Two subspecies of giraffe have been listed as 'critically endangered' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Numbers for the mammal have declined by 40 per cent over the last 31 years due to humans encroaching their habitat. In an IUCN report the giraffe has been moved from the list of 'Least Concern' to 'Vulnerable' in their Red List of Threatened Species. Two specific subspecies, the Kordofan and Nubian, have been added to the list of 'critically endangered'. According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the Kordofan giraffe is mainly found in southern Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and western South Sudan with just 2,000 of the species existing. Nubian giraffes, mainly found in west central Kenya, South Sudan, western Ethiopia and northern Uganda, and there are 2,645 left. To read more on this story, click here:Giraffes Have Been Added To The Endangered Species List
Many people think that it is a good idea to give pets as holiday gifts, but about half of those animals just get returned because the gift receiver didn't want the pet. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), says that you should never give a pet as a gift. Instead, they ask that you check with the ASPCA Adoption Center. You can use the zip code search to look at available cats in your area. They are offering a unique opportunity for pet lovers. Know someone who wants to add a feline to the family? Now you can give the gift of companionship with their Gift-a-Pet Certificate. At this time, they are only offer Gift-a-Pet certificates for cat and kitten adoptions. The ASPCA says, securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn’t tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. This will also prevent the tree water which may contain fertilizers that can cause stomach upset from spilling. Stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea should they imbibe.
Keep these items away from your cat : Glass ornaments, Christmas trees , Poinsettias, Christmas cheer, spun glass or angel hair, foil candy wrappers, batteries lit candles,`electric lights, tinsel, electrical cords, metal hangers, spray snow, artificial snow, angel hair, Christmas ribbon, Christmas tree ornaments and Christmas tree water that may contain fertilizers and bacteria, which, if ingested, can upset the stomach. Tips: 1. Do not leave food crumbs on plates and make sure all food items are sealed in containers with lids. 2. Also place candles where cats cannot knock them over. Never leave a cat unattended in a room with lit candles. He will gravitate to them like moths to a porch light. 3. Keep stoves and countertops off-limits to cats. Electric stovetops can be very hot without changing color, and present a serious burn hazard to curious noses and tender feet. 4. You may be tempted to put your cats in the garage to keep them out of the way when your Christmas visitors arrive. This is not a good idea for several reasons. Anti-freeze is both attractive and deadly to cats. Anti-freeze and caustic chemicals stored in the garage spell certain disaster if a cat comes in contact with them. Although it may seem like an attractive idea to keep a normally indoor-outdoor cat in the garage over the winter, please keep them in the house. If you need to keep your indoor-only cats away from the festivities, consider a "Safe Room". 5. Keep trash cans either secured with a tight fitting lid, or under a cabinet. Caution your guest on arrival about giving turkey and other table foods to your cat. 6. Once the meal is over, place any uneaten leftovers in the garbage and remove the garbage bag from the room. It should immediately be placed in a garbage bin where it can't be accessed by your cat. 7. If you have guests coming into the home around the holidays this poses many dangers to pets. A child who does not know how to properly interact with your cat may end up getting scratched 8. Sage (Salvia species) is considered to be edible in small amounts. However, it and many other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and even central nervous system depression if eaten in large quantities. 9. Cats are sensitive to the effects of essential oils, so for safety’s sake, I suggest you break the bad news to kitty and keep him away from the sage you are cooking with this Christmas. 10. As guests enter and exit your home for Christmas dinner this provides an opportunity for your cat to escape. 11. If you think someone gave your cat too much table food, contact your vet immediately. The same is true if your cat got into the trash and ate something he shouldn't have. 12. Cats in particular love to climb on Christmas trees and grab the low hanging branches. Make sure the tree is secure in the stand and tie the tree to a permanent fixture, like a railing. A toppled tree can crush a kitten or puppy and the broken ornaments pose problems of their own. 13. Some cats are attracted to the motion or sound of water that comes out of a faucet. So be careful about leaving the water running when preparing your Christmas dinner. 14. Holidays are a confusing mix of noise, people, strange sights, sounds and smells. Make sure your cat or dog has his own space, either a crate or a separate room, to retreat to when it all becomes overwhelming. You and your pet will be happier for it. Since most vet offices are closed on holidays including Christmas, you should have an emergency contact number on hand. Most likely, this will be the nearest Pet Emergency Center. Merry Christmas from The Pet Tree House!
The ASPCA says to securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn’t tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. This will also prevent the tree water, which may contain fertilizers that can cause stomach upset, from spilling. Stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria, and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea should he imbibe.
Keep these items away from your pet: Glass ornaments, Christmas trees, poinsettias, Christmas cheer, spun glass or angel hair, foil candy wrappers, batteries, lit candles, electric lights, tinsel, electrical cords, metal hangers, spray snow, angel hair, Christmas ribbon, Christmas tree ornaments and Christmas tree water.
Tips:
1. Try to keep all foods pushed toward the back of the counter, prepared and uncooked. 2. Feed your dog in their dog bowl. 3. Caution your guest on arrival about giving table foods to your dog. 4. If you have guests coming into the home around the holidays this poses many dangers to pets. A child who does not know how to properly interact with your dog may end up the victim of a dog bite incident. 5. If you think someone gave your dog table food, contact your vet immediately. The same is true if your dog got into the trash and ate something he shouldn't have. Since most vet offices are closed on holidays including Christmas, you should have an emergency contact number on hand. Most likely, this will be the nearest Pet Emergency Center. Merry Christmas from The Pet Tree House!
Albino animals are an odd freak of nature, appearing ghost-like in their all-white form contrary to the color of most of their fellow species. Yet, they can be quite beautiful in their plainness. Some 300 species of animals in North America have these rare albino individuals that appear white because of a congenital absence of any pigmentation or coloration, resulting in white hair and pink or blue eyes in mammals. In some cases, unusually white creatures are actually leucistic animals—those that feature a partial loss of pigmentation that doesn’t affect the eye color. To read more on this story, click here:Albino Animals Are a Stunning Oddity of Nature
Does your puppy have swimming puppy syndrome? Do you know the signs? Swimmer puppies are puppies that cannot walk and stand upright. Instead, they paddle their legs like a turtle.
Meet Harper, she was rescued by Erica Daniel, 26, who fosters dogs that need serious help. On Aug. 31, a woman in Sanford, Fla., first encountered the little dog when she spotted it squirming garbage bag. “There was a man outside of a store selling pit-bull puppies for $50,” Daniel explained. “This woman approached him and noticed a noise coming from a garbage bag he was holding. She asked him, ‘What’s in the bag?” He wouldn’t answer her, so pressed the issue and the man opened the bag and gave her the puppy. Harper, was so deformed that she could not walk or hold up her head. Veterinarians advised that the puppy should be euthanized. Daniel, a regular at the local animal shelter, decided to take the puppy home for one full and final day of affection. “I had to show her what it was like to be loved,” Daniel said. “I’d planned on taking her home that night, letting her sleep in bed with us, and having her humanely euthanized in the morning.” The puppy had been born with a condition commonly called “swimmer puppy disorder,” and most dogs afflicted with it don’t survive. The formal name of Harper’s disorder, pectus excavatum, causes puppies to lie flat on their chests with their legs perpetually splayed out, as if they were humans or frogs swimming through water. Daniel kept massaging Harper’s tight muscles, hoping to alleviate at least some of her stiffness and pain. Within just a few hours, Harper started lifting her head and looking around. Her front legs became more limber as well, so much so that she tried using them to walk and pull herself around. Symptoms of Swimming Puppy Syndrome If you notice a puppy that is always on its belly or beginning to show signs of a flat chest. Lay mom down and put this pup on a good nipple. Turn it on its side, holding its entire body and making sure it stays on its side. If the pup lets loose start over. Do this several times a day until the pup returns to normal and lays on its side; when that happens you have just cured swimmer puppy syndrome.
There's no way to prevent Swimming Puppy Syndrome.
A plaque and photo were dedicated in her honor at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton stables and a statue of her was dedicated on July 26, 2013 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia. The war horse, “Sergeant Reckless,” was used by U.S. Marines fighting in the conflict to carry ammunition to the front lines of battle. The horse also carried wounded Marines from the front lines to safety — a task the horse did on her own even after being wounded. “Reckless” was eventually brought to the U.S. to live out the remainder of her life following the end of the war.
Staff Sergeant Reckless, the greatest war hero horse in U.S. history, according to Marines.
Sgt. Harold Wadley USMC spoke of serving with "Reckless" at the dedication ceremony held at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
Commandant of the Marine Corps General James F. Amos and sculptor Jocelyn Russell talk at the unveiling of her bronze statue of "Reckless".
Commandant of the Marine Corps General James F. Amos, Robin L. Hutton, Mike Mason, and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Michael P. Barrett.
Hundreds of visitors gathered at the National Museum of the Marine Corps for the unveiling of the bronze statue of "Staff Sargent Reckless" the greatest war hero horse in American history.
Hundreds of visitors gathered at the National Museum of the Marine Corps for the unveiling of the bronze statue of "Staff Sergeant Reckless."
Artist Jocelyn Russell bids a final farewell to her creation of Reckless, a bronze statue. Take a look at videos of Sgt. Reckless below:
Former Vice President, Joe Biden, and his wife Dr. Jill Biden, adopted a 10-month-old German Shepherd from the Delaware Humane Association (DHA) on Saturday, after fostering him for several months. The pup’s name is Major. DHA posted about the lucky dog on their Facebook page as the Bidens took him to his new “forever home.” “Today is Major’s lucky day! Not only did Major find his forever home, but he got adopted by Vice President Joe Biden & Dr. Jill Biden!” the post said. “The Bidens have gotten to know Major while fostering him and are now ready to make the adoption official. Best of luck and thank you for being one of our Friends for life!” According to DHA, Major is from a litter of German Shepherd pups that were given up for adoption and are currently “not doing well at all.” “Once we posted about them… Joe Biden caught wind of them and reached out immediately. The rest is history!” DHA said. The Bidens are proud owners of another German Shepherd named Champ. In a statement, the Bidens thanked the shelter for their help finding dogs permanent homes. “We are so happy to welcome Major to the Biden family, and we are grateful to the Delaware Humane Association for their work in finding forever homes for Major and countless other animals,” the statement read.
Across many cultures, people report a dip in happiness during their late-40s, a time when they generally feel less satisfied with their lives than they do in their younger and older years. Apes, too, experience a kind of midlife crisis, found a new study. The surprising result suggests that the middle-aged blues may be a result of biology, not culture, and its evolutionary roots run deep. "It was an astounding thing for us to find this pattern, to be honest," said Andrew Oswald, an economist and behavioral scientist at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom. "It may be that the midlife crisis is driven by primate biology in a way we don 't understand, and if that 's the case, we all have to learn how to deal with it." "I think it 's helpful for people to understand this dip," he added. "With luck, this could people them see that this is completely normal and that could help them get through it." Studies in more than 50 countries over the past 20 years have revealed a near-universal pattern. Over the course of life, happiness tends to follow a U-shaped curve, with people ranking their sense of well-being higher in the first and last decades of life than in the middle. The low point generally strikes between age 45 and 50 for both men and women, and the pattern crosses economic and demographic lines. For each animal, zookeepers, researchers or caretakers answered four questions about the well-being of their primate friends, including whether the apes seemed to be in good or bad moods. The humans also ranked how happy they thought they 'd be if they were to become the animal for a week. They had spent time with the animals for at least two years and knew them well.
Apes live to be about 50 or 55 years old and, just like in people, results showed a drop in happiness that reached its lowest point about halfway through the animals ' lives, the researchers report today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The magnitude of the dip was on par with the dips in happiness that people experience in their middle age, Oswald said. He compared the difference between the apes ' highs and lows to the loss in well-being that people report with marital separation. The new findings help rule out some theories for midlife slumps in humans, said Arthur Stone, a psychologist in the psychiatry department at Stony Brook University in New York. For example, a whole generation of people can end up feeling less happy at a certain time in their lives simply because of some external historical situation. But that is unlikely to happen in societies of apes. Instead, it might be chemical or physical changes in our bodies that influence how our feelings morph throughout our lifetimes. "What this really starts to point to is that maybe there are biological things that we just don 't know about," Stone said. "Maybe there are changes in the brain, changes in how neurotransmitters work or changes in how hormones work that relate to how people view their lives and how animals feel. People will be looking at this more seriously, I think."
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