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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Posted July 31, 2024in People & Pets
Did you know seven of our closest living relatives are located right here in Des Moines? No, it’s not your favorite uncle or grandpa. Instead, it’s bonobos — a great ape species. The apes are part of the Ape Initiative, a nonprofit located in Des Moines dedicated to the
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Posted July 03, 2024in People & Pets
What was it like in Iowa’s prairie land before fast-food joints, strip malls and towering developments began pouring concrete and constructing buildings? To find out, drive to Granger and take a step back in time to discover a herd of elk and bison at the Jester Park Elk and Bison
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Posted June 05, 2024in People & Pets
When Abby Wilson and Tyler Burhenn moved into their own place together, the pair thought a pet might make it more homelike. Abby grew up with cats, a 6-year-old goldfish, hermit crabs, plus turtles Simon and Garfunkel obtained from a spring break trip. Tyler’s only pet was a hamster. However,
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Posted May 01, 2024in People & Pets
A lifelong horse trainer, veteran and former police officer is helping other veterans with mental health issues by offering equine therapy. Eric Moorman is a program director for Horses Helping Heroes, also known as H3. Located at the Jester Park Equestrian Center in Granger, the program is sponsored by Polk
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Posted April 03, 2024in People & Pets
With two dogs in the home, Morgen and Monty Stenroos decided they needed a larger home with a fenced-in yard. They found a home in Grimes where dogs Zaika and Aspen can roam freely in their backyard. Morgen’s dog, Zaika, is a mixed breed mutt and originally lived with Morgen’s
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