Category: animal

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Therapy Dogs for the Survivors of the Parkland School Shooting Get Their Own Yearbook Page

It’s graduation season all across the country, and students everywhere are saying their goodbyes for the summer (or longer, if they’re graduating seniors) and of course, getting their yearbooks signed.

Unfortunately for the students of  Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the festivities are still clouded by the looming shadow of the tragic shooting that happened in February 2018, claiming the lives of 17 students and teachers. Staff and students are still dealing with the trauma of that day, a burden they will likely carry with them for years (if not the rest of their lives).

In an attempt to help its community cope with that trauma, Stoneman Douglas High School enlisted the help of 14 therapy dogs, and this year the helpful animals got their own yearbook page.

The yearbook’s editor-in-chief, Caitlynn Tibbetts, said:

“It’s a balancing act. After the shooting we wanted that yearbook to be perfect and had to cover as much as possible. This year, we wanted to give proper representation of our school and who we are now without giving so much focus to what happened to us in the past. The therapy dogs are the one thing from last year that is permanent and positive.”

The dogs attend classes with students and hang out in the courtyard outside the cafeteria as students go to and from lunch, so the students can stop for a quick pet.

Teacher and yearbook adviser Sarah Lerner was thrilled with the addition of therapy jobs to the Stoneman Douglas High School campus. Lerner said, “There’s nothing a dog can’t fix. I’ll be teaching and in comes a dog and these big 18-year-old adults all the sudden become mushy 5-year-old kids and it’s been such a comfort for us.”

Lerner had the idea to include the 14 therapy dogs in the school’s yearbook: “We sat them up on chairs, they were smiling for the camera. It was the greatest day of my life.”

A few of the pooches even ended up going to the prom.

A great, uplifting story that was born out of a tragic day that these students and staff will never forget.

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Man Discovers a Bear Has Been Bribing His Dog with Deer Bones to Gain Access to the Trash Can

Personally, I’d be scared s***less if I found a bear was hanging out near my dog/house. Twitter user Jesse Jordan is clearly a better man than I am, as he was mad about this situation for an entirely different reason.

Jordan, who lives in a remote part of Canada, was shocked to find that his dog, Brick, has been accepting deer bones as a gift from a smart bear who is, in turn, granted access to Jordan’s trash. And you know how much bears loooooooove trash.

As you can see, Brick was bribed with some pretty big bones, so you can sympathize with his situation. I mean, how could he possibly turn those bad boys down?!?!

Jordan had to face the hard truth that Brick is just not cut out for this kind of work.

Indeed, this is an impeachable offense. And although Jordan was pretty miffed by this offense, he had to admit that Brick is a damn good boy.

People on Twitter loved the story and shared their thoughts about Jordan and his sidekick, Brick.

And Jordan had one final thought for all the Tweeters out there.

Oh Brick, you really did it this time…

But we shouldn’t be too hard on him, right? I mean, find me a furry doggo that would ever turn down a heaping helping of deer bones.

Go ahead…I’ll wait.

That’s right, the answer is, they would all do the same exact that good ol’ Brick did in this situation.

Do you have any similar stories with your pets? Share them in the comments below, por favor!

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These Gorillas Actually Posed for Selfies with Anti-Poaching Rangers

The 600 rangers at the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo have a serious task: protecting the park’s animals from poachers. And it’s clear that some of the rangers have formed strong bonds with some of the park’s gorillas.

The rangers routinely take selfies with the beautiful animals and it’s obvious that there is a whole lot of mutual trust and admiration there.

This is frankly amazing.

WORDS TO LIVE BY- SAGESSE INTEMPORELLEFrom a Virunga National Park ranger, translated from the French:"When one is…

Posted by The Elite AntiPoaching Units And Combat Trackers. on Thursday, May 17, 2018

Here’s another up close and personal shot.

FAMILY PORTRAITPatrick Sadiki, Ndakasi & Matabishi. ???

Posted by The Elite AntiPoaching Units And Combat Trackers. on Friday, August 10, 2018

This one, however, has to take the cake.

ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE…Photo: Ranger Mathieu Shamavu (c)NOTE: UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THIS PHOTO WILL BE REPORTED TO FACEBOOK

Posted by The Elite AntiPoaching Units And Combat Trackers. on Thursday, April 18, 2019

Looks like an album cover, doesn’t it?

A beautiful story. Be sure to follow their Facebook page. Keep up the great work, park rangers!

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You Can Now Buy Matching BFF Necklaces For You and Your Dog

WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

Ok, so I’ve only been a puppy parent for a few months now, but still, I need this in my life.

You’ve no doubt seen those necklaces that two human BFFs wear so they can always be thinking of their partner in crime. Well, now you can do the same thing with your dog! Because let’s be real, human friends are fine and everything, but our dogs are our real best friends, no doubt about it.

Photo Credit: Max Pixel

You can get these matching necklaces/dog collars from an Etsy vendor named SlashpileDesigns.

The human (that means you) gets an 18″ chain with a silver dog bone attached, and your doggo gets a cool collar pendant with the bone silhouette. Together forever, right?!?!

Photo Credit: Etsy

You can also get a heart design as well.

If you want to engrave your new set of jewelry, it’ll cost you an extra $25.

I think both you and Fido will be very happy with this purchase.

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Nabisco Sets Animal Crackers Free from Their Circus Cages

It’s a symbolic gesture, but an important one, nonetheless. After 116 years, the famous Barnum’s Animal Crackers have a brand new box design – and the details are important.

To refresh your memory, here’s what the old box looked like.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

Now here’s the new design for the packaging.

After 116 Years, Barnum's Animal Crackers are…

Posted by I LOVE DESIGN DGO on Sunday, April 21, 2019

That’s right, the animals have been “freed” – they are no longer in cages and behind bars. A push from folks at PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) helped to spark the change.

The new design shows the animals walking across the savannah with no bars, cages, or chains in sight. PETA’s people got in touch with the company back in 2016 and suggested it might be a good idea to show the animals in their natural environments.

Several companies make animal crackers, but Nabisco’s Barnum brand has been the most popular for decades. The brand was named after the legendary P.T. Barnum, and Nabisco started manufacturing the cookies in 1902. Obviously,  attitudes towards animals have changed since then.

Times have changed so much that in May 2017, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus closed business for good.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

In a statement, PETA said, “The new box for Barnum’s Animals perfectly reflects that our society no longer tolerates caging and chaining exotic animals for circus shows.”

Bravo! Any progress is good these days…

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Famous Russian Photographer Abandons Her Career to Live in the Forest with 100 Sick Dogs

Daria Pushkareva was one of the most sought-after wedding photographers in Moscow, regularly shooting the nuptials of Russia’s elite businesspeople and politicians, but her workaholic lifestyle left her exhausted. She had previously worked in the film industry. She said,

 “I became a photographer because I wanted to reduce the intensity of my life. I invested all of my money into photo equipment and master classes to perfect my skills. But ended up in the same place. No vacations, simply not giving myself neither the rest nor the holidays I so desperately needed. I shut myself away at work and the only joy I had came from producing impressive photos. I realized that I was a workaholic, always preferring doing or creating something to any form of relaxation.”

Photo Credit: Instagram

She continued,

“I then remembered my childhood when I and my classmates were talking about future professions and I said that I wanted to run a dog shelter. One day, I saw a piece about a shelter puppy without an eye. It needed 10K rubles ($150) to book a visit to the ophthalmologist. I met a volunteer to give her the money for the dog’s treatment in person and she told me, “Thank you, but we can’t take her to the vet. There’s no one to do it right now.”

“I was there with my husband. We exchanged a few glances and I said ‘We might as well do it ourselves.’ At that point, everything became clear and simple. The owner of the shelter came and placed the flea-bitten furball onto my lap while I was sitting in the car. I looked at her asking, ‘Is this a puppy?’”

Photo Credit: Instagram

Pushkareva and her husband started rescuing one dog after another, some in terrible condition. After a while, they took out two loans, bought a house in the country, 100 miles from Moscow, and built enclosures for their rescue dogs. Pushkareva and her husband had a new life and a new purpose.

She said,

“I wouldn’t consider our household a shelter. In fact, I even feel offended if someone calls it like that. A shelter is a place where new volunteers and other people contribute to the wellbeing of the animals that are constantly moving in and out. We, on the other hand, have our own dogs, we love them and devote our lives to them. To us, they are family members. They’ll remain with us forever and we do not want to give them away to anyone.”

Photo Credit: Instagram

In addition to the rescue dogs, the couple also takes care of foxes and raccoons.

Photo Credit: Instagram

Photo Credit: Instagram

Take a look at some more photos of daily life on their property.

Photo Credit: Instagram

Photo Credit: Instagram

Photo Credit: Instagram

Photo Credit: Instagram

Photo Credit: Instagram

Photo Credit: Instagram

If you want to donate some money to help their cause, you can do it on Paypal at sobakalarax@mail.ru.

The couple now feeds and takes care of an incredible 200 animals.

Bravo!

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Grieving Dog Owner Warns Pet Parents About Toxic Sugar Substitute That Killed Her Best Friend

On most days, I love my job because of all the fun things I get to write about. Every now and then, however, are those stories that must be told, despite how heartbreaking they are. This is one such story, and while it brings me no pleasure to report it, it’s definitely the kind of thing that everyone needs to be made aware of.

A woman named Kate Chacksfield is trying to warn other pet owners out there that the sweetener xylitol can be fatal to pets. She found out in the worst possible way – her beloved dog Ruby passed away after eating brownies that contained xylitol.

Chacksfield said that Ruby had gotten into brownies before and the chocolate did not make the dog sick. But when Ruby ate two brownies containing xylitol she was extremely sick within 36 hours. Chacksfield said she would have taken Ruby to the vet much sooner if she knew xylitol was harmful to dogs.

Xylitol is a sugar substitute that people use to try to lose weight. Chacksfield used it in her brownies because it has much fewer calories than sugar. She had no idea that xylitol can cause liver failure, seizures, and in some cases death for dogs that consume it.

After Chacksfield rushed Ruby to the vet, the poor dog’s condition quickly worsened. Eight days later, Ruby died. Chacksfield said, “I had no idea how serious eating natural sweeteners was for dogs, the photos of her on life support still make me cry.”

All you dog owners out there, take note. Keep xylitol and other harmful things away from your pets at all times. And if you notice something is wrong, take them to the vet immediately instead of waiting around a day or two to see if they improve.

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New Beer for Dogs Lets You Get Wasted with Your Furry Best Friend

Do you love dogs? Do you also love beer? Well then listen up!

Good Boy Dog Beer is here and it’s brewed specifically for your dogs, so you don’t have to slip them a sip of your Old Style anymore when they won’t stop begging.

Good Boy Dog Beer (obviously non-alcoholic, sorry Fido) was created by a Texas couple named Megan and Steve Long so they could drink with their pooch, Rocky. They’ve turned their hobby into a business, and they now distribute their product throughout East Texas. The Longs skip the fermentation stage of the brewing process, though, because hops and alcohol are poisonous to dogs.

The Long’s line of dog beers has some pretty great names, including Mailman Malt Licker, Session Squirrel, and Crotch Sniffin’ Ale.

Megan Long explained the reason behind their special dog beer. She said Good Boy is for their “love for our own puppies and all the animals out there. Our oldest Rottweiler, Rocky, is very sensitive to foods and allergies so we started creating him his own treats and managing his diet better. It helped his allergy outbreaks significantly and we just seemed to progress from there eventually starting our own line of beer for dogs.”

You read that right, Good Boy Dog Beer might also help settle your dog’s stomach in addition to quenching their thirst. Cheers!

If you want to learn more, check out Good Boy’s Frequently Asked Questions page HERE.

Also, please drink responsibly – duh.

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This Hawaiian Cat Sanctuary is Home to Over 600 Kitties

If you’re a cat lover, then boy have I got a vacation destination for you! This place is absolutely teeming with kitties, and it also happens to be on the island paradise of Hawaii!

On the Hawaiian island of Lanai, the Lanai Cat Sanctuary is home to more than 600 stray kitties.

And yes, you can visit the sanctuary, play with all the cats, and even adopt some of them if you are so inclined.

The cats live in a fenced-in area about half the size of a football field, complete with all kinds of enclosures and holes to play in, on, and around.

Executive Director Keoni Vaughn says, “The average person who’s not a crazy cat person thinks, ‘Oh my God, [the sanctuary] has got to be gross and stink’—but it’s the absolute opposite. The two compliments we get the most are: A) It doesn’t smell, and B) It doesn’t feel like 600 cats.”

The sanctuary is currently being expanded and the goal is to have room for 1,200 cats at some point.

The sanctuary receives about 12,000 visitors each year. Lanai has a large feral cat problem, which is why the sanctuary was established.

Vaughn said about 40% of the sanctuary’s cats become socialized due to visitors, despite coming to the facility as feral animals.

If you can’t make it all the way to Hawaii, you can still make a donation and sponsor a kitty at the sanctuary and you’ll receive monthly updates and photos.

I’m currently looking into plane tickets to Hawaii…

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Gorgeous Wolfdog Saved by Sanctuary After His Owner Dumped Him at a Kill Shelter

It’s the kind of sad story that we hear all too often: an animal is adopted, only for the owners to quickly determine that the new pet is too much work/not what they expected, so they turn them over to a shelter or just abandon them altogether.

Such was the case with Yuki, a wolfdog that someone purchased from a breeder and then turned over to a kill shelter when he was only 8 months old.

Luckily, fate intervened for Yuki, and the Shy Wolf Sanctuary in Florida stepped in to rescue the large wolfdog.

Photo Credit: Reddit

Although Yuki looks absolutely enormous in this photo, Brittany Allen, who works at Shy Wolf Sanctuary, said,  “The face we make when people say Yuki’s picture is Photoshopped… It’s just his fat angle guys. We all have one.” In fact, despite how big he looks, Yuki only weighs 120 pounds.

Yuki was dropped at the kill shelter all the way back in 2008. One of the staff members at the shelter summed up the wolfdog’s personality:

“Yuki is one of those animals that he lets you know if he wants you in his enclosure or not. He has a very small group of women that he allows in his enclosure called his ‘harem’.”

Photo Credit: Reddit

Photo Credit: Reddit

Photo Credit: Reddit

The Shy Wolf Sanctuary was founded in 2001 and provides sanctuary to not only wolfdogs and wolves, but to other exotic animals as well. Domestic animal services are not allowed to adopt wolfdogs, so this sanctuary is often their last option.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Wolfdogs have a mixture of personality traits and therefore have unpredictable behavior, which makes them very difficult to raise as traditional pets.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Photo Credit: Facebook

Photo Credit: Instagram

Take a look at Shy Wolf Sanctuary’s website and their Facebook page to see all the good work they are doing.

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