I have done a fair amount of hiking in rattlesnake areas including my recent hike in the Cleveland National Forest. However, the video of a rattler swimming toward a family in a boat is still unnerving and surprising. Wayne Robbins films the aquatic snake in Fontana Lake, North Carolina. Continue reading “Swimming Rattlesnake Terrifies Family In Boat In North Carolina”
Category: Animals
There is a difference between resistance and ridiculousness. That line was crossed, again, by Trump critics in Washington after a D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC 4C) announced a petition to pull the Trump International Hotel’s liquor license. The grounds? D.C. law only allows individuals of “good character” qualify for a liquor license. The petition pushed by Zach Teutsch, ANC Commissioner 4C is an example of how leaders are misrepresenting frivolous, meaningless efforts as valid legal arguments. Continue reading “No White Russians To Be Served At Trump Hotel? D.C. Advisory Group Petitions To Pull Trump Liquor License”
Police say that Ryan Felton Sauter, 39, was engaged in “rattlesnake revenge” when he took a rattlesnake, bit off its rattle, and then threw it into the RV of his neighbor Keith Monroe with whom he had had an argument. The now silent (and irate) snake did not bite his rival but it did land Sauter in jail with some interesting charges. Continue reading “Man Bites Snake: Texas Man Allegedly Bites Off Rattle and Throws Snake Into Neighbor’s RV”
We have previously followed the controversy over the shooting of “Cecil the Lion” by an American dentist Walter Palmer from Minnesota as well as subsequent controversies of a Idaho hunter taunting animal advocates and killing giant elephants for trophies. A new such controversy ha erupted over social media postings by Tess Thompson Talley posting with herself literally wrapped in the dead body of a black giraffe. The Kentucky woman gleefully posed with the huge dead animal from South Africa. Continue reading “Wrapped In Glory Or Gory? Kentucky Hunter Reignites Debate Over Trophy Hunting”
The Vegan conspiracy is complete. There is now a tick aptly named the “Lone Star tick” that is leaving people with a red meat allergy. This was news to me despite my following the tick population closely as an avid hiker.
Continue reading “Vegan Ticks: “Lone Star Tick” Leaves People Allergic To Red Meat”
We have previously discussed how the sentencing for animal abuse in some states remains artificially low – destroying any real deterrence impact of criminal laws. That seems to be the case in Louisiana where Steven Sadler and Boots Stanley were sentenced for slitting the throat of a dog and posting the disgusting video of the action on social media. That would seem to easily warrant jail but Judge Carl Sharp gave them both probation. Continue reading “Two Men Shown In Video Laughing And Slitting The Throat of a Dog Are Given No Jail Time By Louisiana Judge”
There is a tragic case out of Panama City Beach, Florida where two dogs died in the case of Jason Matthew Reece, 39. Reece however did not return to his van because police arrested him for disorderly conduct. While Reece still allegedly left the dogs in the van to go drinking, it would raise an interesting defense that the police contributed to the tragedy by taking him directly to jail. It is not clear whether he informed the police of the animals.
There is an interesting (and rather disgusting) case out of Idaho where science teacher Robert Crosland is facing six months in jail after a national controversy over his feeding of a live puppy to a snapping turtle in front of students in his class at Preston Junior School. The exercise would ultimately lead to the death of both the puppy and the turtle in addition to the criminal prosecution of Crosland.
We have followed the continuing difficulties on airlines where the increasing number of therapy dogs has caused rising complaints from passengers and staff alike, including the recent bizarre case on Frontier Airlines. Universities are facing the same pressures as more students demand the right under federal law to bring their therapy pets to campus and their dormitories. At Yale, the number of such animals have increased from just one last year to 14 animals this year. This the increase has come complaints of constant barking and other inconveniences. Continue reading “Going To The Dogs? Therapy Animals Rise 1400 Percent In One Year At Yale”
Eleven people in Oregon have been charged in what have been described as “kind of demented social club” that would kill and even decapitate animals in thrill kills that became a massacre. The poachers killed bears, deer, and other animals in a disgusting competition of who could rack up the greatest number of kills. Despite the carnage, they only face misdemeanors, albeit over 100 such charges. Police have already confirmed seven bobcats, four cougars, five bear, 35 deer and one silver gray squirrel among the trophy kills.
Tragic mauling deaths are unfortunately not uncommon. However, Tracy Garcia, 52, was initially listed as the victim of a pack of pit bulls in Ardmore, Oklahoma. It turned out that it was actually a pack of dachshunds, or wiener dogs. Police are now considering charges against their owner.
Continue reading “Oklahoma Woman Mauled To Death By Pack Of Dachshunds”
Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers, Inc. is being sued for allegedly selling 3-month-old Labrador Retriever puppies for highly trained services at $18,000 to $27,000 per pup. Virginia’s Attorney General Mark R. Herring says that the puppies are “little more than incredibly expensive pets.” Fittingly, the company has attorney John B. Russell, Jr. to defend it. It is not clear if being a Jack Russell gave him an edge in taking the case.
Rocco Mantella, 34, is accused for being a menace to swans after being allegedly seen in public parks practicing his karate on the birds. He has been banned from two Florida parks and charged with cruelty to animals for what witnesses say is a pattern of kicking swans as well as a sleeping duck. Continue reading “Fowl Crime: Florida Man Accused Of Using Karate On Swans In Public Park”
We previously discussed the shameful loss of the famed Denali wolf pack to hunting and development. Now North Carolina is on the brink of losing the last of its wild population of endangered red wolves. These beautiful and iconic animals have been reduced to just a few dozen due to the failure of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials (and state officials) to take necessary action to protect them.
Alicia Murphy, 60, is under arrest for allegedly stealing the 1969 Preakness Stakes trophy. The trophy belonged to the wealthy owner of Majestic Prince and was stolen from a storage facility in Delray Beach, Florida. It is a curious item to steal since it would be immediately recognizable in any attempt to pawn or fence. It was among hundreds of items stolen from the facility. Police stated that the trophy was immediately recognized and reported by an auction house.