A Woman Was Killed by a Lion at a Tourist Attraction in South Africa

An American woman killed by a lion Monday at a tourist attraction in South Africa was taking pictures through an open car window when the beast leaped through and fatally bit her, park officials said.

The dead tourist ignored more than 40 signs and verbal warnings about keeping windows closed while visiting the Gauteng Lion Park in Johannesburg, a popular 17-acre attraction visitors drive through in their personal vehicles while the massive animals roam freely.

The unnamed woman, described as in her 30s, was a passenger Monday afternoon when the lioness attacked. The driver, a tour guide, was hospitalized for scratches suffered after he tried to punch the animal once it entered the vehicle.

“They had their windows all the way down, which is strictly against policy,” assistant operations manager Scott Simpson said. “The lion bit the lady through the window.”

The U.S. Embassy in South Africa confirmed an American had been killed, but had yet to identify her.

“Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of the deceased in this sad incident,” the embassy tweeted.

The lioness will not be euthanized, though the area where the attack occurred will be closed off to the public during an investigation. The rest of the parking will be open and “operating as usual,” Simpson said Tuesday. The 9-year-old lioness will moved to a different property owned by the park that is not open to tourists.

“The park is not closed and it is not closing,” Simpson said. “We have closed off where the incident happened, so those lions won’t be seeing the public until we have had an investigation and we know what exactly happened.”

Celebrity sightings at the park over the years include singers Shakira and John Legend, who visited with his model wife, Chrissy Teigen.

The attack is the third in the park in just four months. An Australian tourist, who admitted to having his window down, was bitten on his legs after a lion jumped in and bit him. He posted graphic photos of the injuries on Facebook.

  

Just two days later, a 13-year-old boy riding a bicycle used the park as a shortcut and was attacked by a cheetah, eNCA reported.

A man walks past warning signs at the Lion Park near Johannesburg where a lion killed an American woman and injured a man driving through a private wildlife park, a park official said.

The attack occurred when a lioness approached the passenger side of the vehicle as the woman took photos through an open window, then lunged, said Scott Simpson, assistant operations manager at the Lion Park.

The signs explicitly read, and show, that windows must be closed at all times.

In March 2014, a woman posted on YouTube a clip showing a lion at a park in South Africa opening a car door with its mouth. The terrifying, minute-long video has since been viewed some 13.6 million times.

FOLLOW US!

Colorado is One of 23 States Where Medical Marijuana is Legal: Can it Really Help Ailing Pets?

Denver, Colorado is one of 23 states where medical marijuana is legal. Some human patients swear by it, but is pot OK for your ailing pets?

CBS Denver station KCNC reports there are some cannabis-containing products now on the market specially designed for cats and dogs.

Chiara Subhas of Denver decided to try it when her 14-year-old rescue dog, Leo, started having seizures. The little Pomeranian was "just violently shaking, his mouth is open, his eyes are rolling back, he's drooling," she told KCNC reporter Kathy Walsh.

Subhas tried changing his diet. Then she went to pot. "We were suggested by our veterinarian in Boulder that we try a medical marijuana product for our dog," she said.

The product is called Canna Companion. Leo started on two capsules a day.

"Shortly after, his seizures definitely decreased," said Subhas.

On the company website, cannaforpets.com, Canna Companion is described as a hemp supplement for cats and dogs. The company calls it a unique blend of cannabis sativa strains with low levels of THC, the ingredient that gets people high.

There are more than a dozen testimonials posted on the site. One cat owner writes that cancer-stricken Harley's "happy purrsonality came back immediately!" And Subhas' own veterinarian writes that the capsules helped Titus, her 13-year-old Great Dane, be "comfy and mobile."

"It's not going to cure cancer. It's not going to stop seizures from happening. But it can help," said veterinarian Dr. Sarah Brandon.

Brandon is co-founder of the supplement company out of Washington state. She stops short of making medical claims. In February, the Food and Drug Administration warned Canna Companion and similar companies to remove unproven health benefits from their marketing.

Brandon told CBS Denver, "It's one more tool in our tool belt and we firmly believe that veterinarians and pet parents should have it available to them if they should choose to use it."

But the FDA warned "consumers should beware purchasing and using any such products."

"I personally am not a big fan of the FDA," said Subhas. "I would not worry so much. I don't worry about that at all."

But some veterinarians are more wary. Dr. Debbie Van Pelt says she isn't ready to recommend cannabis for cats or hemp for hounds.

"I just think that we don't have the evidence right now to document what is safe and what is effective," said Van Pelt.

Van Pelt believes there may be potential in medical pot for pets and she understands why owners try it: "Because people love their animals and they are looking for ways to give them better quality of life," she said.

Subhas sees the change in Leo, and thinks the $75 a month she's spending on medical marijuana for him is worth it. "He's more alert overall. He seems just more comfortable," she said.

Chiara Subhas of Denver says a medical marijuana product helped her 14-year-old Pomeranian, Leo, when he started having seizures.
FOLLOW US!

Dog Dies from Overheating at Petco Grooming

Powhatan County, Virginia - Allison Marks left her 2-year-old golden retriever, Colby, at a Petco store Friday for what she thought would be a routine grooming. When she called to ask about him, though, she was told to go to a nearby animal hospital. There she learned Colby had passed away.

Marks was told by the veterinarian that Colby had likely suffered a heat stroke after being left in a heated cage to dry.

"It sickens me that they could just let something like this happen," she said. "How could he not suffer? He was in a cage for God knows how long."

Marks said the vet explained to her that Colby's temperature was more than 105 degrees one hour after his death.

FOLLOW US!

William Leonard Dodson Has Been Arrested in the Animal Cruelty Case of Caitlyn the Dog That Was Found with Electrical Tape Tightly Wound Around Her Muzzle

Charleston, South Carolina - North Charleston Police have made an arrest in the animal cruelty case that has been spread worldwide.

William Leonard Dodson, 41, is being charged with ill treatment of animals and torture. He was found in the area of Quitman Street and Calvert Street. A judge ordered a $50,000 bond against Dodson on Tuesday morning. At the hearing, the judge asked Dodson if he had any other dogs at home and he said that he did. The judge ordered police to head to his home and take the dog away.

News 2 spoke with Animal Cruelty Investigator Aldwin Roman who said $50,000 doesn't do justice to Caitlyn and what she's been through.

News 2 obtained a copy of Dodson's arrest record. In 2013, Dodson was arrested for driving without a license and was put on probation for six years for possession of a firearm by a convicted violent felon. In 2014, Dodson was arrested for driving under suspension, driving without a license and for failure to appear in traffic court. In 2015, the suspect was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine and the unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Caitlyn the dog was found in critical condition last week on a Good Samaritan's doorstep with electrical tape tightly wound around her muzzle.

The tape was so tight around Caitlyn's muzzle that her tongue was caught between her teeth, stopping blood flow to her tongue. Officials think that the tape was on Caitlyn for up to 36-48 hours.

The Charleston Animal Society Senior Director of Veterinary Care, Dr. Lucy Fuller, DVM, said "Caitlyn is in a lot of pain, her condition is critical, and her prognosis is guarded." She also said that "A large part of her tongue may need to be removed surgically if the tissue dies from the lack of blood flow. She may be severely disfigured, or the large amount of dead tissue may cause life-threatening complications."

The story of Caitlyn, the North Charleston dog who had her muzzle taped shut, is now worldwide.

We talked with one man at the Chinese Deli in the Chicora-Cherokee community. That is where the dog was discovered earlier this week. "You gotta think, what kind of cruel person is gonna take their time to that to a dog?"

"It's many things that's not good that comes through my mind when I hear it...it's cruel. It's degrading. Wrong. Life threatening. Sick. It's like, the mere thought of it is, I mean, why?? That's one question that comes through my mind when I look at it, is why?"

Kelli Klein, the director of emergency care at Veterinary Specialty Care in Mount Pleasant says Caitlyn is doing better. "She's been doing really, really well since transferring to us last night."

Caitlyn was placed in a hyperbaric chamber Friday to give her more oxygen, to help her wounds heal faster. "She's had three full meals. She's been able to (take in food) and swallow it."

She is scheduled for her first surgery either Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Treatment for Caitlyn will be paid for by Toby's Fund, Charleston Animal Society's medical fund that is only made possible by donations from the community.

"This is the most malicious case of animal abuse I have ever seen in my entire career," said Charleston Animal Society Director of Anti-Cruelty & Outreach Aldwin Roman. He continued, "to leave this dog in pain, unable to eat or drink and to now leave her in the position where her life is at stake because she may lose her tongue is heartbreaking."

North Charleston Animal Control is investigating the case and looking for whoever is responsible. Charleston Animal Society is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible, and Friday the Humane Society of the United States added another $5,000.  If convicted of ill treatment of an animal, the guilty could face up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

You can read the initial story here: $1,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest/Conviction of the Person(s) Responsible forTaping a Dog's Muzzle Together with Electrical Tape

FOLLOW US!

Teacher Could Have Stayed in Emergency Housing, But Refused to Surrender Her Dogs in Order to Do So

When English teacher Hillary Barrows couldn’t find work after returning to her native land, the UK, she was forced to live in her car.  She could have stayed in emergency housing, but she refused to surrender her dogs in order to do so.  Out of sheer desperation, she started a fundraiser and lo and behold – it was a smashing success.  She was even offered a home in a cottage on a 10-acre dog sanctuary!

“I can’t believe it. In three days I’ve gone from sleeping in an Asda car park to living in a bungalow in the middle of a country kennels. It’s wonderful.”

Hillary is from London, but lived in Europe for seven years as a private tutor, teaching people English.  She rescued her dog Robbie from Mallorca, Spain, where he was very badly treated.  Cleo was only three months old when she found her wandering the streets of Italy.

The tutor faced difficult times in France; clients refused to pay Hillary, forcing her to sell her jewelry to get back home to the UK.  But she had no money and no place to go.

Hillary applied for government assistance, but because she had been out of the country for so long, she was ruled ineligible.  The Canterbury City Council told her she could be put in emergency housing, but she would have to surrender Cleo and Robbie.

She could never do such a thing – those dogs are the most important things in the world!  It was January, and she and her dogs had to live in her tiny Alfa Romeo, slowly bleeding her meager savings dry.

“My life was so miserable.  If it hadn’t been for Robbie and Cleo, I don’t know if I would have been able to carry on,” she said. “There were nights when I would sit in my car and cry and my dogs would put their heads on my lap and comfort me.”

After months of living in a grocery store parking lot, and not knowing what else to do, Hillary started a GoFundMe page.  Last week it went viral, bringing in over $15,000.  But in the meantime, while she was at a McDonald’s where she would go to take sponge baths, a dog trainer approached her and gave her the offer of a lifetime.

“Perry walked up to me and said that he had been told about my plight.  He’s generously let me and the dogs move into a cottage in the middle of his estate, and he’s even said that I can start working for him if I want,” Hillary said.  “I couldn’t believe it, he’s just been so kind to me.  Everybody has, I can’t thank people enough for the generous donations or kind messages of support.”

Perry has 10 acres of land in the country that serves as a dog-walking center and sanctuary.  It’s ideal for Cleo and Robbie.

“Now everything has turned around and I’m on top of the world. I’ve been here since Sunday – it’s been unbelievable sleeping in a proper bed again,” Hillary gushed.  “Of course, the dogs sleep on there with me, but it’s brilliant. I really feel like I’ve won the lottery.”

“There are loads of best bits about being in a house again, but the bed is definitely a wonderful thing.  Also, having hot showers is brilliant. And I’ve finally been able to clean my car.  The dogs are happy, too – you can see it in their faces.”

Because she was given more money than she could have imagined, Hillary wants to make sure she pays the kindness forward.

“One thing that struck me is that I was not alone in my struggle.  So many people left kind messages about wanting to help because they themselves were in the same state I was in.  We couldn’t get rid of our dogs – they are our children. So now I want to help others, as much as I can.”

To donate to the fundraiser or read more of Hillary’s story, click HERE. 

FOLLOW US!

Puppy Born with a Total of Eight Limbs in Vaini of Tonga in the Pacific Ocean

Incredible photographs reveal a newborn puppy has two bodies joined at the chest with two sets of front legs, two sets of back legs, and two tails.

The black and white puppy was born with a total of eight limbs in Vaini of Tonga in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday and was one of her five siblings to have any abnormalities.

Vukitangitau Maloni, from Tonga, who took the images soon after she was born, said the whole community was shocked and speechless at the animals extra legs.

“I've never seen anything like this before,”  Mr. Maloni told Daily Mail Australia.

“She was struggling to crawl and unfortunately, she died a few hours later. My neighbor's dog gave birth to five other healthy puppies but she was the cutest out of them.”

Veterinary nurse Erica Fairleigh, from Wollongong, NSW, said most deformed animals don't usually survive beyond a few hours after birth.

“Without very good veterinary care, the pup would have died quickly unfortunately,” Ms. Fairleigh told Daily Mail Australia.

“I've never seen or heard of any dogs born this way but it could be a result of many factors such as poor genetics and bad nutrition during gestation.

It looks like two pups that didn't quite separate and there are deformities in the face too like a cleft pallet. Her face looks quite blue, which are signs of not enough oxygen.

I can see her umbilical cord still attached and she looks no more than 12 hours old.

It's hard to tell what breed she is but she's a big puppy though. So a medium-large breed such as a Staffordshire bull terrier or similar.”

An animal scientist from Wagga Wagga, NSW, who chose to remain anonymous, confirmed the authenticity of the photographs to Daily Mail Australia.

“You can tell the photographs are real by looking at the split in her nose - indicating that something occurred bilaterally,” he told Daily Mail Australia.

“Animals born with abnormal features are quite common in sheep and cattle but it's pretty rare in dogs.” He said.

FOLLOW US!

Floating ‘Wheelchairs’ Like These Help Sick Fish with Buoyancy Problems Stay Upright

This is the most adorable animal wheelchair we’ve ever seen. An image has surfaced of a goldfish in a sling, which people are calling a ‘goldfish wheelchair,’ designed to keep her afloat and upright.

‘Fish wheelchairs’ (or slings or buoys – call them what you will) like these are used to help fish swim upright while they recover from swim bladder infections that make it difficult for them to do so on their own. 

Green peas can help solve buoyancy issues related to constipation, but infected swim bladders or other issues may require specialized medication. Always consult your vet!

Using a simple cork, this owner saved his fish’s life

Floating ‘wheelchairs’ like these help sick fish stay upright

Swim bladder infections or constipation can make it hard or impossible to swim with balance

There are professional veterinary versions, too!

FOLLOW US!

Atlanta Falcon Player, Prince Shembo Who 'Kicked Ex-Girlfriend's Dog to Death' Claims He Was Acting in Self-Defense

The lawyer for the waived Atlanta Falcons player who was arrested for aggravated animal cruelty after his ex-girlfriend's dog died from blunt force trauma said the 250lb player was defending himself.

Prince Shembo turned himself in on Friday after Gwinnett County police obtained a felony warrant for the who 'kicked ex-girlfriend's tiny Yorkie to death' claims he was acting in self-defense player's arrest earlier in the day after Denicia Williams, 20, called police on April 19.

His attorney, Jerry Froelich, said the linebacker was bit in the hand by Williams' dog, a Yorkie named Dior, when he was putting it in a cage and he kicked the defenseless animal as a reflex. 

Froelich told reporters outside of Gwinnett County jail his client was crying after what happened, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

He said: “He got bit and he made a mistake and kicked the dog.

It's a small dog and unfortunately that's what happened.

He didn't mean to kill the dog.

You see the size of it. When you're a small dog, it doesn't take much with the size [Shembo] is.”

He's disappointed. It's devastating to him. When I first met him he was in tears.”

Dior suffered numerous injuries - including a fractured rib, fractured liver, abdominal hemorrhage, thoracic hemorrhage, head trauma and a hemorrhage in the left eye with internal injuries - but Froelich would not comment about the number of times the dog was kicked.

The Falcons acted swiftly after the warrant was announced and waived the young linebacker.

The organization said: “We are aware of the charges that have been filed against Prince Shembo.

We are extremely disappointed that one of our players is involved in something like this.

Accordingly, we have decided to waive Prince Shembo.”

Another former Falcons player, quarterback Michael Vick, ended up serving time in federal prison for his involvement in an organized dog-fighting ring when he was a member of the team. 

Shembo's attorney speculated that was the reason the team cut him so quickly.

Froelich said: “With the history that's gone on in this town...

The Falcons were in a little bit different position than most teams.

If you were someplace else, I don't know.”

Vick returned to the NFL after serving his time and played for the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets.

Before the arrest, Williams said she had taken Dior to Shembo's apartment on April 15 and that after she left the dog alone with the 23-year-old player, she came back and the animal was unresponsive.

She took the dog to an animal hospital, where he died a short time later.

Shembo told her the next day he had kicked the dog and she broke up with him.

He is 6-foot-2 and weighs 254 pounds, according to the Falcons' website.

The aggravated cruelty charge carries a minimum of one year in prison and a maximum sentence of five years, as well as a fine of up to $15,000.

The body of the dog underwent a necropsy at the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter.

The results on the deceased dog came in on May 28 and investigators revealed 'Dior had significant internal injuries and the cause of death was blunt force trauma'.

Gwinnett County police said they obtained the warrant for Shembo 'because of the inconsistencies of the suspect's account of what happened and the results of the necropsy'.

The second-year player was investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting a Saint Mary's College freshman in his dorm room in 2010 while he was playing linebacker for Notre Dame.

The alleged victim killed herself ten days later by overdosing on antidepressants and Shembo was never charged,

The fourth-round pick said after the draft: “Pretty much it was an unfortunate event.

My name was pretty much cleared.

It's behind me now. I just want to focus on playing football for the Atlanta Falcons.”

Shembo recorded 59 tackles in 16 games for the Falcons last season.

FOLLOW US!

With Outdoor Activity Season in Full Swing: Insects Can Carry Nasty Diseases

Bugs bite. And when they do, they can make us miserable, itchy, bumpy – and, occasionally, very sick.

With outdoor activity season in full swing, here's what you need to know.

Insects can carry nasty diseases.

Most people who get a few mosquito or tick bites will not get sick. But some mosquitoes and ticks can carry bacteria and viruses that cause serious human illnesses – and some of those illnesses have recently become more common in the United States.

Take West Nile Virus. That mosquito-borne illness came to the United States in 1999. Since then, more than 17,000 cases have been reported, says the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While typical symptoms include headaches, joint pains and rashes, a few people have serious neurologic symptoms and some die.

A newer threat: chikungunya, another viral disease spread by mosquitoes. In 2014, nearly 2,500 cases were reported on the U.S. mainland, mostly among people bitten while travelling. But 11 people were infected by mosquitoes in Florida. While chikungunya rarely kills, it can cause severe joint pain that lasts for months.

Then there's Lyme disease, caused by a bacteria spread by ticks. The CDC has been tracking that disease since 1991, and says there are about 30,000 reported cases each year, but that the real number is likely ten times bigger.

Your risk depends largely on where you live (or travel).

About 96% of confirmed Lyme cases occur in just 13 states, clustered in the Northeast and Midwest, CDC says.

And the mosquitoes that carry chikungunya are tropical species, meaning only southern areas need to watch for local outbreaks, says Jonathan Day, a professor of medical entomology at the University of Florida. The fact that people in the United States spend so much time inside, with air conditioning and screened windows, may help prevent big outbreaks, he says.

Mosquitoes that can carry West Nile do live throughout the United States. But local conditions determine where epidemics catch fire, Day says. For example, a 2012 outbreak near Dallas was spurred by drought – which caused virus-carrying mosquitoes and birds to cluster around scarce water sources. Another outbreak in Arizona was linked to un-drained swimming pools in foreclosed houses abandoned during the recession, he says.

Some people get bit more than others.

It's true: mosquitoes and ticks find some people especially attractive. Scientists disagree on the reasons.

Day says he is convinced it's mostly about carbon dioxide: mosquitoes and ticks find their victims by detecting it and some of us produce more than others. That includes heavier people, pregnant women and exercisers. "The amount of carbon dioxide you produce depends on your metabolic rate," he says.

But Uli Bernier, a research chemist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, says he has seen evidence that other factors are at work over many years of exposing people to mosquitoes in his Gainesville, Fla., lab. He's seen different mosquitoes zero in on different people. He's also found that some people (himself included) seem to become more attractive to mosquitoes over time.

What you eat and drink may matter, Day and Bernier agree. Alcohol, in particular, seems to attract mosquitoes, they say. At least one study also suggested smokers were at higher risk – but probably because they spend so much time smoking outside, Day says.

Several repellents work well.

CDC says you want one that includes DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or a chemical called IR3535.

While DEET products have long been thought the most effective, recent tests by Consumer Reports gave the edge to picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus.

"It was really a surprise," and should be good news to people uneasy with the possible side effects of DEET, says the magazine's senior health and food editor, Sue Byrne.

DEET has been linked with seizures and other serious side effects, mostly in people who swallowed it or applied heavy concentrations.

When used as directed, it's safe, Bernier says: "It's been around 63 years and has a remarkable safety record."

Other strategies can help.

Wear long sleeves, pants, closed shoes and socks for a walk in the woods. You also can also spray a repellent called permethrin on clothing and gear. And check yourself for ticks when you go inside.

For an evening on your patio, try this: sit next to a fan running at high speed. Consumer Reports found that helped repel mosquitoes, and Day says it makes sense: "Mosquitoes do not have an ability to fly in wind conditions much more than 1 mile an hour."

Here's what doesn't work.

Consumer Reports gave thumbs down to:

"Natural" repellent sprays made with plant oils, such as citronella, lemongrass, and rosemary

Wrist bands containing citronella or geraniol oil

Citronella candles

The American Academy of Pediatrics adds these to the ineffective list:

• Garlic
• Vitamin B1 supplements
• Bug zappers (they may actually attract insects)
• Ultrasonic devices

FOLLOW US!

Pig Named ‘Pig’ on the Loose from a Farm in Detroit

Fridays are for farm animals. For the second week in a row, a police department in metro Detroit has rounded up a farm animal - this time it's a big pig!

The pig, named Pig, had somehow gotten loose and was on the run.

The Shelby Township Police Department got the call Thursday to a report of a pig running loose near 24 Mile and Wolf Drive (sweet irony!). The responding officers arrived, wrangled Pig and eventually got him into the cop car!

That was apparently the easy part. He left a huge mess in the backseat of the cruiser, because, you know, he's a pig! That's what they do! You'd probably be this happy looking too if you left that mess for someone else to clean up!

The good news is that the owner of the pig picked it up from the station and even cleaned out the police car.

The calls started coming into central dispatch at about 7:00 p.m. Thursday. A pig had escaped from her pen on 24 Mile Road.

The humor was not lost on Deputy Chief Mark Coil.

"I've heard them all," he said. "Pigs and pigs, pigs capturing bacon, what's for dinner.

"Shelby Township has that 'Ark-feel' - we seem to have animals at large of all types and varieties."

A dog pole was used to direct the pig into the police car where it made a mess.

It became a biohazard relatively quickly," Coil said. "Luckily for the department and the officers the owner volunteered and cleaned the car for us."

"I just want to say thanks to the Shelby Township police for getting the pig and not writing me a ticket for having poop in the car," said owner Brian Davis.

Davis said he plans on bringing coffee and doughnuts to the officers who helped return his prized pet.

FOLLOW US!

Real Looking Toy Tiger Generates 911 Call in Camas, Washington

The sight of a stuffed tiger, a very large stuffed tiger — lashed to the top of an SUV cruising around a southwest Washington lake was enough to generate a 911 call from someone who apparently thought it was real.

The Columbian newspaper of Vancouver reports that Connor Zuvich says he was by Lacamas Lake in Camas on Monday with some friends when a truck came by and dumped some trash and the giant tiger.

Zuvich tied it to the top of his vehicle, then he and his friends started cruising around the lake in the enhanced SUV.

Officer Henry Scott was sent to investigate the tiger 911 call, described by Camas police as an "animal problem."

The 19-year-old Zuvich says he and the officer traded jokes and photos, then parted ways. Other drivers also got the joke, honking and giving him a thumbs-up sign.

As Zuvich says, "The thing looked really realistic."

FOLLOW US!