ALL RIGHT. JORDAN. WELL, SEVERAL PUPPIES ARE NOW SAFE AND RECOVERING AFTER BEING RESCUED FROM A HOUSE FIRE IN GADSDEN GADSDEN. FIRE OFFICIALS SAY SEVERAL CREWS RESPONDED TO THE FIRE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN THE ALABAMA CITY NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY WERE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO BRING THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL, RESCUED FIVE SI
Firefighters rescued five 6-week-old puppies in Alabama on Thursday.The Gadsden Fire Department crews say they found flames and heavy smoke when they responded to a house fire on Belle Street in a residential neighborhood. The homeowners were inside when the fire began in their kitchen.They were able to escape on their own, but they were unable to get the puppies out.While the home was declared a total loss, firefighters were able to bring the fire under control, rescue the puppies, and return them to their owners.
GADSDEN, Ala. —
Firefighters rescued five 6-week-old puppies in Alabama on Thursday.
The Gadsden Fire Department crews say they found flames and heavy smoke when they responded to a house fire on Belle Street in a residential neighborhood.
The homeowners were inside when the fire began in their kitchen.
They were able to escape on their own, but they were unable to get the puppies out.
While the home was declared a total loss, firefighters were able to bring the fire under control, rescue the puppies, and return them to their owners.
Some of the 40 dogs rescued from an apartment in La Mesa. (Photo courtesy San Diego Humane Society)
Dozens of dogs and puppies that law enforcement officers rescued from an apartment in La Mesa are now back in San Diego.
The San Diego Humane Society said they were notified Monday about the animals by the La Mesa Police Department, who had conducted a welfare check on a tenant facing eviction and not seen since Dec. 23.
When they arrived at the scene, the Humane Society’s officers found the dogs and puppies living in feces and unsanitary conditions, said spokesperson Nina Thompson.
The animals also had no food or water.
The officers and medical teams triaged the dogs and took them to the San Diego campus after giving them food and water. Each dog received a medical exam, vaccinations, dewormer and microchip before being settled in to decompress in their kennels, Thompson said.
The rescued dogs and puppies will soon undergo thorough medical and behavioral evaluations before being cleared for adoption, according to the Humane Society.
We celebrated National Dog Day with our biannual Puppy Palooza event Friday morning!
All morning long, we featured 26 puppies that were up for adoption from spcaLA.
ABC7 joined forces with Sweet James to waive adoption fees on our Puppy Palooza pups, so our viewers could give an adorable pet a loving home for free!
We are happy to report that all 26 puppies have been adopted and have found forever homes.
Thanks to Sweet James and ABC7, adoption fees were waived on puppies featured on ABC7, plus all kittens, cats and dogs over three months old and all other pets at all three spcaLA locations over the weekend.
In total, 69 pets were adopted for free from the spcaLA over the weekend, thanks to our Puppy Palooza promotion.
We celebrated National Dog Day with our biannual Puppy Palooza event! Friday morning, we featured puppies up for adoption at spcaLA.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) was the first organization to promote animal welfare in Southern California, incorporated in 1877. They are dedicated to the prevention of cruelty to animals through education, law enforcement, intervention and advocacy. Donate at spcaLA/donate.
Adoptions include age appropriate vaccinations, spaying or neutering, a free veterinary examination, and microchip.
Additional fees may apply for medications, spay/neuter deposit.
Submitting an application does not reserve or hold animal, or guarantee adoption.
Applications are approved and sometimes are denied.
Must be 18 or older to adopt.
Bring your valid government-issued photo identification.
Bring all human family members, too. If a dog is in the home, a dog-to-dog intro may be required.
If leasing/renting, please bring management contact information/lease; if townhome or condominium owner, please bring CCR/HOA documents for proof that pets are permitted.
Please bring adequate time and patience – adoptions can take 45 minutes to 1 hour.
If several parties present express interest in the same pet simultaneously, spcaLA will enter potential adopters into a “drawing” and begin the adoption process with the first name drawn.
Please note: spcaLA is unable to verify arrival time prior to adoption center opening.
A woman who got a dog thinking that it would help her to get up earlier and be more productive was in for a shock when she began to learn her new puppy’s personality.
Lynde, 35, an assistant at Gilson Doodles breeders, lives in Idaho and is the proud owner of teacup goldendoodle, Lucy, whom she described as having “mastered the art of napping.” And while this is adorable, Lynde told Newsweek, it means “she’s not the best ‘accountability partner‘ when it comes to waking up early.”
There are proven benefits to owning a dog, including easing isolation thanks to their companionship, easing stress, and helping you be more active, according to Harvard Health.
Dog owners are less prone to loneliness, anxiety and depression, and also have lower blood pressure, healthier cholesterol levels and a lower risk of heart disease, ongoing research suggests.
But while many canines might be up at the crack of dawn to demand breakfast and a morning walk, this didn’t exactly happen with Lucy, as Lynde, who didn’t give her surname, revealed in a viral video.
From left: Lucy the goldendoodle sleeping at home. From left: Lucy the goldendoodle sleeping at home. Instagram @gilsondoodles
Posted to Instagram account @gilsondoodles on 30 May, Lynde wrote: “Getting a dog will help me wake up earlier and be more productive.”
However, a video montage shows an average day in Lucy’s life: at 8 a.m., taking a nap; at 9 a.m., relaxing on the sofa; at 10 a.m., stretching out on her owner’s bed; and snoozing in the sun at 11 a.m. And after a long day of napping, at noon and 1 p.m., Lucy rewards herself with a well-deserved nap.
“My accountability partner,” Lynde wrote in the caption, asking followers: “Is your dog a lazy loaf?”
From left: Lucy is seen napping and relaxing throughout the day. From left: Lucy is seen napping and relaxing throughout the day. Instagram @gilsondoodles
The clip had a big reaction, racking up more than 12,000 likes, as one described Lucy as the “pawfect dog for me.”
“I could sit and watch my dog all day sleeping it’s just the best thing,” another said, while a third posted: “I wish my Leo would let me sleep in!”
Lynde told Newsweek that Lucy has plenty of other hobbies apart from napping, including “walkies,” and “hiding all of our socks under the couch with her other collections.”
Lynde said: “Going hiking, chasing birds but never actually wanting to catch them, and getting spoiled with a pup cup from Starbucks on special occasions” are some of Lucy’s other favorite things to do.
And, of course, she “loves ending the night snuggling in bed and watching Netflix.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
A video showcasing a female puppy standing out among her energetic littermates quickly went viral with 21.9 million views on Instagram.
Like children, puppies generally display certain characteristics based on their sex. Non-neutered males tend to be more dominant, territorial, playful and active than females, according to Pedigree. While females are easier to housebreak or train, they sometimes can be more demanding of attention.
And as a breeder based in Arizona, Sheryl Bowden has seen her fair share of dog personalities. She told Newsweek that male puppies usually have a more rambunctious side, while the girls, in her experience, can be stubborn. The “goofy” and silliness of boy pups shone through in her August 7 Instagram video posted to the account @maizey_daze.
In the clip, four male golden retriever puppies were roughhousing. One tried pulling the pup’s sweatshirt off. Another grabbed a tail with his mouth. The puppy energy was in full swing. However, the only female dog in the litter, Birdie, captured people’s hearts as she wanted nothing to do with the puppy chaos her brothers started.
Screenshots from an August 7 Instagram video of a dog breeder highlighting the different personalities between female and male puppies. Screenshots from an August 7 Instagram video of a dog breeder highlighting the different personalities between female and male puppies. @maizey_daze/Instagram
Bowden panned the camera from the boys playing to Birdie, who stared up with a smile on her face and her paws over the side of the playpen. She was in heaven getting the attention and a moment away from the madhouse of her littermates.
“Don’t get me wrong, the boys can be wrestling and she will fly out of nowhere and tackle whoever is on top!” Bowden said. “They are so fun to raise and watch their personalities!!”
Plus, Bowden knows the puppy energy does not last 24/7. She said whenever she holds them, they calm down. The puppies love to be touched and given attention.
What Do the Comments Say?
Instagram users flooded the comment section, as they fell in love with the “princess of the pack” who they believe is the secret mastermind behind the puppies.
“She’s going to lead them all,” one viewer commented, while a second echoed: “She says, ‘I’m gonna be the boss around here.’”
Others joked that the saying “boys will be boys” rings true even in the puppy world. One comment reads: “So boys are wild in every species.”
Thinking on the bright side, an Instagram user pointed out: “She got 4 brothers that would protect her at all costs though.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Never knew I needed a photo of my dog sitting next to the puppy version of himself, but here we are. Thanks to the creativity of photoshop experts Mandy and Liz, this incredibly wholesome dream can be become a full-fledged reality.
The two artists run Seeing Double Edits. Seeing Double books commissions for customized projects. After selecting multiple photos of your pet, the young and old version are combined into one masterpiece.
Don’t have pictures of your pupper? Seeing Double even offers edits for those who adopted their dog as an adult, and would love to have seen them as puppies.
Who doesn’t love BuzzFeed’s puppy interviews? They all have the same format, and that format is absolutely perfect: Your favorite stars struggle to concentrate on basic interview questions while they’re bombarded with adorable puppies!
The puppy interview for Bridgerton season 3 has dropped, featuring cast members Luke Thompson, Claudia Jessie, Nicola Coughlan, and Luke Newton. But let’s face it: the puppies are the real stars here.
All the interviews are great—one puppy falls asleep on Luke Thompson’s lap!—but Coughlan’s interview is, hands down, the best. First off, she literally cries when the puppies are brought in. That is the correct reaction!
Then, as she’s cooing to a puppy and saying, “I’m going to call you Cutie Face! Like Lovey Dove!” the puppy jumps off her lap to go play. Right before it leaves, it farts audibly into her lapel mic.
Coughlan, being the class act that she is, is a good sport about it. She laughs it off and goes back to playing with the pups. After all, puppies don’t know farts are gross! Besides, as someone who has been farted on (and worse) by lovable dogs, I can confirm that it’s physically impossible to stay mad at them.
My favorite thing about the BuzzFeed puppy interviews, though, is that you can adopt all the animals that are playing with the stars. That little puppy asleep on Thompson’s lap? That could be your companion. The gassy little scamp who won over Coughlan’s heart? Apparently, that puppy needs a home! With good ventilation!
According to BuzzFeed, all the dogs featured in the interview come from North Shore Animal League, a no-kill rescue and adoption organization. Interestingly, neither the video nor the org’s website say which dogs are featured in the interview—perhaps to ward off fans who might hastily adopt a dog simply because its proximity to celebrities. That means it’s impossible to know exactly which puppy in the organization is the little farty butt.
Still, somewhere out there, that puppy is waiting for a forever home. We’re rooting for you, Cutie Face!
The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
Our 11th annual Puppy Palooza is Friday, March 22!
Starting on Eyewitness News at 5am, we’ll be featuring puppies from spcaLA, and thanks to our sponsors Howard’s Appliances and The Lab Sunset, all pet adoption fees will be waived!
And ABC7 and Howard’s will be giving away a Maytag Pet Pro Washer & Dryer. Howard’s knows people love their pets, and the Pet Pro system removes five times more pet hair.
For your chance to win, watch ABC7 Eyewitness News Friday, March 22, starting at 5am. We will feature a “SECRET CODE” once an hour at 5am, 6am, 7am (streaming) and 11am.
Enter the “SECRET CODE” in the link below through Saturday, March 23 at 12pm.
Only open to residents of the KABC-TV DMA who are at least 18 years of age. See Official Rules here.
Thirty-five dogs were rescued in a hoarding case in New Mexico, officials say.
Screengrab from Española Humane’s Instagram page
On a day that would have otherwise been a day off, Española Humane staff in New Mexico received an urgent call for help.
Thirty-five mini and micro Australian shepherds were found in extremely poor conditions on a property north of Albuquerque, officials said. Law enforcement and animal control had a court order to move the pack to safety. The humane society said it joined the effort, rushing to the property where the dozens of dogs were being kept.
“Conditions were egregious,” Animal Incident Management said in a Feb. 20 post about the rescue.
Several of the dogs needed urgent medical care, officials said.
“Several are healthy (just thin and scared),” Española Humane said of the survivors in a post on Facebook.
And due to improper breeding, “one of the puppies is both blind and deaf and another is deaf but can see,” the shelter said.
Española Humane is not a massive shelter, and an influx of 35 dogs was not in the cards. Staff took the group anyway, immediately posting about the rescue on social media. All 35 of these pups needed homes urgently. And people responded — in a big way.
Within days, the organization posted a happy update:
“Due to a huge waiting list, we have stopped taking applications except for Skylar (deaf and blind male 2mo puppy) and Symphony (likely deaf female 2mo puppy).”
Julia Daye is a national real-time reporter for McClatchy. She has written for numerous local and national outlets and holds a degree from Columbia Journalism School.
CHICAGO (WLS) — Puppy Bowl, the original and longest-running call-to-adoption television event, returns for a 20th year on Sunday, February 11.
The three-hour television matchup will be the biggest yet, featuring 131 puppies, 73 shelters and rescues across 36 states and territories – including two Chicago-area puppies, Arthur and Goose, aka Guy Fureri.
Goose was adopted by his foster mom’s daughter and Arthur has a big family and loves to be the center of attention.
A local watch party of the Puppy Bowl will begin at noon at Park & Field: 3509 W Fullerton Ave Chicago, IL 60647. Admission is $20 for humans and $10 for pets. You can purchase tickets online at onetail.org.
For the first time ever, puppies are taking over the show’s production by operating the cameras and lighting, directing from the control room, stage managing on the studio floor and even coaching Team Ruff and Team Fluff. Puppy Bowl referee Dan Schachner returns for his 13th year and for the first time, will have a puppy assistant coach, Whistle, who helps him call the plays and fumbles.
Puppy Bowl XX begins with the annual pre-game show at 12 p.m. on Animal Planet, going behind-the-scenes on the Puppy Bowl draft with exclusive interviews with coaches and players. Puppy Bowl fans will also learn more about each player’s breed mix and other unique traits from the Wisdom PanelTM pet DNA test that could help determine who will have a furry leg-up on the field.
Keep checking PuppyBowl.com for more information on the participating pups, the full photo gallery, and to vote on which pup you want to win the Pupularity Playoffs. Enjoy the spirit of Puppy Bowl at home with the official Puppy Bowl XX Collection, a curated assortment of apparel and accessories for you and your dog, available at PuppyBowl.com/shop.
Two people are facing dozens of charges each after authorities rescued 55 “starving and freezing” dogs and puppies from a Missouri property where the remains of 15 deceased canines were discovered, according to the local sheriff’s office.
John Griffiths, 34, of Galena, Missouri, and 30-year-old Jessica Jean Johnson, were arrested and each face 28 counts of animal abuse, the Stone County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) said in a statement on Friday.
“Concerned residents” called the sheriff’s office on January 19 to report animal abuse and neglect at a residence on Camp Clark Hill Road in Galena, Missouri, leading to the emergency rescue of “severely malnourished” dogs and puppies.
“When the deputy arrived at the residence, there were multiple animals in distress,” SCSO said in a statement. “Approximately 55 dogs were in pens, tied to trees or tied to shelters. Most of these dogs had no access to food or water. Upon closer inspection, they located multiple animals, which were deceased and were still in their shelter, on a chain next to a tree or located in a burn pile.”
Two people are facing dozens of charges after authorities rescued 55 “starving and freezing” dogs and puppies from a Missouri property where 15 other dogs were found dead last week, according to the local sheriff’s… Two people are facing dozens of charges after authorities rescued 55 “starving and freezing” dogs and puppies from a Missouri property where 15 other dogs were found dead last week, according to the local sheriff’s office. The surviving animals are being cared for by the Humane Society of Missouri where they are “safe and warm.”
Humane Society of Missouri
The sheriff’s office contacted the Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO), located more than 250 miles away in St. Louis, to request assistance from the shelter’s rescue division.
HSMO’s Animal Cruelty Task Force responded to the scene where they seized a total of 55 dogs who received immediate care from technicians and veterinarians on site before being transported back to St Louis.
In addition to the remains of 15 dogs, the task force also found other dead animals on the Stone County property, including five goats, a cat and two birds. HSMO said staff was unable to determine whether the animals died of starvation or froze to death.
Newsweek reached out via email and Facebook on Saturday night to HSMO and SCSO for comment and an update on the pups. It was unclear at the time of publication whether Griffiths and Johnson had retained attorneys who could speak on their behalf.
On Friday, the Greene County Fugitive Task Force located and arrested Johnson in Greene County in connection with the animal abuse case, SCSO said. She is currently being held on a $10,000 bond in the Stone County Jail.
Griffiths was arrested at the scene the day the dogs were rescued, the sheriff’s office said, adding that he has since posted bond and has been released from jail. It was unclear if Griffiths and Johnson lived at the Galena property where the dogs were found.
John Griffiths (left), 34, of Galena, Missouri, and 30-year-old Jessica Jean Johnson (right), were arrested after authorities rescued 55 dogs and puppies and found 15 dead. Griffiths and Johnson each face 28 counts of animal… John Griffiths (left), 34, of Galena, Missouri, and 30-year-old Jessica Jean Johnson (right), were arrested after authorities rescued 55 dogs and puppies and found 15 dead. Griffiths and Johnson each face 28 counts of animal abuse, the sheriff’s office said.
Stone County Sheriff’s Office
The surviving dogs and puppies are being cared for at HSMO where they are “safe and warm,” shelter staff posted on Facebook, adding that “brighter times are ahead for these sweet faces.”
“When the truck pulled into the parking lot after midnight we were waiting with warm beds, food, and water,” HSMO said, describing the night of the rescue. “As they were unloaded each dog rushed to their food and water bowls and then immediately curled up to sleep. They knew they were warm and safe. There were so many grateful faces. Each pup leaned into us and seemed to say ‘Thank You.’”
The Human Society said just 10 days before the emergency rescue in Stone County, staff rescued 97 Labrador Retrievers from an unlicensed breeder in Phelps County, saying that the shelter is “really needing all the support we can get.”
“The best way to help these pups is to please adopt,” HSMO said. “We have so many wonderful dogs who are waiting for their forever homes. When you adopt, you free up a kennel for another pup who needs it just as badly. If you can’t adopt, please share and spread the word.”
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
A California biotech company that’s pioneering a drug aiming to extend the lifespan of dogs said it cleared a vital hurdle, as the medication gained a portion of conditional approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Loyal, a San Francisco-based company founded in 2020, has been researching ways to increase the lifespan of dogs, particularly large and giant breeds, the biotech company said in a statement on Tuesday, which added that “today’s announcement shows the FDA believes Loyal’s approach is valid.”
The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine has approved the “reasonable expectation of effectiveness” section of Loyal’s conditional approval application for LOY-001, the name of the drug the company is developing to both extend the lifespan of big dogs and maintain their quality of life, Loyal spokesman Tim Smith said in a statement.
While Loyal did not specify in the statement how long the drug could extend the lives of large canine companions, the company says on its website that the drug will be a “long-acting injectable” administered by a veterinarian every three to six months. At the time of publication, the estimated cost of the drug had not been released.
Smith said the FDA’s expanded conditional approval is an “accelerated pathway” for the drug, which Loyal estimates will be available in 2026.
Blackie (pictured) is a senior border collie mix. Loyal, a California-based biotech startup, said it has developed a drug that will increase the “the healthy lifespan” of larger dogs. Getty
“Today’s milestone is a crucial part of Loyal’s application for conditional approval,” Smith said. “It means the FDA agrees LOY-001 has a reasonable expectation of effectiveness and, once the FDA approves Loyal’s manufacturing and safety data packages, Loyal can market the drug for lifespan extension in the target canine population. Conditional approval lasts for up to five years, during which time Loyal will collect the remaining effectiveness data and apply for full approval.”
A spokesperson for the FDA told Newsweek on Tuesday that the agency could not comment on applications that are in progress.
The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine has reviewed Loyal’s findings, which included data, results and scientific arguments, and determined that the information provides “reasonable expectation of the drug’s effectiveness to extend canine lifespan and healthspan,” Smith said in the statement.
The drug still has to successfully complete its “manufacturing and safety” sections of its application before it receives conditional approval, which will allow the biotech company to market LOY-001 for “large-dog lifespan extension,” he said.
Loyal CEO Celine Halioua, in a statement sent to Newsweek on Tuesday, described the FDA’s nod of approval on the section of the application as a “milestone.”
“Loyal was founded with the ambitious goal of developing the first drugs to extend healthy lifespan in dogs,” Halioua said. “This milestone is the result of years of careful work by the team. We’ll continue to work just as diligently to bring this and our other longevity programs through to FDA approval.”
Selectively breeding dogs has caused elevated levels of the growth-promoting hormone IGF-1, which is believed to reduce their lifespan, according to Loyal, which says that big dogs have vastly more of the hormone than small pooches, with the latter known to live nearly twice as long.
“LOY-001 works by reducing IGF-1 in adult dogs to increase lifespan,” Smith said.
The goal of LOY-001 is to treat age-associated diseases by “targeting mechanisms” of aging to prevent or delay the onset of those diseases rather than waiting for the animals to get sick before administering treatment.
Loyal said part of the research included in the FDA application was the results of a “large observational study” involving 452 dogs of 84 different breeds from ages 2 to 18. The study, according to Loyal, showed “LOY-001’s ability to reduce levels of key biomarker IGF-1 and the beneficial impact on functional outcomes in dogs.”
Despite the FDA’s “milestone” ruling on Tuesday, some experts and animal advocates are leery that the drug can do what it claims, fearing it’ll extend animals’ suffering instead, according to a report by The New York Times. The outlet reported that experts say more testing and clinical studies have to be completed before LOY-001 is proven to extend the life of dogs.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Despite what “Marley & Me,” “My Dog Skip,” “Old Yeller,” and “The Art of Racing in the Rain” might lead you to believe, not all dog movies are made to make you ugly cry. Whether a family is rescuing a dog in need, a dog is rescuing a family in need, or a dog is just wreaking havoc in a mindless animated movie, there are plenty of pup-centric films out there that are more heartwarming than heartbreaking. Some are more humorous than others, such as “Strays” — the R-rated comedy starring Will Ferrell that hit theaters Aug. 18 — while others are just pure adorableness, such as Lucy Hale’s Amazon Freevee film “Puppy Love,” a dog-themed rom-com that was released the same day as “Strays.”
Netflix also has a solid selection of of movies about dogs, so you’ll probably find just what you’re looking for in their library. Of course, there are plenty of dog-centric tear-jerkers, but if you’re not in the mood to sob and just need a burst of doggie delight, Netflix definitely has plenty of films where the dogs don’t actually die — alongside the ones that will rip your heart out, of course. Who’s down for a dog movie marathon?
Paddle for Puppies is back for the 12th year in a row! Celebrated as one of Austin’s favorite events, this iconic gathering is more than just a paddle down Lady Bird Lake — it’s a lifesaving endeavor!
Sponsored by Austin Subaru and hosted at Rowing Dock, Paddle for Puppies 2023, will take place on Sunday May 7th at 8:00am. Both people and water-confident dogs* paddle 2.5 miles down Lady Bird Lake, just past Congress bridge on the boat of your choice — kayak, SUP, canoe, all in support of our Parvo Puppy ICU! Visit the registration site to learn more and to scoop up your ticket!
Paddle for Puppies on May 7th, 2023 Paddle for Puppies on May 7th, 2023y ICU? Prior to the birth of this program, due to the highly contagious nature and almost-always fatal outcome if not treated, puppies that tested positive for parvovirus were typically euthanized because resources didn’t exist to support this vulnerable group. In 2008, the dedicated and determined humans that began APA! as we know it today, made the decision that they would begin pulling and treating all parvo positive puppies. In November of 2008, the city of Austin achieved no kill for puppies because of our program!
Since 2008, this ICU has taken in thousands of puppies and has steadily achieved a 90% save rate. The work that takes place in this program is hard, both physically and emotionally and is worth it daily to see the tiny tail wags of puppies who know we are working to save their lives. And later, to see the smiling faces of the people who adopt these little survivors.
Fundraisers like Paddle for Puppies are an integral piece to the lifesaving work that takes place in this program. On average, it can cost upwards of $400 to treat a puppy with parvovirus. Last year, our Parvo team treated just over 1300 puppies and so far this year, this dedicated team has treated just over 300 puppies.
We’re excited for another year of gathering with both those who have attended this event every year and those who are joining for the first time. There’s nothing better than a group of humans coming together to save some puppy dog lives! See you there!
*Due to the potential for toxins in the water, waivers will be required if you are planning to bring a dog on the water. These waivers will be available at registration when you check-in on-site. Dogs attending must stay in/on their vessel and should not drink the lake water.
Calling all Austinites, dog fans and cat enthusiasts! Amplify Austin 2023 is just around the corner and we need you to join us to #AmplifyLifesaving this year!
This day of giving is very important for nonprofit organizations across Central Texas and APA! is honored to participate again this year. We want to make sure that all of our supporters that want to join in know exactly how they can help and what their support means!
The first thing you can do to get involved is make a donation using our Amplify Austin fundraising page. Whatever the amount, your donation makes an impact. From $10, which can help purchase enrichment activity supplies to $500, which provides basic care for a litter of pups or kittens, your gift is important and saves lives.
I Live Here I Give Here (ILHIGH), the organization that produces Amplify Austin, makes this 24-hour fundraiser extra fun through a little friendly competition between the participating nonprofits and monetary prizes for various categories!
Matches and Incentives from ILHIGH
$5,000 for most dollars raised
$5,000 for most unique donors ← This is one of the categories we are targeting!
$2,500 for most dollars raised during the early giving period
$25,000 from an anonymous donor for animal care and services organizations ← This grant is pro-rata which means that the more we raise, the more we get out of this pool!
$1,000/hour for the first 6 hours of Amplify Day for most dollars raised in the hour
$1,000/hour for the last 6 hours of Amplify Day for most unique donors in the hour
After you make your donation (thank you!), we’d be grateful if you’d create your own fundraising page in support of APA!. This is where voices really amplify!
The beauty of creating your fundraising page is that you can use it to encourage your friends and family to donate to APA!, too! Everyone has their own unique voice and story as to why they support our mission and when that is shared, people feel encouraged to join you in your support! Maybe you got your dog or cat from us or maybe you’re a foster or volunteer — whatever your reason, we want to hear it and have a hunch your friends, family, and social media followers do too!
Want to know a little bit more about what your donation can do and gather some info you can use when encouraging your friends and family to donate to APA!?
Gift Impact
$500 – Provides basic medical care for a litter of puppies or kittens
$100 – Provides basic medical care (standard vaccinations, spay/neuter, etc.), behavior assessments, and everything necessary to take a dog or cat into APA!’s care
$50 – Vaccinates a litter of puppies
$25 – Buys one week of milk for a litter of kittens
$10 – Buys microchips for a couple of dogs or cats, or enrichment activities like Kongs, peanut butter, and treats
No Kill is all about innovation, and working together to save lives. That’s why we were so excited to have two Mars Ambassadors join us at Austin Pets Alive! for two weeks, to help us save puppies with canine parvovirus and distemper—diseases that are often fatal, and for which puppies are routinely euthanized at many animal shelters and clinics because of the false belief they cannot be treated and adopted.
APA! operates one of the country’s only Parvo Puppy ICUs, where around 1,000 puppies per year are treated, and we run a specialized distemper treatment program. Many more puppies could be saved, still, with more animal shelters adopting and using the lifesaving protocols we’ve developed, and greater public awareness of how to prevent and treat parvo and distemper.
Mars Ambassadors Devon Arcuri, BluePearl’s Creative Specialist, and Violet Matarico, Banfield Pet Hospital’s Practice Manager for the Woodbridge and Edison hospitals in New Jersey, came to do just that.
The Mars Ambassador program dispatches Mars employees to other organizations and communities, where they lend their expertise and build partnerships. Devon and Violet embedded with the APA! marketing and communications team, to develop critical materials and messaging.
Working alongside APA!’s staff, Devon and Violet produced web pages and resources, including FAQs, website banners and pages, social media recommendations, printed handouts and posters, and more.
It’s two weeks’ of work that will have a meaningful impact on animals’ lives. More puppies will get and stay well, and get to live as loved members of families, thanks to Devon and Violet’s time with APA! as Mars Ambassadors.
We asked Devon and Violet what their time at APA! meant to them.
“Mars focuses on sustainability; the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today,” Devon said. “With this project, Violet and I wanted to ensure that our work could keep growing after we left.”
“With development being one of my passions, the opportunity to provide insight and support for APA!’s Puppy Parvo ICU on a grand scale has been an experience of a lifetime,” said Violet. “These puppies and young dogs deserve a fighting chance, and APA! has paved the way.”
Thank you to Devon and Violet for sharing your knowledge and your passion to save the lives of vulnerable puppies!
In early October, Austin Pets Alive! received a call from another Texas shelter–– a man had just come in with a puppy he’d found floating in a box along the river, and he needed help the shelter was unequipped to provide.
A photo taken by the person who found Kayak.
Why was the shelter unable to help this adorable little puppy? Because the 2-month-old had tested positive for Parvovirus—a highly contagious, life-threatening virus that’s considered a death sentence at many animal shelters. Fortunately for the puppy, APA! was ready to help save his life. As a rescue that operates one of the country’s only Parvo ICUs, APA! has treated nearly 1,000 parvo positive dogs a year. The Parvo ICU tackles high-risk cases, once considered impossible to treat in the shelter environment, that other shelters are unable to handle due to the highly contagious nature of the virus. Slowly but surely, APA! has set a precedent nationwide for treating parvovirus in the shelter setting, proving that it is possible to save more lives than once thought possible.
After a two-hour drive to Austin, Kayak arrived at APA! lethargic and pale. Medical clinic manager Lauren Heymann immediately recognized that the tiny pup was crashing and that he needed immediate
Kayak was so sick during his first week of treatment that he didn’t show any signs of his personality. Slowly but surely, under the careful treatment of APA! staff and volunteers, Kayak’s true wiggly and happy self began to blossom. As he started gaining weight and recovering from his bout with parvovirus, Kayak began seeking attention from his human caretakers, wagging his tail emphatically to visitors and offering sweet kisses to his friends.
Within no time, adoption applications for the happy boy began to stream in. Kayak soon found a loving home where he is now free to become his full outgoing, sweet self. And while Kayak is living his best life, dozens of other APA! parvovirus survivors are still looking for success stories of their own. Even though adopting a parvo survivor may sound scary, it’s essential to know that puppies like Kayak are no different from any other puppy and live long, happy, healthy lives with few to no additional considerations or care requirements.
Kayak with a member of the APA! staff
Kayak is a survivor, thanks to the tremendous efforts of the kind human who saved him from his floating box and the dedicated staff at APA! who nursed him back to health. Even more importantly, he’s a healthy, wiggly boy who’s ready to experience all that life has to offer in his new home–– and we’re so incredibly thrilled for him!
Kayak with his new family.
But the work of APA! never stops–– so long as animals like Kayak and other puppies with parvo need help, APA! will continue to challenge the status quo through constant innovation, compassion, and revolutionary lifesaving programs.
If you’re interested in helping our lifesaving efforts:
Austin was a very different city for vulnerable companion animals just 14 years ago. Some of the animals most at risk were puppies with parvovirus. Each day these tiny lives were needlessly lost because shelters didn’t have programs set up to treat parvo.
Veterinarians learn how to treat parvo in school, so we wondered why animal shelters couldn’t or wouldn’t. If these puppies could often be saved, why wasn’t treatment the norm? To
save these pets and increase lifesaving in Austin, we had to start
somewhere — and keeping parvo puppies from being euthanized seemed like a
good place to start.
The Parvo Puppy ICU, as we know it today, was born in a bathroom in my house around Thanksgiving 2008. At its peak I could spend up to eight hours a day cleaning and treating anywhere from a couple to 25 sick puppies at a time. Thankfully,
my husband was very understanding and willing to put up with the smell
of sick puppies in our bathroom. Even though it wasn’t ideal having the
strong and unforgettable odor of parvo in our home, it was the only way
to protect these pets in need and give them the critical care they
deserved.
We often share the story of the ICU’s humble beginnings because it
reminds us how far we’ve come. Although I was often the only one
cleaning up after that first batch of puppies, APA!’s capacity to care for animals in need continues to grow thanks to the help of friends like you.
Because of our community’s determination to make Austin No Kill, we were able, eleven years ago, to trade the bathroom tile and pop-up crates for linoleum and metal kennels in a location with easy access to our clinic and round-the-clock staff. The need for support didn’t end when we moved to the Parvo Puppy ICU at TLAC.
Today, parvo puppies are still at risk of needless euthanasia in shelters across Texas that haven’t yet adopted No Kill. As we celebrate the 11th anniversary of No Kill in Austin and its continued impact on pets at high risk of euthanasia we know there is still so much work to do to save even more lives and help other shelters do the same. Will you join us today?
One of Austin’s pet lifesaving treasures is at risk after ANOTHER flooding situation with sewage spilling into all three parvovirus treatment wards.
This is the same situation that the clinic staff faced this past Saturday when Austin Pets Alive! asked for adopters and fosters to pick up puppies who had already been treated – and tested negative – for parvovirus.
Because the Austin community responded and helped pick up 17 puppies on Saturday and 23 puppies on Sunday, there are currently 51 puppies being treated in the Parvo ICU.
No puppies are in danger of not being treated today but we are asked to take more sick puppies – multiple times throughout the day.
That said, the plumbing needs to be fixed quickly – and as you know, Austin Pets Alive! is a nonprofit, almost entirely funded through donations. Austin Pets Alive! does not receive any government funding AND the Parvo ICU has – so far this year – treated a whopping 563 puppies, which is 51% more parvo puppies than the same period of time in 2021.
APA! has one of the only parvo treatment units for shelter pets and is, by far, the largest in Texas. That means that any downtime translates into not being able to continue to accept the high volume of puppies who would certainly die without our Parvo Puppy ICU.
Click here if you’re able to give to help us raise the $15K we need to stop the flooding in our Parvo Puppy ICU. Thank you!
Paddle for Puppies is back on May 15th and better than ever! Paddle for Puppies, an annual event presented by Austin Subaru, provides incredible support for our Parvo Puppy ICU Program at Austin Pets Alive!.
Our Parvo Puppy ICU cares for puppies that contract canine parvovirus, a highly contagious and life-threatening virus that increases their risk for euthanasia in certain shelters. In 2021 alone, a record-breaking 963 lives were saved from the Parvo Puppy ICU. That’s 400 more puppies than we saved in 2020 – this program is expanding by the minute!
One of the puppies saved so far in 2022 was named Rover. Rover is a very special puppy. Apart from being a parvo survivor and having precious droopy ears that stole everyone’s hearts, Rover was the 100,000th life saved at APA!.
Needless to say, Rover’s adoption was quick. He really did steal everyone’s hearts, including Timothy and Katherine Shook’s. The Shooks were Rover’s perfect match for a couple of reasons. First, they’re great pet parents. Second, Timothy just so happens to be APA!’s main point of contact with Austin Subaru who puts on Paddle for Puppies. They are one of the largest supporters of the very same program that saved Rover’s life.
Today, months later, Rover Shook is happy at home and, from what we hear, has been a great addition to their family. Just take a look at some of what they had to say:
What is your favorite quality about Rover?
“Our favorite quality of Rover’s is his playfulness; he loves chewing on hands, blankets, pillows – anything he can get his teeth on. He chases us as we walk and bites at our shoes, and he has enjoyed a few games of ‘Attack the Swiffer.’”
How does it feel knowing you had a part in saving Rover’s life?
“Having a puppy whose life would’ve been cut short without the APA! parvo facility keeps us very grounded. We are so grateful that Rover was able to receive treatment, and we were able to help support the parvo ICU and the staff that keep the unit running.”
What do you want people to know about APA!?
“We would love for people to know that APA! has saved over 100,000 lives and is working on a national initiative to increase the number of lives they’re able to save.
Thank you Austin Subaru, for supporting our Parvo Puppy ICU that helps save pets like Rover. Thank you Shook family, for giving Rover a home. Thank you to our APA! community for all of your support that helps make stories like Rover’s possible. And lastly, thank you Rover for being so darn cute, and for being the face of this year’s Paddle for Puppies!
This year’s Paddle for Puppies is taking place on May 15 from 6:45-10:00 AM at the Rowing Dock. We hope to see you there! You’ll also receive a special t-shirt featuring Rover when you sign up. Register today to paddle and save a puppy’s life: https://www.paddleforpuppies.com/
.png)
.png "Thirty-five dogs were rescued in a hoarding case in New Mexico, officials say.")
:quality(85):upscale()/2023/06/08/893/n/1922243/931078c764823996b91241.60497593_.jpg)
