Visiting one of Oregon’s Seven Wonders: The Painted Hills and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

Oregon’s Painted Hills are an amazing part of the state and can be found in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in central Oregon. Services are currently limited but you can visit trails and picnic areas within the monument with your dog or loved ones today!

Behind the Breed: Basset Bleu de Gascogne

Also known as the Blue Gascony Basset, the Basset Blue de Gascogne is a small scent hound that is rarely seen outside its native France. While recognized by the United Kennel Club in the United States and by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in Belgium, this...

Why Does My Cat Chirp And Chatter At Birds?

For owners of domestic cats, it's well known that our feline friends make a whole lot of noises throughout their life. Over the thousands of years they evolved and became domesticated, house cats learned that, in addition to other forms of communication, "speaking" is...

Behind the Breed: Australian Cattle Dog

These incredibly intelligent, sturdy dogs were, as you might imagine, initially developed in Australia to help herd cattle on large ranches. Their size and energy levels have proven useful for herding livestock and they excel at activities and sports like agility,...

The Coastal Wolves of British Columbia

Along the coast of British Columbia, there are two unique wolf populations but the more interesting of the two is the coastal wolf. The coastal wolves are gray wolves that are found on mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island and have been known to feed on fish...

Art Projects With Animals.

Recently, I decided to get a print of Rooster's paw. As he gets older, I know we have less time with him and I just wanted an extra something to remember him by (in addition to all the photos I've taken!). So with some research and a trip to a nearby crafts store, I...

How wildlife tourism can harm animals

How is our search for a unique experience harming the very animals we claim to love?

Behind the Breed: Egyptian Mau Cats.

As the only naturally spotted domestic cat breed, Egyptian maus are unique and wonderful cats. In addition to their spots, these cats are also very fast and intelligent. They're great with people and other cats, making them great additions to any home, especially on...

The Dog Days of Summer: keeping cool during hot weather.

Make sure to take care of your animals during the summer heat!

Pollinator Week 2021: How to Support and Learn More About Pollinators

This week (June 21-27, 2021) is Pollinator Week! This annual event is celebrated all around the world as a way to learn about and support pollinators and their health. There are so many ways to get involved this week, like watching a relevant documentary, working in a...

Animals of the Pacific Northwest is an online project dedicated to animal welfare, humane education, environmental justice, wildlife conservation, and the animals and their fans that call the Pacific Northwest home.

 

The Pacific Northwest is home to many different habitats, flora and fauna species, communities, and domestic animals. In this region, you can find mountain goats, grizzly bears, transient and resident orcas, northwestern salamanders, western pond turtles, red foxes, grey wolves, long-tailed weasels, cougars, bobcats, and so much more. Domestic animals also call this place home as well and have existed with humans for thousands of years. Dogs, cats, horses, chickens, sheep, and more have had a huge impact both on human life and the environment in this region.

How To Make A Difference

How To Make A Difference

With everything going on right now, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, sad, defeated, and so much more, even if you aren’t directly affected by the tragedies and atrocities currently happening. But everyone can still do something to make this world a...

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Fat Bear Week 2023

Fat Bear Week 2023

Fat Bear Week is officially here! Starting today, October 4th, 2023, you can vote for your favorite fat bear in this single-elimination tournament of 12 bears. This is the 9th year of the competition, with the first being a one-day contest in 2014: Fat Bear Tuesday....

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Behind the Breed: Jindos

Behind the Breed: Jindos

The Jindo is a relatively rare spitz breed with a long history in South Korea and wonderful but often stubborn temperament. These dogs typically stand 17-25 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 30-50 pounds when full grown, making them medium sized dogs. They have a...

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Animals of the Pacific Northwest?

Animals of the Pacific Northwest is an online space for folks to learn more about the animals found in and around the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It was started in August of 2017 by me, Andrea Merrill, and began after I spent years caring for all sorts of animals.

Why are there more ads on the site?

Animals of the Pacific Northwest is a labor of love and is a project that I do not get paid for. As much as I love working on the site, there are some costs to running and maintaining it. I am now working with Google AdSense to place some ads around the site to help offset those costs.

I think I saw [wild animal]! Can you verify?

One of the things I love about this site is all the stories that you, the audience, tell me! That includes all the wonderful wildlife sightings. While I’m not going to be able to verify every sighting, I can at least try to confirm what you saw. 

Also, I am not a biologist, zoologist, or wildlife official so my understanding of wild animals in the Pacific Northwest is more limited than those with more specialized education and experience. That said, I’ll try my darnedest to find an answer if you ask about a wild animal sighting.

I want to adopt [specific breed]. Do you know how I can do that?

Right now, I, unfortunately, don’t have the resources or abilities to know every rescue group and shelter in the Pacific Northwest. That means that typically, I’m not going to have many suggestions on where to find a specific breed of dog or cat you can adopt.

In my ‘Behind the Breed’ series, I try to see if there are any groups or organizations that focus on rescuing that breed. But for the most part, my best recommendation on finding a specific type of dog, cat, or other animals from a rescue is to do some research or look on sites like PetFinder.

Can I pitch an article/guest post?

At the moment, I am not currently taking any unsolicited submissions for the site. That may change in the future.

I have another question for you. How do I get in contact?

You can email me at info@animalsofpnw.com with any questions, concerns, or comments!

Where else can I find Animals of the Pacific Northwest?

You can find Animals of the Pacific Northwest on many social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. 

A New Climate Anthem From An Unlikey Trio

Yo-Yo Ma releasing a single with a drag queen and an indigenous artist about the melting of an Alaska glacier was definitely not something I had on my 2023 bingo card. But along with indigenous and trans musician Quinn Christopherson, the cellist collaborated with...

Behind the Breed: Sealyham Terrier

The Sealyham Terrier is a rare small terrier breed with origins in Wales as a working dog that hunted rats, otters, foxes, and badgers. Today, Sealyhams are rare but at one point, they were popular and adaptable terriers that had fans in the British Monarchy and...

How To Make A Difference

With everything going on right now, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, sad, defeated, and so much more, even if you aren’t directly affected by the tragedies and atrocities currently happening. But everyone can still do something to make this world a...

Orca Recovery Day 2023

Orca Recovery Day is Saturday, October 14th, 2023!

Fat Bear Week 2023

Fat Bear Week is officially here! Starting today, October 4th, 2023, you can vote for your favorite fat bear in this single-elimination tournament of 12 bears. This is the 9th year of the competition, with the first being a one-day contest in 2014: Fat Bear Tuesday....

Pet First Aid Kits

Having a pet first aid kit could be incredibly helpful during stressful situations. But what’s in one?

Behind the Breed: Jindos

The Jindo is a relatively rare spitz breed with a long history in South Korea and wonderful but often stubborn temperament. These dogs typically stand 17-25 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 30-50 pounds when full grown, making them medium sized dogs. They have a...

What Is Wildlife Conservation And Why Is It Important?

Wildlife conservation is a vital field that works to protect flora and fauna species and their habitats around the world from climate change effects and human encroachment. The last 200 years has seen a drastic rise in the human population, in addition to the...

The Oceans and Seas of the World

Up until recently, most countries and organizations only recognized four ocean basins. While there is really only one global ocean that covers 71% of the earth, there are now five distinct regions and the boundaries between them have changed over human history....

Behind the Breed: Xoloitzuintli

Xolos are some of the most unique looking dogs and one of the oldest breeds in the Americas.

Disclosure

I am not a veterinarian, vet tech, animal trainer, behaviorist, or nutritionist and do not have any sort of professional experience in these fields. Much of the information shared on this blog comes from plenty of research or from my years of caring for animals. New routines, including new diets or exercises, should be discussed with your vet or appropriate professional before being put into place. Information found on this site cannot and should not be substituted for information obtained by a licensed professional.

Some posts on Animals of the Pacific Northwest contain affiliate links that I could make a commission off of. All opinions expressed are my own and any post with affiliate links will contain a disclosure statement at the beginning. There are some additional third party ads on the site that I could also make a commission off of.

Do not sell, reproduce, or otherwise modify any written content found on this blog. That also applies to photos on Animals of the Pacific Northwest’s Instagram or ones for sale. Sharing a link with proper credit is allowed.

Lastly, any and all opinions shared by the author are solely the author’s. The author, Andrea, does not speak for any and all outside employers.