Female cat owners are more likely to suffer mental health problems and commit suicide because they can be infected with a common parasite that can be caught from cat litter, according to a study.

Women infected with the Toxoplasma gondii – or T. gondii – parasite, which is spread through contact with cat faeces or eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables, are at increased risk of suicidal thoughts.

About a third of the world’s population is infected with the parasite, which hides in cells in the brain and muscles, often without producing symptoms…

Visit Animal Tracks to see photos of an orphaned baby Beluga Whale. After a large storm swept over the water, the little Beluga was found South Naknek, Alaska last Thursday without his mother.

Guest Post

There’s nothing more exciting than getting a new puppy. They bring joy into the family and endless hours of entertainment, not to mention an excuse to get outside and exercise. However, the needs of a new-born puppy vary greatly to that of a full grown dog and it’s important to understand the differences before you commit to taking care of one. New-born puppies, for example, are completely reliant on their mother, just as a new born baby is. At this stage, you needn’t worry about food or training because your new puppy will get all of his sustenance directly from their mother’s milk. This milk is specially formulated to fight infections and viruses and will ensure that your puppy is safe and healthy in the first few weeks of his life. During this time, he will open his eyes, interact with his litter and learn very basic levels of discipline. Unless you are breeding the puppies yourself, you won’t be able to take your puppy home until he’s ready to leave his mum.

Weaning

Between 3 and 5 weeks, it’s time to start weaning. It’s important to do this very gradually so that his fragile digestive system does not get upset and can adapt to solid food in time. You can buy special puppy food that contains all of the necessary vitamins and minerals, plus it will be the right consistency for easy digestion and optimal health. Make sure you have thoroughly considered your weaning plan and that you are committed to getting your puppy onto solids. Depending on the breed, they can be very stubborn and may reject the food you present them with. Interestingly, during this period, the mother will naturally start to take a back seat; she will stop cleaning up after her puppies and, eventually, will resist feeding altogether. This is nature’s way of telling you that it’s time.

Whilst dog milk is highly nutritional, its benefits wear off overtime, leaving your puppy exposed to all kinds of dangerous diseases. Therefore, vaccinations are essential. Typically, puppies are vaccinated at 8 weeks. They then have a booster injection at 12 weeks, protecting them from canine parvovirus, canine distemper virus, leptospirosis and infectious canine hepatitis. If your puppy (or dog) is spending any time in kennels, they will also need to be vaccinated against kennel cough.

Socialisation and the Alpha Leader 

It’s very important to socialize puppies with children and people early on, usually at about 5 weeks. This prevents them from developing irrational fears or behavioural issues and nurtures their personality and their relationship with humans. After all, a confident puppy makes a great pet and one that is affectionate and patient with children is even better. At this time, too, it’s a good idea to begin asserting your authority. Dogs have a pack mentality and will respect the alpha male (or female!). If they have a clear understanding of who their boss is, they will learn to be loyal and well-behaved. Bear in mind, though, that the timing of this is integral. In the first weeks of their life, they trust the authority of their mother, and it is always best to leave them well alone during this time. After weaning, however, your puppy is searching for a new pack leader, and that pack leader is you.

Protection against pests

Throughout your dog’s life, from puppyhood to old age, it’s very important to remain aware of possible flea treatments. If you avert flea and tick bites rather than treat an infestation, your pup won’t be at risk of catching tapeworms or suffer painful, itchy bites that can cause flea allergy dermatitis. Fleas are blood sucking pests and, in some cases, small dogs have fallen fatally ill due to blood loss. Additionally, you will avoid the diseases that fleas and ticks carry, mainly, Lyme disease, tick paralysis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Indeed, owning a dog is a health care minefield and you need to make sure that you are totally committed to any eventuality that may occur throughout their lifetime. If, for any reason, there is a modicum of doubt in your mind regarding the whole process, a pet dog probably isn’t for you. After all, the rewards you get out of a dog depend entirely on the attention and care you’re willing to put in, but with the right level of understanding, you can raise a loving companion that becomes part of the family.

This is a sponsored post by Guest Blogger Emily Buchanan, on behalf of Animed Direct. 

Beacon News:

The Fox Valley Wildlife Center is hoping a deer that had a leg amputated after a farming accident will recover enough to receive a prosthetic leg.

The center’s wildlife rehab specialists are optimistic in the recovery of the white speckled fawn, which had its right front leg amputated up to the joint after a farm tractor mishap in May.

The fawn, which the staff is calling Franklin, arrived at the animal hospital as a 2-pound newborn missing his foot and partial hooves on his two other feet.

Ashley Flint, center director, said the diagnosis was grim for the buck.

“Once he started licking our arms we made the determination to help him, knowing eventually his future home would either be at the center or in a zoo. He has a long road to recovery,” Flint said…

BBC News:

A painting by an artist from the Isle of Man has won best of category in the final of the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year 2012.

The work entitled African Jacana by Dr Jeremy Paul, from Colby, won the World Birds section of the competition.

The painting was selected by judges from more than 1,000 entries from all over the world.

Dr Paul said: “To have won one award was very nice but to have won three in a row is beyond all my expectations”…

ABC Online:

An animal activist group says it’s convinced Kmart to withdraw its commercial sponsorship of this year’s Mount Isa rodeo.

Animals Australia executive director Glenys Oogjes says the store has pulled out because of concerns about animal welfare.

But the manager of Kmart Corporate affairs says the company never planned to sponsor this year’s Mount Isa rodeo and made no mention of animal welfare concerns…

A 45-year-old man has been jailed for nearly six months after he admitted using his dogs to hunt and kill badgers and foxes in a string of barbaric attacks, captured on stomach churning video footage.

Richard Alan Atkins, of Oversetts Road, Newall, Derbyshire, admitted nine charges when he appeared at Burton upon Trent Magistrates Court on Friday. The court was told by the RSPCA’s prosecution team that Atkins was responsible for “incredibly malicious and sadistic cruelty to animals.”

Atkins (pictured left) was sentenced to 24 weeks in custody, a lifetime ban on keeping all animals and the forfeiture of all his dogs and equipment used for baiting and hunting. The nine charges he admitted included causing animals to fight, keeping dogs for the purpose of animal fighting, causing unnecessary suffering and animal welfare offences.

Inspectors from the RSPCA’s special operations unit spent two years investigating Atkins. They were able to successfully bring the prosecution to court when forensic examination of sickening badger baiting footage seized from a digital video camera proved a voice heard in the background was that of Atkins.

The court saw graphic footage of Atkins’s black Patterdale terrier and bull lurcher type dog carrying out attacks on two badgers and a fox in separate incidents in 2010.

In another clip a badger has its leg torn off, while men – including Atkins – can be heard laughing in the background.

As well as the harrowing clips which showed the wild animals being attacked, the dogs used by Atkins also suffered sickening injuries during the attacks. The defendant admitted that he would attempt to treat his dogs’ injuries at home, rather than take them to a vet and raise suspicion.

Both the Patterdale terrier (pictured right) and bull lurcher seen in the footage were found at Atkins’ home when a warrant was carried out by police and RSPCA in March last year. The Patterdale terrier had suffered huge injuries to its jaw, while it was partially blind in one eye.

Four other dogs – also believed to have been bred for fighting and hunting – were seized during the warrant, along with paraphernalia, digging equipment and search lights.

Chief inspector Ian Briggs, from the RSPCA’s special operations unit, said: “An enormous amount of time and effort was put into this investigation by our officers and prosecutions team.

“However, it makes it all worthwhile when you see someone like Atkins – who was responsible for such abhorrent levels of animal cruelty – admit the charges.

“After all of my years working in animal welfare, I still find it shocking that someone would deliberately go into the countryside with their dogs, with the sole intention of inflicting unimaginable suffering on a wild animal for their own twisted pleasure.

“It is even sadder knowing that, there are many others who are still doing this sort of thing in England and Wales to this very day. Make no mistake though, we will continue to track them down and the next knock on their door could be from us.”

President and CEO of Humane Society International Andrew Rowan issued the following statement in response to the announcement by China’s State Council on shark and ocean protection:

“The news that the government of China will stop serving shark fins marks a watershed moment for the global movement to protect sharks and pushes China onto the world’s stage as an emerging leader in shark conservation. Humane Society International applauds the major decision taken by the Chinese government today that will reduce demand for shark fins and demonstrates China’s commitment to shark and ocean protection. For two years in a row, members of China’s National People’s Congress and the Chinese National Political Consultative Conference urged the government to reduce shark fin consumption. Now, China’s State Council has declared that within one to three years it will draft and issue guidelines instructing all levels of government agencies to stop serving shark fins as part of meals at all government functions. HSI praises Legislator Ding Liguo, the chief sponsor for the motion made last year, for his leadership and efforts. As the world’s largest market for shark fins, China holds the key to the survival of many shark species.”

FACTS:

• HSI has ongoing public education campaigns in China, such as partnering with Roots & Shoots Beijing Office of The Jane Goodall Institute China in raising awareness and support for sharks. HSI also works closely with local non-governmental organizations and advocates and supports their efforts to reduce China’s market for shark fins.
• Fins from as many as 73 million sharks are used to feed the demand for shark fin soup each year. China is the largest market for shark fins, a key ingredient in shark fin soup.
• Tens of millions of sharks have their fins cut off and are thrown back into the ocean, often while still alive, only to drown, starve or die a slow death due to predation from other animals. Some species of shark are on the brink of extinction due to the cruel and exploitative shark fin industry.
• Sharks are apex predators who are slow to reproduce and whose survival affects all other marine species and entire ocean ecosystems. The practice of shark finning is global and has led to a severe decline in shark populations.