Are Zoos Good or Bad? The Ethical Considerations of Keeping Wild Animals in Captivity.

by | July 22, 2021 | Conservation, Front Page Slider, Places | 2 Comments

In the Pacific Northwest, there are ten aquariums and zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (eleven if you include the Calgary Zoo in Alberta, Canada). In addition to being open to the public (now with restrictions because of Covid-19), these parks...
Read More

What I’ve learned from animals

by | January 18, 2018 | Cats, Dogs, Front Page Slider | 0 Comments

Over the past few years, I’ve learned so much from taking care of animals. I’ve learned the importance of wearing great shoes, what the essentials for any great walk are (water, treats, and a great attitude!), and to always be aware of what’s going on around me. But...
Read More

Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, Maui, Canada, and the Mojave Desert

by | August 9, 2023 | Front Page Slider, Summer, The Earth, Wildfires | 1 Comment

Last years past, this summer has been plagued by wildfires across North America.

Read More

Behind the Breed: Bichon Frise

by | August 7, 2021 | Dogs, Front Page Slider | 3 Comments

This peppy, fluffy breed would be a great addition to any family or home, particularly for those with mild dog-related allergies or who want a cheerful, small dog. A Bichon Frise will usually stand 9-12 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 12-18 pounds. Bichons are...
Read More

Five Ways You Can Help Pollinators

by | June 27, 2021 | Conservation, Front Page Slider, Pollinators | 3 Comments

Like so much of the world, pollinators of all kinds are facing threats and declining populations. From rising global temperatures, habitat loss, pesticides, and so much more, these vital creatures are facing immense challenges. It seems utterly overwhelming but there...
Read More

Caring for backyard chickens

by | September 5, 2017 | Front Page Slider | 0 Comments

During my second year of college, my parents and neighbor decided to get chickens together. It was a perfect arrangement – the coop ended up on her land right next to ours, allowing easy access for both households to share care for these animals. Through some trial...
Read More

Declawing Cats: Worse Than A Manicure

by | October 20, 2021 | Cats, Front Page Slider, Health | 1 Comment

Anyone with a cat can tell you about how annoying and painful their claws can be at times. For some folks, the problem of their cats inappropriately scratching furniture, people, and other things gets to be such an issue that they decide to surgically declaw their...
Read More

Behind the Breed: Mudi

by | January 15, 2022 | Front Page Slider | 0 Comments

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...
Read More

Llamas and Alpacas.

by | August 21, 2019 | Front Page Slider | 1 Comment

I was incredibly lucky to have grown up next to a wonderful neighbor who had llamas for decades. And after college, I even got to care for a couple of them! Having llamas is a bit unusual but not terribly uncommon in the northwest, as they are not native to the area....
Read More

Scoop the Poop!

by | November 30, 2017 | Cats, Dogs, Front Page Slider | 4 Comments

One of my least favorite things about caring for dogs and cats is picking up poop and cleaning out litter boxes. It’s always stinky, a bit gross, and an annoying chore. But doing so is a vital part of having a pet, as leaving poop or improperly disposing of used...
Read More

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.

Behind the Breed: American Water Spaniel

Behind the Breed: American Water Spaniel

by | Jun 25, 2022

American Water Spaniels are relatively rare dogs that make great family companions, hiking companions, and/or watch dogs. This breed has a big dog personality in a smaller package, usually weighing 25-45 pounds, and despite the spaniel name, the AWS is more like a...

read more
Behind the Breed: Bearded Collies

Behind the Breed: Bearded Collies

by | Apr 30, 2022

The Bearded Collie is a happy, bouncy breed that looks very similar to the Old English Sheepdog. Both breeds are in the herding group and can be hard to tell apart from a distance. But Beardies, as they’re also known, have a long tail, several different coat colors, a...

read more
Cat Safe House Plants

Cat Safe House Plants

by | Apr 27, 2022

After years of not having cats, I forgot that they love to, at the very least, try eating plants. So when my two little rescue cats were old enough, they definitely started eating the house plants I had around the house! I do not have much of a green thumb so the fact...

read more
Pets
Wildlife
Climate Change

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. 

Rooster Dog’s Bucket List [April 2019 Update]

Over the last ten months or so, Rooster and I have been doing so many fun things to celebrate the time we have left with him! We've gone to Paws For A Beer and made so many friends, said hi to animals at Hovander Park, played in the snow, gone on adventures with Milo,...
Read More

Dog Zoomies: What They Are and What They Mean.

My family's first dog was a rescue named Penny. It had taken years of asking before my parents finally caved and we found Penny on our first trip to the local humane society. She was a young German Shephard/Beagle mix with plenty of energy and a sense of adventure....
Read More

Potential Pet Poisons.

There are many human foods that aren't good for our pets. Alcohol, avocados, onions, and chocolate are just some of the human foods that pets can't have but there are plenty of other things that your pet might come across that can be potentially fatal. Antifreeze is...
Read More

Behind the Breed: Collies

Collies are, thanks to the television show Lassie, a fairly recognizable and popular dog breed in the United States. These dogs are large (ish) but graceful herders, which means they generally stand 22-26 inches tall, weigh 50-75 pounds, and are incredibly smart....
Read More

Behind the Breed: Weimaraners

With a relatively tall stature and distinctive silvery-grey coat, Weimaraners are a gorgeous and fearless breed that love to spend quality time with their people. These dogs are intelligent and positive reinforcement training can be fun with them! While they can great...
Read More

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...
Read More

Behind the Breed: Bearded Collies

The Bearded Collie is a happy, bouncy breed that looks very similar to the Old English Sheepdog. Both breeds are in the herding group and can be hard to tell apart from a distance. But Beardies, as they’re also known, have a long tail, several different coat colors, a...
Read More

Cat Safe House Plants

After years of not having cats, I forgot that they love to, at the very least, try eating plants. So when my two little rescue cats were old enough, they definitely started eating the house plants I had around the house! I do not have much of a green thumb so the fact...
Read More

Two Years.

Two years ago, I started 'Animals of the Pacific Northwest' and so much as changed since then. I started this project because I realized that there's an amazing online community that loves animals the environment like I do and because folks were saying how much they...
Read More

Service and Therapy Animals.

There are days in which the animals I care for the only reason I make it out of bed. Having depression and anxiety make it difficult to do even the most basic things at times but I know that I’m able to do a whole lot more each day because I have all these animals...
Read More

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.