Did You Know That It's Illegal to Keep Hedgehogs As Pets In Some States?

These quilly animals require less maintenance than cats and dogs. They're not smelly. They're hypoallergenic. And objectively, they're really, really cute.

Yet African pygmy hedgehogs—the species most commonly sought-after by pet owners—are illegal to keep as pets in Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and the five boroughs of New York City. That's because, while hedgehogs may look cuddly and unassuming indoors, the animals can wreak havoc on local ecosystems if they get out, experts say.

State fish and wildlife officials say the 17 different known species of hedgehog can disrupt native communities if they are released into the wild. A budding population of hedgehogs would compete for food and habitat with species naturally found in those areas. Other exotic pets, such as sugar gliders and Quaker parakeets, are banned in some states for the same reason.

Some hedgehog species can also carry foot-and-mouth disease, a highly contagious virus that affects cloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. The most devastating outbreak of the disease in the U.S. came in 1914, when more than 170,000 farm animals became infected. There hasn't been an outbreak since 1929, and government officials want to keep it that way.

A Western Lowland Baby Gorilla Was Born At The Lincoln Park Zoo, in Chicago, Illinois

There's a new reason for families to swing over to Lincoln Park Zoo. A western lowland gorilla was born there in this week. Visitors can get their first glimpse starting Saturday.

The zoo is cautiously optimistic about the baby's health.

"The infant is looking very strong; it's clinging tightly to mom, and we're seeing a really good pattern of nursing for several minutes from both breasts then taking a nap afterward," said Maureen Leahy, curator of primates.

Mom Bahati, age 27, shows solid maternal instincts, Leahy said.

"At this stage, although the infant can cling on and sort of support herself, she can't do it for very long," Leahy said. "Mom will hold her close and tight to her chest even when she's out and about or climbing. We look for her to support the baby's head, very much like humans."

The newborn joins a troop of six individuals, including 2-year-old half-sisters Nayembi and Patty, born at the zoo in fall 2012. At one point, Patty approaches the newborn slowly, then reaches to brush her fingers over her nose as mom munches hay.

That's where silverback dad Kwan, 25, comes in.

"He is doing a really good job keeping a watchful eye over the new mom and infant," Leahy said. "The two toddlers are very curious; they've been approaching a lot and touching the infant, but when they start getting too bold, Kwan will come over and sit down next to Bahati and kind of cue the toddlers to take a step back and give the new mom a break."

Bahati had not given birth since 2004. Her two adult offspring now reside in other Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited zoos.

Washington Animal Rescue League to Team Up with Animal Planet to Score Half Price Pet Adoptions on Road to the Puppy Bowl - March 1st

-- Join Animal Planet on March 1 for Half Price Pet Adoption Event --

WHO: Animal Planet, Washington Animal Rescue League & adoptable animals

WHAT:  The second annual Road To The Puppy Bowl is an all-star adoption event to help animals of all size, shape and breed find their forever homes, for half price! Those hoping to add a playful pup, a furry feline, a bouncing bunny or anything in between can join Animal Planet at the Washington Animal Rescue League for a fun-filled event with photo ops, giveaways and overly adorable animals. The best part, Animal Planet is helping cover half the cost of all adoptions on March 1.
.

WHEN:   Sunday, March 1, 2015

TIME:  12:00 Noon - 4:00 p.m.

WHERE:            
Washington Animal Rescue League -
71 Oglethorpe St NW,
Washington, DC 20011

HOW: Visit  http://roadtopuppybowlwashingtondc.eventbrite.com/ to register for the event and to be eligible for the waived adoption fees.

WHY:  Each February, the most anticipated sporting event featuring the cutest – and adoptable – players arrives on Animal Planet.  Puppy Bowl has led to hundreds of adoptions over the past 11 years and is a key leader in Animal Planet’s ongoing mission to highlight the importance of animal adoption and responsible pet ownership. Now, the network is bringing the joy and goodwill of the big game to communities across the country on the Road To The Puppy Bowl.

*NOTE: Adoption fees covered by Animal Planet are on a first-come, first-serve basis while select animals and funds remain.

About Animal Planet
Animal Planet, a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. Animal Planet consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 94 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; Animal Planet L!VE, the go-to digital destination for round-the-clock, unfiltered access to the animal kingdom; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service, and merchandising extensions.

   Website: Animal Planet



About the Washington Animal Rescue League
Celebrating its Centennial Anniversary in 2014, the Washington Animal Rescue League is the oldest animal shelter in the District of Columbia and the only area shelter with a full service medical center.  Its mission continues to evolve as conditions change and animals face new and different challenges, but the core of that mission remains unchanged:  to honor and strengthen the human-animal bond by providing the best quality care for homeless dogs and cats, and supporting companion animals in their homes through affordable veterinary care, community outreach, and education.

Website:  Washington Animal Rescue League

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Five Amazing Elderly Chinese Women Run The Largest Dog Shelter

Five amazing women decided not to spend the Chinese New Year with family and friends. Instead they spent it with their family of 1,300 dogs. They have been spending their days taking care of the animals for the past five years.

The shelter was established in 2009, by Wang Yanfang for unwanted animals. After seeing so many dogs being taken to pounds in Weinan, Shaanxi Province, China, she decided she wanted to do something about it.

Around the time Wang opened the shelter, China introduced a “one dog rule.” This rule only permits families to keep one small dog and they must have the proper documentation to do so. As a result of this rule, they started getting more animals.

Wang enlisted the help of four other volunteers, all women in their 60s and 70s, as numbers continued to increase at her donation-run shelter These amazing women have been voluntarily taking care of the dogs every day, getting up at 4:00 a.m. to prepare the 400 kilograms of dog food needed to feed such a large pack of animals. They also spend time with the dogs and grooming them.

Wang and her volunteers have all been bitten by some of the less-friendly dogs, but feel that their work is worth it. They are all animal lovers, and are happy to save these dogs from a much worse fate. In a city nearby authorities euthanized about 37,000 dogs after a rabies outbreak..

“They’re like your children, you can’t bear to be apart from them, or to lose them,” said Wang.

These women are truly heroes for the dogs in their care.