Riding through the drive-thru with you can be frustrating for your furry friend. They have to watch you order and snack on savory fast food while they get nothing for themselves. That’s why many dog parents order their pooches a puppuccino when picking up Starbucks. But the famous coffee chain isn’t the only business with a special dog menu item.
Dairy Queen has its very own secret menu item for dogs: a Pup Cup! If you’ve never ordered it before, your four-legged family member is missing out. Here’s everything you need to know about the Dairy Queen Pup Cup.
Dairy Queen’s “Pup Cup” is a small serving of vanilla soft-serve ice cream with a dog biscuit on top. It’s not listed on the menu because the ice cream isn’t made for dogs, so advertising it that way can be a liability if it makes a dog sick.
At most stores, the Pup Cup is free upon request. However, most Dairy Queens are independently-owned, so they may charge a small fee or choose not to serve it. But most locations are happy to give your pup one of these secret treats.
Even though it’s not listed on the menu, you can go to most Dairy Queens and ask for a “Pup Cup” to get this tasty treat. If an employee is unsure what a Pup Cup is, you can tell them that it’s a swirl of soft-serve ice cream with a dog biscuit.
If the location near you doesn’t offer Pup Cups for whatever reason, you can still order a small scoop of vanilla to share with your dog.
Unfortunately, dogs can’t handle ice cream as well as humans because of the dairy and sugar in it. But for most dogs, one Pup Cup won’t hurt. Laura Robinson, a veterinary advisor at Pawp, says that dogs are more sensitive to dairy than humans, but small portions of plain vanilla or fruit sorbet are the safest options.
If your dog has never eaten ice cream before, give them a small portion the first time. Then, monitor their symptoms. If they have negative reactions, like gas, diarrhea, vomiting, or bloating, they may have a strong lactose intolerance. In that case, it’s safer to skip the Pup Cups and buy dog-friendly ice cream from a pet store instead.
Even if your dog handles ice cream well, it should still only be served on rare occasions. Don’t bring them to Dairy Queen every day or even every week.
Keep Spoiling Your Pup!
Pup Cups are just one secret menu item that dogs can’t get enough of. If you want to spoil your dog more often, there are 18 known chain restaurants with special snacks for dogs. But like Dairy Queen’s Pup Cup, these secret options should only be given to your dog in moderation. Less frequent fast food treats will keep your dog healthy and help them appreciate the snacks more.
The footage of an adorable American Bulldog desperately desiring his birthday song to end so he can chow down on his birthday pupcake has been delighting millions across the internet. And it’s easy to see why.
The way the beaming birthday boy reluctantly refrains from jumping onto the table while practically pacing and making such overly excited facial expressions is almost too much cuteness to bear.
Ace, the American Bully, is officially two years old. And, to mark the occasion, his family wanted to sing h” m “Happy Birth “ay” and present him with his very own doggie birthday cake. But when they got everything ready and started the song, he became absolutely overwhelmed with excitement. Yet, good boy Ace exerted extreme patience, which we presume, was excruciating for him.
In the background of the clip, you can hear his happy family singing the classic birthday tune as the sweBully’sy’s gaze locks onto his special cake. His eyes practically fall onto the table as he stares at the cake and his body shakes with excitemenIt’t’s obvious that this sweet boy is eagerly anticipating every single bite.
Ace licks his lips and sniffs his special treat as his family sings. Personally, I found the way he restrained himself to be incredibly impressive, as it was obvious he was going crazy inside. His palpable excitement, and sweet smiling face are incredibly adorable, and not unsurprising. Who doesn’t get excited about birthday cake? This sweet boy sure is living his best life.
Since this sweet video has already been viewed over 10 million times, it’s obvious we aren’t the only ones losing our minds over its incredible cuteness.We think of our canine companions as family, so of course we want tocelebrate their birthday,and give them a super special day.
You can check out our article about awesome ways to celebrate your dog’s birthday by clicking, here.
Ace’sloving family decided to sing to him and treat him to a tasty pupcake. They’re such a special treat, and can even be bought online or made in your very own kitchen.Other pet parents are opting to throw puppy parties and dress up their dogs in themed hats or bandanas. And don’t forget to commemorate your dog’s special day with a photo shoot.
But whatever way you decide to celebrate, what matters most is remembering just how lucky we are to have such amazing animals in our lives.
Around 150 dogs were residing at Animal Services in Abilene, Texas, prior to August 26th, 2022. In the early hours of that Friday morning, a man broke into the shelter and unlocked several of the kennels, causing chaos.
The man climbed the fence surrounding the shelter and came in through the roof. He then released a bunch of dogs, letting them loose in the building. Things got worse from there.
One major takeaway from this incident and the resulting tragedy is that shelter dogs are kept in separate kennels for a reason. Some dogs don’t get along with others, and some don’t respond well to being over-stimulated in the shelter environment.
ALL KIND Animal Initiative, a local animal welfare organization, has been frantically working to clean up the mess this man made. In a Facebook post later that day, ALL KIND informed the concerned public:
“The horrific break-in and subsequent turmoil at Abilene Animal Services resulted in the tragic death of one dog, multiple dogs still unaccounted for, and has also left numerous dogs with injuries.”
Different dogs being suddenly thrust together into chaos ultimately resulted in fear and violence. Some fought, others ran. Abilene Police, who discovered the devastating aftermath, shared in a statement:
“Officers found one of the canines deceased, and several other canines injured due to what is believed to be fighting amongst the animals. Several other canines escaped the property through an outside gate, requiring Animal Shelter crews to attempt to locate them outside of the property grounds.”
Detectives later picked up someone who matched the description of a possible suspect and brought him in for questioning. They then officially arrested and charged 38-year-old George Paul Jones for breaking and entering, animal cruelty, and theft of a motor vehicle (he fled the scene in a van stolen from the shelter).
Jones is currently being held at the Taylor County Jail. As of this post, his motives are unclear. Was he looking for his lost dog? Did he feel like unlocking cages was actually for the dogs’ benefit? Was he just causing anarchy?
Ultimately, it’s sad that shelter dogs who might have found proper homes in time ended up severely injured and, in one case, dead.
The Abilene Community Rallies For The Dogs
One silver lining is how quickly local animal rescuers and civil servants responded to a call for help. Shelter employees came in on their days off, volunteers stepped up, and one quick-acting animal control officer even saved a life by breaking up a dog fight.
That saved life belongs to a dog named George, who is currently recovering in a foster home from injuries he received that day. ALL KIND established a medical fund to help pay for his care as well as that of the other dogs who suffered injuries.
“We are extremely thankful for the Abilene Animal Services employees, the Abilene police department and the All Kind volunteers that rallied to recapture and provide immediate care and assistance to the dogs as well as clean up and repair the destruction to the building.”
You can donate to the fund on ALL KIND’s Facebook page. If you’re nearby, you can also help by keeping an eye out for the missing dogs. Hopefully, they can be safely recovered and focus on their main mission of getting adopted. Contact Abilene Animal Services at (325) 698-0085 if you spot one!
Getting their first dog is one of the most exciting moments a kid can experience. But a boy named Chase only got to spend a month with his Lab puppy named Sam before she disappeared. The 5-month-old pup ran away from the family’s apartment in Boise, Idaho.
Sam is still missing after over a month of searching, but Chase’s dad, Chico McKinney, refuses to give up. After one sighting and some disturbing text messages, he’s more determined than ever to bring the puppy home. But now, he suspects that she was kidnapped and is being held for ransom.
McKinney spent the first week spreading fliers around the neighborhood and going door-to-door asking for sightings. He said Sam has cream-colored fur, but she has a few brown spots on her shoulder. She also doesn’t have pigment in her nose or around her eyes and mouth.
“She’s about 5 months old so she’s probably still pretty small and gangly,” McKinney said. “Somebody said they saw her walking on Kootenai and Owyhee, somebody walking her, some college-age kids, they said.”
But after that first sighting, McKinney didn’t hear anything for a while. They searched near where the puppy had been seen with no luck. Then, McKinney received a suspicious text asking if there was still a reward.
When most people find a lost dog, their first message is something along the lines of “I found your dog.” So, asking about the reward first made McKinney uneasy. Yet, he confirmed that there was still a reward and asked if they found her.
After McKinney asked for pictures, the person sent a few photos of Sam, which helped McKinney feel better. However, the person wanted proof of ownership, such as paperwork from the breeder, before they’d return her. McKinney told them he’d only feel comfortable giving that information in person, and after that, the person stopped responding.
Within a few minutes, McKinney got another unusual text claiming that Sam was dead. This seemed even more suspicious, and McKinney assumed the suspects were just trying to get him to stop looking.
“So my friend messaged you guys about your dog and I’m sorry to inform you that she isn’t alive, I don’t know how but they found your ad and thought dead or alive the reward would apply. She’s in the backyard buried, she’s been there a few days now. My friends just wanted the reward. I’m truly sorry,” the text said.
Help Bring Sam Home!
After that, McKinney finally decided to get the police involved. Yet, they were unable to trace the phone numbers because they came from internet-based numbers. McKinney said he’ll keep searching as long as there’s hope.
“As long as it takes, really,” McKinney said. “I mean, I don’t think we’ll give up until we don’t think there’s any hope. And right now, I still feel like there’s hope.”
McKinney said if the people who have Sam do the right thing, he won’t be mad anymore, and he’ll thank them. So, if anyone has information about Sam’s location, they can call the Ada County non-emergency dispatch at 208-377-6790, Crime Stoppers at 208-343-2677, or the number on the fliers at 208-860-3197.
All it takes is a matter of seconds for thefts to occur. Julia Salsich learned that the hard way when she was running a few errands with her Yorkie mix named Franklin. At one point, she parked on the 1300 block of H Street in Washington D.C. and put her flashers on. She exited the car for a second to drop something off, but as she was doing so, an adult man hopped in the car and drove off with Franklin still inside.
Salsich said she ran after the car screaming and begging for them to let Franklin out, but they didn’t stop. She was heartbroken. Cars are replaceable, but family members are not.
On that same road, two other incidents happened that day. The carjacking occurred at 4:30 pm, but at 12:08 am on the same block, someone shot a man and drove away. The man survived, and a white Toyota Camry is the vehicle of interest.
Then, an hour after Salsich’s car and dog were stolen, Commanders rookie Brian Robinson was shot just three blocks away during a separate carjacking. Robinson sustained serious injuries but survived. There is no evidence that these three incidents are related, but it’s scary that they all happened so close together.
Salsich’s car is a gray Honda Accord, and she believes Franklin is still inside. The thief used her card at a McDonald’s, and when she talked to the business, they confirmed that he was still in the car with her dog.
“I got an alert from my bank that [the suspect] used one of my credit cards at the McDonald’s that is on Nannie Helen Burroughs Boulevard NE,” Salsich said. “And, so we went over there and we talked to the person that was working in the drive-thru and he remembers seeing the guy. And, he remembers seeing Franklin on the front seat of my car.”
Salsich and her family are devastated that Franklin is gone, but they won’t give up hope. All Salsich cares about right now is getting her dog back. She’s offering a $300 reward with no questions asked. Her car and the belongings inside it aren’t her priority right now.
“I just want you to know that Franklin is really, really loved and really missed,” Salsich said, addressing the thief. “And, he is a part of our family.”
While the overall crime rate in the area has been down this year, the number of car thefts is on the rise. It’s a good reminder to never leave a running car unattended, especially if your furry friend is inside. If anyone has information about Franklin’s location, Salsich wants them to contact her at jcsalsich@gmail.com.
The mysterious illness that has been killing dogs and concerning Michigan veterinarians for a few weeks has finally been identified. Despite initially testing negative in screening tests, all 20 dogs have been confirmed to have died from parvovirus.
Most of the dogs were either young (less than two years old) or had reached senior status. Also, none were entirely up to date on their vaccinations.
What’s Parvovirus?
While not harmful to humans, parvo is problematic for pups. Not only is it extremely contagious through contact with contaminated feces, but symptoms can be severe.Within three to seven days of exposure to the virus, dogs may start to experiencebloody diarrhea, dehydration, lethargy, lack of appetite, fever, and vomiting.
This is especially true for animals who have not yet been fully vaccinated and is one of the main reasons the parvovirus vaccine is considered a “core” inoculation for canines.
“We have not seen any dogs that die that are properly vaccinated. If you do not know if your dog is properly vaccinated or what properly vaccinated is contact a/your veterinarian,” said a post made by the Otsego County Animal Shelter.
It was a few weeks ago, on August 19, when the Otsego County Animal Shelter shared on their Facebook page that a mystery virus was killing canines in their area. Initially, they weren’t sure why so many dogs were dying.The mystery virus presented like parvo, yet all the affected animals were testing “negative” on their screening tests.
But in the release from the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory director Dr. Kim Dodd stated that further testing showed that all of the deceased dogs did indeed have parvo.
“While those tests are valuable in the clinical setting, they are not as sensitive as the diagnostic tests we can perform here in the laboratory. We continue to further characterize the virus in hopes of better understanding why those animals were testing negative on screening tests,” said Dr. Kim Dodd.
In light of recent events, Dr. Dodd is nowencouraging area veterinarians who see sick dogs testing negative for parvo, yet presenting similar symptoms, to pursue additional lab work. Area officials have also been keen to remind dog walkers that this is one of the many reasons to make sure to clean up properly after their pup poops on their walk.
A mail carrier in South Dakota had to take a detour on her route when she found an abandoned puppy in the middle of a gravel road. The black and white pup with big ears appeared to be only a few weeks old at the time. He was exhausted and underweight, so the mail carrier put him in a box that normally holds packages. She kept him with her for the rest of the mail route, and he was a great companion.
The puppy has come a long way since then. At the end of the route, the mail carrier made one special delivery. She brought the pup to a shelter to make sure he was cared for.
The organization transferred the adorable puppy to Ruff Start Rescue in Minnesota. After hearing about his journey, they named him “Priority.” A woman named Taya offered to foster Priority so she could help him gain weight and become healthier.
Priority was only about seven pounds when he entered foster care, but he had no problem keeping up with the bigger dogs. He was very friendly and confident despite everything he had been through.
“You might say he’s a much bigger dog in a small body. He has fit right in with our resident pack,” said Taya. “Despite being ten times smaller, Priority definitely holds his own in some epic wrestling matches!”
Once Priority was ready to begin the search for his forever family, the rescue posted about him on Facebook. No one would be able to resist his bunny ears and head tilt, so they knew he wouldn’t be available for long.
Sure enough, Priority found his forever home shortly after his post went up. Priority’s foster family handed the pup to his new mom, and both of them seemed ecstatic to see each other. She plans to keep his name.
His new family said they have about five acres of trails at their home that Priority can explore with them. It’s clear that he’ll never have to feel abandoned again.
Azure Davis from Ruff Start Rescue hopes this story reminds people to call an organization if they find an abandoned animal. One call could save a life.
“It’s important people know there are many organizations like ours that can step in and help provide resources to find the owners of a lost pet and if that doesn’t work, find a home for the animal,” said Davis. “We just want to empower more people to make that initial save.”
There won’t always be a kind mail carrier around to save dogs, so we all need to do our part. Priority found the amazing life he has today because so many people helped and supported him.
Stephen Foster works as a part-time maintenance man at a gas station in Dade City, Florida. Since the recent death of his wife of 35 years, Stephen has come to rely on the love and companionship of his little dog, Ollie. The pooch even accompanies him to work, happily watching her dad from the end of a tether.
A few weeks ago, Ollie was hit by a car driving through the gas station parking lot and was left with a broken leg. The vet told Stephen euthanasia was his only option, but he and Ollie were about to meet a guardian angel. Actually, a whole bunch of them!
An animal control officer with Pasco County Animal Services urged Stephen not to give up hope. The next day, the officer returned with veterinarian Christine Glenn, who transferred Ollie to the PCAS shelter for further care.
“Ollie is a special girl. He is this gentleman’s whole world. And without her he doesn’t sleep well at night. This is his companion since his wife passed away,” Dr. Glenn told ABC Action News.
Upon examination, Dr. Glenn discovered that Ollie had internal injuries in addition to her broken leg and would need to undergo surgery. The PCAS medical team, along with volunteers from theHumane Society of Tampa Bay, went to work repairing Ollie’s ruptured diaphragm. Her prognosis was guarded, but she proved to be a fighter, heading into yet another surgery—this time for her fractured leg—just days later.
With all that under her furry belt, Ollie began the long road to recovery. Stephen visited her in the medical suite every chance he got over the next few weeks. It was clear to all who witnessed their time together that Stephen and Ollie truly love one another.
“Her eyes soften when she sees him, and her little body wags. The love between man and dog is clear, and we at PCAS want to preserve this bond,” the shelter wrote in a Facebook update.
Finally, the day the pair had been waiting for rolled around. On Thursday, July 29, Ollie was released from the clinic!
She is not fully healed yet, but she is strong enough to spend the remainder of her recovery at home with Stephen—with several follow-ups at PCAS along the way. Once she gets medical clearance, Ollie’s pals at the shelter will provide her with a crate so she can safely accompany Stephen to work once again.
“Ollie means everything to me. Like I said, she’s my kid,” Stephen confided to ABC.
In addition to Dr. Glenn and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, PCAS credits a grant fromMaddie’s Fundand a partnership withHuman Animal Support Services with their ability to save Ollie’s life.
Now Stephen can sleep soundly once again with his beloved Ollie back by his side!
With over a million subreddits for all sorts of specific communities, Reddit has a lot to offer. Particularly for us dog lovers, a subreddit called “BeforeNAfterAdoption” lets rescuers and dog parents share the stories behind their adoptions. Naturally, all these photos and videos are touching, a nice reminder of why we love to save animals.
Graham Whatmough, or as he’s known on Reddit “u/WhereTheHighwayEnds” shared a beautiful video of his dog Willow happily enjoying the outdoors to the page. You’d never be able to tell she had such a rough past before they met. This happy, outdoorsy pup was once found starving and immobile in the woods. The meeting between her and her rescuer just had to be fate.
An Unusual Discovery In The Woods
Four years ago, Whatmough quit his job in the oilfield to pursue his passion of being a freelance photographer and videographer. He spends much of his time outdoors exploring beautiful places. One day, he discovered something a little different on a hike through the woods.
Whatmough usually took the same path through these woods, but today he decided to take a different trail. As he stopped to take a photo of some berries he found, he noticed something else.
“I took just a few steps more and I saw a fallen tree and an off-white animal laying behind it. I thought it must be a small deer or a coyote hiding because it wasn’t moving or making any sounds. Then I saw a pink collar and realized it was a dog.”
Earning The Woods Pup’s Trust
At first, the dog showed signs of fear aggression, baring her teeth and growling. Whatmough didn’t get any closer than 15 feet from her, afraid she would run off. He tossed her some of the berries he had picked, the only food he had to offer. To his pleasant surprise, she ate the berries and even wagged her tail a little bit. He also offered her some water from his bottle, which she drank quickly, so he returned with more water from his truck.
Considering her willingness to trust, Whatmough figured she was a runaway or lost dog. She looked only a few months old.
“I still thought she was just a runaway and was maybe dehydrated and a little starved. The berries and water had allowed me to get close enough to her to start scratching her snout and she really liked it.”
Even though she seemed a little friendlier, Whatmough noticed the dog didn’t seem to want to move much. Something definitely seemed wrong with her hind legs.
“Now that she warmed up I coaxed her to get up and walk I saw she was almost walking entirely on her front legs at some points both her back legs seemed to come right off the ground. I still thought that she was maybe just needing food and exercise after being stuck in the forest for a while.”
Soon, Whatmough would learn that both of the dog’s back legs were broken, and as a result, had started to heal improperly. Her condition didn’t look too good.
The Road To Recovery
Whatmough brought the dog to the veterinarian for treatment and x-rays. They determined that she would need to have her legs amputated or she would require expensive, risky surgery. In the meantime, no one came to claim the poor girl.
Whatmough wasn’t sure what to do at first. He wanted a dog, but was he ready to care for one with many physical challenges ahead of her? Could he even afford that type of care?
“When the vet started listed my options as amputation, a very expensive surgery or surrendering her to bylaw where she would most likely be euthanized I decided to take care of her at least until I could find someone that was able to adopt her.
As he’d been sharing updates about the dog he found in the woods, people became invested. Whatmough explained that his community pitched in donations to help pay for surgery. They were able to come up with $4000 in a single day!
That’s how he knew, there was no way he could give this dog up.
“After seeing how my community rallied around her with the donations and having her for a few days I knew I wouldn’t be able to give her up.”
He named the forest dog Willow, fittingly. Every day, Whatmough stretched Willow’s legs and walked her. At times when she seemed to struggle, he regretted not getting her surgery. But brave Willow pulled through her tough recovery.
“She also would show some signs of discomfort when I would stretch and pull her back legs but I would always stop and then she would let me stretch her some more. She progressively resisted less and less and now she doesn’t seem to mind at all when I really pull hard and work to stretch her.”
A Family That Does Outdoors Together
Willow didn’t let her past experiences turn her off to romping through the woods. She and Whatmough spend all their time together, especially now that he works at home.
“I am outside hiking 2-6 hours everyday summer and winter and she loves it all. She really loves the snow but after about 4hrs in -30C she starts to try and get her paws off the snow and looks for shelter and I know it’s time to go back home.”
For a dog with formerly broken and malformed back legs, Willow runs like an absolute champ now!
Willow and Graham’s story reminds us that every dog is worth it, and sometimes fate pushes us into the right dog’s path. Here’s wishing them a lifetime of happiness together!
