Cuddly pets? No, meerkats are savage little home wreckers: Thanks to THAT ad, meerkats have become trendy pets. But as these owners reveal, they're not as cute as they look... Bedtime in Kimmy Rudland’s house is a hectic affair. When the 27-year-old from Ipswich slides under her duvet, she allows her pet meerkats Lawrence and Lola to join her for a cuddle and catch up on a bit of TV before they turn in. Reclining against her linen sheets, or standing transfixed in front of a cartoon, their native African desert seems a very long way away. For Kimmy, who lives with parents Debbie and Mark, it’s always a special time. ‘Lola enjoys cuddling up with me but Lawrence is usually dashing all over the place playing with tassels on clothes or curtains and digging holes in the cushions and carpets. He tips the bin over as meerkats are very food-orientated and he runs out of the door when you open it. He’s very mischievous. ‘Their favourite programmes are anything to do with animals. They love watching Crufts and cartoons. But Lawrence hates anything with a jingle and will run off if he hears one. He saw the comparethemarket.com advert for the first time recently and was terrified. But they both seem fascinated by the little baby meerkat Oleg.’ The irony is not lost on Kimmy. The insurance advert featuring Aleksandr Orlov, the Russian meerkat puppet, is responsible for one of the most successful — some might argue annoying — marketing campaigns of all time. Since hitting TV screens in January 2009, Aleksandr and his six relatives have featured in 25 commercials. The latest one stars the impossibly cute baby meerkat Oleg on safari in Africa. To read more on this story, click here:Cuddly Pets? No, Meerkats Are Savage Little Home Wreckers
Belogorsk, Crimea - Three cubs of the rare white bengal tiger born in a Crimean safari park were shown to the public. Born in early October, the cubs were still not able to open their eyes and squeaked as they tried to crawl on the park grass. The Crimean safari park chief zookeeper said the birth of the blue-eyed bengal tiger triplets was an important contribution to the park's collection, which also helps saving the animals from extinction. Two of the cubs are male, and one female. The zookeeper reports that the little ones are developing really well. White tigers are a genetic variation of the better-known orange bengal tigers. Between 5000 and 7000 tigers live in the wild, down from 100,000 at the start of the 20th-century. Poaching, deforestation and over-hunting of their natural prey have hit their numbers. The peninsula of Crimea is recognized internationally as part of Ukraine, although it has been largely integrated into Russia after Moscow annexed the territory in 2014.
WARNING: The images in this story show deceased animals, which may be upsetting to some. An animal shelter president is in jail for killing more than 2,000 animals. She killed them in order to save money, even using a lower dosage of the euthanization drug to cut costs, cruelly extending their discomfort before death. The president was helped by the janitor, and they tried their best to cover up their crimes. In front of disconnected security cameras, investigators found large speakers pushed into place. They believe they were used to play loud music to help drown out the animals’ howls while they were being killed. Carmen Marin Aguilar, former president of the Paraque Animal Centre in Torremolinos, on the Costa del Sol, will spend the next 3 years and 9 months behind bars after being found guilty of animal abuse and falsifying professional documents. To read more on this story, click here:Animal Shelter President Jailed After Killing Over 2,000 Animals
Allison Cederberg and Zero Tolerance didn’t start off as the perfect pair, but you wouldn’t know that watching them top the $10,000 WIHS Adult Amateur Hunter Championship. You also wouldn’t know it was their first time ever contesting the Washington International Horse Show, as Cederberg and “Zero” looked like they’d been riding in the Capital One Arena all their lives. “It’s my first year really doing the indoors,” Cederberg, 22, said. “I’d done [the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in] Harrisburg before, but this is my first year doing Capital Challenge (Maryland), Harrisburg, and Washington. My horse was just amazing; he’s incredible, and it’s amazing to get to be here.” Cederberg, Fort Collins, Colorado, went late in the order for the first round, which saw multiple riders struggle at the last line. It wasn’t encouraging to see two horses eliminated and a handful of others rack up refusals. Cederberg and Zero—a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Roven—Kim)—have been together for six years, and the strength of their relationship helped carry them through to a strong first-place finish in the first round. To read more on this story, click here:Cederberg And Zero Tolerance Have Zero Fear In WIHS Adult Hunter Championship
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Louisiana resident Stephanie Morse treats chickens like family, and like any other family member, Morse’s chickens get costumes every Halloween. "Their bare skin is exposed, I just like to put a sweater on them to keep them warm and comfortable, and some of them have more personality," Morse told CBS affiliate KNOE-TV. But people like Morse are being told not to trick-or-treat with their chickens this Halloween. The CDC is asking pet owners to refrain from dressing up their chickens this year due to a particular strain of salmonella. At least 92 people in 29 states have been infected with a strain of multidrug-resistant salmonella after coming into contact with raw chicken products. No deaths have been reported, but 21 of the sick patients have been hospitalized. The CDC warned that people could be infected by handling live chickens. When dressing a chicken, whether in a Halloween costume or a sweater, it is easier for a person to come into contact with harmful bacteria that live on poultry, including salmonella. The agency also warns, "Don't kiss your birds or snuggle them and then touch your face or mouth." Despite this, Morse said that her chickens will continue to strut their stuff.
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The Washington Capitals will be on their western Canadian road trip this week against the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames. Taking their place at Capital One Arena will be the 60th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) which runs from Oct. 23-28. And this year there will be a special nod to the Caps and their Stanley Cup win. David Lauinger, an equestrian designer also in charge of installing and overseeing the footing at the horse show, designed a Capitals-themed horse jump. Yes, horses will be jumping over crossed hockey sticks and giant pucks adorned with the Capitals logo. On the outside wings of the jump, or standards, are two replica Stanley Cups. The jump, which is approximately six feet tall, won’t be used in any official competition, but it will be used during the jumper classes held by WIHS this week. To read more on this story, click here: There Will Be a Stanley Cup-themed Horse Jump at the Washington International Horse Show This Week
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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
