Surrendering your pet
Over the past few months we’ve received numerous emails and phone calls from people who need to surrender their pet. The reasons range from “too many animals” to heartbreaking tragedies, but the end result is the same: as an Open Door Shelter, the Animal Rescue League turns no animals away. A few years ago, we […]
Holistic Tips for Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic renal failure, aka chronic kidney disease (CKD), can affect dogs or cats but is more common in cats. Over their lifetime, 1 in 3 cats and 1 in 10 dogs could develop CKD. It is typically seen in elderly animals and is usually caused by the wear and tear of aging, although diet and […]
HABPPC Stay Positive Training
As children head back to school, you may consider sending your four legged “child” to classes, too. If so, please be sure to research the instructors. Advertisements can be confusing or downright misleading, as some behavioral professionals are not what they seem. Be aware of what’s happening behind the scenes. There are no requirements for […]
Cat Grooming Myths
I’m always met with raised eyebrows when I explain what I do for a living. It seems there are many “myths” being perpetuated about cat grooming that aren’t entirely true. I’d like to help dispel some of these myths for you. * CATS GROOM THEMSELVES – Cats lick themselves. If you licked yourself all over, […]
Only Time Will Tell
By Lesley Ashworth Human-Animal Bond Educator, National Link Coalition Standing in the gallery, my eye is drawn to the delightful paintings of cows. One in particular, titled “Thelma Lou and Barney “shows a cow licking the face of another. My immediate reaction is that which captures the heart of many animal lovers, yet in a […]
The rider’s leg position and how it affects the seat
The rider communicates to the horse with three aids: the leg, the seat, and the hands. The rider’s leg asks the horse to go forward the seat balances the torso and the reins steer and regulate the forward energy. The more advanced rider learns to control the gaits of the horse with the seat, and […]
scea article
Second Chance Equine Association (SCEA) is a non-profit organization in Westmoreland County. It was founded in 2006 when Westmoreland County Humane Police Officer (HPO) Elaine Gower and horse owners Bryce and Chris LeJeune recognized two problems. First, complaints of neglect and abuse of horses in the area were increasing at an alarming rate. Second, when […]
Stress in Cats
by April Minech Stress is something we deal with in our everyday lives…money, kids, our jobs, even what to eat for dinner can cause our minds to frazzle. Our animals are no different, and often they silently deal with their own stressors without the benefit of a spa day or beverage with friends. For shelter […]
Find a Senior Pet to love during Adopt a Senior Pet Month
Our pets’ lives are shorter than ours, and once their age is in the double digits the fear of their seemingly imminent loss can often outweigh the joy of their potential unconditional love. But we never have a guarantee at how long a pet will live even if we adopt it at just a few […]
Aromatherapy for pets
Aromatherapy literally means “treatment using scents.” This designation is a bit of a misnomer since the scent of the oil accounts for only part of its therapeutic effect. Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils for healing. Essential oils are volatile liquid plant materials that play a key role in the biochemistry of the plant. […]