Animals pat life

With Puzzles and Games for your Pet By Suzanne Denk, Animal Enrichment Specialist, Animal Friends With the chilly winter weather upon us, you and your pets may be feeling the winter blues. But, you can help your four-legged family members beat cabin fever with some daily activities that put their minds to work! Providing your pets with opportunities to use their brains in new ways that engage their senses, reduce stress, redirect extra energy or relieve boredom can add to the quality of their lives by keeping them engaged with the world around them. You may have seen dogs enjoying puzzle feeders and toys before. There is a wide variety of puzzle feeder toys available in stores for pets. While many are labeled for dogs, cats and rabbits can use the very same ones! Everyday items that you find around the house can also be turned into enrichment activity puzzles for your pet. Hide a treat in a ball pit, an egg carton, a cereal box, a muffin tin, a paper towel roll or even in the box that ...

  Brutus is a neutered 2-year-old American Bulldog/Pit Bull mix who is searching for a new home. He is up-to-date on all of his vaccinations and is hoping to find a calmer and quieter home without small children. Brutus can be very shy when he's meeting unfamiliar people, so  he will need some time to be comfortable with new friends – he tends to warm up to women a little quicker than men.   A happy dog, Brutus loves to play and enjoys cuddling with his closest friends. His current family is hoping to find a new home for Brutus because he recently bit their young child after being startled while sleeping. Because of this, they've made the difficult decision that he may be more comfortable in a family with older children or adults only. Brutus's family just hopes that he can find a home where he can share all of the love that he has to give – and get lots of love in return, of course! If you think your home could be the one Brutus is...

Ruca is a beautiful pooch who is about 3 1/2 years old. She has gorgeous eyes that will melt your heart and is a happy, friendly, well-behaved and extremely intelligent girl. Ruca was adopted from a shelter when she was about 4 months old and spent the past 3 years in a loving home until her owner passed away.   Ruca is spayed, microchipped and knows all of her basic commands. She is a Labrador Retriever/American Pit Bull Terrier mix with a gorgeous yellow coat who weighs just shy of 60 pounds. Ruca is also housebroken and has never demonstrated any destructive behavior (she certainly knows the difference between toys and furniture!).     This sweet girl is very curious and alert and is always eager to explore. She gets along nicely with other dogs, is very gentle with children and is not protective of her food or toys.   Although she has been given special permission to be cared for in her temporary caregiver's retirement complex, Ruca is in need of a permanen...

With the holiday season quickly approaching, the dogs, cats and rabbits at Animal Friends are getting excited for Thanksgiving! We encourage you to include your pets at home to join in the festivities, but what's most important is keeping them safe and healthy. Here are some helpful tips from the experts at the ASPCA to help your pets enjoy a safe Thanksgiving! Talkin’ Turkey If you decide to feed your pet a little nibble of turkey, make sure it’s boneless and well-cooked. Don't offer them raw or undercooked turkey, which may contain salmonella bacteria. Sage Advice Sage can make your Thanksgiving stuffing taste delicous, but just like many other herbs, it can contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal problems and central nervous system depression to pets if eaten in large quantities. Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of certain essential oils. Bread Dough-n't Don't spoil your pet's holiday by giving them raw bread dough. According...

Crisp fall temperatures have arrived and you may be looking for some indoor fun with your four-legged friends. Here are some enrichment activities that are just what you need to keep your pets stimulated (both physically and mentally!) once the cool weather arrives. Rabbit Enrichment Toys Wheat Grass Containers Grow wheat grass in a small plastic container – apple sauce or dressing cups work very well. Your rabbit will enjoy grazing on a healthy snack in a fun new way! Cardboard Ball Cut a paper towel tube into rings. Insert one ring into another to make an X. Continue to add rings to create a round ball. Add hay to the center and allow your rabbit to have fun tossing and tearing.   Bubbles for Cats Everyone loves bubbles, and your cat is no exception! Bubbles can provide something new for your feline friend to look at and the fun, unpredictable movement stimulates her mind. And, the adventurous kitties will love the excitement of popping them! You can even find several different b...

Halloween is just around the corner! While you’re putting together your costume, stocking up on candy and transforming your yard into a spooky graveyard, remember that holidays like Halloween can be stressful times for your pets. Animals don’t understand why their best two-legged friends are wearing scary disguises or why the doorbell keeps ringing all night long. To keep Halloween fun and safe for everyone in the family, consider the following pet safety tips ... Sniff Test If you or your children are going to dress up for Halloween, allow your pet to smell the costume before putting it on. Beat the Sweets Keep candy – especially chocolate and gum – away from your pets. Certain candies, wrappers and ingredients can be poisonous and even fatal for pets if ingested. Leave Fido at Home Don’t bring your dog (or other pets) trick or treating! The costumes, noise, music, bright lights and decorations could be overwhelming for them. Try finding a quiet room where your pets can curl up with t...

With her face out the window and nose to the wind, it’s clear this 10-year old Labrador Retriever mix is relishing every minute of the car ride with one of her favorite volunteers. This is Sadie. And, seeing her enjoy her time away from her kennel, walking carefree with a stuffed bear in her mouth you’d never guess the past she so narrowly escaped. Sweet Sadie was found tied up outside during a snowstorm in January without protection from the frigid elements. Once she was rescued, she was taken to a local shelter and transferred to Animal Friends. As Sadie was getting settled into her second chance, our Medical team soon discovered that she was in need of some specialized care. Sadie was diabetic and needed medication to help manage her condition. So, we jumped into action and created a plan for her. Our compassionate staff and volunteers kept a close eye on her around the clock. But sadly, Sadie’s diabetes had gone untreated for so long that it’s causing her to slowly go blind. But, w...