Animal Report

Animals Will Not Have a Voice in the Courtrooms of Switzerland

Every dog has his day. But apparently not in court. In a recent Swiss election, voters did not approve a referendum for animal representation in court. 

The referendum was apparently proposed by animal rights activists and would have given abused animals their fair representation in court, but was voted down by a 70% majority, possibly due to the costs of implementing the referendum.

I can easily imagine the impassioned speech an eloquent advocate would have given on behalf of the dogs in the Michael Vick case and can even envision an advocate fighting for the rights of the family dog in the case of inadequate care or a neglected dog.  Read more

Fish RainI first read this story in The SUN, which is pretty much a tabloid and didn’t believe it; I’m still a little skeptical because you never know how much you can trust the Australian press (I’m joking), but when I read the story on the Australian Broadcasting Company's website I believed it a little more.
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Polar Bear SurvivalAs the polar caps are melting, one of the first animals to be hurt are the polar bears and the United States Geological Survey is predicting that by the middle of this century, two-thirds of the polar bear population will be gone as they lose their habitats. According to a recent study in Iceland, these conclusions may not correct and there might be some hope for the polar bears after all.

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Killer Whale hunting sealsI'm sure most of us have already heard about the Killer Whale attack on the trainer in Florida. She was pulled in and apparently drowned, or possibly mauled to death. It was show time and families were watching, which makes it especially tragic.

I watched our local news and they went to the former Sea World park in Vallejo, CA, now run by Six Flags. They also have a Killer Whale named Shouka. I assume Shouka lives alone. People were outside saying stuff like "I hope they tighten up their precautions so it doesn't happen again." Read more

This adorable little dragon was recently discovered during a herpetology study in Indonesia.  Although it is most likely related to the gliding dragons, a well described albeit somewhat rare species of lizard, it is making a big splash across the internet today.  (Perhaps because dragon jokes are just so easy for us internet folks! And because it is really really cute.)

The beautiful russet wings of the diminutive Indonesian dragon are one of its most striking features.  The gliding lizards "fly" in the same way that flying squirrels do - with a flap of skin that connects their forearms to their rib cage.  In fact, the rib cage forms part of the "wings," as these movable ribs help to support the membrane during flight.
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Once again, Animal Planet brings us the entertainment that we want - nay, crave!  If you ask me, Puppy Bowl VI is THE premier sporting event of the year, and the fact that it's timed to coincide with certain other (non-puppy) sporting events is just a quirk of fate.

This year Pepper the Parrot was sorely missed.  Pepper's bizarre, crackpot rendition of the national anthem last year had me in tears of laughter from start to finish.  And how many other singers are wheeled out onto the field perched atop an RC car?  Pepper's childlike mangling of the lyrics was nothing short of hysterical.  Wherefore art thou, Pepper?

Fortunately, Animal Planet brought in two new things which helped cut the sting of a Pepper-less national anthem:
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There's a thing that cats share with small children. That is, that you buy them a toy, and the cat, much like the toddler, favors the empty box over the shiny new toy.

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If the idea of clubbing baby seals (and no, I don’t mean adolescent water mammals dressed in midriff-revealing skirts and halter tops shimmying drunkenly at some place called Spanky’s or Porky’s) turns your stomach, you’ve probably signed a petition or two against the act. You may have even emailed a friend or two to ask for his or her support. Read more

Your pet’s teeth are likely pretty low on your list of priorities. Did you know that two thirds of pet owners pretty much ignore their pets’ dental health? It’s actually considered the most overlooked area of pet care by the American Animal Hospital Association.

Since February is National Pet’s Dental Health Month, you might want to start taking notice in preserving your canine or feline’s teeth. Here are NUMBER ways to do just that. Read more

Groundhog's DayPETA, PETA, PETA......whether the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals is protesting against people “throwing dead fish” at Pike Place Market by having naked “mermaids” lie all over the pavement, enraging gays and lesbians, or complaining about the ethical treatment of groundhogs, they are always making headlines.
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