A Passion For Animals...

D.C. Zoo Will Name Cheetah Cubs After Olympians, Shelter Pets Hit Capitol Hill

2012-08-05T14:42:00.001-04:00

D.C. Zoo Plans to Christen Cheetah Cubs With Olympian Monikers
A pair of 3-month-old cheetahs recently explored their new yard at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., where they will greet the public for the first time this weekend. The duo's debut coincides with the start of the Olympics in London, and since cheetahs are known for their amazing speed and agility, the zoo plans to name the male and female cubs after the fastest American male and female runners in the upcoming 100-meter dash. — Read it at the National Zoo

What's on your mind?

Two dogs that attacked kids are now dead

2012-04-29T19:08:00.001-04:00

What's on your mind? Two dogs that attacked kids are now dead

By Tom Roussey: www.wjla.com

Two dogs that terrorized the Northeast neighborhood of Trinidad last week are now dead, authorities say.

Authorities say the dogs were found in Cheverly on Saturday at about 12:45 a.m. Cheverly police officer Jarod Towers spotted the two dogs in the street, approached them and saw one dog appeared to be near death.

The other began to circle the officer and then, without warning, charged.
Towers says the dog was barking, snarling and attacking. He fired one shot. The dog ran into the officer's patrol car and eventually both dogs were destroyed at animal control.
Towers saw the video Wednesday morning and realized the dogs were the same dogs in the earlier attack.
The two dogs attacked a group of children and the man who tried to protect them on Friday but were not caught after the attack. The incident was caught on surveillance camera.
According to surveillance video from a nearby apartment, obtained exclusively by ABC 7 News, the large, white "Cane Corso" dogs on the loose began to stalk children in in the streets around 9 p.m. The children fled, but the dogs trapped two children who jumped on top of parked cars in an attempt to get away from the dogs.
"It was like something out of a horror movie," Tiara Bryant, the mother of one of the children said as she watched the loose dogs chase her son.
One of the dogs eventually jumped up on top of the car with the children.
The attack lasted for about 13 minutes on Queen Street as the two white dogs chased three kids, aged 10, 11 and 13.
"It seemed like they were hunting. Like they were going after people," Aliya Rocker-Patterson, a neighbor said, "I see children on top of cars with big white pit bulls...trying to get them. It was absolutely insane."
It was then that Andre Hawthorne, an usher for the Washington Nationals, was coming home from the game and stepped in. He was armed with a knife and his courage. He can be seen on the tape trying to run the dogs off with his knife.
The dogs then turned on him, tossing him around like a "rag doll" neighbors described, which allowed the children to flee safely. However, the attack left him with wounds on his left arm and hand which are now infected, he says. He also is undergoing a series of rabies shots.

D.C.-Area Animal Shelters Still In Tough Spot Due To Rocky Economy

2011-10-22T19:30:00.000-04:00

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- One mark of the recession: scores of pets being dropped off at animal shelters. Shelters and rescue groups across the country reported that beginning in 2008, record numbers of pets were surrendered, with their owners citing lost jobs and foreclosed homes as the reason for giving up their furry friends.

Now more than three years since the start of the recession, are local animal shelters still being inundated with pets whose owners can't afford them?

Carrie Drummond, director of communications and outreach for the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, said that in 2009 and 2010, the shelter saw a spike of pets being brought in for economic reasons. It was a 30 percent increase over the previous year, Drummond told The Huffington Post.

"In the past 12 months, it's held pretty steady," Drummond said. "We kind of got used to operating at the higher capacity."

In August, the shelter took in 132 animals. "Probably 25 to 30 percent are financial-related," said Drummond. Of those, Drummond said that about half were given up because their owners are in dire financial straits -- lost jobs and foreclosed homes -- while the others were given up because caring for a pet has turned out to be more expensive than an owner could comfortably manage.

Gary Weitzman, chief executive officer of the Washington Animal Rescue League, said that in 2010, the number of animals being surrendered for economic reasons tripled, but that this year WARL has seen a decrease.

WARL takes in about 200 animals per month, Weitzman said -- of those, around 20 percent are surrenders. (The other animals are largely rescues from hoarding or abuse situations, or come from regional high-kill shelters). Of those surrenders, about 10 percent are given up for economic reasons these days -- about the same as in 2009. In 2010, Weitzman said, it was probably three times that share.

"It was people who said they were homeless. A lot of it was financial," Weitzman said of owners who surrendered their pets last year. "We're back down to what we normally get. Maybe that's a good sign that things are getting better. Or it's a bad sign that everybody has already been hurt."

Weitzman does still see signs of an unhealthy area economy: Individual private donations, foundation and corporate support are all down. "This shelter relies 100 percent on private donations," he said. "It's tough."

But he also said there is at least one indication that things might be a bit better: The number of animals being adopted into new homes is going back up.

D.C.-AREA PETS UP FOR ADOPTION:

What's on your mind?

Exotic Animals Escape Muskingum County Animal Farm In Ohio; Owner Found Dead

2011-10-19T13:32:00.000-04:00

ZANESVILLE, Ohio -- Schools closed and motorists were warned to stay in their vehicles as officers with assault rifles patrolled a rural area in eastern Ohio Wednesday, a day after police killed dozens of escaped animals from a wild-animal preserve, where the owner was found dead.

When asked on NBC's "Today" show whether Muskingum County Animal Farm owner Terry Thompson may have killed himself, county Sheriff Matt Lutz responded, "Anything's a possibility at this point." He said authorities were awaiting autopsy results. Lutz had said earlier that the death was not suspicious.

As authorities warned that more animals still were on the loose, three school districts in the region and some private and special schools canceled classes as the remaining bears, big cats and other beasts from the Muskingum County Animal Farm were hunted down.

Flashing signs along area highways told motorists, "Caution exotic animals" and "Stay in vehicle."

The animals' cages had been opened and the farm's fences had been left unsecured, police said. It was "very possible" that Thompson left the cages open, Lutz said.

Close to 30 of the 48 animals were shot and killed on Tuesday. Officials were pondering how to dispose of the remains.

"Once daybreak hits here, we're going back in to get an accountability of how many animals have been put down, how many animals are still penned up," the sheriff told NBC.

The preserve in Zanesville, about 55 miles east of Columbus, had lions, tigers, cheetahs, wolves, giraffes, camels and bears. Police said bears and wolves were among the escaped animals that were killed and there were multiple sightings of exotic animals along a nearby highway.

Lutz called the animals "mature, very big, aggressive" but said a caretaker told authorities the animals had been fed on Monday.

Tuesday night, more than 50 law enforcement officials – including sheriff's deputies, highway patrol officers, police officers and officers from the state Division of Wildlife – patrolled the 40-acre farm and the surrounding areas in cars and trucks, often in rainy downpours. Lutz said they were concerned about big cats and bears hiding in the dark and in trees.

Neighbor Danielle White, whose father's property abuts the animal preserve, said she didn't see loose animals this time but did in 2006, when a lion escaped.

"It's always been a fear of mine knowing (the preserve's owner) had all those animals," she said. "I have kids. I've heard a male lion roar all night."

"This is a bad situation," Lutz said. "It's been a situation for a long time."

Lutz said his office started getting phone calls at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday that wild animals were loose just west of Zanesville on a road that runs under Interstate 70.

He said four deputies with assault rifles in a pickup truck went to the animal farm, where they found the owner Thompson dead and all the animal cage doors open.

He wouldn't say how Thompson died but said several aggressive animals were near his body when deputies arrived and had to be shot.

Thompson, who lived on the property, had orangutans and chimps in his home, but those were still in their cages, Lutz said.

The deputies, who saw many other animals standing outside their cages and others that had escaped past the fencing surrounding the property, began shooting them on sight.

Staffers from the Columbus Zoo went to the scene, hoping to tranquilize and capture the animals after daybreak Wednesday. The zoo's director emeritus, TV host Jack Hanna, said that was something that could not be done in the dark.

"You cannot tranquilize an animal like this, a bear or a leopard or a tiger (at nighttime)," Hanna told ABC's "Good Morning America on Wednesday. "If you do that, the animal gets very excited, it goes and hides, and then we have his (Lutz's) officer in danger of losing their life, and other people."

Lutz said his main concern was protecting the public in the rural area, where homes sit on large lots of sometimes 10 acres.

White, the preserve's neighbor, said Thompson had been in legal trouble, and police said he had gotten out of jail recently.

"He was in hot water because of the animals, because of permits, and (the animals) escaping all the time," White said. A few weeks ago, she said, she had to avoid some camels which were grazing on the side of a freeway.

At a nearby Moose Lodge, Bill Weiser remembered Thompson as an interesting character who flew planes, raced boats and owned a custom motorcycle shop that also sold guns.

"He was pretty unique," Weiser said. "He had a different slant on things. I never knew him to hurt anybody, and he took good care of the animals."

Weiser said he regretted that the escaped animals had to be killed. "It's breaking my heart, them shooting those animals," he said.

Bailey Hartman, 20, a night manager at McDonald, also said it saddened her that the animals were being shot. But, she said, "I was kind of scared coming in to work."

Hartman said Thompson's wife, who no longer lives with him, was her teacher in middle school and used to bring small animals such as a monkeys, snakes and owls to school. "It was a once-a-year type of thing, and everyone would always get excited," she recalled.

Thompson had permits to keep four black bears, said Laura Jones, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The department licenses only native species, Jones said Wednesday.

Ohio has some of the nation's weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them.

In the summer of 2010, an animal caretaker was killed by a bear at a property in Cleveland. The caretaker had opened the bear's cage at exotic-animal keeper Sam Mazzola's property for a routine feeding.

Though animal-welfare activists had wanted Mazzola charged with reckless homicide, the caretaker's death was ruled a workplace accident. The bear was later destroyed.

This summer, Mazzola was found dead on a water bed, wearing a mask and with his arms and legs restrained, at his home in Columbia Township, about 15 miles southwest of Cleveland.

It was unclear how many animals remained on the property when he died, but he had said in a bankruptcy filing in May 2010 that he owned four tigers, a lion, eight bears and 12 wolves. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had revoked his license to exhibit animals after animal-welfare activists campaigned for him to stop letting people wrestle with another one of his bears.

Mazzola had permits for nine bears for 2010, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said. The state requires permits for bears but doesn't regulate the ownership of nonnative animals, such as lions and tigers.

The Humane Society of the United States on Wednesday urged Ohio to immediately issue emergency restrictions on the sale and possession of dangerous wild animals. "

"How many incidents must we catalogue before the state takes action to crack down on private ownership of dangerous exotic animals," Humane Society Wayne Pacelle said in a statement.

What's on your mind? Despite of the ill decision that the owner made of keeping those wild animals, I am upset that he was killed. That was a hard lesson learned in loving animals too much. As far as the residents in that area, stay safe until this matter ends.

Palermo man flees troopers arresting him on animal cruelty charge

2011-10-16T01:50:00.000-04:00

Palermo, NY – A Palermo man who is awaiting sentencing for obstructing governmental administration faces new charges of animal cruelty, resisting arrest and endangering the welfare of a child charges, state police said.

Troopers said a German shepherd owned by Steven D. Burdick, 45, of 4102 state Route 3, had been hit by a car Thursday evening. Burdick, who had been told about the accident, left the dog under a tree in his yard for about 22 hours without providing veterinary care, troopers said. Burdick claims the dog was on his porch, not outside.

When troopers told Burdick he was under arrest for animal cruelty, he picked up his 3-year-old son and ran, troopers said. They quickly caught him and the child was uninjured, troopers said.

The dog was taken to a clinic, which found it had a fractured pelvis and was unable to walk, troopers said. It is expected to survive.

Burdick was issued an appearance ticket to answer the charges, all misdemeanors. He is to appear in Palermo town court on Oct. 24.

That also is the day he is scheduled to be sentenced for obstruction of governmental administration, a misdemeanor, having an uninspected car and failure to present a vehicle registration, vehicle-traffic code violations, following his conviction in August by a West Monroe town court jury. He faces up to a year in jail.

In that case, Burdick was arrested at a traffic checkpoint in Central Square in November 2009. Burdick refused to get out of his car and used his then- 18-month-old child as a human shield as he argued with a deputy.

The jury acquitted him of endangering the welfare of a child.

Related topics: Editors' Picks, Steven Burdick

What's on your mind?

Zoo Worker Charged With Attempted Cat Poisoning

2011-05-25T13:03:00.001-04:00

Zoo Worker Charged With Attempted Cat Poisoning

What's on your mind?

The loudest cat in the world?

2011-03-24T08:53:00.000-04:00

What's on your mind?

Ultimate Loyalty: Japanese Dog Refuses to Leave Injured Friend Behind

2011-03-23T10:03:00.000-04:00

What's on your mind?

Licky-Tongued Fox

2011-02-06T17:00:00.000-05:00

What's on your mind?

R.I.P. Coco on 12/30/2010

2010-12-30T04:34:00.000-05:00

What's on your mind?

Dear Coco,

I remember when I first saw you. You were at the DC Animal Shelter and I was working the second shift. You were so fiesty & didn't like anyone but me. Your owner was elderly & couldn't take care of you anymore due to immobility from old age. You didn't trust anyone but for some reason you liked me. Michelle (groomer & over night caretaker at the time) told me that you were in between the puppy area & quarantine area where alot of pitbulls were at time. How you slipped through the gate was beyond me! Taking a risk of being scared from pitbulls barking at you was very bold. You didn't care because you were trying to get to me. I had you at the front desk to keep me company at night. Someone was about to adopt you but they had a change of heart. I had to ask my older sister Tonya if I could adopt you because you were an older dog & was being considered for the upper room (being put to sleep due to space). After begging Tonya to adopt you because I lived with her, she found it in her heart to say yes. I was so happy to have you as my baby! We had something in common: we love hard. We had some great times & I'm heart broken that you are gone now. I'm happy though because you are in a better place now (yes I believe that animals go to heaven). When I adopted you I was told that you were 7 years old. After going to the vet, it turned out that you were 10 years old but that didn't matter to me. You were so cute, loving, loyal and a joy to have as a part of my family!! I love you Coco & I will definitely see you later in heaven, I'm hurt that you are gone & I will never get used to you not being around. Rest in peace & mommy loves you!! My family, friends, Streets & Lexi will definitely miss you too! You are highly loved & will NEVER be forgotten!!

Your Mommy,

Kisha :-)

Dog rescuer wins Real Hero Award

2010-12-21T07:52:00.000-05:00

Thurman, a 2-year old Labrador-Retriever puppy, was out playing at Syracuse's Inner Harbor last January when he fell through the ice and into the frigid water. Syracuse Police Officer John Szakalski took off his gun belt to make himself lighter, then crawled out on the ice, on his belly, to reach the dog and pull him out. Szakalski says he never thought twice about the risk to himself.

What's on your mind? That was an honorable act of kindness on the behalf of Syracuse Police Officer John Szakalski!! He definitely didn't have to do that, he could've just called Animal Control. Poor Thurman would've been dead by the time animal control made it to the scene. I love people like that, he is not only a great guy but a true hero!!!

Vick Says He Would Like A Pet Dog, Renewing Debate

2010-12-18T07:25:00.000-05:00

Online Outrage, Support Builds Again After Vick Says He'd Like To Own A Dog As Step In Rehab

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Michael Vick is barred from owning a dog for a year and a half, but the star quarterback's comment that he'd like to bring one into his house generated renewed outrage - and support.

The convicted dogfighting ring operator told the news site TheGrio.com that he genuinely cares about animals and would like to have one for a pet again.

"I think it would be a big step for me in the rehabilitation process," he said.

Vick has made similar statements before, but this time it seemed to have grabbed the world's attention. For example, the gambling website Bodog.com is offering bets on what breed of dog Vick might own in the next two years.

Vick served 18 months in prison after being convicted in 2007. A judge federal judge also sentenced him to three years probation, ending in May 2012. One of the terms: He could not own dogs during that time.

Since Vick was released from prison, he's become a touchstone for a deep debate: Can people who do bad things be redeemed?

"I really mean what I say. I don't have a problem. I'm not a psychopath. I'm not crazy. I'm a human being," Vick told The Associated Press on Thursday. "What happened in my past and what I did in the culture I grew up in doesn't shape and mold me as the person I am now. I said it before that I wish I can own a dog and I'll continue to say it. I'm not allowed to, but I'm just saying I wish I could because my kids ask me every day. It's more so for them than for me."

When he was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles last year, criticism seemed to outweigh cheers. But now that he's again a top NFL player and has spent time speaking with at-risk kids, he's gained a bigger following of fans.

Ray Morales, of Philadelphia, said that Vick has worked to turn his life around and deserves a second chance.

"They're just trying to scrutinize him way too much because of his popularity," he said. "It's hard for people to believe that someone can turn their life around, but they can."

Morales said in his home state of Florida, a friend stopped participating in dogfighting after hearing Vick talk about why it was wrong.

"He's been doing a lot to educate people about dogfighting," ''He knows he's done something wrong, people just really need to get past it and stop casting stones."

Erik Brown, a 25-year-old student from Chicago, also defended Vick online.

"I'm sure he'd be one of the most-watched dog owners on the planet, so I highly doubt he could participate in the activities that landed him in this mess in the first place," he told the AP in an e-mail interview.

Vick's comments, however, brought out plenty of critics. Many took to Twitter to lambaste the quarterback with tweets like, "Michael Vick says he'd like to own a dog someday. I'd like to own a brewery too but it's probably not a good idea."

Jane Dollinger, spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said Vick should be banned from owning dogs for life.

Meanwhile, Humane Society of the United States President Wayne Pacelle said it's too early for Vick to have a dog, but says it could be appropriate after his probation ends.

"There may be some who would forever deny Michael Vick the opportunity to have a pet. I understand that sentiment. But there is a larger principle at stake here," he said in a statement. "We at The HSUS are about the business of change - personal and societal change."

Since his release from prison, Vick has worked with the group and makes school appearances to talk to students about his past.

Vick told TheGrio.com he's doing that work because he wants to.

"The court doesn't make it an obligation for me to go out and speak," Vick said. "It doesn't make it an obligation for me to work with the Humane Society. I'm putting in the hard work to do it so it's not for any personal benefit, it's to help others."

What's on your mind? I believe in second, third, fourth & beyond chances. Michael Vick paid a heavy price because of his past situation with fighting dogs. I think people should leave him alone. What is a debate for if he wants another dog? Yes, it was awful that he either fought or had knowledge that those dogs were being used for dog fighting but I believe he truly has learned his lesson. Is there a rule that will stop him & his family from owning a pet again?

The media is still around him 24/7 so to put himself back in that situation, I can't see it happening. I know what you are thinking. The media was around him when the dog fighting accured. You can't further punish someone that has served their time in prison. Not only that, he has made numerous efforts to prove that he is a changed man. Give him a chance....

Obama Admits He Scoops First Dog's Poop - CBS News

2010-12-18T07:10:00.001-05:00

Obama Admits He Scoops First Dog's Poop - CBS News

(AP) He may be leader of the free world, but when he takes his dog for a walk, President Barack Obama says he bends down to do the nasty work of cleaning up like anyone else.

Answering questions Friday from youngsters at an elementary school, Obama described going for nighttime walks with first dog Bo on the White House South Lawn. He says that's fun. But, Obama says, "Sometimes I have to scoop up his poop, because I don't want to just leave it in the lawn!"

The response from the kids: "Eeeewww!"

Obama admonished them: "If you guys have a dog, you've got to walk your dog, too — and clean up after him."
What's on your mind?

Stolen Puppy Returned to the Humane Society

2010-12-05T15:25:00.001-05:00

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcwashington.com/video.

UPDATE: Ivan has been returned. The Humane Society said he appears to be in good health but will receive a full check-up. The Humane Society did not disclose the circumstances of Ivan's return.

Humane Society officials are reaching out to the public for help finding a pitbull puppy stolen from a shelter Monday afternoon.

The Washington Humane Society is now offering a $1,000 reward for the return of 4-month-old Ivan. The Humane Society told News4’s Craig Melvin that three men can be seen on surveillance tape walking into the New York Avenue shelter about 2 p.m. Monday.

"These three individuals made their way in to a restricted area. Removed the dog from the rear side of its cage, slipped out through a back gate, and then to finally get out of the enclosed area, kicked their way through a wooden fence," Scott Giacoppo, of the Washington Humane Society, told Melvin.

After snatching Ivan, the men simply sauntered away.

“Like they own the world, they came in, saw what they wanted, walked into a restricted area and grabbed him,” Giacoppo said.

Now employees are worried about what will happen to Ivan, especially with all of the tragic ways they’ve seen animals treated.

“Is he going to be used in dog-fighting activities?” Giacoppo wondered. “Is he going to be used to train other dogs? Is he going to be used for breeding? Is he going to be used as a guard dog?”

The Humane Society hopes that the $1,000 reward will encourage whoever took Ivan to return him so that he can be placed in a safe, loving home.

"Our main concern is the return of Ivan,” Giacoppo told Melvin. “We want to make sure that he gets what he deserves, and that is a loving home and a good family.”

The Washington Humane Society said they are also using this as an opportunity to review their security procedures and the process by which potential pet owners look at the pets.

If you have any information about Ivan or who took him, you can contact the Washington Humane Society

What's on your mind?

Facts of life behind cute animal faces - CNN

2010-12-05T14:35:00.001-05:00

Facts of life behind cute animal faces - CNN

November 22, 2010|By Andrew Bleiman, Special to CNN

An elephant calf runs through a sprinkler, trunk held high with excitement. An orphan sea otter pup cries noisily until keepers join him in the pool for a swim. A tiny tiger cub sneaks up on its mother and pounces, only to be subjected to a thorough licking.
Scientists believe humans are programmed to find big watery eyes, wobbly first steps and rambunctious play in baby animals cute because it reminds us of our own young. This makes zoo babies especially well suited for connecting people with animals. They are perfect ambassadors for their species.

While they might look small, baby zoo animals are a big deal. Every year, more than 175 million visitors pour into accredited zoos and aquariums in North America. That's more than the annual attendance at NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB events combined. Seeing a baby animal at a zoo is a rare highlight but one that keeps visitors coming back for more.
But behind those big eyes and floppy ears is a secret world of rarely shared stories about how these babies came to be. Zoos are mastering the science of animal breeding in an effort to conserve endangered species. It is part science and part soap opera, at times truly romantic and sometimes just downright weird.
Flamboyant flamingos
In case their bright pink feathers didn't tip you off, flamingos love to be the center of attention. In fact, some might even consider them dirty birds.
While flamingos are loyal to just one mate, they seek out an audience when it's time to make chicks. Without a large flock, they just can't seem to get in the mood. That is because they're a social species with highly ritualized courtship displays that some might call a dance (dirty dancing?).
According to flamingo expert Megan Ross, Ph.D., with Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo in Illinois, "One zoo surrounded their small flock of flamingos with mirrors to trick them into thinking the flock was bigger and spark mating behavior. It worked."
The siamang serenade
These lesser apes in the gibbon family are true romantics. Not only are males and females monogamous -- creating a pair bond for life (something not altogether common in the animal kingdom) -- but they also serenade each other with a special song that is all their own.

The siamang song can be heard for miles, and while a version is used daily as a territorial "keep out" notice to other siamangs in the forest, each couple also creates their own unique duet, which they sing to each other. It doesn't take baby siamangs long to learn their family's special song and join the chorus.
Talk dirty to me
Female cheetahs like dirty talk. Correction, they don't just like it -- they biologically require it in order to make cheetah cubs. Scientists at the San Diego Zoo in California recently discovered a specific vocalization male cheetahs make that actually triggers females to ovulate. Thanks to this Barry White-inspired research, the zoo has successfully bred dozens of these critically endangered cats.

The fertility doctor is in
Anyone who has faced fertility challenges can probably relate to the beloved giant panda. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, there are fewer than 2,500 of these iconic creatures left on the planet, and making babies is downright difficult.
With only three fertile days per year, an ill-timed panda "headache" can be a major problem for species survival. Zoos are mastering the science of wildlife reproductive physiology in order to save the species from extinction.
Lucky for them artificial insemination has been successful. Did I say lucky for them? I meant lucky for us: Who can resist the black and white ball of fluff that is a baby panda?
When in doubt, adopt
In spring, a wild wolf briefly left her den to forage for her two young pups. When she returned there were four pups! One must wonder what she was thinking, but the biologists watching her cared only about what she would do with them.
Thankfully, she adopted them as her own, as nearly all critically endangered red wolves have done since the beginning of the Red Wolf Recovery Project in the late 1980s. This reintroduction program works to restore the wild red wolf population with the participation of institutions like Lincoln Park Zoo, where the two adopted pups were born.
While seeing baby animals makes many of us go all warm and fuzzy inside, there is some serious science behind the softies, and breeding is controlled in accredited zoos through species survival plans to ensure healthy, genetically diverse populations.
The zoos' bottom line is to ensure the world continues to have these beautiful babies for many, many generations ahead.

What's on your mind?

Deer Crashes Through MD Home

2010-12-05T14:31:00.001-05:00

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcwashington.com/video.

Price Tag for Chesapeake Bay Cleanup: $10 Billion | NBC Washington

2010-12-05T14:30:00.001-05:00

Price Tag for Chesapeake Bay Cleanup: $10 Billion NBC Washington

-Getty Images

Maryland's new plan for speeding up cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay would cost $10 billion or more for pollution reduction measures.

The 234-page plan was submitted Friday, four days after a federal deadline.

The plans lists measures state officials vow to take over the next seven years for 70 percent of pollution reductions needed.

Proposals include requiring retrofits of storm drains and other projects in cities and suburbs to reduce polluted rainwater washing off and requiring about 28,000 households near the bay and its river tributaries to upgrade their septic systems.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation said in a statement that the plan postpones difficult decisions.

What's on your mind?

D.C. passes restrictions on masked protesters - wtop.com

2010-11-28T22:07:00.000-05:00

D.C. passes restrictions on masked protesters - wtop.com

What's on your mind?

Bionic Dog Gets Prosthetic Leg (compliments of CNN.com)

2010-11-20T22:22:00.000-05:00

What's on your mind? Some people don't think that it's necessary to go that far to save an animals life. I'm actually glad that someone found it in their hearts to find a solution for this dog. Imagine if our only option as humans were to go through lethal injection due to a limb missing on my body...

D.C. Council tentatively approves bill on animal and pest control firms

2010-10-19T23:05:00.000-04:00

By Tim Craig from www.washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, October 5, 2010; 11:38 PM

Furry critters across the District - with the exception of rats and mice - soon could be getting a reprieve from animal-control specialists who rid homes and properties of wild animals.

The D.C. Council gave tentative approval Tuesday to a bill to impose some of the nation's strictest standards for _blankhow animal- and pest-control companies can remove raccoons, opossums, foxes, snakes and other nuisance animals from lawns, attics and basements.

The bill, sponsored by council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3), prohibits wildlife-control operators from using glue, leg-hold, and "body-gripping" or "body-crushing" traps or snares when capturing unwanted animals.

The measure, which the council must vote on a second time, also bans the use of poison to control pigeons and sparrows.

Homeowners and property managers are exempt from the legislation, meaning that they still can take matters into their own hands instead of calling in a licensed professional. But Cheh said she hopes her legislation sends a powerful message that residents and wild animals can coexist peacefully.

"We have these conflicts now with wildlife in urban areas as they are pushed out of other areas, and it does create tension sometimes," Cheh said. "We want to take action, but we don't have to be cruel if we don't have to be."

Gene Harrington, director of government affairs for the _blankNational Pest Management Association, called Cheh's bill "the most overreaching proposal that we have seen taken seriously."

"Some of these individual tools are banned in some jurisdictions, but nowhere has such a far-reaching ban been implemented," said Harrington, who predicted that the cost of pest control in the District will soar.

In the days leading up to the vote, several council members appeared reluctant to embrace the bill, raising questions about how it would be enforced and whether it should be a priority when the city is facing a $175 million shortfall. But the legislation passed unanimously on a voice vote.

"It's all related to quality of life," said council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1). "What you do to the least of these, you do to me."

Under the Wildlife Protection Act, pest-control contractors would be required to check their traps every 24 hours to make sure an animal is not confined in one of them. Once animals are caught, wildlife-control operators would be required to take injured ones to a rehabilitation center. Uninjured animals could be released on site or transferred to "a safe location where nuisance problems are not likely to occur."

When wild animals become separated from their young, contractors will be urged to take "every reasonable effort to preserve family units using humane eviction or displacement and reunion strategies."

The bill states that captured wildlife should not be kept in "captivity" for longer than 36 hours. However, wildlife-control operators can keep a captured animal for up to three days if they are trying to locate family members for an "attempted reunion."

"We are going to keep the families together," Cheh said.

Before the vote, Cheh told her colleagues that most local animal-control companies support the legislation. But the National Pest Management Association says it will increase homeowners' pest-control costs.

Harrington said many raccoons that live on the streets in the District have been captured once in nonlethal traps. He added that a once-trapped raccoon often won't make the same mistake twice. With other types of traps off-limits, Harrington said pest-control specialists often would have to rely on "one-way-door" traps, which can cost several thousand dollars to install.

"You are basically building a door in someone's home where the raccoon might be able to get back out but not back in," Harrington said.

Harrington's association released a statement suggesting that the legislation could become increasingly threatened by rabid raccoons.

Cheh said the bill includes a provision allowing animal-control officers to use lethal force when a wild animal is a danger to people or pets. "The specter of 'Oh, well, I think now I am just going to let this raccoon bite me' is ridiculous," Cheh said.

What's on your mind?

Trooper the Dog Leaves Animal Hospital

2010-10-12T08:55:00.001-04:00

Trooper the Dog Leaves Animal Hospital

What's on your mind? Have people truly lost their minds!! Once you start following my blog, you will notice that question pop up often unfortunately. What did this dog do to deserve being dumped in a trash can after a severe dog fight?? All I have to say is thank God for Good Samaritans! It's crazy to believe without seeing that a dog can recover and have a good spirit after that situation. Hopefully, Trooper will be able to have a full recovery with a great home to put the icing on the cake. Wow, what people will do for money and attention because that's all this situation stems from. People in the dog fighting world have no regards for the feelings of these dogs just if they win or not. Do not care about the outcome of the losing dog just did you get rid of them yet? It's hard to write that so imagine people with the audacity to carry it through. Would you want to be around them?? I call it how I see it...

Pit Bull Blues by John Shipe

2010-10-01T19:10:00.000-04:00

What's on your mind? My friend Molly shared this video on her Facebook page and it's the cutest song! It's true, unfortunately pitbulls have the worst wrap sheet ever. If an owner geniunely love the characteristics of a pitbull and be responsible, they can be a very good pet.

Responsible Pet Ownership Contest-The View From 4 Legs Essay

2010-10-01T16:39:00.000-04:00

What's on your mind? I read the essay "The View From 4 Legs" and it was quite emotional for me to read. Not too many people mentally put themselves in someone elses shoes. To me, it's necessary to grow or learn how to feel empathy for others. This essay really puts you in the place of an animal in a shelter. It puts you in the moment of the thought of an abandoned animal. Their memories, experiences, fears and happiness means something. It means more for animals to know that their owner will be responsible through their actions. I love the essay and Sue Bell, you rock!

Bibi's New Pair of Shoes

2010-10-01T11:03:00.001-04:00

What's on your mind? Miss Bibi is learning how to walk with her doggie shoes on! She looks like a diva working her shoes, but it also looks like she is trying to flick them off! Coco had a pair but they didn't last 5 mins. on her. The treat reenforcement is good so she can get used to her shoes. After the treats are gone, it may be a different story!

Cats 101: Maine Coon

2010-10-01T10:32:00.000-04:00

The Maine Coon is a very beautiful cat with record breaking characteristics. Check this link out to learn more!

What's on your mind?