Over 2,600 shelter cats are getting kennel makeovers

Like many of us, shelter cats are taking this time to reevaluate their space, redecorate and purchase new furniture. Or in their case, portals.   Thanks to Million Cat Challenge’s Portalmania 2020, 82 shelters are being awarded 2,685 portals.   Cramped housing has an adverse effect on cats. “Multiple studies have looked at the effect of poor housing on cats,… Learn More

Four Kittens Playing

Simple ways to revamp your shelter to increase adoptions and community support

What can you do to help project a more positive image of your shelter without spending a fortune? “Plenty!” said Denise Deisler and Makena Yarbrough in  “A Fresh Image: Increasing Adoptions and Community Support by Revamping Your Shelter” at the Best Friends 2016 Conference. “It’s not about money and resources, it’s about being creative with what… Learn More

Need more adoption space for cats? Bruce and Bob have you covered!

Desperate for cat adoption facilities but not enough funds to get a building?  Build out “habitats” in your local pet store or vet clinic!  If you’re not sure how to go about doing that, don’t worry: Bruce Walker and Bob Breeze of Austin Pets Alive! have now built several in the Austin area. Their habitats… Learn More

How shelter housing can make cats sick

Cats are extremely sensitive to noise, crowding, and stress — three things that are in abundant supply in many animal shelters. These adverse conditions often lead to illness in sheltered cats, particularly the most common of all feline shelter diseases, upper respiratory infection (URI).

How to turn down the volume on barking in shelters

Famed animal behavior expert Karen Pryor, author of the landmark training book Don’t Shoot
the Dog and one of the founders of the clicker training movement, has a simple recipe to turn
down the volume caused by dogs barking in shelters.

Louder than a speeding subway train: Shelter noise through a dog’s ears

Did you know that at around 118 decibels, shelters are noisier than a passing subway train and even louder than a jackhammer? That’s tough on our puny human ears – in fact, OSHA regulations say we should be wearing ear protection at levels above 90 decibels – but it’s even worse for dogs, who hear three times better than we do.