Posted June 04, 2025in People & Pets
One might imagine greyhounds, known for their speed, want to race day in and day out. Yet Dylan and Catherine Lyons discovered, in the case of their greyhounds, it is not true. After they adopted their greyhounds, Buddy and Han, Dylan thought he would be a runner when he took
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Posted April 30, 2025in People & Pets
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is a common quote — and one that Jan Marks says applies to discarded clothing that can help dogs in need. Marks, of Windsor Heights, is currently the Iowa lead for the nonprofit Pupcycled, which was started in California by two high school
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Posted April 02, 2025in People & Pets
Whether he is transferring abandoned shelter dogs on airplanes, taking his dog, Jake, to college to help students de-stress, or simply allowing school kids to cuddle with a pet, it is all about the dogs. Jay Newell, a dog lover his entire life (he even took two dogs on his
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Posted March 05, 2025in People & Pets
Reptiles. Most people cringe or back off when encountering a slithering snake, a prehistoric-looking lizard or any other sticky-toed reptile. Other folks keep these animals as pets but find they can no longer care for the reptiles. That’s where Cam and Cole Reiman come in. They established Spock’s Sanctuary, a
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Posted February 05, 2025in People & Pets
At an auction sale site, two puppies were found huddled together, abandoned in an old chicken coop. The puppies were taken to a foster organization, Oh My Dog Rescue (OMD). OMD is a foster-based organization that saves abandoned or surrendered dogs, giving them a second chance at life. The foster
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Posted January 01, 2025in People & Pets
An abandoned nest of baby bunnies. An injured squirrel on the side of a road. These are the subjects of some of the calls Melinda Austin fields from members of the public who are seeking advice on how to take care of these animals. Austin is a wildlife rehabilitator for
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Posted December 04, 2024in People & Pets
Pet owners may declare they are either dog lovers or cat lovers. Gary Hepker doesn’t need to decide on either. He likes both. Gary recently adopted Gracie, a 9-month-old mini goldendoodle. He desired a small dog for a long time and was on the waiting list at the Animal Rescue
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Posted November 06, 2024in People & Pets
Sammy, an orange cat, whose owners are Carol Palmer and Dan Chase, is known for getting the ‘zoomies. Any cat owner knows what the zoomies entails. A cat sprints around the house at high speeds, climbs up and down furniture, sliding on slick floors while losing traction – all for
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Posted October 02, 2024in People & Pets
When Jenn Foster began volunteering at Furry Friends Refuge — a no-kill pet shelter in West Des Moines — she had no intention of adopting a third or fourth pet. She already had one dog and two cats. Yet, when she volunteered one day, she noticed a cuddly cat at
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Posted September 04, 2024in People & Pets
Dani McDowell has been a dog lover her entire life. She received two of her dogs from her mom. Thunder is a schnauzer, and Dolly is a miniature schnauzer. Although the pair are litter mates, they don’t look alike. Thunder weighs in at 25 pounds. Dolly, however, had a liver
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