Animals pat life

After his owner abandoned him, Cinco was rescued by Animal Friends’ Humane Police Officers. He was found flea- and lice-ridden and suffering hair loss as a result. Upon coming to Animal Friends, the medical team went to work – fleas and lice were treated, long nails were trimmed and his few remaining teeth were cleaned. On the outside, Cinco quickly looked like a brand-new cat. But he still had a few hurdles to overcome. Upon being abandoned, Cinco was left fearful and anxious – it’s no surprise he hissed and spat at anyone that approached him. But staff and volunteers would not be discouraged. They worked diligently with Cinco. They were acclimating him to human touch and affection – showing him the love he should have been receiving all along. Animal Friends is unique, we’re not only concerned with the animals’ physical wellbeing but also their mental wellbeing. Extensive training is given to volunteers to reduce the animals’ stress levels in order for our resident dogs, cats and ra...

Snip, snip, snip … Cerulean’s foster mom is in her front yard snipping clover. Doesn’t seem too out of the ordinary, except it’s 1 a.m. and she’s worried sick that the young rabbit was refusing new food. In her first year of life, Cerulean had already been to the ICU twice and seen by no less than six veterinarians. Her medical challenges proved to be a bit of an enigma but Animal Friends wouldn’t give up. Normally, Cerulean responded well to her favorite foods (she’s even been known to beg for a banana!) but with every treat refusal, her foster mom’s worry only grew. Cerulean needed to eat. Her foster mom even ran to her local supermarket several times – an apple here, dandelion greens there – leading up to her 1-a.m. harvest. Then it dawned on her – clover! The veterinary staff that cared for Cerulean during her ICU stay reported her love for fresh clover. Holding her breath with cautious optimism, foster mom offered her freshly picked, homegrown clover to Cerulean. And she ate ever...