Giving Tuesday: Every Act of Generosity Counts

November 29, 2022

By Animal Friends’ Development team The end of the year is always a busy time for nonprofits, as attention turns to the final stretch of fundraising before the new year. To kick this off, Giving Tuesday takes place each year … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Level Up Confidence with Knots

November 28, 2022

By Suzanne Denk, CSB-C, Dip.FBST, Animal Enrichment Specialist Fearful dogs may have difficulty with new objects or spaces. Teaching a fun enrichment game with fleece knots can help build their confidence. Simple fleece knots can be the link a nervous … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Holiday Kitchen Dangers

November 22, 2022

By Dr. Donald Consla, Lead Wellness Veterinarian As we approach the winter holiday season, many of us will be cooking delicious meals to share with friends and family. But our four-legged friends will often beg for a taste, too! Unfortunately, … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Project Dog Program

November 22, 2022

By Jessica Ackerman, CPDT-KA, Behavior Care Manager Animal Friends is devoted to finding loving homes for our residents. It is our hope that a dog’s time with us is short term and they find their perfect match. On occasion, we … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Home-to-Home Adoption Program: Hooper

November 21, 2022

Hooper is a very lovable and social guy with people he loves. He loves to be close and is very demonstrative. He wants to be the only cat, because he’s an attention hog. He has no problem with dogs. If … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Trainer Spotlight: Rebecca Hilbert, CPDT-KA, CCDT, MBA Animal Friends University Trainer

November 17, 2022

Which classes do you lead at Animal Friends? For Animal Friends University I teach Kinderpuppy, Puppy Manners, Companion Dog Manners and a new human-only class on Leash Reactivity. Internally, I also teach Foster Dog Classes which are available to those … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

How to Become a Humane Society Police Officer

November 16, 2022

By Krista Koontz, Humane Investigations Coordinator As Humane Society Police Officers (HSPOs), we are often asked what it takes to be sworn in as an officer. The regulations to become a HSPO are set by the State of Pennsylvania and … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Pledging with a Purpose

November 7, 2022

By Meredith Stafford-Chapman, Development Coordinator Animal Friends has been an established resource in the Pittsburgh region since 1943, providing care and critical services to the animals and people in our community. In turn, our community has given back to us … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Chow Wagon Celebrates: New Partner Pantries

November 1, 2022

By Liz Moser, Community Resource Coordinator No family should ever have to consider giving up a beloved four-legged family member due to a lack of resources. The goal of the Pet Retention team at Animal Friends is simple – to … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Home-to-Home Adoption Program: Winston

October 24, 2022

Winston is a wonderful cat and would be best suited in a home with no other pets because he wants all of the love for himself. He loves people and is okay with other cats as long as they are … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Fostering Saves Lives!

October 19, 2022

By Maddie Aicher, Volunteer Coordinator Fostering provides many of our animals with the opportunity to heal, decompress and relax away from the shelter environment. While we do our best to provide them with a stress-free experience as they wait to … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Together, Let’s Adopt Local

October 17, 2022

By Kathleen Beaver, President & CEO “Alone we can do a little; together we can do so much.” We know this applies to any well-functioning group – from a kindergarten class to a corporate team. And, we know this is … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Oh, the Places You’ll Go … or Not

October 13, 2022

By Veronica Rigatti, VSA-CDT, Canine Behavior Specialist Within the last several years, many places have become more pet friendly. There is now a large list of stores, outside of pet stores, that allow you to bring your dog with you … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Living Outside the Cage

October 11, 2022

By Katie Vecchi, Director of Behavior & Placement Throughout the year, Animal Friends has been making various facility changes to help improve our campus and directly impact our lifesaving work. We could not be more excited to announce that our … →

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Protecting Pets through Advocacy

October 5, 2022

By the Animal Friends Humane Legislation Committee Your vote is a powerful tool in saving the lives of companion animals. You can bring real and meaningful protection for thousands of animals with your vote. Each election – local, state and … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Growing the Next Generation of Animal Advocates

October 4, 2022

By Lindsay Woge and Delaney Beaver, Humane Education Summer has a way of making the plant kingdom flourish. Flowers and trees reach toward the sun and gardens grow their delicious bounties. At Animal Friends, the grounds were not the only … →

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National Feral Cat Day

October 3, 2022

By Kaley Kaczynski, Director of Community Resources Every year in October, Animal Friends joins the rest of the nation in a lifesaving celebration on National Feral Cat Day. The purpose of this special day is to raise awareness about the … →

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Ouch! I Love You: Petting-Induced Aggression in Cats

September 8, 2022

By Suzanne Denk, Dip.FBST, Animal Enrichment Specialist Have you received a “love nip” from your beloved cat while petting them? Even if they initiated the petting, they may sometimes turn and bite! Since the nip often doesn’t hurt, you may … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Under Pressure

August 23, 2022

By Dr. Donald Consla, Lead Wellness Veterinarian Most of us are familiar with getting our blood pressure checked when we go to the doctor. But it is also important to keep an eye on our pets’ blood pressure, too. Just … →

Posted in Animal Friends News

Enrichment: It’s Not Just Fun and Games

August 23, 2022

By Suzanne Denk, Dip. FBST, Animal Enrichment Specialist Enrichment is a buzzword that is everywhere, but it is often mistaken for the quantity of toys your pet has or making a puzzle increasingly difficult. Enrichment is more than that – … →

Posted in Animal Friends News