People generally understand that they can't just release a cat or dog into the wild if they don't want to take care of them anymore, but many other pets do not receive the same consideration. There's a serious lack of distinguishing between a wild bird or rabbit and their domesticated counterparts. There's two big misconceptions … Continue reading Why you Shouldn’t Release Exotic Pets into the Wild
A week ago we lost our beloved dog, Bandit. I've been thinking back on her life quite a lot since then and I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you about her. The earliest part of her story (that we know) is that she was found stuck in the mud by rescuers in the … Continue reading Mourning a Pet: Saying Goodbye to Bandit
I feel like I talk about my time working at the animal shelter a lot compared to the other jobs I've had in the past. I was only there about seven months, but the experience had a profound impact on me. Another profession I did for many years was caregiving, eventually becoming a Certified Nursing … Continue reading Why Senior Pets are Worth Considering
Sometimes I just sit and marvel at how much my way of thinking has changed in the past couple of years. While this is normal and to be expected with age, there's another element that affects how much we do or don't change: the decision to embrace or reject willful ignorance. When we got our … Continue reading Why you Should Consider Spaying/Neutering your Pet
There are many hurdles that could potentially interfere with someone adopting a pet. Even the biggest animal lovers among us have complex, multi-faceted lives. There's the issue of time, space, and certainly finances. Some people simply are not in a place in their life where they're prepared to meet the needs of a pet, even … Continue reading The Value in Fostering an Animal
Living in a non-vegan world constantly exposes us to the fact that many people simply don't want to know the uncomfortable truth about animal agriculture. Going beyond willful ignorance, certain animals, like fish, elicit absolutely no compassion from most people. They are seen as too simple, too stupid, and too unaware to be capable of … Continue reading Our Bias Against Fish
I have officially had my pit bull mix Ember for an entire year. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell her story a little bit and perhaps encourage you to consider adoption. About a year ago I was working primarily as dog staff at my local Humane Society. I have a very clear memory … Continue reading Ember’s One Year Adoptiversary
Like everyone else on the planet I've experienced things that gave me hope for humanity and things that absolutely broke my heart. My time working at the animal shelter was no different. I saw people patiently get to know nervous dogs and slowly earn their trust before giving them a forever home. I remember a … Continue reading Why you Probably Shouldn’t Gift a Pet
Full disclosure: I do have a pit bull at home. Some people may think that makes me biased, but I think having one in my life, in addition to my time spent working with dogs at the animal shelter, gives me additional insight into this topic. I won't be getting into any anecdotes about my … Continue reading The Truth About Pit Bulls
About four years ago we brought our cat José home for the first time. A coworker was no longer able to keep him and we took him off her hands so he didn't end up at the shelter. He was roughly eleven weeks old and I remember feeling nervous because even though I'd had pets … Continue reading Why you Shouldn’t Declaw your Cat
The Vegan Homesteader 