Fluffy Friday #21 (without the fluff!)

I just had to share this story with you all.  This gorgeous dog has been on my mind all week, I would give anything to be able to adopt him (and I haven't quite given up on the idea).  This little Staffie was found abandoned and thankfully rescued by the RSPCA, he has a severe skin condition that has caused him to lose all his fur.  Read his story here.

Sad Animal News

A disturbing article in todays Daily Mail, are some of our dog breeds on the verge of extinction?

Why is everyone picking on Grey Squirrels?

If you have read the newspapers recently you will have come across this story about a man who was fined £1,500 under the Animal Cruelty Act for drowning a Grey Squirrel. I found it difficult to read the story and see the picture of the perpetrator proudly standing next to the water butt he used to drown the squirrel (apparently he thought it was the kindest way). So, why did he kill the squirrel? Apparently the cheeky fellow had the audacity to raid his bird feeder (is it just me or is there something kind of ironic about being kind enough to put food out for birds and then murdering a squirrel who helped himself?)

The stories circulating the press have resulted in comments such as "£1,500 for drowning a Squirrel? You wait. It'll be slugs next. Then flies" (James Delingpol, The Telegraph - who also calls the RSPCA "gloating animal rights freaks") and "Why I hate Squirrels" (Quentin Letts, The Daily Mail - apparently one bit his daughters thumb and drew blood) The newspapers seem to be outraged and are condemning the RSPCA for being too harsh on the poor man who drowned the squirrel who stole his nuts.

What worries me is the influence the press has on it's readers, for example, the story about the fox allegedly breaking in to a house and savaging two young children was splashed across the papers for days on end causing widespread hysteria. Nobody has conclusive proof that it was a fox that did this, yet a fox seen nearby was destroyed. What is the general public going to think now? Foxes and squirrels are pests and must be killed on sight?

I have had a look at the reasons people think Grey Squirrels are to be "pests" and here is what I came up with:

* They are not native to Britain but were introduced from America and have now become widespread (surely the squirrel isn't to blame for this?)
* Some people see them as nothing more than tree rats (I think they are very cute)
* They cause damage to young trees (I couldn't find out how they managed to do this)
* They raid bird tables and dig holes to hide food they have stolen (perhaps people should put a notice by bird tables telling the squirrel, rats and any other animals that the food is for BIRDS ONLY!)
* They climb or leap across from trees on to the roofs of houses and tear up insulation for their nests and chew timber and strip insulation off electric cables (I've never heard of this happening to anyone before)
* They apparently steal bird eggs as well, but if you think about it quite a few animals do this and escape being labelled a pest. Some birds even throw out another birds eggs, lay their own in place and trick the other bird into caring for their eggs!

People used to blame Grey Squirrels for the decline in the Red Squirrel population but the furore around this died down as both species lived together in harmony for around 20 years before the Reds started to die out. It seems that the Greys are simply stronger and able to adapt more which has given them the upper hand. Reds are still around and seem to fare better in the conifer woods of Scotland. Unfortunately the newspapers are once again alleging that Grey Squirrels are once again to blame for this, which is completely inaccurate.

If you see a squirrel please don't view it as a pest, watch it twitch its nose and scuttle up a nearby tree. Watch how it delicately holds a nut in its hands and nibble it whilst nervously looking around for nearby threats. Surely it has as much right to go about its daily life as any other wild animal? If one should help itself to your bird food against your will, knock on the window to scare it off - don't drown it.

More about squirrels.

If you agree or disagree please let me know, I would love to hear your opinions.

Animals in the News.

I noticed in yesterdays online edition of The Daily Mail there were a few animal related articles well worth sharing so thought I would post them for you. (Most images are taken from the newspaper article.)

Hedgehog Awareness Week

This article points out that it is in fact Hedgehog Awareness Week until 8^th May. This little lady (above) unfortunately has a broken leg but was thankfully discovered in someone’s garden and taken to St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire for treatment and is doing very well.

Did you know our pets can be right or left handed? Even fish!

This is something I’ve not ever considered but apparently animals can be left or right handed. Interestingly, male cats are left handed whilst females (as demonstrated by Dusty, above) are right handed.

Beautiful Wildlife Images taken from the new book entitled Wild Wonders of Europe

For anyone interested in photography there is an interesting look into a new book which has painstakingly explored all the 48 countries of Europe, the variety of wildlife is spectacular. I have saved some of the pictures to my picture slide show screen saver.

An e-mail that will make you say “Ahhhh”

I often receive some interesting animal related e-mails and I just had to share this one with you. It is a story about a dachshund mother who has fostered a little piglet, it really is adorable. I can’t upload all the pictures unfortunately but if anyone would like a copy of the e-mail please leave a comment and I will forward it to you.

In Animal News this week...

Dancing polar bears?

A collection of 40 pictures selected as the greatest nature photographs of all time were put on sale in New York for yesterday’s Earth Day. Pictures include dancing polar bears, giant tortoises, and several under water images. Money raised from the auction will be donated to four conservation organisations.

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Brave Robin Red Breast

On Wednesday evening I unfortunately discovered a little robin lying dead in the grass. It looked like he had died of shock as there wasn’t a mark on him, poor thing. My first thought was to blame Rusty but there was a cheeky black cat hanging around so my suspicion has fallen on him. I happened upon a story in the newspaper about a bold little robin who has forged a close bond with a little girl and thought it was a nice story to share with you. It seems that the robin waits for the little girl named Lauren to come home from school each day and likes to take food from her hand. It is lovely to hear about this little girl loving animals and it certainly sounds like the feeling is mutual!

Source

Forget The Dog Whisperer, new Rabbit Whisperer on the Block!

A lot of people were amazed at the story about the “Rabbit Whisperer” who appears to hypnotise rabbits, putting them in a trance or relaxed state to enable them to receive veterinary treatment or to calm rabbits with behavioural problems. There is some debate over whether this experience is stressful for rabbits and one suggestion is that the rabbit relaxes their muscles but remains highly alert and in a stressed state.

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Planes for Pets?

One of my favourite stories this week… A new airline is set to launch in May but not your regular airline, it is the USA’s Pet Airway which will be flying pets from LA to the East Coast. Also on board the flight will be Pet Attendants who are the equivalent of air hostesses! Only pets are allowed to use this service but owners are able to monitor how their pets are doing. Sadly, in Britain, flights into the UK are forbidden from carrying pets in the main cabins (except guide dogs). However, in Spain it is possible for pets weighing no more than 17lbs to travel in a crate at the feet of their owners.

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