Do your homework So you’ve decided to add a new pet to your family. First, you should answer some questions: What kind of pet will be the best fit for your household? Do you have enough time to devote to the daily needs of a dog? Is there someone in your household who is allergic? What about a non...
Contents How many animals are used in experiments each year? Which animals are used in experiments? What kinds of experiments are animals used in? What kinds of institutions use animals in experiments? Where do laboratories get the animals they use in experiments? What is life like for animals in...
Black Beauty Ranch—which is the world-renowned sanctuary for rescued animals operated by the Humane Society of the United States—becomes another beacon of light for humane treatment of animals in the growing network of the Trust’s Humane Stewardship Alliance lands. With over 1,400 acres in Murchison...
Some people might consider hamsters, guinea pigs and other small mammals as “starter” pets: tools to teach responsibility to their children, many of whom have begged for a furry friend. But their smaller size does not mean that these animals have fewer care requirements; their physical, behavioral...
It seemed like a good idea at the time: Buy a house with a two-acre property, let our energetic herding dog have the run of the place and spend blissful summer days digging side by side in the dirt with her. And it was blissful, watching Mattie carve out her napping spots behind the ferns and tall...
On summer evenings, my husband and I head to the darkest spot of our property to look for the light—in the form of fireflies rising from meadow grasses and twinkling their way into the trees. As the tulip poplars behind this spectacular display settle in for slumber, white yucca flowers open their...
When a person you love dies, it's natural to feel sorrow, express grief and expect friends and family to provide comfort—but although people often feel the same feelings of grief when they lose a beloved pet, it might go unacknowledged by others. Know that your grief is normal, and it’s OK (and even...
It can be tempting to acquire a hamster on impulse. After all, they're the picture of cuteness: small, round, furry and inquisitive. But there are still some important questions to consider before you commit to bringing one home. Learn More About Hamsters Adopt Small animals like hamsters are often...
Somewhere toward the end of the last ice age, we formed an alliance with wolves: Maybe the ancestors of dogs got food scraps while our own ancestors gained protection from predators and other humans. These social species eventually collaborated on a vast scale, possibly even hunting woolly mammoths...
One of the Humane Stewardship Alliance’s newest members—Nirvana Ridge Wildlife Refuge—is a 170-acre property in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Here, Karen Lamb, Refuge founder and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, provides safe habitat for wildlife and essential care for orphaned, sick...
Pets get into everything and, like babies, tend to explore the world with their mouths. Make sure they stay safe by checking your home and yard for plants that could cause an emergency vet visit. It's also important to familiarize yourself with what table scraps are OK to share and which to avoid...
The term “roadkill” was coined in the 1940s, according to Merriam-Webster, entering the lexicon alongside “DDT” and other harbingers of a dystopian technological age that runs roughshod over the natural world. In the 1990s, the word became a cheeky insult when a rival called then-House Speaker Newt...