waiting for someone to choose them. The shelter decided to waive the $50 adoption fee for their adult dogs over 30 pounds to encourage people to adopt. “We like big mutts and we...
What’s new in dog research?
Over the next two years, studies funded by Morris Animal Foundation will offer dog parents new insights on how to best care for their canine companions. Morris Animal Foundation has funded canine health studies for more than 70 years to improve the health and well-being of dogs everywhere. We’ve contributed to early research that yielded the parvovirus vaccine, and supported the development of genetic tests for heart diseases, eye diseases and seizure disorders. We also are at the forefront of funding cancer studies in dogs, including...
13 questions that will help you write great pet adoption bios
This is a guest post by Arin Greenwood. Arin writes for the Human Animal Support Services project. She was previously the animal welfare editor for The Huffington Post, and is author of the novel Your Robot Dog Will Die. Fido is an 8-year-old brown female dog who needs a home. But is that how you want to describe her in an adoption ad or social media post, when your aim is to get potential adopters imagining how great Fido would be as a member of their family? Humans understand and engage with the world through narrative—through details...
Dog Drags Chair Over To Sit Closer To Owner
There is a reason that dogs have been called “man’s best friend” since as far back as any of us can remember. They have proved themselves to be loving, loyal companions who want to spend all their time with their favorite humans. But as much as our dogs love spending time with us, the feeling is definitely mutual. I remember growing up having a dog in the family. She was the most gentle animal ever – and she was definitely my best friend as a kid. I’m sure many dog owners feel that way towards their beloved dogs....
Girl Befriends Family Of Horses In Adorable Viral Video
I think I’ve talked enough about the awesomeness of cats for everyone to know that I’m a total cat lady. But there is another animal that I am very much fond of: The horse. I find horses to be incredibly beautiful and gentle animals despite their large sizes. They’re gentle giants for sure. The first time that I ever saw or rode a horse was when I was a little kid. I was four, and my mom and grandparents had taken me to a local petting zoo that also had a pony corral for the kids. I got to take a turn on the back of a brown...
Dog Rings The Doorbell To Tell His Family He’s Ready To Come Inside
Growing up, my family had a dog. She was the sweetest pooch ever. In her younger years, she divided her time 50/50 between staying outside in the yard and spending time inside with us. When she got older, she was indoors a majority of the time. As she got older and less energetic, whenever she had to go outside to use the facilities, we’d often have to stand in the doorway to wait for her to finish doing her business. Unfortunately, our door wasn’t capable of getting fitted with a doggie door so we just had to wait for her to be...
Dog Uses “Puppy Dog” Face To Beg His Owner For Food
Just because they’re cute and cuddly doesn’t mean they’re not capable of robbing us blind. I’m talking about dogs and their mastery of the art of begging. I swear, dogs are experts when it comes to getting us to give in and feed them. Of course, if this doesn’t work they’re not above using deception as a means of getting what they want. And we’ve all seen the videos of conniving canines stealing food from countertops and tables. But for the most part, if a dog has mastered the begging face, then...
Senior Dog Bullied By Kids Hides By A Fence Until Help Arrives
For a stray dog living in South Africa, life was hard. The neighborhood kids were cruel to the poor pup and bullied him because he was old. The helpless dog, later named Porkie, spent so many years living on the streets, things probably felt hopeless by the time help finally arrived. Sidewalk Specials found out about the dog being bullied by the kids and immediately went to help. Photo: Facebook/The Dodo They found poor little Porkie huddled under a tree, pressed against the fence. It was the only place the elderly dog felt safe – his...
Broken Dog In A Ditch Lays Helpless Until Kind Strangers Arrive
When a truck driver, Odell, spotted a brown, quivering dog in a ditch, he knew he needed to help – but he couldn’t afford the time to stop. Knowing he had to do something, the man called the Stray Rescue of St. Louis and told them about the dog he saw and asked if someone could drive out and check on it. Thankfully, he made the right call by asking for help and the rescuers were able to find the dog just where Odell had said. Photo: YouTube/Stray Rescue of St.Louis Official At first, they thought the sweet pup was just laying...
Abused Dogs Learns To Smile Again And Loves Playing In The Snow
When a dog in Alabama began to suffer abuse at the hands of his owner, a family member took him to a shelter. When the poor pup made it into the shelter, the signs of abuse were clear: He was suffering a broken jaw and was missing all of the teeth on one side of his mouth. Despite that, it was clear he just wanted to be loved. Thankfully, a rescue organization in Minnestoa stepped in and transported the dog, named Chance, to their rescue where he could undergo surgeries and finally find his loving forever home. After his surgeries though, he...
Avalanche Dogs Travel To Utah To Learn Lifesaving Skills
Winter brings a lot of fun outdoor activities, like skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and mountaineering. However, it also comes with a lot of risks. For those who enjoy spending time in the mountains over the winter, it’s important to be mindful of avalanches. No one wants to be caught in an avalanche, but when it does happen, it’s good to be prepared. For avalanche response teams, being prepared means having properly trained individuals ready to mitigate as much of the disaster as possible. One of the best ways to do this?...
Baby Deer Follows Cyclist Before Hopping Back To Mom
There’s something special about seeing wild animals in real life. When out in nature, a chance encounter with an animal can be surreal and something to remember. It’s even more special when that animal happens to be a baby! When spring is in full bloom, chances of running into a baby animal in the wild are higher, and some people may even go out hoping for an encounter. Of course, it’s important to give all wild animals space and not intentionally approach them, but they’re neat to admire from a distance. In Half Moon...
APA! Pilots New Program to Support Dog Fosters
Jan 26, 2022 We are now offering a variety of training classes to help you get your foster dog from here to outta here! Check out the descriptions below and be sure to sign up! You can find FAQs and more information here. We’ll see you in class! Basic Obedience: Basic Obedience Class is designed to help foster dogs learn the basic skills needed to improve their manners and enhance adoptability. This 6-week course consists of one-hour, in-person classes where fosters and their dogs can learn foundational skills such as sit, down, recall,...
New Study: We’re Making Bad Assumptions About Shelter Dogs’ Behavior and It’s Hurting Them
Listen to our interview with Janis Bradley about her new research challenging the assumption that dogs are given up for bad behavior, and what that means for shelters, adoptions, dogs, and families. Arin Greenwood: Hi, this is Arin Greenwood. I’m a writer with HASS. Here I had the pleasure of speaking with Janis Bradley of the National Canine Research Council about her important new paper taking a critical look at our assumptions about shelter dogs’ behavior, and how those assumptions harm dogs and families. The paper is...
Essential fatty acids for dogs and cats with arthritis
Which essential fatty acids (EFAs) do dogs and cats need as supplements, and how do they work to help alleviate the inflammation associated with arthritis? As our dogs and cats age, they are increasingly likely to develop osteoarthritis and other joint problems. There are many natural and holistic ways to help keep our animals mobile and free of discomfort, and certain essential fatty acids (EFAs) play a supporting role. Let’s look at how these EFAs can help ease your dog or cat’s arthritis and improve his joint health. Which...
What you need to know about natural prebiotics for cats
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...
