Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Will an Agreement to Save Wild Salmon Be Enough to Save Wild Orcas?
In some of my previous articles, I have discussed the plight of the Southern Resident orca community and how the loss of their major food source, the Chinook salmon, is linked to their potential extinction. In addition, I have also discussed the tragic fate of one of these animals in question. A juvenile orca by the name of J50, who was also known as Scarlet. However, with all efforts to save Scarlet from becoming another mass extinction casualty having to have since failed, all eyes have now been turned on preventing future deaths relating to starvation which now means, focusing on saving the salmon that the whales depend on for their survival.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
B Is for Best Friend
// "We Belong Together" by Randy Newman // Bruno was my first best friend. Bruno is my Cocker Spaniel. I got him when I was four years old; he turned seventeen this past summer (June 2018). The year that he turned fourteen was the first year that it truly hit me; it hit me hard that my Bruno wasn't going to live a life as long and as full as mine.
By Samantha Castro7 years ago in Petlife
Wagging, Sniffing, Barking, Cuddles!
People all over the world are falling more and more in love with dogs. One of the most popular breeds would end up being the Siberian Husky (shown in image above). What people don't understand is that you can't adopt or buy a pet just because it looks beautiful and you want to show it off in public or online for people to see. It's not just dogs either. People are purchasing cats, birds, lizards etc.
By Clarissa Candelario7 years ago in Petlife
Living with a Rottweiler
Throughout my young life, I always wanted a dog of my own. I grew up with six Boxers, a bird, a cat, and a very hyperactive Chihuahua; none of these family companions were never truly mine in my heart but I loved them as if they were. As I grew up, they were either given away to a family friend or it was, sadly, their time to go. After finally moving out, my folks had no authority to stop me in having my own companion. Looking for quite some time at adopting till that beautiful day happened.
By Shavonnya M.7 years ago in Petlife
Cats, the Very Particular Species
1. Knowing Your Cats: Personalities & Preferences Why would knowing your cats' personalities and preferences matter? If you want peace amongst your household, it matters! There are plenty of different cat personalities but I have narrowed it down to three ranges:
By Cynthia Cline7 years ago in Petlife
It's Not All About the Puppy Breath (Pt. 1). Top Story - September 2018.
"Want a dog?" my husband had asked me one day. This was not a question that I had not heard before. The only difference was that he meant now as opposed to later. We had discussed getting another one at some point but had always felt that the timing wasn't right. His work schedule took him away from home three weeks at a time and my job took me out of town three days every week. We felt that the dog would not be getting adequate care and even though we lived on the lake, our yard was not fenced in so we had no way of maintaining control. It's when you've lost control that bad things start to happen. My husband is an avid duck hunter so his dream has always been to get a hunting dog. I won't hold him back but I can't help but think that he hasn't thought this thing through. You see, I am not a hunter. I do not understand the concept between the dog, the birds, or the theory behind the combination of the two but according to my husband, this pup was coming from what people would consider a good blood-lined dog which meant that this puppy came from top-of-the-line parents and that made her a prospect of becoming a good hunting dog as well. He felt the investment would be worth it. Who was I to say no? All I was seeing was a new puppy. My husband's reasons were nothing more than a blob in the back of my head.
By Linda Blankenship7 years ago in Petlife
Caring for Monitor Lizards
Who said dinosaurs were extinct? Tyrannosaurus-Rex, Raptors, Stegosaurus ,and Pterodactyls almost seem as mystical as dragons, right? Well, what if I tell you there is a huge dragon and dino community in the exotic animal trade? Well, you can't exactly head to your nearest T-Rex breeder in your area, but you can find their closest ancestors nestling up in peoples' homes. And no, I'm not talking about those wildlife rescuers who share their home with crocodiles rehabilitating them for the wild, but ordinary people. You'd be surprised how many people keep these dragons and dinos. I'm talking bearded dragons, a huge variety of monitor lizards, Caiman lizards, iguanas, and the list goes on. According to the RSPCA, the number of reptiles and amphibians kept in the UK is between 1.3-7 million. It is hard to estimate a more accurate number for these animals as most do not require a dangerous animal license and are bred for personal hobby, not commercially, and are therefore, not accounted for.
By Ellie Tierney7 years ago in Petlife
Life with Six Dogs
Yes, that title is correct. I own six dogs. To many people that is an absurd amount of animals (I also have two cats!), but to me this is completely normal. I am a dog trainer by profession so I require at least one well trained dog, but all six of my dogs have basic manners and a basic understanding of obedience, with a few of them having higher levels of obedience.
By S. Hildebrand7 years ago in Petlife
Adopting a Cat
When I adopted my cat Nellie, she was the first cat I had ever owned. I grew up with dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, goldfish, hamsters, and whatever else we rescued from the wild. As a child, I considered myself a lover of animals, certainly, but very much in the camp of ‘dog lover.’
By Alicia Brunskill7 years ago in Petlife
Obituary: J50, Also Known as Scarlet
J50, also known as Scarlet, is now believed to have died from an illness relating to malnutrition after researchers off the coast of Washington state were unable to find her among a super pod gathering of all the whales from the Southern Resident community on Thursday. All search efforts to find the animal by boat, plane, and from shore came up with no sight of the four-year-old orca. She was last sighted on September 7th, but the search still continues.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
The Truth About Working at a Shelter
When most people think about a shelter they think of the smell of dogs. The smell of feces and urine, loud barking, whining, and bowls clanking. Not my shelter. My shelter is good, clean, still loud at times but we take care of our own. I work at a no kill shelter in St. Charles, MO. When I go and get dogs from other animal control facilities the description I gave above is all I see. I hear good things and bad things about these other shelters, but regardless I go and get those dogs for our shelter. Working at a no kill shelter, like mine, doesn’t make my job any less hard than those other shelters that do kill and are government funded. I still get people that come in and cry to me about how they can’t handle their dogs anymore, how they are moving, how they are having a baby, or just that they don’t want to have a dog anymore. I see it all, every day. All of these dogs eventually find good, loving, stable homes but when they come in they don’t know why they are here. They are scared, and alone abandoned by their families. We try to make them feel safe, giving them a nice bed to lay on, toys, food, and fresh water. We give them a bath, trim their nails, and clean their ears to make them feel better. You see, most of our dogs come from homes but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dirty, ears infected, teeth never been brushed, never been given a bath. So we make them feel clean and warm, like they may have never felt before. We try to give them all the comforts of a real home, without the family part. Until one day that family comes, and they finally feel safe.
By Brianna Summers7 years ago in Petlife
