Over time, dogs are reportedly more stinky than cats by a 2 to 1 ratio. And yet, the age-old personality question persists: Are you a dog person or a cat person? Beyond personality, we wanted to look at the many other considerations of pet ownership that are important for apartment living. How much space does your pet need? How much care and walking will it require? Is it stinky? How much does it poop? We set out to find statistics and data to answer these questions so you can find the best pet to suit your apartment life. Here’s what we found: To read more on this story, click here:Best & Worst Pets for Apartment Living
Although dogs and cats remain by far the most common pet to rescue and adopt, other kinds of animals do end up in shelters. From farm animals to small rodents and even reptiles, there are plenty of options if you’re looking to bring home a different kind of furry or scaly — friend. While some of these animals end up in shelters because an owner moves away, plenty of them are abandoned by “impulse buyers” who change their mind after buying a needy breed of pig or chinchilla, experts say. For that reason, Dana Puglisi of AdoptaPet.com, which has listings for more than a dozen species of shelter animals, said that it’s important to read up on animal needs if you’re interested in adopting an atypical pet. “It’s very easy to look at an animal and say, ‘That’s such a cute animal, I want it to be a part of my life,” Puglisi tells NBC. “It’s another thing to take on the actual day-to-day responsibility for caring for that pet.” In addition, some states have restrictions on what kind of animal you can keep as a pet, so Puglisi said she also suggests checking local laws before reaching out to a shelter. Below are some of the unusual shelter animals you may not have known you could adopt:
Cows Holy cow, indeed! In areas with more farmland, shelters and sanctuaries like Animal Place in Grass Valley, Calif. may have cows that were rescued from factories. Be sure you have the space and resources to adopt a shelter cow, though, as they need at least 80 square feet of space and over 20 gallons of water a day.
Chinchillas According to ChinchillaRescue.org, chinchillas are noisy and nocturnal, so it’s best to avoid keeping them in their new owner’s bedroom. Since rescue chinchillas are of unknown parentage and may not be neutered, owners should plan to keep them apart from opposite-sex chins in order to avoid accidental breeding.
Pigs The right breed of pig can make for an adorable rescue animal — and a shelter is often the best way to find one. Puglisi said that more and more pig owners are abandoning their pets after being tricked into bringing home baby farm pigs that put on hundreds of pounds as they grow up. If you have the space, you can adopt one of these larger abandoned pigs, but shelters also have plenty of smaller breeds, like Vietnamese miniature pot-bellies.
Parrots Parrots (as well as other tropical birds like parakeets) are often left behind at shelters when owners move away or become unable to keep caring for these sometimes needy birds. As with some other animals on this list, though, be sure to check local regulations if you choose to adopt — parrots aren’t allowed to be kept as pets in some states.
Goats If there’s anything to learn from the recent goat yoga fitness craze, it’s that these farm animals can serve as fun, furry additions to the family. While regular-size goats can be found in some shelters, a few also have pint-sized pygmy goats up for adoption for anyone short on space. Who knows, they might even eat the weeds in your yard.
Horses Equestrian lovers can adopt either full-size or miniature horses, like Smooshy, a dwarf miniature horse adopted by actress Kaley Cuoco of “The Big Bang Theory.” Mini-horses in particular are seeing a surge in shelters right now, Puglisi said, as “impulse buyers” purchase and then abandon the horses they use to emulate celebrity horse owners.
Snakes From king snakes to corn snakes to Colombian boa constrictors, there’s plenty of shelter serpents snakes that you can adopt into your home. Most snakes are carnivores or omnivores, and they require a steady diet of other animals in order to be well-fed — so be prepared to keep “mousicles” inside your freezer.
Ferrets These tail-wagging mammals make for active, friendly pets to adopt or even house temporarily through foster programs for older or sick ferrets. Watch your fingers, though — ferrets are also known for biting.
Bearded Dragons They may not be quite like the Viking pets in “How to Train Your Dragon,” but shelter bearded dragons can let you support shelters while (sort of) living out a mythical animal fantasy. Sometimes known as “beardies,” these reptiles originated in central Australia and are often kept in zoos. They’re considered one of the easiest reptiles to care for, but still need a specific light pattern and large tank.
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Miss Helen, a 16-inch-long horn shark in the San Antonio Aquarium in Texas, lives in a tank where visitors are encouraged to touch the animals. Three people took the encouragement too far this past weekend, lifting the shark out of the tank and plopping her into a baby stroller, the police said. The trio of sharknappers — Ocean’s Three? — can be seen on surveillance video using their own net to capture Miss Helen on Saturday, removing her from the 76-degree water after staking out the pool for more than an hour, the aquarium said in a statement. She was placed into 52-degree water to make her voyage — a shock to the system that her handlers feared would quickly kill her. But Miss Helen, who’s less than a year old, proved her resilience, from her snout to her caudal fin. And the thieves, if bad at covering their tracks, turned out to be good at taking care of sharks. If aquarium employees are correct in their suspicions, the thieves were also skilled at reconnaissance. An official said she recognized one of them from a month earlier, when he said he worked for the facility’s salt supplier and got an all-access tour. On Saturday, just after Miss Helen’s disappearance, an aquarium manager caught up to the trio in the parking lot. They refused to allow an inspection of their truck or the baby stroller and drove off, said Ammon Covino, the aquarium’s chief operating officer. No matter. Surveillance footage recorded the license plate number, and an image of the getaway truck was all over local media. Tips poured in to the police, who tracked down the truck Monday morning, according to Joseph Salvaggio, chief of the Leon Valley Police Department. The police arrived at a home near where the car was found and were preparing a warrant when a man arrived and let the officers into the home, Chief Salvaggio said. They quickly found Miss Helen. It was hard to miss the giant pool inside the house, filled with sharks and other marine animals. Click on video below.
Ontario, California - Dogs aren't the only animals that vie for best in show. Hundreds of breeds of pigeons compete in their own version of the Westminster show, strutting on long, thick legs or fluttering curly, lacy feathers in their bid to be best bird. These pigeons aren't the nuisance flocks that swarm food scraps at outdoor restaurants. They are genetically rich birds, including variations bred to look like turkeys or sound like trumpets, that drew thousands of enthusiasts including ex-boxer and pigeon lover Mike Tyson to the National Pigeon Association's 93rd annual Grand National Pigeon Show. Showing pigeons is one of the oldest and largest hobbies in the world. It thrives at a time when pets are becoming a more important part of people's lives and animals kept as companions range from the traditional to the unique, such as rats and tarantulas. More than 7,800 birds packed the Ontario Convention Center in Southern California last weekend, cooing and strutting in their cages, which sent feathers and feed flying. But the well-behaved show birds wouldn't let one drop of waste fall on a judge's shoe as they were examined for build, color and weight. There were birds in blacks, whites and browns with feathers on their feet, circular crests framing their faces and 8-inch necks. Some looked like street pigeons but bigger and stronger, with massive shoulders and thick necks. Tyson, the four-time heavyweight world champion, kicked off the three-day event by releasing 100 white pigeons. He agreed with the mostly older male owners about the need to infuse young blood in the aging hobby. "Take this opportunity at a young age to enhance your responsibility and enjoy it," he told youngsters who asked for photos and autographs. Tyson, 48, who had pigeons as a kid, keeps 1,800 birds. He said he was 10 when he won his first fight because a bully killed one of his birds in front of him. "They teach you a lot about yourself," Tyson said of pigeons. Nearly a thousand different breeds of pigeons exist. Not only can these birds become pampered pets, they can be raised for racing and stunt performances. Racing pigeons can fly for hundreds of miles a day and flap as fast as 80 mph, and performers will unleash death-defying stunts midair. "Racing pigeons are the Ben Johnsons of the world and fancy pigeons are the Naomi Campbells of the world," said Fadiel Hendricks, president of the National Fancy Pigeon Association of South Africa. The performers are dubbed rollers and tumblers because of their motion during flight. The popular Birmingham roller dives into a series of backward somersaults, stops the roll before hitting the ground, then heads back up and performs the feat again. Hendricks, who traveled 36 hours from Cape Town, South Africa, said age is a problem in his country, too. In his group, 90 percent of the members are over 50. "We are up against computers and computer games," he said. Bob Nolan of Dana Point, a historian and 60-year member of the Los Angeles Pigeon Club, which hosted the show, said new variations are rare because "kids aren't much interested in breeding anymore." "All these pigeons are man-made. None of them occur in nature like this," said Nolan, who raises English trumpeters, known for their acoustic sound of distant trumpets. "All of these breeds have evolved from man's creative genius." Samantha Wendell of North Hollywood and her fantail Francis, which looks like a turkey, are inseparable. "Pigeons are just like dogs, they love you like a dog if you spend time with them and love them back," she said. "He is all hugs and snuggles." Tyson says he will watch his birds for hours. The fighter who bit off part of Evander Holyfield's ear explained his softer, pigeon-loving side by saying: "What I am just wasn't what I did for a living."
They are small, elegant-looking, short-haired dogs with erect ears, a tightly curled tail and a graceful neck. A basenji's forehead is wrinkled, especially when the animal is young or extremely old. Basenji eyes are typically almond-shaped, which gives the dog the appearance of squinting seriously. They typically weigh 24 pounds (11 kg) and stand 16 inches (40.6 cm) at the withers. They are a square breed, which means that they are as long as they are tall. The basenji is an athletic dog and is deceptively powerful for its size. They have a graceful, confident gait like a trotting horse, and skim the ground in a double-suspension gallop, with their characteristic curled tail straightened out for greater balance, when running flat-out at their top speed. Barking: Basenjis are an ancient breed cut off from other breeds forever and was never bred out of the pure. They have a different shaped larynx that doesn't allow them to make a true bark like other breeds. But all basenjis do a pretty good job of faking it by just cutting a yodel or baroo short. Temperament: he basenji has the unique properties of not barking (it makes a low, liquid ululation instead) and cleaning itself like a cat. Often, the Basenji is commonly referred to as the shrieking dog, or screaming child dog. Basenjis do not respond well to punishment, such as yelling and hitting, which can cause them to utter a warning growl. Lifespan: The median lifespan of 13.6 years. Which is 1–2 years longer than the median lifespan of other breeds of similar size. The oldest dog in the survey was 17.5 years. Most common causes of death were old age (30%), urologic (incontinence, Fanconi syndrome, chronic kidney failure 13%), behavior ("unspecified" and aggression 9%), and cancer. (9%). Grooming: The Basenji washes itself like a cat and has no dogie smell, so very little grooming is needed. This is a good dog for people with allergies. This breed sheds little to no hair. They are also know as: African Bush Dog, African Barkless Dog, Ango Angari, Congo Dog, Zande Dog
When most people heard the word spider, they freak out! Let alone the word, Tarantula. This Arachnophobia, is a natural phenomenon that occurs in most of us. From a young age, most of us are taught to fear these creatures because of how intimidating and scary they can look (for good reason too). However, this is only caused by the limited knowledge that we have of these tarantulas. Although there is a huge database of information out there for these crawlys, very few bother with it because of this inherent fear. There are in fact over 900 species of Theraphosidae, which is simply a category of spiders that tarantulas fall into. In this section, you will be either convince the burning conviction in you that tarantulas make a wonderful pet, or they are simply too much for what you intended to chew. Tarantulas in general are really hardy species and thus hard to mess up. These exotic pets have gotten more and more popular over the past years and have seen a significant growth in demand for it. Virtually noiseless creatures who do not require much space at all and inexpensive to feed. Most have a really docile demeanor, which makes handling one easy when necessary, however it is not recommended as it creates unnecessary stress on your pet tarantula. If you are looking to stand out from the rest, a pet tarantula would definitely fit the bill. The following things may be deal breakers: 1.) Live Prey is Required Does watching a prey being devoured alive bother you? For some pet owners, this might not be a concern, but for others, it’s not a pleasant thought. Tarantulas have to eat live prey (in very rare cases they feed on carcass, for instance when they are young), which you also will need to provide. You’ll need a reliable supplier of crickets or other live prey which I provide in the [Tarantula food section] to make feeding easier. It’s generally not a good idea to feed wild caught crickets, as like the name suggests these are wild, and things like pathogens can easily be found on these critters that may harm your pet tarantula. 2.) Cuddling is a No No Do you think touch and cuddle when you think of the word pet ? If you caught yourself in a definite yes to this question, you might do better with something else. Though common pet tarantula species are docile, they can easily spook if you are trying to handle them, and squirm from your hand. Falls are nearly always fatal for tarantulas, as their abdomens rupture easily. When tarantulas feel threatened, they kicks hairs by using its back pair of legs to repeatedly rub the abdomen and shake loose hairs. It will then flings these hairs in the direction of its attacker. This defense is enough to discourage most attackers. In humans these hairs can cause a painful, but temporary rash. In addition, tarantulas can and will bite you if they feel threatened. Although they are poisonous, the poison is meant for killing preys much smaller than them. 3.) Cool Tricks and Free Roam Do you want an active pet, one that does cool tricks and can be let loose in your home? Except when capturing and eating live prey, tarantulas spend a great deal of time doing absolutely nothing, I mean literally nothing. Though it appears sluggish in its terrarium, once your pet tarantula escapes it runs with lightning quickness to find a hiding place. Thus, it is always recommended to clean the cage in a confined area, so the resident spider can’t make a speedy retreat to some dark corner of the house. So unless you are certain you don’t mind observing a tarantula and barely interacting with it, a tarantula isn’t for you. Still Want a Tarantula as a Pet? Bear in mind these seven commandments that are vital to the best care possible that you will be able to provide your newly found best friend. You will thank me later.
Female Tarantulas live longer, a lot longer
Do not handle your Tarantula unless it is absolutely necessary
Do not touch any sensitive areas (eyes, nose) after physical contact with Tarantula
A fall can be absolutely fatal for a Tarantula
Food needs to be removed every 24 hours in contact with Tarantula
A water dish is very important
Bites are not fatal but can cause allergic reactions
Always rinse your hands after contact with a Tarantula
In the end, tarantulas do make great pets, however, because owning a tarantula is not so mainstream, the proper care and maintenance for these spiders are often hard to find. For those who do their due diligence and do sufficient research on a specific tarantula they are interested in, they are often rewarded with a healthy and fascinating pet.
Venus and her owner, Christina, appeared on Fox and Friends this morning. Since she's an Internet sensation, fans of the "two-faced" feline can actually buy a plush toy of her. Her owner explained that she and her husband fell in love with Venus after coming across a picture on Facebook. Venus had been a stray and was living on a North Carolina dairy farm. One of the theories behind the striking look is that Venus is her own twin. Christina said she has not taken Venus for DNA tests, adding she will only if it's medically necessary. And yes, Venus has a lot of fans, including more than 222,000 on her own Facebook page. She even posted a selfie from her New York City hotel after the interview.
WACO, Texas – A dog’s touching farewell to his best friend is breaking hearts on social media. According to multiple reports, Joseph Scaramucci posted several pictures on Facebook of his pup Mattis, who was clearly heartbroken over the death of the family’s guinea pig. Otis the guinea pig reportedly died on July 28 after the family returned from vacation. Brittany Scaramucci told local reporters Mattis refused to leave his best friend’s side until his passed over the weekend. “When I went to pick up the cage and clean it up, he stayed right with me and then sat next to it and in it on the sidewalk,” Brittany said, via KFDA. “When I lifted the lid off, he made it pretty obvious that he knew something was wrong and just looked at me like ‘what is going on?’ It broke my heart.” The Scaramuccis report that Mattis is still mourning the loss of his friend of four years. “Even yesterday morning Brittany was commenting on how he wouldn’t eat,” Joseph Scaramucci added. “Mattis just seems to tolerate everything, so I was surprised.” The depressed canine probably shouldn’t surprise anyone. A 2014 study found that dogs pick up on emotions the same way humans do, so Mattis’ touching display for his dying friend was more natural than some might think.
Pets are a joy for most people. There are many benefits to owning a pet, from the pleasure you get from holding them to the exercise you get from walking them. If you are considering getting a pet, or curious how a pet may help you as you move along your multiple sclerosis (MS) path, here are some ways a pet can enrich your life. Calm your nerves Pets are more than just fun to play with. Studies have shown that they help you de-stress. If you regularly experience stress, a pet could help calm and relax you. Simply holding or stroking a pet can be calming to many people. A pet can also be someone you talk out loud to about how you feel that won't judge you. Stay active Taking a dog for a walk could be doing more than just giving you some fresh air. Dog owners who walk their pet regularly tend to do it for many years, and the extra exercise could be good for you. It's important to talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise. It's also important to consider the type of animal you get. Some dogs are more active than others, while cats tend to be more relaxed in their physical activity. Do some research and look into the type of animal that's right for you. Also consider the activity level you'd like to have, and talk to your doctor about any exercise goals a pet could help you achieve. To read more on this story, click here:The Benefits Of Living With A Pet
Dumfries,Va. - A Northern Virginia woman said she and her family are being terrorized by skunks that have recently invaded their neighborhood. Bobbi Dewitt said her family has been held hostage in their own home in Dumfries by a family of skunks for the past three days. Cell phone video they recorded shows the mother skunk and her babies hanging out near their front door, which has made it hard to avoid a whiff of their powerful stench. “I don’t know if it’s the rain that is pushing them out, I don’t know if it’s their breeding season, but whatever it is, I am just ready to reclaim my house back,” said Dewitt. She said she has lived in the Forest Park development in Dumfries for five years, but this is the first time she has noticed holes dug under her front stairs where she believes the family of skunks live during the daylight hours. But at night, they come out and wreak havoc – tearing up the trash, people’s plants and spraying anyone who dares come close. “They are spraying up under the house so when the air conditioner system goes off, it travels through the whole entire home,” Dewitt said. "So now we have to change the filters, we have to wipe walls down, we have to shampoo carpet just to get the smell out.” Meanwhile, Dewitt is taking steps to rid her home of these unwanted guests. However, she worries it will not be enough as many of her neighbors are dealing with the same nightmare. “To eliminate it, everyone is going to have to do it collectively to seal up the steps so they won’t have anywhere to live,” she said. “All I want is to be able to come and go without having to watch my surroundings and hope and pray I don’t get sprayed.” Dewitt said her homeowner’s association is still looking into the matter. In the meantime, she has contacted pest control and will spend hundreds of dollars out of her pocket to trap and remove the skunks.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who raised a lamb named "Susie" in his farmhouse in the 1960s, said Wednesday he doesn't want cats and dogs slaughtered for meat in the United States. But U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, is opposing a federal ban on the killing of dogs and cats for human consumption, while two other Iowans in Congress — Reps. David Young, R-Van Meter, and Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa City — are co-sponsors of legislation supporting such a prohibition. Grassley, a New Hartford Republican, was asked during his weekly teleconference with Iowa reporters about provisions in House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill pending in Washington, D.C., that would prohibit the slaughter of dogs or cats for human consumption. The provisions would also ban the transport of dogs or cats, or dog or cat parts, for human consumption. Grassley, a lifelong farmer, initially suggested he opposed such a ban, saying he has supported the slaughter of horses because people in some places in the world, such as Europe, may want to eat horse meat. "I don't want horse meat. I don't want dog meat. I don't want to eat cats, but if somebody wants to eat them, let them eat them," the senator said. But Grassley phoned the Des Moines Register shortly after the teleconference call to clarify his remarks. He proceeded to tell a story of how he doesn't even eat lamb meat, explaining how there were triplets in his farm's lamb flock in 1967 and one lamb named Susie had to be raised in his house. Susie lived to be 12 years old, but even when she was older, she wanted to come into the house, he said.
Forty years ago, feline hyperthyroidism was virtually nonexistent. Now it’s an epidemic — and some scientists think a class of everyday chemicals might be to blame. Most days, the back room of the Animal Endocrine Clinic in Manhattan is home to half a dozen cats convalescing in feline luxury. They lounge in their own individual “condos,” each equipped with a plush bed, a raised perch and a cozy box for hiding. Classical music plinks softly from speakers overhead. A television plays cat-friendly videos — birds chirping, squirrels scampering. Patients can also tune in to the live version: A seed-stuffed bird feeder hangs directly outside each window. One afternoon in April, a jet-black cat named Nubi assumed a predatory crouch in his condo as a brawny pigeon landed on a feeder. Dr. Mark Peterson, the soft-spoken veterinarian who runs the clinic, opened the door to Nubi’s condo and greeted the 12-year-old tom in a lilting, high-pitched voice. “How are you?” Peterson asked, reaching in to scratch his patient’s soft chin. Nubi, who typically is so temperamental that his owner jokes about needing a priest to perform an exorcism, gently acquiesced, To read more on this story, click here:The Mystery of the Wasting House-Cats
Did you know that the presence of guinea pigs in a room can increase social behaviors in children with autism? Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia recently published a study demonstrating a significant measurable increase in talking, smiling, laughing, looking at faces, making tactile contact and social approaches when children with autism and their peers played with 2 guinea pigs in a classroom. Sooner or later, most families of children with special needs begin to think about adopting a pet for therapeutic reasons. Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to every type of pet. Sometimes a pet is not logistically possible, but any pet has the potential to enrich family life. Here are ten of the most popular pets for beginners, along with the pros and cons for each one. If your family wants to adopt any type of pet, large or small, consider a rescue organization such as those listed on petfinder.com. To read more on this story, click here:How to Choose the Right Pet for a Family with Special Needs
Greenfield, WI - Scott Schach, like many homeowners, had spied coyotes around his home a few times over the years. The dog-like predators can be jarring to see wandering around your yard, but they also tend to keep to themselves. That’s not what happened this time, when Schach found himself locked in a battle with two coyotes who attacked his dog Princess on his own property in Greenfield, Wisc., The Journal Sentinel reported.
Princess
“At first, I didn’t even know that it was coyotes. I just heard the ruckus,” he told WISN. Then he said he realized what was going on: Two coyotes had descended on his 90-pound German shepherd, Princess — and Princess was in trouble, the station reported. Schach plunged right into the fray. He kicked and punched at the coyotes, but they were caught up in the frenzy and didn’t flinch. He tried something else. “Somehow I got a hold of one of their tails, turned around (and) she bit my arm, got a hold of her leg and I just flung her, just gave her a fling, she bounced off my pickup truck, went up the front windshield into the night and that’s the last I saw of that one,” he told CBS 58. Princess hadn’t been able to take both of them, but with only one left, she got the upper hand. Schach told WISN he turned to find Princess pinning the other coyote down as it whined and yipped at her. He told her to let it go. “She let go and sat down, and the other one took off up the driveway, up the road,” he told the station. That was the last he saw of either coyote. Police said the dog came away with no injuries and the fight only lasted about half-a-minute, the Journal-Sentinel reported. “I was just scared. I was scared for her. I had a buddy of mine up in Greendale that lost a dog a couple of years ago to coyotes. And I was just worried about her being all bit up and such,” Schach told CBS 58. Schach told WISN the bite he got during the scuffle didn’t actually break any skin, and that he comes out with a baseball bat these days just in case. The Humane Society says coyotes have become used to humans because it is easy to find food around populated areas. But if you see “brazen” coyotes wandering fearlessly through your yard, you should take some precautions and encourage them to move along. The best method is to haze them repeatedly, according to the Humane Society. That means yelling at them, chasing them away, throwing small rubber balls or cans at them, or spraying them with water. Eventually, they will learn they are not welcome in that area.
