By MATTHEW D. LaPLANTE
The Salt Lake Tribune

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — She was born 27 years ago in the wilds of Africa.

By the time she was a year old, she had been ripped from her family.

Penned, chained and shipped to a noisy new world, her California keepers allowed her to roam only a few paces this way and a few paces that.

She was bullied and dominated. She lost a baby. She was poked, prodded, cut and left in pain.

Misha the elephant died Sept. 9 on the concrete floor of a cinderblock building in a lot behind her most recent home at Utah's Hogle Zoo, some 10,000 miles from where she was born.

No one is certain yet what caused her death, at what could be described as middle age for an elephant. But one of Misha's former trainers has a strong suspicion: "She lost her will."

Out of Africa. It was the early 1980s in South Africa. Apartheid was law. Nelson Mandela was in prison. And the nation's population of elephants, which had fallen to less than 200 earlier in the century, had steadily climbed to more than 8,000, pushing...

Now available in elementary schools everywhere
New two-week curriculum puts the compassion of kids to work,
by helping them help the handicapped pets of America

LOS ANGELES, CA — Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” While far from Gandhi’s India, Kathy Barton, a 4th grade school teacher in Velma, Oklahoma has being doing her part to spread these kind teachings. What started in 2004 as a way of teaching her young students compassion is now available as a two-week curriculum for elementary schools across the country to share, How Do You Teach Compassion? You Show It; Working With Handicapped Pets: A Manual for Teachers and Youth Leaders.
Designed from the successful program Barton has used in her own classroom for the last five years and developed in conjunction with handicappedpets.com, this curriculum is about compassion; it’s about learning to care in a world that doesn’t always stress the importance of reaching out to those less...

COLLEGE STATION, Sept. 18, 2008 – It’s probably happened to you: You’re walking down the sidewalk, you hear a faint chirping sound, and you look down to see a plump baby bird staring up at you and you think that a cute new pet has fallen right into your lap.
But wildlife experts have three words of advice: leave it alone.
“Take pictures, enjoy them, admire them, but don’t mess with them,” says Teresa Shisk-Saling, a veterinary technician at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. “The absolute worst thing you can do is pick it up, take it home and try to make it a pet.”
Touching a bird is a bad idea for several reasons. Parasites, salmonella and other bacterial diseases can all be picked up from wildlife, and although birds are not typically known for biting, they can do some damage with their beaks.
In addition, a well-intentioned animal lover may only do more harm than good by moving the bird. The most common reason a young bird ventures out of the nest is because it is...

Feline punishment is the application of a stimulus that decreases the chance that a behavior will be repeated. It must coincide with the undesirable behavior, and must be unpleasant enough to deter the cat from repeating that behavior. Keep in mind that you are punishing the behavior, not the cat. Punishment should never be considered unless the pet has the means to satisfy its nature and its needs. For example, the scratching cat should be provided with an appropriate scratching post, before any attempt to punish undesirable scratching is initiated.
One of the most frequently utilized and least successful forms of punishment is where the owner uses a direct swat or hit. Hitting a cat can lead to hand-shyness, fear of the owner and potential injury for both the owner and the cat. The cat will continue to perform the undesirable behavior in your absence since it learns that it can perform the behavior without punishment when you are out of sight. Physical punishment is, therefore, ineffective, potentially dangerous...

NAMPA — Anyone seeking a new or a lost pet should call the Pet Haven Shelter at 466-1298 for information, or visit the shelter at 333 Orchard Ave.
Pet Haven’s shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday noon to 4 p.m. and closed Sunday and most holidays.
It costs $50 to adopt a cat. These charges include spaying or neutering the pet, deworming it, vaccination and a leukemia test.
Remember the low-cost spay and neuter clinic at the shelter. Call for times and dates.
All cats ready for adoption are spayed or neutered.
Find out more online at www.pethavenonline.org.
The Thrift Store at 619 Main St., Caldwell, helps fund the operating expenses of Pet Haven. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. A book sale begins today and runs through Saturday. Books are $2 per bag. For more information call 455-1303.

CALDWELL — The Canyon County Animal Shelter is at 5801 Graye Lane, behind the Larry Miller Auto Mall. For information about lost pets or adopting a companion animal, call 455-5920.
All dogs...

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press Writer

LONDON (AP) _ A BBC documentary claiming that decades of inbreeding has led to serious health problems in some pedigree dogs prompted a riposte Wednesday from the organizer of Britain's biggest dog show, which complained to television regulators.

The program "Pedigree Dogs Exposed" claimed a breeding process that focused on beauty rather than health had resulted in high levels of deformity and genetic illnesses. The show prompted two major animal charities to withdraw their support for the Crufts dog show.

The Kennel Club, which runs Crufts, insisted animal welfare was its top concern, and said it might cut ties with the BBC over what it called the network's unfair reporting.

Kennel Club spokeswoman Caroline Kisko said the program "was highly biased against us."

"The program did not give The Kennel Club's work anything like the profile it gave to the counter view," she said. "It maintained that pedigree dogs are riddled with ill health, which is clearly untrue."

The BBC show,...

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) _ Sturgis officials have given preliminary approval to an ordinance that would regulate the owners of pit bulls.
Several people lined up to testify in favor and against the measure.

If enacted by city officials, the ordinance will force pit bull owners to carry liability insurance. They also will have to register their dogs and keep them restrained at all times.

Sturgis Animal Control Officer Curt Nulle says there has been an increase in local pit bull attacks and complaints about them.

Melissa Foxworth of the Humane Society of the Black Hills says other dogs also can be aggressive, adding that owners should be held responsible — no matter what the breed.

By CYNTHIA HUBERT

Sacramento Bee
On many an afternoon in Citrus Heights, Calif., Muffin Wichert lounges on the patio at a restaurant, resplendent in one of her favorite outfits. Weekends find her wandering the aisles of Capital Nursery, trotting through the neighborhood Lowe's or visiting the video store.
"If it wasn't illegal, I'd take her everywhere," Sally Wichert says. After all, she says, Muffin the Maltese is a model of good behavior.
The same cannot be said of every beloved dog or, for that matter, their human companions.
When people and their pets leave the house, certain rules of etiquette apply.
Or "petiquette," if you prefer.
"Your dog's behavior affects everyone around you," says Charlotte Reed, who has been called the Emily Post of the pet set. Reed, who trains and shows dogs, has written the bible of canine etiquette, "Miss Fido Manners" (Adams Media, 224 pages).
As the owner of a pet-care business in New York City, Reed grew tired of hearing about disastrous interactions between dogs and people.
"What...

COLLEGE STATION, Sept. 11, 2008 – If Rover seems anxious and wakes up panting at night, it may be more than just a bad dream.
He may be suffering with Cushing’s disease, and although it can cause significant health problems, it can be managed with proper veterinary care.
“Cushing’s disease (also known as hyperadrenocorticism) primarily occurs in small breed dogs that are middle aged and older,” says Dr. Deb Zoran, a veterinarian at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University.
“In 90 to 95 percent of cases, it is caused by a tiny tumor, called a microadenoma, that forms in the pituitary gland in the brain. The tumor secretes increased hormones that signal the adrenal glands to produce excessive amounts of a hormone called cortisol.”
In addition to panting and anxiety, symptoms may include pacing, increased thirst and urination, increased appetite, a pot-bellied appearance due to an enlarged liver, muscle weakness, hair loss, pigmentation of the skin and the appearance of thinning...

Our mini-Australian Shepherd is hyper, to say the least. When we leave him outside, he digs at the edges of our lawn all day long. He's actually doing quite a bit of damage despite only weighing 8 lbs.! I don't want to put him in a kennel all day and scolding him when we get home doesn't seem to help. I really don't want to make him afraid of me. Any suggestions?

My landlord recently stopped by to kill weeds using round-up all over the house? I know that stuff can be poisen to animals. I've kept my cat in for 3 days and I think he's going krazy......When he goes outside he eats grass so Ive been kinda worried. Do you know how long I should keep him in the house? Any ideas???

For all of you dog lovers out there, I found a great site that has about every topic imaginable for your friendly canine. It also has online shopping available with everything from leashes and collars to dog houses and outdoor kennels. Some of the cool things that I have enjoyed are:
* Dog Encyclopedia
* Dog Nutrition
* Dog Obedience & Training Manual
* Caring for Old Dogs
* Dog Health Guide
* Dog Food Recipes

I urge all of you to check it out. It's a pretty cool site.

http://www.seefido.com/

I have a dog about a year old and she loves to swallow things whole yep she does not even chew them... :)
My vet told me to start giving her frozen veggies to chew on to distract her but she eats those in 5 seconds we call her the vacuum at home she can eat anything in less than a min.
Any ideas?

This is just a guideline(given to me by my vet):

6-8 Weeks:
Physical
Distemper / Hepatitus / Parainfluenza
ParvoVirus / Corona Virus I
Fecal (worm check)
Deworm
Heartworm Prevention / Flea control

9-11 Weeks
Wellness Exam
Distemper / Hepatitus / Parainfluenza
Parvo Virus II / Corona Virus Booster
Fecal (worm check)
Second Deworm

12-14 Weeks:
Wellness Exam
Distemper / Hepatitus / Parainfluenza
Parvo / Corona
Lyme I
Fecal (worm check)

16 Weeks:
Rabies
Rabies Tag
Distemper / Hepatitus / Parainfluenza
Bodetella (Kennel Cough)
Worm Check
Lyme Booster
Heartworm prevention / Adult flea control

4-6 Months:
Spay females

4-8 Months:
Neuter males

A yearly booster of Rabies, Parvo, and Distemper / Hepatitus / Parainfluenza / Leptospirosis / Corona, and Bordetella should be given. Worm check should be performed at least once yearly. A blood examination for heartworms should be done annually. Lyme vaccine is recommended for sporting dog

And please remember to spay and neuter you pets!!!

Help support Nampa's future Dog Park and bring your dog to the Pooch Pool Party at Nampa's Lakeview Water Park on 8/23. Join us for this unique opportunity that allows you to bring your dog swimming at Lakeview Water Park. The event is an off leash open water swim for all dogs.
Rules: dogs must enter and exit on a leash, the event prohibits dogs under 4 months old, aggressive dogs, and female dogs in heat. Vaccinations that include rabies and bordetella (kennel cough) are required. Please leave collar on dog while swimming. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Handler is limited to 2 dogs. People will not be allowed in the water (dogs only).
Event is 8/23 - 10am - 4pm.
Call the Nampa Parks and Rec Desk at 468-5858 for more information.

Wow! I cannot believe the stuff they have for pets now. I was recently at the Boise Farmers Market and saw a little Yorkie with sunglasses! How adorable... come to find out they are pretty popular and called Doggles. There are 2 really great specialty stores in the Treasure Valley where you can spoil your furry little friends. One is on 8th in Downtown Boise called World of Charleys. They carry clothing, collars, leads and more from designer lines such as Kate Spade and Juicy Couture! Northwest Pets in Eagle also has an array of accessories for your babys but they also carry a great selection of food & treats, not to mention the gourmet stuff!
For all of you animal lovers and haven't visited these stores, I suggest you take a little trip and spoil your pets!

http://www.worldofcharley.com
http://www.northwestpets.com

Before mom passed away, we discussed how her death would affect her little girl(her maltese poodle). She would never leave mom's side and was either on her lap, cuddled in bed with her, or at her feet as she moved about the house. As feared, she is not the same. I've taken her to my home to spend the night with my dog (her best bud), but she constantly roams the house whimpering and finally gives up and sits by our front door. It absolutely breaks my heart to see how sad she is. Does anyone have suggestions as to what I can do to help with mom's grieving dog.

I have a 120lb. dog that has some hip problems. Sometimes he gets so bad that he can't walk very well for a few days. We were told by the vet that we could give him Baby Bayer but that upsets his stomach and then he won't eat.
Does anyone know of any other remedies that may help ease his pain? Any help would be greatly appreciated!