Cats scratch. They scratch where they should — cat trees, scratch pads — and where they shouldn’t — drapes, carpets, furniture. Scratching is a natural and important activity for cats, but it can come into conflict when cats practice it in a human home. At the 2014 Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of… Learn More
Most of us in animal welfare are on board with the concept of community cats — unowned cats who live in neighborhoods, some feral, some social. Can that concept work for dogs, too? It’s not an idea that sits easily with most people. Communities with large numbers of stray dogs in the U.S. are rare,… Learn More
It’s the most important step you can take to help a newly adopted puppy mill dog adjust, say experts: If you don’t already have one, get another dog. While patience is the quality most needed by puppy mill rescue adopters, research conducted by Dr. Frank McMillan and presented at the University of Florida Maddie’s® Shelter… Learn More
What if playing and interacting with shelter pets didn’t help them get adopted more easily? Would that be a reason to stop? Absolutely not, and here’s why. A number of studies in recent years have looked at the impact of toys, play, grooming and human interaction on pets in shelters. Some have shown those interventions… Learn More
Spring is already here in some parts of the country, and knocking on the door of the rest. To those of us in the sheltering world, that doesn’t mean spring flowers or spring showers… it means kitten season. Maddie’s Institute® is here to help with this list of kitten season resources! Orphaned Kitten Care How-To… Learn More
A stranger stops you in the street and tells you his dog is missing. Would you know what to tell him? Thanks to her time volunteering for Lost Dogs Minnesota, Linda Conrad did. Conrad was packing up her van for a trip one morning when a car stopped in her driveway. He’d noticed the dog… Learn More
The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine’s Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Course invites all shelter veterinarians, shelter professionals, vet students, and community members to join them for their series of free webinars this semester: This lecture series not only discusses concepts key to sheltering but also helps veterinary students, shelter professionals and volunteers, and members… Learn More
Even the best canine behavior evaluation systems are not reliable when assessing shelter dogs, suggests a recent Australian study. Psychologist Dr. Zazie Todd’s influential blog Companion Animal Psychology took on the challenges of canine behavior evaluations in animal shelters last month. Todd examined at recent study by Monash University’s Kate Mornement, evaluating the Behavioural Assessment… Learn More
So you think your shelter’s already doing everything it can to get its dogs adopted. Maybe there’s one new trick you can learn from a bunch of dedicated runners! RuffTail Runners is an Austin, Texas, based running group that teamed up with a local sportswear store to get shelter dogs out for some exercise and… Learn More
Looking for an easy way to enhance the well being of your dog and yourself this New Year? Simply resolve to play! Just as with children, play for dogs isn’t only about having fun. In fact, play is as essential for dogs’ health and well being as it is enjoyable. Now is the perfect time… Learn More