If your cat’s tail is hanging down, it might sign that it’s broken or injured. Find out how long a broken tail takes to heal and what’s involved with treating it.
Is your kitty’s tail drooping down? If so, your cat may have a broken tail or another type of tail injury.
A cat’s tail is usually erect and moving. It can clue you into your cat’s mood, like when she's irritated and it angrily swooshes back or forth. It also helps your cat with balance.
So when your cat’s tail is pointing down, it’s a red flag that something serious is going on. Read on to learn more about cat tail injuries, their treatment, and how long they take to heal.
A very good dog got one last special treat from his favorite human.
Charlie, a beloved golden retriever, was the first dog Sallie Gregory-Hammett of Greenville, South Carolina, ever had on her own. Gregory-Hammett, 30, got Charlie when she was 23, single and had just moved to a new city.
“I know it’s cliché but he was my best friend,” Gregory-Hammett wrote to HuffPost. “He went with me everywhere —work, hiking, trips to Home Depot. He was just a constant source of comfort and companionship and joy. Everyone that knew me knew Charlie and knew how much I loved him.”
Benadryl an antihistamine medicine that cats might take primarily to treat a range of allergies and motion sickness. It’s actually a brand name for the generic drug diphenhydramine.
The medication works by calming the symptoms that are caused by histamine. It comes in tablet or syrup form, and you can purchase it over-the-counter without a prescription from a veterinarian.
We sometimes hear about “strange bedfellows” and there may be times when this occurs between different animals. The following story will convince you of the possibilities that exist in nature. It is about the bond that was formed between an American black bear, a Bengal tiger, and an African lion.
Bored Panda reported that Baloo the bear, Leo the lion, and Shere Khan have been living happily together at Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter in Georgia for almost 16 years. The trio of unlikely friends is usually known as BLT. They were rescued from the same basement of a house in Atlanta during a drug raid in 2001.
The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group works with the Arizona government to ensure the maintenance of freedom for each horse in the herd.
PHOENIX — Wild horses on the banks of Salt River are a sight that visitors and Arizonans alike love to see when they go to the area on float trips or just looking for a good photo opportunity.
The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group with the oversight from the Arizona Department of Agriculture takes care of the population and makes sure that each horse lives a humane life while maintaining their freedom.
When dog lovers Kim Zolciak-Biermann and Kroy Biermann’s son got seriously injured by one of their beloved rescue pups, they thought long and hard about whether or not they should keep him in the family.
Kim Zolciak-Biermann is known for her role on the reality show The Real Housewives of Atlanta, while Kroy Biermann is an outside linebacker in the NFL. Now, the couple and their family star in their reality series, Don’t Be Tardy. But it wasn’t all glitz and glamour on one fateful day in April, when their rescue Husky-Boxer mix, Sinatra (“Sinn”), bit their 5-year-old son Kash in the face.
Big dogs are impressive, especially when they’re so large they get mistaken for other animals. Take Thunder for example, a 7ft tall Great Dane who regularly gets mistaken for a horse whenever his owner takes him out for a walk. This big boy easily could pass for a pony since he tips the scale at more than 210 pounds. However, in typical big dog fashion, he thinks he’s a lapdog and often tries to cuddle on his owner’s lap.
35-year-old Jenny Saccoccia and her husband, 37-year-old home developer Chris, live with Thunder in their family home in Ontario, Canada, which is a four-bedroom house that they all share with their other smaller dogs: a Pomeranian named Chichi, a Malamute named Tulu, and a Yorkshire Terrier named Peanut. Turns out, the large and monstrous Thunder is actually afraid of the small dogs, who all have the run of the household.
There is something fun about coordinating outfits. But besides dressing up your spouse to match with you in a hashtagable way, wearing matching outfits with your pet makes you feel closer to them.
One couple is doing just that by twinning with their tortoise. 4-year-old Ethel is one stylish, 20-lb Sulcata tortoise thanks to her two owners, 33-year-old Kasey Kuchinski and 33-year-old Daniel Rodriguez. The trio lives in Sonoma, California.
The internet has introduced a large number of bizarre trends and video “challenges.” Most are just harmless, like a weird dance move or a prank you pull on your parents. One disturbing “food challenge” however, involves force-feeding dogs human foods on camera.
A rat named Magawa has been given an animal bravery award for sniffing out dozens of landmines in Cambodia. Magawa received a gold medal from the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), a veterinary charity in the United Kingdom, on Friday, making him the first rodent in the nonprofit's history to earn the distinction.
The Japanese macaques, more commonly known as snow monkeys, attract many tourists and Japan natives alike every year.
Where are these monkeys found?
These monkeys are found in Yamanouchi in the Nagano prefecture within the Jigokudani Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen-koen) in Joshinetsu Kogen National Park. They boast a large population of the monkeys, making it likely to spot them should you visit.
Due to the steep terrain and the steam coming up from the hot springs, giving the land an eerie look, the valley in which the park is located got the name Jigokudani or "Hell's Valley." Don't let the name fool you though! Although the environment may seem harsh, the land is also beautiful and serene, and especially in the colder seasons, becomes a snowy wonderland. Due to the cold, snowy environment, the monkeys love to bathe in the hotsprings, onsens, found there, and this becomes a popular sight for tourists to come see. There is something distinctly human about the way these monkeys take in and enjoy the warmth the rotenburo, outdoor onsens, offer them.
When is the best time to see them?
Although the monkeys are always close to the main park, in the warmer months, they are usually off doing their thing deep within the national park. In the winter, they are more likely to be a greater number of them closer to Jigokudanai Monkey Park, bathing in the hotsprings. The monkeys survive off of seeds, berries, bugs, and fruit within the national park, but are also fed by the park attendants, making the probability higher that the monkeys will stick around close to the hot springs year-round, as there is always guaranteed food!
Cherry Jenkins is a big believer in second chances. This conviction has led the Texas woman to devote her life to rescuing and retraining shelter dogs to become service animals for veterans struggling to cope with the effects of PTSD.
The San Antonio, Texas, woman founded In Dog We Trust in 2012 after learning that veterans often adopt shelter dogs to become service animals, only to surrender those pups after learning they don’t possess the temperament for training. “I met someone who said they had seen so many veterans bringing dogs back to the shelter because they were rescuing dogs, going to a trainer and then finding the dog wasn’t suitable,” Jenkins
CHICAGO (WGN) -- The Cook County State’s Attorneys Office charged Adam Hollingsworth, a 33-year-old Chicago man known as the “Dreadhead Cowboy,” with aggravated animal cruelty, a felony.
Adam Hollingsworth rode his 7-year-old horse, "NuNu," while livestreaming on Facebook for about 30 minutes Monday on the Dan Ryan Expressway, tying up traffic at 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon with a motorcycle escort, all in an effort to bring attention to the recent rash of young children being killed or injured by gun violence.
On September 22, 2020 Real Pet Food Company issued a voluntary recall of Billy+Margot Wild Kangaroo and Superfoods Recipe because of the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is a risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.
While researchers in several countries, including Australia, France, Germany the United States, are also studying canines as coronavirus detectors, the Finnish trial is among the largest so far
Finland has deployed coronavirus-sniffing dogs at the Nordic country’s main international airport in a four-month trial of an alternative testing method that could become a cost-friendly and quick way to identify infected travelers.
Four dogs of different breeds trained by Finland’s Smell Detection Association started working Wednesday at the Helsinki Airport as part of the government-financed trial.
Dogs “see” the world through their noses, and taste is closely tied into their sense of smell. Some veterinarians and animal behaviorists feel that this may be why pups eat items that are most certainly not food. Whether they swallow a dangerous substance out of curiosity, excitement or just by accident, seeking veterinary help quickly can make all the difference.
Here are some common materials pups have been known to eat that definitely warrant a visit to the vet.
Spoiler alert: you may never order grilled octopus again.
Myth: Felines and canines are colorblind
Although it was long believed that our furry companions had limited vision and only saw certain colors, it’s not the case. Cats and dogs have much better color eyesight than we thought. Both can see shades of blue and green. In fact, cats have way more light-sensing cells or rods in their eyes than humans do, and that’s why they can see better in low-light situations. Of course that doesn’t explain why they sometimes act that way they do.
The Almeda Fire swept through southern Oregon faster than many residents could react. Memories, homes and entire neighborhood blocks have been burned to the ground by the fast moving blaze.
Phoenix Animal Hospital owner Glen Winters remembers when he first heard the fire was moving through Ashland. He didn’t think there was anything to worry about at the time.
“I started receiving calls that there was a fire going on in the Ashland and Talent area, and we said eh it’s a couple of miles away, we should be fine,” Winters told KTVL. “As the day went on a little bit, we started getting more and more frantic phone calls and that it was getting closer and closer, and so early afternoon we decided to evacuate.”
A Democratic lawmaker wants the Pentagon to buy American when it comes to its Military Working Dog program.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut included an amendment in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act that would require the U.S. Air Force, which oversees the Pentagon's program, to conduct a business case study on what it would take to purchase dogs from U.S. breeders instead of European sources.
"I was surprised to learn from the Air Force that the vast majority of our working dogs are actually born and bred in Europe, which raises costs and puts us in competition with other countries," Blumenthal said in a statement to Military.com on Wednesday. Bloomberg News was first to report the story.
SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Oliver the rhinoceros, King Julien the lemur, Chilly Willy the penguin and their friends are urgently seeking sponsors for their bed and board in a Chilean zoo as visitors have dwindled to zero with the arrival of coronavirus.
Buin Zoo, on the outskirts of the capital Santiago, is ordinarily one of the city's top attractions but it is struggling to stay afloat in an extraordinary year.
Visitor numbers dropped off during widespread social protests over inequality that started in October with looting and arson attacks at their fringes. The coronavirus outbreak in March shut down the zoo, capping a "bleak" year, Ignacio Idalsoaga, the zoo's director, said in an interview.
Looking like a miniature version of the dragons in “Game of Thrones,” these armadillo lizards are quite the unique little design of nature. Similar to their name, they come with an outer layering that is armored like an armadillo. Just like the armadillo, whenever these lizards are under threat, they curl up into a ball to be protected by their built-in armor. These little armored lizards like to hang out in the crevices and nooks of rocks.
They are also natives of South Africa and have adapted many ways of shielding themselves from the area’s harsh climate and predators. As a result, they’ve become quite adept at hiding. These unique little animals are lovers of sunbathing like many other reptiles, but unlike most reptiles, armadillo lizards don’t lay eggs.
Like us, gorillas live in close-knit families. They care for their own, they snuggle each other at night, and they share about 98% of their DNA with humans. What’s even more endearing about these incredible creatures is what they do when they don’t realize they are being watched.
Some gorillas actually enjoy singing as they eat, a way of giving thanks for their food.
The soft and subtle humming was captured on video by a team from the BBC-PBS miniseries Spy in the Wild 2 who used a hidden robot to observe wild mountain gorillas sitting for one of many daily meals of plant fiber.
Thirty-three pets rescued from the devastation in Beirut, Lebanon are now in Arlington, awaiting adoption.
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington posted a video (below) of the Beirut blast rescues arriving at the airport and at the shelter near Shirlington. AWLA is now seeking new homes for the nearly three dozen dogs and cats.
More from an email sent to AWLA supporters on Thursday:
The Budweiser Clydesdales are an iconic symbol of American culture. It’s one of those things that you can always identify with, whether you like the Budweiser brand or not. The commercials that they put out are always classy, well put together, and are a reminder of what the term “American” really means.
It was created as a symbol of hope for the American people. This was only aired one time, during Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002, and it didn’t resurface again until 2008 when posted on YouTube.
The ad shows the Clydesdales passing the Statue of Liberty, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, and finally pausing and bowing in a park overlooking the New York City skyline, without the twin World Trade Center Towers, which were destroyed in a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.
Whether you have already seen it or not, watch it for yourself. Enjoy it, and remember what it means to be an American. It is truly an honor! We fight together, we live together, we stand together.
On September 11, 2011, Budweiser remastered and created a new commercial using the same creative as the original. This newly remastered ad had a new message: “We’ll Never Forget”.
“We feel our 9/11 Clydesdales tribute ad is very special,” Paul Chibe, VP-marketing at Anheuser-Busch, said in a statement. “We were proud to re-air the spot on Sunday, the 10th anniversary, as a way to help raise awareness of the fundraising campaign for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The subtle changes in the ad were intended to reflect the passing of time, and the most important point, that we should never forget those lost and affected by 9/11.”
In many parts of the world, due to cultural or economic prohibitions, bitches and dogs are not spayed or castrated unless they have reproductive tract disease. However, in the United States, virtually all bitches and dogs are rendered sterile by surgery at some point in their life. This better allows for reproduction control in animals no longer capable of or not considered desirable for breeding, and eliminates behaviors and physical changes related to presence of reproductive hormones that dog owners find objectionable. The surgeries most commonly performed are ovariohysterectomy (removal of the uterus and both ovaries), commonly called spaying, and castration (removal of both testes and the associated epididymes). Castration is commonly also called neutering, although that term most correctly can be used for surgery of either gender. Collectively, these surgeries can be referred to as gonadectomy, removal of the gonads or reproductive organs.
Removal of the ovaries eliminates secretion of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Removal of the testes eliminates secretion of the hormone testosterone. Elimination of these hormones obviously leads to decreases in behaviors and physical changes associated with their secretion, such as heat behavior, swelling of the vulva, and estrous bleeding in bitches, and mounting and roaming in dogs. However, reproductive hormones have effects on other tissues in the body and removal of those hormones may inadvertently impact those systems negatively. Other, less obvious, hormone changes also occur after gonadectomy, including persistent elevation in hormones that control the secretion of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Whether these other hormone changes affect other systems positively or negatively often is unclear. To read more on this story, click here:Determining the Best Age at Which to Spay or Neuter a Dog
We all talk about recycling and repurposing, but one young artist is walking the talk by transforming broken, discarded CDs and DVDs into gorgeous animal sculptures.Sean Avery is an art teacher in Western Australia who began experimenting with CD and DVD art while he was still at university. He has created dozens of the brightly colored, sparkling sculptures since then.
A certain tick species linked to bats was found for the first time in New Jersey -- posing possible health risks to people, pets and livestock, according to a Rutgers-led study.
The study, which appeared in the Journal of Medical Entomology, identifies the tick species, known as Carios kelleyi (or C.kelleyi), as a "soft" tick. According to Rutgers, deer ticks, carriers of Lyme disease, are an example of “hard” ticks.
WASHINGTON (ABC7) — A total of 42 animals, including 36 dogs and six rabbits, were rescued from a D.C. home Wednesday after an anonymous tip led to the discovery of alleged animal abuse, according to the Humane Rescue Alliance.
The critters were reportedly rescued from the 2900 block of Branch Avenue in Southeast D.C. by the HRA's Law Enforcement division.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says, that if you teach your dog to accept one, a muzzle can be an effective, humane tool for managing your dog’s behavior. For most situations, we recommend a basket muzzle. Although a dog wearing this kind of muzzle looks more frightening than a dog wearing a snug-fitting nylon muzzle, the basket style is safer because it allows the dog to pant (which is how dogs regulate their body temperature) and to drink water. The wire basket muzzles sold at www.morrco.com are sturdy and come in a wide range of sizes and shapes to fit any breed.
Dr. Peter Rork isn’t just using his pilot’s license as a hobby; he’s using it to save animals. Sparked by tragic loss and his passion for animals, an occasional trip to help transport rescue dogs and cats to no-kill shelters turned into a weekly venture that’s now saved thousands of animals.
Rork started the nonprofit Dog Is My CoPilot in 2012 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, after he safely packed 20 to 30 rescue dogs and cats in his single-engine plane — “like a game of Tetris,” he said. He transferred those animals from shelters where they were considered “code red,” or on the verge of being euthanized, to no-kill shelters.
Congratulations! You're made the most excellent decision to start raising koi fish of your own. Although it can be a little daunting at first to take on a new pet, you'll soon discover how easy it is to raise these hearty fish. Koi Story has put together this little guide to jump-start your knowledge on your fish pond/habitat, koi care and other general koi knowledge.
RAISING KOI FISH IN A POND
Koi are a hearty member of the carp fish family and can handle quite a bit if the conditions of your koi carp pond are right. Seasonal ponds should be at least a 1.5 deep (half a meter) while year-long ponds should be at least 4.5 feet (1.5 meters). Water should be kept between 60 and 75 degrees F (about 15-25 degrees C)
Beyond depth and temperature, your koi/carp/fish need a few important things in a pond habitat:
Civilian handlers of service dogs are continually faced with scrutiny and probes from the general public. Even when their working dogs are clearly labeled with a vest informing people to leave them alone, some people insist on distracting the dogs from their work. A team training in a mall recently had an encounter with a woman who wanted her children to be able to pet the service dogs. What part of “Do Not Pet” is so hard to comprehend?
Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is experiencing an unprecedented baby boom in its mountain gorilla population after seven infants were born so far this year, compared to two in the whole of 2019, according to officials.
Five of the baby gorillas were born in just six weeks from July 22 to August 31, Bashir Hangi, a spokesman for the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), told CNN Thursday.
Hangi said there was no clear reason as to why there had been a sudden spate of births, but ruled out any effect of coronavirus lockdown measures because gorillas have a gestation period of about nine months.
It is estimated that there are 11 million birds living as pets within the United States. Parrots are now thought to be the fourth most common household animal after dogs, cats, and fish. So do they make good pets? You may be surprised to learn that for many Americans the answer is no. Parrots can be amazing companion animals. They are highly trainable, they can be cuddly and affectionate, and if treated correctly they will form very strong bonds with their care takers. The flip side is that they are such social and intelligent animals that they demand a huge amount of attention and mental stimulation in order to thrive. Many people eventually find that they can’t give enough time and energy to
Lorikeet
their pets, especially in the long run when the joy of a new pet begins to ware thin. To make matters worse, many parrots can be aggressive, especially once they become sexually mature. A parrot bite is not a fun thing to endure. If you want to get a parrot of your own, there are several things you should consider before purchasing. Read through the 5 following questions and answer them honestly to your self to see if a parrot is the right fit for you. 1. Can I afford a parrot? If you get a small parrot the cost can be fairly cheep. A budgie Parakeet will only cost you about $20 in the US and a decent sized cage for the bird probably won’t cost over $50. Larger and less common parrots demand a higher price. You should expect to pay anywhere between $400 and $10,000 for a larger parrot and then you will need to spend about the same on a cage. Once you get the parrot you will need to spend more money on food, replacement toys, replacement perches, veterinary care and other continual costs. The price for the average small bird (parakeet or love bird) will cost between $315 – $500 a year to keep alive and well. A large parrot like a Macaw will cost about $650 – $1,275. Are you honestly willing to spend that kind of money on a pet? If not, I suggest you look for a different kind of pet. 2. Do I have time to take proper care of a parrot? The average parrot needs 2 – 6 hours of direct interaction outside the cage from you or one of your family members every day in order to maintain mental health. Remember that depending on the species, your parrot could live to be 80 years old or more. Can you consistently dedicate that kind of time to your parrot in the long run? When you go on vacation you will need to leave your parrot with someone who is also willing to give your bird all the special attention he needs. Even then, things may not work out.
Sun Conure
One alternative to one on one interaction is to build a large aviary and get several parrots that will interact with each other. Keep in mind that these birds may bond strictly to each other and can become aggressive to people unless they are constantly socialized to humans. Parrot that live together in groups can also become aggressive to one another. Make sure you know what you’re doing before creating a multi-parrot aviary. Parrots also need enrichment exercises to stimulate their minds. Tip – Make as many friends with other parrot owners as you can! This way you can take turns watching each other’s birds when needed and you can share tips on how to better care for your parrots. 3. Do I have the patience to be a parrot keeper? Parrots have all sorts of strange behaviors that can be very annoying. Sun Conures are great parrots, they are playful, loving, loyal, beautiful, and easy to train but they come with a voice so loud that the entire block knows when one gets upset. Sun Conures are so loud that they can easily get you evicted from your apartment and because of this they often end up in bird rescue shelters after their owners decide they just can’t stand the noise.
Quaker Parrot
Other species of parrot have different problems. The Quaker Parrot, for example, becomes extremely territorial of his cage during breeding season and the Lorikeets have a way of shooting their poop all the way across the room when relieving them selves after a meal. Parrots are wild animals and don’t naturally know how to behave appropriately around humans or inside of houses. You are the one the decided to take them from their natural habitats and place them in your home, it is your responsibility to put up with the problems that are bound to arise as a result of this decision. With careful training and loving patience, your bird can be taught many house manners and can become a wonderful member of your family but this takes time and lots of hard work. Are you truly up for it?
4. Can I handle getting bitten by my parrot? Even the nicest birds will have a moment where they feel threatened or mistreated and will decide to attack. Parrots tend to get most aggressive during breeding season (breeding season varies from species to species) and a parrot that used to be perfectly tame can suddenly seem to go crazy. This of course is true of virtually all pets but the signs of aggression are particularly hard to see with birds. An attack can seem to come out of nowhere from a bird who is usually very loving. As a result, people tend to develop phobias of their own parrots after just one incident. No matter how sweet and wonderful your bird may be, no matter how good of a bird owner you think you are, You will get bitten…and it will hurt! If you own a small parrot this may mean a simple little puncture wound. If you own a mid sized or large parrot, stitches (or worse) may be needed. At the Knoxville Zoo they have all sorts of dangerous animals in their bird show: hawks, owls, a vulture, a crane, and a giant African Ground-Hornbill but the one bird that has sent the most staff members to the hospital is their Scarlett Macaw – one of their only birds that can legally kept as a household pet. He bit one trainer on the mouth and tore her lip open so far that plastic surgery was needed in order to properly heal the wound. She was a pro bird handler working with an animal she saw every day. If it can happen to her under the best of circumstances, it can happen to anyone. Can you forgive a bird after receiving a bite like that and then be willing to continue working with and loving your parrot? If your answer is no then you really need to consider a different hobby. Parrot keeping is not for you. Once a parrot owner develops a fear for their own bird, the bird will be left inside his cage all the time and will suffer. This is not good for your bird or for you. Tip- The smaller the bird, the weaker the bite. If you have a low tolerance for pain, get a small parrot. There is no shame in this and there is an amazing selection of small parrots to choose from. You would be amazed to discover just how much personality, beauty, and charisma these small parrots really have. You don’t need to go out and buy the biggest macaw you can find. 5. Am I willing to study and learn about parrot keeping? Most of us have never had much contact with birds before. We know how to deal with cats and dogs but as soon as we get our hands on a bird we quickly realize we have no clue what we are doing. As a result you need to be willing to study and learn. There is a lot to learn and you are a busy person. Are you willing to make the sacrifice of time needed in order to learn about your birds needs? The Joy of Parrot Keeping For those of you who actually do have the money, time, patience, pain tolerance, and the desire to learn that is needed for the life long hobby of parrot keeping, the joy associated with the hobby is unlike anything else you have ever experienced. Your parrot will change your life and the way you view the world.
For us cat lovers, we love to try and figure out what it is that they are thinking. Our cats are not as hard to decode as we realize. Cohabitating with them and studying their body language can tell us so much about what’s going on inside that mind of theirs. We know that cats talk to us humans with their meows. And those tails? They tell us a lot, too. But did you know that your cat’s pupils tell you a lot about what they’re feeling, too? First, knowing the structure of your cat’s eye might help. Your cat’s eyes differ greatly from ours in the way that they respond to light. Compared to a human, a cat’s eyes are much larger in comparison to their size. And these large eyes? Well, it’s what allows them to see better as they can absorb more light. To read more on this story, click here:Your Cat’s Pupils Can Signal What They’re Feeling
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PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - Scorpions become more active in Arizona once the temperature rises above 70 degrees. So you'll see more scorpions from March through October in the Phoenix area. Outside your home, or inside the house, these creepy-crawly creatures can be found anywhere. Here are 8 terrifying and amazing facts about scorpions. Apologies in advance for any nightmares you might have. Ready? To read more on this story, click here: 8 Scorpion Facts To Make Your Skin Crawl
Lieutenant Dan for the win! Well-known actor and director Gary Sinise, has created a wonderful initiative that was meant to bring veteran canines to the forefront on Veteran’s Day, and honor them as well for their service. Sinise already runs an organization called the Gary Sinise Foundation which seeks to honor veterans, defenders, first responders, and all their families. In order to accomplish this, Sinise creates events, as well as shares plenty of information meant to educate and inspire others. To read more on this story, click here:Gary Sinise Creates New “Veterinarians for Valor” Initiative For Police And Military Dogs
Chestnut horses, or “red” horses vary in shade from almost honey gold, to orangey red, to copper, chocolate and almost black. The color is due to various forms and densities of the red pigment phaeomelanin. The darkest shades of chestnut are called liver chestnut. In some breeds, especially Western breeds such as the American Quarter Horse, the term sorrel is used for light chestnut horses (see the first photo of a sorrel miniature horse on the left). Sometimes I've even seen the term sorrel used interchangeably with chestnut, with people describing darker chestnut horses as sorrel. In some countries, such as the UK, many horsey people may not even have heard of the term sorrel in connection with horses. Some chestnut horses are so light that, if they also have a flaxen mane and tail, they may look palomino. Haflinger ponies, for example, are well known for being a beautiful light chestnut with light manes and tails. It is likely that sorrel is genetically distinct from chestnut, at least in some breeds. To read more on this story, click here:Chestnut Horses
Petting your cat is all head scratches and cuddles until their butt ends up in your face. Don’t worry cat parents, we’ve all been there. You’re reveling in your cat’s shifting spotlight and all of a sudden, BAM! You’re confronted with an unobstructed and up-close view of your cat’s backside. It’s not the most pleasant part of your day, and yet your cat seems perfectly pleased with the revealing situation. So what’s the deal? You can avert your eyes and hold your breath, but you also know it’s bound to happen again. Every time you get cuddly with your cat, there’s risk of that unwelcome exposure. But while you’d be more than happy to never see your cat’s butt in that much detail again, your cat has an entirely different train of thought. To read more on this story, click here:Why Do Cats Like To Put Their Butts In Your Face?
Sunshine Mills has issued a voluntary recall of three dog food products due to high levels of aflatoxin, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring mold by-product and can be harmful to pets if consumed in significant quantities. Family Pet Meaty Cuts beef chicken & cheese flavors premium dog food, Heartland Farms grilled favorites beef chicken & cheese flavor, and Paws Happy Life butcher’s choice dog food have been affected by the recall announced Wednesday. The products were distributed in retail stores nationwide. To read more on this story, click here:3 Types of Dog Foods Sold Nationwide Recalled Over High Levels of Mold Byproduct
Has your adopted pet changed your life? Share your story and help the Humane Rescue Alliance earn $100,000 this holiday season. The Petco Foundation, together with BOBS from Skechers, want to know all the ways, big and small, that your adopted pet has changed your life for the better. Winning stories will receive up to a $100,000 Holiday Wishes grant award for their adoption organization and winning adopters will receive a Petco shopping spree and BOBS from Skechers shoes.
The horses for the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby, which was moved to Saturday from May 2 and will have no spectators present because of the coronavirus pandemic, are listed in order of post position, with comments by Joe Drape and Melissa Hoppert of The New York Times. The morning-line odds were set by Mike Battaglia of Churchill Downs. Tiz the Law, runaway winner of the Belmont Stakes on June 20 and the Travers Stakes on Aug. 8, is the 3-5 morning-line favorite. He is the lowest-priced morning-line favorite since 1989, when the entry of Easy Goer and Awe Inspiring was also 3-5. King Guillermo was scratched Thursday with a fever. The two inside gates and one outside gate of a new 20-horse starting gate will remain open. The post positions remain unchanged. To read more on this story, click here:Expert Picks: Who Will Win the Kentucky Derby
For years, balloon releases have been used to celebrate events or honor the memory of someone lost. Schools release them during football games, they’re sent floating into the air at running events, and released by crowds of people at weddings, funerals, and memorials. And while those who organize and participate in balloon releases have the best of intentions, what they fail to consider is what happens when those balloons eventually land – and when they do the results are detrimental to wildlife and marine animals. The Long-Lasting Impact of Balloons Balloons negatively impact our environment by littering streams, lakes, and beaches. It’s basically the same as intentionally throwing trash on the ground or into the ocean. Even balloons marketed as biodegradable or “eco-friendly” can still take years to disintegrate, meaning they’re not any better for the environment than standard balloons. When balloons make their way into the water, their tattered ends and floating pieces can resemble jellyfish or other sea life consumed by marine animals such as sea turtles, fish, and dolphins. When the pieces of latex or Mylar are mistaken for food and ingested, they can get lodged in the digestive tract, inhibiting animal’s ability to eat and causing a slow and painful death by starvation. Wildlife can also fall victim to balloons and balloon strings when the pieces fall to the ground or onto trees and bushes. Birds have been found injured with ribbons wrapped around their beaks or wings, and have strangled themselves when they become entangled in strings attached to trees or power lines. And just like marine animals, they can succumb to a painful death after ingesting balloons. The negative impact on animals and the environment prompted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local chapters of the National Audubon Society to urge people to stop releasing balloons and instead find more humane alternatives that are safer for animals and our planet. Several states and cities in the U.S. and abroad have also passed laws regarding mass balloon releases after years of witnessing their detrimental effects. What You Can Do If you know of someone planning a balloon release, please urge them to consider one of these earth- and animal-friendly options instead. There are so many other symbolic acts that don’t involve the use of balloons. We’ve listed a few options for you below, and you can find more by visiting this website that offers not only fun alternatives but educational materials to help you spread awareness about the dangers of balloons and balloon releases. Bubbles Bubbles are not only fun but can create stunning photo ops. Watching hundreds of bubbles float up into the sky can be mesmerizing and just as symbolic as seeing a balloon float away, but without the resulting of litter and endangerment to wildlife and marine animals. Luminaries Luminaries are a beautiful way to honor and memorialize loved ones. Instead of writing messages on balloons and releasing them, you can write messages on recycled paper bags or reusable glass jars with candles placed inside to create a lighted path, or spell out a word or name. Each person can bring their bag or jar home afterward as a personal keepsake to remember the event. Plant a Tree Planting native trees and wildflowers is a beautiful way to create a memory that lasts for years to come – and give a little something back to nature. Another fun idea is to have people release milkweed seeds, which helps populations of monarch butterflies thrive by replenishing depleted supplies of the milkweed plant that is essential to their survival. Just remember: If you choose to plant trees or flowers somewhere other than your own yard, make sure you have prior permission if it’s a public park or nature area, as they often have restrictions about potentially invasive species of plants. Celebrations and commemorative events are meant to allow us to reflect on important times in our lives, there is no reason these should come at the expense of wild animals.
