Posts tagged "AnimalAttack"

When Kelly Ann Walz entered her pet black bear's pen on Sunday night to feed the animal and clean the cage, she probably didn't expect anything out of the ordinary to happen. Of course in her case, "the ordinary" included heaving a shovelful of food to one side of the cage for her bear to eat while she cleaned the other side.

During the nine years she kept the bear, she always left its cage unharmed after this routine. On Sunday, that lucky streak went cold when the bear attacked her without any apparent provocation. Walz's children witnessed the attack and called for help. A neighbor shot and killed the bear. Walz was dead at the scene.

The Walz family is no stranger to exotic pets. Kelly Ann's husband Michael reportedly has legally kept exotic animals as pets for many years. Besides bears, the Walz's have owned a variety of big cats, including tigers, leopards, and lions. Clearly, familiarity does not equal safety. Wild animals are just that. They're not cute, cuddly pets, and no matter how long a human keeps a wild animal as a pet, or how much that human grows to trust that animal, it will always remain wild. Sandra Herold learned that lesson the hard way earlier this year when her chimpanzee, Travis, brutally attacked and and nearly killed Herold's friend. Now the Walz family has paid a greater price.

There are some who have a tendency to forget that animals are animals. To be sure, humans can bond with animals, and those bonds can be real and can bring true meaning to our lives. But there's danger in forgetting that they are not us. It's not uncommon these days to hear people say of their animals, "My pets are my kids." Of course, a chihuahua is not a bear. But it seems there are some animal lovers among us who need reminding that a bear is not Winnie the Pooh.

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Beware the squirrel! Those fluffy-tailed, acorn-loving rodents aren't all sugar and spice. Squirrels were among the top five animals to attack and injure companion pets in 2008 according to a survey released by the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI).

VPI reviewed reports of more than 500 wounded pets to figure out which wild animals are most likely to attack cats and dogs as they roam the 'hood.

Top 10 Animals To Attack Pets
1. Snakes
2. Coyotes
3. Raccoons
4. Squirrels
5. Scorpions
6. Javelinas
7. Porcupines
8. Groundhogs
9. Skunks
10. Rats

Pets ambushed by wild critters typically need treatment for lacerations, bite wounds, and soft tissue trauma. Poisonous snake bites can require treatment with antivenin to counteract the toxin.

Attacks by javelinas (pig-like mammals also known as peccaries) and scorpion stings were isolated to the state of Arizona, but between snakes, skunks, rats and raccoons, curious pets can get into trouble with wildlife just about anywhere.

"Whether in urban or rural areas, pet owners should be aware of the danger posed by wild animals," Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI, said in the report. "Always make sure that a pet's rabies vaccine is up to date. And if you know that potentially dangerous wild animals are present or you're in an unfamiliar area, take extra care to keep your pet close and secure."

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