Animals pat life

Animals need ways to stay active – physically and mentally – all year long. With the weather turning from cold to colder, here are some indoor tips that will help to ease cabin fever and give you and your pets endless entertainment on those cold winter days! Build a Cat Activity Center Things that would typically be thrown away can easily be made into an entertaining play station for your cat! Everyday items such as toilet paper tubes, pipe cleaners, clean medicine cups, ribbon spools or egg cartons can provide hours of brain-stimulating fun! Use a shallow cardboard box as the base and securely glue your items in place. Once your activity center has taken shape, add a few pinches of catnip, jingle bells, toys or treats. Your cat will enjoy exploring the textures, smells and sounds and her brain will be put to work! Once she has lost interest, refill the goodies and move it to a new location. Your cat will think she has made a brand new discovery and you’ll be able to reuse your acti...

Meet Baby Girl, a 3-year-old tabby cat that has become an unofficial member of her family. A couple of years ago she showed up at their home and has since taken up residence in the neighborhood, calling the garage home at night. They have grown very fond of her over the years and she has truly become a member of the family.   Her temporary family will be moving away from their home and are unable to take Baby Girl with them. Since they've gotten to know her so well over time, they want to do anything they can to help her find a loving home that can provide her with the love and attention she needs. Baby Girl is a phenomenal cat who is spayed, up-to-date on her vaccinations and is litter trained. She's friendly with other cats, dogs and people – all she needs now is a home of her own!   If you would like to give Baby Girl a loving home, contact her foster mom today! Debra Marcocci 724.591.2293 | dmarcocci@hotmail.com

Toby is a 2-year-old boy who was found by his current family as a stray. This handsome boy has long black, brown and white fur. Toby likes to play quietly with his toys and loves to use his scratching post! He also enjoys passing the time giving himself a nice grooming! He hasn't had an opportunity to interact with cats, but gets along very well with the Rottweiler that currently shares his home. Although he is a little skittish, Toby is slowly but surely learning to be more confident. This docile kitty doesn't mind being handled and is a great sport about ear cleaning, medication and nail trimming. Toby is also a true gentleman about using his litterbox! Though he's not quite a lap cat, he is very affectionate on his own terms and follows his foster family around like a shadow! If you're looking to give a fun cat with just the right amount of energy a home, contact Toby's foster to meet him today. Contact: Brigitte Biklodeau Rock61@comcast.net 724.746.8965

Tips for Giving a Shelter Animal a Home for the Holidays   The holidays are a great time of year for many reasons. Visiting with friends and family, time off of work and school and, of course, those shiny packages wrapped up with colorful bows! It’s also the perfect time of year to give a home to a shelter pet because you and your family will be spending more time at home with the newest addition to your family. When bringing your new pet home, you’ll want to make the transition as pleasant and stress-free as possible. Whether you’re considering adding a cat, dog or rabbit to your family, keep these helpful tips in mind. Cats If you’re adopting a cat, the first recommendation each of our Adoption Counselors will make is to separate your cat in one room of your home until they’re acclimated to their new environment. This should be the smallest room in your home with the least amount of clutter. Cats can be overwhelmed easily, so it’s best to take your time building a relationship. Spe...

Two silken-coated puppies run circles around their foster family’s yard. The cocoa-colored blurs of bouncing ears and wagging tails were chasing a windblown leaf. After they lost interest, they pounced on each other and tumbled into a heap of playful yips and barks. Their antics constantly gave their foster parents a chuckle and – without a doubt – were the very definition of endearing.   Born in foster care just days before Christmas, these adorable pups were aptly named Hope and Cheer.   One look into their trusting eyes and you’d never guess that they almost didn’t survive ... An anonymous tip about a house with too many animals led us there. No matter how many times our Humane Police Officers see these situations – it never gets easier.   With a search warrant and back-up from local police, our officers entered the residence. What they saw was truly heartbreaking.   Dozens of severely matted dogs and puppies were covered in feces. They were sleeping in drawers, ...

To prepare for falling temperatures, we're hosting our annual Straw Drop . F ree bags of straw are offered to anyone who owns or cares for outdoor animals – including feral and community cats. While Animal Friends encourages pet owners to make pets part of the family and keep them inside the home, we recognize that this is not always possible . Animal Friends urges those caretakers to obey the law by ensuring that outdoor animals have access to proper food and warm, dry shelters. Blankets, towels and pillows can retain moisture and freeze, which is why straw is the best insulation against the cold and wet weather conditions. In addition to keeping outdoor animals’ living spaces insulated, there are other best practices pet owners should abide by, including: • Using a car mat or rug as a flap over a doghouse door to keep the inside free of wind, snow and rain. • Examining shelters carefully – and often – to ensure that there are no cracks or holes that will prevent the structure fr...

By the staff at Petagogy ‘Tis the season for decorations, parties and food galore! It is a festive time with lots to smile about, but as you prepare your home for your holiday festivities keep in mind some simple safety measures to help keep your four-legged family members safe. Christmas Trees and Holiday Plants Cats and dogs may be (very) interested in the tree, and why not—it’s a little bit of the outdoors inside on those cold winter days. If your furry family member is interested in the pine tree in the corner make sure it is secured. A hefty cat on a branch or an excited jump by a pooch could topple the tree on to more than just the neatly wrapped boxes underneath. Also keep holiday plants off the ground as many seasonal plants, including holly, mistletoe, poinsettia, lilies, as well as Christmas tree water, can be toxic if ingested by your pets. Decorations Be mindful of low hanging decorations. Jingle bells, tinsel, lights and ribbon might look like toys to your pets. A gentle s...