Dogs are supposed to be man's best friend, but for Hunter James Harris his pooch wasn't so much good as it was a good shot.
Harris was shot by his dog in a bizarre accident, when, according to officials of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, he placed his shotgun on the ground to cross a fence and his dog stepped on the trigger.
Harris was hit in the lower leg and is listed in good condition at an Iowa City hospital, and thankfully, no other people or animals were hurt in the incident.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Must be a "hunting dog"
and kangaroos hopping away
Danish police have appealed for public help to track down a kangaroo that escaped from its owner's home in Copenhagen.
Two of the fleet-footed native Australian marsupials escaped from their owner's residence in the Copenhagen neighborhood of Amager on Monday.
One found its own way home today but the second remains on the loose, police said.
Mink on the run
Authorities in Germany are trying to re-capture 7,500 mink who have escaped from a fur farm. The mink stole away after unknown criminals opened a large number of cages and destroyed fences at a fur farm in the early hours of Friday morning, police reported Friday.
There is speculation that animal rights activists, who have repeatedly criticized fur farms as cruel, may be behind the incident. However, police admit they have little evidence to go on and are making no statements as to possible perpetrators.
Cat honored by British Navy
Royal Navy officers are paying tribute to Simon the cat, a rat-catcher on the HMS Amethyst who continued his duties despite being hit by shrapnel and singed during shelling raids by Chinese communists on the Yangtze River in 1949.
Simon stuck to his task despite injury during the 101-day summer siege that followed.
The communists withheld supplies for over three months while they used the ship as a political bargaining chip. But the black and white cat kept up morale and crew credited him with saving their lives by protecting dwindling food stores from a rat infestation.
Auction for the Naming Rights for A New Butterfly Species
In an apparent first for butterflies, the Florida Museum of Natural History is auctioning the naming rights for a newly discovered species online to raise money for butterfly research.
University of Florida researchers George Austin and Andrew Warren discovered the new species of owl butterfly earlier this year. The discovery is significant because the species is large and colorful, and is the first butterfly from this group to be named in more than 100 years.
Rather than naming the butterfly themselves, the customary practice when new species are discovered, Austin and Warren decided to auction the naming rights of the new species to raise money to support continued research on Mexican butterflies at the McGuire Center.
View Bid Form
Arctic Foxes save for lean times
Arctic foxes create "nest eggs" each year to prepare for leaner times, according to a new study.
Like squirrels gathering nuts for the winter, the small foxes hoard bird eggs in case there's not enough of their favorite prey—the collard lemming—to go around in the spring.
The stored eggs can last for up to a year after being buried, thanks to the Arctic permafrost and natural preservatives inside the eggs.
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Video: Ultra Kawaii - Halloween Special
It's a bird, It's a plane, It's a Superman bunny ... no, it's pets dressed for Halloween!
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Tuesday, October 30, 2007
A Tribute to Fup. Store Cat.
Fup, the resident cat at Powell's Technical Books, passed away on October 25. She was 19 years old. She continued to greet her admiring public to the end, when her health failed and there was no choice but to put her to sleep. Her lifelong veterinarian made the trip out to the store to perform the task and Fup died peacefully at home with several of her longtime co-workers present.
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What would you pay?
Worth $22,156.63?
The Daily Mail reports that the Ashera is the world's "largest, rarest and most exotic" domestic cat. The large pointed ears and eye-catching coat come from two wild bloodlines, the African serval and Asian leopard cat, crossed with an undisclosed domestic breed.
Dressing up a doggie? Put pooch's safety first
About 7 percent of dog owners say they have purchased a Halloween costume for their pet, up from 4 percent in 2004, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.
If you're part of that trend, beware of the hazards of costumes for our furry friends.
Some tips:
• Be sure that straps aren't buckled too tightly, because they might constrict air passages and cause choking.
• Make sure the costume lets the animal move comfortably and does not restrict vision or hearing.
• Don't let your pet chew on the costume; it may contain dangerous dyes and other chemicals.
• Make sure no part of the costume is flammable.
• A reflective costume adds to safety after dark.
If you do dress up your dog on Halloween night, don't have him wear the costume for too long. And always keep dogs on a leash, as there are lots of distractions around.
One final warning: Don't let dogs or other animals get close to a candlelit jack-o-lantern.
It could be dangerous for the animal and become a fire hazard.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Ming the clam is 'oldest animal'
A clam dredged up off the coast of Iceland is thought to have been the longest-lived creature discovered.
Scientists said the mollusc, an ocean quahog clam, was aged between 405 and 410 years and could offer insights into the secrets of longevity.
Researchers from Bangor University in north Wales said they calculated its age by counting rings on its shell.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the longest-lived animal was an Arctica clam found in 1982 aged 220.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Swiss Chalet Pet Estate
Swiss Chalet Pet Estate ($8,000)
This beautiful house will make your animals feel right at home. This chalet two-dog house designed and built by Alan Mowrer, can be constructed with countless interior and exterior options. Whether it is cable, running water, electricity, central air or a wireless communication system, Alan can accommodate your wishes.
Sparkle Spray for Dogs
This fun coat conditioner contains mica chips to add a fun sparkle and shimmer to your dog's coat.
This high-quality conditioner is non-staining, antistatic, and also acts as a light-duty detangler. Unscented spray is safe for puppies over 6 weeks old.
Not safe for cats.
Kong Time for Dogs
Kong Time for Dogs
KongTime, all day entertainment for the home-alone dog™. Put dog food or treats inside a Kong toy and what do you have? Magic! Your dog will happily chew at the Kong toy, trying to get out every last morsel. It's fun!
Simply fill the four - included with purchase - Kong toys with food. At random intervals over the day, the KongTime will dispense a food-filled Kong toy for your dog. Before a toy is dispensed, a sound beeps, indicating to your dog that it's time for fun!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Meet Harry Potter's Animals
Do you wonder how the scenes involving owls were created and shot for the Harry Potter movies?
This article has some interesting "behind the scenes" information. Animals received royal treatment during filming. In many cases, the animals received better treatment than the human actors – such as the scenes with the cats Mrs. Norris and Professor McGonagall. Many of the scenes take place in a real castle, which was actually quite drafty and cold. For the cats' comfort, they were provided heated floors to keep their paws and their bodies warm. The human actors had no such comforts.
Friday, October 26, 2007
World's Rarest Cat Species Boosted by Newfound Lynx
The world's most endangered cat species may be slightly less endangered than previously thought.
A new population of Iberian lynx has been discovered in a remote area of Spain—raising the number of known populations from two to three—a conservation group reports.
The newfound population appears to roam private estates in the Castile la Mancha Province of central Spain, according to the international conservation group WWF.
The two other known populations occupy isolated portions of Andalusia in southern Spain.
Pool Party
Bob and Judi Olwine's home in Woodstock, near Patapsco Valley State Park, is where the deer play.
Judi and her husband decided to do what any baffled suburban couple would do in this situation: They got rifles from the hall closet and ...
Just kidding!
The hellbender
Which salamanders have four legs, a flat head, a paddle-like tail, beady little eyes and are called names like "snot otter" and "devil dog"?
Also known as Allegheny alligator, mollyhugger, and mud cat, the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is North America’s largest salamander, reaching lengths of nearly 30 inches.
These strange, but interesting creatures once thrived in thousands of pristine streams throughout the eastern United States. Populations have drastically declined, mainly because of declining stream quality. Not only has the hellbender population dwindled by 80 per cent in the last 30 years, but those remaining have severe deformities – missing toes, limbs and open sores. There is a 95 per cent chance of extinction of this animal over the next 75 years.
The average age of Cryptobranchus in the wild is unknown, but in captivity, they have lived as long as twenty-nine years.
Hellbenders are not venomous, though their skin secretions are somewhat toxic. They will bite, but only if they are really provoked. A common myth is that hellbenders will 'ruin' good fishing streams by eating all the fish. This couldn't be farther from the truth! In fact, if you see hellbenders in a stream, this is an excellent indication that the water quality is still good -- and this is good for both hellbenders and game fish. The hellbender's voracious appetite for crayfish also means that they are very important for keeping a stream's food chain balanced, and this is good for fish and the entire ecosystem.
Photo #1: Kurt Buhlmann
Photo #2: Jeff Humphries
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Understanding Endangered Frog's Diet And Environment May Save It
A brightly colored tropical frog under threat of extinction is the focus of a new research project hoping to better understand how environment and diet influence its development and behavior.
Biologists from The University of Manchester have teamed up with experts at Chester Zoo in the hope that their findings will not only help save the splendid leaf frog Cruziohyla calcarifer from extinction in the wild but provide clues as to how it can be better catered for in zoos and aquariums.
What's sweet and green?
This sculpted cake, created by Marked for Dessert, depicts momma frog and baby frog. Made entirely of cake and rolled fondant, this cake was created for a baby shower.
Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary
The Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Montana rescues and shelters disabled animals. Every animal who arrives at the sanctuary gets another chance to have a safe and loving home. Residents include blind dogs, blind horses, deaf dogs, blind cats, and others with medical issues like muscular dystrophy.
Although these animals may have disabilities, they do not consider themselves handicapped. They just want to get on with life and enjoy themselves. Thanks to the support of the sanctuary's friends, that's what they get to do there.
Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)
A captive Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico, USA. This critically endangered subspecies of the Gray Wolf once ranged from central Mexico to the Southwestern United States. In 1980, the last five known surviving members were captured to save the species. Now, over 300 wolves are taking part in a wolf reintroduction program, with at least fifty individuals in the wild.
Photo credit: Jim Clark, USFWS
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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Road hog
There was no time for social niceties, table manners or even a please and thank you.
When little pigs insist on stopping for lunch, there's nothing much a mother on the move can do.
"The sow was feeding her piglets in the middle of the road and there was no way of moving her," said Bernie Bedford, a local doctor who took the picture.
Photo: Daily Mail
Death by monkey in Delhi
The deputy mayor of the Indian capital Delhi has died a day after being attacked by a horde of wild monkeys.
SS Bajwa suffered serious head injuries when he fell from the first-floor terrace of his home trying to fight off the monkeys.
The city has long struggled to counter its plague of monkeys, which invade government complexes and temples, snatch food and scare passers-by.
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Halloween Costume Contest
Pal is a 10 year old Great Dane, dressed up for Halloween as a race horse complete with her friend Snap the Chihuahua as her jockey.
Does your dog have a great Halloween costume? Then enter the Second Annual PupLife.com Dog Halloween Photo Contest. If your dog’s photo is chosen, you could win a $25, a $50
or even a $100 Gift Certificate. Hand made costumes are encouraged, but store bought costumes are fine, too.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Woman Wants Service Horse As Roommate
The Central Vermont Community Land Trust usually has no objection to a service animal moving into its apartments.
But Patty Cooper's service animal is a horse of a different color: a black and white miniature horse, to be exact.
The nonprofit housing group is trying to figure out whether it can accommodate the disabled woman's new companion amid concerns about the horse's need for grazing space and whether it will be adequately housebroken.
Rare Blue Lobster Caught Off Mass. Coast
A blue lobster, so rare that only one in two million have the color, has been trapped off the Massachusetts coast.
The lobster, nicknamed Betty Blue, was found in a trap off Minot's Light, one mile offshore of Scituate, Mass.
The lobster is so blue that "she glowed in the trap," said Eddie Figueiredo, who trapped the pound-and-a-quarter lobster.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Beautiful White Lion
The Latin name of Panthera leo krugeri is not limited to white lions. It applies to all South African lion subspecies; the prides of which are mostly located in Kruger National Park and nearby game reserves.
White lions are not albino as they have pigmentation which shows particularly in eye, paw pad and lip colour. The correct term for their condition is leucism, a state where there is near-normal eye colour, but loss of pigment in the skin and fur.
The cause of the unusual colouration is the same as for the white tiger. A recessive gene which results in the white appearance is found in a very small number of captive lions.
White specimens usually have a yellowish-brown or golden eye color which is very similar to their tawny cousins, though some have bluish coloring like the white tiger.
British Wildlife Recordings
Listen to over 600 recordings of wildlife from around the UK. Captured by three British wildlife enthusiasts from the 1960s to the 1990s, most are published here for the first time.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The Feline Solarium
Great for small dogs, pet birds, and free roaming lizards!
Makes a great addition as an inside garden spot for plants and seedlings.
Give your cat "the outdoor experience" within the safety of your home.
If you have a cat and a window you will enjoy The Feline Solarium. Cats naturally enjoy the outdoors and love to sleep in warm sunlight. You will make your best friend so happy!
Pet Fashion Hits Harrods
A range of designer fashion for pets will go on sale in a special collection in Harrods stores next month.
The very best doggy creations will be showcased in the Pet a Porter collection including a £2,500 diamond and sapphire encrusted Vivienne Westwood coat for the designer loving dogs.
Pampered pooches will take to the 'dogwalk' to model the latest pet fashion with a diamond studded Ben de Lisi body warmer, as well as designs by Basso and Brooke and a coat by jewelery designer Issa.
Photo: China Daily
Wooliedales
Woolies are created using a technique called needle-felting. In addition to selecting the highest quality pure carded bulk wool from Australia, America and England in various colors, each Woolie is treated to be moth-resistant.
To begin, the wool is pressed together or rolled tightly against itself into a basic form. This roughly formed wool is then sculpted into a specific shape with a felting needle.
There are a bunch of poses to choose from.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Video: 2008 Jeep Liberty "Pouring In" Commercial
Absolutely cute, adorable and funny commercial.
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Video: Baby Porcupine Eats A Banana and Has Hiccups!
A baby porcupine eats a banana. You'll hear tiny squeaks--those are hiccups!
His mother was killed when she was hit by a car and he was cared for by licensed wildlife rehabilitator Gail Buhl. He was orphaned and imprinted on humans and is now living at a nature center in northern Minnesota.
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Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes
Yes, they have unleashed devilishly decorated spooky Halloween Eyeball cupcakes for all those crazy canines - original and spooky good! A wonderful soft treat any dog will love.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Rare leatherback sea turtles hatch in Walton, FL
Walton County’s fi rst-ever documented leatherback sea turtle nest has hatched, and 23 babies have made their way safely to the Gulf of Mexico.
After 79 days of close watch by the South Walton Turtle Watch Group, Walton County’s sea turtle nest No. 12, located in Seagrove just west of Seagrove Villas, came to life Oct. 6 following the day’s heavy rain.
At 9:15 p.m., Turtle Watch Volunteer Joe Burton checked on the nest and found a tiny flipper coming out of the sand. After making several phone calls, Burton, fellow volunteer Sharon Maxwell, and 23 other spectators crowded around the nest as the baby sea turtles slowly emerged and crawled into the water.
“A truly awesome sight,” Maxwell said.
Squirrel Foster Mom
Photo: Karen T. Borchers / Mercury NewsMary Nacey, of San Carlos Peninsula Humane Society, is the "squirrel whisperer."
Nancey is the one the shelter's Wildlife Care Center entrusts with its most fragile rescues: baby squirrels. She gives them the mothering they need to survive and then knows when to pull away so they can be the wild creatures they were meant to be.
"Unfortunately, orphaned, sick and injured wild animals don't always make it," said Scott Delucchi, spokesman for the humane society.
"Mary's very caring and is good about giving the animals TLC, but she is also good about setting boundaries and understanding when and how to let go."
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Meet the latest designer pet
A bizarre breed of guinea pig that was created for laboratory testing more than 30 years ago has become the latest designer pet.
The skinny-pig has no hair on its body except for tufts on its face and feet - so needs strong suncream in the summer and a jumper in winter.
What do you think, kind of cute?
On second thought, I'll hold it.
A 38-year-old Brooklyn woman got quite a surprise when she used her bathroom Monday morning.
The New York Daily News is reporting that Nadege Brunacci was washing her hands when she glanced at the toilet and saw a 7-foot python staring back at her.
Fish in trees
Scientists have discovered that the mangrove killifish spends several months of every year out of the water and living inside trees.
Hidden away inside rotten branches and trunks, the remarkable creatures temporarily alter their biological makeup so they can breathe air.
Biologists studying the killifish say they astonished it can cope for so long out of its natural habitat.
The discovery, along with its ability to breed without a mate, must make the mangrove killifish, Rivulus marmoratus Poey, one of the oddest fish known to man.
Around two inches long, they normally live in muddy pools and the flooded burrows of crabs in the mangrove swamps of Florida, Latin American and Caribbean.
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I'm an animal
The New York Zoos and Aquarium has developed a Web site that allows visitors to transform themselves into an animal, or combination of animals, of their choice.
The photo at left is what I looked like before I started.
Turtle Tipping Tricks Revealed
With a flat shell, the Argentine snake-necked turtle (Hydromedusa tectifera) often rights itself by pressing its head against the ground with its muscular neck, levering itself onto its belly. Credit: Gaabor Domokos.For turtles, lying belly-up is a helpless, life-threatening situation.
Now it appears many turtles evolved shells with unique shapes to easily help them flip back onto their bellies if they find themselves on their backs.
"Before starting this project, I always thought animals such as turtles worked hard to right themselves, and what this showed was this need not be the case—they can just have a good shape for their shell that does most of the work," applied mathematician Peter Varkonyi at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in Hungary told LiveScience.
Was that d-e-e-r or d-e-a-r?
Fifth-grade students in a vocabulary class in Aberdeen, N.J., got an unexpected lesson in animal sciences when a deer crashed through their classroom window.
Teachers Brenda Adelson and Bonnie McCullough had just moved from the front of the room when the buck burst in at 10 a.m. Tuesday, the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press reported.
The deer trotted through the classroom into a hall, into the vacant nurse's office, the staff lounge and finally into the empty cafeteria of Lloyd Road Elementary School.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
People are talking ...
Emil Steiner's post "Cry Me a River, Ellen DeGeneres!" in the Washington Post's Offbeat Column is generating a TON of comments from readers.
Emil said, "With her emotional and peremptory elocution, Ellen avoided being mauled by the tabloids and, more important, avoided disappointing her adoring fans. Rather than deny and explain, she confessed and begged forgiveness. And by crying those tears, whether alligator or not, she most likely won over even more fans. Think I'm being too cynical? Watch the video and decide for yourself."
After you watch the video, scroll through the comments - some are just hilarious.
Knut Learns to Stand On Hind Legs Without Falling Over
Berlin's most famous resident, Knut the polar bear cub, has finally taught himself to stand on his two hind legs after practicing hard for months.
"He started standing up this month. It's a sign that he's getting increasing control of his body," said Heiner Klös,the zoo's expert on bears.
Cute Mini Pigs
The mini pigs weigh less than a fifth of an ordinary pig when fully grown.
Photo: © Pennywell Farm
Worth a Car?
Would you give up your car for this dog?
Latasha Armendariz used her customized 1996 Ford Mustang to ransom Pork Chop her kidnapped 2-year-old English bulldog.
Hello!
Dallas police say a homeowner today fatally shot an intruder after his parrot alerted him that someone was on the property.
Dennis Baker, who keeps several pet birds, said his Mexican Red-headed parrot "Salvador" said "hello" when he sees someone.
As a man passed by a window at his home, Salvador began saying "Hello, hello," awaking Baker.
Baker approached 46-year-old John Woodson in a detached garage -- and shot him.
Woodson died at a hospital.
Possum breaks record with year-long snooze
A possum has set an enviable record for doing absolutely nothing. After stuffing itself full of food in a laboratory, one curled up and hibernated for a record 367 days.
There ARE some days when I think I could beat this!
An abundance of turtles
More than 1,300 baby sea turtles -- the majority from Volusia County -- have washed ashore, leaving the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet overrun with hatchlings that need to be rehabilitated.
Michelle Bauer, sea turtle rehab specialist at the center, said the last time this many hatchlings came ashore was during Hurricane Wilma in 2005.
The hatchlings, mostly green sea turtles and loggerhead sea turtles, were brought back ashore by a tropical storm system and started appearing about a week ago. Most washed up, exhausted, on the beach amid lines of seaweed.
The turtles will be returned to the ocean--about 20 to 40 miles off shore--once the seas calm down.
Photo: Roberto Gonzalez, Orlando Sentinel
South American hummingbird visits Wisconsin home
Bird experts say sightings of the green-breasted mango inside the United States are rare, making the one in Joan Salzberg's yard on a recent warm October morning that much more unusual.
"Birds from the Yucatan aren't supposed to be in southwestern Wisconsin," said Donnie Dann, a bird conservation expert from Highland Park who recently made the approximately 90-mile trek to see the iridescent green animal. "But that's one of the wonderful things about birds. They fly, and sometimes they act in a bizarre and unexpected way."
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Tuesday, October 16, 2007
National Feral Cat Day
If you don't believe in killing cats, then you are already an advocate.
On October 16th, National Feral Cat Day (NFCD), Alley Cat Allies launches a campaign to change the policies that kill feral cats and kittens.
Alley Cat Allies implores you to take action: talk to your public officials, ask questions, engage residents to question animal control policies, and discuss how
animal control practices are hurting or helping cats in your area.
Duck Diapers
Wow! I didn't know this:
Diapering your duck, goose or chicken is the first step to enjoying the rewarding experience of living with one of these amazing creatures. It not only keeps your house clean, it gives your little feathered kid the freedom to go where you go and do what you do!
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Hero Cat!
Ramses was awarded a Medal of Courage by the Governor of Texas for scaring off a wandering tiger which was heading toward 65-year-old Emma Betts, Ramses' owner.
During a coffee break from filming a commercial, an animal handler led Sasha, a trained Siberian tiger, into her makeshift holding pen. But the handler forgot to fasten the gate and Sasha sneaked out of the cage — and out of the room — undetected.
The 400-pound tiger made her way down a stairwell and dashed out the front doors of the office building as a Fed-Ex man was coming in. The unexpected noise and commotion of downtown Austin caught the cat off guard, and she quickly became spooked and defensive.
Emma Betts was walking down the sidewalk with her cat Ramses when without regard for his own safety, Ramses leaped from his owner’s arms and ran straight for the tiger.
The two felines squared off amid shocked onlookers, and for some time just stared at one another.
Then the tiger roared at the tiny cat and took a swipe with its paw, just missing the quick-moving Ramses. It was a moment when most cats in their right minds would have turned tail and ran. But not Ramses … not on this day.
The 10-pound hairless cat drew himself up and “roared” back with all he was worth, baring his teeth while hissing and growling.
Much to the dismay of everyone present, Sasha the 400-pound Siberian tiger turned and ran in the other direction — back into the building she had just escaped.
Craving Chocolate?
Chocoholics have been handed a useful new excuse for their craving after a scientific study suggests it may be determined by the bacteria in their stomach.
While everyone has a vast number of microbes in their gut, people who have a daily craving for chocolate show signs of having different colonies of bacteria than people who are immune to the food's allure, according to the research.
Go ahead then, feed that bug!
Plush Penny Penguin Cell Phone Cover
Plush Penny Penguin Cell Phone Cover
Fun Friends™ Plush Animal Cell Phone Covers are cute and stretch to fit most flip style cell phones. Made of the highest quality fabrics and materials, these adorable plush cell phone covers are a great gift or stocking stuffer for family and friends. Soft to the touch, these cute creatures are the perfect accessory for your cell phone.
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Monday, October 15, 2007
Jail time for ostrich killers
An ostrich named Gaylord kicked Timothy McKevitt, 19, and Jonathon Porter, 21, last October when they trespassed on an ostrich ranch south of San Francisco after a night of drinking.
As the startled bird attacked, their female companions laughed, wounding their male pride. The two men returned with a rifle and shotgun seeking revenge. They fired at least seven shots at Gaylord, according to a police report.
McKevitt was sentenced to five months in jail. Porter was sentenced in March to seven months in jail after pleading no contest in the ostrich killing.
An interesting correlation:
Mary Winkler, convicted of manslaughter in the shotgun slaying of her minister husband was freed after serving 67 days in custody.
“Fauna of Doom” - 7 Deadliest Animals
We in the modern world have long since left behind the worries of our caveman ancestors. No longer must we fear being crushed by a mammoth or gored by a saber-toothed tiger, but there are still many formidable fauna the modern person must face.
Canine Companions for Independence
Canine Companions for Independence® is a national nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of children and adults with disabilities by providing highly-trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.
Bumblebee Identification Chart
A surprisingly large number of people are unaware that there are lots of different types of bee in Britain, including bumblebees (genus Bombus), honeybees (Apis mellifera) and numerous small solitary species. Bumblebees are the large, furry and often colorful insects that frequently feature in children’s books, cartoons and on greetings cards.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Windy City Dog Walkers
Serving Chicagoland's pet community for over five years. Windy City Dog Walkers, Inc. offers daily dog walks, cat care, and pet sitting with the highest level of customer service and personal attention in the industry. They are available 365 days a year, any time of day, and offer a variety of services to meet your pet care needs.
This is one of the Chicago area's most trusted dog walking and cat care service. They are licensed, bonded and insured. You get the same walker everyday.
Lickity Bits
Lickity Bits
Bit Wraps - Real Apple Training Aid for your Horse
The Lickity Bits™ Bit Wrap relieves stress when bridling your horse. Made with real apple for ultimate flavor, taste, and texture, your horse will not want to resist taking the bit any longer.
Simply wrap the Bit Wrap around your horses bit and watch the stress ease instantly for both horse... and rider!
Our Bit Wraps are great for training young horses to enjoy taking the bit, as well as older horses who have become sour about taking the bit.
Robeez Puppy Baby Booties
Robeez Puppy Baby Booties
These playful chocolate brown puppies with black suede ears will soon become your child’s new best friends. The neutral cream background makes these shoes an easy color combination to match.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Cerberus
In Greek mythology, Cerberus is the three-headed watchdog who guards the entrance to the lower world, Hades.
Originally, the dog was portrayed having fifty or hundred heads but was later pictured with only three heads.
Cerberus permitted new spirits to enter the realm of dead, but allowed none of them to leave. Only a few ever managed to sneak past the creature, among which Orpheus, who lulled it to sleep by playing his lyre, and Heracles, who brought it to the land of the living for a while (being the last of his Twelve Labors).
Great news for mythology aficionados: Cerberus lives!
Video: Pug falling asleep
Puppy pug, Dexter, drifting off to sleep shile sitting up. Watch 'til the end. Don't worry, he didn't hurt himself.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Cute Baby Mangabey Monkey
A rare, red-capped mangabey monkey has been born at the Denver Zoo, one of only 27 living in North American zoos.
The birth of the monkey, named Kanzu, on Sept. 30, brings Denver's mangabey troop to six. Zookeepers haven't yet determined the monkey's gender.
They named it Kanzu, a Swahili word for treasure.
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Coats for Cubs
Give your old, unwanted, politically incorrect fur apparel back to the animals.
If you would like to see that old fur put to a good use, donate it to The Humane Society of the United States' Coats for Cubs program. The fur will aid and comfort wildlife.
All of the furs received by The HSUS are sent to wildlife rehabilitators, who use the furs to warm and comfort orphaned and injured wildlife. More than 200 rehabilitators from across the United States and Canada now participate in the program.
Oh sure, blame it on the cat!
In Greenville, Maine, Thumper, black Labrador retriever, is getting credit for saving a Greenville man when a fire swept through his home.
Roland Cote said his wife and their 7-year-old grandson were away when the blaze started early Sunday in a converted two-story garage. He said Thumper grabbed him by the arm to wake him, leaving just enough time for him to dial 911 before fleeing the fast-moving fire.
While the dog is the hero, a cat is the bad guy in this story.
Cote said the fire marshal investigator believes the blaze was started when Princess, the family cat, tipped over a kerosene lantern. Cote says he and his pets escaped safely, but he says Princess did get her tail singed by the flames.
Dirty Politics
Is nothing sacred in political campaigns?
In Warsaw, Poland, a court ordered an opposition party to apologize to the speaker of parliament for making what it said were false claims about him and his dog in a campaign ad, a court spokesman said Thursday, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The opposition party said in a radio ad that Speaker Ludwik Dorn's schnauzer Saba destroyed furniture in government offices he used in his previous post as interior minister.
Why did 3,000 chickens cross the road?
Because a transport truck crashed on a busy road near Glasgow.
The A80 heading towards Glasgow was shut for more than eight hours as the birds were rounded up by a specialist team drafted in by police.
The Bedbug Registry
The Bedbug Registry is a free, public database of bedbug infestations in the United States and Canada. Use it to check for bedbug reports before booking a hotel room or renting an apartment.
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Thursday, October 11, 2007
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1936 to preserve the 438,000 acre Okefenokee Swamp. Presently, the refuge encompasses approximately 402,000 acres. In 1974, to further ensure the protection of this unique ecosystem, the interior 353,981 acres of the refuge were designated a National Wilderness Area.
The swamp remains one of the oldest and most well preserved freshwater areas in America and extends 38 miles north to south and 25 miles east to west.
Okefenokee is a vast bog inside a huge, saucer-shaped depression that was once part of the ocean floor. The swamp now lies 103 to 128 feet above mean sea level. Native Americans named the area "Okefenokee" meaning "Land of the Trembling Earth". Peat deposits, up to 15 feet thick, cover much of the swamp floor. These deposits are so unstable in spots that trees and surrounding bushes tremble by stomping the surface.
The Sha-Poopie
The no-touch, no-bending way to clean up after your dog.
Invented by a man who absolutely hates picking up after his dog, The Sha-Poopie™ makes the job both easier and less unpleasant. No bending, no trying to use a stick to scrape dog poop onto a newspaper or, worse yet, using a plastic bag to actually pick up it up!
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Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Devils and pumpkins and princesses, oh my!
Devil dogs, Spider-Men and princesses will roam darkened streets this Halloween this October 31 in search of candy and other treats.
Dressing your pet like the devil is the number one costume choice among the estimated 7.4 million households celebrating Halloween with their furry friends, according to the National Retail Federation’s Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch.
The average consumer will spend $23.33 on Halloween costumes, including those for children and pets, and total spending on Halloween is expected to reach $5.07 billion, including candy, costumes and decorations, says the NRF.
So what will the fashionable cat or dog be wearing this Halloween season? After devils, pumpkins run close behind and witches, princesses and angels round out the top five.
Top Pet Costumes:
1. Devil
2. Pumpkin
3. Witch
4. Princess
5. Angel
6. Pirate
7. Hot Dog
8. Bat
9. Black Cat
10. Clown
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
My hero!
Afarensis defends the much maligned naked mole rats.
It's about time someone protests their continuously being labeled as ugly!
Not only are naked mole rats cute, but they are also quite amazing:
* They are not naked, they are not moles, and they are not rats - the naked mole rat is the only cold blooded mammal.
* Naked mole rats have the highest incest rate of all animals. A colony shows 80% genetic resemblance (in comparison: human siblings only show 50% resemblance).
* Unlike humans and most other mammals, nursing naked mole rats often have many more pups than mammary glands. Breeding female mole rats have an average of 12 mammae but can have as many as 28 pups at a time. Brookfield Zoo's original queen came to the zoo 1989, bore 45 litters in the course of her life, and produced more than 580 naked mole-rat pups!
* Naked mole rats are the only known mammals that operate a hive system, in the way that insects do, with one queen who does all the breeding and lots of workers who have no children of their own.
* Vicious fights-to-the-death periodically occur among mole rat females that are vying to become the colony's only breeding female, or "queen."
* Naked mole rats in the lab have reached up to 28 years of age.
* A mole rat's teeth grow from above and outside of its lips, allowing it to use its teeth for tunneling without getting its mouth full of soil. The animal can move its front teeth independently, spreading them apart and moving them together, like a pair of chopsticks.
* The teeth will grow 10 inches in one year, but by gnawing on hard things, they keep their teeth from getting too long. When naked mole rats are kept in captivity they are usually given a block of concrete to chew on.
* Naked mole rats in nature kidnap pups from other colonies and bring them back to serve as workers in their own tunnels; naked mole rats will invade neighboring colonies and fight for hostile takeover; and when naked mole rats disperse, or leave the colony to found a new one, they have often been found up to a mile away.
* Naked mole rats can run just as fast backwards as forwards.
* Naked mole rats produce at least 18 vocalizations — more than any other rodent.
Here's a video from the Oregon Zoo.
Photo #1: "Eatin Celery" uploaded by knittingskwerlgurl
Photo #2: National Geographic
The dog and the polar bear
On a late October day on the Canadian tundra next to a gray, cold, but unfrozen Hudson Bay near tiny Churchill, Manitoba, a pack of large Husky dogs, the pride of hunter-trapper Brian LaDoon were comfortably lounging on a fresh bed of snow, each tethered by a long chain. Norbert Rosing, a naturalist and photographer was setting up his equipment to capture the scene.
A wild polar bear is approaching the Husky who is signaling an invitation to play.
Amazing photos:
Monday, October 8, 2007
Monkeying around
These ape-shaped cakes were designed and created by Marked for Dessert, for a party to mark the grand opening of the Regenstein Center for African Apes at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Each ape is hand-carved cake covered in rolled fondant. The bananas and leaves were created from rolled fondant and hand painted for natural coloring.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Frog Cufflinks
Frog Cufflinks
Rhodium plated metal cufflinks accented with green Swarovski crystal eyes. One piece fixed backing with a green fiber optic glass ball. Approximately 3/4in w x 5/8in h. Made in England. By Tattossian
Pets marry on World Animal Day
A canary, a goldfish, a guinea pig, a handful of cats and more than two dozen dogs received blessings from a Catholic priest in church to mark World Animal Day.
In a ceremony that was sometimes touching and often comical, Rev. Pierre Valkering led his congregation in songs and prayers - frequently interrupted by meowing and yapping from the pews - before the blessing took place.
St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals on whose feast day World Animal Day is held, was the inspiration for the Oct. 4 service - a seven-year-old tradition in Amsterdam.
The water baby: pictures that capture the birth of a dolphin
It is one of the rarest and most magical sights in the natural world.
A bottlenose dolphin goes into labor . . . then a calf emerges, tail first. Mother guides baby gently to the surface, where they swim together for the first time.
Very few dolphin births have been captured on film in such astonishing detail.
Window View Nest Box
Window View Nest Box
The whole family will get a bird's eye view as wrens or chickadees raise their young in this birdhouse. Solid pine, with a clear plastic back that lets you observe the nest inconspicuously from inside your home. Two strong suction cups hold it securely on any window.
Cat Nip Toys for Scaredy Cats
6 silly egg-shaped cat toys your cat will love to bat and swat.
Lightweight foam bodies sail erratically when batted. Feature glued-on, amusing faces in assorted colors. Roly-poly bat and swat toys in amusing Halloween characters. Lightweight foam bodies have glued-on silly facial details.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Cute Baby black-and-rufous giant elephant shrew
A pair of rather unusual siblings has just gone display at the Denver Zoo; they are black-and-rufous giant elephant shrews.
The Denver Zoos is one of only seven zoos in North America with this species and now zookeepers have successfully had raised a pair of pups named Potter and Weasley.
The brothers were born on Aug. 28. When they are fully grown each will weigh a little more than a pound and be a bit more than eight inches long with an eight inch tail.
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Jealous peacock attacks blue cars
Like any male defending his patch, Ron does his best to banish potential love rivals.
Unfortunately, this fellow's a little confused about who his competitors are.
Ron, a peacock, has begun attacking any bright blue cars which drive into his territory at a stately home.
In his latest assault, on a blue Lexus, he scratched and dented every panel - causing £4,000 worth of damage.
Ron's owner, Sir Benjamin Slade, said: "He doesn't seem to be bothered by other birds, but the peacock-blue cars just drive him wild.
"He suddenly becomes aggressive and can't control himself."
Ron lives with 12 other peacocks on the baronet's 13th century Maunsel House estate in North Newton, Somerset.
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Video: May I Have this dance?
Snowball is a medium sulphur crested Eleanora cockatoo and he loves to dance and sing. He loves the Back Street Boys. No one taught Snowball to dance...he just heard this song and suddenly felt like dancing.
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Friday, October 5, 2007
A Gallery of Beautiful Tiny Things
Since 1974, Nikon has sponsored a yearly photo competition for images that delve into the worlds beyond the reach of the unaided human eye. The camera maker feted the photographers who made the top 20 "photomicrographs" in Nikon's annual Small World competition at New York's Explorer's Club. The winners were drawn from a pool of 1,709 submissions.
The $3,000 first prize in Nikon's 2007 Small World competition goes to Gloria Kwon of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York. Kwon's composite image of a mouse embryo, captured in both visible and ultraviolet light, reveals the inherent biochemical differences between the embryo (fluorescent red) and its yolk sac (highlighter green).
Charlotte's powerful story
This is a photo of Charlotte shortly after she was rescued. The Chihuahua was so emaciated and her head was so horribly swollen that a woman who found her didn’t know what kind of animal she was.
Her eyes were swollen shut. Her head ballooned three to four times its normal size. Her throat was nearly swollen shut.
Her breathing was shallow. Bite marks dotted her head and legs. She had heart worms. She was dehydrated.
That was the condition of Charlotte, a year-old, reddish-brown Chihuahua who showed up on the porch of a St. Louis woman's home in July 2006. The woman called the Humane Society of Missouri saying she had some sort of "weird-looking animal" on her porch who was scaring her.
The "animal" was later determined to be a 4-pound emaciated Chihuahua in such critical condition that she was transferred to an emergency animal clinic after being brought to the Humane Society.
Workers cut off a plastic zip tie that was embedded in Charlotte's neck, cutting off air and causing fluid to enlarge her head. In addition, she was emaciated and had a heart murmur.
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Thursday, October 4, 2007
"Out, damned spot"
Getting rid of a dead blue whale is proving no easy feat.
More than a week after a 70-foot whale carcass was hauled out to sea, the creature’s putrid remains washed back to shore.
The whale was initially found last month floating in the Santa Barbara Channel. Scientists pulled it ashore to test the remains and establish how it died. On Sept. 22, after declaring the rare sea giant died in a collision with a ship, they towed the carcass about 10 miles out to sea.
But on Sunday, the dead whale washed onto Broad Beach in Malibu. Lifeguards quickly towed the stinking remains back into the ocean, but were concerned the carcass could wash ashore again.
“We just wish the darned thing would sink,” wildlife biologist Joe Cordaro said.
7 Unusual Military Animals
Humans, employing animals in their warfare ...
The earliest examples of cats being used in warfare dates back to the Ancient Egypt during a war against Persia. The Persians, fully aware of the reverence that Egyptians paid to their felines, rounded up as many cats as they could find and set them loose on the battlefield. When the Egyptians were faced with either harming the cats or surrendering, they chose the latter.
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Mission Accomplished?
A line of waste removal products that really give some meaning to the words "Mission Accomplished."
Picking up after your pooch has never been so much fun or so gratifying!
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Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Cute Baby Mandrill
One of the Budapest Zoo's three six-week-old mandrill babies (Mandrillus sphinx) rests in the lap of its mother during the first public appearance in Budapest, on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007.
The Mandrill is one of the endangered species of West Africa, for which a breeding program is coordinated at the Budapest Zoo.
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007 sees the World Animal Day, which was established in 1931 as a way to highlight the plight of endangered species. October 4th was chosen as World Animal Day as it is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky
The Monkey Buffet
Every year, in Lopburi province, Thailand, all of the province's approximately 600 monkeys are invited to eat fruits and vegetables during an annual feast held in honor of Rama, a hero of the Ramayana, who, it is said, rewarded his friend and ally, Hanuman the Monkey King, with the fiefdom of what is now Lopburi.
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10,000 Wildebeest Die in Mass Drowning
How sad!
Scores of wildebeest washed up dead at a bend in Kenya's Mara River after some 10,000 of the animals drowned in a bizarre mishap there last week.
The deaths, which occurred over the course of several days, are said to account for about one percent of the total species population.
As the animals passed through southern Kenya during their annual migration, part of the herd attempted to cross the fast-moving Mara at a "particularly treacherous" point, according to Terilyn Lemaire, a conservation worker with the Nairobi-based Mara Conservancy who witnessed the incident.
"Once they jumped into the water, they were unable to climb up either embankment onto land and, as a result, got swept up by the current and drowned," she wrote in an email to National Geographic News.
Lawyer for the dog
A decade ago, the idea that a divorce would involve "custody" of a pet, much less that the decision would factor in the pet's own predilections, would have been dismissed by most lawyers as absurd. Pets were property, and not very valuable property at that, to be balanced against all of the other stuff that is split up in a divorce - nobody, after all, talks about joint custody of an armoire.
But recent years have seen an intensifying effort on the part of animal rights activists, legislators, prosecutors, and legal scholars to change the way the law treats animals.
The result has been the beginning of a qualitative shift - not merely the stiffening of animal cruelty laws, though in most states that has happened, but changes that are turning animals into legal beings with their own interests, and, in a few cases, their own enforceable preferences.
The field of animal law is growing. Nearly half of the 190 accredited law schools in the United States now offer animal law courses, up from a handful 10 years ago, and around 100 now have chapters of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. A rising number of lawyers are dedicating themselves, in whole or in part, to the practice, and the American Bar Association and 13 state bar associations now have animal law committees.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Mana from Heaven or Something Like It
Hey Charlie got a big package of USA rawhide treats from i-pets.com just like Freda got!
p.s. Thanks, Freda, for telling Charlie about i-pets.com!
Should have called Orkin
A man trying to remove a wasp nest ended up setting his home on fire Sunday, fire officials said.
At about 6:45 p.m., Hugh Williams was attempting to remove wasps from a nest in the ground next to his home at 1804 St. Andrews Road, according to the Greensboro Fire Department.
Williams had poured insecticide into the wasp nest, said David Douglas, fire marshal for the Greensboro Fire Department.
When that didn't get rid of the wasps, he placed paper inside the nest and set it on fire. Flames shot up the wall and ran up through the attic, setting the home on fire, Douglas said.
No one was injured in the fire, which took about 30 minutes to extinguish, fire officials said.
The fire caused $80,000 in damage and the home is uninhabitable.
Dog Food Diet
I have 2 dogs and I was buying a large bag of Pal at Big W and standing in line at the check out.
A woman behind me asked if I had a dog.
On impulse, I told her that no, I was starting the Pet Diet again although I probably shouldn't because I'd ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of my orifices and IV's in both arms.
I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and the way it works is to load your pockets with Pal nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry & that the food is nutritionally complete so I was going to try it again.
I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was by now enthralled with my story, particularly a guy who was behind her.
Horrified, she asked if I'd ended up in the hospital in that condition because of poison in the dog food. I told her no; it was because I'd been sitting in the street licking my balls and a car hit me.
I thought one guy was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard as he staggered out the door.
Stupid woman .... why else would I be buying dog food?
World Animal Day - October 4
World Animal Day takes place every year on 4 October. Animal welfare groups, sanctuaries and individuals throughout the world hold special events to heighten public awareness of animal issues and to encourage people to think about how we as humans relate to animals.
World Animal Day was founded at an ecologist's convention in Florence, Italy in 1931 as a way of highlighting the plight of endangered species. October 4th was chosen as World Animal Day because it is also the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a Catholic Church holiday which is often celebrated with an annual "blessing of the pets". Since then, it has grown to encompass all kinds of animal life and has been widely celebrated around the world. Churches and synagogues in many faiths traditions have adopted "Pet Blessing Day" or "World Animal Day" in increasing numbers every year.
Be part of something special and find out how you can get involved in World Animal Day 2007.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Pick a Name for the Baby Walrus
On June 12, 2007, an event occurred at the New York Aquarium that had never happened before: A baby walrus was born. The baby was 115 pounds at birth and now, thanks to the care of his mother Kulu and the aquarium staff, he’s grown to a healthy whopping 256 pounds.
Now, we're giving you a chance to name him. Just select your favorite and then cast your vote! You have until October 10 at 5 p.m. We'll reveal the winning walrus name on TODAY on October 12.
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Trouser snake kills Cambodian man
A Cambodian man who took off his trousers, tied the legs at the bottom and wrangled a 2-metre cobra into them died when it bit him through the fabric, local media reported Monday.
Khmer-language daily Koh Santepheap quoted police as saying Chab Kear, 36, saw the reptile swimming in a river just outside the capital last Thursday during a drinking session and captured it in the hopes of selling it later in the day.
He tied the animal inside his trousers and a scarf around his waist, but as he continued carousing the enraged snake managed to get its fangs free and bite Kear three times on the stomach.
The newspaper reported Kear's last words as being "don't worry - it's nothing a drink can't fix" before he succumbed to the cobra's venom.
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Killer brain-eating amoeba in lakes
It sounds like science fiction but it's true: A killer amoeba living in lakes enters the body through the nose and attacks the brain where it feeds until you die.
Even though encounters with the microscopic bug are extraordinarily rare, it's killed six boys and young men this year. The spike in cases has health officials concerned, and they are predicting more cases in the future.
According to the CDC, the amoeba called Naegleria fowleri killed 23 people in the United States, from 1995 to 2004. This year health officials noticed a spike with six cases — three in Florida, two in Texas and one in Arizona. The CDC knows of only several hundred cases worldwide since its discovery in Australia in the 1960s.
Naegleria fowleri is the causative agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system.
Photo credit & and more information on Naegleria fowleri by Francine Marciano-Cabral, Ph.D.
Halloween Costumes for Pets
Looking for inspiration to dress your pet for Halloween?
i-pets.com has posted the latest and greatest in pet costumes for 2007:
Cat Costumes for Halloween:
Dog Costumes for Halloween:
Halloween costumes for other pets:
i-pets.com has posted the latest and greatest in pet costumes for 2007:
Cat Costumes for Halloween:
Dog Costumes for Halloween:
Halloween costumes for other pets:
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