Do you have a dog in your shelter who could use some time away from the noise and activity levels of the adoption floor? How about a dog who just needs a staycation? With some creativity and a little bit of extra space, you can create your own “relaxation station” for a stressed-out dog! The… Learn More

What’s cuter than one kitten learning manners? Several kittens learning how to “touch,” “sit” and wear a harness with pride! After all, puppies have access to all sorts of classes, so why not kittens? By exposing kittens who are 16 weeks and younger to new experiences, they’ll be on their way to becoming confident and… Learn More

The only thing better than getting adopted is getting comfy in the meantime! That’s the likely opinion of these shelter dogs who are benefiting from the recent craze of putting armchairs into animal shelters so the pets can chill out in comfort. The chairs make the pets more appealing to adopters, too. It’s a classic… Learn More

Can just a few hours outside the shelter make a difference for a dog? Data from an ongoing study suggests foster field trips can help improve welfare in dogs, increase adoption chances and create other advantages for the organization caring for the dogs. Here’s the background: About a year ago, Austin Animal Center received a… Learn More

Research published last month suggests evaluating shelter dogs for food guarding doesn’t increase safety or reduce bites, and may result in lower adoption rates and increased euthanasia of dogs who are defined as “food guarders.” The behavior a dog shows in an animal shelter may not match the behavior she’ll show once in a home.… Learn More

When cats stop using their litter box, and they get a clean bill of physical health from their veterinarian, there’s one piece of advice that almost universally comes next: Keep your litter box clean. But what does that mean from the cat’s point of view? The smell of a cat box is probably the main… Learn More

Fostering a pet from a recent hurricane? As a thank you, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) is now offering free behavior support across the country for any hurricane foster pet who may need it. When Dr. Sheila D’Arpino, Research Director for Maddie’s Fund®, approached IAABC Executive Director Marjie Alonso with the idea,… Learn More

What do the American Pets Alive! Conference and Maddie’s® Idea Lab project results have in common? They both offer actionable, lifesaving advice that you can use in your community! And our very own Director of Research, Dr. Sheila D’Arpino, will be presenting some of those actionable findings during her session, Maddie’s® Idea Lab: Saving Lives… Learn More

Children and shelter dogs: It’s pretty much the definition of a feel-good story, right? Absolutely! That’s why we’re bringing you this heartwarming blast-from-the-past of one of the earliest news stories featuring young children reading to shelter dogs at the Humane Society of Missouri, featured on NBC Nightly News. Given recent research showing that both human… Learn More

Did you know there are scent glands on cat paws? And, that when they scratch, they leave pheromones? If not, don’t worry – you’re not alone! Cat owner and lover Toni Alexander had no idea until she decided to learn how to speak cat with our free online Feline Communications course while passing the time… Learn More