Thursday, March 31, 2011

Found on the web

Dog auctions: Where puppy millers do their dirty business Envision rooms filled floor to ceiling with crates and cages each housing dogs whose sole purpose in life is to make puppies. 10 amazing camouflaged animals Whether it's a gecko blending into bark, a jaguar fading into foliage or a Peringuey's viper sliding through sand, good camo can mean the difference between eating and being eaten. World's Oldest Animal Life - 650,000,000 Years Old Primitive ocean sponges discovered in Australia could be the worlds oldest animal body fossils. The Cutest Interspecies Animal Friendships These pictures will make your heart melt!

Carolyn Scott Photography

Carolyn Scott Photography is a pet and wedding photography business based in Raleigh, NC. About the photo above, Carolyn said, "Khia is a very well-behaved Australian Sheepdog puppy who belongs to one of my former wedding clients. Her owners had just gotten her a few months before and wanted some photographs to document the puppy stage in her life. Khia was so good throughout the shoot and listened, sat still, and posed quite beautifully! She also never barked once. She is a super adorable dog." Carolyn believes in taking fun, original photographs of pets in their natural habitat in order to create a calm and relaxing atmosphere where the pets can be themselves. Although most of her pet clients are dogs, Carolyn Scott Photography has two spokescats, Buckles and Dolfy, both spoiled rotten rescues who enjoy meowing while we're on the phone with clients. Please visit Carolyn: Web: www.carolynscottphotography.com Blog: www.carolynscottphotography.com/blog Facebook: www.facebook.com/carolynscottphotography Twitter: http://twitter.com/csphotographync

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

PETA offers unusual prize to contest winner

The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has long advocated for dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered. Now, it's extending the campaign to humans. The Norfolk, Va.-based group is offering a free vasectomy to the winner of its "Why should PETA neuter you?" campaign. Applicants enter the contest by getting their cat or dog spayed or neutered and submitting an essay to PETA. The group says human overpopulation contributes to animal suffering by draining water and land resources and causing pollution. The contest runs through April 27. Source

Rockhopper penguins in danger on Nightingale Island

A cargo ship crash has oiled hundreds of rare rockhopper penguins on a remote Atlantic island—a ''grave environmental disaster,'' experts say. On March 18, two days after it had run aground, the Malta-registered "M.S. Oliva broke her back in the force of a relentless swell," leaking oil that spread into an 8-mile (13-kilometer) slick. Some 65,300 tons of unprocessed soybeans also spilled into the ocean, and the vegetables oil's impact to the sensitive marine environment are unknown. Hundreds of oiled birds are washing ashore, and a preliminary estimate suggests up to 20,000 birds may have been affected. "The scene at Nightingale is dreadful," Trevor Glass, the conservation officer for the territory, said in a statement. The oil spill may endanger not only penguins, but also millions of nesting seabirds and other wildlife. Experts also warned of a "twin environmental catastrophe" if rats, which may be aboard the wrecked vessel, escape onto Nightingale Island, which is rodent free. "If rats gain a foothold, their impact would be devastating." Nightingale Island, part of the British territory of Tristan da Cunha, is home to 200,000 northern rockhopper penguins, half the world's population. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the bird as endangered, due to its mysteriously rapid decline in the past three decades. Source

Cute or not? Baby echidna

A baby echidna is called a 'puggle'.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Fashion for horse lovers

These knee-length and ankle-length shoes were commissioned to celebrate 100 years of the famous National Hunt festival in Cheltenham, UK. A carbon-fiber hoof and up to 5,000 individual horse hairs make up the $2,081 shoes. Source

Woman on boat in Florida Keys hit by Eagle Ray

An eagle ray weighing as much as 300 pounds landed on top of a woman on a boat in the Florida Keys last week, throwing her to the deck and pinning her underneath it. The woman, Jenny Hausch, was on the chartered boat Friday with her husband and three children, taking pictures of a group of eagle rays as they flew out of the water. "One of the rays jumped in the air and she gets this perfect shot," the captain said, adding that rays always jump twice. On the second jump, one ray hit her in the chest and she fell down, hitting her head. "It keeps slamming and slamming on top of her, trying to swim away," the captain said. Hausch's husband and children watched in horror. Two Florida Fish and Wildlife officers who happened to be on a nearby boat heard the screaming and came to help pull the ray off of Hausch. Everyone thought that Hausch was dead, but when she was freed she didn't have a scratch on her. Source

Monday, March 28, 2011

Snake hunt at Bronx Zoo

NEW YORK - The Bronx Zoo closed its reptile house exhibit over the weekend after workers discovered a highly poisonous Egyptian cobra was missing from its enclosure. Source

My cat Rusty on high

Photos by Julie Corsi

BFF ..... awwwwww

Best friends ... forever! (via List of the Day)

Friday, March 25, 2011

Thursday, March 24, 2011

The hairiest girl in the world

Remember Antonietta Gonzalez, a little girl afflicted with hypertrichosis, made famous because of a painting in the 1600's? Another little girl, Supatra Sasuphan, is now famous for the same medical reason. Guinness World Record has officially recognized Supatra as the world's hairiest girl. The 11-year-old Thai girl from Bangkok has gradually been embraced by her community, and became a popular and outgoing child even though at one time she was teased and called 'wolf girl' and 'monkey face'. Supatra is one of just 50 known sufferers of Ambras Syndrome (Hypertrichosis) - caused by a faulty chromosome - to be documented since the Middle Ages. Before the disease was understood, sufferers were branded 'werewolves.' She has thick hair growing over her face, ears, arms, legs and back. Even laser treatment has failed to stop the hair growth. As Supatra grows older, her hair is becoming thicker. Her mother trims it regularly.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Cats adore women

The bond between cats and their owners turns out to be far more intense than imagined, especially for cat aficionado women and their affection reciprocating felines, suggests a new study.

Cats attach to humans, and particularly women, as social partners, and it's not just for the sake of obtaining food, according to the new research, which has been accepted for publication in the journal Behavioural Processes.

The study is the first to show in detail that the dynamics underlying cat-human relationships are nearly identical to human-only bonds, with cats sometimes even becoming a furry "child" in nurturing homes.

Cats approach female owners more frequently, and initiate contact more frequently (such as jumping on laps) than they do with male owners," co-author Manuela Wedl of the University of Vienna told Discovery News, adding that "female owners have more intense relationships with their cats than do male owners." Source

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Bacon Biscotti (for Dogs!)

Bacon Biscotti (for Dogs!) 6 slices bacon, chopped canola or olive oil (optional) 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) flour 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) whole wheat flour 1 cup (250 mL) oats 1 tsp. (5 mL) baking powder 1/2 cup (125 mL) water 2 large eggs 1/4 cup (60 mL) bacon drippings or canola oil 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) honey Preheat oven to 350°F. In a skillet set over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the drippings. Pour the drippings into a measuring cup; if you need to, add canola or olive oil until you have 1/4 cup. (If you like, discard the bacon drippings entirely and just use oil.) In a large bowl, combine the flours, oats and baking powder. In a small bowl, stir together the water, eggs, bacon drippings and/or oil, and honey; add to the dry ingredients along with the cooked and crumbled bacon and stir until blended. Shape the dough into a log that is about 12” long, place on an ungreased baking sheet and flatten until it’s about 6” wide. If you like, brush the top with a little beaten egg to give it a shiny finish. Bake for about 30 minutes, until firm. Reduce the oven temperature to 250° F. Cool the log and cut it on a slight diagonal into 1/2” -1” thick slices using a sharp, serrated knife. Place the biscotti upright on the baking sheet, keeping them spaced about 1/2” apart, and put them back into the oven for another half an hour. If you want them hard, turn the oven off but leave them inside to harden as the oven cools. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen biscotti. Store in a tightly covered container in the fridge, or freeze. Source

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Smile!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Photo: Alexander Natruskin / Reuters

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Have you ever seen a kakapo?

Once common throughout the three main islands of New Zealand, there are now approximately 62 kakapo left. The kakapo is one of the rarest parrots in the world. It’s flightless, it’s the world’s heaviest parrot, it's possibly the oldest living bird and it has a subsonic mating boom that can travel several kilometers. It looks like an owl, hops like a sparrow, growls like a dog and has a very unique smell. Read more Photo Credit

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Smile!

(via)

Monday, March 14, 2011

Illegal in California

California and Hawaii are the only 2 US states that ban residents from keeping ferrets as pets. California ferret owners are ramping up their campaign to persuade lawmakers, wildlife regulators and the public that it's time to overturn a ban that's been in place for nearly 80 years. "There is no reason the ownership of the domesticated ferret should be illegal in California," said Pat Wright, who heads the Legalize Ferrets campaign, told the California Fish and Game Commission in February. "These guys are part of our family. The pet-human bond is a strong one, and you're stepping on it." State wildlife regulators say escaped or discarded ferrets could establish feral populations and threaten native wildlife, such as nesting birds, rabbits and squirrels. Despite the ban, California is believed to have more ferrets than any other state. The pet industry estimates that about a quarter of the nation's ferret care supplies are sold in California, where ferret owners can have their pets confiscated and be prosecuted for a criminal misdemeanor. Source

Monday again?

(via)

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Friday, March 11, 2011

Blind man keeps blind guide dog

After six years of loyal service, Graham Waspe was devastated when his guide dog Edward was left blind after developing cataracts. But his devastation turned to joy when his Edward's replacement, Opal, turned out to be a real gem. Opal arrived shortly after Edward's retirement. She now guides Edward and Graham around. Source

Smile!

The cutest thing you'll see today

Keepers at Melbourne Zoo in south-eastern Australia are working around the clock to look after tiny Estela, a spider monkey, who was born on January 17. Estela was rejected by her mother, Sunshine. Source

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Haven't you always wanted a unicorn?

You're out of luck if you don't have a dog. By comodoknitwear at etsy

Bird is mom again, at 60

The oldest known wild bird in the U.S. is a new mother. Wisdom, a Laysan albatross, is at least 60 years old. As part of the North American Bird Banding Program, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist first banded Wisdom as she incubated an egg in 1956. She was estimated to be at least 5 years old at the time. The albatross has since worn out five bird bands. Source

Today's awwww

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

I packed the suitcase for you!

(via)

The cutest bats in the world

The tiny White Bats of Honduras are among the cutest rodents on Earth. The Honduran white bat is the smallest fruit-eating bat in the New World, and is found from eastern Honduras to western Panama. This species commonly roosts in tents made by biting along the large, central midrib of Heliconia or banana plant leaves. The wing membrane between the second and third fingers is translucent, so that the bats can fold their wings over their body and still watch for predators. The natural tent protects the White Bats from rain and predators and they only take flight when their home is no longer safe. The small bats live in colonies of up to six individuals, one male and his harem of females. Photo credit: #1 #2

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Sure you did ...

FORT PIERCE, FL - A former St. Lucie County Fire District firefighter-paramedic who took a man's foot and part of his leg from an Interstate 95 crash scene in 2008 has been sued by the foot's owner. Cynthia "Cindy" Economou has admitted she took the foot belonging to Karl Lambert of Brevard County, who was seriously injured in the Sept. 19, 2008, accident; but she said she did so to help train her body recovery dog... Source

Product Review: Don't Bother

Cat Lipstick

at Urban Outfitters for $25.00

"Each delectably creamy lipstick contains PAUL & JOE's "SECRET D'OR," a blend of several varieties of champagne gold frost, each possessing a different overtone and a sparkle that varies subtly depending on the angle from which you view it. Together, these proprietary ingredients provide a gorgeous color with a sheer, highly translucent sparkle! And, as it deserves a second mention, there's a kitten carved into the tip of each lipstick!"
I don't get it ... My three cats wouldn't wear this, but they're all boys. Would a girl cat wear this?