Please join us to find out about animal welfare issues in our city and get an update on the status of the temporary animal shelter in Bowie. Dogs from the PG Animal Shelter and information about kitties available for adoption will be present to raise awareness of homeless animals in PG County. WHAT: Meet & Greet and Adoption Fair DATE: Sunday, April 26, 2015 TIME: 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Bowie Town Center (Front of the Food Court) 15606 Emerald Way Bowie, MD 20716 We hope to see you there!
Stunning images have surfaced of an elusive albino dolphin that can change color from white to pink when it gets emotional. The rare mammal has been making waves at the Taiji Whale Museum, in southern Japan, where it draws vast and fascinated crowds. While bottlenose dolphins are typically grey, the mammal is completely white– apart from the quirky tendency to turn pink when it's feeling angry, sad or even embarrassed. The phenomenon results from the animals thin skin, which means its blood vessels can cause a change in skin tone depending on their emotional state. Essentially, they blush in the same way as humans. The rare specimen is believed to be only the second one ever put on display in an aquarium after it was purchased from fishermen last year. The animal was controversially captured during the annual dolphin hunt in the town of Taiji in January. Its quirky coloration meant the fishermen would get more money selling it to an aquarium than as meat. The Taiji hunt was made notorious by the 2009 Oscar-winning documentary 'The Cove,' which depicted fishermen capturing hundreds of dolphins for aquariums or to be killed for meat. Japan's Wakayama Prefecture, which includes Taiji, reported that 1,218 dolphins and small whales were captured there in 2011, though it did not specify how many of those captured were killed. Environmental activists filed a lawsuit against the Taiji Whaling Museum in May 2014, claiming it had refused experts to check on the safety of the elusive dolphin. But the museum claims the creatures health has been monitored through periodic blood tests, and that they are keeping it 'physically and mentally healthy' for further research. It was also reported the museum did the animal a favor - albino dolphins are easy prey at sea as they unable to blend in like their grey colored relatives. Experts claimed it was remarkable that the animal had survived so long before being taken to the museum. Taiji Whaling Museum, along with the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology and the Institute of Cetacean Research, published a study about the dolphin in Mammal Study March 2015.
As Spc. Matthew Tattersall prepares to leave the U.S. Army, he wanted to make his last jump as a paratrooper a memorable one. So last weekend, he jumped with Willy MakeIt, his pet Siamese fighting fish. A selfie Tattersall took of his fish, not out of water, but out of an airplane, went viral on U.S. Army W.T.F.! Moments, a Facebook community popular among troops. "The picture got way more popular than I thought it would," Tattersall said. Although social media users were hooked on the image (the photo got more than 15,500 likes), bosses upstream at Fort Bragg, N.C., thought the move was all wet. Tattersall, who's assigned to 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, said he's waiting for the final fallout from his aerial actions. Meanwhile, he has written a 1,000-word essay on the importance of airborne safety and professionalism in the Army. "When it's all said and done, it wasn't all that safe or professional for me to have done that," Tattersall said.
But the 23-year-old, who calls himself "23 years stupid," said he has no regrets. "It was worth it," he said. "I'm fully willing to embrace any consequences that come of it, and I hope they're lenient." Tattersall, an infantryman with a deployment to Afghanistan, joined the Army in 2011, shipping to basic training in January 2012. He will complete his enlistment on May 20. His last jump was April 11. "It was a daytime combat jump, but with me being so close to getting out, I didn't have any gear, so it was a Hollywood jump for me," Tattersall said. He and his friends have long talked about doing something special for their last jump, but "no one actually went through with it," he said. So when his turn came, "I wanted to make it awesome, and I did just that," he said. The night before the jump, Tattersall went to Walmart and bought the fish he named Willy MakeIt. "It's so random to have it be a fish," he said, crediting a friend for the idea. Tattersall poked holes in the top of a water bottle so Willy could breathe. "I had his little pod ready," he said. On jump day, no one knew about the plan Tattersall was hatching, he said. "I kept it in my pocket, and I was as nonchalant as I possibly could be," he said. "I knew the jumpmasters wouldn't have let that fly. I knew none of the NCOs or other leaders would have let me jump. It was completely on me." As he jumped from the C-17 and fell to the ground under the canopy of his parachute, Tattersall took a quick selfie. "I had to be quick, but paratroopers get the job done," he said. "... Conditions were perfect. I made sure I wasn't around anyone where it would have been a hazard," he said. "But I guess that's famous last words for anyone." Tattersall and Willy MakeIt made it safely to the ground, and the hardy fish earned a middle name. He's now Willy Did MakeIt, and he has big dreams. "Willy and I are trying to go to space," Tattersall said. But first, Tattersall hopes to be able to move on from the Army honorably. "I have big hopes and big plans for the future," said Tattersall, who aims to start college in the fall. "I'm proud to be a paratrooper. I wouldn't change a thing about it."
A young bull elephant killed professional hunter Ian Gibson early on Wednesday as he tracked a lion for an American client in a rugged part of north-east Zimbabwe. Mr. Gibson, 55, one of Zimbabwe's best known big game hunters, died scouting for prey in the Zambezi Valley after a young bull elephant charged, then knelt on him and crushed him to death. "We don't yet know the full details of how 'Gibbo' as we called him, died, as the American client and the trackers are still too traumatized to give us full details," said Paul Smith, Managing Director, of Chifuti Safaris' which employed Mr. Gibson for the hunt. The American hunter was on his first trip to Zimbabwe, and only has one leg, but was "fit and strong" and had already shot a leopard. Mr. Gibson was scouting for lions when he encountered the elephant. Mr. Gibson's trackers said the young bull had been in a musth period, which means it was producing much more testosterone then usual. "We know 'Gibbo' shot it once, from about 10 yards away, with a 458 rifle. He would never have fired unless he had no alternative. He was a hunter, yes, but he was also a magnificent wildlife photographer and conservationist. "He was so experienced and this is a most unexpected tragedy." Mr. Gibson was accompanying his client in an area known as Chiwore North, in the southern part of the Zambezi Valley, which Mr. Smith said is overpopulated with elephants.
FOLLOW US!
Working at Disney World exposes you to everything imaginable. It’s not just castles, fairy tale characters, and insane rides you see on a daily basis, but all types of people as well. Sometimes people do strange things, but nothing prepared park employees for a woman trying to enter with her pet tiger. On April 6th, 2015, an unidentified woman tried to enter the park with her pet tiger, and was promptly stopped by park employees. The tiger had been staying with the family in their hotel room, and walked to the park on a leash. While service animals are allowed in the park, the woman could not prove that it was an “emotional support animal,” according to employees. After a long winded argument at the parks entrance, Central Florida Zoo was called to retrieve the baby Bengal tiger until the end of the woman’s vacation. However, for the “inconvenience,” Disney gave reservations at a restaurant on site, and gave them fast passes for the rest of their trip. This situation highlights just how easy it is to acquire an exotic animal as a “pet,” and the cavalier attitude people have towards them. Far too many animals are adopted while they are “still cute,” only to be abandoned or killed when they become too difficult to take care of. Hopefully it will become impossible for these wild creatures to be bought and traded with impunity. Thankfully, we can all pitch in to help. As with many news stories, things are constantly changing. As it turns out, the animals was a bengal CAT, which is a semi-domesticated exotic breed of cat. However, many parts of the United States outlaw or regulate bengal cats, considering them exotic, and in the same category as an actual tiger. While there is some comfort in knowing the details, it still stirs up the questions of morality and safety of trying to “own” exotic animals and treating them as house pets.
Canine influenza has reached Lafayette, according to the Purdue University's Pet Wellness Clinic. Clinic director Steve Thompson said Friday that several tests on Lafayette dogs came up positive for the virus Thursday evening. It's unclear how many dogs have been diagnosed with the virus locally. Thompson said Purdue will be releasing more information later today. Indiana State Board of Animal Health spokeswoman Denise Derrer said the board has heard of about a dozen cases of the virus in Indiana dogs. The board last week had asked veterinarians to informally notify the board of any cases they diagnose. "But that's not an official count by any means," Derrer said, noting that the virus isn't considered "reportable," meaning that veterinarians aren't required to report canine influenza cases to the state. The virus has swept Chicago in recent weeks, sickening more than 1,000 dogs and killed five dogs between January and March. Experts originally thought it to be the H3N8 dog flu virus already found in the United States. They now believe it is a new strain, H3N2, that likely originated in Asia and hasn't been seen before in the U.S. Though a vaccine is available for the H3N8 virus, it's unclear yet whether it will ward off the H3N2 virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus is rarely fatal, but young and old canines can be especially at risk. About canine influenza What is it? Canine influenza is a very contagious respiratory infection in dogs. How is it transmitted? The virus can be transmitted from dog to dog via the air (coughing or close proximity), by contaminated objects such as food bowls or toys, or by humans moving between infected and healthy dogs. What are the symptoms? The signs of this illness in dogs are coughing, runny nose and fever. A small portion of infected dogs can develop severe disease. What to do if dog shows symptoms? Though there is a vaccine for the older H3N8 virus, but it is unknown whether that vaccine will protect against the new H3N2 virus currently sweeping the Midwest. Veterinarians still recommend receiving the H3N8 vaccine. Contact your vet for details. Treatment largely consists of supportive care including fluids and making the dog comfortable. Is it fatal? The percent of dogs with the disease that die is very small. Eighty percent of infected dogs will have a mild form of the virus. Sources: Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
If your cat becomes Houdini and magically vanishes whenever you even think about trimming her nails, part of the problem might be she has learned to associate the procedure with restraint, discomfort, fear or even pain. Even if you do manage to accomplish the nail trimming procedure, if you’ve had to wrap your cat in a towel, enlist the help of family members to hold her down, restrain her by scruffing or have punished her in any way for being a wiggle worm, then all that just compounds the problem. If she dislikes the process now, she’ll absolutely hate it the next time and then go into full panic mode the time after that. Nail Trimming Shouldn’t be Stressful Ok, it may not top the list of your cat’s favorite things to do, but it shouldn’t create a wave of panic and should definitely not result in hissing, growling, biting or scratching (by the cat or by you!). When done correctly, it should be a quick, easy, and dare I say, pleasant experience. Develop Trust If you’re dealing with a kitten, don’t waste time – start getting her comfortable with having her paws touched and her nails trimmed. This is the ideal time because if you get her comfortable with it from the very beginning it will be a heck of a lot easier when she’s an adult. If you’re dealing with a cat who has never had her nails trimmed or has had a less-than-happy experience with the procedure, you’ll have to take it slow and do some trust-building. For this, you won’t even get out the clippers or attempt to trim one nail. Your main objective during this phase is to show your cat having her paws touched is a good thing. The Velvet Touch
Choose a time to begin the training when your cat is relaxed and maybe even a bit sleepy. Arm yourself with some treats. Gently touch her paw and then offer a treat. If she has never been comfortable with having her paws touched then make sure when you do touch her, it’s for no more than a couple of seconds – just one gentle stroke. Work up to being able to pet each of her paws and then to being able to lift and hold one paw for a few seconds. When you hold her paw don’t grasp it – just let it sit in your hand for the count of three. Reward your cat with a treat for her tolerance. The next step is to hold a paw and gently press to allow the nail to extend. Be very gentle. Reward your cat. Do this with all of the paws. Do the above exercises a couple of times a day until you feel your cat is completely comfortable with having her paws held and gently pressed so the nails are exposed. Remember to always reward your cat with a treat for her acceptance of each move you make. Choose the Right Nail Clipper Get a nail clipper meant for cat nails. Don’t use a dog nail clipper (too big) and don’t use clippers meant for human fingernails (they’ll split the nails). The cat’s nails are smaller and thinner so use clippers specifically designed for their size and shape. Avoid Cutting the Quick There’s a blood supply running through the nail. If your cat’s nails are light-colored you can see the pink part. That’s called the quick and it contains nerves and the blood supply. If you cut the quick you’ll cause pain to your cat and it’ll also result in bleeding. Cutting the quick, in addition to causing pain, will undo the good behavior work and your cat may develop a fear of the procedure.Only cut the very tip of the nail – don’t go beyond the curve. If your cat’s nails are light-colored, it’s much easier to see the quick, but if they’re dark-colored, you have to be even more careful. Always cut less than you think you should. If you’re at all in doubt about how much to trim, have your veterinarian or one of the clinic’s veterinary technicians show you. If you do accidentally cut the quick, stop the bleeding with a little cornstarch. Keep a small container of cornstarch with your grooming supplies just to be on the safe side. Hopefully though, you’ll never need it. Trimming the Nails If your cat has had negative experiences with nail trimming, you shouldn’t attempt to do more than one or nails during each trimming session. It’s better to have the whole procedure over and done before your cat even realizes what just happened. If you keep the experience quick and positive, she’ll be more relaxed next time around.
Choose a time for nail trimming when your cat is relaxed. Hold the nail trimmer with one hand and take your cat’s paw in the other hand. Gently press to expose a nail and do a quick, but careful snip. If she reacts, don’t attempt to do any more nails. If she’s calm, do another. Always end on a positive note so it’s better to come back and do a couple more nails later, rather than have her struggle and undo all the good behavior modification work you’ve been doing. It will also help the process if you keep track of which paw you’re working on so you’ll know where you left off when it’s time to do a couple more nails. The less you have to hold a paw while you double-check whether you’ve already cut those nails, the better. How Often Should You Trim Your Cat’s Nails? Typically, once a month is sufficient but that will depend on how fast your particular cat’s nails grow. The Scratching Post Don’t be surprised if your cat races over to her scratching post after you’ve trimmed her nails. It’s actually a good way for her to complete the manicure. It’s a great way for her to displace any apprehension she may have had about the procedure. In our house, it’s standard behavior for my cat to head directly to her post as soon as the last nail has been trimmed.
What About Declawing? Declawing is not a humane option and shouldn’t be viewed as a way to avoid nail trimming. Being able to scratch is a vital part of being a cat. Declawing is the equivalent of mini amputations. Scratching behavior serves many vital emotional and physical functions for a cat. If your cat is engaging in furniture scratching, then provide an appealing scratching post, place it near the area where she’s scratching and reward her for using the post. If you’re considering declawing your cat because you are unable to trim her nails, your veterinarian will teach you how to do it or you can bring your cat in to have a veterinary staff member do the nail trim. You may be interested in reading:Declawing: How This Procedure Affects Cats
Sadie - FOSTER NEEDED The Homeward Trails Adoption Center was proud to welcome Sadie into our arms just yesterday. You will no doubt notice that she was spray painted by her previous owner, which is a common practice by some hunters to keep track of their dogs. We are working to remove the paint but you can help we recover in other ways by giving her a forever home. You can meet Sadie at the Adoption Center this Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm until 2 pm. Sadie is about 5 years old and 40 pounds ABOUT SADIE - FOSTER NEEDED PLEASE NOTE PETFINDER IS HAVING TECHNICAL ISSUES. If you are interested in adopting this dog, please fill out our dog adoption questionnaire and e-mail it to LoisLHT@gmail.com PLEASE VISIT THIS WEBSITE TO FIND THE ADOPTION QUESTIONNAIRE: http://www.homewardtrails.org/adopt-a-pet/adoption-forms/ Sadie is a sweet, 5 year old, 40 lb female Hound. She came to a rural shelter as a stray. She has initials painted on her sides - some hunters do this to identify their dogs. So it's a good guess that she was either lost or abandoned by someone who used her for hunting. Sadie deserves better and we would love to find her a home where she will be cherished. She gets along well with other dogs and with humans too Sadie is in temporary boarding and hopes to find a foster or adopter soon. . Breed Estimate: hound Gender: female Approximate weight: about 40 lbs Approximate age: 5 years Location: temporary boarding Cratetrained: unknown Coat Type: short Personality: friendly, easy going To learn more about Sadie, click here: PETFINDER
The adoption fee for this dog is $275. This fee INCLUDES spay/neuter. If the animal you are adopting is not already spayed/neutered, you will be required to sign a contract legally obligating you to have the animal altered. Please contact your HT rep to learn about exclusive low-cost spay/neuter options made available only to HT adopters! Be sure to ask us about getting a free 30-minute phone consult with a professional dog trainer within the first 30 days of adopting - just for HT adopters. Start your new dog out on the right foot with this valuable, expert advice and guidance FREE! Finally, we are proud to partner with the following veterinarians who offer a free first exam for your animal, exclusively for HT adopters: Caring Hands Animal Hospital, Palisades Veterinary Clinic, Sunshine Animal Hospital and Clarendon Animal Care You can save animals like this one by becoming a foster! Fosters are like way stations between high kill shelters and forever homes. We need fosters so that we can save dogs before they are euthanized at the shelters. If you are interested in becoming a foster, please check out our information about fostering by visiting http://www.homewardtrails.org/foster-a-pet/dog-and-cat-foster-program/ Homeward Trails Animal Rescue PO Box 100968 Arlington, Virginia 22210
