Celeb B-Days:
1907 Sir Laurence Olivier, actor
1970 Niomi Cambell, Supermodel
Today in history:
1868, Great Train Robbery, The Reno gang made off with $96,000 in loot.
1931, Canned rattlesnake meat 1st goes on sale in Florida
1967, "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" debuts on NET (now PBS)
1992, After a reign lasting nearly 30 years, Johnny Carson hosted NBC's "Tonight
Show" for the last time.
Headlines:
1. Zoo Jaguar ordered chicken fingers...
2. Florida dog wins hero award...
4. Boy fends off alligator with fists of fury...
5. Dog really needs to be fixed...
6.
Bo Derek Speaks Out
Against Horsemeat...
7. Last
US Tasmanian Devil Dies...
8. In
the market for a new dog...
Fun & Games:
A man has been banned from the Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque forever after he
stuck his finger into the jaguar's cage and the big cat bit it off.
Zoo employees pieced together what happened, only after making the grim
discovery -- which was the finger.
Earlier this week, zoo workers noticed a man running with his hand in his
pocket, his pants bearing a dark stain.
They knew something was wrong, and followed him.
The man had been coming to the zoo nearly every day for two years. Since he's a
member, his phone number was on file. When they called him, he told staff he had
all 10 fingers, but the zoo discovered that was a lie.
The Albuquerque Police Department matched the fingerprint to the man, went to
his house and confirmed he indeed only had nine digits.
The fence, landscaping, and cage meet standards. The zoo said the barriers
protect the animals from the people, but not the people from themselves.
The zoo will not press charges, saying the man has been through enough.
Remember kids they're not your friends, they're not your pets, They're wild
animals. And please don't feed your fingers to them...
Reporting for Talkin Pets I'm Bob Page.
The 22nd annual National Hero Dog award does not honor trained rescue dogs but
"your basic family pet that unbeknownst to you has the ability to save your
life," said Madeline Bernstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles.
A family was picnicking with thier grandchildren in September when Brutis, A
golden retriever snatched a 6-inch-long snake that was just five feet from them.
Brutis suffered a bite and was taken to an animal emergency hospital, where he
received antivenin more than three hours after the attack.
He was treated in the intensive care unit for nearly a week, costing the family
about $5,000 in medical expenses. Brutis now walks with a limp in his rear leg,
possibly due to the snake venom which degenerated his neurological system.
For his heroic act, Brutis was treated to his first airplane flight to Los
Angeles. He got to sit in the plane with his owner instead of being stowed in
cargo, and was staying at a beachside hotel.
During the ceremony, he'll receive a plaque, a year's supply of dog food and a
bag full of treats.
Reporting for Tlakin Pets I'm Amanda Page
Virginia State game wardens, biologists and police raided a pet store suspected
of trafficking in Virginia native wildlife and endangered species, seizing
alligators, toads, turtles and rattlesnakes.
The game department executed the search warrant after its investigation revealed
Animal Adventures was selling native wildlife and endangered species.
Animal Adventures had a sign out front invites passing motorists to come see
"live exotic animals," specifically mountain lions, a 7-foot lizard, an African
serval cat, cobras and a venomous reptile.
Authorities charged one of the owners of Animal Adventures, Brian Layell, with
impeding a game warden in the performance of his duties.
Authorities and biologists removed about 10 different species from the pet
store. In addition to the alligators, turtles and toads, the seized animals
included canebrake rattlesnakes and raccoons. Both species are native to
Virginia, and the snake is on the state and federal lists of endangered species.
It is illegal to traffic in endangered species, and it is also illegal to sell
Virginia wildlife without a permit.
Charges are pending.
Reporting for Talkin Pets I'm Amanda Page.
An alligator dragged a 12-year-old swimmer underwater in a lake, but the boy
punched the reptile and swam safely to shore.
Malcolm Locke was treated for cuts and scrapes that were not considered life
threatening.
He was bit while swimming in Lake Diana, near his grandmother's house just north
of Orlando, Florida.
Malcolm, who is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, tried to swim away, but the alligator,
which was 4 to 6 feet long, attacked his head and pulled him under water,
officials said.
The Gator took a bite out of Malcom's head and a big chunk out his ear.
A trapper was sent to the lake to remove the alligator.
The best thing to do during an alligator attack is struggle, make noise and
create confusion.
With a Talkin Pets news brief I'm Bob Page.
A Canadian man has been
charged with cruelty to an animal after a "do-it-yourself" neutering of a
two-year-old golden retriever went so badly the dog required emergency surgery.
At this point the doggy appears to have made it through the ordeal and is
looking for a new home.
James Heath, 53, is charged with permitting unnecessary pain and suffering to be
caused to an animal. He is scheduled to appear in court June 3.
While getting your pets spayed or neutered is a good thing... Doing it yourself
at home is a bad thing... Please don't try this at home.
Reporting for Talkin Pets I'm Bob Page
Bo Derek is lending her fame to Illinois lawmakers working to keep horses from
being slaughtered for human consumption. The actress, best known for the 1979
movie "10," says horses shouldn't be killed for food in the United States since
Americans don't eat horse meat.
Nearly 50,000 horses were slaughtered last year in the United States. The meat
was then exported to Europe and Asia to be eaten, according to the National
Horse Protection Coalition, an organization for which Derek serves as a
spokeswoman.
"I'm not going to judge another culture and what they choose to eat, but I don't
see why they have to eat American horses," Derek said while standing in front of
an aging horse named Lucky who was saved from a slaughtering pen nearly 20 years
ago.
The Illinois legislation Derek supports is meant to keep a DeKalb horse
slaughtering plant from reopening. Cavel International Inc. was destroyed in a
fire two years ago, but it has been rebuilt and is scheduled to reopen this
month.
The 47 year old Derek, criticized the "inhumane" way horses are shipped to
slaughterhouses.
"They deserve better than being shipped in double-decker cattle trucks where
they can't stand. ... Critically injured horses are shipped in horrible
conditions without water over 24 hours to slaughterhouses.
The bill's opponents say horse owners might abuse or neglect their horses to the
point of death if they have to pay to have the animals euthanized.
Reporting for Talkin Pets I'm Amanda Page.
The only Tasmanian Devil you'll find left in the United States is in a Bugs
Bunny cartoon. The last of the Tasmanian devils known to be living outside their
native Australia died this week at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo.
Zookeepers learned last month that the 7½-year-old marsupial named Coolah had
inoperable cancer.
Coolah was born in January 1997 at the Cincinnati Zoo and came to Fort Wayne
through a loan agreement with the Toronto Zoo. The Fort Wayne zoo, citing
records maintained by the International Species Inventory System, said that
Coolah was the last of the animals outside Australia since the death last August
of a female Tasmanian devil at the San Diego Zoo.
The Australian government no longer allows the animals to be exported and
attempts to breed them in captivity have not been successful.
Reporting for Talkin Pets I'm Amanda Page
According to dog trainer-to-the-stars and friend of Talkin Pets Bash Dibra, many
breeds of bowsers can display unpleasant behavior problems, so you should learn
the potential pitfalls before you pick out a puppy.
For instance, a Boxer may steal food, drool or snore and the breed tends to be
flatulent.
Bloodhounds, on the other hand, may excessively sniff strangers' most private
places, while Mastiffs may track in dirt.
And a hairless Chinese Crested might be a bad choice for someone who doesn't
want to walk their dog 30 minutes a day -- Dibra says this breed has a "tendency
toward boredom."
Finally, Pugs can be stubborn and suffer from lots of snoring and wheezing.
Dibra -- whose client list includes Mariah Carey and Martin Scorsese -- details
doggie specifics in his new book, "Your Dream Dog" Can also be heard time to
time right here on Talkin Pets.
Reporting for Talkin Pets I'm Bob Page.
Q:
In an earlier Talkin
pets news brief you heard how the last of these state side has died, but did you
know these guys don't only exist in cartoons! They are a most unusual mammal,
found wild only on the island state of Tasmania, a part of Australia. And when a
group of these guys feed together at a carcass, harsh screeching and
spine-chilling screams can be heard. They are also black in color and are said
to have fierce tempers! Curious and energetic, they will travel long distances
each night in their pursuit of food, sometimes covering as much as 10 miles. By
day, they find shelter in caves, bushes, old wombat burrows, or hollow logs. As
they amble along with their stocky bodies and large heads, they look slow and
awkward in their movements, but they are the top carnivore in Tasmania. This
marsupial is 23 to 26 inches long with about a 10 inch long tail.
They weigh about 13 to 18 pounds and have a life span of about 7 to 8 years. Can
you name this animal?
A: Tasmanian Devil
NEW YORK, NY - Lawyer;
David Fink who barked like a dog at a witness during a deposition has been fined
$8,500 for misconduct and harassment of opponents. Fink was reacting to a
witness who had stated that the lawyer had sent many "Mad Dog Lawyer" letters to
him before the case had gone to court in an effort to settle out of court.
McGrath, Alaska - Wildlife biologists say six of the 27 bears that biologists
have caught were among the 90 bears moved last year to protect moose calves.
Department of Fish and Game officials said most of the bears are transported at
least 150 miles away.
Juneau, Alaska - The Coast Guard and pilots are scanning the waters for a
humpback whale spotted tangled in a line in the Icy Strait. The 35- to 40-foot
whale was last seen Saturday. A group of rescuers has boats ready in Juneau,
Sitka and Glacier Bay.
Tucson, Arizona - Gov. Napolitano said the shooting of a mountain lion in a
popular recreation area appeared to have been necessary. She had opposed earlier
attempts to shoot the animals in Sabino Canyon. State wildlife officials killed
a mountain lion over the weekend after it reportedly stalked bicyclists.
Brunswick, Georgia - The nets of commercial shrimpers may be responsible for a
near-record number of dead sea turtles found on southeast Georgia beaches,
wildlife biologists say. The bodies of 43 decomposing turtles were discovered
last week, and a dozen more have been found this week. The biologists say most
of the turtles were caught in the nets and drowned.
Lewiston, Idaho - Federal agents are trying to track down a wolf after a calf
was killed. Scientists working on the effort want to attach a radio collar to
the wolf to determine how many of the animals are in the area.
Wellfleet, Mass - Wildlife experts are concerned about an unusually high number
of dead ducks washing up on the Cape Cod coast. Bob Prescott of the
Massachusetts Audubon Society said there are unexplained deaths each year of
common eiders, but this year's death toll appears higher than normal. Two dead
eiders were sent to the National Wildlife Health Laboratory in Madison, Wis.,
for tests.
Belding, Michigan - Mary Ann Dever's desire to keep two goats her children's
psychologist recommended for their sensory-integration disorder is posing a
problem for the city council. The family was ordered to get rid of them after
neighbors complained. The city would endanger its two horse farms if it enforces
its livestock ban.
Jefferson City, Miss - A state program to clean up illegally dumped tires is
about to run out of money, officials said. They warned that abandoned tires
become breeding grounds for mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus.
Helena, Montana - There's no clear relief in the drought that has plagued much
of Montana since 1999, the state Drought Advisory Committee said. U.S. Sen. Max
Baucus has requested a presidential disaster declaration, but the committee
isn't ready to recommend a statewide disaster designation.
Reno, Nevada - Wild horse advocates opposed to increased roundups on range lands
in Nevada said they will demonstrate outside a U.S. Bureau of Land Management
hearing next month. Nevada is home to roughly half of the estimated 40,000 wild
horses and burros in the West.
Plaistow, New Hampshire - About 800 companies and communities will have the
chance to settle claims against them in the hazardous waste cleanup of the Beede
Waste Oil site in Plaistow, federal environmental officials said. The
Environmental Protection Agency says the parties were offered settlements of
$2,000-$140,000.
Cape May, New Jersey - A record 272 species of birds were recorded during the
New Jersey Audubon Society's World Series of Birding, officials said. More than
300 birding enthusiasts on 66 teams participated in the 21st annual competition.
The number of species surpassed the previous record by 10.
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico - The state's largest reservoir, Elephant
Butte Lake, could drop to 2% of its capacity by the end of irrigation this
summer and be virtually dry by the end of the year, officials say. If New Mexico
isn't careful about managing its stream flows, local managers could lose their
authority to make water decisions, officials say.
Henderson Harbor, New York - State wildlife officials say they're taking steps
to reduce the population of cormorants on eastern Lake Ontario. They've killed
20 of the predatory waterfowl and destroyed 7,300 eggs laid by the birds, which
are blamed for reducing fish populations. Some animal advocates say the
treatment isn't justified.
Lake Placid, New York - State officials will review a plan to build four rental
warming cabins on Whiteface Mountain. The proposal to build the shelters for day
use on Whiteface was part of a five-year plan for the state-run ski and meeting
site. Environmental groups say the mountain is part of the state forest preserve
and protected from development.
Columbus, Ohio - Richard Bradley, a zoology professor at Ohio State University,
is seeking specimens of Ohio spiders for a new count of the arachnids he's doing
in collaboration with state wildlife officials. He wants people to send him
specimens of spiders. An Ohio State professor found 306 species in 1924 during
the last spider count.
Columbus, Ohio - Officials with the Clean Ohio Agricultural Easement Purchase
Program said it received applications for more money than it has available to
help slow urban sprawl. State farmers sent 271 applications seeking $56.1
million this year. Each year since the program began in 2002, farmers have
applied for more money than the $3.1 million available annually.
Muskogee, OK - State wildlife management officials shot a black bear after it
ran through a neighborhood. Officers, Animal Control and Oklahoma Department of
Wildlife Conservation agents made three attempts to capture the bear using
tranquilizer darts.
Harrisburg, Penn - The state Game Commission says 2003 was the safest hunting
year on record. There were 57 hunting-related shooting incidents, including 13
that were self-inflicted and four fatalities. The safety records date back 90
years.
Rapid City, S. Dakota - State and federal foresters say the Black Hills should
prepare for heavy beetle outbreaks this year. Forest Ranger Bob Thompson says
mountain pine beetles have hit areas throughout the Black Hills National Forest.
Homeowners in the area need to watch out for the ips or pine engraver beetle,
experts say.
Nashville, Tenn - Hunters in some parts of Tennessee might be allowed to kill as
many as 120 deer each next season, wildlife officials say. The figure
demonstrates how far the herd has come in recovering from near extinction a few
decades ago. No one expects hunters to reach the limit if the proposed rules are
adopted. One one of 10 deer hunters kills more than two a season.
Richmond, Virginia - A new panel will deal with the northern snakehead fish
recently found in or around the Potomac River, state game officials said. Four
of the non-native species imported from China were caught in the Potomac
watershed in the past month. Experts worry that the fish, which can survive out
of the water, could harm the local ecosystem.
Gays Mills, Wisconsin - State wildlife officials are asking hunters for help in
killing wild boars that have become a problem in western Wisconsin. Hunters have
killed 50 wild boars since they were first found in the fall of 2002. Wildlife
officials believe that 30 to 50 of them remain wild. No one knows for sure how
the feral pigs entered the area.
WASHINGTON DC, Proctor and Gamble announced it will begin marketing Pringles
potato chips with writing on each chip. The chips will be printed with "fun
facts," animal designs and trivia questions and answers. The company expects the
first printed potato chips to roll off assembly lines by June.
NEW YORK, NY Tony Randall's oddest relationship wasn't with "Odd Couple" co-star
Jack Klugman -- it was Godzilla. Randall -- who died Monday (May 17) at the age
of 84 -- actually helped write the script for "Godzilla 1985."