This bizarre range of shoes may make the owner feel like they have one foot in the grave. Crafted from dead animals, Iris Schieferstein's outlandish designs fetch up to £3,900 ($5,051.94 U.S. dollars), and have proved a hit with extreme dressers such as Lady Gaga. Some of the most controversial pieces include a pair of sandals sporting stuffed doves with their wings spread wide and a collection of heels fashioned from hollow horse hooves. The 45-year-old designer, from Berlin, Germany, collects carcasses from her local butcher which are discarded after the meat is used for sausages. She spends a week stripping out any remaining meat and bones from the animal's feet and the skin is sent to a tanner to be treated for preservation. The sculptor then sets the skin - complete with fur still in place - around a shoe model before hand-stitching insoles and lining. She said: 'Creating the shoes is ugly work, taking the meat out is not nice, like any taxidermy. 'When I began working with dead animals I would pick them up from the street. 'But they are protected by the government in Germany, and so after ten years they tried to put me in prison. Now I use my butcher.' The horse boots feature horse fur, a zip up the front, an intact hoof and horse bone as a heel. While a pair of snakeskin stilettos feature a replica pistol as a heel with the reptile seemingly eating its own tail. Describing her inspiration Ms. Schieferstein added: 'I love horses and I love shoes so I thought this would be perfect. 'Horses have a beautiful walk and I wanted to recreate that with my footwear.' The footwear has been displayed at numerous exhibitions around the world and have even inspired a range from Dolce & Gabanna. Despite the high price tag the footwear can only be worn for several hours at a time before becoming too uncomfortable. Ms Schieferstein said: 'As yet no company has been willing to produce them for the high street.' Last year the artist made a pair of custom-fit shoes for Lady Gaga.
Extreme dressing: A pair of shoes featuring cream horse fur with a front zip and bone heel
Suffer for your art: The heels can only be worn for several hours at a time before becoming too uncomfortable
Macabre: This pair of snakeskin heels show a snake seemingly eating its own tail
Some of Iris Schieferstein's most controversial designs include a pair of sandals sporting stuffed doves
Sculptor and artist Iris Schieferstein has been using dead animals for her works, here she models a hat made from a dead bird
She lost everything in the Valley Fire three years ago -- and was able to rebuild. Now, Helen Owen is opening her property to animals displaced by the Mendocino Complex Fire. You can think of it as Noah's Ark -- with dozens of animals being cared for. FOX40 photojournalist Rachelle Riley met up with Owen at her ranch.
THE Cuban solenodon is one of the most curious animals on the planet. The small, shrewd-like creature is a mammal, but a highly venomous one — resembling the kinds of creatures that lived around the time after the dinosaurs died. Between 1890 and 1970 there wasn’t a single specimen found and it was thought to be lost forever. Then, unexpectedly three were caught just a few years later. The “extinct” species marched on. The story of animals seemingly coming back from the dead in this fashion is not that uncommon. Forrest Galante is a wildlife biologist who’s made it his life mission to search for animals that have wrongly been deemed extinct — and among the species on his list is the Tasmanian tiger. “Animals are often declared extinct wrongly and without the proper investigation,” he told news.com.au. “The process in which a species is declared extinct is very vague. It’s almost impossible to say something isn’t there … that difficulty of proof leads to an ease of declaring something extinct.” He has been travelling around the world searching for evidence that species like the Tasmanian tiger, pachylemur and the Newfoundland white wolf still exist. To read more on this story, click here:The Bold Effort to Prove the Tasmanian Tiger is Still Out There
Right as Brad Herring and his family were unpacking their car after going on a canoeing trip, a fawn walked right across their yard. Even more incredibly, the baby deer wandered right into the arms of Maya, Brad's daughter. Maya was aware that the fawn was in need of his mother. However, the mother was most likely trying to get some nourishment and rest after giving birth to her baby. So, Maya did the best thing she knew she could do and led the baby back into the woods. Later, the family spotted fawns on two occurrences. One day, there were two fawns with two doe in a neighboring yard. Another day, there was a doe with her fawn in their yard. So, the family is very relieved that the baby was most likely safely found.
Concern may arise if you see that your turtle is refusing to eat. Not only does it increase the possibility of starving, but it also could have fallen ill. This article will show you how to get your turtle to eat and what to do if it still refuses to chew. Many turtle owners have trouble getting their pets to eat. Your turtle is most likely not eating due to environmental issues. However, your turtle may also be suffering from some sort of illness. By adjusting your turtle's environment, recognizing signs of illness, and being creative during feedings, you can get your turtle to eat. Determining Why Your Turtle Won't Eat Check the temperature. Turtles are cold blooded reptiles and will not eat if the temperature is too cold.[1] If you have an indoor box turtle, provide a warm area and a cool area. The cool area should be between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit and the warm area should be 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. At night, the temperature can drop to between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.[2] For aquatic turtles, the water temperature should be about 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The basking area should be between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If your box turtle lives outside, the turtle will become too cold if the outside temperature drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You may need to add a ceramic heater to your turtle's environment to get it to reach an adequate temperature. Check the temperature of your turtle environment using a thermometer and make adjustments if necessary. To read more on this story, click here:How to Feed Your Turtle if It is Refusing to Eat
According to Hungarian scientists, fat dogs have a lot in common with overweight people. The two traits they seem to have in common is the preference for top quality food and the unwillingness to settle for second best. Dogs And Humans Are Alike Researchers from the study suggest that dogs could be used as a model for future research into the causes or the psychological impacts of human obesity. The researchers of the study conducted the experiment by placing two bowls in front of a series of dogs. One bowl contained a good meal and the other held less appealing food or was empty. The study showed that the dogs that were of a normal weight obeyed instructions and would continue to check the second pot for more food but the dogs that were overweight refused after the first round. The leader of the study, Orsolya Torda, stated that the researchers expected the overweight dogs to do anything to get the food but discovered in the test they saw the complete opposite. Instead, the dogs that were overweight took a negative a view to the test. "If a situation is uncertain and they cannot find food, the obese dogs are unwilling to invest energy to search for food - for them, the main thing is to find the right food with least energy involved," Torda stated. The study was published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. The scientists continued that these findings may be similar to how people who are obese view food as a reward. Obesity Rates According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2015-2016 obesity affected at least 93.3 million Americans. Obesity can lead to other severe health conditions, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. The CDC states that Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks had the highest-age-adjusted obesity rates in America, with non-Hispanic whites and Asian closely behind. For young adults between the age of 20-39, at least 35.7 percent are obese and for adults who are between the ages of 40-59 years old, there at 42.8 percent are considered to be overweight or obese. The CDC states that the levels of obesity decreased if a person has a higher level of education. For American that did not have a high school degree, they had the highest self-reported obesity rates. Tips that have been given to help prevent obesity include healthy eating, maintaining a healthy weight, and engaging in physical activity
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning against certain types of dog food that are linked to canine dilated cardiomyopathy or DCM. On July 12, FDA released a statement making all dog owners aware about a possible link between the dog heart disease and specific dog foods that contain peas, lentils, other legume seeds, or potatoes as the main ingredient. The cases were observed in Golden and Labrador Retrievers, a Whippet, a Shih Tzu, a Bulldog, and Miniature Schnauzers and other mixed breeds. The cases were particularly worrisome as these breeds are not genetically prone to DCM. The heart condition is also less common in small and medium breed dogs, except American and English Cocker Spaniels. FDA Warns Pet Owners In its announcement, FDA said they received reports from the veterinary cardiology community about the growing cases of dog breeds that developed DCM even when they were supposed to be not at risk for the condition. The dogs observed were found to have relied on the said types of dog food as their main source of nutrients from months to years. "The FDA is investigating the potential link between DCM and these foods. We encourage pet owners and veterinarians to report DCM cases in dogs who are not predisposed to the disease," said Martine Hartogensis, deputy director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine's Office of Surveillance and Compliance. The FDA advised pet owners to still consult with licensed veterinarians if they decide to change their dogs' diet. The board said it is now working with pet food manufacturers and the veterinary community with the investigations. For the meantime, anyone who suspected DCM in their dogs and a possible link to their pet food are encouraged to report to the FDA. Canine DCM The condition mostly results in congestive heart failure. However, cases in dogs that are not genetically at risk with the disease may improve given the timely medical intervention. The major symptoms of DCM include lethargy, anorexia, rapid and excessive breathing, shortness of breath, coughing, abdominal distension, and transient loss of consciousness. The dogs affected with the disease may also have muffled or crackling breathing sounds due to the accumulation of water in the lungs. The cause of DCM is largely unknown. In certain breeds, causes are found to be nutritional deficiencies of taurine or carnitine. As for susceptibility, male dog breeds are more likely to be vulnerable to the disease. DCM is characterized by an enlarged heart that does not function properly. Specifically, both the upper and lower chambers of the heart become enlarged. The one side can be more affected than the other. When the lower chamber becomes enlarged, it cannot pump blood out into the lungs. When this happens, fluid builds up in the dogs' lungs. Soon, the heart becomes overloaded and congestive heart failure follows.
It turns out dreams really do come true, at least for cat lovers. Earlier this week, an organization known as God’s Little People Cat Rescue announced it’s hiring a new caretaker to oversee its cat sanctuary and to take care of its few dozen kittens. The job posting seems normal enough until you learn that the sanctuary isn’t in some sad brick building lined with cages, but is instead located on the stunning Greek island of Syros, where all the cats run free. “A very special position and living circumstance on offer on a little Greek island called Syros (a small paradise no less!) for a mature and genuinely passionate cat lover who knows how to handle many cats and would love their company,” the job posting stated. It added that they are specifically on the hunt for someone who can “take over the daily running of my Greek cat sanctuary in my absence. You will have 55 cats in your care and need to be able to overview them all + feed and medicate (big added bonus if you’re trained vet. nurse!).” To read more on this story, click here:Greek Cat Sanctuary Hiring Caretaker to Live on Island, Supervise 55 Cats
This bizarre range of shoes may make the owner feel like they have one foot in the grave.
Extreme dressing: A pair of shoes featuring cream horse fur with a front zip and bone heel
Macabre: This pair of snakeskin heels show a snake seemingly eating its own tail
