Mink Coronavirus Infection in Denmark Sparks Plan to Put Down 15 Million Animals

BERLIN — Denmark, one of the largest fur producers in the world, plans to put down every mink in the country to contain a mutated strain of coronavirus that has infected workers in the industry and could threaten global efforts to find a vaccine.

The Danish government announced this week that it would expand plans for a more limited cull and put down around 15 million minks. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Wednesday it was a “heavy decision” but the situation required “resolute action.”

To read more on this story, click here: Mink Coronavirus Infection in Denmark Sparks Plan to Put Down 15 Million Animals

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Australian Army Soldiers Are Cuddling Bushfire-Injured Koalas On Their Days Off

Australian Army soldiers are becoming professional koala cuddlers in their downtime and it’s adorable

This season’s bushfires in Australia have produced countless heartbreaking stories and images, as the continent has been fighting the flames for weeks and losing millions of their native wild animals in the process. Koalas have been hit particularly hard with thousands dying and many being brought to wildlife rehab centers to recover from injuries sustained in the fires. The Australian Army is stepping in to help by using their days off to help snuggle the animals and it’s exactly as heartwarming as you’d think.

#OurPeople from 16th Regiment Emergency Support Force have used their rest periods to lend a helping hand at the Cleland Wildlife Park, supporting our furry friends during feeding time and by building climbing mounts inside the park,” reads a caption from a post on the Australian Army Facebook page.

To read more on this story, click here: Australian Army Soldiers Are Cuddling Bushfire-Injured Koalas On Their Days Off


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Do Not Buy from Puppy Mills – A Must Read!

I did not write this story, but as an animal lover, I feel that I must share it:

Hi...do you know me??? I am a purebred Yorkshire Terrier. Pardon my appearance, maybe you didn't recognize me. I've been so busy making babies and it's hard to stay pretty when you live in filth and never bathe. Maybe you know one of my children, there are hundreds of them out there in the world. I know not where. They were taken from me so young. I hope they have forgotten me, anyway, and this horrible place I can never leave, this tiny cage with its wire floor is my world, I have never left it, it all I know. Is there something else? I know this cage, I know loneliness, I know fear, I know pain, I know sickness, I know hunger, I know thirst...I know I make babies. That's all I know. Is there more? Why are you here? I only know humans mean hurt. What do you mean help? What is Kindness? What is love? What is there beside what I know? Will you show me? Will you not forget me here? I want to know what else there is beside this hell I live in. Help me please, I can not help myself. ♥

There is a bill in the US Congress that will help dogs in puppy mills all over the country, the PUPS Act. House-HR835, Senate-S707. So far 25% of representatives have signed on in support.

PLEASE SHARE!!! PUT AN END TO THIS INDUSTRY FOREVER! TOGETHER WE WILL BE HEARD! MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT LISTEN AND DO NOT STOP UNTIL PUPPY MILLS ARE OUTLAWED AND ANIMALS ARE PROTECTED! Be their voice and their guardian angel, end the suffering of these innocents, once and for all.

Please look at the video below:

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The Eyes of an Animal - How They Differ from Ours

Have you ever wondered about the eyes of an animal, and how they differ from ours? Not only in shape, size and color...but in vision.

I am not an expert by no means on animals eyes, but decided to do some research and share with my readers.

A couple of  questions that I was interested in were, "why do animals have luminous eyes at night and why do some animals' eyes shine red at night and some yellow?"

I found out:

The eyes of many animals, but not humans, contain a reflective layer called the "tapetum lucidum".  That helps the eye gather more light, which improves night vision.  You just see what's reflected back at you; the rest of the light is absorbed by the creature's eye.

But it's not a precision mirror, and it tends to give you less accurate vision during the day.  Humans go in for precision (which is why we can read) at the expense of hunting or seeing predators at night.

The tapetum lucidum is reflective, but it's not like a mirror.  It's more like some bird feathers and butterfly wings, where it uses ridges or dots of clear material to achieve a colored effect.  The distance between the ridges interacts with the frequency of light to give you different colors.  The colors you're not seeing are the ones that the animal are what the animal actually sees.

Another question I had was, What does the phrase "eye of the tiger mean?"

I found out:

In the wild, seeing the "eyes" of the tiger signifies death, because right before a tiger attacks, it turns its ears forward so that the spot on the back of each ear faces nearer its prey. The "eye spots" on the back of tigers' ears serve to confuse predators and reduce the risk of attack from behind. Hence, once someone sees these "eyes", the tiger is about to attack.

Did you know:

• Dogs and cats are color blind. They are said to be able to see only in pale shades of color.
• Snakes have 2 sets of eyes. One pair for day and one pair for night.
• Insects and bees use compound eyes made up of hundreds, even thousands of  tiny lenses placed together in a honeycomb pattern.
• Horses eyes point sideways to give them excellent peripheral vision.

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Shelter Workers Found a Neglected Pony Whose Hooves Hadn’t Been Trimmed in 10 Years

Shelter workers found this pony in a sad state of neglect, with hooves curled around his feet, making it nearly impossible to walk.

They were amazed that the pony could even walk off the trailer. When he arrived at a shelter in Belgium, his hooves were so long, they curled around themselves. It seemed this pony was saved just in time.

A healthy horse, or pony, has their hooves trimmed every few weeks. But this poor pony had been forgotten about, starved and unkempt, living in a makeshift shelter. When the pony was picked up, along with another horse, they stood on a mound of manure nearly two feet high.

The owner finally handed over the pony and horse to the authorities and they were brought to Animaux en Péril, a local sanctuary in Belgium. Rescuers couldn’t believe a pony could survive like this. Not only were his hooves in such bad shape but he was 200 pounds underweight. A healthy Shetland Pony should weigh 450 pounds, he only weighed 154 pounds.

Both Poly and his mate, now named Everest, underwent extensive grooming. They were both shampooed and sheared to rid them of lice and dirt, their hooves were trimmed, then they were wrapped in blankets to keep them warm.

Both Poly and Everest have a long way to go– but each day they are with people who love and care for them, their futures are looking so much brighter.

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An Animal Rights Group is Suing to Get a Chimpanzee Out of an Amusement Park Where She is Given Cigarettes

An animal rights group is suing to get a chimpanzee named Candy out of an amusement park where, it says, she smokes cigarettes and is given soft drinks instead of water.

Candy is isolated in an inadequate cage at the Baton Rouge park, and should be moved to a sanctuary, according to the federal suit filed in Baton Rouge on Tuesday by the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

"Defendants have for decades allowed members of the general public to throw items into Candy's cage, including lit cigarettes that Candy smokes. Just as with humans, cigarette smoking is very harmful for chimpanzees," and letting her smoke violates the Endangered Species Act, the suit states.

The lawsuit is the first filed under a new federal rule that requires captive chimps get the same protection as wild chimps, said Carter Dillard, the group's attorney. That rule, which was made public in June and took effect Sept. 14, changes captive chimps' classification from threatened to endangered, the same classification as wild chimpanzees.

Jennifer Treadway-Morris, attorney for park owner Sam Haynes, said she had not had time to read the lawsuit. However, she said, government agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cannot make rules retroactive.

She also cited a letter from a veterinarian stating that an attempt to retire Candy to the Baton Rouge Zoo failed.

"She was returned because she couldn't adjust and couldn't assimilate," Treadway-Morris said. "It seems that if they want her to have company, she doesn't want it."

The animal rights group said it went to court for Cathy Breaux, 62, and Holly Reynolds, 96, who have campaigned for decades to get Candy moved from the Dixie Landin' park and its predecessor.

"Cathy and Holly remain upset, distressed and concerned that Candy is isolated throughout the day, deprived of companionship with other chimpanzees, and insufficiently stimulated in her empty cage," the lawsuit states.

It said the women have seen visitors throw lit cigarettes into Candy's cage for the chimp to smoke.

City animal control officials cited the park in 2012 for not providing water for Candy, according to the suit.

"Defendants provide Candy exclusively with Coca-Cola instead, claiming that Candy does not like water. However, Candy has readily accepted and drunk water offered to her by visiting experts. Water, not Coca-Cola, is an essential requirement for chimpanzees," according to the suit.

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Bear Runs Loose in New Jersey Neighborhood

What a wild morning one New Jersey neighborhood had. Witnesses say the bear was running up and down the street around 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning.

He was finally captured by animal control and by several cell phones.

13 year old Paige Delaney took a cell phone video from inside her home in Ridgewood New Jersey “It was kind of scary” she said.

Ridgewood Police caught the bear in a front yard a few hours later. They tranquilized him with several darts.

The bear was estimated to be 2 years old and 175 lbs.

He didn't cause any damage but did cause quite a stir in a normally quiet neighborhood.

The bear was not hurt and will be re-released.


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People With Disabilities from the Misercordia Heart of Mercy House, Are Invited to Watch as Staff At the Brookfield Zoo Give a 450 Pound Lion a Check Up

Brookfield, IL - In a small but state-of-the-art medical room at Brookfield Zoo, this 450-pound lion is about as dangerous as a sleeping house cat. Doctors put Zenda under to give him a good once-over and give people a chance to learn about the animal and conservation.

“We look at everything,” said Dr. Michael Adkesson with the Brookfield Zoo. “So we look at him from head to toe on a physical exam, we draw blood for various testing, to look at his organ function. We do a full set of X-rays on him, ultrasound, really everything we can do we take care of him while we got him here.

In addition to making sure the 8-year-old is in good physical shape, the Brookfield Zoo invited a few people over from the Misercordia Heart of Mercy House. It’s a facility that helps people with mental and physical disabilities, and on this day, they are learning about the lion and conservation.

Before they got comfortable shaking hands with the sleeping giant, they admit they were more than just a little nervous.

But within minutes and a few reassuring words from the zoo’s staff, their fear quickly transformed into just plain fun.

“For us to able to share that and showcase the care we provide the animals, as well as the conservation messages behind that, with some really amazing people today, a very neat opportunity,” Adkesson said.

While they may not remember everything they learned about the lion this day, you can bet no one will forget the time they got to try and make the “king of the jungle” purr.

The Brookfield Zoo medical staff says they put Zenda and the other lion under every two years for their checkup and they say he’s in really great shape.

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A Man Rescued and Raised a Lion Cub in a Wildlife Park: Each Time They Meet the Lion Holds Him in an Affectionate Embrace

Valentin Gruener, rescued a young lion cub In 2012.  He raised him at a wildlife park in Botswana. Little did he know that this would be the start of an extraordinary relationship. Now an astonishing scene is repeated each time they meet - the young lion leaps on Gruener, and holds him in an affectionate embrace.

The lion cub, Sirga, was rescued from a holding pen established by a farmer, who was tired of shooting animals that preyed on his cattle.

"The lions had already killed two of the three cubs inside the cage. And the mother abandoned the remaining cub. She was very tiny, maybe about 10 days old," said Gruener.

The farmer, Willy de Graaf, asked Gruener to try to save her.  He agreed and took her to a wildlife park, financed by de Graaf and became her adoptive mother, "feeding her and taking care of her".

"You have this tiny cute animal sitting there and it's already quite feisty," he says. "It will become about 10 times that size and you will have to deal with it."

She's much bigger now, and when Gruener opens her cage, she still rushes to greet him,- ecstatically throwing her paws around his neck.

"This happens every time I open the door. It is an amazing, and happens every time we meet.  It's such a passionate thing for this animal to jump and give me a hug," says Gruener.

"But I guess it makes sense. At the moment she has no other lions with her in the cage and I guess for her I'm like her species. So I'm the only friend she's got. Lions are social cats so she's always happy to see me."

They spend their time hanging out in the Botswana bush, doing the kind of things that cats enjoy, such as lying around under trees, play-fighting, and hunting.

"I don't believe we have to teach the lion to hunt. They have this instinct like a domestic cat or even a dog that will try to hunt. Any cat will catch a bird or a mouse. The lion will catch an antelope when it gets big enough," said Gruener.

"I'm definitely giving her that opportunity to hunt, about three times a week at the moment. Each walk takes five hours - sometimes up to nine. We sort of hunt together and I'm helping to show her how to kill something rather than catch it."

After Sirga's first kill, Gruener wasn't sure if it would still be safe for him to get close to the lion. But "she let me come in", he says.

"It's a bit cruel because she will catch an antelope and hold it down, and when it gets tired she could simply go and bite it in the throat and kill it. But because it's so exciting she's like a cat that keeps on playing with the mouse.

"It's not so lovely to watch when a lion has an antelope in front of her and she's having fun playing with this antelope."

Willy de Graaf has given Gruener two miles or land to create a "miniature park" where Sirga can roam freely, but she will not be released into the wild. Not because she could not survive, Gruener says, but because she has lost her fear of humans.

Under those circumstances she is likely to get too close to humans, and if there is an accident she will end up getting shot. "And that's not really the whole point of raising a lion," said Gruener.

In the park Sirga can live like a wild lion, but remain safe, he says. "That's the plan for her future."

And what of his own future? Gruener has put aside work on a PhD while he has been raising Sirga, and has hardly ever left her alone.

"If she gets into a bigger enclosure with gets more space, then maybe I can get another lion to give her companionship. Then I would be able to leave her for longer periods of time, and I can finish my studies.

"But as long as she needs me, and as long as I feel I want to be there, she I will be my priority.

"I doubt anything will change much between me and her."

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Five Things To Do If You Witness Animal Abuse

I assume that most Whole Dog Journal readers are as upset as I am when I see someone treating a dog badly. What should you do when you see someone being rough with their dog? Hard as it may be, I urge you to be calm and take several deep breaths before you act. Then . . .

To read more on this story, click here: Five Things To Do If You Witness Animal Abuse
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Cute Alert! Clingy Pandas Don't Want to Take Their Medicine

How do pandas take medicine? Apparently with a great deal of effort from the zookeeper. Not only because they refuse to open their mouth, but also because it’s hard to be heavy handed in the face of such adorableness.

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in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

on Twitter @thepettreehouse

Visit my blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

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Recognize This Holder? Learn The Damage It Can Do To Animals

These plastic can holders kill thousands of animals each year. Thrown away by careless people, these can strangle many wildlife and bird species.

The plastic gets caught around necks, abdomens, legs and wings and as they are plastic do not biodegrade. Many young animals are small enough to get caught in them and as they grow the plastic cuts into their skin leading to infections and a very slow, painful death. If you find any of these please cut them open before safely disposing of them to prevent any animals suffering a horrific death.

Please don’t drop litter – a lot of animals get injured by getting caught up inside pack plastic holders. Animals are naturally inquisitive creatures, but once they go into a small space, their spines prevent them from reversing out, so they need humans to cut them free. In some cases infection can set in and cause the animal severe suffering – in many cases, wildlife carers are left with little choice but to have the animal put to sleep.

(To subscribe to The Pet Tree House, click on this icon
in the black drop-down menu on your right. Thank you.)

on Twitter @thepettreehouse

Visit my new blog! The News Whisperer, An informative blog of what's going on in your world today!
 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

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