Ada was sitting outside a house in a village when our team came across her. She was a beautiful, large black dog, but her coat was dirty, and she looked weak. When our team approached, Ada became frightened and tried to hide. We did not want our approach to make her more afraid. For the next 30 minutes, our team offered her food and water, giving her time to feel safe enough to come closer. Hunger eventually won over fear. Ada began to trust us, and we were able to take her

15 dogs were rescued from a Mississippi property where investigators found animals severely malnourished and without adequate food or water. The dogs were taken for veterinary care. But a horse, a donkey, goats, and chickens previously seen on the property were allegedly taken away after the owner was instructed not to move any animals during the cruelty investigation. Where were they taken? Are they safe? Has anyone checked whether they have food, water, shelter, and the

LeShon Johnson, a former NFL player from Oklahoma, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for running a large-scale dog-fighting and trafficking operation. He must also serve three years of supervised release and pay a $30,000 fine after federal authorities seized 190 dogs from his property. The U.S. Department of Justice describes it as the largest number ever seized from a single individual in a federal dog-fighting case. Johnson had pleaded guilty to state do

An Illinois man has received the maximum 10-year prison sentence for the torture and death of Trek, a dog who was dragged behind a vehicle and abandoned. A jury convicted Tracy McKee of animal torture, aggravated animal cruelty and animal cruelty. He will spend at least five years of his 10-year sentence in an Illinois prison. McKee left Trek outside in extreme heat, chained him to an SUV, and drove away while the dog was still alive before abandoning him in a vacant lot. Pe

Most of the dogs we rescue look defeated by the time we reach them. Nell was different. Despite spending two days wandering through an abandoned area in search of food and shelter, she remained friendly and open to our help. When we reached her, she was panting from thirst. We offered her food and water, and once she gained our trust, we brought her to our shelter. We also took Nell to our veterinarian for a full examination. She was malnourished, but no major injuries wer

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, a month dedicated to helping more shelter dogs find homes. In 2025, 2.8 million dogs entered shelters and rescues across the U.S., while 2 million dogs were adopted. Dog adoptions rose to 57% of dog intakes, but large, adult, and senior dogs continued to face greater challenges finding homes.  The dog standing in front of you at a shelter may also behave differently once they are in a home. A study of 99 adopted shelter dogs found that

Today is National Cat Day, a day to celebrate cats and remember the millions still living without a home. One of them was a kitten named Iris. Two years ago, a stray mother cat gave birth outdoors in a California backyard. Her kitten, Iris, was found weighing less than a quarter pound, her eyes swollen shut, with severe infections spreading around her nose and mouth. She was too small and too sick to eat on her own. For seven weeks, someone syringe-fed her by hand every few

October is National Pet Wellness Month, dedicated to helping companion animals stay healthy and improving their quality of life. 59% of dogs and 61% of cats assessed by veterinary professionals in the U.S. were overweight or had obesity. Excess weight can contribute to diabetes, joint disease, breathing problems, and other serious health conditions. Bentley, a four-year-old dog, had become so overweight that he weighed 102.3 pounds and struggled to walk because of severe art

Today is World Rabies Day, a reminder that rabies still kills an estimated 59,000 people every year. A nine-year-old girl in India was one of them. She was bitten by a dog near her home in India. The girl was afraid of the anti-rabies injection and did not receive treatment after the bite. Five months later, she developed rabies and died. Rabies kills dogs, too. The virus attacks the brain and nervous system, causing confusion, agitation, seizures, and paralysis. Once sym

In Sri Lanka, an island nation in South Asia, a visually impaired elephant was searching for food near homes when three men allegedly chased him with flaming torches. One of the men allegedly set fire to his body. The elephant suffered severe burns. Veterinarians tried to save him, but he died from his injuries. His death is a painful reminder of how badly Sri Lanka needs stronger laws against animal cruelty. Sri Lanka’s main animal cruelty law was written over a century ago

Animals deserve protection from abuse and cruelty. Florida has strengthened its laws against animal cruelty, giving animals greater protection from abuse. A new law made it a felony for an adult to involve a child in serious acts of cruelty against animals, including animal fighting and sexual abuse involving animals. The law also increased penalties for animal fighting and baiting. Children convicted of certain animal cruelty offenses can be required to receive a psychologi

For every dog sterilized, more are already being born. Bengaluru, a city of more than 15 million people in India, has announced plans to double the number of stray dogs it sterilizes each year, from about 45,000 to 90,000. Officials hope to achieve full animal birth control coverage within three years. The city has already spent nearly $5 million on sterilization in just the past five years. Yet despite decades of effort, Bengaluru continues to face a serious stray dog cri

She should be able to swim through these waters without finding a wall of netting in her path. A young dolphin was swimming off the coast of South Africa when she became trapped in a shark net. She struggled to escape, but the net held her underwater until she died. Her death was not an accident. Shark nets and baited hooks used along South Africa’s coast also catch turtles, rays, and sharks that were never the intended target. From 2018 through 2022, this gear killed an a

A Florida man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing two cats. After a three-day trial, a jury convicted him of two counts of aggravated animal cruelty and two counts of aggravated stalking. The judge imposed four consecutive five-year prison terms, along with an order for no contact with animals and a DNA sample. The cats were shot in the woods, and their severed heads were later found in a mailbox. Investigators recovered video showing the cats being shot in

Deafness does not prevent a dog from learning. It is National Deaf Pet Awareness Week, a time to raise awareness about deaf companions and challenge the assumption that hearing loss makes them difficult to live with. An estimated 5% to 10% of dogs in the U.S. are affected by deafness, yet they learn, bond, and thrive just like any other companion. Take Xyla, a deaf dog who spent 240 days in a Texas shelter before adoption. Staff taught her hand‑signal commands, showing that

National Dog Week begins today, giving us a whole week to celebrate the dogs who share our lives and encourage people to appreciate and care for them. More than one million dogs are adopted from shelters in the U.S. each year, giving them the chance to become part of a family. National Dog Week is a good time to celebrate the dogs already in our homes while remembering the dogs still waiting for theirs. Here are four ways to celebrate National Dog Week with your dog: 1. Take

There is nowhere to run when the people who came for them arrive. In China, terrified dogs are trapped in filthy, crowded cages where they see and hear other dogs being beaten and killed. Workers grab them with metal nooses, club them, and slit their throats. Some dogs are still alive when workers skin them.  Their skin is turned into leather gloves, belts, jacket trim, cat toys, and other products sold around the world. Congress documented dog and cat fur entering the Unit

Healthy routines start young and last a lifetime. September is Happy Cat Month, a month that encourages cat guardians to pay closer attention to their cats' health and well-being. A recent survey of more than 60,000 U.S. households found that only about one in three cats receives annual veterinary care, compared to about seven in ten dogs. Happy Cat Month is a good reminder to make sure your cat is getting the care they need.  Here are four ways to celebrate this month. 1. D

Every dog deserves a day that feels a little extra special. Tomorrow is National Hug Your Hound Day, a day to appreciate the dogs who share our lives by spending more time with them and seeing the world from their point of view. According to a recent survey, 97% of U.S. dog guardians consider their dog part of the family. If your dog is one of those family members, tomorrow is the perfect opportunity to make the day a little more about them. Here are five ways to observe Nat

Preparation makes evacuation faster and less stressful. September is National Preparedness Month, a reminder to prepare before an emergency happens. Companion animals should be part of that plan from the start. When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, around 10,000 animals were evacuated, but fewer than half were reunited with their families. Today, more than one in five companion animal guardians have evacuated because of a disaster or emergency. Even so, few