Mary Kaufman of Lonoke, Ark., still sleeps near her beloved Yorkshire terrier Brittney, even though the dog is long dead. After Brittney died last year at age 14, Kaufman, 64, bypassed the pet cemetery and backyard burial to have the little dog stuffed and freeze-dried. Kaufman said being able to still look at and touch the deceased pet made her feel like Brittney, her loyal companion, was still with her. "Brittney represents a lot to me," Kaufman said. "I lost a husband and I lost a son and I had Brittney during that time. When we lose a family member, we don't just forget about them and just move on. They're still a part of our lives. That doesn't mean I have to let go of the past." Pets are a huge industry in the United States. The American Pet Products Association estimates that Americans will spend almost $53 billion on their pets this year. The association's 2011-12 National Pet Owners Survey says roughly 62 percent of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 72.9 million homes. Preserving beloved pets after death through stuffing and freeze-drying has gradually become another option for owners. Daniel Ross, 35, a professional taxidermist who preserved Brittney, is the owner of Xtreme Taxidermy http://www.xtremetaxidermy.com/, a burgeoning business he runs out of a shed in the front yard of his home in, of all places, Romance, Ark. "If you raise something for 15, 20 years, it's not just simply a pet anymore. It's part of the family," Ross said. "Some people think it's weird ... but I can tell you that for all the customers that I've had, and I've seen the joy and happiness, the peace that it brings back to their life to have their beloved cat or dog or whatever back, it's worth it." In his office, Ross has freeze dryers packed with pets from across the country. It costs about $500 to $700 to have an average-sized dog stuffed with cotton and freeze dried. The process takes months, and people don't just send their cats and dogs. Ross has received a prized rooster and a hairless rat, among other odd requests. Ross said one Texas woman paid a few hundred dollars to have him pose her deceased spider monkey with an empty can of her late husband's favorite beer glued to its hand. She then wanted her husband's ashes poured into the empty can. Such unique requests garnered Ross and his business their own reality TV series on Animal Planet called "American Stuffers," with each episode ending with a pet owner reuniting with his dearly departed. But Ross said he didn't get into the pet preservation business to make money. "I'm a professional. I'm not some backwoods taxidermist," he said. "It's an odd way to make a living, and trust me ... I never would've thought that I'd be working on somebody's beloved pet and being on TV, or anything like that." Kaufman also appeared on an episode of "American Stuffers," which showed the great lengths she took to make preserving Brittney possible, including keeping the dog in her freezer for "a couple of weeks." Kaufman added that she doesn't care if people think she is "crazy" and said she plans to have Brittney buried with her when her time comes. "A lot of people do choose to bury their animals, or have them cremated. If that is what they choose, I think that is fine, but I don't think that anybody should criticize anybody for what you do with your pet," she said.
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United Airlines is suspending new reservations for pets traveling in the cargo compartment after three dogs were loaded onto the wrong planes last week and a fourth died in an overhead bin. United will honor reservations that have already been confirmed for PetSafe, its program for pets traveling in cargo, the airline said Tuesday. The suspension does not affect pets traveling with their owners in the cabin. “We are conducting a thorough and systematic review of our program for pets that travel in the cargo compartment to make improvements that will ensure the best possible experience for our customers and their pets,” United spokeswoman Maggie Schmerin said in an emailed statement. The airline said it would complete the review by May 1. To read more on this story, click here:United Suspends New Bookings for Pets in Cargo After Loading 3 Dogs Onto Wrong Flights
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - United Airlines is halting the shipment of pets in airplane cargo holds while it studies improvements, the carrier said on Tuesday, after the death of a puppy and mistakes in handling other dogs last week sparked negative publicity. "We are conducting a thorough and systematic review of our program for pets that travel in the cargo compartment to make improvements that will ensure the best possible experience for our customers and their pets," United said in a statement. United did not give a date when it would resume the PetSafe transport program, but the carrier said it expects to complete its review by May 1. The move does not affect travel for pets flying in-cabin. United's decision follows incidents last week in which dogs were mistakenly sent to incorrect destinations. To read more on this story, click here:United Airlines Pauses Cargo-Hold Pet Transport After Missteps
An 18-year-old gorilla named Louis hates to get his hands dirty. That’s why he sometimes walks upright like a human -- especially when food is involved. Louis, a 500-pound, 6-foot tall gorilla that lives at the Philadelphia Zoo, walks upright when he’s carrying tomatoes and other snacks, The Associated Press reported. He also walks upright when the ground is muddy, according to the Philadelphia Zoo, which recently posted a video of Louis walking on two legs. To read more on this story, click here: A Germophobe Gorilla? Philadelphia Zoo Primate Walks Upright So He Won't Get His Hands Dirty
Actor Matthew Morrison expressed outrage on Friday over reports that a dog was abused during the filming of “Crazy Alien,” the upcoming science fiction movie he stars in. A whistleblower reportedly sent animal rights group PETA disturbing footage of what the group says is a caged German shepherd being dropped into a river on the film’s set in Changsha, China. “I’ve just been made aware and seen a video from the set of a film I worked on in China,” the “Glee” star tweeted. “My heart is broken to see any animal treated this way. Had I been on set or known about this, I would have made all efforts to stop this. I’ve called the producers to express my outrage.” To read more on this story, click here:Matthew Morrison Says His ‘Heart Is Broken’ Over Alleged Dog Abuse On Film Set
ARLINGTON, Va. -- Outrage has been building on social media over a picture of a family's French bulldog puppy, dead in its carrier, after a United Airlines flight attendant forced them to put the bag holding the dog in an overhead bin. The dog belonged to a mother traveling with two young children from Houston to New York's LaGuardia Airport Monday night. Before takeoff, the bag apparently extended into the aisle. Online posts from witnesses said the passenger explained there was a dog in the bag, but the flight attendant insisted it go in the overhead. That flight attendant told the airline she did not realize the pet was inside. To read more on this story, click here:Puppy Dies After United Flight Attendant Forces it to Ride in Overhead Bin
QUANTICO, Md. — With a brisk wind blowing under gray skies, Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis stood in front of a farm trying to describe what he had just seen behind the house. "The siding — aluminum siding — was eaten off the house, and fiberglass insulation had been pulled out," said a visibly shaken Lewis on Saturday. "Those horses were so hungry, they had broken the glass sliding doors on the back of the house, trying to get in and find something to eat. There's mud and broken glass all around the back of the house." More than two dozen dead horses in varying degrees of decay were discovered at the farm and reported to the sheriff's office Friday morning, which is when an investigation at the 2.13-acre property began. The land is owned by Clayton P. and Barbara L. Pilchard, according to Maryland property records. Marjie Cancil, who lives near the farm, drove past Saturday afternoon and stopped to see what was happening. To read more on this story, click here:Starving Horses Ate Aluminum Siding Off House, Sheriff Says as Crews Clean Up Bodies in Maryland
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You might have heard that feeling a dog's nose can tell you about his health. Can a dog's health really be determined by the temperature and moisture of the nose? Does a cold and wet nose mean a dog is healthy? Is a warm and dry nose a sign of illness? Here's the truth: The temperature or moisture of a dog's nose is not necessarily a good indicator of anything. A healthy dog may have a warm or dry nose while a sick dog could still have a cold, wet nose. Your Dog's Nose Dogs keep their noses cold and wet by licking. The moisture on the nose helps intensify scents and give dogs the ability to determine which directions smells are coming from. It is normal for a dog that has just woken up to have a dry nose. This is simply because the dog was not licking his nose in his sleep. Sometimes, a dog's dry or warm nose will accompany other signs of illness, such as lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea and more. These symptoms are reason enough to call your vet, regardless of how your dog's nose feels. Why Do People Think The Dog's Nose Matters? The "dog nose" myth has been around for ages, sometimes putting dog owners in a panic. How did it begin? Like many myths, the origin of this one is not certain. However, some experts think it may have started at a time when the deadly virus called canine distemper was common. One symptom of advanced distemper is hyperkeratosis (thickening) of the nose and footpads. Back when distemper was more widespread, a cool, wet nose was considered a good sign that the dog did not have distemper. While canine distemper still occurs, it is far less common today thanks to vaccines. What if My Dog Is Actually Sick? All of this being said, you should not ignore any signs of sickness in your dog. If you notice your dog's nose feels unusually hot, it's probably a good idea to check his temperature. Call your vet if your dog has a fever or is showing any other concerning symptoms. There are some medical conditions that can affect a dog's nose, causing it to appear abnormal. Some are more major than others. Pemphigus foliaceous is a serious dermatological condition that can cause a dog's nose to become very dry and cracked. Sometimes, a dog's nose can be affected by allergies, potentially causing dryness and cracking, though to a less serious extent. Be aware that dogs can get sunburn, something that will affect the nose. There can also be pigment changes to your dog's nose, many of which are harmless. However, you should not ignore obvious changes to your dog's nose. Cracks, crusts, or sores on your dog's nose should be checked by your veterinarian as soon as possible. In addition, you should also contact your vet if your dog has nasal discharge, sneezing or wheezing. The bottom line: If your dog's nose happens to be dry or warm but otherwise looks normal, don't panic. However, you should contact your veterinarian right away if something does not seem right with your dog.
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DENVER (CBS4) – As dogs age, 80 percent of them will develop arthritis. A new national study is looking at stem cells as a treatment. “I think it’s really ingenious because they do it in the NFL. They do it in horses, so why not dogs?” said Dr. Analisa Schilling, a veterinarian at Evans East Animal Hospital. So far, Evans East Animal Hospital has screened about 50 dogs and enrolled 20 in the study. Dogs have to have osteoarthritis in up to two joints, but be in otherwise good health. Owners have to agree to bring the dog for follow up visits, and keep a daily log. “I actually have a range of dogs from as young as 2-years to age 16,” said Angela Vogt, study coordinator. To read more on this story, click here:Colorado Dogs Taking Part In Stem Cell Study
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The city of Miami Beach shut down a nightclub on Friday after video surfaced showing a woman in a bikini riding a spooked horse into a crowd of people. The incident happened at the Mokai Lounge sometime between Wednesday evening and the early morning hours of Thursday, according to a city document obtained by HuffPost. Attendees at the event recorded the commotion and posted footage to social media. One video showed a man trying to pull the seemingly resistant horse into the club as a man and woman ride on top of the animal. A second video shows the woman on the horse amid a tightly packed crowd of people. The horse throws the woman off before slowly walking through the crowd as people cheer. To read more on this story, click here:Nightclub Shuts Down After Woman Rides Horse Into Crowd Of Partygoers
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This guy from amazon threw a package right on my puppy and you can tell it was on purpose, he didn't even care. Please share the hell out of this. Posted by Roly Andrade on Thursday, March 8, 2018 We’ve heard the stories of delivery drivers acting poorly, from throwing packages into yards to swiping boxes off the very porches they were supposed to deliver to. But an Amazon delivery driver in Florida may have just nabbed the award for worst delivery guy of the year after he was caught on video in Florida appearing to drop a large package … on a puppy. The Miami Herald reported that the dog owner was upset to see video footage of the package “delivery.” Luckily, Rocky, the 5-month-old lab mix, wasn’t seriously hurt. “His eye is a little squinty. I think the corner of the box got him,” Brittany Aaron, the dog’s owner, told the Herald on Thursday. “I don’t see any cuts but I don’t know if anything is wrong internally. The package isn’t small. I have a front door that is accessible. I have never seen a delivery driver put a package over the fence.”
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — With his famous misaligned snout and unique toothy grin, Eugene dog Picasso was honored in Portland with an Oregon Humane Society Diamond Collar Hero Award. At almost 2 years old, the pit bull, Chihuahua and Pomeranian mix has captured worldwide attention since coming to Eugene in early 2017. The Oregon Humane Society's Diamond Collar Hero Awards recognize and honor animals and people who have acted to save a human or animal life in peril, performed services within the community with undying loyalty, or overcome incredible odds in order to survive. "Picasso has overcome challenges that most dogs don't ever have to, from surviving an assaulter to living on the streets," said Liesl Wilhardt, Luvable Dog Rescue founder and executive director. "And he's done it all with courage and grace." To read more on this story, click here:Celebrity Dog Picasso Honored for Overcoming Tough Odds
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BALTIMORE (AP) — Not quite four months ago, Betsy Boyd spent 41 percent of her annual salary on a kidney transplant for her ailing 17-year-old cat, Stanley. As a condition of the $19,000 surgery, she also adopted the kidney donor, a 2-year-old tabby named Jay, bringing the total number of felines in her household to six. Both cats are thriving post-surgery — but if Stanley were tragically to die tomorrow, Boyd said she would have no regrets. “He’s on immunosuppressant drugs, so he could get an infection,” she said. “Anything could happen. If Stan did pass away sooner rather than later, I’d know I had done what I could for him. We’ve already had a few really good weeks. He’s really happy, and that alone is worth the price.” Boyd isn’t independently wealthy. As a part-time member of the University of Baltimore’s creative writing faculty, she earns about $46,000 a year. Her husband, Michael Yockel is a freelance journalist and stay-at-home dad who cares for the couple’s twin sons, 3-year-old Texas and Miner. The couple bought their home in Baltimore’s Belair-Edson neighborhood for $95,000 — and paid cash. To read more on this story, click here:Baltimore Cat, 17, Has $19,000 Kidney Transplant
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The J.M. Smucker Company announced last week that it was recalling a number of popular pet food products after it was revealed that they may contain traces of a drug that is often used to euthanize animals. The drug, pentobarbital, does “not pose a threat to pet safety” in extremely low doses, but its mere presence is obviously a huge cause for concern. The company has published a list of all the dog food products affected by the recall, including varieties of wet canned dog food sold under a number of different brand names. The brands, which include Gravy Train, Kibbles ‘N Bits, Ol’ Roy, and Skippy, are sold in a number of different can sizes and flavors. You can read the full list below. To read more on this story, click here:Dog Food Recall: Here Are All the Brands and Products Being Withdrawn
