Before & After: Meet this month's Paws For Reaction featured pets!

Before & After: Meet this month's Paws For Reaction featured pets!

It's transformation time! This month I asked my Paws peeps to send in Before & After photos of their pets! Grooming, growth, weight loss- no transformation was off-limits. You didn't disappoint! Check out these adorable Before & After photos! Thank you for your submissions and stay tuned for next month's feature!

Wild Wednesday: Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre more rehabilitation #WildWednesday

Wild Wednesday: Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre is so much more than just a rehabilitation Centre

The Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre was founded over 30 years ago by husband and wife Gary and Donna DuBreuil after they found an orphaned baby squirrel. They discovered that there was little information or help available to care for it. They teamed up with a small group of dedicated volunteers and started to care for sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife in the Ottawa and surrounding area.

Book Review: One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus

Book Review: One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus

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Karen M. McManus followed her book One of Us is Lying by taking us back to Bayview in the sequel One of Us is Next. In a lot of ways, I enjoyed this book more than the first one. The mystery in the first book was better, but the sequel was a faster-paced and more enjoyable read. The author dumped all of the teen-beat stereotypes from the first novel and created more realistic and dynamic characters. I had part of the mystery figured out early enough, but in the last chapter, the book flipped the story on its head and twisted in the most unexpected way. Pure entertainment.

Top Five Friday: Five fun pet water fountains for cats #FridayFive

Top Five Friday: Five fun pet water fountains for cats
  

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It's National Pet Hydration Awareness Month and I'm giving cats some love on Top Five Friday. Pet water fountains are fantastic for encouraging drinking, especially in picky cats. Cats prefer fresh, flowing water over standing water. Most cats don't drink enough, but water is so important to their overall health. Drinking the proper amount of cater can help support your cat's urinary health, and can even help prevent kidney disease. All of these cat water fountains are great options, but I've listed them in order from least likely entice a sip to most likely to wet your whistle.

Send a before and after photo of your pet to be featured on Paws For Reaction!

July featured pets: Send a 'Before & After' photo of your pet to be featured on Paws For Reaction
  

Did you get your pet as a puppy or kitten? Are they all grown up now? Did your pet have a significant weight loss? A major change in life? I want to see it!

Wild Wednesday: Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is a leader in wildlife rehabilitation #WildWednesday

Wild Wednesday: Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is a leader in wildlife rehabilitation for over 40 years

If you're looking for a place that cares for all creatures, big and small, there's no other place like this! Located in Rosseau, Ontario, Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary was founded in the early 1970s and has been a leader in wildlife rehabilitation ever since. The sanctuary is located on 460 acres of natural habitat, making it one of the largest wildlife rehabilitation locations in Ontario. 

Send a before and after photo of your pet to be featured on Paws For Reaction!

July featured pets: Send a 'Before & After' photo of your pet to be featured on Paws For Reaction
  

Did you get your pet as a puppy or kitten? Are they all grown up now? Did your pet have a significant weight loss? A major change in life? I want to see it!

Big dog, bigger discrimination: Large dogs commonly discriminated against

Big dog, bigger discrimination: Large dogs are commonly discriminated against for no good reason

Discrimination is not exclusive to the human world. People project their biases and discrimination onto the dog world in two big ways: breedism and sizeism. While we are familiar with discussing breed-specific legislation and breeds like Pitbulls that are commonly banned in municipalities, we don't often talk about the harassment and discrimination large dog owners face on a daily basis.

Top Five Friday: My five favourite Ontario Parks I visited with Keira #FridayFive

Top Five Friday: My five favourite Ontario Parks I visited with Keira

This week's Friday Five is a special memorial edition. I'd like to pay a tribute to my beloved Keira who I lost earlier this week. Writing about her and reminiscing about our life together is helping me work through this devastating loss. Keira and I went on many adventures in our eight years together. She had an adventurous spirit and loved nature. She was a remarkable creature. One of our favourite things to do was hike the many provincial parks in the Ottawa Valley. These are the top five Ontario Parks that hold the most precious memories of my girl Keira. They were her favourite places to be, and I hope you will visit with your dogs.

Species at risk in the Greater Golden Horseshoe set to lose their homes

Ontario needs your help: Species at risk in the Greater Golden Horseshoe set to lose their homes

There is a struggle between green and gold taking place in our province that you may not be aware of. Southern Ontario is home to the Greater Golden Horseshoe, one of the fastest-growing regions in North America. It's home to 9 million people- more than 55% of Ontarians. The most recognizable cities located in the Greater Golden Horseshoe included Brantford, Guelph, Peterborough, and Barrie. The area attracts one in three new immigrants to Canada and its population is forecast to surge to 13.5 million by 2041. As a result, developers and industrialists are chomping at the bit, trying to dig their hooves into this promising region.

Wild Wednesday: Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre rehabilitation dedicated to birds #WildWednesday

Wild Wednesday: Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre is the only rehabilitation Centre in the area dedicated exclusively to wild birds

If you've found an injured or orphaned bird in the Ottawa region, this is the place that will take that bird under its wing. Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre in Ottawa, Ontario was founded in 1981 by the late Kathy Nihei when she successfully rehabilitated and released an injured Ruby-throated Hummingbird, who she named Pip. The Centre is a registered charitable organization funded primarily by public donations. It is the only rehabilitation Centre in the Ottawa Valley area exclusively dedicated to wild birds, with thousands of birds admitted every year. The next closest rehab Centre in Ontario is in Napanee.  

Saying a sad goodbye to Keira

Tribute: In loving memory of Keira 2008-2020

Yesterday I lost my best friend, Hazel lost her big sister and the world lost a gentle soul. I had to make the difficult and sad decision to say goodbye to Keira. Keira was so much more than the dog I used for photos and testing products on Paws For Reaction. She was the first dog I ever owned and a huge member of our family. She was the love of my life. She had a long and happy life, and I was so fortunate that she spent most of it in perfect health. Sadly, she became very ill, very fast, and she didn't deserve to be in pain. 

Pet Hydration Awareness Month: Does my pet have a drinking problem?

Pet Hydration Awareness Month: Does my pet have a drinking problem? Why is my pet drinking so much?

Ontario has been hit by a heatwave and it's not going away any time soon. We are in for a sweltering summer, and this means we are all going to be thirsty- our fur-family included. It's normal for your pet to drink more during the summer months, but how much is too much? If you notice your pet drinking more, there could be an underline health concern causing hyper-hydration. 

Ottawa mandatory facemask bylaw: Best facemasks for dog lovers on Etsy

Barking for the bylaw: Six best facemasks for dog lovers

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This week Ottawa Public Health passed a bylaw mandating the use of facemasks by people visiting indoor public spaces. This means we are going to start seeing a lot fewer mouths and a lot more facemasks in public. I support this decision 100% as I feel it will keep my friends and family who are not as healthy as I am safer from contracting COVID-19. While masking can be uncomfortable, I've been having some fun with it. I have masks with pet-themed prints, and masks to match my outfits. You can still showcase your style and personality from behind the mask.

Top Five Friday: My five favourite climate change documentary films #FridayFive

Top Five Friday: My five favourite documentaries about climate change

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Happy Friday! Since July is Wild About Wildlife Month, I'm going to steal Top Five Friday away from my dogs and give it back to the environment. Biodiversity is so important when it comes to maintaining a healthy and thriving wildlife population. Unfortunately, climate change is having a devastating effect on biodiversity. As a result, there has been an increase in endangered species. That's why I'm sharing my top five documentaries about climate change and the environment. It was really hard to put these in order and I'm still very conflicted. But one thing I know for sure is that they are all worth a watch- and a share!

Pet Hydration Awareness Month: Is my pet dehydrated?

Pet Hydration Awareness Month: Is my pet dehydrated? What do I do if my pet is dehydrated?

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It's been a sweltering summer here in Ontario! Our pets can't tap us on the shoulder and say "Hey, boss! I'm really thirsty!" like a human can. In a way, I wish my dog could talk, but I also think that if Hazel could talk she'd tell me all sorts of outlandish and unnecessary things. Maybe it's best that she can't speak English. But if she's dehydrated, it would be nice if she could let me know. 

Wild Wednesday: Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary saves lives of orphaned animals #WildWednesday

Wild Wednesday: Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary saves lives of orphaned animals

Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in North Gower does amazing things for local wildlife and I absolutely adore this amazing team of caring animal lovers. I've donated to them and receive their newsletter, detailing important information about Canadian wildlife and how they are making a difference. This is a really impressive wildlife sanctuary, located right here in Ontario.

Send a before and after photo of your pet to be featured on Paws For Reaction!

July featured pets: Send a 'Before & After' photo of your pet to be featured on Paws For Reaction

Did you get your pet as a puppy or kitten? Are they all grown up now? Did your pet have a significant weight loss? A major change in life? I want to see it!

Book Review: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Book Review: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

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Have you ever wanted to get inside the mind of every character in a story? Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng delivers on that in a way that no other book I've read ever has. The author delivers the perspective of so many characters seamlessly, leaving the reader empathetic for the unique struggle that each character faces. And hating each of them just a little bit. It's impossible to know whose side you're on.

Top Five Friday: Five best water play toys for dogs #FridayFive

Top Five Friday: Five best water play toys for dogs 

This post contains affiliate links to cool stuff! Cool- get it! LOL

Hazel and Keira love the water! Swimming in the Ottawa River is her favourite way to keep cool in the summer. Hazel likes to just walk into the river and lay right down. Some dogs require a little more mental stimulation than that. Over the years I've tried out some fun water play toys with my dogs. These are Keira and Hazel's top five dog toys for water, ranked from least likely to make them dunk their faces in, to most likely for her to submerge their entire heads into the river to retrieve it!

July is Wild About Wildlife Month: Introducing Wild Wednesday!

July is Wild About Wildlife Month: Introducing Wild Wednesday!

Are you feeling wild? You should be! Wednesday is Wild About Wildlife Month! Paws For Reaction is showing some love for wildlife around the world! Climate change threatens biodiversity and the effect on habitats where wildlife thrives is devastating. Wiley Molecular Ecology Resources published an integrated framework to identify wildlife populations under threat from climate change. Wildlife around the world is in danger, and animals in Ontario are not exempt from that.

Happy Canada Day from Paws For Reaction

It's your day, eh: Happy Canada Day from Paws For Reaction!

Wishing all of you a safe and Happy Canada Day! This is a historic Canada Day for our generation. We are celebrating the True North during a global pandemic. I hope that you find a way to celebrate safely with your friends, family, and fur-babies.