Animals pat life

Dear Friend, You know, you never can tell when you’ll make a connection with a very special animal (or two!). Somehow, they just seem to work their way into your heart more than the others. And for me, Kiefer and Jack were two of those very special pets. I’ll never forget the first time I saw them. Once I locked eyes with them from behind their kennel door, it was love at first sight. I decided to foster them … even though I knew it would not be a temporary situation. So, I brought them home but soon after, I realized there was something not quite right. They were starting to exhibit signs of upper respiratory infection … which quickly became much more severe. Coming from a hoarding situation, Kiefer and Jack were two of 17 cats who lived in a filthy and disease-infested house. They never received veterinary care ... not even basic vaccinations. It was no wonder that their infections were soon out of control. I knew I needed to get them back to Animal Friends – and fast. There they wou...

Our dear Squiggy was rescued in 2013 by our Humane Investigations team. Shortly thereafter, she soon found a loving home. But recently, Squiggy’s owner could no longer care for her and she came back to us. Soon after she returned we found several masses on her head and neck. They were mast cell tumors. Our Medical team didn’t miss a beat and scheduled her surgery to successfully remove the tumors. But Squiggy’s cancer has returned – leaving her Animal Friends’ family devastated. This time, we’ve chosen not to operate further with the best interest of Squiggy’s well-being. So we are even more determined to find her a loving home where she can happily live out the rest of her days. As Squiggy continues to impatiently wait for her family to come along, we want to make her time with us a much fun as possible. So, her Animal Friends' family is helping her check a few things off her bucket list ... Squiggy's Bucket List Get pampered. Become a star.   Go for ice cream. Ride in a fancy...

Warm weather is upon us and people and their pets are spending time outdoors enjoying the summer. With all of this outdoor fun, it’s important for pet owners to keep their furry family members safe, especially in the unfortunate event of a lost pet. What is microchipping? A microchip is a tiny device–about the size of a grain of rice–that is implanted beneath your pet’s skin, typically in the shoulder blade. The procedure is simple and virtually painless for the patient. The small chip contains a unique identification number and can be scanned in the event that the pet is found and brought to a veterinarian, clinic or shelter. Why is this important for my pet? Approximately one in three pets will get lost in its lifetime. Even pets whose owners have taken extra precautions can become separated from their families, whether curiosity leads them under a fence or a startling noise causes them to dart out an open door or window. Having a microchip significantly increases the likelihood of a...

Baby is a sweet and loving 8-year-old Black Lab/Retriever mix who found her way to her current home a little over a year ago after her owner passed away. She is typically a well-behaved and mild-mannered girl and gets along well with her Siberian Husky housemate. Outside the home, Baby can be selective when interacting with other dogs, typically when she is outside of her own yard on walks or at the dog park. This beautiful girl loves to be pet and will stay right by your side as a constant companion. She would probably do best as the only pet in a family that is looking for a loyal canine friend. Baby spent most of her life with her former owner and is looking for a loving home where she can settle in and relax with her new family. Sharing a home with a canine sibling, Baby hasn't been getting the one-on-one attention she is used to, so her current family wants to find her the perfect home where she can get all the love she deserves. If you're interested in mee...

Shelters face tough times during the spring and summer … it’s the dreaded kitten season. This is when the weather gets warm and cats give birth. Shelters struggle to accommodate the overwhelming influx of kittens that come through their doors each year. And, Animal Friends  is certainly feeling the effects of kitten season. We have more than 50 homeless kittens waiting to find loving families. So we need your help! Right now is the perfect time to adopt a sweet kitten … or two! At Animal Friends we know it’s twice as nice to adopt two kittens at once. Not to mention, when you adopt two animals from Animal Friends, you get twice the amount of love for one adoption donation! There are many benefits to adding two kittens to your family at once ... They will always have a playmate to chase, wrestle and keep them active, well-exercised and healthy. Many cats are social creatures and will love having a sibling to groom and cuddle with during naptime. Often times, destructive behavior in ...

On July 15, an Animal Friends' dream was realized - the grand opening of the Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center. Our hearts swelled with pride as we welcomed hundreds of community members to our campus-wide celebration.   “With this progressive facility, Animal Friends will be able to increase its commitment to affordable spay/neuter from 10,000 surgeries each year to 15,000 surgeries,” said Animal Friends President & CEO David Swisher. “We will reach into underserved communities to provide spay/neuter and wellness services along with education and, when needed, transport to our clinic.”   While we celebrated the Grand Opening, our Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center isn’t fully operational … just yet. We still need to make a few construction tweaks before we can begin to transfer our Low-Cost Spay/Neuter and Vaccine Clinics, Humane Investigations and Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank programs into their new home.   We hope to fully open the doors of our Howard Ash Animal Wellnes...

Millie was adopted by her current family when she was just 4 months old. Now, at 6 years old, this pretty girl is in search of a family that will continue to give her all the love she deserves. Millie needs a home where she will be able to snuggle up on the couch with people who love her. She loves to play fetch with her toys, enjoys going for walks and rides in the car, and is even content to just relax around the house or outside. This Poodle/Dachshund mix is extremely well-mannered and is friendly toward everyone she meets. She runs to greet guests at the door with her tail wagging and loves to give kisses. She is housebroken and knows how to sit, lay down, roll over, sit up, give paw, speak, dance and fetch (whew!). She is a very smart little lady and is always eager to please. Millie is in excellent health, is spayed, up-to-date on all of her vaccinations and has a microchip. She gets along well with other small dogs but isn't quite as comfortable with larger dogs. Millie'...