Sept. 18/2019

Feature:

Meow hear this 

   “NEW YORK Hey Kitty! Yes, you. A new study suggests household cats can respond to the sound of their own names.

   No surprise to you or most cat owners, right? But Japanese scientists said…they’ve provided the first experimental evidence that cats can distinguish between words we people say…

   Atsuko Saito of Sophia University in Tokyo says there’s no evidence cats actually attach meaning to our words, not even their own names. Instead, they’ve learned that when they hear their names they often get rewards like food or play, or something bad like a trip to the vet. And they hear their names a lot. So the sound of it becomes special, even if they don’t really understand it refers to their identity.

   Saito & colleagues describe the results of their research in the journal Scientific Reports. In 4 experiments with 16 to 34 animals, each cat heard a recording of its owner’s voice, that slowly recited a list of 4 nouns or other cat’s names, followed by the cat’s own name.

Many cats initially reacted- such as by moving their heads, ears, or tails- but gradually lost interest as the words were read. The crucial question was whether they’d respond more to their name. 

   Sure enough, on average, these cats perked up when they heard their own name.

   Kristyn Vitale, who studies cat behaviour & the cat- human bond at Oregon State University in Corvallis…said the results, ‘make complete sense to me’.

   Vitale, who said she has trained cats to respond to verbal commands, agreed that the new results don’t mean that cats assign a sense of self to their names. It’s more like being trained to recognize a sound, she said.

   Monique Udell, who also studies animal behaviour at Oregon State, said the study shows, ‘cats are paying attention to you, what you say & whay you do, & they’re learning from it.’” 

Malcolm Ritter

The Gazette, Montreal

April 6/2019 

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Weekly Chuckle

Sept. 11/2019

Feature:
Every Dog Has It’s Day

     “…The star of A Dog’s Way Home, now in theatres, has a hard-luck tale that could top them

all. Before her big break, she was living in a landfill, rooting through garbage for her next meal.

     Meet Shelby, the tan-&-black mutt who portrays Bella, occupying the screen, often solo, for much of the film’s 97 minutes-& whose trash- to-riches saga could itself be a gripping cinematic yarn.

     Shelby’s big break came in April 2017, when animal-control officer Meghan Buhler was driving in Cheatham Country, Tenn…Buhler spotted & approached what she recalled was a noticeably skittish dog emerging from the dump.

     ‘So I knelt down & just said, ‘Oh, come here, baby,’ said Buhler, 29…She was so scared, & she finally came right up to me, & I was able to put her in my truck.’

     The pair headed to the county animal shelter, where the staff took to calling the new resident Baby Girl.

     Buhler & T.J. Jordi, then the animal- control director, had no inkling that Hollywood was looking for a dog to play Bella in a film written by Cathryn Michon & W. Bruce Cameron & based on Cameron’s book…

     Cameron & Michon, who are married, are unabashed dog lovers & say part of their passion is expressed by advocating for homeless dogs whenever possible.

     ‘We started off in the very beginning saying that the dog that is the star of the movie will have to be a rescue, because we were trying to prove something,’ Cameron said. ‘We think we’re making a difference in the animals’ lives when they are adopted, & we’re trying to reveal to the world that rescue dogs are wonderful animals.’

     The filmmakers hired trainer Debbie Pearl, whose company Paws For Effect functions as an animal talent agency of sorts, one known for finding adoptable dogs & training them for onscreen roles.

     Pearl then assigned the find-a-Bella job to Teresa Ann Miller, a freelance trainer…

     ‘We initially started looking for a kind of Rottweiler/shepherd/pit bull mix,’ Miller said. ‘That’s kind of what (Cameron’s) book cover looked like to me.’

     Meanwhile, back in Tennessee, Baby Girl was already getting diva treatment. The shelter’s staff believes that shooting stellar photographs of its animals immensely boosts their adoption prospects. Jordi, the former animal-control director, recalled being so encouraged by the results of the earliest photos that he ‘eventually built things up to the point we actually had a full studio set up.’

     One day, Miller spotted Baby Girl’s adoption photo, which Jordi had taken.

     … the Miller-Baby Girl summit proceeded without a hitch,

     Spanning 2 hours, with the trainer assessing her new friend on personality, temperament, & the ability to respond to simple commands. Miller was sold.

     Within 2 weeks, Cameron & Michon travelled to Tennessee, met Baby Girl & developed the same crush. In an email, Michon said that she was struck by ‘the extraordinary sweetness of her soul.’ Baby Girl, she added, ‘was loving, smart, oh-so-eager to please, & we knew instantly we had found our Bella.’

     In short order, Miller adopted Baby Girl from the shelter on behalf of Pearl & Paws for Effect, renamed her Shelby (‘a really cute Southern name’) & took her to California for training…

     Miller & Shelby trained for just over 3 months before filming began. Then they were together each day on the set…

     Has its heroine gone Hollywood?...Not Shelby. After additional training, she’s now working as a therapy dog on location at places that include veterans’ facilities, hospitals, & schools attended by students with special needs.

     Shelby now lives with Pearl in Huntington Beach, Calif. And at age 2-&-a-half, Shelby has turned out to be as gifted a therapy dog as a thespian, Pearl said…

     Shelby has come a long way from the dump. But Buhler, the animal-control officer, said she saw Shelby recently & needed only a split-second to compare the movie dog with the dog she coaxed away from piles of trash.

     ‘She’s exactly the same,’ Buhler said.”

 

Duncan Strauss

The Washington Post

in The Gazette, Montreal

March 14/2019

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Memorial 

Sept. 4/2019

Feature:

Kitty the Dog Greets Guests

     “Travelling to gorgeous destinations is fun & all, but pet owners know that leaving their furry friends behind can put a damper on their trips.

     Enter a 6-month-old Bernese mountain dog named Kitty Jacob Astor IV, the resident pooch at the St. Regis Aspen Resort.

     Kitty is the first dog to live on the Colorado property &, like any other employee, fills his days tending to guests. He’s involved with a story time for kids, helps with guest pickup from the airport, schmoozes in the lobby, & can be booked for a good-night cuddle.

     The St. Regis also lets guests bring their own pets- a one time fee of $25, plus a $25 daily fee, will get Fido in.

     Also available are dog beds, dog vests, a custom food menu, leaches, & doggy baths.”

Melissa Hank

The Gazette, Montreal

Feb. 9/2019

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Aug. 28/2019

Feature:

The Heroism of Homing Pigeons

     “Winkie was a wartime hero. In 1943, she was the first-ever recipient of the Dickin Medal for ‘outstanding acts of gallantry & devotion to duty,’ specifically for ‘delivering a message under exceptional difficulties.’ What made this medal presentation unique was that Winkie was a pigeon! The Dickin Medal is named after Maria Dickin, founder of the British animal welfare organization called The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals…

     What did Winkie do to deserve this honor? She saved the lives of the crew of a Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber that had been hit by enemy fire on a mission over Norway & crashed into the sea while attempting a return to England…The planes carried homing pigeons to be released with a message that they would then carry back to their home nests. Not exactly a novel idea. Both the ancient Romans & Greeks  made use of carrier pigeons, with the Romans sending messages about chariot races & the Greeks reporting the result of the Olympics. These are remarkable birds that can fly hundreds of miles back to the lofts where they were raised…

     When the British plane went down, the pilot sent a radio message about ditching into the North Sea but could not give the location. The crew did manage to release Winkie before hitting the ice-cold water, although they were unable to attach a message. The pigeon flew home & the RAF, knowing the time the plane went down & the speed of the pigeon’s flight, managed to calculate the position of the downed aircraft & rescued the crew.

     Winkie was not the only wartime pigeon hero. GI Joe was an American bird that saved more than 1,000 lives in 1943 when it delivered a message that a village about to be bombed had been recaptured by the British. Joe also received the Dickin Medal. Then there was Pigeon Paddy, an Irish carrier pigeon awarded the medal for bravery after being the fastest pigeon to arrive back in England with news of the success of the D-day invasion.

     During the Second World War, there were more than 56,000 carrier pigeons trained for military missions. Some of these birds were attached to paratroopers, literally. Once they landed behind enemy lines they would release the birds with important messages inserted in little capsules attached to their legs. Carrying the carrier pigeons during a jump required some ingenuity, & for help, the military turned to Maidenform, the brassiere company. The result was the ‘pigeon vest’ made of breathable fabric & shaped across the paratrooper’s chest. Maidenform ended up making some 28,000 such pigeon vests, ensuring the safety of the birds during a jump…”

Joe Schwarz

The Gazette, Montreal

March 9/2019        

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Aug. 21/2019

Feature:
DNA of Extinct Wolf Turns Up in Texas Pack

   “Researchers say a pack of wild canines found frolicking near the beaches of the Texas Gulf Coast carries a substantial amount of red wolf genes, a surprising discovery because the animal was declared extinct in the wild nearly 40 years ago.

   The finding has led wildlife biologists & others to develop a new understanding that the red wolf DNA is remarkably resilient…

   ‘Overall, it’s incredibly rare to rediscover animals in a region where they were thought to be extinct & it’s even more exciting to show that a piece of an endangered genome has been preserved in the wild,’ said Elizabeth Heppenheimer, a Princeton University biologist involved in the research on the pack found on Galveston Island in Texas…

   The genetic analysis found that the Galveston canines appear to be a hybrid of red wolf & coyote…

   Ron Sutherland, a North Carolina-based conservation scientist with the Wildlands Network, said it’s exciting to have found ‘this unique & fascinating medium-sized wolf’. The survival of the red wolf genes ‘without much help from us for the last 40 years is wonderful news,’…

   The discovery coincides with similar DNA findings in wild canines in southwestern Louisiana & bolsters the hopes of conservationists dismayed by the dwindling number of red wolves in North Carolina that comprised the only known pack in the wild.

   The red wolf, which tops out at about 80 pounds…was once common across a vast region extending from Texas to the south, into the Southeast & up into the Northeast. It was federally classified as endangered in 1967 & declared extinct in the wild in 1980. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in the 1970s captured a remnant population in Texas & Louisiana that eventually led to a successful captive breeding program. Those canines in 1986 became part of the experimental wild population in North Carolina…

   An additional 200 red wolves live in zoos & wildlife facilities as part of captive breeding programs…

   Conservationists, meanwhile, say policy-makers need to have a greater appreciation for hybrid animals.” 

David Warren

The Associated Press

The Gazette, Montreal

Jan. 14/2019  

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Weekly Chuckle:

Aug. 14/2019

Feature:
Dog’s Best Friend
“To read the headlines, you’d think it’s a good time to be an animal- furry, feathered, or otherwise…

But to hear Robert Scheinberg & Danielle Eden-Scheinberg tell it, there’s much more to be done- especially in Canada. The married couple operates the animal-rescue sanctuary Dog Tales north of Toronto, with their efforts broadcast on the TV series Dog Tales Rescue…

In season 2 of Dog tales Rescue…Scheinberg and Eden-Scheinberg…visit overcrowded shelters in Israel, assist emergency evacuations in North Carolina, rescue paralysed dogs in Cairo, & take a lengthy road trip across Canada, among other missions.

‘Viewers can expect to see how rescues are actually done…’

The Dog Tales sanctuary sits on 20 hectares of green fields, rolling hills, & wooded areas. Along with more than 50 full time staff members, Scheinberg & Eden-Scheinberg currently care for about 120 dogs, 78 horses, donkeys & ponies, 3 sheep, 5 or 6 pigs, a few chickens, & a few ducks.

Ask the couple about their most memorable rescues, & they’re quick to answer…

‘You can see in the 2^nd season that we went to Manitoba & were chasing dogs around to try & catch them. And there were 40 pit bulls that the government wanted to euthanize, & Rob took it as a mission to save them & he succeeded. In the 2^nd season we’re going to see them.’

Scheinberg jumps in: ‘One of them is working as a police dog in Virginia, one is getting trained to be a service dog for a war vet in the States, 2 others are being trained to be police dogs across the States. There are a lot of success stories with these pit bulls that were deemed too dangerous for society…

To that end, one of his next fights- & there’s always a next fight- is against Breed Specific Legislation, which refers to laws that either regulate or ban  certain dog breeds in an effort to decrease attacks on humans & other animals.

‘We want to educate kids & adults on how to treat all animals, not just dogs,’ says Scheinberg. ‘It’s cows, sheep- they all have feelings.’”

Melissa Hank
The Gazette, Montreal
June 12/2019     

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Weekly Chuckle

August 7/2019

Feature:

Life Expectancies for 10 Popular Unique Pets

“…1. Ferrets

Ferrets are wonderfully cool pets that are extremely active, intelligent, & curious…they should not be kept in cages full-time because they need a tremendous amount of time to exercise, explore, & play…

It is very important to feed a high-quality ferret food…

A pet ferret will also need vaccines & regular veterinary care.

Under the right conditions, a healthy, well-cared for ferret will usually live 6-9 years.

                                  

2. Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are docile, sweet, social rodents who can be very vocal & interactive with their owners as they learn & adapt to your routines. Although they can do well spending much of the day in a large guinea pig cage, they also need plenty of time outside of their cage every day for socializing.

The biggest key to keeping a guinea pig healthy is feeding her an appropriate guinea pig food. Guinea pigs need unlimited grass hay (any except alfalfa hay); plenty of fresh, leafy green vegetables; & daily servings of vegetables that contain vitamin C, such as bell peppers…

Believe it or not, the pelleted diets sold for guinea pigs should not be fed in unlimited amounts; roughly 2 tablespoons each day per guinea pig is plenty to provide the nutrition needed without making the pet pig obese or damaging the teeth.

Properly fed & cared for, guinea pigs will usually live 4-6 years.

3. Rabbits

Rabbits are great pets that give back every ounce of love you offer to them.

Although they can spend some time every day in a large rabbit cage, they do best in a large, enclosed rabbit playpen where there are plenty of rabbit toys to play with, boxes to climb on, & things to see & do. 

These activities help to keep the muscles & bones strong & prevent diseases later in life. Rabbits should ideally NOT be kept outside or in garages; not only does this limit their social interaction with the family (leading to a very boring life), but they are very sensitive to heat, & it is possible for them to overheat quickly if left outdoors unattended.  

The most important thing a pet parent can do to help keep their rabbit healthy over time is to feed her properly. Rabbits should be fed an unlimited amount of grass hay (any except alfalfa) as well as an unlimited amount of leafy green vegetables (romaine, kale, parsley, dandelion greens). 

If a wide enough variety of hay & greens are fed, rabbits do not even need commercial rabbit pellets to stay healthy. However, if you choose to offer them pellets, feed no more than 2 tablespoons of rabbit food per 5 pounds of rabbit…

Life expectancies in the rabbit vary widely by breed, with smaller rabbits living to be about 12-14 years old & larger rabbits living to be about 4-6 years old.

4. Chinchillas

Chinchillas are one of the longest-living rodents, & many people do not realize that they are bringing a long-term commitment into the house when they adopt one!

Active, playful, inquisitive, & wonderfully talented at making messes, these unique pets certainly liven up any household they join.

Feeding the chinchilla an unlimited portion of high-quality grass hay helps to prevent a large number of diseases.

Male chinchillas are prone to a problem called ‘fur ring’, which can develop around their penis, preventing them from being able to urinate. Anyone owning a male chinchilla should check him regularly to avoid having this happen.

Believe it or not, chinchillas can easily live 10-12 years—or even longer.

                                                 

5. Hedgehogs

The hedgehog is an adorable creature with a huge personality & absolute likes & dislikes. Because hedgehogs are primarily nocturnal, you do need to be willing to stay up late to enjoy your pet hog to the fullest…

They also need to have a heat source available in cooler temperatures—they should always have an area near 90°F available to them, should they choose to use it.

Unfortunately, hedgehogs are fairly short lived at only 18-24 months.

6. Hamsters

Hamsters are heavily nocturnal & will often be grumpy if awakened outside of their normal ‘active periods’, which means they are not generally the best pets for children.

When they are awake, however, they are tremendously fun to watch & are incredibly industrious creatures. Hamsters are great escape artists…

Well-cared-for hamsters can live for 12-18 months.

                                            

7. Bearded Dragons

Bearded dragons are becoming popular exotic pets. They have specific husbandry requirements with lighting, temperature, humidity, & diet, which are needed to keep them healthy…

Unfortunately, most of the dragons we see kept as pets die at a relatively young age—less than 5 years—but under the right conditions, they can live to about a ripe old age of 12!

                                     

8. Ducks

Ducks are becoming a wonderful—but noisy!—alternative or addition to chickens for many backyard flocks. Ducks are more social than chickens…

Ducks need a constant source of water available—not only for drinking, but also for bathing. They can choke on their food easily if they are not able to get large mouthfuls of water readily…

Although ducks are unusual pets that are much more work than chickens, they are also incredibly bonded to their keeper, considering them part of the ‘flock’. Well-provided-for ducks can live for 12-15 years.

                                                 

9. Rats

Rats are amazingly friendly & unique small pets with a personality much larger than their body size! They are extremely social & do best if kept in small groups.

Rats are prone to a number of diseases if overfed & allowed to become obese, so I strongly recommend limiting the amount of calories offered. I also recommend keeping track of what you feed your rat in case your rat is ‘stashing’ food to eat later…

When rats have been neutered or spayed & are fed a proper diet, we can expect them to live about 2-3 years.

                                                  

10. Leopard Geckos

Leopard geckos are another type of exotic pet that is becoming more popular. Although primarily nocturnal, these lizards can be very friendly, & they are often fascinating to watch.

They have specific housing requirements, including an area that is near 100°F & 100% humidity, & that takes some work & planning to accomplish. They also need a wide variety of food items such as dubia roaches, phoenix worms, & small crickets, many of which are not easily available in local pet stores.

Keeping any reptile properly requires some research into their needs & some effort to be sure you can meet them adequately.

That being said, leopard geckos can have a life expectancy of 15-20 years…”

                                                     

Dr. Sandra Mitchell

Petmd.com

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Mickey RIP 2018