Horses Can Recognize Themselves In A Mirror, Study Finds
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the smartest of them all? A horse, of course. Ok, I may be a little biased, but a recent study found that horses can recognize themselves in a mirror, which is a measure of self-awareness. Photo: Pixabay The mirror test or Mirror self-recognition (MSR) test was developed by Gordon Gallup Jr in 1970. Humans and great apes were the first to take the test for “awareness of self”, and passed. Over the years, the test have been performed on non-primate species with some passing and some failing....
Peaches
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! When we’re ready to adopt an animal, we ask the universe to send us someone who needs help and that someone else may not want. Peaches came to us after one of those requests 11-1/2 years ago. She was ~5 years old, completely deaf, epileptic, and not house-trained. But what a terrific dog she was! Thanks to our trainer, we all learned hand signals, and we learned how to house train...
Freya The Fighter
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! I work at a municipal animal shelter in a rural town. We see lots of kittens come through. Many are riddled with parasites, infections, and illnesses. This was not uncommon at all. On August 13th, 2020, after I had already left work for the day, I received a call from my manager asking me to return to work to help with a kitten intake. I never say ‘no’ to helping kittens....
Grace Ellen’s Rescue Story
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! Gracie entered my life in 2001 when I decided to adopt another cat to be a companion for Abigail Lynn, my 10-year-old cat. When I met 4-month-old “Boots” at the shelter, I could hear her loudly voicing her dislike of being in a cage. When I opened the door, she jumped into my arms and wrapped her arms around my neck. Adoption applications usually took 3 to 5 days to process...
Rose’s Rescue Story
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! When I saw a newspaper ad offering a female Saint Bernard to a good home, I made an appointment. The dog’s name was Rose. Her owner had abandoned her, moved away, and called his girlfriend telling her to get rid of the dog, he didn’t want her anymore. Rose had been given away five times already and was brought back within a week each time because nobody could handle her....
9 Endangered Giraffes Rescued From Flooded Kenyan Island By Community-Built “Giraft”
All nine endangered Rothschild’s giraffes are safe! The rescue effort began in early 2020 when conservationist realized the rising waters of Lake Baringo had flooded the Kenyan island the giraffes called home, and drastically depleted their food supply. Save Giraffes Now, a non-profit determined to save giraffe from extinction, teamed up with Kenya Wildlife Service, the Northern Rangelands Trust and the Ruko Community to remove the stranded giraffes and return them to their ancestral lands – for the first time in 70 years. Photo:...
Diabetic Alert Dog Loves Wearing Gripper Socks so He Doesn’t Have to Touch Slippery Floors
Korey is a yellow labrador retriever and a devoted diabetic alert dog. He works hard to make sure his owner stays safe from blood sugar emergencies by smelling when her sugars are getting low or high, booping her with his nose to let her know she’s too low, spinning in circles to let her know she’s too high, and bringing her juice to help her recover from hypoglycemia. Korey is even trained to bark and seek help if his owner passes out from a hypoglycemic attack, and he keeps up with regular training so he doesn’t forget...
We Have The Technology To Keep Millions Of Chicks From Slaughter, So Why Isn’t It Being Put To Use?
About 300 million chicks are killed in the United States every year, and nearly 7 billion around the world, all because they were born male and seemingly unprofitable to egg producers. In the egg-laying industry, male chicks face a dark reality. They often cost more to feed and house than farmers can sell for as meat, and are therefore considered worthless. For every new egg-laying hen born into today’s factory farming system, a male chick is killed. About 300 million chicks are killed in the United States every...
How To Remove Pet Stains And Odors From Carpet
If you share your home with a dog or cat, then you know that accidents happen. Maybe Fluffy ate something that didn’t agree with her or Fido couldn’t hold it any longer. Either way, there is a wet spot on your carpet and you need to act fast to stop it from setting in. Photo: Pixabay Instead of rushing to the store to buy carpet cleaner or some other fancy product, try one of these simple solutions with items you already have at home. These natural solutions will eliminate pet stains and remove odor, a win-win! New Stains Start by...
Proposed New Law Would Allow Emergency Responders To Transport Injured Police Dogs
In April of 2018, the entire Barnstable County community in Massachusetts was rocked by tragedy when Yarmouth Police Department officer Sean Gannon was fatally shot in the line of duty. The 32-year-old officer was considered a rising star in the department and always seen alongside his K9 companion, Nero. On the day Gannon was killed, Nero was also shot and deeply wounded. “I will never forget the sight of K9 Nero covered in blood and fighting for his life after being rescued by the brave police officers on that horrible day,”...
Utah ATV Association Rescues Golden Retriever During Cliffside Ride Through State Park
It was a day like any other for “The Wild Bunch,” a group of ATV enthusiasts who love to explore the trails of Utah’s state and national parks. The Wild Bunch, known professionally as the Utah ATV Association, works as a non-profit with the goal of “[preserving] the trail rider’s access to National Forest, State Parks, and BLM Lands, and to protect the resources of these lands.” While enjoying a ride through the rocks and cliffs of Moab, the group ran into a spot of trouble — one that would take all...
How animal shelters can create a culture of safety for employees, volunteers and community members
This is a guest post written by Colleen Parker and Danielle Emery of Urban Resource Institute People and Animals Living Safely (URI PALS). Part two of this two-part series will publish on Tuesday, April 20. As with any change you’re trying to implement at your animal welfare organization, culture starts with policy and is rooted in the people you surround yourself with. A good place to start is to revisit your organization’s policies and procedures—that’s where the culture of a program starts. Make sure an...
Meet Some Of The Shelter Dogs Traveling To Safety On Our New “Save A Heart” Flights!
Once upon a time, a 6-year-old shelter dog named Muneca had her own family in St. Charles Parish, about 20 miles up the Mississippi River from New Orleans. But when the chihuahua gave birth to two puppies, her owners decided they couldn’t care for three dogs, even though their growing fur family stemmed from their failure to spay Muneca in the first place. But when Muneca (whose name means “sweetheart” in Spanish) and her puppies were surrendered to the shelter, staff made another disturbing discovery. This sweet mama dog...
Wild Elephant In Thailand Recognizes Vet Who Saved His Life 12 Years Ago
Elephants never forget – especially not the person who rescued them. Plai Thang, a 31-year-old bull elephant in Thailand, shared a heartwarming reunion with the vet who saved his life 12 years ago. Plai Thang was on the brink of death in 2009 after he contracted trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), a disease transmitted by biting insects and fatal if not treated. The elephant was suffering from a fever, loss of appetite, and swelling all over his face and neck. He was found struggling to move, as his legs and back were stiff, in Rayong,...
Man Saves His Dog From A Black Bear Attack
I think that most of us would walk on water to save the dogs that share our lives. We don’t often get the opportunity to prove that fact, but sometimes we hear about someone who did. It recently happened in Pennsylvania when a little dog was attacked by a black bear. Rather than running in fear at what was happening in front of him, the dog’s owner used his instincts and “stupid courage” to save his dog and get it to safety. Tim Stradling is the 56-year-old pastor who saved his little dog, that he named Peyton Manning....
Golden Retriever Suffers Brain Damage After Eating A Deadly ‘Lord-And-Ladies’ Plant
Most of us would do anything we possibly could to keep our pets safe. We provide them with a safe place to live, plenty of healthy food, and lots of TLC. Unfortunately, there are times when dangers are hiding in plain sight and, even though we are unaware of it, those dangers could be deadly. A dog owner named Chloe Allen discovered this when it was too late. Back in August of 2020, the 22-year-old woman let her 6-year-old golden retriever named Lola out into the garden as usual. That’s when the dog ate a berry from a lord-and-ladies...
Woman Speaks Out After Her Dog Was Shot With A Pellet Gun
We do our best to protect the animals under our care but sometimes, things happen and we are left to pick up the pieces. It seems as if that is what happened in Idaho when a family dog was found shot in the head with a pellet gun in their backyard. The dog was only nine months old at the time, and unfortunately, she died as a result of the injuries. Photo: Wikimedia Commons The owner of the dog, Abbi Taylor, spoke with a local news station to discuss the situation and how heartbroken she was. Article continues below Our Featured Programs See...
It Seems Our Pets Are Also Gaining Weight During The Pandemic
Have you heard about the quarantine 15? Many of us have experienced it now that we are staying home more often. A combination of snacking more and exercising less has caused many people to gain weight during the pandemic and it seems as if people aren’t alone. Hill’s Pet Nutrition recently did a survey of veterinarians and it seems that obesity rates in pets are rising due to the pandemic. Photo: Unsplash Since we are spending more time at home, we have more opportunities to provide treats for our pets and they are paying the...
Cat Sings A ‘Purr-fect’ Duet With His Owner
Any cat owner knows that cats can be quite vocal. Essentially, they’re quite musical in their own little way. In fact, my own cat has a unique little chortle that she does whenever she wants to be fed. My cat before her had a very operatic way of waking me up at four in the morning when he wanted to leave the bedroom. But there is one cat, in particular, who seems to have the most perfect pitch of them all. The lilac-pointed cat was filmed by his owner, Otu Suurmunne of Moonic Productions, singing in perfect pitch. Photo:...
Golden Retriever Becomes Best Friends With A Tiny Cat And The Two Are Inseparable
Dogs aren’t just man’s best friend. They are everybody’s best friends. There is no animal that is off-limits to dogs as they like to get friendly with whoever they meet. One little cat ended up with the ultimate best friend after meeting a golden retriever named Samson. The two have a wonderful bond – one that transcends species, and they met in quite an unusual way. Photo: Instagram/calvin.andco You see, Samson works as a medical response service dog. While he is good at his job, there is something that seems to elude...
