Cosmetics Giant L'Oreal has Severed Ties with the Belgian World Cup Fan Whose Good Looks Swept the Internet After Controversy Over Her Hunting Trip Photographs

Cosmetics giant L'Oreal has severed ties with the Belgian World Cup fan who won a modelling contract after being spotted in the crowd after it emerged she is a fan of big game hunting.

Axelle Despiegelaere, 17, caught the world's attention after being photographed cheering on her national team in the Group H match against Russia - with the image widely shared online.

But L'Oreal has confirmed that the modelling contract it awarded her as a result of her new-found fame has already been cancelled after a photo emerged of the teenager posing with a rifle and a dead animal in Africa.

Discovered: 17-year-old Axelle Despiegelaere won a contract to model for L'Oreal after this image of her at the World Cup went viral. But after photographs of her hunting emerged, the cosmetics firm ended the relationship.

                                Axelle Despiegelaere pictured with a rifle and an animal while on a hunting trip in Africa


As a result of her appearance during the World Cup, Despiegelaere landed a contract to star in a L’Oréal Professionnel Belgique social media campaign, including a 'hair tutorial' video.

But within days of the announcement it emerged she is a fan of big game hunting, with a photograph her Facebook page showing her posing with a rifle and the bloodied corpse of a large Gemsbok antelope.

The image was reportedly accompanied with the caption: "Hunting is not a matter of life or death. It's much more important than that."

Now L'Oreal - which is keen to promote itself as sympathetic to animal welfare concerns - has decided to end its association with Despiegelaer.

Speaking to The Independent, the cosmetics giant said: "L’Oréal Professionnel Belgium collaborated with her on an ad hoc basis to produce a video for social media use in Belgium. The contract has now been completed."

World Cup winner: The photos of Axelle cheering on her team at the Group H game against Russia helped launch her career

Well-liked: After returning home to Belgium, Axelle set up a professional Facebook which has now been 'liked' over 200,000 times.

The L'Oreal spokesperson added that, although the brand was aware of the photograph of the hunting trip, it would not comment on whether it led to the decision to sever ties with Despiegelaere.

They were keen to stress, however, that L'Oréal "no longer tests on animals, anywhere in the world, and does not delegate this task to others."

L'Oreal has long promoted itself as sensitive to animal welfare concerns.

In 2012 the company donated $1.2million to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help improve the testing of safe chemicals.

In the photo which scored Despiegelaere her modelling contract she doned red, yellow and black face paint and a horned hat.

              Belgian beauty: The pictures of Axelle quickly went viral and appeared in newspapers around the world.

On Tuesday, Axelle announced that she had accepted a contract to model for L'Oreal. Now, three days later, that contract has been cancelled.

The pictures of happy Despiegelaere quickly went viral and appeared in newspapers across the world, launching her new career.

After returning home to Belgium, Despiegelaere set up a professional Facebook page which now has over 200,000 'likes'.

On Tuesday, she announced her decision to accept a contract modeling for L'Oreal and even posted a video of her trying out their hair products.

While Despiegelaere may have come out a winner in this year's World Cup, her national team was not so lucky.

After escaping Group H, Belgium went on to beat the U.S. before being defeated by Argentina.

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Ever Wonder Why You Are Asked So Many Questions When Adopting a Dog?

If you have tried to adopt a dog, you know what I'm talking about. Dog Rescues - so many in-depth, personal questions; just to adopt a dog! For goodness sake - do they really need all of that information?

After all - aren't these homeless dogs? Wouldn't any owner be better than being a dog, lamenting in rescue? Than being homeless??

Nope - as a matter of fact, those questions and in-depth applications have a purpose. The individuals who run these rescues have seen quite a bit of dog stuff in their day. They have seen the circumstances that brought these dogs into rescue in the first place.

There are a few "real" cases where a dog needs the help of a rescue because the owner has died or fallen gravely ill (please see the article "cancer leaves 2 dogs without an owner"), but the majority of dogs in rescues are there because they had owners who did things all wrong.

So, why does the application ask the names and ages of those in the household? Because they need to know if there are kids in the house that might be at risk if an inappropriate dog is placed in the home.

Why does the application ask you where the dog will be at night, or while you are away? Because many of the dogs in rescue are there because a prior owner had to get rid of them after neighbors complained about constant barking.

Why does the dog rescue care about training? Really, if it is your dog, shouldn't training (or not training) be your decision? Nope. Many of the dogs in rescues are there because nobody took the time to train them.

The dogs become unruly, hard to own and guess what? Dumped at a shelter or in a rescue. The dogs become somebody else's problem. Unfortunately, at that point, they are often out of control and require considerable work to even become adoptable.

Why should the rescue know about your prior dog-ownership? Is it really their business? Yep. If you had a couple of dogs that you got rid of after they peed in the house, or because you were having a baby, or god forbid - moving, the rescue needs to know.

You see, rescues would not function if dogs were not re-homed. There would be no need for organizations to exist if all owners kept their dogs, no matter what. If all owners altered their dogs and prevented unwanted litters of puppies. If all owners kept their dogs safely indoors, instead of out in a kennel or yard where they might bark, or even get out of a yard and possibly injure someone or something.

The questions on the application (and if you're lucky enough to get that far, those asked of you in a phone interview) have been designed to weed out the bad owners. Is the system perfect? No. Nothing is perfect. However, the situations that the rescue organizations have encountered through the years has given them a pretty good idea of what to ask in order to find exceptional homes for the dogs.

Why are exceptional homes needed? So these dogs do not end up without an owner again. So the dogs don't end up at a shelter where they might be euthanized. The rescues aren't able to take in every dog that needs a place to go. Too many dogs are in danger at the shelters.

So the next time you are looking to adopt, be prepared to complete a lengthy adoption application and to spend some time chatting on the phone with a volunteer. Don't be offended or annoyed - be thankful that those rescue-minded individuals care enough about the dogs in their care to ask the questions that need to be asked.

Rescue organizations find some phenomenal homes - amazing people are out there. That being said, so many of the dogs in rescue are amazing too. They are worth the time and effort and they deserve the exceptional home. They deserve a home that will keep them until the end of their days.

And a final note - a bad owner is not better than getting a dog "out" of rescue. Getting out of rescue, only to be left in a kennel for 10 hours a day or chained in a yard is not better than sitting in rescue. Those "sitting" dogs will eventually get adopted and the new owner will not be keeping them in a bad situation.

Please adopt. Please alter your pets. Please own responsibly.

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Meet Fancy, A Sweet Adorable 2-Year-Old Blue Pit Bull Looking for a Forever Home - Do You Have Room in Your Heart and in Your Home for Her? Please Read Her Story! (Pictures)

On June 13, 2014, my husband and I found a dog lying in the street by our home. She looked dehydrated, hungry and her skin looked to have some type of rash, and her stomach was red and raw.

I immediately called animal control while my husband began directing traffic around her, to make sure that no one hit her. We stayed outside with her until animal control arrived.

I have been in constant contact with the shelter checking on her, and getting good reports.

The shelter staff who named her Fancy, told me that she had mange, and received treatment, and is doing well. I was also told that she is a sweet lovable little tail-wagging girl!

In Prince George's County, Maryland, where I live, it is illegal to own a pit bull. She has been at the shelter for almost a month now.  Shelter rules are that pit bulls are not adoptable straight from the shelter. They must be picked up by a rescue first, and then put up for adoption.

Her current location:

Prince George's County Animal Shelter
3750 Brown Station Rd
Upper Marlboro, Maryland, 20772
(301) 780-7201
Name: Fancy
ID #A407542
Age: Approximately 2 years old
Sex: Female
Breed: Blue Pit Bull
Altered: Not yet, but will be when adopted.

I now have a rescuer for her, and she can be adopted.

If you are interested in adopting Fancy:

1)  You must put in an application for her and be approved.
2)  You MUST be able to pick her up immediately, the same day of spay.
3)  You will pay the $15 for microchipping.
4)   I will pay the $125 to have her spayed.

If you adopt Fancy, I would love to feature you/your family in a story on my blog, The Pet Tree House.  I would like for you to send me videos/pictures, and the story that you would like posted.

I may not have covered everything here, so please contact: Peggy Castle on facebook for more information.

One additional thing…you must have plenty of love to give Fancy!

Please take a look at her pictures:

This is Fancy, two days after we found her...
                                                                ...look at her now!

Please Share Fancy!

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Venus the Amazing Chimera Cat with a Two-Toned Face and Different Colored Eyes - Becomes Internet Sensation!

Venus the Amazing Chimera cat has a two-toned face with different colored eyes.

The cat and her owner, Christina, appeared on Fox and Friends this morning. Since she's an Internet sensation, fans of the "two-faced" feline can actually buy a plush toy of Venus.

Her owner explained that she and her husband fell in love with Venus after coming across a picture on Facebook. Venus had been a stray and was living on a North Carolina dairy farm.

One of the theories behind the striking look is that Venus is her own twin. Christina said she has not taken Venus for DNA tests, adding she will only if it's medically necessary. And yes, Venus has a lot of fans, including more than 222,000 on her own Facebook page. She even posted a selfie from her New York City hotel after the interview.



The Two-Faced Cat, Venus Goes Viral by GeoBeats




On Facebook: Venus the amazing 'two-faced' cat
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Venus-the-amazing-two-faced-cat/1499358613634057

From: Snopes.com
http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/chimeracat.asp

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WARNING: PetSmart is Alerting its Customers About a Bacterial Disease Found in Parakeets at its Stores that can be Transmitted to Humans

PetSmart is alerting its customers about a bacterial disease found in parakeets at its stores that can be transmitted to humans, but one suburban Chicago family says their warning came too late.

The store has confirmed several cases of psittacosis, also known as parrot flu. When the bacterial infection is transferred to humans -- in some cases through the bird's droppings -- victims may develop cold or flu-like symptoms similar to a respiratory illness usually within one to two weeks after exposure to an infected bird.

The retailer says the infected birds have been traced to a single supplier and are asking anyone who purchased a parakeet from one of their stores between March 12 and May 20 to check their bird for illness.

The birds have been pulled from more than 500 of the retailer's stores.

New Lenox resident Wendi O'Brien bought a parakeet at an Orland Hills PetSmart in April. She learned about the sick birds after visiting the store to buy another on Tuesday night, and went she got home, her daughter discovered their pet was dead.

"The parakeet was chirping before we left. We had dinner at grandma's and we got home 9 o'clock and she started crying and brought the bird," O'Brien said.

O'Brien is upset because she says the store didn't notify them about the problem with the parakeets, and her bird had been flying around the house and exposed to elderly people and children at a birthday and graduation party.

"I am a perks member, so I should have gotten that email," O'Brien said. "I would've taken more precautions. I would've taken the bird back, had him quarantined. I wouldn't have let our 8-year-old daughter clean his cage."

PetSmart officials says a letter was sent out June 11 to customers who bought parakeets during the pertinent time period.

But now O'Brien says she's worried because she and two other family members have been suffering from respiratory problems.

"I just wish they were more proactive prior to so that so I could've avoided this so I didn't need to have this health scare," O'Brien said.

PetSmart is encouraging anyone with a dead or sick bird to call the store so they can take it to an avian veterinarian for testing.

Birds with psittacosis may appear to be drowsy or depressed, eat poorly and have runny eyes and noses. They may also sneeze, cough, have ruffled feathers or shiver. The bird's droppings will often be watery.

Humans showing symptoms are urged to see a physician.

PetSmart officials say 16 cases of psittacosis have been confirmed at its stores across the country.


Video:

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Five Amazing Pit Bull Rescue Groups Fighting for Change

Pit bulls have wrongly been assigned a terrible reputation over the years. Due to alarmist media coverage, pit bulls are often portrayed as unpredictable, vicious creatures with ‘locking jaws.’ This is rather a biased view on this breed of dog.

First of all, research has proven that pit bulls do not have ‘locking jaws.’ They simply have stronger jaws than most dogs. Secondly, like with all breeds, if an owner treats his or her dog with love, care and attention, it will show in the general temperament of a dog.

Every dog needs to be trained well but pit bulls need extra attention. From a young age, they must be socialized with other dogs and exercised adequately. If you are considering becoming an owner of a pit bull, you must carry out sufficient research on caring for a pit bull, just as you should with any other dog breed.  Because of their incredible loyalty, pit bulls are greatly molded by the treatment they receive from their guardians. Since this loving breed is often misunderstood, many pit bulls are abused and treated cruelly. These amazing rescue groups are fighting hard to end this cruelty.

Angel City Pit Bulls
Angel City Pit Bulls takes its name from its location, the “City of Angels,” also known as Los Angeles. This organization, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is completely dedicated to promoting a positive image of pit bulls as loving creatures through media, education and adoptions. A group of independent pit bull rescuers founded the organization. Now, it remains the number one source for everything related to pit bulls. Their motivation and compassion towards helping these voiceless creatures is inspiring.

BAD RAP
The local Animal Welfare, Rights & Protection for Guidestar’s Philanthropedia ranked BAD RAP as the most effective non profit organization, nationally. In 1999, this organization began as a resource for pit bulls and their owners in the area of San Francisco Bay. Today, it stands as one of the leading pit bull rescue groups out there. For a long time, few know much about the pit bull breed. BAD RAP intended to educate the uneducated on pit bulls.

Pit Bull Rescue San Diego
The Pit Bull Rescue San Diego’s organization began as a dream. It was the dream of Katie Davies. It developed from her deep love for her own rescue pit bull, Boscoe. With the help of her two friends, Kim Smith and Jenny Ludoyissy, Kate formed the Pit Bull Rescue San Diego. This organized is run entirely by volunteers. Their mission, as a rescue group, is to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome pit bulls in the local area of San Diego.

Villalobos Rescue Center
Every single pit bull gets taken in, treated and spayed or neutered by Villalobos Rescue Center. Many of the pit bulls they rescue have been mistreated and abused. Some have never felt a kind touch. At this rescue center, they are given all the love and kindness they deserve. They are given a second chance in life. They always have a minimum of 150 dogs at their rescue shelter but that figure is increasing. The organization used to be located in Los Angeles but in 2012, they relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana.

Pit Bull Rescue Central
It is this wonderful organization’s mission to create a world in which pit bulls are treated fairly and provided with loving and caring homes. Pit Bull Rescue Central uses media and fundraising to aid that dream. They rescue and facilitate abandoned and abused pit bulls, cradle them with love and affection, and take special care in finding them a new and suitable home where they will stay safe and loved for the rest of their life.




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Russian Blue Cat Goes Berserk in Florida Home - Owner Calls 911

A 4-year-old Russian Blue cat named Kush is being quarantined after apparently going berserk inside a central Florida home.

Police say the feline scratched owners Teresa and James Gregory on their arms and legs on Saturday, causing the couple to retreat to a bedroom, where they called 911.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports Teresa Gregory told the dispatcher she had mistakenly stepped on the cat's tail earlier in the day and the cat went after her husband.

They locked Kush in the bedroom for most of the day. When they finally opened the door, Kush wasn't happy.

Kush was placed in quarantine for 10 days at a pet shelter. Officials say Gregory can then take the cat back home, relinquish ownership or have it put down.

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UPDATE! Woman Comes Forward as Owner of Abandoned Dog with "Free" and "I Need a Home" Written on It

Yesterday, I told you about a dog that was found with the words, "FREE" and "I Need a Home" written on it's forehead and sides.

The owner of an abandoned dog with the words "free" and "I need a home" written on it in permanent marker found in a Northern California community last week has come forward, police said.

A Yolo County woman on Wednesday drove to the Benicia Police Department and provided photos, veterinarian records and witness testimony to prove that she is the dog's owner.

The woman also told police the dog somehow got out of her yard and has no idea how the pet ended up in Benicia.

Police do not suspect the woman played a part in the dog's abuse and abandonment.

The dog was found on July 3 in downtown Benicia by Shannon Bettencourt, who said the pet was scared and shaking.

"I was heartbroken, it was really sad," Bettencourt said in a previous interview with NBC Bay Area. "Nobody wants to see an animal like that ever."

Bettencourt took the dog home and named her Libby, short for Liberty. She thought it was appropriate since she found Libby the day before the Fourth of July.

Bettencourt had plans to formally adopt Libby this week.

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