Behavior Pros Say Your Pet Wants You to Do These Four Things Starting Today
by Tasha Attwood A recent Pet Professional Guild Advocacy Panel discussion centered on the question, “How can guardians and professionals work together to create a kinder world for pets?” It was a follow up to two previous discussions about helping to make our pets’ world a little more friendly and kind. This series of PPG podcasts began with asking specifically what we, as pet guardians, can do. The next discussion explored how pet professionals can help. And now, this third installment brought it all together by asking how guardians and pet… Continued
A Kinder World for Pets and People: The Building Blocks of Meaningful Change
by Tasha Attwood A recent Pet Professional Guild Advocacy Panel discussion centered on a simple but powerful question: how can guardians and professionals work together to create a kinder world for pets? For this event, moderator Don Hanson was joined by panelists Rebekah King, Kim Silver, Jennifer Van Valkenburg, and myself. It was a very powerful and emotive discussion, with a message of kindness for everyone, and I’ve summarized some of the highlights for pet professionals here. Well-being Begins with Understanding Kim Silver opened the discussion by reflecting on welfare… Continued
Creating a Kinder World for Pets: What Professionals Can Do
by Tasha Attwood In the recent Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel discussion, moderator Don Hanson brought together Dayle Pearce, Rebekah King, and myself to explore a deceptively simple question: How can pet professionals help create a kinder world for pets? It’s a big question. And the answers, as it turns out, are both practical and deeply human. Are We Expecting Too Much? The conversation opened with a reflection on a wider cultural shift. Since COVID especially, expectations placed on dogs seem higher than ever. A recent article by Professor… Continued
Riff Raff: From Reactive to Relaxed
This article is the runner-up entry in the BARKS 2023 Summit Writing Competition! by Tasha Attwood Riff Raff is a 7-year-old entire (intact) male Leonberger who lives in a bungalow with his owners, Claire and Paul. They have had him since he was 8 weeks old, and he is the only pet in the household. Claire’s parents live in the house next door and have three Briards, two males named Bruce and Billy, and a female named Annie. The houses are separate but adjoined via a door in Claire and… Continued
UK Residents: Urgent Action Needed to Make a Kinder World for Pets
We have less than six months for UK citizens to get 100,000 signatures on this petition to ban electric shock collars for dogs and cats. Your signature attests, “I petition for the ban of electric shock collars due to the harmful effects they can have.” Five Reasons to Act Now: Inflicting Pain on Animals is Unlawful Let’s explore European Animal Welfare laws, specifically the UK Animal Welfare Act of 2006, and its Five Freedoms, which are: Advocates believe the use of electric shock collars on dogs is inconsistent with animal… Continued
UK Residents: Urgent Action Needed to Make a Kinder World for Pets
We have less than six months for UK citizens to get 100,000 signatures on this petition to ban electric shock collars for dogs and cats. Your signature attests, “I petition for the ban of electric shock collars due to the harmful effects they can have.” Five Reasons to Act Now: Inflicting Pain on Animals Is Unlawful Let’s explore European Animal Welfare laws, specifically the UK Animal Welfare Act of 2006, and its Five Freedoms, which are: Advocates believe the use of electric shock collars on dogs is inconsistent with animal… Continued
Perceptions of Assistance and Service Dogs by the General Public
Stereotypes of Assistance and Service Dogs Based on seeing stereotypes of assistance and service dogs, many people expect these dogs to be Labradors working under charities like Guide Dogs. It is becoming more common to see assistance and service dog teams owner train rather than seeking help from a charity for an assistance dog. Charities may not be an option due to the wait times and also the cost, which is outside the budget for so many teams. Today, assistance dogs come in all sorts of breeds, from all sorts… Continued
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