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.
Dating back thousands of years, the Native American Indian Dog has a wild appearance and patient temperament. The exact origins are unknown and highly debated, including whether or not the breed today is actually a recreation of an extinct breed. Native American...
Springtime is right around the corner! There are so many wonderful things you and your pets can do to get ready for the warmer weather and longer days.
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...
With their iconic egg-shaped head, pointed ears, and triangular eyes, these dogs have an incredibly unique look to them. While Bull Terriers may seem intimidating to some, they can actually be goofy, loyal, polite dogs and are great for active homes. They are muscular...
As an adventurous, outgoing breed, Savannah cats are not for those wanting a quiet, couch potato feline. These cats can be quite large and in charge compared to other cat breeds and would do well with people who understand their audacious spirits and agile skills....
There are many different ways to have a career working with animals. One such way? Becoming a zookeeper! Keeping wild animals in zoos has a long and controversial history (and the dehumanizing and incredibly racist trend of keeping people in zoos around the turn of...
As one of the newest breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, the Mudi seems like a mix between a Miniature Poodle and German Shepherd, both in temperament and appearance. This breed has origins in Hungary, where most of these dogs currently live, and has worked...
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...
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...
Do you know how to care for your animals in cold winter weather?
The last two years have been difficult, to say the least. For me, this site has been a saving grace and on some days, a reason to get out of bed. That's been particularly true during the Covid pandemic. It's been an absolute joy learning and sharing about all the...
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.
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.
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.
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.Â
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.
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.
At the moment, I am not currently taking any unsolicited submissions for the site. That may change in the future.
You can email me at info@animalsofpnw.com with any questions, concerns, or comments!
You can find Animals of the Pacific Northwest on many social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
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 on The Dandelion Dogs. 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.
