June is Smitten Season! Priceless Cat Adoptions and More!

May 31, 2012

June 1 kicks off Smitten Season at Animal Friends! That means “priceless” cat adoptions, $10 neuter surgeries and shopping for cats and their people.Shelters face tough times this time of year…the dreaded “kitten season.” Kitten season is when the weather …

Posted in adopt, cat, cats, kitten, kitten season, kittens, neuter, priceless, retail, shopping

Remembering all our veterans this weekend: two and four-legged.

May 25, 2012

  This Memorial Day weekend we all remember the men and women who have served and died fighting for our country. I will also reflect, with immense gratitude, on our furry soldiers who charged into battle on four paws. Especially …

Posted in By Jeff Geissler, dog, holiday, memorial, memorial day

Cat Photography…the outtakes!

May 25, 2012

By Jeff Geissler, Communications Assistant   As one of the pet photographers for Animal Friends, I try to make each cat I photograph look as gorgeous, refined and adoptable as possible. Just like professionals who take portraits of babies, weddings, or …

Posted in By Jeff Geissler, cats, funny, outtakes, photography, staff

Summer is a great time to spay or neuter!

May 23, 2012

As warm summer months approach, Animal Friends would like to remind pet owners that spaying and neutering is more important now than ever.  Spaying or neutering can curb a pet’s instinct to roam and can make your pet less likely to …

Posted in lcsn, neuter, project pit bull, spay, summer

In Loving Memory: Trixie

May 16, 2012

By: Toni DiBernardo-Jones I rescued my furbaby from Animals Friends on November 20, 2001. I remember the exact day as it was one month to the day that my mother had passed away. My youngest son Joey had said to …

Posted in in loving memory

Big Surprises Sometimes Come in Big Packages Too

May 9, 2012

By: Stephanie Buckley, Adoption Counselor As a part of the adoption team at Animal Friends, I get to spend time with many different animals that have many different personalities. Two potential adopters stopped by the adoption desk today and asked …

Posted in adoption, adoption counselor, by stephanie buckley, staff, working at animal friends

Eliminate Your Pet’s Allergies with a Healthy Diet

May 9, 2012

By Toni Shelaske, Healthy Pet Products Many people suffer from allergies, but few realize that our pets can have allergies too. We at Healthy Pet Products get questions about pets’ allergies almost every day. Most allergies stem from either food …

Posted in allergies, animal welfare, feeding, guest bloggers, healthy pet products, pet food, pet tips

Dry vs. Canned: The Basics of Feline Feeding

May 7, 2012

By the staff at Petagogy Many people feed their cats dry food, and it’s easy to understand why: it’s simple, clean and convenient. You can just plunk down a bowl of kitty kibble and let your cats eat as they …

Posted in cat, cat tips, feeding, pet food, petagogy

Adopt A Pet. It’s Good For Your Health!

May 4, 2012

By Jill Harlan, Adoption Counselor  We all love our animals and they love us back, but have you ever wondered why you feel so good hanging out with Fido in the dog park or cuddling with Fluffy on the couch?  …

Posted in adopt, by jill harlan, staff, wellness

A Bittersweet Morning at Animal Friends

May 3, 2012

By Jeff Geissler, Communications Assistant Many of us say goodbye to our pets when we leave our homes to go to work in the morning. I sometimes even explain to my fuzzy felines that I need to earn a paycheck …

Posted in adoption, By Jeff Geissler, cat, cats, Happy Tails, staff

Animal Friends offers low-cost rabies clinics

April 30, 2012

With warm weather, outdoor activities and outings ahead, it is more important than ever to make sure your pet is vaccinated against rabies.  Rabies is a disease transmitted by the saliva of an infected animal, which enters the central nervous …

Posted in clinic, low-cost, rabies, special event

Every Pet’s Fairy Godmother: Volunteer Alda Walker

April 30, 2012

By Siri Espy  No, Alda Walker has not discovered the secret of human cloning! She really has worked in nearly every department of Animal Friends during her 11-year stint as a volunteer. Living out her childhood ideals, she got a …

Posted in alda walker, By Siri Espy, volunteer

Trap, Neuter and Return program has returned!

April 27, 2012

Photo by Harry Giglio  Attention all Swissvale residents!  Animal Friends will be holding its annual Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) program for feral and stray cats in your area.  Everyone is welcome to attend an informational meeting on May 9th, …

Posted in feral cats, feral resource, swissvale, TNR

Put Your Paws Together For: 5 Fools Bar and Grill!

April 25, 2012

We’d like to extend a big thank you to 5 Fools Bar and Grill.  The fundraising event they held this past weekend raised over $1,600 for homeless animals. We’d also like to give a big sloppy puppy kiss to their …

Posted in 5 fools bar and grill, fundraiser, thank you

Notes from our Humane Officer: Amazing Cats

April 23, 2012

By: Kathy Hecker, Humane Officer for Animal Friends  Time for a cat story! I was with another humane officer and we were investigating a case of alleged cat abuse and neglect.  But when we arrived at the property, we only …

Posted in amazing animals, By Kathy Hecker, cat, staff

Your New Kitten: Starting Off on the Right Paw

April 20, 2012

Guest Blogger: Linda Snyder Who can resist adding a mischievous feline imp to the family? Nothing is more comical than the antics of playful kittens discovering the world around them! But kittenhood is also the best time to train your …

Posted in behavior, By Linda Snyder, kitten, training

Meet an Animal Friends’ Spay/Neuter Veterinarian

April 20, 2012

By Dr. Karen Phillips  Even as a kid, there was no question. I was going to be a veterinarian.  But after I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1998, I struggled to figure out what direction I wanted my …

Posted in by dr. karen phillips, lcsn, staff

Understanding Cat Behavior: Cranky Cats

April 18, 2012

By Guest Blogger Linda Snyder  Cats are some of the most loving creatures on earth, so can be upsetting when a cuddly cat unexpectedly hisses or swats at you or a fellow feline. The good news is that cranky behavior in …

Posted in behavior, cat, linda synder

Diana needs a home!

April 18, 2012

This little beagle girl has spunk! She was wandering all by herself in the woods, skinny, soaking wet and sprayed by a skunk. There was no one around to save her, so she took matters into her own hands. She …

Posted in adoption, Beagle, diana, dog

Feral Q&A: Gotta catch ’em all

April 18, 2012

Q: I have successfully had every member of the colony spayed or neutered…except one. I am having a lot of trouble trapping the very last cat.  Do you have any tips? A: Some cats can take up to a year …

Posted in feral cats, feral resource, q and a, TNR