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Pets in the paper – Monarchs making a pit stop

petblog — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:03:35 +0000

Check out these animal stories in The Oklahoman today -

Norman zoo examines safety after boy’s attack. (Norman)
A butterfly haven: Monarchs winging to Mexico may appear for area event. (Cole)
Whale death investigated. (Virginia)
Crash leads to bee stings. (Turkey)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

Pets in the paper – an attack rescue

petblog — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:37:33 +0000

Check out these stories in The Oklahoman since Saturday -

Neighbor saves boy from dogs. (Noble)
Getting a glimpse of nature. (Norman)
Zebra mussel gains ground in Oklahoma. (Lake Texoma)
Couple start family with injured pooch. (Tulsa)
Work begins on vets’ clinic. (Colorado)
Debate focuses on value of autism service dogs. (Illinois)
A dog’s holiday. (Monday, page 1c, nationwide)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

Pets in the paper – a dog that tucks children in bed

petblog — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:22:57 +0000

Holy moly! I was out of town, so there’s lots of catching up to do. Here are the animal stories in The Oklahoma today, yesterday, Saturday and Friday -

For kids in therapy, a new best friend. (Oklahoma City, video below)
Funding issues hamper animal rescue’s efforts. (Harrah)
Two men hurt in attack by pit bulls. (Midwest City)
Car show benefits pets. (Oklahoma City)
Horse show to draw top trainers. (Ardmore)
Rescue calls charges in cruelty case “sad.” (Sayre)
More arrests expected in illegal horse racing. (Guymon)
Report: Goodell decides on Vick. (New Jersey)
Owens says NFL unfair in handling Vick’s status. (New York)
Film may put critters in false light. (California)
Meat packer suspended. (Kansas)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

Pets in the paper – the bulls strike back

petblog — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:15:57 +0000

Check out these animal stories in The Oklahoman since Saturday -

Drug results may influence sentence term / Woman’s infant son died after hungry puppy mauled him. (Tulsa)
Noodlers bring home the catfish. (Pauls Valley)
Death doesn’t halt bulls’ running. (Spain)
Attract feathered friends by using proper incentives.
Racing pigeons program took flight in Oklahoma City. (blog)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

Responsible snake ownership

petblog — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:00:27 +0000

An unfortunate story out of Florida last week brings up an issue I feel very strongly about — responsible snake ownership.

A 2 year old girl in Oxford, Fla. died when an 8 foot pet Burmese python owned by her mother’s boyfriend escaped from a terrarium and strangled the child to death.

My girlfriend, Sarah, has a pet store, and reptiles are one of her specialties. She’s always been a big fan of snakes and lizards, and I too am fascinated by them. Sarah doesn’t carry Burmese or reticulated pythons. Both species are common in the pet industry, and they grow to lengths of 15 feet or more.

What people don’t realize is that owning a snake that size isn’t much different from owning a leopard or grizzly bear. They are capable of hurting or killing a human and should be kept only by professionals or others who are very experienced.

If you are interested in keeping a snake as a pet, I would highly recommend sticking with something smaller. Corn snakes and king snakes grow to about five feet. If you want a python, try a ball python. They look similar to larger pythons but stay a manageable four feet. All of these snaked tend to have good temperaments and make good pets.

Because they stay a reasonable size, they also can be kept in a decent-sized aquarium. Larger snakes need huge enclosures that can be very expensive.

If you insist on owning a large snake, do your homework and know what you are getting into. And for goodness sake, keep the snake in a secure area where it absolutely can’t reach children.

- Staff Writer Bryan Dean