Animals pat life

 By David Swisher, President & CEO, Animal Friends If you’ve been to the Animal Friends campus lately, you have undoubtedly noticed there is something new and exciting going on. (Perhaps the cranes, dump trucks and bulldozers gave it away!) Construction on our new Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center has been underway since February – and is nearly complete.  The Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center, with a grand opening of July 15, is designed to become a life-changing and life-saving destination for hundreds of thousands of animals – and the people who love them. It is the embodiment of our commitment to do better for the pets who are struggling most in our region.   All too often we see pets relinquished to Animal Friends simply because their owners couldn’t afford basic vet care or food. We receive call after call about stray and feral cats who are relegated to a life on the streets fending for themselves and continually adding to the pet overpopulation proble...

This month, our shelter residents unleashed their inner art enthusiasts with an Andy Warhol inspired enrichment trail. Not everyone had an eye (or nose) for the fine art on the trail, but the enrichment activities were a great way to expose our shelter pets to new experiences and to help them get some much-needed exercise for their brains! The enrichment trail’s pop art flowers, based on the famous and playful Warhol silk screens, were scented with a variety of fresh herbs. Amber (left) and Gobi (right) got right to work sniffing the new scents. First exhibited over 50 years ago, Warhol’s Brillo Soap Box sculpture was puzzling to those in the art world. Tatum checked out the mystery sniffing boxes filled with unique scents. The Triple Elvis is a visual stimulation in the museum or on the enrichment trail!   Famous for turning celebrities into art, Warhol’s Triple Elvis sold for $80 million. Leiland did not find this Triple Elvis to be quite as valuable! As Andy Warh...

"It's okay, sweetheart. You're safe now." A kind face peered into the carrier of a wide-eyed, steel-coated rabbit. Baskerville (as she'd soon be named) had just been found with more than a dozen other pet rabbits abandoned in a neighborhood. In the dead of winter, their former owner had released them into the the wild without food, water or shelter. If we didn't act fast these bunnies wouldn't make it ... While it’s hard to imagine, Animal Friends receives more than 800 calls, just like this one, each year regarding abandoned and mistreated animals. Baskerville and the others got their second chance but, there are still so many more dogs, cats and rabbits that need our help. These animals need you to ensure this lifesaving program continues. And, there is no better time to give than right now! Your donation will be matched 50 cents on the dollar up to $100,000 now through Sept. 24. Please, click here to give them a second chance. And, if you’ve alr...

By Kathy Morrow   As a volunteer dog walker at Animal Friends, I have walked quite a few dogs over the years. Last summer, my friend Sue asked me to walk one dog in particular. All of the others had already been walked and she said he was too strong for her. In large block letters next to his name, it said “very nervous.” I told her I wasn’t comfortable walking scared dogs because they might bolt and my biggest fear is losing a dog. She persisted and eventually we agreed to walk him together. When we went to leash up the dog, he backed up against the wall with his tail tucked between his legs. He was so scared. While on our walk, he didn’t potty at all … he only did that in his kennel. I felt so bad for the poor boy. This dog had come in through the Humane Investigations Department. I don’t know what he had seen or experienced, but it was obvious he was terrified of people. When we got back from the walk, I stepped into the kennel with him as he retreated to the back corner once a...

Meet Chet, a male tabby and Ringo, a male with a gorgeous black coat. These brothers are both just over a year old and would love to be adopted together. They were born as strays but were taken in and cared for by a foster mother. Both Chet and Ringo are neutered, microchipped and have received all of their vaccinations. They are proper gentlemen who are fantastic with a litter box and do very well in a carrier and in the car, though they are still getting used to having their nails trimmed. Chet and Ringo currently live in a home with two other cats and they all get along extremely well. They have not had experience with dogs or small children, so their current family is not sure how they would handle a home with either. Chet is a sweet and loving boy, but can be a bit shy – especially around new people. The quickest way to this kitty's heart is by playing with him and his feather toys or giving him a nice head scratch! Ringo has a very calm temperament and prefers...

  This 2-year-old German Shepherd mix is Ringo. This sweet boy loves to give kisses and cuddle with his favorite Animal Friends staff and volunteers. But it took quite a bit of time to get this spunky pup to come of out his shell.   Along with more than two dozen other dogs, Ringo was found living in deplorable conditions as part of a hoarding situation. Some of the dogs had been tied up, others were left in a small fenced-in area and the rest were living in a rundown trailer. Another shelter in the region had found the dogs but they needed help. So they turned to Animal Friends ...   Eight dogs, including Ringo, were transferred to Animal Friends last fall. Because he received little to no human socialization at his former residence, Ringo had a long road ahead of him. He needed to learn how to walk on a leash, be handled and, most importantly, learn what it was like to be loved.     At first, he would retreat to the back of his kennel when approached. But as t...