Category: Pet(s)

Yoga with Puppies

Debbie Roney Smith on

Friends Of The Escambia County Animal Shelter and the Yoga Alliance are coming together to host a Yoga with Puppies event tomorrow! Although the in-person class is full (and therefore the ability to cuddle with puppies is no longer available for this date), the online class is open to one and all!

This is a gentle yoga class led by Kim Corley, RYT. Kim is certified through the Yoga Alliance. All levels of experience are welcome. The online event will be live-streamed for a suggested donation of $15, although the stream is free. Visit the Facebook event page HERE to participate in the live stream on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST. 

National Cuddle Up Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is National Cuddle Up Day! Since January typically has some of the coldest days of the year, this annual event is a great way to stay warm and reap the various health benefits of cuddling. Whether you are cuddling up to a human companion or a pet, there are numerous benefits! Check them out below, and then get to cuddling up on this cozy winter day:

  • Cuddling releases oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that makes us feel good emotionally AND helps reduce pain. Additionally, it helps reduce the risk of heart disease, lowers blood pressure, stress, and anxiety.
  • Cuddling is a great tool for conveying positive physical touch. Physical touch is incredibly important for communicating trust, commitment, safety, and reassurance. 
  • Cuddling also releases dopamine, a hormone that can improve memory and focus. 

Dog’s in Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Debbie Roney Smith on

At 12 p.m. on Saturday, December 12th, there will be an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest to Benefit Lucky Puppy Rescue! The event will be held at The Market at St. Andrews, and will include multiple contests provided by the vendors in The Market. The entry fee is $5 OR a bag of dog food. There will be prizes awarded for Best Ugly Sweater, Best Dog Ugly Sweater, and Best Human-Dog Combo. 

Visit their Facebook event page HERE for more information on the offered prizes and to keep up-to-date on event announcements.

Operation Spay Bay: Free Spays for Females

Debbie Roney Smith on

A spay grant for female dogs has been approved for select counties this December. Operation Spay Bay is supported financially by the proceeds from the Florida Animal Friend License Plate. If you have a female dog weighing 50lbs (or more) AND you live in either Bay, Holmes, Washington, or Jackson County, you can have your pup spayed for a one-time fee of $12!

To schedule an appointment, call 850-215-1022 or visit the official website HERE. Be sure to mention the grant when making the appointment or you will not receive the heavily discounted fee. 

Help Partners for Pets “Raise the Woof”

Debbie Roney Smith on

Petoberfest

Partners for Pets is holding their 2nd annual Petoberfest this month. A non-profit no-kill animal shelter in Marianna, this year’s proceeds will go to helping them “Raise the Woof!” Partners for Pets is currently working hard to raise funds to build a desperately needed facility that will provide a temporary home for the animals while they work to find them forever homes. They are holding a silent auction through their Facebook (click here to visit their page) with new items throughout the month. So head over to check out the goodies you could win: paintings, a grandfather clock, jewelry, and more!

Additionally, Partners for Pets will be holding an in-person Petoberfest on Friday, October 30th. From 4pm-8pm at Madison Street Park, visit this Halloween-themed fundraiser with your family, friends, kids, and even pets (on a leash please!). Halloween costumes are encouraged and there will be treats and contests fit for the young and furry. There will be things to see like live entertainment, things to do like a dunk-tank, things to buy, and lots of yummy food. Hope to see you there to support this worthy cause!

In Need of a Vet in the FL Panhandle?

Debbie Roney Smith on

Live in the Florida Panhandle? Looking for a new, reputable veterinarian? Visit the Panhandle Veterinary Services located in Chipley, FL. Founded in 1976, this is a vet, full-boarding, and grooming facility. There are four doctors on staff, all graduates of the University of Florida. They are a mixed animal practice that caters to small and large animals. They are currently welcoming new clients, walk-in appointments, and farm visits! Panhandle Veterinary Services Website

Reviews rate them as an overall 4.5 out of 5-star rating with 229 reviews. Positive reviewers state that Panhandle Veterinary Services “are always very nice, never pushy and I love that they have a drive-through!” Additionally, they “Explained everything to us and asked if we had questions or concerns.” Overall, it seems that this particular clinic is  acknowledged for its’ “Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, [and] Value.” Panhandle Veterinary Services Google Reviews

Call them at (850) 638-4857 or visit them at:

Panhandle Veterinary Services

900 Falling Waters Rd

Chipley, FL 32428

Florida’s Role in Deaf Dog Awareness Week

Debbie Roney Smith on

Did you know some breeds of dogs have deafness rates of 40 percent or more? Yet most people are unaware that certain breeds are predisposed to hearing impairment, and even less know how to recognize the signs in their pets. Deaf Dog Awareness Week has just come to a close today; it was a wonderful chance to celebrate those special dogs, learn more about adoption and training, and to simply hug our furry friends close.

Florida has a special part to play in this week-long holiday. Gisele Veilleux founded a small foster-driven non-profit dog rescue located in Central Florida in 2009 called The Dog Liberator. A no-kill shelter, it rescues approximately 200 dogs per year. The Dog Liberator focuses on rescuing herding dogs in danger, thus preventing highly adoptable dogs from being destroyed. Veilleux published Deaf Dogs Hear With Their Hearts in 2013. It is the true story of China, a deaf and partially blind dog who inspired great things. China, an Australian Shepherd, was rescued from a kill shelter when she was still a pup and had been abused by her former owner. The effect China had on Veilleux and her daughter helped inspire Veilleux to focus more heavily on supporting hearing-impaired dogs. Thank goodness for animal-loving Floridians!