Video: Sleepy Baby Sloth

When it comes to tired baby animals, the sloth is king.
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The Bad Foods For Dogs List

This page is a list of common foods that are bad or poisonous for your dog. If you suspect that your dog might have eaten any food that might be toxic, contact his/her vet immediately.

Rare white lions on public view

The first white lion cubs to be born at a UK safari park are going on public view in the West Midlands.

The cubs, three females and one male called Kiara, Lara, Toto and Casper, were born in August last year.

They were bred at the West Midland Safari Park near Bewdley, Worcs, to mother Maryn who was brought to the park in 2004 with three others.

White lions are a rare species found in an area of South Africa. There are thought to be 130 left in the world.
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Fear-mongering about wolves not based in science

Despite generations of us raised on "Little Red Riding Hood," wolves are fascinating animals that almost never attack humans. Yes, they'll follow you at a distance across a frozen lake. They'll kill and eat domestic livestock. They'll kill pets and the loose-running dogs of Wisconsin bear hunters.

It's not inconceivable that a healthy, wild wolf would attack a human being. But the few documented cases of attacks on humans nearly always involved either rabid wolves or those habituated to human contact at campgrounds or garbage dumps. In Minnesota, wolves have had hundreds - probably thousands - of chances to attack humans and have not done so.

The only case in Minnesota even resembling a wolf attack occurred many years ago. A man hunting rabbits, wearing a coat well-anointed with buck scent from deer season, was jumped from behind by a wolf. The man fired a shot from his .22-caliber rifle.

"The wolf appeared to come to its senses and fled, leaving the hunter with a long scratch," wrote Minnesota wolf researcher L. David Mech.

Juneau predator catches and releases pet pug

A lone, black wolf that Juneau residents have dubbed "Romeo" appears to have lost its fear of humans, prompting officials to set up signs reminding people to keep their distance from the wild animal.

The wolf has been spotted on several occasions attempting to "play" with dogs and people on and around frozen Mendenhall Lake, one of his haunts, the Juneau Empire reported.

Recent pictures circulating locally by e-mail show Romeo getting acquainted with a few local dogs, including a small, light-colored pug.

In one shot, he's making off with the pug as if it were a rabbit. Subsequent photos show the pug squirming on the ice after he's been released. The little dog suffered no apparent harm.
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Wallaby Captured In SoCal Back Home In Oroville

It was the Wallaby capture seen around the world.

Last week, television helicopter crews hovered as animal control officers in Southern California cornered what looked like a kangaroo in someone's backyard.

Turns out, it's a wallaby and the lost little guy lives in Oroville.

Walter the wallaby is the pet of Oroville resident Banti Baker. "He's the love of my life" Banti told CBS13.

She's been raising wallabies them for 25 years.. But Walter escaped when Baker left him with a friend in Southern California.

And that's when Walter became worldwide news as television crews covered his capture and aired the 911 tapes from worried residents.

Stowaway squirrel grounds jet

An American Airlines flight made an unscheduled landing after pilots heard something skittering about in the wire-laden space over the cockpit.

The airline blamed the emergency landing of the Tokyo-Dallas flight with 202 passengers on a stowaway squirrel.

"You do not want a varmint up in the wiring areas and what-have-you on an airplane. You don't want anything up there," said John Hotard, spokesman for the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline.

He said pilots feared the animal would chew through wiring or cause other problems.

"So, as a precaution, we diverted," Hotard said.

Once on the ground late Friday, the Boeing 777's human passengers were put up in hotel rooms and later rebooked on other flights.

State and federal agriculture and wildlife officials boarded the plane, set traps and captured the eastern gray squirrel.

Red Panda, Ailurus fulgens

The Red Panda, Ailurus fulgens, also known as the Lesser Panda, Bear Cat or Fire Fox, is a mostly herbivorous mammal, slightly larger than a domestic cat.
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Zoos Offer Romantic Sex Tours For Couples

Valentine's Day is the time of year when zoos around the nation seek to woo a new adult audience with risque tours that couple champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries and candlelight dining with impressive facts about how animals do the wild thing.

Credit for the concept goes to Jane Tollini, a former penguin keeper at the San Francisco Zoo. Tollini conceived the idea two decades ago while watching her penguins' courtship ritual, which culminates in what she describes as "bowling pins making love."

"The keepers get there early and we see things that other people don't see," Tollini said. "And I went, 'My God, that's fascinating.' You know the old Peter Sellers line, 'I like to watch?' You kind of go, 'Oh my, my, my. How big? How many? How far?' It was unbelievable."

English springer spaniel is America's top dog

An English springer spaniel with a preference for chicken-and-garlic treats prevented America's top dog event from turning into The Cosby Show.

Diamond Jim jumped into handler Kellie Fitzgerald's arms after being picked for best in show Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club.

Dressed in a glittering copper top that perfectly matched her brown-and-white dog, Fitzgerald cuddled her 6-year-old certified therapy dog.

Diamond Jim beat out a Dandie Dinmont terrier co-owned by Bill Cosby, as he did at the big AKC/Eukanuba event in December. The springer was the nation's No. 2 show dog last year behind Cosby's entry – Fitzgerald also repeated, having gone best in show at Westminster in 2000.

Dancing Jellyfish

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Humane Solutions to Urban Wildlife Conflicts...

Whether you've found a bird with a broken wing, an orphaned baby squirrel, or have a wild animal taking up residence in your attic, we can help. Click on the links below for help with your situation.

• Click here if you have found an orphaned animal. Here you will find information to help you determine whether or not the animal you have found is really an orphan, and a listing of wildlife rehabilitators in your area if the animal is indeed in need of assitance.

• Click here if you have found an injured animal. Here you will find information on how to contain an injured wild animal, if it is safe to do so, as well as a full listing of wildlife rehabilitors in your area.

• Click here if you are experiencing a problem with a wild animal at your home or on your property. You will find detailed information on how to permanently and humanely resolve common urban wildlfe conflicts.

funny photos of dogs chewing up the house

Is your dog chewing up the house? You're not alone!

more ...
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California skunk leaves Canada after a long, strange trip to 'Oz'

A California skunk nicknamed Dorothy that hitched a ride aboard a commercial truck to Canada in late December is finally going home after a fantastic whirlwind tour, wildlife officials said.

The four-pound (1.8-kilogram) female had traveled nearly 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) in five days without food or water in a sealed container, arriving in Canada slightly dehydrated but otherwise unharmed.

Canadian wildlife authorities believe it fell asleep in a large rubber pipe that was loaded onto the big rig in Torrance, Calif., in late December.

The animal was dubbed Dorothy after Judy Garland's character in the 1939 movie "The Wizard of Oz" because it too "fell asleep and woke up in a strange land."

Civil War or Civility: How to Live with Urban Coyotes

If there is a born survivor among the mammals, it must be the coyote. This animal, after all, has thrived and expanded his range despite decades of devoted and remarkably wasteful federal efforts to eradicate him from the west. Once largely restricted to the open rural prairies, the coyote now exists in every state except Hawaii, and has even learned to coexist with humans in ever-expanding cities and towns.

Some people welcome this so-called invasion about as much as Atlanta welcomed Sherman, while others celebrate the ability of coyotes to survive in a hostile environment filled with buildings, fences, concrete, and cars. Community meetings—held when coyotes are observed in a neighborhood or a few cats mysteriously disappear— are usually divided into coyote lovers and coyote haters. Each side is fierce in its conviction that the coyotes must stay or go, although most of the time no one has accurate data on coyote behavior and myths are reported as fact.

Mutts are the new top dogs

Growing numbers of dog lovers are rejecting the pursuit of pedigrees to embrace instead what can only be called mongrels or mutts.

Short-haired or long, tiny or tall, mixed-breed dogs of uncertain background are enjoying unprecedented popularity.

"It's more fashionable to have a standard, old-fashioned mutt," says Michael Mountain of Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah, the USA's largest animal shelter. "The 'in' thing is not to have a very well-bred, very expensive dog."

Fashion maven Isaac Mizrahi, smitten owner of Harry, a probable golden retriever/border collie mix adopted from a New York shelter in 2000, says: "Mutts are like real couture. There are no two alike."

Well-heeled folks who 10 years ago would have strolled the streets with nothing less than a perfect, silky Afghan hound or Yorkshire terrier are proudly parading their dogs of indeterminate heritage about. Animal shelters report that mongrels are often adopted as quickly as purebreds these days.

Knoxville Zoo says they have hatched a spider tortoise

The Knoxville Zoo says it has become the first U.S. zoo to successfully breed Northern spider tortoises, a subspecies so rare they can no longer be exported from their native Madagascar off Africa's southeastern coast.

The first young tortoise hatched Dec. 23, and at 18 grams and an inch long is thriving. A second hatched Friday and five more eggs were in incubation.

They are the result of a courtship between a male acquired in 2004 and two females obtained in 1999 and 2005. There are only 12 adult males and 11 adult females in captivity in the United States at four zoos.
(photo credit)

Deer in the news

Doctor collides with a whitetail deer while skiing
A doctor ran into a deer while skiing in Maine during the month of January.

Iowa wildlife experts consider deer contraceptive
Iowa wildlife experts are looking into a new deer contraceptive that could curb the state's multimillion-dollar-a-year overpopulation.

Minesotta deer harvest second highest on record
Minnesota hunters harvested nearly 270,000 deer during 2006, the second highest deer harvest ever recorded, according to a final numbers announced by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Police seek men who beat deer to death
Police and conservation officers are looking for information about a sickening crime where two men beat a young, pregnant deer to death in the driveway of a Lakeview [Canada] home.

8-year-old hunter finds oddity in first deer of career
For Alex Lieb, 8, and his father Nick, a rarity showed up within the range of a crossbow. The four-pointer's antlers were covered in velvet. It was a female.

Deer jumps through a window into home
A deer bounded through a parlor window, hurdling a sofa and scrambling through the home before being wrestled into a bathroom and locked in.

And the bride and groom were smelly pigs

The bride was a real smelly porker and she wore pink.

Two Musk hogs were married in a lavish ceremony in Taiwan, with the blessings of a Catholic priest.

The bride and groom -- Huang Pu-pu and Shu Fu-ko -- wore tailor-made outfits for the nuptials that included wedding cake, portrait photographs, a marriage certificate and were sealed with a kiss.

Keeping these odorous pigs as pets has become all the rage in Taiwan as the country prepares to ring in the new lunar year, which has been dubbed the "Year of the Pig."

(photo credit)

Video: A baby penguin learning to walk

They start off by walking on their parent's feet.
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Crash victim says dog saved her life

A south Georgia woman bloodied in a car wreck says she owes her life to a German shepherd who – thankfully – just wouldn't stay in his yard.

Shannon Lorio says that after her car careened down an embankment, the wayward dog found her bruised and battered on the vehicle's trunk, pulled her by her shirt collar, dragged her about 50 yards through briars to a highway and let her lean against him so she could flag a passing motorist.

His new name: Hero.

''That dog is always going to have a special place in my heart,'' Lorio said Friday. ''He's my hero.''

Hero's previous owners have signed him over to the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society since the Jan. 26 accident because he kept wandering off.

He won't be in the shelter long: Not only have at least 50 people offered to adopt him, a dog trainer has agreed to see if he has the right stuff for search and rescue work.

Over 100 fossilised dinosaur eggs found in India

In a remarkable feat, three amateur explorers have stumbled upon more than 100 fossilised eggs of dinosaurs in Madhya Pradesh. The eggs, belonging to the Cretaceous Era (approximately 144 to 65 million years ago), have been discovered in Kukshi-Bagh area of Dhar district, some 150 kms south-west of Indore.

The rare find is a significant step in the study of the pre-historic life in Narmada Valley.

"All the eggs were discovered from a single nesting site in a start to end exploration for 18 hours at the site in Kukshi-Bagh area, 40 kms from Manavar. As many as 6-8 eggs were found per nests," an excited Vishal Verma of the Mangal Panchayatan Parishad, a group of amateur explorers, told Hindustan Times from near the site.

Faith the Dog

Faith is an incredible dog. She was born just before Christmas in 2002, and we were lucky enough to have her in our family just 3 short weeks later. She was born to a mother dog, believed to be nearly full blooded chow, along with several other siblings. Faith wasn't the only puppy born with deformities, but because "Princess", her mother, was not our dog, we are not sure of the exact number of puppies she gave birth to. It is certain, however, that Faith was the only puppy with deformities to live.

Video: Japan has baby animal boom

Newborn animals mesmerise visitors at a Tokyo zoo.

An unexpected "baby boom" at a Tokyo zoo attracts hoards of visitors, who have come to see the newborn koala, monkey, chimpanzee, giraffe, tiger and orangutan.

Leather Dog Sofa

This grand Leather Dog Sofa gives your four-legged friend the ultimate in sophisticated luxury. Now you won't have to share your sofa with your big collie or lab — here's his own deluxe version.

• Crafted of heavy-duty furniture-grade construction
• Sits on elegant hardwood feet
• Upholstered in rich chocolate brown leather
• Cushioned seat interior removes for washing

Large size = $699.00

Velour Sweatsuit for Dogs

Dress your posh pooch in trendsetting J.Lo + Madonna style with our fabulous Velour Sweatsuit.

Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007

Enter the competition

The search for the Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007 has began. All the information about the 2007 competition can be found here.

Closing date

Friday 30 March 2007 for online submission. Friday 23 March for postal submission.

New for 2007

£10,000 prize for the overall winner - Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
New categories, One Earth Award and Wild Choice.

2006 Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year - Overall Winner

Building a Stairway to Paradise, for Your Beloved Pet

The sky can be the limit when it comes to options for owners who want to give pets a proper send-off. There are more than 1,000 pet cemeteries across the United States, and many provide most everything from funeral services and customized burial sites to cremations and bereavement counseling. They also offer an array of items like urns, coffins, vaults and grave markers.

“We’ve always had strong affection for our pets, but in the past five to seven years marketers have really picked up on this,” said David Lummis, lead pet market analyst at Packaged Facts, a market research publisher based in New York. “They’ve taken the ball and run with it. What we’re seeing now — in all these humanized products, many of which have premium prices — is the sanctioning of treating pets like family.”

In 2005, revenue in the pet care service industry reached $18.2 billion (of which $13.2 billion was for veterinarian services alone) and is predicted to reach $25.3 billion by 2010, according to a report by Mr. Lummis.

Talking Fish: Wide Variety of Sounds Discovered

Increasingly scientists are discovering unusual mechanisms by which fish make and hear secret whispers, grunts and thumps to attract mates and ward off the enemy.

In just one bizarre instance, seahorses create clicks by tossing their heads. They snap the rear edge of their skulls against their star-shaped bony crests.

This and other discoveries made in recent years come as the focus on the sounds that fish make is growing beyond "really loud sounds that last a long time," fish behaviorist Timothy Tricas at the University of Hawaii at Manoa told LiveScience. "Seahorse clicks are brief, only about five to 20 milliseconds," he said.

Firefighters' latest gear: pet oxygen masks

Fire helmet? Check. Gloves? Check. Axe? Check. Pet oxygen masks? Check.

Increasingly, little oxygen masks for pets are becoming standard equipment for firefighters. Hoping to save cats, dogs and other pets caught in house fires, animal advocacy groups and pet-products suppliers are equipping departments all over the country with them.

The cone-shaped plastic masks, which come in three sizes and fit snugly on snouts, can resuscitate animals suffering from smoke inhalation. They can be used on dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, even birds.

"In the past, we used regular air masks like the firefighters use. In a pinch, it works," said Norman Flanders, fire chief in this small Vermont town, which was given a set of pet masks by a local animal welfare group Tuesday. "But these masks are designed specifically to fit over the muzzle of a cat or a dog."

Penguin a living 'piggy bank'

A Humboldt penguin at the Denver Zoo was getting ready to be shipped to another zoo, but the transfer was held up when veterinarians found coins in the bird's stomach.

Zoo officials said well-wishers toss coins into the penguin pond for good luck, but it's bad luck for the birds that can't differentiate a shiny coin from a shiny scaled fish and ingest them, causing stomach problems.

The adult female Humboldt, who was undergoing a wellness exam, had a blood test that indicated she had a dangerously high level of zinc in her system. Veterinarians had to remove the coins using an endoscope with a small net attached to ''scoop'' the coins from the bird's stomach.

Veterinarians successfully recovered 71 cents and pieces of a partially digested penny from the penguin's stomach. They said despite the inherent risks of any procedure involving anesthesia, the bird recovered fully and the levels of zinc in her blood have dropped back to normal.
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Pit bull found starving on Thanksgiving is now ready to be adopted

Tampa, Florida - Hillsborough County Animal Services says they have nursed a pit bull back to health and he is ready to be adopted.

Workers say they discovered the dog moments from death in the back yard of a Cherry Street home on Thanksgiving day. They have named him Pilgrim.

Officials say the dog was chained to the backyard fence and had not had food or water for several weeks.

Animal Abuse Investigator Corporal Angela Snyder was on holiday duty when Tampa Police called about the "skin and bones tied out back on Cherry Street." She arrived on scene and observed a dog-tethered, lateral, and motionless. Snyder contemplated arrangements to remove the lifeless body, but as she moved in closer, so did the dog's tail.

She rushed the dog to Hillsborough County Animal Services.

More Polar Bears Giving Birth on Land

Pregnant polar bears in Alaska, which spend most of their lives on sea ice, are increasingly giving birth on land, according to researchers who say global warming is probably to blame.

The study by three scientists for the U.S. Geological Survey suggests the state's bear population could be harmed if the climate continues to grow warmer. Though bears are powerful swimmers, at some point they might have to cross vast stretches of open water to reach habitat on shore suitable for building dens in which to give birth.

From 1985 to 1994, 62 percent of the female polar bears studied dug dens in snow on sea ice. From 1998 to 2004, just 37 percent made dens on ice. The rest dug snow dens on land, according to the study.

What has been happening to polar bears in recent decades?

Polar bears have long captured the attention of the general public but probably at no time in the past have they been more in the forefront of the public's imagination than today. Today's heightened interest in polar bears may be due in part to an enhanced understanding of the ecology of polar bears, their environment, and an increased interest in Arctic issues brought on by concerns for climate change.

Sea Lion Found in Cow Barn

A 200-pound sea lion is headed back to the wild after winding up inside a cow barn in the small Delta town of Banta [CA], near Tracy yesterday.

Kisst Dairy was the temporary home of the animal, dubbed Happy by the man who found him. John Kisst discovered the sea lion during his weekly vet check of his milk cows.

"He scuttled through the field apparently and into what we call a free stall barn, which is where our milk cows are housed. He came into the barn, found himself a free stall or a bed where the cows lay down and Happy decided to sit there," said Kisst.

He said Happy seemed fine, describing the animal at attentive and calm. "The cows were curious, and some of them would put their nose up close to him, but not want to get too close to him. The sea lion kind of just looked at them and didn't bother them so the cows didn't bother him."

Boy's screaming kills chickens?

Hundreds of chickens have been found dead in east China -- and a court has ruled that the cause of death was the screaming of a four-year-old boy who in turn had been scared by a barking dog, state media reported on Wednesday.

The bizarre sequence events began when the boy arrived at a village home in the eastern province of Jiangsu in the summer with his father who was delivering bottles of gas, the Nanjing Morning Post reported.

A villager was quoted as saying the little boy bent over the henhouse window, screaming for a long time, after being scared by the dog.

"One neighbor told police that he had heard the boy's crying that afternoon and another villager confirmed the boy screaming by the henhouse window," the newspaper said.

A court ruled the boy's screaming was "the only unexpected abnormal sound" and that 443 chickens trampled each other to death in fear.
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Giant lions and kangaroos once roamed Australia

Marsupial lions, kangaroos as tall as trucks and wombats the size of a rhinoceros roamed Australia's outback before being killed off by fires lit by arriving humans, scientists said on Thursday.

The giant animals lived in the arid Nullarbor Desert around 400,000 years ago, but died out around 50,000 years ago, relatively shortly after the arrival of human settlers, according to new fossil skeletons found in caves.

Fossilised remains were uncovered almost intact in a series of three deep caves in the centre of the Nullarbor desert -- east of the west coast city of Perth -- in October 2002. "Three subsequent expeditions produced hundreds of fossils so well-preserved that they constitute a veritable "Rosetta Stone for Ice-Age Australia", expedition leader Gavin Prideaux said of the find, detailed in the latest edition of the journal Nature.

The team discovered 69 species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including eight new species of kangaroo, some standing up to 3 metres (9 feet) tall.

Protected from wind and rain, and undisturbed due to their remote location, the remains of the mega-beasts are in near-perfect condition, including the first-ever complete skeleton of a marsupial lion, Thylacoleo carnifex.

Virgin Komodo Dragon Gives Birth

A British zoo on Wednesday announced the virgin birth of five Komodo dragons, giving scientists new hope for the captive breeding of the endangered species.

In an evolutionary twist, the newborns' 8-year-old mother, Flora, shocked staff at Chester Zoo in northern England when she became pregnant without ever having a male partner or even being exposed to the opposite sex.

"Flora is oblivious to the excitement she has caused but we are delighted to say she is now a mum and dad," said a delighted Kevin Buley, the zoo's curator of lower vertebrates and invertebrates.

"When the first of the babies hatched, we didn't know whether to make her a cup of tea or pass her the cigars."

World's first rhino conceived by artificial insemination is born

The world's first rhino conceived by artificial insemination has been born at Budapest Zoo, officials said in a statement on Wednesday.

The female baby rhino, born at 5:55 p.m. on Tuesday, weighed in at 128 lbs. "The little one seemed active and vital. An hour after being born it stood up on its own legs," the statement said.

The baby rhino has yet to be named, said zoo spokesman Zoltan Hanga, who added the zoo hoped to find a sponsor for her.

The mother, 26-year-old Lulu, had failed to conceive naturally, even when put with a male rhino named Easyboy. A group of international veterinarians from Germany, Austria and Hungary started in-vitro fertilization and she finally became pregnant in 2005.

Scientists Can't Get Sloth to Move

Scientists in the eastern German city of Jena said Wednesday they have finally given up after three years of failed attempts to entice a sloth into budging as part of an experiment in animal movement.

The sloth, named Mats, was remanded to a zoo after consistently refusing to climb up and then back down a pole, as part of an experiment conducted by scientists at the University of Jena's Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology.

Neither pounds of cucumbers nor plates of homemade spaghetti were appetizing enough to make Mats move.

"Mats obviously wanted absolutely nothing to do with furthering science," said Axel Burchardt, a university spokesman.

Mats' new home is the zoo in the northwestern city of Duisburg where, according to all reports, he is very comfortable.

Life in the Doghouse is not so bad

The $80,000 home for Rose (below) and five other chow chows is informally called called the Chow Mahal. The 900-square-foot guesthouse built by Charlene and Johnny Grayson of Blossom Valley holds individual kennels with doggy doors that lead to grassy, fenced runs; countless chow knickknacks cover the shelves and walls. "I know it's a little extreme," she said.

Charlene and Johnny Grayson really love their chow chows.

The couple even built them their own place. And it's no doghouse.

The 900-square-foot doggy domicile is done up in earth tones and animal prints. Images of the lion-faced dog gaze out from walls, drink coasters and magazines. A flat-screen TV is tuned to Animal Planet.

The $80,000 house, adjacent to the Graysons' hilltop home east of Lakeside, was christened the Chow Mahal years ago by one of their incredulous friends.

Fluffy cat is a refugee from Mideast violence

It’s hard to think of Stone as a war casualty.

Yet only a few months ago Stone, who is deaf and sports one blue eye and one green eye, was left homeless when his shelter was bombed in Beirut, Lebanon.

Stone and other cats were part of an unprecedented airlift of almost 300 animals left abandoned or wounded in war-torn Beirut. The animals were flown to the Best Friends’ 1,200-acre sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. From there, the four-footed victims of war were on their way to finding new families.

Peru's hairless dogs saved at ancient ruins

About the size of an English pointer, Peru's hairless dogs are part of the historic scenery here, but the canine breed almost became history several years back.

"Now we can say they are safe, saved by this project, but a few years ago the Peruvian Hairless Dog was under threat of extinction in Peru," said Pedro Vargas, coordinator of the Huaca Pucllana archaeological project excavating an ancient temple site of the Lima civilisation dating back to 500.

The breed normally has hair resembling a mohawk on the head and a tail brush, but otherwise has naked dark, very warm skin. Its history is long and rather sad, especially after the Spanish conquest starting in 1532.
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Gay animals out of the closet?

From male killer whales that ride the dorsal fin of another male to female bonobos that rub their genitals together, the animal kingdom tolerates all kinds of lifestyles.

A first-ever museum display, "Against Nature?," which opened last month at the University of Oslo's Natural History Museum in Norway, presents 51 species of animals exhibiting homosexuality.

"Homosexuality has been observed in more than 1,500 species, and the phenomenon has been well described for 500 of them," said Petter Bockman, project coordinator of the exhibition.

The idea, however, is rarely discussed in the scientific community and is often dismissed as unnatural because it doesn't appear to benefit the larger cause of species continuation.

However, species continuation may not always be the ultimate goal, as many animals, including humans, engage in sexual activities more than is necessary for reproduction.

Sea Turtles Rescued From Chilly Waters

At least three dozen juvenile sea turtles have been rescued from an arctic blast that caused the water temperature in an arm of the Gulf of Mexico to fall 18 degrees in 48 hours.

The turtles, which are cold-blooded, were left comatose by the rapid temperature drop this week in the shallow bay where they feed. Animal rescuers feared that the cold would kill the turtles or make them so sluggish that they would be vulnerable to sharks.

Volunteers and others scooped them up from the surf, bundled them in blankets and towels and took them to the privately run Sea Turtle Inc. rescue center and a University of Texas marine laboratory.

Cold Duck Survives 2 Days In Fridge

A duck that was shot and stuck in a refrigerator for two days survived and now has a new lease on life.

Shot by a Tallahassee, Fla hunter, the duck was destined for the dinner table and placed inside a refrigerator for two days.

But when the hunter's wife opened the fridge, the duck lifted its head.

The hunter and his family decided to spare the duck's life, sending the animal to a wildlife sanctuary.

Fly three miles? I'll go by boat, thanks

A pair of turnstones, birds that fly thousands of miles across oceans, are taking the ferry to save themselves a three-mile commute.

They catch the 8.30am boat from Falmouth to St Mawes, where they are served a breakfast of breadcrumbs by the skipper. They land after 20 minutes then spend the day feeding, before catching the 4.15pm back across the River Fal.

The birds, known as Fred and Freda, have been hitching rides on the Cornish ferry every winter for the past six years. So fond are they of the skipper, John Brown, that if he is captaining another boat they will often fly off to find him.
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Video: Cute tiger cub

It meows, it purrs, it sleeps, it's CUTE!

Swordfish and jellyfish thrive in warm N. Atlantic

Parts of the North Atlantic are setting winter heat records, allowing species ranging from swordfish to jellyfish to thrive beyond their normal ranges in a shift linked by many scientists to global warming.

Temperatures in Arctic waters off northern Europe at the tail end of the Gulf Stream, for example, are about 6.7 Celsius (44.06 Fahrenheit), the highest for early January since records began in the 1930s, according to Norway's Institute of Marine Research.

The world's oceans are already in a warming trend that could alter fish stocks, perhaps damaging coral reefs that are vital nurseries for tropical species while boosting northern stocks of cod or herring.

"The global oceans have been warming since the middle 1970s and several studies have shown that the warming can be attributed to a human-produced signal," said James Hurrell of the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Off New York this week, rescuers guided eight dolphins into open water after they became stranded in a shallow cove, apparently because unusually warm waters meant fish on which they feed were staying closer to the coast.

A type of Black Sea jellyfish seems to have become established off Scandinavia, perhaps flushed out of the ballast tanks of visiting ships and now able to survive because of less chilly waters in winter.

It Takes A Village: Female Ducks Negotiate Joint Rearing Of Ducklings

Female eider ducks are well known to team up and share the work of rearing ducklings, but it now appears that they also negotiate not only how much effort each puts into the partnership, but also profit-sharing. An international group of scientists used a long-running study of the eider population in a Finnish archipelago to test predictions about how each hen seeks to maximize her benefits from the partnership without making it so unattractive that other hens withdraw their participation.

As hens arrive at the rearing-area with their ducklings, a period of intense socializing ensues. The hens then sort themselves into cliques -- pairs, trios, or quartets -- with each hen in a group assuming a distinct role.

Flying Moo Cow

It won't fly over the moon, but it'll go over 50 feet! Launch this flying, moo-ing cow into the air and you'll be sure to get a reaction. As an added bonus, every time you shoot him, he lets out a loud loud Moo!
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World's only known albino leaf-nosed bat born in Moscow zoo

An albino leaf-nosed bat, the only one known in the world, was born in the Moscow Zoo, the press service said Thursday.

"A leaf-nosed spectacled albino bat has been born in our zoo," the press service said. "Albino species are very rare in the bat family, and this is the first such case ever for this kind of bat."

The newly-born bat has been named Angela.

(photo credit)

Cat Found On United Plane After Weeks Of Travel

A cat was recovering at the Alameda East Animal Hospital Wednesday after spending 3 weeks in the cargo hold of a United Airlines airplane. The tired, hungry and dirty animal was found Wednesday by workers at Denver International Airport.

The cat, named Pumpkin, was lost on Dec. 28, 2006 when her owner arrived in Washington, D.C.

The jet she was found living on had made trips to Germany, Asia and crisscrossed the United States in the time since then.

Veterinarians said Pumpkin was recovering and appeared to be in pretty good shape considering the 3 weeks she'd been trapped on the plane.

"I'm not sure what she's managed to survive on," said Andrea Barlow, the cat's owner, by telephone. "I'm not really sure what she's been eating or drinking but she's managed to survive which is great news."

Law changed so dog can return to barbershop

Franklin, a four-year-old basset hound, relaxes in his usual spot as Matt Schwendiman gives a haircut to Billy Boles at Matt's Barber Shop in Canal Fulton, Ohio, recently. Franklin was exiled from the shop 10 months ago when an inspector for the Ohio State Barber Board said that animals are not allowed. Franklin is back on his favorite sofa after the board last year crafted rules that allow one animal if certain precautions are met.

Pregnant Chimp Mystery

It's both a surprise and a mystery. At Caddo Parish's Chimp Haven, where retired male chimpanzees all get vasectomies, a female chimp has turned up pregnant. Chimp Haven managers knew something was up when they could not find one of their chimps last week.

Teresa, who's been at Chimp Haven for the past year and a half, was missing during the morning rounds. Later, she appeared with a newborn chimpanzee in her arms.

"Well, we were all just a little bit surprised when we heard the news," said Linda Brent, a spokeswoman for Chimp Haven.

Escaped Chimp Gets Snack, Cleans Bathroom

An escaped chimpanzee at the Little Rock Zoo raided a kitchen cupboard and did a little cleaning with a toilet brush before sedatives knocked her out on top of a refrigerator.

The 120-pound primate, Judy, escaped yesterday into a service area when a zookeeper opened a door to her sleeping quarters, unaware the animal was still inside.

As keepers tried to woo Judy back into her cage, she rummaged through a refrigerator where chimp snacks are stored. She opened kitchen cupboards, pulled out juice and soft drinks and took a swig from bottles she managed to open.

Keeper Ann Rademacher says Judy went into the bathroom, picked up a toilet brush and cleaned the toilet. Rademacher says the 37-year-old Judy was a house pet before the zoo acquired her in 1988, so she may have been familiar with housekeeping chores. Judy wrung out a sponge and scrubbed down the fridge.

Labradors Still No. 1, but Yorkies, Dahling, Move Into Second Place

The American Kennel Club yesterday announced a shift in its 10 most popular dog breeds in the nation and in the city, or at least in that elite group of purebred dogs whose pedigrees and papers are in order.

At a Rockefeller Center news conference filled with handlers, dogs and photographers, the club noted that the dog claming the No. 1 ranking had not changed.

Across the country, the most popular dog last year, as it has been for 16 years in a row, was the Labrador retriever, with about 124,000 registrations, or 14 percent of the club’s total.

In New York, the most popular breed in 2006 was the poodle, with 77 registrations, or about 8 percent of the club’s total in the city. It has been the most popular breed for two years in a row, according to the club, which describes itself as the largest purebred-dog registry in the world.

But the big news, the club said, was the No. 2 ranking in both the city and the country: the Yorkshire terrier, overtaking larger breeds like the golden retriever and the German shepherd.

The tiny Yorkie, favored by the wife played by Eva Gabor in television’s “Green Acres,” had about 48,000 registrations in the United States, or 5 percent; and 49 in the city, also 5 percent.

Workers uncover carcasses of Hanford test animals

Hanford workers have removed 40,000 tons of carcasses, manure and other waste from burial trenches at the former experimental animal farms at Hanford.

That included a railroad tanker car packed with animal carcasses, then buried, said Mark Buckmaster, Washington Closure Hanford remediation manager, during a presentation to a Hanford Advisory Board committee last week.

Up to 1,000 animals at a time were kept at the animal farm near F Reactor along the banks of the Columbia River, Buckmaster said. They ranged from rodents to cats and dogs to farm animals, including cows, sheep, goats and pigs. The farm also had alligators, although no carcasses were found, Buckmaster said.

Animal experiments started at Hanford during World War II, when plutonium was produced for the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. Some were planned to learn more about the health effects of radiation to protect nuclear workers, and some were for military knowledge.

Fat dog will return to its owners

Two brothers penalised by a court for allowing their pet Labrador to get too fat are hoping to be reunited with the dog later in the week.

Derek Benton, 62, and his brother David, 53, were convicted of causing unnecessary suffering after a trial at Ely Magistrates' Court, Cambridgeshire.

The brothers, who received conditional discharges, are allowed to have Rusty back if he is properly cared for.

Rusty ballooned to 11 stone (69.8kg) at the Bentons' home in Fordham, Cambs.

Religious leader says ban on animal sacrifice is affront to faith

Texas town at heart of religious freedom question.

The room was set up with benches and shrines, the herbs, dried coconuts and eggshell chalk laid out on a table. With the preparations done, 10 church members sat by the pool behind the red-brick home on the cul-de-sac and drank beer.

The next day, they would sacrifice a chicken to initiate a member, using the energy in the chicken's blood to communicate with the spirits, known as orishas.

But then Euless police knocked on the door.

The officers explained to the priest, Jose Merced, that killing animals of any kind is illegal within the city limits. Merced tried unsuccessfully to explain that animal sacrifice is as essential to his religion, Santeria, as the Eucharist is to Catholicism.

Now, Merced has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the city over the May incident, thrusting the African-Caribbean religion and the quiet Dallas-area suburb into the spotlight. And Merced cites a U.S. Supreme Court case supporting Santeria animal sacrifice, indicating that Euless might have to compromise.

"It appears that city officials are either deliberately defying the Supreme Court justices on this ruling, or they're simply confused," said Ernesto Pichardo, head of the Santeria religion in the United States.

Scourge Of Early Mexico: Spain, Or Rats?

Mexicans have long been taught to blame diseases brought by the Spaniards for wiping out most of their Indian ancestors. But recent research suggests things may not be that simple.

While the initial big die-offs are still blamed on the Conquistadors who started arriving in 1519, even more virulent epidemics in 1545 and 1576 may have been caused by a native blood-hemorrhaging fever spread by rats, Mexican researchers say.

The idea has sparked heated debate in Mexican academic circles.

Booze, dogs too much for some Muslim cabbies

Some Muslim cab drivers are refusing service to a growing number of passengers with alcohol or dogs, and officials at Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport are trying to fight it.

"Our expectation is that if you're going to be driving a taxi at the airport, you need to provide service to anybody who wants it," said Patrick Hogan, spokesman for the Metropolitan Airport Commission.

Each month, about 100 people are denied cab service at the airport, and refusals for religious reasons have grown in recent months, airport officials said. About three-quarters of the 900 taxi drivers at the airport are Somali, many of them Muslim.
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Video: Intelligent Animals

Some very smart animals.
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Bears Of McNeil River, Alaskan Brown Bears

McNeil River State Sanctuary, home to the largest congregation of brown bears in the world.

It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's...A Moose?

It was a rough day to be a moose.

Several were stalked by helicopter, captured with a net, blindfolded and then airlifted to trailers for a six-hour drive.

The moose woke up in Utah on Friday but were going to sleep in Colorado.

The strategy helps Utah cure a moose overpopulation while raising the number in Colorado. In return, Utah will get big horn sheep.

“I equate this to alien abduction. It's got to be that traumatic,” said Dean Riggs, area wildlife manager with the Colorado Wildlife Division.

Idaho Governor Calls for Gray Wolf Kill

Idaho's governor said Thursday he will support public hunts to kill all but 100 of the state's gray wolves after the federal government strips them of protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter told The Associated Press that he wants hunters to kill about 550 gray wolves. That would leave about 100 wolves, or 10 packs, according to a population estimate by state wildlife officials.

The 100 surviving wolves would be the minimum before the animals could again be considered endangered.

"I'm prepared to bid for that first ticket to shoot a wolf myself," Otter said earlier Thursday during a rally of about 300 hunters.

Otter complained that wolves are rapidly killing elk and other animals essential to Idaho's multimillion-dollar hunting industry. The hunters, many wearing camouflage clothing and blaze-orange caps, applauded wildly during his comments.

Rare turtle found in Thailand

Thai villagers have caught a river terrapin turtle that was thought to be extinct in the country, a leading conservation group said Wednesday.

The female turtle - known for its egg-shaped shell and upturned snout - was found Jan. 3 in a mangrove canal in Phang Nga province on the country's Andaman Coast, said the World Wide Fund for Nature, Thailand. It was the first time the species was found in Thailand in two decades, the WWF said.

"The discovery of a species that was believed to be extinct in Thailand is considered to be a very important event, and it shows that the natural habitat in which it was found is still rich and should be conserved," said WWF official Songpol Tippayawong.

photo credit: Asian Turtle Conservation Network

Scientists baffled by U.S. stranding of dolphins

Scientists are struggling to explain the stranding of 31 dolphins and a pilot whale off the coast of Massachusetts since the start of the year, including some found with brain deformities or chronic diseases.

Eight Atlantic White-sided dolphins were found on Tuesday, following 23 dolphins, a pilot whale and a seal discovered since January 1 in the hook-shaped Cape Cod region and its maze of sandbars and marshes that are a magnet for tourists in summer.

The number is unusually high, according to the Cape Cod Stranding Network that oversees rescue efforts. It typically averages 200 rescues a year, compared to 31 rescues performed in the last 10 days alone.

At least 14 of the dolphins have died, including two which were euthanized, the network said. The strandings involved Atlantic White-sided dolphins and so-called common dolphins, neither of which are endangered.

New toilet is flush with fish

Home renovators looking to bring life to the smallest room in their home now have the chance -- with a toilet that doubles as an aquarium.

The Fish 'n Flush is a clear two-piece toilet tank that replaces a standard toilet tank, with a see-through aquarium wrapping itself around a conventional toilet tank.

"We wanted to develop a product that had a dual purpose - to serve as a proper, fully functional toilet and also as a source of entertainment and conversation," said Devon Niccole, marketing director of California-based designer AquaOne Technologies Inc. which has just started to selling the tank.

Caution: Pampered pets ahead

Okay, Fido. Get out of the doghouse, for crying out loud, and back on your down-filled, organic cotton covered, memory foam recliner. Now stay! I mean it! You can chase fake squirrels tomorrow at doggy gym after you stop at Frosty Paws for an all-natural ice cream treat. Don't forget your spa appointment and puleeeese, when we pick up your all-weather Wick Away parka with matching booties from the dry cleaner, stay out of the ditch!

Oops, and I forgot, you're not Fido any more, you are Sedona, Savannah, Abruzzi, Jasper, Tuscany or Tucson.

A new dawn of pet pampering is upon us and there is a buzz of excitement among those who profit from our passion for pets. And passion it is. Over 60 per cent of Canadians own some kind of pet, with dogs our first pick and cats not far behind. But we also love our fish, number three and birds, number four.

Photography by eminilia

New Sucker-Footed Bat Discovered in Madagascar

This newly discovered bat is an exemplar of stick-to-it-iveness—in more ways than one.

Scientists were conducting fieldwork in the fast-disappearing forests of Madagascar when they found this new species of bat with sticky suckers on its feet and thumbs.

The creature, dubbed Myzopoda schliemanni, uses the adhesive organs to scale the large, broad leaves of tropical plants where it roosts.

Only one other species of sucker-footed bat is known to science, and it too makes its home on the large African island.

Gun Club Hunts City Crows in Singapore -- By Official Request

Ripping apart garbage bags, rummaging through leftovers, scavenging cafés and food stands, crows have earned the enmity of sanitation- obsessed Singaporeans. The tiny Asian island nation is infamous for its strict rules to promote cleanliness, including a ban on most chewing gum in public places.

And when it comes to crows, neatness isn't the only concern, as dive-bombings have been known to leave Singaporeans smarting.

But the birds aren't the ones drawing blood.

In 2006, at the invitation of the government, volunteers from the Singapore Gun Club culled approximately 1,025 crows—down slightly from 2005's tally of 1,650. The club's highest annual tally was 14,370 in 2001.

Fido's little helper

THEY are the new "Prozac Nation": cats, dogs, birds, horses and an assortment of zoo animals whose behavior has been changed, whose anxieties and fears have been quelled and whose owners' furniture has been spared by the use of antidepressants. Over the last decade, Prozac, Buspar, Amitriptyline, Clomicalm — clomipromine that is marketed expressly for dogs — and other drugs have been used to treat inappropriate, destructive and self-injuring behavior in animals.

It's not a big nation yet. But "over the past five years, use has gone up quite a bit," said veterinarian Richard Martin of the Brentwood Pet Clinic in West Los Angeles. Half a decade ago, no more than 1% of his patients were on antidepressants. Now, Martin estimates that 5% of the 8,000 cats and dogs seen at the clinic are taking drugs for their behavior.

The use of antidepressants is another example of the growing sophistication of medical care available to animals and willingly financed by owners who see pets as cherished companions. For these owners, drug therapy is not just another indulgence like Louis Vuitton carriers and day spas for the pampered pet. In their eyes, medication is urgent. Indeed, the new Prozac Nation is not populated with the worried well of the animal kingdom; it's filled with animals behaving so badly they're in danger of being cast off to a shelter and, possibly, a death sentence.

Strands of Undesirable DNA Roam With Buffalo

American bison, which teetered on the edge of extinction more than a century ago, are one of the first and perhaps greatest conservation successes, but there is an asterisk next to their species: while bison were being nursed back to viable populations, ranchers who owned them crossed them with cattle.

By the late 19th century, tens of millions of American bison had been reduced to fewer than 1,000, with two dozen or so in Yellowstone National Park, and another 250 in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada. The balance of the animals were owned by cattle ranchers who wanted to preserve them.

“They purposely crossed bison with domestic cattle to make a better beef animal,” which they called cattelo, said James Derr, a geneticist at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. “Bison did better in harsh conditions and are more resistant to parasites and native viral diseases.” (Bison do not contract Texas fever, for example, which afflicts cattle.)

'Hogzilla' Caught, Shot In Georgia

An urban legend comes to life and meets its death in northeast Georgia.

A boar weighing 1,100 pounds was shot and killed in a Fayette County neighborhood.

Residents said the wild hog had been tearing up their yards for years. These so-called "hogzillas" have been spotted and killed in south Georgia in recent years, but the Department of Natural Resources is trying to determine if the pig shot in Fayette County this week is a state record.

People passing by the Coursey house are amazed by the boar hanging from a tree in the front yard. William Coursey, an avid hunter, shot the pig in a neighbor's yard.

Coursey said the boar is one of four that had been roaming the neighborhood, uprooting yards for seven years. He said the other three animals may have been killed previously.

He said he thought it was myth until now. Coursey and his son took the hog to a local weigh station, where it weighed in at 1,100 pounds. It's an estimated 9 feet long.

Singing For Survival: Gibbons Scare Off Predators With 'Song'

It is well known that animals use song as a way of attracting mates, but researchers have found that gibbons have developed an unusual way of scaring off predators -- by singing to them.

The primatologists at the University of St Andrews discovered that wild gibbons in Thailand have developed a unique song as a natural defence to predators. Literally singing for survival, the gibbons appear to use the song not just to warn their own group members but those in neighbouring areas.

They said, "We are interested in gibbon songs because, apart from human speech, these vocalisations provide a remarkable case of acoustic sophistication and versatility in primate communication. Our study has demonstrated that gibbons not only use unique songs as a response to predators, but that fellow gibbons understand them."

Australian bank issues credit card to cat

An Australian bank has blushingly admitted issuing a credit card to a cat. Messiah, a ginger tom, was given a credit limit of 4,200 (3,300 US) dollars.

Messiah's owner applied for an additional Visa card in his name on her account with the Bank of Queensland to test its identity security system -- and was astonished when it was granted.

"I just couldn't believe it," Katherine Campbell told local media, cradling the cool cat and his card. "People need to be aware of this and banks need to have better security."

The envelope containing her cat's credit card was addressed to Messiah Campbell and she was not even notified that a secondary card had been issued on her account, she said.

FDA Approves the First Drug for Obese Dogs

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of Slentrol (dirlotapide), a prescription drug for the management of obesity in dogs. Slentrol reduces appetite and fat absorption to produce weight loss. A veterinarian will determine whether the dog should be treated, based on the dog's weight and general health.

"This is a welcome addition to animal therapies, because dog obesity appears to be increasing," said Stephen Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D., director of FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. "Veterinarians are well aware that overweight pets are at a higher risk of developing various health problems, from cardiovascular conditions to diabetes to joint problems."

Dogs are our only allies

Dogs make us mad when they turn our favorite slippers into a soggy mess of chewed leather, or leave us a surprise on the carpet in the front hallway. But just when we’re about to blow a gasket, they look at us with those big, sad eyes and all that anger melts away to nothing.

Noah's Ark Animal Rescue and Shelter

Noah's Ark Animal Rescue and Shelter is a home based shelter that networks with other foster homes in Ohio. They work to provide temporary homes for rescued cats and dogs until they can be placed in a "FOREVER HOME."

Do you have plans for the next two and a half minutes of your life? If not, please take that brief time to watch the video below. Maybe then you will understand why rescues exist and why they do what they do...



Noah's Ark currently owes County Line Vet Clinic over $7,000.00. If you would like to help them, please click on the donation button below. Or if you would like, you can send a check directly to County Line Vet. Their address is 15090 Louisville Street, Minerva ,OH 44657. Please make sure to memo that it is for Noah's Ark. Thank you for your generosity. Together, we can make a difference!

Retired Greyhounds as pets

MI REGAP - Rescued Greyhounds

Michigan REGAP is dedicated to educating the public about the plight of racing Greyhounds, their suitability as companion animals, and finding permanent homes for those lucky enough to enter the rescue community. We openly and adamantly oppose Greyhound racing.

Sponsor a pet at Animal Welfare League

Do you want to help shelter animals, but cannot bring an animal into your home?
The Animal Welfare League allows you to “sponsor” an animal for just $25 a month. Your sponsorship will help provide the necessary support to shelter, feed and provide medical care to an animal of your choice that needs special care.

When you sponsor an animal, you will receive a sponsor certificate, a color photograph of your animal and a printed history of the animal. A sponsorship makes a great gift for that person who has everything.

Featured Sponsor: Albie (shown left)

LABMED - Helping Labradors

Founded in 1996, LABMED is an Internet-based non-profit organization created to distribute financial aid to injured or ill rescues around the country, giving them a second chance at adoption and love from a permanent family.

To meet the dogs LABMED has helped, including Buddy, the Lab that started it all, read our Success Stories. If you'd like to help with our rescue efforts, there are many ways you can lend a hand.

Bear Cub Sleepless In Alaska

By all accounts, the little black bear spotted near Juneau should be snug in its den, curled up beside its mother and sleeping away the harsh Alaska winter.

Instead, the orphaned cub on Douglas Island is wide awake and scrounging for anything to eat — dog food, bird seed, dead crows.

“He is just a little black fuzzball,” said Brenda Greenbank, who's seen the cub and estimates him to be 25 pounds — the size of a small dog. “I just can't see him surviving without a mother to protect him.”

Now humans have stepped in where Mother Nature has failed. A live trap was set Thursday at the beachfront home owned by Greenbank and Gary Rosenberger to try and catch the "fuzzball."

Two-faced calf drawing the curious to SW Virginia

One of the newest arrivals at Kirk Heldreth's dairy farm is drawing crowds.

A calf with two faces was born Dec. 27 at Heldreth Dairy Farm, and word has spread in southwest Virginia as residents flock to his farm.

The animal is normal from its tail until its unusually large head. The calf breathes out of two noses and has two tongues, which move independently, according to Heldreth. There appears to be a single socket containing two eyes where the heads split.

``It's the craziest thing I've ever seen,'' the dairyman said.

LBL - Lost But Loved

LBL finds loving homes for neglected and orphaned animals. They work with the Murray-Calloway County Animal Shelter in Kentucky. All of LBL animals are rescued from shelters the day that they are scheduled to be killed. They do not have a shelter or facility to house the animals that are rescued. A network of local volunteers fosters these animals until they can be placed in their new home. LBL does not take in owner surrenders due to the large number of animals that need to be saved from kill shelters.

Abbey

Abbey was adopted to a loving forever home!
thru:
LBL Animal Rescue
Murray, KY
www.lblrescue.com
lblrescue@hotmail.com

Roscoe

Can you foster me? I am living in a kennel because no one has room for me.
Do you? Will you give me a chance. Roscoe(1405).

BROOD (Basset Rescue Of the Old Dominion)is a Basset Hound Rescue Organization dedicated to finding homes for needy basset hounds in the state of Virginia and surrounding areas.

Save a Pet Month at i-pets.com

JANUARY SPECIAL OFFER

Happy New Year from Internet Pet Supplies!

January is "Save a Pet Month"
at Internet Pet Supplies

FREE SHIPPING on any order delivered to a Pet Rescue, Shelter, or Animal Welfare Agency during the month of January 2007.

Your pets are lucky to have a safe and loving home. Think of the millions of unwanted animals waiting for a family like yours.

There are 45 cats and dogs for every person born. Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born ever find a permanent home. Only 1 out of every 12 cats born ever find a permanent home. 800 dogs and cats are destroyed each HOUR in the U.S. because there are not enough homes for them! Internet Pet Supplies appreciates and supports the dedication and concern for pets performed by Animal Welfare and Pet Rescue Organizations. To show our support and willingness to help, we're offering FREE SHIPPING on any order delivered to a Pet Rescue, Shelter, or Animal Welfare Agency during the month of January, 2007. Please encourage all your friends to visit and place an order at Internet Pet Supplies: www.i-pets.com. We have the highest quality USA rawhide treats and pet toys at the lowest prices on the Internet.

The following are some of our favorite pet rescues, animal welfare agencies and animal shelters. We will gladly add others, just let us know their URL or address.

ARF Berea Animal Rescue Best Friends BROOD CCHS cc-lab rescue CR Animal Welfare Fearless Farm Fuzzy Pawz Happy Hills Heartland Golden Rescue Humane Society of Monroe County Italian Greyhound Rescue Org. IMPS MN/WI Italian Greyhound Rescue LABMED Labrador Life Line Little Shelter Long Island Lab. Rescue Lost But Loved (LBL) Animal Rescue MAGDRL MI REGAP - Rescued Greyhounds Mixed Breed Rescue New Hope Noah's Ark Rescue & Shelter PAWS of Tulsa Pet Rescue Rohe Animal Rescue Rancho Coastal Humane Society TLC Vermilion Animal Aid Working Dog Rescue

Hundreds of Turks injured in Muslim animal sacrifice

Hundreds of Turks spent the first day of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha holiday in emergency wards today after stabbing themselves or suffering other injuries while sacrificing startled and agitated animals.

Muslims sacrifice cows, sheep, goats and bulls during the four-day religious holiday, a ritual commemorating the biblical account of God's provision of a ram for Abraham to sacrifice as he was about to kill his son. They share the meat with friends, family and neighbours and give part of it to the poor.

In Turkey, at least 1,179 people - dubbed "amateur butchers" by the Turkish media - were treated at hospitals across the country, most suffering cuts to their hands and legs.

Four people were severely injured when they were crushed under the weight of large animals that fell on top of them, it was reported. Another person was hurt when a crane, used to lift an animal, tumbled onto him.
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The Norwegian Puffin Dog

In order to run down and kill wolves, the people of Ireland bred the powerful and long-legged Irish Wolfhound. When they needed something to chase ill-tempered badgers into their holes to exterminate them, Europeans bred the feisty, short-legged dachshund. But five hundred or more years ago, the people on the northern coast of Norway had a different kind of prey to contend with: humble puffins.

In order to hunt puffins, the Norwegians bred a unique dog. The resulting Lundehund was an extraordinary animal with some unparalleled gifts. For all its uniqueness, the Lundehund is vanishingly rare. It has been so close to extinction that at one point there were only five of them in existence.

Twenty good reasons not to have a pet raccoon

The purpose of this site is to provide factual information about the issues involved with having a pet raccoon.
Aside from the last two paragraphs on this page, all of the information on this site is established fact and is intended to help people make an informed decision when considering the raccoon as a pet.

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Video: Affectionate lions

Watch the video all the way through - the end is quite surprising!

Max collars top dog name in N.Y. in 2006

Max has collared the title of top dog name in New York City again. The name was engraved on 1,228 of the 101,274 dog licenses issued last year by the health department.

Lucky fetched second spot. Princess took third, and hot on her tail were Rocky and Buddy, leaving the Top 5 names unchanged from 2004.

Mixed breeds, with 7,374 new licenses, outnumbered other varieties in 2005. They were followed by Labrador retrievers. Pit bulls and Shih Tzus captured the third and fourth places, clawing their way up from fourth and fifth the year before. German shepherds were the fifth most popular breed, down from third place.

New York Tadpoles Fly To Puerto Rico

While many of New York's snow birds head south to Puerto Rico for time in the sun, a recent batch of first-time fliers--born and raised in the city--are heading down for a different reason: to save their own species. And tadpoles generally do not fly, unless they are part of a reintroduction program to save the Puerto Rican crested toad, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which has joined an ongoing effort to save the island's only native toad.

Specifically, animal husbandry experts from WCS have successfully reared nearly 500 tadpoles at the Central Park Zoo and recently released them in Puerto Rico's Guanica State Forest.

"The release went well, and we're hoping that this new generation of toads can help secure a future for this species" said Bruce Foster, Collections Manager for WCS' Central Park Zoo, where he and other curatorial staff successfully reared some 475 healthy tadpoles for the reintroduction effort. "Puerto Rico is an island of great natural beauty, and protecting the natural inhabitants of the island is an important part of preserving that beauty."

Thieving squirrel, seven-legged deer top odd news

From a cat in the wall to patriotic squirrels, characters that seemed more suited to cartoons than news stories made headlines in Wisconsin in 2006.

The animal news of the year started with Mary Poppins, the pet cat that Jany Chumas couldn't find after remodeling the basement at her Eau Claire home.

Then Sir Charles Nugget wandered away from Georgia truck driver John Withers when he was in the Oconto County community of Lena. Withers couldn't find his dog and finally had to leave, but told authorities to call him if Nugget turned up.

Last March, after eight months, he got the call and drove up from Georgia for the dog no one could catch. Withers and his other dog, Moose Edward, coaxed Nugget out from under a parked truck.

Squirrels at Eau Claire's Forest Hill Cemetery had an affinity for the U.S. flag.

Workers thought youngsters were stealing dozens of flags — until they found a squirrel's nest with distinctive shades of red, white and blue. They were ripped and serving as the foundation of a giant nest.

US to propose polar bear for endangered list

The Bush administration has decided to propose listing the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, putting the U S government on record as saying that global warming could drive one of the world's most recognizable animals out of existence.

The administration's proposal -- which was described by an Interior Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity -- stems from rising temperatures in the arctic that are shrinking the sea ice polar bears need for hunting. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the department will submit the proposal today for publication in the Federal Register, after which it will be subject to public comment for 90 days.

Moscow Cats troupe exudes whiskery charm

The Moscow Cats Theatre is most definitely not the slick, high-tech, Eurochic-meets-the-new-Las Vegas sort of circus that Cirque du Soleil audiences have come to expect. Rather, it is in the old-fashioned tradition of the tattered touring troupe, replete with sequences of beach balls and hotdog balloons volleyed into the crowd, a couple of female assistants dressed in kitschy, gaily colored costumes, and one droller-than-droll male clown with s-l-o-w reactions.

Here's the meow on the Moscow Cats Theatre, the decidedly nutty, happily threadbare troupe of 30 felines, two dogs and six clowns, all led by Yuri Kuklachev, a Ukrainian-born clown with yellow-blond hair, a ping-pong-ball nose and broad smile (think Bill Clinton in fancy rags), who, 30 years ago, decided he could train a stray cat. Kuklachev has demonstrated that even those most willful creatures -- from puffy white furball variety to sleek black racer -- can be made to follow orders.

Top ten animal geeks

Non-humans who have made outstanding contributions to science. The list includes Ham, the first chimp in space, as well as Koko, the gorilla who learned sign language.

Macy's Pulls Sean John Hooded Jackets with Dog Fur

Macy's has pulled from its shelves and its Web site two styles of Sean John hooded jackets, originally advertised as featuring faux fur, after an investigation by the nation's largest animal protection organization concluded that the garments were actually made from a certain species of dog called "raccoon dog."

"First these jackets were falsely advertised as faux fur, and then it turned out that the fur came from a type of dog," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States.

Pacelle added that the issue is an "industry-wide problem" and its investigation demonstrated that retailers and designers "aren't paying close enough attention to the fur trim they are selling." He added that the issue is especially problematic when "the fur is sourced from China where domestic dogs and cats and raccoon dogs are killed in gruesome ways."