Animals pat life

It’s always a great day at Animal Friends. But, September 20 was especially great as we welcomed 25 cats and one dog into our new Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center for our very first clinic day! These four-legged clients were treated like royalty in our brand-new holding kennels, prep room and surgery suite. Everything went seamlessly and in no time the pets had recovered from their spay or neuter surgeries and were ready to go back home with their waiting families.  The next day, September 21, we opened the doors to our first low-cost Vaccine Clinic in the Animal Wellness Center. Our exam rooms were filled with wagging tails and our lobby was a cacophony of barks and mews. More than a hundred vaccines were given as well as flea treatments, microchips and plenty of advice to anxious owners.  And we are just getting started! We know that everyone deserves to have access to affordable wellness care for their pets. And, with the new Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center, we can ensure that...

Nala is a 3-year-old American Pitbull Terrier. She is up to date on all of her vaccines including Bordatella and is also microchipped. Nala is a girl who enjoys going on walks or short runs and likes to chase sticks and tennis balls in the yard. She loves being around her family, but does well by herself for about 8 hours during the day. When she is with her favorite people, she is always up for cuddling and happily lays with her head on someone's leg. Although she is not deaf, Nala is hard of hearing which is causing some anxiety when she is away from home. She does adapt to new environments, it just takes some patience. Since she is hard of hearing, Nala can be spooked fairly easily, so her current family recommends that she not be left unsupervised with small children. In January 2015, Nala underwent exploratory surgery which caused her to get Pancreatitis. While she has fully recovered, she is now fed on a low-fat diet. She also has a scar on her right front leg from an infiltr...

Bella is a 4 year old American Stafford Terrier / Boxer / Afghan Hound mix (we’ve had her DNA tested) who weighs around 80 pounds. We adopted her from a shelter when she was 4 to 5 months old.   She has a redish/brown short hair with minimum shedding.   She has been spayed, is up to date on all her shots, and has been micro-chipped.      She has gone through obedience training with two private trainers in our home and is well trained on all basic commands and leash walking.   She has also gone through the “Fearful Fido” Class at Animal Friends.   She is crate trained and house trained and does very well for even long periods of time without any accidents. We have had no chewing problems and she demonstrates no destructive behavior.   She is invisible fence trained as well.   She is a quiet dog that only barks on occasion or when strangers enter the house or when she sees other dogs.   She has a medium energy level and is as happy laying ...

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...