Natural disasters bombard our cities and push people and pets alike out of their homes and fleeing to safety. Just recently, Hurricane Harvey swept through Houston and the rest of the Gulf Coast, placing many people and their pets in danger. Though residents may know of a hurricane and another natural disaster's pending arrival, there is only so much you can do given a few days warning. If you live in an area where you may be exposed to natural disasters like flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and more, you can never be too prepared. Here are 4 steps to create a disaster preparedness plan for you and your pet:

Tags: dog safety, dog stories, Pet Safety, cat safety, pet safety tips, pet boarding, cat stories, hurricane harvey, disaster preparedness pet plan, pet plan, pet safety kit, aspca, pet safety zone, pet rescue

It’s Easter! Time for Easter baskets and Easter lilies! It is also time to remind all of our pet parents about things to be careful about around your pets this Easter season.

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Tags: dog safety, pet health, Pet Safety, spring, cat safety, dog health, easter, cat health

As a responsible pet parent, you know that you are supposed to keep your fur babies on heartworm preventive, but have you ever wondered why it is so important? What would happen if you didn’t? What if your pet has heartworms – what now?

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Tags: Ask the Vet, Cats, cats, dog safety, Dogs, dogs, health, pet advice, preventative pet care

Halloween is just around the corner and many pet owners are eager to include the family pet in the festivities.  Unfortunately, trick-or-treating can turn ugly if an excited dog dashes off in pursuit of costumed children with bags of candy.

No one wants to spend Halloween night in the emergency room with an injured child, or roaming the dark streets in search of a lost pet, so we asked some of Best Friends professional trainers to share their top tips for keeping everyone safe.

Tags: dog safety, Dogs, holidays, pet advice, Pet Safety

Happy Spring! Can you believe that spring has officially begun? Time for spring cleaning, changing the batteries in the smoke alarms, and time to start thinking about spending some more time outdoors. Depending on where you live, this means that our furry family members will be outside more and will be exposed to those pesky fleas and ticks. Fortunately, as a responsible pet parent, you are going to be proactive about their protection.

Tags: Ask the Vet, Cats, cats, dog safety, Dogs, dogs, health, pet advice, pet behavior, Pet Health, pet health, pet info, Pet Safety, Pets, tips, Vet

Tags: dog safety, dog stories, Dogs, dogs, pet health, pet info, Pet Safety, pet videos, Pets, safety

Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude and sharing food and fun with our family and friends. Of course we would want to include our furry family members in the merriment! When it comes to enjoying this Thanksgiving with our pets though, we have to be very careful to not accidentally make them ill.

Tags: Ask the Vet, cats, dog safety, dogs, health, holidays, pet advice, Pet Health, pet health, pet info, Pet Safety, Pets

Fall has arrived! There is a change in the air, the kiddos are back at school, and yes, there are likely already Christmas decorations in the stores! Changes in the season also mean that there are new dangers to be aware of to keep our furry family members safe. Here are a few things you need to know to be “in the know” pet parent.

Tags: Cats, cats, dog safety, Dogs, dogs, holidays, pet advice, pet health, pet info, Pet Safety, Pets

Throughout the summer, all 52 of our Best Friends locations and affiliated veterinary hospitals collected donations to support the efforts of Dogs on Deployment and the military pets and families that they help. Because of your generosity, we were able to collect a total of $6549.00 for this amazing cause.

Tags: best friends news, Cats, cats, dog safety, Dogs, dogs, donations, military dogs, pet info

How many of us have come home to find that our beloved dog has destroyed the sofa cushions or worse, chewed up your favorite pair of shoes. This may be due to a problem called separation anxiety. Separation anxiety (SA) is actually one of the most common behavioral problems seen in dogs. Not only can SA manifest as destructive chewing behavior but dogs with SA may bark, howl, dig, or urinate and defecate in the house when left alone.

Tags: Ask the Vet, dog safety, dog training, Dogs, dogs, pet advice, pet behavior, Pet Health, pet health, Pet Safety, Pets, Vet