Can Raccoons Be Pets?

With adorable little hands and inquisitive expressions, pet raccoons have become trendy. Pumpkin, the most famous trash panda, has 1.5 million followers on Instagram. Through sunny filters, fans get a glimpse of Pumpkin’s high-class lifestyle — lounging poolside, massaging his dog companions and savoring tasty bowls of edamame.

These dumpster divers are smarter than dogs, and their antics can be endlessly entertaining, but like all Instagram celebrities, looks can be deceiving.

To read more on this story, click here:  Can Raccoons Be Pets?

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What To Know About Cat Vaccinations

Cats don’t actually have nine lives, so you need to do what you can to protect them. The key? The right vaccinations. Shots protect your cat from diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. They can also strengthen their immune system.

Whether you have a kitten or an adult cat, your vet can help you figure out which vaccines are best and how often your kitty should get shots. It usually depends on their age, overall health, and lifestyle. The vet will also think about how long vaccines are supposed to last and how likely your cat might be to come into contact with a certain disease. Also, many local and state governments have laws about vaccines like rabies.

To read more on this story, click here: What To Know About Cat Vaccinations

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Woman Found What She Thought was a Stray Dog, and Called Animal Control - Turns Out it was a Coyote - It had to be Euthanized Because it Showed Signs of Rabies

Fort Worth, Texas - A woman recently found that what she thought was a dog turned out to be a coyote.

Cheyenne Harboe says she just wanted to do a good thing for a dog in need. But when it comes to wild animals in large cities, cute can quickly turn to dangerous.

"I thought it was a puppy at first,” said Harboe. “Then I got closer, and he was really skinny, and I thought he was probably sick.”

Harboe says when she saw the baby animal on her way into work, right behind a Posados Café in north Fort Worth, she wanted to help.

“When i got up to it, like I could tell, ‘I don't think this is a dog, or if it is, it's a really, really skinny dog,’” said Harboe.

With the animal wrapped in a blanket, Harboe named him Taco and took him to Summerfields Animal Hospital.

There, it was confirmed that Taco was, in fact, a coyote.

“The fact that he just even let me come close to him, I knew that something was probably wrong with him,” said Harboe.

Again, her suspicions were confirmed.

Dr. Karen Metzler, who works at Summerfields, saw several signs of rabies in the little coyote pup.

Woman Found What She Thought Was a Stray Dog, Called Animal Control - Turned Out it was a Baby Coyote - It Had to be Euthanized Because it Showed Signs of Rabies

Ft. Worth, Texas - "The lack of fear in this puppy sets off alarm bells for the potential for rabies,” said Metzler.

That revelation means the coyote is a danger to anyone it's exposed to.

"The potential for rabies exposure is present in wildlife, and coyotes are known to be a high reservoir host for rabies,” said Metzler.

Animal control was called, and the little guy was taken away. It’s not exactly the ending that Harboe had envisioned.

"I kind of regretted like trying to help him out ‘cause of the whole animal control thing,” she said.

State law says coyotes are a high risk animal for rabies.

The only way to test for rabies is to sample the brain tissue, so the coyote was euthanized and will be tested.

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Dog Health: Diseases, Symptoms and Treatments

Like human health problems, some dog diseases, injuries and physical ailments are serious while others are not. Fortunately, the vast majority of health problems that dogs commonly experience can be successfully treated with medications, physical therapy, surgery, or other types of medical treatments.

Unfortunately, since animals can’t talk, it’s often very difficult to detect what type health problems dogs may be experiencing. We have, however, compiled the following list of common healthcare problems to help you detect and better understand possible problems that could affect your dog’s health and overall wellness.

If your dog is showing any of the symptoms that we have described for the various diseases and physical abnormalities listed below, it’s very important that you take your dog to see its vet at the earliest possible time. Early treatment will not only greatly improve your dog’s chances for a quick and complete recovery, but it could very well save your dog’s life.

To read more on this story, click here: Dog Health: Diseases, Symptoms and Treatments


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How Rabies Can Affect Your Dog

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) , states that rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.

The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.

Rabies is one of the most well known of all the viruses. Fortunately, through active vaccination and eradication programs, there were only 3 reported cases of human rabies in the United States in 2006, although 45,000 people were exposed and required post-exposure vaccination and antibody injections.

Bats are the most common animals responsible for the transmission of human rabies in the United States. Rabid bats have been reported in all states except Hawaii.

There are two forms of rabies: paralytic and furious. In the early symptom (prodomal) stage of rabies infection, the dog will show only mild signs of central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities. This stage will last from one to three days. Most dogs will then progress to either the furious stage, the paralytic stage, or a combination of the two, while others succumb to the infection without displaying any major symptoms.

There is no cure or effective treatment for rabies. Animals with obvious and advanced signs of rabies must be euthanized. Next to vaccination, minimizing exposure is the best way to prevent rabies. Do not allow your dog to roam out of your sight, especially in wooded areas where wild animal encounters are more common. Keep your dog on a leash, and avoid interactions with unknown animals. If your dog does get an animal bite, see your vet right away.

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Feline Disease and Medical Conditions

No one likes to think about their cat getting sick or contracting a disease, but unfortunately there are many diseases your cat could contract. It is important for you to be informed, understand what signs and symptoms to look for, and most importantly how you can prevent your cat from contracting certain avoidable diseases.

We’ve compiled information regarding some of the most common feline diseases. You can learn about prevention, signs and symptoms, how your cat could contract this disease, and treatment options.

To read more on this story, click here: Feline Disease and Medical Conditions


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A Woman Found a Baby Raccoon and Took it Into Her Home: 21 People Were Exposed to Rabies

Fort Collins, Colorado  — A baby raccoon that tested positive for rabies in Weld County, Colorado came into contact with 21 people before being tested.

A woman found the raccoon on her property and took it into her home after it was abandoned by its mother, according to a news release.

The raccoon was frequently held and would climb and lick the exposed individuals, Weld County health communications supervisor Rachel Freeman said.

Everyone who was exposed has already begun post-exposure treatment, the release stated.

“It is very important that people not touch or go near wild animals," Mark Wallace, Weld County health department executive director, said.

How to prevent being exposed to rabies:

• Don't touch, feed or handle wild animals and be cautious around stray dogs and cats.

• Leave orphaned animals alone. Baby animals often appear to be orphaned when they are not. The parent animal may not return if people are too close.

• If you find a wild animal that appears to be sick, injured, or orphaned, contact your local animal control or a local veterinary clinic.

• Do not feed, touch or handle wild animals and be cautious of stray dogs and cats.

• Have dogs, cats, horses and livestock vaccinated regularly by a licensed veterinarian.

• Keep food inside. Feed pets inside and do not feed wild animals.

• Spay or neuter your pets to reduce the number of stray animals.

If you think you have been exposed to rabies, contact your doctor immediately. Rabies is almost always fatal if left untreated, but medicine is available if treatment is started before symptoms appear, according to a news release.

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Raccoon Diseases Transmitted To Humans Or Dogs

What Diseases Can Raccoons Transmit To Pets And Humans - With their inquisitive nature and their clever and innovative ways of getting to food, along with their adorable features, there is no doubt that raccoons can be very cute and in some areas have become quite friendly where they are regularly fed by humans. Unfortunately, this contact between humans and raccoons can lead to several diseases being transmitted. It is also worth noting that there are several diseases that can also be transmitted to domestic pets such as cats and dogs by raccoons, which does mean that raccoons are not the best neighbors when they live side by side with people and their pets.

Rabies

One of the most important things to be aware of when getting close to a raccoon is that around a third of the documented cases of animals carrying rabies in the United States every year are raccoons. Signs that a raccoon may have rabies can include unusually aggressive behavior, frothing at the mouth and stumbling as though they are injured or disorientated. It is vital to stay away from animals displaying these symptoms, as rabies is transmitted by a bite or scratch, and can have significant consequences for people and domestic pets. 

If you or a pet is bitten or scratched by a raccoon, then it is important to speak to your physician or to your local vet to take a test to see if rabies has been contracted. Because of the widespread awareness of the threat of rabies, and prompt responses by those attacked by rabid raccoons, there is only one known case of a human fatality caused by the transmission of rabies from a raccoon to a person. 

To read more on this story, click here; Raccoon Diseases Transmitted To Humans Or Dogs

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Rabies in Cats

What are Rabies? Rabies is a viral infection of the central and peripheral nervous system in a feline. Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is found worldwide among carnivores and other mammals. This fatal disease is passed through the saliva of an infected animal with initial signs of a disturbance in the central nervous system. 

An infected feline will go through three symptomatic phases as the disease surges through the body. The feline will go from displaying a shy behavior to aggressive within ten days, dying after day ten from the initial sign of infection. Almost all infected animals die after being infected with the rabies virus, but a feline could survive if the pet owner takes the cat to seek veterinary consultation before the virus reaches the nervous system. Rabies is a viral disease that mainly affects carnivores, but can affect all mammals, including people. The rabies virus is actively spread through the saliva of an infected pet, transmittable through bites or scratches. In the United States, wildlife including; raccoons, skunk, fox, and bats are common vectors of the disease. However, stray dogs and cats are also carriers of the disease, as confrontation with wildlife is the norm. Rabies symptoms can appear as early as ten days after the feline was bitten and as late as a year. The virus affects the brain and nervous system, with initial signs of change in behavior. Rabies is a fatal, incurable disease that can easily infect humans if the proper precautions are not taken.   

Symptoms of Rabies in Cats Rabies attacks the brain, resulting in rather distinctive behavioral changes. From the initial sign of a rabies infection, your feline will go through a prodromal stage, a furious rabies or “mad-dog” stage, and finally a paralytic stage. Each of the three stages is characterized by different symptoms, as the virus slowly makes its way to the brain and turns the housecat into a vicious feline.  

To read more on this story, click here: Rabies in Cats


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Fairfax County, Virginia - A Raccoon that Was Discovered Inside a Fairfax County Home Has Tested Positive for Rabies

A raccoon that was discovered inside a Fairfax County, Virginia, home has tested positive for rabies, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

A release from the public affairs bureau said the victim, a man from Clifton, Virginia, was notified and is receiving medical treatment. The raccoon was one of three reports of wild animals coming in contact with humans in the county this week.

The Clifton man found the raccoon in his home around 11 a.m. on March 3. Police said he fought off the animal and was bitten during the struggle. The man was able to kill the raccoon and transport it to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.

Earlier in the week, a woman was running on a trail in Great Falls, Virginia, on Wednesday, March 2, around 8 a.m. A fox attacked and bit the woman. She underwent preventative treatment for potential exposure to rabies at the Reston Hospital Center.

On that same day, another woman was checking on her chickens around 9 a.m. in the 9100 block of Potomac Woods Lanes, near Riverbend Park. She confronted and was bitten by a fox. She also sought treatment at the Reston Hospital Center.

The fox has not been captured.

Animal Control would like to remind residents that it is unknown, at present, whether or not the fox is rabid. However, aggressive tendencies, such as those exhibited in these cases, are one of the signs of rabies.

Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that can infect both people and animals. People usually get rabies when they are bitten by an animal that is sick with the disease.

If bitten or scratched by an animal, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention right away. In Fairfax County, residents should also immediately report animal bites, as well as sick or injured animals, to Animal Control Services at 703-691-2131, TTY 703-877-3715.

More information on the rabies virus, exposure prevention tips, and what to do if an animal bites, is available: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/rabies/

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Fairfax County, Virginia: Animal Control Warning Residents About a Possibly Rabid Fox That Bit a Woman

McLean, Virginia - Animal control officers in Fairfax County are warning residents about a possibly rabid fox that bit a woman Tuesday afternoon in McLean.

According to police, the fox bit and scratched the woman outside her home in the 1400 block of Laburnum Street. Animal control officers could not find the fox when they responded to the woman's home.

The fox is described as a red fox with bloody paws and nose. Police say the fox was last seen on Copely Lane.

Animal control is asking anyone that sees the fox (or any animals with symptoms that could indicate rabies) to call animal control at 703-691-2131.

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Why Bringing Home a Feral Cat May Not Be a Good Idea

Every winter we see articles reminding us to bring our pets in from the cold and to make sure that outdoor animals are given the care needed to survive the elements. If you have feral cats in your neighborhood, you may even be tempted to take one home with you. While this instinct may come from a good place, doing so might not be the best thing for these wild cats.

Since many people who care for cats keep them pampered indoors, it is hard to see these furry friends living outdoors. But in fact, feral cats are often just as safe and healthy as our own house cats. It’s been shown that feral cats have equally low rates of disease as indoor cats. The lean physique of some feral cats sometimes leads people to believe that they are starving or ill, but studies find that feral cats have healthy body weights and fat distribution. After all, keep in mind that outdoor cats tend to live much more active lives than the house cats who sleep at the side of our beds.

You might be asking, but wouldn’t all cats prefer to live in an apartment and sleep next to you at night? In the case of feral cats, the answer is no. The fact is, cats that have spent their lives in the wild rarely enjoy the confines of your walls. The ASPCA currently estimates that there about 20 million free-roaming cats in this country. That figure includes a mix of truly feral cats, semi-socialized cats, and lost or abandoned cats. These cats can adapt and thrive outdoors, but when temperatures drop below freezing, there are some things that you can do to help them stay warm – without bringing them inside.

How Can You Help Feral Cats?

Volunteer

One of the best ways to help cats is volunteer with a rescue organization that helps manage feral cat colonies. Colonies are groups of cats that live in the same area and form a sort of family bond. Some volunteer groups work to provide shelter and food for colonies to help them get by. Although feral cats are usually very wary of  people, they can come to trust volunteers – or at least, trust them enough to happily accept much-needed supplies.

Make a Shelter

You can even build a feral cat shelter yourself by constructing insulated shelter boxes to help to keep them warm and dry even on the coldest and snowiest days. The video tutorial below will walk you through the necessary steps. Smaller shelters work best, as they help to recirculate cats’ own body heat. Also, be sure that cats don’t become snowed into their shelters by keeping doorways free of blowing snow and drifts.

Trap-Neuter-Release

Another way to help your community cats is to participate in Trap-Neuter-Release, or TNR, programs during the warmer months. This will help keep their populations under control in the winter. Experts debate whether TNR should be done in the winter since it requires a portion of a cat’s winter coat to be shaved and the trapping process may expose the cats to the winter elements. If TNR is attempted in the winter months, be sure that adequate shelter is provided through each step of the trapping and recovery processes.

What to Know if You Do Bring an Outdoor Cat Home

Since there are literally millions of homeless cats on the street, it can be difficult to be sure which ones are truly feral, and which ones are abandoned house cats. If you do decide to bring an outdoor cat into your home, know that introducing him or her to home life can be a lot of work, and stressful for the both of you. Cats are generally timid about being put into a new home, even if they have already lived indoors their whole lives. So imagine what it’s like to go from a life of freedom to one of walls.

If you bring a cat home, it’s very important that you make visiting a vet the first stop. Have your vet check for worms and parasites (fleas and ticks), test for ringworm and lice, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline Infectious Peritonitis, rabies and common parasites, and of course, be sure to spay or neuter as soon as possible. Most importantly, make sure that you do plenty of research beforehand. Making your cat feel comfortable can happen over a week or over a month. If your gut is telling you to bring an animal in then be prepared to put in the work.

Otherwise, keep in mind that you can help even more cats by organizing a group of volunteers to aid feral cats, while allowing them to keep their freedom.

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Rabies: What Happens When You Get It

Rabies is spread through saliva, the wet stuff in your mouth. It´s not spread by blood, urine, or feces. If an animal has rabies and bites you - or licks its claw before it scratches you - then you could get rabies, too.

You can´t get rabies just by petting an animal with rabies.

If you´re bitten or scratched by an animal with rabies, the good news is that there are shots you can take that can keep you from getting the disease.

What happens if we get rabies?

It can take one month, two months, or even longer for you to know something is wrong. The rabies virus attaches to nerve cells, working its way through the nervous system. Eventually the virus makes its way to the brain, and by then it´s usually too late for doctors to help.

What should I do if I'm bitten by an animal?

Tell an adult right away! Have them wash the wound with soap and water for at least five minutes. Then have them take you to a doctor as soon as possible so the doctor can decide if you need more medical attention.

Have an adult contact your local animal control officer. If the animal that bit you is a pet like a dog, cat, or ferret, the animal may be watched for signs of rabies for 10 days. If it´s a wild animal, the animal control officer will try to catch it and then it may be killed so it can be tested for rabies.

What wild animals cause the most problems?

In the United States, more raccoons have rabies than other wild animals, but it is bites from bats that cause the most rabies in people.

The problem is that bat bites can be so small you might not think they are very serious and tell anyone about them. If you discover a bat in your house, especially in the room where you´re sleeping, you should act as if you were bitten and tell an adult as soon as you can. If an adult can trap the bat, then it can be tested so you will know if it had rabies.

What's the treatment?

You can get anti-rabies shots right away. There are five of them that will be given over 14 days. Two shots are given the first day; one shot goes near where you were bitten and the second in the arm. The rest of the shots go in your arm.

The shots help your body make "antibodies". An antibody is a special molecule that will attack the virus and make it harder for it to enter a nerve cell. If your body makes enough antibodies, the virus will die.

For more information on Rabies, visit the following websites:

Rabies Vaccine:  What You Need to Know

Rabies: Questions and Answers

Information about the disease and vaccines

When Should I Seek Medical Attention for Rabies?

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Elderly Couple Left Bloodied with Scratches and Cuts from Vicious Squirrel Who Has Already Attacked Eight People in a California Neighborhood

A California couple were both hospitalized with deep cuts and scratches after being attacked by a vicious squirrel terrorizing their neighborhood.

Richard Williams, 87, was doing chores in the garage when a squirrel slipped through an open door in his Novato home and pounced on him.

The squirrel clawed and scratched at Williams' head, arm and legs, immediately jumping back on him every time Williams managed to pull him off - and even smashing his glasses.

“He charged me and jumped, and from then on, the battle started,” Williams told CBS San Francisco.

Williams' wife Norma, 83, heard his screams and immediately ran to his aid.

She grabbed a broom and started hitting the squirrel, who then jumped on her and managed to scratch her hands.

Williams was then able to grab the squirrel by the tail and swung him to the garage floor, where he was momentarily stunned before racing out the door.

A neighbor brought the couple to the hospital, where they also received dozens of shots for illnesses such rabies and tetanus, in case the squirrel had them.

This wasn't the squirrel's first strike.

The Marin Humane Society believes the same squirrel has been responsible for attacks on eight people in the past three weeks, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

A Pacific Gas and Electric Company worker was scratched on the head while working in the yard of a home where the squirrel had just attacked a woman inside on November 13.

Just five days later, the squirrel brought chaos to the Pleasant Valley Elementary school when it slipped into a classroom and ran up a teacher's leg before biting her on the shoulder.

The squirrel then ran into another classroom, where it bit a child, according to CBS San Francisco.

A custodian was able to remove the squirrel from the classroom, but it escaped by the time the Marin Humane Society arrived at the school.

Experts believe a single squirrel has been responsible for the attacks because they have occurred in the same general area within the Novato neighborhood.

And officials believe the squirrel's behavior could be tied to humans feeding them, which is illegal in the state of California.

“If a wild animal gets the idea that humans provide food, somehow they get it in their head that all humans provide food,” Alison Hermance of Wildcare told CBS.

Which means they go up to people and when they don't get food, they can become aggressive.”

The Marin Society believes the squirrel may now be dead, as it has not been heard from since the most recent attack on the couple on November 27.

“All of the attacks have been within just a few days of each other,” she said in a statement obtained by the San Jose Mercury News.

“However, since the victim of the last attack indicated he injured the squirrel and there have not been any more attacks since, it's quite possible the squirrel has died.”

Richard Williams, 87, (pictured) and his wife Norma, 83, were left hospitalized with bloody scratches and cuts after a vicious squirrel terrorizing their Novato, Callifornia neighborhood attacked.

Williams was doing chores in the garage when a squirrel slipped through an open door in his Novato door and immediately pounced.

The vicious squirrel clawed and scratched at Williams' head, arm and legs and smashed his glasses. When Norma heard his screams she ran to her husband's aide and hit the squirrel with a broom.

The squirrel then jumped on Norma and managed to scratch her hand (pictured).

The Marin Humane Society believes the same squirrel has been responsible for attacks on eight people in the past three weeks.

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8 People Attacked by Human-Raised Squirrel in California

Novato, California -  Eight people were attacked by what is believed to be a human-raised squirrel in the Pleasant Valley area of Novato between Nov. 13 and Friday, the Marin Humane Society and the Marin County Department of Public Health said.

  

Five attacks occurred around the intersection of Sutro Avenue and Vineyard Road, Marin Humane Society spokeswoman Lisa Bloch said.

  

A squirrel ran up to the victims, crawled up their bodies and bit the victims in the arms, legs, hands or head, and there have been reports the squirrel jumped out of a tree and attacked the victims, Bloch said.

  

The victims include a child and a teacher at the Pleasant Valley Elementary School and a person in a garage. The other people were bit or scratched outdoors, Bloch said.

  

Marin County Deputy Public Health Officer Dr. Lisa Santora said those who were bitten received three rabies shots as a precaution even though the likelihood of a squirrel having rabies is extremely low.

  

Santora said if the squirrel that attacked the person on Nov. 13 had rabies, it would have died by Nov. 27.

  

Officials believe the lone squirrel was hand-raised and lost its fear of humans, Bloch said.

  

Bloch urged residents not to feed wildlife and to reduce their homes' and gardens' attractiveness by removing bird feeders and cutting back trees that hang over roofs or are close to telephone lines.

  

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Two People Are Recovering from Recent Raccoon Attacks in Fairfax County

Springfield, Virginia  - Authorities are warning residents of possible rabid raccoons after two people are recovering from recent attacks in Fairfax County.

Raccoon tracks are still visible along a creek nearby South Run Rec Center where a 75-year-old woman was attacked during her morning walk. Officials said she stopped to take a photo of the animal and it charged at her.

“It bit her severely on her right leg and it attacked both of her hands and her forearms,” said Fairfax County Animal Control Sgt. Mary Zambrano.

Her bloody handprints mark the railing along the footbridge. The raccoon eventually ran off and two joggers came to her aide. An ambulance took the victim to the hospital to be treated for rabies exposure.

“If there is an animal that is vocalizing, whether it is whimpering, crying, that is wet or heavily matted, that might have an obvious injury or bite wound, a lot of times they will act like they are drunk and disoriented and they will stagger around -- those are classic symptoms of an animal that might have rabies,” said Sgt. Zambrano.

The attack happened on the trail not far from the Lee Chapel Road overpass between Burke Lake and South Run parks where children play just steps from the woods.

The trail has been closed to the public, but we saw some bike riders and joggers ignoring the signs notifying people of the closure.

“I've been running on this trail for about ten years and this is the first time I have ever seen this happen,” a resident told us. “I have never seen the trail closed.”

Just a few miles away in the Kings Park area, a man out gardening on Sunday was viciously attacked by a raccoon which later tested positive for rabies.

While it is not uncommon to spot raccoons, even during the daytime, residents are asked to look for signs that any area wildlife may be sick.

“They are attracted to movement and to noise,” said Zambrano. “If you have the ability to take a big step back and turn and run, you definitely want to get away from the animal. But if it is right there at your feet … you can use your shoes to protect yourself and kick it away from you and leave as quickly as possible.”

Falls Church has also issued a rabies alert after a spike in raccoon attacks in the city. Police say a rabid raccoon was euthanized after an attack on two dogs on June 4 in the 100 block of E. Jefferson Street.

For more information about rabies and what to do if an animal bites you, go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/rabies.

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Facing the Threat of Imminent Death: Johnny Depp's Dogs Were Being Prepared to be Taken from Australia to the United States

Facing the threat of imminent death, Johnny Depp's dogs, Pistol and Boo, were being prepared to be taken from Australia to the United States after Australia's agriculture minister angrily accused the Hollywood actor of sneaking the pups into the country.

Barnaby Joyce said he was told the Yorkshire terriers were expected to return to the U.S. Friday aboard a private jet, after the government ordered the actor to get his dogs out of Australia by Saturday, saying they would be euthanized if Depp didn't comply.

The canine chaos erupted after Joyce accused Depp of smuggling the dogs in aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia on April 21 to resume filming of the fifth installment in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie series at Gold Coast studios.

Australia has strict quarantine regulations to keep diseases such as rabies from spreading to its shores. Bringing pets into the country involves applying for a permit and a quarantine period on arrival of at least 10 days.

The department is investigating how the pets were brought through Brisbane Airport without an import permit.

The Agriculture Department told Depp, 51, and his 29-year-old wife Amber Heard on Wednesday they had to send Pistol and Boo back to the United States within 72 hours.

In Australia, Joyce's tough stance attracted both commendation and criticism, with some praising the minister for defending the nation's laws, and others cringing over what they viewed as his crass response.

The agriculture department discovered that Depp snuck the dogs into Australia after hearing that a handler had taken the terriers to a Gold Coast dog groomer on Saturday, Joyce said. A biosecurity officer found the dogs at a Gold Coast house on Wednesday.

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Australian Quarantine Authorities Have Given Johnny Depp Two Days to Get His Little Dogs Out of the Country

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce on Thursday accused Depp of smuggling his beloved Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce into Canberra aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia on April 21 (after cutting his hand) to resume filming of the fifth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series.

The Agriculture Department on Wednesday gave Depp, 51, and wife Amber Heard, 29, 72-hour notice to send the pets packing back to the states or they will be put down.

"If you start letting movie stars — even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice — to come into our nation (with pets), then why don't we just break laws for everybody?" Joyce said. "It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States."

Heard posted a photo of the dogs being held by Depp's daughter, Lily Rose, two months ago.

A petition has gone up at Change.org to save the dogs.

Australia has quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies spreading to its shores. To bring a pet in, owners must apply for a permit and submit to a 10-day quarantine period upon arrival.

Depp's pups were discovered when a handler had taken the terriers in a handbag to a Gold Coast dog groomer on Saturday, Joyce said. "Now Mr. Depp has to either take his dogs back to California or we're going to have to euthanize them," Joyce said.

Depp's reps have not responded.

Joyce's spokesman Brett Chant said the dogs were in "home quarantine" at the moment, but would not say where, reports AP. And Joyce said the Agriculture Department would be responsible for putting the dogs down if they do not leave Australia.

"After that, I don't expect to be invited to the opening of Pirates of the Caribbean," he said.

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Norwood, New Jersey Police Say They Captured a Coyote Monday Night: Not Sure Whether it Was the Same Animal That Attacked a Resident on Sunday

Norwood, New Jersey -  Police say Monday night they may have been closing in on a coyote that bit a man in Bergen County, New Jersey over the weekend.

Norwood police said they captured a coyote Monday night, they were not sure whether it was the same animal that attacked Stephen Sinisi after 9 p.m. Sunday. Police said they believe the coyote captured Monday night was actually part of a different pack, but was described as “very aggressive.”

Norwood police said they also put traps near two coyote dens they discovered Monday night near a school.

Sinisi said he was walking his dog, Raleigh, near the woods on McClellan Street and D’Ercole Court when he saw what he thought was a stray dog approaching.

 “I was walking back and what looked like a dog approaching me,” Sinisi told CBS2’s Meg Baker.

“Then we got closer I was like, ‘No, this is not a stray dog,’” he told 1010 WINS’ Rebecca Granet.

Sinisi was attacked as he tried to get his dog back into the house.

“He saw a coyote stalking him, and he decided to return home,” police Chief Jeff Krapels said, WCBS 880’s Sean Adams reported. “As he was running home, the coyote caught up to him as he got to his front door and bit him on the leg.”

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Police in New Jersey Are Warning Parents to Keep Children and Small Pets Inside After a Series of Coyote Attacks and Sightings

Police in New Jersey are warning parents to keep their children and small pets inside after a series of coyote attacks and sightings and the discovery of two dens near a local school.

On Monday, a coyote was captured and later killed after officials in Norwood, N.J., say it attacked a police car.

"The coyote started to attack a police car," Norwood Police Chief Jeff Krapels told WABC-TV. "We called New Jersey Wildlife and they said that's not normal behavior for the coyote."

After a search of the area, police located the coyote behind a Norwood home. A wildlife officer shot and wounded the animal, police said, and it was later killed and taken to the state laboratory to be tested for rabies.

During their search, officials discovered two dens, including one that "has a tunnel towards the school."

School officials are keeping students inside as a precaution.

The discovery comes a day after a man was chased and bitten by a coyote while walking his dog in the same town.

"I was trying to get to the house fast because he wasn't going away," Stephen Sinisi told CBS New York. "As soon as I got to my door, I felt something on my back ankle."

Sinisi received four rabies shots.

On April 6, a man in nearby Saddle River was attacked by a coyote while working in his yard. That coyote, who attacked a dog the week before, tested positive for rabies and was euthanized.

Even before the latest attacks, there had been an uptick in coyote sightings in the tri-state area.

Via the New York Times:

This year alone, coyotes have turned up near a Consolidated Edison plant along the East River in the East Village; on a basketball court in Riverside Park; haunting Steven Spielberg’s sister’s yard in the Riverdale section of the Bronx; and marooned on the roof of a bar in Long Island City, Queens.

According to wildlife officials, "aggressive coyotes" are especially unusual, and attacks on humans are "extremely rare."

Nonetheless, the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife website includes guidelines that "can help reduce the likelihood of conflicts with coyotes":

• Never feed a coyote. Deliberately feeding coyotes puts pets and other residents in the neighborhood at risk.

• Feeding pet cats and/or feral (wild) cats outdoors can attract coyotes. The coyotes feed on the pet food and also prey upon the cats.

• Put garbage in tightly closed containers that cannot be tipped over.

• Remove sources of water, especially in dry climates.

• Bring pets in at night.

• Put away bird feeders at night to avoid attracting rodents and other coyote prey.

• Provide secure enclosures for rabbits, poultry, and other farm animals.

• Pick up fallen fruit and cover compost piles.

• Although extremely rare, coyotes have been known to attack humans. Parents should monitor their children, even in familiar surroundings, such as backyards.

• Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house.

• Clear brush and dense weeds from around dwellings — this reduces protective cover for coyotes and makes the area less attractive to rodents and rabbits. Coyotes, as well as other predators, are attracted to areas where rodents are concentrated, like woodpiles.

• If coyotes are present, make sure they know they're not welcome. Make loud noises, blast a canned air siren, throw rocks, or spray them with a garden hose.

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