Pets in the paper – gotcha, gator!
Check out these animal stories in The Oklahoman today -
- Gator removed from home. (McAlester)
- Animal groups seek share of inheritance. (New York)
Also, check out this amazing story that was posted to NewsOK.com this morning: Dog wakes up man and alerts him to house fire in The Village. Here’s a video:
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Tiny horse big on cute
Meet Koda, the smallest horse I’ve ever seen.
Koda is an American miniature horse, a breed that is meant to be tiny. But even for the breed, Koda is small. He was diagnosed as a dwarf, being only the size of a typical house cat. What he lacks in size, Koda makes up for in sure hugability. He is, not surprisingly, often confused for a stuffed toy by people who are astonished at his size.
Koda stuggled early in life with some health problems because of his small stature, but he is reportedly feeling better now. Vets have performed several surgeries on his legs, and he also has issues with his face.
I picture Koda wearing a tiny saddle, with a hamster riding him.
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
This cat can catch a ride
A British woman dubbed her cat Casper because he would always vanish. But every time he’d go away, he’d always faithfully return. Then she finally found out where he was going – on a bus ride.
The 12-year-old cat hops on the No. 3 bus at 10:55 a.m. each day and goes for an hour-long trip around his town.
Turns out, the drives of the No. 3 bus knew Casper was catching a ride long before his owner. He’s been doing it for years. In fact, drivers estimate he’s traveled on the bus for 20,000 miles. Yes, 20,000 miles. Every day the cat hops on, finds his spot in the back and settles in for a ride. When the bus pulls back in front of his house, he hops off. He doesn’t bother anybody, so drivers have let him become a fixture of the morning route.
But as Casper has aged, he’s needed a little help remembering to get off at his stop.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Pandelephants or elepands?
No offense, but this is really weird. So weird. But then again, when it comes to the animal world, people are weird. And when I say weird, I mean cruel.
At a zoo in Taiwan, zookeepers celebrated the birth of a panda by painting the elephants to look like pandas. Clearly. That’s the only obvious choice. That is the only logical way to celebrate the birth of a panda.
I’m expecting my first child in October, and I swear I won’t paint my dogs or dress them up like babies when my daughter arrives. That would just be cruel.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Pets in the paper – the bulls strike back
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
Controversy at rhinocerous beetle sumo championship
Takuma Kobayashi looks on as his beetle "King Kabuto" makes a break for freedom during the National Rhinoceros Beetle Sumo Championship on Sunday, June 28, 2009. (Mainichi)
In the United States, our kids race their turtles. In Japan, the kids hold sumo competitions between their rhinocerous beetles.
This report from Japan’s recntly-held National Rhinoceros Beetle Sumo Championship chronicles the stunning conclusion to the final, when one of the wrestlers flew out of the arena and the room, prompting an automatic disqualification.
I’m not sure whether the disqualified finalist truly feared his opponent or if maybe it was just nerves. Whatever the reason, King Kabuto’s disqualification left King Joe as the last rhinocerous beetle standing.
I suppose that this means King Joe has earned the sumo title of Yokozuna, reserved for the true champions.
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
Happy Fourth of July!
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Give ‘em a left hook, Mohammed Al-kitty!
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Quit squirreling around … part two
The story of the cleavage squirrel could not be contained. CNN picked it up. Here’s the video we couldn’t steal from the local TV station.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
The perfect gift … if you want to waste money
So here at Pet Show we hear about all kinds of new products – everything from fancy dog food to fabulous dog wash sprayers. But every now and then we hear about something that is, well, stupid.
Enter Fetchstix.
What is it? Sticks. Sticks you buy. Sticks that cost $12.95 for two.
This is the perfect product for … people who who have no access to sticks? I have no idea. The only scenario where I would think you’d have to buy sticks if if you lived on the space station or you were in solitary confinement in a prison. In either of those scenarios, I doubt you’d be worried about playing fetch.
I have several more thoughts:
1. The makers of Fetchstix market them as the “funny eco-gifts for dog lovers.” I don’t think chopping down a forest (as shown on the Fetchstix homepage) and shipping sticks across the country from Vermont is exactly eco-conscious. The only thing they have right is that the idea is funny.
2. The sticks come with an owner’s manual. Use the owner’s manual to hit yourself over the head for spending $12.95 on two sticks.
3. There’s a technical support line. Yes, really. Call the support line when you need to ask questions like, “How do I play fetch with my dog? What do I do? Why did I spend $12.95 on sticks?”
I don’t wish anyone ill will in these tough economic times, but I have to say, this might be the worst business plan ever. And to anyone who has paid $12.95 for two Fetchstix: maybe you should build a fire with those sticks and throw your money in there.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
