Silica gel usually comes in small white packets—typically
the size of sugar packets—and can be found in the packaging for many items such
as shoes, bags, coats, electronics, medications, vitamins, food and cat litter.
APCC experts find that when these packets are packaged with food, pets may be
more likely to consume them as they retain the smell of the food item. Silica
gel packets are used as a desiccant (drying agent) to prevent moisture damage,
and are often labeled with the message “Silica Gel Do Not Eat.” If eaten,
silica gel can cause gastrointestinal upset, including vomiting and
diarrhea—depending on the quantity consumed. Some silica gel packets may be
fairly large, and if ingested, could potentially cause obstruction in the
intestinal tract. Fortunately, this is not a common problem.
If your pet has ingested silica gel, please contact your
veterinarian or APCC for more information.
APCC is your best resource for any animal poison-related
emergency—24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you think that your pet may have
ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA
Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately.
Judy Obregon knows an opossum when she sees one. There is
one who visits her porch regularly.
While driving down her block on February 20 heading to her
mother-in-law's house, she stopped as she saw what she first thought was a dead
opossum in the road.
Until the little one lifted her head. And looked toward
Obregon.
It was as if the opossum knew Obregon was there to help.
"I knew I could not walk away," she said.
As the founder of The Abandoned Ones "Saving Animals in Danger" animal rescue in Fort Worth, Texas, Obregon has been rescuing dogs mainly from
a known dog-fighting area in her city. However, if an animal needs help,
regardless of species, Obregon springs into action, as she did with the
opossum.
The opossum at first struggled to walk away before Judy
Obregon was able to get her to the side of the road.
Obregon got out of her car and walked over to the opossum
and saw a trail of blood leading from a driveway to the animal while a bloody
stick lay nearby. Her gut told her the animal had not been hit by a car and
that the opossum was a "she" carrying babies.
Helping the helpless
The opossum kept struggling to lift her head and tried to
walk, so Obregon helped gently push the animal to the side of the road to
prevent a mishap with a car. Obregon ran to her own car to grab a T-shirt to
cover the opossum for warmth.
Obregon found a T-shirt in her car and was able to wrap the
opossum in it for warmth.
She then got on the phone and started reaching out to find
someone who could help. After calling DFW Wildlife Coalition,she was given a list of numbers for local wildlife rehabilitators and finally
reached Tabatha, who lived within minutes away.
While she waited for Tabatha, Obregon knew it was most
important to find a box and get the opossum safe and warm.
Since she was a block from her mother-in-law's house and
her husband was there, she got him to watch the opossum while she ran inside to
get a box.
Obregon wanted to make sure not to hurt the animal.
The opossum was so tiny. So fragile.
And so scared.
"I put the box down to see if the opossum would crawl
into it," she said. "I put it in front of her and used my hands to
guide her into the box." The opossum struggled but crawled inside as if
she knew she was being rescued, according to Obregon, who then carried the box
about a block back to her mother-in-law's house where she sat in front and
waited.
Wildlife help arrives
Tabatha arrived about 10 minutes later.
"It was so emotional," Obregon said. "I do
rescue work all the time, but to see another rescuer do what I do was so
heartwarming."
Tabatha, the wildlife rehabilitator, evaluated Angel the
first night she brought her home.
Tabatha is a wildlife rehabilitator who is in her fourth
year of helping to rehabilitate a variety of animals, from opossums (the only
marsupial in North America) and squirrels, to minks and raccoons. She and her
husband Ronnie each have a sub-permit (they work under someone who is
permitted) with the state of Texas, whereby they are taught everything
necessary to rehabilitate animals from feeding, triage and how to determine if
an animal needs veterinary care to nutrition, cage setup and releasing an
animal back into the wild. Tabatha is in the process of applying for her own
permit.
Angel's injuries were extensive, and Tabatha believed they
were inflicted by humans.
First Tabatha verified that the opossum was female and that
she did have joeys (or babies) in her pouch. Joeys are born blind, bald and
completely defenseless; they weigh about 3 to 4 grams and develop in their
mother's pouch for 60 days. Tabatha covered the opossum, who Obregon named
Angel, with a blanket and placed her safely in a carrier and took her home.
"I could tell she was not hit by a car from the blood
evidence and what she looked like," Tabatha said. "I could tell she
was struck by something."
A plan for Angel to recover
Upon arrival at her home, Tabatha took Angel out to check
her thoroughly and found no broken bones or heavy bleeding. "I could tell
on evaluation of her that she was struck, and I'm pretty sure she was shot with
a BB gun," Tabatha said. There were about four teeth that were damaged and
a spot on the roof of her mouth where the BB hit. Since there was no exit
wound, Angel most likely swallowed the BB.
By the second night, Angel started to show some
improvement.
Tabatha called the wildlife veterinarian with whom she
consults and talked over the case and determined Angel did not need to go into
the office. On the vet's advice, Tabatha administered some pain medication and
fluids, cleaned Angel's wounds, placed her in a cage and fed her some
vegetables, fruit and chicken. "You can tell her mouth is sore, but she
has been eating and drinking on her own, which is great news."
She also checked on Angel's babies, who were OK. However,
she was not allowed to remove them as that could be dangerous for the babies.
Opossums oftentimes get a bad rap, but a little education can go a
long way.
Angel loves being held and snuggling with Ronnie, Tabatha's
husband, who is also a wildlife rehabilitator.
For starters, it is highly unlikely for them to carry
rabies, according to Tabatha, as their blood temperature is too low to sustain
the virus. Most often they are scared of humans and are not aggressive.
Tabatha has been evaluating Angel at night because opossums
are nocturnal. She wants to ensure Angel is calm and there are no loud noises.
"Right now she is scared and you can tell she is hurting," she said.
"She is very sweet. Opossums have a very shy demeanor."
When scared, opossums will hiss and open their mouths very
wide. "If that doesn't work they can play possum, which is play dead and
they actually have glands on their anus that secrete a very stinky, horrible
smelling fluid to make them smell dead." Typically if you leave them
alone, they will leave an area, unless there is food.
Accepting help from humans
Although Tabatha feels that Angel was hurt by humans,
"She has not tried to bite me once," she said. "She knows I am
here to help, not to hurt her. I think she has a very good chance.
Angel continues to heal, and Tabatha hopes to release her
in a couple of weeks.
"My goal is to make sure she doesn't get an infection,
add a little weight to her, and release her and her babies together as soon as
possible," which most likely will be another week or two as long as Angel
continues to heal. Tabatha knows a man who loves wildlife. He has 60 acres and
hunting is prohibited, so she will release Angel on his property.
Rescuing Angel was "not one of my typical rescues
because I rescue dogs and cats," Obregon said. "This is out of the
ordinary for me, but I wouldn't have avoided her for that reason. She is still
an animal with a beating heart, and it was still beating when I got to
her."
If you find an injured wild animal, the Humane Society of the United States has information to help. You can also contact your local parks and wildlife
organization for information and a list of rehabilitators in your area, or call
your local animal control. If you ever bring wildlife to a rehabber, please
leave a donation as they are self-funded.
After a month-long state-sanctioned hunt for invasive
Burmese Pythons in Florida, 106 snakes were killed, with the longest measuring
15 feet.
This year's annual Python Challenge enlisted more than
1,000 people from 29 states to cull the python population between January 16, - February 14.
A team of four killed a nearly a third of the overall tally
with 33 pythons, taking home the $5,000 cash prize. They won an additional
$3,000 for capturing the longest snake, clocking in at 15 feet.
The competition was started in 2013 by the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission in order to keep the creatures from 'posing a
threat to native wildlife'.
FWC Commissioner Ron Bergeron said, “Each python that is removed makes a
difference for our native wildlife, and the increased public awareness will
help us keep people involved as we continue managing invasive species in
Florida.”
The python, which was once allowed to be kept as a pet, is
believed to have been introduced into Florida's ecosystem in 1992 when they
escaped from a breeding facility during Hurricane Andrew.
Researchers have predicted that there are at least 30,000
pythons in Florida's everglades, with some suggesting as many as 300,000 occupy
southern Florida.
All the snakes captured in the Python Challenge were turned
over to researchers who are trying to find clues to help control the
population.
Some animal rights groups have blasted the event for the
unethical way the snakes are killed.
While they are not opposed to the hunt itself, PETA
President Ingrid Newkirk, said, “Pythons who have had their heads hacked off
remain alive and will writhe in agony for hours if their brains are not
immediately destroyed.”
“PETA is calling on Florida officials to stop authorizing
snake decapitation and make it clear that this egregiously inhumane killing
method is unacceptable.”
It has suggested the hunters use bolt guns and fire arms to
'instantly kill the animals'. It has also condemned the 'bounty like' system to
reward the killing of snakes.
The Burmese python, a native of south east Asia, is “wreaking
havoc on one of America's most beautiful, treasured and naturally bountiful
ecosystems,” U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Director Marcia McNutt said in a
2012 report.
“Right now, the only hope to halt further python invasion
into new areas is swift, decisive and deliberate human action.”
But the reptiles are notoriously difficult to find in the
Everglades. In the first Python Challenge three years ago, around 1,600 hunters
caught just 68, CNN reported.
The state's wildlife commission trained more than 500
people before the competition, teaching them how to identify, and locate, and
capture Burmese pythons in a safe and humane way.
Participants were also required to complete an online
training module.
In addition to the training, favorable weather conditions
and a larger geographic area for the competition led to this year's success.
“We are excited to see so many people contribute to this
important effort to conserve Florida's natural treasure, the Everglades
ecosystem,” said Bergeron. “We need to keep this momentum going now that the
competition is over.”
Team captain, Bill Booth, along with Duane Clark, Dusty
Crum and Craig Nicks took home the $5,000 prize for first place for the team
category after they killed 33.
The team of four also captured the longest python, which
measured 15 feet and was awarded an additional $3,000.
Daniel Moniz captured 13 pythons, the most by any
individual, and received $3,500.
Brian Wood, who owns All American Gator Products in
Hollywood, Florida, pays up to $150 apiece for the snakes, about the same price
he pays for python skins imported from Asia.
Florida holds an annual, month-long hunt for Burmese
Pythons in an attempt to keep the snake's populations in control. This year's
competition saw 106 killed, and a third of those will be turned into
accessories.
FWC Commissioner Ron Bergeron, said, “Each python that is
removed makes a difference for our native wildlife.” Pictured, Jake Wood
removing a purchased python from a cooler.
The python, which was once allowed to be kept as a pet, is
believed to have been introduced into Florida's ecosystem in 1992 when they
escaped from a breeding facility during Hurricane Andrew.
Researchers have predicted that there are at least 30,000
pythons in Florida's everglades, with some suggesting as many as 300,000 occupy
southern Florida.
The 'invasive' animals have been blamed for the near
'complete disappearance of raccoons, rabbits and opossums' since their
introduction.
Some animal rights groups have blasted the event for the
unethical way the snakes are killed. PETA suggested hunters use bolt guns and
fire arms to 'instantly kill the animals' rather than have their heads cut off.
The reptiles are notoriously difficult to find in the
Everglades. In the first Python Challenge three years ago, around 1,600 hunters
caught just 68, CNN reported.
The state's wildlife commission trained more than 500
people before the competition this year, teaching them how to identify, and
locate, and capture Burmese pythons in a safe and humane way.
Meesha, a 12-week-old stray puppy, underwent surgery this
week at the BARCS Animal Shelter in Baltimore, Maryland.
And, as you'll see in this short video posted to the
shelter's Facebook page yesterday, the sweet little pooch was in need of some
extra special care as she was coming off the anesthetic – waking up very
confused and scared.
In stepped Dennis Moses, a surgical assistant at the
shelter. You can see Dennis in the video rocking Meesha back and forth and
whispering to her like a new born bub as he tries to give her some comfort.
Poor little Meesha! It's not all bad news though. According
to BARCS, Meesha will be heading off to her forever home with a new family as
soon as she recovers.
The heartwarming clip has so far been viewed more than
225,000 times.
The chief executive of SeaWorld has admitted his employees
were ordered to infiltrate animal rights protests against the company’s alleged
mistreatment of killer whales and dolphins in its controversial aquatic theme
parks.
Joel Manby, SeaWorld’s CEO, acknowledged on Thursday that
the company was wrong to ask human resources employee Paul McComb to pose as an
animal rights activist and join Peta protests against the company since at
least July 2014.
“This activity was undertaken in connection with efforts to
maintain the safety and security of employees, customers and animals in the
face of credible threats,” Manby said of the tactics used by McComb, who was
exposed as an undercover SeaWorld employee by Peta protesters last summer.
Manby said on Thursday that SeaWorld directors had ordered
“management to end the practice in which certain employees posed as animal
rights activists”.
Manby’s statement came during a conference call with
investors following the release of another year of disappointing earnings. More
than $160m (£115m) was wiped off SeaWorld’s market value on Thursday as the
company’s shares – which were worth as much as $39 in 2013 – fell 11% to
$17.60.
McComb, who posed as an animal rights activist named Thomas
Jones, is still employed by SeaWorld. “Mr. McComb remains an employee of
SeaWorld, has returned to work at SeaWorld in a different department and is no
longer on administrative leave,” the company said in a statement. A spokeswoman
for SeaWorld refused to answer any questions about McComb.
Whilst undercover, McComb had urged other protesters to
“burn it [SeaWorld] to the ground” and used Facebook and Twitter to incite
other activists to “get a little aggressive” and “drain the new tanks at
#SeaWorld”.
In the run-up to a July 2014 protest, Jones urged other
activists: “Grab your pitchforks and torches. Time to take down SeaWorld.”
Tracy Reiman, Peta’s executive vice-president, said:
“SeaWorld’s latest report confirms not only that the company has employed more
than one spy to infiltrate and agitate at Peta but also that it values its
spies more highly than the executives ... as at least one of the spies is still
working at the company.
“SeaWorld’s finances continue to flop as animals continue
to be found dead in its tiny tanks, with one death every single month since
November. If SeaWorld had business savvy or common sense, it would modernize
its business with coastal sanctuaries and virtual reality displays instead of
building more roller coasters and dolphin prisons. The tawdry orca sideshows
and despicable spying tactics are sinking SeaWorld’s ship.”
SeaWorld on Thursday said its 2015 earnings fell 2% to
$361m as sales dropped by $6.8m to $1.37bn.
The company, which has been under intense public pressure
since the 2013 release of Blackfish, a documentary cataloguing the alleged
mistreatment of whales, dolphins and their trainers, said attendance increased
by 0.3% to 72,000 but this was only possible due to “increased promotional
offerings”.
Facing consumer backlash fanned by celebrities including
Harry Styles, Cher and Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee, SeaWorld has said it will put
an end to “theatrical killer whale experience” – but only at its park in San
Diego, California, where the drop in attendance has been most acute.
Manby said the company will replace its Californian Shamu
show – in which whales dive, jump and splash guests to the demands of their
trainers – with “an all new orca experience focused on the natural environment
[of the whales]” by 2017.
“We are listening to our guests, evolving as a company, we
are always changing,” Manby said as he unveiled a new corporate strategy in
November. “ 2016 will be the last year of our theatrical killer whale
experience in San Diego.”
He said the decision to end the orca shows in California
was in direct response to customers, who he said had made it clear that they
want less of a theatrical experience and would rather see the whales in a more
natural setting. Attendance at the San Diego park is falling fast. Visitor
numbers dropped 17% in 2013 to 3.8 million, according to city authorities.
As part of its strategy to move away from circus-style
performances, SeaWorld last week replaced two top executives in charge of
animal safety and theme park operations. “The leadership changes we announced
last week are another important step on our roadmap to stabilization and
growth,” Manby said on Thursday.
Paul McComb posed as ‘Thomas Jones’ and infiltrated Peta at
least as early as July 2014. Photograph: Facebook/Peta.
Tweets by activist Thomas Jones, who is allegedly Paul
McComb, a SeaWorld employee. Photograph: Twitter
A pony dressed as a unicorn lead California Highway Patrol
on a four-hour chase through the streets of Madera County, Calif., Wednesday
night.
The white pony, named Juliet, doubles as a unicorn for
photo shoots with her owner photographer Sandra Boos.
Boos said Juliet makes a lot of "dreams come
true" for little girls during the photoshoots.
On Wednesday night, Juliet decided to make a dream of her
own come true. Freedom.
While her owner was taking photos of a group of young
children, Juliet made her move.
Donning her mythical unicorn horn, Juliet “threw up her
head" and "pulled the lead rope” out of a bystander's hands and ran,
Boos said.
“I was shooting, but I assume she got free and was like,
‘Oh, well I’m going to run,’ and she took off,” Boos said in a phone interview.
The California Highway Patrol tried for almost four hours
to catch Juliet on the ground, as a helicopter helped track the horse from the
air, Boos said.
Juliet eluded all efforts at capture, until Boos' friend
rode up on a horse.
“When Juliet saw [the woman's] horse, Shady, she came
running,” Boos said.
To her owner's relief, Juliet followed the horse into a
nearby pen.
"I was standing with highway patrol when the call came
over the radio, and they said 'the unicorn is in custody,'" Boos said.
Bishop, Georgia - A teen saved more than a dozen
Clydesdales, including a 3-week-old foal, from a burning barn about 60 miles
east of Atlanta.
At about 2 a.m. ET Thursday, lightning struck the horse
barn at Classic City Clydesdales here.
“It shook the whole house," said Shannon Martin, who
owns the farm with her husband, Mark. "One minute I am in bed. The next
minute I am standing up next to the bed trying to figure out what bomb went
off.”
It rattled the horses, especially the 3-week-old trapped
inside with more than a dozen others. With flames all around, the barn doors
were locked and the power was out.
“We could not get the large overheads open,” she said.
That's when their 16-year son, Macon Martin, jumped into
action.
“I just ran right out. I had no clothes on, no shoes, no
nothing,” he said. “I just jumped in our Gator and I just ran it right into the
door.”
He used the John Deere utility vehicle like an action hero,
his mom said.
“He busted through like Rambo and opened up the end of the
stalls and said, 'Mom this way,' " she said. "And we were able to
push the horses out that way."
All of the Clydesdales, a breed of draft horse most famous
for starring in Budweiser commercials, are doing fine — including Phoebe. She’s
expecting a foal, and her due date was Thursday.
The barn is a total loss.
“It will take some time to rebuild," Shannon Martin
said. "This was a dream. We saved and built it brick by brick. We’ll have
to start over.”
But their horses, which travel to events and parades across
the USA, will be starting over with them.
“Big horses everybody thinks (are) real tough," she
said. "but Clydes are sort of the beauty queens of the draft horse world.
They can be pretty fragile.”
Rock Hill, SC - To see 10-year-old Kailey play with Brody
the 6-week-old puppy is to see pure love.
Both of them have been recently hurt. Brody was shot 18
times with a BB gun, and Kailey lost her best friend and life-long dog,
Woodrow.
"When I lost Woodrow, I thought I lost half my heart.
Now I got that other half back," Kailey said with a smile you could see
from the moon.
Woodrow died two months ago and left Kailey devastated.
According to her mother Carla, "It broke her heart, and the hardest thing
to see as a parent is your child hurt. Brody is actually piecing that heart
back together for her."
The match seemed hand-crafted in heaven. Carla works at the
pet hospital Brody was taken to when officers discovered he'd been shot. Kailey
was one of the first people to see him, before he became a viral star on the
internet.
"The first time she met him she looked in his eyes and
said he reminded her of Woodrow, and I knew right then that she had picked her
puppy," Carla said.
Brody was hurt, and Kailey was hurt. Now the two are
helping each other recover.
X-rays show that the BB's are still inside Brody, but
officials said he is doing okay. He is expected to make a full recovery.
De'Monte Ty'Juan Douglas, 17, is charged with felony first
degree cruelty to animals. A 14-year-old was also petitioned to family court
and released to his parents pending that court appearance. His name has not
been released due to his age.
Douglas was in court Wednesday morning. His bond was set at
$5,000.
Since the incident, Brody has brought in attention from all
over the country.
Dr. Jay Hreiz said the hospital has been getting “hundreds
of calls a day about him.”
