In GM Today newspaper (Great Milwaukee)
http://www.gmtoday.com/content/CLS/2005/April/20.asp

Puppy love

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Local overpopulation of labradors can be solved

Recently, an ad similar to this one ran in this newspaper:

FOUND: GREAT LABRADOR. Please come and get me at the Animal Control Facility. I'm scared and want to come home even though there are lots of friendly labs here. I'm waiting for you to rescue me. Come to Calcasieu Parish Animal Services at 5500-A Swift Plant Road in Lake Charles. Call (377) 439-8879 for hours that you may claim me. You can only come Monday-Friday. Please also see if I am at Sulphur Animal Control on Bayou D'inde Road in Sulphur. Call (337) 527-4577 for hours that you may claim me in Sulphur. You can only come Monday-Friday. I hope you come rescue me soon before my time runs out. I love you unconditionally!

The Lab Overpopulation Committee of Lake Area Partnerships for Animal Welfare (LAPAW) has placed this ad and launched a "Born to Die" campaign to combat the overwhelming problem of lab overpopulation in our area. The market for labs has become saturated because of overbreeding, and many great, family-friendly dogs are being abandoned and euthanized. It seems that many labs are born only to die.

The labrador retriever has been listed as the top registered breed with the American Kennel Club since 1991. They are especially popular in our area, as many men use them for hunting. However, their popularity also means labs are the number one breed found at animal control.

More than 660 purebred labrador retrievers were euthanized at Calcasieu Parish Animal Control last year alone. The figures for lab mixes are even worse. More than 830 mixes were euthanized last year. The total number reaches almost 1,500 in one year.

I am urging lab owners and enthusiasts to become part of the solution to this sad problem. First, don't purchase a lab from a backyard breeder. Second, don't allow your lab to breed. Most importantly, spay or neuter your lab.

Anyone interested in obtaining a great hunting dog or family pet need look no further than the local animal control facility. On any given day there are many labs available — all colors, all ages. Many are already trained for obedience and hunting. Please give the hundreds there a second chance at life.

LAPAW and the local lab rescue group have been working overtime to try to find temporary foster homes for some of these death-row pets. If you are interested in fostering a lab or any other pet, please go to www.lapaw.org for more information.

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I know many of us don't go t petco or their website because of their handling of animals but now there's another good reason not to shop at their website. It's come to my attention from a friend of mine that her credit card info was used inappropriately while she shopped at their site and it seems after doing some digging, that petco has had numerous complaints and lawsuits filed against them regarding their lack of internet security. Here are some links for you to check out and read; u may come to your own conclusions but after reviewing this information, I shall make sure never to shop at their site even if they did do a much better job regarding the animals they put up for adoption.

http://www.securityfocus.com/news/7581/comments/24124

http://www.securityfocus.com/news/7581

http://www.creditcardsmagazine.com/managearticle.asp?c=40&a=6651

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Peoria Journal Star
Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Kicked out of their home, the two women hit the road.
Out of money, they found a homeless shelter. When the shelter closed, they took to the highway again - but left behind their passengers:

Forty cats.

An animal rescue center now is looking for homes for the cats, who for weeks lived in a minivan with the women.

"They just liked cats. And it got out of hand," says Carol Alcorn, director of the not-for-profit Public Action to Deliver Shelter (PAD in Ottawa, 50 miles northeast of Peoria.

The women, an elderly mother and her 30-something daughter, had lived in a mobile home in Michigan. They got two felines, which spawned a burgeoning colony of kitties.

But the landlord got sick of the cats. He evicted the whole lot.

The women loaded the cats into their early-'90s mini-van. For unknown reasons, they headed for Missouri.

About two weeks ago, they ran out of money in Ottawa. They found their way to the PADS shelter, where they parked their mobile kennel and spent the night.

The next morning, PADS director Alcorn was walking to the shelter when she spotted a mini-van parked out front.

"The whole dashboard was full of cats sunning themselves," Alcorn says.

Inside, she talked to the women. Though Alcorn described them as competent, she added, "Someone with (40) cats in their van has other issues."

PADS, a dorm-like shelter, tries to find permanent housing and jobs for the homeless. But no landlord wants 40 cats.

"We couldn't do much with (the women), because of the cats," Alcorn says.

So, PADS called Illinois Valley Animal Rescue, a pet shelter in nearby LaSalle. The rescue examined the van.

Though penniless, the women had taken good care of the well-fed cats. The animals had the run of the vehicle, which had no cages but several litter boxes - thereby keeping the van clean.

But cooped up in close quarters, cats can get sick from stress or start acting feral.

"I knew it couldn't continue like that," says Sue Jacobsen, founder of Illinois Valley Animal Rescue.

Under state law, pet rescuers can seize animals from "pet hoarders." So the rescuers put the cats in eight cages and toted them over to their shelter.

The cats were kept for observation in an area separate from 150 other felines already there. The shelter is no-kill, except for pets with severe medical or behavioral problems.

Meanwhile, the two Michigan women stayed at PADS. They were upset about being separated from their pets, especially their two original cats.

To get those two back, the women needed to get permanent housing, then spay and neuter the pair. But time wasn't on their side: PADS is a cold-weather shelter that operates only Oct. 15 to April 30.

On Saturday morning, as the shelter prepared to close, the two women vamoosed in their van. They left no contact number or address.

So, the pet rescue is looking for homes for the cats. If you're interested, call Illinois Valley Animal Rescue at (815) 224-0061.

Meanwhile, don't be surprised if you again hear about two Michigan women with dozens of cats in their car.

"More than likely, they'll do it again," says the rescue's Jacobson. "They'll probably find other strays and start breeding again. "That's the habit of hoarders.

"You wish they'd learn."

PHIL LUCIANO is a columnist with the Journal Star. He can be reached at pluciano@pjstar.com, (800) 225-5757, Ext. 3155.

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entire article here: http://www.local6.com/money/4457675/detail.html

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this article is a copy of news that mike s. submitted on another group, but i just had to cross post it to muttshack too, as for news and how mean people are.

Police Looking for Jerks Responsible for Gluing a puppy's mouth, nose, and eyes shut. Friday, 8:25 AM
this story seriously sickens me; another case of a bunch of psychos.POSTED: 8:43 am CDT May 3, 2005

UPDATED: 6:14 pm CDT May 3, 2005

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Des Moines police are trying to find the person responsible for gluing a puppy's mouth, nose and eyes shut.
Brittany Garcia said she discovered her 5-month-old Papillon-poodle mix, Precious, in pain over the weekend.
"What kind of people would do this? It's like a human being to us, it's part of our family," said Garcia.
Garcia is grateful that Precious survived the terrible ordeal.
She was shocked when a Johnston veterinarian told her what had happened
to the dog. "This puppy has super glue on him ... he's been pretty much tortured," Garcia said.
Garcia said she put Precious in her back yard Sunday morning.
When she and her husband heard the dog crying she went out to check on
him. She noticed the puppy's ears were as hard as a rock. She took the dog to veterinarian Steven Safris, who used pain
medication and general anesthesia to calm the dog so the glue could be
removed. Safris couldn't believe what he found as he treated Precious.
"They tried actually to glue the nasal passages shut so the dog couldn't breathe," he said.
Safris said the dog is doing better and most of the glue was removed. He's hoping the rest will loosen over time.
"The biggest challenge was they actually filled the ear canals with the glue itself," Safris said
Police say whoever did this will be charged with animal abuse.
The person could face up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

      REWARDS FOR INFORMATIONS
The Animal Rescue League is offering a $500 reward for
information in the case. Mike Butts and My100 listeners are offering
$4,200 in reward money for the arrest and conviction of the person
responsible for the attack, news release said.

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I thought this was interesting:

                      History

Long before there was ever an established guide dog program was developed, dogs have been aiding the blind. A wooden plaque from the Middle Ages portrays a dog leading a blind man with a leash. The first actual attempt to train dogs to aid the blind was made in 1780 at ‘Les Quinze-Vingts’ hospital for the blind, in Paris. In 1788, Josef Riesinger of Vienna was able to train a dog so well that people often doubted that he was blind!

The first dog program was developed after the First World War. Thousands of soldiers were returning home blinded, often by poison gas. A German doctor, Dr Gerhard Stalling, had the idea of training dogs to help those affected. In August of 1916, Stalling opened the world’s first guide dog school for the blind in Oldenburg.

Stalling's school branched out widely, but shut down in 1916. Meanwhile, a school in Pottsdam Germany was training German Shepherds for blinded veterans of the war. This school made great progress in the area of guide dogs, and was able to accommodate around 100 dogs at a time and provide up to 12 fully-trained guide dogs a month. The Pottsdam school lasted approximately 18 years before it was also shut down.

The first formal program that spread the idea internationally was begun by Dorothy Harrison Eustis. She had visited the school in Pottsdam, and from it developed her idea of training her own dogs for the blind. Ms. Eustis wrote an article about the Pottsdam school, which appeared in the November 5th, 1927 edition of The Saturday Evening Post. When Morris Frank, a young blind man living in Nashville, Tennessee heard the article and wrote to Ms. Eustis asking her to train a dog for him, her idea became a reality. After training in Switzerland, Morris Frank became the first American to use a dog guide. His dog, Buddy, a female German shepherd, became the first dog guide in America. The two went on to help train other blind Americans in the use of a guide dog, and it skyrocketed from there.

Morris Frank wrote the book "Love Leads the Way" (which, in 1984, Disney made into a movie), a heartfelt story based on his and Buddy's achievements. In it, the early problems that guide dogs and their owners caused is readily apparent. It was many years before guide dogs were readily accepted into places like restaurants, hotels, and stores. Now, due to the Americans With Disabilities Act, guide dogs are allowed everywhere that the general public is allowed to go, but one can only imagine what it was like to have a guide dog in the early years. It must have been terrible to have been given this wonderful gift, a dog that allows you to do many of the things that you simply could not have done alone before, only to have a restaurant owner angrily tell you at the door that pets are not allowed.

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I think you'll like this story, it's a great uplifter:

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/family/4405821/detail.html

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Jacqueline and Bill Barrington are just wild about wildlife. Their yard, recognized by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat, shows people how to garden to attract wildlife.

Amazingly their small city lot, near the noisy fire station on Circle Boulevard in Corvallis, attracts any number of flying species of goldfinches, robins, hawks, and blue and green herons, as well as butterflies and dragonflies.

Habitat restoration is critical in urban settings where commercial and residential development encroaches on natural wildlife areas. NWF has a back-yard wildlife program that teaches the importance of environmental stewardship by providing basic guidelines for making landscapes more hospitable to wildlife.

It's a lot of hard work and commitment, to create and restore wildlife habitat that will entice wildlife to your yard, but this concept has special appeal for Jacqueline. Loving and nurturing animals has always been one of her "pet" projects.

In the Barrington garden, Jacqueline tends the plants while Bill gets involved by building the gazebo and fish pond — to make his wife happy. Flowering trees and shrubs provide ample food, shelter and nesting sites; combined with water features, they create a haven that both animals and humans can take pleasure in.

THE WILD KINGDOM

Jacqueline says she has been into environmental causes since she was a child. She shares this enthusiasm with others through the many wildlife organizations she belongs to, such as the National Wildlife Federation, World Wildlife Federation, Wildlife Safari and the Cheetah Conservation of Namibia, Africa.

Retired in 2001 after 26 years as an elementary school teacher, Jacqueline's students at Garfield experienced first hand the zeal their teacher had for animals from the many pets that frequented her classroom. Simon the rabbit lived there for 14 years, as did rats, an African clawed frog, and a hedgehog. Gentle and small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, Elvis the hedgehog was a class favorite.

Most of these pets have passed away, but Freddy the frog is still going strong at 10 years of age and lives in an aquarium on Jacqueline's back porch.

"He may outlive us all and I'll have to will him to my kids," Jacqueline quips, then more seriously adds that African clawed frogs are illegal to buy from pet stores these days for fear that if released into the wild they could mix with native species and turn into some mutation that would take over.

Her menagerie is now down to the frog, two cats — Linx and Kat Rina — and a dog named Dustee. Dustee was a birthday present from her husband. Having never owned a dog before, "I did a little online research before we got one. There was this site that had a quiz to assist you in finding the appropriate breed for you, which came up with the whippet, that I'd never heard of before. It resembles a small greyhound," Jacqueline says. "He's been wonderful!"

The cats, by the way, have bells put on them when they go outside, as a warning to the birds.

Supportive of anything having to do with animals and kids, Jacqueline says the perks of belonging to organizations like Wildlife Safari are that as a member you can go with the rangers and feed the animals, are notified of the special events coming up, and can drive through free whenever you want. She recommends going in the spring and fall when it is cooler and the animals are most active.

In addition to the above mentioned memberships, Jacqueline is a Disney Club member as well. "We used to go a couple times a year when the kids were at home, but now it's more like every other year or whenever we can," she says. "My dream is to someday visit ‘The Wild Animal Kingdom' at Disney World in Florida."

However, she doubts it will compare to seeing the real thing, which she had the opportunity to do in 2001, right after retiring. Shortly after 9/11, when travel had slowed tremendously, Jacqueline took the trip of her dreams to Africa — all by herself — and had a great time.

REFUGE

The Barringtons' back yard adjoins six other yards, giving them ample room to encourage wildlife and enjoy the view. The perimeter fence is lined with roses and other flowering shrubs. Roses are Jacqueline's favorite flower, perhaps because her dad had grown them as well. They number nearly 150, from climbing roses, to miniatures, teas, floribundas, and, although not a true rose, the Rose of Sharon. Not surprising, they are also members of the Corvallis Rose Society.

Hummingbirds are attracted to the fragrant blossoms as are butterflies and bees. Other plants that attract wildlife include buddleia — the butterfly bush — lilacs, lilies, iris, clematis, and the hydrangea tree — the Pee Gee variety. The garden patch out front is filled with orange, red, pink and yellow canna lilies that grow as tall as the roof (large enough to provide shade for the front window each summer) and are magnets for birds.

Many plants provide food or shelter for animals, but in addition to flowers as a food source, Jacqueline is a regular at Wild Birds Unlimited on Ninth Street buying thistle/njger, medium sunflower chips and black oil sunflower seeds in gallon refillable containers.

Different kinds of seed attract different kinds of birds as do different feeders. Hooded feeders keep the seed dry. Some birds prefer flat platform feeders, and hummingbirds like sugar water as well as flower nectar. You can make up some yourself by combining 1/4 cup sugar to 1 cup boiling water. Stir to dissolve and cool before using.

When the Barringtons put in their pond, they never imagined it would be such a magnet for blue and green herons, hawks a  [ send green star]  [ accepted]

wow i feel for them, yea I stopped using tide years ago since they're a Proctor & Gamble product but I think it is fair to say that same warning applies to any and all laundry detergents: Keep far away from Pets and make sure it's closed properly .

Mike
May 7, 2003

GRESHAM - We have a warning for pet owners.

A woman said her dog suffered serious chemical burns from a laundry detergent most people would consider harmless.

KATU's 2 On Your Side reporter Ed Teachout has the story.

_____________

You wouldn't think laundry soap could be harmful to your pet just by getting on their skin.

But this Wednesday one Basset Hound's misadventure is a good warning to all pet owners.

Seven-year old Scarlet is recovering after getting into a particular laundry detergent that many folks have at home.

"A tremendous skin reaction over her entire bottom half of her body, you see her quiver when I touch her," said Dr. Chuck Hawkins who is a Veterinarian.

Connected to an IV, Scarlet is sedated and she hasn't eaten for two days.

"You can see where the spread marks are where the detergent had spilled. It spilled inside the cage," said Hawkins.

The bottle of liquid Tide was on the floor near the cage, somehow Scarlet got to it and got the lid off.

After perhaps hours of lying in the Tide Marci Cook found her dog bleeding and in pain.

Veterinarians aren't sure if it's a chemical burn or skin reaction.

The label's only warning is to 'keep out of reach of children and to flush with water if it gets in your eyes.'

Cook said she didn't think laundry detergent was that harmful so she didn't have it stored up high with other chemicals.

"Now I know to move it up but I think this is harmless. I use it on my clothes I didn't think this would have any impact on a dog, I mean its soap and now I know it's not like soap," said Marci Cook.

Cook said Tide hasn't given her vet any information on the chemicals inside the detergent.

"I was able to talk to a pharmacists contracted to the company but I haven't got a call back from the toxicologist at the company," said Cook.

While Scarlet rests, her owner has a message to all pet owners.

"Don't leave any chemicals or any detergent - anything on the floor where dogs can get to it. Because I don't want anyone to go through what I've had to," said Cook.

Late Wednesday afternoon the makers of Tide, Proctor and Gamble, sent KATU a written statement. It said their safety experts have been in contact with Dr. Hawkins.  But Hawkins said a toxicologist for the company called him late Wednesday. Which is about an hour after we contacted Proctor and Gamble.

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This news story was released yesterday regarding 200 cats rescued from a hoarder and now sit at shelter needing homes -- another Milwaukee story...

Click here for the story and to see if you can Muttshack any!

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Samson the lion from the Hai-Kef zoo in Rishon Lezion, Israel, who had undergone a brain operation -- unique in the world -- at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has recuperated and has returned to his cage and to his sister, Delilah.

"The meeting between Samson and his sister Delilah was joyous and emotional," said the director of the zoo, Bezalel Porath. "Samson now has many visitors. We also received letters from kindergartens and telephone calls from many who inquired about his welfare. I want to thank the entire staff of the veterinary Hospital of the Hebrew University for their wonderful work."

Dr. Merav Shamir, a specialist in veterinary neurology and neurosurgery, who diagnosed Samson's medical problem and operated on him, said: "Samson's illness was brought to my attention after symptoms of damage to his nervous system appeared. I was asked to carry out a neurological examination. I saw that he stood on his legs with difficulty. When he tried to walk, he fell after a few steps. He also had no appetite and appeared generally to be in poor condition. I diagnosed that Samson was suffering from damage to the posterior portion of his skull, which applied pressure on his cerebellum and the upper sector of the spinal cord."

This type of damage is known to occur in lions living in captivity and is expressed in abnormal skull growth, exerting pressure on the rear portion of the brain, said Dr. Shamir. A CT exam confirmed that the lion was indeed suffering from a serious distortion of the rear portion of his skull and subsequent brain pressure.

According to veterinary medicine literature, this situation is caused due to a vitamin A deficiency. Even though lions in captivity, (including those at the Rishon Lezion zoo) receive vitamin supplements in their food daily, the symptoms that Samson suffered appear, although rarely, among these animals. In all of the previous cases of this type, the animal died due to the disease, either because of the lack of proper medical treatment or because of imprecise diagnosis. In most of the cases, the nature of the problem was revealed with certainty only after death.

"We decided to carry out this operation that had never before been performed anywhere," said Dr. Shamir, "and in doing so we removed part of the thickened skull tissue, thus freeing the tremendous pressure on the rear portion of the brain." The operation lasted six hours."

After the operation, the lion was taken for recovery to his heated enclosure in the Rishon Lezion zoo. Under the care of the zoo's veterinarian, Dr. Limor Miara, and the animal's caretaker, he was able to again stand on his legs. Even on the first day after the operation one could already see an observable improvement in his situation. Samson began to walk steadily, without stumbling, and one could hardy see traces of his previous illness. During the following ten days he received intensive care from the zoo staff, which included special food, antibiotic medicine, vitamin supplements and other "special treatment."

"The results as they look today are more than we could have expected," said Dr. Shamir. "Samson is walking around as a fully healthy lion, and our final worry is that the impressive mane which covered his head before the operation will return and cover any traces of our surgical work."

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Clark, a mother of two who works as a geriatric nurse at Western State Hospital, entered not guilty pleas to three counts of first-degree animal cruelty filed against her in Pierce County Superior Court.

Obviously upset, she answered Judge Vicki Hogan’s questions in a voice barely audible in the back of the small courtroom, where a standing-room-only crowd hung on every word. Many in the gallery wore hot pink “Jail for Donna Clark” tags on their shirts, and some told deputy prosecutor Dennis Ashman to “go for the jugular” and “no plea bargains” as he left court.

Hogan ruled Clark could be released on her own recognizance after being fingerprinted and photographed at the county jail. The judge set an Aug. 16 trial date.

Clark’s attorney, Shane Silverthorn, declined to answer questions as he shooed reporters away from his client, who wore dark glasses and a bucket-style hat pulled down tightly around her ears.

“We prefer to let the system run its course,” Silverthorn said as he escorted Clark down a back stairwell and out of the County-City Building in downtown Tacoma.

Susan Michaels, a volunteer at Pasado’s Safe Haven animal shelter, helped organize the animal rights activists who attended the hearing. Afterward, Michaels said she wants Clark to serve time if convicted, so she loses her nursing license.

“This is a heinous crime,” Michaels said.

Also in the crowd was Joe Ashbaugh, whose cats – Billy, Kiki and Topper – Clark is accused of killing. Ashbaugh said the mostly procedural hearing was emotional for him.

“I plan to attend every hearing,” said Ashbaugh, whose wife and two young sons were horrified by the cats’ deaths. “I would like to see her get some jail time and pay some court fines to help cover the costs of investigating this.”

Prosecutors contend Clark set out a bowl filled with chicken and antifreeze May 14 intending to kill Ashbaugh’s cats.

She previously had complained to him about the cats roaming into her yard.

Neighbors told authorities that she had asked them the best way to kill cats in the days prior, and animal control officers said they found evidence of the crime in Clark’s garbage can.

Antifreeze is toxic to most animals, inducing excruciating cramps that end in death.

Ashbaugh rushed his cats, which he raised from kittens, to an emergency veterinary clinic when they showed symptoms of antifreeze poisoning.

First-degree animal cruelty is a felony, punishable by up to five years in jail and a $10,000 fine. As a first-time offender, Clark probably would face a year in jail and a fraction of the fine.

Adam Lynn: 253-597-8644

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Infected birds serve as reservoirs for the virus, which reproduces in their bloodstreams. When certain types of mosquitoes bite the birds, they become infected and can spread the virus.

Crows, ravens and blue jays are the most susceptible to the virus and frequently die from it, according to Alma Roy, the associate director of the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory.

"Other birds don't necessarily die, but they can still pass on the virus," Roy said. "House sparrows, northern cardinals and a lot of others are part of the transmission."

Roy said researchers are still studying how the virus travels across the United States. It is believed to be related to the migration of birds -- even though many affected birds don't travel that far.

"One theory is that the birds that do migrate will stop over in a local community and infect those birds by way of the mosquito vector and keep going," said Roy, who is also an assistant professor at the Louisiana State University veterinary school.

The virus also can be spread to horses, often with devastating effects.

Horses that get the disease have a 30 to 40 percent chance of dying, according to W. David Wilson, a professor of equine medicine at the University of California veterinary school in Davis.

He said sick horses show signs of weakness, fine muscle tremors and loss of coordination. Some horses develop seizures or become so weak that they cannot stand up.

"The spectrum of clinical signs is pretty wide -- it can actually mimic many other diseases," Wilson said.

He said there are two West Nile vaccines for horses that are effective and fairly inexpensive, costing between $50 and $100.

"It's our estimate that 75, perhaps 80 percent of all the horses in the state are vaccinated," Wilson said. California is expected to be a hot spot this season as the virus finishes its trek westward across the United States.

Researchers at Colorado State University and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that dogs and cats also could be infected, but rarely showed signs of the disease.

"The virus was able to infect the animals and multiply, but they showed [zero] to minimal clinical signs of illness, no symptoms and their immune systems cleared it out," said Laura Austgen, one of the study's authors.

Austgen, a veterinarian and microbiologist at Colorado State, said some of the animals did show signs of lethargy and mild fever, but said that they would be easy to miss.

Birds are the natural carriers of West Nile, but mosquitoes pass the virus around after biting infected birds.

"Certain diseases have very specific symptoms, you look at a few things and you say 'Aha, this must be,' whatever," she said. "But West Nile disease, and this is also true in people, generally has very nonspecific symptoms that could be one of any number of diseases that could exhibit those symptoms in somebody who's infected."

Richard Bowen, who also participated in the study, said that there was other evidence to support those findings.

"There've only been about five to 10 cases of West Nile in dogs across the country since 1999," he said.

Horses, dogs, cats and humans, for that matter, are what researchers call "dead end hosts," meaning that they can be infected -- and even sickened by -- West Nile, but do not develop enough of the virus in their blood stream to infect a mosquito.

He said they have looked for the virus in the saliva of dogs, cats and horses, to see if it could be transmitted that way, but have not found it.

"I think the risk of transmission to humans from an infected pet seems to be very, very low, if any," Bowen said.

"I don't think anybody believes that [with] an infected horse or an infected dog, a mosquito that feeds on those animals is going to pick up the virus, there's just too little of it there," Bowen said.

He said that tests of horses and dogs have never found more than a few thousand units of the virus in their blood, while a crow could carry 10 billion to 100 billion units.

Austgen put the comparison in simpler terms.

"It's sort of like your salary versus Bill Gates' salary. It just doesn't even compare," she said. "The birds are just much more efficient at replicating the virus and passing it on to the feeding mosquitoes."

The virus also has been detected in reptiles, including Mediterranean house geckos and alligators, Roy said, adding that some juvenile alligators have died from the disease.

"We think the transmission to alligators by way of the mosquito bite, because they can bite along the soft tissue of the eyes," she said. "We've got ongoing research to try to fully explore that but that's not fully done yet."

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From portable potty turf to disposable kitty litter boxes and pet passports, the growing number of travelling pets – estimated at 20 million last year – has spawned an industry dedicated to making the lives of road-weary animals a little easier. 

Spill-free water gadgets, car booster seats and freeze dried pure organ meat are also among the hot-selling products fueling the booming travel segment in the US$36bil (RM136.8bil) pet industry. 

Even airlines are doing their part, enticing customers with frequent flier pet programmes that allow animals to earn miles toward free flights. 

“That, in turn, has fuelled the growth of companies totally dedicating themselves to pet mobility,” he said. 

One of those companies is PETaPOTTY, which sells portable turf patches with drainage space underneath. The lawn toilets are made to look like a patch of grass so tempting that even the strongest-willed canines may find it difficult to resist. 

“People are constantly bringing their pets with them,” said Gregg Oehler, publisher of New York Dog Magazine. “I get calls every day from advertisers who have travel as part of their pet product mix.” 

The pet travel craze has prompted hotels to offer pet-friendly perks like menus, daycare and playgrounds, the way hotels became kid-friendly a generation ago, Oehler said. 

Ever since Midwest Airlines introduced a frequent flier pet programme in January, pet travel at the company is up 25%, said Susan Kerwin-Hagen, a Midwest marketing manager. 

Owner-accompanied pets get a free round-trip ticket after their third domestic round-trip flight. Pets pay a flat fee of US$150 (RM570) per round-trip to Midwest destinations throughout the United States, a price in line with other airlines. 

United Airlines also offers pet miles, where for a limited time, Mileage Plus members can earn 1,200 bonus miles when travelling with pets. 

Rules vary on how many pets are allowed in each cabin, and in cargo pets are charged based on their weight. 

“We are typically treated as if we are carrying a leaky quart of Ebola-tainted blood on a plane,” said Chuck Bessant, who takes frequent trips with his showdogs, three Australian terriers. 

Experts point to several factors leading to the pet travel boom, among them childless couples who take pets on vacation the same way parents bring the kids. 

In 2004, pet travel rose 33% to 20 million – 80% of them dogs, according to a survey by the association. 

And the products keep getting more advanced. 

Former professional snowboarder Brandon Hochman, 32, the owner of PETaPOTTY, is making an odour-free version of his portable turf, called Smell-U-Lator. 

“Every month my business is growing and it's not just travelling families buying the product,” Hochman said. “Doggie day-care centres and even dog psychics are using it.” – Reuters

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Squirrels, skunks and raccoons, oh my! Summer is almost here, and that means it's time for residents of suburbia to take some simple steps to keep wild animals out of thei  [ send green star]  [ accepted]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/20050614/ts_latimes/lawsuittargetsfarmstreatmentofsows

California: home of unhappy sows?

That's the question at the heart of a lawsuit that pits an animal rights group against a Central Valley pork farm over the living conditions of pregnant pigs.

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Twenty-six percent of the dogs at the six Los Angeles Animal Services shelters are "Pit Bulls". American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull are various names used to describe the breed and any mix thereof.

Whatever name they go by, they refer to a breed that has been labeled ounce-for-ounce, the strongest dog in dogdom. These dogs have very adoptable traits like a good disposition, stability, and superior physical attributes but often these very characteristics are presented to provide justification for fighting them.

Owning a "Pit Bull" gives their guardians a badge of bravado. These dogs are considered to be "macho" and therefore many owners don't want to neuter and spay them resulting in many unplanned and accidental litters. Consequently, they are also the leading breed and breed mix in Los Angeles shelters.

According to the Villalobos Pit Bull Rescue, the fallout is devastating. According to them the pit bull population in the combined twelve shelters (six city shelters and six county shelters in Los Angeles) has now risen to 40% of all the dogs in shelters.

They say, "Approximately 10 pit bulls are brought in each day to each shelter. That's 120 pit bulls a day. Most are strays, tossed out like dirty laundry." They calculate, "At the end of a week the total comes to 840 pit bulls. Then, according to Animal Control records, only about 2 pit bulls a week get adopted. That means 838 pit bulls a week, die in local shelters." [Villabos Pit Bull Rescue: http://www.vrcpitbull.com.]

The MuttShack Animal Foster and Rescue Foundation, is dedicated to change this tragic statistic. "We need massive adoptions from shelters, a very aggressive spay and neuter program, and an inescapable dog ID’ and micro-chipping campaign," says the founder, Amanda St. John.

Shelter dogs are in a life and death competition with Breeders and Pet Stores for potential homes. Shelter dogs need a LifeLine to get their profiles out there. Pounds are filled with purebreds and gorgeous pit mixes, puppies and trained older dogs.

To promote the adoption of at risk pit bulls from Los Angeles Animal Services, MuttShack has put together a slide show that may easily be forwarded to friends by e-mail. It is a grassroots effort and the Pound Pit Bulls' only hope in this competitive pet market.

A viewer can pause the slideshow at any time, read information about the particular dog and find out where to visit him.

The link is updated daily with new dogs, and fresh information. MuttShack's Lifeline for LA Pit bulls can be found at http://www.photochains.com/view/MuttShack_LifeLine_LA_Pit_Bulls]

"Please copy the LifeLine link and forward it to your friends, looking to adopt, or bail one out of the shelter. If you know someone who has a pit bull, or mix, forward the link so that they can get free sterilization and microchipping information!" said Ms. St. John. http://www.photochains.com/view/MuttShack_LifeLine_LA_Pit_Bulls

Several organizations have come forward to offer FREE spay and neuter of any domesticated Pit Bull or pit-mix.

> In Los Angeles, Actors and Others For Animals have declared their mission to curb the problem by offering free Pit Bull spay/neuter surgeries. (Telephone 818-755-6045, or 818-755-6323. Visit www.actorsandothers.com.)

> The Pasadena Humane Society, are offering spay and neuter through their SNiP program. (Telephone 626-792-7151 x106 or http://www.phsspca.org/SNiP/index.htm)

Most dogs forever loose the families they love, because they lack a cheap six-dollar ID tag. A simple ID tag on every dog could save hundreds of dogs' lives. However, since collars can get pulled off during a rescue attempt, the soundest identification is a microchip. When a dog is micro-chipped and registered to a family, it reduces his chances of being lost. Most shelters and Vets provide micro-chipping services.

Microchipping also protects dogs from "bad guys". When owners are identifiable on a database, the dog is secure against being abused or used in pit bull fighting.

Spay and neuter posters in Spanish and in English can also be printed from the website at http:/www.muttshack.org/freespay.html.

MuttShack is asking everyone to print up copies of the poster, and to put them up at Pet Stores, Vets Offices, and animal related facilities, and put them local bulletin boards and coffee shops. Think it is a waste of time? - Consider this: Every poster put up and broadly circulated so far has resulted in an adoption!

When you find the dog of your choice and want to adopt a LAAS Pit Bull, there is no need for a home-check. According to Heidi Heubner, the LAAS Volunteer Coordinator, all the applicant’s information is collected and processed. Then the pet gets micro-chipped and sterilized before going to his new home. The Microchip is the new dog's security blanket. It will keep track of the owners if he ever turns up at the shelter.

There is a fee of course, but it is a fraction of what a pet store or breeder charges, and essentially covers the medical bills.

See LAAS' recent program in pit bull handling at http://www.muttshack.org/news-pitbull.html.

According to Pia Salk of 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com, adopting an adult Pit Bull is an instant friend for life. "Ask anybody who has adopted an adult dog, and they'll swear their bond with their rescued pal is as deep as they come. When you open your heart and your home to a dog that needs help, they really do show their appreciation for the rest of their life! No matter what circumstances brought them to the shelter or rescue group, most dogs for adoption are exceptionally affectionate and attentive pets and extremely loyal companions. But first you have to adopt one!" she says.

MuttShack sees abandoned dogs daily. A recent E-mail sent  [ send green star]