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Rehoming pets
It’s a devastating decision to have to give up a pet, but sometimes it’s necessary; life and circumstances have a way of keeping us on our toes. The pandemic is a perfect example; many people who had plenty of time and money for pets during the quarantine period of the Covid-19 pandemic now have little to none of either. Perhaps you’re moving abroad and lengthy quarantine mandates would be cruel to your companion, or you’re moving to an area that has breed-specific legislation in place and you cannot bring your pet with you. Some buildings and landlords just won’t allow pets. The list of why re-homing is necessary can be…
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November is National Senior Pet Month
November is National Senior Pet Month. This is the first I’ve heard of it, which makes sense because it’s a very new thing, but it’s a great idea. Just like our human elders, our longtime fur buddies deserve celebration and comfort in their old age. Pets can develop a lot of chronic issues like dementia, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and so many other conditions that require specialized care and broader awareness. Very often good diet and supplementation can alleviate or delay the onset of many of these issues. Basic things like using the proper amounts of fish oil can combat joint and cardiac issues, and goat’s milk is great for kidney…
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Sanctuary
Sanctuary is one of my favorite words. To me it signifies so many things, shelter from the storm, safety, respite, time to heal. For animals it can be a multitude of those things as well, but with any hardship, the road there can be daunting and fraught with trials. Recently, I visited a small animal sanctuary in Dickerson, MD near the much larger and more well-known Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary. Barking Holler Animal Sanctuary is a working farm with approx 30+ acres and is home to a multitude of livestock, including horses (and mini-horses), cows, goats, sheep, pot-bellied pigs and poultry. Rudy, the head of the rescue also takes in…
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Help HRA Help Animals
The pandemic is blamed for almost as many things as broke Millennials or sensitive Gen Zers are. However, the quarantine phase of the pandemic yielded a lot of good, too. People suddenly had a lot of time and a lot of folks opted to welcome pets into their lives. According to The Washington Post “More than 23 million U.S. households — nearly one in five nationwide — have adopted a pet during the coronavirus pandemic.” As the pandemonium normalizes and society reconnects (and the global economy does whatever its doing) there is a dire consequence; many people are no longer able to afford caring for their fur family. A huge number of…
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Pacific Has Found his Forever Home!
Pacific came into the shelter with a bone stuck at the top of his stomach, and his family did not have the funds to have it removed, so the Humane Rescue Alliance stepped in and gave him the medical care he desperately needed! Then we took him as our medical foster and began his recovery process both physically and behaviorally. We think he is an American Bull Terrier due to his long legs and winning personality. What a gem! Now he is ready to find his new forever home and we have learned a lot from his stay with us during his recovery. Here are all the great things we…
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Saying Goodbye to YaYa
We knew it was coming. I thought it would be last year but she just kept chugging along in good health with stiff old bones, cloudy eyes and a great attitude. She still greeted everyone and was quick to give a kiss or be hugged without complaint. The highlight of our days were her greetings in the house, whether she got up or not to say hello. After all, she was between 15 and 16 years we think, a failed foster from the Washington Animal Rescue League. In mid-May she stopped being exuberant about her food, and would only take a few bites. Then on the fourth day she stumbled…
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Special Needs? Who’s Kidding Who?
In 2022 we decided to add another feline to the house as a companion for our lovely big male, Greyjoy. Off to our local shelter, the Humane Rescue Alliance we went with the intention of checking out a Maine Coon who was there. While waiting we stopped in the cat room and met Saint, a diminutive Tuxedo cat missing her right rear leg. Very sweet, but not what we were there for, so off we go to the area where very stressed kitties are held. Needless to say, the cat we visited was not going to be a good fit for a canine / feline / human household. . So…
