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...
How to Treat Mosquito Bites on Dogs: 5 Vet-Approved Options
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Mosquito bites aren’t just annoying to humans. They can also be extremely irritating to dogs. Your dog is likely to scratch or lick the affected area, but continuous scratching can end up exacerbating mosquito bites and even lead to skin infections. Dogs are just as susceptible to mosquito bites as humans, so it’s important to know what to do if your dog gets bitten. Fortunately, there are several at-home...
What to Expect With a Virtual Vet Visit? A Vet-Approved Guide
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Click to Skip Ahead The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in many ways, both negative and positive. One of the positive things to come out of lockdowns was the expansion of virtual health care options. We can now visit nearly any member of our healthcare team from the comfort of our own home, and this extends to our furry family members, too. Virtual veterinary care is a convenient option for pet owners looking for...
9 Supplements for Inflammation in Dogs and Cats
From flavonoids to fatty acids, these supplements can help dampen the fires of inflammation in your dog or cat’s body. For thousands of years, natural supplements from food and plant sources have been used to treat inflammation in both people and animals. Different chemical plant compounds help regulate the immune system, inhibiting certain pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators that can damage DNA, feed tumor growth and destroy healthy cells. This article highlights the top nine supplements that can help treat inflammation in dogs...
Moving House with Your Dog? 10 Tips to Make It Easier on Your Pooch
Dogs like familiarity and routine, so moving house can cause them stress and anxiety. The ten tips in this article will help the move go more smoothly and easily for both you and your dog. For many people, moving house is often a necessity. Whether you’ve landed a job in a new city, or are downsizing to something smaller, moving to a new home or apartment can be stressful and complicated — especially if you have a dog who won’t understand what’s going on. Keeping things as calm and familiar as possible will help your...
This International Tiger Day, Learn About an Endangered Subspecies and How You Can Help Save It
There were once an estimated 100,000 tigers throughout Asia. These days, less than 10% of that figure remains, with the latest population estimate at around 5,500 tigers in the wild. Several subspecies have also become extinct or functionally extinct, including the Caspian, Bali, and South China tigers. This World Tiger Day, held July 29, learn about one of the rarer subspecies and how you can help it come back from the brink. PHOTO: PIXABAY / ANDREAS BREITLING The Indochinese tiger was once common across Southeast Asia, found specifically in...
Starving and Sick Animals on the Brink of Death Need Our Help to Survive
The homeless animal crisis around a municipal dump in Greece is much worse than we thought… The Animal Rescue Site and Greater Good Charities started helping local animal rescue groups in the city of Xanthi, Greece, in late 2023 after hearing that over 600 sick and starving dogs were barely surviving at the local dump. Photo: Animal Action Greece Since then, we have learned that the number of homeless dogs and cats in the region around Xanthi number is in the thousands! We need your continued support to save lives. Thanks to your...
The Harsh Reality of Life with 10 Pets Part 1: Dogs Don’t Take Days Off
VET APPROVED The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Learn more » Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my five funny dogs, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred. Check out Part 2: Hairballs, Cat Litter, and Fur on EVERYTHING on Catster.com to learn more. I am feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, and the trouble is, I can’t take a day off. Sure, I can put in for holidays from my veterinary work, but I still have to do my other full time...
