Shelter Dog Meal Donation Count:
In This Issue
● All About Dog Farts
● A Strange Discovery In A Shelter Dog’s Mouth
● Protect Your Dog During Holiday Fireworks
● Behavior: Myths About Dog Aggression
● Vet Corner: What Happens In “The Back”?
● Reader Q: Why Are My Dog’s Eyes Irritated?
As important as the environment is, many people won’t go out of their way to reuse and recycle. This was especially clear to artist Amarildo Silva when he noticed how many discarded tires were scattered around Brazil. He also noticed how many stray dogs there were. In fact, the number of abandoned animals in his area greatly outnumbers the amount of homeless people. Luckily, Silva came up with a brilliant way to address both issues. Whenever Silva walked around the … Read more
Dr. Michael White is the director of Harris County Animal Shelter in Texas. He flipped on the morning news and was surprised to see a reporter standing outside of his shelter’s gate. Reporter Janelle Bludau and the KHOU 11 News Team arrived at the shelter that morning to find a Lab Mix chained to the fence. Bludau told the audience that she would stay until someone came to open the shelter. Dr. White sprang from his chair and hit the … Read more
Update: Scout has left the building! Not long after Scout’s story spread, his forever family finally found him! From Humane Society of the Delta: “We’ve got some exciting news!! “Scout has been adopted and he’s going home! We are so thankful for the foster family that took our sweet boy in and helped show what an amazing dog he truly is! We knew he was a great dog, but getting him in a home for everyone else to see how … Read more
We’re in the midst of one of the busiest travel times of the year. It’s estimated that 47.7 million people will travel across the globe between December 19th and January 5th. That’s an estimated 2.2 to 3 million passengers per day! There were a record-breaking 26 million people who traveled by air over the Thanksgiving week this year. Flying the friendly skies has continued to become an even more popular option and generating buzz in the news. Naturally, emotional support … Read more
Your dog is so easy to love. You’re an expert cuddler. You know all the right places to scratch. But that doesn’t mean it’s all a walkie in the dog park. Some parts of being a pet parent are downright difficult. We know that making the best choices for your pet’s health can be hard, but we can all agree on one thing: a healthy pup starts with a healthy gut. Your dog’s health and well-being usually begins with what’s … Read more
Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that make all the difference. A warm cup of coffee, a cozy blanket, and a hug from a friend are just a few. If you’re a dog, however, then joy comes in the form of treats, walks, belly scratches, and toys. And, if you were to take a survey of the dogs in your life, many would argue that there is no greater toy than a good old fashioned stick! It’s a timeless … Read more
Phoenix doesn’t look like your average dog, but that doesn’t matter to him. He’s no different than any other pup, but sadly, many people don’t see it that way. His appearance often scares people and causes them to look away. But he’s just a sweet dog that wants someone to love and understand him. The way he looks doesn’t hold him back. So, he’s ready to show the world what an incredible dog he truly is. This poor dog was … Read more
Every day, veterinarians see animals in terrible conditions. Their job is difficult, but they do everything they can to help. In one vet’s case, that means emotional support too. Dr. Andy Mathis is an outstanding vet at a small animal hospital in Georgia, and he has a passion for animals that goes beyond “pet ownership.” He knows they’re more to us than that. According to his own website: “A long, healthy and happy Life. As a pet owner/parent, it’s what I … Read more
You might roll your eyes at the “a picture is worth a thousand words” saying, but that’s just because you’re not seeing the right picture. When you get a look at a rescue Pit Bull leaning on his adoptive mom, you’ll more than get it. His name is Russ, and by the look on his face in this photo he’s never been happier to be out of a shelter and in a family at last. 22-year-old Kayla Filoon is a volunteer … Read more
Even though they’ve been our closest pals for thousands of years, there’s still so much about dogs we don’t know. How much can they really understand and relate to us? Do they have any idea what we’re talking about at all? At the very least we now know they can understand numbers… sort of. A new scientific study has demonstrated some really interesting things about mammals’ relationship with numbers. More specifically, it shows that dogs, like humans and some primates, … Read more
Dogs are an important part of our lives. They stay with us forever in our hearts whether they’re with us today or not. That’s why many dog lovers have decided to get a tattoo as a permanent memory of their furry friend. Some of these memories are simple paw prints while others are colorful portraits. Either way, it’s clear that dog parents love to show off their dog tattoos to honor their best friends. In fact, there are many amazing … Read more
Disney World is not only the happiest place on earth, it is also one of the best places to hone a service dog’s skills. Jessica Paulsen knows this firsthand. She and her good-boy Golden Retriever, Henry love spending time at the park and have visited six times! While all the sights, sounds, and smells are enough to drive an average dog to distraction, Henry is trained to focus on the task at hand. He can block out just about any … Read more
Part of each sale through the iHeartDogs store is donated to Greater Good, which helps support various charities. Thanks to customers like you, happy endings, like the one below, are made possible. A grant provided to Canines for Service from GreaterGood.org, funded by the iHeartDogs.com community, made success stories like that of Rosemary and Salim possible. The impact of training a shelter dog as a highly skilled service dog for a veteran with a disability is vast. Not only are the lives of both … Read more
Part of each sale through the iHeartDogs store is donated to Greater Good, which helps support various charities. Thanks to customers like you, happy endings, like the one below, are made possible. One of the main reasons that GreaterGood.org’s Rescue Rebuild program chose Young-Williams Animal Center for a renovation is their take on “managed admissions.” This shelter is an open admission city shelter, which means that they have to take any animal that comes to their door. This can be chaotic. So instead of … Read more
A Texas truck driver named Florencia Aguilar was left devastated after the passing of her beloved dog Bandit. After losing him to his battle with stomach cancer, she wondered if she would ever again find the happiness that Bandit gave her. After losing Bandit, Florencia fell into a dark depression. She found it difficult to even leave the house and only ventured out when it was time for another truck route. Florencia began to wonder if the best cure for … Read more
A life on the road can be a bit lonely at times. With so many careers involving full-time travel, the desire to have a furry friend along for the ride is at an all time high. Luckily, this extended-stay hotel has the solution that so many traveling animal lovers needed. A Home2 Suites in Biloxi, Mississippi is home to a beautiful program that helps comfort dogs and humans alike. With their Fostering Hope program in partner with the Humane Society … Read more
It was supposed to just be a normal drop-off day for the Community Animal Welfare Society (CAWS). They transported 68 dogs away from kill shelters to the VCA All Pet Animal Hospital in Taylorsville, Utah. Many of the dogs were excited to meet their foster parents at this location, but one dog in particular didn’t seem so sure. As soon as she had the chance, she took off running. At first, the staff with CAWS struggled to get the dog … Read more
Actually making money with art is no simple task. A Staffordshire Terrier with success selling his art has some advice for you: 1) Be a dog who paints, 2) Give all the money to an animal shelter. That Staffy is named Rico, but people call him Ricasso. He’s a full-on professional artist and also a shelter dog at Animal Welfare League Of Alexandria. Rico’s powerful and active wagging tail didn’t go unnoticed by staff. They do “Rico’s Art Lessons” with … Read more
Alfie the Labrador Retriever is an important member of his family. His parents, Shaun Traves and Laura Bland-Traves, love him very much. Their son, Charlie, can’t live without him. So when their truck was stolen with Alfie stuck in the back, they were horrified. They couldn’t imagine a life without their sweet Alfie. They began to search long and hard. They were determined to bring him home as soon as possible. Alfie had been in a crate in the back … Read more
Letters to Santa have always been the most heartwarming of all the annual traditions. They give children everywhere a chance to dream and fantasize. Our dogs don’t really get an opportunity to put their hopes and dreams down on paper like that. Lucky for one adoptable pup in Pennsylvania, the humans that knew her best wrote a letter to Santa for her. Lucy and her sister Bella first arrived at the PSPCA through its Humane Law Enforcement team in May … Read more
Timing is absolutely crucial in the event a dog survives getting hit or run over by a car. Injured dogs are left completely vulnerable to further injury, totally exposed in the street. A lifesaver in New York had this in mind when he ran into the street to save an injured dog from a worse fate. The Robledo family was having their car serviced at Honda of New Rochelle. Fortunately for them, general manager James Gallagher worked that day. He … Read more
In This Issue
● Dog Mom Warns About Toxic Mushrooms
● Stray Walks Through The Right Door
● Designer Puppy Scam
● Why Dogs Are Willing To Die For Us
● Vet Corner: All About Microchips
● 2020 Resolutions You Can Share With Your Dog
Lovey Loaves is a rescue dedicated to the rehabilitation of dogs with special needs. When the odds are stacked against these wonderful pups, Lovey Loaves swoops in and gives them the care they need to succeed. With a record of transforming an array of incredible canines, it’s no wonder this organization was the first to hear of a tiny two-legged puppy that could benefit from their expertise. Cheri Wells of the Lovey Loaves Rescue was contacted on the night before … Read more
Life is going to change for the better this week for nearly 100 shelter dogs. Their holiday miracle came in the shape of an airplane! These lucky dogs took flight this week from North Texas to various shelters across the United States. The goal is to find them their furever families, and these patient pups certainly deserve it! Flights To Freedom For Nearly 100 Deserving Doggos According to nbcdfw.com, 91 dogs left Dallas-Fort Worth Airport this week with destinations in … Read more
Soup is an English Setter of Southern rearing who lives with his family in Montgomery, Alabama. Last week, his curiosity got the best of him as he chased after a deer in some nearby woods. He ended up getting lost, leaving his family fearing the worst for three excruciating days. Little did they know that Soup was just fine, receiving the finest Southern hospitality in a somewhat surprising place. Soup Was Found Scared but Was Won Over with a Hot … Read more
James Hatch is a veteran Navy SEAL who is no stranger to obstacles. He proudly served in the Navy for 26 years and successfully completed missions around the globe. Hatch spent much of his time in Iraq and Afghanistan where some of his most notable comrades had four legs and a tail. Those tours of duty didn’t come without a price, however. A Dog Laid Down His Life For Hatch As a dog handler in the Navy, Hatch completed 40 … Read more
Part of each sale through the iHeartDogs store is donated to Greater Good, which helps support various charities. Thanks to customers like you, happy endings, like the one below, are made possible. “Chief entered the high-kill Lancaster Shelter in California with a cancerous growth on his tail. He was such a gentle dog, but nobody wanted him. The shelter gave only 48 hours before he was going to be euthanized. “But enter our friends Vicki and Lori of Hands Paws & Hearts, who thankfully came to … Read more
In a whirlwind few days, a starving stray dog went from living a difficult life on the streets of Philadelphia to becoming a beloved internet star with a family. It’s all thanks to a door that blew open during a storm and the man who later closed it. In that time, the dog sought shelter in the home she would later occupy for life. She just didn’t know it yet. The pup’s adventure began with a simple, straightforward tweet from … Read more
iHeartDogs works closely with The Greater Good by donating part of each sale to their various charity efforts. One of the charities, Rescue Bank, works to donate quality dog food to shelters and rescues who are in need. Some organizations could not run without the kind donations from organizations like this, and that’s why your donations are so appreciated. The Dogworks Rescue is just one of the many rescues that benefit from the efforts of the Greater Good Rescue Bank. Thanks to … Read more
An adorable therapy dog named Ben Franklin knows what Christmas is all about. At least, he thinks it’s all about the toys. The Franklin Police Department was collecting toy donations to be shipped off to the Santa Foundation. However, they never expected that one of their employees would be eager to keep those toys for himself. Ben the Golden Retriever has been with the police department ever since he was a young puppy. He joined the team as a therapy … Read more
At just 2-years-old, adorable August had spent nearly a year in the shelter in Lucas County, Ohio. Nearly half of his life was spent in that shelter waiting for a family to love him! He had been adopted and returned numerous times. And yet, despite the stressful shelter environment and being let down time after time, August kept his happy-go-lucky disposition. He quickly became a shelter favorite (don’t tell the other dogs)! Saved In The Nick Of Time August loved … Read more
iHeartDogs works closely with GreaterGood by donating part of each sale to their various charity efforts. One of these organizations, Animal Lifeline, provides transport for dogs in risky situations to second chances elsewhere. Thanks to customers like you, Animal Lifeline is able to make a difference for many dogs in need! Amos and Andy are just two of those dogs. On a rural farm in Tennessee, two skinny and malnourished sibling pups (now named Amos and Andy) were caught chasing the … Read more
When you purchase items from the iHeartDogs store, some of that sale is donated to Greater Good. Greater Good supports charities that help lots of dogs in need. Thanks to amazing customers like you, many dogs have been saved because of these incredible donations. One of those dogs is Holly. Holly was found wandering the streets all alone on a cold Christmas day. She was very young and very tiny, weighing only 5 pounds. Her body was covered in scrapes … Read more
When professional MMA fighter, Audrey Wolfe steps into the Fury Fighting Championship ring on Friday, December 20, she’ll wear the iHeartDogs logo, and we’re proud to be in her corner. For Audrey, the sentiment represents more than just a sponsorship. In addition to her rigorous training schedule, the Women’s Featherweight Champion hopeful also fights for homeless dogs. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Audrey Drew Wolfe (@audreydwolfe) on Dec 13, 2019 at 1:25pm PST Audrey grew … Read more
It’s common for firefighters to rescue cats from trees, but dogs don’t have the same reputation. So, when the Lathrop Manteca Fire District in California received a call about a full-grown German Shepherd stuck in a tree, they thought it was a joke. As it turns out, Baby the German Shepherd had chased a cat all the way to the top of a tree. The two animals ended up stuck with nowhere to go. It all happened when Sharon Thurston … Read more
Long-term shelter residents are the dogs most adopters are not ready for. They may have fear symptoms or just be slow to trust, which many don’t have the patience or skills to handle. Either way, these dogs don’t deserve to live their lives inside an animal shelter. A (then) 4-year-old brown and white Pit mix named Bonita was admitted to the Niagara SPCA the summer of 2018. A year and several months later, no one had come to bring her … Read more
Emily Setterstrom was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was in kindergarten. Now, she’s 16 years old. It’s been difficult for her and her family to deal with her diabetes over the years. Her mom has to keep an eye on her often to make sure her blood sugar stays normal. However, they recently learned that all this extra stress and fear could easily be reduced with the help of a dog. Emily’s mom, Jennifer Setterstrom, lost her brother … Read more
The stories with the happiest endings usually begin with “Once upon a time,” not “Dog dumped in shelter kennel.” The shelter involved in this story has outdoor kennels where concerned citizens can safely place strays they find when their facility is closed for the day. The kennels are NOT for the purpose of dumping or surrendering a pet – but it often happens anyway. If someone dumping their own dog can be found, they’re asked to pay the surrender fee, … Read more
Colorado City, Texas is one of those places where city laws put stray dogs at risk of euthanasia. This past week, 10 dogs residing at the City Of Colorado City Animal Control were at risk of being put down. This is not an uncommon problem, tragically. A city ordinance dictates the admitted dogs can stay at the shelter for just 5 days. However, that timeline can be extended if individuals or other rescue organizations express interest in taking the dogs. … Read more
Last Hope Animal Rescue in Cedar Rapids, Iowa works hard to take care of the animals at their facility. The majority of that care relies heavily on donations, many of which are made in cash. So when the staff at the shelter came into work one morning, they were devastated to see that their donation box was shattered and left empty. They all wondered how any person could do such a horrible thing to dogs and cats in need. When … Read more
Having your dogs join in on holiday photos can be a difficult task. Getting them to all sit still and look at the camera can be a nightmare, but the cute photos are well worth the extra time and effort. For one woman, her Christmas photos are not only adorable memories, but they’re hilarious viral photos. That’s because while one of her dogs is extremely photogenic, the other dog always has a look of concern when he’s faced with a … Read more
They may not have the opposable thumbs or pouting lips that playing instruments requires, but dogs can still get into music. They just tend to do better on the movement side. At least, a dancing Beagle named Bailey certainly does. Bailey grooved his way to stardom this week with an absolutely enchanting music video. A videographer we’re all extremely grateful for captured the pup enthusiastically dancing to Reggaeton music with his person. IT’S SO CUTE. Wendy Berenguer shared the video of Bailey … Read more
No dog deserves to be sitting at a shelter for hundreds of days, but unfortunately, that is the case for Jack Sparrow. Jack Sparrow is not a pirate, but instead, he is a sweet 9-year-old Pit Bull that was a bait dog from a Syracuse dog-fighting cruelty case. Now, this sweet dog has been waiting at CNY SPCA for more than 700 days. He doesn’t know what a loving home is like, but he desperately wants to find out. Due … Read more
Dog parents aren’t perfect. They say love is blind, and, sometimes, we’re blinded by our love for our dogs. We love them for who they are and the joy they bring us. Sometimes that joy is brought by welcome home kisses and tail wags. Other times the love flows while we’re snuggled up with them on the couch. Speaking of which, when snuggling up on your couch with your dog, maybe just make sure it’s really your dog first. Or … Read more
A family in Cleveland, Ohio is thankful to have their dog back in time for the holidays. Two-year-old Lucy was stolen from her family’s car earlier this month. The family took to social media and the local news as they pleaded for help. Of course, little Lucy is an important member of their family and they couldn’t imagine the holidays without her. Her family was left in disbelief that something so sinister could happen to them. A Targeted Attack Lucy’s … Read more
Chris and Mariesa Hughes have been passionate about dogs their whole lives. They even started the Mr. Mo Project, which is a rescue made specifically to help senior dogs. So, they spend a lot of time around dogs, and of course, they always want what is best for their own furbabies. When their senior Chihuahua named Mabel became very sick one day, they knew they had to do whatever they could to save her. Mabel is 16 years old, and … Read more
When thieves made off with U.S. veteran David Drake’s SUV in Ohio, they got away with much more than that. His beloved service dog and companion Gemma, a Lab/Pit mix, was inside the stolen vehicle. The good people behind Maslow’s Army refused to give up on getting her back. Maslow’s Army, run entirely by volunteers, is an organization committed to helping homeless people. They serve meals, provide shuttle transport, and even give peer guidance. According to the organization’s website, they … Read more
An abandoned mama dog has a long road to recovery ahead of her. Nelly, a Staffy mix, was discovered in a water-filled ditch in Birmingham, U.K. A man walking his dog spotted her and attempted to bring her onto dry land. Nelly had been bound with a martial arts belt and tied to a nearby fence. Local firefighters were called to assist in her rescue. The dog was incredibly grateful to her rescuers and showered them with kisses. However, the … Read more
Bitter Root Humane Association in Montana first learned about a group of wild Huskies when they received a call about a Husky that needed their leg amputated after being shot. Then, they later received another call about 3 Huskies running loose. When they looked into these events closer, they found that they were dealing with more than just a few dogs. As it turns out, there were over 30 Huskies found roaming free in the wild! The humane association worked … Read more
An alarming trend has been identified in Australia leading up to and during this holiday season. Families are abandoning their pets to avoid paying expenses related to boarding them whilst the family travels for Christmas. The practice is naturally sparking outrage among more responsible animal lovers and causing problems for shelters with swelling populations. Mayhem Ensues for Shelters in Melbourne Australian Animal Protection Society vice-president Sue Thompson told the Australian publication The Age that people are letting their pets loose, hoping … Read more
Toledo, United States.