Feeding Bread to Birds: May Actually Do More Harm Than Good

Many people have memories of going to a park and tossing out scraps of bread to feed the pigeons and ducks.  It is not unusual for people to put out bread that has gone stale in their backyard feeders, too, so that it "doesn't go to waste".  However, caution must be taken with offering bread, as it may actually do more harm than good.

Bread molds fast outside and injesting these molds can cause a whole range of illnesses in birds.  Bread offered in too large pieces may also cause blockages in birds' digestive tracts.  Crop stasis, a condition where the crop fails to empty properly and food ferments leading to secondary yeast infections, can result from bread consumption.

Bread is more likely to attract nuisance bird species, particularly European Starlings, House Sparrows, and pigeons.

The biggest problem with offering bread is that it does not offer proper nutrition to birds.  Birds that fill up on bread feel full, but have not obtained the fats and proteins needed for survival.  Many of our favorite feeder birds have digestive systems that rely on calories obtained from dietary fats, not dietary carbohydrates, for daily health and survival.

Consider the following facts:

• Dietary fats supply bird with energy, essential fatty acids, and pigments. 
• Fats are the most concentrated energy source that a bird can consume. 
• Fats are the only dietary component that is deposited intact into a bird’s tissue. 
• Stored fats are the primary energy supply that fuels a bird between meals, throughout migration, and during a chick’s embryonic development. 

• In small passerines the amount of fat stored is a function of overnight energy expenditure used to maintain metabolic rate and body temperature. Up to ¾ of fat reserves may be used in one night and replenished the next day. 
• When fat reserves are depleted, protein, mostly from muscles, is depleted to sustain energy needs.

100 grams of white bread contains only 28.6 calories from fat; you may get up to 40 calories in some multi-grain breads.  By comparison, 100 grams of black oil sunflower has 354 calories from fat.  How about other favorite seeds of our backyard birds?  The same amount of safflower offers 322 fat calories, peanut chunks give 413 fat calories, and sunflower chips offer a whopping 429 fat calories.  Those tiny nyjer thistle seeds that goldfinches love?  Yup, they're fatty too, providing 342 fat calories per 100 grams.

These seeds all also offer more protein calories than bread.  100 grams of bread offers about 30 protein calories, while black oil sunflower gives 74 protein calories.  There are 56 protein calories for safflower, 91 for peanut chunks, 70 for sunflower chips, and 84 for nyjer thistle.

If you do decide to put out bread, we suggest following these guidelines:

• Only put out an amount of bread that the birds will eat in a day; food left on the ground overnight may attract undesired visitors such as rats and raccoons.

• Brown bread is better than white.

• Crumble bread into tiny pieces.  This is especially important during the breeding season so that it is only eaten by adult birds.  Dry chunks of bread will choke baby birds, and a chick on a diet of bread will not develop into a healthy fledgling.

Australian Sheep Found After 6 Years: Wearing 46 Pounds of Wool

Buckland, Australia - An Australian sheep has been found after being missing for 6 years.

Sheila the sheep went missing when her owner lost her in dense forest fog.

Six years later, Sheila was found on the side of a road. She couldn't move because of the weight of the wool on her body. Luckily, an experienced sheep shearer stepped in and freed her from her wool: all 46 pounds of it!

A 600 Pound Elk Fell Through a Plexiglass Window into a Living Room

When Matthew Siegel heard a loud noise coming from his basement, he rushed to find out what had happened.

A 600-pound elk stood staring back at him.

"To see a full-size elk standing in your downstairs living room when you get down there is something that you'd never expect," Siegel told KTVB.

Siegel and other residents in Idaho have seen snow levels rising in the mountainous northwestern state. Rising snow levels in the mountains kill elk and push them from the snowier regions.

“It is one of those years (that) we have a lot of elk and we have our first normal snow levels in the past five years and elk are being pushed into the valley and getting into trouble,” said Daryl Meints, Magic Valley Fish and Game regional wildlife manager.

But homeowners like Siegel never expected to come face to face with the massive animals.

The elk fell through Siegel's durable Plexiglass window.

"It's Plexiglass and able to hold a couple hundred pounds, but obviously not a full elk," he said.

After hours of trying to lure the elk out of the house, officials almost gave up. But Siegel encouraged them to try one more time.

“It took us about 2.5 hours, but we got her out uninjured,” said Alex Head, Fish and Game senior conservation officer. “The basement will need a good, deep cleaning, but we are glad it worked out as well as it did.”

Siegel is hoping homeowners insurance will cover the costs of the damage.

Mountain snow levels are killing elk and driving them into the Wood River Valley of Idaho.

At least one was found trapped in a Hailey-area resident's home on Wednesday after falling through a window into a basement, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game said.

“It is one of those years, we have a lot of elk and we have our first normal snow levels in the past five years and elk are being pushed into the valley and getting into trouble,” said Daryl Meints, Magic Valley Fish and Game regional wildlife manager.

Matthew Siegel was awakened at around 12:45 a.m. Wednesday when a cow elk ended up in a basement room after falling through a window well.

"It's Plexiglass and able to hold a couple hundred pounds, but obviously not a full elk," Siegel said. "To see a full-size elk standing in your downstairs living room when you get down there is something that you'd never expect."

After hours of unsuccessful attempts to get the elk out of the home, Blaine County Sheriff's Office deputies and Fish and Game officers drove the elk up the basement stairs and out the front door by barricading a path with furniture.

“It took us about 2.5 hours, but we got her out uninjured,” said Alex Head, Fish and Game senior conservation officer. “The basement will need a good, deep cleaning, but we are glad it worked out as well as it did.”

The elk did end up with a minor cut on her neck that left blood on the Siegels's floor.

"There is some pretty good damage. I mean, the window is totally destroyed... It looks pretty nasty down there," Siegel told KTVB-TV.

He is hoping homeowners insurance will cover the costs of damage. Siegel says this is the first time in four years that he has seen elk right there in his neighborhood. Fish and Game says that's because there hasn't been enough snow in recent years to push them out of the high country and into lower, more visible, areas where forage is available.

In another incident, at the Hailey Cemetery on Tuesday 10 elk died after eating a bush called the Japanese Yew.

“Japanese Yew is known to be extremely toxic,” Meints said. “This has happened before in the Wood River Valley and other places around the state to both elk and moose.”

Since then, the Yew has been removed from the grounds, and Fish and Game officers removed the dead elk from the cemetery.

"You're seeing them in downtown Twin Falls," Fish and Game Regional Conservation Educator Kelton Hatch said. "In Boise, you're seeing a lot more deer and elk move down to the foothills and stuff, and up there in Sun Valley."

Other elk are being hit and killed on area roads, Fish and Game said. Idaho Department of Transportation is encouraging drivers to pay special attention on I-84 near Mountain Home.

"Particularly during dawn and dusk hours when elk and deer may be on the move looking for food," ITD Communications Officer Jennifer Gonzalez told KTVB.

Fish and Game is urging drivers to be aware, watch the shoulder of the road and go slow enough that you can react if an elk or deer happens to jump in front of your car.

“The best thing for people to do is slow down when driving, when you have elk in your backyard give them a wide berth and don’t push them, and if you have a problem call Fish and Game or local city police or the county sheriff,” Meints said

Rabies: What Happens When You Get It

Rabies is spread through saliva, the wet stuff in your mouth. It´s not spread by blood, urine, or feces. If an animal has rabies and bites you - or licks its claw before it scratches you - then you could get rabies, too.

You can´t get rabies just by petting an animal with rabies.

If you´re bitten or scratched by an animal with rabies, the good news is that there are shots you can take that can keep you from getting the disease.

What happens if we get rabies?

It can take one month, two months, or even longer for you to know something is wrong. The rabies virus attaches to nerve cells, working its way through the nervous system. Eventually the virus makes its way to the brain, and by then it´s usually too late for doctors to help.

What should I do if I'm bitten by an animal?

Tell an adult right away! Have them wash the wound with soap and water for at least five minutes. Then have them take you to a doctor as soon as possible so the doctor can decide if you need more medical attention.

Have an adult contact your local animal control officer. If the animal that bit you is a pet like a dog, cat, or ferret, the animal may be watched for signs of rabies for 10 days. If it´s a wild animal, the animal control officer will try to catch it and then it may be killed so it can be tested for rabies.

What wild animals cause the most problems?

In the United States, more raccoons have rabies than other wild animals, but it is bites from bats that cause the most rabies in people.

The problem is that bat bites can be so small you might not think they are very serious and tell anyone about them. If you discover a bat in your house, especially in the room where you´re sleeping, you should act as if you were bitten and tell an adult as soon as you can. If an adult can trap the bat, then it can be tested so you will know if it had rabies.

What's the treatment?

You can get anti-rabies shots right away. There are five of them that will be given over 14 days. Two shots are given the first day; one shot goes near where you were bitten and the second in the arm. The rest of the shots go in your arm.

The shots help your body make "antibodies". An antibody is a special molecule that will attack the virus and make it harder for it to enter a nerve cell. If your body makes enough antibodies, the virus will die.

For more information on Rabies, visit the following websites:

Rabies Vaccine:  What You Need to Know

Rabies: Questions and Answers

Information about the disease and vaccines

When Should I Seek Medical Attention for Rabies?

The Rescue of 66 Dogs from a Dilapidated Rockville Home Being Treated as a ‘Criminal Case’

Rockville, Maryland - The staff at the Montgomery County Animal Services Center remains perplexed after staff there rescued 66 dogs from a dilapidated Rockville home on Friday, January 1st.

"We literally doubled our dog population in one day," Tom Koenig, director of Montgomery County Animal Services, told ABC7. "It's remarkable to me."

On Thursday, December 31st, animal control officers responded to a dog bite call at a home along the 13200 block of Glen Mill Road. While on-site, the female homeowner acted hostile and was overall uncooperative. Officers sensed a large number of dogs were inside her three-bedroom home. They wrote a report and obtained a search warrant. Then around 6:30 p.m. Friday, they returned, search warrant in tow, and discovered the 66 dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds.

It took 16 hours for staff to transport, catalog, and provide medical care to every animal over the holiday weekend. Although specific treatment has not been disclosed, Koenig says it ran the gamut from minor to major remedies.

Now, officers are constructing a criminal case. Was this a dog fighting ring? A puppy mill? Or a homegrown animal rescue gone awry? Investigators have their suspicions, but have not publicly identified the alleged motive.

"The homeowner could certainly face charges, but that has not been decided yet," Koenig added. "We'll charge as the law provides and there will be due diligence in that regard."

The criminal evidence list is long. It includes all 66 dogs, which has prevented the animal services center from releasing photos or pictures of the rescued animals.

"It was not healthy for them and we feel now they are in a better situation with us than they were there," Koenig concluded.

Veterinarians hope all 66 dogs will one day be available for public adoption, but many have a long road to recovery.

Related: Animal Control Officers Seized a Total of 66 Dogs from a Home in Rockville, Maryland

A Big Thank You to the Oakland Firefighters Local 55, Who Revive Dog with a Snout Breathing Mask

It’s good to know that firefighters are there to protect our family when we need them to, even our non-human family. This week, Oakland Firefighters Local 55 responded to a working fire. With no visibility and high heat, the firefighters went to work to put out the flames while conducting a search of the area. They found a small dog crate with an unconscious dog inside.

They hauled the crate out of the blaze and immediately provided care to the unresponsive pup. After some rescue breathing, the Ambulance Supervisor arrived with a snout-shaped breathing mask to slip over the dog’s muzzle and give oxygen. With the mask doing its job and workers giving lots of pets and care, the dog regained consciousness.

This story has a happy ending. The dog made a full recovery and is doing just fine. I’m glad to know that these snout masks are being used to keep our fur families safe. A big thanks to all the firefighters and ambulance workers who were on the scene and made sure to value all lives in danger.

The Benefits of Spaying/Neutering Your Dog

Many folks hesitate to spay or neuter their pet, fearing that it’s painful and wondering what the actual benefits are. Here is a discussion of the procedure and why you should consider it for your dog.

What is it?

Spaying is the surgical removal of the reproductive organs of female dogs and neutering is the surgical removal of a male dog’s testicles.

Both operations are performed while the dog is under anesthesia. Your veterinarian may want to keep your dog under observation for anywhere from a few hours to several days. The length of the stay is dependent on your dog’s age, size, and health. Do not leave your dog overnight at the vet’s office if they do not have techs in attendance.

Certain procedures will require that you bring the dog back in a week to ten days for suture removal. Your veterinarian will be glad to answer any questions you may have about spay or neuter procedures, as well as help you determine the best age at which you should sterilize your dog.

Spaying or neutering is good for your dog

• Spaying and neutering helps your dog live a longer, healthier life.

• Spaying and neutering reduces, or can eliminate, a number of health problems that are difficult and/or expensive to treat.

• Spaying greatly reduces the chance of mammary cancer, especially if your dog is spayed before her first estrous cycle, and also eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer.

• Neutering will decrease the possibility of prostate disease and eliminates testicular cancer.

Spaying and neutering offers benefits for you too

• Spaying and neutering makes your dog a better, more affectionate companion.

• Neutering dogs makes them less likely to spray and mark territory.

• Spaying a dog eliminates her heat cycle, which lasts an average of six to 12 days, twice a year. Females in heat can get blood on your furniture, exhibit nervous behavior, and attract unwanted male dogs to your home.

• Dogs that are not sterilized often have more behavior and temperament problems than dogs that have been spayed or neutered.

• Spaying and neutering can make digs friendlier, less likely to bite.

• Neutering makes dogs less likely to wander looking for females or get into fights.

Spaying and neutering are good for your community

• Communities spend millions of dollars to control unwanted dogs.

• Irresponsible breeding is the root cause of most vicious dog bites and attacks.

• Animal shelters around the country are overburdened with surplus dogs.

• Stray and homeless dogs get into trash containers, urinate and defecate on private lawns and/or public property, and frighten or anger people who do not understand their misery or needs.

• Some stray dogs scare away or kill wildlife and birds.

The cost to spay or neuter your dog is relatively low if you consider all the benefits you and your dog will reap over his lifetime, as well as the satisfaction of knowing you are doing your part to prevent the birth of even more unwanted animals.

Pet Owner Alert: Most Restraints for Pets in Cars Fail Crash Tests

Many pet owners enjoying taking their dog or cat for a ride in the car, but experts say that when you do, you should keep your pet restrained — for your own good as well as theirs.

"In the event of a crash they can be a projectile hurting everyone, including themselves," said Dr. Flaura Winston of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She advises: "Keep your pets restrained on every trip."

But experts say many of the restraints being sold in pet stores don't work in a crash. In crash tests by the Center for Pet Safety, a nonprofit watchdog group, 25 of 29 products failed in one way or another.

To read more on this story, click here:  Pet Owner Alert: Most Restraints for Pets in Cars Fail Crash Tests