News

Police gets two new dogs

April 27, 2020

Two new officers at the Santa Fe Police Department have special skills that set them apart from others on the force. They can quickly track suspects, have a heightened sense of hearing, and can detect the odors of narcotics and explosives. After a seven-year hiatus, the Santa Fe Police Department has restarted its K-9 program […]

Will 2020 Mark The End Of Emotional Support Animals On Airlines?

April 27, 2020

Michael Goldstein Contributor Travel In 2020, the issue of Emotional Support Animals (ESA) on planes may come to a head. Airlines for America, an airline lobbying group, is pushing for new rules for “animals in the sky” that would effectively limit the service category to trained animals, such as guide dogs. This would eliminate untrained […]

Jet the fire service dog

April 27, 2020

Arson and deliberate fires are serious crimes which take up valuable time from Avon Fire and Rescue Service, when crews could be dealing with other major incidents. Therefore, the service needs all the help it can get when it comes to finding and detecting deliberate fires across Bristol. And so a Fire Dog called Jet, […]

K-9 HERO

April 27, 2020

The dogs of war, the dogs that help keep the peace, the dogs that track down the bad guys and turn up the missing, Man’s best friend and co-worker. What happens to them after a lifetime of service? Many retire with their handlers but not all. When the time comes, who rescues the rescuers? […]

Dogs find foster homes

April 27, 2020

The stay at home directive by Governor Larry Hogan has been an unusual gift to the Queen Anne’s County Animal Services shelter in Queenstown. Animal Services has been asking people to consider fostering a pet while they are staying home to comply with the efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and the fostering promotion […]

Working dog trains

April 27, 2020

The 30th Security Forces Squadron Military Working Dog Flight conducted a roadway detection training April 15 at Vandenberg Air Force Base. During the training, the squadron’s military working dog and handler teams faced a test of endurance and readiness as they rucked approximately 2 miles from the kennels toward Wall Beach and back. “The ruck […]

Service dogs are needed

April 27, 2020

During the stay-at-home orders, more and more retired veterans that are suffering mental and physical disabilities are looking for service dogs. For retired veterans dealing with PTSD and or physical injuries, COVID-19 is bringing up memories they didn’t know they had. Memories they tucked away in a dark place. That’s why the local nonprofit, Veterans […]

Pet Policies vs. Companion Animals

April 26, 2020

HUD has issued new rules clarifying the responsibilities landlords shoulder regarding companion animals in rental properties. The newly released a “Notice on Service Animals and Assistance Animals for People with Disabilities in Housing and HUD-Funded Programs discusses how the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) intersect regarding the use of service […]

HUD Issues New Guidance On Reasonable Accommodations For Assistance Animals

April 26, 2020

Brenda Richardson Senior Contributor Real Estate I cover residential real estate, including buying, selling and trends. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released guidance today that clarifies how housing providers can comply with the Fair Housing Act when assessing a request from a person with a disability to have an assistance animal. The federal Fair […]

U.S. Department of Transportation Issues Final Statement of Enforcement Priorities Regarding Service Animals on Flights

April 26, 2020

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today issued a Final Statement of Enforcement Priorities Regarding Service Animals that provides greater clarity to passengers, airlines, and other stakeholders about the DOT’s interpretation and enforcement of the existing service animal rules. In this Final Statement, the Department’s Enforcement Office announced that it does not intend to take […]

When I’m Stressed or Anxious, My Guinea Pig, Helps Me Calm Down

April 24, 2020

I’m a happily married mom of two boys. On any given day, I am called to be a chauffeur, cook, referee, accountant, or nurse for my family. And for the most part, I juggle it all well. But sometimes my anxiety and depression get the better of me, and for that I turn to Dewey. […]

Softening the Virus’s Bite with Cuteness Overload

April 24, 2020

Millions of pet owners breathed a collective sigh of relief in early March when Hong Kong researchers announced that dogs and cats can’t transmit the coronavirus to humans. For animal lovers quarantined at home and social-distancing from humans, their furry family members provide emotional solace as well as entertainment and comic relief. Few things are […]

Medway schoolgirl’s therapy dog supports family during Covid-19 lockdown thanks to Tree of Hope charity

April 24, 2020

A school girl has had her life transformed thanks to her therapy dog and supporting charities. Polly and her family, from Rochester, have found relief during the coronavirus lockdown because of therapy dog, Bailey. Bailey has helped relieve the pressures of Polly’s ADHD and autism, thanks to Supporting Paws and fundraising charity Tree of Hope. As lockdown […]

Service dogs training

April 23, 2020

Through an empty Mall at Fairfield Commons, little paws trot and gallop around Monday afternoon. Service dogs in training, this litter is getting to know a new environment. “Our greatest need is the for the puppies who have never been able to experience a big environment and so it’s a safe way for our staff […]

Retired service dogs

April 23, 2020

Families needs service dogs

April 23, 2020

A rescue group that trains service dogs for veterans says it’s in desperate need of foster families. Coco’s Cupboard says with the pandemic, fewer families are volunteering to foster service dogs in training, while the need for them among veterans and people with medical challenges is greater than ever. Suzanne Aaron runs a rescue group […]

Adoption rates boost due to the pandemic

April 23, 2020

For those who are considering adopting or foster a pet, this would be the perfect time to do so with so many families staying home, after city and county officials directed a stay at home order and social distancing protocols. Pets can provide pet owners with positive health benefits and coping mechanisms, as adoption cases […]

Canine Companions

April 23, 2020

In these uncertain times, many of us look to our four-legged helpers for stability and companionship. For those who rely on service dogs, the animals can bring an added level of comfort during the pandemic At St. Augustine Rehab Specialists, 3-year old Harley has big responsibilities. Every day, Harley works to make life easier for […]

Dogs could get separation anxiety

April 23, 2020

Fido may get frantic when the coronavirus quarantining ends. While isolated humans can’t wait until the end of work-from-home culture, canine experts say that lifting shelter-in-place restrictions could conversely cause “extreme separation anxiety” in the millions of dogs who’ve grown accustomed to their owners’ constant companionship during lockdown. “With such an overload of quality time with […]

Stay-at-home service dog training

April 23, 2020

Eric Caron, a retired guidance counselor who has been blind since birth, recently moved to a new home. He noticed his guide dog, a yellow Labrador retriever named Ryan, had trouble leading him across a busy intersection he must cross regularly. Caron knew what that meant: It was time to retire Ryan, a near-senior citizen […]