The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : February 2016 The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : February 2016

Monday, February 29, 2016

Save the Birds: Don't Let Cats Roam Free, Campaign Urges


Our beloved cats are killing machines that take down some 200 million birds a year in Canada, one study found.

And now a new campaign is asking cat owners to help reduce the carnage by promising not to let their cats roam free outside — a move they say will benefit our feline friends as well.

Cats are by far the leading human-linked cause of death for birds in Canada, a 2013 Environment Canada report showed. And outdoor life is also a deadly and unnecessary risk for cats, says Ted Cheskey, senior manager of the conservation group Nature Canada.

"Both cat and bird populations are in different sorts of trouble," he said.

Today, Nature Canada launched its "Keep Cats Safe and Save Birds Lives" campaign, which is asking cat owners to make an online pledge not to let their cats roam free outdoors.

16 birds per cat per year

Each pledge could save an average of 16 birds a year, Nature Canada estimates. It plans to keep a running tally of "saved" birds online.

The campaign is expected to have the most impact on species that spend time on the ground, including some of the ones at risk, such as the wood thrush and the yellow-breasted chat, and common backyard visitors such as American tree sparrows and dark-eyed juncos.

To read more on this story, click here: Save the Birds:Don't Let Cats Roam Free, Campaign Urges


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The Kids' Farm at the National Zoo is Temporarily Closed Due to a Few Animals Having E. Coli


Washington, DC - The Kids' Farm at the National Zoo is temporarily closed due to a few animals having E. coli, the National Zoo announced Monday.

Zoo veterinarians first detected the presence of E. coli on Feb. 18 in the goats. On Friday, tests results revealed that four goats and one cow were positive. The zoo said the Kids' Farm was immediately quarantined.

The other animals in the Kids' Farm tested negative, according to the zoo.

No staff member or animals are showing signs of the disease, zoo officials said.

Once zoo veterinarians receive three consecutive weeks of negative results, the zoo will start planning to reopen the Kids' Farm.









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Pit Bull Saves Domestic Abuse Victim: Michigan Town Lifts Pit Bull Ban


Isis is a Pit Bull. She’s also a hero, having saved Jamie Kraczkowski, her owner,from her drunk, abusive boyfriend.

Said Kraczkowski about the incident:

“Finally, when my head got hit against the wall [by my boyfriend], [Isis] just grabbed his pant leg and she was done. She was done with him abusing me – and abusing her.”
But when the police arrived on the scene to help Kraczkowski, they told her she had a mere five days to get rid of her dog, her baby, her hero Pit Bull, because Hazel Park (the Michigan town where she lives) had banned Pit Bulls in 2013.

Kraczkowski continued:

“Thank God they’re allowing me to do home quarantine now. But, you know, it’s been pretty traumatizing for me. I don’t know what’s going to happen with my dog. I definitely don’t feel safe without her.”

That was two months ago. In the time since, there’s been a pretty massive uproar from people in the Hazel Park community and across the country in support of Jamie Kraczkowski and Isis. It turns out that people aren’t too keen on dogs – especially hero dogs – being punished just for looking a certain way.

At last Wednesday’s city council meeting, many of those supportive Hazel Park citizens stood up in defense of Isis and Pit Bulls in general.

Suzanna Rondeau was one such person. She spoke to FOX 2 after the meeting:

“When I heard there was a ban on Pit Bulls [in Hazel Park], I was pretty upset. I have Pit Bulls. So I basically couldn’t live in Hazel Park with my dogs.”

Also at the meeting was Magan Bouchard, who said:

“I’ve got a niece and they have a Pit Bull and live up north and the dog protects the baby.”

The incredible support was enough to convince the City Council to lift the ban on Pit Bulls altogether, though City Manager Edward Klobucher did come out to defend the original decision:

“We can’t ban stupid owners, so we looked to try to address what was a serious public health situation when we had 40-something bites by Pit Bulls in the past few years.”

(It’s worth noting that studies have shown that visual identification of Pit Bulls is notoriously unreliable. Studies have also shown that, in places that have banned Pit Bulls – like Council Bluffs, Iowa – dog bites didn’t really decrease overall, and significantly increased among other breeds, like Labs and Boxers.)

While Pit Bulls are indeed once again allowed to live in Hazel Park, there are limitations – Pit Bulls have to be licensed, they have to be spayed/neutered, they have to have shots, they have to go through behavioral assessment to determine whether or not they’re dangerous, they have to have insurance, and owners have to have a fence.

It’s not a perfect situation for Pit Bull owners, but it’s certainly better than the alternative – having their dogs put to death for their appearance.

Though the fight against Breed Specific Legislation is ongoing, there’s no doubt that laws against Pit Bulls are softening in the United States. Moreaville, Louisiana tried to ban Pit Bulls back in November of 2014, but a public outcry (thanks to a girl named O’Hara Owens and her Pit Bull Zeus) got the ban overturned. Furthermore, more and more states are outright prohibiting BSL, like New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

It’s the sort of trend that might make stories like this one a whole lot more common, due in no small part to bonafide hero dogs like Isis.



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Indonesia: Fire Deliberately Started, Killed Three Female Orangutans, to Clear the Land for Farming



These are the horrific pictures of three female orangutans who were killed in a land fire in Indonesia.

The orangutans, two, twenty-year-olds and a baby orangutan approximately one year old, were caught in the blaze near a protected forest in Bontang City, East Kalimantan.

The founder of the Centre for Orangutan Protection, Hardi Baktiantoro, claims the forest fire was deliberately started to clear the land for farming.

“It is completely illegal to clear forest land by burning it, and in this case the land that was burnt still had three orangutans living there,” he said.

After investigating the death of the orangutans, a team of officers from the Kutai National Park and the Bontang city police buried the three orangutans.

'The bodies of the orangutans were decayed so we buried them soon after the investigation to prevent them from spreading disease,' the head of the Kutai National Park Office, Erly Sukrismanto, said.

The body of the orangutans were discovered after a resident posted a picture of them on Facebook.

Professional photojournalist Yuli Seperi said, “I saw a friend post a status on Facebook about the deaths so I went the location where the three orangutans were.
The deaths made me extremely upset as orangutans are a huge icon to Indonesia.”

The forest fires are claimed to have started around 2:30 p.m., Saturday, February 20.

The founder of the Centre for Orangutan Protection said, “It is not clear why the three orangutans could not escape the fire as they usually can. Perhaps they were afraid of the humans that surrounded the fragmented forest.

The three dead are believed to be a family of all females, two twenty year olds and one baby orangutan around the age of one.”









Officers evacuate the three Orangutan killed by a forest fire at a protected forest on Belimbing village, Indonesia.



The founder of the Centre for Orangutan Protection, Hardi Baktiantoro, claims the forest fire was deliberately started to clear the land for farming.




A team of officers buried the bodies of the three female orangutans to prevent them from spreading disease.





The body of the orangutans were discovered after a resident posted a picture of them on Facebook.




Professional photographer Yuli Seperi said, “The deaths made me extremely upset as orangutans are a huge icon to Indonesia.”




The charred bodies of the orangutan were found in a protected forest in Bontang.




The founder of the Centre for Orangutan Protection said it is not clear why the three orangutans could not escape the fire as they usually can.





The three dead are believed to be a family of all females, two, twenty-year-olds and one baby orangutan approximately one year old.




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8 Critical Behavior Changes To Watch Out For In Your Cat


A few years ago one, of my cats started acting strange in a way I couldn’t quite pinpoint. I brought her to see our veterinarian and, after a bit of prodding, I timidly professed “Well, her voice just sounds different.” It felt so silly coming out of my mouth. Our veterinarian, however, didn’t think it was silly at all. “You know her best” he reminded me. It was exactly the kind of validation I needed. In the end, it was lucky that I was able to trust my intuition. Something was indeed wrong with her and that small detail — that small change in her behavior — helped us catch it early.

I’d like to pass that validation on to you. You know her best. You know her habits. You know her activity level. You know what gets her excited. Many behavior changes can indicate that something is wrong with your cat. Trust your gut and get her checked out. Here are 8 red-flag behavior changes to pay attention to.

To read more on this story, click here: 8 Critical BehaviorChanges To Watch Out For In Your Cat


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Did You Know That Silica Gel Packs Are Toxic to Your Pets?


At the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), our poison control experts field calls from pet parents whose furry friends have eaten every type of forbidden substance imaginable. One such substance is silica gel.

Silica gel usually comes in small white packets—typically the size of sugar packets—and can be found in the packaging for many items such as shoes, bags, coats, electronics, medications, vitamins, food and cat litter. APCC experts find that when these packets are packaged with food, pets may be more likely to consume them as they retain the smell of the food item. Silica gel packets are used as a desiccant (drying agent) to prevent moisture damage, and are often labeled with the message “Silica Gel Do Not Eat.” If eaten, silica gel can cause gastrointestinal upset, including vomiting and diarrhea—depending on the quantity consumed. Some silica gel packets may be fairly large, and if ingested, could potentially cause obstruction in the intestinal tract. Fortunately, this is not a common problem.

If your pet has ingested silica gel, please contact your veterinarian or APCC for more information.

APCC is your best resource for any animal poison-related emergency—24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you think that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately.

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Sunday, February 28, 2016

A Woman Was Out Driving and Saw What She Thought Was a Dead Opossum: What She Does Next Will Warm Your Heart


Judy Obregon knows an opossum when she sees one. There is one who visits her porch regularly.

While driving down her block on February 20 heading to her mother-in-law's house, she stopped as she saw what she first thought was a dead opossum in the road.

Until the little one lifted her head. And looked toward Obregon.

It was as if the opossum knew Obregon was there to help.

"I knew I could not walk away," she said.

As the founder of The Abandoned Ones "Saving Animals in Danger" animal rescue in Fort Worth, Texas, Obregon has been rescuing dogs mainly from a known dog-fighting area in her city. However, if an animal needs help, regardless of species, Obregon springs into action, as she did with the opossum.


The opossum at first struggled to walk away before Judy Obregon was able to get her to the side of the road.

Obregon got out of her car and walked over to the opossum and saw a trail of blood leading from a driveway to the animal while a bloody stick lay nearby. Her gut told her the animal had not been hit by a car and that the opossum was a "she" carrying babies.

Helping the helpless

The opossum kept struggling to lift her head and tried to walk, so Obregon helped gently push the animal to the side of the road to prevent a mishap with a car. Obregon ran to her own car to grab a T-shirt to cover the opossum for warmth.


Obregon found a T-shirt in her car and was able to wrap the opossum in it for warmth.

She then got on the phone and started reaching out to find someone who could help. After calling DFW Wildlife Coalition, she was given a list of numbers for local wildlife rehabilitators and finally reached Tabatha, who lived within minutes away.

While she waited for Tabatha, Obregon knew it was most important to find a box and get the opossum safe and warm.

Since she was a block from her mother-in-law's house and her husband was there, she got him to watch the opossum while she ran inside to get a box.

Obregon wanted to make sure not to hurt the animal.

The opossum was so tiny. So fragile.

And so scared.

"I put the box down to see if the opossum would crawl into it," she said. "I put it in front of her and used my hands to guide her into the box." The opossum struggled but crawled inside as if she knew she was being rescued, according to Obregon, who then carried the box about a block back to her mother-in-law's house where she sat in front and waited.



Wildlife help arrives

Tabatha arrived about 10 minutes later.

"It was so emotional," Obregon said. "I do rescue work all the time, but to see another rescuer do what I do was so heartwarming."


Tabatha, the wildlife rehabilitator, evaluated Angel the first night she brought her home.

Tabatha is a wildlife rehabilitator who is in her fourth year of helping to rehabilitate a variety of animals, from opossums (the only marsupial in North America) and squirrels, to minks and raccoons. She and her husband Ronnie each have a sub-permit (they work under someone who is permitted) with the state of Texas, whereby they are taught everything necessary to rehabilitate animals from feeding, triage and how to determine if an animal needs veterinary care to nutrition, cage setup and releasing an animal back into the wild. Tabatha is in the process of applying for her own permit.


Angel's injuries were extensive, and Tabatha believed they were inflicted by humans.


First Tabatha verified that the opossum was female and that she did have joeys (or babies) in her pouch. Joeys are born blind, bald and completely defenseless; they weigh about 3 to 4 grams and develop in their mother's pouch for 60 days. Tabatha covered the opossum, who Obregon named Angel, with a blanket and placed her safely in a carrier and took her home.

"I could tell she was not hit by a car from the blood evidence and what she looked like," Tabatha said. "I could tell she was struck by something."

A plan for Angel to recover

Upon arrival at her home, Tabatha took Angel out to check her thoroughly and found no broken bones or heavy bleeding. "I could tell on evaluation of her that she was struck, and I'm pretty sure she was shot with a BB gun," Tabatha said. There were about four teeth that were damaged and a spot on the roof of her mouth where the BB hit. Since there was no exit wound, Angel most likely swallowed the BB.


By the second night, Angel started to show some improvement.

Tabatha called the wildlife veterinarian with whom she consults and talked over the case and determined Angel did not need to go into the office. On the vet's advice, Tabatha administered some pain medication and fluids, cleaned Angel's wounds, placed her in a cage and fed her some vegetables, fruit and chicken. "You can tell her mouth is sore, but she has been eating and drinking on her own, which is great news."

She also checked on Angel's babies, who were OK. However, she was not allowed to remove them as that could be dangerous for the babies.

Opossums oftentimes get a bad rap, but a little education can go a long way.


Angel loves being held and snuggling with Ronnie, Tabatha's husband, who is also a wildlife rehabilitator.

For starters, it is highly unlikely for them to carry rabies, according to Tabatha, as their blood temperature is too low to sustain the virus. Most often they are scared of humans and are not aggressive.

Tabatha has been evaluating Angel at night because opossums are nocturnal. She wants to ensure Angel is calm and there are no loud noises. "Right now she is scared and you can tell she is hurting," she said. "She is very sweet. Opossums have a very shy demeanor."

When scared, opossums will hiss and open their mouths very wide. "If that doesn't work they can play possum, which is play dead and they actually have glands on their anus that secrete a very stinky, horrible smelling fluid to make them smell dead." Typically if you leave them alone, they will leave an area, unless there is food.

Accepting help from humans

Although Tabatha feels that Angel was hurt by humans, "She has not tried to bite me once," she said. "She knows I am here to help, not to hurt her. I think she has a very good chance.


Angel continues to heal, and Tabatha hopes to release her in a couple of weeks.

"My goal is to make sure she doesn't get an infection, add a little weight to her, and release her and her babies together as soon as possible," which most likely will be another week or two as long as Angel continues to heal. Tabatha knows a man who loves wildlife. He has 60 acres and hunting is prohibited, so she will release Angel on his property.

Rescuing Angel was "not one of my typical rescues because I rescue dogs and cats," Obregon said. "This is out of the ordinary for me, but I wouldn't have avoided her for that reason. She is still an animal with a beating heart, and it was still beating when I got to her."

If you find an injured wild animal, the Humane Society of the United States has information to help. You can also contact your local parks and wildlife organization for information and a list of rehabilitators in your area, or call your local animal control. If you ever bring wildlife to a rehabber, please leave a donation as they are self-funded.

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Florida's Everglades: 106 Invasive Burmese Snakes Were Killed, with the Longest Measuring 15 Feet


After a month-long state-sanctioned hunt for invasive Burmese Pythons in Florida, 106 snakes were killed, with the longest measuring 15 feet.

This year's annual Python Challenge enlisted more than 1,000 people from 29 states to cull the python population between January  16, - February 14.

A team of four killed a nearly a third of the overall tally with 33 pythons, taking home the $5,000 cash prize. They won an additional $3,000 for capturing the longest snake, clocking in at 15 feet.

The competition was started in 2013 by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in order to keep the creatures from 'posing a threat to native wildlife'.

FWC Commissioner Ron Bergeron said,  “Each python that is removed makes a difference for our native wildlife, and the increased public awareness will help us keep people involved as we continue managing invasive species in Florida.”

The python, which was once allowed to be kept as a pet, is believed to have been introduced into Florida's ecosystem in 1992 when they escaped from a breeding facility during Hurricane Andrew.

Researchers have predicted that there are at least 30,000 pythons in Florida's everglades, with some suggesting as many as 300,000 occupy southern Florida.

All the snakes captured in the Python Challenge were turned over to researchers who are trying to find clues to help control the population.

Some animal rights groups have blasted the event for the unethical way the snakes are killed.

While they are not opposed to the hunt itself, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, said, “Pythons who have had their heads hacked off remain alive and will writhe in agony for hours if their brains are not immediately destroyed.”

“PETA is calling on Florida officials to stop authorizing snake decapitation and make it clear that this egregiously inhumane killing method is unacceptable.”

It has suggested the hunters use bolt guns and fire arms to 'instantly kill the animals'. It has also condemned the 'bounty like' system to reward the killing of snakes.

The Burmese python, a native of south east Asia, is “wreaking havoc on one of America's most beautiful, treasured and naturally bountiful ecosystems,” U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Director Marcia McNutt said in a 2012 report.

“Right now, the only hope to halt further python invasion into new areas is swift, decisive and deliberate human action.”

But the reptiles are notoriously difficult to find in the Everglades. In the first Python Challenge three years ago, around 1,600 hunters caught just 68, CNN reported.

The state's wildlife commission trained more than 500 people before the competition, teaching them how to identify, and locate, and capture Burmese pythons in a safe and humane way. 

Participants were also required to complete an online training module. 

In addition to the training, favorable weather conditions and a larger geographic area for the competition led to this year's success.

“We are excited to see so many people contribute to this important effort to conserve Florida's natural treasure, the Everglades ecosystem,” said Bergeron. “We need to keep this momentum going now that the competition is over.”

Team captain, Bill Booth, along with Duane Clark, Dusty Crum and Craig Nicks took home the $5,000 prize for first place for the team category after they killed 33.

The team of four also captured the longest python, which measured 15 feet and was awarded an additional $3,000.

Daniel Moniz captured 13 pythons, the most by any individual, and received $3,500.







Brian Wood, who owns All American Gator Products in Hollywood, Florida, pays up to $150 apiece for the snakes, about the same price he pays for python skins imported from Asia.



Florida holds an annual, month-long hunt for Burmese Pythons in an attempt to keep the snake's populations in control. This year's competition saw 106 killed, and a third of those will be turned into accessories.




FWC Commissioner Ron Bergeron, said, “Each python that is removed makes a difference for our native wildlife.” Pictured, Jake Wood removing a purchased python from a cooler.




The python, which was once allowed to be kept as a pet, is believed to have been introduced into Florida's ecosystem in 1992 when they escaped from a breeding facility during Hurricane Andrew.




Researchers have predicted that there are at least 30,000 pythons in Florida's everglades, with some suggesting as many as 300,000 occupy southern Florida. 



The 'invasive' animals have been blamed for the near 'complete disappearance of raccoons, rabbits and opossums' since their introduction.



Some animal rights groups have blasted the event for the unethical way the snakes are killed. PETA suggested hunters use bolt guns and fire arms to 'instantly kill the animals' rather than have their heads cut off.



The reptiles are notoriously difficult to find in the Everglades. In the first Python Challenge three years ago, around 1,600 hunters caught just 68, CNN reported.



The state's wildlife commission trained more than 500 people before the competition this year, teaching them how to identify, and locate, and capture Burmese pythons in a safe and humane way.

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Saturday, February 27, 2016

Heartwarming Video - BARCS Animal Shelter: Watch as Vet Comforts Scared Puppy After Surgery


Meesha, a 12-week-old stray puppy, underwent surgery this week at the BARCS Animal Shelter in Baltimore, Maryland.

And, as you'll see in this short video posted to the shelter's Facebook page yesterday, the sweet little pooch was in need of some extra special care as she was coming off the anesthetic – waking up very confused and scared.

In stepped Dennis Moses, a surgical assistant at the shelter. You can see Dennis in the video rocking Meesha back and forth and whispering to her like a new born bub as he tries to give her some comfort.

Poor little Meesha! It's not all bad news though. According to BARCS, Meesha will be heading off to her forever home with a new family as soon as she recovers.

The heartwarming clip has so far been viewed more than 225,000 times.



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Friday, February 26, 2016

Joel Manby, SeaWorld’s CEO, Has Admitted That His Employees Were Ordered to Infiltrate Animal Rights Protests


The chief executive of SeaWorld has admitted his employees were ordered to infiltrate animal rights protests against the company’s alleged mistreatment of killer whales and dolphins in its controversial aquatic theme parks.

Joel Manby, SeaWorld’s CEO, acknowledged on Thursday that the company was wrong to ask human resources employee Paul McComb to pose as an animal rights activist and join Peta protests against the company since at least July 2014.

“This activity was undertaken in connection with efforts to maintain the safety and security of employees, customers and animals in the face of credible threats,” Manby said of the tactics used by McComb, who was exposed as an undercover SeaWorld employee by Peta protesters last summer.

Manby said on Thursday that SeaWorld directors had ordered “management to end the practice in which certain employees posed as animal rights activists”.

Manby’s statement came during a conference call with investors following the release of another year of disappointing earnings. More than $160m (£115m) was wiped off SeaWorld’s market value on Thursday as the company’s shares – which were worth as much as $39 in 2013 – fell 11% to $17.60.

McComb, who posed as an animal rights activist named Thomas Jones, is still employed by SeaWorld. “Mr. McComb remains an employee of SeaWorld, has returned to work at SeaWorld in a different department and is no longer on administrative leave,” the company said in a statement. A spokeswoman for SeaWorld refused to answer any questions about McComb.

Whilst undercover, McComb had urged other protesters to “burn it [SeaWorld] to the ground” and used Facebook and Twitter to incite other activists to “get a little aggressive” and “drain the new tanks at #SeaWorld”.

In the run-up to a July 2014 protest, Jones urged other activists: “Grab your pitchforks and torches. Time to take down SeaWorld.”

Tracy Reiman, Peta’s executive vice-president, said: “SeaWorld’s latest report confirms not only that the company has employed more than one spy to infiltrate and agitate at Peta but also that it values its spies more highly than the executives ... as at least one of the spies is still working at the company.

“SeaWorld’s finances continue to flop as animals continue to be found dead in its tiny tanks, with one death every single month since November. If SeaWorld had business savvy or common sense, it would modernize its business with coastal sanctuaries and virtual reality displays instead of building more roller coasters and dolphin prisons. The tawdry orca sideshows and despicable spying tactics are sinking SeaWorld’s ship.”

SeaWorld on Thursday said its 2015 earnings fell 2% to $361m as sales dropped by $6.8m to $1.37bn.

The company, which has been under intense public pressure since the 2013 release of Blackfish, a documentary cataloguing the alleged mistreatment of whales, dolphins and their trainers, said attendance increased by 0.3% to 72,000 but this was only possible due to “increased promotional offerings”.



Facing consumer backlash fanned by celebrities including Harry Styles, Cher and Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee, SeaWorld has said it will put an end to “theatrical killer whale experience” – but only at its park in San Diego, California, where the drop in attendance has been most acute.

Manby said the company will replace its Californian Shamu show – in which whales dive, jump and splash guests to the demands of their trainers – with “an all new orca experience focused on the natural environment [of the whales]” by 2017.

“We are listening to our guests, evolving as a company, we are always changing,” Manby said as he unveiled a new corporate strategy in November. “ 2016 will be the last year of our theatrical killer whale experience in San Diego.”

He said the decision to end the orca shows in California was in direct response to customers, who he said had made it clear that they want less of a theatrical experience and would rather see the whales in a more natural setting. Attendance at the San Diego park is falling fast. Visitor numbers dropped 17% in 2013 to 3.8 million, according to city authorities.

As part of its strategy to move away from circus-style performances, SeaWorld last week replaced two top executives in charge of animal safety and theme park operations. “The leadership changes we announced last week are another important step on our roadmap to stabilization and growth,” Manby said on Thursday.


Paul McComb posed as ‘Thomas Jones’ and infiltrated Peta at least as early as July 2014. Photograph: Facebook/Peta.


Tweets by activist Thomas Jones, who is allegedly Paul McComb, a SeaWorld employee. Photograph: Twitter

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Pony Dressed as Unicorn Leads California Authorities on Wild Chase


A pony dressed as a unicorn lead California Highway Patrol on a four-hour chase through the streets of Madera County, Calif., Wednesday night.

The white pony, named Juliet, doubles as a unicorn for photo shoots with her owner photographer Sandra Boos. 

Boos said Juliet makes a lot of "dreams come true" for little girls during the photoshoots.

On Wednesday night, Juliet decided to make a dream of her own come true. Freedom.

While her owner was taking photos of a group of young children, Juliet made her move.

Donning her mythical unicorn horn, Juliet “threw up her head" and "pulled the lead rope” out of a bystander's hands and ran, Boos said.

“I was shooting, but I assume she got free and was like, ‘Oh, well I’m going to run,’ and she took off,” Boos said in a phone interview.

The California Highway Patrol tried for almost four hours to catch Juliet on the ground, as a helicopter helped track the horse from the air, Boos said.

Juliet eluded all efforts at capture, until Boos' friend rode up on a horse.

“When Juliet saw [the woman's] horse, Shady, she came running,” Boos said.

To her owner's relief, Juliet followed the horse into a nearby pen.

"I was standing with highway patrol when the call came over the radio, and they said 'the unicorn is in custody,'" Boos said.





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