Petville

Kentucky Derby's euthanized horse - not enough attention?

The tragic euthanizing of Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles after she broke both ankles Saturday opened much for debate - some of it on how much attention the story is getting. She had finished ahead of 18 colts in the race. Then, as she continued her gallop after the race’s finish, both her front ankles broke almost simultaneously. As millions of horrified viewers watched, she was euthanized on the track, loaded into a trailer and hauled away.

Eight Belles’s death shortly after finishing second raised a question about how to cover parallel stories of winning and heartbreak. Unlike the coverage of Barbaro’s breakdown at the 2006 Preakness Stakes where Bernardini’s victory was the minor story, Big Brown kept all of the spotlight with little attention on the fallen filly.

Not too long ago, it was frowned upon for sports writers or reporters to criticize horse racing or to comment on the humane treatment issues.

Angered by the death of Eight Belles, New York Times columnist William Rhoden asked, "Why do we refuse to put the brutal game of racing in the realm of mistreatment of animals?" He asked, "At what point do we at least raise the question about the efficacy of thousand-pound horses racing at full throttle on spindly legs?"

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, issued the following in a statement - "Here are some of the historic problems. Drugging of injured horses to keep them running, which makes vulnerable horses more susceptible to breakdowns. Racing horses too young. Because the marquee events feature three-year-olds, these horses must start racing at the tender age of two years, and that's well before their skeletal systems are sturdy enough to endure the pounding from the rigors of the race track. And then there are the problems coming to light more than ever – problems related to breeding. Breeding too many horses, and waiting for someone else to clean up the problem. And breeding them for body characteristics that make these animals vulnerable to breakdowns, especially those spindly legs underneath these stout torsos.”

First place winner Big Brown returned $6.80 on a $2 bet. Which story should take precedence?

 

Baby Boom Time for Wildlife

Human Intervention Can Cause Tragic Results for Wildlife Babies, According to The HSUS

Wildlife baby season is officially here, which means that more people may come face-to-face with newborn squirrels, deer, rabbits, birds, raccoons and skunks now than at any other time of year. The HSUS receives a substantial increase in frantic calls in April from homeowners who have stumbled across wildlife babies in yards, attics, sheds and garages.

According to Laura Simon, field director of urban wildlife for The HSUS, "Baby season coincides with a rise in temperatures, spring cleaning and yard work. With all of that human activity, many people will stumble across baby wildlife. The critical issue is that  some newborns, depending on the species,  are left alone for certain periods of time and people automatically assume these creatures need human help if the mother is nowhere in sight. However, this is not always the case. Most people have very good intentions, but all too often human intervention can result in orphaned wildlife."

When baby wild animals need human help:

Mississippi Passes Law to Combat Hog-Dog Fighting

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour signed a law outlawing hog-dog fighting, which passed the state legislature with strong bipartisan support on Monday. This lesser-known variant of animal fighting consists of setting trained attack dogs loose on trapped feral pigs to kill them in a timed contest. The pigs are often stripped of their tusks, leaving them defenseless.

Hog-dog fighting had previously been banned in 2006, but the prohibition was set to expire this year. The legislature has continued the ban through 2012.

"We applaud Mississippi lawmakers for rightly continuing the prohibition on  hog-dog fighting, a vicious blood sport that has plenty of animal cruelty, but no socially redeemable value," said John Goodwin, manager of animal fighting issues for The HSUS.

H.B. 947 was sponsored by Rep. Joseph L. Warren, D-Mount Olive.

Under the new law, those guilty of hog-dog fighting face a maximum fine of $1,000 and/or a maximum imprisonment of six months.

Oatmeal Cookie Treats for your pets!

Ingredients:

2 cups rice 2 packages Reg. Flavor oatmeal (mixed w/milk)
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup carrots
1/3 cup spinach
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tbsp brown gravy mix
4 tbsp applesauce
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350degrees Stir Ingredients, but adding flour gradually. Drop on cookie sheet using tsp. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes approx. 20 cookies. Enjoy!

Courtesy of ThePoop.com's Dog Recipe and Pet Treats area. Reproduction of these recipes not allowed without Petville.com's written permission.

Chock Full O Chicken Chow

Ingredients:

1 piece of chicken for every 20 lbs. your dog/puppy is(on the bone for extra flavor)
2 Carrots (or about 10 baby carrots)
2 Potatoes
1 Celery Stick
1-2 Cups Rice
2 Tablespoons of Garlic Powder
1 Cup Water

Directions:

Cook the chicken on the bone completely, with a pan to catch the broth. Chop celery and the carrots (if not using baby size) into about 10 pieces. Then, cut potatoes into small cubes.  Cook vegetables until soft.  Cook the rice as suggested on the package.  Put everything in a pot and stir.  Take the gravy from under the pan you cooked it on, and pour it into the pot also.  Stir well.  Let cool in the refrigerator for about 1-1 1/2 hours. Take the doggie stew out and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes.  Serve. BONE appetite!

Courtesy of ThePoop.com's Dog Recipe and Pet Treats area. Reproduction of these recipes not allowed without Petville.com's written permission.

Kidney disease in dogs and cats

Kidney failure... kidney disease in the dog and cat is a common and difficult disorder to manage. 
Often called CRF... Chronic Renal Failure, it is seen most often in the older dog or cat. Kidney failure has it origins in a wide variety of causes.  For example, some animals are born with poorly constructed or functioning kidneys and never reach totally optimum health.  Eventually, these individuals usually fall into kidney failure at an early age.  Another type of kidney failure can occur after accidental ingestion of antifreeze that contains ethylene glycol. 

These situations cause sudden and often irreversible renal (kidney) failure. Quite commonly, kidney failure results from low grade, long term (chronic) inflammation of kidney tissues called chronic nephritis; the damage caused by this inflammation renders permanent damage to delicate renal tissues that are not able to repair themselves or heal as some other body tissues do.  Eventually, not enough normal functioning tissue remains to support the body's need for metabolic regulation and waste elimination. The dog or cat becomes UREMIC, a condition where body waste material builds up in the blood. These toxins promote vomiting, poor appetite, depression, and eventually death.  Bacterial invasion of the kidneys is a common cause of chronic nephritis and kidney failure.

The kidneys receive about 20 percent of the heart's blood output and play a vital role in keeping the dog or cat in normal metabolic balance. The glomerular blood vessels have a large endothelial surface which allows for the active and passive transport of many chemicals into and out of the kidneys.

A forum for the birds

African Grays, Macaws, Cockatiels - even Poicephalus (a what?) are discussed on this forum we just discovered. This forum boasts to be "the internet's premier avian community online" and claims to have over 13,000 bird lovers who chime in to the discussion. If you're a bird lover, why not check out Birdboard.com

http://www.birdboard.com/forum/