Ah, watching the beautiful birds and butterflies who pass through my back yard is breathtaking! I welcome them and hope that they can find sanctuary and comfort in my garden. How can you turn your garden into a more accommodating and nurturing place for birds and butterflies? Some plants are …

Dogs have been disappearing in Idaho. One dog, named Bean, was found shot dead and left near a canal. A hiker found another dog in a canyon, covered with a sheet and apparently beaten to death. Two other dogs, Gauge and Mac, went missing and were later found shot to death on a neighbor's property. Two dogs were believed to …

Dogs love us regardless of how we look. They don't care if we have big feet, frizzy hair or an oddly-shaped nose. Whether we're dressed to the nines or we've just rolled out of bed, dogs are always happy to see us. Shamefully, humans have failed to extend the same kindness to them.

We've …

Summer is just around the corner, and if you're like me, you're already making vacation plans and a list of what to pack. Wherever our travels take us, if we're getting there by air, one "item" that never belongs on our list is our animal companions.

A recent analysis by a San Francisco–area TV station found that 302 animals …

Last month, I saw a beautiful gray cat lying in my driveway. From a distance, she appeared to be well-fed and cared for, but she wasn't wearing a collar. Fortunately, since I live in Sarasota, it wasn't too cold out. But it was dark, and I couldn't tell whether she was all right, so I made some psst-psst-psst cat-calling sounds. …

I'm asked this question every week, usually by well-meaning guardians trying to make sound medical decisions in behalf of their older dog or cat. The good news is that our animal companions are living longer than ever before. Let's discuss the reasons:

1) Preventive veterinary care: Veterinarians have far greater resources to discover and treat …