Welcome to the Rover Roundup, your one-stop tour of all the weird, wonderful, must-read pet news that crossed our social feeds and made the headlines recently. What’s better than all this heartwarming pet-centric content in one handy place? We can think of literally nothing.
See how well you followed pets in the news as we review last month’s biggest blips about pets, people, and how we live together today.
Photo courtesy of Ashley Drew and Pet Partners
1. A Dog Walk to Top Them All
On Saturday, Sept. 24, Pet Partners, a leader in animal-assisted therapy, hosted its fifth annual World’s Largest Pet Walk. The walk, held across the globe in various locations, raised money for the organization’s Animal Therapy Program, which brings trained therapy pets to veterans, hospital patients, schools, and more. Pet Partners National Director of Special Events & Field Development Ashley Drew says this was the org’s most successful walk yet.
“We had over 1,660 people participate with their pets, some walking with more than one. We estimate two to three thousand animals joined this year’s walk,” says Drew. “This walk is all about camaraderie and celebrating the amazing human-animal bond. It brings together people from all over, united by one cause, who all have something in common: a love for their pets!”
Walkers registered from 41 states and nine countries and strolled with their pets in the fresh air. “Walking can be part of animal therapy,” says Drew. “This event was originally created to encourage better health. Studies have shown that walking with animals can decrease loneliness and increase social engagement and energy levels. It’s a really wonderful animal-assisted activity.”
This year’s Pet Walk raised over $90,000, nearing Pet Partners’ goal of $100,000. Donations can still be made to support Pet Partners’ animal-assisted therapy programming by clicking here.
Photo courtesy of Ashley Drew and Pet Partners
2. Can I Get a (Dog) Witness?
Since marriage licenses in the State of Colorado don’t require the signature of an officiant, some happy couples are including the paw print of their beloved pet on the document in lieu of a witness. Sure, your furry friend might need a little assistance in applying their stamp of approval, but it’s a pretty cool way to mark the start of a new family.
3. Lily the Cat Phones Home
When the Whitley family moved to Long Island, they were devastated by the disappearance of their 8-year-old feline, Lily. After four days and no sign of her, the family started to lose hope that their cat would return—until they received a notification from their Ring Doorbell! Lily made sure her family knew of her arrival home by chatting to the doorbell’s camera. They are now happily reunited.
4. The Most Fab Pet Food
Proud pet parents and Queer Eye stars Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness have launched a new pet food brand called Yummers, featuring gourmet mix-ins to enhance your dog or cat’s nutrition and flavor at mealtime. Porowski is a dog dad to a Pit Bull mix and Van Ness’s family includes two dogs and five cats.
5. Good Boy Gets Special Seat at Dinner Table
One canine has a special seat at the dinner table. After reportedly being diagnosed with megaesophagus, a digestive disorder, this dog’s family set to work making a chair that allows him to eat more effectively. It’s the sweetest thing you’ll see all day!
It's a condition called megaesophagus in dogs where the food does not travel to the stomach normally. Eating like like makes use of gravity to allow food to travel.
— Sundararajan (@SundarUvaacha) September 19, 2022
6. Cat Owners Less Risky Than Dog Owners
A recent study posed the same question to dog and cat owners: If given $2,000, would you invest the money in a risky stock fund with the potential for great reward, or a safer mutual fund? This experiment found that dog owners were more likely to take the risk, while cat owners remained a bit more cautious.
7. What Your Cat Is Thinking
What do we really know about the mysterious little predator living under our roof? A new Netflix documentary, Inside the Mind of a Cat, dives into new science behind these animals, leaving many preconceived notions about this pet behind. Available for streaming now.
8. Dog Owners Can Help Prevent Dementia in Their Pets
A new study by the Dog Aging Project found that frequent exercise may reduce the risk of your dog developing dementia and other illnesses as they age. Researchers looked at over 15,000 dogs and found that dogs who were not active were 6.47 times more likely to develop canine cognitive dysfunction. When it comes to wondering how often to walk your dog, the answer might be more than you think.
9. Doodles on Duty
The Seattle Fire Department has three very unique and furry team members: Zoe, Bob, and Hera. These Doodles provide comfort and cuddles to the station’s first responders, as well as make visits to other police and fire departments to spread the doggy love. With approximately 20% of firefighters and paramedics experiencing PTSD, having these three dutiful dogs on-call can help assist after difficult situations.
Zoe is one of three therapy dogs with the Seattle Fire Department. Photo courtesy of Lt. Mike Dulas
10. Long Live the Corgis
As the world remembers Queen Elizabeth, many are reflecting on her legacy. Over her life, Her Royal Highness was a devoted dog owner to a myriad of Corgis. Susan was the Queen’s first Corgi, followed by at least 30 others who popularized the breed across many pet-owning households. Her remaining Corgis are set to live with Prince Andrew.
11. What to Do if Your Cat Goes Missing
For pet parents of a curious feline, the thought of your cat going missing can cause anxiety. These curious creatures have been known to slip out the door and not return home for days, which can be very scary. We rounded up the best tips for finding a lost cat and how to prevent the situation from happening again.
12. Can You Meow?
Cat translation apps like MeowTalk asses feline vocalizations in an attempt to translate what your cat is trying to say. This particular app uses its recordings to get smarter. When users provide feedback for each translation, MeowTalk’s algorithms improve, better identifying each sound. For dog parents, start-up company Zoolingua is working to create an “A.I.-powered dog translator” in a similar vein.
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13. Million Dollar Doggie
After getting separated from her elderly Dachshund, Blue, dog mom Chelsea Blackwell embarked on a mission to find him. Turns out the Albany-based canine stumbled straight onto a movie set and was found by Million Dollar Baby star Hilary Swank. Blackwell just so happened to ask a few people on set if they’d seen her lost dog, and was returned to Blue via Swank herself.
14. Angsty Teenager…Dogs
Your adorable new puppy is now the baby of the family… right? If your furry friend is between six months and two years of age, writer and scientist Dr. Alexandria Horowitz explains they are technically in adolescence (sorry for this news) which may help explain the moody chaos that comes with raising a young dog.
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15. Like Something From a Country Song?
Fans of Dolly Parton can now enjoy the music star’s pet apparel line, aptly called Doggy Parton. If you’ve ever wanted to see what your pup would look like in full cowgirl attire, now is the time. The pet collection includes toys, bandanas, apparel, and more.
