It was a crime that shocked the nation. In 2007,
investigators walked inside NFL quarterback’s Virginia mansion and uncovered an
illegal dog fighting operation. Gruesome details of abuse, torture and
execution of “under-performing” dogs made headlines and sparked public outrage.
Vick served 19 months in a federal prison, after which he
was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles. As for the 51 abused pit bulls seized
from Vick’s farm, a.k.a Bad Newz Kennel? They were immediately deemed the most
aggressive, violent dogs in America and were doomed to be put down. That’s
where a hero named Donna Reynolds comes in.
Donna was part of a panel of animal experts who found these
dogs were anything but dangerous toward people. They believed the dogs deserved
a chance to live, and fought for the dogs’ redemption.
Yes, these pit bulls required work, patience, and care;
they were justifiably scared to death of the world around them. But they got
their redemption, and each day brought unbelievable progress. The pit bulls
once used as bait, breeding, and fighting dogs began to overcome their fears.
Some have even gone on to become therapy dogs who work with children!
It was recently announced that the former Bad News Kennel
has been reinvented as a haven for the recovery of abused dogs. The 15-acre
property, purchased in 2011 by non-profit Dogs Deserve Better, has since been
transformed into a refuge known as Good Newz Rehab Center. Its mission is to
serve as a place to help abused dogs of all sizes, ages, and breeds regain
trust in human beings.
Watch the incredible transformation of these pit bulls
below:
More than half a dozen shark attacks have happened in North
Carolina in the last three weeks, nearly as many as happened all of last year.
Experts say this summer is brewing up something of a
perfect storm for the attacks. But while they seem like they're everywhere,
shark populations are actually dwindling.
And the real reason there have been so many attacks likely
isn't because there are more sharks in the water — it's because there are more
people swimming in it than ever before.
Shark expert George Burgess of the International Shark
Attack File explained the trend in a recent NPR interview:
Shark populations in the US and around the world are at
perhaps all-time lows. On the other hand, the human population continues to
rise every year. We have no curbing of that.
And fundamentally [a] shark attack ... is driven by the
number of humans in the water more than the number of sharks, and when areas
such as the Carolinas become popular tourist destinations, as they have,
there's [sic] more people entering the water. You're going to end up having
more shark bites.
While a number of studies in recent decades have suggested
that shark populations around the world are all declining sharply, it's hard
for scientists to get exact numbers on them.
Nevertheless, by comparing recent population numbers with
past data, we can get a general estimate of how sharks are doing across the
globe, marine biologist and University of Miami graduate student David Shiffman
explains in a recent post on his blog.
One frequently-cited survey of data published in 2003 from
fisheries gathered between 1986 and 2000 suggests that shark populations are in
deep trouble.
The data from that survey found that hammerhead populations
were declining by an average of 89%; great whites by 79%; tiger sharks by 65%,
thresher sharks by 80%, blue sharks by 60%, and mako sharks by 70%:
(Science/"Collapse and Conservation of Shark
Populations in the Northwest Atlantic") Declines in estimated relative
abundance for coastal shark species: (A) hammerhead, (B) white, (C) tiger, and
(D) coastal shark species; and oceanic shark species: (E) thresher, (F) blue,
(G) mako, and (H) oceanic whitetip.
"We may never know exactly how many sharks are out
there, or exactly how many are killed each year. What we do know, from a
variety of different types of analysis, is that many species of sharks are
decreasing in population at alarming rates," writes Shiffman.
Why are sharks in trouble?
While vigilante shark hunters can do significant damage to
local shark populations, the real problem centers around two main activities:
Hunting sharks for their meat and fins and irresponsible fishing practices.
Each year, thousands of sharks are caught and trapped in fishing netsand
other fishing gear.
And while it might seem like good news that there are fewer
sharks around, it's actually a very big problem for the rest of us.
In many places, sharks are apex predators, meaning they
occupy the spot right at the top of the food chain. If their populations aren't
healthy and stable, it throws all of the other life in the oceans out ofbalance.
.
Plus, sharks have a bunch of characteristics that make them
especially vulnerable to exploitationhttp://www.seethewild.org/shark-threats/,
including the fact that they live long lives, mature late in life, and have
very few young.
Although she is no longer alive, the 2,000-lb cow was
announced as the new record holder on June 25.
Blosom, who was named by Guinness as the world's tallest
living cow last August, died on a farm in northern Illinois on May 26, after
holding that record for less than a year.
Guinness World Records said that the 13-year-old female
Holstein will “live on in the record books as the world's tallest cow eve”.
The average weight for a mature Holstein cow is 1,500
pounds and 'top producing Holsteins' have been known to produce more than
72,000-lb of milk in a year when milked three times a day, according to
Holstein Association USA.
“The funny thing about Blosom was how unaffected she was by
all the attention that seemed to surround her”, Blosom's owner, Patty
Meads-Hanson, told Guinness World Records following the news of the animal's
latest record.
“As long as she had her oats, daily chin rubs and ear
scratches, life was good.” she said.
Hanson said she is not sure what was wrong with Blosom, but
had to have her put down after two veterinarians said they could not save her.
On Facebook, at the time of Blosom's passing, Hanson later
wrote that the animal had seemed to have slipped in the mud and damaged a
ligament in her hip causing her to never be able to stand.
Hanson said Blosom was buried in her favorite pasture, with
her head facing east toward the farm.
Hanson, who had Blosom since she was eight weeks old, said
she knew the animal was special when she was a calf.
After learning the cow could not bear a calf, Hanson
decided to keep her as a pet instead of sending Blosom to slaughter, RRStar.com
reported.
Blosom was born to two normal sized cows and was at her
tallest when she was eight years old, Hanson told Guinness World Records.
“Blosom is the pride of the farm,” Hanson said in an
interview last year. “I love to share her with my guests and she loves to greet
them.
Many of my guests come from the city, and to have a cow
officially greet them adds to the ambiance of the farm.”
Hanson said she sought the record after veterinarians, the
cow's foot trimmer and her father constantly noted Blosom's large size.
At the end of May 2014, family and friends began
documenting Blosom's large size through photos and videos. Her official
measurements were taken by a vet from Orangeville Animal Health Service.
In October 2014, Patty and Blosom posed for their official
Guinness World Records photo.
Blosom will appear in the 2016 edition of the Guinness
World Records book which will be out in September.
Last week, Hanson also shared news on Facebook that PETA
had extended condolences following Blosom's passing, and that a gold leaf would
be added to their Tree of life memorial at its national headquarters in
Richmond, Virginia.
Following the news Hanson wrote on Facebook: “I am very
proud of Blosom, and thrilled that PETA views her worthy of this huge honor and
recognition! Her memory lives on”.
Hanson said she cannot wait for its release and that she
misses Blosom 'terribly'.
“I will cherish our memories forever,” she said. “I am
excited for the world to meet Blosom in the 2016 edition, but I know it will be
very bittersweet.” She said.
The previous title holder for the tallest cow ever was a
6-foot-2 Holstein-Durham cross called Mount Katahdin who held the title from
1906-1910.
West Virginia Natural Resources Police received a complaint
on July 4th of deer being kept in a home. When they arrived to the residence,
they found two bucks and set them free.
A man now faces charges for illegally confining wildlife
and his prosecution is pending.
