May 9, 2024With warmer weather comes lots of outdoor activities for you and your pet to enjoy together. While it’s easy to become distracted with all the fun you are going to have together, it’s important to plan ahead and make your pet’s safety a priority by watching out for some of these potential hazards. 1. Hydration …
Continue reading “5 Tips to keep your pets safe from summer hazards”
News Category: Pet care
May 6, 2024As air quality advisories come up across the province due to wildfires, it’s worth taking precautions to ensure our pets are as comfortable as humans are in the haze and summer heat. When air quality advisories are issued, many of the same warnings for humans tend to apply for cats, dogs and other animals. This …
Continue reading “Helping your pets in an air quality advisory”
News Category: Pet care
May 5, 2024Pet parents told us about training challenges they face and we asked BC SPCA recommended AnimalKind accredited trainers to share, in their own words, their advice. Here is what they said: Training challenge 1: Barking and more barking Barking at anything and everything! What to do when your dog barks at everyday things like the …
Continue reading “Trainer tips for 5 common dog training challenges”
News Category: Pet care
May 1, 2024Small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs love fresh greens to eat. Why not stretch that food budget a little further by growing your own, right at home? Fortunately, you don’t need a ton of space to get gardening — a balcony, a porch or even a windowsill will do. Herbs and dark, leafy …
Continue reading “Get growing! Your guide to gardening for small pets”
News Category: Pet care
May 1, 2024People confident in their cat and dog handling abilities might find themselves feeling a little less self-assured around animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, rats or mice. “When you’re interacting with small animals, it’s important to consider their needs and feelings, just like you would with a dog or a cat,” says Meghann Cant, …
Continue reading “Good things come in small packages: How to interact with small animals”
News Category: Pet care
April 30, 2024Do you have a breakaway collar for your cat? Whether he’s a kitten or an adult, or fond of being inside or out, consider having your cat wear a collar that will unfasten when something pulls on it with force. Cats whose collars become entangled are at risk of choking or serious injury as they …
Continue reading “Cats and collars: Why the breakaway design is so important”
News Category: Pet care
April 29, 2024Cats are commonly believed to be low maintenance, independent pets. Provide them with food, water, a litter box and perhaps a scratching post and some toys, and they’ll amuse themselves, right? Not so fast! While they may not need long walks in the park, cats require interaction and stimulation — just like dogs do — …
Continue reading “5 tips for introducing a puzzle feeder to your cat”
News Category: Pet care
April 23, 2024“Can I pet your dog?” It’s a question that dog guardians often get from friends or when out walking with their pet. But not all dogs are comfortable being touched, especially by strangers. Here are some tips you can share with others to make these interactions safer and happier for your pet. How to pet …
Continue reading “Petting etiquette for cats and dogs – know the dos & don’ts!”
News Category: Pet care
April 17, 2024National Pet ID Week is April 17-23. Without permanent identification, it is nearly impossible to identify lost animals and reunite them with their families. Approximately 83% of cats and 39% of dogs cannot be traced to their guardian with thousands of stray animals taken to Canadian shelters annually. In recent microchip scanning events, over 20% of …
Continue reading “Celebrate National Pet ID Week with these amazing lost and found ‘tails’”
News Category: Pet care
April 12, 2024Muzzles are an often misunderstood tool for keeping your dog safe. In the past, dogs wearing muzzles were often labelled as ‘bad’ or ‘aggressive’ and were scary for some people. Today, science tells us muzzles are helpful tools that pet guardians use for various reasons to keep their dogs safe and happy. What is …
Continue reading “Muzzles: a modern perspective”
News Category: Pet care