Animals

Justice, a young Great Dane, not only functions as a service dog but has the ability to detect illness and distress in the people around him. The dog was rescued by Fallin Turner, 17, who lives with scleroderma and Systematic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and relies on Justice for both emotional and physical support.

Horses act as therapy animals for people with disabilities, special needs children and veterans with PTSD in a local program called HOPE. With recent expansions, HOPE now has funding to create an employment model to help veterans in their program to find a job.

Canna Companion is back on the shelves of the local Earth Pets store after the owner encountered difficulties with the cannabis-based arthritis treatment. The primary ingredient in the capsules is hemp, which made local law enforcement question the legality of the pills.

An animal sanctuary celebrates love of pigs and health in its second Valentine’s Day brunch. The brunch teaches how to appreciate love of pigs as more than food.

The Saint Francis House Pet Care Clinic provides free non-emergency health care for pets of economically troubled owners four times a month. In the colder months, they give out cold weather clothes and blankets because homeless shelters do not allow animals unless they are service animals.

Alachua County Animal Services is urging people to foster animals over the Thanksgiving holiday. Already more than two dozen animals over capacity, ACAS will need to begin euthanasia if foster owners are not found.

Local animal shelters have developed stricter adoption methods to prevent indecisive pet owners from returning their animals, which causes a strain on the organizations and increases the likeliness of unwanted pets being euthanized.

Peedee Gilbertson had a knack for launching off the ground and jumping onto beds, and the hyperactive terrier-mix’s owners were running out of answers on just how to keep up with him. “We’ve had him in classes before to no avail,” said Beverly Gilbertson, owner of Peedee, whom she got …

Gainesville Rabbit Rescue hopes that by selling humorous shirts, they can not only help raise funds but also spread awareness. GRR hopes that by spreading awareness to promote spaying and neutering rabbits, they can avoid over-crowding their facility and control the local pet rabbit population.

Sanctuaries are struggling to take in primates as researchers and pet owners forgo euthanasia for better homes.