The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too

Monday, March 4, 2013

Man Caught on Video is Believed to Have Sexually Assaulted Horse - Do You Know this Man?



Marion County, Fla. (WTSP) -- Abby Conder treats her horses like they are her kids.

"We breed these horses, we show them, we sell them."

Since May, she says her world class miniature horses have been under attack.

"She had been severely brutalized," Conder said of one of her horses. "She had been raped both by a man and by several objects. She was so hematomed on the back and so bloody, that she looked like they put her whole bottom through a garbage disposal."

The vet found bodily fluids inside the horse. Conder says Marion County Sheriff investigators took a report, but they haven't been much help.

"We have been told that we have to catch him in the act and if we catch him in the act and then call them, they will come and arrest him. But we don't want to die trying to protect our horses."

She says they bought a dog to protect the horses, but it was beaten to death as well. So they setup surveillance and a live internet feed. On Saturday the cameras caught him.

"He inspected the horses that were on the left first to see what horses were in stalls. "

Conder goes on to say, "They are tied to the corner to the fence, where they have been abused and been tortured. They can't fight with a person, they don't know to fight with a person, they would go with anybody.

Conder is hoping someone will recognize the person in the video and is sending him a warning.

"I've never shot a gun in my life, but if I catch this man in this barn taking out another one of my horses and he's gonna traumatize this young horse and hurt her internally like he has my other horses, I will come down and I will kill him."

Florida is one of a handful of states with laws against having sex with animals. That law passed in 2011.



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Sunday, March 3, 2013

Is it True that Chimpanzee Have Better Short-Term Memory Than Humans?


Scientists often talk about how primates are some of the smartest non-human animals, but very rarely do you hear about a species surpassing humans in a intellectual exercise.

A Japanese researcher, Tetsuro Matsuzawa, presented the remarkable capabilities of the chimpanzee Ayumu at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. So, what could Ayumu do that humans couldn’t? When a series of numbers were presented on a screen out of sequence and randomly placed, the chimpanzee was able to remember where the numbers were on the screen, and touch them in the correct sequence to count up from 1.

While only a small group of humans, known as savants, can display such good memorization skills, six out of six chimps were able to accomplish the task.

Scientists report that this skill would help them in their natural environment as they navigate through complex arrangements of tree branches and make other split second decisions in the wild.

Will this mental ability help strengthen the case against using animals in research? Seems ironic, since we know this ability was discovered through research.

Take a look at the video below and see it firsthand.




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People Are Having Their Pets Tattooed? Cute or Animal Abuse...You Decide




First, let me say that on my blog I post all types of stories about animals. I did not write this story but felt the need to share it with my readers. I can't believe people are doing this! I don't usually make comments on my content, however, in this case, as an animal lover I feel this is...animal abuse, and there should be a law against it!

What is our society thinking?...or are they! I hope these pictures are photoshopped as the original writer indicated.

Apparently, a new trend is getting tattoos put on your pets, particularly any pet that is hairless. In Russia, the hairless Sphinx is the most frequent tattoo victim. Yes, I said victim.

In the 1980s before the microchip was invented for identifying pets, it wasn’t uncommon to tattoo pets with an identification number, often on their inner ear or bellies while they were under anesthesia for another procedure such as spaying or neutering. I think animals should never, ever be put under just for a tattoo.

Note: some of the images may be photoshopped. Very hard to verify.


                                           Body Modified Dog - Thank GOD this one is totally photoshopped. I hope.



Cosmetic Tattoos - This poor Dalmatian had a pink nose, which is a failure in the breed standard. So his owner got his nose tattooed.


In the ear tattoos - Dogs are often tattooed in their ears, usually with an ID number to help find them if they get lost. But this whole image thing is new.



Sphinx Cat with Ink - By far the most common pet that gets tattooed appears to be the hairless breeds, such as the Sphinx cat pictured here. This could be fake/photoshopped, but it looks pretty much like human tattoos do.


                                       Jack Russel Belly Tattoo - So this poor dog got a Hello Kitty tattoo on it's belly.


Cat immediately post-tattoo - In this photo, the cat is still anesthetized following it's tattoo. I found several shots of this cat being tattooed while under, so I do think it's real. It's a beautiful tattoo. Just wish it was on someone that could give consent.



                                                                             It's likely these are fake...I hope.



Yes, another hairless Sphinx sporting what looks like real ink. That's a lot of ink for a little cat. I'd say it took 3 hours at least.



Daschund Belly Ink - This little guy has a tiny tattoo on his belly. Likely done when it was spayed/neutered and didn't take too much time.



                           Louis Vutton Pigs - Apparently, tattooing pigs is a HUGE thing. Seriously, google it. Scary.



                                                                                     Small Tribal on a Sphinx



                                                                Demon bat wings tattooed on both sides...sad!



                                                                                          Tattooed Pigs

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Friday, March 1, 2013

Horse with Badly Deformed Leg Receives a Prosthetic One



Argyle, Texas - A horse was beaten with a baseball bat and left to die. But, an animal sanctuary in North Texas is refusing to put him down.

Spirit has been battered and abused but he cannot be broken.

He was beaten with a baseball bat in the knee and left to starve in a barren pasture for 8 months.

Spirit arrived at the Ranch Hand Rescue Sanctuary four weeks ago. He was starved and his left front leg badly deformed after it was left untreated.

He's already gained 150 pounds since being at the rescue center, showing his will to live.

Spirit is an abuse case out of San Antonio and Bexar County where charges are being filed.

Locally, the Denton County Sheriff's Department has helped with the case.

"We had a lot of people that said he needed to be euthanized," said Ranch Hand Rescue's Bob Williams.

Ranch Hand Rescue believed Spirit had a chance so they turned to Prosthetic Care in Fort Worth which helped save another horse named Midnight.

Spirit's prosthetic brace is carbon fiber with stainless steel joints and a special foam which molds directly to the injury.

Spirit and Midnight bonded like brothers when they first met, a connection that extends throughout the sanctuary.

"You know we put God in everything we do I believe with all my heart he brings us these animals, we're their last hope," Williams said.

And it is at the sanctuary where hope is the medicine that heals.

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The German Shepherd Dog - Known for Their Intelligence, Protectiveness, and Loyalty



The German Shepherd, also known as an Alsatian, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. German Shepherds are a relatively new breed of dog, with their origin dating to 1899

German Shepherds are one of the most registered dogs, which proves how popular they are as a breed. These large and powerful creatures are just as loyal and compassionate. They make great pets for families because they are good with children and can be trained to protect the house.

They are very popular dogs because of their personalities; among their positive qualities are intelligence, protectiveness, and loyalty.

German Shepherds are large-breed dogs that are generally between 22 and 26 inches long, with an ideal height of 25 inches. They weigh between 49 and 88 pounds. The coats of German shepherds come in different colors, with typical mixes being tan/black and red/black. Full white and full black varieties are also found.

German Shepherds show a high degree of loyalty toward the people they are most familiar with, including young children. If not socialized well, however, they can become too attached and wary or aggressive to outsiders.

The average lifespan of a German shepherd is 7 to 10 years.

German Shepherds are known to be one of the best breeds of working dogs. They are often employed by the police, military, and search and rescue operations.

German Shepherds are one of the breeds that have remained steadily popular over the last three decades, currently ranking second in popularity behind Labrador Retrievers.






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Samoyed Dog Dies After Competing in Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show - May Have Been Poisoned



The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show that aired earlier this month made headlines by crowning an affenpinscher as Best in Show for the first time ever, is back in the headlines today after the unexpected death of another competitor.

Cruz, a 3-year-old Samoyed who was competing in his first Westminster this year, died Feb. 16 while competing in another dog show in Colorado, just four days after the Westminster competition ended. Both the dog's co-owner, Lynette Blue, and his handler, Robert Chaffin, suspect the dog was poisoned.

"We have gone through all the steps of where he was, what was done, and he was always on a leash," Blue, 67, who has co-owned Cruz since birth and has raised and shown the fluffy, snow-white breed of dogs since the 1960s, told ABC News today. "He was never outside. He was always with the handler."

Cruz, short for his show name, GCH CH Polar Mist Cruz'N T'Party At Zamosky D, was competing at the 18th Annual Rocky Mountain Cluster Dog Show in Denver when he became sick, vomiting blood. Chaffin, his handler of over one year, who was also at the Westminster, took him to an emergency veterinary clinic, where he later died of internal hemorrhaging. The dog was cremated and a necropsy was not performed.

The internal hemorrhaging, along with vomiting blood, could be a symptom of rodenticide, or rat poisoning, according to medical experts.

Blue said the manager of the hotel where the Cruz and Chaffin stayed in New York told her the facility does not use rat poisoning. The dog, who was ranked seventh in the nation among Samoyeds, according to Grand Championship Points issued by the American Kennel Club, was also not walked outside or in any of the city's parks, Blue said, which could have been sprayed with rat poison during his stay in New York.

But according to Dr. Tony Johnson, a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cruz's symptoms of internal bleeding and eventual death could also be attributed to natural causes such as cancer.

"Two of the things that will cause bleeding in the abdomen are cancer and rat poisoning and people often attribute it to poisoning as opposed to cancer," he said. "We see a lot of dogs that have bleeding in their abdomen due to cancer so that is a possibility."

Johnson added that it is "not an uncommon scenario" for an animal to not have an autopsy done, "but in the absence of a toxicology or pathology report," as in Cruz's case, "it becomes speculation," he said.

Blue said the only time Cruz was not being watched by Chaffin while in New York was when the dog was "benched" at Westminster, a time when the dogs are required to stay in an assigned area with other owners and breeders.

Cruz's handler, Chaffin, whom Blue says she "absolutely" does not suspect was involved in Cruz's death, is convinced that the dog was poisoned and said there was a four-hour window during which the dog could have been poisoned, but not by a competitor. Instead, Chaffin said he is suspicious of an animal rights activist he encountered at the dog show who "was just scowling at me and telling me how cruel I was."

"All of our competitors in the breed are good people," Chaffin told ABC News. "I don't think it was someone in the dog world. There are lots of crazy people out there."

A representative for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) which has sent people to Westminster in past years, brushed aside Chaffin's suspicion that an "animal rights activist" could have been responsible for Cruz's death.

"The accusation is ludicrous and he hasn't even identified the person as an animal rights activist," Lisa Lange, senior vice president at PETA told ABC News. "It was someone at the dog show who criticized him."

Blue said the show provides dog owners the option to hire security guards during their stay in New York, a sign that "it could be a dangerous situation." The owner was more open, however, to the possibility of other motivations.

"It could be some crazies or some animal rights fanatics," she said. "Or it's always possible he was a top-winning dog, so it's always possible, those things have happened -- that other people in the dog show world try to knock out top competition. ... You just don't know."

Westminster, in a statement issued to ABC News today, said, "We have never, to our knowledge, had an incident at our show where a dog has become ill or was harmed as a result of being poisoned.

"We are ultra cautious to the point where we do not allow dogs to be off lead at any time while at our show," the statement read. "Unfortunately, no autopsy was performed, so there are a lot of unanswered questions. No other animal which attended our show was reported to our show veterinarians with any incident of serious illness. We have been made aware that no rodent poison is used at the Piers and pest control is maintained through trapping."

Cruz, who did not place at Westminster, held the designation of "Grand Champion," a title given to dogs earning a total of 25 points with three major wins at other shows. Cruz had competed in at least 30 other dog shows over the past year, according to Blue.

After Cruz's death, the owner of a fellow competitive dog, not in Cruz's breed, came forward to offer a $2,000 reward for "any information that could lead to the arrest of the person who might of done this to Cruz," calling the possible poisoning a "worst nightmare."

Blue said she filed a complaint with the New York Police Department last week but is still awaiting a follow up call from the agency. A representative for the NYPD told ABC News it can find no record of a complaint filed by Blue.

"People just need to know they need to be aware of where their dogs are," said Blue. "This thing has just left a hole in my heart. It has taken some of the joy and fun out of showing and raising dogs. It's something I'll never get over."



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Members of Congress Reintroduced Legislation to Establish Greater Federal Oversight of Puppy Mills



This week members of Congress reintroduced legislation to establish greater federal oversight of puppy mills and online dog sales.

The Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act would require commercial breeders who sell their puppies directly to the public, sight unseen, including via the web, to be licensed and inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Currently, only breeders who sell dogs to pet stores or to puppy brokers are subject to federal oversight.

Many puppies sold online come from puppy mills and are commonly bred in unsanitary, overcrowded and often cruel conditions without sufficient veterinary care, food, water or socialization. While facilities that breed puppies for commercial resale through pet stores are required to be licensed and inspected, breeders who sell directly to consumers, via the Internet, newspaper classifieds or other outlets, are exempt from any federal oversight.

“As the ASPCA has seen firsthand, the photos of happy, healthy puppies posted on a breeder’s website often grossly misrepresent what conditions are really like for these puppies and their parents,” says Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of ASPCA Government Relations. “Puppy mills are able to completely evade federal oversight by taking advantage of a pre-Internet loophole in current law, but the PUPS Act would change that.”

As mentioned in USA Today, the PUPS Act will require that any breeder who sells more than 50 dogs each year to pet stores or online must meet federal standards.

“The current loophole has allowed too many dog breeders to get away with abusive behavior for far too long,” adds Cori Menkin, Senior Director of the ASPCA’s Puppy Mill Campaign. “We encourage Congress and the USDA to take meaningful steps to protect dogs in commercial breeding facilities.”





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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Is Your Pet Suffering from Depression? Do You Know?



People aren't the only ones that get depressed. Pets can suffer from depression too. Depression in pets can be caused by a variety of factors such as grief over the death of a human member of the household or another pet. It can also be the result of a move or other break from regular routine. If you work long hours and your pet is left alone for long periods of time, he can become depressed. There are usually several signs that may indicate your pet is suffering from depression.

 Many times a pet will get depressed if someone new comes around and they feel replaced, whether it's another pet or a person. So be sure to include your pet in activities with the new person or pet in your life. Don't leave them out. You can also help your pet get use to the new person or pet by allowing them time to get to know each other without you around. Be sure to continue your regular activities with your pet that you engaged in before the new person or pet arrived. Take walks and play at the same time and for the same length of time. If there will be a new baby in the house, get your pet use to the sounds and smells of a new baby as best you can.

Some signs of depression in pets may be:
  • Eating and drinking less often - A depressed pet will begin eating less and sometimes stop eating entirely.
  • Chewing and destroying things - When pets are depressed, they take up destructive behavior as a cry for help.
  • Going to the bathroom inside the house or outside of the litter box. This doesn’t just indicate bad behavior in mad or angry pets - bathroom “accidents” may not be accidents at all - your pet may be too sad to get up.
  • Loss of interest in Activities - Lethargy and lack of interest are telltale signs of depression in humans and animals alike.
  • Dog is wagging its tail less - Happy dogs wag their tails.
  • Hiding - When your pet starts making a home out of the dark corners and spaces in your house (closets, under your bed), and takes up residence in an area they don’t usually frequent, this could be a sign that they’re depressed.
  • Not wanting to be left alone - Like their human counterparts, when feeling particularly sad, some pets do not want to be left alone. Separation anxiety is signaled by excessive crying and whining when you attempt to leave the house. This is often accompanied by #2, chewing or destroying things.
  • Too little or too much grooming - Cats have a tendency to under-groom when they are depressed, but once in a while, you’ll get a pet that does quite the opposite. Watch out for skin irritation and shedding.
  • Increased vocalization - If your pet is crying, whining, or barking more than usual it’s possible there is something wrong and they are trying to communicate with you the only way they know how.





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