Fairfax County, Virginia: More Coyotes Spotted in Your Area

Residents in Fairfax County are seeing an increase in the number of coyotes in their neighborhoods in recent months.

A wildlife official for the county said the canines are well established and widespread, so residents should know and understand how to deal with any interactions. January to June is considered mating season for coyotes, and lone male coyotes are on the move, looking for a mate, or females may be looking to create dens in small, enclosed areas.

Small pets may be considered prey due to their similar size to the animal’s natural prey. Larger dogs may be viewed as potential competitors since coyotes are territorial.

“The best way to safeguard pets in areas where coyotes are active is to keep them indoors and do not leave them outside without supervision,” said Dr. Katherine Edwards, Fairfax County Wildlife Management Specialist, in a release.

Officials said coyotes have been sighted in most county parks and residental areas. Recently, a coyote was found after it was hit by a car in the Riverside Park area of Alexandria, Virginia.

In 2012, a dog was attacked by coyotes in Daniel Run Park, located in the area between Old Lee Highway and Main Street. Officials believe the dog, which was off its leash, probably wandered too close to a coyote den.

Preventive practices, such as reduction and removal of food attractants, habitat modification and responding appropriately when interacting with wildlife, are keys to minimizing the likelihood of conflicts with coyotes. People that are approached by a coyote should make noise to scare it off.

If coyotes are behaving aggressively or appear sick or injured, contact the Fairfax County Police non-emergency number at 703-691-2131.

Tips on dealing with coyotes

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Prince William County, Virginia: Coyotes Spotted in the Manassas Area

Coyotes have been spotted in the western part of Prince William County in the Manassas area.

Police said two separate coyotes were spotted in two areas recently. They said many coyotes have been seen in the county in the past few years, and the next two months are the breeding season for coyotes.

Single coyotes are likely seeking a mate. They are nocturnal animals, venturing out mostly at night.

Police said they can be seen during the day in urban and suburban areas if there is a food source or an easily accessed area to make a den. They said the best way to prevent them from becoming a problem is to not give them a reason to take up residence in the community.

Some tips to keep coyotes away:

• Keep trash inside until the morning of trash pick-up or place trash in an animal proof container, such as a metal or plastic trashcan with latches on the lids.

• Do not leave pet food outside; keep pet feeding areas clean.

• Close up all openings under and into your buildings. Animals look for places to den and raise their young - don't give them that opportunity.

• Clear fallen fruit from around trees.

•  Keep brushy areas in your yard cut down to prevent cover for coyotes.

•  Keep small pets inside, and on a leash when outside. They may be viewed by a coyote as prey. Larger dogs are viewed as a threat particularly from January to June while mating and birthing coyote pups.

• Install coyote proof fencing to protect unsupervised pets.

Anyone experiencing a problem with coyotes or other wildlife, please dial the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries toll-free wildlife conflict helpline at 1-855-571-9003.

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Researchers Believe That They Have Found a Link Between a Lower Risk of Asthma and Children’s Early Exposure to Pets

Researchers believe that they have found a link between a lower risk of asthma and children’s early exposure to pets. The hypothesis is that kids in animal environments breathe air that contains more bacterial fragments…and that can be a good thing, as it may actually lower their risk of asthma. Parents in busy animal-and-baby households understand that it’s nearly impossible to keep everything clean all of the time and the study suggests that this may be beneficial for the baby’s future health.

We already know that dog ownership comes with some important health benefits. Dogs help reduce stress and stave off depression. They even lower the risk of heart disease in their owners since generally dog owners lead a more active and social lifestyle.

More than 230 million people worldwide have asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease whose causes are unclear. Both genetics and external allergens are suspected to play a role. In the United States, 8.5% of children have asthma.

For this new research, Swedish scientists studied more than one million

children, combing through individual records and comparing people’s histories of family dog ownership against diagnosis of childhood asthma. Access to this data was possible because Sweden tracks medical records of all of its citizens through unique ID numbers, and the country also requires everyone to register dog ownership. Data analyzed for the study covered a time period from January 2007 through September 2012. The results of the research were published in the journal JAMA on November 2.

Among the children in the study, those who had been exposed to dogs during the first year of their life were 13% less likely to have asthma by age 6, compared to kids who had no exposure. The research also showed that school-aged kids who were exposed to farm animals in their first year of life were 52% less likely to have developed asthma by age 6 than those with no exposure. Among the preschool set of younger children, kids exposed to farm animals in their first year had 31% lower incidents of asthma between 1-5 years old compared to non-exposed toddlers.

Study author Tove Fall is an associate professor at Uppsala University in Sweden. Dr. Fall told Live Science that the lower asthma rate among children exposed to both dogs and farm animals might be due to a single factor, but is more likely a combination of factors related to a dog owners’ lifestyle and attitudes such as the kids “early exposure to household dirt and pet dust, time spent outdoors or being physically active.”

One positive takeaway message from the study is that parents fearful of childhood asthma don’t need to worry about keeping their dog or getting a puppy when they’re expecting a baby. This conclusion falls right in line with other previous hygiene studies that say being exposed to bacteria early in life can be critical for shaping a healthy and strong immune system.

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Beginning Today, the FBI Will Initiate a New Program Targeting Animal Abusers

Beginning today, the FBI will initiate a new program targeting animal abusers.  Cruelty cases will be categorized and tracked, with the aim of cracking down on abusers.

Back in 2014, we told you about the FBI’s plan to make it harder for animal abusers to continue committing such crimes with minimal punishment.  Animal abuse has previously been considered a lesser crime, but now it will be a Group A felony with its own category, the same way homicide and arson are listed.

“It will help get better sentences, sway juries and make for better plea bargains,” said Madeline Bernstein, president and CEO of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles and a former New York prosecutor.

The FBI will now be better able to keep statistics on where cruelty is occurring, how frequently, and if incidents are on the rise.  Youthful offenders will be identified to help them curb their behavior.

The FBI says law enforcement agencies will have to make reports of incidents under four categories:  simple or gross neglect; intentional abuse and torture; organized abuse, including dogfighting and cockfighting; and animal sexual abuse.“

The immediate benefit is it will be in front of law enforcement every month when they have to do their crime reports,” said John Thompson, interim executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association who helped establish the new animal cruelty category. “That’s something we have never seen.

”Crimes will be tracked nationwide, and will hopefully ensure tougher sentences for abusers.“

Regardless of whether [or not] people care about how animals are treated, people — like legislators and judges — care about humans, and they can’t deny the data,” said Natasha Dolezal, director of the animal law program in the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

Police agencies must now report all incidents and arrests.  The FBI will levy federal charges according to the offense – anything from fines to lengthy stays in prison.

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If You Thought ‘Snakes on a Plane’ Was Bad: Thief Caught on Surveillance Video in Pet Store Putting Python Snake in His Pants

Portland, Oregon - Police in Portland are investigating an unusual theft after surveillance video shows a man at a pet shop stick a 2-foot python down his pants.

In the video, a man can be seen walking into 'A to Z' Pets on Friday and over to the python's tank.

  The man reaches into the tank and takes out the snake then quickly drops it into his pants.

The man then waddles out of the store.

"He's lucky it wasn't feeding day, feeding days are on Mondays. And they're very hungry," said owner Christin Bjugan. "Anytime anything like this happens, it's very frustrating. We work very hard to make a living and run the business."

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Family with a 2-Year-Old Girl, Scarlette, Who is an Amputee, Adopts a 3-Legged Kitten

A three-legged kitten was adopted by a family with a 2-year-old girl, Scarlette, who is also an amputee herself. When they first met, they connected as if they understood each other.

Scarlette is a very brave little girl who has beat a rare form of cancer though her left arm was left amputated. She absolutely adores cats.

“We wanted a little kitten to have her grow up with, so she has something that’s just like her,” Simone Tipton told Love Meow.

They spent half a year looking for a three-legged kitty to join their family and just before Christmas they found her!

More info on Smiles For Scarlette 

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That night, the family saw a story about a little three month old kitten that just had an amputation on the local news, KTLA, and started calling to find out how they could adopt the kitten. When they weren’t getting the info they needed over the phone, they made a trip to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus.

“Scarlette was really excited, she absolutely loves cats. She did notice that Doc had staples on her side and said ‘owies’. I let her know that she had owies just like her, and she placed her hand on her side and just nodded,” Tipton told Love Meow.

That was the moment when they knew this kitten was the one. “She recognizes that the cat has similar struggles as she does.”

The perfect home!

“Doc has adjusted to living here so well, she jumps on everything, despite her limitation. She is extremely snuggly and loves to plop in your lap,” Tipton told Love Meow.

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A Cat Was Found with its Paws and Legs Bound in Electrical Tape: Rescued by Santa Clarita Deputies During Their Search of a “Suspicious” Car

Two deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Santa Clarita Station have been credited with rescuing a cat that was found with its paws and legs bound in electrical tape, authorities said Sunday.

The alert deputies discovered the male cat during their search of a “suspicious” car that was parked behind a closed business on Saturday night, according to a post on the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station’s Facebook page.

“The occupants of the vehicle were in possession of narcotics,” the post stated.

When they located the cat in the vehicle, he was “buried upside-down” in his carrier, the post stated.

They were further stunned to discover that the feline’s paws and legs were bound together with electrical tape, sheriff’s officials said.

“The helpless cat could not move and was ‘meowing loudly in discomfort’ as the deputies worked quickly to free him,” the post read.

Animal Control officers responded and removed the cat from the unidentified owner, who faced “additional animal cruelty charges,” authorities said.

The cat’s condition was not immediately known.

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A Mountain Lion Has Been Discovered in Southeast Idaho with a Second Set of Teeth Growing Out of its Head

A mountain lion has been discovered in southeast Idaho with a second set of teeth growing out of its head.

The big cat was killed by an unidentified hunter last week in Weston, who then reported the animal's bizarre deformity to the authorities, Idaho State Journal reports.

Idaho conservation officers, who were sent a photograph of the kill, were shocked to find the year-old lion had a separate set of teeth growing out the left side of its forehead.

Experts have not been able to agree on the cause of the unusual mutation.

One theory is that the mountain lion's extra set of teeth may be remnants from a conjoined twin which died in the womb.

Another is that it is a type of tumor called a teratoma which can sometimes grow other body parts such as hair, teeth, bones - even eyes.

Regional wildlife biologist Zach Lockyer told Idaho State Journal the unusual deformity had left experts stumped.

'It's a bizarre situation and a bizarre photo,' he added. 'We may never know why those teeth are there.'

The hunter which killed the mountain lion had been planning to take the rare kill to a taxidermist.

But Idaho Fish and Game's Southeast Regional Office, in Pocatello, are hoping to bring the carcass in for examination.

They are hoping X-rays and analysis may reveal the mystery to why the big cat developed such a fearsome second set of teeth.

  

A mountain lion with a second set of teeth growing out of its head has been discovered in Southeast Idaho

Experts believe that the big cat may have developed the second set of teeth as part of a rare tumor (stock picture of a typical mountain lion)

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How to Uncover Your Pet's Secret Pain

Six months ago I injured my back while attempting to train for a half marathon. I pushed through for a couple of months as I fell further and further behind my training buddies, until finally it occurred to me that needing to stop every couple of minutes to punch my fist into my left hip was probably not a normal thing.

As far as everyone in my everyday life knew, I was fine. I was still working and lifting things as usual, perhaps stepping a bit more carefully on uneven footing and pausing to brace myself before coughing. When I didn’t get better after a month of rest I wound up in a physical therapist’s office, where she figured out that my entire left pelvic wing was rotated out of whack. After a lot of therapy, ice, and Advil, I’m back on track.

I think about this a lot when I’m working with senior pets. One of the most common things people say to us when they bring in older pets is, “Oh, he’s just old and slowing down.” When we suggest that perhaps there is a painful condition, such as osteoarthritis, the client often replies, “Oh, he’s fine—he’s not crying.”

I would like to state for the record that for all the times I winced as shooting pain went up and down my spine, each gritting of the teeth and slow roll out of bed in the morning while I worked out the kinks in my pelvis, I never once cried out. The times I have cried out in pain? When I shut my finger in the car door and when I dropped the vacuum on my foot. That is the difference between chronic and acute pain.

To read more on this story, click here: How to Uncover Your Pet's Secret Pain

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Some of the Dogs Seized from a Rockville, Maryland, Home on January 1, Are Available for Adoption

More than 60 dogs seized from a Rockville, Maryland, home on Jan. 1 are in legal custody of the Montgomery County Animal Services Division.

Authorities came to the house in the 13000 block of Glen Mill Road for the first time on Dec. 31, following up on a dog bite case. While there, they began to suspect the presence of many animals, but police said the homeowner didn't cooperate with their requests.

They returned to the home on New Year’s Day at about 6:30 p.m. with a warrant and searched the home. Officials removed 66 dogs and took them to the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center in Derwood, Maryland.

Several of the dogs required immediate medical attention. Three of the 66 dogs had to be humanely euthanized because they suffered from severe medical conditions that were likely a source of extreme pain.

The rest of the dogs were evaluated, bathed and groomed. The shelter said some of the dogs are ready for adoption while others, about half of the group, will go to rescue partners or other regional shelters that can support the special needs of the dogs.

Because the case is still under investigation, the shelter has not released information about the homeowner or the environment in which the animals were kept. Investigators have not filed charges to date.

For information about how to adopt the dogs, please visit the Montgomery County Animal Services & Adoption Center. 

Related: Animal Control Officers Seized a Total of 66 Dogsfrom a Home in Rockville, Maryland

                   Kenya is an 8-year-old female Pit Bull available for adoption.

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Did You Know That Kirk Cousins and His Wife Regularly Foster Dogs Whose Lives Would Have Been in Jeopardy Had They Been Left in Shelters?

Washington, DC - We know Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins has plenty of skills when it comes to football. But did you know he's also pretty big into playing fetch?

Millions of people will be watching as Cousins leads the Redskins in their playoff matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Among the adoring fans who will be tuning in will be a three ½-year-old wheaten terrier mix.

The dog named Gracie by her new adoptive parents was one of many pets cared for as a foster animal by Cousins and his wife, Julie. She stayed with them for the entire 2014 NFL season.

The Cousins regularly foster dogs whose lives would have been in jeopardy had they been left in shelters. Cousins often posts about the pets on social media and his wife sent FOX 5 photos of Gracie, saying in particular that she was a very tough pup to part with.

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Did You Know That Freckles Develop Only on Certain Cats?

Freckles develop only on certain cats, and they don't follow the same rules as human freckles.

Does your cat have freckles on his nose? Some actually get them running down the middle of their nose.

If you have a cat with freckles, it’s good to know a little more about the phenomenon, so here are things you should know about your cat’s freckles:

They’re called lentigo

Lentigo is a genetic condition in your cat that results in dark, freckle-like spots. The spots are either black or brown, and if your kitty will let you touch them, you’ll find that they are either flat or slightly raised. The freckles have clearly defined edges. Each one is as small as 1 millimeter and as big as 10 millimeter. The skin around them is the normal color.

If your cat just has a few freckles, the condition is called lentigo simplex. If he has lots of freckles that crowd together so much that they merge together into larger patches of big freckles, it is called lentignosis profusa (multiple lentigines syndrome). It’s a lot easier to just call it lentigo … or, easier yet, just freckles.

Your cat is probably a redhead

Because lentigo is a genetic condition, it appears to be linked to the genes that make cats have red or orange colors. Freckles can be found on orange, calico, tortoiseshell, or flame point cats, possibly because these varieties all have the orange coloration. Cream and silver colored cats also occasionally have lentigo, though it’s less common in those colors.

Your cat probably has freckles elsewhere

Lentigines (the fancy word for multiple lentigo freckles) usually don’t start on your cat’s nose, but rather on his lips and gums. If you don’t have to give your cat pills or don’t brush his teeth, you might not notice them when the melanocytes started to produce additional pigment on his lips, even though it often starts as early as one year of age.

As your cat ages, the freckles become more widespread, often getting more numerous and larger on his lips and gums. You might even see freckles on the roof of your cat’s mouth. Freckles also spread to other parts of the body, including the nose, where you are most likely to notice them because they’re literally front and center.

As they spread, lentigo freckles might also appear around the edges of your cat’s eyes or on his eyelids. Sometimes you will find them inside his ears and even on the pads of his feet

Newton, now seven years old, has only a handful of very small freckles on his lips in addition to the one on his philtrum. At his age, he probably won’t develop a lot more.

These freckles don’t grow with sun exposure

Redheaded humans quickly learn that their freckles will grow and spread when they spend time in the sun. Lentigo doesn’t work that way, and the freckles don’t appear or grow because of your cat’s exposure to the sunshine. That’s a good thing, because how would you explain to your sunbeam-loving cat that sunbathing is going to give him freckles?

This doesn’t mean you should hand your cat a beach towel and some coconut oil and tell him to go lounge poolside. While sun exposure doesn’t make lentigo any worse, cats can suffer from sunburn. If your cat has freckles on his ears, don’t let him get sunburned ears that can lead to melanoma, because the freckles might prevent your spotting the melanoma lesion immediately.

The freckles don’t hurt

You might wonder whether those spots itch, but unless your cat spends time looking in the mirror admiring himself, he will never know they’re there. As any redheaded human can tell you, freckles don’t itch or hurt. Lentigo is just a cosmetic condition, and it doesn’t require any treatment from your vet.

Lentigo freckles don’t later become melanoma, so you don’t have to worry about it being an early warning sign of anything. If you’re ever concerned about a spot on your cat, especially if it changes in size or becomes raised or tender, see your vet to be safe. To differentiate between lentigo and other conditions such as melanoma, the vet takes a biopsy with a small needle and then sends the sample to a laboratory for analysis.

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A Detroit Animal Shelter Will Soon be Offering a Fairly Unusual Pet for Adoption: A Rare Hermaphrodite Dog

Detroit, Michigan, - A dog shelter will soon be offering a fairly unusual pet for adoption: a hermaphrodite dog, which the shelter’s director hopes might provide therapy for transgender residents.

“In my experience I’ve never seen it before,” said Kristina Rinaldi, the executive director of the shelter, Detroit Dog Rescue.

The dog is a silvery-gray pit bull mix named Cody, who arrived at the Detroit-based rescue shelter Tuesday. The dog was listed as a male, but upon inspection Cody turned out to have both sex organs.

Cody also arrived from the city’s animal control facility with a serious case of pneumonia, and was soon moved to an animal hospital for treatment.

The name “Cody” was already assigned to the dog upon arrival. Rinaldi has asked Detroit Animal Control to ask about the dog’s history but hasn’t heard back yet.

Cody is not yet available for adoption, and will have to pass a behavioral test to see whether more training is needed before finding an owner.

And while the dog has both sex organs for now, the adoption process usually involves spaying or neutering a pet beforehand. In Cody’s case both may happen, but Rinaldi said that staff is checking with specialists at Michigan State University to seek further advice.

According to WWJ-TV in Detroit, Rinaldi didn't know of any statistics involving the incidences of hermaphrodite dogs.

The TV station said another case of a hermaphrodite dog was reported in 2013. A Florida woman paid $1,000 for a cockapoo. After buying the dog, she learned that it had both male and female genitalia.

Prior to spaying or neutering, Rinaldi said she would be willing to use Cody at events or in speeches for transgender residents in the hope that the dog could provide any kind of support.

“Cody is still going to live  ... life out like a completely normal dog,” Rinaldi said. “Cody’s going to be a great pet for somebody.”

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Secret Service: Man Who Claimed He Was Jesus Arrested…Had Plans on Kidnapping the Obama’s Family Dog, Bo

A North Dakota man was arrested in D.C. this week after a report that he planned to kidnap one of the Obama family's pets, authorities said.

Scott Stockert was arrested Wednesday night at a Hampton Inn near the Washington Convention Center after Secret Service agents found unregistered firearms in his truck, as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition, according to authorities.

He allegedly told agents, "You picked the wrong person to mess with. I will (expletive) your world up."

Agents went to the hotel after getting a "be on the lookout" alert from the Secret Service's Minnesota field office about the alleged kidnapping plan.

It's not clear from a court document why Stockert allegedly planned to take one of the dogs, or whether either of the family's dogs were specifically mentioned. The Obama family has two Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny.

While being questioned by Secret Service agents, Stockert allegedly said he'd planned to go to the Capitol to advocate for $99-per-month healthcare and to announce he was running for president.

He also told the agents his parents were John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, the court document said.

Agents found an unloaded 12-gauge pump shotgun and a bolt-action rifle in Stockert's truck, which was parked in a lot around the corner at 5th and K streets NW, according to the document.

They also discovered 289 rounds of .22-caliber long-rifle bullets, 71 rounds of 12-gauge shotgun ammunition and two rounds of .223 rifle ammunition, plus a machete with a 12-inch blade and an 18-inch bully club, the court document said.

Stockert was then arrested.

As he was being transported, he told authorities that he was Jesus Christ, according to a court document. He claimed they could verify his identity on his driver's license, the document said. A North Dakota driver's license identified him as Scott Stockert.

Stockert was set to appear Friday morning in D.C. Superior Court to be formally charged.

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