Woman Teaches Her Shiba Inu Math And Language Skills During Lockdown
Has your dog been going stir-crazy because of lockdown, social distancing, and isolation from the Covid-19 pandemic? You’re not the only one! Whether it’s a need for socialization, mental stimulation, or physical exercise, many dogs and their families have struggled to find the right outlet for pent-up energy. Monica Elkhalifa, who lives with her husband and their two dogs Miko and Akira in Abu Dhabi, found that the time she spent at home with her pets during lockdown was a perfect chance to test their intelligence and build on...
Family Reunited With Missing Emotional Support Dog After Scammers Tried to Sell Him On Facebook
Being gifted a new dog is one of the most exciting feelings in the world. The instant bond, the excited anticipation of getting to know each other, and the new sense of companionship that comes with a new pet are truly wonderful. All that was taken away from Leah Benoit and her mother when Marty, their new Pekingese Shih Tzu, got loose from their Milwaukee home just days after arriving. Worried sick, the mother and daughter scoured Facebook and put up missing posters, hoping a clue about Marty’s whereabouts would make its way to them....
Dog Sees Darth Vader For The First Time And Hides Behind The Couch In Fear
As seen in a recent TikTok video, it’s not only humans who are afraid of Darth Vader, but dogs are too! One dog owner shared an adorable clip to TikTok that showed a golden retriever named Ellie’s reaction to seeing Darth Vader for the first time. It quickly becomes clear that Ellie isn’t guard dog material, but she is relatable! In the video shared by @rustymetalcreation, you can see Ellie cozied up on the couch watching Star Wars. It seems to be going well and she’s clearly into the movie. Photo:...
You Can Win A Stay At A Hawaiian Resort With A Shelter Dog
Some lucky people will have the chance to stay in the penthouse sweet of a luxury resort in Hawaii with the company of a loving shelter dog. Three Hawaiian luxury resorts have partnered with the Maui Humane Society to host the shelter’s annual sleepover fundraiser. The event is part of the Wags to Riches campaign which aims to fundraise money for the shelter dogs, as well as bring awareness to the pups who are need of forever homes. Photo: Wikimedia Commons According to the Maui Humane Society, the top fundraisers of the event will win...
Disabled, Orphaned Baby Alpaca Gifted A Wheelchair So She Can Walk Again
An orphaned and disabled baby alpaca in Germany was gifted the ability to walk again, thanks to a custom wheelchair. A woman in Germany first saw the little disabled alpaca while visiting a friend’s farm, according to KSN. The alpaca, named Marie-Hope, had two severely damaged back legs due to a traumatic birth in which her mom and sister died. When Ronja Pohl saw the helpless alpaca, she knew she wanted to do anything she could to help her. Photo: YouTube/The Animal Reader 20-year-old Pohl immediately offered to adopt Marie-Hope and...
Despite Pesticide Use Declining in the US, Toxicity Levels in Our Pollinators Continues to Increase
What Are Pollinators? Pollinators are an essential part of our ecosystem and our food production. The hard work of birds, bats, bees, butterflies, and even other small mammals bring us one out of every three bites of food. These pollinating animals carry pollen on their bodies as they travel from plant to plant. This allows the pollen to spread as the animals move, making up a critical step in many flowering plants’ reproduction process. Photo: Adobe Stock/Vera Kuttelvaserova Why Are Pollinators Dying? Bees in particular play a...
Orlando Police Department Patrol Horse Receives Tasty Retirement Send Off
Izzy, a now 17-year-old horse, has served with the Orlando Police Department since 2012. He has patrolled the streets, trained new officers, made countless friends, and is now ready to retire. But not before being spoiled by the department. Orlando Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit was founded in 1982 with two horses. Over the years, the department grew and the stable is now home to eight patrol horses. Photo: Facebook/Orlando Police Department Izzy is one of the tallest horses at the stable, standing over 17 hands tall. While he...
Service Dog Blinded And Burned By Chemical Attack In Texas
WARNING: This story will include graphic images of animal abuse. It’s human nature to love and bond with dogs — they play a huge role in the lives of so many. On the opposite side of this coin, only the worst parts of human nature can be found in animal abusers and those that intentionally mistreat or hurt the animals that many of us call friends and family. An unfortunate example of truly awful cruelty towards animals showed up on when Mandy Garner took to Facebook to recount a violent, near-deadly assault on her service dog, and...
Koalas Could Go Extinct Because of A Chlamydia Outbreak If Wildfires Don’t Wipe Them Out First
Even before bushfires in 2019 and 2020 began driving koalas dangerously close to extinction, experts estimated that there were only about 329,000 left in Australia, which represents an average of a 24 percent decline in populations over the past three generations. “It’s very difficult to estimate koala populations, even at the best of times,” Adams-Hosking tells National Geographic, “Some populations are becoming locally extinct and others are doing just fine.” Koalas are today threatened by land...
Dogs Get Jealous At The Thought Of Their Owners Interacting With Another Dog, Study Finds
Science has proven what dog owners have known to be true for years – dogs get jealous when they see or even think their owners are interacting with another dog. A study published in the journal Psychological Science found even the thought of their owners playing with another dog brought out the green-eyed monster. Photo: Pixabay Jealousy is thought to be an emotion that is linked to self-awareness and theory of mind, with some scientist believing it is unique to humans. But anyone with a dog has at one time or another witnessed jealous...
“Speak for Me,” A Poem Written In Protest Of Animal Abuse
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 haven’t seen anyone for days.My bones ache for attention,As I see you walk away.It didn’t use to be that way.I guess I got to be too much to handleAs I now sit alone in my deserted land.I have no voice of my own.I need you to speak for me. Photo: Lauren Roller The days are long as I waste away.Nowhere to go, I pull at the chains,Welts at my neck, blood, misery, and pain.Can...
Kayla, My Angel From The Puppy Mill
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! In 2009, an animal shelter where I do volunteer work rescued approximately 300 dogs from a puppy mill. Kept on two smallholdings in horrible conditions and left to breed indiscriminately – some for many years. They received no medical care, had no blankets or food bowls, were never groomed or socialized, and were scared of all humans. They were fed dead chickens (feathers on) and...
46 Chihuahuas Rescued From Hoarding Situation In New Mexico After Owner Passes Away
46 chihuahuas are looking for loving homes after they were rescued from a hoarding situation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after their owner passed away. Kind-hearted people rallied together to care for the dogs, who are mostly seniors, and raise money for the medical care they desperately need. People’s Anti-Cruelty Association (PACA), the state’s oldest no-kill animal rescue group, offered to take some of the dogs and help find foster or rescues to take in the rest. Photo: Facebook/People’s Anti-Cruelty...
Our Wonderful Jeeber
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! A little skinny female Beagle hound dog was rescued from death row in South Carolina by our fabulous groomer/animal rescuer, Gerry, at Dapper Dog/Hopeful Tails in Nyack, NY. She had been bred over and over and over again for hunting dog pups, and then she was “thrown away” when she got sick. Photo: Deb Hastings She was the saddest animal I have ever seen ever. She...
Trudi’s Story – Love and Healing
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! In June of 2010, a small Spitz mix named Trudi arrived at the UCSPCA. Trudi was very sick; barely able to pull herself up off her bed, and in so much pain she could hardly stand being touched. My coworker Linda spied Trudi in the last run in the shelter and made eye contact with her. We did not know it at the time, but this was the beginning of a bright future for Trudi. Linda signed on...
Captain Jack
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! Seven months ago, I was working as a nurse at a farm when I noticed one of the farm cats up on the porch. When I opened the door she ran off, but there laid a very sick, wounded 4-week-old kitten. I swooped him up and took him to the vet where they had little hope of his survival. Photo: Aimee Maples He had been attacked by another animal and had several puncture wounds to his head and...
This Dangerous Pesticide Was Banned In The EU, But It Is Still Killing Honeybees In The US
Honeybees are vital to our life on Earth. They are critical to ecosystem success, providing food for amphibians, fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals. Insects play a role in decomposing animal wastes and dead vegetation, recycling the nutrients in these materials and returning them to the soil. Without bees, plants would not be able to reproduce and the core of our agricultural system would crumble. You might never see an apple, an avocado, or a cup of coffee again. Truly, a world without bees would be a nightmare, yet chemical pesticides that...
Wild Horses Of Currituck Outer Banks Welcome New ‘Feisty’ Foal Named After Local Hero
The wild horses of Currituck Outer Banks welcomed their third foal of the year. The beautiful filly was born to a mare known as M&M and a stallion called Rocky. Corolla Wild Horse Fund (CWHF) shared the exciting news on Facebook and said “the whole family is doing well.” The foal takes after her father and is described as “big, feisty, and flashy”. But she is named after a local hero – Betsy Dowdy. Photo: Facebook/Corolla Wild Horse Fund Dowdy lived on Currituck Outer Banks in the 1700’s and is known as...
Blind Senior Pomeranian Gets A 3D Printed “Halo” To Keep Her From Bumping Into Things
Loving a pet means helping them as they age. Even if they lose a little pep in their step, senior pups are just as loving and devoted! Some health issues are an easy fix, while others require inventiveness, creativity, and an outside-the-box approach. Using his passion for pets and 3D printing, one pet owner has helped not only his own dog but also pets around the world! For Chad Lalande and his beloved 18-year-old Pomeranian, Sienna, challenges started to arise as Sienna lost her eyesight. Lalande knew that certain steps were needed to keep...
Kevin Bacon And Kyra Sedgwick Have A Soft Spot For Pitbulls And Rescue Dogs
How did you get through the lockdowns and uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic’s early days? We all found our own ways of adapting, our own unique sources of joy that we cherished in isolation — for many, this comfort came from the rediscovery of an old hobby, trying out new recipes, or reconnecting over social media with old friends. Speaking of friends, it wasn’t just social media and Zoom calls that kept many company. Canine companions, whether they were already part of the family or a newfound “pandemic...
