Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Can a Cat Be a Service Animal?
Service animals serve a wide variety of useful functions for humans. From predicting seizures, to guiding the visually impaired, to dialing the telephone, specially trained service dogs have been providing invaluable services—as well as companionship—to Americans with disabilities since at least 1927. There have also been problems in the new recently about people having fake service dogs. But can a cat be a service animal too?
By Joseph D. N. Kendrick8 years ago in Petlife
What's on Your Guinea Pig's Menu?
We spent a lot of time researching and doing trial runs with our guinea pigs to find out what they are most interested in and what they are not. If you have a guinea pig and you're curious on what to add to their diet, or you have just adopted one and need to know where to start, then you have arrived at the right place! If your reasoning is the second option, then congratulations on your newest family member(s)!
By Cassandra Freitas8 years ago in Petlife
Do You Want to Be Able to Feed Lions, Tigers, & Bears?
FOREVER WILD EXOTIC ANIMAL SANCTUARY Words cannot describe how amazing this place is. It’s a little rescue and rehabilitation center located in Phelan, CA, and it is the home to a variety of exotic animals that were once abused, neglected, abandoned, or illegally obtained. Not only can you visit this location and it is a family-friendly environment, but you can also get the opportunity to feed these animals and learn more about them and how they got there. They have animals ranging from lions, tigers, bears, horses, a sloth, birds, monkeys, and so much more! It is a wonderful learning experience for anyone, and I would highly recommend everyone look into it and see what they are all about. I personally do not like to go to zoos and support that type of environment, and I feel that many of you also feel the same way in regards to stolen animals being shown off for amusement. I LOVE supporting Forever Wild, because all of their animals are rescued, protected, and taken care of since they are not able to survive on their own. I wish there was more space for them to move around at the end of the day, but looking at the big picture of the entire situation, without the gracious help of these volunteers, these abused, neglected, abandoned, and illegally obtained animals may not have made it alive another day. If it wasn't so far from my house, I would love to be one of the wonderful volunteers that they have. I hope all of you can go support them and be able to experience such beauty! I recommend taking the guided tour in order to learn a little history and background of the animals and how they got there.
By Simran Khurana8 years ago in Petlife
Lessons Learned Traveling with a Dog
June 3 of this year I packed all that I could fit in my car, made my dog comfortable, said my goodbyes, and off I went. First, when you're getting ready for a cross-country road trip with your furry best friend you have to check off the basics. For me, I made sure I had a blanket that smelled familiar to keep her comfortable and calm, a few of her favorite toys, some light snacks, and an awesome rubber bowl that didn't move around as I drove. Dogs can tend to get sick on long car rides even if they normally don't get car sick. With that in mind, I fed her that morning and let her settle and do her business outside before hitting the road. My dog's name is Jasmine she did amazing on the 10-11 hour trip to Kansas. We stopped two or three times I believe, for bathroom breaks for both of us and gas. It was hard finding spots for her to go at gas stations so I found myself having to drive a little further after getting gas to a rest area to let her get some energy out. My friend in Kansas has a German shepherd pup who is sweet as can be and Jasmine got to get in some play time for the two days we were there. I brought her favorite toys inside and the pillow she was using for the familiar smell and left her blanket bed in the car. The visit was short and sweet and we packed back up and left for Colorado early on the 5th. Colorado is absolutely stunning. If you haven't been please go. The drive through that state was anything but boring. The trip to Colorado was about the same amount of time but Jasmine seemed to be a little more restless. I think this was due to the fact that we only had a two day stop. My dog and I stopped at many sites in Colorado to admire the views which helped with her restlessness and she got more comfortable throughout the trip with every stop. There are actually stops when you travel that have dog parks which we discovered headed to Grand Junction. You can look up and see if any were on the way. We hiked the Colorado National Monument. We spent two nights in Grand Junction, Colorado at an Airbnb. An important thing to do for your trip is to find places that are pet-friendly to stay. The Airbnb in Grand Junction had a doggie door and a nice backyard and it made Jasmine feel so comfortable. Finally, we had one more 12-hour drive until we reached our final destination, our new home in California. Some of your dogs may be cool as a cucumber or some may be big stress balls. I have a big stress ball of a dog. Some things I wish I would have had are a weighted or compression vest for her comfort, a seatbelt buckle for her harness, and the treats or something to help calm her anxiety in traffic or when big trucks were close by. Every time she got anxious or scared she tried to climb up front in my lap. This did not go over well considering she is a 65-pound dog so I highly recommend the seatbelt. My dog is spoiled and almost always gets the last bite of all my meals but if you continue to do that on trips they will get sick and uncomfortable. I fed my dog light things like a couple pretzels and crackers while on the road but fed her every time we stopped for an overnight stay. I also snacked on things like pretzels myself to limit the number of times I had to stop. My top tip for traveling with a dog is having a second key for your car so you can leave your car running but locked for your dog when going inside anywhere for food or gas. If you get gas, turn your car off but roll the windows down on the side you can see first so the dog is getting air during that time. Other than that, please leave your car running with a spare key on hand. In the end, she was an amazing travel buddy and a good companion. I would definitely take this trip with her again. All dogs will be different and you know your dog better than anyone else so the needs may vary. I hope this helps someone! Safe travels.
By Chasity Owens8 years ago in Petlife
Build Your Own Small Animal Cage They'll Love!
Do you have a small animal, or multiple small animals, and are looking to upgrade their living conditions? Then you've come to the right place! If you're handy with a hammer and nails, or know someone who is, then let's get started.
By Cassandra Freitas8 years ago in Petlife
Goodbye Old Friend
As I lugged my suitcase down the driveway, I couldn't wait to get in and tell my mum about all the mischief my friends and I had gotten into on our trip to Budapest. This was my first time away from home, completely unsupervised, and I had loved every second. At eighteen, I've had my fair share of misery these past few years, so for a few days I felt like I had finally reached a point where I was happy.
By Amelia Vietri8 years ago in Petlife
Our Last Ride
Our Last Ride Every day we deal with grief. On this day I dealt with a grief I had not experienced in my life before. Athena was her name and 12 years ago I adopted this 11-week-old Boxer. I didn't know back then that the next twelve years of my life with her would mean so much to me.
By Marina Turpin8 years ago in Petlife
