As if we’re running low on dogs
A Korean scientist claims to have cloned 17 dogs. Oh, good. We were running low on extra dogs.
The breed he cloned was the rare Tibetan mastiff. I think probably there are rarer animals in the world that could use a population boost. Dogs? Hardly. Thousands of adoptabled dogs are available in Oklahoma City alone. I’m not sure about South Korea, but I’m guessing they aren’t wanting for 17 extra dogs either.
This is the same scientist who was disgraced after claiming to have cloned human embryo cells and then later recanting. Yikes. So faking human cloning was bad idea No. 1. Actually cloning dogs was bad idea No. 2. In my book, he’s just like an irresponsible breeder. He better have homes for all 17 of those dogs, and even if he does, that’s 17 shelter dogs that will go homeless.
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Sign up your bobcat
Is that a wild animal or somebody’s pet?
That’s probably hard to tell if you’re an animal control officer staring at a bobcat. My first reaction would be that it’s a wild animal that’s wandered into town and needs to be returned to his home in the woods. That’s what animal control officers in Fort Smith, Ark., thought, too. They captured the cat out of someone’s yard and turned him loose several miles outside of town.
Turns out, the bobcat was someone’s pet.
Now they have a plan they hope will prevent problems like this: an exotic animal registry. Not a bad idea. If welfare workers find a creature that blurs the line between pet and wild animal, they’ll have a list to check before they dump it in the woods. Kudos, Fort Smith.
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Insuring your mobile pet
Apparently your animls are covered.
Pets involved in collisons are covered under Progressive car insurance, according to PETA. The company pays up to $500 toward vet bills if you’re animal is injured. The best part: your animals are covered for free. I have Progressive and I had no idea. Kudos to the company for including animals in their policies.
Have you ever made a claim involving your animals? Or do you know if your policy includes your four-legged family members?
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Don’t read this, lutraphobes
While researching a column about phobis, I discovered a list of animal phobias. Of course, many folks are scared of certain kinds of animals. I was petrified of dogs when I was growing up because my dad’s neighbors had chows that chased me when I rode my bike. But like many childhood fears, it faded. Now I own a dog that’s part chow. But not everyone’s fears pass with time. Some people suffer from zoophobia – the fear of all animals. (The term sounds fake but it isn’t!) Here’s a list of some interesting animal phobias:
* Allurophobia, fear of cats.
* Chiroptophobia, fear of bats.
* Cynophobia, fear of dogs.
* Equinophobia/hippophobia, fear of horses.
* Herpetophobia, fear of reptiles.
* Ichthyophobia, fear of fish.
* Musophobia, fear of mice or rats. My mother has a severe case of this.
* Ophidiophobia, fear of snakes. I have a severe case of this.
* Omithophobia, fear of birds.
* Ranidaphobia, fear of frogs.
I understand all of those, but there’s one phobia I can’t understand: lutraphobia. The fear of otters. Who doesn’t love an otter? To that end, here the best video of otters ever. These little guys at the Vancouver Aquarium love to hold hands. Apparently they aren’t lutraphobes.
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Your dog is cuter
It’s that time again – the World’s Ugliest Dog Competition. As always, Chinese Crested are always the front-runners in the contest, which is in California every year. Even the other breeds have twinges of Chinese Crested. Delightful.
Here’s a picure of a couple contestants and their owners. (I’m not sure why that man is pretended to eat his dog. Yikes.)
Check out this slideshow by ABC News.
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Photogenic pets want you to get out your camera
Our Tail Tips for Pet Show today will be about how to photograph your pet. (Be sure to listen to the show!) If you’re like me, all your pet photos are of half a dog. In the millisecond it takes to snap a picture, your dog has moved and wants to know what the heck you’re doing. This picture is probably one of the best I’ve taken of my dogs. This is Deter, who is dressed as a policeman for Halloween. I used the “surprise” technique listed below. I let him get comfortable and then called his name so he’d turn his head. I also took about 20 pictures of half of him.
So for those of us who are amateurs to say the least, Digital Photographer School offers these great suggestions:
- Use natural light. Camera flashes will cause red-eye or could scare your animal.
- Keep the eyes sharp. Make sure your animals eyes are in focus – just like you would when photographing people.
- Go to your pet. Take pictures on your pet’s level, whether they sit on the floor or perched on the window sill.
- Show their character. Capture their personality – playful, lazy, loving.
- Go macro. Take some shots that are extremely close-up.
- Surprise him. Have someone else call to get his attention, and he’ll look ready and alert long enough to snap a shot.
- Schedule a session. Choose a time that will show off what you’re trying to capture, like sleepiness right after a nap or playfulness at the beginning of a walk.
- Be patient. Give your pet time to relax when you have your camera out so you can eventually get a calm shot.
- Experiment. Try as many angles and shots and compositions as you can.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Styloctenium mindorensis is so darn cute
The fruit bat is my favorite.
Arizone State University released its list of Top 10 new animals, and they range from the cute to the scary. My favorite: the cute. This little guy can only be found on the Phillipene island of Mindoro.
Watch this slide show put together by MSNBC of all the top critters. It’s fascinating.
ASU release their Top 10 list every year. It’s amazing that there are still so many creatures we don’t know about. Some of them, I think I might be happier NOT knowing about.
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Swimming with Gators
Apparently it is illegal to swim naked with alligators. Who knew? Well this guy should have known, since he’s been accused of it more than once.
- Bryan Dean
Thinking of adoption?
The gals from The Ladies Room visited Free to Live Animal Sanctuary.
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Heartless in the Heartland
The mayor of Helena, Ark., released 10 dogs into a national forest because there wasn’t room at the pound.
I’m a native of Arkansas, and every time there’s an embarrassing story like this, I’m always frustrated. Arkansas is a beautiful place, and the people there are wonderful. There are already enough jokes about how backwoods my home state is; why do we have to make it worse?
The Humane Society is helping find the deserted dogs, and PETA is working with the mayor to find a long-term solution to the shelter problem.
Hopefully these dogs will survive. Hopefully this mayor’s political career won’t.
- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
