Future of APA!: A Letter to Our Stakeholders
Aug 24, 2021 Friends, In 2017, the Austin City Council passed a resolution that APA! could stay on the Town Lake Animal Center (TLAC) property for three 25-year agreements (75 years!). City staff and APA! were directed to negotiate and execute an agreement over the next three years. [embedded content] Since then, APA!, with the amazing help of our pro-bono attorneys at Drenner Group, and the City has been in intense negotiations, resulting in two emergency extensions to allow both sides more time to come to a consensus. This has proven very...
Horse Fighting Continues In The Philippines Despite Decades-Old Ban
Horse fighting in the Philippines is banned under the Republic Act No 8485 (also known as the Animal Welfare Act of 1998). Yet, horse fights and abuse have become commonplace in the Philippines, particularly in the islands of Mindanao. According to the Daily Mail, a mare in heat is introduced to two stallions who then fight for the right to breed with her in a public exhibition. The battle continues until one of the stallions retreats or dies. Many mares end up as collateral damage during the fight while hundreds of “winning”...
How to start a supported self-rehoming program at your animal shelter
Did you know that approximately 36% of animals entering animal shelters come in under the intake type called “owner surrender?” This presents a huge opportunity for animal shelters to avoid animals coming into the shelter, by helping pet owners rehome their pets without having to surrender them. According to the Human Animal Support Services Toolkit on Supported Self-Rehoming, many pet owners are willing to rehome their pets directly to another home but are unaware of the resources and tools available to rehome safely...
Scared Cat That Was Abandoned at Apartment Complex Gains a Home and Loses His Fear
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! My roommate and I were living in an apartment complex that allowed pets. Unfortunately, many people moved away and left their cats behind to fend for themselves. I began feeding the strays. CAT. PHOTO: PIXABAY/LIUKSENA My little boy kitten so wanted to make friends with the strays but most were not friendly towards him. One day I heard this black and white cat just meowing and crying....
Fostering in Austin
Aug 23, 2021 Recently we were lucky to have an amazing group from the UT Austin McCombs School of Business study what the capacity for people to foster animals in Austin really looks like, by comparing current census data to common trends among our [hundreds] of amazing volunteers currently fostering APA! animals. What many people don’t know is that there is an entire machine of coordination and support behind any shelters with robust foster programs for homeless pets. The good news is that this machine is completely possible to build...
You Helped Us ‘Clear The Shelters’ And Fly 160+ Pets To Safety!
On August 23, NBCUniversal Local, Greater Good Charities, The Animal Rescue Site, and Hill’s Pet Nutrition flew 167 at-risk shelter pets to safety and adoption–and we couldn’t have done it without your help! With your support, we airlifted 68 dogs and 99 cats from Louisiana–-where overcrowded shelters leave animals at risk of euthanasia–-to safety in East Coast shelters, where demand for adoption is high. Photo: Greater Good Charities These life-saving flights marked the beginning of NBC Universal Local’s...
Majestic Lion ‘Mopane’ Brutally Killed By American Trophy Hunter
Another majestic and beloved lion was killed for “fun” by an American trophy hunter. Six years ago, the beloved Cecil was shot and killed by a U.S. trophy hunter outside the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Even after all the outrage over his death, the tragedy has occurred again. The 12-year-old male lion was known as Mopane and dominant over two prides. He roamed the Hwange National Park and would sometimes cross its borders. On August 5, 2021, he entered an unfenced hunting concession called Antoinette that borders the park....
The First ‘Murder Hornet’ Nest of the Year Spotted In Washington
Asian giant hornets, also known as “murder hornets,” have put people in the Pacific northwest on high alert over the last few years. That concern has reignited with the first sighting of an Asian giant hornet nest near Blaine, Washington. As the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) maintains, the nest was found around the same area where a live “murder hornet” was reported in August 2021. In mid-August, officers from the WSDA captured, tagged and released three hornets. A statement from the department...
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: Register now for the Open Arms Challenge, Dr. Lila Miller and more!
Happy Monday! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. Register NOW for the Open Arms Challenge!This Challenge is all about opening our hearts and minds to more accessible and inclusive practices. With $200,000 in grant prizes available and the support of 15 organizations, we’d say this Challenge may be the best one yet! Registration closes on August 30th. Register Now Brainstorm Open Arms Challenge ideas with these resourcesWith the Open Arms Challenge registration just around the corner (August 23!), we want to...
Rescue Founder And Veteran Won’t Leave Afghanistan Until Staff & Animals Are Safe
Afghanistan’s collapse has been devastating for civilians, women, and the veterans and troops who fought America’s longest war. But Kabul’s fall to the Taliban also spells disaster for animals who will be forced to fend for themselves under a brutal regime. As people desperately flee, one former British marine and rescue founder, Pen Farthing, refuses to leave until he evacuates his local staff and the nearly 200 rescued animals in his care. Screenshot: Nowzad Farthing, who came to Afghanistan as a British Marine Commando,...
Feeding pets real food with active life force ingredients
High quality, biologically available, healthful diets for dogs and cats are the best path to optimal health and longevity. Historically, pet foods were commercially prepared with rendered and rejected meat by-products from the human food industry, sometimes known as the 4 D’s – dead, dying, diseased, or disabled. They also included vitamins, minerals, and low-grade milled grain bits containing a myriad of chemicals, all cooked at excessively high temperatures for sterilization purposes. High carbohydrate ingredients (corn, soy,...
4 Ways To Save Lives On International Homeless Animals Day
Millions of homeless animals enter U.S. shelters each year, but countless more aren’t even this lucky. These doomed creatures will spend their days dodging hunger, traffic, and death as they fend for themselves in the streets, never knowing the comfort and safety of basic shelter or a loving home. Photo: Pixabay This growing predicament inspired International Homeless Animals Day, which was founded by The International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) in 1992. Observed the third Saturday of August every year, International Homeless...
Senior Dogs at Austin Pets Alive! Fetch Life Saving Grant
Aug 20, 2021 AUSTIN, TX — Tails are wagging at Austin Pets Alive! this summer, as the Central Texas shelter was announced as a winning recipient of one of The Grey Muzzle Organization’s annual grants for the fifth consecutive year. APA! is one of 77 animal welfare groups chosen from 266 applicants to receive a grant to help local senior dogs. The winning groups received more than $616,000 in grants to help save or improve the lives of at-risk old dogs in their communities. 11-year old Tiana is one of several sweet seniors at APA!...
Adopting an Older Dog: What You Need to Know
Senior dogs are often overlooked by adopters and rescues. Those who decide they’d like to adopt an older dog find them to be genuine companions and get much joy in owning an adult dog. Older dogs tend to adapt quicker, they are most likely already housebroken and seem to have better manners than younger dogs or puppies. Reasons to Adopt a Senior Dog PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK/LUCIANO Dogs older than 7 years old fall into the senior dog category. Depending on the dog’s breed, they could live for many years after that. Old dogs may not be...
Poison Hemlock Is Toxic To People & Pets, And It Is Blooming All Over The U.S.
Poison hemlock is popping up all over the U.S. and while it looks like a cluster of pretty white flowers, it is toxic to both people and pets. The entire plant, including stem and flowers, contains a neurotoxin that can be deadly if eaten in large quantities. It poses the greatest threat to livestock and horses who graze in fields, but is a plant you should be able to identify and avoid. Photo: Pixabay/AnoukBakkerFotografie Pet owners need to be on the lookout for this invasive plant that is sprouting all over the country due to favorable...
Feral Kitten Rescued From Highway Becomes New Family’s Beloved ‘Semi-Wild 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! On November 1, 2017, which was unusually cold for our area (teens), I was on my way home from choir practice around 9:30 at night. I got about a mile from the church where I turn onto a 4-lane divided highway (US-411 in Tennessee). There are numerous businesses and plants along the highway, so it is generally busy. In the middle of the road was a gray and white kitty huddled in fear that...
130 Dogs Dead And Hundreds More Sick From Eating Contaminated Dog Food Linked To Midwestern Pet Foods
Hundreds of dogs have died or become sick after consuming contaminated dog food by Midwestern Pet Foods. The company issued recalls earlier this year, but the FDA just sent a warning letter to the company after its manufacturing facilities failed inspections. In December, the pet food company recalled their SPORTMix brand after reports of illnesses and sampling found high levels of aflatoxin, a byproduct of mold. The recall was expanded in January and included all dog foods containing corn made in their Oklahoma plant expiring on or before...
How to support your pet’s gut health when they need antibiotics
A course of antibiotics can upset the balance of your cat or dog’s gut microbiome. Here’s how to support their gut health both during and after antibiotic treatment. Although you can’t see them, trillions of bacteria and other microbes live in and on your cat or dog, and play a critical role in nearly every aspect of their health. Although the vast majority of these microbes are beneficial, sometimes “harmful” ones, called pathogens, can lead to an infection. Your veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics to treat...
How Tui Na can help ease your cat’s arthritis
Tui Na, also known as acupressure-massage, is an effective way to alleviate the discomfort of arthritis in cats. Cats are tricksters. Their wild ancestors evolved not to show weakness or pain lest they fall prey to other predators in the wild. Our domesticated cats have the same “ancestral” mindset, so it can be difficult to assess when they may be suffering from painful conditions such as osteoarthritis. That means it’s up to us as to watch for any subtle signs of arthritis encroaching on our cats’ joints, and to take...
Brainstorm Open Arms Challenge ideas with these resources
With the Open Arms Challenge registration just around the corner (August 23!), we want to make sure you have what you need to succeed. With six areas of focus, the possibilities are nearly endless. With these resources and the Huddles (coming in October!), we think you will be well-equipped to determine the direction your organization will go. As a refresher, the welcoming practices are: Processes are equitable and inclusive; customer success is ensured through customer service; marketing and communications are directed towards entire...
