Paw Nation http://www.pawnation.com Paw Nation http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pawnation.com/media/feedlogo.gif Paw Nation http://www.pawnation.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Baby Monkey Boom at Edinburgh Zoohttp://www.pawnation.com/2011/04/06/baby-monkey-boom-at-edinburgh-zoo/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/04/06/baby-monkey-boom-at-edinburgh-zoo/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/04/06/baby-monkey-boom-at-edinburgh-zoo/#commentsFiled under:

squirrel monkeysSquirrel Monkeys. Credit: Edinburgh Zoo

What's better than a baby monkey? Try three types of adorable baby monkeys for the price of one!

Zookeepers at the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland recently welcomed the arrival of 15 new monkey babies from three species. And they're all adorable.

There's been a squirrel monkey baby boom, with a whopping 12 births since last fall. Squirrel monkeys are recognizable by the tufts of white fur around their faces and throats. In the wild, they live in Central and South America, where they swing through the canopies of rain forests.

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]]>baboonsbabybaby monkeycute baby animalsEdinburgh Zoogelada baboongoeldiGoeldis monkeymonkeyScotlandsquirrel monkeyszooKirsten TaylorWed, 06 Apr 2011 11:00:00 ESTEven 300 Years Ago Dogs Were Close Companionshttp://www.pawnation.com/2011/04/05/300-years-ago-dogs-were-companions/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/04/05/300-years-ago-dogs-were-companions/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/04/05/300-years-ago-dogs-were-companions/#commentsFiled under: ,

dog in sandRupert Taylor-Price, Flickr

Archaeologists have done it again, turning up more clues about the history of dogs in the American West.

This time, they've found evidence of the close bond between the Central Valley Indian tribes of California and their canine companions. Paul Langenwalter, a professor of archaeology and anthropology at Biola University in La Miranda, Calif., found that the Indians buried their dogs with care, the Sacramento Bee reports.

Langenwalter studied dog bones that date back to the 1700s and reviewed historical accounts of Europeans' contact with the Indian tribes. He found dogs were buried curled up in a sleeping position and placed in graves next to their owners.

According to the Sacramento Bee, Indian tribes of the region often destroyed a person's belongings when he died so that his possessions could accompany him to the spirit world. Dogs were likely sacrificed so that they could keep their human companions company on the other side.

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]]>archaeologybonesburialcaliforniacentral valley indiansdogsdogs as companionsdogs as familydogs buried with California Indiansdogs buried with native americanshistory of dogsindians and dogsNative AmericansKirsten TaylorTue, 05 Apr 2011 14:00:00 ESTAnimal Planet's 'Must Love Cats' Debuts Saturdayhttp://www.pawnation.com/2011/02/11/animal-planets-must-love-cats-debuts-saturday/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/02/11/animal-planets-must-love-cats-debuts-saturday/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/02/11/animal-planets-must-love-cats-debuts-saturday/#commentsFiled under:

john fulton must love cats pictureKatja Heinemann, Animal Planet

Do you kinda like cats? Keep moving; there's nothing to see here. But if you love -- really love -- cats, then this is the show for you.

The new series "Must Love Cats" debuts on Animal Planet Sat., Feb. 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Host John Fulton is a feline fanatic with a funny bone. He plays guitar and composes comedic ditties while introducing viewers to cats and the people who love them.

The show will take you into the fascinating world of amazing kitties, from hero cats that saved their owners' lives to a sly cat who's the main suspect in a string of burglaries. Fulton and his feline friends will also uncover the secrets of catnip, explore the birthplace of the beloved domestic shorthair and take you on a tour of a swanky hotel designed just for -- you guessed it -- Felis catus.

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]]>animal planetcatJohn Fultonmust love catsshowtelevisionKirsten TaylorFri, 11 Feb 2011 15:00:00 ESTOldest-Known American Dog Found in Texashttp://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/21/oldest-known-american-dog-found-in-texas/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/21/oldest-known-american-dog-found-in-texas/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/21/oldest-known-american-dog-found-in-texas/#commentsFiled under: ,

TheGiantVermin, Flickr

While analyzing archaeological remains from Southwest Texas, a University of Maine graduate student has discovered evidence of the oldest-known dog in the Americas.

Samuel Belknap was studying ancient human waste to determine what residents of the Lower Pecos region of Texas ate between 1,000 and 10,000 years ago when he found a fingernail-size bit of bone. DNA analysis confirmed it belongs to a domestic dog that lived approximately 9,400 years ago, the Associated Press reports.

According to UCLA professor Robert Wayne, North America's first mutts are thought to have arrived with early settlers who crossed the Bering land bridge from Asia 10,000 years ago or more. Not much is known about our continent's early dogs, so Belknap's find was a lucky one.

Older dog remains have been discovered in other parts of the world, including some from 31,000 years ago unearthed in Belgium, Wayne told the AP. But Belknap's find is thought to be the oldest domestic dog yet discovered in the New World.

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]]>archaeologydogdomestictexasKirsten TaylorFri, 21 Jan 2011 15:00:00 ESTFox Shoots Hunter - Reallyhttp://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/21/fox-shoots-hunter-really/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/21/fox-shoots-hunter-really/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/21/fox-shoots-hunter-really/#commentsFiled under: ,

Hatchibombotar, Flickr

Score one for Team Hunted.

OK. We know we shouldn't be flip about anyone being injured. But we certainly were very intrigued when we read in the Vancouver Sun that an unlucky hunter was outsmarted by a wounded fox in Eastern Europe.

The man shot the fox while hunting in Northwestern Belarus, which borders Poland. When he approached to finish the job with the butt of his rifle, the fox fought back, according to the newspaper.

During the tussle, the feisty fox managed to pull the trigger on the gun, shooting the hunter in the leg. The hunter wound up in the hospital recovering from his wound, and the trigger-happy fox escaped and is hopefully recovering from his own injuries.

Kind of gives new meaning to the saying "clever like a fox," doesn't it?

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]]>belarusfoxfox shoots hunterhuntershotKirsten TaylorFri, 21 Jan 2011 13:00:00 ESTIs Chaser the Border Collie the Smartest Dog Ever?http://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/20/is-chaser-the-border-collie-the-smartest-dog-ever/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/20/is-chaser-the-border-collie-the-smartest-dog-ever/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/20/is-chaser-the-border-collie-the-smartest-dog-ever/#commentsFiled under:

Mark Olenki / AFP / Getty Images

Sit. Stay. Biscuit. Ball. How many words does your dog know? Chaser, a border collie from Spartanburg, S.C., knows a whopping 1,022 nouns -- the biggest canine vocabulary ever reported.

Intensive Training
Chaser's linguistic feat is no accident. It's the result of thousands of hours of hard work by her owner, John W. Pilley, a retired psychologist.

As the New York Times reports, after reading about Rico, a German border collie who'd been taught to recognize 200 toys by name, Pilley began a similar effort. In 2004, he adopted Chaser as a puppy and starting training her four to five hours per day. Within three years, she could identify by name 800 stuffed animals, 116 balls, and 26 Frisbees, among other items.

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]]>border colliechasernounvocabularywordwordsKirsten TaylorThu, 20 Jan 2011 11:00:00 ESTBlind Beagle With Special Silicone Eyes Is a Therapy Doghttp://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/07/blind-beagle-with-special-silicone-eyes-is-a-therapy-dog/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/07/blind-beagle-with-special-silicone-eyes-is-a-therapy-dog/http://www.pawnation.com/2011/01/07/blind-beagle-with-special-silicone-eyes-is-a-therapy-dog/#commentsFiled under: ,

Damon Dahlen, AOL

Han Solo, a 5-year-old beagle from Johnson City, N.Y., has been blind his whole life. But that hasn't stopped the little dog from living large as a therapy dog, working in nursing homes and participating in a program for kids at the local library.

Solo's owner, Mary Cummings, is a breeder and owner of Stone Meadow Kennel. "He was my first beagle litter. His mother is a champion," Cummings explains.

A Serious Illness
When the puppy was born, he appeared normal. But his mother had caught a serious bacterial infection from two stillborn puppies, and the infection passed to Solo. Both mother and puppy survived, but the illness took its toll. "The infection caused his eyes to swell like little balloons," Cummings says, leaving the puppy blind and clinging to life.

Cummings wouldn't give up on the beagle and took him everywhere she went, bottle-feeding him and nursing him back to health. Her family was also invested in the puppy: Her 4-year-old son gave the dog his "Star Wars"-inspired name. As Solo recovered, Cummings continued to take him everywhere. Despite his blindness, he was a natural around people.

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]]>beagleblind beagleblind doghan soloHanSolomeet the breedstherapy dogKirsten TaylorFri, 07 Jan 2011 13:00:00 ESTPanda Baby Boom Breaks Recordhttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/11/18/panda-baby-boom-breaks-record/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/11/18/panda-baby-boom-breaks-record/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/11/18/panda-baby-boom-breaks-record/#commentsFiled under: ,

panda pictureBaby pandas eating bamboo in China. Getty

If anyone deserves good news, it's the giant panda. Recently at the Wolong Panda Reserve in Sichuan province, China, a panda named Yo Yo gave birth to twin female cubs. The arrival of the cubs brings the total number of pandas born in China this year to 19, according to Good News Now (GNN).

For pandas, that's quite a baby boom. In fact, it breaks the previous record of 18 cubs born in 2006.

Giant pandas are critically endangered due to the fragmentation and destruction of their habitat in the forests of China, according to the World Wildlife Fund. A survey in 2004 counted just 1,600 pandas left in the wild, the WWF reports. Poaching and a low reproduction rate also hamper the bear's well being, the AP reports. In the wild, females only give birth once every two or three years. Among captive pandas, the arrival of new babies is even rarer.

But things are looking up for the fuzzy black-and-white bears. Today, more than 300 pandas live in captivity, providing an important buffer against extinction. Experts at the Wolong Panda Reserve told the AP that better research on panda nutrition, genetics and reproduction helped bring on the baby boom. They've also created a more natural habitat for the bears that live at the reserve.

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]]>babybirthcaptivitycubsendangeredpandaKirsten TaylorThu, 18 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST'Kasey to the Rescue' Author Ellen Rogers Talks About the Monkey That Helps Her Paralyzed Sonhttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/11/02/kasey-to-the-rescue-author-ellen-rogers-talks-about-the-monkey/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/11/02/kasey-to-the-rescue-author-ellen-rogers-talks-about-the-monkey/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/11/02/kasey-to-the-rescue-author-ellen-rogers-talks-about-the-monkey/#commentsFiled under:

helper monkey photoNed and Kasey. Claudia Kronenberg Photography

In June of 2005, Ellen Rogers got the call every parent fears. Her 22-year-old son, Ned, had been in a car crash. He'd suffered brain injuries and was paralyzed from the neck down. The Rogers' lives changed in an instant, but they survived the ordeal, thanks to Kasey, an Argentinean capuchin monkey trained to assist the disabled.

Rogers recounts the touching story in her new book, "Kasey to the Rescue: The Remarkable Story of a Monkey and a Miracle," which hits stores this week. Rogers recently talked with Paw Nation about Ned, Kasey and life with a monkey.

After your son's accident, why did you decide to adopt a helper monkey?
It was enormously challenging to hear that he had been in a terrible car accident. His injuries were devastating. It was a very difficult time. Once he was stable enough, we took him to a spinal-cord specialty center in Atlanta. They brought in a dog that had been trained specifically to help people who are in wheelchairs. Somehow or another this thought came into my head. I said to Ned, "Didn't we once see something about monkeys that help disabled people?" He rolled his eyes. That evening I got on my laptop and the first e-mail in front of me was one from my daughter's school saying that Helping Hands, which trains monkey helpers for the disabled, would be doing an assembly at her school. It was like divine intervention.

Ned was still focused on trying to come to grips with his injury. I had gone to the website and seen all the wonderful things monkeys can do. I didn't need to be convinced. From that moment on, I was on a mission.

Was there a bit of adjustment period when Kasey arrived?
Monkeys are a lot of work. They have a very sophisticated hierarchy. The first challenge was that Kasey had to understand the hierarchy in our house. I have five kids and two crazy dogs. We have a lot of nurses and aids that come in to help my son. [Kasey] had to understand where she fit.

She was a little aloof in the beginning. She did do wonderful tasks for my son. He'd ask her to itch his face or fetch the remote, and she'd do it, but then she'd jump back over to her cage. Over time, once she learned to respect her recipient and her caregiver -- Ned and myself - then she started to feel comfortable. As soon as that happened, the bond between my son and Kasey really began to develop. But it took several months.

What other sorts of things does Kasey do for Ned?
She'll turn the lights on and off, get him a bottle of water, put a CD in his CD player and turn it on. Earlier on, without being told, if his arm would fall off the armrest of his wheelchair, she'd pick it up and put it back on the armrest. She'll adjust his feet on the bottom of the wheelchair.

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]]>capuchindisabledhelper monkeyMonkeyHelperService AnimalsSpinal cord injuriesTherapyAnimalsKirsten TaylorTue, 02 Nov 2010 11:00:00 ESTBronx Zoo Debuts Six Rare Tiger Cubshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/10/01/bronx-zoo-debuts-six-rare-tiger-cubs/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/10/01/bronx-zoo-debuts-six-rare-tiger-cubs/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/10/01/bronx-zoo-debuts-six-rare-tiger-cubs/#commentsFiled under: ,

Malayan Tiger Cub picture Malayan tiger cubs. Julie Larsen Maher, Wildlife Conservation Society

What's cuter than a tiger cub? Half a dozen tiger cubs!

Six tiger cubs made their public debut at the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo in New York this week, according to to the WCS. The cubs come from two litters and two different subspecies of tiger. Three are Amur tigers and three are Malayan tigers.

Their arrival has zoo staff cheering. This is the first litter of Amur tigers born at the Bronx Zoo in more than 13 years. And it's the first time that Malayan tigers have ever been exhibited in the Bronx. The cubs can be seen at the zoo's Tiger Mountain exhibit, in adjacent exhibits that separate the subspecies.

"The birth of these tiger cubs is true cause for celebration," said Jim Breheny, WCS's Senior Vice President of Living Institutions and Director of the zoo. "The opportunity to be present and watch as these majestic creatures mature from playful cubs to awe-inspiring adults is an experience every New Yorker will enjoy. That both the Amur and Malayan tigers are part of the Tiger Mountain experience will make it easy for our guests to learn about both subspecies of tigers and how important it is to protect them in the wild."

According to the World Wildlife Fund, Amur tigers are native to eastern Russia, China, and North Korea, while Malayan tigers roam Thailand and Malaysia. All subspecies of tiger are critically endangered, with fewer than 3,500 tigers remain in the wild, according to the WCS news release.

The names of four of the cubs are Julian, Josie, Pepino, Claiborne but there are two who haven't been named just yet. What would you call the last two cubs? Let us know in the comments!

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]]>amur tigerbronx zoocute animal videosCuteAnimalVideosendangered speciesmalayan tigertiger cubswildlife conservation societyKirsten TaylorFri, 01 Oct 2010 16:00:00 ESTNews: Woman Who Threw Neighborhood Cat in a Trash Bin Has Been Charged With Animal Crueltyhttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/21/news-woman-who-threw-neighborhood-cat-in-a-trash-bin-has-been-c/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/21/news-woman-who-threw-neighborhood-cat-in-a-trash-bin-has-been-c/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/21/news-woman-who-threw-neighborhood-cat-in-a-trash-bin-has-been-c/#commentsFiled under: ,

Cat thrown in trash canHere, Lola is pictured safe and sound after her ordeal in August. PA

A few weeks ago Paw Nation told you about Mary Bale, the woman who came upon a cat while walking down the street in Coventry England and then, after patting the cat, chucked the animal in a nearby trash can and shut the lid.

Lola the tabby cat was trapped for 15 hours before her owners, Stephanie Andrews-Mann and her husband, Darryl, heard Lola crying inside the bin. The pair checked security-camera footage, found the incriminating clip, and posted the video to YouTube. Bale was identified within a matter of days, and has since become infamous. The YouTube video received thousands of angry comments and even death threats directed at Bale.

"I did it as a joke because I thought it would be funny. I never thought it would be trapped; I expected it to wriggle out," she told the (U.K.) Daily Mail.

The Royal Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (RSPCA) isn't laughing. They announced they're charging Bale with two animal cruelty offenses: causing unnecessary suffering to a cat and not providing an animal with a suitable environment. Both offenses can carry a prison sentence and a lifetime ban on keeping animals as pets, according to the Daily Mail.

Bale has been on sick leave from her job as a bank clerk since the incident, according to the Telegraph. She's set to appear in court on October 19.

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]]>animal crueltyAnimalCrueltybincatcat videoCatVideomary baleMaryBaletrashKirsten TaylorTue, 21 Sep 2010 15:00:00 ESTL.A. Zoo Welcomes Komodo Dragon Hatchlingshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/20/l-a-zoo-welcomes-komodo-dragon-hatchlings/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/20/l-a-zoo-welcomes-komodo-dragon-hatchlings/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/20/l-a-zoo-welcomes-komodo-dragon-hatchlings/#commentsFiled under: ,

betty white komodo dragon babyTad Motoyama, Los Angeles Zoo

It's hatchling season at the Los Angeles Zoo. Last January, a female Komodo dragon named Lima laid 23 eggs. In August, 22 of those eggs cracked open to reveal scurrying baby lizards, according to the L.A. Zoo. Betty White, a trustee of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, was able to meet some of the hatchlings firsthand.

Komodo dragons are the world's largest lizards. The hatchlings, which range from 14 to 20 inches long at birth, will soon grow to nine feet long and tip the scales at 200 pounds. The amazing lizards, native to just a few islands in Indonesia, are also cannibals that will eagerly swallow their own hatchlings. To avoid that fate, wild hatchlings dart up trees to avoid run-ins with the adults. They stay there until they're too heavy to scurry along the branches.

To avoid this dire fate, the L.A., zoo staff have just put the 22 new hatchlings on display far from the hungry adults, of course. Fewer than 10 zoos in North America have successfully bred Komodo dragons, and this is the first successful breeding of the animals at the L.A. Zoo. The hatchlings will play an important role in Komodo dragon conservation, according to the news release.

"These hatchlings are a landmark event for the L.A. Zoo," said Ian Recchio, the curator of reptiles and amphibians.

If you're in the L.A. area, you can check out the cute hatchlings in their newly renovated exhibit at the Winnick Family Children's Zoo in Griffith Park. Happy lizard spotting!

To learn more about Betty White's animal adventures, click here for other Paw Nation articles.

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]]>baby animalsbetty whiteBettyWhitehatchlingskomodo dragonKomodoDragonlos angelesLosAngeleszooKirsten TaylorMon, 20 Sep 2010 14:00:00 ESTCat Comes Home After 6 Month, 60 Mile Adventurehttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/15/lost-cat-found-after-a-6-month-and-60-mile-adventure/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/15/lost-cat-found-after-a-6-month-and-60-mile-adventure/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/15/lost-cat-found-after-a-6-month-and-60-mile-adventure/#commentsFiled under: ,

Bob the catNorthampton Chronicle & Echo, UK

Next month, Bob the cat will turn one year old -- and what an adventurous first year it's been.

Bob was just six months old when he disappeared from his home in Northampton, in central England, the Northampton Chronicle & Echo reports. His family was distressed by his disappearance -- especially four-year-old Joshua.

Bob the catNorthampton Chronicle & Echo, UK

"Bob had been a Christmas present to the whole family. We put posters everywhere, we asked neighbors, we phoned the company we had him micro-chipped with, but heard nothing," owner Claire Dalton told the Northampton Chronicle & Echo.

As the months passed, the Dalton family lost hope that they'd ever see Bob again. They even got rid of his things. And then, last week, the phone rang.

Bob had turned up in the small village of Stanford-in-the-Vale, some 60 miles away. How the little kitten made the trek remains a mystery. Somehow, he showed up on the doorstep of a woman in Stanford-in-the-Vale, who took him in. After a few months, she brought him to the vet for a checkup. There, his microchip was discovered.

While the woman who cared for Bob was reportedly sad to see him go, the Dalton family was overjoyed to bring Bob home again. "He is the same old Bob, still a little bit crazy, only when he left he was a kitten and now he is a full-grown cat about to have his first birthday in October," Dalton told the Northampton Chronicle and Echo.

Looks like the microchip has saved the day again. For more tips and strategies on getting an adventuring pet home safe, read the Paw Nation article "Finding a Lost Dog or Cat - 10 Ways To Improve Your Odds."

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]]>lost catlost cat foundLostCatLostCatFoundNorthampton Chronicle EchoNorthamptonChronicleEchoKirsten TaylorWed, 15 Sep 2010 15:00:00 ESTBelgium to Neuter Most Cats and Ban Certain Kitten Saleshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/07/belgium-to-neuter-most-cats-and-ban-certain-kitten-sales/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/07/belgium-to-neuter-most-cats-and-ban-certain-kitten-sales/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/07/belgium-to-neuter-most-cats-and-ban-certain-kitten-sales/#commentsFiled under: ,

Belgium bans kitten salesmathias-erhart, Flickr

Belgium is getting crowded. The country is home to 11 million people, and 1.7 million cats, the Guardian U.K. reports. Some 37,000 of those animals are strays that wind up in shelters and, often, are put down.

Enter the Multi-Annual Cat Plan 2011-2016. Over the next five years, the Belgian government plans to fix nearly all of the country's kitties, notes the Guardian U.K. The first part of the plan is that all shelter cats will be spayed or neutered. Later, cat sellers will have to comply with the new law. And you can forget about the "Kittens for Sale" ads on the street corner. Selling kittens through small ads or bulletin-board notices will be banned.

In the last phase of the plan, all cat owners will be required to register and sterilize their cats. Breeders and owners of pedigreed pets like Siamese will be exempt from sterilization, however, the Guardian reports.

Most animal welfare groups in Belgium are optimistic about the new law, but others are skeptical. "Pet owners will rebel and refuse to do it," Marleen Meerssemean, who helps run a rescue service for injured wild animals, told the Guardian. "And this wouldn't be Belgium if people did not find a back door."

But with so many felines prowling the country's town squares -- and overrunning the shelters -- it's clear that something needs to be done.

"We are confronted with a dramatic situation," Jan Eyckmans of the Belgian health ministry told the Guardian. The plan, he says, is Belgium's best chance "to halt the increase in the numbers of strays and cats collected in shelters."

What do you think? Should spaying and neutering cats be mandatory?
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]]>belgiumcatsneutersheltersstrayKirsten TaylorTue, 07 Sep 2010 16:00:00 ESTLost Cat? Hire a Cat-Detection Doghttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/27/lost-cat-hire-a-cat-detection-dog/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/27/lost-cat-hire-a-cat-detection-dog/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/27/lost-cat-hire-a-cat-detection-dog/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Missing Pet Partnership

Got a dog that's nuts for cats? You might want to train it to put its feline obsession to good use.

The Seattle-area-based Missing Pet Partnership (MPP) trains dogs and their owners to be first-rate detectives, sniffing out lost pets. When it comes to cat-detection, "we pick dogs that naturally get hyper-excited and wiggly when they detect the scent of a cat," MPP founder Kat Albrecht tells Paw Nation.

Albrecht, who began her career as a police officer working with search-and-rescue bloodhounds, would use her own search dog to track lost pets in her spare time. Eventually her side project grew into the Missing Pet Partnership.

Not every cat-lovin' dog is up to par, though. Only one in 15 dogs passes the initial test, which determines whether a dog can stay in the cat zone despite distractions like food and other pups. Dogs that pass this test enter a training program that typically lasts three or four months, Albrecht says. After they graduate, the dogs are ready to help locate runaway cats. Most graduates -- and their owners -- go on to provide their detecting services to their communities.

"Cat-detection dogs are a tool that we take with us when we go yard to yard looking under and in every hiding place for a cat. If there's cat scent, the dog will let us know," Albrecht tells Paw Nation.

Continue reading Lost Cat? Hire a Cat-Detection Dog

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]]>cat-detectiongeo:47.322498 -122.311401lost catlost petlost petsLostCatLostPetLostPetsmissing petsMissingPetspet-detectivetrailing-dogWhere:federal-way-waKirsten TaylorFri, 27 Aug 2010 15:00:00 ESTWoman Throws Friendly Neighborhood Cat In Trash, Becomes Internet Villainhttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/26/woman-throws-friendly-neighborhood-cat-in-trash-becomes-interne/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/26/woman-throws-friendly-neighborhood-cat-in-trash-becomes-interne/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/26/woman-throws-friendly-neighborhood-cat-in-trash-becomes-interne/#commentsFiled under: ,

Cat thrown in trash canLola is safe and sound after her ordeal. PA

Have you heard of Mary Bale, the infamous cat-bin lady?

Bale, a 45-year-old bank worker in Coventry, England was strolling along last weekend when she came upon a tabby cat on the sidewalk. She stopped to pat the cat. For reasons even she can't quite explain, she suddenly decided to plop the unfamiliar cat into a nearby trash can and shut the lid, according to the (U.K.) Daily Mail.

Lola the cat was discovered 15 hours later by her owner, who heard her crying inside the bin, Salon reports.

The owner checked the footage from his security camera and saw exactly what happened. Soon enough, Bale's incriminating video was posted on YouTube, a Facebook page was created to tell the world about Bale's dastardly deed, and overnight she became public feline enemy number one.

Bale has become the target of worldwide hatred. According to Salon, hundreds of thousands of YouTube viewers have commented, death threats have been issued online, and police have even been stationed outside her home to protect her.

"She should be thrown in a bin for 15 hours," one angry YouTube viewer wrote. "I'd throw her off a cliff," said another. She's been called a psychopath and a nut case, among other, less printable epithets.

Continue reading Woman Throws Friendly Neighborhood Cat In Trash, Becomes Internet Villain

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]]>cat-bin ladyenglish cats in dustbinslolalola the trash catmary baleKirsten TaylorThu, 26 Aug 2010 14:30:00 ESTDo Dark Cats Cause More Allergies?http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/25/do-dark-cats-cause-more-allergies/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/25/do-dark-cats-cause-more-allergies/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/25/do-dark-cats-cause-more-allergies/#commentsFiled under:

Dark Cats Cause More Allergiesmiss pupik, Flickr

Is it possible that dark-colored cats cause more allergies than their paler counterparts, or is that just black-cat superstition talking? The New York Times recently took a hard look at this dark question.

This is what we do know. According to the Times, the proteins that cause sneezing, drippy nose and runny eyes are found in cat dander, urine and saliva. And cat allergies, they report, plague twice as many Americans as dog allergies do.

But are all cats created equal where allergies are concerned? In 2000, a small study found that cats with dark-colored fur were more likely to set off an allergic reaction. But the conclusion isn't as clear as black and white. A later study found no effect of fur color on allergies but that hasn't ended the questioning. Scientists at Allergy and Asthma Care of New York are now planning a larger study in hopes of settling the matter once and for all.

What scientists have determined is that a cat's gender does make a difference for allergy sufferers. Male cats produce more allergens than females, the Times explains.

Whether your feline friend is black, white or something beautifully calico in between, one thing is clear: Allergies are no fun. But if you're allergic to animals, there are steps you can take to minimize the irritation. Check out this article on Paw Nation for more ideas.

If you're considering a hairless cat to get around the concern altogether, think again. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association, the hairless sphynx cat still causes allergies in many people. And to that, we have only one thing to say. Gesundheit!

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]]>allergiesallergycatdanderfursphynxKirsten TaylorWed, 25 Aug 2010 17:00:00 ESTHorse Race Tongue Twister - My Wife Knows Everything vs. The Wife Doesn't Knowhttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/25/horse-race-tongue-twister-my-wife-knows-everything-vs-the-wif/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/25/horse-race-tongue-twister-my-wife-knows-everything-vs-the-wif/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/25/horse-race-tongue-twister-my-wife-knows-everything-vs-the-wif/#commentsFiled under:

Does she or doesn't she? At a horse race in New Jersey this weekend, a horse named My Wife Knows Everything galloped for the number-one spot against a horse named The Wife Doesn't Know. Meanwhile, a veteran announcer definitely earned his daily bread as he managed to bellow the bizarrely similar names without getting tongue-tied. Check out the hysterical play-by-play in the video below to find out who won the race.

PRODUCTION PLAYER! DO NOT DELETE.

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]]>everythingFunny Horse VideosFunnyHorseVideoshorseracinghorsesmy wife knows everythingMyWifeKnowsEverythingnamesraceRace HorsesRaceHorseswifeKirsten TaylorWed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:00 ESTCat Vaccines: What You Need to Knowhttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/24/cat-vaccines-what-you-need-to-know/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/24/cat-vaccines-what-you-need-to-know/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/24/cat-vaccines-what-you-need-to-know/#commentsFiled under: ,

Cat VaccinesTrish Hamme, Flickr

Pet vaccination can be a confusing subject for even the most conscientious pet owner. Should you vaccinate your cat? How can shots protect your kitty's health? To get the expert scoop on the subject, Paw Nation spoke with veterinarians Kristen Nelson, author of "Coated with Fur: A Vet's Life," and Christine Bellezza, co-director of the Feline Health Center at Cornell University.

When and why should pet owners vaccinate their cats?
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) recommends that kittens start getting their shots at around 6 to 8 weeks of age, the time when the immunity they received from their mothers starts to wane. "It's important to vaccinate cats because the viruses that we're vaccinating against are very prevalent in the environment," Bellezza says. "Cats that aren't vaccinated are very much at risk."

Despite that high risk, not all cat owners follow the guidelines.

"Unfortunately, there is a lot of incorrect information on the Internet related to vaccinations," says Dr. Nelson. "As a result, I have observed an increase in the number of people who refuse vaccinations for their pets. Now I am beginning to see an increase in the number of animals who contract these diseases."

Continue reading Cat Vaccines: What You Need to Know

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]]>catcat diseasecat healthcat vaccinesCatVaccinesfeline leukemiaFIVhealthpet vaccinationsrabiesshotsvaccineKirsten TaylorTue, 24 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST2-Legged Dog Inspires War Veteranshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/20/2-legged-dog-inspires-war-veterans/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/20/2-legged-dog-inspires-war-veterans/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/20/2-legged-dog-inspires-war-veterans/#commentsFiled under: ,

Faith may technically be disabled, but the two-legged dog has an amazing ability to bring joy to those around her. Faith was made an honorary sergeant in the U.S. Army, thanks to her frequent visits to disabled veterans on bases and in hospitals around the U.S., TNT Magazine reports. Now her owner hopes to bring Faith to the U.K. to cheer up British troops wounded in Afghanistan.

The 8-year-old Lab-chow mix was born with one front let missing and the other severely deformed, according to The Sun. Despite the long odds, her owner, Jude Stringfellow, refused to put her down. Faith's damaged front limb was amputated, and Stringfellow taught the dog to walk upright on two feet. After her own son served in Iraq, Stringfellow decided to take Faith to visit a veteran's hospital, TNT magazine reports. The inspiring pooch was an instant hit.

"She shows what can be achieved against great odds," Stringfellow told The Sun. It just goes to show that anything is possible -- with a little Faith.


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]]>dogfaithIraqsoldierstroopstwo-leggedveteransKirsten TaylorFri, 20 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST