Backyard chickens and other poultry can carry germs such as Salmonella. After you touch a bird, or anything in the area where birds live and roam, wash your hands so you don’t get sick! Owning backyard chickens and other poultry can be a great experience. However, children and other groups of people have a greater chance of illness from handling live poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam. Even handling baby birds displayed at stores can cause a Salmonella infection. There Are Many Ways You Can Get Salmonella from Live Poultry Live poultry might have Salmonella germs in their droppings and on their bodies (feathers, feet, and beaks), even when they appear healthy and clean. The germs can get on cages, coops, feed and water dishes, hay, plants, and soil in the area where the birds live and roam. Germs also can get on the hands, shoes, and clothes of people who handle or care for the birds. People become infected with Salmonella germs when they put their hands or equipment that has been in contact with live poultry in or around their mouth. Young children are more likely to get sick because their immune systems are still developing and they are more likely to put their fingers or pacifiers and other items into their mouths. People who have contact with items, like coops or water dishes, in the area where poultry live can get sick without actually touching one of the birds. Germs on your hands can spread easily to other people or surfaces, which is why it’s important to wash hands immediately with soap and water after touching poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam. To read more on this story, click here:Keeping Backyard Chickens and Other Poultry
We all know dogs communicate by smell, but they're not the only one. Smells have a powerful effect on humans—though we are often unaware of how they impact us. Part of the problem is that it's easy to get used to smells. The first week on a new block, the smell of your neighborhood bakery is overwhelming. Pretty soon though, you don't notice the smell. But then you come home after a vacation, and BAM. You smell the fresh bread. Whether it's incense, fresh cut grass, your cat's litter box, or maybe even your dogs… Smells lose their power over time. If you've stopped noticing smells at home, it's safe to say that you're used to your animal shelter or doggy daycare smelling like, well, animals. But what about your customers or potential adopters? What does that smell say to them? What Does Your Kennel's Smell Say to Pet Parents & Potential Adopters? To get the lowdown on what customers care about, we read dozens of Yelp and Facebook reviews of animal shelters, veterinary offices, dog daycares, animal shelters and rescues. The quotes published here, are direct from these reviews, but without names and other identifying features. To read more on this story, click here:Smell Ya Later? The Secret to Repeat Customers for Kennels
When it comes to dogs, owners sometimes have tunnel vision, seeing the world only from the perspective of their own dog or their own dog-training experience. This often leads to owners tossing out sentences that, in an ideal world, would never be uttered. Yet these words are clues to a bigger issue, or a situation that's about to become an issue, including not fully understanding dog behavior, social cues, body language, or simply good manners toward other dogs and dog owners. Training yourself is the the most productive strategy for improving the behavior of your dog -- as well as other dogs that your dog socializes with -- because you are such a big influencer of behavior, even when you don't realize you're influencing your dog's actions. Dr. Patricia McConnell writes in her book "The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs," "Focusing on the behavior at our end of the leash isn't a new concept in dog training. Most professional dog trainers actually spend very little time working with other people's dogs; most of our time is spent training humans. Take it from me, we're not the easiest species on the block to train." But it doesn't have to feel daunting. Training yourself can become easier if you're truly seeing your thought process about your own dog and dogs you pass on the street. Once you recognize how you think about them, you can more easily influence what you think about them. And once you do that, better interactions will follow. To read more on this story, click here: 11 Things Dog Owners Should Never Say
The Perceval family love their pet cat, Tiffany. But she’s not priceless. In fact, she’s worth her weight in Tiffany’s jewelry: $140,000, to be exact. No kitten around. The Percevals auctioned their five-bedroom Glen Iris home of 19 years on Saturday. The property was passed in at $2,060,000. And it was then, as real estate agent Glen Coutinho negotiated to try to close a deal, that a cat clause entered the sales contract. Mr Coutinho, of RT Edgar, said that a child of one of the bidders had fallen in love with Tiffany during the inspections of the home. “Tiffany decided she would sit on the couch,” Fran Perceval told the Herald Sun. “People would come through, and she’d observe them and be patted. “She loved all the attention — she does look a bit ornamental,” she said. Ms Perceval had even jokingly suggested to Mr Coutinho that Tiffany could be included in the sale, because after all “she believes the house is her property”. To read more on this story, click here:Tiffany The Cat Is Worth $140,000. No Kitten Around
We're not really sure, but it must not have been that important because it stopped in the middle of an intersection in San Diego to apparently scratch its back. Officers were called to the intersection of Garrison and Rosecrans streets, about a block and a half from a marina, around 3:30 p.m. to find the seal laying on its back in the roadway blocking traffic. It was in no apparent hurry to clear the intersection despite the row of cars waiting for their right of way. A SeaWorld San Diego crew arrived a short time later and trapped the sea lion in a net and loaded it into a cage. People on the street were heard on video singing Seal's "Kiss From a Rose" as the scene unfolded.. SeaWorld Senior Animal Care Specialist Heather Armentrout said the female sea lion didn't appear to have any injuries but did say it was odd for her to be in the street. She was taken back to SeaWorld where the staff was going to check her out with plans of releasing her to the ocean, Armentrout said. Armentrout said she's taken part in sea lion rescues in city streets before but has never seen one that far inland. No other information was available.
Sphynxes love everyone; while they seem to enjoy human attention, they love the company of other cats, dogs, even little gray aliens. Back in 1974 singer Ray Stevens recorded “The Streak” about well, streakers. For the under 50-crowd, streakers are people who pranked by shedding their clothes and running through crowds. They put it all out there for everyone to see. Stevens could have written his entertaining ditty about the Sphynx, a unique, hairless breed of cat who looks like the product of mating between a domestic cat and an extraterrestrial gray. Almost a decade before Stevens wrote his song, a black and white cat in Toronto had the same idea. In 1966, Elizabeth, a Domestic Shorthair, gave birth to a bald kitten named Prune. While rare, the birth of kittens in the buff have been reported all over the world as early as 1830. A breeding program began around Prune. To increase the depth of the gene pool, breeders of the bare-naked kitties outcrossed their domestic no-hairs with American Shorthairs, Domestic Shorthairs, and Devon Rex. And the rest, as they say, is history. In 2002, Sphynx were accepted by the Cat Fanciers Association for competition in the Championship class. Personality Alien or not, Sphynxes love everyone. They seem to prefer human attention but enjoy the company of other cats, dogs, little gray aliens, everyone. It’s a good thing they have so many friends. These kitties need help staying warm and will get cold easily without blankets or sweaters. Being cold-natured, they enjoy a nice warm lap and burrowing under the covers. These little extroverts will also curl up with up with the dog if they get chilly. As innovative as they are, they’re not a great choice for homes with thermostats that hover at 68 degrees. To read more on this story, click here: Get to Know the Sphynx: The Naked Aliens of the Cat World
Tesla already has a feature to prevent its electric car interiors from overheating. Not everyone knows that, though, and that's a problem when people may call the cops or break into your ride to rescue a pet that's actually quite safe. You might not have to post a please-don't-worry sign on your window for much longer, however. Elon Musk has signaled that he'll implement a "dog mode" in future Tesla software that would tell passers-by not to panic. While he only just agreed to the idea (it's likely a long way off), it could include both a message and the current cabin temperature to assuage jittery humans. To read more on this story, click here: Tesla's Future 'Dog Mode' Would Prevent Humans From Panicking
FOLLOW US!
Those colorful fish you frequently see in large ponds in Japanese restaurants or shopping areas are becoming increasingly popular as the centerpiece of a backyard garden. The brightly-colored fish are called Koi, and they are the result of selective breeding of German and Asian carp. If you are considering installing a Koi pond, you should first study how to raise Koi. 1 - Select a proper pond. You can purchase a Koi pond made of several different materials from pet stores or Koi specialty retailers. A good rule of thumb is that the Koi pond measurements should be at least 3 feet (0.914 m) deep and contain 300 gallons (1136 liters) per fish. You may want to get a larger pond than you need right away, so that you can add additional fish later. To read more on this story, click here: How to Raise Koi
FOLLOW US!
Quentin, the dog who came out alive from the St. Louis gas chamber for dogs, has died, according to a tweet from his owner, Randy Grim. Grim, founder of Stray Rescue, on Twitter said he was saying goodbye “to a legend, my best friend, my kid. Love you Quentin forever.” Quentin was the only survivor among eight dogs that were being euthanized at the St. Louis city pound’s gas chamber one day in 2003. An Aug. 10, 2003, story said the owners had dropped Quentin off at the city animal shelter, saying they were moving to an apartment that didn’t allow pets. Eight days later, “Workers tranquilized eight dogs, including Quentin, and placed them in an airtight box. They pumped in carbon monoxide. Fifteen minutes passed. Seven dogs succumbed. Quentin, for reasons that experts can only guess at, survived with no ill effects.” To read more on this story, click here: Quentin,The Dog Who Survived The Gas Chamber At The St. Louis Dog Pound, Dies
A deep-sea swimming sea cucumber has been filmed in the Southern Ocean off East Antarctica for the first time. Real name Enypniastes eximia, commonly known as the "headless chicken sea monster", the creature had previously only been filmed in the Gulf of Mexico. Data from the underwater cameras will be fed back to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, the international body managing the Southern Ocean.
FOLLOW US!
Pekin ducks are a large-breed, white dabbling duck that was domesticated over 2000 years ago. Although the location is often disputed, all agree it was probably somewhere in Southeast Asia. By using selective breeding habits, these birds were bred to produce bigger eggs, more meat, and to have a visual appearance that appeases the eye. Since then, Pekins have become one of the most common production ducks in the world today! In general, a Pekin is a big, white duck with an orange beak that is a hearty, friendly bird. These ducks were bred specifically for meat and egg production but have become almost synonymous with the word duck today. These calm-natured ducks are a little bit skittish but make excellent pets due to their unique personalities and overall durability. Raising Pekins is easier than raising most any other breed of domestic duck because of their strong immune systems and ability to survive in extreme conditions. What Does a Duck Eat? Ducks are scavengers and they will eat just about anything that will fit into their mouths. To get the maximum lifespan from this feathered creature, help it eat healthily. Although ducks will not overeat, they will devour unhealthy junk food. So what do ducks eat? In the wild, depending on the time of year and location, ducks eat a wide variety of things. These little guys can eat so many things the list is just too big to list, so here are a few random healthier items to help you get an idea of how broad a wild duck's typical diet is. Ducks eat aquatic things like fish, frogs, and algae. They also eat nuts, berries, seeds, and forage. Even worms, crickets flies, and mosquitos are on the menu. To read more on this story, click here:Everything You Need to Know About Pekin Ducks
It’s a case of life imitating art ― wildlife, that is. Nature photographer Dafna Ben Nun was in Zimbabwe when she saw something straight out of a movie: “The Lion King,” to be exact. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw an adult baboon holding a baby, looking exactly like Simba in ‘The Lion King,’” she told Caters News Agency. “It was just a split second, but it was fascinating to watch.” Nun said the baboons were all in the same group, so no harm was done to any of them. She posted the photo Wednesday on Facebook. To read more on this story, and see the video, click here: Baboon In Zimbabwe Holds Infant Just Like Rafiki In ‘Lion King’ It’s The Circle of Life
You're walking in your grandmother's backyard, approaching a creek you played in during your childhood. You're with your dog, and nostalgia hits you sweet and salty like an ocean breeze. Then, suddenly, you notice something is off. In fact, you notice the head of some animal rearing out of the water, an animal taller than you are. Your pupils dilate. You want to screech in fear. It's a 200+ pound six-foot-five kangaroo, just taking a bath in your grandma's creek. Jackson from Perth sighted the animal at 11:30 am: "I have been going to that creek since I was a little boy and there have always been kangaroos on the property. I was walking my dog and we saw this huge roo standing in the water. I have never seen a kangaroo standing in the water like that, we could just see his head at first, and he was one of the biggest I have ever seen. "As I ran around him to take a picture he came closer and that was when I realised he was coming right at me and he was really big. I am pretty confident around animals but the moment when he started to come out of the water my heart definitely jumped and I decided to take a few steps back. He looked to be at least two metres (6ft 5in) tall, or taller, and must have weighed at least 100 kg (16st)." U wot, m8? "He had a really big body and was taller than me. There are a lot of roos at my grandma's place but I have never seen one that muscular before - he was a big macho male. I decided to get Dharma out of there as we thought the kangaroo was going to lure him into the water to drown him. To read more on this story, click here:Man Stumbles Upon Gigantic Muscular Kangaroo Bathing in Australian Creek
Cardiac arrest (also known as cardiopulmonary arrest or circulatory arrest) occurs when normal blood circulation ceases due to the heart's inability to contract (heart failure). Like many other body systems, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems work in a coordinated fashion. Therefore, if a dog fails to breathe for more than six minutes, it can lead to heart failure and cardiac arrest -- both of which can be fatal. Cardiac arrest can occur in dogs of any age, sex, or breed. Symptoms and Types
Blood circulation may remain intact if the animal resumes breathing within four minutes of the initial problem. However, if it lasts longer than six minutes it can lead to cardiac arrest. Common symptoms associated with this emergency include: To read more on this story, click here:Cardiac Arrest in Dogs
FOLLOW US!
