Retired cop forced to give up pit bull service dog – do you care about Breed Specific Legislation now?

December 22, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

Folks involved in animal rescue know all about Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), but many average dog owners don’t understand what it really means when communities adopt laws banning dogs of specific breed or physical characteristics. Then a story like this one hits the front page: retired police officer James Sak is being forced to get rid of his service dog Snickers, just because the five-year-old is a Pit bull-mix. Sak was a police officer in Chicago for 32 years, almost half that time as a... Read more

Drunk driver hits deer, then drives it to hospital

December 22, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

Andrew Caswell may have failed his sobriety test, but let’s give him an “A” for effort. Or for at least making us laugh. When the 29-year-old Greece, NY man was stopped by police early Monday morning, December 19, 2007, he told police he’d hit a deer and was taking it to the hospital to be treated. It started when police responded to a call at around 2:24 a.m. Monday morning for the report of a car accident involving a deer. According to published reports,... Read more

Winner named in 2011 Inspiration in Action contest

December 22, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

Heska Corporation, a leading provider of veterinary diagnostic and specialty products, has announced that, based on total votes received, the Belize Wildlife & Referral Center (BWRC), has been awarded $25,000 as the grand prize winner in the 2011 Inspiration in Action contest. The contest was designed to help bring to life inspired veterinary projects around the world. The finalists included Belize Wildlife & Referral Center; Inspiring Future Leaders in Veterinary Science; Project V.E.T.S.; Project S.T.R.A.Y. (Stray Training and Rehabilitation by Area Youths);... Read more

The real family behind “We Bought A Zoo”

December 21, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

On December 23, the movie “We Bought A Zoo,” starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson, hits theaters. It’s the story of a father who, following his wife’s untimely death, moves his young family to the California countryside to renovate and re-open a struggling zoo, Rosemoor Wildlife Park. But did you know that the film is based on a real story? The real Benjamin Mee was a reporter for the UK’s The Guardian. When his father died, his mother wanted to sell... Read more

Electric eels power holiday display at Living Planet Aquarium (video)

December 21, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

The Living Planet Aquarium, in Sandy, UT. just south of Salt Lake City, has created a shocking display for Christmas: a light display powered by electric eels. Now that’s an eco-friendly idea! A Christmas display in the “Journey To South America” gallery is blinking by using the energy generated by an electric eel in a nearby tank. “We took the voltage produced by the eel via stainless steel electrodes and used it to power a sequencer,” said Terry Smith, Project Manager... Read more

5 reasons not to give a pet as a Christmas gift (and one idea how to do it, if you insist)

December 20, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

There’s nothing cuter than the image of a fluffy little puppy under the Christmas tree, big red bow tied around is neck, surrounded by brightly wrapped packages, just waiting for your children to pad downstairs in the their little jammies as they cry out with delight. Oooh! Aaaah!! A puppy! That, my friends, is one dangerous image. Christmas is not the time to introduce a new puppy to the family, especially if it’s a surprise gift. Unlike the ugly sweater Aunt Edith... Read more

A Christmas stocking filled with … a puppy! (photo)

December 20, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

Too, too cute! My friend Kim at Gentle Shepherd Farms in Franklinville, NY share this super cute puppy photo – just one of five little merle Border collie pups ready for their new homes. (Kim is the breeder where I got my darling little devil, Bandit. But don’t hold that against her.) Do you have a Christmas or holiday pet photo you’d like to share? Check out more reader photos! Read more

Setting the record straight on Barkworks, puppy mills and the work of CAPS

December 19, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

Last week I told you that back in October, Macerich has banned the sale of live animals at 70 of its malls nationwide in response to protests from animal rescue groups. My post was based on a story at GlobalAnimal.org and some press materials from Best Friends Animal Society in regards to a lawsuit they filed. I heard back immediately from Deborah Howard, President of Companion Animal Protection Society, who wanted to share some information to help clarify and... Read more

Monday morning cute animal video: Cute baby … sloths?

December 19, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

Last year, Lucy Cooke traveled to Costa Rica to visit the world’s only sloth orphanage, where orphaned baby sloths whose mothers have been zapped by power lines or hit by cars are brought to the sanctuary to be cared for by legendary sloth whisperer Judy Arroyo Animal Planet’s “Too Cute!” debuted a documentary last night on the super cute baby sloths, and Cooke is also working on “The Little Book of Sloth” for Simon and Schuster. You can learn more... Read more

Leo, one of the Michael Vick dogs, passes away

December 18, 2011 By Joanne Brokaw

When it comes to being the poster pup for resilience, there may be no other dog worthy of the title than Leo, one of the fifty dogs confiscated in 2007 when authorities raided Vick’s Bad Newz kennels. Leo may have begun his life in a dark place, but he was redeemed under the loving guidance of Marthina McClay, founder of Our Pack Pit Bull Rescue. After his rough start, Leo went on to be a bright light in the lives of the... Read more