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Introducing Cover Dog, Daisy Sonora and Friends!!
Story by Bonnie Craig Congratulations Tucsonans, Autumn is here! After surviving the hottest summer on record, we can finally dig out our down jackets and wool sweaters for those chilly 80 degree days. More congratulations are in order though, as it is time to...
Pima Animal Care Center Celebrates Life-Saving Milestone and Looks to Future
Story by Kayleigh Murdock, PhD Public Information Officer - Pima Animal Care Center We’re celebrating here at PACC! We recently received recognition from national organization Best Friends Animal Society for “achieving no-kill status during calendar year 2022 by...
The Story of Nic and Bennett — Who rescued who?
Story by Melissa Barrow “Not all disabilities are visible” declares a patch sewn to the vest of Bennett, the service dog of Nic Everhart. Nic and Bennett — a familiar sight around greater Tucson — are a striking, unusual pair: Nic is an Army veteran with noncombat...
Dog Gone — How Far Back Does the History of Pet Cemeteries Date?
Story by Rebecca West A couple of issues back, we wrote about the incredible true story concerning the far-reaching journey of the Rainbow Bridge poem and one writer’s quest to track down the person who penned the touching ode. That was Tucson resident Dr. Paul...
Spay, Neuter, and the Cover Dog!
Story by Bonnie Craig, Photos Courtesy of Candice Eaton and Chawntel Hunt As Tucson’s heat rages on, so does the stream of animals pouring into local shelters, so many this time of year being puppies and kittens. Some come in with their terrified and desperate...
Women of Rescue: Getting Things Done Part II
Story by Rebecca West If you picked up a copy of our July/August issue you already know that we are highlighting the amazing women working in rescue here in southern Arizona and the remarkable things they’ve accomplished over the decades. That work takes many, many...
Outdoor Adventures with Your Dog
Story and Photos Provided by Patricia Cook One of the best things in life is sharing an adventure with your dog. Tucson, with its wonderful weather, tempts people and their pooches outside. With a little planning, and an eye on the temperature, you and your dog can...
Women of Rescue: Getting Things Done, Part I
Story by Rebecca West If you had to take a wild guess, who would you imagine is behind the vast majority of rescue and shelter operations? We’re talking about from the founding of all the way down to the volunteers. The answer, of course, is women, and that’s because...
Sol Dog Lodge — Training Dogs and People for Life
Story by Melissa Barrow, photos courtesy of Sol Dog Lodge The Tucson Dog gives lots of space to the rescue community, appealing in every issue for fosters and adopters. The rescue slogan is ‘find them a forever home’ but the story doesn’t end when an animal walks in...
The Tucson Wildlife Center: A Priceless Gem in the Sonoran Desert
Story by Rebecca West, Images by Tucson Wildlife Center There was a time not so long ago when Tucson was teeming with wildlife centers. In fact, up until recently there were 12 of them, but now the area is down to just one — and thank your lucky stars, we still have...
Local Artist Diana Madaras: A Life Devoted to Art and Animal Welfare
Written by Rebecca West, Images courtesy of Diana Madaras One of Tucson’s most notable artists, her work captures the imagination and draws the viewer into familiar scenes witnessed through a richer, more vibrant lens, one that’s punctuated by deep jewel tones. Even...
The History of the “Rainbow Bridge”: Unraveling the Mystery
Written by Rebecca West, Photos courtesy of Edna Clyne-Rekhy Recently, one of our readers brought to our attention the unraveling of the mystery of the Rainbow Bridge, a touching poem about animal heaven and meeting up together again with beloved pets when our own...
Acupuncture, A Sought-Out Alternative Therapy Now More Than Ever
Story by Alison Martin, Founder of Animal Soul Connection When it comes to our pets, there is likely nothing we wouldn’t do to keep them from experiencing pain or discomfort. Many pet owners are looking for alternative methods for their pets and acupuncture tends to...
Easter Egg Hunt For Your Pup
Story by Meganne Carpenter Scout Camp Bow Wow, Tucson East This year Easter will be on April 9th, and we wanted to share a fun way to celebrate Easter with your pup by offering them an at-home enrichment Easter Egg Hunt! This is a version of a scavenger hunt and can...
Is Your Pet Packing On The Pounds?
Story by Alison Martin, Animal Soul Connection Did you know that 52% of dogs and 58% of cats are overweight or obese? Did you know that pet obesity is totally preventable? Did you also know that most pet parents don’t even know their cat or dog is overweight? Take a...
The New Cross-Culture 501c3 Rescuing Wheelchair Dogs
Story By Melissa Barrow Kim Kelly has always been into helping animals. She found Tucson’s rescue community after returning from post-doctorate work. It was their social media alerts that acquainted her with the plight of abandoned special needs dogs in Mexico. Deeply...
The Amazing Bond Between Humans and Animals is Evidenced in Animal Therapy in Arizona
Story by Rebecca West There’s archaeological evidence dogs were the first animals domesticated by humans between 20,000 and 30,000 years ago. This is far earlier than the domestication of donkeys, horses, and ruminant animals. We initially started bringing animals...
The Great Veterinary Shortage of 2022. How Does it Affect You and Your Pet?
Story by Scottie McGowan, Powered by Rescue A Golden of Arizona CVID-19 wreaked havoc on human lives throughout the world. Life, as we knew it, found a new norm by changing and improvising everyday life, some to our dismay. The impact on the already struggling...
And The Cover Dog Winner Is… Scruffy!
Story by Bonnie Craig Here we are again. We’ve made it through another blistering summer into the relatively less blistering respite of Autumn. Dogs can trot happily down the streets without cooking their paws. They can enjoy a nice sunbath without immediately...
Gabriel’s Angels, a Heaven-Sent Nonprofit Helping Kids Be Their Best Selves
Story by Rebecca West, Photos by Gabriel’s Angels Sometimes all it takes is a pair of soft brown eyes and the gentle nudge of a warm muzzle nuzzling you to drain you of stress and ease your apprehension. If you’re a dog lover, you get it. It’s that power to instantly...
Longest Stays: The Dogs of DeGrazia
Story and Photos by Colleen Keefe Nestled at the base of the Catalina foothills, sits the DeGrazia Gallery of the Sun Museum. The ten-acre site is adorned with a rotation of more than 20,000 of Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia’s work, a gift shop, chapel, home of the late artist...
University of Arizona’s College of Veterinary Medicine is a Boon to Not Only Students and Oro Valley, but Pet Parents in General
Story by Rebecca West, Images courtesy of UACVM Two years ago, U of A’s long-awaited veterinary school finally opened its campus doors in Oro Valley to students for fall 2020 classes. It’s said that the program garnered as many as 518 applications and interviewed 244...
Equine Voices, a Labor of Love
Story by Rebecca West, Photos courtesy of Equine Voices Back in 2004, Karen Pomroy set about creating a safe haven for horses and wild burros in need of refuge. Now, more than 18 years later, she’s finally realizing the whole of that dream with the completion of a new...
The Impact of Adoption: 4 Stories That Will Touch Your Heart
Story by Rebecca West “I have found that when you are deeply troubled there are things you get from the silent, devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.” Attributed to the late-great Doris Day, Hollywood actress and passionate animal...
Summertime Safety!
Story & Photo Provided by Jeremy Brown, The Complete Canine Summertime is a difficult time as a pet owner in the Sonoran Desert, and there are many things we should consider as responsible pack leaders. HEAT PRECAUTIONS: It is obvious that we have extreme heat in...
How to Become a Kitten Season Superhero: Fostering with PACC at a Critical Time
Story and Photos by Bonnie Craig, Kitten Flow Chart Courtesy of PACC In most US cities, May is a mild and pleasant spring month, but here in Tucson, the summer heat is already turning up, and with it comes kitten season. This is a time when a massive influx of...
Animal Advocate’s “Street Angels Animal Rescues” Helping Dogs in Mexico Live Better Lives
Story by Rebecca West, Photos provided by Lorna Grant-Aguilar Lorna Grant-Aguilar has fond memories of Saturday mornings when her mother would lovingly line up all of the family’s small pets for her to sit and play with. They ranged from a rabbit to guinea pigs, a...
Meteorologist Erin Christiansen A Force Of Nature for Animal Advocacy
Story by Rebecca West Smart, warm, and funny. You’ve seen her at the weather desk or standing in front of a glowing map outlining heavy rains over the Catalinas or a dust storm barreling across town. As the most widely recognized meteorologist in Tucson, she’s likely...
Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue, a Hub of Hope for Labs in the Borderlands
Here in Tucson we have an abundance of incredible animal rescues run by so many caring people, and one thing anyone involved with animal rescue knows is that networking is absolutely crucial to getting the animals what they need, where and when they need it. These...
Scientists Believe Dogs Are Using Earth’s North-South Magnetic Fields as an Internal Compass to Navigate, Similar to Migratory Species
Story by Rebecca West We’ve all heard the stories. Pets finding their way cross-country, inexplicably showing up thousands of miles away years later. They’re usually lost before or during a move. Sometimes they’ve been left behind to live with friends or family and...
WOOFSTOCK Cover Dog Contest Winner: “MINKER THE STINKER” The little Dog Who Leads His Family on Big Adventures
Story by Emily Dieckman, Photos Provided by Candice Eaton & Erika Plante Erika Plante was devastated when her Pitbull, Lucian, passed away in October 2019. She’d had him for 10 years, and he’d always reminded her of that quote from The Titanic, about how he’d...
Tucson’s Foster Heroes: Tucson’s Foster Caregivers Share Their Experiences And The Impact They Have On The Community
Story by Rebecca West, Photos Courtesy of Julia Ewer, Oana Stratman and Alex Byler “Saving an animal’s life or making a difference for them is an amazing feeling and such a fulfilling experience!” Each year thousands of pets are surrendered or picked up as strays in...
The Daily Dilemma of the Homeless & Their Pets
Story by Rebecca West Ask any number of people their views on the homeless population with pets, and you’re likely to get a mix of responses. A lot feel bad for the animal and feel it’s unfair of the owner or irresponsible to keep them under the circumstances. But...
Precious Time Dogs Steps Up For Pups in Need
HOPE Animal Shelter launches an initiative to provide a bridge for at-risk dogs to their forever homes. Story by Emily Dieckman, Photos courtesy of HOPE Animal Shelter Stacy Van Dyke is a board member at HOPE Animal Shelter who has also been volunteering with the...
Tech Sqt. Josh Reid, Military Dog Trainer at Davis-Monthan AFB, Shares His Role as MWD Kennel Master and the History That Goes with it
Story by Rebecca West, Photos by Candice Eaton When you sit back and think about it, animals have played a significant role in military campaigns for thousands of years. Horses and dogs, in particular, have marched across continents with their masters and handlers as...
And The Cover Dog Winner Is! Lord Mojo Filthwad Von Sheddington II aka “Mojo”
Story by Emily Dieckman Big ones, small ones, some the size of your head. Some in sunglasses, hats, Halloween costumes, or halfway through eating a cup of whipped cream. Competition was fierce for the 2021 Tucson Dog Holiday Cover Dog Contest, in which readers...