The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too

Monday, December 21, 2015

Why You Should Not Scare Cats with Cucumbers: Startling Cats Can Cause Them to Injure Themselves or Become Chronically Stressed

There is a new viral craze that has hit the internet and apparently there are some people who think this is adorable. It’s nothing more than low-grade animal cruelty. National Geographic reports that we should not be scaring our cats with cucumbers.

According to Upvoted, the first cat-scared-by-cucumber video appears to have been uploaded in May and went viral by July or so. Countless others followed, to the point where Reddit has an entire Cucumbers Scaring Cats community. The idea behind these videos is that if you put a cucumber behind a cat, it'll freak out when it sees it. But experts say that's bad for the cats, with some calling the videos "cruel" and "despicable," National Geographic reports.

"If you cause stress to an animal, that's probably not a good thing," animal behaviorist Jill Goldman tells National Geographic. "If you do it for laughs, it makes me question your humanity." She says startling cats can cause them to injure themselves or become chronically stressed. But why exactly are cats scared of cucumbers? Goldman says it's simply a natural reaction to seeing an object where they aren't used to seeing it. A number of animal experts tell Upvoted it could also be because cats associate the cucumbers with snakes, and their brains—like the brains of all mammals—are reportedly predisposed to fear snakes. Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Katherine Houpt says that's unlikely, as cats hunt snakes in the wild. Regardless, she agrees: Stop scaring your cats with cucumbers.

Remember Precious, the Dog that Stood Guard Over Her Injured Owner During House Fire? She is Up for Adoption: Please Share Her Story

A loyal pit bull who stood guard over her injured owner is up for adoption after the family who took her in found they were unable to care for her.

The dog, Precious, guarded her unconscious owner after fire broke out at their Landover Hills, Maryland, home earlier this month. Precious stood guard over her even after fire crews arrived at the home — but she ended up at an animal shelter with her puppy, Molly, because of Prince George's County's ban on their breed.

The next day, Precious and Molly found a new home with their owner's sister, Megan Sanchez, who lives in Montgomery County.

"She just wanted to protect her mommy; that's all," Sanchez said about Precious. "And her house."

But Sanchez and her family soon found they were unable to care for Precious or her puppy. They were able to rehome Molly, but Precious was left without a family. That's when a friend contacted Jessica Stuby and her organization, Babes 4 Bullies, for help.

Stuby said Precious has been amazing companion since she began fostering her.

"She's doing great. She's actually at work with me. She's been a wonderful companion," Stuby said.

Precious suffered from smoke inhalation as a result of the fire and also had fleas. Stuby said she wants to give Precious time to recuperate and will focus on finding her a home in the new year.

On Dec. 2, Precious made headlines for her act of devotion. In fact, firefighters said they had trouble getting to her owner — who was hurt in the fire and lying unconscious on the front lawn — because the loyal dog was standing over her.

Firefighters tried to call Precious away, but she wouldn't budge and acted aggressively when they approached. They eventually deployed a powder fire extinguisher in her direction, causing Precious to run away and giving them time to get the woman onto a stretcher.

Stuby hopes Precious' story will help change the law that kept her from returning to her owner.

"I think the main important goal isn't to rehome, but that her story can change people's mind about the breed," Stuby said. "She's not just an amazing dog — this breed is an amazing breed."

For more information on Precious, contact Babes 4 Bullies at info@babes4bullies.com

You may be interested in reading:

A Dog Belonging to the Victim of a House Fire Stood Guard Over His Injured Owner: Fire Officials Say the Man is Expected to be Okay

Loyal Pit Bull Who Refused to Leave Unconscious Owner’s Side After Fire, Finds a New Home

Please Share!

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Mischievous Cat Escapes from Carrier and Roams Free in Cabin of Delta Air Lines Plane

A flight attendant was unable to hold back her fear when a mischievous cat escaped its carrier and roamed free in the cabin of a Delta Air Lines flight.

The amusing moment was captured by a passenger, who uploaded it onto YouTube yesterday with the caption: “Cat got loose on my Delta flight this morning. Flight attendant did not like cats, haha.”

The clip quickly went viral, attracting more than 30,000 views in less than 24 hours.

During the 83-second video, as the tortoiseshell cat approaches the flight attendant, she is heard telling the animal: “Sit right there, don't move.”

The cheeky cat fails to obey her orders, leading her to call someone to inform them that “there is a cat in the galley.”

Over the plane's tannoy system, she then says: “Whoever's cat this is please come and... wake them up if you see them with the cat carrier, I need them to come and get their pet.”

It is not known where the flight was traveling to and from, but the airlines does allow cats to travel in a number of ways - including as carry-on baggage, as checked baggage and shipped as cargo.

Delta Air Lines permit cats to travel alongside their owners in the cabin for a one-way fee, dependent on the destination.

However, the airline regulations insist the pet must remain inside a kennel with the door secured while in the boarding area, the Delta airport lounge and while on board the aircraft.

The Delta website adds: “We offer several options to get your pet to your destination, and we treat our four-legged friends with the same attention and courtesy our human passengers expect.”

Delta Airlines could not be immediately reached for comment.

A flight attendant was unable to hold back her fear when a mischievous cat escaped its carrier and roamed free in the cabin of a Delta Air Lines flight.

The amusing moment was captured by a passenger, who uploaded it onto YouTube yesterday.

The agitated flight attendant attempted to control the rogue cat by ordering it to 'sit right there, don't move' but the animal was not interested in obeying her orders.

A woman appears (left) to try to lure the cat back to its owner, who soon arrives with the pet's carrier.

Woman Caught on Video Dragging Puppy on Leash…Defends Herself

Houston, Texas - The woman who was caught on video dragging her puppy on a leash in northwest Houston offered an apology for her actions Tuesday.

The woman was seen by a neighbor on Broadleaf Drive.

"I saw here pulling on something, yanking on something," said the neighbor who did not want to be identified.

Tuesday, ABC-13 was able to identify and speak with the woman in the video. Her name is Tara. She would not state her last name. Her seven-week-old pit bull puppy is named Cookie.

"She's (puppy) learning how to walk on a leash," said Tara. "I wasn't trying to you know like pull her and choke her. It's not like she was hanging, you know what I mean?"

At times in the video, you can see the puppy being flung into the air and thrust forward before falling on the concrete or grass.

"It got me upset, because I'm a pet owner myself," one neighbor said.

At one point, the woman was seen picking up the pup. She walked with it in her arms, and then after a car drove by, she threw the puppy into the grass and started yanking it again by the neck.

"She started to pee on me, and it like scared me at the same time," said Tara who admitted it wasn't the best time to leash train her dog. "Obviously she's too little right now. She did not want to do it. She's not ready to do it."

Tara offered to show us her home where Cookie lives. There was a small soft bed with a chew toy and a cage where Cookie sleeps at night. Eyewitness News was able to make contact with the puppy. Cookie seemed to be unharmed and OK.

In the meantime, the man who shot the video said he's filed a report with the Houston SPCA.

No charges have been filed against Tara.

If you missed the initial story, you can read it here: Woman Caught on Video Dragging Puppy on Leash

Heartwarming Story: Watch The Moment Vet Learns He'll Gets His Dogs Back After Hospital Stay

It was a combination of luck and kindness that led to a joyous reunion between two dogs and the owner who'd been forced to give them up during a hospital stay.

The dogs' owner, whose name hasn't been identified, is a veteran who landed in the hospital in September after suffering a heart attack.

Bailey and Blaze had no one to take care of them. So the First State Animal Center and SPCA in Camden, Delaware, stepped in.

The situation was meant to be temporary. The shelter would care for the dogs, while the owner was incapacitated.

But after weeks had passed, the dogs were put up for adoption.

These are good-looking, young, friendly, well-trained dogs, who should easily have found a home. Their owner, upon getting out of the hospital, was so pleased to learn that they had been overlooked.

To read more on this story, click here: Heartwarming Story: Watch The Moment Vet Learns He'll Gets His Dogs Back After Hospital Stay

Woman Caught on Video Dragging Puppy on Leash

A woman in northwest Houston could be in trouble after she was caught on video dragging her seven-week-old pit bull by a leash.

The video of the incident, which was taken by a neighbor in the Broadleaf Drive area, spread across the Internet this week. According to 9News, the dog was struggling to keep pace with the owner and the woman continued to yank the leash and lift the puppy into the air by its neck.

The neighbor who took the video told ABC13 he reached out to the woman because, as a dog owner himself, he was upset by what was happening.

"I stopped by her and I said, 'Hey, are you trying to kill that puppy?'" the neighbor said. The owner replied she was just trying to teach the dog how to walk on a leash.

While no charges have been filed against the owner, the neighbor said he has contacted the SPCA about the incident, according to ABC 13. The woman admitted the dog may be too little for leash training.

Heartbreaking: This Video Shows the Techniques Used by SeaWorld to Capture It’s First Orcas

In the wake of the documentary Blackfish, SeaWorld has had to account for their questionable business practices and the ethical questions surrounding cetacean captivity.

This video features the techniques used to capture SeaWorld’s first orcas. It is both stunning in its depiction of killer whale intelligence and the relentless cruelty the capture teams used to take calves from their mothers. In fact, during this particular raid, several whales died as a result of the chase.

Watch this clip from Blackfish:

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Loyal Pit Bull Who Refused to Leave Unconscious Owner’s Side After Fire, Finds a New Home

Precious the pit bull was hailed as a hero after footage of her standing guard over her injured owner after a house fire went viral.

The loyal dog refused to leave its best friend's side after a blaze broke out early Wednesday at their home in Landover Hills, Maryland.

Blind homeowner Jimmy Newell, 65, and his daughter, sustained burns and suffered smoke inhalation in the fire.

His daughter managed to escape but fell unconscious on the grass outside the house where the dog stood guard.

Precious was so protective firefighters were eventually forced to scare her away with an extinguisher so they could treat her owner.

Both the woman and her father were rushed to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Despite her loyal watch guard, Precious and her puppy Molly were then seized by animal control and sent to a shelter.

Officials told the heartbroken owner that she would not be able to get her dogs back because of the county's ban on the pit bull breed.

“I thought it would be with me until the day I die,” said Newell to New York Daily News. “Everything is changed.”

“It's sad. I love that dog,” said the owner's son Wednesday.

“Our hearts are broken for this family because these dogs cannot be returned to the people they know and love and who love them back. This shouldn't be happening in America,” the executive director of the Maryland Dog Federation, Adrienne Lefkowitz, told The Inquisitor.

But now it seems there is a happy ending for Precious and her puppy after the owner's sister Megan Sanchez, who lives in Montgomery County, agreed to take the pets.

“She just wanted to protect her mommy; that's all,” Sanchez told NBC Washington. “And her house.”

Sanchez, who works with animals and has a dog of her own, said her sister and family is welcome to come and visit their pets whenever they want.

“I'm glad they survived,” she said. “We're animal people.”

Another dog, of a different breed was also rescued from the home during the fire along with two turtles. The dog has now been returned to the family as it is not a pit bull.

Pitbulls have been banned in Prince George’s County since 1997.

Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire which is believed to have begun in a bedroom. None of the home's smoke detectors had been working at the time.

This dog was seen standing guard over his severely injured owner as he lay outside his burning home in Landover Hills, Maryland, on Wednesday as firefighters battled the blaze and extracted other animals.

Here, firefighters are seen dealing with the building after dropping powder extinguisher on the blaze.

Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire which is believed to have begun in a bedroom.

Fire fighters who arrived at the blaze in Landover Hills, Maryland, on Wednesday were able to distinguish the flames and also save another dog inside the house and two turtles.

Do You Remember the Story of Caitlyn? The Dog Who Had Her Muzzle Taped Shut: Take a Look at Her Now

Back in May, I shared Caitlyn’s story. Her muzzle was taped so tightly closed that her tongue was nearly cut off. She recovered splendidly, and is now being spoiled rotten!

A Charleston, South Carolina resident found the tortured dog on their front porch and called police. She was taken to Charleston Animal Society, who got her immediate medical attention. The restricted blood flow minimized her sensitivity to pain after a while, but once the binding was removed, feeling came back with superabundance.

“When we pulled the tape off, she kind of opened her mouth and screamed,” said Aldwin Roman of the CAS.

Despite her horrific abuse, Caitlyn thrived. Today, she’s an ambassador for abuse victims everywhere, and was recently given a “bone” to North Charleston by the mayor.“

Her personality came out immediately after she wasn’t sedated,” said Kay Hymen, Director of Community Engagement at CAS. Each day we learned more and more about her. She’s super, super sweet, very loving, extremely intelligent… she’s amazing.”BarkPost recently treated her to the best day ever.

For updates on Caitlyn, or information on adopting her, visit CAS’ Facebook page.

Click on video below:

I have been following Caitlyn story from the beginning. You may be interested in reading the timeline of events concerning her:

$1,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest/Conviction of the Person(s) Responsible for Taping a Dog's Muzzle Together with Electrical Tape

William Leonard Dodson Has Been Arrested in the Animal Cruelty Case of Caitlyn the Dog That Was Found with Electrical Tape Tightly Wound Around Her Muzzle

Caitlyn, The Dog Found with Her Muzzle Taped Shut is Making a Remarkable Recovery

Caitlyn the Dog Who Suffered Grotesque Injuries After Her Snout Was Taped Shut with Electrical Tape is on the Mend

Caitlyn, The Pit Bull Who Was Found with Her Muzzle Taped Shut Will Be in Shirtless Firefighters Calendar

A Cheetah Was Spotted Wearing a Bright Orange Scarf Crossing a Highway Near Creston, British Columbia

Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian conservation officials and federal police were on the lookout Friday for a cheetah wearing a bright orange scarf and wandering through the snow-covered outback.

The big African cat was spotted crossing a highway near Creston, British Columbia on Thursday by a motorist who stopped to photograph it.

"It was wearing an orange scarf or collar, suggesting it's a domesticated animal. So we don't believe it's a serious threat," British Columbia conservation officer Joe Caravetta told AFP.

He said cheetahs are typically shy and less aggressive than other large cats, and "this one is probably used to being around people."

But as a precaution, local schoolchildren have been kept indoors and residents have been asked to mind their small pets, a spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

Ownership of exotic animals is allowed in British Columbia with a special permit, but no permits have been issued to anyone living in the area where the cheetah was spotted, Caravetta noted.

Three conservation officers have been sent to track the cheetah, helped by a fresh snowfall. With temperatures hovering just below freezing, Caravetta said a cheetah can probably last only a few days in the Canadian wilds.

The Toronto Star quoted a local school administrator as saying "some of the (students) are excited" about a cheetah in their midst. The official noted that bear or cougar sightings are common in the Canadian outback, but nobody in this area has ever seen a cheetah.

The driver who spotted the animal told public broadcaster CBC: "My first thought was, 'that's a cheetah. What's it doing there?'" She described it as panting and seemingly in distress.

She said she tried to "coax it over," but the animal just kept walking up the road until it disappeared over a snow bank.

How to Get Rid of That Smelly Dog Smell…Without Removing the Dog

We are a nation of people who love to cuddle with our pets. It is undeniable. Long gone are the days when out pets were simply working companions whose place was at the hearth - and that was if they were allowed in the house. Now, they not only cuddle with us on the sofa to watch TV, they snuggle with us in our beds, go on long holiday trips in the car, even out to dinner at our favorite cafés.

All of this one-on-one time means that all of our furnishings are going to hold the distinct smell of dog, and even the most rabid of dog lovers amongst us may not want the whole house to smell of a dog that needs a good washing – not if we want to enjoy the company of human guests. So how do you get rid of that smelly dog smell? It’s relatively easy.

Start off by taking all of the furniture apart – pillows, blankets and the like – and vacuuming everything thoroughly. If the sofa and chairs have removable slipcovers or cushion covers, take those off for washing. Get into the crevices of the furniture as deep as possible to remove all the hair, and flip the bed mattress to get both sides. On the floors, make sure to get under all of the furniture and in the corners, where “hair bunnies” tend to gather.

Next, gather your deodorizing supplies. It’s simple; all you need is a big box or two of baking soda and a bottle of apple cider vinegar. Wash all of your linens, blankets and cushion covers in a mix of oxy powered laundry detergent and a ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar. There are also pet odor removers available at pet supply stores, but generally speaking, they are not much more effective than the home remedies.

On the carpets, bed and furniture, sprinkle baking soda liberally, using a cleaning brush to spread it around and into the fabric. Let it all sit overnight so that the baking soda has a chance to absorb the odors.

For the bed, you might want to do this in the morning so that you can clean and remake the bed at the end of the day. Follow up by vacuuming all of the baking soda from the bed, carpet and furnishings and returning the bed linens and cushion covers or slipcovers to the furniture.

This will get rid of a great deal of the smell, but to really do a thorough job, you might want to rent a carpet cleaning machine with an attachment for furniture – or call a cleaning company to do it for you. Always start with neutralizing as much of the smell as possible before the shampooing, though, or all you will be doing is creating a hybrid of dog smell and perfumed shampoo. Not a good combination. And don’t use carpet shampoo on the furniture, or you could end up with ruined and smelly furniture.

Finally, if you do want to use a perfumed product to help neutralize the smell, make sure that it is non-toxic to animals. Many products that are safe for humans are not always safe for dogs. Some home air fresheners – sprays, plug-ins and scented oils – can be harmful to a pet’s health, so when in doubt, just stick with the tried and true baking soda solution.

Australian Officials Are Pushing to Put Domesticated Cats Under 24-Hour Lockdown

The Australian government doesn’t want outdoor cats in the outback. Government officials announced a push for cities across the land down under to ban pet cats from running wild outside. But the kittens’ well-being isn’t what Australia is concerned about: it's their prey

Australia is home to many different species of tiny mammals that also happen to be the perfect cat snacks. Feral felines have already wiped out several native species, and some conservationists think they're responsible for almost all of Australia’s small mammal extinctions since they were first brought to the continent by English settlers 200 years ago, writes Cara Giaimo for Atlas Obscura. Now, Australian officials are pushing to put domesticated cats under 24-hour lockdown in order to protect at least 28 endangered species they threaten.

"They are tsunamis of violence and death for Australia's native species," Environment Minister Greg Hunt recently told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The curfew comes on the heels of the Department of the Environment’s new feral cat plan, which also aims to exterminate 2 million feral cats in the next five years. Because the federal government doesn’t have the authority to impose a country-wide ban, officials are calling on cities and states to take action themselves. "The plan over the long term is to make this part of our culture,” Gregory Andrews, the country’s first Threatened Species Commissioner tells Nicole Hasham for the Sydney Morning Herald. “It's a journey that Australia has to go on."

Some cities and municipalities near conservation areas have already enacted bans, including several suburbs of Sydney and Canberra. But some cat lovers, including PETA and the French actress Brigitte Bardot, have taken issue with both the ban and the culling despite the government’s ecological intentions saying that extermination in the name of conservation doesn’t work.

Australia’s pet cats may soon be confined to their owners’ homes, but don't worry: the flow of cat pictures and GIFs to the internet should remain unaffected.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Washington, DC: MPD Officer Shoots Service Dog Outside of Dog Park in Greenbelt, Maryland

Greenbelt, Maryland - Greenbelt police are investigating the shooting of a service dog by an off-duty Metropolitan Police Department officer outside the Greenbelt Dog Park on December 13.

The service dog, a Pit mix named Cleo, was wounded and is recovering, according to her owner LaToya Plummer of Greenbelt.

Plummer, who is deaf and depends on Cleo to alert her to visitors, is demanding that charges be filed against the unnamed police officer.

According to Greenbelt police, the off-duty MPD sergeant told investigators that Cleo ran towards her and her dog aggressively.

The off-duty officer reported Cleo was "bearing teeth", and the officer said she feared for her safety, according to Greenbelt Police spokesman George Mathews.

The off-duty officer immediately reported the shooting to police.

Plummer said because she is deaf she did not hear the gunshot and wasn't aware how Cleo got injured. At first, she thought Cleo had been in a fight.

Plummer said she did not know the woman was an off-duty police officer and she did not see a gun. Plummer said she left the dog park before police arrived to get Cleo to a veterinarian.

She called police later in the day after learning from the vet that Cleo had been shot.

Plummer said she was at the dog park with Cleo and two other pets and preparing to take her dogs out of the fenced enclosure to her vehicle when the shooting happened.

Plummer disputes the claim that Cleo was aggressive.

"She is the most calm and gentle of my dogs," Plummer said through an interpreter.

Investigators said Cleo was outside the park fence and was unleashed.

The incident happened on Sunday at 6:30 a.m.

2-Year-Old Boy Found in Filthy Home with Dozens of Dead and Dying Animals

Gray Court, South Carolina - A 2-year-old boy remains in the hospital in critical condition after he was found unconscious in a filthy home with dozens of dead and dying animals, Laurens County authorities said Wednesday.

Authorities charged Savannah Victoria Morgan, 25, of Gray Court, with three counts of child neglect and one count of child abuse and cruelty to animals, according to arrest warrants.

On Tuesday evening, deputies were called to a home where they noticed “deplorable living conditions and a foul odor within,” according to an incident report.

Animal Control officers seized nearly 90 animals from the scene Tuesday night. The list of deceased animals included 48 rats, 11 gerbils, 10 python snakes, six tarantula spiders and two bearded dragons.

Warrants allege Morgan exposed a 2-year-old to physical abuse, causing the boy to suffer medical injuries such as bleeding in the brain and bruising to the head, neck and back.

The child was airlifted to Greenville Memorial Hospital, authorities said.

The boy’s mother originally told deputies that he choked on some chips and that she called 911 when she went into his room and saw he wasn’t breathing, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Two other children were taken into emergency protective custody due to suspected physical abuse, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies said they saw soiled diapers, clothing, feces, trash and broken glass on the floor and numerous live and deceased animals kept in plastic bins and cages. Two emaciated dogs were found chained up behind the residence and had no food or water, one report said.

Morgan is being held at the Laurens County Detention Center, where jail officials said her bond was set at $85,000.

Woman Caught Selling Dog Food as Heroin

Dog food and aspirin may not be controlled substances, but one Plymouth woman's alleged attempt to pass them off as such have landed her behind bars.

Megan M. Meyer, 22, was charged with two counts of imitation of a controlled substance and one felony bail jumping count. With enhancers attached for repeat behavior, she could face a maximum of 12 years in prison.

According to the criminal complaint:

The Sheboygan County MEG unit set up a buy with Meyer through a confidential informant on Nov. 18. The informant told officers that Meyer had contacted the informant offering to sell a pill of Percocet for $35. After arranging the buy, Meyer increased the price of the pill to $50 and also offered to sell him some "boy," which is slang for heroin.

When the informant made contact with Meyer, she said that the heroin was a "dose and a half" and that she had to get the items out of her apartment before her probation officer arrived in 15 minutes. The transaction was made and the items were turned over to police. However, they were unable to identify the drugs as Percocet or heroin.

When Meyer was picked up on a probation hold and other charges on Dec. 15, investigators interviewed her about the buy. Meyer said she sold the informant fake drugs -- namely dog food crushed up to look like heroin and aspirin in place of Percocet. She did so, she said, because the informant had stolen a car seat from her and Meyer wanted to get back at that person.