Posts tagged "trap-neuter-return"

In the News: Mike Tyson's Gone to the Birds, Ellen and Portia's Good Deeds and More

by Kristen Seymour (Subscribe to Kristen Seymour's posts): Mar 18th 2010 12:01PM Filed Under: Pets News

portia de rossi ellen degeneres Alberto E. Rodriguez, WireImage.com

Mike Tyson is entering the realm of reality TV. This doesn't surprise us one iota. Nor does it surprise us that there has been some controversy. What does surprise us is that the show will be on Animal Planet and is based on pigeons. Yes, really.

Not every dog lays around all day, waiting for you to come home. Take Rosie the Newfie, for example. When her neighbor became seriously ill, she found a way to lend a paw and give a dying woman a reason to smile by leaping a fence to visit the sick neighbor every single day. And her owners had no idea.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are really doing their part to make tails wag across the country. Ellen has teamed up with the USPS and her dog food company, Halo, to raise awareness and feed homeless pets a million meals -- all you have to do to help is buy some stamps! Portia, on the other hand, is focusing on the feral cat population by working with Alley Cat Allies to tell people why the trap-neuter-return is the best policy.

If you're seriously hurt, you get yourself to the emergency room, right? Sure -- because you're human. Well, an injured German shepherd did just that after wandering away from home. Fortunately, the ER staff took pity on the pup and he's since been treated by the local animal shelter and returned to his owners.

The illegal trade of endangered animals is common in the Middle East, but the UN is taking measures to eliminate the practice. Delegates at a conference to discuss endangered species are looking at everything from animal abuse on a small scale to the sale of highly specialized species. It's going to be a hard (and heartbreaking) battle, but we're glad to see the UN addressing the issue.

What is Trap-Neuter-Return?

by Sonia Zjawinski (Subscribe to Sonia Zjawinski's posts): Oct 16th 2009 11:00AM Filed Under: Cats

A trap set and waiting for a feral cat. Photo: Sonia Zjawinski

Did you know that female cats can become pregnant as early as four to five months old and can have as many as three litters a year? Crunch the numbers and a single unaltered feral female and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats in seven years. Yowza!

So how are we not all overrun by cats? Through a program called Trap-Neuter-Return, in which volunteers (like you) trap a feral cat, get them spayed or neutered at a vet that participates in the program, and release them back to their original location.

Why release back?

National Feral Cat Day

by Sonia Zjawinski (Subscribe to Sonia Zjawinski's posts): Oct 16th 2009 9:00AM Filed Under: Cats

Photo: Alley Cat Allies

October 16th is National Feral Cat Day.

Wait, National what Day??

Feral cats are felines that are more wild than domestic. They like the company of other kitties more than they do humans, and are more likely to run than come up for a scratch under the chin. They aren't dangerous or rabid, just unsocialized. Think of them as the feline equivalent of a squirrel or a pigeon -- they'd rather live outdoors than in a home.

While there aren't any concrete numbers on how many feral cats live in the United States, according to national feral cat advocacy group Alley Cat Allies, scientists estimate there are as many cats living outdoors as indoors (and there are 82 million cats living in homes).

Where do feral cats come from? The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) says,"Feral cats are the offspring of lost or abandoned pet cats or other feral cats who are not spayed or neutered. Females can reproduce two to three times a year, and their kittens, if they survive, will become feral without early contact with people."

Some ferals end up at city shelters, where they are euthanized because they are deemed unadoptable due to their unsocialized nature. The rest try to survive in abandoned lots, backyards or under caretakers who take it upon themselves to feed colonies of cats.

National Feral Cat Day is meant to educate the public, so Paw Nation is dedicating today's posts to the cause, giving you the low down on how to help feral cats through programs like Trap-Neuter-Return, what to do if you know of a feral cat colony in your area, and even looking at the funny side of trying to help ferals one kitty at a time.

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Camouflage Animals

Madagascar Day Gecko
The green Madagascar Day Gecko lives in the dry regions of forests in Madagascar and neighboring islands. They usually grow to be between four to six inches long. Their tail makes up almost half of their length.

Getty Images

Camouflage Animals

Argentine Horned Frog Reptiles
The Argentine Horned Frog, also known as the Horned Frog or Pacman Frog, originated in South America. The green and black amphibian, which can grow up to six inches long, is a popular pets and can live for as long as 10 years.

Camouflage Animals

Walkingstick
The Walkingstick takes its camouflage abilities to the next level by creating the appearance of a stick or twig to hide from predators. While they normally stand still, these insects are able to walk around as though they were a twig caught in the wind. They can be found in tropical forests or woodlands all across the world.

Camouflage Animals

Dwarf Puff Adder
Found in Nambia, the venomous Dwarf Puff Adder hides from the hot desert sun by burying itself in the sand, where only its eyes show.

Camouflage Animals

Stonefish
Often resembling a rock, the brown colored Stonefish camouflages itself perfectly in the ocean. With 13 venomous dorsal spines on its back, the Stonefish can cause tissue damage and respiratory distress, which can lead to cardiovascular shock if left untreated.

Camouflage Animals

Chameleons
Chameleons, the quintessential color-changers, can transform their skin color when their mood, temperature or the amount of light around them is altered. Their hue, which can vary from yellow and pink to brown and black, is also altered when they communicate.

Camouflage Animals

Green Anole
Often confused with chameleons, Green Anoles turn brown when they're stressed or sick. Found in the trees and shrubs of the Southeastern United States, these lizards are popular pets.

Camouflage Animals

The Eastern Wood Frog
The Eastern Wood Frog tricks competitors by changing colors to match its surroundings. Found in North American woodlands, the frog also has a dark black patch from its eye to the base of its front limb that can change colors.

Camouflage Animals