Everybody Needs Somepittie to Love

April 23, 2013

Guest Blogger: Animal Friends’ Volunteer and Blog Contest Winner Alicia Drosendahl Fear, hope, trust, iron will: seemingly contradictory terms that all add up to represent the life of a “bully breed.” Ignorance, hatred, discrimination, and prejudice cloud the persona of … →

Posted in By Alicia Drosendahl, contest, dog, o pits, O'Pits, volunteer, volunteers

Congratulations to the winners of our Volunteer Blog Contest!

April 23, 2013

The Communications department would like to thank all of the volunteers who submitted entries to our first-ever blog contest. All of the entries happened to be essays, and they were all a joy to read. Thank you so much for … →

Posted in volunteer, volunteering, volunteers

Animal Friends presents: Eddie, the multi-talented Jack Russel!

April 19, 2013

Guest Blogger: Sharon Mariani Just like the endearing little JRT on the hit TV series Frasier that Eddie is named after, he has been a smashing hit with everyone he has met. Eddie has been a busy guy lately. During … →

Posted in adopt, adoption, by sharon mariani, dog, eddie

Tails of a Foster Fur Mom: Food Bowl Woes

April 10, 2013

Guest Blogger: Susan Gottfried The hard part of having multiple cats who are on multiple diets is keeping the proper noses in the proper food bowls. I had done this before, with my Devon Rex rescue cats. Chanterelle had been on … →

Posted in by susan gottfried, cat, cats, foster, foster mom

Bubbles Friday at Animal Friends

April 8, 2013

By Suzanne Denk, Animal Enrichment Specialist for Animal Friends Everyone loves bubbles!  Animals love bubbles too, which is why we use them as part of our kennel enrichment.  Bubbles provide something interesting and new for animals to look at outside … →

Posted in bubble friday, by suzanne denk, cat, dogs, enrichment, rabbits

Happy Tails: Salvador

March 27, 2013

Guest Blogger: Shawn Schrag, adopter I adopted Salvador from Animal Friends I in November 2010. I wanted a friend for our 3-year-old rescued black Lab and now the two are inseparable!  I volunteered with both of them in a nursing … →

Posted in Happy Tails, salvador

Top Ten Reasons to Foster a Pet

March 24, 2013

By Eve Salimbene, Animal Behavior Technician 10. You want to help Animal Friends, but can’t make it here every day. 9. You can help an animal recover from illness or injury in a quiet home environment. 8. You can help … →

Posted in By Eve Salimbene, cats, dogs, foster, rabbits, volunteering

Animal Friends Hosts MORE Low-Cost Vaccine and Microchip Clinics!

March 22, 2013

Keep your pet healthy and safe! Due to public demand, Animal Friends will host 4 more clinics to offer low-cost vaccine, microchip and flea treatments for dogs and cats. The following clinics will be held at Animal Friends at 562 … →

Posted in clinic, lcsn, low-cost, microchip, vaccine

Scratching Post Woes (Or How Your Cat Learned to Love Their Scratching Posts)

March 18, 2013

Most cats have preferences for scratching post textures.  These can include sisal, wood, corrugated cardboard, and carpeting, among others.  Essential attributes of any cat-preferred scratching post are:  Tall enough for the cat to reach/stretch to his full body length and … →

Posted in behavior, cat, kitty, scratching, scratching post, website info

Why Cats Have Claws and How to Live with Them

March 13, 2013

Why Cats Have Claws… Claws help provide balance and agility when a cat jumps and walks. Claws help cats grip and enjoy stretches that tone their backs and shoulders. Without claws, a cat can feel defenseless and can be more … →

Posted in behavior, cat, claws, declawing, kitty, scratching, website info

How to Introduce a New Dog to Your Cranky Cat

March 13, 2013

By Jolene Miklas, Director of Communications I never thought my cat would let me have a dog. My cat, Firefly, is 14 years old, suffers from irritable bowel, and hates everyonebut me. Firefly: trying to flip you the bird. And … →

Posted in behavior, by jolene miklas, cat tips, cats, dogs, foster, multi-species, new dogs, new pets, pet tips, safety tips

When Pets Grieve

March 13, 2013

We all find it hard to say goodbyeOur pets are just like us in many ways. Many of us can clearly understand their moods and emotions by the way they look at us or the way they wag their tail. … →

Posted in pet loss, pet loss support, website info

The Feelings Associated with Grief

March 13, 2013

When a pet passes away Anyone who considers a pet a beloved friend, companion, or family member knows the intense pain that accompanies the loss of that friend. Following are some tips on coping with that grief, and with the … →

Posted in pet loss, pet loss support, website info

Understanding the Grieving Process

March 13, 2013

Losing a petMany consider grieving inappropriate for someone who has lost “just a pet.”Nothing could be further from the truth. People love their pets and consider them members of their family. Caregivers celebrate their pets’ birthdays, confide in their animals, … →

Posted in pet loss, pet loss support, website info

When You Must Euthanize a Pet

March 13, 2013

Common Questions and Answers When is the right time to euthanize a pet?Your veterinarian is the best judge of your pet’s physical condition; however, you are the best judge of the quality of your pet’s daily life. If a pet … →

Posted in pet loss, pet loss support, website info

Pet Loss Advice;10 coping tips to help you and your children recover from the death of a beloved pet

March 13, 2013

Give yourself permission to grieve. Denying these natural emotions can elevate stress and physical fatigue. Seek out friends and family members who share your compassion for animals. Focus more on their good intentions and not necessarily their words. Animal Friends … →

Posted in cat, dog, pet loss, pet loss support, website info

Enrichment: It’s Not Just Fun and Games at Animal Friends

March 11, 2013

By Suzanne Denk, Animal Enrichment Specialist for Animal Friends I am having a bad day. My shoulders are tense and my neck hurts. I cannot focus and nothing has been crossed off the “to do” list.  I am eating potato … →

Posted in animals, Bunnies, by suzanne denk, cats, dogs, enrichment, rabbits, staff

Grouchy Canines: Dogs Who Growl or Snap

March 11, 2013

By: Lilian Akin, CPDT If your dog recently growled or snapped, you may be wondering why. After all, you may have done your research and made sure you adopted the best dog for your family. Does this sudden behavior change … →

Posted in behavior, dog, dogs, training, website info

Grouchy Canines: Dogs Who Growl or Snap

March 11, 2013

By: Lilian Akin, CPDT If your dog recently growled or snapped, you may be wondering why. After all, you may have done your research and made sure you adopted the best dog for your family. Does this sudden behavior change … →

Posted in behavior, dog, dogs, training, website info

Adopting Two Dogs is Twice as Nice

March 11, 2013

Adopting a dog can be one the biggest blessings in life. Imagine how much better that blessing would be if you took two dogs home instead of one! The staff at Animal Friends are always working hard to place all … →

Posted in behavior, dog, dogs, two dogs, website info