Recently, I’ve had many cases involving dogs that have extremely high prey drives. Dogs have a natural instinct for hunting prey. Smell and motion of other animals will instantly attract a dog to their instinctive prey drive. Of course, with domesticated dogs, we feed them so they don’t have to hunt. To ensure your dog views your family cat as a “pack member” and NOT a “pack prey-toy,” follow the below simple tips:

If you grew up in the early 90s, you probably remember an animated feature from 20th Century Fox called “FernGully: The Last Rainforest.” It was the environmentally-conscious movie every 90s kid saw, and yet, nobody really liked. The film’s intentions might have been good, but even the youngest children seemed to find its blatant green message overly preachy. The fact that “FernGully” was lacking in any interesting characters or magic didn’t help. “Epic,” which was also coincidentally distributed by Fox, is a bit like “FernGully” if it had smarter, more imaginative filmmakers backing it. While it’s not a massive improvement, “Epic” is at least fun, energized, and subtle with its environmental themes.

Memorial Day symbolizes the start of summer for you and your pet. Before you start planning trips to the beach and summer getaways, keep in mind that it’s important to plan ahead for pet travel and always keep the best interests of your furry, four-legged friends in mind.

Sweet Charlotte was found abandoned and was lucky enough to be able to go to Friends for Life in Gilbert. She’s estimated to be about 6 years old.

1331 E. Chandler Blvd.

The Food and Drug Administration will now allow women age 15 and older to buy the emergency contraceptive Plan B over the counter. Unfortunately, there is no “Plan B” for dogs and cats who find themselves in trouble — and that’s why it’s vital to have them spayed or neutered as soon as possible.

Mini and Smokey are a bonded pair of 12-year-old pure bred Pomeranians who were surrendered by their owners who could no longer care for them. Mini is a very outgoing girl who likes to play with toys and do twirls and jump into your arms. Smokey is more reserved and timid and depends on Mini for everything. He follows her wherever she goes, lays where she lays and really needs her. Smokey has alopecia, a skin condition that is common for Poms which causes them to lose their hair, but otherwise he is healthy. Both babies are snuggle bunnies and love to be held. Both are kennel and leash trained. Even though they are approximately 12 they do not act their age. They MUST go to the same home.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12).

Tapioca is a very sweet dog, but takes some time to warm up to people. However, once she does she is very personable and loves to follow you around as well as curl up right next to you on a couch or bed. She is very smart and seems to understand the concept of potty training and just could use some further reinforcement. She also loves toys, especially Kongs or anything involving chewing. Tapioca is looking for a loving home with a family who will treat her right. She needs a family who doesn’t mind her taking time building confidence and trust. If you give Tapioca a chance, she’ll be the best companion you’ve ever had. She is a very sweet and playful dog.

Mady is an extremely beautiful and sweet, 1-year-old petite Dilute Tortoiseshell cat. She came to Lost Our Home Pet Foundation with six newborn kittens who all found homes.

Sea Life Aquarium at Arizona Mills is giving kids and adults a sneak peek into the life of a sea creature with no brain and no heart — jellyfish.

Jodi is estimated to be about 2 years old. She’s a blend of some kind, perhaps a Spitz/Chow. She weighs approximately 35 pounds, so she’s on the smaller side. Word on the street is that someone saw Jodi being pushed from a car.

The best-tasting veggie burger I’ve ever met is falafel. A product of the Middle East, falafel are deep-fried fritters made from ground chickpeas or fava beans that are tucked into pita pockets and drizzled with tahini. They are delicious, hearty, inexpensive and relatively healthy.

Santana is a 1-year-old Boxer/Great Dane mix that is fun, has high energy, and is eager to learn tricks. He likes other large dogs that can keep up with him and tons of exercise. He is neutered, microchipped, and up to date on his shots and ready to find his forever home.

On May 5, 1862, a rag-tag force of vastly outnumbered Mexican soldiers held off well-provisioned French troops backed by heavy artillery in a battle to defend Mexican sovereignty.

Molly and Prince, a brother and sister duo, are two beautiful 3-year-old long-haired white and grey cats who were rescued from a foreclosed home. They are a bit shy at first but love to be petted and groomed.

Pet rescue groups across the Valley are coming together with a three-year initiative to solve the problem of pet homelessness by fixing, adopting and saving Valley pets.

Summer is coming, but all our dogs still need exercise. Here are some tips on how to beat the heat with your dog.

The road to Florence isn’t long when country music stars are in town. People flock from the East Valley to the Country Thunder music festival, spurring the question: What else is there to see in Florence? It didn’t take long to find an answer — alpacas.

While more than 62 percent of households in the U.S. have a pet, and many of the people living with those animals attend church services regularly, only a small percentage of churches serve animals and their caretakers. It was a startling thought for Ahwatukee Foothills residents Kris and Craig Haley.