Blind dog gets his own “seeing eye” dog

Charlie was doing fine. The blind eleven-year-old golden retriever didn’t want an upstart puppy named Maverick moving in. But his family, Adam and Chelsea Stipe, thought that after losing one eye to glaucoma in 2016 and another a year later, Charlie could use some help. Maverick, a four-month-old, became Charlie’s “seeing eye” dog. Before long, they were fast friends and playing together. Eventually, Charlie even shared his pillow with Maverick. . . . more

New bill could jail pet owners who abandon animals during hurricanes

People who leave their pets behind during hurricanes could face jail time and/or a $5,000 fine if a new bill passes in Florida. Most animal services in the Tampa Bay Area say they were overwhelmed by the number of people who came to the pet-friendly shelters during Hurricane Irma last September. “Instead of one or two, we had someone come in with 20 (animals). So you can fill up a 200-capacity shelter quick when people are bringing in every animal they have,” said James Terry, Hernando County Animal Services manager. The new bill is an effort to motivate pet owners to make plans for taking their pets with them in advance to avoid overcrowding the shelters. . . . more

Ohio makes shelter pets the official state pet

Ohio named shelter pets the official state pet last week in a bid to raise awareness about cats and dogs available for adoption. The move comes thanks to the passing of Senate Bill 86, a bill created to enact special designations and declare historic sites throughout Ohio. Shelter pets already enjoy an official state pet status in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, and Tennessee. Legislators in Texas and Oregon are now considering similar bills. . . . more

Guess which dog breed was just named most popular for the 28th consecutive year?

Last week, the American Kennel Club announced their list of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. Once again, the Labrador retriever came out on top—for the 28th consecutive year. German shepherd dogs snagged the second place spot, with golden retrievers, French bulldogs, bulldogs, beagles, poodles, rottweilers, German shorthaired pointers, and Yorkshire terriers filling out the rest of the list (in that order). This year’s list is almost identical to last year’s, except for one change: German shorthaired pointers jumped up to the 9th spot, pushing Yorkies to 10th place. . . . more

Pathway Vet Alliance to hire more than 175 veterinarians

Pathway Vet Alliance is looking to hire more than 175 veterinarians across the company’s network of veterinary hospitals. In addition to veterinarians, Pathway is also hiring for hundreds of support positions—both nationwide and at its main support office in Austin, Texas—including management- and entry-level positions spanning business development, human resources, IT, practice management, and marketing. In 2018, the company acquired 55 new veterinary practices, and now supports nearly 200 locations across the US, employing more than 4,500 staff members. . . . more