Tag Archives: pets

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

PetSmart, Inc. to Present at the International Strategy & Investment (ISI) Third Annual Retail Summi

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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PetSmart, Inc. to Present at the International Strategy & Investment (ISI) Third Annual Retail Summit

PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)– PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) today announced that Bob Moran, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and David Lenhardt, President and Chief Operating Officer, will present at the International Strategy & Investment (ISI) Third Annual Retail Summit in Scottsdale, AZ. The presentation will begin at 8:00 a.m. MST on March 21, 2013.

To listen to the live webcast, visit www.petm.com, a link will be displayed under “Events.” The webcast will be archived and available at the same location through Friday, June 21, 2013.

About PetSmart

PetSmart, Inc. (NAS: PETM) is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. The company employs approximately 52,000 associates and operates more than 1,278 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, over 196 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities and is a leading online provider of pet supplies and pet care information (http://www.petsmart.com). PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products; and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day CampSM day care services and pet adoption services. Through its in-store pet adoption partnership with PetSmart Charities®, PetSmart has helped save the lives of more than 5 million pets since 1994. PetSmart Charities, Inc. and PetSmart Charities of Canada, Inc. (“PetSmart Charities”) are independent, nonprofit organizations that save the lives of homeless pets and reduce shelter intake through spay/neuter efforts. In 2012, nearly 450,000 dogs and cats found homes through the organization’s adoption centers in all PetSmart stores and by sponsoring community adoption events. PetSmart Charities is the leader in granting money to help pets in need, with more than $28 million given in 2012 throughout North America.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter https://twitter.com/PetSmart

Find PetSmart on Facebook www.facebook.com/PetSmart

PetSmart, Inc.
Investor Relations, 623-587-2025

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Arizona

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The article PetSmart, Inc. to Present at the International Strategy & Investment (ISI) Third Annual Retail Summit originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Automobiles

Callaway Plans Shooting Brake for 2014 Corvette

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By John Lamm

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette‘s on-sale date still is months away, but Callaway Cars already has plans for a conversion. Callaway’s idea is to turn the coupe into a shooting brake—uppity British slang for an exotic two-door station wagon. As it turns out, most Americans aren’t familiar with that expression, so Callaway calls the conversion the AeroWagon.

Essentially, the Callaway “aero-back” replaces the rear decklid and is made using the Krämer Resin Transfer Molding process, which forms structural carbon parts. The new closure uses the stock hinge and closing plate pieces and is expected to weight about as much as the standard decklid. The California coachbuilder has said the AeroWagon will cost $15,000 above the standard Vette’s base price, which we suspect will be just north of $50,000. One of the biggest questions of the AeroWagon is if the new setup would allow for rear jump seats for kids, pets, or flexible adults, and the answer is no.

There have been no aero tests on the Callaway lid as yet, but the company is saying the car should be capable of 200-plus-mph in shooting-brake form. We weren’t sure how the Stingray’s new 450-hp, 6.2-liter small-block V-8 could possibly propel the shooting brake to 200 mph, which revealed more information from Callaway—the aftermarket brand is again planning its own upgrade of the Chevy mill. At this point it’s unknown if it will feature turbo- or supercharged assistance, but expect output to reach 620 horsepower. As it has for the past quarter of a century, Callaway will do all this with a blessing (and, more important, a warranty backup) from Chevrolet. Expect Callaway to have crossed all its Ts and dotted all its lower-case Js with regard to the AeroWagon by the time the 2014 Corvette goes on sale this fall.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

OMVS Explores New Social Innovations in Travel and Tourism

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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OMVS Explores New Social Innovations in Travel and Tourism

TAMPA, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– On the Moves Systems (OTCBB: OMVS) announced today that the company will explore new ways in which online portals can leverage social networks to reduce the costs and increase the convenience associated with planning travel arrangements for business, leisure and even pets.

In recent years, online portals such as Kayak, Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz and more have revolutionized the way travelers have booked airline trips, but there are other in-demand modes of transportation that aren’t fully covered by these services. OMVS is currently exploring new opportunities to foster a similar revolution for travelers looking to avoid the big airlines without paying exorbitant fees.

“Social networks and online platforms have proven their usefulness and profitability in making the booking process less costly and more convenient,” said OMVS CEO Patrick Brown. “It’s clear, however, that some popular areas of travel remain underserved by these new tools. OMVS is working on new ways to connect travelers with carriers that we think could completely transform the options currently available to people booking trips for business and pleasure, as well as the transport of precious cargo.”

The new online travel initiative is a bold step for OMVS, which has previously been focused on providing emergency and disaster preparedness tools.

“The online travel segment is forecast by many industry researchers to represent almost a third of the trillion-dollar global travel market,” Brown said. “We see this segment as the path forward to growth and profitability for our company.”

For more information on On the Move Systems‘ bold new direction, please visit www.onthemovesystems.com/investors.html.

About On the Move Systems, Inc.

On the Move Systems, Inc. (OTCBB: OMVS) is focused on the development of cutting-edge technology across a broad spectrum of industries. The company is currently exploring new online tools to reduce costs and increase convenience in the tourism and travel industry. For more information, please visit our website at www.onthemovesystems.com.

Follow OMVS on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OMVSinfo

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Natura Pet Issues Voluntary Recall of Specialized Dry Pet Foods Due to Possible Health Risk

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Natura Pet Issues Voluntary Recall of Specialized Dry Pet Foods Due to Possible Health Risk

FREMONT, Neb.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Natura Pet Products is voluntarily recalling specific lots of dry pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No Salmonella-related illnesses have been reported.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

These products were made in a single production facility during a two week window in December 2012. Routine testing by the Michigan Department of Agriculture collected from a single retail location tested positive for the presence of Salmonella. As a precautionary measure, Natura is voluntarily recalling all products from this production window.

The affected products are sold in bags through veterinary clinics, select pet specialty retailers, and online in the United States, Canada, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Costa Rica. Product expiration dates range from 12/17/2013 – 1/2/2014. Product was distributed by Natura Pet Products between December 18, 2012 through March 15, 2013. No other dry food, canned food, biscuits, bars or treats are affected by this announcement.

A complete list of products in the scope of this recall are listed at the end of this release. Additional information on these products can be found at www.naturapet.com.

Consumers who have purchased the specific dry pet foods listed should discard them.

For further information or a product replacement or refund call Natura toll-free at 800-224-6123. (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM CST).

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Articles of Interest

Endangered Species: Deer, Butterflies And Other Animals You Never Knew Might Go Extinct

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By The Huffington Post News Editors

From Vetstreet’s Samantha Thornton:

Thousands of animal species are listed in the Endangered Species Act, but we found a few that you wouldn’t expect to find on the brink of extinction. From household pets to garden pests, here are animals currently listed as endangered or threatened in the United States and around the world.

List and captions courtesy of Vetstreet

Read More…
More on Animals

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Attention Animal Lovers: Groupon Launches Dedicated Pets Page with Campaign to Help Law Enforcement

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Attention Animal Lovers: Groupon Launches Dedicated Pets Page with Campaign to Help Law Enforcement K-9s Everywhere

. . . Because Groupon Loves Cats and Dogs and Butterflies and All Animals in General

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Groupon (NAS: GRPN) (http://www.groupon.com) today launches its latest pets deals page to celebrate pets across the nation. This special section for local and national pets-related deals will be available today through Wednesday, March 20, at http://www.groupon.com/occasions. Deals cover everything from the Unique Petz Treat Launcher to an electronic pet feeder, including:

Chicago Police dog, Zorro, hanging out at Groupon’s headquarters in Chicago with his bullet proof vest that was funded by a campaign from Groupon and Vested Interest in K-9s, Inc., a non-profit fund-raising organization dedicated to providing bullet and stab protective vests for law enforcement dogs. Photo credit: Stephanie Bassos

In coordination with the pets deals page, Groupon Grassroots launches a campaign with Vested Interest in K-9s, Inc., a non-profit fundraising organization dedicated to providing bullet and stab protective vests for law enforcement dogs across the nation. In 2012, Groupon Grassroots worked with Vested Interest in K-9s, Inc. on both local and regional campaigns that helped raise more than $60,000 to outfit law enforcement K-9s with bullet and stab protective vests. Today’s campaign will be Groupon Grassroots‘ first national campaign with the organization. If 101 people donate $10, Vested Interest in K-9s, Inc. can fund a bullet and stab protective vest for a police dog. More information is available at http://www.groupon.com/k9.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

News, Politics, Government

British zoo sends 6 endangered macaws to Bolivia

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Conservationists have flown six endangered macaws from Britain to Bolivia in hopes that they can help save a species devastated by the trade in wild animals.

The blue-throated macaws arrived last week at a conservation center in northeastern Bolivia, close to their natural habitat, and the local Noel Kempff Foundation said Tuesday it hopes to breed or release them.

Such birds were long captured for sale as pets and no more than 130 of the blue-throated macaws are believed to still exist in the wild.

The six were sent to Bolivia by the Paradise Park zoo in England’s Cornwall district that bred the six birds.

___

Associated Press writer John Rice contributed to this report from Mexico City.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News

News, Politics, Government

Hundreds of family pets, protected species killed by little known federal agency

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By Cristina Corbin

It was an August morning two years ago when Maggie, a spry, 7-year-old border collie, slipped through the backyard fence of her family’s suburban Oregon home. Minutes later, she was dead – her neck snapped by a body-gripping trap set by the U.S. government less than 50 feet from the home she shared with the four children who loved her.

“It is an image that will never leave me,” Maggie’s owner, Denise McCurtain, of Gresham, Ore., said of her death. “She was still breathing as we tried to remove the trap. Her eyes were open and she was looking at me. All I could say was ‘I’m trying so hard. You didn’t do anything wrong.'”

Maggie’s death at a minimum was one of hundreds of accidental killings of pets over the last decade acknowledged by Wildlife Services, a little-known branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that is tasked with destroying animals seen as threats to people, agriculture and the environment. Critics, including a source within the USDA, told FoxNews.com that the government‘s taxpayer-funded Predator Control program and its killing methods are random — and at times, illegal.

Over the years, Wildlife Services has killed thousands of non-target animals in several states – from pet dogs to protected species – caught in body-gripping conibear traps and leg hold snares, or poisoned by lethal M-44 devices that explode sodium cyanide capsules when triggered by a wild animal – or the snout of a curious family pet.

The McCurtains, like many other families, were never informed that such deadly devices were placed so close to their home in grass near the edge of a pond where their young son kicks his soccer ball and their daughter catches turtles.

The traps, set on communal property owned by the neighborhood association, were meant to kill an infestation of nutria, rat-like pests that pose no danger to people but can be harmful to the environment. The only warning sign was a small placard in the grass that identified the device as government property and cautioned against tampering with it. The neighborhood association told the McCurtains it never would have approved such traps had it known they were so deadly.

“It’s unconscionable that anybody with an ounce of common sense would set these traps in an area frequented by the public and their pets,” said Brooks Fahy, executive director of Predator Defense, a national watchdog group that advocates non-lethal predator control.

The M-44’s intended targets are coyotes that kill or harass livestock primarily in the western states, where Wildlife Services is most active and critical to farmers protecting their livestock.

But, like Maggie, there often are unintended victims — like a puppy belonging to J.D. and Angel Walker of Santa Anna, Texas.

In February 2011, the couple’s 18-month-old pit bill was killed when it sniffed and pulled on a meat-scented M-44 placed about 900 feet from its home.

Kyle Traweek, the Wildlife Services employee who set the device, violated at least three M-44 restrictions set by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to Texas …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

Health

Salmonella Outbreak Associated With Exposure To Aquatic Frogs

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African dwarf frogs, which are commonly kept as household pets, have been associated with the infection of thousands of children with Salmonella, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 2008 to 2011 nationwide outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium was investigated by a group of researchers, they published their findings in the journal Pediatrics… …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Medical News Today

News, Politics, Government

Lion mauls, kills female intern at California animal sanctuary

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Authorities are trying to determine what caused a lion to maul and fatally attack a female intern volunteer at a private wild animal park in California Wednesday.

Q13 Fox reports 26-year-old Seattle native Dianna Hanson was identified as the victim of the attack by her father, Paul Hanson.

The victim was attacked and killed when she entered the lion’s enclosure, Cat Haven founder and executive director Dale Anderson said. Anderson was crying as he read a one-sentence statement about the fatal mauling at the exotic animal zoo he has operated since 1993.

KMPH reports deputies shot and killed the lion, a 4-year-old named Cous Cous that has been raised at Cat Haven since it was 8 months old, in order to provide medical attention to Hansen.

Sheriff’s deputies responding to an emergency call from Cat Haven, in the Sierra Nevada foothills about 45 miles east of Fresno, found the woman severely injured and still lying inside the enclosure with the lion nearby, Fresno County sheriff’s Lt. Bob Miller said.

Investigators were trying to determine why the intern was inside the enclosure and what might have provoked the attack, sheriff’s Sgt. Greg Collins said. The facility is normally closed on Wednesdays, and only one other worker was there when the mauling happened, Collins said.

Cat Haven is a 100-acre facility just west of Kings Canyon National Park. Since the property opened in 1993, it has housed numerous big cats, including tigers, leopards and other exotic species. It is permitted to house exotic animals by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and is regulated as a zoo by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Results of the last 13 inspections by the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service show no violations dating back to March 2010. The most recent inspection was Feb. 4, USDA records show.

Despite state regulations that require annual inspections, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife most recently inspected the facility in January 2011.

“We have to do the best we can with the resources we’re provided,” said department spokeswoman Jordan Traverso.

The inspector’s written comments were “facility in good condition.” The inspector checked gates, enclosures, water supplies, drainage, cleanliness, ventilation and the general health of the animals.

Department spokeswoman Janice Mackey said she was unaware if any state regulations would prohibit an employee from entering an exotic animal’s enclosure.

She said each species is identified on the permit, and the animals must be used for scientific or educational purposes only.

“We don’t allow them to be used as pets,” Mackey said.

Actress Tippi Hedren, who founded the Shambala Preserve in Southern California, home to 53 seized or abandoned exotic pets, expressed dismay over the killing of the lion.

“It wasn’t the lion’s fault. It’s the human’s fault always. I’ve got 40 years behind me. I know what I’m talking about,” Hedren said.

A movie was made at Shambala several years ago and several people were injured. “Two were nearly killed,” she said.

“Lions are one of the four most dangerous animals in the world. There is nothing you can do. When …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

News, Politics, Government

More than a dozen dogs found shot, dumped in rural Nevada town

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The bodies of more than a dozen dogs that were shot to death and dumped on the outskirts of a rural town likely all came from the same place, deputies said Tuesday.

Churchill County Sheriff Ben Trotter said that suspicion was “based on the fact the decomposition levels are pretty much the same on all the dogs.”

The bodies of 13 dogs have been found, including two discovered Monday by a KRNV-TV news crew from Reno, Trotter said. The carcasses of 11 dogs previously were found in two separate piles just miles apart on the edge of Fallon, about 60 miles east of Reno.

“We have had a couple of leads trickle in and we are tracking them down,” Trotter said. “Maybe we had a so-called rescue center that was over-populated. Or maybe it was a hoarder who couldn’t pay for food. We’ve been asking for people’s help if they noticed their neighbor’s dog population recently dropped off.”

The Churchill County Animal Protection Service has been combing records for any clues based on lists of people who were trying to place dogs or found lost dogs, but so far with no luck.

“We are dumbfounded,” said Teresa Summers, the service’s executive director. “We don’t know where these dogs came from.”

Four carcasses were found about 5 miles southwest of downtown Fallon on Feb. 9, Trotter said. Another seven were found Saturday a few miles north of the others toward U.S. Highway 50.

They included pit bulls, dachshunds, a golden retriever, a border collie, a Jack Russell terrier and a golden Pomeranian.

Summers said it’s not unusual for pet owners to put down an animal they don’t want or can’t care for, “but most of the time, they dump them in the middle of nowhere, take them out in the desert and shoot them. It’s a real oddity for all the dogs to be in the same place.”

Trotter and others hope the deaths will bring attention to the lack of animal protection laws in the rural high-desert community, which dates back to the creation of a massive government irrigation system in the early 1900s.

Any prosecution of the killer likely would have to come under state laws prohibiting inhumane treatment of animals, he said.

“Churchill County is terrible. We have zero laws. The city has some animal ordinances but the county has none,” said Trotter, who has been trying to change that since he was elected in 2010.

Neighboring tribal police recently removed about 100 cats being kept by a woman on a 5-acre parcel of reservation land in the county, he said.

“Talk about stinking,” he said. “And we have nothing out here to even control that kind of stuff. It’s very problematic for my agency.”

Trotter said Churchill is the only county in Nevada that doesn’t even have so much as a law requiring pets to be kept on leashes. He said opposition to the idea is based on part that Nevada considers public rangeland to be open, no fences required.

He said deputies themselves have contributed to that misunderstanding in the past.

“For …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

GSI Commerce® Selected to Support PetSmart's Omnichannel Strategy

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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GSI Commerce® Selected to Support PetSmart’s Omnichannel Strategy

Leading pet specialty retailer extends relationship for three years

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– GSI Commerce®, an eBay Inc. company, announced today that it has extended its contract with PetSmart® (NAS: PETM) to support the pet specialty retailer’s omnichannel strategy with webstore, fulfillment and customer service solutions. GSI has worked with PetSmart since 2007, and this contract will extend the relationship for three years.

With more than 1,250 stores in the United States and Canada, PetSmart is dedicated to creating a seamless customer experience through all channels to support customers in finding the products they need for their pets using the technology they prefer. With web upgrades and commerce solutions from GSI, PetSmart will be able to deliver an omnichannel shopping experience to their customers.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with PetSmart to build and deliver a connected consumer experience for pet owners from shopping through delivery and customer service.” said Chris Saridakis, President of GSI Commerce. “Many of us at GSI are pet parents so we understand the need to have access to the widest array of pet products.”

GSI Commerce also supports PetSmart’s online fulfillment through its distribution center in Kentucky and customer service by U.S.-based call centers. GSI customer service representatives dedicated to the account are trained by PetSmart and work closely with PetSmart’s Phoenix-based Customer Care team.

“Technology is rapidly changing the way the consumer researches and shops, especially when it comes to caring for their pets,” said David Lenhardt, President and COO, PetSmart. “Through our strategic partnership with GSI Commerce, we are building the capabilities to allow our customers to shop anywhere, any way and any time they choose.”

About PetSmart

PetSmart, Inc. (NAS: PETM) is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. The company employs approximately 50,000 associates and operates more than 1,249 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, over 194 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities and is a leading online provider of pet supplies and pet care information (http://www.petsmart.com). PetSmart provides a broad range of …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

News, Politics, Government

The Cats in This House Are … Abnormal

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House

The Cats in This House Are … Abnormal

BBC News

People visit this house because of its famous owner — but they return to get a closer look at the strange looking pets that roam around.Why their paws cause such a stir
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Man Gets Surprise After Half a Century
‘Honey Boo Boo’ Star Faces Health Scare
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…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at AOL

News, Politics, Government

37-pound tubby tabby Biscuit in need of home

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At 37 pounds, Biscuit is about the right weight for a 4-year-old — human, that is.

A St. Louis-area animal shelter is trying to find a new home for the sweet tabby with a sweet tooth.

Biscuit’s salad days were spent pigging out, and now at roughly three times the weight of a healthy adult cat, he’s restricted to about a cup of diet food per day.

His first owner, a disabled woman who fed him lots of treats, brought him to the St. Charles Animal Control shelter about a year ago because she could no longer care for him, Teresa Gilley, the shelter’s lead animal control officer, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/15VQRvf ).

“She didn’t mean the cat any harm,” Gilley said. “I just think she didn’t know any better.”

Another woman took him in but had to return him about a week ago because her new apartment doesn’t allow pets, she said.

Gilley said the tubby tabby isn’t crazy about his new low-calorie diet, but he has begun adjusting to it. When he arrived, Biscuit could only take a few steps before lying down and panting, but now he’s showing increased energy.

“The other day I went into the office, and he was up in the chair,” Gilley said. “So he was able to jump pretty high.”

Biscuit is neutered and is believed to be about 4. Gilley said he’s easygoing and loves being petted.

“He’s sweet and loving, and if you talk to him, he’ll talk back,” Gilley said.

Any prospective owner would need to keep Biscuit away from the gravy and on a strict diet.

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

News, Politics, Government

Man charged with shooting neighbor's 2 dogs

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A Pennsylvania man accused of shooting two his neighbor’s two dogs after he saw them near his sheep now faces criminal charges.

MyFoxPhilly.com reports that Gabriel Pilotti, 72, was charged Friday with two counts of cruelty to animals and one count of reckless endangerment person for allegedly killing two of his neighbor’s Bernese mountain dogs, Argus and Fiona,with a shotgun on Feb. 12.

Court documents say the West Vincent Township man initially told police he saw the dogs chasing his sheep. But police say he later changed his story and told them he shot one dog while it was trotting slowly toward him, and killed the other as it was running away. Police say at no time were the sheep in any danger.

“There was no justification for the killing of these two dogs. The defendant has been charged and will be dealt with appropriately. Our sympathies go out to the family and children who lost their beloved pets,” Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said in a news release.

Pilotti’s attorney, Thomas H. Ramsay, tells the Daily Local News of West Chester his client is remorseful but feared for the safety of his livestock.

The dogs‘ owner, Mary Bock, told MyFoxPhilly.com that neither Argus nor Fiona had threatened his sheep.

“They never made contact with the sheep. They’re herding dogs, they’d definitely be attracted to the sheep, but not to hurt them at all.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click here for more from MyFoxPhilly.com.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

Articles of Interest

Eric Felipe Gaskin, Kitten ‘Mauler-Declawer,’ Sentenced For Animal Cruelty

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By The Huffington Post News Editors

A D.C. man has been sentenced to a year in jail for two counts of felony animal cruelty against his daughter’s kittens.

Eric Felipe Gaskin was arrested last May after “declawing” his child’s pets at home. His procedure led to the animals’ paralyzation, infection and ultimate death.

“This remains one of the worst cases of animal cruelty I have ever encountered in my more than 20 years in animal welfare,” Scott Giacoppo, vide president of external affairs at the Washington Humane Society, said in a statement.

Read More…

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

News, Politics, Government

Americans spent $53 billion on pets last year

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The U.S. economy may have remained sluggish last year but Americans refused to scrimp on their pets, with animal lovers spending upwards of $53 billion on food, veterinary care, kennels and other services in 2012.

That’s up 5 percent from 2011, when spending first broke the $50 billion barrier, says the American Pet Products Association, a trade group. APPA President and CEO Bob Vetere predicts another 4 percent gain this year.

At about $34.3 billion, food and vet care represented about two-thirds of total spending, with money spent on supplies and over-the-counter medications rising by more than 7 percent. Spending on the growing market of alternative vet care, such as acupuncture, totaled about $12.5 billion.

Vetere says spending on services like grooming, boarding, hotels and pet-sitting grew nearly 10 percent during 2012 to almost $4.4 billion.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

News, Politics, Government

Monkey-mothering 24-hour chore for Colombian woman

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The tiny night monkey is with Martha Silva 24 hours a day, nestled in a wool pouch inside her coat or beside her while she sleeps. Eight times a day, she pulls out a milk syringe and nurses the five-inch baby like an attentive mother.

The long hours of monkey mothering don’t bother the 54-year Colombian woman, she said, because she already raised two children.

“To me there is no difference. You have to look after each the same. When you give them the bottle, you have to make sure they don’t choke. When I’m working, I make sure he doesn’t get out of the little bag I have. If there is sun, I take him out of the sun,” said Silva, who works with the neonatal unit of Bogota’s Wildlife Reception Center, part of the capital’s environment ministry

Silva, who has children of 20 and 30, began working at the center west of Colombia‘s capital in 2000. There she has nurtured species ranging from birds to turtles to primates.

Now she is looking after night monkey of the genus Aotus that lives in the tropical forests of South America, including Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador. The monkeys got their common name because of their unusual nocturnal habits.

“I carry them with me for a couple of months, in general, or the time that is required,” she told The Associated Press. Her husband and daughter help her with the household chores and cooking while she is occupied with a baby animal.

She never gives her animal charges names so they don’t become seen as pets. In the long term, the center aims to return them to the wild.

Her latest baby, a male night monkey with dark fur, beige brows and large, protruding brown eyes for night vision, arrived at the center on Feb. 4, weighing a scant 100 grams, or about one-quarter of a pound. It was brought by a man who said he found it abandoned on the side of a highway in Colombia‘s eastern plains near Meta province, said Judith Cardenas, the center’s chief biologist.

When the monkey arrived it was about 5 days old and the man said he couldn’t bring himself to leave it to die, Cardenas said.

Biologists at the Bogota center don’t how this baby ended up …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News