Talkin Pets

Oakland, CA, August 17, 2012…Oakland Zoo’s horticulture staff collaborates with 10^th and 11^th graders at Sustainable Urban Design Academy (SUDA), Girl Scouts of Northern California, and the PUEBLO community group to plant more than 200 trees, 100 of which will be native oaks.

“Our partnership with Oakland Zoo and CAL FIRE is a great example of connecting schools, community partners and state resources to provide for authentic, tangible and meaningful projects that benefit all of the individual participants, the community and the planet as a whole,” said Tim Bremner, teacher at Oakland Unified School District. ”

Grant funding of $29,500 was awarded to Oakland Zoo by CAL FIRE, which developed the urban forestry program, Acorns to Oaks.

“The East Bay Zoological Society was selected for funding under our Urban & Community Forestry Program’s “Leafing Out” grant program in 2010,” said James Scheid, CAL FIRE Regional Urban Forester. “The intent of this specific grant type is to fund the creation and implementation of early stage urban forestry projects or programs. The Zoo is accomplishing this by transforming barren or neglected sites along the entryway to its facility and by creating educational programs for area students. Specifically, they are, encouraging the growth of native, fire-adapted, drought-tolerant species while removing dense thickets of unfavorable ones like acacia, eucalyptus and pine. While this project does not fund the removal of said species, it does promote the practice of removing vegetative fuels that can create a fire hazard. Additionally, the zoo can be commended for salvaging larger logs removed from the hillside and utilizing these pieces for various zoo and school garden projects. In tying these concepts in with core elements of youth tree planting and stewardship, the visibility given to urban forestry ecosystem services should provide for a lasting legacy not only with those directly involved with the project but with the many urban residents that visit the zoo for years to come.”

Acorns to Oaks was established to help Oakland Zoo plant a minimum of 200 trees, 100 of them oak trees, and repair and restore urban parkland, create accessible open space experiences that are viable and safe for urban children, peak student interest, and provide hands-on experiences that will impress on children the importance of their role in caring for the environment.

The ultimate goal of this partnership is to create pilot programs designed to educate the community about the importance of urban forests, urban greening, sustainable design, ecosystem land management, and create opportunities through classes and workshops to restore and reforest areas within the Zoo with oak trees. In addition, the project was created to address the gaps in science education faced by all children, but especially the most at risk children.

The trees selected for the Acorns to Oaks project are oak and other species native to the Bay Area. The trees also easily adapt to the open spaces found in Knowland Park. All plants are fire resistant. In addition to purchased plants, acorns were collected by the SUDA students, grown in special tall pot nursery containers, and replanted at the zoo as a part of their school project.

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:

The Bay Area's award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid's activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at http://www.oaklandzoo.org.

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Plan for Your Whole Family

(ANNAPOLIS, Maryland) July 13, 2012—Sunday is National Pet Fire Safety Day and to mark it, CATalyst Council, a national initiative comprised of animal health and welfare organizations working on behalf of cats, urges cat owners to have a plan in place to protect their cat in case of a house fire.

The American Red Cross reports that house fires are the most common disaster, and the American Fire Administration estimates that 500,000 pets are affected by a house fire each year.

The first step in protecting your cat from a house fire is to ensure that it doesn’t cause one—especially while you are out of the house. One common source of house fires is overturned candles. If you use candles, switch to flameless candles so that, if your cat inadvertently knocks one over, it doesn’t start a fire.

Another common source of house fires is stove burners. Ensure that the area around your stove is clear of materials that could be knocked over onto a hot burner, and never leave a hot burner-even one that is cooling after you’ve finished cooking-unattended.

The next step in protecting your cat is to ensure that it is always has some form of identification. In a fire, your cat will be frightened and, if possible, it will find a way to get out. To help en sure that you can be reunited with your cat in an emergency, your cat should always wear a cat collar with tags, and you should consider permanent identification such as a microchip or tattoo. With proper, up to date identification, your cat is more likely to be reunited with you.

Having a decal on or near your front door with the number and type of pets in the household noted along with an "In Case of Emergency" contact may save your pet's life.

Finally, make sure your cat is a part of your evacuation plan. Keeping its carrier out and open all the time will help in case of an emergency for two reasons. The first is that your cat will be more accustomed to its carrier if it is out and open. Just as importantly, you will know exactly where the carrier is if you need to find it quickly. Before any emergency, have a list of pet friendly hotels in the area or speak with family and friends about the possibility of providing temporary shelter to your cat(s). Taking the time to put in place a comprehensive evacuation plan prior to an emergency will help to ensure you and your cat remain safe and together.

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The CATalyst Council is a national organization which includes a wide variety of animal health and welfare organizations as well as corporate members of the animal health industry that are working together to improve the health and welfare of America’s favorite pet. It was founded in response to troubling statistics released by the American Veterinary Medical Association that indicate an increase in our nation’s pet cat population coupled with a decline in veterinary care for those cats. More information about the CATalyst Council is available at www.catalystcouncil.org.