Infinite Animal Whispers

Article:- Labor Day Dangers To Avoid

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:10:00 +0000

This was taken from the ASPCA website. Enjoy!

Labor Day Dangers to Avoid

Labor Day weekend marks summer’s unofficial end, and many families are heading out—with their companion animals—for end-of-season getaways. The ASPCA hopes you enjoy the last days of summer and reminds you to make sure your four-legged friends enjoy a safe holiday, too. By following these simple safety tips, you can rest assured your pet will remain happy and healthy during his last summer blast!

Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

Always assign a dog guardian. No matter where you’re celebrating, be sure to assign a friend or member of the family to keep an eye on your pooch; especially if you’re not in a fenced-in yard or other secure area. With all the festivities, it’s easy to overlook a dog on the run!

Made in the shade. Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water, and make sure they have a shady place to escape the sun. Be careful to not over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it's extremely hot.

Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of paws’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested, can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.

Keep your pet on his normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pet severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that people foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, salt, yeast dough, grapes and raisins can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.

Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingesting any of these items can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression in your pets, and if inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia.

Never leave your dog in the car on a hot day, even if you're just 'running in quickly'. If you can, leave the air conditioner on. Traveling with your dog means occasionally you’ll make stops in places where he’s not permitted. Be sure to rotate dog walking duties between family members. On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time, even with the windows open. It’s also illegal in several states!

Make a safe splash. Don’t leave pets unsupervised around a pool - not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.

*Also make sure you dog has an easy to access place around the pool where he is able to climb out of the water. I've witnessed several dogs 'freak out' when they got tired and couldn't easily get out of the pool. Make sure your dog know where the stairs are, for example.

Portland's Feline Fix-a-thon

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Feline Fix-a-Thon in Portland, Oregon

Feline Fix-a-Thon helps low-income families alter their pets at a discount
by Roger Gregory, The Oregonian
Thursday August 13, 2009, 4:00 AM
Low-income families can get their cats spayed or neutered at a discount through the Cat Adoption Team's "Beat the Heat" Feline Fix-a-Thon, running through Sept. 4.

The special price is $20 per female cat or kitten and $10 for males. Surgeries are done at the shelter's hospital, 14175 S.W. Galbreath Drive.

Appointments must be booked by calling CAT's office at 503-925-8903. Cats or kittens must be at least 10 weeks old, weigh at least 2-1/2 pounds and be healthy.

Feral cats are not eligible for this program; CAT staffers suggest contacting the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon for assistance.

Dog Park Etiquette For People

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:36:00 +0000

I know that as soon as you and your dog get to the dog park, it's tempting to just stand back and watch all of the activity or chat with other owners, but everybody will have a much more rewarding time if you observe some basic rules. Most of these rules are never posted at the actual dog parks but they involve common sense, responsible pet ownership and the respect for every other pet owner and dog that is in the park. Unfortunately in my experience, not enough pet owners abide by these rules but if they did, I think there would be a lot less problems that ensue in parks such as dog fights, arguments and various issues that come up. You need to realize that dog parks aren't a right, they're a privilege.

Please don't let bad behavior ruin things for everyone else. As I like to say as a professional pet sitter, it's the sitters that don't take their jobs seriously that ruin it for those of us who really care about our client's pets. This should go without saying for anyone who takes a dog into an enclosed off-leash dog park. It's a big responsibility and it should be taken seriously.

*My number one rule is: ALWAYS have control over your dog - whether he or she is on a leash; or if off-leash, you need to be able to call your dog back to you verbally, or with the use of a whistle or other tool. You need to be able to take charge and get control over your animal if a fight breaks out. You need to be able to remove your animal immediately from the park if he or she is causing a problem among the other dogs. You should also be supervising your dog - I don't advise turning your back on your dog's location.

*Always be aware of other dogs and the signals they are displaying. Take the time to learn dog behavior and body language - this gives you an edge in being able to identify a dog that may be fearful or shy around other dogs - you may be able to catch an approaching dog who is aggressive and be able to remove your dog from a potentially negative confrontation.

*Some of my best advice includes: not trusting that every other pet owner in the park has complete control over their dog(s), and, never assume that they know how to handle their animal, especially if a fight breaks out. Whenever I take a dog into a park, I have the leash on me, ready to use if needed. I leave the choke chain or halter on the dog so that I have something to grab onto if needed. I like to frequently 'check on' my dog by calling he or she back to me, where I give some TLC and treats for coming to me when called. I really like to use dog parks as a training tool - some dogs are more susceptible to not coming when called if they are distracted, so bring delicious treats with you and use some of your time in the park as a training session. I do training sessions every time I take a dog out for exercise, whether it's just around the neighborhood or to a dog park.

*ALWAYS clean up after your dog. This is the primary reason why dog parks get complaints, so pay attention to what your dog is doing and where it is, and pick up the poop. Even if you find poop that has not come from your dog, be responsible, respectful of the park and clean it up - after all, we've all been caught not looking.

*Keep your dog on-leash until you get to the off-leash area. This is not just respectful to neighbors and other park users, but it's much safer for your dog. Many parks are located in public parks with large parking lots and drivers may not be looking out for dogs in the street, so I don't advice letting your dog run around lose until you are safely inside the dog park boundaries.

*Children should be supervised closely, especially when approaching other dogs. I highly recommend getting permission from the dogs' owner to pet the dog. Many dogs are fearful or uncomfortable around children. I like to recommend that people do not bring their young children or babies into a dog park because it adds to the hazards already present. Dogs tend to play rough with their playmates and may run up to a child with the same playfulness and your child could get seriously injured.

*IMPORTANT - DO NOT bring a dog that is in estrus, or 'in heat'. This includes male dogs who are not fixed, as they can easily and very quickly, impregnate a female dog in the park. It can take a matter of seconds for two dogs to mate and many times this ends in unwanted pregnancies and angry dog owners. Please leave your dogs at home if they are not yet spayed or neutered. It's very irresponsible for any pet owner to allow their unfixed dogs to roam free. Please only bring your dogs if they have been spayed or neutered. Besides the risk of pregnancy, the hormones in dogs who have not been fixed, can many times cause fights between other dogs, as well as other problems.

*Don't allow your dog to harass other dogs or people. This means having respect for other people in the park. Not everyone wants to be jumped up on, have their hands slobbered on, or most importantly, have their crotches sniffed constantly. These are behaviors that you, the dog's owner, needs to be aware of and prevent if at all possible. Please teach your dog that jumping up on anyone is not okay. It's important to reprimand your dog when around strange people and unfamiliar dogs. If your dog is making someone uncomfortable, it is best to move your dog away from that person or leave the park immediately. This is especially important when the dog park shares a community park where children play.

*If your dog is having health problems, please consider staying at home. Please do not risk spreading disease or infection to the other dogs. Many ailments can make your dog uneasy around other dogs, especially if your dog is not feeling like it's normal self, and this can result in fights, aggression and potential injuries.

*Do bring treats to reward your dog for good behavior, like coming to you when called. But, please do not give your treats to other dogs. You should always get the owner's permission to give treats. This is very important because you have no idea if that other dog has certain health problems that may prevent it from digesting certain foods or you may give a treat that then causes a severe allergic reaction. This should be common sense. I know it's tempting to reward a cute dog for being sweet and nice to your dog but use your judgement - if in doubt, ask that dog's owner for permission.

All dog parks have municipal codes posted. Know your local dog laws, for both city and county - especially laws that require licensing and leashing, and follow them. This is not just for the safety of your own dog, but also for every one else.

Some good sites for more information include:

Dog Parks & Liability for Dog Bites: http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/dog_park.html

Park (State & National) Dog/Pet Rules: http://www.explorerdog.com/parks/parkregs.htm

You can do a Google search to find more information on your own city and county rules regarding leash laws, dog park rules by city and much more.

**Dog parks should be a wonderful place to take your dog(s). If everyone follows these basic rules, you will be helping prevent injuries, fights and other problems that are associated with dog parks. By following these simple rules, you will also allow more dog parks to be built and operate smoothly, instead of being shut down - which is what happens when people do not follow these rules. Let's keep dog parks around for everyone to use and enjoy!

The Truth About Feeding ONLY Dry Food

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:11:00 +0000

Down With Dry Food

Dry food is, well... dry!
Dogs and cats are designed to eat carcasses and other fresh food, which contain a great deal of moisture, at least 70%. Compare this to packaged dry food which averages 8% moisture. So imagine what the animal has to make up by drinking water! Processing dry proteins puts a greater burden on their system, especially the kidneys. I think we can all agree that our pets are definitely not designed to eat dry nuggets of processed food. You don't eat this way, so why should your pet?

Do Cookies Clean your teeth?

Many people believe that dry food helps keep their pet's teeth clean. Chewing will help keep your pet's teeth and gums healthy, so offer raw bones or natural dried chews (not rawhide, but dried muscle or tendon). Or, do regular brushing with pet toothpaste (it tastes good, and, most importantly, doesn't foam up).

What Else is Missing in Dry Food?

To put it simply - LIVE food! Dry food doesn't have the enzymes that fresh food naturally contains. This forces the body to provide those missing enzymes itself, which can put stress on the system, especially the pancreas. Naturally occurring vitamins derived from food are always preferable to synthetic vitamins. Naturally derived nutrition is by design more balanced and usable by the body, and offers many trace elements that work together in the body.

The Bare Essentials

We know it's convenient to feed plain dry food, but I urge you to add a couple of things. Number one, add moisture, at least in the form of water poured over the food (healthy water, that means natural or filtered). You can add nutrition along with moisture if you add fish oil and canned food. Digestive enzymes are also a good addition for animals that aren't eating fresh food, who suffer from chronic illness, or are elderly.

"All-In-One" Supplements

Pets eating dry food don't need additional synthetic vitamins. They need naturally occurring vitamins from real food. One good way to optimize your pet's dry food diet is by adding a plant-based "all-in-one" supplement. The supplements will vary in their ingredients so be careful. The idea is to use highly nutritious foods to boost the processed food. Most of these supplements contain kelp and alfalfa, two very nutritious plants. They may also contain things like bee pollen, flax seed, garlic, nettle, and dandelion. Some are aimed toward boosting the immune system, while others are more of a spring tonic to help cleanse the blood and boost liver function. Some of the companies that make good ones are: Animal Essentials, The Wholistic Pet, The Honest Kitchen, and The Missing Link.

Any fresh food you can add is a good thing. You can add up to 25% additional fresh food to a dry diet without throwing off the balance too much. This really means fresh food from your own kitchen. The key is feeding healthy fresh food. This means avoiding most of the stuff you should avoid and sticking to natural, mainly RAW food. If you really look at the list below of items to add, you nearly have a healthy diet - without the dry food!

-Raw egg (from a reputable source)
-Raw or cooked meat or organ meats
-Yogurt, Kefir, or raw milk
-Soaked (if rolled) or cooked whole grains (millet, quinoa, oats, buckwheat, barley, rye)
-A few berries
-Assorted veggies (ground or grated is best if they're raw), NO ONIONS
-Aloe Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar
-Sweet Potatoes (cooked or out of a can) **Cats especially LOVE these in their diet!**
-Alfalfa, kelp, garlic (small to moderate amount)

New Option For Shelf-Stable Food:

If you rely on dry food because it's shelf-stable (doesn't need to be refridgerated/frozen), there are new dehydrated foods on the market that you can store on the shelf for just as many months, but are less processed. Some are dehydrated or freeze-dried versions of a companies' raw food diet (Nature's Variety, Bravo). Others are designed as their own unique diet. The Honest Kitchen has a food that is human-grade dehydrated food that looks powdery when dry, with a few recognizable chunks of banana and coconut. You just add warm water and let it sit for a bit (approx 10 min). They make 3 dog foods (2 without grains, one with), a cat food, and a veggie/vitamin mix that you can add meat to. One great thing about this food is that it mixes easily with dry, canned or raw, so this is another way to upgrade a dry food diet. It's not cheap, but you get a really good product. It's a good thing to have up on the shelf in case it is needed.

A Happy Ending - Tick-infestied Leo is found!

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:23:00 +0000

"Happy ending": It's not exactly Disney, but the tick-infested Leo is found nine months later
by Kimberly A.C. Wilson, The Oregonian
Thursday April 16, 2009, 9:40 PM

Before going missing for nine months in southern Oregon, Leo spent a day at the beach with his owners, Marisa Davis and Jason McNichols. Leo was reunited with them Thursday.

Nine months and $2,000 after he disappeared in the wilds of southern Oregon, Leo the border collie is heading home to Northeast Portland.

He may appear a bit wolf-like now, shaggy and a wild look in the eye. But he was a well-groomed 2-year-old herding dog last Fourth of July weekend, when Jason McNichols, 30, and fiancee Marisa Davis, 29, left him with friends while they rafted for an hour on the Rogue River.

Agility-course trained and keen at playing Frisbee, Leo had never given the couple a reason to worry. But on that summer afternoon, he suddenly bolted when a friend pulled up to the Graves Creek boat landing to await McNichols and Davis.

"We were heartbroken," said McNichols.

The pair posted lost-dog fliers in Galice, the closest hamlet, six miles upriver, and in other towns to the north, where they were camped. Given Leo's distinctive brown, white and black coloring, they figured it wouldn't be long before someone spotted the 50-pound pup. But despite days spent hiking the area during her summer break from teaching at a Beaverton middle school, Davis couldn't find Leo.

So McNichols hired Longview, Wash., tracker Harry Oakes, whose corpse-sniffing dog tipped off investigators seven years ago to the buried remains of two murdered girls in the yard of convicted killer Ward Weaver.

The search dog pointed out one of Leo's trails, McNichols said, suggesting that the dog had at least survived a week on his own. But after no more news for the next eight months, there came Nanette Martin's phone call in early April.

On a break during a motorcycle ride through Galice, Martin spotted one of the Leo fliers. She recognized him at once as a stray that appeared now and then on her property 25 miles south of Galice in Wilderville.

"And when I saw the sign I thought, 'Oh my God, that's that lost dog,'" Martin said.

Turns out, Wilderville residents had been seeing the border collie with a patterned collar darting around town since November. Skittish around humans, he wandered through the woods, pilfering cat food.

"Everybody saw him but nobody could get close to him," Martin said.

After the call, McNichols and Davis took last Friday off and drove south to resume the search. More than once, they spotted Leo at a distance but he would flee. Finally, McNichols called Bug's Inc., a pest control company in Grants Pass that uses cages to trap cougars. He and Davis had to return to Portland, but on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Martin helped workers set a trap for Leo on a neighbor's property.

Finally, on Wednesday night, Martin called McNichols and asked if he wanted to speak with Leo, who sat nearby, scared but wagging his tail. Tempted by a can of cat food, dog kibble and a breast of chicken from Albertsons, the dog had walked into the cage.

Thursday morning, McNichols and Davis were reunited with Leo. Shaggy and covered in ticks, he seemed to be the pet the couple had lost.

Before heading for their home in the Rocky Butte area of Portland, they took Leo to the Wilderville Store to formally introduce residents to the dog who wandered through the area all those months.

"It's such a happy ending," a giddy Martin said Thursday afternoon.

McNichols agreed.

"Nine months later, and he's fine," he said, after taking the dog to a Eugene vet for a checkup. "All muscle. He only lost three pounds in the whole ordeal. We can't wait to get him home."

April 2009 Portland Animal Events

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 11:26:00 +0000

This is something I'd like to do for each upcoming month. It also helps me to remember some fun upcoming things to go do and gives me outlets for volunteering with animals in Portland. Please contact me if your event is not included - as I'm just pulling these from the local shelter websites and other websites + Spot and the other Portland area animal magazines. So feel free to submit your event to me to put on the calendar for each month!

APRIL 2009 Animal Friendly Events in the Portland, Oregon area:

April 1st: Fuzzy, Furry & Feathered Friends Photo Contest Opens
April 1 - May 31

Have a favorite photo of your pet? OHS is looking for great photos of cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, horses, and other pets for its 18th annual photo contest. Entry forms available here April 1st. Wonderful prizes provided by Pro Photo Supply. For more information visit the OHS Photo Contest Webpage: http://www.oregonhumane.org/news/photo_contest.asp

April 14th: Klamath Falls, OR Magpies Trip
When: Apr 14, 2009 08:00 AM to Apr 17, 2009 05:00 PM

Look for Snow and Ross’s Geese, ducks, raptors and more in the Klamath Basin. Courting Clark’s Grebes are possible. Base of operations is Klamath Falls. Contact Dick Demarest, 503-407-7912 or Don Stein, 541-765-7567 for details.

Nature Night: Arctic Dreams and Nightmares: Wildlife Conservation in a Changing Arctic Alaska
When: Tuesday Apr 14, 2009 from 07:00 pm to 08:30 pm
Heron Hall, 5151 NW Cornell Rd, Portland, OR
Nature Night is free and open to the public

*Please note there has been a change in speaker*

Steve Zack, Wildlife Conservation Society

Arctic Alaska contains one of the world’s great migratory spectacles with birds migrating to breed there from every continent, every ocean. The most important Arctic wetlands are in western Arctic Alaska, home of the biggest single piece of public land in the United States. The Arctic’s climate is changing more quickly than anywhere else on earth, risking to transform this region and its wildlife in dramatic and diverse ways. Further, expanding energy development is displacing species and causing other challenges to wildlife conservation. The Wildlife Conservation Society has been on the ground in Arctic Alaska since 2001, attempting to understand wildlife amid such changes and seeking protection for key areas of wildlife importance. Steve Zack will present an overview of this dramatic region in transition, with emphasis on migratory shorebird conservation concerns.

April 15: Wood Warblers of Oregon
When: 07:00 pm to 09:00 pm
Contact:
Steve Engel
sengel@audubonportland.org
971-222-6119

Join us for a multi-media presentation by Doug Robberson on the wood warblers of Oregon. In addition to pictures and songs there will be video of birds in their natural surroundings. This is a good time to become familiar with Oregon warblers such as MacGillivray’s, Wilson’s and Orange-crowned Warblers as they have just begun to arrive from their tropical wintering grounds. The common wood warblers of Oregon will be the focus with some not so common species included.

FEE: $10 members / $15 non-members
FREE to volunteers!

April Wed 15: Free Seminar: Becoming the Leader. A Pawsitively Pawssible Approach.
Description: This free seminar teaches you the vital basics of dog training, including an intro to positive reinforcement training, how to teach your dog self control, patience, acceptance and most importantly to respect us. Everyone receives a free clicker and those who enroll in Super Dog will receive a free Easy Walk harness. This is a humans only class that is free to the public, not just Super Dog students. Although walk-ins are allowed register today so you don't get turned away!
Location: Pawsitively Pawssible, 1500 NW 18th Ave., Suite #105 Portland, OR
Time: 6:45pm
For more info visit: http://www.pawsitivelypawssible.com/Dog_Training/Home.html

April Fri 17: Indoor Dog Park Fun at PetUtopia

Learn how to keep your dog safe at the dog park. Bring your puppy or small dog in for supervised socialization. Bobbie Lyons will teach you about appropriate body language for play and what to watch for to keep your dog safe. This is a great way to socialize your dog and start them off with good habits when greeting and playing with other dogs. Class starts April 3, 2009 running every Friday from 1:00 to 2:00 on a drop in basis. Cost is $10 per session.
Location: PetUtopia, 8670 SW Scholls Ferry Rd., Beaverton, OR
Time: 1:00 - 2:00pm
For more info: Visit http://www.petutopia.com

April Sat 18: Wapato Access Greenway State Park
When: 08:00 am to 11:00 am
Contact:
Backyard Bird Shop - call first!
503-496-0908

Co-sponsored with Backyard Bird Shop. Meet at Wapato Greenway Access State Park on Sauvie Island for a leisurely walk around the small lake. We’ll look for songbirds, sapsuckers and waterfowl. From Portland take Hwy 30 West towards St Helens. Take Sauvie Island Bridge onto island and head north. Stay left at the Y with Reeder Rd. and continue for 0.5 mile to Wapato parking lot on left. An island parking permit is not needed at this site. Meet at 8am, bring binoculars and dress for weather. Beginners welcome! 8am-11am

April Sat 18th: Problem Pooch
12:30 - 1:30 pm at the Oregon Humane Society
(Ehmann Classroom, AMLC)

Find out why your dog does that at a round table discussion of animal behavior problems with an OHS expert. Please leave your pets at home. No RSVP required; $30 suggested donation.

Sat & Sun April 18 & 19: Northwest Pet & Companion Fair
9:30 am - 6:00 pm Saturday, 9:30 am - 5:00 pm Sunday at the Portland Expo Center, Hall E

Admission: $7 each, $5 for students and seniors
The Expo Center also charges for parking.
Bring your dog and check out Portland’s largest pet fair! More than 250 exhibitors are on hand to introduce you to the latest in pet care, food, toys and fun. Stop by the DoveLewis booth to play cool games and win fabulous prizes!

The two-day event provides both human guests and pets with a variety of activities, educational materials, entertainment, as well as over 150 retail and nonprofit groups. For more information visit the NW Pet Fair Website: http://www.petfairs.com. Discount Coupon available here: http://www.oregonhumane.org/news/images/PetFairCoupon_2009OHS.jpg

April Sunday 19: Legacy Society Inaugural Event
DoveLewis Community Room—1945 NW Pettygrove, Portland
4:00PM to 6:00PM

DoveLewis invites you to join us in celebrating our newly established Dr. Richard Werner Legacy Society. This social gathering honors our visionary supporters who share a belief in the power of Estate Planning and know the legacy they leave will grow and support the human–animal bond for future generations. Meet Richard Werner, veterinarian and DoveLewis’ founding father and hear his first hand stories about how the DoveLewis vision became reality back in 1973. Enjoy appetizers, wine and dessert, take a behind–the–scenes tour and get an up–close look at our newest life saving equipment.

All who have committed to supporting the future of DoveLewis through Estate Planning or those who simply want to learn more about it are invited to attend. The Dr. Richard Werner Legacy Society is strictly honorary in nature and involves no dues, obligations or solicitations.

RSVP is required - please RSVP to Lori Warner–McGee,
lwarner@dovelewis.org or 503.535.3382.

April Monday 20: Bay Ocean Spit Magpies Trip
When: 08:00 am to 03:00 pm

Join Leader Juergen Mueller for a trip to Tillamook Bay, Cape Meares and Netarts Bay. We will be looking for waterfowl on the way to their breeding grounds. Meet at the McDonalds in North Plains at 8am or the new Safeway in Tillamook in the Northwest corner of the parking lot at 9:15am.Bring a lunch and dress for the weather. For information call Juergen at 503-742-2464.

April Tues 21: Light-Fingered Five Goes to the Dogs - a benefit for OHS.
7:30 pm at Theatre! Theatre!, 3430 SE Belmont St.

Make your laughter help dogs in need at OHS! Enjoy an evening of improv comedy by Light Fingered Five, and 100% of net proceeds from the event goes to OHS. Tickets on sale at the door for $10.

Intro to Dog Training Class
5:30 - 6:00 pm at the Oregon Humane Society
(Ehmann Classroom, AMLC)

A prerequisite for Basic Manners classes for dogs. Learn about Basic Manners classes, requirements (spay/neuter & vaccinations), our positive philosophy, and ask questions. Free to attend; no registration required. Visit the OHS Training Webpage for more information about OHS Dog Training Classes: http://www.oregonhumane.org/pet_training/class_offerings.asp

April 22: Save the Frogs with Dr Kerry M Kriger
When: 05:30 pm to 06:30 pm

Amphibian declines and extinctions: where to from here?
A FREE Earth Day Lecture

Frog populations worldwide have been declining at unprecedented rates, and nearly one-third of the world's 6,468 amphibian species are threatened with extinction. Amphibians are faced with an onslaught of environmental problems, including pollution, infectious diseases, habitat loss, invasive species, climate change, and over-harvesting for the pet and food trades. Dr. Kriger will discuss these threats then detail his vision for SAVE THE FROGS!, the new nonprofit organization he founded and directs.

Dr. Kriger holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Griffith University in Gold Coast, Australia. His research into amphibian declines has been supported by the National Geographic Society and other philanthropic organizations throughout the world. His current research focuses on the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis.

Location:
5151 NW Cornell Road
Portland, OR 97210
Phone: 503.292.9453
Email: store@audubonportland.org

April Sat 25: Intro to Dog Training Class
2:00 - 2:30 pm at the Oregon Humane Society
(Ehmann Classroom, AMLC)

A prerequisite for Basic Manners classes for dogs. Learn about Basic Manners classes, requirements (spay/neuter & vaccinations), our positive philosophy, and ask questions. Free to attend; no registration required.

April Sat 25: Gabriel Park Veterinary Clinic Open House
Gabriel Park Veterinary Clinic is celebrating their clinic's new expansion. They will have adoptable cats from Animal Aid, adoptable dogs from Golden Bond Rescue, Beaverton Police K9 units (doing a demo!), food, prizes, and raffles!
Location: Gabriel Park Veterinary Clinic, 4421 SW Vermont St., Portland, OR
Time: 12:00 - 4:00pm
For more info: http://gabrielparkvet.net/ or call 503-245-7275

April Sun 26: Dr. PAWS Educational Lecture Series
Dr. PAWS is a monthly lecture series presented by a variety of pet care specialists about specific pet topics. The series is meant to help pet owners make informed decisions regarding different pet issues. Parasites: Fleas, Ticks, Giardia, and Hookworms and different methods of prevention will be discussed on April 26th. This event is sponsored by VCA West Linn Animal Hospital and The Dog Club of West Linn. Cost: Free.
Location: The Dog Club of West Linn, 18675 Willamette Dr., West Linn, OR
Time: 2:00 - 3:00pm
For more info: Brianne at 503-635-3523

April Wed 29: Yappy Hour
6-8 pm at Paragon Restaurant, 1309 NW Hoyt St., Gallery Room

Join Lexi Dog Boutique & Social Club, the Oregon Humane Society, and Bishop Creek Cellars for a social hour for both you and your dog. Yappy Hour was voted best place to hang out with your pet by readers of Portland Monthly. Meet OHS dogs available for adoption, and enjoy food and wine, of which a portion of sales will be donated to OHS!

Upcoming May Events:

May Fri 1: Dog Massage for Owners Class
Rubi Sullivan, a certified animal massage therapist, will be offering a 'Dog Massage for Owners' class. Bring your four legged friend in and learn basic massage strokes to use on them at home. Heal provides dog beds for the class, take-home information and doggie bags. Please sign up at the location before the day of the class. Cost is only $40. And don't forget to bring your dog with you!
Location: Healthy Pets Northwest in SW Portland (http://www.healthypetsnw.com)
Time: 6:00 - 7:30pm
For more info: http://www.healnw.com

May 5 & 6: Magpies Birdathon
When: May 05, 2009 07:00 AM to May 06, 2009 04:30 PM

Join Denny Graham and Mike Skinner for the Magpies Birdathon. Tuesday we meet in the Mt. Tabor Volcano parking lot for birding Mt. Tabor then Ridgefield NWR. Wednesday we meet at the Tualatin Hills Nature Park Interpretive Center, 15655 SW Milikan Way. We will spend the early morning looking for songbirds at THNP, then proceed to Tualatin NWR, Gotter Prairie and Jackson Bottoms. Bring a lunch and water both days. You may attend one or both days. For information contact Denny Graham @ 503-659-1245 home / 503-351-8706 cell or Mike Skinner @ 503-590-3963 home /503-686-5126 cell.

May Sat 9: Festival of the Birds
When: 10:00 am to 03:00 pm
Contact:
Karen Munday
kmunday@audubonportland.org
503.292.6855 x122

Join Audubon Society of Portland, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the City of Portland for a Celebration of Migratory Birds.

Oaks Bottom and other natural areas in Portland are important to migrating birds for nesting, wintering, resting and re-fueling. Come and see birds hailing from as far away as Argentina in Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, the City of Portland’s first designated Migratory Bird Park.

This is a free festival for the whole family to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day. No registration is required.

* Guided Bird Walks from 9 am – 2 pm. Come enjoy bird walks led by local naturalists. You will be amazed by the large variety of migratory birds that use Oaks Bottom and other Portland natural areas during their migratory route.

* Children’s Activities. Kids will love the bird related hands-on activities for children aged 3 – 11.

* Storytelling and Live Music by local storytellers and musicians. Come hear songs and stories about migratory birds in the Portland area.

* Education Birds from Audubon Society of Portland’s Wildlife Care Center. Meet in person Finnegan the Peregrine Falcon, Julio the Great Horned Owl, Hazel the Northern Spotted Owl, Jack the American Kestrel, Ruby the Turkey Vulture and Aristophanes the Common Raven.

* Interactive Displays. Visit with local partners of the Migratory Bird Treaty Program and find out what is happening locally to protect and enhance our bird populations.

Portland's Favorite Pet Event - Coming in May 2009!

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 08:43:00 +0000

Downtown Portland goes to the dogs on May 9th for the 22nd Annual OHS Doggie Dash. Help us raise $245,000 for animals and have a great time doing it.

Please note: Cars will be banned from Naito Parkway for the 1.5 mile walk for pets and people (dogs not required!). We've also added a new 2.5 mile bridge-to-bridge loop for runners and walkers.

We'll transform Waterfront Park into a huge "barking lot" for for an estimated 5,000 people and almost as many four-legged friends, plus vendors, live music, and contests to show off your dog;'. The 2008 Doggie Dash was voted Portland's favorite pet event by readers of Spot magazine!

Here are the details:

When: May, 9th, 2009. On-site registration opens at 7:30 am; runners leave at 9:00 am; walkers begin at 9:15 am. Online registration is now open.

Where: Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland. The main registration tent is located in the park near the intersection of SW Naito Parkway and SW Pine St. (close to the Battleship Oregon monument). Vendor booths and demonstration areas will stretch along the park from Pine St. to the Morrison Bridge.

The Course: The 1.5 mile course begins on SW Naito Parkway near Stark St. You'll proceed down a car-free Naito Parkway to approximately the Hawthorne bridge, then turn north along the park's seawall, then return south again on Naito Parkway.

Bridge to Bridge Option: Our new 2.5 mile route uses the same stating and ending points as the 1.5 mile route, but now takes Dashers over the Hawthorne Bridge, down the Eastbank Esplanade, over the Steel Bridge, and back to Waterfront Park. It's dog friendly and has great views of the city. Runners go at 9:00 at 2.5 mile run, followed by walkers on the 2.5 mile route at 9:15, followed by walkers on the 1.5 mile loop at 9:30.

Contests & Activities: Doggie Dash activities continue until 1 pm with fun for all:

-Doggie contests such as Best Kisser, Musical Chairs, Strangest Mutt Mix, Best Dressed Dog, Best Singing Duo, and more (full list).

-Frisbee clinic and demonstration by Greg Gustafson of Border Collies International. You can enter your dog in the Frisbee contest.

-Free dog examinations by Banfield, The Pet Hospital.

-Vendor booths with pet products and services.

-Live music by the Lost Creek bluegrass band.

-Pancake breakfast for all registered Dashers.

Vendors

Waterfront Park will be lined with vendors who support OHS efforts to rescue, shelter and find homes for animals. Watch this space for a complete list of vendors who will be offering pet-friendly products and services.

Raise Donations and Earn Prizes: See more information here: http://www.oregonhumane.org/doggiedash/Collect_Donations.asp

Getting There by Tri-Met: Bring Your Dog!

Although dogs are usually not allowed on TriMet, TriMet is making an exception for Doggie Dash! Riders can bring their dogs to and from Doggie Dash on any TriMet MAX train until 2 pm on May 9th. Riders with dogs should bring their Dash registration receipt and/or their Dash race “bib” as proof they are going to Doggie Dash. Regular fares apply to riders, but dogs ride free!

Dog owners need to follow these rules:

* Dogs must be under the owner’s control - leash or in a crate - at all times.
* Dogs must be wearing a head collar such as Gentle Leader or wear a muzzle.
* Dogs need to be wearing an ID tag that includes the owner's contact information.
* Dogs and riders must use only the rear car only of a two-car train.

Parking

Smart Park Garages at:

SW 1st & Jefferson
SW 3rd & Alder (closest to registration tent)
SW 4th & Yamhill
NW Naito & Davis

For more information and forms, click here: http://www.oregonhumane.org/doggiedash/Doggie_Dash_Event_Information.asp

Happy, happy news for the day! :)

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 06:25:00 +0000

Moose saved from icy lake

April 7, 2009 05:21 PM

April 7, 2009 07:55 PM
Also See:
Moose saved from icy lake
Story by:
Melissa Luck / KXLY4 Executive Producer

SPOKANE -- It may be warming up, but some lakes in our area are still frozen over, and a moose in Newman Lake found that out the hard way.

The animal fell through the ice this morning and it took a valiant effort to try and save him

"We got a 911 call, something out on the ice," said Bob pool of the Newman Lake Fire Department.

The ordeal began shortly after 9:00 Tuesday morning out in the middle of Newman Lake.

"He was about two football fields out in the middle of the lake," Spokane County Sheriff's Deputy Wade Nelson said.

It is not uncommon to see moose out here this time of year, but this was a first for Marshall Peterson who lives near the lake.

"First time I've ever seen one on the ice being rescued," said Peterson.

This rescue would not be an easy one because by the time rescuers got to the moose, he was helpless.

"When he first went in, he was getting out up to his chest and falling back in, but when we got out there he was so tired he could barely keep his head out of the water," Deputy Nelson said.

The water rescue team and the Newman Lake Fire Department had to get creative to save the animal.

"We got a rope around his chest, got a three-one system out on the ice with ice anchors," said Deputy Nelson.

The pulley system seemed to work, and the moose showed signs of life, but the rescue was not without its challenges.

Aside from battling to get the moose free, rescuers had to battle to keep themselves safe on the soft ice beneath them.

Finally, after hours of work, they pulled him in and onto shore.

With a little sunshine and a lot of oxygen, they hoped to bring the moose back to his feet.

"When we first pulled him out, he couldn't even move. He was taking a breath every 30 to 40 seconds, now he's getting some life back into him, so, I think he's gonna make it," Deputy Nelson said.

Peterson was happy to see the moose safe, but he was also in awe at something he will likely never see again.

"Those guys are exhausting, but they do so great! They've been out here two to three hours. Look at that baby feeding off the oxygen," Peterson said.

Click here for the website where you can view the rescue video!! http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=10147165

:)

Exciting News - Whoo Hoo!

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:01:00 +0000

Senate Passes Bill to Protect Oregon Wilderness

The US Senate approved the highest possible protections today for areas surrounding Mount Hood, passing a package of Wilderness bills by a vote of 73 to 21. Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley ushered in the 111th Congress by bringing home protection for two state icons, Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. The Public Lands Omnibus Bill (S.22) would also protect critical wildlife habitat in the Soda Mountain Wilderness, Copper Salmon Wilderness, Spring Basin Wilderness and Badlands Wilderness. The bill now moves on to the House of Representatives where its passage is expected.

The legislation introduced today would protect 202,000 acres in Oregon as Wilderness. Currently only 3.7% of Oregon is protected as Wilderness compared to 14% in California, 11% in Washington and 7.5% in Idaho. New Wilderness designations around Mount Hood and in the Columbia Gorge would safeguard some of the region’s last old-growth forests and pristine watersheds from logging and development, while also ensuring future generations can continue to enjoy these areas through activities like hiking, camping, fishing, and boating.

Among the protected areas is Bonney Butte, home to the largest known fall concentration of migrating raptors in Oregon, and an Important Bird Area.

In addition to the Oregon provisions, the bill designates more than 2 million acres of wilderness in nine states. It also creates three new national parks, more than 1,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers (including 70 miles in Oregon), and three new national conservation areas.

For more information, visit OregonWild.org

First Aid Advice from amazing Animal Hospital!

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:43:00 +0000

Greetings:

I am currently in the process of moving, leaving next Friday Feb 6th for Ashland. One more 5 hour drive a day and a half later and I'll be in my new hometown, Portland, Oregon. I cannot wait. I am so super excited and so happy about where life has recently taken me and grateful for what the universe has continually been handing me. Please be patient as I get all packed, moved, unpacked and organized, and then rested and settled; so over the next two weeks I won't be posting much, if at all - unless I come across something urgent of course! :) Until then please enjoy my archives and look forward to lots of Portland pictures of local pets and events, pet gatherings, listings on pet activities and events all over the Northwest. I have a new passion and a new focus :) Unfortunately, I won't be able to post upcoming Bay Area dates anymore because my focus will be on providing top notch pet information and advice for pet owners all over Portland as well as Seattle and other parts of Oregon that I will visit frequently, like Ashland, Bend, the Coast, etc.

Thanks! :)

Here is a great database of advice on General First Aid from DoveLewis Animal Hospital, an amazing place for emergencies, animal assisted therapy and rescue, plus a whole lot more. I will introduce OHS later ;)

Emergency Care for your animals

From the experts at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital:
Medical Director Andrea Oncken, DVM, DACVECC
Critical Care Director Alicia Faggella, DVM, DACVECC

Because of the serious and sensitive nature of emergency and critical care veterinary medicine, DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital does not give medical diagnoses or advice over the phone or through e-mail. The health of your pet is very important to us. We believe that in order to give you and your pet the best care, we must see your animal before we can accurately give a diagnosis or advice. We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for emergency and critical cases. Your regular veterinarian may be best suited for non-emergency questions or concerns. These short explanations and general advice are for information only.

Website link: http://dovelewis.org/

Abrasions:

An abrasion does not fully penetrate and only involves the outer layer of skin. Small, uninfected wounds can be attended to at home. Large, infected, or multiple abrasions should be treated by a veterinarian. Use warm water or saline to flush out the wound. Flush enough to remove all dirt and debris from the area. Keep the wound clean and dry, and discourage your pet from licking at it (you may need to pick up an Elizabethan collar from your veterinarian). Monitor the wound for increasing pain, redness, or a pus-like discharge. If any of these occur, the animal should be seen by a veterinarian.

Artificial respiration:

If your animal stops breathing, you may need to start artificial respirations.

Birth (Whelping and Queening):

Dogs and cats have gestation periods of approximately 58 to 64 days. After 45 days, you could have an x-ray taken to see how many puppies or kittens to expect. By this time the skeletal tissues have calcified enough to be seen on a radiograph. At the time of birth, the animal will usually nest and will seek an isolated, quiet and private area. Expect one pup every 45-60 minutes with 10-30 minutes of hard straining. If she is seen straining hard for over one hour or if she takes longer than a four-hour break and you know more pups or kittens are present, a veterinarian should be consulted. Cats tend to queen a little faster, although they can occasionally take up to 24 hours to birth the entire litter, especially if the queen is young or nervous. Help clean the airways of the new puppies and kittens and place them back with their mother to start nursing.

Seek veterinary attention immediately if:

* The mother appears to be in pain
* 30-60 minutes of strong contractions occur with no newborn being produced
* Greater than four hours pass between newborns and you expect more
* A fetus seems to be stuck in the birth canal
* More than 65 days of gestation (since the last breeding) have passed
* The mother passes a green-colored or foul smelling vaginal discharge

Bite wounds:

Your animal may be frightened and hurt, so approach with caution. Use a muzzle if needed. Flush out the wound with saline or warm water. Apply pressure if it there is active bleeding. A light bandage may be applied to a limb if there is extensive bleeding, but take care to not wrap the limb too tight, cutting off circulation. Any bite wound to the chest or abdomen has potential to be penetrating into the body cavity. Cover chest and abdominal wounds with a clean cloth or bandage material and have your pet seen by a veterinarian immediately. Be sure to have your pet examined if there has been any bite wound inflicted. Often what you see at the surface, such as a few small punctures or bruising, will have extensive deeper tissue damage that you cannot see. Bite wounds can become infected, so it is necessary to have your pet started on appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Bloat:

What is Bloat?
Bloat, or gastric dilatation and volvulus, is a condition in which the stomach rotates on its own axis. Once the stomach flips, the entrance and exits to the stomach become pinched off, and it becomes greatly distended with gas that has no outlet. The stomach becomes greatly dilated and painful, and circulation to the stomach and other major organs becomes severely compromised, leading to shock and eventual death.

Bloat can occur rapidly; a dog can be dead within hours of the stomach distention. Bloat is most prevalent in large breeds with deep chests and seems to occur more commonly in dogs who have a tendency to be easily agitated or nervous, and in dogs who exercise after a large meal. Any time bloat occurs, it is very serious. Symptoms include attempts at vomiting with no production (occasionally they may get up small amounts of foamy fluid); a hard, distended abdomen; and severe abdominal pain. If you observe any of these symptoms in your dog, it must be transported to a veterinarian immediately. This is a true emergency.

Broken toenail:

To stop the bleeding, you may pack the nail with styptic powder, cornstarch, or white ivory soap. You or your veterinarian may need to trim the rest of the nail off to prevent further pain or bleeding. Occasionally a nail that breaks off very close to the nail bed may create an infection in the toe that will require antibiotic treatment so watch for any limping that persists longer than two days.

Burns:

Flush the injury immediately with cool running water. Gently apply an ice pack wrapped in a soft towel to the area. Seek veterinary attention immediately.

Choking:

Check to see if your animal is choking on a foreign object. If so, be careful not to get bitten, or push the object further down the throat. If the animal can still pass some breath, it is best to take it to a veterinarian immediately, so the object can be removed under sedation with the proper instrumentation. If the animal cannot pass any air, you can try to remove or dislodge the object carefully. If possible, use a second person to hold the mouth open while the first person attempts to remove the object. Pliers or tweezers may be used to grasp the object if the animal is calm and the object is visible in the back of the throat. If the object is not visible or cannot be dislodged, you may also use quick chest compressions by standing behind the animal and balling the fists under the sternum and use gentle but firm upward thrusts to force air from the lungs to dislodge the object. Even if you are able to dislodge the object yourself, always seek veterinary care after the incident to make sure there are no complications.

CPR:

Check to see if your animal is choking on a foreign object. If so, see “Choking.” If the animal is not breathing and the airway and mouth are free of objects, lay it down on its right side. Check for a heartbeat by listening to the chest where the elbow touches the ribs. If there is no heartbeat, you can start chest compressions with the flat of your hand. If the animal is a medium-sized or large dog, kneel over the animal and place one hand over the top of the other on the center of the chest. Then compress downward, moving the chest in and out rapidly (approximately one compression per second). Alternatively, if the animal is a cat or a small dog, you can place one or both hands on either side of the chest and compress inwards. To breathe for the animal extend the neck so that there is a straight airway, close its mouth; place your mouth around its nose and mouth (or just its nose if it is a large dog) and blow air into the nose until the chest expands. Be sure to keep the neck out straight, not flexed. You should be able to see the chest expand with each breath... don't over-do forcing air into the lungs. This should be performed every 5 seconds. If chest compressions are required to stimulate heart contractions, alternate this with the breathing procedure after 10 heart compressions. Seek veterinary attention immediately. Unfortunately, this procedure, because the patient may already be dead, is extremely unsuccessful in animals.

Cuts:

Use warm water or saline to flush out the wound. Flush enough to remove all dirt and debris from the area. Apply direct pressure with a cloth or towel if the wound is bleeding. A bandage can be applied to a wound on a limb if the bleeding will not stop. Take care not to apply the bandage too tightly, cutting off circulation to the limb. Cuts should always be treated by a veterinarian to prevent infection and to assess for damage to the deeper tissues.

Diarrhea:

Your judgment regarding the health status of a pet with diarrhea is critical. A pet with diarrhea and also weakness, pain, vomiting, or agitation may be in real trouble; whereas a pet with diarrhea but few other signs of distress may sometimes be treated at home. Always inform your veterinarian about the situation and have a fecal sample checked just in case worms or other parasites such as Giardia are a factor. Withhold food only for 12-24 hours to give the intestines a rest. Water should still be given frequently but in small amounts. Call your veterinarian for advice. You may be required to bring your animal in for medical attention if it persists for more than 24-48 hours or if there are concurrent symptoms (vomiting, weakness, lethargy, appetite loss, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea). Chronic or frequent episodes of loose stool may be a sign of Inflammatory Bowel Disease which often requires veterinary attention.

Eye injuries:

Any injury to the eye can lead to permanent scarring or blindness. You can use any commercial saline flush to clean foreign objects from the eye and to visualize the extent of the damage. If your animal is squinting, hiding its eyes from the light, has a raised third eyelid or has any blood within or around the eye, seek veterinary attention immediately. Home treatment of eye injuries is not recommended without a veterinarian's exam and recommendation. Even a simple scratch on the cornea from a thorn or cinder could lead to severe damage to the eye.

Fractures:

Your animal may be frightened and hurt, so approach with caution. Use a muzzle and look for bleeding. Apply a clean cloth or bandage material gently to bleeding areas for protection and mild pressure. Do not pull on the fractured leg. Transport your pet as quickly as possible to your veterinarian, using a board or large blanket as a stretcher. Give careful support to any fractured limbs. Simple support may be better than trying to splint a fractured limb yourself. If the limb is severely unstable, or if the fracture is open, and there is a lot of movement of the fracture site, a temporary splint can be applied. Wrap a newspaper or magazine around the limb, and tape it in place, or tape a thin board to the limb, preventing movement of the fractured edges. Immobilization of the fractured limb is the key, as any movement of the fractured bones can lead to further tissue damage and pain.

Frostbite:

Frostbite is uncommon in animals and usually affects the ear tips, paws (mostly the footpads), tail, and scrotum. Hypothermia (low body temperature less than 98*F) may accompany frostbite. Signs of frostbite may be difficult to detect on pigmented skin. Typically the affected skin is pale or bluish in color early on in frostbite (will not detect on the footpads). There is a loss of sensation to the affected areas. With time if the frostbite is severe blisters may appear or the skin may develop dark scabs and the tissue may slough off. Signs of hypothermia are related to the degree of severity and may include shivering (not if temperature below 90°F), dullness, weakness or collapse, low heart rate, pale gums, shallow or slow breathing and coma. Treatment for frostbite and hypothermia includes removing the animal from the cold and checking for low body temperature. If hypothermia is present wrap the animal in blankets. If frostbite is present apply warm, moist compresses to the affected areas. If the feet or a large area of the body have frostbite, submerge these areas in water warmed to 102 - 103°F for 10 – 15 minutes. Gently dry the areas. DO NOT RUB THE AFFECTED AREAS as this will cause more tissue damage. Do not use dry heat such as hairdryers or electric heating pads for re-warming as further damage may occur. Seek veterinary attention immediately.

Heat exhaustion/ Heatstroke:

Heat exhaustion or heatstroke (more severe form of overheating) occurs when an animal cannot keep its core body temperature within a safe range (< 106°F). Environmental (temperature, humidity, shelter, lack of water), physical (breed, age, weight, exercise), and medical (medications, pre-existing illness) factors contribute to the development of heatstroke. Pets left in warm cars for even a few minutes are at high risk of developing heatstroke. Severity of signs depends on how severely the body temperature is elevated, duration of exposure to adverse conditions, and any pre-existing conditions. Signs may include: restlessness, excessive panting, brick red gums, lethargy, weakness, wobbly gait, vomiting and diarrhea. Progression to blindness, seizures, collapse, coma and death may occur. Treatment must start immediately. Remove the animal from the heat and continuously wet down the animal thoroughly by spraying or pouring cool water over the animal. Make sure there is complete penetration of the hair coat and that the belly and groin areas are wetted down as well. Avoid complete immersion in water because heat cannot leave the body as effectively. If available use a fan to help cool the animal while it is wet. If possible take the rectal temperature and stop cooling measures when the temperature is 103°F. Once you begin cooling measures take your pet to a veterinarian immediately and continue cooling (air conditioning) enroute if needed.

Hit by car:

Before administering first aid, make sure the animal and you are not in danger of further injury from oncoming traffic. Apply a muzzle on dogs and put a blanket over cats before attempting to touch the animal to decrease the chance of being bitten or scratched. Check the animal’s level of alertness as well as its breathing rate and effort. If the animal is unconscious and not breathing check for a heartbeat. See the section on CPR if there is no breathing or heartbeat. If possible check the color of the gums (do not attempt on a dog who is not muzzled or on an alert, fearful cat). Pale gums may indicate shock or bleeding. Check for external bleeding and open wounds. If external bleeding is severe especially if the blood is spurting instead of oozing, apply direct pressure over the wound using a clean gauze or cloth. If severe bleeding is present and the wound is on a leg, the chest, or the belly place a clean wrap over the sight. Do not use tourniquets to stop bleeding. IF the animal bleeds through a bandage do not remove the bandage but place a new one over it. Check for any abnormal position of the limbs but do not attempt to straighten or re-position the leg. If bone is visible through a wound rinse the area with clean water and place a clean bandage over the exposed bone. Transport dogs to the veterinarian immediately on a board, stretcher, or a blanket used as a stretcher. Make sure the legs of the animal are supported on the board or stretcher and that the animal can not fall off .Cats and small dogs may be placed in a small box or carrier. All animals hit by a car should be examined by a veterinarian regardless of how mild the signs may appear to be.

Hot Spots:

Hot spots (acute moist dermatitis) are seen more frequently in dogs than cats. These lesions are due to self inflicted trauma (licking, scratching, biting) that is set off by a skin irritant. Causes of irritation include fleas, allergies, insect and tick bites, skin infections and grooming complications. Typically, the lesions are moist, red, very tender and itchy, and have a foul odor. Hair loss may or may not be present and often the extent of the lesion is not seen if the pet has a thick hair coat. Lesions can be in multiple areas and grow rapidly in size. Treatment includes stopping the irritation and itching, controlling infection and removing the inciting cause when possible. For initial home care clean the area with tepid water and a mild veterinary approved solution and prevent the animal from scratching or chewing at the area. Cool compresses may temporarily relieve the irritation but usually an oral or topical mediation prescribed by your veterinarian is needed. Drying agents as well as antibiotics may be recommended by your veterinarian.

Insect bites:

Allergic reactions to bees, hornets, yellow jackets, wasps, and spiders are common in dogs and cats. Most of the bites/stings occur on the face, ears and paws. Typical signs of an allergic reaction are swelling and redness around the eyes, eyelids, muzzle, nose, and ears. If the bite/sting occurs on the paw it will be swollen. Trouble breathing may occur in severe allergic reactions. If an animal has these signs, look for a stinger and remove it with tweezers if it is present. Most animals will need to see a veterinarian to receive the initial allergy medications by injection but call your veterinarian for advice regarding home vs. clinic treatment. Your veterinarian may advise to have antihistamines available at home for any future incidents.

Punctures:

Puncture wounds may occur from fights with other animals or trauma from sharp objects. Before attempting to touch the wound muzzle a dog or place a blanket over a cat to decrease the chance of being bitten or scratched. Clean the area with clean tepid water or saline solution. Puncture wounds often are deeper than they appear and infection can be a serious problem. Do not attempt to probe the extent of the puncture but bring the animal into a veterinarian as soon as possible. If the object that caused the puncture is still imbedded in the wound do not attempt to remove it because this could cause further damage. Rather, bring the animal to the veterinarian immediately. Any deep puncture on the chest or belly should be covered with a clean cloth or gauze and a light applied wrap applied.

Poisoning:

Have the number of an animal poison control center always readily available. Signs of poisoning are varied and often non-specific and may be delayed depending on the type of toxin ingested. Some common sources of poisoning are: medications, household cleaners, insecticides/pesticides, chemicals and plants. If you know an animal ingested something that might be toxic call poison control immediately and bring the animal to the veterinarian. NEVER INDUCE VOMITING WITHOUT THE ADVICE OF A VETERINARIAN. Certain toxins can cause more damage or complications if vomiting occurs. Whenever possible bring the container or label of the product ingested or if it was plant material such as mushrooms bring a sample with you to the veterinarian.

Seizures:

If an animal is having a seizure, do not move it unless the animal is in an unsafe area such as near stairs, furniture or dangerous objects. If the animal is at risk of falling, set up a barricade with pillows and blankets. The majority of seizures in pets are the “grand mal” type. The animal is usually on its side and the legs are paddling. There may be vocalizing, drooling, abnormal facial movements and loss of bladder and bowel control. The animal will not be aware of its surroundings. Accurately time and record the length and severity of the seizure. Keep the environment quiet. All animals should be evaluated by a veterinarian if the seizure was a first time occurrence. Even if your pet has a history of seizures immediate veterinary care is needed if a seizure lasts more than 2 minutes or the animal is having several seizures in a day. If an animal is being treated for diabetes and experiences a seizure rub a small amount of Karo syrup or sugar water on the gums in case the cause of the seizure is low blood sugar. Do not attempt to make the animal swallow. Bring your pet to the veterinarian immediately.

Urination blockage (inability to urinate):

This can occur in any cat or dog but it is most commonly seen in male cats and male dogs. Some breeds of dogs such as Dalmatians are at higher risk of developing an obstruction. The obstruction is usually caused by mineral plugs or stones that block the urinary outflow tract (urethra). Early signs of a possible urinary blockage may include straining to urinate but producing little to no urine, crying when urinating, small drops of blood, excessive licking at the prepuce or vulva, frequent trips in and out of the litter box (cats) or frequent need to go outdoors (dogs). As the time since blocked increases waste products build up in the blood and the animal may exhibit vomiting, weakness, lethargy, disorientation, collapse and death. In ability to urinate is a life threatening emergency that must be dealt with quickly. If you notice any abnormalities when your pet is urinating go the veterinarian immediately.

Vomiting:

Vomiting can occur for many reasons and may be of little consequence or it may be life threatening. Only you can decide how distress your pet is and when immediate veterinary care is indicated. If your pet is alert, active, not distressed and vomits only a couple of times conservative management at home may be sufficient. Do not offer anything by mouth for 4 – 6 hours and then offer small amounts of water or ice chips. If there is no vomiting offer a small amount of bland food 12 hours after vomiting has stopped. If vomiting persists see your veterinarian. Vomiting is an emergency and the pet should go to the veterinarian immediately if any of the following signs are present: the animal is distressed; there is blood in the vomit; the pet ingested medication ,a foreign object, toxic material, or toxic plants; there is non-productive retching and/or vomiting; there is a swollen belly; there is weakness, lethargy or collapse; if the gums are pale, bluish or dark red; if the pet has a preexisting disease; or if there is a fever ( >103°F) or a low body temperature (<100°F).

Pet First Aid Kit

* Board or blanket to use as a stretcher
* Soft cloth to use as a muzzle (do not use if vomiting)
* Penlight
* Triple antibiotic ointment
* Towels or cloth to control bleeding
* Gauze and bandage material for wrapping wounds
* Adhesive tape
* Saline eye flush
* Syringe or eyedropper for medicating
* Non-stick (Telfa) bandages
* Instant ice pack
* Tweezers
* Bandage scissors
* Thermometer
* Disposable gloves
* Artificial tears eye ointment
* Medical tape
* List of Emergency Phone Numbers

TIP: Keeping Horses Warm

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:27:00 +0000

Winter is in full force, and horse owners need to make sure their animals stay warm, according to North Dakota State University Extension Service equine specialist Carrie Hammer, DVM, PhD.

Horse owners have several ways to do that. One of them is giving the horses shelter.

"Horses have a wonderful ability to survive in the cold," Hammer said. "A full winter haircoat is perfect for insulating the horse against the cold winter weather. However, that insulation is lost if the haircoat gets wet. Providing shelter allows the horse to stay dry on wet, snowy days and, ultimately, allows them to stay warm."

Another way to keep horses warm is to feed them hay. Heat is produced through the digestion of feed and can be useful in helping a horse maintain body temperature in cold winter weather. The greatest amount of heat is released when microbes in the gut digest high-fiber feeds such as hay. In cattle, this process is going on in the rumen; in horses, the process occurs in the cecum and large colon.

High-fiber feeds produce more heat during digestion than low-fiber feeds. Thus, digestion of hay will result in the release of more heat than low-fiber grains, such as corn and barely. Although oats are a low-fiber grain, they will produce more heat during digestion, compared with other grains, due to their fibrous outer hull.

"Energy needs are increased during cold weather, and grains certainly can be fed to horses to help meet this need," Hammer said. "However, the bottom line is if you want to help your horse produce body heat, feed him more hay."

"The bottom line is if you want to help your horse produce body heat, feed him more hay."
–Dr. Carrie Hammer

The lower critical temperature for horses with a heavy winter coat during dry, calm weather is approximately 30° Fahrenheit. For each 10-degree change below the critical temperature, horses require an additional intake of approximately 2 pounds of feed per day, assuming the feed has an energy density of 1 megacalorie per pound, which is typical for most hay.

A 10- to 15-mph wind will require horses to consume an additional 4 to 8 pounds of hay to meet their increased energy requirements when temperatures are 32° F. When a horse without shelter encounters both wind and wet snow at 32° F, the animal must consume an additional 10 to 14 pounds of hay.

"Considering that a 1,000-pound horse consumes 15 to 20 pounds of hay daily to maintain body weight in ideal weather conditions, consuming an additional 10 to 14 pounds becomes impossible for many horses," Hammer said. "Therefore, in extreme conditions, hay alone is usually insufficient to supply the energy demands for a horse to maintain his body weight, and some type of additional grain source is justified."

While many horse owners might not worry about geldings losing weight during the winter, pregnant mares should not lose weight. In the coldest months, many mares are in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, a time when a great deal of fetal development and growth is occurring. Research has shown that nutrient restriction during this time not only can affect fetal growth, but also can have lasting effects on the growth and performance of the foal after birth, according to Hammer.

Maintaining a thin horse takes additional feed, compared with a fleshy horse. Because a layer of fat under the skin is the second line of defense against cold weather after the haircoat, thin horses require more feed to keep their body warm. Ideally, horses should be moderately fleshy to fleshy (body condition score of 6 or 7) at the start of winter.

Putting a blanket on the horse can also help keep it warm. A variety of winter blankets are available.

"These can be very beneficial, especially for horses that do not have a full, healthy winter hair coat," Hammer said. "However, blankets also can be detrimental because a blanket prevents the horse's hairs from standing up (their natural defense against cold weather), and using too light a blanket will actually cause the horse to get chilled."

As a general rule, horse owners should use a heavyweight blanket for subzero weather. These blankets usually have 400 grams or more of insulation.

Blankets also must be maintained. An ill-fitting blanket can rub, resulting in sores, and a dirty or wet blanket can lead to skin problems, such as fungal infections.

"If the predictions hold true, it sounds like we are in for a long, cold winter," Hammer said. "Make sure to do your part to keep your horse warm and comfortable during this winter season."

Dog Bone Alley Events in Jan

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:20:00 +0000

Class on preparing your dog for a baby at home!

In the last few years, many planning and coping strategies have been developed to help you get your dog ready to live with an infant or toddler. Join us at our Alameda store on Wednesday, January 28th and learn what to do before the baby comes.

In this interactive workshop, you'll explore practical management techniques with SF SPCA -certified trainer Kate S. Knight. You'll come away with a customized plan for success and the top five commands your dog needs to know. If you've already had your baby, and find yourself needing some tips, please join us.

The talk will take place at our Alameda store and begins promptly at 7:30pm. Please e-mail or call us at 510-521-5800 to reserve your space now. We love dogs but request that they not attend.

Pet Adoption Days:

ARF will be visiting Dog Bone Alley in Danville with pets available for adoption on Thursday, January 8th from 11:00am to 2:00pm. ARF visits our Danville store on the second Thursday of every month.

The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society will be visiting Dog Bone Alley in Alameda with pets available for adoption on Sunday, January 25th from 11:00am to 3:00pm. The BEBHS visits our Alameda store the fourth Sunday of every month.

Stop by and meet these adorable pets looking for a home!

Woof Report: Dog Park Manners

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 22:48:00 +0000

Minding Manners at the Dog Park |
October 6, 2008

Just for fun, say “park” and watch what your dog does. If there’s that happy dance and mad dash for the door, read on. Keeping the dog park welcome and safe for pups requires manners and a few rules to remember. Here are some basics:

Know thy Pup. Some pups just can’t hang at the dog park. Be honest if this is your guy. Super territorial dogs would probably rather play alone anyway. So make sure your dog plays well with others or pick another spot. There are plenty of great places to play solo in the area.

Follow the Rules. Make the Bay Area even more dog-friendly by obeying the park rules. We want more parks that welcome dogs in the area, not fewer.

Scoop Every Time. Come prepared with extra bags for your dog or others in need. It’s the least we can do to keep the park clean. Your dog may not mind, but no one likes to bring proof of the park home with them.

Squelch the Squeak. Since dogs sometimes have a hard time sharing, especially squeaky balls, consider bringing along a squeak-free toy when lots of others will be sharing the space.

Watch your Dog. Tempting as it is to chat on your cell phone or catch up with friends, make sure you keep an eye on your dog so you’ll be ready to intervene if necessary.

Unleash Your Dog. Dogs on-leash in off-leash areas can cause aggressive interactions with other pups at the park. Make sure to turn him loose in off-leash areas, or pick an on-leash only spot if you need to keep control.

Mind Your Manners. The dog park is a great way to make friends, but be sensitive to other dog people who come to relax quietly with their pets. Many like to enjoy the simplicity of park time and may not want to hear everything about your day. Be sensitive to the body language of those around you and follow cue.

Proper care of your dog's nose

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 22:40:00 +0000

Caring for Your Dog’s Nose | September 29, 2008

We know what you’re thinking. Nose care? What could I possibly need to do for my dog’s nose? Well, aside from the fact that it’s arguably the cutest feature on a pup, it’s also one of his most important ones too. Not only is his nose the canine equivalent of a fingerprint (note to pups considering a life of crime), it’s the first way dogs experience their world. From their very first puppy days, smell comes before their sight or hearing.

So since he’s following his nose from day one, it’s best to keep that little snout healthy. Here’s what to watch for:

Changes in Texture. Contrary to popular belief, a dry dog nose isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. But it’s smart to talk to your vet if you notice changes in texture such as a crusty or flaky skin, loss of color, sores or scabs of any kind.

Runny Nose. Pups don’t get colds like people do. So if your dog has a runny nose, it’s most likely an illness, allergy or even something stuck in his nasal passage. It’s definitely time for a trip to the vet.

Sneezing a lot. Occasional snorts and sneezes are normal for dogs, in fact – some dogs sneeze from excitement or nervousness that stimulates the nerves in the nasal passages. But if he’s at it a lot, it’s best to get him to the vet. It’s not too hard for an industrious pup to get a foreign body lodged in his nose. But getting it out is not a job for you since the skin on his sweet nose is super sensitive and likely to bleed heavily with the slightest nick.

Sunburn. Dogs, especially light-skinned ones, are at risk for sunburn and skin cancer just like us. That’s why it’s recommended to layer his little nose with doggie SPF before a sunny day outdoors. Read more about doggie sunscreen in our past tip.

Color changes. Believe it or not, the food or water bowls your dog eats and drinks from may affect the color of his nose. Plastic bowls can react with the skin, causing a color change. For this reason, and because they’re less likely to harbor bacteria, it’s highly recommended that you serve your dog’s food and water in stainless steel, glass or ceramic bowls.

The Scoop:

We all know dog's noses and snouts are just adorable – right up there with the paws. Take a quick look and you’ll agree:
www.dogsnoses.com

Baby, it's cold outside! Keep your pets warm!

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:06:00 +0000

Brrrr....

The forecast is for cold -- maybe even snow. While it's fun to frolic in the snow with our dogs, it's a time of year that can put pets' lives in danger. Here are tips to keep your four-legged family members safe in cold weather:

* Hypothermia kills pets in cold weather. Your pet needs to be kept someplace warm and safe from drafts. Bring all pets indoors when temperature reaches 30 degrees.

* Dogs and cats can get frost-bitten ears, nose, and feet if left outside.

* Dehydration is also common and deadly this time of year. Make sure your animals have access to plenty of water.

* Very young, very old, and sick animals need special attention and warmth in the cold weather; their systems can't handle the low temperatures as well as other animals.

* For most animals, it's OK to leave them inside your home with the heat off while you're at work. However, make sure they have plenty of beds and blankets, since the floor becomes much colder in cold weather.

* Don't let your pet play in water. It can drop your pet's body temperature severely. If your pet runs through a puddle or jumps into a pond, get him out as soon as you can and dry him off immediately. Wrap him in a blanket and get him indoors immediately.

* Make sure a cat hasn't crawled under your car seeking shelter and warmth near the engine. Open the car hood or slap it noisily before starting the engine to startle any animal sleeping there.

* Wipe your pet's paws when he comes back into the house because he can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws. His paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.

* Keep your dog on a leash and under your control during walks in the winter weather, especially during a snowstorm. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.
.
* Try using "pet friendly" antifreeze products and thoroughly cleaning up any spills. Even a teaspoon of traditional antifreeze can kill an animal.

* Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death. Even if you're leaving your dog in the car for a just short period of time, make sure your small or short-haired dog is wearing a warm coat or is wrapped in a warm blanket.

* Keep the local emergency veterinarian's and family veterinarian's telephone number handy.

I NEVER recommend that pets live outside. However, if that's what you feel you must do, at least:

* Give your outdoor dog a dry, elevated house with clean, dry bedding and a flap over the opening to keep drafts out.

* Consider adding a dog door to the garage with a soft cushion in the warmest corner.

* Make sure water bowls are not frozen. Check them periodically throughout the day.

* Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal; when the temperature is low, your pet's tongue can stick and freeze to metal.

* Give outdoor pets more food. Outdoor dogs and cats need more calories in the winter to produce body heat, so increase the amount fed to these pets.

Thanks to the good people at the Oregon Humane Society and the DoveLewis emergency animal hospital for these tips!

Winter grooming helps horses shine!

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:24:00 +0000

From myhorse.com

Winter Grooming Helps Horses Shine

A good daily grooming is essential for healthy horses—especially in winter. Daily grooming helps a horse build a healthy coat, fight off fungus and makes weight loss and wounds easier to spot. It also builds a strong bond between humans and horses.

As the weather cools and in some climates dampens, you’ll need to pay particular attention to your horse’s hooves. Horses that stand in damp paddocks develop thrush and scratches, both of which can be easily prevented with a little daily maintenance.

If you want to give your horse a bath when the weather is cool, you still can—provided you have a few of the right tools. Following is a brief guide to cool weather grooming and bathing techniques.

1) Curry (using a circular motion to lift the dirt) and brush your horse every day. Use a rubber curry comb and a longer bristled brush to lift off the dirt. Use a soft brush around his face. After you’ve given him a good rubdown, you can spray him with a non-silicone grooming solution to keep further dirt at bay and rub him down with a clean towel.

2) Pick his hooves daily. Apply a dilution of Lysol disinfectant (2 oz. to 1 gallon of water), dilution of bleach, or a commercial thrush product, every week.

3) To give a horse a winter bath, work in sections and with the hottest water available that your horse can stand. A stock tank heater and a bucket work well for this purpose. As you finish each section of the horse, rub off the excess water and cover with a towel. When you’re totally finished, cover the horse (and the towels) with a fleece cooler and walk him in a warm place until he’s dry. A good rule of thumb is not to bathe a horse if it’s colder than 55 degrees.

Justice is served in case involving Princess cruises that killed a pregnant humpback whale

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:47:00 +0000

Princess Cruise Lines pay $750,000 over the death of a Humpback whale in Alaska.
06/05/2007 00:00:00 news/Dead-Whale-Cruise-Ship
January 2007.

United States Attorney Nelson P. Cohen has announced that Princess Cruise Lines pled guilty to a charge of knowingly failing to operate its vessel, the Dawn Princess, at a slow, safe speed while near two humpback whales in the area of Glacier Bay, Alaska.

Princess was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage, Alaska, to pay a $200,000 fine and to pay $550,000 to the National Park Foundation as a form of community service. In addition, Princess was sentenced to serve a term of one-year probation which will expire when the required payments are made.

The following facts were established: On the afternoon of July 12, 2001, Princess Cruise Lines cruise ship, the Dawn Princess, was in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (Park) ending a day in Park waters. At approximately 2:40 p.m., at the mouth of Bartlett Cove several miles inside the Park, the vessel slowed to five knots so that two Park rangers could be transferred from the Dawn Princess to a Park Service boat.

After dropping off the rangers, the vessel remained within Park waters for twenty-five more minutes until, at 3:05 p.m., it crossed the Park boundary and turned north into Icy Strait. During the vessel's transit of Glacier Bay, two licensed Southeast Alaska pilots were aboard, as required by Alaska law. During this transit, the vessel’s bridge was occupied by one of the pilots, a naturalist, the ship's captain and the usual complement of crew. The weather was clear, the winds were light and the vessel was moving against an incoming tide.

Humpback whale facts

* The humpback whale (Magaptera novaeangliae) is a warm-blooded baleen (filter feeding) marine mammal that can live 45-50 years in the wild, grows to about 50 feet long and can weigh 30-50 tons. Females reach sexual maturity at 4-7 years and give birth to a single calf every 1.3 years that remains with its mother for a year or longer. Humpbacks are well known for their ‘songs’, which are considered the most complex vocalizations in the animal kingdom.
* Commercial whaling, which continued through the mid-20th century, reduced the worldwide population of humpback whales from an estimated population of 125,000 animals to fewer than 5,000. The current worldwide population is estimated to be approximately 20,000. Of these, approximately 6,000 humpback whales make up the North Pacific population, most of which summer and feed in Alaskan waters and migrate in the fall to Hawaiian waters where they bear their young. In 2001, only 100 humpback whales were observed in the Glacier Bay/Icy Strait area. The North Pacific population will have to grow to over 9,000 animals before it is likely to be considered for removal from the list of endangered species.

According to passengers and bridge crew, two humpback whales were spotted from the bridge a short time after the rangers were dropped off. When first spotted, the whales were approximately 700 yards (between 1/4 and ½ mile) off the vessel's port (left) bow, headed to the right on a course that could intersect the ship's route. The whales dove and surfaced at least twice as they drew near the Dawn Princess, but did not change course. The Dawn Princess continued accelerating and did not change course. Within 100 yards of the Dawn Princess, one whale ‘dived deep’, but the other did not.

Just before passing out of sight under the vessel's prow, the second whale appeared to begin a terminal dive. Some persons aboard the ship reported feeling the ship shudder, others reported no shudder or any other indication that the vessel struck the whale. The naturalist and captain ran to the starboard bridge wing to look for the whales. The captain noticed that the vessel was traveling at 14 knots. The whales were not seen again. The vessel made no report of a possible collision to the National Park Service or any other government agency. The close encounter was not mentioned in the vessel's log

The next day, on July 13, the naturalist e-mailed a colleague, saying she thought the Dawn Princess may have struck a humpback whale the day before. The naturalist related the essential events and added that she thought the ship was traveling at 15-18 knots and was outside the Park boundary when the whale was struck. She wrote that the whales seemed to be unaware of the vessel and that ‘as the ship passed by there was no sign on the bridge that we might have made contact.’ She reported that she was told later by friends below decks that they heard a ‘resounding thud.’

On July 14, the Dawn Princess captain, in response to a question, told another pilot aboard the vessel that he was uncertain whether the Dawn Princess hit a whale the day before.

On July 16, a Park naturalist discovered a dead, bloated humpback whale floating in Glacier Bay within Park waters, near the area through which the Dawn Princess had transited four days earlier. The carcass appeared to have recently surfaced. The Park Service towed the carcass to Pt. Gustavus, where it was beached pending a necropsy.

On July 22, a marine mammal expert from California examined the whale carcass, finding massive blunt trauma injuries to the right side of the animal's head, including a fractured skull, eye socket and cervical vertebrae, consistent with a vessel collision. A fetal skeleton was found in the whale. That is, the whale was carrying a calf. The whale was identified from fluke markings as ‘Whale #68,’ which had been sighted many times in the past and was known to frequent the area.

On August 6, a vice-president for Princess Cruise Lines called the Park Superintendent and said that the Dawn Princess had a close encounter with two whales on July 12, 2001 and the company was investigating the matter. On the same day, Princess Cruise Lines imposed a fleet-wide speed limit of 10 knots for vessels transiting Icy Strait.

The unlawful taking (killing) of humpback whales is prohibited by both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The ‘slow, safe speed’ regulation, under which this case was charged, was implemented in 2001 to support the ‘anti-taking’ provisions of the two laws. Thus, a knowing failure to maintain a ‘slow, safe speed’ when near humpback whales constitutes a violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act and carries the identical penalties of the taking violation. Such conduct is a federal Class A misdemeanour violation of law, punishable (for a corporation) by a fine of up to $200,000, restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court, and up to five years probation.

‘The specific purpose of the regulation under which this case was charged is to require vessels to reduce speed when they are near humpback whales in order to avoid collisions that could kill these endangered leviathans. In this first-of-its-kind prosecution, prosecutors from this office and the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice, along with special agents and investigators from the Park Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration engaged in a thorough and detailed investigation, often with the assistance and cooperation of Princess.’ said Mr. Cohen.

Tomie Lee, Superintendent of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the case. ‘It’s been a long time coming,’ she said, ‘but we support both the outcome and the diligence shown by the prosecutors and investigators in this landmark case. As well as being a majestic and endangered species, the humpback whale is also a public symbol of Glacier Bay,’ she added. ‘Protection of these resources is of paramount importance to us. So when we began to hear witness reports of a cruise-ship colliding with a whale and then learned that this particular whale, whom researchers had first identified in 1975 and nicknamed ‘Snow’ because of her fluke markings, died of injuries consistent with a ship-strike, we began a dialoge with Princess and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and proceeded diligently with our investigation, so we could be sure to get things right. While these kinds of criminal convictions can result in a loss of federal contracts to service visitors in a national park, in this case we feel Princess has stepped up and made significant, voluntary operational changes that protect whales and the marine environment..’

What is Oregon doing to help with the stunted population growth of frogs?

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:44:00 +0000

Oregon spotted frog released into the wild to halt population crash
23/09/2008 12:06:50
news/sept_2008/oregon_spotted_frog_wdfw

Oregon spotted frog. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
In an effort to re-establish their populations in Washington State, approximately 500 Oregon spotted frogs were released into the wild after spending the first seven months of their lives in a captive rearing program.

September 2008. Biologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the U.S. Army released the frogs into Dailman Lake on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation in Pierce County in a collaborative effort to return the state-endangered frog to a portion of its historic habitat.

Tiny frogs
The frogs, which weigh less than an ounce and are marked with a nontoxic dye, were collected as eggs in March and nurtured in captivity at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park to improve their chance of survival once they return to the wild.
"This is the first-ever captive rearing and release program for the Oregon spotted frog in Washington and represents a significant first step in our joint effort to help recover this fragile species," said Harriet Allen, WDFW endangered species program manager.

The captive-rearing strategy, called "head starting" is based on the premise that juvenile frogs are thought to be less vulnerable and better able to survive when released back into nature, Allen said. "Also, previous studies in British Columbia show that releasing large numbers at the same time has been the most successful approach," she said.

The Oregon spotted frog - devastated by habitat loss, predation and disease
The Oregon spotted frog historically ranged from south-western British Columbia to north-eastern California. The frog is now believed to have disappeared from California and Oregon's Willamette Valley and has suffered significant declines elsewhere in its historic range. Loss of habitat, predation by non-native species such as the American bullfrog, and disease have decimated its numbers, which prompted listing it as a Washington state-endangered species in 1997.

Dailman Lake
Through a partnership with the Fort Lewis Fish and Wildlife Program, the Dailman Lake area was chosen for reintroduction because it contains diverse wetlands connected to a stream system capable of supporting and sustaining a frog population, said Jim Lynch, wildlife biologist at Fort Lewis.

As a first step in the project, biologists collected fertilized eggs last spring from breeding areas in Klickitat and Thurston counties, which are the only known areas with existing populations within the frog's historic range in Washington. They were then transported to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Oregon Zoo for rearing and monitoring. Frogs reared at the Oregon Zoo will be released at the site at a later date.

The goal of the reintroduction program is to establish a self-sustaining population of Oregon spotted frogs at Fort Lewis and set the stage for a structured recovery effort that will continue for several years, Lynch said.

The reintroduction program was first developed in 2007 through a collaborative effort by WDFW, Fort Lewis, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Oregon Zoo, Washington State Department of Transportation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Woodland Park Zoo, Port Blakely Tree Farms, Washington Department of Natural Resources, NW Zoo & Aquarium Alliance, U.S Geological Survey, Mountain View Conservation & Breeding Centre and The Nature Conservancy.

The project's start-up coincides with efforts by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, which is highlighting 2008 as the Year of the Frog to mark a major conservation effort to address global amphibian extinction, Lynch said.

"Frogs are found in all parts of the world and are known as sentinel animals by alerting us to serious environmental and climate changes that can affect all species," Lynch said. "They also play an important role in balancing ecosystems and when they disappear from their habitat, that ecosystem is disrupted."

Activities related to the reintroduction program are being funded through grants from the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and the Association of Zoo & Aquarium's amphibian fund.

How important are sea otters really?

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:43:00 +0000

Orca killing Sea otters means Bald eagles kill more birds
04/10/2008 15:15:06
birds/birds_september_2008/bald_eagle_smith

Sea otters are a keystone species, filling such an important niche in ocean communities that without them, entire ecosystems can collapse. Scientists are finding, however, that sea otters can have even further reaching effects that extend to terrestrial communities and alter the diet and behaviour of another top predator: the bald eagle.

September 2008. In near-shore marine communities, kelp can reach heights of 250 feet and functions similarly to trees in a forest, providing food, homes and protection for fish and invertebrates. The most important enemies of these giant algae are tiny sea urchins, only inches in diameter, which live on the kelp and eat its tissue. When urchin populations become too large, they can defoliate entire kelp forests, leaving only barren remains.

Otters are major urchin predator
Enter the sea otter. Otters can eat the spiky urchins whole, making them the major urchin predator. The otters' presence keeps urchin populations in check and maintains the balance of the ecosystem.

Bald eagles
Scientists have known about these kelp forest community interactions since the 1970s. But in the October issue of the journal Ecology, Robert Anthony and colleagues report that the presence or absence of otters can also affect the diet of bald eagles, a neighbouring terrestrial predator. Anthony is an ecologist with the Oregon Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit of the U.S. Geological Survey and Oregon State University.

Bald eagles live in high densities along the Aleutian archipelago off the coast of Alaska and place their nests on islets, coastal cliffs and shoreline sea stacks. Historically, more than 90 percent of the eagles' food comes from the ocean. Sea otters once also occupied a large range of coastal marine environments near these islands, but in recent years, otter populations have declined in response to their own main predator.

Killer whales killing otters
"All of the available data point to increased numbers of killer whales as the direct cause of the sea otter decline in southwest Alaska," says co-author Jim Estes of the U.S.G.S. and the University of California at Santa Cruz. "The otter decline has caused a phase shift in the coastal ecosystem from a kelp dominated phase state to a deforested phase state."

Eagles switch diet to birds
This shift means many fewer kelp forest fish for the eagles to eat. In response, the eagles have adjusted their foraging tactics. Anthony and his colleagues surveyed remains of bald eagle prey in their nests during 1993 and 1994, when otters were abundant and the kelp forests were healthy, and in 2000, 2001 and 2002, when otters were scarce and the kelp forests had collapsed. They found that when otters were abundant, eagle prey consisted of predominantly kelp-forest fish and sea otter pups. When the otters were rare, however, the proportion of marine birds in the eagles' diet was much higher.

Anthony explains that because the eagles defend territories in dense patches along the coastline and there are few terrestrial animals to eat, they must be flexible in what they hunt.

"These bald eagles are opportunistic foragers as a consequence of their evolutionary history," he says. "They've developed foraging territories they defend against members of the same species along these coastlines, and the terrestrial environment provides very little for them. So they forage over the open water."

Anthony and his colleagues also found that the eagles had more young on average during 2000-2002, a fact that Anthony believes might be a result of a high caloric content in the eagles' increasingly seabird-dominated diet.
"Across the range of this species, their diet can be quite varied, but here it appears as though the change in diet had either a neutral or positive effect," he says. The propensity of the eagles to adapt quickly to a changing environment may have allowed them to flourish, but Anthony also cautions that adapting to this scenario might be difficult for more specialized predators.

The results are the first to show that the presence or absence of otters influences a terrestrial animal, and that the complex food web linkages can reach as far as five different food chain levels: from sea otters to sea urchins, kelp, marine fish and finally bald eagles.

"Top-down linkages can be very distant from their origin," says Anthony. "The effects of top predators can ripple throughout the ecosystem in ways we're just beginning to understand."

2nd-ever virgin birth of a shark confirmed!!!

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:41:00 +0000

This is pretty cool!!

Virgin birth of a shark confirmed
10/10/2008 06:46:44 Virgin birth in sharks

October 2008. Scientists have confirmed the second-ever case of a "virgin birth" in a shark, indicating once again that female sharks can reproduce without mating and raising the possibility that many female sharks have this incredible capacity.

Lead author Dr. Demian Chapman, shark scientist with the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University, Beth Firchau, Curator of Fishes for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, and Dr. Mahmood Shivji, Director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute and Professor at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, have proved with DNA testing that the offspring of a female blacktip shark named "Tidbit" contained no genetic material from a father. Tidbit had lived at the Virginia Aquarium in the Norfolk Canyon Aquarium for eight years since shortly after her birth in the wild.

In 2007 Chapman and Shivji were part of a team that made the groundbreaking scientific discovery that confirmed for the first time a virgin birth in a female shark. That shark was a hammerhead residing at a zoo and had not been in contact with male sharks for at least three years. The DNA-fingerprinting techniques used to prove both cases of virgin birth (scientifically known as "parthenogenesis") are identical to those used in human paternity testing.

More virgin births in sharks
"It is now clear that parthenogenesis occurs in sharks other than just hammerheads," Chapman said. "The first case was no fluke. It is quite possible that this is something female sharks of many species can do on occasion." There have been nearly a dozen reports of suspected virgin births in sharks in recent years, but scientists largely assumed these cases were the result of long-term sperm storage by females after mating with males. Virgin birth is now the more probable explanation, and DNA testing is underway to confirm it in additional sharks. Chapman is currently analyzing the DNA of yet another shark species with Dr. Kevin Feldheim of the Field Museum in Chicago.

Single offspring
Sharks' ability to reproduce alone should not be viewed as an adequate replacement for normal sexual reproduction, Chapman cautioned. For one, the blacktip and hammerhead sharks that reproduced without mating both only produced one pup, rather than an entire litter. Shark litters can contain anywhere from a few to more than a hundred shark pups, depending upon the species. "The revelation that female sharks can reproduce alone shouldn't stop us from worrying about driving shark populations to very low levels through overfishing," said Chapman. "It is very unlikely that a small number of female survivors could build their numbers up very quickly by undergoing virgin birth."

The new paper is entitled "Parthenogenesis in a large-bodied requiem shark, the blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus." Tidbit was an Atlantic blacktip shark whom Virginia Aquarium biologists believe had only just reached sexual maturity.

Surprise pregnancy
"We have never observed her in reproductive behaviour or showing typical signs of having been bred," said Firchau. Scientists did not even know that Tidbit was pregnant until after she unfortunately died and an autopsy (called a necropsy for animals) was performed. "Sadness turned to surprise during the necropsy when we found that she was pregnant," Firchau said. "There were no male blacktips in the tank for the past eight years!"

Virgin births - fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds
The phenomenon of "virgin birth" occurs when a baby is conceived without male sperm having first fertilized the female's eggs, and has been proven in some bony fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. In the type of parthenogenesis seen in these sharks, known as automictic parthenogenesis, the newly forming pup acquires one set of chromosomes when the mother's chromosomes split during egg development. But instead of uniting with similarly split chromosomes from sperm, as occurs in sexual reproduction, the mother's set is paired with a copy of itself. This results in offspring of reduced genetic diversity who may be at a disadvantage for surviving in the wild.
"The finding of parthenogenesis in blacktip sharks, which are close relatives of some of the larger predatory sharks in the ocean including the tiger, bull and dusky sharks, raises intriguing questions about how frequently parthenogenesis may occur in the wild in this group of heavily fished sharks," said Shivji. "It is possible that parthenogenesis could become more common in these sharks if population densities become so low that females have trouble finding mates." Populations of all of these sharks have declined in the past twenty years due to overexploitation, mainly to supply the shark fin markets.

This study has been published in the latest issue of the Journal of Fish Biology, a leading international journal.

North Atlantic right whale getting some protection at last

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:37:00 +0000

Taken from: www.wildlifeextra.com

December 2008. As the first North Atlantic right whales are making their seasonal migration from New England waters to their calving grounds off Florida and Georgia, these critically endangered animals are finally getting protection from fast moving ships that accidentally kill or injure the majestic animals along the East Coast of America.

From December 9th, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will order that ships slow down to 10 knots within 20 miles of east coast ports during the whales migration season.

Fewer than 400 remain
With fewer than 400 remaining, the North Atlantic right whale is considered among the most endangered whale species in the world. Since 2001, 12 right whales have been struck and killed by vessels along the Atlantic coast. Right whales are particularly vulnerable to vessel strikes as they are slow swimming and spend much time near the water's surface. This regulation will impose seasonal speed restrictions throughout the right whale's range from the Gulf of Maine to Florida.

Resistance to whale protection
For the last 10 years, the New England Aquarium's North Atlantic right whale team and other protection groups have been working with the federal government to pass this mandatory speed limit despite concerns from the shipping industry and resistance from the Bush administration.
"At long last, the ocean is going to be a little bit safer for right whales - cause for celebration amongst the many of us who have worked for the past decade to see this rule enacted," said Amy Knowlton of the Aquarium's right whale research team.

"The passage of the ship strike reduction rule is the culmination of years of dedicated work by a variety of groups - scientists, policy experts, conservationists, state and federal governments, and the shipping industry itself and is based on solid scientific data," Knowlton said.

Huge increase in safety
Researchers have found that the probability of right whales dying after being struck drops from over 80% when a vessel is traveling at 15 knots or more to just above 20% when a vessel is traveling at 10 knots or less. Average vessel speeds in critical right whale habitats have been around 15 knots.
"We're really excited about this," said Kerry Lagueux, an associate scientist for the Aquarium's research department and a geographer who uses mapping technology to help identify potential conflicts between right whales, ships, and fishing gear entanglements.

Aquarium researchers are using Automatic Identification System technology, a transmitter system that sends data from vessels to a receiver they carry on their survey plane. This system has enabled researchers in the Southeast to collect data on ship speeds, vessel types, and port destinations in order to evaluate how vessels have responded to right whale information in the past. It will now be used to monitor their actions in response to this new regulation.
Right whales' primary calving grounds are in the near shore waters of Georgia and northern Florida from December to March each year.

"North Atlantic right whale with calf. Credit NOAA" Whale ID
New England Aquarium and participating Right Whale Consortium scientists have created the world's most extensive data base of all of known right whales. Accessible to the public at www.neaq.org, the catalog of over 45,000 photographed sightings allows scientists to identify whales by their callosities - or roughened skin patches on top of their head and to also monitor the level of vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements. Scientists can then track their whereabouts, births, death, and other information.

The catalogue includes photos from three aerial survey teams which sweep calving grounds in coastal waters along Florida and Georgia from December to March. The Aquarium scientists work closely with NOAA, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and Georgia and Florida state environmental officials to protect and monitor whales along the Southeast coast.

In August and September, Aquarium scientists conduct vessel surveys in the feeding and nursing area of Canada's Bay of Fundy to take photos and collect skin samples from the whales which give them genetic identification such as genotype, sex, potential paternity, and genetic ability to respond to disease.

With changes made to shipping lanes in Canada, Aquarium scientists are also seeing progress in protecting whales. This new vessel strike rule takes it one step further.

"To think that right whales will be able to migrate along the coast and avoid the now slow moving, oncoming ships that they come across routinely gives me tremendous hope that we are one step closer to giving this species a chance of avoiding extinction," Knowlton said.

**If you haven't seen it yet, check out Animal Planet for 'Whale Wars', a show about what the US is doing about illegal whale hunting that is still going on by Japanese whale fishermen.**

Article: What's Causing White Bats to Drop Like Flies?

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:31:00 +0000

People near Albany, N.Y., began noticing the strange bat behavior at least two years ago: Droves of the normally nocturnal mammals were seen flying around on brisk winter days when they should have been hibernating in caves for the season. The state's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) teamed up with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to investigate and made an alarming discovery: Bat populations throughout northeastern New York State, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont had thinned by as much as 97 percent in area bat caves and emaciated survivors were found hanging near cave entrances where it is typically too cold for them to stay the entire winter. The only clue to the mysterious phenom was a white, powdery organism on the muzzles, ears and wings of the dead and dying bats.

Scientists have since linked the deaths of more than 100,000 of the smaller species of brown bats, northern bats, tricolored bats, Indiana bats and small-footed Myotis, along with larger brown bats in the U.S. Northeast to a condition they dubbed "white-nose syndrome." These researchers suspect that, since the winter of 2006, the ailment may have contributed to a steep decline in the bat populations at many caves in the affected states; in the most extreme case, about 1,750 of 1,800 of the flying mammals were found dead. Bat declines at many surveyed hibernation caves exceeded 75 percent.

"If you apply this across [the northeastern U.S.] there could be 200,000 dead bats and possibly even more," says David Blehert, a USGS microbiologist and lead author of a paper on the syndrome published today in Science.

USGS scientists are working with New York State environmental and health officials to pinpoint the exact cause and consequences of the fatalities. A breakthrough came in April when Blehert identified the white organism on the critters' noses as a type of geomyces fungus, one of a group of organisms that live in soil, water and air and reproduce at refrigerator temperatures of 39 degrees Fahrenheit (four degrees Celsius), the temp in most bat caves.

"When bats are torpid [in a hibernating state], they drop their temperatures down to the ambient temperatures of the caves," Blehert says. This makes the dormant bats susceptible to infection by this fungus.

But researchers are in the dark about the source of geomyces. They don't know if its spores were carried to the bat caves by animals or the wind or if it was in these caves all along and recently spread to spots where the bats hibernate.

It is also unclear whether the fungus is killing the bats or is a contributing factor in their deaths. Most of the victims were also rail-thin and some were found outside of their caves, indicating they may have starved to death after an apparently futile attempt to find food (insects, primarily) in the winter.

"Fungi are opportunistic pathogens," Blehert says, "they don't usually attack and kill otherwise healthy animals."

One thing is certain, Blehert says, "Before the identification of white-nose syndrome, mass mortality events in bats as a result of disease were very rare."

Blehert and his colleagues are now attempting to determine whether the dead bats went into hibernation emaciated or filled with enough food to sustain them throughout the winter. "If they're entering with less than a full tank of gas," he notes, "we have to consider whether the insect populations that they feed on are down." Bats are meant to remain in a torpid state throughout the hibernation period, rousing only every two weeks or so to groom or drink water.

Another possibility, he says, is that the fungus killed them indirectly by causing so much skin irritation it prevented them from getting enough sleep. The longer they are awake during hibernation, the more fat they burn, which gives them less time to sustain their bodies without refueling.

Thomas Kunz, a biology professor and director Boston University's Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology, is also studying the mysterious bat deaths. "The mortality is unprecedented in my experience," he says, "and I've been working with bats for 40 years."

Blehert's work is groundbreaking, Kunz says, in that it has provided researchers with an understanding of the fungus, although the syndrome is most likely a secondary effect of some other underlying cause for the deaths. "This is serious in the sense that we're dealing with an unknown," he says, but he does not believe that the fungus itself is the pathogen.

Kunz and his team are approaching the mystery from three different angles: The first is to study the body weights of hibernating bats in different geographic areas by collecting samples of the creatures from three caves in the affected areas and from three caves in Ohio and Pennsylvania, where white-nose syndrome does not appear to have struck. Similar to Blehert's approach, this will inform Kunz and his team of whether the bats in the areas hit by the syndrome are beginning hibernation with the right amount of stored fat. If not, this might signal that pesticides are diminishing local insect populations, possibly choking off a primary food source for the bats.

The second angle is to determine whether the animals are storing the right type of fat (unsaturated fatty acids obtained by eating insects) for their dormancy, Kunz says. A lack of unsaturated fatty acids could again lead the scientists back to suspect declining local insect populations from insecticide use. A third area to investigate is whether the bats' immune systems are being suppressed for some reason, making them more susceptible to fungal infection. "There's no smoking gun at this point," Kunz says, but he and his colleagues are collecting bat samples at this time and hope to have some results by December.

In addition to the role bats play in vampire lore, these creatures of the night are indispensable to insect control, plant pollination and seed dissemination. White-nose syndrome's impact on the bat community is difficult to determine, Blehert says, because of the difficulty of keeping accurate population counts. (They tend to spend a good portion of their lives tucked away in caves inaccessible to people.)

Researchers have been able to count as many as 500,000 hibernating bats throughout the states were white-nose syndrome has been found, but Blehert says there are probably more than that. He likens the demise of the bats to the disappearance of amphibians worldwide over the past three decades that was ultimately traced to a lethal fungal skin infection—chytridiomycosis—which has wiped out entire populations

One possible bright spot is that some of the lesions on dead bats that Blehert and his colleagues examined had begun to heal before the bats died, which indicates that the bats are capable of fighting the infection to some extent. The researchers plan to spend this winter studying the effect of this fungus on healthy bats in the lab. Blehert says he will be surprised if the fungus alone was the sole culprit behind the plummeting bat population. "I'm not sure a fungus," he says, "can kill an otherwise healthy animal."

Tourists Helps Save Guadalupe's Great White Sharks

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:27:00 +0000

A windless dawn rises over Isla Guadalupe, 150 miles west of the Baja California coast. Rolling slightly in a gentle Pacific swell, our 80-foot trawler Horizon motors toward the island’s north end. The skipper, Greg Grivetto, is standing the final watch of a 20-hour passage from San Diego. He glances down through the bridge windows at the dozen or so passengers gathered on Horizon’s foredeck. We’re shaking off sleep, gabbing, sipping coffee, eager to catch sight of our first landfall on this remote volcanic rock. In the distance, sunlight outlines the arc of Guadalupe’s northeast inlet. There, deep in flat, dark water, something is also stirring, and everyone onboard is thinking about it.

The inshore waters of Guadalupe make up one of the few known habitats for this formidable migrating creature. It is the world’s largest predatory fish, typically 13 to 16 feet long, weighing 1,500 to 2,500 pounds. The great white is the undisputed king of the cartilage-skeletoned vertebrates that have been swimming through the seas for 400 million years and the supreme iteration of an “apex predator”—top dog—in its watery world. To scientists and shark devotees, great whites are a feast of complex behaviors—maddeningly coy in their breeding habits and wary but stunningly accomplished killers. Remarkably, they also are now listed as endangered, and when an apex species is in trouble the threat can cascade down through the entire food chain.

For years close encounters were pretty much out of the question. Swimmers and scuba divers ardently avoid the sharks, and useful observation in study tanks or aquariums is impossible because the animals do not survive prolonged captivity. But recent growth in the popularity of shark-cage diving has opened new opportunities. On this August morning Horizon’s crew, scientists and ecotourists are arriving under the aegis of Shark Diver, a leading operator of “sharking” excursions to Guadalupe. The mission, as always: to watch at close hand this impressive animal in its natural surroundings.

Shark Diver, in conjunction with the Marine Conservation Science Institute, has identified, recorded and named more than 85 individual great whites that regularly return to the area, now a reserve protected by the Mexican government. A compilation of photographs (including contributions from amateur cage divers) plus tagging and satellite tracking is steadily producing a detailed profile of the Guadalupe community of great whites. A thick ring binder, the “family album,” circulates in Horizon’s wood-paneled saloon. Among the pictured sharks are Fat Tony (the charter member of Shark Diver’s roster), Nacho, Belt Strap, Bruce, Captain Hook, Harvey, the Russian. And the truly massive 18-foot females that migrate here late in the fall—Tlazolteotl (named for an Aztec goddess), Chicka, Dorri, Snow White, Lady Notch—many of them pregnant and voraciously hungry.

Even though the great whites are a protected species, relentless poaching has put them on the international “threatened” list. Shark Diver CEO Patric Douglas reports that one set of jaws alone can fetch $5,000 in Ensenada. His Guadalupe Island Conservation Fund (www.guadalupefund.org) has documented the sale of whole carcasses of the great white for $20,000 on the black market. Mexico’s national park service lacks the resources to station patrol boats at Guadalupe during the great whites’ season. But Shark Diver expedition vessels, along with those from several other adventure operators, have become an unofficial police presence against illegal sport fishing.

The great white shark will always be the subject of controversy, in large part because of Peter Benchley’s best-selling thriller Jaws and the movies it spawned. Two years before his death in 2004, Benchley boarded Horizon for his own Guadalupe visit. He wanted to see firsthand the creatures he had demonized. By that time Benchley was already an advocate for white shark conservation, having seen the senseless, bloody orgy of shark hunting touched off by his success. He was profoundly moved by the majesty of these animals, and his campaign to save them soon took hold in the media. Ecotourism now helps to fund great white conservation.

Sympathy for the great white shark should never obscure its important role as a predator, however. Luke Tipple, a respected shark biologist and Shark Diver’s director of operations, is outspoken on this subject. “Occasionally,” he muses, “you’ll hear the phrase that great whites are ‘misunderstood.’ They may have been mistreated, but they are definitely not misunderstood. Many millions of years of evolution went into producing this animal, and he is, first and foremost, an astonishingly efficient killer. Let’s not take that away from him.”

Watch a shark slide show here: http://www.sciam.com/slideshow.cfm?id=sharking-guadelupe

Article taken from Scientific American

Wonder Cat!

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:18:00 +0000

De cat came back—thought she were a goner,
But de cat came back for it wouldn't stay away.
—Lyrics from "The Cat Came Back," a song written by Harry S. Miller in 1893.

It's a story that tugs at the heartstrings of all pet devotees: A cat given up for lost in 1995 has come home. As first reported by The Press Democrat, a gray and brown-tinged kitty with round, golden eyes named George was reunited with his Santa Rosa, Calif., owners last week after animal control officers tracked them down by scanning a microchip with identifying info implanted under the animal's skin. (See slideshow of George.)

Frank Walburg says his boy, George, now nearly 17, was but a shadow of his former self when found—weighing a paltry 6.3 pounds (2.9 kilograms), less than half the nearly 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms) he weighed the day he vanished over 13 years ago. He was also sick, suffering from a respiratory infection as well as toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease characterized by lethargy and weight loss, which can be successfully treated with antibiotics.

"He used to be like a heater on wheels," Walburg chuckles about his beloved feline friend, "like a lion in both appearance and walk," his wife, Melinda Merman, wrote on her Web site. Still, Walburg told the San Francisco Chronicle "there was no ambiguity that he was the same dude, no doubt about it."

George disappeared on June 23, 1995, back when Bill Clinton was president and Whitewater was in the headlines. Walburg says that he and Merman spent weeks scouring the neighborhood for him. They visited Sonoma County's five animal shelters every other day for six months, posted missing cat signs, sent flyers to and called every veterinary clinic in the area and offered a hefty $500 reward for his return. Alas, as days turned into weeks and weeks into months and months into years, Walburg says their hopes of finding George faded, "but we never stopped thinking about him."

"It was hard not knowing what might have happened to him," Walburg told ScientificAmerican.com, pausing to control his emotions. "We would imagine that he was just around the corner or trapped somewhere—and we would go and check."

And so one can only imagine how he and Merman felt last week when they received a call from Sonoma County Animal Care and Control: George was there, the message said. "We didn't know what to expect, we didn't know if he was dead or alive, because they also pick up animals on the road that have been killed," Walburg says, noting that he and Merman cried the entire 20-minute trip to claim him.

When they arrived at the county shelter, George was in medical isolation. "The routine practice is to scan for a chip and, if there isn't one, to make a determination on the spot" about an animal's fate, he says. "George was grossly sick, way underweight, he had watery eyes, was lethargic, not eating; there is zero doubt that since his health was so bad, they would not have been able to adopt him out to anyone and he would have been euthanized if it weren't for the microchip."

"He's home because of his microchip,'' Walburg says, noting that his wife, then a volunteer at the Humane Society (and now at Forgotten Felines, which spays and neuters feral cats and provides food for them until their natural deaths), insisted that George and his three littermates be micro-chipped when they adopted them in 1992. At that time, the technology was new and mostly used on dogs.

U.S. animal microchip manufacturer AVID Identification Systems, Inc., based in southern California, filed for a patent on the technology in 1985; the first chips were implanted into companion animals in 1989, according to Mary Metzner, AVID's shelter operations representative (who trains animal control officers and shelter personnel on how to properly implant and use the system). She says the rice-size radio-frequency identification (RFID) device is activated with a handheld scanner; the radio frequency used is 125 kilohertz.

Microchips are generally implanted under the skin over the shoulder blades in dogs and cats. Each one contains an identification number unique to that animal; every microchip sold is automatically registered (to the vet who purchases it) in PETtrac, AVID's national recovery data base, according to Metzner.

She says private veterinary clinics on average charge from $60 to $100, and shelters from $20 to $30 (and often much less) to implant a microchip and register a pet for its lifetime. The chip is encapsulated in biocompatible glass (the type used in pacemakers, stents and other medical devices) and has been tested to last for at least 75 years, according to Metzner, who adds that AVID has sold more than 25 million microchips. Among other brands distributed in the U.S.: resQ, HomeAgain and 24PetWatch.

Some studies in the 1990s found that tumors formed in mice and rats in tissue around where the microchips were placed. But Metzner said further testing has produced no evidence of a link between cancer risk and the devices, which are only activated when scanned—and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004 found the process safe enough to be used in animals and humans.

AVID, when contacted by Sonoma County Animal Care and Control, traced the device in George to Northtown Animal Hospital in Santa Rosa. Walburg says they were lucky their vet had their number, which had been changed since the chip was implanted and registered. In some cases, there is a more direct relationship with pet owners, who can change chip ID registration contact info online.

"Our sole purpose is to bring animals home. So it's a wonderful feeling to know that the system works," Metzner says about George's long-awaited homecoming. "It's a miracle. We get over 1,000 calls a day of people finding pets and reuniting them with families."

She says this is one of—if not the—longest period between a pet's loss and recovery ever recorded. Among other success stories: a cat that had been missing from Los Angeles for a decade, found in Texas several years ago, and a dog missing from Panama, Fla., who was found six years later in Ohio.

"There's no way this reunion after 13 and a half years would have happened without the microchip," Walburg stresses, urging all pet owners to chip their charges and anyone who finds a stray to take it to the nearest shelter or animal hospital to have it scanned for one. He also believes that vets should routinely scan their animal patients to make sure the humans bringing them in are their rightful owners, noting that they might have found George sooner had that been done.

"It's a very reasonable amount of money for something that potentially can help bring your pets home if they lose their collar. But even if your pet is micro-chipped, it's still important to have a visible collar and tag on that animal with the owner's name on it to get it home immediately," says Stephanie Shain, director of outreach at The Humane Society of the United States in Washington, D.C.

"It's pretty amazing," she adds about the George's homecoming. "If you're on the fence of whether you should or shouldn't get [a microchip], this would probably put a lot of people in the 'yes' column who weren't there before."

Walburg says that George was found at a mobile home park about 3.5 miles (5.5 kilometers) from their home, where he was turned over to animal control by the manager.

George was one of four kittens born to a feral cat that the Walburgs adopted. (They also took in their mom, who they had spayed.) Sadly, George's two brothers (twin Ira and Klaus) died two years ago from an intestinal disorder. But sister Grace is still alive (though Walburg reports she was more interested in George's special kibble than in seeing her long-lost brother when they were reunited) and George now has three new foster siblings—Foxy, Sam and Spook.

Walburg, a computer consultant and amateur winemaker who names some varieties after his cats (each bottle is labeled with a photo of its namesake; George will grace the next one), says that he and Merman are nursing George back to health, feeding him dabs of baby food mixed with chicken broth that he initially licked from a spoon and their fingers (but is now eating from a dish) and giving him antibiotics to clear up the toxoplasmosis. (See video.)

He says the cat spends most of his time in the guest room—which has been set aside for him—and that he's slowly but surely regaining his old vim and vigor – and has gained 3.5 ounces (99 grams) since he came home. (See video of George on the mend.)

About a year after George went missing, Melinda Merman wrote a "Letter to George" on her Web site in which she waxed poetic about his personality quirks, how he loved peanut butter and to bat at towels—and hated the rain. And how he always waited at the foot of their bed for them to wake up in the morning.

"There are so many things I miss now that you're gone," she wrote. "In fact, do you remember where you slept at night? On top of the bathroom towel cupboard. Remember your towel up there? Well it's still there. I have cleaned the top of the cupboard, but your towel is just as you left it. We will always wonder what happened to you. And we'll always hope you come home."

On November 5, 2008, she updated her blog: "George was found and returned to us. We are so thrilled to have him back in the family."

URGENT HELP DOGS IN OAKLAND SHELTERS

infinite242@gmail.com (Whitney K Walker) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:33:00 +0000

2 Urgent Actions

ONE We need to convince the City of Oakland that closing the shelter for ten days is not an option for saving money

.
Please send an urgent email to Dan Lindheim, Budget Director at the Mayor's Office at dlindheim@oaklandnet.com, and/or call at (510) 238-6840 to let them know the shelter is different from other city agencies, in caring for HUNDREDS of animals each day, and needs special accommodation during the mandated Oakland shut-down days!

Talking points for your email/phone calls as to why the shelter needs special exemption for closure from 12/26 thru 1/2: Talking Points

TWO

We need to protect Point Isabel from developers who want to put a shopping center there. The final chance for public input is this Tuesday December 16 at the City Council meeting, at 1401 Marina Way South in Richmond Annex or Richmond. For more information see the Point Isabel Newsletter or contact PIDO via email at m22257m@yahoo.com or 5150-559-8362.

URGENT San Leandro Dog Parks In Trouble

By Karen Holzmeister - The Daily Review

12/10/2008

SAN LEANDRO — The City Council is backing offfrom its consideration of San Leandro'sfirst dog park, a decision that has canine lovers yapping mad and determined togather more support.

General park dedication fees paid by developers,which might have been a potential funding source for the dog park, couldinstead be used for projects at other parks, or even for upgrading policeheadquarters on East 14th Street,council members suggested Tuesday.

"This economy is in desperate straits, if you don't know it,"Mayor Tony Santos told six dog-park backers Tuesday during the council'sFacilities and Transportation Committee meeting. He suggested the city use thefees — the park dedication fund currently has $700,000 — for "desperatelyneeded" equipment and structural improvements in the police building.

Dog lovers pledged to fight for a dog park at the San Leandro Marina. AndPeggy Combs, vice chairwoman of the Recreation and Park Commission, said theconcept of a dog park has been "unanimously embraced by thecommunity."

"This is just the tip of the iceberg," park advocate SabrinaAlmazan said after Santos complained he is fielding 10 to 25 e-mails a day —and four phone calls on Monday alone — from dog owners.

"We represent a huge population of dog owners," added Almazan, amember of the Four Paws Society, which has gathered 1,100 signatures on apetition for a dog park at the San Leandro Marina.

"We will gather more support, and (demonstrate the) need for a dogpark," Almazan told Santosand the two other committee members, councilwomen Diana Souza and JoyceStarosciak. "You are our elected officials; they are yourconstituents."

Four Paws and the Recreation and Park Commission, the latter acouncil-appointed advisory group, have spent 18 months studying the dog parkissue. In September, commissioners asked the council to spend $491,000 for a1.3-acre linear park on the shoreline.

It had been assumed that the money would come from park dedication fees,paid by builders in lieu of land dedication, and traditionally used for newpark or recreation developments.

On Tuesday, council members and city administrators said the city attorneyis reviewing the park dedication fee ordinance to see if the money can be usedfor existing facilities.

The attorney's opinion will be available at the committee's next meeting inJanuary. Starosciak also asked that a list of citywide capital projects beavailable by that meeting so that the committee — and, eventually, the entirecouncil — can prioritize projects for all sources of funding.

©2008 Bay Area News Group
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For more information on the Dog Park Recommendation, Plans, Facts and Articles...

And, to Volunteer...

visit: www.FourPawsSociety.org

or contact:
Sabrina@FourPawsSociety.org or (510) 909-2163