Search Results for: pets animals in the news

Ohio Requires Insurance Coverage for Exotic Animals

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The state of Ohio has passed a law that bans new ownership of exotic animals. It requires current owners of exotic animals to carry a certain amount of insurance on them. This is in response to the tragedy that happened in Ohio in October of 2011, when an owner of exotic animals released them into the public. In October of 2011, a man named Terry Thompson let 56 animals escape from his private zoo that was located on his farm in Zanesville, Ohio. He then committed suicide. The animals included black bears, mountain lions, Bengal tigers, and more. I remember … Continue reading →

Spending on Pets Skyrockets

Despite our recession (though apparently it’s recovering), some industries are on the rise. One of them, according to BBC News, is the pet industries. That’s right, in a time when pet food banks are growing at Animal Control facilities across the country and some people are still losing/struggling to stay in their homes, Americans are spending more on their pets than ever before. As you might guess, 65% of the overall amount spent is on food and veterinary costs. More people are also buying pet insurance. Maybe this just indicates that more people are looking to own more pets. This … Continue reading →

Dangerous Exotic “Pets”

Exotic pets have been in the news lately. I define exotic pets as wild or barely domesticated animals that you’d sooner expect to see in a zoo than someone’s home. They’re often illegal to own. Even then the classification gets tricky; I’ve previously written about potbelly pigs and hedgehogs, two uncommon pets, that are sometimes illegal in certain states or counties. In these cases, however, the illegality issue has to do with invasive species; certain types of hedgehogs and pigs are not native to the country and officials want to keep out the non-native breeds. When I’m talking about exotic … Continue reading →

Animals Can Feel Empathy

2011 was the year of animal empathy. Two studies released this year, one at the beginning, the other at the end, have taken steps to prove that animals can feel sorry both for humans and for each other. The first report, covered by Discovery News, explains why some scientists now think dogs feel empathy for humans. Karine Silva and Liliana Sousa of the Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute studied how dogs react to humans in distress. Dog owners will agree that their canines certainly respond to their owners when the latter are in distress. But is that true empathy, or … Continue reading →

Rescuing Pets Trapped by Bangkok Flooding

Every natural disaster, despite all of the attention it gets, always has a silent set of victims: animals. That’s not to say that we should devalue the lives of humans or even place those of their pets at quite the same level, but many times the media, and thus monetary relief, focuses on the effort to rescue and support the human victims and the pets get ignored. Of course pets are not entirely on their own in these situations. Groups like the Humane Society and the ASPCA work alongside the government and local officials in this country to help evacuate … Continue reading →

Understanding the Relationship Between Pets and Allergies

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Does your allergic child want a puppy? Can having a cat or dog in your house cause your baby to become allergic to animals? It can be difficult to separate fact from fiction when it comes to allergies, pets, and what is safest for your child. Before you decide to ban all animals from your home, forever, there are some things you should know about pet related allergies. There are many parents who will not consider getting a dog or cat until after their baby gets older. Some parents will hold off until their child is in preschool, or may … Continue reading →

The Best Animals on the Internet

I thought I would use today’s blog to have some lighthearted fun to send us into the long weekend. I’m highlighting my favorite animal videos and stories that I’ve found around the web. They’re not long enough to warrant entire posts like the times I’ve talked about dog and capybara best friends or countries-crossing cats, but altogether they’ll make for an amusing way to start off the weekend early. The first video I want to share—my absolute favorite animal video online—features two adorable otters. They might be good friends or maybe they’re sweethearts, but they spend the majority of the … Continue reading →

“Psychic” Pets

A recent poll reported by Newser.com and conducted by The Associated Press and Petside.com concluded that many American pet owners believe that their pets are psychic or have a sixth sense on some level. The actual details vary depending on what questions people were asked. According to the poll, 2/3 of American pet owners believe that animals have a sixth sense about bad weather, and 43% of the people polled say their pets can predict bad news. Owners of both cats and dogs claimed that their feline or canine pets warned them either about poor weather or upcoming bad news. … Continue reading →

Pillow Pets

There is the cutest new toy that is perfect for toddlers. It’s called Pillow Pet. You’ve probably seen the commercials and gotten the jingle stuck in your head: “It’s a pillow. It’s a pet. It’s a Pillow Pet.” The commercial shows a variety of stuffed animals that are very fluffy and huggable. The animal looks like an animal until you pull open the hook-and-loop closure. Then the animal flattens out into a perfectly toddler-sized pillow. My toddler doesn’t pay any attention to the commercial. I do. I want a Pillow Pet. Which pet will Jessie like most? She carries a … Continue reading →

Heatstroke in Pets

With the approach of summer, we pet owners need to start thinking about how our animal family members might be affected by the heat. Pets that go outside, particularly dogs and cats, face danger from heatstroke. In fact, even when an animal isn’t technically outdoors it can still get heatstroke if left in the car. I admit I’ve been guilty once or twice of leaving my dog in the car for “just a few minutes” in fair weather. Here’s the thing: according to a Stanford University study, a parked car on a sunny 70-degree day can reach dangerous internal temperatures. … Continue reading →