National Bird Day
Today is the 10th annual National Bird Day. This is my tribute:
Merry (early) Catmas!
A dose of Christmas adorable
Delicious for people, dangerous for pets
While many of us will eat way too much on Thanksgiving Day, there are some family members who should watch their diet: pets. I’m going to be honest. I’m horrible about giving my dogs table scraps. (It’s their adorable faces! I am such a wimp!) But there are several things you won’t find even me sneaking under the table for my dogs. Here’s a list from the ASPCA of the most toxic Thanksgiving foods for animals:
- Sage.
- Chocolate.
- Candy with xylitol.
- Bread dough.
- Batter with raw eggs.
- Onions and garlic.
- Macadamia nuts.
- Raisins and grapes.
- Rich or spicy foods.
- Alcohol.
There is good news, though, for pushovers like me. You can share turkey. Make sure it’s cooked and bone-free. That’s one way to safely give in to those puppy-dog eyes.
Oklahoma City Zoo tiger cub bobbing for apples
Weimaraner Rescue hosting 5k
One of our dogs would love this. One would sit down in the grass and not move. If you’re dog’s a runner, here’s some information about a 5k coming up Sunday:
Heartland Weimaraner Rescue, sponsored by Purina Pro Plan Rally to Rescue, will host their second annual ‘Ghost Runners 5K Dog Run’ at Lake Hefner’s Star and Stripes Park on October 30, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. This is Heartland’s premier fundraising event for the year, and is the only timed and sanctioned race in the state of Oklahoma to be run with dogs. It is a USATF certified course and will be digitally timed by DG Productions.
Participants are encouraged to bring their dog to the event and will be allowed to complete the entire run with them as long as they are leashed and runner-friendly. Heartland will allow one dog per participant, and requires that all dogs be on leashes at all times, current on vaccinations, not be in heat, and not be aggressive.
Registration for the race will be open until 1:30 p.m. on race day. Runners can register online at www.GhostRunner5k.com for $25, or on race day at the Stars and Stripes park pavilion from noon – 1:30 p.m. Race day registration will be $30. As of Friday, October 21st, there were nearly 300 runners registered for the event and Heartland expects to have approximately 375 by race day.
Heartland will be hosting two packet pick up days for those runners who register early. The first pick up will be at A1 Pet Emporium, 9417 N. May in Oklahoma City, on October 28 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. The second pick up will be at Best Feet Forward on October 29 from noon – 3 p.m. Best Feet Forward is located at 7431 N. May in Oklahoma City.
Race day booths and entertainment will be open and free to the public from noon – 5 p.m. Food and beverages, along with a kid’s fun zone will also be set up near the pavilion.
Money raised from the Ghost Runners 5K Dog Run will be used to assist Heartland with medical and foster expenses for dogs in the program.
To participate, volunteer, or become a sponsor please contact Traci Steelman at 405-306-4603, by email at heartlandweimrescueok@yahoo.com, or visit the HWR race website at www.GhostRunners5k.com.
Be nice! It’s Be Kind to Animals Week!
As if you weren’t already super nice to your pets, there’s an extra incentive. This is Be Kind to Animals Week. Here’s some information from the American Humane Society:
Be Kind to Animals Week, May 2-8, 2010, is American Humane’s annual event celebrating the unique bond between people and animals, and encouraging the humane treatment of all animals. But why limit kindness to one special week? Here are five ways to be kind to animals every day:
- Adopt a pet from a shelter or breed-specific rescue. Shelter pets make loving lifetime companions, and many shelters offer pet-matching services and follow-up training and advice to help you and your new best friend form a beautiful bond.
- Report animal abuse. Violence against animals is terrible enough, but it could also be a sign that other violent behavior, like domestic abuse, is happening.
- Spay or neuter your pets. An estimated 3.7 million animals are euthanized in America’s shelters every year due to a lack of homes. Help stop pet overpopulation and euthanasia of adoptable animals by making sure your own pets are spayed or neutered.
- Live humanely with wildlife. Learn how to peacefully coexist with deer, bats, skunks, squirrels, raccoons and rabbits.
- Get active in local animal welfare policies and legislation. Sign up with us to receive action alerts about issues affecting animals.
As part of Be Kind to Animals Week, American Humane is sponsoring Lemonade for Shelter Aid, a contest that encourages children to set up lemonade stands to raise money for their local animal shelters. The contest runs until May 10, 2010, and is open to children and teens (ages 6-14). One grand-prize winner/team will be randomly selected to receive three Nintendo DS Lite game systems. Learn more and enter!
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Phil must be stopped
I’m anti-Groundhog Day.
It’s not that I dislike the sentiment. Punxsutawney Phil looks cute enough when they take him out of that stump, and I have no more problem with a groundhog weatherman than a human one.
What bothers me is that Phil always sees his shadow, as he did again this morning. According to Wikipedia, the little hairball has predicted an early spring only 15 times in 114 years. That works out to about 13 percent.
I’m a warm weather person. This has been an especially hard winter with all the ice and snow, and I, for one, am ready for it to end. Although I’m not ready to take rash measures like Bill Murray’s character in the movie “Groundhog Day,” I am launching a protest against Phil until he becomes more early-spring friendly.
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
Squirrel Appreciation Day
In honor of National Squirrel Appreciation Day (yes, that’s really a thing), I offer some cute photos of squirrels from the archives of The Oklahoman. My personal favorite is the last of the bunch, a baby squirrel being hand-fed. Enjoy.
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
Furry weatherman to try texting
In this Feb. 2, 2009 file photo, John Griffiths, a handler of the weather-predicting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, holds Phil in the air after removing him from his stump at Gobbler's Knob on Groundhog Day, in Punxsutawney, Pa. The state's tourism department says Phil will text his weather prediction to those who sign up to have texts sent to their mobile phones. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The world’s most famous animal weatherman, Punxsutawney Phil, will try some new technology this Groundhog Day.
Phil will text his weather prediction to those who text “groundhog” to 247375.
Mickey Rowley, Pennsylvania’s deputy tourism secretary, said he realizes that not everyone can come to Punxsutawney for Groundhog Day, so this is a good way to get the word out.
On Feb. 2, Phil will come out of his home in the morning to make his annual prediction. If he can’t see a shadow, it means we are in for an early spring. If he sees his shadow, prepare for six more weeks of winter.
Each year, thousands of people descend on Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania to find out whether Phil sees his shadow. Members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club pull the marmot from its hiding spot and, they say, listen for his prediction in a language they call “groundhog-ese.”
Thankfully, the text will be translated into English.
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
