Skip to main content

Thanksgiving Enriched Environment Trail and Activities



Since it was such a hit at Halloween, Animal Enrichment Specialist Suzanne was at it again for Thanksgiving with another great set of activities and opportunities to explore for our animals. 



First up were our feline residents!  Alphonso decided to go sailing in the Mayflower, finally realizing his dream of being a pilgrim. The Mayflower was a repurposed cardboard box with some catnip sprinkled in the bottom to entice the kitties to explore.



Alphonso then spent some quiet time in a teepee. We don’t think he learned how to grow maize but he certainly enjoyed his time relaxing.

Our bunny residents got cornhusk leaf piles and lettuce cornucopias to chew and play with over the holiday weekend. Trust us, they were extra thankful!

Our shelter dogs moved the activities outdoors, despite a wet weekend.  Dogs like discovering new things and using their noses. Adding something unexpected to their routine mentally stimulates them and builds a more confident pup. 




Pools full of colorful toy balls and hay were available for the dogs to roll and sniff around in. Buck and Cooper found these two activities to be quite fun!  (Fun fact: Buck found his forever home shortly after these photos were taken!)




Ringo took part in our version of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Passing the erratic, floating balloons builds confidence and provides an unusual visual experience for Ringo.
Daisy sniffs our gourd garland on the trail. She had a great time exploring and taking in all the sights and sniffs! 

As always, Animal Friends strives to take care of the whole animal – body and soul – while they are here with us. Enrichment activities that engage all of the animals’ senses are beneficial to their physical and behavioral health. The activities provide opportunities to think and to explore space – therefore providing a sense of control to shelter animals. More importantly, stimulating their brains reduces stress and is fun!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beat the Heat

Summer Safety Tips for Your Pets   Summer is the perfect time of year to experience the outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather, but the heat can take a serious toll on your four-legged companion. Animal Friends has a few tips to help you beat the heat and keep your pets safe, healthy and cool during the warm months ahead. Visit your veterinarian. A checkup for your pet is in order this time of year. In the warmer months, your companion is at a high risk of contracting parasites, fleas and ticks, which can cause much bigger problems down the road. Preventative treatments are much easier (and less expensive!) than an emergency visit to the vet. Practice parking lot and vehicle safety. When the weather starts heating up, protect those paws from the hot asphalt and pavement by walking on grassy areas whenever possible. Paw pads can burn easily, especially since pets do not usually wear shoes outdoors like we do! Your pet should never be left in a parked car. Even with the windows dow...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the best age to spay or neuter my pet?

This is a very common question from pet owners who are trying to make the safest and healthiest decision for their beloved animal companions. And, depending on who you ask, you can get many different answers.   Most private practice veterinarians won’t schedule a spay/neuter surgery until the animal is at least 6 months old. Meanwhile, common shelter practices involve spaying or neutering as early as 2-3 months of age.   While there may be a difference in opinion among veterinarians about the ideal age to alter an animal, the truth is that pediatric spay/neuter (or surgery performed on a pet younger than 5 months) has been safely performed for years. Pediatric spay/neuter is a common practice among animal welfare leaders like Animal Friends for a number of reasons.   First, it allows shelters to find adopters for their younger residents during a highly adoptable period of their lives. Before pediatric spay/neuter, shelters would adopt out unaltered young animals with the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ronan: Home to Home Adoption Program

This handsome boy is Ronan! He is a very sweet, affectionate cat who is about 5 years old. He is neutered, very outgoing and gets along with other felines. Ronan has always been a friendly stray cat. He has been living outside, receiving care from a Good Samaritan, but has never had a home he could call his own. At one point during his life, Ronan was hit by a car and his hind leg was broken in three different places. Since he had no family, the broken bones were never set properly and never properly healed. To ease his pain, a veterinarian decided to amputate his leg. He is recovering well from his surgery and is adjusting quite nicely to a life with three legs. During his most recent visit to the veterinarian, Ronan was diagnosed with FIV. With regular visits to the veterinarian, though, cats with FIV can live long, happy lives! Ronan can go home to a family with other FIV positive felines or a home where he will be the only feline. Ronan is looking for a home wher...
Post a Comment
Read more