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Blog ID: 994

Sheep Running in New Zealand

Posted by LucyPal on 3/31/2008 @ 1:44 PM
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New Zealand has its own answer to the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain!  It’s the running of the sheep in the small town of Te Kuiti.  Boy, you don’t want to get run down by a pack of wild and crazy sheered sheep!  That just hurts, not to mention having to explain all the hoof prints in your back.  Really though, spectators don’t run from the sheep.  They just watch them run. 

 

Te Kuiti is also the self-proclaimed sheep capital of the world.  They are just as wild and crazy about the sheep down there as the sheep are about good grass. 

 

The running of the sheep is an iconic part of the annual New Zealand Sheep Shearing Championships that are held here.  The running of the sheep marks the end of the championships and every single one of those sheep are sheared bare.  So, it’s also something of a running of the gauntlet for the sheep too.

 

This year’s running of the sheep took place on Saturday and consisted of 5,000 spectators and 1,899 sheep.  The sheep ran a full 1km dash down the main street of town guided by shepherds, working dogs and quad bikes.

 

Despite the careful herding of the sheep a few of them managed to slip away. Some of the sheep got separated from the gigantic herd and actually got stuck between cars in town, while others managed to make it across the town’s railroad track to sweet, but short-lived freedom on the other side.

 

Spectators got to take a small part in the running of the sheep with a guesstimation contest.  Entrants guessed or attempted to count the exact number of sheep that made the run on Saturday.  The winner received about NZ$2,000 worth of prizes.

 

Other festivities at the Championship included sheep shearing, local venders, entertainment and even motorized bathtub races.

 

Sources: http://www.homesworldwide.co.uk/global/new_zealand/news/articles/sheep_race_through_nz_town?news_id=0067074

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Blog ID: 991

Squirrels are Little Nutters

Posted by LucyPal on 3/30/2008 @ 11:07 PM
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To most people squirrels serve as a cute, chattering example of the beauty of nature.  To others, they are just plain nutters.  Yep, squirrels are a little bit nuts and not just about nuts either. 

 

In fact, the squirrel’s reputation for pushy, impatient and chattery behavior is such that they are the butt’s of many a joke and featured in quite a few feature films, stories and cartoons.

 

I’ve had my own run-ins with these little nutters and though I still think they are adorable as all get out, I wouldn’t attempt to keep one as a beloved pet.  Just last fall we encountered a pushy little squirrel while enjoying a fast food lunch and a day at the marina.

 

My mom and I sat munching on chicken fingers and fries and enjoying the water front view when we noticed the appearance of a red squirrel.  This particular red squirrel looked well fed and very unafraid of humans.  We quickly learned why.

 

He wanted our chicken for himself and this little red squirrel expected to get it.  Anyone could see that he made a practice of intimidating humans, creatures twenty or thirty times his size, into forfeiting their fast food lunches. 

 

As if that practice of intimidation weren’t enough, this little nutter also seemed to have sway over on the local seagulls.  The gulls eyed the red squirrel as one indebted gambler might eye the two ton goon sent to break his thumbs.  The red squirrel eyed us, or more aptly our greasy chicken, with unadulterated greed.

 

During the course of our meal, the red squirrel tried several feints and methods of attack to obtain a piece of food.  He tried looking cute.  He tried sitting up and begging practically at our sandaled feet.  And when all else failed he attempted a from behind sneak attack on our purses.  I literally feared for my naked toes. 

 

Mom, not being quite as faint of heart as I managed to keep our meals and our bodies safe from attack with a few aggressive stomping steps towards the little nutter.  He retreated to a tree a safe distance away and we all, seagulls included breathed a sigh of relief. 

 

These squirrels, well known for being nuts about nuts and other things, are just plain little nutters.

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Blog ID: 989

Grandmother and Pet Attacked By Vicious Dog

Posted by LucyPal on 3/29/2008 @ 11:02 AM
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A brave Grandmother in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota tried to save her own dog by fending off another vicious dog in an attack.  In the process of fending off the dog the 70 year old woman was bitten and now is undergoing a series of rabies shots.

 

She’s currently recovering from the attack, but sadly her dog, a miniature schnauzer name Schultz, did not survive the attack.  

 

At the time she was attacked the woman, Margaret Johnston, was walking Schultz with her 2 year old grandson and two girls from her neighborhood.  They all watched in horror as the vicious dog came in from behind and bit little Schultz on the neck. 

 

Margaret Johnston moved to the aid of her dog by punching the attacking dog and wrestling it down a hill.  In the midst of the tussle the attacking dog managed to bite Johnston in the leg before running off.

 

She hurried little Schultz to the veterinarian but he later died there from a broken neck.

 

Police were able to nab the vicious dog which turned out to be a Pit Bull Mix on Friday.  They received a tip and picked the dog up at a local residence.  Police are still trying to determine what will be the fate of the dog.  It could be deemed dangerous by Minnesota law and the owner of the dog could be charged for the dog’s attack and for violating the city’s leash law.  The pit bull mix does have a prior record for attacking other animals.

 The grandmother on the other hand is left to deal with the grief of losing her beloved pet and to heal from the wounds of the attack.  A retired nurse, Johnston stated, ‘"Of course, I still miss my dog."  She’d had her pet for 13 years. Source: http://www.twincities.com/contactus/ci_8741148

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Blog ID: 988

Eco-Friendly Pet Stores!

Posted by LucyPal on 3/28/2008 @ 9:19 PM
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Everyone is going green these days!  Even the pets!  There is a new pet store in Arizona that caters to dogs and cats who care about the environment.  The shop called the Noble Beast is owned by Alison Chandler.  She states, ‘It's the wave of the future, in my opinion…We all are more conscious about not impacting the environment and eating healthier. As people learn more about the benefits of organic products for themselves it transfers over to their pets.’

The pet store focuses on merchandise that is organic, safe and doesn’t harm the earth.  Some of their products include eco-friendly dog beds, hemp collars and even homeopathic remedies for your pets when they aren’t feeling in tip top shape.

In addition you can find everything from camping gear for your pets to toys and books.

The owner of the Noble Beast had been trying for the past three years to open her alternative pet food store.  She was determined though and finally opened her store recently.  Chandler felt that a ‘green’ pet store filled a need for supplies that didn’t impact the environment and our pets.  Many of the pet foods on the market today are filled with preservatives, dyes and chemicals.  Plus, those same foods aren’t very nutritious.  Even the protein in dog and cat food is often poor quality scraps that have been classified as unfit for human consumption.

Of course, all of this green food and environmentally safe pet goods is higher priced than commonly found pet foods.  For example, one 15 pound bag of dog from from Noble Beast can cost about $25.  That’s about five regular bags of dog food.

However, there’s lots of people interested in pet shops like Chandler’s.  Assuming that more regular pet stores open up or start offering environmentally sound such products could become cheaper and much more affordable.

Source: http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/0328biz-phx-greendog0329-ON.html

 

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Blog ID: 983

Ten Cat Behavior Tips

Posted by LucyPal on 3/27/2008 @ 11:35 PM
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Cats can something be confusing creatures.  Thye aren’t like us, yet we are very fascinated with them.  For the cat lover I’ve compiled these 10 tips to cat behavior from American Chronicle.

1. Cats are not pack animals like dogs.  They want special alone time and cats who are forced to live closer to other cats than they normally would will tend to time share their territory. 2. Kitten's get their friendly traits and tendency to be social from their father's genes (mostly), and their mother's teachings. 3. A kitten's socialization process is most important when she is between two and seven weeks old.  4. When recovering from a trauma, such as a car accident, cats can go through a second socialization process. This can sometimes result in the cat becoming more social after the fact. In other cases, felines can become withdrawn after experiencing trauma. 5. Domestic cats descended from solitary creatures. Being solitary and hunting alone by nature, they have a limited set of communication skills for confrontation, especially body language. In fact, after a peaceful resolution to a confrontation, the loser has to back away slowly so as not to incite a chase.  6. In order to make up for a limited set of communication skills, cats need to use scent markings to send and receive messages. They also need to be fast and agile! 7. Your cat will rub her scent glands all over her territory in order to leave her mark. She'll also rub her scent on you and other animals in the house. This creates a communal scent indicating that these animals are part of her social group.  8. Cats will often raise their back ends up so as to better scent a hand. They'll also often stiffen their tail, but keep it bent as they scent you up. 9. A vertical tail is a sign of happiness, and also used as a greeting.  10. When the front paws are curled up and tucked in, and the back legs are outstretched to the side, your cat is relaxed and secure.
Hopefully these tips will help you better understand and appreciate your cat or cats.  Don’t let a little thing like misunderstanding from getting in the way.

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Blog ID: 979

Santa Cruz SPCA Catches Fire

Posted by LucyPal on 3/26/2008 @ 8:58 PM
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The SPCA in California is losing its Santa Cruz Headquarters in Live Oak.  These headquarters caught fire last Thursday and will take an estimated 60 days to repair the damage.   That wouldn’t be so bad, but the county which owns the building has told the SPCA that they don’t want the group to move their animals back into the headquarters when it’s repaired.  The county would rather that the SPCA just used the space as offices.  But what about the animals they work with? During the fire, which was sparked by a faulty printer, they had to evacuate 22 dogs, cats, rabbits and a pot-bellied pig.  One of the dogs developed burned paws in the fire and another dog got loose and couldn’t be found again for several days.  Now, the SPCA has to figure out where they are going to have to put those animals until they are adopted out.   The SPCA had been in that building for about 30 years and owned it until about 5 years ago.  They were even working with Animal Services, (a county run agency) to develop a better relationship and plans for adopting out animals.  Animal Services is in the process of building a new shelter right next door to the SPCA’s offices.   SPCA Director Lisa Carter stated, “We've been rescuing animals from them.  It's a symbiotic relationship. To not be able to return to that site would be unbelievably heartbreaking.” In the meantime, most of the animals rescued from the fire are staying with Foster homes and being cared for by volunteers.  The SPCA is still uncertain how adamant the county is about its animal ban for the building, but if it looks like they will not be able to return the animals to the building there are plans in the works to keep the animals in a building next to the Chanticleer Veterinary Hospital. 

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_8700577

 

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Blog ID: 972

Wheelchairs Big Hit for Dogs

Posted by LucyPal on 3/25/2008 @ 10:54 PM
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When I was in elementary school, I ‘invented’ a basset hound carrier for my former dog as part of a school project.  My theory being that those poor bassets tended to be too long for their own good and ended up with many kinds of back problems.  The basset hound carrier on the other hand would be able to hold up that sagging midsection and keep that hot dog happy and healthy for another day as he rolled around on four legs and four wheels.  In effect, I had created a kind of wheelchair for dogs with bad backs.

 

At the time I really believed I had created a unique invention for dogs.  Little did I know that people were already putting together wheelchairs to help handicapped dogs get around with ease. 

 

That’s what Gary Mikus picked up for his German Shepard.  His dog developed an incurable disease that paralyzed his hind legs.  He didn’t want to put his dog to sleep and so purchased a custom built wheel chair from a specialty store. 

 

These doggie and kitty wheelchairs are two wheel carts (instead of my original four wheel design) and they are designed to support a dog’s midsection with a padded saddle.  The dog is secured in place with a shoulder yoke and a chest strap.  Most of these handicap ‘carts’ are designed for the animal’s hind legs, but now there are even a few carts being designed for animals with front leg problems.

 

At most of the animal wheelchair companies the price of a cart can cost from $250 and up depending on the type and size of your dog.  Remember, the heavier the dog the stronger his or her cart has to be!

 

If you are looking for an alternative for that beloved pet with trouble walking try checking out a pet wheelchair for your animal from a maker such as www.eddieswheels.com in Massachusetts

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Blog ID: 970

True Bunny Tales for Easter

Posted by LucyPal on 3/24/2008 @ 10:09 PM
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One last series of bunny tales and it’s back to business tomorrow.  Here are a series of true bunny antics related by owners and former owners on About.com: Exotic Pets.

 
I remember studying for a University exam, and seeing the strangest thing out of the corner of my eye. My rabbit had climbed up onto a plant pot, up onto a table, and into another plant pot -- finally ending up on top of the very tall comfy chair next to me. He then proceeded to do a flying (Superman) leap through the air, landing on the chair's seat, and then jumping onto the floor. He repeated this about three times in a row, before my intense interest in his antics finally prompted him to turn his attention to me.  :]  Another rabbit (a New Zealand white bunny) used to get his breakfast served to him in a cereal bowl each morning.  He typically woke quite early, and would wait for his food.  One Saturday afternoon, we had slept in. Well, by that time he'd been waiting quite awhile, and was furious. What actually woke us up was the sound of him picking up and dropping his bowl on the concrete floor, over and over again. When we went to see him (and bring him food -- of course), he took the edge of his bowl in his mouth and whipped it across the floor -- slamming it up against the wall.   This is the same rabbit that liked to listed to classical music through stereo headphones. He thought it was the coolest thing, and would lie there for ages, just soaking up the tunes.  As well, he was really a good sport when it came to children.  He hated having any kind of harness or leash on, but when I was in grade 2, my mother brought him to the school for Easter. We had rigged up a small, lightweight Easter wagon that he'd pull (there was a little harness and everything).  Well, normally, he would have 'told' us where to go, but when he saw all of the children, he put on quite the show. He was friendly and pulled the wagon proudly. Of course, I'm sure he soaked up all of the praise, too. It was amazing to see just how good he was about the whole thing. What a rabbit that fellow was!
 

To read more true bunny antics head over to http://exoticpets.about.com/library/ucrabbitjared.htm.

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Blog ID: 967

More Easter Stories for the Kids

Posted by LucyPal on 3/23/2008 @ 11:09 PM
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Happy Easter!  Hopefully you all had a great holiday and are very full of good and delicious food.  For the kids and adults to read before bed, here is a true animal tale about a very lucky Easter Skunk from The Daily Mews.   

The Easter Skunk

 

It was just last spring, around Easter time, when a stray female cat and her one tiny surviving kitten were brought to an animal shelter by a kind-hearted soul.

 

Sadly, this particular shelter had more unwanted waifs then they could possibly adopt out, and mama cat and her kitten were scheduled to be euthanized.

 

Miraculously, they received a second chance at life – an Easter Renewal of Life, if you will - due to a most unusual benefactor.

 

Fortunately for the baby kitten and its mother, a 3-week old orphaned baby skunk was also dropped off at the same animal shelter, just before the two felines were to be put to sleep.

 

Instead of bottle-feeding the orphaned skunk, shelter workers soon decided to put the infant skunk in the cage with the nursing mother cat to see what would happen.

 

Amazingly, the mother cat quickly took to nurturing the skunk as if it were her own offspring.

 

I can’t help but wonder if this wise old cat somehow knew that she had received a great Easter gift.

 

The baby skunk and the infant kitten quickly bonded and nursed and played together, and they soon became like brother and sister.

 

Because the animal shelter doesn't keep wild animals, a wild animal rescue group compassionately took in not only the baby skunk, but the mother cat and her kitten, as well.

 
If you’d like the full Easter Skunk tale for the kids or want to read up on some other stories about animals be sure to head over to: http://www.thedailymews.com/articles/easterskunk.htm.

 

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Blog ID: 964

Easter Story for the Kids

Posted by LucyPal on 3/22/2008 @ 9:17 PM
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As is my holiday tradition, I’ve searched out the web for stories that will get your kids laughing about the Easter Bunny.  Here is an excerpt of a mischievous tale from TheHolidaySpot.com

 

The Whale, The Elephant and the Rabbit 
One day little Brother Rabbit was running along on the sand, lippety, lippety, when he saw the Whale and the Elephant talking together. Little Brother Rabbit crouched down and listened to what they were saying. This was what they were saying:

'You are the biggest thing on the land, Brother Elephant,' said the Whale, 'and I am the biggest thing in the sea; if we join together we can rule all the animals in the world, and have our way about everything.'

'Very good, very good,' trumpeted the Elephant; 'that suits me; we will do it.'

Little Brother Rabbit snickered to himself. 'They won't rule me,' he said. He ran away and got a very long, very strong rope, and he got his big drum, and hid the drum a long way off in the bushes. Then he went along the beach till he came to the Whale.

'Oh, please, dear, strong Mr. Whale,' he said, 'will you have the great kindness to do me a favor? My cow is stuck in the mud, a quarter of a mile from here. And I can't pull her out. But you are so strong and so obliging, that I venture to trust you will help me out.'

The Whale was so pleased with the compliment that he said, 'Yes,' at once.

'Then,' said the Rabbit, 'I will tie this end of my long rope to you, and I will run away and tie the other end round my cow, and when I am ready I will beat my big drum. When you hear that, pull very, very hard, for the cow is stuck very deep in the mud.'

'Huh!' grunted the Whale, 'I'll pull her out, if she is stuck to the horns.'

Little Brother Rabbit tied the rope-end to the whale, and ran off, lippety, lippety, till he came to the place where the Elephant was.

'Oh, please, mighty and kindly Elephant,' he said, making a very low bow

'will you do me a favor?'

'What is it?' asked the Elephant.

'My cow is stuck in the mud, about a quarter of a mile from here,' said little Brother Rabbit, 'and I cannot pull her out. Of course you could. If you will be so very obliging as to help me -- '

'Certainly,' said the Elephant grandly, ``certainly.'

'Then,' said little Brother Rabbit, 'I will tie one end of this long rope to your trunk, and the other to my cow, and as soon as I have tied her tightly I will beat my big drum. When you hear that, pull; pull as hard as you can, for my cow is very heavy.'

'Never fear,' said the Elephant, ``I could pull twenty cows.'

'I am sure you could,' said the Rabbit, politely, 'only be sure to begin gently, and pull harder and harder till you get her.'

Then he tied the end of the rope tightly round the Elephant's trunk, and ran away into the bushes. There he sat down and beat the big drum.

The Whale began to pull, and the Elephant began to pull, and in a jify the rope tightened till it was stretched as hard as could be.


If you want to find out what happens between the Whale and the Elephant be sure to drop over at http://www.theholidayspot.com/easter/smart_bunny.htm.


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Blog ID: 963

Cafe Cafes Growing Popular in Japan

Posted by LucyPal on 3/21/2008 @ 10:47 PM
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Special Cafes in Japan are getting very popular these days.  They are called; Cat Cafes and they are the Cat’s Meow! 

 

Also known as ‘Neko Cafes’ these small establishments keep several cats on hand and allow patrons to play with and pet the cats as if they were their own, for a small price that is. 

 

A café in Kichijoji, western Tokyo, called ‘Calico’ is one such cat café.  It has 19 cats on hand and customers pay 800 yen for the first hour to get into the café and be with the cats.  This price doesn’t include drinks which are separate.  You know, this cat café idea sounds like a pretty good idea.  Cats are extremely soothing, plus you get all the benefits of having a pet cat without the drawbacks, like cleaning out the litter box for instance.

 

The price per hour is more expensive than visiting a normal café.  Yet the Calico is so popular that it can be hard to get in without a reservation on weekends and holidays.   The popularity of this café can be attributed to the increasing number of apartment complexes in Tokyo that ban pet ownership.  So, cat cafes are filling that need for a pet without the hassle of being a pet owner.

 The Calico’s owner Takafumi Fukui stated, “In Tokyo, many people are not allowed to have cats [at home] even if they want to do so." Now that I think of it though, there are probably a lot of cafes and stores around here with resident pets too.  A person could go to one of them to get their pet fix, without having to pay a lot of money to get inside.  Either way, I think more businesses should have pets on hand for customers to bond with and pet. Source: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/culture/20080320TDY04302.htm

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Blog ID: 961

Dog Lives with Prescription for Viagra

Posted by LucyPal on 3/20/2008 @ 9:28 PM
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There is a dog in England named Talisker who is living on extended time with a special prescription for Viagra.  He’s one of those lucky dogs with a current and long term prescription for the drug which is commonly used for male impotence.  

Talisker doesn’t have that problem.  Instead he was prescribed Viagra when the veterinarian learned that the border collie had become dangerously enlarged.  

The dog is three years old and lives in Yardley Hastings, Northhamptonshire.  His owner, Lesley Strong, 58, said that, “"We were very surprised when we were recommended Viagra.  It causes great hilarity at the chemist's when I pick up the prescription.  He is happy and healthy apart from the heart. I'm pretty sure it has kept him alive, but, the thing is, it can't cure him.  He needs special care and we have to make sure he doesn't over exert himself, as over-exertion causes it. It's about him being active without being over-exercised."

The dog takes one quarter of a Viagra tablet three times a day and an eighth of an aspirin tablet daily.

His human is very happy that Talisker is still around.  His enlarged heart causes serious problems for Talisker.  Whenever Talisker gets overly excited he passes out, because his blood cannot pump quickly enough to get around his body.  Even with the Viagra prescription, Lesley Strong has to work to keep Talisker from getting too excited, but also keeping up his activity level so Talisker stays as healthy has possible.

Talisker is otherwise a very happy and healthy dog.  Obviously Talisker must remain under strict supervision and live a rather sedate life, but he’s got great bragging rights for his Viagra prescription.  Talisker is also named for a single malt whiskey because his owner was formerly a pub landlady  Talisker has had the condition since June of last year.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/northamptonshire/7307673.stm


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Blog ID: 955

Three Men Arrested for Killing Pet Goose

Posted by LucyPal on 3/19/2008 @ 11:35 PM
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Thee men have been charged with animal cruelty after they were implicated in the murder of a Lake Worth family’s pet goose. The three men, Anthony Karney, 18, Christopher Mullan, 19, Andrew Paolilli, 19, and a teenager, Bradley Trout, 17 all showed up at the house where the goose lived in the 7000 block of Canal Drive about 2:30 am on Dec. 17. 

 

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s report with the intention of hurting the goose. 

 

The goose was an all white domesticated breed named ‘Lily’.  She was very intelligent and personable, even posing with her owners in Christmas Card Photos wearing a bandana and sporting painted toes.  Many of the residents in the cul-de-sac also considered Lily to be like a family pet. 

 

Yet, it was known that some young people in the area disliked Lily because she would honk whenever an unfamiliar vehicle or strangers wandered into the neighborhood.  That appears to be the reason for Lily’s murder. 

 

Karney, Mullan, and Trout went into the owner’s backyard where the goose lived with metal baseball bats.  Paolilli remained parked in their car as a sort of lookout.  The three proceeded to chase the goose around the yard.  Trout managed to catch the goose and held it down while Karney and Mullan hit it several times with the bats. 

 

On hearing a neighbor leave their home nearby the men took the injured goose with them to their car and drove off.  Trout held Lily outside the car window by her neck so her blood wouldn’t get on the inside of their car.  The men drove about 3 or 4 blocks down the road where Trout threw the goose onto the roadside.  Karney got out of the car and hit Lily in the head until he was certain that she was dead. 

 

The three men, Karney, Mullan and Trout were all arrested in the last week.  Paolilli is not expected to face charges.  This may have to do with the fact that he was the driver, and that he appears to have cooperated with authorities.

 

Source: http://www.wpbf.com/news/15645309/detail.html

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Blog ID: 950

Horses in Australia Being Given Up for Drought

Posted by LucyPal on 3/18/2008 @ 7:28 PM
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Australian farmers are having a hard time of it this season.  There is a severe drought going on in Southern Australia and it’s causing everyone to tighten their belts and cut back on costs.  That even includes caring for their animals. 

 

Many farmers are giving up their horses because of the drought and it’s causing a lot of trouble on the Highland Horse Haven.  The haven is a sanctuary for horses run by volunteers and also funded by volunteers.  They’re currently taking care of 31 horses with 11 more scheduled to be dropped off soon.  The haven usually only cares for 10 horses at any one time.

 

In fact, the influx of horses has caused some financial woes for the Horse Haven too.  Since they are funded and run by volunteers the sanctuary doesn’t get in a lot of financial aid.  Usually they bring in income by selling horses that have recovered and are doing well to adoptive families.  Yet, it’s the winter time and currently in a drought year in Australia, so it doesn’t look like anyone is willing to buy a bunch of horses soon. 

 Richard Burton, President of the Otago Federated Farmers has stated, “It's the economics of it, buying a bale of hay at 10 bucks a bale, some people don't want to be spending $1000 a year feeding a horse but that comes with the responsibility of ownership.” 

At 31 horses, plus 11 more coming soon, you can imagine what the cost of care will be for the Horse Haven.  In fact, CEO of the Highland Horse Haven Melanie Worthy has taken out a personal loan from the bank of $20,000 just to cover the lease on their 200 acres of land.  She still needs another $10,000 and on top of that funds for medical care and feeding of the horses. 

 

Worthy stated that the public has donated about $2,000 so far this year, but she still needs more.  In fact, a horse they’ve received needs a big operation that’s going to wipe out the $2,000 donation.

 

Even the Highland Horse Haven and other sanctuaries like it won’t be able to take care of many more horses.  Farmers and owners being turned away from places like these are panicking and selling their horses to pet food processing plants because they have literally no other options.

 

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10498909

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Blog ID: 946

Low Income Pet Owners in Michigan Catch a Break

Posted by LucyPal on 3/17/2008 @ 10:11 PM
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Pet owners in Michigan are struggling in this recent economic downturn to find appropriate health care for their pets.  It’s becoming a major problem as I’ve written about in previous posts.  Pet owners unable to keep their pets because they are evicted, or just can’t afford the health care for them are dropping them off in droves at local human societies.  So far from March 2006 to February over 4,388 pets were dropped off in Michigan and from March 2007 to February 2008 the number increased, jumping to 4,872 pets.  The numbers don’t look like they are going to be leveling off any time soon.  

To help combat this increase in pet drop offs and the decrease in pet health care, Ottawa County’s Harbor Society has initiated a low-income spay/neuter program.  Demand is very high too.  In the first year of the program only $15,500 in vouchers were issued to pet owners, and in the first two months of 2008, already $14,000 in vouchers have been issued.

Another program run by Kent County Humane Society, allow pet owners to purchase veterinarian services individually or as a complete package for cat or dog, all priced for low-income families.  Owners are asked to sign a waiver that states they can’t afford regular vet trips for vaccinations and care.  The reason, Jennifer Self, the Humane Society’s education coordinator states, “We don't want to replace a relationship with a veterinarian, because if something were to happen and the animal needed emergency care, we're not able to do that."

There are several steps that veterinarians recommend pet owners take to help prevent the need for a trip to the veterinarian for you and your pet.
 
Keep your animal inside the house, fenced inside the yard or on a leash when it is outside to avoid the pet getting struck by a vehicle.

With Easter approaching, remember lilies are toxic if cats eat them.

Keep dogs away from chocolate, it can be fatal. Warning signs they've eaten it include vomiting and diarrhea.

For tips be sure to read the article at: http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/03/pet_owners_look_for_lowcost_ve.html

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Blog ID: 940

Contaminated Dog Treats Give Boy Salmonella

Posted by LucyPal on 3/16/2008 @ 7:10 PM
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Apparently it’s not just pets that are having problems with contaminated pet treats.  People are getting sick too!

 

A 13 year old boy in Calgary, Canada became deathly ill with two rare strains of Salmonella after handling contaminated dog treats.  The boy, Brandon Jacklin fell ill about 6 weeks ago with a high fever, vomiting, and severe diarrhea.  When Brandon failed to recover from his illness and even got worse the family took him to urgent care centre in Sundance.  His mother, Debbie, was very concerned about her son’s condition.

 

She’s stated, “He couldn't have anything to eat or anything to drink, not even a sip of water… When we took him to urgent care that night, I didn't think he was going to make it.  Brandon did think he was going to die."

 

The staff at the medical center was baffled by the boy’s condition.  A series of tests didn’t shed any light on his illness.  All they could do was rehydrate Brandon and send him home with the instructions that his family bring him back in if his condition got worse. 

 

The next day, Brandon was worse and his family took him back into the hospital for treatment and so he could remain hydrated.  Another more involved series of tests revealed later that week that Brandon had contracted Salmonella, 2 rare strains of Salmonella to be exact.

 

The Jacklin family had to write down all food substances that Brandon came into contact with, but nothing revealed where he got the bacteria.  It wasn’t until one doctor remembered a similar case involving a salmonella outbreak at a Premium Pet food plant in 1999.  He asked the family if they had any pets, and if they give their pets treats.  The Jacklins regularly buy treats for their two dogs, a Chihuahua and a Chihuahua-Shih Tzu cross mix.  The hospital tested the two bags of treats the family had on hand and confirmed that they were the source of salmonella.  It turns out the family’s two dogs also had symptoms of contamination.

 

High River’s Rollover plant where the treats are made, in addition to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have initiated a voluntary recall of the treats, which are 50 gram packages of pork tender dog treats.

 

Source: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/story.html?id=9b55755a-b662-40a9-87e5-ff19fe661758&k=13654

  

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Blog ID: 936

Camels: The New Family Pet?

Posted by LucyPal on 3/15/2008 @ 2:08 PM
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The Dean family like camels, so much so that they have a pet camel of their very own.  His name is Randall and he’s a rare two-humped Bactian camel.  Randall lives with the families herd of eight llamas on their home property north of Sanger, California.  

Randall who will be turning four years old in May is the family favorite, though to most people he would seem like an odd pet.  Geoff Dean stated, “People ask, ‘Why own a camel?’” He replies, ““And I say, ‘Why own a dog?’”

Jennifer Dean, who has an animal science degree, is the one who first urged her family into getting a camel as a pet.  Growing up her family owned a single humped dromedary camel.  From that early familiarity with camels, Jennifer developed a life long love for the desert loving quadrupeds.  

The rest of her family now loves Randall just as much.  Their two children, Megan and Kaitlin Dean both enjoy spending time with Randall.  Kaitlin says, ‘“I love feeding him carrots and grass.”  At only four years old its hard to believe that she and her sister aren’t terrified of this massive mammal, who at seven to eight feet tall must be taught to kneel before anyone can ride him.

Camels are specially adapted to living in the desert and they can live 40 years or longer even in those harsh conditions.  They store fat and moisture in their humps that they can draw on when food and water are scarce.  Thirsty camels can drink up to 30 gallons of water in 13 minutes.    

In addition, the camel’s nostrils can close to keep out the sand, and their eyes are protected by two rows of long lashes.  They have thick, shaggy coats that keep them warm in cold weather.  They’re wide, flat footpads help keep them from sinking into the sand and keep them from ripping up grassy areas where they eat.

Source: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080314/FEATURES10/80314071/1025/FEATURES

 

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Blog ID: 934

Special School with Animals Helps Kids

Posted by LucyPal on 3/14/2008 @ 10:52 PM
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There’s a place where kids with troubles adjusting can go to walk with the animals and talk with the animals.  It’s called the Green Chimneys School in Brewster, New York.. 

 

The school was founded 60 years ago on the notion that mixing kids with social and cultural adjustment problems and animals together could have some positive impact, helping to teach them affection, discipline and responsibility. 

 

The founder of the school is Samuel B. Ross Jr., 79.  He grew up as the only child of the house physician of the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan.  Samuel Ross found comfort in his young lonely years with dogs, turtles and goldfish.  He was in college at the young age of 19 when he decided to start a school where kids could be surrounded by animals.

 

Ross has stated, ‘A lot of children are frightened by relationships with adults or peers, and a relationship with an animal is a steppingstone. They learn that if they treat animals fairly, the animals will respond with love and devotion, and we think that will help them fit in with their families and school.’

 

Green Chimneys is something of a cross between a school, farm and zoo.  They have an emu, two bald eagles, dogs, miniature horses, vultures, an Andean condor, and a fat Yorkshire pig and all kinds of animals.  The kids take traditional classes and non-traditional classes where they learn all about the animals and how to take care of them.  And like the children with problems who attend the school, many of the animals were also rescue cases.

 

Green Chimneys is a nonprofit special educational school with a budget of $35 million a year.  They feature a staff of 360 people to take care of 180 children, plus the animals.  Tuition ranges from $100,000 a year down to $30,000 for day students and is paid for by public schools and social services agencies.

 

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/16/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/16colwe.html?ref=nyregionspecial2

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Blog ID: 931

Winner in the Alaskan Iditarod

Posted by LucyPal on 3/13/2008 @ 9:58 PM
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At 2:46 am Wednesday morning the famous Alaskan Iditarod ended and a new sled team of dogs and their owner are the winners!  The team of 11 dogs pulled Lance Mackey through the finish line in Nome, Alaska.  The race is 1,000 miles long and runs between Anchorage and Nome every year.  It’s a harsh race that has been known to take lives.

This year’s winner took home $69,000 and the keys to a blue Dodge pickup.  The dogs, hopefully, got a special treat in their bowls.  

The dogs were not the large Siberian Huskies that most would imagine as well bred sled dogs.  The dogs were mixed breed dogs with spindly legs and scrawny flanks.  Yet, the weather didn’t seem to bother them.  In fact they continued to jump and bark in their traces, begging to keep on going.  These mutts did their job well, pulling Mackey across the 1,000 miles over the course of 9 days and 11 hours.  

Despite the harsh conditions of the race, this is the second victory for Mackey, an Alaskan who became a favorite of the crowds.  

Of course the crowd moved onto the bars along Front Street to help celebrate the win and await the rest of the mushers.    Even Mackey who had just finished a grueling race, went to celebrate with the crowds, but he was modest in his celebrations.  His dogs were led off to be examined by a veterinarian for their celebrations, something they must have enjoyed far less than what their musher endured at the bars.

Anyone who meets qualifications by completing two 250 mile races can enter the Iditarod for $3,000.  Many who enter the race don’t expect to win, but do it for the challenge and the chance to bond with their sled dogs in this iconic race.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/sports/othersports/13dogs.html?em&ex=1205553600&en=b906a81c94ce7ccf&ei=5087%0A

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Blog ID: 930

Pets and Owners can Share Dangerous Bacteria

Posted by LucyPal on 3/12/2008 @ 9:54 PM
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Doctors report some scary news about your pets.  It was discovered recently that a woman and her cat both shared a dangerous drug-resistant Staph infection and that the cat kept re-infecting her with it before they realized what had been going on.

 

This particular infection was methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).  The German doctors treating this woman for her reoccurring case of MRSA couldn’t figure out why her skin abscesses kept coming back. 

 

Her MRSA wasn’t responding to initial antibiotic treatments.  Her husband and two children were tested and found to be carrying the bacteria on their skin and in their nostrils, although they weren’t developing an infection.  After the family used nasal ointments and antiseptic washes they no longer carried the bacteria.  However, the woman remained positive.  This strange continuance in the bacteria prompted the doctors to look at the woman’s three cats.

 

It was found that one of the three cats carried the MRSA in its throat.  The cat was treated with the antibiotics ciprofloxacin and rifampin and the problem disappeared.  The woman appeared to recover.  However, the family wouldn’t allow follow up testing on the cat to make sure that its system was completely clear of the MRSA. 

 

Doctors are urging investigators to take the entire household into account whenever they look into a dangerous infection or virus.  People infect their pets and pets infect their owners all the time.   

 

However, some doctors are concerned that using antibiotics to flush the MRSA or other dangerous bacteria from the systems of pets in such cases could become a practice at a time when it’s important to preserve the potency of such drugs.  Many times with proper hygiene and even isolation cats and dogs carrying drug-resistant Staph bacteria will get rid of it on their own as long at they aren’t re-infected.

 

To prevent the transfer of bacteria and viruses, most doctors recommend frequent hand washing and it’s a good idea to wash your hands before and after petting a cat or other animals too.

 

Source: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hxfYt3Z23dhsxXXSoZNEyeDgOgZQ

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Blog ID: 929

New Stricter Dog Ordinance in Lincoln County, Kentucky

Posted by LucyPal on 3/11/2008 @ 11:50 PM
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There’s a new pet law in Lincoln County, Kentucky.  The county lawmakers are requiring pet owners to keep their pets under control or risk losing them altogether.  This strict new ordinance was passed on Tuesday morning by the fiscal court.

 

Darryl Day, the Commonwealth's Attorney in Lincoln County stated, "If you wanna’ own a dog you need to be responsible and take care of that dog,"

 

The new law states that any dogs which become a public nuisance can be picked up and impounded at anytime by the dog warden.  Dogs that habitually bark, bite or roam into neighbor’s yards destroying property as they go are now on the run.

 

I guess even those dogs playing cards will have to skedaddle out of that painting or they could be caught for illegal gambling.

 

There are people supporting both sides of this law.  Joyce Johnson is for the nuisance ordinance.  She’s stated, “"I worry about those dogs. You never know when one of them could attack them." She’s afraid to leave her own yard.  In fact, she says that she wants the law to be stricter. 

 

Of course, those against this law state that it’s possible this could turn out to quite negative.  Under certain circumstances these pets picked up for being a nuisance could be adopted by other families or even euthanized if no one picks them up.  This law could result in more animals being killed in Lincoln County. 

 

Yet, the leaders of the county felt that there was a need for the new dog ordinance deciding that several older dog laws needed to be consolidated and updated to meets the needs of the people living there.  Whether or not this new law turns out to be a good or bad thing for the people and pets of