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Congratulations, it’s a boy … 50 years late

November 19th, 2009, 2:29 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

odd_tortoise_it_s_a_boy_ny1

Anyone out there know how to sex a tortoise?

Nope? Me neither … but I’m really good with kittens, so holler.

A tortoise’s zookeepers in Cleveland are the ones feeling slow because after more than 50 years, they’ve discovered “Mary” is actually a male. Officials at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo say it can be tough to establish the sex of a giant Aldabra tortoise because the reproductive organs normally aren’t visible. But Mary’s maleness was unexpectedly revealed earlier this month during a routine exam.

Spokesman Tom O’Konowitz said the zoo has decided to rename the tortoise Terry.

When the 400-pound reptile arrived at the zoo in 1955, it was assumed he was a she because of a flatter shell, shorter tail and all-around smaller size than most males.

The tortoise is estimated to be between 75 and 100 years old.

Photo: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, with reporting from The Associated Press

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Posted in: Animals • Pets • Wildlife • Zoo • tortoise • • | 2 Comments »

Cat plus cop makes for lively traffic stop

November 18th, 2009, 12:04 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor
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Curiosity definitely got the best of this cat.

A Texas police officer had his patience tested Tuesday by a friendly feline. The officer was writing a routine speeding ticket when curiosity appears to overcome the cat, who climbs up the officer’s leg, his vest and eventually onto his head.

We admire the officer’s restraint. And our hats are off to the friendly farmer who clearly loves his cat!

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Posted in: Animals • Cats • Pets • Wacky news • video • • • • • | Post a Comment »

Missing kitten located … in the bathroom sink

November 18th, 2009, 2:00 am by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor
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sams-sig1Ever wonder if pets pass family traits to each other from generation to generation?

Well, I’ve played gracious “hostess” to Mama Kitty’s offspring — two generations worth — and it’s been very educational.

Back in August while I was laying on the sand of Waikiki Beach (true story), my sister sends me a text from my home in Orange.

“Did you take the stopper out of bathroom sink?”

Um, no. I put the phone back in the beach bag and rolled over. Nap time.

“Well, it’s gone. Hmm.”

mama-kittensA couple days later, she texts me again:

“Found 2 sink stoppers in middle of kitchen floor!”

The sink-stopper elves had been busy.

Eventually, we connected the dots. Mama Kitty’s erstwhile (and bored) kittens were removing the stoppers and cavorting about the house with them, likely stashing them under the beds for further play.

Ewwww … Don’t ask me the last time I scrubbed those nasty stoppers.

Fast forward to November and the next batch of kittens. (Trust me, I never wanted more kittens! Low-cost clinic spares Mama more kittens). One kitten remains. He’s finding new ways to entertain himself while the adult animals sleep. Be sure to watch the video.

Every night, around 9 p.m. he makes his way to the guest bathroom. There he plays in the sink. He especially loves the overflow hole … and yes, the stopper.

By the way, if any of our readers out there is interested in this wee one, please e-mail me. I’d love to find him a great home with a cat fan!

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Do cats teach each other tricks?
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Son of White Cloud officially gets a name

November 17th, 2009, 2:36 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

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The baby panda at the San Diego Zoo was finally bestowed a name.panda-cam

Zoo officials announced today the 3-month-old black-and-white ball of fur will be called Yun Zi, which is Chinese for “Son of Cloud.”

The cub was born on Aug. 5 but, following Chinese tradition, it wasn’t named for 100 days. The name was selected from among 6,300 recommendations by the public.

Yun Zi is the fifth cub born to the zoo’s 300-pound mother panda, Bai Yun, whose name means “White Cloud.”

He’s only the 14th panda in the United States, including five in San Diego.

Yun Zi weighed about 4 ounces when he was born but now weighs more than 10 pounds.

Yun Zi’s birth was posted on the zoo blog and a “panda cam” that allowed people to see the cub in a zoo den was so popular that it briefly crashed.

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Posted in: Animals • Exotic • Photo of the Day • Photos • Wildlife • Zoo • panda • • • • | Post a Comment »

Brea girl saves pigs from becoming pork chops

November 17th, 2009, 1:58 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

It’s not every day you get an e-mail that starts out “My granddaughter saved three pigs from slaughter this summer …”

But it’s those kind of e-mails that get us fired up here at Pet Tales.

A simple note from Jim Cox led me to Bethany Cox of Brea. The 13-year-old girl fell in love with three piglets this past summer at Centennial Farm in Costa Mesa. Bethany put her emotions to work and convinced the farmers there to let her buy the pigs and find them a permanent home.

You can read more about Bethany’s journey with Patches, Chomp and Candy:

Girl saves three not-so-little pigs.

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Holy cow! Missy sells for $1.2 million

November 16th, 2009, 12:20 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

Who knew there was such a thing as the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair?

Well, it wrapped up this weekend in Toronto, and in true fair fashion, they saved the best for last.

And no, we don’t mean the Prince of Wales (Charles) and his bride (Camilla), the Duchess of Cornwall. (They were in attendance, too).

A very wealthy guest — Missy the million dollar cow — wowed the crowd with her sleek and oh-so valuable black and white hide.

The 3-year-old dairy cow was sold at auction Thursday for $1.2 million.

You could buy a lot of steak for $1.2 million, eh?

The sale, to two buyers from the U.S. and Denmark, makes Missy only the second cow in Canada to crack the million dollar mark.

Morsan Farms marketing manager Chris Parry says while the buyers have the right to buy Missy’s genetically-superior embryos, she won’t be leaving Canada.

Instead, she’ll remain in Ponoka, Alberta, where she’s been for nearly two years.

Parry says Missy could have as many as 75 children over the course of her life.

“She’s quite a character. She has the personality that she knows people like her,” says Parry. “She likes to show herself off.”

– With reporting from The Canadian Press


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‘Miracle’ dog Oreo euthanized Friday in New York

November 14th, 2009, 11:14 am by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

dogthrownoffroofnysc101All we can say here at Pet Tales is that we hope it was a quick and relatively painless end for Oreo, a pit bull that survived a 6-story fall from a building only to be euthanized for her aggressive behavior.

The plight of this pit bull mix is not uncommon. Abused, injured and troubled, the dog had little chance of a full recovery and a normal life.

Perhaps the efforts of dog lovers and animal advocates now can turn to the thousands of other unwanted dogs and cats waiting for new homes …

From The Associated Press:

A dog that survived being thrown off the roof of a Brooklyn building this summer has been euthanized, despite pleas from animal activists to spare her life.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says the 1-year-old brown-and-white pit bull mix named Oreo was euthanized Friday. The ASPCA said that after working for months to rehabilitate Oreo, it determined she was too dangerous to ever be placed in a home or to live among other dogs. The decision sparked outrage among animal activists.

Authorities say Oreo suffered two broken legs when she was thrown off the roof June 18. Nineteen-year-old Fabian Henderson pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals and is to be sentenced. Neither he nor his attorney could be immediately reached for comment.

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Posted in: Abuse • Animal shelters • Animals • Dogs • Pets • safety • • • • | 4 Comments »

Fact or fiction? Dogs can help you read better

November 13th, 2009, 6:26 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Brightcove video.

Morgan reads with Zoe, a chocolate Labrador, and her owner, Wendy.

Fact!

The pairing of dogs and children is working well for students at The Prentice School in Santa Ana. The school teachers, director and students were kind enough to welcome The Register to witness Friday its R.E.A.D. program in action.

Wendy Kweller, her dog Zoe, and Maryanne Dell and her dog Jitterbug, were there to help the students read and celebrate a milestone Friday.

Reading Education Assistance Dogs turned 10 this week. The program was launched by Intermountain Therapy Animals of Utah. The Prentice School has used the program with its students for a year now.

Read more about our time spent with the students: “This d-o-g makes reading easy for students”

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Posted in: Animals • Dogs • Pets • Therapy dogs • • • • • | Post a Comment »

Poll: Should Oreo the pit bull be spared?

November 13th, 2009, 3:52 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

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Don’t count Oreo out … yet.

Animal welfare activists and pet lovers Friday demanded that the dog that survived being thrown off the sixth-story roof of a Brooklyn building this summer be allowed to live.

The Associated Press reports:

After months of working to rehabilitate the 1-year-old, brown-and-white pit bull mix, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it planned to euthanize Oreo because of her unpredictable aggression.

But that reasoning was rejected by hundreds of people across the country in e-mails, calls and Twitter messages to the ASPCA. At least one pet sanctuary in New York offered to take in the dog.
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Should someone/agency save Oreo the pit bull?
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Posted in: Abuse • Animals • Dogs • Pet chatter • poll • safety • • • • • | 5 Comments »

Dog pulled from brink of death to be euthanized

November 12th, 2009, 6:37 pm by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

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Go home and hug your dog. This story breaks our hearts:

(Reported by Cristian Salazar of The Associated Press)

Oreo was called a miracle dog when she was thrown off the roof of a six-story Brooklyn building this summer and survived.

But nearly four months later, the 1-year-old brown-and-white pit bull mix growled and lunged at people gathered in a playroom to see her, then turned and lunged at a female handler who had pulled back furiously on the 62-pound dog’s heavy leash.

After months of working to rehabilitate Oreo, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it had determined she is too dangerous to ever be placed in a home or even to live among other dogs.

The organization said it plans to euthanize her Friday.

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Posted in: Abuse • Animal shelters • Animals • Dogs • safety • • • | 10 Comments »

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