Every animal in the world deserves respect and love, but if we’re plain honest, a lot of us humans are sort of scared of spiders, if not terrified. However, we recently learned that these animals might just be very misunderstood and also, they have tiny adorable paws! They’re fairly unnoticed by most people since we hadn’t dare look that close. But when you zoom into pictures of spiders and their very complicated legs – which do more than just carry them around – you’ll notice their tiny little paws. Perhaps it’ll take us humans some time to still fully embrace the hidden adorableness of spiders, but here’s a look at their paws – hey, we gotta start somewhere! To see the photos, click here:Spiders Actually Have Tiny Paws, And It Might Change The Way You Look At Them (13 Photos)
You’ve seen headlines like “Puppy Love: Pet Owners Are Happier, Healthier” and "How Pets Save Us Billions Every Year In Health Care Costs!" And it is true that a lot of studies have reported that pet owners have better physical and mental health than people who do not live with companion animals. But as I have pointed out in previous posts, the results of this body of research have been mixed (here and here). Further, we do not know whether getting a pet causes better health, or whether the causal arrow points in the other direction. In other words, pet owners might be different to begin with. If so, non-pet-related differences such as socioeconomic status might be the real cause of better health for companion animal owners. For example, people who are married, white, female, and wealthy have lower death rates. If individuals with these characteristics are also more likely to live with pets, we could wrongly conclude that it is dog or cat ownership that makes them live longer. If we really want to understand the effects of companion animals on human health, we also need to know how pet owners and non-pet owners differ in terms of demographics. Investigators from the Rand Corporation and UCLA used a large data set to address this question. Recently published in the journal PLOS One, their research report offers important insights into the differences between pet owners and non-pet owners and the impact of pets on our health. To read more on this story, click here: Large Study Finds Pet Owners Are Different
'Y'all not going to die on my watch:' Kittens survive Hurricane Michael's fury, and are now adoptable originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com. Four kittens who survived Hurricane Michael's devastation and a roof collapse are now up for adoption at a local shelter, after being spotted cuddling among debris live on-air by ABC News' Rob Marciano. The kitties were found in a home with a collapsed ceiling in Panama City, Florida, and have become a symbol of resilience and hope for some in the wake of the ferocious storm. Marciano was assessing the damage to a home with a local resident who said that when the ceiling collapsed, "four kittens came down with it." "Four baby kittens," she added. "And my cousin took the kittens and said, 'Y'all not going to die on my watch.'" To read more on this story, click here:'Y'all Not Going to Die On My Watch:' Kittens Survive Hurricane Michael's Fury, And Are Now Adoptable
Before and after pictures show £1,500 (1,978.57) worth of damage caused by a naughty cockapoo after his owner popped out for a couple of hours. Bobbie was left home alone by his owner, Tara Jameson, at her mum's house, while she attended a friend's wedding rehearsal for around three hours. But on Tara's return to her family home in Teesside, Newcastle, she discovered that butter-wouldn't-melt Bobbie had chewed through the front door, and destroyed a parcel containing a TV box, waiting to be returned. Tara had left four-year-old Bobbie with a bed to snooze in, as well as a box of brand new toys to play with, but the pup had different ideas about what he'd get up to while his owner was away. The pooch had bitten a three foot square hole in the door, and the extensive damaged totalled £1,500 to repair. To read more on this story, click here:Dog Causes £1,500 Worth Of Damage To Front Door After Owner Pops Out
A local Indian bank got a series of complaints about one of its ATMs. The cause of its sudden malfunction is quite unsettling. Just thinking about this story alone sends shivers down our spines. What you are about to read will definitely give you quite a shock. In the Tinkusia district, located in the Eastern state of Assam, India, an ATM was starting to act a bit askew. Countless people were soon left with empty pockets when the machine simply just wouldn't shoot out any more cash. After a series of complaints from the bummed out ATM users, the bank's officials decided it was time to figure out exactly what was going on. If you thought the ATM was robbed bone-dry, then guess again. Instead, it was a family of squeaky rats that had made their way inside the machine. The wily rats had proceeded to nibble through banknote after banknote, destroying a whopping amount of roughly 1.2 million rupees, nearly $18,000. The gobsmacked bank employees even found a rotting dead rat at the scene of the crime. You can see in the photos of what a few destructive rats can do over a short period of time. To read more on this story, click here: Rats Chewed Through About $18,000 Worth of Cash Inside An ATM
Police escorted a woman off a plane Tuesday after she brought an unexpected furry friend on a Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando to Cleveland – a squirrel. The woman informed Frontier Airlines she was taking an "emotional support animal" on the flight from Florida when she made her reservation, according to the Associated Press. However, she did not say the animal was a squirrel. The airline said they called Orlando police after they asked the woman to leave the plane with the animal and she refused. "Rodents, including squirrels, are not allowed on Frontier flights. The passenger was advised of the policy and was asked to deplane," said Jonathan Freed, director of corporate communications at Frontier Airlines. "When she refused to deplane, Orlando Police were called and everyone was deplaned so police could deal with the passenger. Police eventually escorted the passenger off the aircraft and returned her to the main terminal." To read more on this story, click here:Flight Delayed After Woman Brings 'Emotional Support Squirrel' On Plane
It’s common knowledge that dogs will do anything and everything, from puppy dog eyes to literally running away, just to evade bath time. But there’s one dog who savors the moment, and treats bath time like a relaxing trip to the spa. In the video below, a golden retriever chills on its back, eyes closed, mind in complete state of zen as its owner gives it a good scrubbing.
Chickens are more than something to eat. They are intelligent and social animals. The chatty bird has even won the hearts of many people who now keep them as a pet. Chickens are becoming a popular option for an emotional support or therapy animal. Social animals make great therapy animals. Their need to connect and desire to be around family helps people suffering from anxiety, depression and loneliness. While dogs, cats and horses have been the traditional therapy animals, chickens are pecking their way in. Chickens are entertaining and talkative animals. They have over 24 different types of vocalizations. Aside from their vocals, they have unique personalities. “The talker, the complainer, the bossy one and the placid and the dopey and the eagle eyed smarty pants,” states Psychology Today. There is a perfect chicken for everyone. On top of the entertainment they provide, chickens are a perfect choice for people who are allergic to dogs and cats. The feathered animal has been introduced to nursing homes and senior living communities with great success. Therapy chickens have helped people with mental illnesses, children with autism, and give the elderly a reason to live. Having an animal to care for gives them a reason to wake up every morning. Studies done on facilities that have used therapy chickens have shown, “chickens at nursing homes can reduce resident-to-resident altercations, reduce antipsychotic drug use and increase the number of visits residents receive from friends and family,” according to Sheboygan Press. Therapy animals spark conversation about the patient’s past pets and brings back memories. This helps patients that are suffering from memory loss. The therapy animal also initiates conversations between the residents. “They can make good therapy pets for people who live with a backyard because they cost much less than dogs. Care-taking is good for you, when it’s not overwhelming and a chicken can provide an “un-anxious example of how to live without worry,” reports Psychology Today. While some chickens like to be handled and cuddled, they still need their outdoor time. Chickens need time outside to search for worms and bugs. “Researchers at the University of Northumbria found that “poultry therapy” in nursing homes can reduce feelings of depression and loneliness in patients — and can be especially helpful in getting male patients to be more social.” Chickens are affordable and entertaining therapy pets that are changing the lives of many people. These intelligent feathered animals are finally being seem as something more than food.
