Written by Maggie McDevitt, Humane Pennsylvania Media Specialist It’s National Pet Appreciation Week! Pet Appreciation Week was started by the American Veterinary Medical Association in 1981 to raise awareness of the benefits of pets in our daily lives. To celebrate, we’d like to highlight a few simple ways you can show your pet how much you appreciate them this week and support Humane Pennsylvania. Plan a Day at the Dog Park There’s nothing more exciting to a pup than heading to the wide-open spaces of Humane Pennsylvania’s Danielle Ruiz-Murphy Dog Park, located at 503 S. Center Road (Rte ..read more

Written by Katie Litz, Humane Pennsylvania Animal Care Coordinator In celebration of National Rescue Dog Day on May 20, we are highlighting one of the many rescue dogs that have come into our shelter with a rough start, but a very happy ending. Bubba Lou, a 6-year-old neutered male American Pit Bull Terrier, was surrendered to the Lancaster Center for Animal Life-Saving on February 1, 2023, as his previous caretaker could no longer continue to care for him. Bubba’s previous caretaker informed our Animal Care Technicians that Bubba Lou was used as a bait dog when he was younger, so in turn, he ..read more

Written by Alexandria Young, Humane Pennsylvania Community Outreach Programs Manager Many refer to me as a “crazy cat lady,” but I don’t mind. I have spent more than 20 years advocating for the rights of and implementing humane management of free-roaming/community/feral cats in Berks County. I took care of 29 inside cats for four years and have volunteered in animal rescue for my entire life. Today, as an animal welfare professional, I learned that there is an official “Respect Your Cat Day” every March 28th[1] and according to my brief research on the holiday, it may have stemmed from an edic ..read more

Spay/Neuter Awareness Month: The Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Your Pets Written by Humane Pennsylvania Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Alicia Simoneau  Thursday, February 23, 2023, is World Spay Day, and Humane Pennsylvania is observing the holiday by speaking on the benefits of spaying and neutering your pets. Companion animals not only help us stay happy and healthy, but they are like members of our families. They must receive necessary medical care so that we can enjoy as much time with them as possible. Maintaining your pet’s well-being can be achieved through preventative measures ..read more

By: Laura Gibbs, Humane Pennsylvania Customer Care Representative February is National Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month, and ironically 2023 is the Year of the Water Rabbit! At Humane Pennsylvania, we’re excited to shine the spotlight on these fuzzy little friends! Rabbits have been in our lives since the 5th century, when these adorable creatures won the hearts of humans and were domesticated to be pets. Did you know rabbits are currently the second-most popular pet, after goldfish? And according to insider.com*, other than cats and dogs, rabbits are one of the most popular pets in the U.S. — sec ..read more

Every year on January 24th, animal lovers and advocates everywhere celebrate Change A Pet’s Life Day, which is a special day for encouraging people to adopt shelter pets and raise awareness in the community about vulnerable animals in need. In fact, Humane PA is hosting a four-day fee-waived adoption event in celebration of Change A Pet’s Life Day, generously sponsored by Fleetwood Bank and Summit Advisory Investment Banking. There are many ways to celebrate and change a shelter pet’s life for the better. Although adoptions are encouraged, and many shelters including Humane Pennsylvania do red ..read more

Written by: Humane Pennsylvania CEO & President, Karel Minor “Without people, you’re nothing.”  This quote by the late, great Joe Strummer hangs on the wall of Humane PA’s conference room along with our Mission Statement. It’s a reminder that while Humane Pennsylvania exists to help animals in need, we can only do that through people’s assistance, partnership, and support. It’s also a reason for concern on the horizon and why this year’s review will look back a little further than usual. Not too long ago, the universal sentiment- and it’s still all too common today- is that people wer ..read more

By: Humane Pennsylvania Community Outreach Programs Manager, Alexandra Young In 2005, I spent several months in Louisiana doing animal rescue and recovery work after Hurricane Katrina. Of the 250+ cats in our care at the Alley Cat Allies base camp in Bogalusa, LA during that time, only 11 pets were reunited with their owners. Although some progress has been made since then, human evacuation shelters do not automatically accept pets in the same areas where their owners are living (called co-sheltering). In 2010, as a direct response to the outcomes of Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Emergency Ma ..read more

For the last 44 years, Humane Pennsylvania has hosted the Walk for the Animals event with one goal: to continue building the best communities anywhere to be an animal or animal caretaker. What started as a simple walk around the block for the Humane Society of Berks County has turned into one of the region’s oldest and largest events that directly support community members and their pets across Berks and Lancaster Counties, and beyond! Our Walk for the Animals attracts thousands of participants every year and is supported by local businesses, generous sponsors, animal lovers, and friends ..read more

Written by: Alexandra Young, Humane Pennsylvania Community Outreach Programs Manager Since 2006, April has been recognized throughout the U.S. as National Prevention of Cruelty to Animals month, thanks to the efforts of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). From the Middle Ages onward, there have been barbaric practices related to how animals are treated. Many of these actions come as the result of superstition, religious beliefs, or outright lack of compassion or respect for the animals humans use to increase capacity and make money, especially animals like wo ..read more