Pulled from Yahoo news and written by Mary Pemberton

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Four years after being placed on the Endangered Species List, the dwindling sea otters of southwest Alaska on Wednesday were given an important recovery tool.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated nearly 5,900 square miles as critical habitat for sea otters in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea and Alaska Peninsula. The designated area includes all nearshore waters.

“Critical habitat has a proven record of aiding the recovery of endangered species,” said Rebecca Noblin, a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity, which filed two lawsuits and engaged in years of litigation to get the animals protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. The otters in southwest Alaska were listed as threatened in 2005.

“This has been a long time coming,” she said.

Critical habitat gives the sea otters — the smallest of marine mammals — a “fighting chance of recovery,” she said.

Nearshore areas were chosen because most of the creatures that sea otters eat — sea urchins, crabs, octopuses and some bottom fish — are found in shallow waters. Areas close to shore also provide the best protection from marine predators, especially killer whales, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Federal law requires that critical habitat be designated at the time of listing. But when that didn’t happen under the Bush administration, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a federal lawsuit in 2006. The following year an agreement was reached that critical habitat would be designated by this October.

Fish and Wildlife said it needed time to conduct an economic impact analysis on what the designation could mean to southwest Alaska. The agency found that designation would not have a large impact and should not result in any commercial fishing closures.

About 90 percent of the world’s sea otters are in Alaska waters. There were more than 100,000 sea otters in southwest Alaska waters in the 1970s but there are fewer than 40,000 now. Some areas have seen numbers plummet 90 percent.

The reason for the decline is not known but one credible theory is that killer whales are preying on more sea otters, perhaps because other larger marine mammals such as sea lions are also in decline.

Noblin said there isn’t much that can be done about killer whales but there are other stressors than can be addressed such as overfishing, the potential for oil development in Bristol Bay and climate change in the Bering Sea.

Critical habitat gives the animals an extra layer of scrutiny when entities are applying for federal permits in the designated area. However, it does not mean that development will stop, Noblin said.

“It just means the developer has to go through an additional process to determine how what they are doing will impact sea otters,” she said.

I pulled this news article from Statesmanjournal.com. With today’s economy I am noticing that people are having to get rid of their beloved animals and are facing hard really times. The impact HAS to be showing with the healthcare of animals at the vet’s office as well. I have three horses and two dogs…and I treat all injuries/sicknesses that I can myself, but I do still take my animals to the vet when it is needed…however, there have been many times I cringe when I get the bill! Are fewer checkups the answer to spending less? Or does it create more problems in the long run?

Financial hardships can extend to animal care
Veterinarians schedule fewer annual checkups as clients spend less.

As U.S. Census data released Monday confirm, the economic downturn is altering Americans’ lives and behaviors in many ways, from homeownership trends to commuting habits.The pinch even extends to the realm of veterinary care, and some Mid-Valley vets are reporting a change in demand.

Dr. Kim Erbes of Salem Veterinary Emergency Clinic said traffic is down about 10 percent to 15 percent in the past year. More clients also are capping their expenditures; when they do come in with a sick or injured pet, they also come with a clear idea of how much they’re willing to spend, Erbes said.

The clinic treats 200 to 300 animals per month and has the equivalent of three full-time doctors and about a half-dozen other staffers.

Erbes said she has noted a trend of pet owners waiting longer to seek treatment for their animals. “They’re thinking and hoping their animal is going to get better,” Erbes said. When they finally come to the clinic, the animal’s illness or injury often is worse than if the owner had sought treatment earlier, Erbes said. “People think they’re saving money by nursing the animal at home, but they’re not,” Erbes said.

Still, she emphasized that pet care remains a priority for many people. “It’s something people have (some) budget for,” Erbes said. “People will always care for their pets.”

Dr. Julie DeMarco of Whole Pet Veterinary Care in central Salem said what people are willing to spend on their pets in a tough economy depends on whether they see animal spending as discretionary or not. “For some people, their pets are like children,” DeMarco said. But overall, her clients are spending less, she said.

VCA Salem Animal Hospital reports that during a period of about four months earlier this year, fewer clients were coming in for annual wellness care for their pets.
The clinic reports more stable traffic now, however.

Dr. Richard Hillmer of Oak Hills Veterinary Clinic said this is the first year in his career — which spans more than 20 years — that he has noticed a downturn. “People used to say veterinary medicine was recession-proof,” he said. “It’s a little different this year.” Oak Hills cares for about 120 dogs, cats and birds each month. He said his clinic hasn’t seen growth this year, and clients are looking for cheaper options and holding off on treatment such as diagnostics.

Alternative savings

New office Whole Pet Veterinary Care puts the focus on alternative treatments, but DeMarco cautions against the thought that naturopathic treatments are always less expensive. She said in the long run, alternative treatments can reduce medical bills because animals are healthier.

Whole Pet integrates modern technology with acupuncture, herbal therapies and other Eastern remedies. “People want options; they don’t always want a pill,” she said.

Dr. Don Howard of Twin Oaks Veterinary Hospital in southeast Salem said some clients looking to save money seek animal acupuncture as an alternative to surgery. The cost for a series of three to five treatments is $500 to $700, Howard said, which he said can be a savings of thousands of dollars over surgery options.

Second Teen Arrested in Horse Killings

AOL News..
A second arrest has been made in a recent spate of gruesome killings of at least 19 horses in Florida.

According to the Miami Herald, Santiago Cabrera, 19, of Hialeah, Fla., was picked up by police on Monday night and charged with armed burglary, animal cruelty, killing a registered breed horse and breaking a fence.

Police said Cabrera confessed to helping butcher two live horses. Horse meat is sold on the black market for as much as $40 per pound, according to CNN.

Equine meat brings such high prices because some people believe that consuming it can cure diseases like cancer and AIDS.

Cabrera’s arrest follows that of 18-year-old Luis Miguel Cordero, who was picked up by police last week. Undercover police officers approached Cordero, who stands accused of killing a horse at Lazy L Ranch in North Maimi-Dade County, and offered him $2,000 to slaughter another horse. Cordero agreed and was promptly arrested, the paper said.

Animal protection groups such as the ASPCA point out that there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that eating horse meat helps fight AIDS or cancer. South Florida’s multicultural community, however, is made up of many residents who come from countries where it is customary to eat horse meat, CNN reported.

Box turtle whose legs were chewed off by raccoon now glides through life.
Story pulled from msnbc.com and written by By Michael Inbar.

The joke is as old as the hills: “Lost Dog: Three legs, blind in one eye, ear torn. Answers to the name ‘Lucky.’ ”

But for a Petaluma, Calif., box turtle, that name held true and then some after he got his front legs chewed off by a raccoon.

Injured in July, Lucky came within a whisker of being euthanized after his unfortunate run-in with a masked turtle mauler. But thanks to the quick thinking and ingenuity of veterinary surgeon Robert Jereb, the turtle now happily skids his way through life on plastic sliders, stacked two high where his front legs used to be.

“[Dr. Jereb] was just wonderful,” Lucky’s owner, Sally Pyne, told Norah O’Donnell live on TODAY Thursday as she cradled her plucky pet next to veterinarian Alan Wolf, who helped rescue the injured reptile.

Masked marauder
Pyne said that Lucky and his gal pal, Lovey, live a life of ease in an enclosed pen in the backyard of her home. The turtles were in fine fettle when she and her roommate ran out for a spell, but when they came home, they found a horror story: Food left outside for their pet cat had drawn the attention of a marauding raccoon, and Lucky suffered collateral damage.

“My housemate Robert Ford saw that the turtles were outside the pen, which was kind of weird,” Pyne said. “When we found the girl, she was OK, but [when] we find [Lucky], his legs were missing.

“We said, ‘Oh, my God, the poor thing.’ ”

The pair rushed Lucky to an emergency animal hospital, where he was patched up and given pain medication and antibiotics. While Pyne didn’t know how her beloved pet could go through life without front legs, she saw a fighting spirit that made her hesitant to have him put down.

“I was ready to let little Lucky go home,” Pyne told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. “But he was not ready to give up. His eyes were open, and he was shoving himself around on his two back legs. He was not going to quit.”

So Pyne took Lucky to Jereb, who has made a name for himself by finding novel ways to patch up animals: He had previously repaired turtles’ shattered shells with everything from Bondo to fiberglass. Missing legs was another matter altogether, but Jereb thought he had a good candidate for yet-to-be invented turtle prosthetics.

Pyne told O’Donnell: “I thought, ‘Oh, my God, this is going to be awful for the turtle,’ but Dr. Jereb said, ‘You know, they live through many kinds of attacks.’ ”

Turtle power
Jereb headed to the hardware store in search of suitable leg-replacement material. He ended up opting for the sliders that normally rest under tables and chairs — if affixed and stacked two high, they would balance Lucky’s body and enable him to glide in the front while his back legs supplied the power.

It worked like a charm, and Pyne said Lucky is clearly reveling in his second shot at life. “He’s just gone crazy,” she told O’Donnell.

Lucky’s coaster front legs may not be permanent. The turtle’s activity makes the sliders wear down, making it problematic to keep them attached. He may require more surgery. Jereb is looking for new ideas.

But for the nonce, Lucky just keeps gliding along, looking as if he’s ready for a game of air hockey in the front. Al Roker asked Pyne whether, with his new look, he’s still a lady-killer to mate Lovey.

“She’s not interested much in all the attention,” Pyne replied with a smile. “So she just burrows, as turtles do.”

MADISON, Wisconsin (Reuters) – Some stories don’t fly. This one doesn’t even breathe.

The city council of Wisconsin’s capital voted on Tuesday to designate the plastic pink flamingo its official bird, honoring a college prank committed 30 years ago.

In 1979, University of Wisconsin students planted roughly 1,000 of the pink plastic birds on a grassy incline outside the dean’s office.

Alderman Marsha Rummel told the Wisconsin State Journal the council’s 15-4 vote ensured the event was “captured in our imaginations forever.”

(Writing by Andrew Stern, Editing by Sandra Maler)

I found and pulled this news article from msnbc today as a post for my friend Kendra. Kendra is just one of the many people I know that has a scaredy-pants pooch that will try anything to get away from a thunderstorms…climbing in laundry baskets, closets, even the dryer! What makes him think that hiding will actually ‘make it go away’? While sometimes funny, these dogs that are so afraid of storms can cause havoc to their home and even themselves. So I found this article very interesting…..does ‘thunderwear’ really help? Check out the link below and you decide!

****Try ‘thunderwear’!****

World’s oldest dog dies in NY at 21 — or 147

Pulled from Yahoo news, by By VIRGINIA BYRNE

NEW YORK – A wire-haired dachshund that held the record as the world’s oldest dog and celebrated its last birthday with a party at a dog hotel and spa has died at age 21 — or 147 in dog years.

The dog, named Chanel, died Friday of natural causes at her owners’ home in suburban Port Jefferson Station, on Long Island.

Chanel, as stylish as her legendary namesake, wore tinted goggles for her cataracts in her later years and favored sweaters because she was sensitive to the cold, owners Denice and Karl Shaughnessy said Monday.

The playful dachshund was only 6 weeks old when Denice Shaughnessy, then serving with the U.S. Army, adopted her from a shelter in Newport News, Va.

Along with her owner, Chanel spent nine years on assignment in Germany, where she became adept at stealing sticks of butter from kitchen countertops and hiding them in sofa cushions in the living room, Shaughnessy said. She also liked chocolate, usually considered toxic to dogs, Shaughnessy said.

“She once ate an entire bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups, and, you see, she lived to be 21, so go figure,” Shaughnessy added.

Karl Shaughnessy nominated Chanel for the title of world’s oldest dog after noticing the Guinness World Records book had no record.

Guinness World Records officials presented Chanel with a certificate as the world’s oldest dog at a Manhattan birthday bash hosted by a private pet food company in May.

Chanel loved the party, especially the cake, which had a peanut butter flavor and had been made for dogs, Denice Shaughnessy said.

Chanel exercised daily and ate home-cooked chicken with her dog food, but good care wasn’t entirely responsible for her long life, said her owners, who attributed God.

“Dogs are God’s angels sent here to look out for us,” Denice Shaughnessy said.

A dog from New Iberia, La., named Max, is vying for the record of world’s oldest dog. Owner Janelle Derouen said Max marked his 26th birthday on Aug. 9. She said Guinness World Records officials were reviewing documents to authenticate his age; a Guinness World Records official in London didn’t immediately answer an e-mail from The Associated Press requesting confirmation of that.

When asked the secret to her dog’s long life, Derouen said she was shocked he’s still with her.

“I have five kids, and all my kids are grown and gone,” she said. “Now my grandkids are playing with this dog.”

Everyone knows the old stereotype that mail carriers everywhere are bedeviled by over-protective dogs. Now they’ve got something new to worry about up in Canada. I found this article on Yahoo! and thought the Whales & Friends blog readers would find it amusing.

Hawks deliver go-away message to Canada Post

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) – Two nesting hawks have managed to do what Canada’s blizzards usually can’t — halt delivery of the mail to a few dozen homes in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Canada Post said it stopped delivering to 54 Moose Jaw homes after hawks swooped down on a letter carrier and after a supervisor who came in to inspect the area had to dive for cover. Later, another carrier was attacked two blocks away.

Mischelle Read, who lives on one of two blocks affected by the mail stoppage, saw the hawk swoop at a letter carrier in May before mail delivery stopped.

“It was a ‘get-out-of-my-area type of a dive’ clearly directed at (the letter carrier),” Read said.

But Read, who now picks up her mail at the post office, said her children continue to play outside. “It’s not worrying me,” she said.

Canada Post spokeswoman Sandra Sobko said the mail typically goes out even during blizzards, although Canada Post does halt delivery to specific addresses when dogs, wasps or other hazards threaten its carriers.

The Moose Jaw shutdown started in May and will last until the hawks leave their nest, she said.

(Reporting by Rod Nickel; Editing by Janet Guttsman)

**pulled from Yahoo news, written by SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN”

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – American wildlife officials and ranchers are raising questions over a plan to release a rare North American gray wolf to its historic range in northern Mexico: Will it stay south of the border and what can be done if it threatens livestock?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said this week it learned of the plan to release captive-bred Mexican gray wolves during a meeting with Mexican officials.

A male, female and two yearlings could be released in Sonora state, bordering Arizona and New Mexico, as early as October. Another release is planned for December and more could happen next year as part of an effort by both countries to return the wolves to the wild.

“I think we kind of assumed it would happen eventually but we didn’t realize it was going to happen this quickly,” said Charna Lefton, regional spokeswoman with the Fish and Wildlife Service in Albuquerque.

The Mexican agency that oversees natural resources and the environment, known as SEMARNAT, did not immediately respond to telephone and email requests for comment.

While wildlife officials and conservationists generally support the move, Lefton says “everyone is asking the same questions.”

What if the wolves cross into the United States? Will they be protected under the federal Endangered Species Act? Or will they have the same “nonessential, experimental” designation as wolves released as part of a reintroduction effort in New Mexico and Arizona?

The Fish and Wildlife Service has posed those questions to the agency’s attorneys and are hoping for answers in coming weeks. The agency also plans another meeting with Mexican officials.

The Mexican wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf, was exterminated in the wild in the Southwest by the 1930s after a campaign by the federal government to control the predator.

A handful of wolves were captured in Mexico in the late 1970s to save the animal from extinction. In 1998, the U.S. government began reintroducing wolves along the Arizona-New Mexico line in a 4 million-acre territory. Biologists had hoped to have at least 100 wolves by now, but recent surveys show about half that. It’s unclear how many wolves are in Mexico’s Sonora state.

The wolves in Arizona and New Mexico do not have full protection under the Endangered Species Act because they are designated as “experimental,” giving game officials greater flexibility to manage them and even allows permanent removal — by capturing or killing — after three confirmed livestock kills in a year.

Conservationists contend any wolves found outside the reintroduction area in the two states would be protected under the Endangered Species Act unless the Fish and Wildlife seeks a contrary rule.

Wolves returning to the wild in Mexico only complicates a troubled effort in the United States, especially if the animals cross the border, said Caren Cowan, executive director of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association.

“You’ve got the potential of wolves coming down on you from the north that have one endangered status, and you’ve got wolves coming from the south that may have a different status,” she said. “How are you supposed to tell the difference?”

Conservationists are encouraged by Mexico’s plans, saying more wolves in the wild will help ensure species survival. If the U.S. and Mexico populations mingle, that would bolster the animal’s limited genetic pool.

haha….I have to share this Animal Planet article with everyone because it gave me such a laugh! Ever since the human snuggie/slanket came out, I have found such humor in the commercials and laugh out loud every time they come on tv. Now This!

The Snuggie for Dogs….

“Fresh from the “Seriously!? Seriously” files, and just when you thought the Snuggie (or Slanket) had gone the way of the pet rock, brace yourself: Introducing the Snuggie for Dogs. Yes, you heard right, the Snuggie for Dogs.

Now your dog can be both warm and comfortable on the couch while being able to take a quick trip to the local dog park without having to take their blanket off. Its also a great gift idea for dogs who are Lord of the Rings enthusiasts and want to achieve the ‘Gandalfy’ look or who perhaps practice Buddhism. As well, given it’s made of 100% synthetic mystery-material, the static charge generated by the Snuggie for Dogs can likely turn your dog into a super uber lint-roller and/or dust-bunny collection device. You’ll never need to dust or vacuum your floors again.

As I understand it, the idea behind the original Snuggie is that it is essentially a blanket with sleeves and is open in the back, akin to a hospital gown. That said, the Snuggie for Dogs, as seen in the video on their site, is not “open in the back” but instead utilizes velcro closures to keep it on the dog. Call me crazy, but doesn’t that make this something otherwise known a “dog coat?”

Regardless, you still need to watch the ridiculous video. Reason being, I had to watch it twice before believing that it was not a gag. This is an actual bona fide product….SRSLY. Enjoy!

Available for $14.95 in pink or blue at SnuggieforDogs.com”