So you swoon when the kitties dive into the laundry as though it’s their personal playground. And if the dog deems a folded pile perfect for a snooze, you start snapping pictures. Sometimes, though, the antics of furry family members aren’t quite as adorable.
Perhaps your pooch snacks on your favorite sneakers. Or he leaps too exuberantly on guests. Maybe your cat is etching a striped pattern on the arms of the sofa. Since pets and people speak different languages, it’s nice to know FREE assistance is available to help bridge the communication gap.
Various animal shelters around the nation offer FREE pet behavior helplines. Staff members or trained volunteers offer personalized assistance to questions submitted by phone or email. Some behavior helplines are intended primarily for families that adopted from that shelter. Other helplines serve anyone — regardless of where they live or where they acquired their pet. You can get advice on litter box use, house training, nipping, scratching and gnawing. Some helplines also accept questions about rabbits, gerbils and other types of pets.
Two shelters with respected and active pet behavior departments are among those offering FREE helplines that accept questions from anyone anywhere in the world.
- Dumb Friends League in Denver, 877-738-0217 or online.
- Marin Humane Society in Novato, California. For behavior and training assistance for dogs, call 415-506-6281. For cats, call 415-506-6284. Or email behavior@marinhumanesociety.org
Another resource is The Pets Forums, which provides a platform for asking questions of knowledgeable pet owners.
You can also find reliable FREE tips and advice online at these sites:
- The Dumb Friends League: puppy and dog behavior and kitten and cat behavior
- Humane Society of the United States: dog care and tips and cat care and tips
- Sacramento SPCA: dog behavior and training topics and cat behavior and training topics
- Marin Humane Society: behavior and training resources and hand-outs. This site requires users to set up an account, which is free.
Have you found other great free resources on pet care and behavior? Let us know.
Photo copyright Teresa Mears. All rights reserved.
Patti Roth
Patti Roth scouts out national deals for for Living On The Cheap. She also writes for several regional On The Cheap sites and for newspapers and magazines. Her favorite themes include dogs, all other animals and eco-friendly ideas and activites.
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