A U.S. Air Force installation has enlisted a first-of-her-kind recruit to aid in the fight against on-base sexual assault. Only her rank doesn’t exist among lieutenants and captains. Eielson Air Force Base officials have credited Tessa – a 5-month old golden retriever – with helping seven service members who have come forward to report attacks. "It’s been phenomenal having a tiny member of our team accomplish so much positivity in the short amount of time she’s been here," Air Force Capt. Heather Novus, the 354th Fighter Wing’s sexual assault response coordinator, said in a release. “I hope we can smooth the transition for other bases to adopt a [sexual assault prevention and response] K-9, and we would love to assist supporting this idea across other installations and can ease the process for others to adopt what has been a successful program so far.” Tessa serves as a comfort canine, helping victims of abuse to come forward. “Tessa brings a stability to reconnect with victims who have emotionally disconnected because of the traumatic event they have gone through,” Shellie Severa, the 354th Fighter Wing’s SAPR head victim advocate, said. “Each individual is different on how they are going to handle their trauma, but one of the biggest things we see with almost all trauma victims is lack of trust, and trust can be re-established through the assistance of a dog.” Tessa’s mission began in the winter of 2016. “We are having victims come out of the shadows who were afraid for numerous reasons to report; having a dog in the program is important for them to realize this is a place where they are safe and can rebuild trust,” Severa said. “Tessa has brought many smiles to people engaging with her, and encouraged people to tell their story, which helps them to have a voice again and take back the power they lost.” The canine’s involvement on base is a visible example of the U.S. military’s efforts to address on-base sexual assault since it was reported only about 3,000 of 26,000 bases were report. The number of unreported cases took a nosedive in 2015. You can read it here: Department of Defense Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military
A woman and her Bernese mountain dog became the unwitting stars of a furry convention this weekend after the woman mistook the gathering as an event for pets. Cheryl Wassus of Monroe, Michigan, is a volunteer with Pets for Vets, a nonprofit that matches therapy dogs with military veterans. When Wassus learned that Motor City Furry Con in Novi, Michigan, was raising money for the organization, she assumed it must be a pet-themed convention. It was a reasonable mistake. For those unaware, furries are people who enjoy dressing up in anthropomorphic animal costumes and role-playing. That’s not what Wassus or Link — who has training as a therapy dog — expected. Wassus’ son, New York Media producer Kenny Wassus, tweeted some incredible photos of the mix-up on Saturday. “This is just a whole subculture I wasn’t even aware existed,” Cheryl Wassus told New York magazine. “When we set up tables and do promos and educate the public and do outreach, I had no idea the outreach was going to be other human … furry people. I guess you’re never too old to learn.” (Read her full interview with NYMag, which is amazing, HERE.) Wassus told Cosmopolitan that the convention’s organizers had invited her to do a presentation about Pets for Vets, and that it just never became clear what a “furry con” was. “I usually try to do some research the night before I go to these events but the website was pretty obscure,” she said. But the surprise worked out for the best. Wassus, Link and the furries got along famously. Link was a little confused at first, Wassus said, and did some “serious tail-sniffing” at the sight of all the two-legged animals. But it all ended up being no big deal. “They weren’t offended, though. They just embraced him,” she told NYMag. “It was all good. Just a real interested community.” Plus, the event was a big win for Pets for Vets ― Motor City Furry Con raised $10,000 for the group. The media tends to associate being a furry with a sexual fetish, but most furry fans say it’s really not about that. “In reality, furries are fans of a concept: ‘What if intelligent animals lived among us, or replaced us?’” Laurence Parry, editor-in-chief of furry-centric news site Flayrah, told The Huffington Post in 2014. “From this, all else flows — art, crafts, stories, role-playing and costuming.”
A panicked mama goose pecks to get cop’s attention, leads her to baby tangled in balloon string Police sergeant James Givens is a Cincinnati PD veteran with over 26 years of service on the force, but he has never seen a distress call quite like this one. At least, James thought it was someone. It was just a regular Monday morning when he was in his car and received an unexpected visit from a mother goose. The animal wanted to grab the attention of the police officer at all costs. “It kept pecking and pecking and normally they don’t come near us,” He told to WKRC. “Then it walked away and then it stopped and looked back so I followed it and it led me right over to [a gosling] that was tangled up in all that string.” When the goose looked behind his back a second time and clearly wanted to communicate with the police officer, he decided to follow her. One of her children was trapped in the rope of a balloon. His little feet were moving, but he wasn’t able to set himself free. Givens wanted to help the little goose himself but was afraid that mother goose would attack him. Luckily, he had some help from specialist Cecilia Charron. Even though they called the SPCA Animal Rescue for help, nobody was available to help at the time. That’s why Cecilia decided to help the little animal herself. Sergeant Givens recorded the entire thing and shared a video of the little goose being freed from the balloon and reunited with the mother, which has quickly gone viral. Assistant Police Chief Paul Neudigate also praised Sergeant Givens and Charron for a great job.
You may have seen a chicken or two in your day, but we’re pretty sure these glorious winged creatures are about to blow your mind. The Silkie is basically the glamorous supermodel of domesticated fowl. These ornamental chickens are more than just a pretty face; they’re also total sweetie pies. And legend has it that their feathers feel just like silk.
The texture of their feathers resembles a luxurious fur pelt. They’ve also been known to grow a mowhawk-esque crest of feathers on their heads. The ‘do, the glare... You’re looking at the future frontman of an anarchist-chicken punk-metal garage band. Don’t make eye contact:
Some of them sport elegant pompadours that would put Elvis to shame:
Are these chickens using Pantene, or are they just pure magic? It’s no wonder they inspired their own fan club: The American Silkie Bantam Club was established in 1923 to celebrate the majestic bird. Chickens have become popular house (or yard) pets, and the Silkie chicken is basically the dream breed. They can survive in warm and cold climates, though they should be kept inside during the winter. They’re sweet, amiable, and so dang cute that they’ll make your friends squeal:
They come in tons of shades, like this stunningly pillow-esque brunette with a baby on board:
Or this snow-white beauty:
And yes, you can even acquire a ginger Silkie. (And they have souls, too:)
Although we don’t know the exact origin of the Silkie, Marco Polo apparently described a bird just like it during his 13th century exploration of China. These chickens caught the eye of the early explorer. It is said that the Silkie was brought to Europe about 200 years ago, where Dutch breeders apparently told prospective buyers that they were a crossbreed of rabbits and chickens. We can understand how they pulled that off. Today, the majority of Silkie chickens are sold for ornamental reasons, cause they’re basically the royalty of fowl. The chickens have dark blueish-black skin and a majestic wattle:
Although sometimes, they kind of just look like Chewbacca.
They grow feathers all the way down to their toes! Their fluffy feathers make them unable to fly and can be a real pain to clean, but whoever said being beautiful was easy? And they don’t look quite so proud when their ‘dos get rained on:
Oh, the indignity! They emerge as mowhawked-little tykes, like hipster babies in Brooklyn:
Slowly but surely, they start to fill out, like this wee little chick:
Silkie chickens have a lifespan of about nine years, so it’s not a commitment to be taken on lightly. Sadly, in recent years, a growing number of chickens have been abandoned in animal shelters. But if you’re ready for the responsibility, you can raise your Silkie as a real pet. Think of it as a kitten who can also produce the eggs for your omelet! Once they grow up, female Silkies make excellent mothers, and even have been known to adopt baby ducks, turkeys or chickens into their brood: Go ahead and revel in the fluffy wonder that is the Silkie!
The country’s legislature passed a legal amendment to the Animal Protection Act state that offenders could be punished with a monetary fine of NTD 50,000 to $2 million (A$2178 to $87080). The amendment's sponsor, Kuomintang Legislator Wang Yu-min, said that while some localities already had measures banning dog and cat meat consumption, national legislation was needed. Several other amendments were also passed, in a step towards making the country more animal friendly. Stiffer punishments will be enforced for those who intentionally harm animals which include a maximum of two years’ imprisonment and fines of between NT$200,000 and NT$2 million. Pet owners will now be penalized if they are seen with their leashed dogs running alongside their scooters. It is now illegal to ‘walk’ animals via motor vehicles with offenders facing possible fines up to NT$15,000. Before taking effect, the amendments still need to be signed into law by the Cabinet and Presidential Office, which could take place before the end of the month. The amendments come in response to several high-profile incidents of animal cruelty. Just last year, a video went viral of a group of Taiwanese marines viciously beating a dog before hanging it and throwing its lifeless body into the ocean, triggering an investigation and sparking public protests. Last October, Chan Ho-yeung – a student from Macau studying in Taiwan – was sentenced to 10 months in prison after being convicted of killing two stray cats.
Taiwanese photographer Tou Chih-kang and his assistant steady a scared dog for a portrait in a makeshift studio during the final moments of its life before being put down by lethal injection at a shelter in Taoyuan.
A dog stands on a scooter with his owners as they wait at an intersection in Taipei, Taiwan.
Tourists stop to view one of the hundred or so resident cats resting on a wall in the small town of Houtong, Taiwan.
Senior dogs often get overlooked in shelters and rescues, and so a bunch of people in Florida got together to hold a special event to help them find forever homes — a "senior prom." The prom was held at The Dog House of Safety Harbor, a pet supply store that donates a portion of all its proceeds to animal rescues. Dozens of rescue organizations were invited to bring along their senior dogs, ages 5 to 15, for a night of dress-up and dancing. "Thousands of dogs need to be adopted in the Tampa Bay area," Terry Meeks, one of the founders of the event, said in a press release. "All too often, our senior canines are passed by when people look to adopt. These dogs have the richest history and the greatest temperaments. They need to be able to live out the rest of their lives in a stable, loving home. The prom will help these senior canines get the recognition they deserve and find their 'furever' homes." The event featured a red carpet that the dogs could walk down when they first arrived, to strut their stuff and show off whatever it was they were wearing, from gorgeous gowns…
... to tasteful suits ...
... to everything in between.
The dogs got to meet potential adopters at the event, and between their adorable outfits and beautiful smiles, they were all definitely at their most charming that night. The prom had a full roster of activities planned, including entertainment by an MC and her doggie sidekick, a raffle, a kissing booth and of course lots of dancing. Every senior dog who attended the event was eligible to win the title of prom king or queen, and a panel of distinguished judges watched each dog strut around in their fancy outfits and judged them on criteria such as stage presence, attitude and working the crowd. A dog named Tye was crowned prom king. He's an 8-year-old Chihuahua mix rescued by Canine Estates. "He was rescued from someone who became ill and could no longer take care of him," Karen Altieri, a volunteer with the event, told The Dodo. "He's been at Canine Estates for nine months."
The dog crowned prom queen, Tye's partner in crime, was 10-year-old Nina, a pit bull mix rescued by Ruff Beginnings. "She was a stray wandering the streets of Tampa when Hillsborough Animal Services picked her up," Altieri said. "She wasn't given much of a chance to be adopted out. Due to her being a senior and no space at the county shelter she was put on the Euth List. Ruff Beginnings pulled her the day she was going to be put down."
More than 40 dogs attended the very special prom, and six have been adopted because of the event so far — with lots more receiving inquiries. Every dog in attendance had such a blast, dancing and snuggling the night away. They were able to showcase what amazing dogs they are, and how much they deserve their own forever homes.
Washington, DC - We are building our development department in anticipation of our new facility campaign, and the planned expansion of our community and medical programs. If you know a passionate, capable and seasoned fund raiser who would like to have a work life that is immersed in service to our cause, and wants to really make their mark in fund raising, animal welfare and social enterprise (regionally and beyond), please send them to this link: Careers Website:Humane Rescue Alliance
My Pet for Today! Meet Sweet Pria:
Seven-year-old Pria is the sweetest girl! She came to the Humane Rescue Alliance last week when her owner could no longer afford to care for her. She's a big girl at almost 80 pounds, but she's an independent lady who enjoys sniffing and exploring the places she's in. Though she's independent, Pria does love petting! If you're looking for a pup who's the best of both worlds, meet her at our New York Avenue adoption center today! humanerescuealliance.org/adopt #AdoptHRA
About the Humane Rescue Alliance: The Humane Rescue Alliance (formerly the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League) has protected and served the animals of the community for more than 145 years and serves more than 60,000 animals annually. The broad range of programs offered include: rescue and adoption, humane law enforcement, low-cost veterinary services, animal care and control, behavior and training, spay-neuter services, humane education, and many others. The organization is dedicated to ensuring the safety and welfare of all animals, bringing people and animals together, and working with all communities to support these relationships. HRA is based in Washington, DC, the only major urban area in the country that has all of its animal protection programs and services unified in one organization, making the Humane Rescue Alliance a model for the nation. Please Share!
There's an app your dog has been waiting for and its finally here…it's called BarkHappy. It's sort of like Tinder for your dog, but with more features. You create a profile for your dog and descriptions of the things they like. You'll be able to add other dogs to your pack and send "wags." The app lets you discover friendly dog places in your area and events. Plus you can host your own play dates. You'll also receive lost and found alerts, exclusive offers and more. BarkHappy is available nationwide and the best part? It's FREE.
There are drones to deliver pizza, drones which follow people around taking selfies – but someone has just come up with something a little more useful. Dogdrones is a fleet of aerial and rolling robots, designed to work as a team to clean the streets of dog poop. The system consists of two units – Watch Dog and Patrol Dog – which are already under test in prototype form. Watch Dog is a flying drone which spots dog poop by looking for warm spots (in other words, fresh ones). It then transmits coordinates to Patrol Dog, a rolling ground drone which scoops up and disposes of the poop. Tinki, the start-up behind the idea, says, “By receiving GPS coordinates PD1 gets the command to immediately dispose of the dog poop. With a camera and thermal imaging WD1 is scanning its environment. The drone is able to detect dog poop while it still has the body temperature of the dog.”
A woman who neighbors say lived alone and kept mostly to herself shared her home with many animals, and a lot of them were found dead. Katie McGinness, a mother of two, has walked her dog past the home at 132 Timberline Drive many times. She’s shocked to learn the lady living there had approximately 100 dead snakes in a bedroom. “I was just amazed,” said McGinness. “It was just chaotic. I mean we had cops, we had the fire department,” said Rob Long, who lives next door to 132 Timberline Drive. On February 16, police were called out to do a welfare check and found deplorable conditions. They says the entire floor of the house was covered with animal feces, and in a bedroom there were numerous plastic bins containing dead pythons. “I mean why would anyone have 100 snakes?” asked Long. The dead snakes were ball pythons, which are not poisonous and grow to 3-4 feet long. “I was stunned, saddened because I watched them take some of the animals out,” McGinness said. “I feel sorry for her, ‘cause I guess, I don’t know if she doesn’t have anyone to ask for help or she just got over her head with what she was doing,” Long said. A local wildlife expert says for one person, feeding and taking care of 100 snakes at home would be practically a full time job. “It’s just a sad situation. I’m going to assume that she was an animal lover, as we all are around here. However it just kind of got away from her,” said Amy Kight, animal care director at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter. Neighbors say they shudder to think what might’ve happened if the snakes got loose in the neighborhood. “That’s crazy. But it’s scary too, because if one of them escapes it’s scary,” said Sophia Simpson, 10, a neighbor. Besides 100 dead snakes, authorities also removed some live animals, including two dogs, a couple of tortoises and parakeets and two snakes and an African gray parrot. A Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control official said Thursday night as far as he knows, all of the animals have been adopted out. The woman who had the dead snakes in her home, Jennifer Morrison, 59, was cited for confining animals without sufficient food and water.
Knoxville, TN - One of the newest employees at East Tennessee Children's Hospital is a four-legged friend whose job is to brighten the days of folks around the facility. Farley, a golden retriever puppy born in October 2016, is the hospital's first-ever full-time facility support animal. The lovable canine will take on her new job in memory of a former patient. The idea for ETCH to get a facility dog came from 16-year-old oncology patient Kristyn Farley, explained Sue Wilburn, who is the V.P. of Human Resources and Farley's caretaker and handler. Kristyn died last year but she had a passion for dogs and greater access to them while in ETCH's care, explained Wilburn. A grant from PetSmart Charities helped the hospital get the facility dog and hospital volunteers set up a fund to cover daily expenses. Christina Ryskamp, store leader at PetSmart Knoxville located at West Town Mall, nominated the hospital to receive the grant. “For years, our team has worked with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital to collect and donate plush toys to bring a smile to the faces of its pediatric patients during the holiday season. Seeing the reaction of those children inspired us to want to do more,” said Ryskamp. It'll still be a bit of time before Farley moves into her full-time position. For now, she's working in the Human Resources department and will soon begin a 6-week puppy training program. Before interacting with patients Farley must complete a comprehensive training program, undergo temperament evaluations and be at least a year old. She'll primarily be a staff dog but will be available to visit with patients, when a volunteer therapy dog isn't available.
A Danish man has committed suicide after his dog was seized by the authorities and euthanized in compliance with the country’s Pit Bull legislation. Under Denmark’s law, the dog’s owner, Dan, was given eight days to prove that his canine, Zanto, was not one of the country’s prohibited breeds. When Dan, whose last name has not been released, could not prove that Zanto was a prohibited breed, the dog was confiscated and put down. Unable to cope with his dog’s death, Dan, 27, reportedly took an overdose of pain medication and died. Denmark’s breed-specific legislation, titled the “Dog Act”, requires police to seize and euthanize dogs that “savage” a human person or another dog. The Dog Act makes illegal the ownership and breeding of 13 breeds of canines, including the Pit Bull terrier, the Kangal, the South Russian Shepherd Dog, the Dogo Argentino, Boerboel and the American Bulldog. The legislation does not take into account the behavior of any individual dog who falls into one of the prohibited breed categories. The legislation passed in 2010 raised the number of banned breeds to 13. On April 19, the Facebook page Foreningen Fair Dog Fan side, wrote: "Zanto (the dog) was ripped out of Dan’s arms, (Zanto’s owner) because he looked like one of the now banned dog breeds, or mixture of both. Zanto had nothing done, he is a good, devoted and happy dog and has never done a fly mischief. The owner had 8 days to prove Zanto’s creator, but we all know that it is not a possible task. Dan was given eight days to prove that his canine, Zanto, was not one of the country’s prohibited breeds, but was unable to do so. There have been many attempts to change Denmark’s breed-specific dog laws, including a Change.org petition, none of which has succeeded". The Animal Law Coalition has cited studies according to which breed-specific legislation and bans have not reduced the number of dog bites in the country. The organization has had this to say about the breed-specific laws Denmark continues to enforce: Denmark is moving in the opposite direction from other European Union countries that have discovered breed discrimination does not work to prevent or reduce dog bite incidents. Yet, Denmark’s Dog Act was upheld in 2014.
