WASHINGTON—This month, the Humane Society of the United States’ Pets for Life program reached a major milestone, providing its 1,000,000th service to animals. The recipient was a poodle mix named Freeda, who was helped through the program’s partner Better Together Animal Alliance in Ponderay, Idaho...
In September 2020, Rick Haaland, the Pets for Life community outreach manager for the Leech Lake Tribal Police in northern Minnesota, answered a call about a large dog named Winston. The dog had gotten into an altercation with a porcupine and was covered in quills. When Haaland saw Winston at the...
“There's another house burning,” Kristen Huston says, steering her white sedan, its trunk loaded with pet supplies, into one of the neighborhoods where her organization, All About Animals Rescue, does outreach. “Do you smell it?” In the back seat, HSUS staffers Jason Schipkowski and Ashley Mutch...
Editor’s note: In late December of 2020, Congress approved a stimulus deal that extended the federal evictions moratorium until Jan. 31 and provided $25 billion in rental assistance. On Jan. 20, the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended the moratorium until at least...
“Marmoset chauffeur” isn’t listed in Christine Coughlin’s job description as HSUS Minnesota state director, but that’s what she (temporarily) became in November. Coughlin and St. Paul animal control supervisor Molly Lunaris drove a 4-year-old marmoset named Einstein on the first leg of the tiny...
It happens so fast: One day we’re adopting a young, energetic dog or cat, and then we blink and the veterinarian is telling us we’ve got a senior pet on our hands. If your companion animal is slowing down, don’t worry: Caring for an elderly dog or cat just requires a little more thoughtfulness...
It’s not easy to accept that all things must eventually come to an end. We often go into denial in the face of the inevitable and airbrush away the aftermath when it does occur. So it probably shouldn’t have surprised me to read about a gardener who glossed over the demise of an entire tree with...
1. Because you'll help a pet in need. Each year, millions of pets enter shelters and rescues in the United States, many surrendered by loving families who can’t access pet-friendly housing or veterinary care, while others find their way as victims of cruelty. While the number of animals who are...
Shelters and rescues Breed-specific rescue groups have purebred dogs and puppies looking for new homes. Many pets end up homeless through no fault of their own or of their previous family. Rather, a lack of affordable and pet-friendly housing tops the list of reasons pets are surrendered to shelters...
The stories reach Amanda Arrington via text message these days: The immunocompromised hospital worker in Milwaukee who brought her spunky dog, Rusty, onto her porch to give a socially distant thanks when a Pets for Life team member dropped off dog food. The veteran with four dogs—including a...
Guinea pigs have a lot of appealing qualities: They're small, gentle and personable, just to name a few. Like all companion animals though, they require special care and attention. Here are some important questions to consider before adopting a guinea pig: Where should you get a guinea pig? Instead...
The choice to spay or neuter your pet may be one of the most important decisions you make impacting their long-term health—and your wallet! Your pet's health and longevity The average lifespan of spayed and neutered cats and dogs is demonstrably longer than the lifespan of those not. A University of...
Are you in it for the long haul? Healthy rabbits can live for more than 10 years, so a rabbit may be with your family for as long as a dog would. Do you have children? Rabbits require safe, gentle handling and a quiet environment. As prey animals, they can be easily startled and stressed by the loud...
If you’re struggling financially, annoyed by your pet's behavior, experiencing pet allergies or having trouble finding housing that welcomes your pets, our resources can help. Pet-related problems can be frustrating and you may feel that giving up your pet is the only solution. But before you take...
