Category: Animals

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10 Facts That Are Good for Quiet Reflection

With this fact set, you’re getting quality and quantity.

Enjoy! And learn!

1. Harmful

Photo Credit: did you know?

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2. Get a load of those names

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3. Are you living it?

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4. Prudish

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5. Thank God!

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6. Dream away

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7. I think I sound like Barry White

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8. That is cool!

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9. Clone wars

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10. Ahhhhh, that’s better

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I can safely say I didn’t know any of those facts. How about you?!?!

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These Service Dogs-In-Training Attended a Performance of “Billy Elliott” and Paid Adorable, Rapt Attention

In case you didn’t know, service dogs go through official good citizen training – the and training that allows them to best assist specific disabilities – but that they also typically spend time with foster families so they can learn how to behave in everyday social situations?

It’s true.

One of those everyday situations might be going to the theater – live, musical, or movie – with their trainer, so that if the person they’re paired with wants to take in a show of any kind, they’ll know exactly what to expect and how to behave.

And that’s how we got this theater full of pups, all quietly, cutely watching Billy Elliott.

The dogs are part of the K-9 Country Inn Service Dog program in Canada, and they were all very good dogs – every one observed proper theater behavior.

The pups attended a “relaxed performance” at the Stratford Festival theater, which means it’s a showing specifically for people who need more accessibility, accommodations, or reduced noise, lighting, or startling effects.

According to the Stratford  Festival website:

“Relaxed performances are specifically designed to welcome patrons who will benefit from a less restricted audience environment. Patrons of all abilities are welcome, including but not limited to those with intellectual or learning disabilities, sensory processing conditions or autism. There is a relaxed attitude to noise and movement within the auditorium, and some minor production changes may be made to reduce the intensity of light, sound and other potentially startling effects. Babes in arms are also welcome to our relaxed performances.”

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Thank you Stratford Festival @stratfest for welcoming us to Billy Elliot – The Musical! – It was a phenomenal show, all of our teams had a fantastic time. We greatly appreciate the assistance from the staff and local goodies for our service dogs from The Barkery! – Photo description: A group of handlers and their service dogs sit in front of the Stratford Theatre. They are all smiling at the camera. – #k9countryinnservicedogs#servicedog#assistancedog#firefighter#endthestigma#healing#ptsd#ptsdservicedog#ptsdrecovery#ptsdawareness #veteran #canadianarmedforces #ivegotyourback911#firstresponders#911dispatcher#posttraumaticstressdisorder#goldenretriever#billyelliot #mentalhealth #k9cisd #paramedic #medic #toronto #ems #labrador #standardpoodle #stratfordfestival #poodle

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What a great combination of events, all of which prove there are good humans (and pooches) out there with making the world accessible for everyone on their minds.

And, just for fun, Mark Hamill wins for best response on Twitter.

The force is definitely with him, and may it be with these pooches when they go on to take their permanent assignments!

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These Photos Warn Tourists to Stop Riding Elephants in Thailand

Hundreds of thousands of Westerners visit Thailand each year, and one of the “must-try” activities is riding a majestic elephant. But tourists are now being urged to stop, thanks to the revelation of some truly heartbreaking photos.

A Twitter user posted several photos of elephants in Thailand being cruelly mistreated. Their keepers, called mahouts, keep them in line by hitting them with sharp metal hooks, often hard enough to draw blood. Their heads are covered in old wounds.

Around 3000 elephants are currently used for entertainment across Asia, and 77 percent are treated inhumanely, according to the World Animal Protection. Elephants are often ripped from their mothers prematurely, violently broken into submission, then subjected to a lifetime of abuse and isolation.

While Thai government agencies are working to end animal cruelty, officials also urge visitors to boycott businesses that treat their animals this way.

“We never support tourists riding the elephants,” a spokesperson for the Tourism Authority of Thailand told Yahoo! News. “Please don’t ride the elephants and don’t support this business.”

Photo Credit: iStock

There are about 3500 wild elephants in Thailand and about 4500 domesticated elephants. The domesticated elephants are classified as “working animals,” just like livestock. Animal advocates are working to change this classification in order to offer more protections to elephants.

If tourists want to enjoy these beautiful animals, one option is to visit a wild elephant sanctuary. There, tourists can observe and pet the animals, but cannot ride them.

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You’ve Heard of Dog and Cat Shaming. Take a Look at Fish Shaming.

Well, this is new.

You’ve seen kid shaming, dog shaming, cat shaming, and even bird shaming – but did you ever think the day would come when people’s pet fish would be exposed as naughty?

Well, get ready, because even though they probably don’t understand the internet, these 17 fish definitely deserve all the shame in the world.

17. Maybe he doesn’t like your choice of decor.

16. Relapse!

15. Understandable.

14. When you definitely don’t live up to your name.

13. Maybe he likes it that way.

12. But I mean whose fault is that, really?

11. As the mother of a 2.5 y/o, I don’t want to say I get it, but…

10. I guess you should have spent your money on something else!

9. Not everyone has a refined palate.

8. Poor Moira.

7. That’s science.

6. He’s not a fan of escargot.

5. It probably looked like chocolate.

4. Well I mean you keep feeding him so…

3. This is actually awesome.

2. Okay that is very naughty.

1. Only *I* can eat my eggs!

Fish! Who knew?

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These 13 Pets Really Don’t Want Their Owners to Ever Leave

You know how your dog or cat’s anxiety can begin the moment they see you drag out your suitcase. They might even try to sit in your suitcase, thinking that you’ll be forced to stay home, or maybe you won’t notice and you’ll just pack around them.

Whatever the reason, these 13 pets are definitely not letting their human go without a fight.

13. Thou shall not pass.

My cat’s new solution to keep me from leaving from aww

12. Okay so you’re mad but at least you’re home!

I tried to leave early for work this morning but Mulder had other ideas… from aww

11. You’d better stay home. I mean, what choice do you have?

My dog wedges his snout between the door when I leave for work so I can’t close it. One time he went the extra mile. from aww

10. Now, hold that pose…

Leaving Bentley is the hardest part of the day from aww

9. You think you’re the only one who can ride this bike, human?

This is how Merlin attempts to prevent my brother from leaving his apartment. from aww

8. This is the best reason to snooze an alarm I’ve ever heard of.

My cat learned that the alarm sound means I wake up, and she snuggles on my chest right after. I’ve been setting my alarm 30 minutes early every day to give her more happy time. from aww

7. That face.

You weren’t planning on leaving the house today, were you? from aww

6. He fits! See?

She thought we were leaving without her from aww

5. Someone’s been watching Puss in Boots.

Every time I leave for work she does this, it’s not fair from aww

4. My heart.

My dog whenever she realizes we are leaving the house from aww

3. He will not be moved.

My dog is smart enough to understand that packing = people leaving bc of how often my parents go on trips. They’re taking him to the beach this week but when he saw them packing he ran out to the back of the car and sat there so they can’t leave without him ? he’s been there for about 40 minutes from aww

2. There’s nothing you can do. Nope.

He cries everyday I leave for work. Today he’s decided he’s coming with me. from aww

1. Let’s see how far you get without these, hmm?

We don’t deserve pets. They’re too pure.

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This Is Why Chimpanzees Enjoy Throwing Poop

For us humans, the idea of throwing poop is disgusting for multiple reasons: you have to touch poop, it will touch someone else, and there will be an inevitable mess. But for chimpanzees, it’s common behavior.

Why?

First off, the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada says it’s important to realize that the behavior is not common in free-roaming, wild chimps. They do throw things, but they typically stick to rocks or branches when looking for a way to express their annoyance, leaving their feces where they fall.

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The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, part of the Jane Goodall institute, is not only a rescue center, but also a platform used to raise awareness of the plight of Chimps in the Wilde. Despite our shared lineage, humans are pushing chimpanzees toward extinction. Chimps have already disappeared completely from four countries and are under tremendous pressure everywhere else they live. Massive destruction of their natural habitat, capture for the purpose of trading and hunting them down for the consumption of their meat, are the reasons that pose major threats to this endangered species. . #janegoodall#janegoodallinstitute #chimps#chimpanzee#chimpanzees#greatape#greatapes#wildlife#wildlifephotography#sweetwatersnationalreserve#kenya#africa

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Whereas for chimps in captivity, there just often aren’t many options when they want to give something a good toss except poop, which is typically abundant.

Chimps throw things when they’re feeling frustrated or anxious, but they’re also smart enough to realize that they can elicit a reaction – horror and disgust, perhaps surprise – when they launch a turd at a zoo employee or a guest.

A 2012 study found that chimps who display good aim had a better-developed motor cortex, and better communications between that cortex and Broca’s area, a portion of the frontal cortex that helps process language in humans. Which is all to say, they were typically the better communicators in their peer groups.

A second study backs up the idea that smart chimps toss poo, by proving that the action is likely premeditated. The study was based on Satino, a chimp at Sweden’s Furuvik Zoo, who enjoyed frightening away visitors by tossing rocks at them. Researchers found that he stockpiled rocks every day before the zoo opened so that a) he would be well-armed and b) no zookeepers would be there to intervene.

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Les chimpanzés passent presque la moitié de leur temps à se nourrir et à se déplacer d'un lieu de nourrissage à un autre. Ils mangent le plus souvent dans les arbres quand ce n'est pas au sol. . La diversité alimentaire chez les chimpanzés est remarquable. Ils consomment des graines, des noix, des fruits, des fleurs, des feuilles, des tiges, de la sève, de l’écorce, du miel, des insectes et parfois même d’autres animaux (en particulier des petits singes). . Mais ce qui est encore plus remarquable, c'est que sans le vouloir, ils dispersent les graines qu'ils consomment chaque jour, permettant à la forêt de se régénérer et perpétuant ainsi le cycle d'absorption du Co2 des arbres. _ _ _ #nature #wildlife #environment #green #tree #trees #wilderness #forest #jungle #chimpanzés #chimps #chimp #chimpanzees #chimpanzee #monkey #monkeys #wild #environment #Congo #Afrique @bbcearth @animalplanet @natgeowild @natgeoyourshot @natgeo_france @lonelyplanetfr @nakedplanet @lonelyplanet @discovery

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Other chimps, though, have been seen pooping directly into their hands and then holding it as they wait for some human to annoy them.

Be careful when viewing the chimps, people. They might find you annoying and use whatever they’ve got at their disposal to make their opinion known – and if you end up wiping poop off your body in a zoo bathroom, I doubt the fact that the chimp who threw it is probably the smartest one of the bunch is going to be much of a comfort.

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A Same-Sex Penguin Couple Adopted an Abandoned Egg and Did a Darn Good Job

With King penguins, it’s not unheard of for same-sex couples to form long-term relationships.

Such is the case for male penguins Skipper and Ping at the Berlin Zoo, who recently stepped in to parent an egg that was abandoned in mid-July. Zookeepers aren’t sure what caused the mother to leave, but the two male penguins weren’t going to let the baby die – not if they could help it.

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Very touching. Очень трогательно

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Taking care of an egg isn’t a one penguin job, since, as aquarium curator Vikki McCloskey, points out, “You cannot incubate an egg and eat by yourself.”

She also states that penguins have “fairly strong pair bonds, especially if they’re successful in raising offspring.”

Penguins work together to create and incubate their eggs, and after the eggs hatch, they parents trade off caring for the chicks and going to catch food. That said, McCloskey notes that, as with all species, some individuals are better parents than others.

“There are a whole host of variables as to why a penguin would walk off its egg. In the wild, if your partner doesn’t come back, then you have to eventually go eat.”

The captive penguin may have abandoned the egg due to social reasons, age constraints, sensing that the fetus had stopped developing, or just a lack of interest in mothering.

“We’ve had male-female couples abandon eggs and we’ve had male-male couples do a great job incubating and raising offspring. There’s not really a rule, per se. The main imperative is to produce viable offspring.”

Just something to keep in your back pocket, ladies, the next time your husband tries the excuse that “you’re just better with the kids.”

As for the egg under Skipper and Ping’s care, it won’t be long now until we find out whether it’s going to hatch.

I, for one, can’t wait.

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Tennessee Police Warned About “Meth Gators,” Then Had to Walk It Back

Remember that urban legend that said if you flushed a baby alligator down the toilet, the poor little fella would end up in the sewer, get enormous, have a major chip on its shoulder for being deserted, and then would go on a killing rampage? It’s actually the basis of a schlocky 1980 movie called Alligator.

Well, there’s a new alligator-centered urban legend you should familiarize yourself with because it’s a doozy…and police in Tennessee had to backtrack after the story went viral. Let’s begin, shall we?

Police in Loretto, Tennessee, posted a photo on Facebook about a drug bust. In the post, they also told people they shouldn’t flush their drugs down the toilet because it ends up in local waterways and that’s always bad news…oh, and it might create meth gators.

You read that right, meth gators.

The Facebook post read:

“Folks…please don’t flush your drugs m’kay. When you send something down the sewer pipe it ends up in our retention ponds for processing before it is sent down stream. Now our sewer guys take great pride in releasing water that is cleaner than what is in the creek, but they are not really prepared for meth.

Ducks, Geese, and other fowl frequent our treatment ponds and we shudder to think what one all hyped up on meth would do. Furthermore, if it made it far enough we could create meth-gators in Shoal Creek and the Tennessee River down in North Alabama. They’ve had enough methed up animals the past few weeks without our help. So, if you need to dispose of your drugs just give us a call and we will make sure they are disposed of in the proper way.”

People on social media bought into the hype and shared their thoughts.

Because the story went viral and people totally believed these doped-up reptiles might be coming to hunt them down, the Loretto Police Department had to clarify that meth gators are not, in fact, real.

I mean, this story even went international:

Loretto Police chief Bobby Joe Killen said, “As far as I know, there’s no methed-up gators being sighted anywhere. It’s just a joke to let people know they don’t need to be flushing their drugs of any kind down the sewer system. They need to dispose of it in a proper manner.”

Killen added, “We take our job seriously, but we like to joke amongst ourselves at the department. When you work eight, 10-hour shifts in our line of work, there are times when we like to laugh a little bit. Otherwise, you take your problems home.”

I predict a horror movie franchise based on meth gators and I could not be more pleased about it!

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Scientists Developed a Vaccine That May Finally Solve Cat Allergies

This could potentially be a game-changer.

There’s not a whole lot of in-between out there when you talk to folks about our feline friends. Most people absolutely adore cats…or they despise them. And I’m pretty sure a lot of people use the excuse “I’m allergic” just so they don’t have to deal with cats on any level, whether at a friend’s house, significant other’s, etc.

Well, the people who pull the “allergy card” might not be able to do that for much longer. And on the flip side, people who really love cats and are legitimately allergic to them will be able to play with all the furry buddies they want to! How, you ask? Because scientists have invented a vaccine that can be given to cats to make us humans less allergic to them. Hallelujah!

The vaccine is injected into cats (meaning you don’t even have to take the needle yourself), and it makes them produce less of the allergen that causes people to sneeze uncontrollably around them. The researchers have been working on the project for five years, and they call the vaccine HypoCat.

One of the researchers, Martin Bachmann, said, “We feel the numbers and conclusions are sufficient to drive our investment in further development. This is also reflected by the fact that JACI the Nr 1 allergy journal, published our study. In 2020, more safety and efficacy testing studies will be initiated.”

Bachmann said that once it is released, HypoCat will be affordable for pet owners. According to one of the researchers, the vaccine should be available sometime in 2022. Hooray!

Do you think anti-vaxxers will just have to weigh in on this one as well?

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Miniature Horses Are Now One of the Service Animals That Airlines Must Allow to Fly

Be prepared to possibly see an unexpected animal on your next flight.

The list of service animal just keeps growing, doesn’t it? And specifically, I’m talking about service animals that are allowed on planes. In addition to dogs, we’ve seen ducks and all other kinds of creatures accompanying their human handlers on flights.

Well, it’s time to add another furry friend to the list of animals allowed to fly on planes: miniature horses. The U.S. Department of Transportation is encouraging airlines to allow miniature horses on flights as service animals.

And while it may sound a little odd, miniature horses are actually quite popular as service animals, right up there with dogs and cats.

The official word from the Department of Transportation says, “After reviewing the comments on this issue, we believe that it would be in the public interest and within our discretionary authority to prioritize ensuring that the most commonly recognized service animals (i.e., dogs, cats, and miniature horses) are accepted for transport.”

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A play date that was just her size•We held our first, “Toddler Time” with Martha, last week, giving kids, ages 2-4 years, to come be with Martha•She was the quintessential hostess of her playground ? and all the kids loved petting her fluffy hair•When the goodbyes were said, each child got to choose a button of one of the horses•Surprisingly, there were no duplicates?Such a cute way to share Martha with a tiny little population and add more exposure to kids as we continue our goal for her therapy work?Think about all the good that comes from exposing a child to a horse at this young and how it effects their future feelings towards them?….sound . . . . . . . #miniaturehorse #miniaturehorses #miniaturehorsesofinstagram #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #dwarfhorse #rescuehorse #adoptdontshop #hunterjumper #dressage #eventing #horseriding #horsebackriding #equine #equitation #equinetherapy #equinephotography #equestrian #equestrianlife #kids

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Airlines aren’t obligated to allow therapy horses on their flights, but if they ignore the new guideline from the Department of Transportation, they could be penalized. And just to get down to the nitty gritty: this guideline does not apply to emotional support horses, only service horses that help people with visual impairments or issues with mobility. Emotional service animals are often times dealt with on a case-by-case basis at the airport.

The guidelines also say what CAN’T be used as service animals: no snakes, rodents, reptiles, spiders, or ferrets are allowed. Thank goodness for that…

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