Senior pets are special. Shelter pets are special. And senior pets in shelters need some special considerations when it comes to anesthesia. Dr. Emily McCobb is a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist and Director of the Shelter Medicine Program at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. At the 2015 ASPCA-Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Conference at… Learn More

Sometimes it’s just a case of catitude. And sometimes cats have genuine behavior problems. What can shelters and rescue groups do to help them? In a recent presentation at the 2015 American Pets Alive! No Kill Conference, the Austin Pet’s Alive! Cat Behavior Team  tackled how to prevent feline behavior problems before they start, ensure… Learn More

Do animal welfare organizations need to worry about “branding”? Isn’t that just for big business, chain stores and fast-food outlets? Despite its business buzzword feel, “branding” is something no organization that needs volunteers, donors, adopters, publicity and supporters can ignore, even if they hate the term itself. In the proverbial nutshell, branding refers to an… Learn More

The phrase “customer service” doesn’t always roll off the tongue of people in animal adoption circles. The people we interact with are adopters, not customers, and the pets in our care aren’t a product or service, but living beings. Right? Of course that’s true. But it doesn’t mean we can’t serve pets better, and save… Learn More

What animal organization doesn’t need more money? None, right? But here’s a follow-up question: What animal organization loves to apply for grants? The same answer probably applies! If the grant process scares or confuses you, you’re not alone. But you’re not friendless, either. At the 2015 Best Friends National Conference, Mandy Pearce of Funding for… Learn More

Animal organizations have done a pretty good job of destigmatizing FIV-positive cats, and adopters have begun welcoming them into their families in larger numbers than could have been imagined 20 years ago. But cats who test positive for feline leukemia (FeLV) don’t fare as well in the hands of adoption groups. Is it time to… Learn More

Does your animal organization want to save more cats? You don’t need a bigger shelter or more money, but you do need foster homes. How do you get them? How do you train them? How do you keep the ones you have, and get more? Austin Pets Alive! cat foster manager Ashley Ferry has answers… Learn More

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

Attorney and advocate Ryan Clinton digs into municipal and state-focused legislative topics including rescue-access laws, city No-Kill mandates, banning gas chambers, and regulating puppy mills.