Not being able to afford to feed a pet is a reason many people surrender their pets to shelters. An animal control officer I know always carried cans and bags of food “unofficially” in his truck when driving around neighborhoods he knew to be poor. He told me that he started after someone approached him saying she loved her dog …

With the leaves changing color and the air getting crisp, it’s a great time to take a nature walk with your dog. Our friends at Discovery News have tips for keeping hikes fun and safe for everyone. Here are a few of our favorites (read all eight tips here): Thinkstock Make sure your trail is dog-friendly. Some parks are dog-friendly …

A three-part study recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that pets make us happier, healthier and better-adjusted. Happy, an adult male Maltese at Toy Breed Rescue in San Jose, CA, could improve anyone’s mood. While plenty of research shows that pets help sick people heal, this is the first study to look at the well-being …

Wall-E, at Sulphur (OK) Animal Shelter, has become a celebrity. The hot pet story of the moment is about Wall-E, the puppy at Sulphur Animal Shelter in Sulphur, OK, who was believed euthanized, but who survived. You can read his story on his Petfinder profile, which is maintained by veterinarian Amanda Kloski. Dr. Kloski has been caring for Wall-E since …

The prehistoric dog probably resembled a Husky like Tundra, who is adoptable at Best Friends in L.A. Discovery News has a story today that says a lot about how long humans and dogs have been part of each other’s lives. Remains of a dog who lived in Siberia more than 7,000 years ago suggest the dog lived and died alongside …

Discovery News reports that the animal world has a new jumping king — the copepod. A one- to two-millimeter-long crustacean, this tiny creature can “accelerate to a speed of 500 body-lengths per second when they perform an escape jump,” according to a recent study.

Chihuahua Gordon is adoptable at the Humane Society of New York. Discovery News reports that a new study traces the origins of small dogs back to the Middle East of 12,000 years ago. (Read the original story.) According to the study, which appears in the journal BMC Biology, a version of the gene responsible for a dog’s small size probably …

Giant George and friend (photo) Discovery News reports that a four-year-old Great Dane has been named the world’s tallest dog (see the original story). Standing at 7 feet and 3 inches from nose to tail and weighing in at 245 pounds, this gargantuan dog is not just your average Great Dane. It’s the “Greatest” Dane. Guinness World Records announced today …

Pompeii has over 50 dogs that will be up for adoption. (Photo: icanidipompei.com/) According to Discovery News, the stray dogs of Pompeii are about to get a second chance. On Monday, Pompeii’s Emergency Commissioner, Marcello Fiori, announced a campaign to microchip, collar and tag each of the more than 50 dogs that frequent the ruins to find them permanent, loving …