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How Animal Protection Laws Compare Across the United States

Since 2005, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has ranked the U.S. states in order from best to worst based on the strength of their animal protection laws. Illinois, Oregon, Maine, California and Michigan have consistently topped the list while North Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Iowa and Kentucky remain the country’s least animal friendly states. Image Source: Animal Legal Defense Fund Although the top 5 states held strong in their rankings, a few others climbed the list by enacting landmark changes during … Read more

6 Signs Your Dog Needs More Love In His Life

It’s impossible to be everything to everyone all the time. From the daily 9-to-5, to kids, bills and errands, it can feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that’s important to you. Oftentimes it’s our four-legged friends who suffer the most when our worlds get too crazy. They are faithful to a fault, allowing their own needs to fall by the wayside when they sense that their humans are stressed. Our loving canines have … Read more

Dog Was So Matted He Could Hardly Walk

Officials at the Richmond SPCA consider Lionheart to be one of the worst neglect cases they have seen in decades. When the 7-year-old Poodle was surrendered to their care in April, he was so matted he was barely recognizable as a dog. “When I first looked at Lionheart in the kennel run when he first arrived, I literally could not tell which was the front or the back,” Richmond SPCA CEO Robin Robertson Starr told WTVR News. The filthy clumps … Read more

A Little TLC Helped Turn This Cranky Stray Into A Lovable Lap Dog

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.  Little Delores was found wandering the streets of Detroit. The 13-year-old Poodle mix was filthy, covered in painful mats, and desperately in need of medical care. She behaved aggressively in her cage, but board members from NBS Animal Rescue knew her attitude was a result of her discomfort. The sassy senior captured their … Read more

Groomers Spruce Up Abandoned Dog & Find Him The Perfect New Home

Debo arrived at Detroit’s Canine to Five boarding and grooming shop three weeks ago. The 2-year-old Pit-Boxer mix was timid, malnourished, and crawling with fleas. He also had wounds on his face. Debo’s “owner” requested a bath and nail trim before heading to his car to get his wallet. He never came back. “He probably was 15 pounds less than he is now, really shy, really scared,” Liz Blondy, owner of Canine to Five, told Fox News. Rather than calling animal control … Read more

Two Teens Honored After Finding Puppy Alone in the Woods

13-year-old Sam Rice and 14-year-old Brady Thebeau were recognized by the Leicester, MA Police Department this week for rescuing a Pit Bull puppy abandoned in the woods. The dog was left in a plastic crate with a bag of dry food and a single can of wet food. After a logger located him, young Sam and Brady took it upon themselves to bring the pup home, bathe him, wash his crate and feed him. The boys have named their new … Read more

Puppies Rescued From Hellish Neglect Heal Body & Soul

When these two Pit Bull puppies were rescued from a horrifying scene of backyard neglect, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey described it as “one of the most evil acts of animal cruelty he’s ever seen.” Both dogs – renamed Baloo and Mowgli after The Jungle Book – are now unrecognizable from the emaciated pups pulled from the brink of death last fall. This is the story of what happens after the dramatic rescue as two dogs fight to survive and thrive. … Read more

The Simple And Powerful Way You Can Help Shelter Dogs Get Adopted

Many dogs arrive at animal shelters after years of abuse or a lifetime on the streets. That kind of neglect can cause many severe health problems, which may in turn affect the dog’s personality and their ability to get adopted. Have you ever considered the importance of a bath and maybe a haircut for a dog that’s been neglected for so long? Dog breeds that have continuously-growing hair tend to suffer the worst consequences from years of neglect. Their hair … Read more

Anonymous Hero Adopts Pitiful Dog and Transforms His Life

Tom spent the first 4 years of his life chained to a tree in a sparse, sun-baked Alabama backyard. Used as a breeding dog, he was clearly nothing but a source of income to his owners. Tom was emaciated, infested with worms, and nearly bald from mange when he was finally rescued and transported all the way to Minnesota in search of a new life. Imgur user, nbd789 first met Tom at an adoption event, and was instantly drawn to the … Read more

Rescue Dog Can’t Stop Kissing Her Caregivers as She Waits for a Forever Home

You may have seen some of the recent press regarding “anti-tethering” laws. Some states have very specific regulations regarding tying dogs outside, others cover tethering in their animal cruelty legislation, and far too many still do not have any restrictions at all on their books. Marigold’s story sheds light on why these laws are so vitally important to the innocent dogs they protect. Marigold was named for her sunny yellow coloring and sweet disposition. She was first spotted by some … Read more

New Humane Treatment Law Would Protect Tethered Dogs In This State

A bill passed unanimously through the Washington state Senate this week that would help protect dogs left chained or restrained outdoors for extended periods of time. The new humane treatment law would require they have access to food and water, protection from extreme weather and the ability to move about without becoming tangled. Tethered dog Posted by Nick Meyer on Friday, December 9, 2016   The legislation also prohibits tethering by a choke, pinch, or halter collar, or a chain or … Read more

Celebrities Give A Voice To The Forgotten “Outdoor Dogs” In This Heartbreaking Video

It’s an issue that doesn’t receive nearly as much attention as dog fighting or blatant animal abuse, but an issue nonetheless. Countless dogs in this country are purchased or adopted only to be left chained in the yard, deprived of the love, attention and shelter they crave – and richly deserve.   In the following video these lonely, helpless “outdoor dogs” are finally given a voice through celebrity activists like Tom Hardy, Casey Affleck, Edie Falco and Bill Maher. Dogs … Read more

Dog Left Behind Curls Up on Discarded Recliner Until Help Arrives

It’s a heartbreaking story we’ve all heard far too many times. An innocent dog abandoned and forgotten on the cold city streets, waiting faithfully for owners who will never return. The pup, named Ollie-Loo by his rescuers, was discovered sitting on the curb amid the boxes and discarded furniture his owners left behind. He was curled up tightly on their old recliner, trying to keep warm.   It is not clear if Ollie’s former owners were evicted from their Detroit … Read more

Abandoned Dog & Broken-Hearted Tough Guy Rescue Each Other

Imgur user Humdrumdergifan (we’ll call him OP for “original poster” from here forward) was the very portrait of a tough Texas male until a special dog came into his life and allowed him to express his softer side. When OP found out that a dog had been abandoned in an empty apartment when her owners were evicted, he immediately stepped up to adopt her. The pup had been alone without care for an entire week.   According to OP’s Imgur account, … Read more

Update: Rescue Shaves Away Matted Fur To Reveal Gorgeous Rescue Dog Underneath

On the afternoon of October 26, teachers at a Detroit school contacted Detroit Dog Rescue after seeing a severely matted dog running loose in the vicinity. It was a rainy, gloomy day with temps in the low 40’s. When they caught sight of the pitiful pooch, the volunteers vowed to do whatever it took to bring him in out of the cold. They snapped the following picture of him moments before his rescue. Detroit Dog Rescue has described the case … Read more

Rescued Dogs Make Incredible Transformations and Are Ready for Families

On July 19th, a Riverside, California resident contacted authorities regarding a foul odor of decay coming from a neighbor’s home. What the officers found inside was akin to a horror movie according to John Welsh, senior public information specialist with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS). Welsh spoke of his experience inside the house to  Fox 11 Los Angeles:  “We’re talking a scene from ‘Silence of the Lambs… It was the smell of death.” Close to 40 Pit Bulls were found abandoned … Read more

Proposed Michigan Law: Leaving A Dog In A Car Could Become A Felony

Michigan Senate is taking dogs’ welfare seriously, and for good reason. Every year, without fail, people leave their dogs for too long in cars that are too hot, or even too cold. This is a form of neglect, and the cause of completely preventable injuries and deaths. While you’d think it’d be common sense to not leave your dog sealed in a hot metal box on an 80-degree day, well, common sense isn’t always so common. In order to make the message even … Read more

DO NOT PUBLISH Sentenced To Jail Time: Former NFL Player Starved His Dog To Death

(Warning: graphic image below.) It is of little justice that Terrence Cody, former NFL Ravens player, has been sentenced to nine months in jail after torturing his dog by starving him to death. In January of 2015, Cody brought Taz, a brindle Canary Mastiff, who was barely breathing, to the vet. Photos uncovered of the dog show him locked in his cage, feces, urine, and vomit covering the enclosed area. In the news clip below, Martha Smith Blackmore, a forensic veterinarian … Read more

FBI Begins Tracking Animal Welfare Offenses in National Crime Data

It seems like 2016 is becoming the year of advocating for animals–and we couldn’t be happier! If you can recall, Tennessee was the first state to create an animal abuser registry which is accessible to the public, and launched this year. Now, the FBI is creating database to better protect our furry friends. Prior to 2016, crimes against animals were classified under the vague group “Other,” as opposed to “Assault” or “Homicide.” Because the grouping was so generalized, it was difficult to keep track of animal cruelty criminals … Read more

Traumatized Dog Once Stood Silently In A Corner…Now, She Can’t Stop Talking!

Back in July 2015, PAWS Animal Rescue in Ireland posted a heartbreaking video of Angel, the Sighthound puppy who was too traumatized to do anything but stand and stare at the wall. She tucked her head against the corner as if in a time-out, or hoping to disappear altogether. While the exact source of the abuse remains a mystery, the toll it took on the poor pup was evident. Gina Heatherington, founder and CEO of PAWS Animal Rescue Ireland, said to ABC News: … Read more

Judge Hands Down Sentence Following Dog Welfare Case

This judge is known for giving sentences that are rather creative. Judge Michael A. Cicconetti of the Painesville Municipal Court in Ohio thought that an accused pet owner should get a taste of her own medicine. Her dog had been forced to live in disgustingly dirty conditions, so Judge Cicconetti figured the best way to punish her was for her to suffer the way her poor pup had: by spending some quality time in a rotten, reeking garbage dump. We hope this … Read more

What to Do if You’re Concerned About an Animal’s Welfare

Do you suspect an animal in your area is not being cared for properly? Want to do something, but you’re afraid of making your neighbor mad or not following the law correctly, which can sometimes make the situation worse? Every animal lover should know what to do to help save an animal that is not being treated well. The following are the steps recommended by the Humane Society of The United States (HSUS). Know The Signs The first step is knowing … Read more