The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Seal Slaps Kayaker with Octopus in Viral GoPro Video


A kayaker in New Zealand has become a viral sensation after a seal slapped him the face with an octopus. A GoPro video camera captured the whole odd ordeal.

Kyle Mulinder was kayaking with friends off the coast of Kaikoura, New Zealand, when he felt the big wet slap in the face and realized it was an octopus that was whipped at him by a seal. 

"Out of nowhere, it literally rose from the depths, as it was mid-fight, thrashed it around, and the rest is history," Mulinder told Australia's Network 10 News. Video of the chance encounter was shared on social media and quickly went viral.

Mulinder said he instantly got attention for the video, and was recognized while he was on his way to the Network 10 interview. "My Uber driver who just brought us here just goes 'you're the guy, you're the octopus guy'," Mulinder told Network 10.

To read more, and see the video, click here: Seal Slaps Kayaker with Octopus in Viral GoPro Video





FOLLOW US!
/

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Do Cats Wear Muzzles? - Yes, But Only for Temporary Use


Unruly cats are a danger, and while controlling them is never easy, there is something that can help. Cat muzzles can help protect the handler of an aggressive cat from bites, though they are not 100% protection. Aspen Cat Muzzles come in three different sizes, and finding the right size is the key. They can be a useful tool, but require some caution, depending on the level of aggression of the cat.

Cat Muzzle - Vet’s Advice on Cat Muzzles

What is a cat muzzle? 

A cat muzzle is a device that goes around a cats face used to prevent them from biting. It is primarily used in veterinary hospitals to prevent cats from biting when they are in pain or when they acting aggressive.

For people at home, muzzling a cat can be a very difficult thing to do. Cats typically do not like things on their face and will try to paw it off as soon as the muzzle was placed on. There are commercially available cat muzzles that prevent the cat from biting. The best type of cat muzzle is one that covers the eyes as well as the mouth. This can sometimes calm the cat if he/she cannot see. Muzzles are only for temporary use and you must watch your cat closely and be ready to remove the muzzle immediately if the cat starts to vomit or has difficulty breathing.

A cat muzzle can be a part of a first aid kit for cats or something to carry in your trunk along with a towel and a cat carrier. A cat muzzle can come in very handy if you happen upon an injured cat that is in pain in order to take him for help.

If you are looking to buy a cat muzzle, buy the type that does cover the eyes as this can be soothing. The style that is nylon, machine washable, with an adjustable Velcro closure seems to work very well. It should also have a good hole by the snout area that allows your cat to breath. After you place the cat muzzle on a cat, make sure the nostrils can be seen, and thus your cat can breathe, with the cat muzzle on.

FOLLOW US!
/

Mother Tells Courageous Story About Dog Bite Responsibility - If You Have Dogs and Children, This is a Must Read!


I came across this story in a Facebook post this morning, and the woman that wrote it is asking people to share it, so that’s why it’s being duplicated here.

This woman is to be commended for being so courageous and open with her experience.

She says:

I do not have a blog. If I did I would post this there, as this will be lengthy. I keep things here on Facebook pretty light and post about my crazy, funny family life. I am posting this for 2 reasons. First, I see more and more pictures of babies with their pups. I am absolutely not saying there is anything wrong with that… I do it, too. Second, I am noticing my son being more and more aggressive with Daphne, our amazing white lab.

Putting together these pictures and writing this post brings up so many emotions that I really never wanted to feel again. I have realized, that when faced with it, the pain never goes away, ever. I can put myself in that hospital again in my mind like it was happening now. It’s a horrible, heart wrenching feeling.

Our gorgeous Scrappy suffered constantly from ear infections. This we knew. We have a pool and there was no way to keep him out, he loves to swim. Oftentimes I would come home and he would be alone just doing laps… So funny!! He was on meds for his ear infections but I became lazy on taking him to the vet which seemed like constantly. I started splitting his pills in half so they would last longer. Why? To save a buck? Shame, shame, shame on me!! I assumed he learned to live with the pain… I mean, why keep swimming? He was a smart dog!

THIS WAS/IS THE SWEETEST DOG ON THE PLANET!!

Hey, I consider myself pretty sweet too but I snap on occasion.

I was not home when this happened, I was on a shoot. I got a call from Tom saying he was on his way to the hospital, he told me what happened. I could not understand? I got in my car and drove. I don’t think I said a word to Britt, who was with me. My mind was numb. When we got to the hospital Brittany was ahead of me when walking into the room. She tried to stop me from entering. I have never felt that kind of pain in my heart, never. It is a different kind of pain when it is your child. The pain was crippling, hurt me to the core. When they stitched up Zach I had to leave the room because they had 2 nurses holding him down and the doctor straddled over him. I seriously thought I was going to faint. Daddy was with him, Zach was not alone.

Zach was playing with Scrappy… Sitting on him and reached forward and grabbed both of his ears, hard. Scrappy snapped. In about 5 seconds he ripped my son’s face to shreds. It was knee jerk. Kind of like when someone steps on your broken foot, you lash out.

Dogs can’t yell, they can’t curse you out or say ‘OUCH!!’ It was a knee jerk reaction from the sweetest Golden Retriever that would actually die for Zach. It just happened.

When we came home from the hospital I went to the backyard and looked at him and just cried… He cried, too. He felt awful, I know he did.

Because the hospital considered this a mauling, it was reported and he was to be put down. Within 24 hours animal control was at our door for quarantine. He did his 14 days. In the meantime my mom, who happened to own property in Texas at the time (but lives here), made a massive plea and campaign to keep him alive and she would take him to Texas (he is with her still). This was granted.

I can’t tell you enough how this was such a blow to our family because Scrappy was family, he was not just our ‘family dog.’

I am sharing these pictures after all of these years because if your animal is trying to tell you something, please listen. If your dog swims regularly there is a good chance they will have ear infections. Be proactive, listen to their eyes… They really want to tell you.

I LOVE my pets so much and I have learned so much by this experience. I ask, no I beg, that you share this because I wish I would have paid closer attention. Please, take your pets to the vet, the clinic. Anywhere where they can get the help they need because they do love you so much.


Please Share!


FOLLOW US!
/

“Can I Bring My Dog?” The Most Dog-Friendly Stores Across America


Dog people are doing more and more to make their pets comfortable, from booking a loving pet sitter to making homemade treats. Bringing their dog along to the store is a natural extension of the dog-centric lifestyle! Shopping with a friend is more fun than shopping alone, period.

However, it can be hard to tell what a store’s dog policy is (and it often varies by location). For example, is Target dog-friendly? Their mascot may be the beautiful bull terrier Bullseye, but they’re a staunch “service dog-only” environment (along with Sears, Staples, and others). Thankfully, dog-friendly stores are increasing in number.

FOR DOG PEOPLE | By James Harleman
“Can I Bring My Dog?” The Most Dog-Friendly Stores Across America
 This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.
Dog people are doing more and more to make their pets comfortable, from booking a loving pet sitter to making homemade treats. Bringing their dog along to the store is a natural extension of the dog-centric lifestyle! Shopping with a friend is more fun than shopping alone, period.

However, it can be hard to tell what a store’s dog policy is (and it often varies by location). For example, is Target dog-friendly? Their mascot may be the beautiful bull terrier Bullseye, but they’re a staunch “service dog-only” environment (along with Sears, Staples, and others). Thankfully, dog-friendly stores are increasing in number.

Note: due to regulation, grocery stores aren’t dog-friendly and food-serving establishments typically don’t allow dogs indoors. If you want to dine out with your dog, look for a location with a patio. Many restaurants welcome dogs in their outdoor spaces. Consider the Starbucks dog policy. Though Starbucks doesn’t allow dogs inside stores, they welcome dogs outside—and even offer them a tasty “puppuccino” if you ask!

Now, let’s talk dog-friendly shopping.

To read more on this story, click here: “Can I Bring My Dog?” The Most Dog-Friendly Stores Across America


FOLLOW US!
/

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Arms And Legs Lost To A Canine Infection, Says He’ll “Always Love Dogs!”


So it was a little while back we heard about a guy who lost his hands and legs after he contracted an infection, in a very rare case, but after it all, he says something truly amazing…

Even after he lost his arms and legs because of the infection that ravaged him came from the result of a dog licking him, he says that nothing will keep him away from dogs!

The guy, Greg Manteufel, said: – “I can’t just stop liking dogs because this happened … I’ll always love dogs.”

The moments leading up to when he arrived in hospital, in Wisconsin’s Froedtert Hospital in the June of this year, were quite scary indeed.

To read more on this story, click here: Arms And Legs Lost To A Canine Infection, Says He’ll “Always Love Dogs!”





FOLLOW US!
/

Children's Author, Julia Heckathorn’s Pet Kangaroo Wears Clothes and Teaches Children About Nature


Julia Heckathorn, 28, adopted two-year-old Boomeroo, a kangaroo from a farm in Texas, when she was just 3 weeks old.  The pair have been inseparable ever since.

Boomeroo wears human clothing and lets out an excited squeak whenever Julia walks into a room. She says that Boomeroo loves to cuddle.

Julia is a children's author and takes Boomeroo with her whenever she visits a school. She hopes this will help teach the students more about nature.

She says Boomeroo loves to wear clothes and  has a wardrobe full of tops and dresses, that she purchased from baby stores.

Boomeroo got so big that they had to  built a temperature controlled barn in their garden. She sleeps with the other animals, an anteater, named Noche, four sugar glider possums, and a cat, named Larry.

Although Boomeroo sleeps in the barn at night, she spends her days hopping around the house and garden with Larry. She loves staring out the window, and sleeping and sleeping at Julia's feet while she writes.

"When Boomeroo was younger I used to carry her around in a bag with me to the supermarket so she could get used to seeing people," she said.

"She follows me everywhere. When she sees me, she makes this little sound, like an excited chortle, just as kangaroos would do in the wild to locate their mothers," she said.

Describing the kangaroo's love of human attire, she said: "When we first got Boomeroo, she was wearing a little shirt and has worn clothes ever since. The clothes give her comfort as a thunder shirt would give comfort to a dog."

Kangaroos are social animals, living in groups called mobs, so when Boomeroo was a joey, Juila also adopted Larry the cat, to give her 24-hour companionship.

Talking about the animals' unorthodox friendship, she said: "Boomeroo and Larry get along very well.  They are now the best of friends, and do everything together. They eat grass, lay together, and watch the birds. It's adorable."

Julia said that whenever she visits a school with one of her unusual animals, the childrens eyes, light up with excitement, and they become more interested in learning about conservation.


















FOLLOW US!
/

A Young Two-Headed Eastern Copperhead Was Found in Northern Virginia


A young two-headed Eastern Copperhead was found in Northern Virginia. The finder emailed the Virginia Herpetological Society for identification; DGIF was then alerted and the state herpetologist picked up the snake. This week, he brought it to the Wildlife Center for radiographs. Dr. Ernesto [who is a big fan of venomous snakes] examined the baby copperhead.

It appears as though the left head is more dominant – it’s generally more active and responsive to stimulus. Radiographs revealed that the two-headed snake has two tracheas [the left one is more developed], two esophaguses [the right one is more developed], and the two heads share one heart and one set of lungs. Based on the anatomy, it would be better for the right head to eat, but it may be a challenge since the left head appears more dominant.

Wild two-headed snakes are extremely rare – they just don’t live that long. The herpetologist will continue monitoring the snake; if it survives, it will likely be placed in an educational facility.

Please note: This snake is not currently at the Wildlife Center of Virginia; it's in the care of the state herpetologist.

FOLLOW US!
/

Federal Judge Restores Endangered Species Protection To Yellowstone-Area Grizzlies


A federal judge on Monday restored endangered species protection to about 700 grizzly bears living in or around Yellowstone National Park just days before Wyoming and Idaho were set to allow the hunting of nearly two dozen of the animals.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen voided a 2017 decision by the Fish and Wildlife Service to delist the grizzlies, which had been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1975. He said his order was “not about the ethics of hunting,” but he sided with environmental and tribal groups who argued FWS had failed to consider how removing protections from Yellowstone’s grizzlies would affect the recovery of bears living in other parts of the country.

“By delisting the Greater Yellowstone grizzly without analyzing how delisting would affect the remaining members of the lower-48 grizzly designation, the Service failed to consider how reduced protections in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem would impact the other grizzly populations,” Christensen wrote. “Thus, the Service ‘entirely failed to consider an important aspect of the problem.’”

To read more on this story, click here: Federal Judge Restores Endangered Species Protection To Yellowstone-Area Grizzlies

FOLLOW US!
/