A second chance saves a life—and gives you a companion who needs you. Tens of thousands of dogs and cats—including puppies and kittens—are killed daily in animal shelters. One large city shelter can euthanize up to 300 cats and kittens in one day. Many shelters across the U.S. still use gas chambers, heart sticks, [...]
Puppies go through major developmental changes quickly. They need calories and good nutrition for physical and mental health. All puppies should be able to eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Exercise, how much mental and physical stimulation the dog has, and stress all contribute to how well a dog [...]
Ear-cropping and tail-docking are two commonly accepted practices often considered "breed standard." However, the process of ear-cropping and tail-docking is not humane, nor is it necessary for health. For tail-docking, tails are chopped off, usually with surgical scissors, when the puppies are newborn. This is because a newborn puppy's cartilage is still soft. Removing [...]
Over the last 10-15 years, there has been a growing trend and obsession to have skinny cats, ironically at a time when the human population has gotten fatter. The eating habits and metabolisms of domestic cats are very different than those of humans and dogs. Cats naturally eat 10-20 small meals a day. They [...]
Many people may not know what FIV+ means. An FIV+ kitty is a cat who has the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus is specific to cats. It is similar to HIV in humans. FIV does not frequently make a cat sick. Some cats will live their full life expectancies – up to 20 years [...]
I fully support rescue and adoption. There are too many cats and dogs in need of homes. However, you may want to rethink the reason for getting another cat. Many people who have two cats, after one of their cats passes away, adopt another cat because they feel their remaining cat is lonely. This [...]
Many of us scruff cats, having learned that this is how mother cats carry their kittens, or it's what we’ve observed others do—at the groomer, vet, shelter, and even at home. Fortunately, there are other ways to pick up and handle cats. Scruffing can exacerbate behavioral issues and make handling more difficult—and even harmful—over [...]
Recently, I read a study on the relinquishment of animals in shelters and rehoming. It looked at demographics and the reasons people give up their dogs and cats or rehome them. Of course, since the research was based on people surveys, it may not be completely accurate — as people often make up reasons for [...]
There is often confusion in the use of the words feral and stray. It is important to know or be cognizant of the differences, since 'feral cat' is a label that is frequently misused and overused. The label can have dangerous consequences for cats since most shelters will kill ‘feral’ cats or people will assume the [...]
When planning to adopt only one dog, cat, or another companion animal, don’t separate a bonded pair—even if one is especially cute or appealing. Look for a singleton. Shelters and rescues routinely separate bonded animals because they are quicker to be adopted, but this can lead to emotional and behavioral fallout—especially for an animal who [...]