The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Thirteen Bald Eagles Found Dead on the Eastern Shore Last Month Did Not Die of Natural Causes


Thirteen bald eagles found dead on the Eastern Shore last month did not die of natural causes, federal wildlife officials said Thursday.

Necropsy results of the eagles found in Federalsburg on Feb. 20 ruled out disease, including avian influenza, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"Our investigation is now focused on human causes and bringing to justice the person(s) responsible for the death of these eagles," wildlife officials said in a statement.

A $25,000 reward is available for information leading to the arrest and convictions of the suspected offenders.

Anyone with information should call John LaCorte, a special agent for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Law Enforcement, at 410-228-2476 or the Maryland Natural Resources Police hotline at 800-628-9944.




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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Meet Gimo, The Cat With The Biggest, and Most Adorable Eyes That You Have Ever Seen


This is Gimo, the cat that quite possibly has the biggest, most adorable eyes you've ever seen. It's not just his impressive eye-to-fur ratio that's got internet users falling head over heels for him however, he's also got an adorable temperament.

Whether it's playing around, laying around or jumping into cardboard boxes, everything that Gimo does is executed with a level of cuteness that other cats can only dream of achieving. You can keep up to date with Gimo and his antics on Instagram.



















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Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Sambo Fish: Eat Mosquitos’ Larva Before the Insects Mature and Carry the Zika Virus


With the Zika virus spreading toward the United States, threatening pregnant mothers and the 2016 Olympics, aid workers have placed hope in a familiar fish.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Virginia-based non-profit Operation Blessing helped avert an outbreak of the West Nile virus in New Orleans by supplying abandoned swimming pools full of water – ideal breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitos – with fish that feast on mosquito larva. 

Now the group hopes to halt the spread of the Zika virus in Central America by breeding and distributing fish that can eat mosquitos’ larva before the insects mature and carry the disease, which has been linked to an epidemic of birth defects in Brazil and spread quickly throughout Latin America.

Based out of Mexico’s Acapulco area, Operation Blessing is working in El Salvador to supply a mosquito-eating fish called Sambo—one native to the area—that families can place in sinks and containers where drinking water is stored, CBN reports.

El Salvador’s Vice Minister of Health, Eduardo Espinoza, has hailed the Sambo fish as a successful method in reducing the virus, and multiple groups have distributed it nationwide.

Operation Blessing plans to curb the disease in Mexico by working with its government to distribute a similar fish native to that country called Gambuja.

The non-profit is also in talks with the government of Honduras, according to CBN, an affiliate of the non-profit.

Bill Horan, president of Operation Blessing, said the fish provide a uniquely effective option for combatting diseases known to be carried by the mosquitos.

"Mosquito bed nets are not as effective as they were for most because the Aedes Aegypti sleeps at night,” he told the network. “They don't bite often at night.”

In the U.S., health officials in several states have confirmed human cases of the virus, none acquired locally. The disease can also spread through blood transfusions and sex. 



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Fairfax County, Virginia - A Raccoon that Was Discovered Inside a Fairfax County Home Has Tested Positive for Rabies


A raccoon that was discovered inside a Fairfax County, Virginia, home has tested positive for rabies, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

A release from the public affairs bureau said the victim, a man from Clifton, Virginia, was notified and is receiving medical treatment. The raccoon was one of three reports of wild animals coming in contact with humans in the county this week.

The Clifton man found the raccoon in his home around 11 a.m. on March 3. Police said he fought off the animal and was bitten during the struggle. The man was able to kill the raccoon and transport it to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.

Earlier in the week, a woman was running on a trail in Great Falls, Virginia, on Wednesday, March 2, around 8 a.m. A fox attacked and bit the woman. She underwent preventative treatment for potential exposure to rabies at the Reston Hospital Center.

On that same day, another woman was checking on her chickens around 9 a.m. in the 9100 block of Potomac Woods Lanes, near Riverbend Park. She confronted and was bitten by a fox. She also sought treatment at the Reston Hospital Center.

The fox has not been captured.

Animal Control would like to remind residents that it is unknown, at present, whether or not the fox is rabid. However, aggressive tendencies, such as those exhibited in these cases, are one of the signs of rabies.

Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that can infect both people and animals. People usually get rabies when they are bitten by an animal that is sick with the disease.

If bitten or scratched by an animal, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention right away. In Fairfax County, residents should also immediately report animal bites, as well as sick or injured animals, to Animal Control Services at 703-691-2131, TTY 703-877-3715.

More information on the rabies virus, exposure prevention tips, and what to do if an animal bites, is available: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/rabies/

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Monday, March 7, 2016

Manchester Woman Wants Answers After Kitten Emerges from Surgery with Medical Conditions


Manchester, Connecticut - A Manchester pet owner said she brought her kitten to a local veterinarian to get spayed but wasn’t prepared for what happened when she picked her up from surgery.

Cherie Nevins said little Elvis is now lifeless and she wants answers about what happened.

Eyewitness News found that Nevins’ complaint against the Banfield Pet Hospital in Manchester was not the first. Hundreds of others like hers were uncovered.

Nevins said Elvis is now nearly 5 months old, but she’s very different.

“The cat was doing circles to the right constantly, bumping into walls, not responding to any of our voices,” she said.

Medical records show Nevins took Elvis to the vet to get spayed. The pet hospitals are located inside of Petsmart stores nationwide. There are seven in Connecticut.

The hospitals offer wellness plans for pets.

Nevins said she bought one for $40 a month.

When she picked up Elvis last week, she noticed something wasn’t right.

“They called me at 1:30 p.m. and said the cat was waking up from anesthesia and she's perfectly fine,” she said. “[I] got there at 3 p.m. and [they] handed me the cat and she was foaming at the mouth and under major distress.”

Eyewitness News called the Banfield Pet Hospital and Dr. Ari Zabell, a client advocate, provided this statement:

At Banfield Pet Hospital, we care greatly about our responsibility to providing the best care possible to our patients. Upon review of Elvis’ medical records both by us as well as by an independent specialist caring for him, it appears that Elvis experienced rare adverse effects from anesthesia during recovery. All appropriate precautions were taken with regard to Elvis’ anesthesia including proper use of drugs, monitoring, and screening for anesthesia and it appears that this adverse event was something we were not able to either predict or prevent from occurring. Our local leadership is currently working with Elvis’ family to ensure that Elvis gets the best care possible and we are hopeful that he will continue along a path towards a full recovery.

Nevins said Elvis can neither see nor hear. She has seizures and doesn’t know when she needs to go to the bathroom. She also has to be fed by hand.

“She can't eat hard food anymore, she doesn't know how to chew it,” Nevins said.

Nevins has to do that three times a day.

“I have to put the food into the bowl and put it in her mouth and constantly turn it,” Nevins said. “She can't see it.”

Not satisfied with Banfield’s explanation, Nevins said she took Elvis for a second opinion from a vet in West Hartford.

That vet told Eyewitness News that “something happened during surgery. It could have been a stroke, blood clot or lack of oxygen to the brain.”

Medical records also show that Elvis was given a leukemia shot. While some vets said that is acceptable, others don’t recommend giving the vaccine while a cat is under anesthesia.

Looking at Banfield Pet Hospital’s history, the Better Business Bureau said it had an A+ rating.

However, Eyewitness News also found more than 700 complaints from pet owners nationwide.

"My Yorkie was brought to Banfield lethargic and not feeling well,” one pet owner from Alabama wrote. “They vaccinated her with a Lyme disease vaccine. By the time we got home she was having seizures and almost died. Two weeks later she is still in the hospital..."

Nevins said she had advice for pet owners.

“They should really research their veterinarian hard before you bring them,” she said. “That's for sure.”

It’s so others don’t go through what she did.

“She ain't that cat no more,” Nevins said. “She's like a vegetable, she doesn't play.”

For information about filing a complaint against an animal hospital, users can fill out a form online here or call the state Department of Public Health.







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Rare Video at Monterey Bay Aquarium: A Pregnant Wild Sea Otter Giving Birth on a Rock in the Waters Surrounding the Facility


Visitors to Monterey Bay Aquarium in central California were treated to a rare and unexpected sight over the weekend: a pregnant wild sea otter giving birth on a rock in the waters surrounding the facility.

The sea otter took shelter in the aquarium’s Great Tide Pool on Saturday. Video showed her writhing atop a rock as she labored.

“It’s not every day you get to watch a sea otter pup come into the world!” the aquarium wrote on a Facebook post. “Our sea otter researchers have been watching wild otters for years and have never seen a birth close up like this. We’re amazed and awed to have had a chance to witness this Monterey Bay conservation success story first hand in our own backyard.”

In video of the birth, the mama sea otter could be seen grooming the baby immediately after it was born. Such meticulous grooming, the aquarium explained, will keep the baby warm and buoyant.

Get a closer look at the sea otter birth in the YouTube video below. (As the aquarium warned, “Spoiler alert: the miracle of life is graphic!”)




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Sunday, March 6, 2016

Triple R Horse Rescue in Arizona: We Will Have 20 Adorable Miniature Donkeys Available for Adoption


There are 20 miniature donkeys in need of forever homes.

Triple R Horse Rescue in Arizona announced it will be receiving a shipment of the adorable animals -- and are anxious to find families and animal lovers to step up and adopt.

More than 160 of the donkeys wound up at a Texas rescue after a "breeding situation" occurred, according to the rescue's president, Ken Bacher. About 20 of them are headed to the ranch in Cave Creek, Arizona as a result.

The donkeys come in a multitude of petite sizes and colors.

"Miniature donkeys are 'herd' animals," according to the National Miniature Donkey Association http://www.nmdaasset.com/. "To avoid undue stress and loneliness, it is strongly recommended they not be kept singly but with another Miniature Donkey or other animal as a life-long friend."

So, maybe you should go for two.

Those interested in adopting a mini donkey should visit www.triplerhorserescueaz.com and fill out an adoption application. There is a $400 adoption fee for each animal.

Donkey owners will be chosen by lottery.
   
From: Triple R Horse Rescue:

20 MINIATURE DONKEYS TO ARRIVE AT TRIPLE HORSE RESCUE, AND ALL WILL BE SEARCHING FOR FOREVER HOMES

20 MINIATURE DONKEYS in a multitude of petite sizes and colors, will make their way from Texas to Triple R Horse Rescue's ranch in Cave Creek, Ariz. All of the tiny donkeys are anxious to find forever homes with loving families and animal lovers. After their arrival, they will be ready to meet their future owners. More may be arriving later in spring.

According to Ken Bacher, president of Triple R Horse Rescue's, more than  160 of the donkeys wound up at a Texas rescue when a breeding situation occurred. As a result, the donkeys are being released to rescues such as Triple R so new homes can be found for them.

ADOPTING A MINI DONKEY
This amazingly group of tiny donkeys will be ready to get settled and adopted once they arrive and are gentled by loving rescue workers. Each mini donkey will be available for adoption at Triple R Horse Rescue, which is located at Spur Cross Stables,44029 North Spur Cross Road in Cave Creek, Ariz. Persons interested in adopting the donkeys can make an appointment by calling 602-396-8726

ABOUT TRIPLE R HORSE RESCUE
Triple R Horse Rescue is a 501(c)3 organization that rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes horses surrendered to its care. The organization, which is run 100% by volunteers, relies on support from the community to fulfill its mission. Triple R Horse Rescue is dedicated to assisting the 175,000 unwanted horses and donkeys in the United States. During the past three years, the organization has re-homed more than 150 animals.

For more information about Triple R Horse Rescue visit  http://www.triplerhorserescueaz.com or call 602.396.8726

MINI DONKEY UPDATE:

Thanks to all of our Triple R friends and supporters for the many inquiries about the mini-donkeys that are coming our way in the near future. Couple of quick updates:

1 - If you are interested in adopting, the first thing that you need to do is visit our website @ www.triplerhorserescueaz.com and fill out an adoption application.

2 - The donkeys will be adopted at $400 each

3 - If you have called one of our volunteers about the donkeys - they will get back to you ASAP to answer your question. Remember, we are 100% volunteer run and sometimes it takes a day to return a phone call.

4 - They donkeys will not be here for a few weeks and we will need time to accurately assess them before we can adopt them out properly.
We can't tell you how much we appreciate your support - many, many thanks!




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Saturday, March 5, 2016

Smurf, the Abused Kitten that Was Dyed Purple and Abandoned, Makes a Full Recovery


Remember the abused kitten that was dyed purple and abandoned in a box on the side of a Northern California road? Well, after about two months of much-needed recovery, the little fluff ball that stole the Internet's heart is hardly recognizable.

His silvery fur has grown back, and his wounds are fully healed. Aside from his name, Smurf, the only remnants of his former purple coloring are small marks around his elbows and ears.

Smurf rose to Internet fame after animal rescue organization 9 Lives Foundation posted heartbreaking photos of the injured and emaciated kitten on its Facebook page. Smurf had been found in a box with a 105 degree temperature and would go on to need surgery, stitches and a slew of antibiotics to cure infections.

Fortunately, it looks like he got the help he needed.

Smurf has been adopted by a veterinarian who was caring for him shortly after he began recovering. In case you're wondering, the vet also adopted Wanda, a blind kitten that Smurf had befriended once he got to the animal shelter. Both felines showed signs of abuse and bonded quickly, the organization said on its Facebook page at the time.

This was them a few months ago:

Smurf with his friend Wanda, another kitten at the shelter.

                                                 Best friends for life.



According to the Smurf and Wanda Facebook page, Smurf often helps Wanda navigate the world.

TLC has made a world of difference for these two resilient felines. You can follow their adventures on Smurf and Wanda, a Facebook page Smurf and Wanda's owner has set up.

You may be interested in reading the initial post that I posed about Smurf:

Back on January 1, 2016, I posted a story about a 2-month-old kitten that was dyed purple. You can read that post here: Two-Month-Old Kitten Dyed Purple and Used as a Chew Toy for a Dog




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