The Best and Worst States for Animals in 2024

With nearly 3,000 native animal species and millions of pets in households across the country that rely on our support to survive, the non-profit organization SmileHub today released new reports on the Best Charities for Animals and the Best States for Animals in 2024.

In order to determine where America’s wildlife and animal companions live their best lives, SmileHub compared the animal-friendliness of all 50 states across 18 key metrics. The data set ranges from the share of pet-owning households to state land designated for parks and wildlife to vulnerability to climate change.

	Best States		Worst States
	1. Colorado		41. Alaska
	2. Oregon		42. California
	3. Vermont		43. Delaware
	4. Indiana		44. Massachusetts
	5. Kansas		45. Connecticut
	6. Missouri		46. New Mexico
	7. Idaho		47. New York
	8. Tennessee		48. Alabama
	9. Florida		49. Maryland
	10. Nebraska		50. Hawaii

Key Stats

• California has the most animal charities per capita, 8.5 times more than Delaware, which has the fewest.

• New Hampshire has the most veterinarians per 1,000 pet-owning households, 2.8 times higher than Arkansas, which has the fewest.
   
• Alaska has the most state land designated for parks and wildlife, 61.6 times more than Kansas, which has the least.

To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit: 
https://smilehub.org/blog/best-states-for-animals/107

Please let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to arrange a phone, video or in-studio interview with one of our experts. Full data sets for specific states are also available upon request.

How to Make Sure Your Pet is Kept Healthy

Your pets are members of the family, so you want to ensure they are happy and healthy. From vaccines and checkups to diet and exercise, caring for a pet is a big responsibility. However, pet care does not have to be stressful. The recommendations for keeping your furry friends safe and healthy are straightforward.

1. Stay Up To Date On Vaccinations

Both dogs and cats need current vaccines to keep them safe from various diseases. These vaccines include rabies, parvo, distemper and panleukopenia. In addition, cats need feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus and feline herpesvirus vaccines. The vaccines should be updated every few years, such as every one to three years for your dog's rabies vaccines.

2. Schedule Regular Veterinarian Checkups

Just like their human friends, pets need regular checkups with the doctor to ensure they are doing well. A veterinarian will perform a physical exam, checking everything from their ears to their teeth. Wellness exams also allow you to ask questions or share concerns about your pet, such as a change in their appetite or recent ailments such as itching and scratching.

3. Look Into Parasite Prevention

It only takes one bite from a parasite to make your pet irritated or sick. Fortunately, there are oral and topical medications for preventing fleas, ticks, heartworms, and other parasites. You can also work with your veterinarian to find the right treatment for ongoing issues, such as fleas and ticks from playing outdoors.

4. Have Them Spayed or Neutered

Having your pet spayed or neutered does more than prevent unwanted pregnancies and heat cycles. It also prevents diseases that could be fatal, such as pyometra in female dogs and cats. Pyometra affects unspayed animals and quickly progresses if left untreated. Spaying your pet prevents the expensive surgery or tragedy that can come from pyometra.

5. Pay Attention For Signs of Illness

Pets cannot verbally tell you when something is wrong, so you need to pay attention to signs of illness. Lethargy, decreased appetite, excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, and labored breathing are signs that something is off with your pet. Fortunately, you can look into pet insurance and other financing options to help you prepare for emergencies.

6. Maintain A Healthy Diet

Overweight pets are at risk for injuries and diseases, from aching joints to diabetes and heart conditions. Furthermore, pets need the proper nutrients to maintain their health, including their vision, digestion, bones, coat and immune system. A healthy diet also keeps their energy levels up, so they can play and function as normal.

7. Provide Clean, Fresh Water

Your pet needs to stay hydrated, but they also need to drink clean, fresh water. This means changing the water in their bowls and fountains daily. In many cases, you need to change the water several times a day. Allowing your pet to drink dirty water can lead to gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting and diarrhea.

8. Provide Physical and Mental Exercise

It is important to provide plenty of exercise to keep their muscles and joints healthy. Dogs need 30 minutes to two hours of physical activity, including walks and playtime. Cats need two 10 to 15-minute play sessions every day. You can also provide mental stimulation through toys and puzzles, allowing them to find treats by sniffing and moving objects.

9. Maintain Their Oral Health

Dental issues such as broken teeth are painful for pets, so you want to stay on top of their oral health. This includes at-home treatments such as brushing their teeth, providing dental treats in moderation and scheduling dental checkups.

10. Stay On Top of Grooming

Grooming does more than keep your pet looking great. Both professional and at-home grooming sessions make it easier to spot ailments such as dandruff, bald spots, matting and even fleas. Plus, your pet feels great after a nice bath and brush. Nowadays, you can look into mobile grooming, allowing your pet to stay close to a familiar environment.


Your pet's health and well-being should never be taken lightly. It is important to contact your veterinarian or local animal hospital if anything seems wrong. Luckily, you can take the steps to prevent ailments and maintain your pet's health, ensuring their quality of life.

By: Katherine Robinson, a writer for Pet Insurance Offers

Social Media Star Peanut the Squirrel Meets a Sad End

Peanut the Squirrel, who boasted 534,000 followers on Instagram, was taken from his home in Pine City, New York, by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation on Wednesday morning. Peanut, also known as PNUT, was the beloved pet of content creator Mark Longo. In more than 1,400 posts shared to Instagram, Peanut can be seen munching on waffles, jumping through hula-hoops, and greeting Longo home from work.

Over the past several days, Longo has shared several statements on Peanut's Instagram account, keeping fans updated, in hopes that Peanut may return home. At the time of publication, Longo had not posted in regards to the recent news.

"It has been a terrible nightmare for me," Longo said in his most recent video, posted Friday morning.

In response to Peanut's seizure, a Change.org petition and GoFundMe campaign were created to "return him (Peanut)" to his family. As of Friday afternoon, the petition had 28,025 signatures, and the GoFundMe has raised $7,875.

Why do animals have to be euthanized to test for rabies?

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, animals showing signs of rabies must be euthanized for the submission of specimen to a qualified rabies laboratory for testing. This is because a rabies test includes a "full cross-section of tissue from both the brain stem and cerebellum." There are no approved methods for testing rabies in animals ante-mortem.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Chemung County Department of Health advised that anyone who has been in contact with the seized squirrel or raccoon consult a physician.

Who was Peanut the Squirrel?

Peanut was a rescue squirrel who had lived under Longo's care for seven years.

Longo first connected with Peanut when he saw the squirrel's mom get hit by a car, per previous USA TODAY reporting. Unfortunately, the mother passed, leaving Peanut an orphan. Longo was unsuccessful in finding a shelter that would take him in. Longo ended up feeding baby Peanut for about eight months before attempting to release him back into the wild.

"I released him in the backyard, and a day and a half later, I found him sitting on my porch, missing half his tail. So here I am, bawling my eyes out, like, I failed you as your human," Longo told USA TODAY in 2022. "And I kind of opened the door, he ran inside and that was the last of Peanut's wildlife career."

For the first five years, Longo, Peanut, and Longo's cat, Chloe, lived together in harmony.

Last year, Longo established P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in Pine City. The nonprofit serves as a "haven where neglected and homeless animals receive a second chance at life," according to its website. To date, 18 horses, one mini horse, four cows, three alpacas, one parrot, one pig and two geese call the sanctuary home, according to its website.

USA TODAY contacted Longo but was unsuccessful in connecting with him for an interview.

Is it legal for squirrels to be kept as pets in NY?

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation states that it is illegal for young wildlife to be kept as pets.

"Inappropriate care given to young wildlife often results in abnormal attachment to humans," the Department of Environmental Conservation states. "After release, some return to places where people live, only to be attacked by domestic animals or to be hit by cars. Some become nuisances getting into stored food, trash cans or dwellings. And some may be thrust as unwelcome intruders into the home range of another member of their species."

If an individual finds a young wild animal that is injured or orphaned, the department recommends making a call to a wildlife rehabilitator, who "are the only people legally allowed to receive and treat distressed wildlife." The goal of rehabilitators is to safely release the animal, when healthy, back into the wild.

 

 

 

Peanut the Squirrel euthanized: Social media users weigh in on Peanut the Squirrel being euthanized: 'This can’t be real'

Dr. Dolittle, meet AI: new model identifies pain in cats

Scientists use deep learning models and facial recognition analysis to detect subtle changes in ear tips, eyes and whiskers that indicate pain.

Naama Barak writes about a fascinating discovery that will help cats and their owners. Great news!

As any cat owner knows, felines can be pretty difficult to read – a problematic situation when our beloved pets are in pain. But now, a new artificial intelligence model can help us identify when our little tigers need that extra TLC. The reason it is difficult to tell when cats are in pain is their evolutionary ability to hide discomfort. This can result in house cats suffering from chronic pain without their humans ever knowing about it or taking them for treatment.

A team of researchers from the University of Haifa’s the Tech4Animals lab is developing the Dr. Dolittl-E app to detect animal feelings, using AI technology to advance and transform the world of veterinary care.

Along with researchers from São Paulo University in Brazil and Lincoln University and Nottingham University in the UK, they used deep learning models and facial recognition analysis to achieve a success rate of more than 70 percent in identifying cats in pain.

Their research, recently published in the Scientific Reports journal, is based on a study of 29 British shorthair cats. The researchers photographed female cats’ faces before and after sterilization, while they were still under the influence of painkillers and after the painkillers had worn off.

The AI models detected subtle changes in facial expressions, for example in the tips of the ears, eyes, whiskers and mustaches, that indicate pain. The areas around the mouth and eyes were found to be most significant in identifying pain.

The researchers say that their findings could change the way in which we care for cats, enabling anyone to photograph them in order to know whether they are in pain – and without the need for physical contact.

 

How to Diagnose and Prevent Skin Allergies in Dogs

Guest columnist Ashley Sanders offers her insights on dog skin allergies:

 

Skin allergies in dogs are identified through a thorough evaluation of the dog's medical history, a physical examination, and diagnostic procedures to detect certain allergens, such as blood tests or skin testing.

 

Based on the patient's medical history, veterinarians can identify skin allergies. After going over the patient's medical history and doing a physical examination, vets may suggest allergy testing to identify what causes skin allergies. To determine which allergen is triggering the dog's symptoms, veterinarians can administer intradermal skin tests, serum allergy testing, dog probiotics or use elimination diets.

What Dogs Can Do to Avoid Skin Issues?

Following is a list of things you can do to keep your dog's skin healthy.

• The best way to keep your dog's hair and skin healthy and free of allergens is to groom it regularly. Before bathing, brush the dog's coat to eliminate loose fur and avoid matting.

• Maintaining good skin and coat is easier with a balanced diet that includes water and nutritional foods. Make sure the dog gets enough protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals in its food. Never be without access to clean, fresh water; it's essential for staying hydrated and maintaining healthy skin function.

• The goal of environmental management is to protect dogs from potentially harmful substances by reducing their contact with pollen, dust mites, mould, and other allergies. Reduce exposure by keeping the house clean, using air purifiers, and washing the dog's bedding regularly.

• Fleas are a known allergen and a contributor to skin issues like flea allergy dermatitis in dogs. Incorporate a flea control program that is regularly executed and includes

• Maintaining a dog's skin and coat health requires frequent veterinary examinations. A veterinarian can spot the first symptoms of skin issues and provide you with the best advice on how to avoid them.

• Skin irritation and infections can be caused by parasites like ticks, mites, and lice. To prevent them, it is important to take measures against them. Protect your dog against parasites by taking the necessary precautions, like giving them mite and tick preventatives.

• Keeping your dog active and mentally engaged is essential for their entire health, including their skin. Getting a charming gift for your dog for outdoor adventure looks is always a good idea.

• Anxiety and stress can compromise a dog's immune system and make skin issues worse. Create a safe and secure space for dogs to live in, and deal with any problems that may cause them discomfort or anxiety.

 

If an allergic dog gets a secondary bacterial or yeast infection, the vet can give antibiotics or antifungal medicine to treat the problem.

What Steps Can I Take to Minimise My Dog's Risk of Skin Allergies?

Dog owners can help their canines avoid skin allergies by keeping them away from common allergens, feeding them a balanced diet, and grooming them regularly.

 

When it comes to controlling dog allergens, environmental measures are crucial. Dust mites and pollen can be lessened by maintaining a clean living space by frequent vacuuming and washing of bedding.

 

For a healthy immune system and skin barrier, dietary factors are crucial. Supporting a dog's overall health and lowering the danger of allergic reactions is a balanced diet that is rich in necessary nutrients.

 

Ensuring that dogs get regular grooming is crucial for the prevention of skin disorders. To promote good hygiene and remove allergies from fur, bathe pets using mild, hypoallergenic shampoos.

What is the Life Expectancy of a Dog with Skin Allergies?

Although skin allergies can reduce a dog's quality of life, cause discomfort, and increase the risk of secondary skin infections, the dog can still enjoy a normal lifespan. According to a study titled "Quality of life of dogs with skin disease and their owners. Part 2: administration of a questionnaire in various skin diseases and correlation to the efficacy of therapy, 2011," dogs whose skin allergies go untreated have a worse quality of life overall. The top five skin diseases in dogs are scabies, pododermatitis, complicated atopic dermatitis, pemphigus foliaceus, and endocrine alopecia.

 

Itchy, scratchy skin is a common symptom of untreated skin allergies, which can develop into infection-prone wounds and ulcers. Irritability, restlessness, and aggressiveness are symptoms of chronic irritation in dogs, which impacts their relationships with people and other animals.

How Can We Keep Our Dogs' Skin Healthy and Problem-Free?

Consistent grooming, a healthy diet, and limiting exposure to allergens are the ways to keep dogs' skin in good condition and less likely to develop problems.

 

To prevent skin problems caused by clogged pores and excess oils, regular grooming is necessary. A dog's coat can be brushed to spread its natural oils and protect it from dryness and allergy sensitivity. Proper nutrition, in the form of high-quality, well-balanced meals, is an important factor in maintaining healthy skin.

 

The World's Oldest Dog

Bobi is world’s oldest dog. Yours can live a long, happy life, too.

Walk, eat, play, sleep. Repeat.

That’s how Bobi, recently deemed the world’s oldest living dog by Guinness World Records, spent much of his 30 years on his family’s farm in the village of Conqueiros, Portugal. Unlike the owner of the Rafeiro do Alentejo, the rest of the world hasn’t had the chance to watch their furry friend age three decades with them.

“That really is an unusual thing,” Erik Olstad, an assistant professor at the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, told The Washington Post. “Owners will always ask me, ‘How can I make my dog live the longest life that they can?’ That’s a loaded question because there are so many variants that go into life expectancy.”

A lot of it is genetics. Life expectancy and predisposition for diseases vary by breed, Olstad said. But there are still things dog owners can do to give their pets the opportunity to live a long and happy life, vets told The Post.

“Dogs are very much like people,” said Natasha Olby, a veterinary professor at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “They need healthy diets, exercise, community, engagement and regular health care.”

Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial, experts told The Post. Dog owners should strive to give them quality dog food and avoid overfeeding because, as they age, the extra weight will make it much harder to treat mobility conditions such as arthritis or ruptured ligaments.

“If I see dogs entering senior years overweight, I can always bet money that we are going to have some serious mobility conversations moving on,” Olstad said.

New record: Oldest dog EVER - Bobi at 30 years and 266 days 🐶

The secrets to a long life, according to human Leonel Costa, is free roaming, human food and socialising with other animals 🥰️ pic.twitter.com/Ur5c2Gh8yb

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) February 2, 2023

Preventive care is a must. Keep their vaccinations up to date, take them to the dentist and visit the vet once or twice a year for a regular checkup.

If you’ve been fortunate enough to raise a senior dog, you should not conclude that certain behaviors or conditions are just ailments that come with age, said Nicole Ehrhart, director of the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging at Colorado State University.

“One thing that we should not assume as a pet slows down is, ‘Well, it’s just getting old,’” Ehrhart said. If you are seeing your dog slowing down, that should be a warning flag for you to seek veterinary assessment.”

Physical and mental exercise are also key. Take your dog on regular walks and runs that stretch out as long as your dog’s breed and age allow.

The five-mile run that works well for your 1-year-old border collie will not be the same workout that your bulldog with arthritis will require. In that case, experts said, you are better off with giving your dog 15-minute walks four times a day, for example. For mental stimulation, hide food and treats inside their toys.

As much as one wants their dog to live a long life like Bobi — who Guinness says is the oldest ever recorded — experts highlighted that the focus should be on giving pets the most quality of life possible. Life expectancy is not a contract, Olstad told The Post.

“My job as a vet is not to get your dog to live as long as possible if it compromises their quality of life,” Olstad said. “Their happiness is much more important to me than the longevity.”

“Try to not focus on that life expectancy, and look at your dog as an individual,” he said. “I have some [clients] that say, ‘Hey, I heard that someone’s Great Dane lived to 15!’” (Great Danes live an average of eight to 10 years.) “That can be a really tough thing if your expectations aren’t managed.”

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Parrots Taught to Video Call Each Other Become Less Lonely

This interesting article from The Guardian makes a lot of sense!

Pet parrots that are allowed to make video calls to other birds show signs of feeling less isolated, according to scientists.

The study, which involved giving the birds a tablet that they could use to make video calls, found that they began to engage in more social behaviour including preening, singing and play. The birds were given a choice of which “friend” to call on a touchscreen tablet and the study revealed that the parrots that called other birds most often were the most popular choices.

Dr Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas, of the University of Glasgow and a co-author of the research, said that video calls had helped many people feel less isolated in the pandemic. She added: “There are 20 million parrots living in people’s homes in the USA, and we wanted to explore whether those birds might benefit from video calling too. If we gave them the opportunity to call other parrots, would they choose to do so, and would the experience benefit the parrots and their caregivers?”

Their analysis, based on more than 1,000 hours of footage of 18 pet parrots, suggested that there were, indeed, benefits for the birds. In the wild, many species of parrots live in large flocks, but as pets tend to be kept alone or in a small group. Isolation and boredom can cause birds to develop psychological problems, which can manifest as rocking, pacing back and forth, or self-harming behaviours such as feather-plucking.

Video calling could reproduce some of the social benefits of living in a flock, the scientists suggested.

The parrots were recruited from users of Parrot Kindergarten, an online coaching and educational programme for parrots and their owners. The birds first learned to ring a bell and then touch a photo of another bird on the screen of a tablet device to trigger a call to that bird, with the assistance of their owners. In total the birds made 147 deliberate calls to each other during the study, while owners took detailed notes on the birds’ behaviour and the researchers later reviewed the video footage.

Dr Jennifer Cunha, of Northeastern University and co-founder of Parrot Kindergarten, said that the parrots “seemed to grasp” that they were engaging with other birds because their behaviour mirrored that seen during real-life interactions. “All the participants in the study said they valued the experience, and would want to continue using the system with their parrots in the future,” she said.

“I was quite surprised at the range of different behaviours,” said Hirskyj-Douglas. “Some would sing, some would play around and go upside down, others would want to show another bird their toys.”

The team’s paper is published in Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

Tracking Your Dog's Fitness With a Smart Collar

News about the ability to track your dog's fitness was announced at this years Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas. A French company called Invoxia announced a "smart" dog collar that can measure and tracks a dog's health through sensors and other tech. It can not only monitor health, it also keeps track of their whereabouts and warns of any potential health issues that come up. This is done by measuring respiratory and heart rate. It also has WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth to track the physical location of your pet.

Listen to the podcast here, thanks to USAToday:

The Joy of Pets

Humans are naturally drawn to companionship, and the bond between people and their pets has developed and strengthened throughout time. Studies have shown that owning a pet has a range of positive effects on mental health, like decreasing anxiety and depressive symptoms, boosting self-esteem, and giving people a sense of purpose.

And so I wanted to share this well-researched guide, Joy of Pets: How they are Helpful for Mental Health

Here are a few of the many researched facts regarding pets and companionship:

• 84% of pet owners attest that owning a pet improves their mental health, according to the PDSA Animal Well-being (PAW) Report.
• 76% of the surveyed respondents in research, agree that interactions between pets and humans address social isolation.

Pet Body Language You Might Be Misreading

According to AARP magazine, there may be some dog and cat behaviors that we may be misreading. You may think you know what that tail wag or cuddle means, but do you? We asked a few experts for guidance.

Dog smiling

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What you think it means: All is well.

What it really means: That grinning look is not the same for dogs as for humans. “Generally speaking, tension in the mouth is a sign of stress,” Case says. “If the dog is actually feeling happy, their mouth isn’t going to have tension to it. It might be open a little bit with what we call a soft face.”

Dog wagging tail

 

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What you think it means: I’m happy.

What else it can mean: “People think just because the tail is wagging, all is well, but that’s not always the case,” says certified applied animal behaviorist Jill Goldman. A good tail wag is side to side or in circles. This often means that the dog is excited to see someone. But a wagging tail that is a “high mast, hooked all the way over,” Goldman says, can signal a heightened emotional state that isn’t necessarily social.

Cat rolling over

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What you think it means: Rub my belly.

What it really means: Not that. “Most cats do not love belly rubs,” says feline behaviorist Marci L. Koski. “That’s where the Venus cat trap comes into play. You put your hand on the belly and then, whoo, there go the claws.”

Dog panting

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What you think it means: I’m hot.

 

What else it can mean: “Panting can sometimes mean stress,” says Courtney Case, a trainer at the Granada Hills, California–based J9’s K9s Dog Training. “So if you’re sitting inside and your dog hears a noise and they start panting, it might mean that they’re a little bit stressed, and they’re just trying to get a little bit more oxygen into those lungs.”

Cat rubbing up against you

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What you think it means: I like you.

What else it can mean: “It’s also as a way to leave their scent behind,” Koski says. “The most common way a cat will rub up against somebody is with their cheek. This deposits those facial pheromones that are often used in marking territory.”

Dog Barking

 

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What you think it means: Someone is invading my space.

What else it can mean: “Barking can be, ‘Oh, I’m so excited to see you,’ ” Goldman says. “But it also can mean, ‘Keep your distance. I’m very territorial. Don’t come any closer.’ ”

Dog rolling over

 

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What you think it means: I’m feeling lazy.

What else it can mean: “If a dog is rolling over and exposing their belly to a person that they’re comfortable with, they’re probably asking for affection,” Case says. It could also be a sign of submission. “If a dog does that to a person they don’t know, I’m going to assume that dog is trying to show me, ‘Look how small I am. Please don’t hurt me.’  ”​

Craig Rosen is a contributing writer who whose work has appeared in Billboard and on Yahoo Music and TIDAL. He's also the author of R.E.M. Inside Out: The Stories Behind Every Song and The Billboard Book of Number One Albums.