The Smithsonian's National Zoo is Showing Off the Rare Spider Tortoise that Hatched in the Reptile Discovery Center

Washington, DC - The Smithsonian's National Zoo is showing off the rare spider tortoise that hatched in the Reptile Discovery Center. The spider tortoise was born on May 10 and staff have been watching it closely since then.

The birth marks the first time a spider tortoise has hatched at the center. Zoo officials say spider tortoise eggs can be difficult to hatch in human care "in part because they must be incubated, cooled, and incubated again during the embryo's development."

The tortoise "appears to be thriving," according to zoo officials, and they hope to have it on exhibit this summer. Right now, zoo visitors can see a family group of adult male spider tortoises.

The sex of the two-week-old tortoise is unknown at this time.

Spider tortoises are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species, according to zoo officials. They are native to the forests and sandy coastlines of Madagascar. Their populations have "declined by 80 percent since 1970 and populations continue to dwindle due to habitat loss and wildlife trafficking for the food and pet trade," according to zoo officials.

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Couple Charged After The Humane Animal Welfare Society Removed 331 Chinchillas from a Home in Waukesha, Wisconsin

The complaint says officers were called to the Rees home on Melody Lane in Waukesha for a “well-being check” on Sunday, March 29th. Officers made contact with Garrett and Tricia Rees. While standing in the doorway of the home, the officers “detected the strong smell of urine and ammonia.” The officers were allowed inside the home and they indicated “their eyes and noses were burning…because of the level of ammonia.”

Officers said in the complaint that “there was a complete disarray and there was clutter everywhere” inside the home. That included “flies swarming around the kitchen table” and “cages filled with animals which were identified…as chinchillas.” One officer noticed there was chinchilla feces on the hallway and kitchen floors.

The Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) was called in and removed 331 chinchillas from the home. They also found “several dead chinchillas in the basement freezer of the residence.”

A fire marshal called in as part of this investigation stated in the complaint that “there was no ventilation system inside the residence and the house was not being ventilated in any fashion.” He indicated there were “toxic ammonia levels” inside the home — and that “it would take as little as 15 minutes of exposure to that level of ammonia to cause potential health issues.”

Officers asked the couple if there were any children living in the residence, and Tricia Rees said there were three. A seven-year-old child was located in the home — and immediately evacuated. The other two children were apparently out of the residence.

As for the chinchillas, they were examined by a licensed veterinarian. Dr. Marla Lichtenberger “indicated that some of the chinchillas were mistreated.” The complaint says she “believed there was neglect over a period of months.”

If convicted, Garrett and Tricia Rees each face up to nine months in prison and a $10,000 fine on each of the five charges.

Garrett and Tricia Rees will be in court for their initial appearance on June 15th.

The chinchillas have been at HAWS since they were seized in March — and they have been multiplying.

“At last count, we had 158 boys. We had about four born last week and eight born the week before,” HAWS Executive Director Lynn Olenik said.

While the males and females have been separated, more babies could be on the way.

“Based on the gestation period of 111 days average, we could be having babies until after the Fourth of July,” Olenik said.

Olenik says she’s not surprised by the charges.

“The caging was absolutely deplorable. It’s important to take animal cases seriously — just to prevent things like this from happening,” Olenik said.

Caring for the chinchillas has cost about $2,000 per day.

“They`re living in temporary housing. The cages are small. They do get out for some exercise, but not as much as they should. We really do need to get this resolved,” Olenik said.

HAWS officials have said the chinchillas’ owners have refused to surrender the animals, so they haven’t been able to be adopted.

“We`re hoping that they will sign them over and do the right thing,” Olenik said.

HAWS’ attorney has been negotiating with the chinchillas’ owners, but even though there are more than 80 people on a waiting list to adopt them, nothing can happen as of yet.

The hope is that there will be a resolution prior to Garrett and Tricia Rees’ court appearance on June 15th.

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Art and Soul in the Liaison Hotel is One of the Only Places in Washington, DC, Selling Beer for Dogs

Washington, DC - Dog beers are growing in popularity, and we had to check out these brews for pups for ourselves.

At this time it looks like Art and Soul in the Liaison Hotel is one of the only places in the D.C. are selling them.

Don't worry about over-serving your dog -- the beverages are non-alcoholic. It's made out of chicken stock and malt extract.

"We typically sell out," said executive chef Douglas Alexander. "And we'll move through a case or two all summer."

He added, "We also have delicious human food so all you dogs out there watching, please bring your owner in for something to eat."

We're told the dog brews are safe for humans. Tommy McFly even took a sip on camera on Monday morning!

Are You Surprised at the Innovative Ways Dogs Are Being Used Today?

Looking for a way to harness the energy of an unruly German shepherd puppy named Solo, English professor Cat Warren started training him as a cadaver dog. The two have spent the past seven years as volunteers searching for the dead.

In her book, What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs, published this month, Warren tells of her journey into the field of "on the job" dogs and reveals how science is unraveling the secrets of the canine nose.

Not everyone who has a high-energy dog like Solo decides to train him to become a volunteer cadaver dog. What made you decide to teach Solo to look for the dead?

I took Solo to a trainer when he was four months old and asked her what I could possibly do with this dog. She suggested that I could consider training him as a cadaver dog. I didn't even know what that meant. She explained that a cadaver dog goes out to search for the missing and presumed dead.

What makes a good cadaver dog?

Drive, a good nose, and an ability to focus. A good cadaver dog needs to be deeply bonded to his handler and simultaneously be independent and to make decisions on his own. The dog needs to work as part of an inseparable unit with the handler, but also be independent enough that he's not constantly looking back for signals on what to do next. When Solo is working scent, he won't look back at me for minutes at a time. He will be out there, and I will be trying to stay out of his way so he can do his best work.

Do most searches end with finding a body?

Nine out of ten times you search, and you don't find someone. It can be very hard to find the missing. People think that it's easy once you have one or two things in place, but bodies can disappear forever. We're so used to having everything wrapped up in a 50-minute television show that we don't realize how many years investigators can work on cases and how many of them remain unresolved.

Why does law enforcement rely on volunteer cadaver dogs?

It's mostly about budgets. The fact is, cadaver dogs aren't needed every day in the same way a patrol dog is needed every day. There are larger departments that still have cadaver dogs, but more and more law enforcement depends on volunteers. A good dog and handler team can help produce some excellent results.

How does training a cadaver dog differ from training other types of sniffer dogs, like drug- and bomb-detecting canines?

Scent is scent, so the training itself is not greatly different. You introduce the dog to the scent, and you reward him for finding it. You're training a dog to get as close as it can to a particular scent, indicate it's there, and get his reward while making sure that the dog doesn't harm a scene or get harmed. One of the fascinating things about training human-remains detection is that it's a very complex scent. You're dealing with a range of scent, from dry bone to very fresh material. Understanding that and getting the dog to recognize that means going through a pretty long series of steps until you think that you and the dog are dependable. For Solo and me, I didn't rush it. I was inexperienced. We finally were ready when he was about two years old.

How much does science understand about how detector dogs do their work?

What's fascinating about this field is how much we don't know about how dogs detect scent. Chemists are starting to realize what the compounds are in certain drugs that dogs are interested in, but we're still a ways away from knowing exactly what the dogs are alerting on in cadaver scent. Forensic anthropologist Arpad Vass and fellow researchers at the University of Tennessee's anthropological research facility have identified nearly 480 different volatile compounds coming off decomposing bodies. We don't yet fully know which of those compounds are significant to the dog.

Are German shepherds, like Solo, better at detecting certain smells than other breeds?

Despite all the myths about the bloodhound having the best nose versus the German shepherd, we have no really good scientific studies about which breed's nose is the best. There are sometimes more variations between one Labrador and another than between two breeds. Many breeds have fine noses. It also has to do with how much the dog wants to work. You could have a Labrador with a great nose that is indifferent to doing the work, and you would simply never know it had a great nose.

Were you surprised at the innovative ways dogs are being used today?

I was surprised. The tasks that we're thinking up for dogs are multiplying by the day. It's not just bombs, drugs, and humans we're asking dogs to find. They are being trained to detect everything from invasive species to endangered species, from mildew to cows in heat to gas leaks. That's not to say that they're always successful, and we still have a lot to learn about, for instance, how good dogs are at detecting cancer and whether there's ultimately a practical application for that skill. Finally, I think it's important for people to realize that while dogs and their noses are amazing, they are not magical, and it's not easy work. It takes rigorous training, handling, and a fine dog to produce good results.

What's in it for the dogs?

It depends on the dog, but it has to be fun. I think that Solo works partly for the joy of the hunt and partly because he is bonded with me. But I know he loves getting a game of tug most of all.

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Why This Domestic Violence Center's Pet Shelter Is Crucial For Both Animals And People

A 12-year-boy and his beloved cat have been reunited after a Phoenix domestic violence center opened a shelter for residents’ pets.

When Robert Pressler and his mother, Jennifer Pressler, arrived at the Sojourner Center two months ago, they didn’t want to leave their orange cat, Clark Kent, behind.

At the time, the center had been building a facility for pets for about a year and a half but did not yet have a place for Clark Kent to stay, Teri Hauser, chief advancement officer at the center, told The Huffington Post. Jennifer Pressler even considered leaving the center because the cat couldn't stay there.

“We were going to leave and I didn't have anywhere to go,” Pressler told local TV station Fox 10.

With funding assistance from pet rescue group RedRover, the Sojourner Center found temporary housing for the cat at local animal shelter Lost Our Home. (Since 2008, RedRover has helped Sojourner Center pay for temporary housing for residents' pets).

Nevertheless, being separated from his cat during such a traumatic time was “devastating” for Robert, Hauser said, and the boy began helping with the construction of the onsite pet facility any way he could.

"He’d come in every day," Hauser said. "He was very much a participant in helping the guys do what they felt was safe for him."

To read more on this story, click here: WhyThis Domestic Violence Center's Pet Shelter Is Crucial For Both Animals AndPeople

Young People in South Korea Risk Jail Time for Getting Tattoos of Their Feline Friends

While getting a tattoo of a beloved pet may seem okay, young men and women in South Korea who are embracing a trend of getting tattoos of their feline friends may be facing jail time.

While tattoos themselves are not technically illegal, the permanent ink designs must be administered by a licensed doctor- prompting the adventurous to risk consequences just as permanent as their ink by visiting a tattoo parlor.

One parlor is Sol Tattoo, an underground parlor in Seoul which specializes in cat tattoos and encourages its customers to break the law in a very unique way.

The tattoos, which range from several centimeters high to covering a whole forearm, show off customers four-legged friends through cartoons, portraits and etchings.

The parlor also specializes in intricate floral designs, as well as other animals including whales and dogs.

Sol Tattoo regularly posts their detailed creations and 'cat tats' onto social media, showing the growing demand for the unusual ink.

In South Korea, tattoos have long been associated with organized crime, but, championed by sporting heroes, K-pop stars and other celebrities with passionate fan bases, the ink is slowly working its way into the mainstream.

According to the Association of Korean Tattooists, more than a million people have tattoos, prompting many young Koreans to protest against laws which label tattoos as a medical procedure.

“Korean tattooists have good hands, so they're recognized globally like the break-dancers. But because it is illegal, it creates more problems in a shadowy area”, the Association's President, Jang Joon-hyuck told The Korea Times.

   

“In Korea, you can shave your jawbone, slice your eye socket open for bigger eyes, adjust your nose and breasts as you please, but drawing on your body is deemed crazy and illegal”, said a local blogger.

“This old-fashioned attitude needs to change, considering Korea openly supports other forms of body adjustment.”

Korea and Japan are the only countries in the world where the activity is illegal, and police regularly raid local shops believed to be fronting underground tattoo parlors.

Jang Jun-Hyuk, the owner of Tattooism, another underground parlor in Seoul, had his shop targeted in a random raid, and he ended up in court, where he was fined $3,000 and given a one-year suspended jail sentence for violating public health codes.

“If you want to get a tattoo, you're supposed to go to a hospital? It's just absurd,” Jang said.

Despite sporadic crackdowns, the number of studios has continued to grow and some, like Maverick in the expat-friendly district of Itaewon, have grown bold enough to put up neon signs.

“It's a form of passive resistance”, said Maverick owner Lee Sung-Je.

“It's my way of saying 'I'm here, doing my work.”

Lee claims customers across the social spectrum, including a smattering of civil servants, and executives working at straight-laced conglomerates like Samsung.

“Though they do tend to go for tattoos that can be covered up easily,” he said.

Despite the proposition of a bill in December last year that could see the industry regulated, no concrete laws have been introduced to certify tattoo artistry as a legal profession, reported The Wall Street Journal.

  

Wagga Wagga, New South Wales: Millions of Spiders Turn Green Fields White as Branches and Bushes Are Cocooned in Sticky Silk

At first glance it looks like the fields have been blanketed with snow - but this ghostly white landscape in Australia is the work of millions of spiders.

As flood waters raced past the town of Wagga Wagga, in New South Wales, the spiders were forced to clamber up trees and bushes, spinning their webs as they climbed.

The result was this amazing panorama - glistening sheets of web covering just about everything in sight.

Branches were cocooned in the sticky webs, while tall grasses appeared to be enrobed in silk.

The scenes are reminiscent of the coat of spiders' webs that were spun in Pakistan after last year's floods turning trees into what appeared like giant sticks of candy floss.

Residents of Wagga Wagga, returning to their evacuated homes as flood waters raced towards them after torrential rain turned rivers into raging torrents, were astonished to find the fields surrounding their houses transformed from green to white.

But while the town's residents are breathing a sigh of relief that they have escaped the threatening dangers of the floods, fears were growing today for the safety of two teenage men who have gone missing in a flood-affected part of Queensland.

Luke Andus and Solomon Love, 19, set out from the town of Normanton at the weekend to travel 180 miles to the west - but have not arrived.

"Police and family hold concerns for their welfare with some roads in the area impassable due to local flooding," said a police spokesman.

Dozens of freight trucks and hundreds of motorists remain stranded by the flood waters after the Bruce Highway was cut off in three places south of the town of Gympie.

The Army Veteran Who Says He Broke a Car Window to Save a Dog Inside Has Had the Charges Against Him Dropped

Oconee County, Ga. - Michael Hammons said when he heard a dog was in distress, he jumped into action. The tiny, Pomeranian-mix was left inside a hot car, with no water, in an Athens shopping center.

Hammons said he grabbed the foot rest of his wife's wheelchair and smashed the windows of the car to get the dog out.

When the dog's owner came out of the store, Hammons said she was irate. "She said you broke my window, and I said I did. She says why would you do that? I said to save your dog." said Hammons.

Oconee County authorities said the owner of the car insisted on pressing charges against Hammons. Chief Deputy Lee Weems, said he understands why Hammons did what he did.

"We didn't want to charge him, but he told us he broke the windows and when you have a victim there saying she wants him charged, we had no other choice," said Chief Weems.

 Monday, District Attorney Kenneth W. Mauldin filed a motion dismissing the charges stating that "persecution of this case is not warranted."

Hammons served in Desert Storm. His wife, Saundra, said he battles PTSD and is always the one to come to the rescue in the face of danger.

"He has seen so much, and been through so much, his thing is he's got to save him. 

Michael says I have to save lives because I couldn't save everyone else over there," said Saundra Hammons.

Hammons said despite the arrest and the likelihood he will have to pay for the windows he smashed, he said there's no doubt he'd do it again.

Hammons said "I knew there'd be consequences, but it didn't matter. Glass, they make new glass every day, but they could never replace that dog."The dog's owner was issued a citation from animal control. The citation was for proper care.

PETA announced Wednesday Hammons will be honored with a Compassionate Action Award.

"Every summer, PETA receives dozens of calls about dogs left in hot cars for whom help came too late to save their lives," says PETA Senior Director Colleen O'Brien. "Rather than be arrested, this man should be applauded for deciding not to stand idly by, but for acting in the best interests of the victim."

There is now a fundraising website for Hammons. Some supporters are calling for the charges to be dropped.

But the Oconee County Sheriff's Office said Hammons not only broke one window on the car, but two. And, while they understand the emotional aspect of what happened, Hammons broke the law.

You can read the initial story here: Veteran Breaks CarWindow To Save Dog, Owner Has Him Arrested: What Are Your Thoughts?