Goat Surfing

Two goats named Goatee and Pismo are wowing California beachgoers with their surfing skills.

The goats’ owner, Dana McGregor, says he taught his goats to surf because he loves to ride the waves and thought they would like it too.

The goats stood on surfboards and cruised along the water on Wednesday at San Onofre State Beach, as bystanders watched in amazement.

Goatee, a nanny goat, and her billy goat, Pismo, even rode waves together. But after a few rides, Goatee swam to shore.

McGregor says he got Goatee originally to eat unwanted plants on his property.

He began taking the goat to the beach with him, eventually putting her on a surfboard.

McGregor says he started putting Pismo on a board shortly after he was born in March.

Video:  Goat Surfing Could Be Big

Technorati Tags: goats,animals surfing,California,San Onofre State Beach,animal video,animal events,pet fun,JOMP,Just One More Pet

Slaughter on the Island: Highjacking the Flag of Conservation

Slaughter on the Island: Highjacking the Flag of Conservation

By Lacey Biles, NRA-ILA Hunting Policy Liaison

Nestled in the Pacific Ocean approximately 30 miles from the mainland of Santa Barbara sits a beautiful island where majestic Roosevelt elk and Kaibab mule deer roam free. Ferried across a treacherous channel, these grand species were brought to Santa Rosa Island some 80 years ago, but their days are officially numbered. A complete slaughter of these magnificent animals is scheduled to occur before the midnight tide rises on Dec. 31, 2011. Sharpshooters will be en route to the island soon to comply with a 1996 court settlement and 2007 legislation that reinstated the extermination order.

The 83-square-mile island was privately owned for more than a century before being sold to the National Park Service in 1986 for $30 million. Used as a cattle and sheep ranch for much of its modern history, overgrazing disrupted the balance of the island`s ecosystem. The 1996 lawsuit settlement required the removal of all cattle, sheep and feral hogs from the island, followed by a phased reduction of elk and mule deer to culminate at the end of 2011 with complete extermination.

As this is a government-mandated animal slaughter, you may ask where the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have been in the process. They have been curiously absent, giving us a clear picture of their definition of "conservation." In fact, HSUS` congressional allies, U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, blocked NRA`s efforts to prevent the slaughter in 2007 by inserting a provision into the omnibus appropriations bill that reinstated the extermination order. The animal-saving law blocked by the three lawmakers would have allowed disabled veterans to hunt the majestic elk and mule deer based on biologists` harvest recommendations.

The battle over Santa Rosa Island illustrates diverging definitions of "conservation." Theodore Roosevelt was largely responsible for sparking America`s conservation movement after witnessing the detritus left behind by the 19th century`s commercial big game slaughter. An avid hunter throughout his life, Roosevelt could not countenance big game populations dwindling below sustainable hunting levels. He helped to create the North American Wildlife Conservation Model, which used regulated hunting as an essential tool to bring back numerous species from the brink of extinction and help them thrive again.

Regulated hunting of Roosevelt elk and Kaibab mule deer on Santa Rosa Island has been employed and celebrated for decades, keeping populations in check that have no natural predators. Although the presence of such majestic beasts enriches the experience of all who visit the island, HSUS and PETA seem to prefer total extermination of the elk and deer populations rather than allowing one more hunter to take to the field. Again, these anti-hunting extremists refuse to acknowledge that hunters are largely responsible for preserving America`s wild lands and the wild things that Roosevelt held sacrosanct.

Animal "rights" extremists have tried to seize the word "conservation" and change its definition to remove hunting as a tool. Unfortunately, they have had some success and Santa Rosa Island may be their next victory.

The impact that domestic cattle and sheep, and feral hogs, can have on a unique landscape such as Santa Rosa Island is well known. A total of 1,175 hogs were killed during the `90s, but estimates put the number of hogs as high as 3,200 prior to a major drought in the late `80s. With voracious appetites, it is no wonder that the flora and fauna suffered tremendously. Some states see significant habitat impacts with similar hog populations. After the removal of domestic cattle, sheep and feral hogs, Santa Rosa`s ecosystem dramatically rebounded.

So why have the elk and mule deer been sentenced to die when the island`s ecosystem is rebounding? No reasonable answer has been given; the only explanation is that the two ungulate species are "non-native." Allowing the North American Wildlife Conservation Model to prevail through elk and mule deer management would mean a modicum of impact on the island`s environment. That is apparently too tall an order for HSUS and PETA because it would mean continued hunting of a few animals. The animal "rights" folks instead sit idly by as government-paid sharpshooters are scheduled to perform a 19th century-style slaughter, with the modern twist of using helicopters instead of horses.

There are only three native terrestrial mammals on Santa Rosa: the deer mouse, island fox and spotted skunk. With the domestic cattle, sheep and feral hogs gone from the island, a proper ecosystem could be easily maintained with the continued inclusion of scientifically managed elk and deer herds.

Roosevelt elk and Kaibab mule deer are only found in a small segment of North America and they are a celebrated part of Santa Rosa for a multitude of visitors from hikers to hunters. The isolated island population of these magnificent animals represents an important insurance policy if disease ever broke out on the mainland that could lead either species to extinction. Having an isolated species pool, a Noah`s Ark of sorts, can prove invaluable as proper elk and mule deer habitat on the mainland continues to erode because of urbanization, leaving species` health prone to widespread disease events.

President Roosevelt eloquently wrote of elk in 1902:

"Surely all men who care for nature, no less than all men who care for big game hunting, should combine to try to see that not merely the states but the Federal authorities make every effort, and are given every power, to prevent the extermination of this stately and beautiful animal, the lordliest of the deer kind in the entire world."

I believe that the president who sparked the American conservation movement would write the very same words about the Santa Rosa slaughter today. The elk and mule deer herds could be so managed through hunting and other means as to have minimal impact on the island`s various flora and fauna with a continued existence as balanced members of the island`s ecosystem. This would continue the North American Wildlife Conservation Model that has become the envy of the world, albeit to the angst of the animal "rights" crowd simply because hunting would continue. It makes one wonder if these anti-hunting extremists would prefer to see more animals exterminated so that, in their twisted minds, no "suffering" would exist. It is hard to see any other way they would be satisfied given their inaction on Santa Rosa.

Rest assured that NRA will continue the fight to save the Santa Rosa elk and mule deer to the final hour. Join the fight; contact your United States senators and representative and ask them to call off the sharpshooters. If all concerned NRA members join forces, perhaps we can prevent the senseless slaughter of these remarkable animal populations and keep the animal "rights" extremists from taking hunting out of conservation.

Posted: 8/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

Source: NRA-ILA

Pet Trusts Ensure Continued Care for Companion Animals

THURSDAY, 07 JULY 2011 19:16

BY GENE L. OSOFSKY, ESQ.

Special to the Times

Q: My two dogs are my constant companions and provide me a great deal of comfort,  but I worry about what might happen to them should something happen to me. Is there something I can do to provide for their care when I can no longer do so?

A: Yes there is, and you are not alone in expressing your concerns. Our furry companions provide great comfort to us, and it’s natural to want to ensure their continued welfare.

One technique is to create a Pet Trust. As its name implies, a Pet Trust is a trust created for the specific purpose of caring for companion animals. The essential elements are: the naming of a trustee to manage the money you place into the trust, a caretaker to take physical care of your pets, a non-profit backup to take the pets if your designated caretaker is not able to do so, and detailed instructions on how to care for your pets.  

Since January 2009, Pet Trusts have become enforceable in California in a court of law. And, most other states have similar laws.

The Pet Trust can be created in your will, but since the will is not effective until it is admitted to probate, which usually only occurs many weeks after death, it is better to create a pet trust during your lifetime. It can be created as either a stand-alone trust or as a separate part of your  Living Trust.

The Pet Trust should be funded with enough money to cover the continued care of your companions for the duration of their anticipated lifetimes, including items such as anticipated veterinary fees and reasonable fees to their caregiver.

The amount of funding need not necessarily be large: for smaller animals such as dogs and cats, a few thousand dollars may be sufficient, while more would likely be required for larger animals such as horses.

But your death is not the only concern. What if you became ill and can no longer care for your animal companions?

To address this concern, you may also wish to include suitable powers in your Durable Power Of Attorney authorizing your agent to take charge of your pets if you become incapacitated and either furnish pet care themselves or hire a suitable caregiver to do so at your expense.

Likewise, you should give your agent specific instructions to bring your pets to visit you if feasible even if you’re not living in your own home, so that you and your pets can maintain your bond.

Your estate planning attorney can assist you in creating a suitable Pet Trust as part of your estate plan. Taking this extra step to provide for your companion animals can bring you great peace of mind and the comfort of knowing they will be cared for when you can no longer do so yourself.

Gene L. Osofsky is an elder law and estate planning attorney in Hayward. For more information, visit his website at www.LawyerForSeniors.com.

Related:

Leona Helmsley’s Will to Give $1 Million to Dog Causes, Down from $12M

Plan Ahead For Your Pets’ Care… Like Oprah

Providing for Your Pet’s Future Without You

Using and Attorney is Often Best, Especially of You Are Talking Leona Helmsley or Oprah Money… For the Rest of Us Here Is A Great Book:   Order Your Copy Today:  Every Dog’s Legal Guide: A Must-have Book for Your Owner

Cross-Posted at Ask Marion

BEHOLD YODA: CHINESE CRESTED-CHIHUAHUA MIX DEEMED ‘UGLIEST DOG’

AP

PETALUMA, California (AP) — Yoda’s short tufts of hair, protruding tongue, and long, seemingly hairless legs were enough to earn it the World’s Ugliest Dog title at a Northern California fair.

The 14-year-old Chinese crested and Chihuahua mix won the honor Friday night at the 23rd annual contest at the Sonoma Marin Fair.

Owner Terry Schumacher of Hanford, California, says the 2-pound (900-gram) dog has come a long way since she was found abandoned behind an apartment building. Schumacher says she first thought the pooch was a rat.

Yoda’s distinction comes a year after a one-eyed Chihuahua named Princess Abby claimed victory. A pedigree Chinese crested won in 2008 and another Chinese crested and Chihuahua mix was the ugliest in 2007.

Raw Video: the World’s ‘Ugliest Dog’

In past years, the winner’s owner has received a $1,000 check.

I’m a dog lover and say… Yoda is cute… in his own way!!

h/t to the Blaze

New masks give pets a fighting chance against fires

San Diego, CA — San Diego animals now have a better chance of surviving fires thanks to the San Diego Fire Rescue Foundation.  An anonymous donation specifically earmarked to buy oxygen masks for pets allowed SDFRF to purchase 10 new sets of animal oxygen masks.  Each set contains a small, medium, and large oxygen mask, six foot tubing for each mask, a leash, a bright orange carry bag, and a sticker that shows which rig is carrying this lifesaving equipment.  “The nice thing is they can be sterilized and reused,” said Wendy Robinson, executive director of SDFRF.

While the donation was only for city of San Diego firefighters, it affects the whole region because San Diego firefighters assist regionally with wild fires and other major fires. 

Thousands of pets are killed yearly in house fires.  Most die due to asphyxiation.  These smaller oxygen masks are specifically designed to fit over the muzzle of a cat or dog, and that makes treatment more effective.

"Our firefighters put their lives on the line everyday to keep San Diego’s citizens, property, and yes, even animals, safe from fire and other emergencies.  Equipping our emergency first responders with enhanced service tools helps them better respond to the hundreds of emergency calls that occur daily in the San Diego area," said Robinson.

These new pet oxygen masks will enable San Diego firefighters to better respond to pet emergencies

Photo Credits:  Courtesy of San Diego Fire Rescue Foundation

 

In this day and age, our pets are becoming more and more an integral part of our family.  It’s nice to know the San Diego Fire Department understands this and is taking steps to safeguard our pets.

By Vania Maldonado  -  Animal Rescue Examiner  – Vania Maldonado is a happily married cat rescuer. Over the past ten years, she’s lived in several different places and has helped stray and feral…

Cross-Posted at Just One More Pet

Owner of Milo’s Café dies at 42

Published: June 17, 2011  -  Updated: June 18, 2011 5:02 p.m.

By ERIKA I. RITCHIE  -  THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

LAKE FOREST – Scott Sellman, owner of Milo’s Café in Foothill Ranch, has died. He was 42.

According to friends and family, Sellman was in his office at the restaurant doing paperwork when at around 8 p.m. Thursday he said he felt short of breath and dizzy. He leaned back in his chair and collapsed, said Louis Teng, a friend and business adviser, recounting the story of another friend who was in the office with Sellman at the time.

Scott Selllman loved animals and the friendship they helped spark among people who owned them. He died on Thursday at Milo’s Cafe, the restaurant he opened in March.  -  REPORTED BY ERIKA I. RITCHIE, PHOTO JOSHUA SUDOCK

The friend tried to help Sellman, and when paramedics arrived they administered CPR. Sellman was transported to Saddleback Memorial Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 9:08 p.m.

Otto Cedeno, Sellman’s bother-in-law said the coroner told them at noon Friday that it appeared as though Sellman had an enlarged heart and died from a heart attack.

Sellman opened Milo’s Café after a yearlong effort to find just the right spot. Initially, he tried to open up at a new center built at Muirlands Boulevard and Ridge Route Drive. Those efforts were stopped by nearby neighbors who complained to the Planning Commission about potential traffic, noise and liability issues that might result from the restaurant and its outdoor play area for dogs.

The Planning Commission ruled against the restaurant for a different issue, noting that the patio would have to be built too close to the intersection. Sellman appealed the ruling to the City Council, which sided with the Planning Commission.

Sellman eventually found the spot in Foothill Ranch when Fuddrucker’s left the shopping center on Rancho Parkway that houses 24 Hour Fitness and the Home Depot. Sellman worked 16-hour days for months to create the restaurant environment he wanted – a dog-friendly eatery where people could get healthy food. His dog Milo, a 2-year-old shar pei-bulldog mix, was the project’s mascot.

Sellman replaced Fuddrucker’s red carpet with porcelain tile, installed a dog-bone shaped bar and a half dozen 50-inch flat screen TVs. Andy Warhol dog art hangs on the wall, mixed in with family photos and pictures of Sellman’s dogs, Milo and Jake, a pug.

The dogs were the inspiration for the restaurant, Selllman once said. He called the dogs the great ambassadors of friendships between people. Sellman embraced the pet community, holding weekly fundraisers with groups such as Barks of Love, Coastal German Shepherd Rescue, Orange County Bulldog Rescue, Desperate Paws and Friends of Lake Forest Animals.

When the tsunami hit Japan on March 11, Sellman put out a call for donations and gathered several thousand pounds of dog food for Desperate Paws of Orange County, a Newport Beach-based dog club that shipped the food to Japan.

"Scott Sellman was a remarkable man who dedicated his entire restaurant to dogs and to helping our needy dog community," Desperate Paws founders Stephen and Brandi Terry said on Friday. "His dedication to local rescue groups, the Blankets of Love Program, to our Paw It Forward Campaign as well as our pet relief effort for Japan helped benefit dogs and cats greatly. He will be missed and we send our heart felt condolences to his family."

Tiffany Norton, director of Coastal German Shepherd Rescue, said she enjoyed working with Sellman and found his love for rescue dogs to be contagious.

"I knew him as an unselfish, honorable man who deeply wanted to give back to the community," Norton said. "He will be greatly missed by all."

Wendy Rashall, who owns pet-grooming service Furry Best, remembered Sellman’s love for animals.

"There was such a look of pure joy on his face every single time he gazed at his beloved Milo or Jake," said Rashall, who oversees the dogs that play on the restaurant’s patio. "Wherever he is now, I know he is finding comfort and joy surrounded by four-legged creatures that adore him. "

Councilman Scott Voigts regularly visited Sellman at Milo’s Cafe.

"I’m in schock," Voigts said upon hearing the news on Friday. "Over the last few months Scott has become a true friend. He was a wonderful and caring human being. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and those of us that new him."

Sellman’s wife Grace will continue to run Milo’s Café, Cedeno said.

"He believed in his business and helping people," he said. "He believed in charities and wanted to make sure all pets had a home. His vision will continue."

Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com

Reposted at Just One More Pet

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Suggested Books on Pet Travel:

No Pet Left Behind: The Sherpa Guide for Traveling with Your Best Friend

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Travels with Max: How My Dog Unleashed My Life

Glendale considering ban on retail sale of dogs and cats

The City of Glendale is considering a ban on the retail sale of dogs and cats.

Prohibiting the retail sale of household pets has in recent years gained steam as animal rights activists draw attention to so-called puppy mills and kitty factories — farms where dogs and cats are mass-bred with little consideration of health or comfort. An ordinance could come for a vote in coming months.

It is unclear whether the Glendale ordinance would affect any existing businesses because many pet shops say they transitioned long ago from selling dogs and cats to adopting them out in conjunction with shelters, according to the Glendale News Press.

“Nowadays you either switch over or you get such a bad rep,” Pedro Meraz, an employee at Anderson’s Pet Shop in Montrose, which stopped selling dogs and cats more than a decade ago,  “There are so many animals that need to be adopted.”

Source:  The L.A. Times

The puppy and kitty mills need to be shut down just like the smuggling rings who bring in exotics and birds in very cruel ways.  But there is room from legitimate breeders and it is proven that going back to allowing families to let their pets have a litter and then sell them through a local pet store is a lot better system and hopefully we don’t swing completely from the horrid puppy and kitty mill system working with complicit pets stores to a ban on what makes sense and used to work.  It sadly is the pattern of America!!

Great Adoption Story:

The tiny one

This little lady was at a shelter in Shippenville, PA. I heard they had a daschund mix and since our last adopted doxie had passed away – we had a big hole in our hearts that only a dog could fill. I went to the shelter and saw this little chihuahua/daschund (a Chiweenie as they are called) in a crate with the little puppies. She didn’t say a word when they took her out to meet me. She just shivered and looked up at me with her big black crossed eyes. Only a mom could love a face like that. I took her home that night. We called her Chi-Chi. That was seven and a half years ago and I still love her as much today.

Amy J Murphy
Hamilton, PA

h/t to the Animal Rescue Site for the story

We have 3-Chiweenies and they are great dogs.  JOMP~

Calif. Vet Proposes Animal Abuser Database

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (CBS) — San Francisco is considering keeping tabs on animal abusers, much the same way sex offenders are tracked. It would create a Megan’s law-type database for people who hurt pets.

Veterinarian Dr. Elliot Katz says, "There are always accidents but when you see something like that you know someone is playing target practice."

Katz couldn’t help think the worst when he heard about Max, a cat that had an arrow through part of his head. He is pushing the city of San Francisco to develop a data base to keep track of animal abusers.

Katz says, "Doing this sends a message in San Francisco that vulnerable beings that we take into our homes deserve to be protected from people who intend to harm or kill them."

The public database would work a lot like the Megan’s Law website. Convicted animal abusers would be required to enter their full name, address, picture and description of their crime.

Shelters and other adoption agencies would use the database to prevent a previous abuser from adopting.

Katz says, "It’s going to save a lot of animals from being injured or hurt by people who cant control their anger."

Suffolk county New York was the first in the nation to launch such a public database.

Dr. Katz says the idea came about after Michael Vick tried to adopt an animal after spending time is prison for running a dog fighting ring.

Katz says, "My God he wanted to adopt a dog and to me there was an outcry clearly he has aggression you have this little dog into the hands of someone who has uncontrollable anger. The animals can’t speak for themselves and you don’t want to let them have the chance to do it twice."

Source:  Today’s THV

California Chihuahuas Find New Homes in NYC

ASPCA Welcomes California Chihuahuas to the Big Apple

On March 1, the ASPCA Adoption Center in Manhattan welcomed 12 Chihuahuas from California who were in search of new homes. The doggie dozen came from the City of San Francisco Animal Care & Control, and their in-cabin transportation was donated by Virgin Airlines. After some post-travel rest and relaxation, most of the tiny pups were made available for adoption on March 10. That day, more than half of the dogs—Pinky, Freckles, Ivana, Nicky, Rice, Robin and Gidget—packed their bags for the last time and made their way to their new forever homes. Over the weekend, Albus and Batman were also adopted.

In recent years, California shelters have seen a dramatic increase in Chihuahua intakes—this toy breed now makes up nearly one-third of the state’s shelter dog population. While demand for Chihuahuas has declined in much of the Golden State, their popularity in New York City is as high as ever.

"We are glad to be given this opportunity to help New Yorkers get the small dogs they want, and at the same time help find loving homes for San Francisco’s homeless animals," said Gail Buchwald, ASPCA Senior Vice President.

This month’s transfer isn’t the first time the ASPCA has opened our doors to homeless animals from the West Coast. In January 2010, we welcomed 15 dogs to our Manhattan headquarters in the first-ever Operation Chihuahua. The ASPCA supports the transfer of homeless pets from overcrowded shelters across the country as long as certain safeguards and restrictions are observed.

For more information about the ASPCA’s position on animal transport for adoption, please visit us at ASPCA.org.

La Habra CA Dog Days of Summer Event

La Habra Dog Days of Summer

Sat, Jul 31, 9 am – 4 pm – The Park, 1885 Hacienda Road, La Habra Heights

Making appearances at the Dog Days will be over 30 vendors specializing in the best doggie attire, accessories, treats, health and wellness, bowls, beds as well as representatives from veterinarians and rescue organizations, and rescue organizations, There will be low cost vaccinations, micro chipping available, Dog Wash fundraiser. Stroll with your pet and meet some other friends. Guests can even get pet portraits, and owners can pick up doggie related clothing, home goods, accessories and more. Water and food vendor services will be available. Admission Free – Bring your family dog and enjoy.

Dog Days of Summer – 7/31/10 – Events

9:00am – 4:00pm at The Park

Admission Free – Bring your family dog and enjoy:

• Agility Demos
• Flyball Demo
• Sheep Herding Demo
• Frisbee Demos Police Dog Demo
• Low Cost Vaccinations
• Dog Vendor Booths
• Rescue Organizations
• Low Cost Dog Washing Booth
• Pet Education Booths
• Dog Photograph Booth
• Herding Instinct Testing

Come & compete in the following contests & win some great prizes:

• Dog Costume Contest
• Dog Trick Contest