Recent Posts
Review our recent posts, articles, featured pets, and more!
Some of these articles come from previous newsletters, but they are timeless:
- Community Stories
- Courteous Canine Training Tips from Jane Finneran, CPDT
- Veterinary Advice from Dr. Sandra Black, DVM

Vet Corner: There’s no such things as a free dog
Your pet needs regular vet care and disease prevention to live a healthy life. Here are just a few of the threats to your dog or cat.

Vet Corner: Distemper
Cats are susceptible to a multitude of viral diseases, many of which are preventable with vaccinations.

Community: Remembering Dr. Rick
Early this year, our community lost a beloved friend to the animals. Dr. Wall spent his life taking care of furry family members at Sylva Animal Hospital, including thousands of ARF dogs and cats over the years.

Courteous Canine Training: The Fallout from Punishment
To use punishment effectively, the owner has to have not only a perfect understanding of dog behavior but impeccable timing, as well.

Community: Fostering Puppies
The puppies came to us over Labor Day weekend, scabs covering their flea torn skin, washboard ribs and hard round bellies full of worms.

Community: Driving on Transport
One way that I have found to offer some assistance to ARF is to volunteer as a driver for the transport trips. It is a great way to positively impact the lives of numerous dogs (and people), all at one time.

Courteous Canine Training: Dogs and Babies
If you plan to adopt a dog, make sure to find a dog that’s compatible with children. Don’t make the mistake of so many adopters—looking for a puppy to “grow up” with a child.

Community: An Informal ARF History
When Sara Hatton and Jeannette Newsome called my house in the late 1970’s, Sara greeted me by saying “ARF!”, and thus the name for our group was born.

Courteous Canine Training: Dogs and Kids
Everyone thinks that dogs and kids are a natural combination. And they are—a natural disaster!

Vet Corner: Caring for Aging Dogs
As dogs age, they begin to wear out (they are no different from people). Since they cannot verbally express how they feel, it is up to us, their caretakers and friends, to try to identify their ailments and help them maintain a comfortable and happy life. . .

Community: The Puppy Lady
Jean Lewis’ introduction to Jackson County was a new neighbor’s dog that wandered over and bit her in the bum!

Courteous Canine Training: Barking–It’s What Dogs Do!
Dogs do bark. . . . and they shed and they chase things and they dig and any number of other doggie activities. To take any of these away from dogs is to take away their—well, their dogness.

Community: Low-Cost Spay Neuter (A Team Effort)
Since we started in 2001, ARF has helped the ASPCA alter 9,571 dogs & cats. That doesn’t include pets sent on our trips by the animal shelter or cats sent by Catman2.

Vet Corner: Bugs and Worms
You might think that vaccinations, dewormers, heartworm preventions, and flea/tick controls are an incredible expense. And you may think your vet is just making money off you.

Vet Corner: Itchy Pet
Do you have an itchy pet? Here are some of the first things to check. The first course of action is always to check for fleas.

Courteous Canine Training: The Meaning of NO!
To a dog, “No" means nothing! No matter how many times you say it or how loud, it just does not mean anything.

Courteous Canine Training: Preventing and Treating Separation Anxiety
My experience in 20 years of dog training has been that the "rescued" dogs are most prone to developing separation anxiety.

Community: My Childhood with ARF
My Mother, Veronica’s, first animal rescue was of a tiny, pink bunny that she and her Mom kept warm in the oven in a box of cotton until it was big enough to have run of the house.

Courteous Canine Training: Motivate with Food
OK, here it is: The number-one tip from the pros. Dog show people use it, movie trainers use it, and modern dog trainers use it.

Vet Corner: Geriatric Pets
Kittens and puppies are great. Who can dispute that? I have always preferred puppies and kittens to full-grown pets, but in the past few years I have had the pleasure of taking in several older pets and, although it has been different. . .

Courteous Canine Training: My Dog Doesn’t Listen
I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard this! My sarcastic side wants to ask if the dog is deaf. . .

Vet Corner: A Short Course in Puppy Health
Getting a new puppy? Let’s talk about how to keep him or her healthy…

PetRescue Pet of the Week: Roscoe
Roscoe is about six years old, and he's been with ARF for about six months. Why? He's the perfect dog!
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