BEIRUT: Peering out at the world from behind rusted iron bars, the thirst for liquid is quenched with dirty water but the thirst for freedom remains forever unsated.

A zoo in Lebanon is a prison, claims Mona Khoury, co-founder of Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA) and a lover of animals since she was a little girl. All the animals are depressed.

Animal protection agencies have set international standards for the treatment and living conditions of animals in zoological gardens. But animal rights groups and veterinarians maintain that these standards are not adhered to in Lebanese zoos.

According to the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), Detailed provisions on minimum requirements … regarding furnishing, care of animals, operation [and] education of the person employed in keeping animals, shall be determined by … competent authority taking into account … scientific findings and the needs of the animal species kept.

Dr. Gaby Hilan, one of the few Lebanese veterinarians with experience treating wild animals, told The Daily Star about the needs of wild animals kept in zoos. According to Hilan, zoos require live-in veterinarians called zookeepers, who build relationships of trust with the animals. The zookeepers know the individual personality of an animal and the intricacies of dealing with it better than vets, points out Hilan. However, the scarcity of such specialists in Lebanon has led Lebanese zoos to adopt a different approach when hiring employees.

In Lebanon, they hire [unskilled] foreign laborers for low wages to take care of the animals, explains Hilan, adding that the workers lack the proper education to deal with wild animals. The result is often neglect, mistreatment and abuse of the animals.

Savannah-Chatham police animal control officers were called to Stars and Stripes Self Storage at 5503 Montgomery St. after the manager found dead animals in one of the storage units Thursday afternoon.

Police spokeswoman Gena Sullivan said the unit had been rented in January by a woman named Stephanie Bennett. No payments had been made in 90 days, she said, giving the manager permission to enter the unit to inventory and auction off the contents.

In the process of doing so, he found four dead cats and one dead dog — all in crates — inside the 10-foot-by-20-foot unit.

The state of the animals’ decomposition led the officers who removed their corpses from the unit to believe they had been dead for months.

In addition to the five animals, there were also household items in the unit.

Bennett, formerly of Waters Avenue, has not made payment on the unit since January, and police believe she has left Georgia and could be living in South Carolina.

The investigation by animal control officers is just beginning, and Sullivan said Bennett could face multiple charges.

Dash Coleman

PLACERVILLE, CA – Hitting a deer, or any other wild animalat high speed can be a very dangerous prospect.

It can be disastrous for humans and animals, Contractor Doug Veerkamp said.

Veerkamps company, Doug Veerkamp General Engineering, Inc, is completing work ahead of schedule on a tunnel under Highway 50, near the El Dorado Road exit, that officials hope wildlife will begin using to get to the other side of the highway.

An eight foot tall fence will help funnel the animals to the tunnel entrance.

From Red Hawk Casino up through Missouri Flat Road, a lot of deer are killed along here, Veerkamp said.

And the problem isnt just deer.

It could be a deer; it could be a bear; it could be a mountain lion;it could be a raccoon, CalTrans employee Deanna Shoopman said.

For CalTrans, the issue is traffic safety.Theyve already had success with similar tunnels on Highway 89 and onInterstate 80, near the Donner Rest Area.

We want to be proactive in preventing collisions,Shoopman said.

This tunnel is the first to be built under Highway 50 and,at 203 feet in length and 12 feet high by 12 feet wide, is also the largestin the area.The size of the tunnel caused nearby resident Vernon Thiessen to joke that a giraffe could fit through it.

However, Thiessenis skeptical about the $1.6 million pricetag in the current economic climate.

I cant say its a bad idea, Thiessen said, Its just a wasteful idea at this time when the state is so far in debt that we cant get out and we just keep spending money.

But the money was in the CalTrans budget in order improve traffic safety. The project comes at a good time for the company that won the bid.

Its a shot in the arm for the local employees, said Veerkamp. You know, were local contractors, born and raised in the area, been in business 29 years and we need more local work.

Veerkamps workers have been tackling the job only on weekends to keep traffic disruptions on Highway 50 to a minimum.They are ahead of schedule and expected to finish the job by late June.

Another wildlife crossing at another sectionof Highway 50 is in the planning stages.

By Jonathan Mumm, jmumm@news10.net

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums Hosts Annual Advocacy Day and Reception

Silver Spring, MD (PRWEB) May 09, 2012

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) today hosts its Annual Capitol Hill Advocacy Day and Reception. Leaders from the zoo and aquarium profession will educate Members of Congress about the importance of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums to their communities.

“AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums support tourism and local businesses,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. “In addition to being leaders in conservation and education, zoos and aquariums are an economic engine in the communities they serve.”

AZA accredits 224 zoos and aquariums in the United States and overseas. These institutions collectively generate more than $16 billion in annual economic activity and support more than 142,000 US jobs.

In the last 10 years, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums formally trained more than 400,000 teachers, supporting science curricula with effective teaching materials and hands-on opportunities. 12 million students (pre-K through Grade 12) visit AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums each year as part of school field trips.

“Zoos and aquariums work closely with Federal, State and local education agencies to provide effective science-based education programs,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy.

Zoo and aquariums professionals will inform legislators about programs at their own institutions and encourage them to act on important issues affecting all AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, including:

• Support funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services – AZA supports $35 million in FY2013 for the Office of Museum Services, which awards grants to museums including accredited zoos and aquariums.
• Cosponsor HR 3510, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Reauthorization Act – This legislation benefits essential programs for conserving tigers, rhinos, elephants, great apes, and sea turtles.
• Support HR 2547 and S. 1372, the No Child Left Inside Act – This legislation provides incentives for states to create environmental literacy plans from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 which include environmental education standards and teacher training.
• Support Funding for the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program – AZA supports an appropriation of $3.981 million in FY2013 for this program to rescue stranded marine animals (dolphins, manatees, whales, otters, turtles, seals, walruses, sea lions, porpoises, polar bears, and dugongs).

Following a day of Capitol Hill visits, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums will introduce Members of Congress and their staff to special animal ambassadors at the Annual Association of Zoos amp; Aquariums Reception.

Note to Photo Editors: You DON’T want to miss this!

“175 million people enjoy the animals at AZA aquariums and zoos every year,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. “We always look forward to bringing that special experience to Capitol Hill.”

About AZA

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. To learn more, visit http://www.aza.org.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/5/prweb9483604.htm

Pet store owner Donald Foster told the council they are willing to work with the city. But he said a ban would be bad news for his familys business, Pets, Pets, Pets, which has been in the city for 23 years.

Well be out of business in two years, he said.

The council directed city staff to draw up a new ordinance for consideration that would include a two-year phase out of the commercial sale of cats and dogs. Mayor Don Hansen, Mayor Pro Tem Devin Dwyer and Councilman Matthew Harper cast the dissenting votes.

The city will work with animal rights activists and pet store owners to come up with an ordinance that could include allowing adoption services at the two pet stores and helping owners ease the transition. The ordinance will have to come back to the council for consideration.

This is a win-win situation to me, Councilman Joe Shaw said.

The ordinance was brought forward by Councilman Joe Carchio on March 19 in an effort to ensure no puppy mill pets were making their way into Surf City.

More than a dozen animal rights activists supported the move, but almost an equal number of people came out to support the citys two pet stores: Pets, Pets, Pets in Five Points Plaza and Animal Kingdom at Warner Avenue and Golden West Street.

Huntington Beach is the fourth Orange County city to take up a discussion on the possible ban in recent months. Laguna Beach and Dana Point are considering the possibility as a preventive action; neither city has retailers that sell pets. Irvine City Council members passed a ban in October.

Pet stores that get their animals from puppy mills or other facilities that are considered inhumane have been controversial for several years as federal regulators have uncovered the poor conditions in which many of these animals are kept.

Often the animals are scrunched in cages that are not cleaned. The animals are not walked or let out and are often left to live in puddles of their own feces and urine.

Foster and his partner, August Court, said they get most of their dogs and all of their cats from local families, but Councilman Keith Bohr challenged this assertion.

When I visited your store, 100 percent of the dogs there were from outside California, he said.

The shop owners said they get some of their dogs from the Hunte Corp., a commercial puppy broker based in the Midwest.

The Hunte Corporation is one of the most notorious puppy mill distributors, said Janet Kohl, animal cruelty expert. If (the shops) want to stay in business they need to do the humane thing: they sell supplies, they sell food, they work with animal welfare organizations and they do adoptions.

Supporters of the pet stores said they believed both shops to be reputable businesses that are active in the community and care about the animals in their stores.

Both stores have been in the city for more than 20 years.

I think the reason were still in business is because we genuinely care about our pets, said Anna Chong, whose family owns Animal Kingdom. My family has poured our entire lives into this store. We treat these animals like they are our own.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7953 or jfletcher@ocregister.com

Like Huntington Beach Wave on Facebook to see more news, photos and conversation.

BOISE — If youre looking for something to do this Mothers Day weekend, a trip to Zoo Boise could be just the thing.

Three new animals now have a home inside Julia Davis Park. The first two are Red Pandas.

Dolly (named after Dolly Parton) and Winston were brought to Boise from the Knoxville Zoo as part of a breeding program for selected endangered or threatened species. Winston and Dolly are 11 months old which is adulthood for Red Pandas. Both were featured on the Mozilla Firefoxs online red panda camera in 2011.

They will be housed near the aviaries and Conservation Cruise at the zoo separate from the zoos other Red Panda, Grace.

Zoo Boise also recently welcomed a Patagonian cavy baby. The baby girl was born last month and has been hand-raised by zoo personnel. She is eating well, gaining weight, and will be re-introduced to parents as she continues to grow.

Zoo Boise invites you to follow the baby cavys process through their Facebook page.

Police Log: Loose Animals and Demonstrator Drama

(Log for May 1-7, 2012) The following information was supplied by the Wayland Joint Communications Center. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

SARASOTA, Fla., May 9, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) –
Bee Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Sarasota, FL announced that the veterinary hospital offers emergency care for sick animals during regular clinic hours. According to veterinarians Dr. Ronni Tudin and Dr. Robin Sego, the clinic provides urgent and emergency care in keeping with the clinic’s motto, “Your Pets… Our Family.” The owners of sick or ailing animals can request an “urgent care” visit; no appointment is necessary. A veterinarian will see the pet between regularly scheduled appointments. The clinic’s facilities include a surgical suite, which can be readied for emergency pet surgery, if necessary.

Veterinarian Dr. Ronni Tudin is encouraging pet owners to be alert for the signs of illness, and if necessary, seek emergency or urgent care for their pets.

“When a pet appears sick or in distress, pet owners should not wait to see if symptoms improve on their own,” said Dr. Tudin. “As part of our commitment to proactive care, our veterinary clinic offers emergency and urgent care during regular clinic hours. If a pet is exhibiting signs of illness, pet owners can take their pet to our clinic for immediate attention. No appointment is ever required. We also offer pet vaccinations to protect against many common illnesses.”

According to Dr. Tudin, symptoms of illness in sick animals include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, abnormal discharges from body openings, and lethargy. Pets may also exhibit disoriented behavior, such as confusion or stumbling. This may be a symptom of chocolate ingestion, plant poisoning or rabies.

Veterinarian Dr. Robin Sego is also encouraging pet owners to familiarize themselves with the symptoms of illness. According to Dr. Sego, many pet owners mistakenly identify sickness in their pets or ignore potential problems until a pet’s health is in serious jeopardy. Both Dr. Tudin and Dr. Sego urge prompt care.

“Many pet owners are unsure what to do in the event of vomiting or diarrhea,” said Dr. Sego. “Yes, sometimes dogs simply throw up because they ate their food too fast. However, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. Early treatment for vomiting or diarrhea can prevent dehydration. Treatment can also determine if something more serious, such as chocolate poisoning, is the cause, or if emergency pet surgery is required.”

Common pet emergencies include ingestion of poisonous houseplants, chocolate consumption, or an infectious illness, such as Bordetella. For some infectious diseases, such as Bordetella, vaccinations can help protect pets.

“Our pets can’t tell us when they’re feeling sick,” said Dr. Tudin. “This is why it’s so important to promptly seek urgent care. If you aren’t sure, feel free to give us a call prior to bringing your pet in for care. We can provide recommendations over the phone to ease your pet’s immediate discomfort until we are able to perform an examination.”

In addition to urgent care, the veterinary clinic provides routine wellness care, including vaccinations, pet surgery and annual exams.

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire,
www.globenewswire.com

SOURCE: Bee Ridge Veterinary Clinic

CONTACT: Bee Ridge Veterinary Clinic
888-667-5235

(C) Copyright 2010 GlobeNewswire, Inc. All rights reserved.

Financial Glossary

Words used in this article:

Report: More Animals May Die With Budget Cuts

Under certain scenarios, more animals will be euthanized due to increased costs of life-saving procedures.

Maybe the current financial situation is affecting people, he said.

They may be less inclined to insure their pet or pay for vets bills and things sometimes get out of hand. That might be an explanation but its not an excuse.

Mr Scott spoke as the RSPCA highlighted a rise of nearly 35 per cent in the number of convictions for cruelty to dogs in Wales and the West Midlands region last year.

And 67 of the 399 convictions concerned Midlands cases.

In the same region, the charitys prosecutions unit was called in to look at cases against 473 people last year up six per cent on 2010.

And the number convicted of cruelty and neglect towards animals other than dogs went up almost 24 per cent last year to 192.

The regions courts also dished out 169 bans on keeping animals up 36 on 2010 while the number of prison sentences handed out over animal cruelty also rose, by one to 20.

The Birmingham Mail has covered some of the RSPCAs most horrific recent cases, including the prosecution of a dad who left his starving dog to feed on the remains of two dead family cats.

Matthew Pearson, 28, of Graiseley Lane, Wednesfield, admitted 34 animal cruelty charges.

He was given a 20-week jail sentence, including ten weeks on licence, at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court in September.

Pearson was also handed a ten-year ban from owning pets.

Farm owner Margaret Harthill, 64, was banned from keeping dogs for five years in September after Birmingham magistrates heard she kept 37 pooches in filthy and appalling conditions.

Harthill, of Goodrest Lane, Kings Norton, admitted seven charges of animal cruelty. She was also conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay 100 costs.

But dogs are not the only animals which are suffering more.

Last year the number of farm animal cruelty cases rose to 230 while the number of convictions relating to horses nearly doubled from 20 to 39.

Earlier this month,29-year-old Freddie Evans, from Haundsfield Lane, Wythall, was jailed for four months after he tied up an emaciated Shetland pony that died during a firework display in Solihull.

Evans had restrained the 18-month-old pony, that had never even been given a name by its owners, with a head collar so tight that it left an indentation in the skull.

The animal became so distressed by the display, just 100 metres away, that it wound itself up with the rope and was unable to move.

Redditch magistrates found Evans guilty of four animal cruelty offences after he conceded knowing nothing about caring for horses.

He admitted two charges of causing long-term suffering, one of short term suffering and one of failing to provide an appropriate diet.

And even little-heard of quail fighting is part of the worrying trend of animal cruelty in Birmingham.

The bloodsport sees the birds fed alcohol-soaked corn to make them more aggressive before they are put in a pen to fight other quails.

Weve an ongoing problem with animals bought for fighting theres dog-fighting, cock-fighting and quail-fighting, said Mr Scott.

We are always looking for more intelligence on these areas. They are problems that are not going down.

RSPCA chief executive Gavin Grant warned the charity was being stretched to breaking point in trying to stop such cruelty.