Simon Tofield, who created the “Simon’s Cat” series, has finally released a new cartoon, “Fly Guy.” I think I actually watched my cat do this yesterday, only she was chasing a piece of fuzz that she pretended was a fly.
Watch all of the Simon’s Cat series on their YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat?blend=1&ob=4
This is one of the cutest things I’ve seen in a long time. If they showed this to everyone I’m pretty sure there would be world peace.
[Thanks to Lauren!]
After seeing how many pets are killed, injured, lost, or traumatized after flying in the cargo hold of commercial airlines each year, Alysa Binder and her husband Dan Wiesel decided to do something about it. They had just transported their dog, Zoe, in cargo for a cross-country move, and they saw how upset and disoriented she was when they landed. They realized they were lucky she was only upset and not hurt, but didn’t want to have to put her through that experience again, or see other pet owners have to put their pets in cargo. Some pets get overheated due to the lack of airflow in the cargo area, others suffer from lack of oxygen, and some try to escape from their crates which results in injury or death.
So they formed PetAirways, an airline only for pets (who will be called “pawsengers”), which will begin service on July 14th. For now, the airline only services Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Denver, and Washington D.C., but they hope to spread to 25 cities within the next couple years.
The PetAirways plane was made from a 19-passenger turbo prop with the seats and luggage bins removed. They were replaced with 50 pet carriers which are secured by individual straps. Each pet will have their own carrier and attendants stay with the animals from the moment you drop them off until you pick them up in the destination city. People can’t fly on PetAirways, but if your flight is on a different schedule, PetAirways makes sure to have someone taking care of your pet until you are able to retrieve it.
Attendants also feed the pets before take-off and after landing, and make sure that they are comfortable. For longer flights, the plane makes a pit stop so all animals are able to move around and use the restroom if needed. There is also a trained veterinarian available at all times to look after the animals. There is a pet lounge available for the animals to play in before and after flights.
Flights for pets isn’t cheap — they are offering special prices for now, but they are expecting flights to cost about $250 one way. Still, $250 is a small amount to secure your pet’s safety and comfort. I know I would never be able to put my pet in cargo, and for moves across the country it’s hard to transport a pet any other way. PetAirways is one of the best ideas I’ve heard about in a long time, and I hope it turns out to be successful.
PetAirways also works in collaboration with Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. They will donate flights for pet adoptions and rescue so that more pets can be transported safely to their new homes.
Reality TV has reached a new low. I thought it would be hard to beat shows like Tila Tequila’s “Shot at Love,” where people were degraded and embarrassed on each episode in new ways. But HGTV has taken over the top spot with their new show “Leader of the Pack.”
The Reckseit family has decided to get a dog. So instead of going to the local shelter to adopt an animal in need of some love, they turn it into a game. They have eight dogs delivered to their house, and the dogs have to compete in challenges to test their skills and try to win over the family’s love. Each of the five members of the family places a vote each week for the dog they want to see leave the house, and the dog with the most votes is cast out.
I have more problems with this premise than I could list. Animals should never have to compete for love, and voting off a dog every week is just the saddest storyline I’ve ever heard. At least on reality shows voting off people, the humans know what they’re signing up for. The dogs just want a home with a loving family. They didn’t ask for this.
Each dog that is voted off will be adopted by another family, so they won’t be homeless, but I still think it’s incredibly sad. Although it’s actually sadder for the dog that has to stay with the Reckseit family. These people look like a bunch of crazies. The whole family seems to have an annoyance disorder of varying degrees of severity.
Another thing that seriously bothered me after watching the preview was when it was dinner time for the eight dogs. First of all, they’re feeding them all the same food. Dogs need different food depending on their age, size, and breed. Also, they say “uh oh, we ran out of food!” and the dogs are all running around like crazy trying to get enough to eat. Don’t play games with animal care. That is not funny or entertaining.
I hope they at least got their “cast” of dogs from shelters, but judging from the breeds they have and the young age of the dogs, I doubt it.
This show infuriates me. Where’s PETA when you actually need them?
Click here to watch clips from the show: “Leader of the Pack” Video
Click here to meet the dogs: “Leader of the Pack” Cast
The Hancock Wildlife Foundation in Canada has set up a live webcam to watch a nest where a pair of bald eagles have created a family. The live cam allows you to watch the babies grow, chirp for food, and be cared for by their parents. It’s a rare glimpse into the life of an animal we hardly ever get to observe in its natural habitat.
I never thought I could be so fascinated just watching baby eagles all day, but I think I’m becoming attached to the little family.
The Hancock Wildlife Foundation has set up these live cams in the hope of educating people about animals they may not normally have a chance to understand. It gives everyone a chance to experience the life and habitat of amazing creatures without disturbing them. Hopefully this will bring more understanding and support to the preservation of wildlife and their environments. The Foundation’s mission is “to promote the conservation of wildlife and its habitats through science, education, and stewardship.”
You can watch the live camera feed at the top of this article or by going to the website here: Hancock Wildlife Eagles
Also check out some of the other webcams available from Hancock Wildlife here: Hancock Wildlife
If it’s feeding time at the zoo, the smartest thing to do would probably be to jump into the polar bear’s enclosure and swim around like a fresh snack. At least that’s what the polar bears want you to think. Apparently they mesmerized some tasty morsel with their cute teddy bear eyes and got her to do just that. A 32 year old woman who was visiting the Berlin Zoo with her husband and child could see that the bears were hungry for human, so she took off her shoes and hopped on in. Apparently she didn’t like the feeling of giant polar bear teeth gnawing into her leg, because once they got a taste, she started screaming for help. What a tease.
Click here to read the full article: UK DailyMail
Click Read More to see photos from the snack time incident.
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Shark Rays are an extremely rare species which live mostly in the waters near Asia. They are currently on the Red List of Threatened Species because of how few actually exist. They are also considered a delicacy and eaten in some parts of Asia. They are being hunted and killed at a higher rate than they are being born, which is always a cause for alarm with rare species.
The Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky has worked for animal and environmental conservation since it’s opening in 1999. They acquired the only Shark Ray in this part of the world when they took in Sweet Pea. Soon after Sweet Pea they got Scooter, which made them the only male/female Shark Ray pair in the Northern Hemisphere. By working closely with conservationists and Shark Ray specialists, Newport began the world’s first Shark Ray breeding program, a key in keeping these rare creatures in existence.
Now Newport Aquarium has announced the arrival of their newest addition to the Shark Ray family — Sunshine, a baby Shark Ray, who will be able to help them understand the needs of a growing Shark Ray so they will be prepared if Sweet Pea and Scooter have one of their own.
Click Read More to see videos of the Shark Rays, including one of Sunshine being introduced to her new home at the Newport Aquarium.
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I love cute things. Cute baby animals especially. ZooBorns is my new favorite website for this reason. Not only do they have pictures of cute and exotic animal babies from zoos and aquariums across the globe, but they also give information about the animals and keep you updated on their stories.
ZooBorns also has the animals in categories, so if you love otters, click on the “otters” link and it will show you all the otter stories. You can also sort by zoo or aquarium, so you can see the stories about the animals at your local zoo or your favorite zoo across the world. It’s a fun site that is also educational and helps to promote the well-being of animals. Click here to check it out: ZooBorns
Since I’m from Cincinnati, I looked up the Cincinnati Zoo stories, and there was a great one about a baby cheetah and a Anatolian shepherd puppy becoming friends. Tommy T the cheetah and Pow Wow the puppy were introduced when they were babies and have become good friends. The site has some adorable pictures and this great video of their first meeting:
Ziggy is a Pekingese who “loves” to paint. At least his delusional owner says he loves to paint. She picks the colors, then he swipes the paintbrush on the canvas and creates “abstract art.” From watching some of Crazy Dog Mom’s YouTube videos, it looks like Ziggy wishes he was dead at times…which makes him much like any other artist really. You have to be a little angsty and emotional to make great art, right? Sometimes he paints away like it’s the greatest job on earth, then in other videos he falls over and pretends to be dead to get out of work.
Ziggy seems to be getting a little sick of stardom…he is busy these days, being featured on news programs around the world and also hosting his own “talk” show. “The Ziggy Show” airs on BlogTV.com Sundays and Wednesdays at 9pm EST.
The funniest part to me are the names that Crazy Dog Mom comes up with for Ziggy’s paintings. The one above is called “Summer Palace,” for example. I’m sure that Ziggy was envisioning a summer palace when he painted that. They should probably all be titled “Dog Food,” because I’m sure that’s what most of his inspiration comes from.
Click Read More to see some videos of Ziggy painting.
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Guido Daniele is an Italian artist of many mediums, his most recent being painted hands. The realism he creates on such an odd canvas is amazing, and they each take hours to create. His idea has sparked international interest, with pictures of the painted hands being sent through E-mail chains and posted on blogs from around the world. Daniele has also worked on complete body painting events along with his work as an illustrator, photographer, and advertising campaigns.
All of his work embodies his unique style and is worth checking out. Click here to visit his website and see his collection of work across the multiple art disciplines: Guido Daniele
Click Read More to see a few more of my favorite examples of the painted hands.
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