The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too

Saturday, December 19, 2015

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.