Do you have any animal shelter stories? Maybe about one you love? After moving to Fort Lauderdale, I decided I was ready to get involved with a local shelter to help walk dogs and do what I could to brighten their day. A new friend suggested Abandoned Pet Rescue, South Florida’s never kill shelter, a term I hadn’t heard before and learned was different than a no kill. Never kills keep animals their whole lives, if need be, and only euthanize if the animal is in pain and can’t be cured; in other words, if their quality of life is… [Continue Reading]

Who doesn’t love the Peanuts gang? I got to meet Snoopy and a gaggle of adoptable puppies at the ASPCA the other day, a lovely way to draw a close to Adopt A Shelter Dog Month. The ASPCA arranged with Twentieth Century Fox Film, the makers of The Peanuts Movie, out this week, for the most famous Beagle in the world to pay a visit.  What we didn’t know was that Ruby would wander in and make our day. Because larger dogs are harder to adopt out, the ASPCA launched a special promotion last Friday whereby, if you adopt a dog over 30… [Continue Reading]

Couple Hilary Sloan and Noah, with Ella Bean, and Suzanne Donaldson, aka Mrs. Sizzle, and Edie.   Do you prefer buying from socially conscious brands? I do. I like when brands I trust are doing their part in the world to help others. It’s like paying it forward. I just went to this great Howl-oween fundraiser for the Humane Society of New York the other night, where some of the dog stars of Instagram gathered to draw attention to adopt, don’t shop, when adding a furry member to the family. It was organized by healthy, human grade dog biscuit… [Continue Reading]

Have you ever heard the term “bait dog”? Do you know what it means? When Amanda Hamilton learned, it changed her life. And, when she heard how many pet dogs were being stolen to be used as bait dogs, she got busy. The gruesome reality of dog fighting is really too much to bear for animal lovers. But, it exists all over our country and there are things we can do to insure the safety of our own dogs and to saving the bait dogs who’ve suffered immensely. What is a bait dog? Bait dogs are the secondary victims of dogfighting. They are… [Continue Reading]

What if there was a tv show like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, but for animal shelters? Would you watch? There’s a very cool, new program called Animal House and it can help animal shelters save lives. Founders Rebecca Rodriguez and Alycia Hadfield are transforming shelters in struggling communities into bright, new facilities for their furry charges and helping to spread the word about the awesome pets up for adoption. What could be more wonderful than that?! A bit about Rebecca and  Alycia Rebecca & Bug These ladies are both serious animal advocates, who have been involved in the rescue world for… [Continue Reading]

Who doesn’t love hopeful shelter dog stories and ones with happy endings? Fellow pet-loving pal, Larry Kay of Positively Woof, his Facebook page with 1.6 million fans (that’s right!), started telling these wonderful shelter dog stories in in a web video series, in collaboration with Pet Orphans of Southern California. They showcase the shelter’s dogs up for adoption and what makes them so special. I love them, and will be sharing one a month, so we can help these pups out by spreading the word about their fabulousness! I learned how powerful sharing about shelter animals could be first hand recently, when I… [Continue Reading]

Do you have a puppy you love? Today is National Puppy Mill Awareness Day, founded in 2003 to educate the public about the abusive, horrendous conditions and practices inside of commercial dog breeding facilities, better known as puppy mills. I’ve heard a lot over the years about one of the biggest national organizations that rescue, rehabilitate and re-home puppy mill survivors – National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR). And, if they do make it out, these dogs truly are survivors. NMDR was founded in 2007, Because of One Dog. I want to share the story of Lily, one woman’s inspiration for the founding of… [Continue Reading]

Tuna with fellow Instagram dog star, RemixtheDog Uggie, Toto and Beethoven may have the silver screen wrapped up in their paws, but there are new doggy stars in town and they reside on Instagram. Tuna, of @TunaMeltsMyHeart, is the biggest, boasting 1.5 million followers. And while fans flock in droves to sniff out his adorable pictures and endearing captions, this dog star of Instagram is smart; he’s using his powerful platform for good.   Courtney & Tuna Tuna’s story Tuna is a five-year-old Chiweenie (Chihuahua/Dachshund mix), with an exaggerated overbite, a recessed jaw and a wrinkly neck (his… [Continue Reading]