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
Let reining reign!
If you love reining and/or Oklahoma City, you’ll be pretty excited about this news. The rock stars of the reining world will be chosen in Oklahoma City. Here’s a press release from the city:
On Saturday, July 10, the U.S. Equestrian Reining Team will be selected at State Fair Park during the inaugural “Battle in the Saddle” event, a first for Oklahoma City.
The team members will represent the United States in September at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) being held in Lexington, Kentucky.
Team USA, in the reining discipline, will be sanctioned to compete in the
WEG by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) which serves as the national governing body for equestrian sports in the United States.
The World Equestrian Games are an Olympic-style competition that is comprised of the world championships for eight equestrian sports. The games are held every four years, two years prior to the Summer Olympics.
Scheduled to compete in the WEG alongside Team USA are approximately 33 countries, including Germany, Italy, Mexico, Sweden and the Dominican Republic.
In December 2004 Oklahoma City voters approved an increase in the hotel/motel occupancy tax to fund improvements to the equestrian facilities at the State Fair Park.
“During the 2004 campaign, we told the citizens of Oklahoma City that this was the perfect way for us to make much needed improvements to the equine facilities at State Fair Park and reinforce our position as the ‘horse show capital of the world,” said Mayor Cornett. “The fact that the USEF has chosen Oklahoma City to select their Team USA for reining is validation of the decision our voters made.”
Team USA will be named as the world’s most talented horses and riders take center stage July 5-10 in Oklahoma City to battle it out for top honors at the inaugural “Battle in the Saddle” competition. This event, owned by Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. and managed by the American Quarter Horse Association, will be the premier equine competition showcasing the following five western disciplines: reining, working cow horse, roping, cutting and ranch horse competition.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Ron Ralls and Solano Cat in the reining portion of the event winning the Open and Intermediate Open Futurity Divisions.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from a lepracat!
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Bixby dog finalist on America’s Funniest Home Videos
I’m not sure what the Gartner family paid to adopt Junior the Chihuahua, but I’m sure they’ve made a profit. They adorable pup earned the family $100,000 on America’s Funniest Home Videos, and now they’re competing for the grand prize. The finale will be taped in March and will air in May. Here’s the video that won the Gartners the big bucks:
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Pets in the paper – Razzle Dazzle Dogzzles
Check out these animal stories in The Oklahoman today -
- Euthanasia prompts department to re-examine law. (Missouri)
- Plants ease antibiotics’ risk to farms. (Missouri)
- Dog show produces a little Razzle Dazzle. (New York)
- Whalers hold activist. (Australia)
Staff Writer Carrie coppernoll
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your significant otter
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Go, go Gotebo!
The goats are home. OK, to be more specific, the Nigerian dwarf goats at the Oklahoma City Zoo are now at home in the new Children’s Zoo exhibit. Zoo staffers hauled the cuddly creatures from their off-exhibit habitat to their new digs. They’ll be part of the contact barn. The goats, along with all the other Children’s Zoo animals, will debut March 12. Check out these photos sent in from D. Jones and C. Lewis of the Oklahoma City Zoo.
Liz Kock, Registered Veterinary Technician at the Oklahoma City Zoo, gives Jet a lift to his new home in the Children’s Zoo.
Darcy Henthorn, Oklahoma City Zoo Curator of Children’s Zoo & Birds, happily carries Oologah into his barn at the new Children’s Zoo.
Duncan gets a lift from Oklahoma City Zoo Children’s Zoo Supervisor Doug Latham into the new Children’s Zoo Barn.
Brandon Bourassa, a Children’s Zoo keeper, carries Gotebo into the new Children’s Zoo Barn on goat moving day.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Pets in the paper – closer to teeth floating
Check out these animal stories in The Oklahoman today -
- Eagle enclosure collapses at animal nonprofit. (Noble)
- Committee OKs horse dental bill. (state Capitol)
- Zoo gears training toward volunteers. (Oklahoma City)
- Pet Tales: Dachshund enjoys penthouse. (Edmond)
- Cats proving agile in contests. (nationwide)
- Animals aboard space rocket. (Iran)
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Two-for-one admission and sharks in February!
Looking for somethign to do that doesn’t involve trying to coax your dog into the yard for a potty break? I thought so. Check out this info from the Oklahoma Aquarium:
Shaking off a case of cabin fever? The Oklahoma Aquarium is making it easier on families to get out of the house with Two-For-Tuesdays, Science Under The Stars and Super Shark Sundays. Through February, visitors can enjoy two-for-one admission on Tuesdays, which is most convenient for scheduling around work and school because the Aquarium is open till 9:00. (Free admission applies to the lowest price per pair of tickets purchased.)
There’s an added draw on Tuesday evenings: Science Under The Stars at 6:30. This interactive program hosted by the Aquarium Education Department features hands-on activities, crafts and close inspection of some of the aquatic world’s most mysterious and fascinating animals. The theme Tuesday, February 2nd is 8-Armed Bandits, examining cephalopods including octopus and squid. Please check our website for program themes through February. www.okaquarium.org
Also in February, Super Shark Sundays! This is a contest open to kids to test their shark smarts to win prizes including a family membership. Just visit the Aquarium on any Sunday in February, pick up an entry form at the information desk for your age group, sleuth out the answer to a scientific shark question, then turn it in on your way out. The drawing for final prizes will be March 1st, but J.P. vanEttinger, “Shark Man” will pass out a limited number of smaller prizes to kids showing off their shark knowledge.
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
