Category: Resources

Cats can experience urinary tract issues which can lead to house soiling. This is the top reason older cats are surrendered to the Humane Society of Utah. In addition, cats that develop urinary tract infections can sometimes suffer from endocrine diseases, including hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus. 

Often the former guardians are unaware of the urinary tract issues, and it isn’t until they are in our care that they find out. Luckily, some families are willing to reunite with their beloved feline friends once they are informed and a treatment plan has been implemented. 

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The most common symptoms of urinary tract infection in cats include: 

• urinating small amounts more frequently
• straining to urinate
• pain or discomfort when urinating
• not urinating at all
• urinating around the house (outside the litter box)
• passing urine tinged with blood (pinkish color urine) 
• sudden-onset fear of the litter box
• lethargy
• vomiting 

If your feline friend is exhibiting any of these symptoms, please schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.

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Here are our tips for maintaining your cat’s urinary health

Increasing your cat’s water intake is one of the most important steps toward keeping their urinary tract healthy. Keeping your cat well-hydrated means they will urinate more frequently which will flush out toxins and maintain healthy kidney function. In addition, a higher urine water content dilutes the toxins, minerals, and urinary irritants that can lead to problems like crystals and urinary stones.

Our first tip is always to provide fresh water. Cats often prefer fresh or running water, which is why you often see them trying to drink straight from the faucet. Many cat bowls today come with a fountain option. 

Second, incorporate wet food into your cat’s diet. Wet food holds more moisture than dry and easily adds water to a cat’s intake.  

Third, if your cat has had previous urinary health problems, they will likely benefit from a urinary diet. These formulas contain specific amounts of minerals, protein, and bladder protectants to help maintain a healthy urinary tract. Urinary diets have restricted amounts of minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium which can contribute to urinary crystals and stone formation. 

Talk with your veterinarian if you think your cat may benefit from a urinary diet. These prescription bags of food often cost about the same as most high-end cat food brands.

Fourth, avoid stressful environments for your feline friend. Cats are sensitive to environmental stressors, which have been linked to inappropriate elimination and feline UTIs. Eliminating simple stressors and providing an escape when your cat is fearful or anxious can keep her urinary tract healthy. 

Lastly, keep your cat’s litter box clean daily and avoid harsh-smelling litters that are heavily scented. These types of cat litter may smell better to us but are often offensive to our feline friends.  

You brought home a new puppy, now what?

Were you one of many people who recently added a new puppy to your household? Owning a puppy goes beyond basic training, and understanding what to expect in the first year can make living with your best friend much more enjoyable. We created a puppy timeline to help you understand how a puppy develops and reminds you of important milestones. We also offer virtual puppy classes. You can sign up for classes here. There is also a free printable PDF of the Puppy Timeline on that page too. 

Our 2021 Gift Guide aims to help you find the perfect unique gift for the animal lover in your life. Shop for a good cause or support local!

A book for any coffee table

This fundraising book project, Salty Dogs, by award-winning pet photographer Dawn McBride of Fuzzy Love Photography is a must-have this holiday season. This limited-edition coffee table book will be a collection of whimsical images highlighting the diverse career paths of the dogs of Salt Lake City and beyond. Salty Dogs is raising awareness for the Humane Society of Utah in “Celebrating Animals, Confronting Cruelty,” with 50% of the book sales being donated to help Utah’s homeless pets in our care. Purchase the book here. 

Be in the know for all dog-friendly events

Be in the know with the Dog Friendly SLC calendar: featuring tons of photos of great local pups, tips for monthly adventures, important dog holidays, and the dates of every dog event they could get their hands on! This glossy 8.5″ x 11″ coil-bound calendar is the perfect place to keep track of all your pup’s social engagements. Stock is limited so hurry and pre-order!

Find the perfect trail for your adventure friends

Check out Girl on a Hike‘s new paperback book, Hiking Utah’s County High Points.  HIking will get you away from crowds, allow you to explore somewhere new, provide a free full-body workout without a gym membership,   and you can spend time alone or bond with friends. This book also includes 20 “Bonus Peaks” that every peak bagger should mark off their Utah list!  Pick up your copy here. 

Stay fashionably warm this winter with HSU swag 

Our retail store is full of great gift ideas… from hats to hoodies, cat bowls, and more! Visit anytime during our Adoption Center hours, 10 am to 7 pm, seven days a week. Or visit our online store. 

Local, eco-friendly product that is as good for the planet as it is for you!​​​

Wild Waters Soapery will keep your friends feeling pampered with their handmade products.  With individual soaps, holiday gift sets, or gift cards, you can’t go wrong with purchasing from this local business. 

Yummy treats – Vegan candy and baked goods

Who doesn’t love a bakery named after a cat? Sweet Hazel & Co is located just down the street from our pet resource center has some of the tastiest treats around. Their Snix 4-pack is a favorite amongst our staff. 

Unique gifts by local artists

Clever Octopus Reuse Market has something you won’t find anywhere else for that one-of-a-kind gift. Or pick up your affordable craft supplies and make something yourself. Located at 2250 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City. 

We hope this gift guide helps you find the perfect gift for the animal lovers in your life!

As a responsible pet owner, you can rehome your pet and save them the stress of entering an animal shelter. You know your pet better than anyone, and with these Pet Rehoming Resources, you can find a new loving home for your pet.

 We encourage you to look into alternative solutions to keep your pet, if possible, before making the decision to rehome.

Pet Rehoming Websites

Rehome by Adopt a pet.com and The Petco Foundation
Create a pet profile, receive applications, and screen potential adopters from your home. Adopt-a-Pet.com gives you a personalized adoption agreement that you and your adopter can sign online.

https://rehome.adoptapet.com/
This website, founded by Adopt-a-Pet.com and the Petco Foundation, allows you to rehome your pet with peace of mind. You can create a profile for your pet, review applications of potential adopters, screen and meet adopters, and finalize the adoption with Adopt-a-Pet’s personalized adoption agreement. Your pet can go straight to a new home without experiencing the stressful shelter environment.

Home To Home 
Home To Home™ is an interactive website created to help shelters and rescues. It provides a positive and proactive method to rehome pets as well as provide support to pet owners in their time of need, when keeping a pet is no longer an option.https://home-home.org/

If these pet rehoming resources aren’t suitable for your pet or your situation, and you don’t think your pet would thrive in an animal shelter environment, there are local rescue groups that may accept owner surrenders.

Pet Rescue Groups

***WE ARE UNAWARE OF ANY ORGANIZATION THAT ACCEPTS OWNER SURRENDERS WITHOUT PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS***

PLEASE NOTE: These are volunteer-run, foster-based organizations. These volunteers often work full-time, foster rescue pets in their homes, and have families or pets of their own to care for. They volunteer in animal rescue in their spare time.

A New Beginning Animal Rescue
Phone: (801) 916-3924
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anbrescue.org
This organization has limited admissions. To make an appointment and to receive a copy of the Surrender Contract and Incoming Pet Profile, email [email protected].

Rescue Rovers
Phone: (435) 565-4031
Website: https://www.rescuerovers.org
Dog rescue that will take owner surrenders. You must fill out an owner surrender application online. You should receive a response from the Rescue Rover team within a week. Keep in mind it can take up to a couple weeks for a foster home to be made available for your dog.

Because Animals Matter (Hurricane, UT)
Phone: (435) 773-5209
Website: www.becauseanimalsmatter.com
This organization has limited admissions. BAM may ask you to continue housing your pet until an adoptive home is found. This can reduce the stress of the rehoming experience.

Bulldog Club of Utah Rescue
Phone: 801-750-0587
Website: https://bulldogrescueofutah.org
This organization will only take English or British Bulldogs.

Herding Haven
Website: www.herdinghaven.org/
This organization accepts herding breeds from the public on a case-by-case basis when they have open foster homes.

Tubs, a uniquely large 9-year-old purebred American Pit Bull Terrier, was strong and athletic with an intensely muscular build. This is why it was so odd when his guardian, Guinnevere Shuster, noticed he was dragging his hind legs over the curb while on a walk one day.

“This is a dog that would play fetch all day if he could,” explained Guinn. “He was very enthusiastic about training, searching for scents, doing anything active. So for him to suddenly not be able to lift up his hind legs was alarming. I took him to the emergency vet right away.”

During that visit, Tubs was diagnosed with Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia, a disease in which the body attacks and destroys its own red blood cells. He spent four nights at the emergency vet clinic and received several blood transfusions, but unfortunately, he didn’t respond well to the treatment. When it was apparent Tubs wasn’t going to make it, Guinn picked him up and took him home so they could spend their last days together cuddling in the comfort of one another’s arms.

He died three days later.

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For Guinn, the sudden loss was not only devastating but also a complete shock. Her best friend of seven years was here just one week ago, seemingly in perfect health, and suddenly he was gone. How was this possible? And how was she supposed to go on without him?

These are the questions all pet guardians will eventually face. Since our pets are more than just our companions, they are a part of our family, too, the loss can be profoundly unsettling and overwhelming. In honor of National Pet Memorial Day, which falls on September 12 this year, we wanted to bring up this difficult topic to share ways to help you cope better with the loss of your beloved pet and ideas on how to keep their memory alive. 

“Our pets are there for us when other humans may not be,” says Robert Neimeyer, the author of several books on grief and director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition. “Pets provide what psychologists call a ‘secure base’ for us where we can feel unconditionally loved and trusted. We often have the sense that they understand our emotions intuitively in ways that others do not cognitively.” And he says one of the great ironies of pet loss is that we’re grieving the absence of the very companion who could have made such a significant loss more bearable.

“For me, it was important to reach out and respond to friends and family for support and not isolate myself,” shared Guinn. “By talking about him and the situation, I could better process what had happened. It’s been a year now since his passing, and it’s getting easier to talk about, but of course, I miss him every day.”

Guinn, a professional photographer and the Humane Society of Utah’s Marketing and Communications Director, keeps Tub’s memory alive by updating his Instagram page regularly. There, she shares photos and stories of their favorite adventures. “Tubs was very outgoing and bubbly; he liked to greet people of all ages. He didn’t know any strangers. And he loved getting his picture taken, which was perfect for me and my profession. He would always pose for me!”

Guinn’s favorite memory of Tubs is now hanging on her office wall. “He had bonded with a puppy I was fostering that needed to be bottle-fed. The puppy adored Tubs so much and would watch him pose for pictures, and then she’d pose in the same way. I have a photo of the two of them posing together on my wall now.”

These are a few of the ways Guinn grieves and honors Tubs’ memory. Some pet parents may choose to plant a memorial tree, shrub or flower, or create a stone with a paw print in their garden. Others may get a tattoo of their pet, write a poem or create a photo album. No matter how you cope, know you are not alone in wanting to honor your pet’s legacy and the time you shared. And remember, our best friends – both past and present – will always live on in our hearts.

Many parts of Utah are prone to wildfires. Having an emergency plan in place can help keep you and your pet safe. Follow the steps below to help you and your animals be ready if you need to evacuate during an emergency. 

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Plan Ahead

Most evacuation shelters generally don’t accept pets, and for this reason, it’s crucial to research hotels and motels outside your local area for pet policies. In addition, you can ask friends or family if they are willing to house your pets during an emergency. Boarding your pet at a local facility is another option. 

No matter where you end up, having enough crates to move all of your pets at the same time is essential. Being emergency-ready also means training your animals to enter crates quickly. Practicing often and making the experience as positive as possible will set your pet up for success. For more information on crate training, click here. 

Being able to access information quickly is vital. Using sources such as https://utahfireinfo.gov/ can help keep you informed on the spread of fires in our state.

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^{Identification}

Make sure your pet’s microchip and ID tags are current and up to date. Your pets should be wearing proper identification at all times.; this includes animals who don’t usually go outside. Having a cloth collar you can write a phone number on in sharpie is a quick and inexpensive form of pet identification. 

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_{Pack and store an easy to access Pet Emergency Kit}

Here are a few of the items we suggest. Keep the following supplies in a sturdy waterproof container: 

• Vaccination and medical records
• Extra leashes and collars
• Seven days supply of food and water with bowls
• Two weeks of your pet’s medications
• Photos and descriptions of each pet
• Crates, bedding, and toys
• Litter boxes with litter (for cat owners)
• Stickers you can attach to your pet’s tags with your intended destination or temporary contact information.

Keeping your pet comfortable during an evacuation can help reduce stress. Remember, in case of a fire or earthquake, our animals rely on us to help them escape. So the more prepared for an emergency you are, the safer you and your pets will be!

Are you an avid adventurer who recently adopted a new dog? Or a newbie on the trail looking to bring your pup along on your new hobby? We’ll cover the basics to make sure you and your dog are set up for success and safety on the trail.

Prepare Your Pup for the Trail

Believe it or not, dogs aren’t born trail-ready. You’ll need to work out exactly when your dog will be ready. This may depend upon their age, endurance level, or physical fitness.

A visit to your vet will help determine what vaccines or preventative medicines they may need before venturing out into the great outdoors. If you have a young dog or puppy, you will need to take it easy until their growth plates are fully developed. Taking puppies on long repetitive activities like jogging without multiple breaks can cause orthopedic problems. Ask your vet for more information on this topic. If you plan on taking your puppy hiking, bring a bag to carry them in or keep it short with lots of breaks along the way.

Keep in mind if you adopted a dog that transferred in from another area of the country, they may need time to acclimate to our elevation and heat. For these pooches, starting in the foothills may be a better option than climbing a peak. 

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Now that you know your puppy or dog is fit and ready to go, we recommend the following. 

• Knowing your trail regulations
• Brushing up on doggy obedience
• Getting the right gear

Not all trails are off-leash, and watersheds do not allow dogs. Some national and state parks do not allow dogs on their trail systems, be sure to do your research beforehand. Following the laws keeps the trails accessible to all dogs and their people. You should maintain control of your dog at all times, whether they are on or off-leash. Step off the trail and yield the right of way to hikers, horses, and bikes. 

Having your dog on a leash isn’t enough. You also need to keep your dog calm as other people and other animals pass by. Practice basic obedience or attend our Hiking Hounds dog training class. You can sign up for a single lesson or multiple. These classes are held on trails along the Wasatch Front. They allow you and your dog to practice your training skills with real-life distractions. 

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Having the right gear can make all the difference. 

• We recommend a well-fitted “Y-front” harness with a back attachment and a long lead. Keeping your dog on a leash will keep them safe from wildlife, cliffs, or rivers 
• Having an up-to-date microchip and collar ID will help you reunite if your pet should become lost 
• Bring more water than you think you need for you and your dog. Give your dog a chance to drink water multiple times throughout the hike 
• Booties may protect your dog’s paws from sharp rocks if their paw pads aren’t acclimated to walking on the rocky terrain. They may also protect against the hot sand 

Lastly, we encourage everyone to practice Leave No Trace. Always pack out your dog’s waste. If you’re worried about a breach, double bag the poop and stash it in an odor-proof bag. You can purchase these bags online and keep them in your day pack.