Tag: pets

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16 Celebrity Animal Lovers Who Have Rescue Pets

CARRIE ANN CONVERSATIONS | 16 Celebrity Animal Lovers Who Have Rescue Pets

There are few feelings that parallel the joy of fostering or adopting an animal in need. Anyone who’s adopted knows that you always receive so much more than you give when you choose to open your home to a shelter pet. Whether they’ve been adopting for years or just started fostering a rescue pet in quarantine, many celebrities are doing their part to reduce the number of pets sitting in shelters by bringing one home.

1. Selena Gomez

Gomez has a long history of adopting rescue pets from shelters, which is why it’s no surprise that her latest effort to simply foster a dog “failed” miserably. The singer ended up making her foster, Daisy, a permanent member of the family. On her IG Story, Gomez announced the adoption by telling her followers: “I couldn’t help it, I have to keep her.”

2. Kaley Cuoco

There’s almost no rescue pet Kaley Cuoco won’t find room for, from elderly shelter dogs to rabbits, or even piglets! Most recently, Kaley and her husband Karl Cook adopted an elder pit bull named Petunia after she couldn’t find a forever home. The Big Bang Theory star doesn’t just help animals via adopting and fostering; she also regularly shares the stories of dogs up for adoption on her Instagram page using the hashtag #muttmondays.

3. Denise Richards

Denise Richards hosts all sorts of animals on her Malibu property, whether it’s 10-day-old foster puppies, a potbellied pig named Rosie or a horse named Marvin. Richards has several rescue dogs as well, all of whom make regular appearances on her social media. A golden retriever named Tucker, a black mutt named Lily, a French bulldog named Leo, a poodle mix named Luke, a beagle mix named Henry, a pug named Baby, a black lab named Betty and a chihuahua named George make up her adopted fur family.

4. Sharon Osbourne

My lovely cohost Mrs. O is famously an animal lover; her rescue pets are so important that her website has a page devoted to them. Mrs. O’s “pack” includes two cats and several Pomeranians, Pomskies, a Shih-Tzu, a Yorkie mix, and a Maltese mix, and that’s not including regular visits from the pets she “babysits” for friends and family!

3. Pauley Perrette

NCIS’ Pauley Perrette has been active in supporting the American Humane Association, making animal rights and wellness a lifetime pursuit. She’s also involved with the Amanda Foundation in Los Angeles, having adopted all of her rescue pets there. In 2012, she made it official with her two dogs Bug and Grace after first fostering them, tweeting: “We have failed at fostering. Of course we are keeping #RescueDogs Bug & Grace forever!” In 2017 she added a third member to her little family, a Papillon Chihuahua mix named Rosie.

4. Dr. Evan Antin

Dr. Evan Antin isn’t just an animal expert, he’s a rescue dad himself. His “fur babies” include a Chihuahua mix named Henry and two cats named Willy and Blue as well as a menagerie of smaller animals like a tortoise, a snake and some fish. He told Pet Central that Henry and Willy are both huge “cuddle bugs,” and that he may have sustained an injury or two when his tortoise mistook his toe for a carrot. All in all, though, he wouldn’t have it any other way and calls his pets “a sweet little crew.”

5. Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds warmed Instagram’s heart last month when he made a tribute post for Baxter, his rescue dog of ten years. The day Reynolds met his future best friend, the actor wasn’t even expecting to adopt. He was just at a Houston animal shelter looking for a rescue pet for his friend when the big golden retriever caught his attention. “I just fell in love with him,” he told PEOPLE . “I didn’t mean to, I just picked him up along the way.”

6. Nicole Kidman

In September, Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban announced that they’d adopted the newest member of their “fur-family,” a black and white cat named Louis. Kidman and Urban have two other cats, Ginger and Snow, as well as Kidman’s “first puppy,” a red poodle named Jules. Kidman treasures her cats and has even figured out how to take them on hikes with a special windowed backpack. “[It’s] a cat carrier that’s a backpack and it has a window that they can peek out of and it’s got air and everything and they love it,” she said in an interview with PEOPLE. “It is really cute. They hop in. They can’t wait to get in.”

7. Zac Efron

Zac Efron met his furry best friend MACA after Bark N’ Bitches, a LA-based dog shelter, rescued her from being euthanized. Efron stepped in to foster her before realizing he just couldn’t give her back and they’ve been inseparable ever since.

8. Amanda Seyfried

Last year Amanda Seyfried adopted her Australian Shepherd Finn after meeting him on the set of Big Love. In an interview with PEOPLE, Seyfried shared that Finn has been huge in helping the actress manage her anxiety. “As soon as he was mine, like 24 hours after I got him, I realized something about me needed him. He completely changed my life and helped me find my solitude and my independence.” Now, Seyfried makes sure all of her film contracts allow her to bring Finn along whenever possible.

9. Chris Evans

Captain America met his now Internet-famous dog Dodger while filming the movie Gifted. When he realized the doggy actors on set were available for adoption, he fell for Dodger right away. On National Pet Day two years ago, Evans shared a heartwarming video of the first time they met, writing, “I knew right away that he was coming home with me, so I took this video to always remember our first hello.”

10. Olivia Wilde

Olivia Wilde was happy to introduce her newest “heartbreaker,” Elvis Sudeikis-Wilde, to her Instagram followers a few years ago. “He’s lived a pretty harrowing life so far, and we are so lucky he adopted us as his new family, so we can treat him like the king he was born to be,” she wrote in her post, thanking Barc Shelter for helping them find “the missing member of our brood.” Wilde hopes that others will give rescue pets a chance at a better life, adding, “Please consider saving a dog today.”

11. Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler has always outspoken about the importance of animal rescue; she recently adopted two chows named Beret and Bernice after the passing of her longtime companions Chunk and Tammy last year. Chelsea saved Chunk from a kill shelter at 9 years old and he quickly became a favorite of fans all over the world and even had his own Facebook and Twitter accounts. In April, Handler took to Twitter to ask people to support the shelter she adopted her new rescue pets from, writing, “If you are able to help, please join me in supporting them.”

12. Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell has a passion for adopting senior dogs, including her beloved girl Barbara who passed away earlier this month. She was intentional about sharing her experience with Barbara in the hopes that it would encourage others to see the merit in adopting and fostering older rescue pets.

In an Instagram story after Barbara’s passing, Bell urged followers to love on older shelter dogs, saying: “I had and I continue to have such a good experience with adopting senior dogs, and I hope by seeing some of Barbara’s antics, it inspires other people to open their hearts to older dogs. I know they’re not like the ideal thing to take on and obviously it’s sad when they die, but it’s no comparison to the feeling you have knowing that you spoiled someone in their twilight years.”

Kristen Bell isn’t the only one in her family with a soft spot for rescues. Bell and her husband Dax Shepherd decided to start fostering their other dog, Frank, as a way to settle an argument. “I didn’t get an apology, but I got a dog! This is so much better than an apology,” she told Justin Long while sharing the story on his podcast.

13. Charlize Theron

Last December Charlize Theron added two new dogs, Leo and Cleo, to her adopted family. She told Stephen Colbert that she adopted them off the street for her two children. Theron’s son and daughter were jealous because the family’s older two dogs were clearly their mom’s, and the actress couldn’t disagree. Theron said she couldn’t be prouder of her two older rescues, and that even though they came with their own issues like any rescue pet, “they’re such good boys.”

14. Kellan Lutz

Kellan Lutz has been an adoptee dad for ten years ever since he adopted his rescue dog, Kola, after breaking up with his first girlfriend. His most recent rescue dog, Koda, was just featured in an “Adopt, Don’t Buy” campaign for Peta and recently celebrated her fourth birthday.

15. Jennifer Anniston

Jennifer Aniston joined the masses who have stepped in to rescue shelter pets over quarantine, welcoming a puppy named Lord Chesterfield into her family earlier this month. She gave a shoutout on Instagram to the Wagmor for connecting her to her new family member, writing: “A HUGE thank you for the incredible work you do. Grateful you take such great care of these rescues and find them their forever homes.”

16. Carrie Ann Inaba

Last but not least, there’s me! My lifelong passion for animals has always drawn me to rescues, particularly ones with special needs. I’ve always found that a home feels empty until there’s some love from an animal companion to fill it. I currently have three dogs named Lola, Buddy and Peanut, and two cats named Reb and Sophie.

Adopting an animal can be a great way to show kindness both inward and outward. The love that rescue animals have to give is so pure and uncomplicated; making space for a rescue will change your life in ways you can’t imagine. If the stories above have made you curious about adopting or fostering a pet, Petfinder.com or your local shelter’s site are great places to start researching. Your new best friend could be a simple search away.

If you’re unable to foster or adopt an animal, there are still plenty of ways to make a difference in the life of a rescue pet in need. Click here for 9 easy ways to “virtually” adopt an animal today.

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6 Tips for Taking Care of Your Pets During COVID-19

CARRIE ANN CONVERSATIONS | Tips for Taking Care of Your Pets During Quarantine

Life has changed for all of us as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Our schedules, work life, and social patterns have all shifted drastically as we’ve had to adapt to a new way of living. As we’ve learned to stay home more, we’ve retooled our own schedules and lifestyles to better support us during the pandemic. But we might not think about these changes have impacted one part of our households: our pets.

As our idea of normal has shifted, theirs has as well. Many of us are home a lot more, drastically changing what our pets’ day-to-day lives look like. As happy as they might be to have us home more than ever, pets are experiencing changes to their routines, activity, and eating schedules that might put their wellness at risk. As much as we want to promote healthy lifestyles for ourselves during lockdown, we need to put intentionality towards caring for our pets as well.

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re quarantining with a pet.

1. Keep Them Stimulated

As we struggle to keep up with our lives during quarantine, the attention we spend on our pets might waver. It’s easy to become passive and forget to engage our animals in active play, but this is essential both for exercise and quality of life.

Jodie Havens, Training Expert for PetSmart, says that making sure your pet gets enough active play can ensure their wellness on many different fronts. “Exercise promotes overall physical and mental health, prevents boredom and destructive behavior, reduces stress, encourages bonding and offers many other benefits.”

She says games like hide and seek, tug of war, and playing catch with a ball are all great ways to provide physical and mental stimulation. “You could set up a fun obstacle course, teach them a few new, simple tricks using their dinner as a reward, or help control their impulses with a game like ‘Finish Line.'”

If you’ve been hiding your dog’s favorite squeaky toy while sheltering in place, many vendors sell an alternative that won’t disturb your work from home. Ultrasonic squeaky toys can keep your dog engaged without ruining your peace and quiet.

2. Keep Healthy Eating Patterns

As we limit our trips to the store, we often end up with bigger stockpiles of food than we are used to. While we’re storing two weeks of groceries at a time, it can be easy to give your pet bigger portions without thinking. However, keeping your pet’s eating schedule and portions consistent is important for their health. If you’re having a hard time controlling your pet’s eating, you can buy a slow-feeder to make sure they’re eating the right amount.

When you’re around your pets all day you might be tempted to give them treats often, but setting a limit or even saving treats for training purposes can ensure your pet doesn’t reach an unhealthy weight during quarantine. PetSmart’s Resident Veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Freeman says, “It’s easy to give treats to our pets — we use them to reward good behavior and demonstrate how much we love them. However, offering too many treats can pack on the pounds, which can lead to a myriad of health issues such as diabetes, cancer, arthritis and kidney dysfunction.”

Dr. Freeman also says that when it comes to treats, ingredients matter. “Aim for treats that contain real meat and offer added benefits like glucosamine for joint health.” This way, every treat can be a reward without compromising your pet’s health in the process.

3. Keep Up With Their Vet Appointments

As so much of our routine has been shaken up, remembering to schedule vet appointments might fall by the wayside. While so many businesses are still on lockdown, vet practices are considered essential and should be open to ensure your pet’s well taken care of. Many veterinarians offer a curbside service, where they take the dog inside by themselves while you wait outside. This can be a stressful prospect, so make sure you’re prepared beforehand.

Your animal’s shots and checkups might not seem urgent today, but paying attention now will save you from facing bigger issues with your pet’s health down the road.

4. Make Sure They Exercise

A walk around the neighborhood is one of the daily pleasures of life right now; it can double as a way to keep your pets healthy and stimulated. Dogs need regular walks as a part of their exercise routine, and a trip outside to explore the nearest park can help both you and your pet to feel less trapped.

If you have a cat, make sure you’re stocked up on toys to keep them occupied. Indoor cats are especially at risk for weight gain and understimulation; taking time to play with them while you’re on the phone or watching TV can keep them active, healthy and happy even while indoors.

5. Avoid Over-Bonding

Hollywood animal trainer William Berloni told Bloomberg that there’s some risk in letting dogs get used to our stay-at-home routines. He says that if dogs get too acclimated to us being at home all day, it can result in much more anxiety when our normal patterns pick up again and they get left at home. Berloni says dogs are becoming “overly bonded,” relying on their owners more and more in order to stay calm, and that they might be losing their ability to self-soothe when they find themselves left on their own.

Berloni advises creating a schedule that mimics your normal routine, including regular walks and the separation dogs would normally experience. He recommends putting your dog in a separate room (or in their crate) at least twice a day for an hour so they can become adjusted to your absence and learn how to cope. Leaving a lot of toys around so they can learn to occupy themselves helps as well.

Dr. Freeman says that if actions like picking up keys or putting on shoes stress your pet out, start doing these things when you’re not leaving the house to get them accustomed to those behaviors, and then start quietly leaving the house for short periods of time.

Dr. Freeman says it can also be helpful to establish a room or a crate as a “safe zone” for your dog. “Establish this as a safe area by giving lots of praise when they willingly enter it. You might also consider leaving some recently worn clothes out in the area so that it smells like you.” She says to practice leaving the safe zone for short periods, increasing the intervals over time. “You can give your dog a treat-dispensing toy that takes time to consume to keep them occupied.” All of this will help your dog more easily adapt to your entrances and exits without anxiety or stress.

6. Don’t Let It Get Too Quiet

Andrea Arden, owner of Andrea Arden Dog Training in New York, told Bloomberg that it’s easy for dogs to adjust to our new, quieter lifestyles with social distancing and shorter walks. This unfortunately means that their tolerance for noise gets lower, making it more likely that any sudden noise might set them off. Arden recommends taking your dog to an outdoor spot that’s a bit busier to help them get reacclimated to the bustle of average life, building up their resilience for noise and activity outside of your quiet home.

By keeping these things in mind, we can help to keep our pets happier and healthier even as we’re figuring out how to manage the transitions involved in staying at home.

If you’re looking into adopting during this season of social distancing, Your Dog Advisor’s list of questions to ask can help you know which dog will make the perfect addition to your household.

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9 Items To Pamper Your Pets

If you have pets, you understand that the relationship between our animals and ourselves is a deeply reciprocal one. We give them a home and in return they fill our lives with the purest form of love and comfort. One of the richest parts of pet ownership is finding new ways to take care of our pets and enrich their lives. As a pet owner, one of my favorite experiences is bringing home something new that I know my pets are going to love, or something that I know will make it easier for me to care for them. Here are some products that can improve any pet’s life, helping to make their lives happier and healthier.

Calming Shag Donut Cuddler

This soft, furry bed with an imprint in the middle will help even the highest-strung dog settle down for peace and rest.

Buy now on Amazon

Rescue Remedy Stress Relief Drops

These drops, created by Bach Flower Remedies specifically for animals, can help soothe frayed nerves and make stressful events like vet visits or nail trimmings easier on our pets. This non-drowsy, homeopathic formula is great for adding a little peace and calm to your animal’s day.

Buy now on Amazon

Pretty Litter

A must-have for cat owners, Pretty Litter comes in a cheap monthly subscription that ships straight to your door. This litter is lightweight, all but eliminates odor, and even has color-changing diagnostics so you can keep an eye on your cat’s health.

Buy now at Pretty Litter

Veken Pet Fountain

Whether your pets have mobility issues, tend to knock bowls of water over or you’d simply like them to have a fresher source for water, this fountain is the perfect addition to any household with animals. It provides elevation to avoid neck strain, includes a filter that keeps your pet’s water from going stale, and allows you to monitor water intake.

Buy now on Amazon

Catnip-Infused Poptart Toys

A perfect treat for even older or more sedentary cats, this catnip-infused toy is made with soft felt in soothing colors.

Buy now on Etsy

Wild One Poop Bag Carrier

This sleek, cheap carrier attaches easily to leashes and totes, making it the perfect stylish companion for any walk.

Buy now at Wild One

Furminator Undercoat Deshedder

Warmer months can be an uncomfortable time for pets with thicker coats, leading to excess shedding and potential overheating. The Furminator, which comes in a variety of sizes for cats and dogs, is a great tool for freeing your animals from top-layer fur while clearing out the deeper, thicker undercoat as well.

Buy now on Amazon


Foldable Pet Steps

If you have an older pet or one with limited mobility, they might struggle to join you on a couch or bed, requiring assistance and supervision. A set of easily stored pet stairs can help pets retain autonomy while making their daily routine easier on their limbs and joints.

Buy now on Amazon

Rechargeable Cat Laser Pointer

Laser pointers are a great way to keep your cat entertained even if you’re low on energy. Lasers can stimulate a cat’s environment, help them use their hunting instincts and keep them feeling enriched and energetic. This pointer doesn’t require specific batteries to function, instead conveniently charging via USB.

Buy now on Amazon