6 Ways To Manage Shedding Like A Pro

For breeds like Golden Retrievers, Great Pyrenees, and German Shepherds, shedding is just a normal part of everyday life. Getting a dog that sheds a lot means dealing with fur everywhere on a daily basis and I truly mean everywhere - on your clothes, the floor, any...

Pet Dental Care

Did you know that February is National Pet Dental Health Month? Taking care of your pet’s teeth is of the upmost importance for so many reasons and their teeth should be checked out by your veterinarian at least once a year to make sure that all is well. Providing...

From The Archives: Visiting Tide Pools.

This post is from May 2019 and now includes a few updates and new videos! One of my favorite activities as a child was going to visit and interact with tide pools on different beaches. I grew up just a mile away from Bellingham Bay, just a few miles away from Larrabee...

Dog Parks 101: The History, Rules, and Etiquette Behind the Dedicated Spaces for Man’s Best Friend

Open, green spaces are an incredibly important part of urban cities and one type of these spaces is a dog park! Dog parks are great places for dogs and their owners to spend time outside, socialize, and release some pent-up energy. Relatively speaking, these parks are...

Pets in Poverty.

During one summer in college, I interned at an interfaith organization that provided a food pantry in a Portland neighborhood. For my entire life, my family never struggled with getting food on the table. We weren’t the richest of the rich but we were still...

Behind the Breed: Welsh Terriers

These black and tan dogs are true to their terrier name and are spunky dogs full of character. Welsh terriers were originally bred to chase and trap small animals for hunters and still remain the active, fun-loving dog that made them so great as hunting companions....

Behind the Breed: Yorkshire Terriers

Yorkshire Terriers, also known as Yorkies and even the 'Tomboy Toy', are small but energetic dogs that thrive when given a job to do. Despite their size, these dogs are full of courage, confidence, and spunk in addition to being a bit high maintenance. Their size...

Pygmy Rabbits of the Pacific Northwest

Did you know that there is a critically endangered rabbit species living in the Columbia Basin region of Washington state? The Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbits are a subpopulation of the smallest rabbit species in North America and their numbers have drastically declined over the centuries.

Behind the Breed: Aidis (Atlas Mountain Dogs)

Also known as Atlas Sheepdogs and Atlas Mountain Dogs, this breed is a muscular, energetic, and protective dog native to Northern Africa (particularly Morocco). They're medium in size, usually weighing 50-55 pounds and standing 20-24 inches tall. Aidis have some...

The Domestication of Cats

Throughout history, humans have domesticated many different plant and animal species for a variety of different reasons. Cotton has been used for fabric (like clothing and rugs) and rope; wheat, lentils, rice, and potatoes are some of the first domesticated plants...

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.

Happy Pride Month!

Happy Pride Month!

Happy Pride! For the last several decades, June and early July have been a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and a protest for our rights. Animals of the Pacific Northwest is focused on pet care, wildlife conservation, and environmental justice so why does Pride...

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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.