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Dad duty: Same-sex flamingo couple hatches egg, cares for chick
SAN DIEGO — A pair of flamingos have become first-time parents at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park after hatching an egg together. And they’re both dads.
The male foster parents — both in their 40s — are raising one of six chicks born this year at the North County park, which cares for nearly 100 lesser flamingos with their distinctive ...Read more
How dogs were implicated during the Salem witch trials
I teach a course on New England witchcraft trials, and students always arrive with varying degrees of knowledge of what happened in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692.
Nineteen people accused of witchcraft were executed by hanging, another was pressed to death and at least 150 were imprisoned in conditions that caused the death of at least...Read more
Tips to get your dog’s coat and paws in shape for the fall season
As the summer season comes to an end, we are all trading in our summer routines with our fall ones. But from cracked paw pads to pollen to sun-bleached fur; your pet might need some post-summer TLC.
The American Kennel Club offers a few simple tips to tend to your pup’s coat and paws after months in the hot summer sun.
Paw Pads. Over ...Read more
Why vets recommend CBD to treat dogs with chronic pain and anxiety
DENVER — Kristy Rosenberger swears by cannabidiol – more commonly known as CBD – not for herself, but for her dogs.
Rosenberger was first introduced to CBD more than a decade ago when searching for something to help her dog, Punkie, who was anxious and epileptic. When thunderstorms rolled through, the Yorkie would whimper and shake. ...Read more
Gadgets: Self-cleaning litter box
Neakasa, an innovator of intelligent cleaning technology, is on a mission to simplify and elevate people's lives with top-of-the-line smart cleaning solutions. Their latest is the M1 open-top self-cleaning cat litter box, a game changer for maintaining an odor-free, cat-friendly home that is hassle-free.
With the M1, Neakasa states they ...Read more
What is a 'toy breed'? The AKC describes breeds in the toy group
The American Kennel Club registers more than 200 breeds of dogs and categorizes them into seven groups, based on the function for which most breeds in that group were initially bred to perform: sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding.
The toy group currently contains 22 breeds, some among the most popular of breeds ...Read more
Tips for hiking with your pup
Fall is approaching, which means the start of fall activities. Most dog owners would agree that your canine companion makes for a willing and eager hiking buddy. Going for hikes with your dog is a great way to get some exercise while enjoying all the season has to offer.
The American Kennel Club offers tips on how to make your hiking trip ...Read more
Getting kids involved in dog training: AKC offers tips on learning responsible dog ownership
For some parents, kids begging for a puppy might be a familiar experience. The kids might even win out!
Although there are many joys in adding a new canine companion to the family, owning a dog is a big responsibility. Kids might not anticipate all that goes into responsible dog ownership.
Involving your kids in dog training is a great way...Read more
Dog bites: How to prevent or treat them
Each year, more than 4.5 million dog bites occur in the United States. Despite what you might assume, most of these incidents dot happen when an unfamiliar dog attacks someone in a park or another outdoor location. Instead, most dog bites are inflicted by a pet dog in a home.
Here’s advice for avoiding these upsetting and potentially serious ...Read more
Carrie Fisher's Dog Steals The Spotlight
Did you know that August 26th is World Dog Day? Here are some of our favourite celebrity dog stories.
Service dogs can reduce the severity of PTSD for veterans – new research
Service dogs can alleviate some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder for veterans, according to a study our team published in June 2024 in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.
Over the past decade, our research group has been studying whether trained service dogs can help veterans with PTSD – a mental health condition that ...Read more
When people are under economic stress, their pets suffer too – we found parts of Detroit that are animal welfare deserts
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. households have at least one pet. More than ever before, companion animals are a part of life – particularly in cities, where the majority of Americans live.
Cities offer access to many resources, but often it’s not distributed evenly. Some scholars describe parts of U.S. cities with few or no grocery ...Read more
Pets give companionship, cuddles and joy – and also unavoidable stresses
Owning a pet can be a roller coaster. There are the highs, like when your dog greets you with a full-body wiggle when you return home, or when your cat purrs loudly as you cuddle next to one another. Then there are the lows, like stressful trips to urgent care, waking up to that unpleasant vomiting noise, or making the difficult choice to say...Read more
Could sharing a bedroom with your pets be keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep?
Sleeping with your dog in the same room could be negatively affecting your sleep quality, according to my team’s recently published research in Scientific Reports.
We recruited a nationally representative sample of more than 1,500 American adults who completed questionnaires assessing their sleep habits. Overall, about half of the ...Read more