Guilty on Dog Abuse Case

I found this article on the web this morning.

I am constantly on the lookout for potential animal abuse around where we live too. Especially in the summer when so many clueless people leave their animals in hot cars.

This article deals with tethering a dog to a rail and leaving it.

Have you ever been hopelessly confined to the end of a rope? I am often tethered to a medical device and believe me it is not fun to be so limited in movement, so I really feel it for tied up animals.

Granted a fencing system is a lot more expensive than a tie out rope, but consider what little trades you could make to make an animal's life a little more humane. A latte a day at $3.00 a pop is $90.00 a month. One half of a pen. Just saying....

Here is a link to the video and photos. Below is the text in case you don't want to bother with the video.

http://newjersey.news12.com/news/kisha-curtis-pleads-guilty-to-animal-cruelty-in-patrick-the-dog-case-1.5796832

"NEWARK - The 29-year-old defendant in the "Patrick the Dog" case has pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges.

Kisha Curtis entered the plea Tuesday, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. The plea comes on the day before Curtis was set to head to trial.

Curtis was accused of tying her pit bull Patrick to a railing in her Newark apartment before leaving the state in 2011. The emaciated dog was later found at the bottom of a trash chute.

Curtis had previously denied the charges, but today admitted she abandoned Patrick without food or water.

The guilty plea was not part of a deal and the assistant prosecutors handling the case say they will seek the maximum penalty of 18 months. "Miss Curtis obviously committed an act, and now she's paying the consequences for it," says Assistant Essex County Prosecutor David Feldman. The case sparked a call for tougher laws against mistreatment of pets.

Patrick has since made a full recovery. He being cared for by Patricia Smillie Scavelli, an administrator at Garden State Veterinary Specialists in Tinton Falls, where he was slowly nursed back to health.

Curtis is currently free on bail, and is set to be sentenced on Aug. 29."

North Shore Animal League Has Posted A Special Request

Cat Hit by Car Needs Your Help

Champ's Story When North Shore Animal League America rescued this sweet Siamese cat from a municipal shelter, he was perilously close to death.

The cat, whom our rescue team named Champ, had been hit by a car and left gravely wounded on a roadside. His injuries included head trauma, a broken jaw and severe damage to both of his eyes.

Despite Champ’s slim odds of survival, the medical staff at North Shore Animal League worked tirelessly to save him. They immediately administered medication to alleviate his pain; next, they wired his jaw shut so it could have a chance to heal properly. Then, they inserted a feeding tube so Champ could receive essential nourishment to help him gain back his strength.

Their veterinary staff monitored Champ around-the-clock, concerned that the impact of the crash might have caused neurological problems. Day by day, he is growing stronger, and he shows no signs of brain damage.

But Champ isn’t out of the woods yet. Sadly, the injuries to his eyes were far too severe to be repaired, and he will require surgery to remove them. To find out more about this go to www.animalleague.org.

This evokes memories for me of our little cat who was born with the cerebral virus similar to cerebral palsy in humans. He had wandered to the road after someone left the gate open and was hit. He survived, but was on shaky ground for several weeks. It was our fabulous vet who pulled him through.

Another cat in our family whose name is Chance (for second chance). He was lost from somewhere in the farm land and ended up in a friend's garage with a big abscess in his side, probably from a coyote attack. We took him in and again our vet pulled him through. He was so traumatized he spent most of his first year with us on a chair under the dining room table!

It has been several years now and he has decided he can now rule over the other cats in his privileged old age.

We are glad help support all rescue agencies. My website will include all of them. The website has taken some time to build due to some extenuating circumstance, but will be built soon.

Locusts For Lunch

Could bugs be the next cuisine trend? Just imagine it: 'Restaurant Arthropod's'. Now serving: Locust Louis; Mealy Bug Meatloaf; Centipede Souffle; Moth Broth; Mosquito Fahito au jus.; Chigger Juice.

Insects for Dinner? No-no, not the squashed fly between the pages of your plastic menu or the little roach that scrambles out from under your plate in a restaurant, but the one that gets delivered in your dinner on purpose.

Consider the possibilities... Arthropods, or organisms with jointed legs are clearly related to lobsters, crabs and other edible beings in the ocean. It's been determined that lobsters are actually sea-going cockroaches and in addition, lobster exoskeletons also have the same jointed legs and antennae as grasshoppers. In comparison, grasshoppers should be more desirable than lobsters. Grasshoppers eat clean grass; lobsters eat sea garbage like dead fish and other remains on the murky ocean floor. Of course we all eat some insects unknowingly. Aphids cling to lettuce leaves, and weevils and beetles can reside in flour and rice undetected. The FDA actually has a measurement of `acceptable' insect presence in food.

You might consider the nutritional angle. Termites have considerably more protein than a steak, for example and that protein has more amino acids essential to our diet than any other animal.

Insects can be `farm raised'. You can breed them like cattle, and in a smaller space with less odor! They could be marketed as a simple solution to world hunger. (Many nations already commonly eat insets, by the way.) There are over five million species roaming the earth, so we would definitely enjoy more variety in our dishes. Rather than being crop destroyers, they would be the crop.

If you are curious, why don't you pick up the book, 'Entertaining with Insects', and try out a few dishes at your next formal dinner party. And chefs, consider the colorful presentations you could make! Real butterflies...... I'll bet that if you dipped them in chocolate you could get almost anyone to try one.

...We ate in a seafood restaurant last night and I sadly passed on the lobster tail.

by Kathleen Brack About the Author: Kathleen Jerauld-Brack. BFA Graphic Design and Fine Art. Is recipient of many Art and Literature Awards. She is also Webmaster of: http://www.bestplacetoeat.com/ |

Humane Society of Henderson County Working Hard

If you live near Henderson County consider what you can do to helo out this agency. Adopt! Volunteer! Donate. Just surfing the web - trying to help. http://www.hshcky.org

Many Endangered Animals

Endangered Wild Animals All of us remember visiting the zoo as children and many of us like to take the young ones in our family to a zoo so they can also learn to appreciate wild life and can know more about them. However, it seems that soon, the animals we take for granted, the ones we are so used to seeing, will be extinct as every now and then we come across news that some or the other wild animal is facing the threat of extinction. It makes us wonder whether we have become so immoral that we have gone to the limit of endangering wild life...that we have brought species upon species to the brink of extinction...for money...for superstitions...for greed..and for vanity. There are some endangered wildlife animals that may be facing extinction as you read this which makes it very scary a thought. Some of the animals that truly may be extinct in the next few years are: Ivory-billed woodpecker: This woodpecker that lives in southeastern US and Cuba is almost extinct, in fact it was considered extinct almost eight years ago until there were a handful of sightings that told us that it is still out there...it is still surviving. The reason for this bird’s extinction is habitat loss and it being hunted for its feathers. Amur Leopard: This leopard is very rare to spot and lives under snowy conditions. It is found in the snowy forests of eastern Russia. It could be found in Korea and north China too but it is extinct there now. This species also faces extinction due to habitat loss, road building, poaching, and the climate change that is affecting our globe. Javan Rhinoceros: There are five species of rhinos in the world and this one is the most endangered wildlife species of them. Found on the island of Java, this rhino is endangered because it is hunted for its horn...meant to make medicines. It is a protected species now but the few that are left may not be enough to save them. Greater Bamboo Lemur: All of us have seen Madagascar and all of us love King Julian...he belongs to this species and is another endangered wild animal. Due to loss of habitat (burning forests for agriculture, logging) and illegal hunting, these lemurs are quickly reducing in numbers. Northern Right Whale: The whale...didn’t expect it to e on this list but it is. This is the most endangered of the whale species and is hunted for its famous whale oil. They are also in danger because global warming has reduced the amount of small crustaceans they eat...some of these whales die just because they get stuck in the fishing lines. The list is quite long and many will be shocked to see some of the names there. Our greed to have more and more seems to have left no space or resources for the others that inhabit this planet with us...those who make this planet beautiful...in our want to have more...we have left nothing for the others. 

Rainforest Awareness

In an area roughly five times the size of New York City’s Central Park, researchers have found 458 species of trees, 330 species of birds, and the world’s greatest diversity of moths and butterflies with a staggering 5,000 species at one site (more species than all of North America). Twelve primate species, including the Critically Endangered Yellow-breasted Capuchin, make their home in this amazing Brazilian rainforest. Jaguars, tapirs, and giant anteaters roam the forest floor. All of this could be lost in our generation to deforestation for biofuels and agriculture. The World Land Trust-US is racing against the clock to purchase and protect of 333 acres in the Serra Bonita mountain range. This land will be added to the currently existing Serra Bonita Reserve. WLTUS_AtlanticRainforestJaguar_As part of one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world, the Atlantic rainforests, this project is currently considered as one of the highest priorities for global conservation efforts. Your donation through The Rainforest Site’s Gifts That Give More [tm] can help them reach their goal even faster. GreaterGood.org’s contributions to World Land Trust-US are made possible by the support of donors, shoppers, and clickers at The Rainforest Site. Photo: Courtesy of the World Land Trust. This article comes directly from the Greater Good Network.

Some Happy Endings for Older Dogs

Old Dog Haven in Western Washington is a nonprofit group that uses a large network of people to provide loving and safe homes for abandoned senior dogs. They provide temporary foster care for dogs that are adoptable and have a reasonable life expectancy. They also provide permanent final refuge care for dogs that are too old for adoption, maybe in their last months or years or in fragile health. Their goal is that their last months and years are happy and they die safe and at peace, knowing they are loved. Old Dog Haven is not a shelter. All of the dogs live happily in homes with foster and final refuge families who love and cherish them as valued family members. "All too many dogs of advanced years find themselves terrified and confused at shelters, where their chances fo being adopted are almost zero. Others are desperate for a home because The family is moving and can't take the dog, owners work too long hours; a new baby; the dogs companion is moved to a nursing home or is deceased. The foster homes in the area of Western Washington (some 200) provide foster care, hospice care and temporary foster care for adoptable dogs. They are always in need of additional homes for these dogs. And, vet care is expensive. Their vet expenses are very high as they try to br ing the dogs back to the best possible health. Old Dog Haven is an IRS approved 501 (c)(3) nonprofit charitable organiztion and relies on donations for its income. Please consider sending a donation today. See the website at http://www.olddoghaven.org.

Rare White Rhino Born in US

A male Sumatran Orangutan infant born at Zoo Atlanta on January 10 came into the world in an unusual way: he was delivered by Caesarean section with the help of human obstetricians, neonatologists, and veterinary anesthesiologists. This Caesarian section is one of only three to be performed on Sumatran Orangutans in recent years. Zoo Atlanta’s animal care staff planned for this important delivery for months. The baby’s 16-year-old mother, Blaze, is a small-bodied female, and she had a previous infant who did not survive the birth process, possibly due to Blaze’s small size. Read more at http://zooborns.typepad.com/zooborns/orangutan/

Magpie's Lucky Day

Just wanted to share this.Please do what you can to make this a reality for more homeless pets.

Things You Can Do To Stop This

Most of these pictures show the plastic rings used to hold cans together at the supermarket. It seems to me that years ago at least in the East, that those plastic ring tops were forced to be modified to tear apart. Apparently this isn't universal. If you use them, cut them up before disposing them. If you find them in the store that are unscored, contact the maker of the product and complain. And pass it on. Sooner or later the manufacturers will get the message, I hope.

Crickets You Probably Haven't Seen in your Backyard

The Discovery Channel had a great new show on the other night about the Kalahari Desert. One of the critters they featured was the amazing Armored Cricket. A real ewww factor. Kind of like something out of a science fiction movie. These crickets live in the grasses of the Kalahari desert. They eat many different foods, especially the hatchlings in the nests of the Red Billed Quela. It is believed they find the nests through auditory signals. The bird nests are suspended from tree limbs and the crickets simply climb the trees to feed. The parent birds are able to fend them off if they are around however. There are many predators of the crickets, but if they are attacked, they have a mechanism for defense that enables them to spray a toxic chemical on their attackers. They also are good ground fighters defending themselves by biting their opponents.

Reproduction of these insects is very interesting (from Wikipedia):

"Acanthoplus discoidalis have a relatively long courtship period, it starts at sunset and is usually completed by sunrise. Males stridulate which attracts females to their location. Males produce a large sperm pouch and an associated spermatophylax (a body of food given to the female as a nuptial gift) - together termed the spermatophore. They therefore cannot mate again for some time as they have to wait until a new spermatophore has grown. Females mate once before laying eggs, and then mate and lay eggs in a random order. This means that it is advantageous for males to mate with virgins over non-virgins as a higher proportion of the offspring will be their own. Males are able to discriminate between virgins and non-virgins and successfully complete more matings with virgins and they transfer their spermatophore more quickly when mating with virgins. Virgins are lighter than non-virgins allowing males to distinguish between virgins and non-virgins by determining the mass of the female when they copulate."

Hmmm, Maybe this sounds more like a science fiction movie based on somebody's fantasy …………

Killing Them With Kindness?

Is your pet overweight? It seems a large percentage of domestic pets are suffering from a myriad of illnesses due solely to poor diets and overweight. We have dealt with it ourselves in having to control our cat's grazing habits by only placing the dry food dish down a few hours a day. This seemed unfair to the other cats at first until we realized they would all benefit in the end. According to The Morris Foundation there has been an alarming rise in the trend for overweight domestic pets. This is more than a cosmetic problem. Obesity in pets can bring on Heart disease, diabetes, reduced life span, cancer and digestive disorders to name a few. Also increased vet bills to treat the ailments. Pets should not be fed table food, and treats should be considered as a meal addition and monitored. Work with your pet's veterinarian to maintain a healthy weight for your pet. Diet and exercise play an important role in your pet's health, and your peace of mind. For more information there is an interesting article by Elizabeth Devitt, DVM at http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/animal-lovers/animal-news/#.UO75GYnjlQY

Exotic Pet Vet Care

We at Zoory are especially interested in finding vets who tend to exotic animals. Much to our delight we found one right in our county! We are searching the country in hopes of finding more vets with this interest and expertise.
Click here to go to http://www.theexoticvet.com.