Woman Spends $141,598.35 A Year Taking Care 122 Abandoned Cats

Bromley, Kentucky  - A mother-of-two has revealed how she spends $141,598.35 a year looking after more than 120 rescue cats.

Silvana Valentino-Locke, 55, even employs two live-in 'cat nannies' to look after her pet posse at her home.

Even more surprising than the dozens of cats and jaw-dropping care costs, Mrs. Valentino-Locke, who has been married to Tony for 32 years, says her spouse does not mind her cat obsession.

“Every man who comes to adopt a cat always asks, do you have a husband? They can't believe anyone would tolerate all these cats,” she told The Mirror.

Luckily Tony works long hours so he doesn't see all the work of caring for them.

Mrs. Valentino-Locke began turning their home into a rescue center more than 20 years ago, adding that it 'reached full potential' in 1998 and became the Romney House Cat Rescue.

She now has 52 cats living with her and Tony in their four-bedroom home, with some 30-40 waiting to find new homes, housed in a number of garden sheds which have been converted into cat houses.

Mrs. Valentino-Locke, who has two sons with Tony Jr., age 27, and Daniel, 30. Tony has also taken in some 30 'feral' cats, who all live and roam free in a neighboring field.

Caring for the 122 cats, which constantly changes as kittens are born and cats adopted - is a full-time job and a costly one.

She spends approximately $786.66 per week on the daily feeds. With 12 litter trays to change every day, the cost of litter alone is $47.20 per day.

She employs two live-in 'cat nannies', who are paid $393.33 a week plus food and board, and can spend as much as  $7,079.92 a-month on veterinary bills.

She is devoted to the cause of caring for the cats, and gets up at 6.30 a.m. every morning to take care of them. Sometimes she doesn’t get to bed until after midnight.

The annual total of $141,598.35 is funded 50% by Tony, who runs a courier film, with the rest covered by donations, fundraising drives and her charity shop.

Despite the 52 cats sharing a home with her and Tony, she refuses to let her obsession affect her standards. With the help of her staff, the couple's Kent home is cleaned from top to bottom, twice a day. 

“It takes about an hour and a half. We mop every floor and clean furniture,” she told The Mirror.

“It's a long, exhausting job. The phone is always ringing with people who have cats that need to be rescued.” she said.

Her life with her 122 cats has now become the subject of a Channel 5 documentary, called ‘90 Cats & Counting: Cat Crazies’, set to air on Wednesday, July 1.  

  

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Some Pets May Enjoy Lounging Around All Day…Not Pringle, The Bearded Dragon

While some pets may enjoy lounging around all day, others are ready to take on the world — one task at a time. Meet Pringle, a cute bearded dragon from Melbourne, Australia. 

His owner, Sophie Hayes, got him when he was a tiny one-month-old lizard, and discovered that Pringle is nothing like those reptiles who just like eating and sunbathing all the time. Pringle loves to be in front of the camera! He’s a natural model and you can see him posing with all kind of props without any problems.

Pringle is now 4 years old and has already got so famous that he even appeared on The New York Post! However, he remains a humble lizard who likes simple things like going for a walk, eating salads or playing video games. Even many presents from his owner can’t spoil this bearded dragon!

  

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Heartbreaking Story - It Has Happened Again: Eight to Twelve-Week-Old Puppy Was Found with an Embedded Rubber Band Around His Muzzle

This eight to twelve-week-old puppy was found with an embedded rubber band around his muzzle. Just a baby and cruelly treated already. The injury is severe, that Harry, the puppy, is receiving treatment and surgery at a veterinary clinic. The Friends of Madera County Animal Services (FMAS) are asking for donations to cover his medical expenses.

This group is an organization that works tirelessly to try to save the lives of the helpless at the Madera County Animal Shelter where lives are cheap and dogs are killed when not rescued or adopted.

FMAS is asking for donations for his medical care and they are also offering a reward of $500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for this. Donations can be made to their PayPal account or mailed. This is a nonprofit 501(c)3 and all donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

If you would like to make a donation to help with Harry’s medical expenses, click here: The Friends of Madera County Animal Services (FMAS) 

Mailing address: FMAS - Harry Potter, P.O. BOX 923, Madera, CA 93639

To see Facebook thread, click here: Facebook

Sharing saves lives. Please share Harry’s story with your friends, family and coworkers so that FMAS can raise the funds for all his medical care. Even if you can't help this dog, someone you know might be able to. Sharing only takes a moment; please do it for Harry.

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Meet Shabani, The Handsome Gorilla That Has Japanese Girls Going Ape Over Him

Shabani, the 'handsome gorilla' is driving Japanese girls mad. The Australian-raised gorilla finds fame as women flock to the zoo to see him because he is 'so good-looking'.

Shabani now lives in Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Nagoya, and has attracted a large following of admirers who visit him because he is so 'handsome'.

The western lowland gorilla was raised at Sydney's Taronga Zoo but moved to Japan in 2007.

Zoo officials said there has been a notable increase in young female visitors thanks to Shabani.

His rise to fame has been fueled largely by Twitter, where fans post pictures of him claiming he is 'too handsome'.

His adoring Twitter following often refers to him as an 'ikemen', which means a 'good-looking man'.

Taronga Zoo’s Senior Zookeeper, Allan Schmidt said “Shabani was moved to Australia from The Netherlands as a two-month-old in December 1996 with his family.”

When asked if he was surprised by Shabani's popularity he said, “No because the Japanese are crazy... The Japanese love their fads.”

He added, “I would say most people would consider him fairly dashing.”

Schmidt said this is not the first time 18-year-old Shabani has enjoyed viral internet fame.

After moving to Nagoya, he was pictured in 2007 walking along a tightrope in the zoo enclosure.

“He's used to the limelight. He was born in The Netherlands and moved to Australia as a baby, where he grew up with a very stable father and mother”, he said.

“It's not surprising he's very successful, he was moved to Japan to mate with three female gorillas, where he has had two healthy male offspring.

Shabani has lived at the Japanese zoo since 2007, but has only recently become so popular, Rocket News 24 reported.

Pictures of the gorilla posted online capture him in moments where he appears to be flexing his muscles, staring broodingly into the distance or playing with the younger gorillas.

Comments posted online describe him as 'hot' and 'too handsome'.

“I went to Higashiyama Zoo. This hot Shabani ikemen was certainly handsome,” one woman wrote.

Another posted photos with the caption: “Shabani who is in Higashiyama Zoo is famous as the too handsome gorilla!”

Meanwhile another visitor posted a picture at the zoo with friends with the caption: Went to see the handsome gorilla Shabani... it was a fun holiday.”

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A Police Dog from Alabama Died After His Handler Accidentally Left Him in a Patrol Car on a Hot Day

A police dog from Alabama died after his handler accidentally Left him in a patrol car on a hot day when temperatures reached up to 87F.

Mason, three, was left in the backseat of Corporal Josh Coleman's car on Thursday during a hurricane preparation conference in Gulf Shores.

The Gulf Shores Police Department Facebook page shared a photograph of Mason inside the conference center prior to his untimely death.

Temperatures in the area on Thursday were an average of 84F with a high of 87F, according to Weather Underground.

Mason served as the community relations dog for Gulf Shores Police. The department shared a pictured of Mason on its Facebook page just hours before Mason was locked inside the sweltering police vehicle.

"We are at the City of Gulf Shores - Municipal Government Hurricane 
Preparedness Expo! We will be here until 2:00 p.m. Swing by and register for a free coffee mug and say HI to Officer Mason!" the Facebook post said.

Fox reports Mason served as the Community Relations dog for Gulf Shores Police and that the department recently celebrated the pooch’s third birthday on June 9.

Police say because Mason wasn't an enforcement k-9, Coleman's car wasn't equipped with heat alarms, water bowls and other protective measures that would exist in a K-9 handler's vehicle.

When Coleman found Mason in the car, he was in dire shape and seriously dehydrated. Coleman rushed Mason to a vet and the dog was later transferred to an advanced animal facility in Pensacola.

The beloved dog died on Friday at around 11:00 p.m. despite showing some minor improvements that morning.

No criminal charges are being filed but the city and the department are enforcing 'sanctions' against Coleman.

This situation has been devastating for Cpl. Coleman and his family and we hope that they are able to work through their understandable emotions.

"This is a tragic occurrence that has left the entire organization mourning a terrible loss.

It also illustrates how easy it is to become distracted, and how quickly heat can affect those that we love that are particularly vulnerable to it

Please keep this in mind when transporting children, pets, or the elderly," said the police department in a statement.

Mason was a popular dog with the police department and they often posted photos of him to their Facebook page carrying out ‘canine police duties.’

In April they posted a photo of Mason with the department Telecommunicator Natalie Wilson.

"Officer Mason presented Natalie with a certificate to recognize her dedicated service to the community and support of GSPD operations in the field. Please join us in thanking Natalie for a job well done!," said the post from April 17.

Mason worked with the Department since last November as a public relations dog and a therapy dog for victims of crime. 

Sadly this is not the first time this year that a police officer has left a dog to die in a hot car. In May, two police dogs died after their handler apparently left them in his vehicle for hours as temperatures reached as high as 86F (30C).

Hialeah police officer Nelson Enriquez drove to his Davie, Florida, home early on Wednesday following his midnight shift and left the dogs inside his marked police car in his driveway.

He found Jimmy, a seven-year-old bloodhound, and Hector, a four-year-old Belgian Malinois, dead inside the vehicle around 7:00 p.m.

In a further tragic twist, Jimmy was donated to the police department by the father of a nine-year-old murder victim to assist with missing children investigations, according to a 2009 NBC Miami report.

The bloodhound, who was five months old at the time, was donated by Don Ryce whose son, Jimmy, was abducted a block from his home, raped and then murdered in 1995.

The child's killer, Juan Carlos Chavez, was sentenced to death for the murder.

Left in a hot car: Mason, 3, died last Friday after being left in the backseat of Corporal Josh Coleman's car on Thursday during a hurricane preparation conference in Gulf Shores.

Earlier that day: The Gulf Shores Police Department Facebook page shared a photograph of Mason inside the conference center just hours before he was left to cook in the heat.

Birthday dog: Mason served as the Community Relations dog for the Gulf Shores Police Department who celebrated the pooch’s third birthday on June 9.

Public relations: In April the department posted a photo of Mason congratulating the department telecommunicator Natalie Wilson on her achievements.

Holiday time: Mason was present as the police department helped out with a holiday teddy bear drive.

Part of the police family: Mason worked with the department since November as a public relations dog and a therapy dog for victims of crime.

The beloved department dog died on Friday at around 11pm despite showing some minor improvements that morning

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Heartbreaking Story: Man Returns Home from Work, Finds a Note on His Doorstep: “My Dog is in Your Backyard, I Cannot Afford Her”

When Houston resident Quincy Bui returned home from work one day, he found a note on his doorstep. The note read: “My dog is in your backyard. I cannot afford her. My husband beats her and I can't let her live with us. I love her too much. Her name is Ruben-May. Thank you."

According to KHOU News, when Bui checked his backyard, he found the abandoned dog, who was suffering from a skin condition and appeared to have been abused. Bui checked his security footage and saw the whole incident unfold on camera.

The footage shows a pickup truck parking outside of Bui’s Houston home and a man getting out with the dog under his arm. The man walks up to the front door and around to the back yard, where he leaves the dog. He then drives away.

“It’s just one of those crazy things,” Bui told reporters. “I don’t know what type of person would do this.”

Bui called animal control and Ruben May was taken to a local shelter. Bui also called the police in hopes of tracking down the person who abandoned the dog in the yard.

So far, the man on the camera has not been identified. For now, Ruben May is waiting patiently at the animal shelter for someone to give her a loving home.

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