Most people are afraid of snakes. In fact, researchers have found it to be one of the most common phobias, with up to one-third of human beings classed as ophidiophobic. But others, presumably including the victim Laura Hurst, love the animals and keep dozens in small glass tanks throughout their houses with only a small plastic rock and heat lamp to mimic — poorly — the conditions snakes would experience in the wild.
To read more on this story, click here: Stop Keeping Snakes As Pets
The proud owners of Spike, Inca, Sammy, Suna, Nutmeg, Chanel, Spencer, Theodore, Alvin, Simon, Frosty, Zipper, Napoleon and Da Vinci, Don and Brenda say the famously stinky animals are more affectionate than even cats.
The couple, from Hudson, Florida, have owned skunks since 2006 and have begun taking in unwanted ones too working in conjunction with Florida Skunk Rescue.
As Florida is one of only two states in the USA where skunks can be legally kept as pets, a large number of them are unfortunately left by the roadside or simply dumped.
To read more on this story, click here: Meet the Florida Couple Kicking Up a Stink with 14 Pet Skunks Under the Same Roof
What Is Heatstroke?
Heatstroke is a condition that occurs when the body temperature has become dangerously high. A cat's normal body temperature range is between 99.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. An internal body temperature over 102.5 is considered abnormal. If the elevation in body temperature is caused by a hot environment, heat exhaustion may develop and heatstroke is likely to follow.
To read more on this story, click here: Heatstroke in Cats
How do I know if my pet has heat stroke?
Dogs suffering from heatstroke can have elevated breathing rates, dry or sticky gums, abnormal gum color, bruising in the gums, may appear lethargic or disoriented, and can have seizures.
To read more on this story, click here: Heat Stroke in Dogs
The inspiration for Terraform came from a simple realization. “I was surfing through some images I'd shot on a totally different project and had the observation that some rock formations in the Swiss Alps looked like the skin of an elephant,” Dykgraaf tells My Modern Met. “That became the first piece in the project, Ourea.” The artist adds, “I then started applying that idea to other forms—noticing that some leaves resemble the feathers of a bird for example, or that magnolia flower petals look like scales.”
To read more on this story, click here: Artist Recreates Portraits of Animals From Flower Petals and Leaves
At this moment, we are dealing with some dogs that are victims of a different sort. They are the pets of people whose lives have been snuffed out or horribly altered by violence. A drive by shooting, a murder/suicide, a domestic altercation resulting in serious injury; all leaving innocent pets homeless in their wake. It’s rather scary. It feels as though we are a facility located in some big city where these things occur with deeply disturbing regularity.
To read more on this story, click here: When Humans Are Victims of Violence, Their Animals Become Victims Too
If you’re going to have Pisco and Chewy over for a socially-distant gathering, you’d do well to make it a pool party: The baby alpacas appreciate a cool place to take a dip.
“They absolutely love water,” their owner, Andrea Diaz tells DCist in between transporting her pets to homes around Washington. “As soon as they see a pool, they immediately go in. It’s like a reflex by now.”
Diaz grew up in Peru, where alpacas are treasured animals commonly adopted as pets. They’re gentle and curious, she says, and love to socialize. “My mom thought it would be hilarious to bring a bunch of llamas and alpacas to our backyard, and they were so cute,” Diaz recalls. “The babies started coming inside the house just like our dogs. And they started behaving a little bit like them. They were super sharp, and they loved people, so that’s when we understood they could be treated as pets.”
She moved to the U.S. about six years ago and decided to carry on her mom’s tradition and keep alpacas as pets. Pisco, who’s white, and Chewy, who’s brown, are both a year old. (Chewy is short for a more regal title: Chewpacca the Alpaca.) They’re about as tall as Great Danes, but much leaner; alpacas are notedly smaller than llamas. Pisco weighs 55 pounds; Chewy, 45.
Prior to the pandemic, Diaz — who’s a bartender at Inca Social, a Peruvian restaurant in Vienna — says she often took her pets to work to mingle with guests on the patio. The frequent socialization helped them become remarkably friendly animals, good with admirers of all ages. When quarantine began, Diaz realize that perhaps Chewy and Pisco could brighten other people’s days — particularly children who were struggling to understand why the world changed overnight. She thought it would be fun to join birthday parades, but knew that the alpacas’ soft feet would make walking long distances difficult. So she decided to put her idea on wheels.
Since then, Diaz has been working in overdrive to keep up with demand for alpaca visits. She bought a van and uses it to transport Pisco and Chewy around town; they eagerly load in every day. “When I take them out in the morning, the first thing I do is brush them. And I really have to stop them from trying to jump straight into the van,” she says.
She conducts visits wherever customers in the Washington region prefer: inside or outside their homes, or at public spots like parks. While D.C. residents aren’t permitted to keep alpacas as pets, Diaz has permits to bring them in for visits: “Anywhere that they allow dogs, we can be,” Diaz says, so long as there’s shade and access to water.
Prospective hosts should know that Pisco always looks mad; it’s nothing personal. His family refers to him as the grumpy baby — in jest, of course. He can’t help the way his fur grows around his eyes. Goofy facial expressions aside, Pisco is “very interested in everything, and very social.” He’s big on saying hello to those in his vicinity and is always hyper-aware of his surroundings.
Chewy, meanwhile, tends to look scared. He’s not — again, blame the eyebrows — but he is rather oblivious. “He’s a special boy, lost in his own world at all times,” Diaz says. “He pretty much munches on grass and doesn’t realize anything is going on around him.”
Both alpacas are incredibly soft — even more so than cashmere, as their owner puts it. They’re sporting mohawks this summer, a way to keep cool that still allows for a fuzzy strip of fur to run your hands through. Chewy and Pisco both enjoy back scratches.
During visits, many customers set up small inflatable pools. Diaz also travels with a portable pet pool, just in case. The alpacas like to lay down in the water. When they tire of splashing, expect the guests of honor to amble about, snacking on clover and yellow dandelions. They also like to sniff their hosts’ hands, eager to nose out any treats that might be tucked away in the humans’ palms.
Back at home, Chewy and Pisco live inside with Diaz and her husband, with constant access to the outdoors. They have their own room and unlimited food and water, and they spend much of the day munching and napping. They’ve rejected the dog beds Diaz provided, and don’t care for “cushiony stuff” like couches or beds, preferring to snooze on the carpeted floor. They’re house-trained and generally delightful roommates.
And that’s what Diaz hopes to continue demonstrating, even post-pandemic: She wants to spread alpaca joy throughout the region, and introduce people to her lovable, charming pets.
“Sometimes we go to houses and there are kids with special needs,” she says. “Sometimes the kids are terrified and won’t touch the babies at the beginning, or they might cry. And in just an hour, by the last 15 minutes the kids are hanging from their legs and not wanting to let go. To see that change, it’s pretty awesome.”
Chick HERE, to visit the website
Todays Event:
A female neighbor, who told the outlet she wishes to remain anonymous, spotted Taylor at 8 a.m. — and was shocked to see the pit bull seemingly guarding the young boy until he got home safely.
To read more on this story, click here: Missing Boy Found Wandering St. Louis Streets With Protective Stray Pit Bull by His Side
But those creatures are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unusual animals that are legal to privately own in the US.
The laws regarding exotic pet ownership vary by state. Animal rights advocates advise against keeping most wild animals in captivity, but that hasn't stopped exotic pet lovers from legally owning everything from ferrets and foxes to more dangerous beasts like alligators, bears, and tigers.
To read more on this story, click here: 14 Animals That Are Surprisingly Legal To Own As Pets In The US
Cataracts are sometimes viewed as a condition that only affects the eyes of seniors, but this is not the case with cats. In fact, age is generally not the main factor when cats develop them, and it’s more rare for cataracts to appear in cats than in dogs.
You should always take your cat to the vet if you notice abnormalities when it comes to their eyes. Here’s what you should know about cataracts in cats.
To read more on this story, click here: Cataracts In Cats: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatments
