Washington, DC - Bei Bei turned 3 years old today! In celebration of his big day, Bei Bei enjoyed an ice-cake, participated in an enrichment painting session and received a new panda-friendly toy. His cake was specially made by the Zoo’s department of nutrition sciences and included all of his favorite foods. The tiers were made of diluted apple, cranberry and grape juice with leaf-eater biscuit puree. It was decorated and filled with apples, pears, bananas, shredded carrots and cooked sweet potatoes. The number 3 that topped the cake was made of diluted apple juice with a leaf-eater biscuit puree center. Now weighing in at almost 215 pounds, Bei Bei has been taking full advantage of his summer—splashing around in his big green tub, and napping in trees and on his new hammock. Tian Tian is the next giant panda to celebrate a birthday. He turns 21 on Monday, Aug. 27 and will also receive a special cake at 11 a.m.
Can pet owners claim their dog or cat on their taxes? The answer is yes — but only in specific instances. Embrace Pet Insurance compiled a list of six potential tax deductions for pet owners — though some may have been affected by the tax overhaul. ThinkAdvisor spoke with Leon LaBrecque, managing partner and CEO at LJPR Financial Advisors, about these potential pet deductions and which are still relevant under the new tax law. LaBrecque is a certified public accountant as well as a certified financial planner. He’s on the board of directors for the Michigan Association of CPAs, where he is also the head of the special task force on the new tax law. LaBrecque is also a self-professed dog lover with three dogs of his own. “As a pet lover, our pets are almost like having kids,” he told ThinkAdvisor. “So one of the weird things that happened [with the new tax law] is they kind of equalized the playing ground a little. We don’t get an exemption for our kids anymore and we don’t get an exemption for our pets either. I would say that they leveled the playing field between our four-legged children and our two-legged children — of which I have both.” Though a pet cannot be claimed as a dependent on their owner’s U.S. taxes, the IRS does grant certain tax deductions for dogs and other pets. It should be noted that the deductions are specific, and many household pets do not meet the criteria set by the IRS. Here is a list of six potential tax deductions (or changes under the new law) for pet owners. 1. Business animals
There may be deductions available for business animals if the animal lives at the trade or business. For example, dogs that work as a security measure for a business can fall into the category of business animals. A cat “employed” for rodent control at a business may also qualify. These working dogs or cats often live at the business 24/7, instead of in the owner’s home. “You have the Rottweiler guarding your shop or office; a guard dog is a guard dog,” LaBrecque said. “If you start taking the Rottweiler home, it becomes less apparent that it’s a guard dog but I might even suggest that you can deduct the food that you feed the dog at your office — because he’s guarding the office while you’re there.” Owners of business animals may be able to deduct expenses like food, veterinary care, and training related to the animal’s job. Business animal deductions could also include animals that generate income for their owners, such as performing animals. Performing animals appear in commercials, movies, television, print ads and other related industries. 2. Shipping household pets during a move
While it may be possible to deduct the cost of shipping a pet to a new home when filing 2017 taxes, LaBrecque says this is no more. Moving expenses have been eliminated under the new tax law. “That’s gone,” he said. “No more moving expenses for anyone, including pets.” 3. Donations to pet-related charities
Adoption fees to a rescue organization or local shelter are not tax deductible, but donations made to a rescue or charitable organization for which no goods or services are received may be deductible. “You can’t adopt a dog as a donation,” LaBrecque explained. “You can make a donation and adopt a dog as long as those are not related to each other. The adoption fees are not deductible. The donation to the pet-related charity clearly is deductible.” This potential deduction — donations to pet-related charities — is the one that LaBrecque sees most often among his clients and friends. “It’s well known amongst my clients and friend that I love dogs, so I tend to see a lot more towards the charitable giving side,” he said. His firm also donates to animal charities. 4. Foster pets
Fostering a pet for a qualified charitable organization is deductible, according to LaBrecque. “I live in the same city as the Leader Dogs for the Blind. If you adopt a foster pet or if you raise a Leader Dog, that is a charitable contribution to the extent that you have expenses related to it, including things like mileage,” LaBrecque explained. “If I’m taking care of a Leader Dog puppy … then clearly you can have a charitable deduction for that.” Bankrate has also stated that “unreimbursed expenses for fostering a pet for an IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) adoption organization can be deducted.” Deductions can include food, supplies, veterinary bills, and up to 14 cents per mile for trips made to further the shelter’s work, according to Bankrate. 5. Pet-related hobby expenses
According to Embrace Pet Insurance, pet parents who enter their pets in dog, cat or horse shows as a hobby may be able to make a deduction under hobby expenses if the pet owner received earnings from it. However, LaBrecque says that this deductible is likely gone under the new law. According to LaBrecque, hobby losses would have been deductible as a miscellaneous itemized deduction, but he suggests this deduction was eliminated by the new law. “I didn’t get a chance to dig in deep on the hobby loss [rule] related to pets but it appears that hobby losses — even to the extent of income — likely are not deductible,” he explained. 6. Service animal expenses
According to Embrace Pet Insurance, service dog expenses are tax deductible as noted in IRS Publication 502, and deductions are available for individuals requiring a guide dog for vision or hearing impairments. These deductions may include expenses incurred when purchasing the animal as well as training fees or any veterinary expenses. But LaBrecque makes an important distinction. He says that service dogs for a medical impairment are deductible as medical expenses, but two thresholds must be met. “First, all medical expenses must exceed 7.5% (for 2018) of adjusted gross income to be included as an itemized deduction,” according to LaBrecque. “Second, total itemized deductions must exceed the standard deduction, which was significantly increased under the new law.”
Here’s a sobering thought for every cat owner in charge of emptying the litter box: Felines deposit about 1.2 million metric tons of feces into the U.S. environment every year, a new study finds, and all that poop may pose an under-recognized public health hazard. No one's saying to get rid of the kitties, but scientists who study an infectious parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii say they've found that the eggs of the bug are more widespread than believed, and that cat owners should take precautions when it comes to kids' sandboxes and backyard gardens. That's even though there's evidence that fewer are becoming infected by the parasite and veterinarians say that responsible pet owners are actually at lower risk than others. It’s long been known that some cat feces harbor the parasite known as T. gondii, which can cause human illness. Pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems have been warned for decades to avoid cat box duty because the resulting infections can cause congenital problems and serious illness. But a new analysis by Dr. E. Fuller Torrey and Dr. Robert H. Yolken, scientists at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, finds that the parasite eggs, known as oocysts, may be more common than previously known – perhaps between three and 434 oocysts per square foot of soil, according to samples taken from places as diverse as California, China, Brazil, Panama and Poland. In addition, it may take just a single oocyst to cause infection, an alarming thought when one estimate shows that the dirt under a gardener’s fingernails could harbor 100 oocysts, reported Torrey, the lead author of the study in the journal Trends in Parasitology. “It may be a much bigger problem than we realize,” said Torrey, a psychiatrist who heads the Stanley Medical Research Institute in Chevy Chase, Md. There have been outbreaks of toxoplasmosis in healthy people, not just pregnant or immune-compromised patients, he said. And recent studies have suggested -- although not proven -- that there may be a link between high levels of T. gondii antibodies and development of conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. “Some of us suspect that some of the important transmission may occur in childhood,” Torrey told NBC News. Cats acquire the parasite when they eat infected prey, such as mice or birds, and then shed the oocysts in their poop. Children may ingest oocysts present in sandboxes and backyard dirt, said Torrey, who wants better control of the cat population, including feral cats, and better covering and monitoring of kids’ play areas. “It should give you pause before you put your child in a public sandbox,” he said. Still, even Torrey’s paper notes that there’s little evidence that owning a cat actually increases risk of T. gondii infection. And he acknowledges that the incidence of human toxoplasmosis, as measured through antibody levels, has decreased steadily in the U.S. and Northern Europe during the past two decades. A 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in U.S.-born people ages 12 to 49 dropped from about 14.1 percent to 9 percent between 1999 and 2004. That decline could be driven in part by increased freezing of meat, so fewer people are becoming infected with T. gondii tissue cysts from raw beef, for instance, he explained. The CDC says that toxoplasmosis caused by eating infected meat is a leading cause of deaths form foodborne illness in the U.S. Overall, however, the CDC estimates that although 60 million men, women and children in the U.S. may be infected with the T. gondii parasite, very few have symptoms because the human immune system typically keeps illness at bay. “This is not considered a big problem,” Torrey admitted. Indeed, responsible cat owners are likely at lower risk than others, said Kimberly May, a veterinarian and spokeswoman for the American Veterinary Medical Association. Those owners empty litter boxes frequently, wash their hands and keep kids away from cat feces, she said. The bigger risk for T. gondii comes from gardening without gloves or failing to follow those precautions. "We are concerned that cats are being the scapegoats for this," she said. No question, the number of cats in U.S. homes is on the rise. Between 1989 and 2006, cat ownership increased about 50 percent, from 54.6 million to 81.7 million pets. During the same time, dog ownership rose by 38 percent, from 52.4 million to 72.1 million dogs. In 2012, 86.4 million cats were owned in the U.S, compared with 78.2 million dogs, according to statistics from the Humane Society of the United States. The number of feral cats in the U.S. has been estimated at at least 25 million, but could be much higher, Torrey noted. With about 1 percent of cats shedding oocysts at any given time, perhaps 55 million oocysts per day, it could be a more serious problem than is now recognized, Torrey contends. Oocysts can survive up to 18 months and perhaps longer, he noted. “This should raise the public health concerns about the number of T. gondii oocysts being distributed in the environment, especially as we do not know the limits of oocyst viability or the true relationship between these oocysts and the human diseases with which they have recently been associated.” That’s a view downplayed by infectious disease experts, including Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. He said that the recognized risks of toxoplasmosis infection are well known – and well communicated to the people who may be most affected, including pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems. But the links between the infection and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are tenuous, he said. “The association has been discussed, but it has not been completely accepted by everyone,” he said. “If people were convinced of that, we would have acted on it.” Still, Torrey said he worries about what future research will confirm and wants pet owners to be proactive now. Cats are nice pets, said Torrey, who emphasized that his intent was not to anger feline fans. But when his young granddaughter wanted a kitten, he advised her mom to say no. “I don’t think that they are ideal pets for children,” he said. “I don’t think we know enough.”
Did you know that cockatiels are among the most popular of pet birds? Normal cockatiels are gray, with white patches on the wings. They have a yellow/white face with a bright orange patch over the 'ear'. Variations include : Pied (varing white patches cover body), Pearl (each feather retains gray color, with white intersperced), Lutino (Bird white with yellow/white/ orange face), and Albino (white bird). Another popular bird is the Budgie also known as the Parakeet. The life-span of Cockatiels is usually around 15 – 20 years, however, it has been reported that some have lived up to 30 years! Having one bird is fine, but you must spend a lot of time interacting with the cockatiel on a daily basis. Having two birds will make it a little easier, but they will bond with each other, and may not bond with the owner. I have often heard people say, “I don’t want a bird, they are dirty!” This is simply not true. If a bird’s cage isn’t clean, it’s the fault of the owner, not the bird! All pets require care. One thing that I do want to mention, is to never keep your bird in your kitchen. A friend of mine has a cockatiel that she used to keep in her kitchen. I asked her why she had it there, she said that because she spends a lot of time in her kitchen/dining area. Her bird did end up getting sick. The kitchen is generally a poor choice for your cockatiel’s cage. There are a number of fumes in the average household kitchen that can be toxic for birds. A good place the cage is where you and your family spend time so that you can interact with the bird. Cockatiels are vocal creatures. Some make very loud noises. It may sound like they are screaming, but it’s just the natural sounds of the bird. When you arrive home your bird may make noises at the excitement of seeing you. How to tell the sex of your Cockatiel: Males tend to have a brighter facial color. Females have a duller facial color, and have barring under their tails. This method of sexing becomes more difficult in the variations of birds. Feeding your Cockatiel: A seed diet is not adequate, but tends to be high in fat and deficient in vitamin A, calcium, and protein. Seeds can be part of a healthy diet but only a minor percentage. There are other human foods that birds like. Millet is another great food. For a well nourished bird include a variety of fresh fruits crisp or lightly steamed veggies and other table foods in your bird’s diet. Always serve them chopped, sliced, diced, minced and mashed. There are human foods that you can give your Cockatiel: Cooked chicken/ turkey; Eggs/hard boiled/scrambled; Cottage cheese; Yogurt; Asparagus; Beets/beet tops; Broccoli; Brussel sprouts; Carrots; celery; corn; chicory greens; cilantro; collard greens; green/yellow beans; kale; mustard greens; peas and pods; parsley; pumpkin; red/green sweet pepper; romaine lettuce; spinach; turnip greens; water crest; yellow squash; zucchini; bananas; berries; cantaloupe; cherries; cranberries; honey dew; kiwi; mango; oranges(seedless); papaya; pineapple; watermelon; cook pasta; cooked brown rice; dried fruits; whole wheat toast; oatmeal; cheerios; rice krispies; grape nuts; Un salted popcorn; and animal crackers. Foods you should never give your Cockatiel: Avocado, chocolate, coffee, lima beans, milk, sodas, sugar, teas, rhubarb, leaves from potatoes, tomatoes, egg plants, bean plants, alcohol, salt, greasy foods, tobacco, fruits seeds or pits from, apples, apricots, oranges, cherries, or peaches. Tips on caring for your Cockatiel:
Your cockatiel needs to have fresh water every day. Change the water every day, even if it looks full. If you find any droppings or feathers in the water cup, change the water, so your bird will not get sick.
Some bird noise is very loud but is not screaming, it’s just the natural sounds of birds. Since they are very vocal creatures and you can expect them to greet dawn and sunset with enthusiasm. They may get rowdy just before mealtimes and especially, if you work and the house is empty all day, when you arrive home.
Offer foods that have different colors shapes, textures and flavors also vary the presentation.Some birds get startled in their sleep and awaken in a panic. They may start trying to flee the cage and bumping into toys, feeding bowls and their perch.
Don't ever give food from your mouth, or kiss your bird. This is harmful to your bird since your mouth carries germs that can make your bird sick.
Cockatiels are very dusty. They use a powder to keep their wings water proof. After petting the bird, one normally has a powdery finger.
Signs that your bird may be sick:
Birds often pretend to be fine when someone is watching nearby (survival instinct), so observe very carefully
Sleeping excessively. Like people, birds who sleep a lot more than usual may be in trouble.
Any sign of blood, is a bad sign. If your bird is bleeding, you need to stop the bleeding immediately, and contact your Vet.
If a normally playful bird doesn't play very much any more, it may well be sick.
There is an island where rabbits rule. They are well fed, free from predators, and spend their time lounging around getting photographed by fawning humans. So where is this bunny paradise? It’s a small island in the Seto Inland Sea called Ōkunoshima, two miles off the coast of the Japanese city of Takehara, in Hiroshima Prefecture. These days, though, it’s most often referred to by its nickname Usagi Jima, which translates to Rabbit Island and is so named for the hundreds of feral rabbits that call it home. It’s a bit of a mystery how all these bunnies ended up on a tiny island whose previous claim to fame (infamy, actually) was as the spot where the Japanese Imperial Army manufactured thousands of tons of poison gas during World War II in a facility so secret the island was removed from all Japanese maps. According to The New York Times, the poison—mustard gas, phosgene and other types—was used against Chinese soldiers and civilians in the 1930s and 40s during the war in China, killing about 80,000 people by some estimates. Some believe the island’s terrible history may hold the key to why rabbits now call it home. Back in 1929, when the army began manufacturing chemical weapons, rabbits were brought to the island and used to test the effectiveness of the poison gas, according to The Guardian. This gave rise to the belief that workers may have released the captive animals onto the island following the war. Most experts disagree with this version of events, though. Ellis Krauss, a professor of Japanese politics at the University of California San Diego, told the website The Dodo in a 2014 interview that the original rabbits were wiped out after the war: “The test rabbits were all euthanized by the Americans when they came to the island during the Occupation… about 200 of the poor things were being [used] in experiments by the Japanese,” said Krauss. So if these rabbits aren’t the descendants of the test bunnies, where did they come from? About eight rabbits may have been released by a group of school kids back in 1971. With no predators to worry about—cats and dogs are banned, as is hunting—these fast-breeding mammals may have multiplied (as they are famous for doing) to their present population of around 1,000 animals. There may be an unfortunate side effect of the newfound popularity of Rabbit Island. According to researchers who spoke with takepart.com, all the visitors feeding the feral bunnies has led to an unsustainable population boom that has destroyed the island’s ecosystem. Similarly, what and when the rabbits are fed is wreaking havoc on their health resulting in only a two-year lifespan. They are often given cabbage, not the best choice for bunnies since it can cause bloat and is low in fiber, something the animals need a lot of to stay healthy. The boom and bust cycle of being fed a ton of food on sunny days during holidays and nothing at all on rainy days when no one comes to visit is compounding the problem since rabbits need a steady amount of food and there is very little vegetation left on the island for them to eat when tourists aren’t around. Here’s some from Rabbit Island— see for yourself:
MGM Resorts defended its safety practices Wednesday after amateur video surfaced showing a lion attacking its trainer inside its habitat at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, as horrified visitors to the hotel looked on. The video shows two trainers along with a lion and a lioness inside the habitat. The trainer was treated and released from the hospital after the incident earlier this month, MGM Resorts spokesman Gordon Absher said in a statement Wednesday. The video shows two trainers along with a lion and a lioness inside the habitat – a popular attraction at the hotel that opened more than 13 years ago. At first, the lions appear relaxed, lying down as the trainers stand nearby. The male lion then shifts his body weight and looks at the trainer nearest to him before the camera turns its focus to the other lion and second trainer. The lions couldn’t hear the noisy crowd outside the sound-proof enclosure. Moments before the attack they appeared calm. The male lion even yawned, and then started glaring at one of the trainers. Another trainer noticed something might be wrong and approached the lion. Then came the attack. Gasps are then heard from onlookers and the video reveals the male lion wrestling with the trainer closest to him. With help from the other trainer, the man gets away, even as the lion appears to continue to stalk him. The lioness may have been trying to stop the attack.
Two trainers are alone with a lion and a lioness inside the habitat.
The lion suddenly attacks the trainer closest to him.
The other trainer tries to stop the lion with help of lioness
He finally escapes from the male lion wrestling Watch video:
As a pet parent you may wish that your feline friends were able to speak in clear English. However, it may be easier for cat parents to try and decipher the various noises their pets make. Cats communicate a variety of messages using body language. Examples include arching their backs as a signal of fear or aggression, and slowly blinking to signal relaxation. A cat that chooses to lie with its stomach and chest exposed conveys trust, and comfort (this is also typical of overweight cats, as it is more comfortable for them); however, a cat may also roll on its side or back to be able to defend itself with all four sets of claws. Usually other signs (like ears and whiskers folded backwards) give an indication of the cat's overall mood. Flattened ears mean that the cat feels threatened, and may attack. A cat with its ears forward and keeping still while focusing on another cat (or other attacker) is being defensive and in a very alert state. Mouth open and no teeth exposed suggests a feeling of playfulness. Meows are typically requests for human attention, as cats rarely meow at one another. According to the pet expert, lower tones of meows mean the cat is requesting something with more fervor. Most people know that a purr means a cat is happy, but this sound should not be confused with a growl, which may indicate that a cat is preparing to attack. Growls are usually followed by hisses, which are also known to be aggressive feline noises. Although, their body language reveals a lot about what they're thinking. They also vocalize with many different sounds. Cats that are confident face forward when looking at other cats or humans, while more timid cats will stand sideways and turn their heads to observe, according to the news source. Did you know that?
Cats vocalize with chirrups, purrs, growls, hisses, and meows
A purr is a sound made by most species of felines. A tonal buzzing can characterize differently between cats. Purring is often understood as signifying happiness; however, cats sometimes purr when they are ill, or during tense, traumatic, or painful moments.
Domestic cats purr at a frequency of 25 to 150 vibrations per second.
A cat with its tail pointing up but puffed out means it wants your attention.
Cat Moods: The Happy Cat You can tell from a cat's tail how happy it is because you've already seen this a million times. A cat will follow you into the kitchen with it's tail pointing straight in the air when it thinks it's getting a treat. The happy cat tail is pointed up like the angry cat tail, except the tail is deliberately dainty. A cat with a big fluffy tail can be misunderstood by other cats that aren't used to it. It may look like it is ready to fight all of the time! The Ambivalent Cat A cat trying to decide if it likes you might keep its tail slightly lower, or curved. The cat is trying to decide if it likes you enough to put its tail straight in the air, or if it should tuck it down as a non-aggressive act of submission. The Angry Cat A cat flicking its tail usually means that the cat is slightly annoyed. It can indicate interest, but you'll be able to tell by its ears. If the cat is actually happy, its ears will be up and alert. Otherwise, big flicking motions show that the cat is annoyed.
Labradors are one of the most loyal of dog breeds, making them quite loveable. But is it possible you love your Lab just a little too much? 1. Do you buy your English Lab puppy at least three toys a day? May be a bit much… 2. If you let your Labrador drink the last of your Australian shiraz, you may love them a wee too much. 3. This guy is in complete control at all times, sometimes rendering his parents useless. 4. Building a resort for Labrador puppies also may be a sign you love these dogs too much. 5. This Labrador’s dad gave him a nicer jersey than even he has! To read more on this story, click here: 14 Signs You Love Your Labrador…Too Much
