Multi-Platinum Singer, Chris Brown - Is Now Selling Puppies

Like many modern day celebrities, Chris Brown has the entrepreneurial spirit. Rather than the typical fragrance or clothing line, however, the multi-platinum singer’s newest venture appears to be selling puppies.

On Sunday night, his mother, Joyce Brown, took to Twitter to announce her son’s new venture. “Chris Brown puppies for sale,” Hawkins tweeted.

While webs.com is a free web domain most people wouldn’t associate with a Grammy-award winning artist, it doesn’t appear to be a joke. The bare bones website lists 8 eight-week old puppies whose breeds are not mentioned, but most of whom appear to be pitbulls.


The puppies, who sell for $1000 each, are purportedly healthy and come with current vaccinations, pet registration, a health guarantee, a veterinary exam, and a four generation performance pedigree. There is no mention of spay or neuter, so the puppies are presumably intact.

In a world where countless pets, particularly pitbulls, are euthanized daily, Chris Brown’s latest effort appears to be yet another in a long line of the singer’s poor decisions.

Please do not buy puppies from websites, or pet stores. These puppies usually come from puppy mills.

FOLLOW US!

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) - No Pet Store Puppies

The no-nonsense canine mascot of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)’s No Pet Store Puppies Campaign is at it again! Watch as he skillfully “trains” an oblivious consumer to not shop for her pet supplies in a store that sells puppies.

Most pet store puppies come from puppy mills. Refusing to buy a dog from a pet store is a crucial first step. But we’re also asking all pet owners not to buy anything in stores that sell puppies! No kibble, no kitty litter, no toys—nothing! By purchasing anything from a store that sells puppies, you are unwittingly supporting the puppy mill industry.

Please take the pledge not to shop for anything at pet stores that sell puppies, and please use the social media tools on the site to spread the word to friends and family! It’s time to put an end to puppy mills.


Most pet store puppies come from puppy mills. Refusing to buy a dog from a pet store is a crucial first step. But we’re also asking all pet owners not to buy anything in stores that sell puppies! No kibble, no kitty litter, no toys—nothing! By purchasing anything from a store that sells puppies, you are unwittingly supporting the puppy mill industry.

Please take the pledge not to shop for anything at pet stores that sell puppies, and please use the social media tools on the site to spread the word to friends and family! It’s time to put an end to puppy mills.

Does your local pet store carry dogs?

Are they for sale or for adoption?  If a store sells puppies, don't buy anything there!  Learn why it matters and what you can do to be a responsible dog owner.

Please Share!

FOLLOW US!

Maryland Zoo Welcomes Baby Colobus Monkey - New Arrival Brings Colobus Count to Four at Baltimore Zoo

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore has announced the birth of a black-and-white colobus monkey.

Mike McClure, the zoo's general curator, made a statement announcing the birth to parents Keri, age 14, and Bisi, age 19.

“We have been hoping that this pair would breed successfully, however they are secretive breeders and we were not certain she was pregnant,” said McClure. “We were very happy to see this new offspring arrive this morning.”

Found in the forests of equatorial Africa, colobus monkeys are distinguished by their black bodies and long white tails. The species is officially considered to be "in decline" due to the loss of their forest habitat, as well as the fact that they are hunted for meat and fur.

The new arrival brings the count of colobus monkeys at the Maryland Zoo to four, with the infant joining Keri, Bisi, and another adult female.

FOLLOW US!

Beekeeper Dons 73-Pound Bee Suit in China

A Chinese beekeeper donned a 73-pound coat of live bees on Wednesday in a daring record-breaking attempt.

Assistants helped cover She Ping with more than 300,000 bees, the Associated Press reported. The entire process took about one hour, and left only parts of Ping’s face exposed.

She Ping, 32, broke the previous world record for heaviest coat of bees worn in Chongqing, China, which was set by Ruan Liangming, in 2008. Liangming wore 59 pounds of bees, China Daily reported, citing local media.

But She Ping still has a long way to go before he breaks the world record. Guinness World Records’ website lists Vipin Seth of India as the wearer of the “heaviest mantle of bees.” Seth’s mantle weighed about 136 pounds. The record was set in 2009.

FOLLOW US!

Urgent! Vets Warn of New Treats from China Poisoning Dogs

Despite repeated warnings issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), chicken jerky treats, but this time they are being poisoned with a whole new class of treats: sweet potato treats imported from China.

The brands veterinarians say are associated with the new cases of unexplained acute kidney failure are Canyon Creek Ranch Chicken Yam Good Dog Treats (Nestle-Purina), Beefeaters Sweet Potato Treats (16 types of yam-related treats), Drs. Foster and Smith (exact item not specified in the report) and Dogswell Veggie Life Vitality (4 types of Veggie Life brands).

It is important to remember that although the type of treat most often mentioned in the press is described as a jerky treat, the treats may also be called by a myriad of other names such as stix, chips, poppers, tenders, drumettes, kabob’s, strips, fries, lollipops, twists, wraps, bars, tops and discs.

The report says that there is speculation the problems may also extend to pork treats and cat treats imported from China.

In 2010 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Import Refusal Report and later issued an Import Alert for sweet potato dog treats imported from a company in China (whose main business is, oddly, in rubber and plastic raw materials) were contaminated with a highly toxic pesticide known as Phorate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorate.

Phorate is an extremely toxic organophosphorus compound and is among the most poisonous chemicals commonly used for pest control. It is used in agriculture as a pesticide and Phorate is identified by Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR) as one of the “most toxic” set of pesticides known (aka a Bad Actor) in the world.

Although Phorate is known primarily as a neurotoxin and not classified as a nephrotoxin and therefore unlikely to cause acute renal failure in dogs, its presence in any food item is a disturbing indication that treats of any kind imported from China could pose a risk to the health and safety of pets and to the consumers handling them.

On the Veterinary Information Network, several veterinarians have reported cases where dogs have developed symptoms of kidney failure (Fanconi’s syndrome) similar to dogs who have been poisoned by Chinese-made chicken jerky treats.

So far, the brands implicated are all made in China:

Beefeaters Sweet Potato Snacks for Dogs
Canyon Creek Ranch Chicken Yam Good Dog Treats (FDA has issued a warning on this product)
Drs. Foster and Smith (exact item not specified in the report)
Dogswell Veggie Life Vitality

There was also speculation that the problem may also extend to pork products (pig ears) and cat treats made in China. Australian veterinarians have reported similar symptoms from chicken jerky treats, as well as several cases associated with “Veggie Dents,” a dog treat made in Vietnam by Virbac, an American company. Virbac recalled one batch of Veggie Dents in Australia in 2009.

The FDA still claims that there is no pending recall of Chinese-made pet treats, even though it has repeatedly issued warnings about the problems associated with chicken jerky treats since 2007.

Symptoms of Fanconi’s syndrome include:

• Increased drinking and urinating
• “Accidents” in the house
• Reduced appetite
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Blood and urine tests show azotemia (high BUN and Creatinine), dilute urine, and glucose in the urine (that isn’t diabetes).

Most affected dogs have recovered over time with good supportive care.

We strongly recommend that you check the source of all cat or dog treats you may have purchased, and do not give them to your pet if they were made in China. It would be best to avoid any pet food or treat products made in China, and probably a good idea to avoid all dried animal parts, because they are not heated to a temperature that will kill pathogenic bacteria.

FOLLOW US!

Smithsonian's National Zoo, Washington, DC - Two Young Otters Died from Dye Used for Identification Purposes

Two young otters died Thursday at the Smithsonian's National Zoo http://nationalzoo.si.edu/, and officials believe they passed after ingesting dye used on their fur for identification purposes.

The Zoo said the young adult Asian small-clawed otters were among seven that received routine quarantine exams, during which they received contraceptive implants. Officials said that they were reintroduced to the 13-member family and appeared to be eating and acting normally.

However, later that afternoon keepers said they noticed that two of the otters showed discomfort while moving and were taken to the Zoo's hospital for treatment. They later died.

The Zoo said a preliminary necropsy suggested that the otters had methemoglobinemia, a condition affecting oxygen transport by the blood, which caused liver and kidney failure.

The Zoo said in a release that the most likely cause of death is ingestion of the dye.

More from the Zoo's release:

This dye has been routinely used by wildlife researchers and professionals on birds, marine mammals, small mammals and ungulates among many others. The National Zoo has used the product for more than three decades on numerous species without incident, including golden lion tamarins, prairie dogs, black-footed ferrets and the previous group of otters that lived on Asia Trail.

Zoo officials said the excess dye was cleaned off the other otters, and all 11 remaining otters appear to be acting normally. They will remain in quarantine.

The Zoo said it has ceased using the dye.

FOLLOW US!

Peacocks Ruffle Feathers in Harford County, Maryland

In Abingdon, Maryland an unusual neighborhood dispute over what's allowed in one's back yard is ruffling feathers in a Harford County community as the County Council considers expanding a law regulating animals.

Feathers of a peacock blowing in the breeze are easily mistaken for blades of grass. But when dusk falls, there's no mistaking the noise when the peacock ascends to the roof and fans out his feathers.

Lisa McNair and her family own Petey, a male peacock, and other peacocks. They are a permanent fixture in the Bynum Overlook Community in Abingdon, a compact residential neighborhood.

"Harford County law says I can put anything I want in my yard but a chicken," McNair said.

Of course, some neighbors aren't too pleased, mostly because Petey is noisy, especially now since it's breeding season.

One neighbor, who chose not to be identified, said the noise interrupts sleep.

"They squawk all night long," the neighbor said. "At first, it was pretty unique. I took pictures. But I get up at 5 a.m., so it's not pretty anymore."

"When evening comes, he starts calling to let everybody know that this is his territory," McNair said. "There (are) other animals in the neighborhood."

Harford County inspectors have responded to complaints about the peacocks, which county law limits to five per property.

WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team lead investigative reporter Jayne Miller counted eight birds altogether, but any under 6 months old aren't affected by the limit.

"How do you keep a peacock on your roof and not everybody else's?" Miller asked.

"That's why the kids are chasing him," McNair said.

The county prevents the McNairs from caging the peacocks because the houses in the neighborhood are so close.

"If people would stay out of my business, my birds would be penned, but they didn't. So, zoning came and said, release the birds," McNair said.

The county considers the peacocks domestic animals, albeit noisy ones.

When asked whether she's keeping her peacocks at her home, McNair said, "Yes, they're my pets."

Harford County officials told the 11 News I-Team that the County Council is considering a proposal at a meeting Tuesday night that could increase the number of animals property owners can have...peacocks included.

FOLLOW US!

Hero Dog Saves Puppy From Drowning

A Golden Retriever mother rescues a puppy from potentially drowning in the swimming pool.

Seeing her helpless pup in distress, the dog jumps into the pool and, using her nose, tries to lift the puppy out of the pool. When that fails, however, she runs out of the pool, ultimately lifting up and dragging her pup to safety.

While many are praising the Golden Retriever as a hero, there are also people condemning those filming the video for failing to take action to save the puppy, which may have been much quicker than having the mother dog save her pup.

Comments on the video raise the question of whether the puppy was in fact thrown into the water at the start of the video in order to set up footage of our hero dog. Such an act could severely traumatize the puppy, not to mention, place a damper on the seemingly heartwarming nature of the video.

The divide amongst viewers is clearly illustrated through the top comments on Youtube as the top ranked comment notes how the video borders on animal cruelty, while the next highly rater comment deems any calls of animal cruelty unwarranted.

Regardless of the motives behind the video, however, it is clear that this Golden Retriever exhibited fierce courage and natural retriever intelligence in her quick actions to save the pup. The fact that she is a hero is not even debatable.

What do you think about the video? Do you find it adorable or does the filming of the video disturb you? Is there any doubt that the Golden Retriever is a hero? Share your thoughts in a comment.

  FOLLOW US!

Man, Distracted by Texting, Almost Walks into Bear Attack (video)

A man was texting and walking, when he looked up to see a 400-pound black bear right in front of him. The crazy scene was captured on video by California-based station KTLA 5.

The clip below shows the man, apparently shocked and scared, running as fast as he could away from the bear.

Authorities were able to subdue the bear with tranquilizers.

The animal was taken to a nearby forest and released into the wild.




FOLLOW US!

Texas Man Claims Police Killed His Dog When Responding to Wrong Address

A Texas man claims that his beloved dog Cisco was shot point blank by a police officer who responded to a call at the wrong address.

Michael Paxton, 40, said he and his Australian Cattle Dog, Cisco were relaxing and playing Frisbee in his Austin backyard on Saturday afternoon when he decided to go get something from his truck in the driveway.

As he approached his truck, he said he saw something from the corner of his eye and looked up to see a police officer who immediately drew his weapon, and told Paxton to put his hands up.

"He had a Taser. He had pepper spray. I don't understand why, in broad daylight, he pulled a gun on me. I wasn't running. I wasn't hiding," Paxton told ABCNews.com today. "I was just saying, 'I live here.' I was panicking. I was afraid for my life."

Paxton said he heard Cisco, who weighed about 50 pounds, barking and coming towards him from the backyard.

"I said, 'Don't shoot him. Don't shoot my dog. He won't bite you.' But he shot him, just like that. It all happened in under 30 seconds," Paxton said. "There was no attack on the officer other than barking and challenging him."

Austin Police Cpl. Anthony Hipolito told ABCNews. com that the officer did respond to the wrong address, but it was the address provided by the 911 call. The call came from the house next to Paxton's.

Hipolito said that dashcam footage shows the dog barking and attacking the officer.

"The officer was basically in retreat and asked the owner to grab the dog," Hipolito said. "He was unable to and the dog continued to attack and that's when the officer discharged his firearm."


An apology was issued at the scene, according to Hipolito, but Paxton said no one apologized to him.

"Officers have to do everything they can to protect themselves, up to and including the use of deadly force," Hipolito said. "It's something that we don't ever want to do. To shoot and kill an animal is very unfortunate and tragic. The officer is distraught and did not want to do it, but at the same time, he had to protect himself."

As a shocked and horrified Paxton stared down at his dog's lifeless body, he said he was confused when the officer started asking him if he had a girlfriend.

"I was saying, 'You just killed my dog. I can't believe you just killed my dog. What is going on?'" Paxton recalled.

Paxton said the officer said he was responding to a domestic issue report of a man choking a woman. Paxton does not have a girlfriend and believes the report came from his neighbor's house.

Paxton said the officer did not apologize and when his sergeant arrived, he was unsympathetic and told Paxton the officer was within his right to shoot the dog. He said he has not heard from the police since the incident.

"I was in shock for probably almost 24 hours," Paxton said, choking up. "I wasn't crying at that point, but when I picked my dog up out of the driveway, I lost it."

Paxton's friends started a Facebook page called "Justice for Cisco" that has nearly 14,000 supporters. Hundreds of people have left messages of support, outrage and anger.

"How heartbreaking and so uncalled for. Tears just fall for the fallen. So very sorry for your lost over a mistaken address," one supporter wrote.

Another wrote: "How dare any officer make a mistake & not apologize? If that were a citizen they would be made to apologize immediately. A life was taken & even though some might look at it only being a dog; it was somebody's pet that they loved dearly."

"The only thing that has brought me comfort is the response and outpouring of emotion for him," Paxton said. "I'm sure he heard the yelling. He's a dog. This is his territory. He's going to be territorial to some extent. To me, it's pretty typical dog behavior. He's not a viscous dog. He was a good boy. He was a real good boy."

What do you think? FOLLOW US!

Pet Experts Caution about Parasite Problems - Mild Winter to Blame

Veterinarians and other pet experts are worried the mild winter will present serious problems for dogs and cats this spring and summer.

"This spring came very early, back in February people started sending me ticks, and I was a little surprised, quite surprised," says University of Georgia veterinary entomologist Dr. Nancy Hinkle.

She isn't the only one.

Vets nationwide are worried the early arrival of ticks and mosquitoes will cause outbreaks of pet diseases like heartworms.

Chris Carpenter and Byron Blagburn are with the Companion Animal Parasite Council, and both say the exceptionally warm winter is to blame.

"We anticipate that we'll have more mosquitoes and, of course, since heartworm is moved from an infected dog to a non-infected dog by the mosquito, the mosquito plays a pivotal role," Blagburn says.

The council has set up a free website, Pets and Parasites.org, where you can look at county-by-county monthly updates on frequency of pet diseases.

"For you to see just how prevalent it is and it's not just limited to heartworm, we'll give you updates on tick diseases and other parasitic diseases that are prevalent throughout the country," Carpenter explains.

The council's forecast calls for extremely high levels of heartworm population in the South, with high to moderate levels elsewhere.

They advise that pets get parasite prevention medication year-round.

:

Please Share!

FOLLOW US!

Wausau City, Wisconsin - Leaders Consider Changing Animal Ordinance

Wausau City, Wisconsin leaders are taking a look at the city's animal laws after finding out many people aren't following the rules. The discussion was sparked when a Wausau family found out they have two more dogs than the city allows.

Public Health and Safety Committee Chair, Lisa Rasmussen said according to some estimates, there could be a lot of other households in the same boat. "There may be as many as 3,000 households that are currently in excess of the ordained limit."

That includes Melissa and James Lecker. In February, a public service officer noticed the couple has four dogs. That's two more than the city allows. The Leckers told Newsline 9 they'd rather move than lose any of their pets.

"I didn't want to be breaking any laws or hiding anything," Melissa Lecker said during an interview earlier this year.

Since that story came out, city officials decided to take another look. Now, they're moving forward with plans to try and change the rules. Under a proposal, people could apply for a permit to house more than two dogs as long as the pets are already living there.

"If it goes to the permit where we have to let our dogs die and then we can't replace them, no we will not stay in the city," Lecker said over the phone Monday night. She was out of state on vacation, but spoke to us over the phone.

Other people weren't afraid to speak out in front of the Public Health and Safety Committee and ask them to change the law.

"You want me to take two of my dogs that have a good home and put them in a shelter until they...they can sit there for months until they find a good home when they're taken out of one," one animal owner said.

But some people said the limit is in place for a reason. "I'm not naive to think that there aren't good pet owners out there, we've definitely heard some here tonight, but there are also those that aren't."

Even if city leaders change the law and adopt a permit process, they'll need to figure out how to enforce it. Right now, the police department handles animal complaints, but officials propose working with the Marathon County Humane Society http://www.catsndogs.org/ to handle animal issues. "If folks who are currently out of compliance adopt this compromise solution, come forward and get those things done it will help us at least partially fund an animal control program without doing it purely off tax levy dollars," Rasmussen said.

But this is just the beginning. City leaders said coming up with a solid proposal could take months. Police said they know people are violating the law, but they say they'll only respond to animal complaints as they're called in, at least while city leaders work on developing a new process.


FOLLOW US!

Love of Dogs May Cause Wisconsin Couple to Lose Their House

Melissa Lecker is walking outside her three-bedroom home in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin, and talking about her dogs.

“These dogs are our family,” she says as she looks down at two 13-year-old Golden Retrievers, Abbie and Jesse.


Right behind her are her 1-year-old Yorkie, Archie, and Chester, her 3-year-old Shih Tzu.
“They are just like our children,” she says.

In fact, she says emphatically her four dogs are more important to her than her money or even her home.

“This house doesn't mean as much to us as they do.”
Ironic because it’s the house she and her husband are set to lose because of their love for their pups.

James and Melissa moved to Wausau in early January, buying a new home and what they thought was the beginning of a great life in Wausau.

What they didn’t know is Wausau has an ordinance limiting the number of pets.
In Wausau, for instance, you can’t have more than three cats, three gerbils or three rabbits. And, unfortunately for the Leckers, you can’t have more than two dogs.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said when a police officer told her she was over the dog limit and subject to a fine of more than $100 per day. “I had never heard of anything like that.”
She says town officials have given her an unbearable choice.

“They told us that the ordinance clearly states they cannot work with us… that it's either two dogs or that you have to move, as you can't have four dogs here.”

No one from Wausau would return repeated calls from Fox News for comment. Not Mayor James Tipple. No one from the Wausau City Council. Not even Lisa Rasmussen, chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee, which oversees the pet ordinance.
But in local articles town officials have said their hands are tied.

"Our current ordinance doesn't allow for a variance," Wausau city attorney Anne Jacobson told WAOW.com.

Other city officials say the ordinance was passed in 1989 to curb animal “nuisance” complaints like dog bites.

And one municipal attorney from New Jersey says he understands the purpose of the ordinance, particularly when it comes to dogs.

“They smell. They bark. They have excrement,” explained attorney Jeff Gold, who fully supports laws limiting pets.

“You’re not punishing [the Leckers], he explains. “You're regulating society.” He says animal regulations are some of the oldest regulations on the books. “Animals used to be in houses,” he explains. “They used to be in front yards. Society gets to regulate it.”

“Well," counters Melissa while holding Chester in her arms, “I believe there are other ways to handle the nuisance complaints.”

“They should punish the nuisances, not responsible pet owners.” Melissa says she has put her house on the market and is willing to take a $15,000 loss in order to keep her dogs.

“I hope we can work something out,” she said. “But they are just being so mean. My dogs didn’t bother anyone.”

FOLLOW US!

Doggy Identity Theft

It’s a face most dog people would love. So when a Facebook post sounded the alarm that Scion, a lovable, active seven-year-old lab was starving, in poor health, and needed money to be rescued from a kill shelter, animal lovers responded.

“Honestly, it makes me sick and makes me sad,” says Wendy Messenga, the top volunteer at Virginia Beach Animal Care and Adoption Center.
She’s not sick and sad because the story is true; she’s miffed because it is no more than a scam.

“He’s fat, he’s happy. I mean, he wants a home, but he’s not going anywhere and he’s certainly not in danger of being put down,” says Wendy.

The adoption center wants to let the cat out of the bag.  There’s no doggy danger.  It’s the work of scam artists who are trying to part good people from their money.

The center was forced to post a warning on its own page telling people do not donate.
“There is a woman who is not using her name, that is posting that Scion is in a kill facility and that she needs to raise money to get him out,” says Wendy.

The fact is, you can’t rescue a dog at the adoption center with money; they only take adoption fees and the center is run and funded by the city of Virginia Beach.

Volunteers say this isn’t the first time the scammer has stolen the identities of real-life shelter dogs only to pocket the cash. Wendy says the scammer did it in Norfolk with the picture of a dog who had been adopted two years ago.

“Rescue people, sometimes they will donate prior to going to dinner buying themselves something they will definitely donate,” says Wendy.

The Facebook post has since disappeared along with mystery scammer, but shelter volunteers fear the canine crooks will do damage to legitimate fundraisers.
“People who scam the animal business like this end up making people not want to donate,” says Wendy.

The city-run shelter does not accept money donations, but they`ll take food and pet toys.

And if you see another posting like the one the scam artist posted, do not donate.  But if you want to be sure your local shelter is getting help, call the shelter directly or go in person and make a donation.

Don`t fall victim to the canine crooks.


FOLLOW US!

Dogs of the Titanic: a Dozen Aboard, Three Survived

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, the ship touted as unsinkable, during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, en route to New York. Much research has been done on the passengers, crew, and the ship itself over the years. But little has been reported about one group of passengers...the dogs of the Titanic.

Many think of their pets as part of the family, and it's evident that that sentiment was as true 100 years ago as it is today.

Widener University, named for a prominent Philadelphia family that had three members on board, will honor the memory of that fateful voyage with an exhibit, a part of which will feature the dogs on board.

The producer and curator of the exhibit, J. Joseph Edgette, Ph.D., shared his knowledge of the Titanic and her four-legged passengers.

I've been researching the Titanic for about 20 years, but working on this particular exhibit for approximately eight months. There might have been more dogs, but based on eyewitness accounts and ship's records, there were 12 confirmed, only three of which survived.

The dog seen in those photos was Capt. Smith's.  Benjamin Guggenheim did a lot of traveling, often on ships skippered by Capt. Smith, so he knew him and his family well. Guggenheim, although originally scheduled to sail on another vessel, ended up on the Titanic, and brought a large Russian Wolfhound as a gift for the Captain's daughter.

The day before sailing, Smith had his photo taken on board with the dog that he named Ben in honor of the man who gifted him. The dog remained overnight, but was taken home to his daughter the next morning, so he was not on board when the ship got underway.

It was never questioned as to why there were three dogs saved when there was so little room in the lifeboats for people. The dogs that survived were so small that it's doubtful anyone even realized they were being carried to the lifeboats.

Two were Pomeranians and the third was a Pekinese, all tiny dogs. One Pomeranian named Lady, bought by Miss Margaret Hays while in Paris, shared the cabin with and was wrapped in a blanket by Miss Hays when the order was given to evacuate.

The Rothschilds owned the other Pomeranian, and the Pekinese, named Sun Yat-Sen, was brought on board by the Harpers (of the N.Y. publishing firm, Harper & Row).

It seems only prominent families had dogs aboard the Titanic. Only first class passengers had dogs on the voyage. One family even received an insurance settlement for their two dogs that didn't survive.

Another wealthy passenger, William Carter of Philadelphia, was traveling with his wife Lucille and their two children. Carter insured his wife's jewelry and other items of value, including the 1912 Renault automobile purchased in Paris.

A replica of that vehicle is what appears in Jack and Rose's steamy love scene in the 1997 movie. The vehicle was insured for the full purchase price of $5,000; their daughter Lucy's King Charles Spaniel  was insured for $100, young Billy's Airedale for $200.

The children begged to take the dogs when evacuating, but Carter insisted that they were too big and that they'd be fine in the ship's kennel. Both dogs perished and the insurance company paid the settlement.

A Toy Poodle belonging to Helen Bishop, a Fox Terrier named Dog, millionaire John Jacob Aster's Airedale named Kitty. Robert Daniel brought Gamin de Pycombe, his French Bulldog, on board, and there were several others, whose names aren't known.

Although a few of the animals shared the cabins of their owners, most were kept in the ship's kennel and tended to by crewmembers, so they were considered more as cargo and not on any passenger manifest.

One particularly sad story involves a Great Dane owned by 50-year-old Ann Elizabeth Isham. Miss Isham visited her dog at the ship's kennel daily and when she was evacuating, asked to take him also. When she was told the dog was too large, she refused to leave without him and got out of the lifeboat.

Several days later, the body of a woman clutching a large dog was spotted by crew of the recovery ship, Mackay-Bennet, and dinghies were dispatched. Eyewitness accounts by crew and ship's log confirm the sighting and recovery, and the body recovered is assumed to be Miss Isham.

There are two photos of dogs taken on board, one of crewmembers walking the dogs, and another of a group of dogs tied to a rail. The photos were taken by amateur photographer, Fr. Frank Brown, who disembarked the ship in Queenstown, Ireland before she embarked on her transatlantic journey.

Interestingly, Fr. Brown's are the only photographs of the interior of the Titanic known to be in existence, as the White Star Line had contracted with the Rochester firm, Eastman Kodak, to take photos upon the ship's arrival in New York, which of course never occurred.

Crew often had at least one cat on board each ship to help keep the rat population down. It's said that there was a cat with young kittens aboard the sea trials of the Titanic but when the ship arrived in Southampton from Belfast, she was seen disembarking. Up and down the gangplank she went, retrieving one kitten at a time that she deposited on the dock. She and the kittens quickly disappeared and it was later said that had some sort of premonition that the voyage wasn't going to be a good one.

The Widener University will be open from April 10 through May 12. Admission is open to the public at no cost.

FOLLOW US!

Funny or Sad? Children Terrified at Sight of Purple Panda (VIDEO)

I wasn't sure if we should laugh or just feel bad for these kids, but this video is definitely worth watching.

The staff at Pennsylvania’s Center in the Woods preschool thought they would surprise their toddlers with a visit from Mr. McFeely, the delivery man character from the PBS Kids show
  “Mr. Rogers’.”

The youngsters eagerly listened to Mr. McFeely as he sat in front of the classroom and introduced another special guest, Purple Panda, one of the costumed characters also on the PBS show.

Mr. McFeely stood up to welcome his friend, and as he entered the classroom, Mr. McFeely held Purple Panda’s hand. The kids however, were not so welcoming.

Chaos immediately ensued. Screaming and crying children scattered to a far corner of a classroom, seemingly petrified by the sight of the Purple Panda, which was actually a person wearing a panda suit.

Confused, Mr. McFeely just told the kids to “stand right here” and as he waved at them. He then tried to calm them down by admitting that it’s not actually Purple Panda but “somebody pretending” to be the panda. His words did not soothe the children.

The Youtube clip has received over 770,000 hits and thousands of ‘Likes’ since it was first uploaded on April 9.


I must admit, as an adult...I would probably take off running if I saw someone dressed like that!

I think the purple panda should have immediately left the room when he saw that the children were upset. A little more thought should have been put in the designing of the costume. I understand that the characters have a whimsical look...however kids love Barney, the purple dinosaur.

Take a look at how receptive the kids are in the pictures below. I only hope that these kids are not scarred for life, and become afraid of animals.

What do you think?

FOLLOW US!

Man, Distracted by Texting, Almost Walks into Bear Attack (video)

A man was texting and walking, when he looked up to see a 400-pound black bear right in front of him. The crazy scene was captured on video by California-based station KTLA 5.

The clip below shows the man, apparently shocked and scared, running as fast as he could away from the bear.

Authorities were able to subdue the bear with tranquilizers.

The animal was taken to a nearby forest and released into the wild.

FOLLOW US!

Rockland Farm, Poolesville, Maryland - Plan that Didn't Hatch: Chicks for Rent

It was an Easter promotion that didn't quite go off as planned.

Rocklands Farm in Poolesville, Maryland was offering to rent young chicks to families over the Easter holiday.

But Friday, Montgomery County Animal Control stepped in, and said the farm could only rent chicks that were three weeks or older.

Some families who showed up today walked away disappointed, but understood the county's decision:

Erinn Foster says she decided against bringing home some older chicks, saying they weren't as cute.

She says instead of chicks, she'll now fill up her kids easter basket with some toys.

FOLLOW US!

Cat Detects Owner's Breast Cancer Before Doctors, Saving Her Life

Call it a sixth sense, a special connection, or just plain mystery. But whatever gift cats and dogs have that allows them to detect health conditions in their owners sure has been saving a lot of lives.

Wendy Humphreys, a mother of two from Britain, found out first-hand how powerful that gift can be when her cat Fidge sniffed out a potentially fatal health condition that even doctors hadn't detected, the Daily Mail reports.

Bewildered at first, Humphreys was compelled to visit a physician after the 10-month-old cat began jumping on her breast and continued to do so for weeks on end.

What doctors found astounded Humphreys: She had a malignant tumor in her breast about the size of a pea that could have metastasized if it hadn't been discovered early. She is now scheduled to undergo chemotherapy and credits Fidge with saving her life, according to the paper.

Studies have shown that dogs, too, can pick up on illnesses and physical ailments by detecting acute changes in people's smell. In a 2011 study, researchers in Japan conducted trials to see how well a dog could identify people with colorectal cancer. The dog had a 98 percent accuracy rate, NPR reported.

Sometimes, however, animals' aptitude for detecting changes in humans defies scientific explanation. In 2006, a cat named Oscar confounded experts by "predicting" the deaths of a number of residents at a Rhode Island nursing home. Oscar would begin hanging around people days before they passed away, according to CBS News.

"Oscar is a normal cat with an extra-normal sense for death," Dr. Joan M. Teno, professor of community health at Brown and associate medical director of Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island, told the Boston Globe. "As a scientist, I want to offer a biological explanation for this," she said. "But I can't."

FOLLOW US!

Dead Puppy Brought Back to Life

In Cleveland, Ohio, A one-month old puppy, trapped in a sewage drain pipe rescue was caught by FOX 8 cameras and is still being treated at Gateway Animal Clinic.

It’s hard to believe that just 24 hours ago, the dog was dead, but brought back to life, according to Veterinarian Bob Litkovitz. He says he’s now eating and drinking on his own but on a long road to recovery.  The Rottweiler/German shepherd mix is still in the midst of the biggest battle of his young life after being trapped in the pipe, in the basement of a home on East 110th Street, for two days, with no food or water.

Doctors at Gateway say he was extremely hypothermic when brought there Wednesday, and they say that most likely saved his life.  Litkovitz says, “He was not breathing. But his body was cold enough, he didn’t suffer any brain damage apparently from it, so he was able to come back. Took about three hours to warm him to a point where he even had a registered temperature.”

The drama unfolded Wednesday afternoon. The Lewis family says the litter of puppies, born on January 16, had been huddling in the basement of the home when one of them wandered off. They say someone removed the cover from a sewage drain, and the puppy fell through the hole. Johnny Lewis says he initially called police and fire for help, but they didn’t have the proper equipment.

It was FOX 8 who called the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District for help, and they quickly sprang into action. They used cameras to determine the pup’s exact location underground, then dug him out to safety.

Right now, the puppy is on fluids and antibiotics to ward off any infection.  The family has relinquished ownership of the dog, who has yet to be named, to Gateway.  Right now, two people from the sewer district are interested in adopting him. He is expected to be released from the hospital on Saturday.

FOLLOW US!

Elephant Fitted with Giant Contact to Repair Injured Eye

What happens when one of the world’s largest animals hurts its eye? She gets a giant contact lens, of course.

A vet at Amsterdam’s Artis Zoo fitted elephant Win Thida with the protective lens last week in an hour-long procedure, the first of its kind in Europe, the zoo said. The animal’s cornea was likely damaged by a branch while roughhousing with her mates, and each time she blinked, it further irritated the wound. The contact was fitted to help her right eye – eight times the size of a human’s – heal without complications.

Animal ophthalmologist Anne-Marie Verbruggen leans into Win Thida's stall at Amsterdam's Artis Zoo during an hour-long procedure to fit a contact in her right eye.

So how exactly does one perform eye surgery on an elephant? Win Thida, who weighs in at just above 4 tons, was lightly sedated, given an eye anesthetic and enclosed in her stall to prevent her from moving too much during the procedure.

A specialist eye vet, who regularly fits horses with contacts, performed the surgery from a ladder while leaning into the stall. Win Thida couldn’t be put to sleep as elephants can’t lie down for long periods without developing breathing trouble.

Animal ophthalmologist Anne-Marie Verbruggen inserts a contact lens into Win Thida's eye to help her damaged cornea heal.

The vets expect that the super-size contact will fall out of the 44-year-old elephant’s eye after several weeks, although if it doesn’t, there will be another trip up the ladder for the doc who performed the surgery. After spending nearly a month squeezing her eye shut in pain, she was “instantly better” after the procedure, the zoo said.

Zookeepers first noticed Win Thida’s injury on December 26. When creams and painkillers did little to help, vets decided to insert the lens. FOLLOW US!

Heidi's Law Hopes to Create Animal Abuse Registry

A seven month old puppy named Heidi was playing on her farm in Frederick County, Maryland, when someone shot her four times, once in the head.

Now, a bill to establish a state registry of people convicted of animal abuse or neglect carries her name, Heidi’s law.

Lynette Kauffman still struggles to talk about her puppy without crying, but she does believe something good could come from her death if Heidi's law is passed.

“I really look at this bill as a legacy of hope where Heidi will live on and help prevent this from happening to someone else's animal,” Kauffman said.

State Senator Ron Young of Frederick drafted Heidi's law so the public could keep track of anyone convicted of abusing or neglecting an animal in Maryland. Their picture and address would be posted on the registry for 10 years.

“I'm not trying to brand someone for life, just to put the warning flag up and keep pets away from them,” he said.

“Humane societies and pet stores and such could check the registry and not allow an abuser to have another pet,” Young said.

If passed, Maryland would become the first state in the country to have an animal abuse registry.

FOLLOW US!

Watch Out for Lost Pet Scams

Losing a pet is a devastating experience. Many reports have been received about scammers who are defrauding heartbroken pet owners in order to line their own pockets and we advise pet owners who have issued an amber alert to be wary of the following pet scams:

“Scammers play on your emotions”, said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB. “Pet owners who have lost their animals are easy targets for those whose sole intent is to make a quick buck.”

The Pay-Me-First Scam: The lost pet owner receives a phone call from a person claiming that they have the lost pet in their possession. This person asks that the reward money be sent to them before they return the pet. If the pet owner refuses, they will often threaten to hurt the pet in order to pressure the pet owner into sending money. Once the scammer receives the money, they are never heard from again.

The Truck Driver Scam: Someone claiming to be a long-haul truck driver tells you that he came across your pet while on his route. He then asks you to send him money so that he can send your pet back to you, or he may ask you to wire him money to board your pet until he can send your pet back with another truck driver who’s heading your way.

The Tag Team Scam: You receive a call from someone who says that they think they have your pet. After talking to you for a while and getting information about your pet, they apologize and say that they’re sorry, but it turns out that it’s not your pet after all. They then give all the information about your pet to a partner. This is a set-up — in a short time, the scammer uses the information received about your pet only to have a second person call and claim to have found your pet who will try collect any reward money in advance..

The Airline Ticket Scam: Someone calls and claims that your pet somehow ended up in another state. They ask you to send money for a kennel and an airline ticket in order for them to ship your pet back to you. Once the pet owner sends the money, the scammer walks away with it, leaving the owner without their pet and with less money in their bank account.

BBB provides the following tips to keep from falling victim to a pet loss scam:

1. If you must place an ad, include only essential information. Refrain from providing information about unique markings or physical attributes.

2. If you get a call from someone who claims to be out-of-state, ask them for a phone number where you can call them back.

3. If a caller claims to have your pet in their possession, ask them to describe something about the pet that wouldn’t be visible in pictures which may have been posted.

4. Never wire money to anyone you don’t know.

Many pet owners have also had their pets microchipped, as this preventive measure has proven to be effective in bringing lost pets home.

Please Share! FOLLOW US!

FDA Cautions Dog Owners of Treats

The Food and Drug Administration continues to caution that certain chicken jerky products for dogs—also sold as chicken tenders, strips, or treats—are associated with illness in dogs.

According to a Nov. 18, 2011, update, the FDA has seen an increase during the past 12 months in the number of complaints from dog owners and veterinarians regarding illnesses in dogs associated with consumption of chicken jerky products from China.

The FDA issued warnings regarding chicken jerky products in September 2007 and December 2008. The number of complaints dropped off during late 2009 and most of 2010 before rising again.

The agency advises consumers who feed chicken jerky products to their dogs to watch them for any of the following signs of illness: a decrease in appetite; a decrease in activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; an increase in water consumption; or an increase in urination.

Dog owners should consult their veterinarian if their dogs have signs of illness that are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests might indicate kidney failure, and urine tests might indicate Fanconi syndrome. Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA involved dogs that died.

The FDA and several U.S. animal health diagnostic laboratories are working to determine why these products are associated with illness in dogs. The agency continues chemical and microbial testing of the products but has not identified a contaminant.

 Please Share! FOLLOW US!

Dog Has Successful Surgery To Remove Spoon From Stomach

An Annapolis, Maryland woman may be out a lot of money, but she still has her beloved Labrador Retriever, Vincent.

Last Wednesday, when Laurie Neomany noticed Vincent wasn't eating his food, she took him to the vet for testing and that is when technicians discovered a seven-inch spoon lodged in his stomach.

Neomany said the surgery was successful and Vincent was back home the next day, minus the $2,500 medical bill.

FOLLOW US!

So You’re Thinking About Giving Up Your Pet?

This is a copy of a post that I read. I am not the original author.  This was written by a Shelter Director. This Director is not at any of the shelters that I have visited. This may be what is going on at his shelter, but I have been behind the scenes in the shelters that I post adoption events on, and they are not like this.

So You’re Thinking About Giving Up Your Pet? You Might Want to Reconsider. You can’t keep your pet? Really?
~By a Shelter Director

Our society needs a huge “Wake-up” call. As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you all…a “view from the inside” – if you will.

First off, any of you whom have surrendered a pet to a shelter or humane society should be made to work in the “back” of an animal shelter – for just ONE DAY.

Maybe if you saw the life drain from those sad, lost, confused eyes, you’d stop flagging the ads on here and help these animals find homes. That puppy you just dropped off will most-likely end up in my shelter when it’s no longer a cute little puppy anymore. Just so you know, there’s a 90% chance that your dog will never walk out back out, once entered in to the shelter system…Purebred or not! About 25% of all of the dogs that are “owner surrenders” or “strays” that come into a shelter are purebred dogs.

The most common excuses: “We’re moving and can’t take our dog (or cat).” Really? Where are you moving to that doesn’t allow pets?
Or they say “The dog got bigger than we thought it would”. How big did you think a German Shepherd would get?

“We don’t have time for her”. Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs!

“She’s tearing up our yard”. How about making her a part of your family?

“We just don’t want to have to stress about finding a place for her & we know she’ll get adopted, she’s a good dog”.  Odds are, your pet won’t get adopted  & how stressful do you think it is for your pet?

Did you know…

Your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off? Sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn’t full  and your dog/cat manages to stay completely healthy.
If it sniffles, it is euthanized.

Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room
with other barking & crying animals.

It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps.
It will be depressed and will cry constantly for you.
If your pet is lucky, there will be enough volunteers in that day to take him/her for a walk.
If not, your pet won’t get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of it’s pen with a high-powered hose.
If your dog is big, black or any of the “Bully” breeds (pit bull, rottie, mastiff, etc) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door.
If your cat is scared and doesn’t act friendly enough, or if it catches a cold (which most of them ‘do’), it will be put to sleep.

Those dogs & cats just don’t get adopted. In most cases, it doesn’t matter how ‘sweet’ or ‘well behaved’ they are. If your pet doesn’t get adopted within it’s 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed. If the shelter isn’t full and your pet is good enough,
and of a desirable enough breed it may get a stay of execution,
but not for long.

Most dogs get very kennel protective after about a week and are
destroyed for showing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment.

If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because the shelter gets paid a fee to euthanize each animal and making money is better than spending money to take this animal to the vet.

Here’s a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being “put-down”.

First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk…happy, wagging their tails…until they get to “The Room”, every one of them freaks out and puts on the brakes when they get to the door.
It must smell like death or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there. It’s strange, but it happens with every one of them.

Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 shelter workers, depending on the size and how freaked out they are.
Then a shelter worker who we call a “euthanasia tech (not a vet)”
finds a vein in the front leg and injects a lethal dose of the “pink stuff”.

Hopefully your pet doesn’t panic from being restrained and jerks.
I’ve seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the resulting blood…the yelps and screams are deafening.

They all don’t just “go to sleep”, sometimes they spasm for a while,
gasp for air and defecate on themselves.

You see, shelters are trying to make money to pay employee pay checks and then, there’s the board of directors…who need to be paid too!

Consequently, corners are cut, & we don’t spend our funds to
tranquilize the animal before injecting them with the lethal drug,
we just put the burning lethal drug in their vein and let them suffer until dead.

If it were not a business for profit, we’d do it humanely and hire a
licensed vet do this procedure. That way, the animal would be sedated or tranquilized and THEN euthanized.

But to do this procedure correctly would only cost more money…
so we don’t necessarily do what is right for the animal, we do what’s expedient so we can continue to make a buck!

Shelters do not have to have a vet perform their euthanasia procedures. Oftentimes, they are untrained personnel administering lethal injections. So… that employee may take 50 pokes with a needle and 3 hours to get inside the vein.

In the end, your pet’s corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer, usually in the back of the building with all of the other animals that were killed. There they will sit until being picked up like garbage.

What happens next? Cremated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? Or used for schools to dissect and experiment on?

You’ll never know and it probably won’t even cross your mind. After all, it was just an animal and you can always buy another one, right?!

I hope that those of you who still have a beating heart and have read this are bawling your eyes out and can’t get the pictures out of your head. I deal with this everyday. I hate my job, I hate that it exists & I hate that it will always be there unless you people make changes and start educating yourselves, your children, the public.
Do the research, do your homework, and know exactly what you are getting into before getting a pet. These shelters and humane societies exist because people just do not care about animals anymore. And PLEASE stop breeding!

Animals were not intended to be disposable but somehow that is what they’ve become. FOLLOW US!