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Animal Sheltering Magazine Articles |
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Creature Feature: The Long Way Home
A series of three-day demonstrations of Pat Parelli’s kinder, gentler approach to equines are at the heart of an HSUS initiative to improve the care of horses, who all too often end up abandoned, neglected, or sent to slaughter.  More...
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The Behavior Department: Dealing with a Small Problem
Most shelters weren’t built with the needs of little dogs in mind, but there are steps that staff and volunteers can take that will make the environment much better for them. One shelter director created a special area just for the little guys—Smallville—that resulted in remarkable behavior improvements. More...
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Creature Feature: Too Cute for the Room?
Chinchillas are insanely cute—and that can prove to be a problem if infatuated new owners fail to research the exotic rodents’ substantial care needs. Learn what’s out and what’s in when it comes to advising someone on adopting a chin. More...
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Creature Feature: Some Pig!
Consider the plight of potbellied pigs: Once a trendy novelty pet for the rich and famous, they now can be had for a song at local flea markets. And since they’re sometimes sold small to people unprepared for the full-grown version, they might end up in your shelter. More...
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The Behavior Department: The Way to Tame a Feral Kitten’s Heart
There are no guarantees when it comes to taming feral cats, but the process is most likely to work if you get ‘em while they’re young! Here are some guidelines from successful feral kitten tamers. More...
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Creature Feature: Running with the Rat Pack
Rats have been feared and loathed for as long as humans have shared the planet with them, but the domestic rats at your shelter can be spared an unjust reputation with a few factoids and a bit of good PR. More...
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Creature Feature: Diet of a Carnivore, Mind of a Toddler
Feisty ferrets have a rep for being nibbly and stinky, but these relatives of the weasel have gotten a bad rap. We provide a guide for their care within the shelter. More...
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Creature Feature: Pellets, Pedicures, and Pigloos
Like many of the other critters dubbed “starter pets” by the retail pet industry, guinea pigs turn up at shelters all too frequently. Find out how to keep your little pigs happy and healthy. More...
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Off Leash: Reinventing the Wheel(chair)
A volunteer’s invention helps ease the sore muscles of spay-neuter clinic workers in California. More...
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Creature Feature: Plight of the Iguana
They may look like little dinosaurs, but iguanas are still in existence—and may turn up at your shelter in need of care. We provide some basic guidelines for housing, feeding, and adoption requirements. More...
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Q & A: New Shelter Book: It’s for the Birds
We talk to bird expert Eileen McCarthy about the troubles birds have in shelters and about ways to make sure our feathery friends find a comfortable roost when they visit. More...
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Creature Feature: Roosters Seized from Cockfighters
It may be illegal in 48 states, but cockfighting is still a high-stakes business. Here’s what to do when roosters rescued from these operations end up at your shelter. More...
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The Breed Report: Cocker Spaniels
This overview of cocker spaniels provides valuable information on the unique traits and needs of the breed. More...
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Canine Influenza: Now What?
UC Davis Shelter Medicine Program director Kate Hurley explores a recent outbreak of canine influenza in an animal shelter. More...
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The Breed Report: Great Danes
This overview of Great Danes provides valuable information on the unique traits and needs of the breed. More...
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The Breed Report: The Boxer
While every dog is unique, knowing that one breed likes to herd and another likes to lap-nap may help caretakers provide a better temporary home—and locate the ideal permanent one. More...
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The Wild Among Us
When your organization gets calls for help from homeowners who are nervous and frustrated, you are probably just as frustrated by your limited options for truly humane wildlife removal. But thanks to a pioneering company in Canada, a new approach—one that is both compassionate and effective—is on the horizon in the United States. More...
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The Breed Report: The Beagle
While every dog is unique, knowing some behaviors and tips specific to beagles may help caretakers provide a better temporary home—and locate the ideal permanent one. More...
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The Breed Report: Border Collies
This interview with an expert on border collies can help shelters and adoption groups learn more about the needs and characteristics of this specific breed. More...
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Animal Caregiver Job Description
Only when employees have a clear understanding of their responsibilities and their place in the staff hierarchy can they perform well and enjoy their jobs. This comprehensive job description for “Animal Caregiver Level 1” at Woods Humane Society in San Luis Obispo, California, spells out the organization’s vision, provides pertinent details about the position, and lists the duties required of the employee. More...
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How to Set Up a Comfy Dog Kennel
Here’s how to provide your canine critters with the most basic of homes away from home: a cozy but no-frills stay that will help keep their bellies full, their minds active, and their bodies rested. More...
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How to Set Up a Comfy Cat Cage
In the absence of a permanent home, a soft and stimulating cage can be enough to keep kitties content during their stay and give staff and volunteers something to purr about. More...
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Thwarting Pépé Le Pew
Far be it from us to suggest that the skunk could use some deodorant (strong enough for a man, but made for mephitidae), but in case you or your animals get zapped by Monsieur Le Pew's special brand of perfume, here's a recipe to remove it. More...
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How to Clean a Dog's Ears
Make sure your furry guests keep their ears perked up by following these simple steps. More...
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Easter Lilies: They May Look Pretty, But...
To the Greeks, Easter lilies were a symbol of regeneration, but to cats, Easter lilies are just plain poisonous. More...
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Flocking Together: Caring for Exotic Birds in the Shelter
The arrival of homeless parrots and macaws can throw the typical dog-and-cat-oriented shelter into havoc—unless you're prepared to wing it. More...
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What and How to Feed Shelter Animals
Leaders in the animal care and control community answer the question, "What and how do you feed your shelter animals?" More...
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How To Handle A Socialized Cat
Handling a cat doesn't have to be a hairy experience. More...
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How to Sex Small Mammals
When examining creatures this small, it's all in the details. Read on to find out how you can easily tell the boys from the girls. More...
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How to Care for Rats and Mice
Here's how to care for the little whiskered fellows when they arrive at your facility. More...
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How to Care for Gerbils
Gerbils can be happy and healthy almost anywhere—including during their temporary stay at your shelter—provided you follow these guidelines. More...
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How to Bathe a Dog
Even though a good bath is one of the kindest things you can give your shelter's dogs, chances are they're not going to see it that way. More...
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How to Care for Hamsters
Today, hamsters' friendly nature and adaptability have placed them among America's most popular small pets. To learn how to fulfill the special needs of these cuddly creatures, some of whom inevitably end up at shelters, follow these suggestions. More...
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Tenectomies and Laser Declawing
"We've heard that new advances in declawing, such as laser surgery and so-called 'tenectomies,' make the procedure more humane. Is this true?" More...
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How to Care for Guinea Pigs
Like rabbits, ferrets, and other small domesticated mammals, guinea pigs require an environment and treatment distinct from dogs and cats. More...
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How to Care for Ferrets
Ferrets were once an uncommon sight in most animal shelters, but now many facilities have a separate cage or two set aside for these sociable creatures. Still, many animal care workers are unaware of the special needs of these domesticated weasels. More...
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How to Walk a Shelter Dog
Every time you take a dog for a stroll, you're teaching him how to respond to his caretakers and his environment. If you can spend a few moments teaching an unruly, overanxious dog how to behave, you'll not only make future walks go more smoothly but also increase that dog's chances of finding a lifelong home. More...
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How to Care for Domestic Rabbits
Rabbits may be easy to love, but they're not quite as easy to care for. To learn about providing temporary care for these adorable creatures in your facility, check out books and websites on rabbit care. This quick set of reminders will give you the basics. More...
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How to Trim a Dog's Nails
Although dogs are less likely than cats to injure someone with their claws, timely nail trimmings help ensure that a dog can walk without pain or discomfort. More...
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How to Trim a Cat's Claws
Trimming a cat’s claws every few weeks is a vital part of maintaining the animal’s hygiene. More...
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How to Temporarily House Wild Mammals
Any injured or orphaned wild animal who comes into your shelter’s care is highly stressed—after all, her life in the wild was just turned upside down. More...
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How to Vaccinate a Cat
Because cats entering your shelter will be exposed to many other cats and airborne viruses, they depend on you to protect them from disease. And vaccines are among your best tools to do the job. More...
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How to Clean a Cat Cage
A clean cage will minimize the spread of diseaseand will reflect the level of care that your shelter provides each animal. An improperlydisinfected cage invites health problems in cats and may even increase the animals’ stress level. More...
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How to Clean a Dog Kennel
Do it correctly and you ensure your canine residents a healthier, less stressful stay. But do it incorrectly and you essentially put out a welcome mat for all the germs and bacteria that can make life miserable for the dogs. More...
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Caring for a Fawn
Answers to two common questions about caring for fawns. More...
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How to Handle Small Mammals and Reptiles
Even if you have only limited experience with animals, you probably know your way around a dog leash and have little trouble handling a Siamese. But odds are you have considerably less experience picking up a chinchilla orholding a hedgehog. More...
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All Creatures Great and Small: Caring for Exotic Animals in Your Shelter
Caring for “exotic” pets presents a unique challenge to animal shelters, and placing them in the proper habitat for a lifetime may be just as challenging. More...
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How to Use a Control Pole
Most animal control officers consider the control pole one of the most valuable tools of the trade. But like a carpenter's hammer or drill, a control pole is only as effective as the person holding it in his or her hands. More...
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How to Determine a Cat's Sex
It's not always easy to figure out if a kitten or cat is a boy or girl. In kittens, unlike in puppies, no testicles are plainly visible until the animals reach 6–10 weeks of age. In adult cats, neutered males can be easily confused with females. These diagrams can help. More...
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How to Determine a Cat's or Dog's Age
Examining teeth is one of the best ways to determine the approximate age of a cat or dog. More...
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How to Pill a Cat
What is feline upper respiratory infection? What is feline upper respiratory infection, or URI as it is commonly known, is a highly contagious disease affecting the nasal passages and sinuses of cats and kittens. More...
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