Slow pet news week...

...so we're reduced to watching youtube, what a job!

Visiting Santa

Doesn't get much better than this.... happy Wednesday...

My Christmas wish

If I could have any wish today, it would be to have enough funding to buy and revamp Michael Vick's Surry, Virginia, estate into an animal refuge. I could see dogs running free on the available 15 acres, and cats lounging in the outbuildings that had been used for the pure evil of dogfighting. I'd have an area for horses, there would be a large aviary, and small animals of all kinds would have a place to live their lives fully. Where fear, cruelty, and inhumanity abounded, the property would be transformed into a safe, loving, protective harbor where all pets without homes would be welcome. This would be their home, as long as they needed it, until a new one became available.

The large house could be used for training, classes, and education. There would be programs available that would attract people from all over to visit, help, share, and learn in all areas of pet welfare and care. I could see a camp for at-risk kids, who could learn first hand that caring for a pet is a positive step forward to a healthier life. There could be seminars and workshops on various careers within the pet industry, and maybe even a museum that would become a must-see vacation spot.

While there are many of us who respect and care for our pets, there are still many others who continue to abuse them in the most barbaric ways. The house's legacy would be a reminder of this sad fact, however the goal would be to measure over time how a former torture chamber for innocent dogs is transformed into a worldwide humanitarian effort that makes a better world for all the animals we share our lives with.

That is my Christmas wish.

Countdown to Christmas

Something to think about this holiday season. If a new pet is in your plans, consider adopting a rescue pooch like this great guy... Otis is spreading some extra Christmas cheer in his work as an ambassador for the group G.R.I.N. (Golden Retrievers in Need) located in Ohio. G.R.I.N. specializes in rescuing Goldens and finding great homes for them.

Great Britain honors their war heros

Britain took time to honor (or is it honour?) its animal war heroes at the newly restored Ilford Animal Cemetery in Essex, England, earlier this week.

This cemetery is the resting place of a dozen recipients of the Dickin Medal, which is the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, Great Britain's highest military honor.

An example of an honoree is a cat, Simon, who despite being wounded during his tour of duty, continued to protect his ship's food from rat infestation and buoyed the spirits of the crew on the HMS Amethyst in 1949.

The ceremony also honored current heroes, such as Sadie, a black lab who is trained as an explosives search dog. She saved numerous lives by tirelessly sniffing out bombs in Afghanistan, and posed for pictures with a medal inscribed with, "they also served."

In addition, the full story highlights 32 pigeons who received this honor, which is more than any other species. Derek Partridge, of the Pigeon Racing Association provided the following quote:

These birds achieved so much and saved so many lives. It is worth remembering what they did for us, because we might not be here without all of these animals.

This is a wonderful way to acknowledge all who make a positive difference during wartime.

Walking night light

Researchers at Gyeongsang National University in Korea have taken the cloned cat, a technology that's been around for five years now, and created a florescent cloned kitty.

The research can be utilized in working with certain genetic diseases in animals and humans. They also believe it can help reproduce rare animals, such as tigers and wildcats, which are on the verge of extinction.

Copycat was the first cloned cat, born in 2002 at Texas A&M University. Kong Il-keun, the professor leading the Korean research team, cloned the first cat in Korea in 2004. His work has continued with the goal to clone animals for therapeutic research.

In the meantime, we have a whole new way to use a lampshade...

Fun break

If you haven't visited icanhascheezburger, it's a great way to spend (some might call it "waste") a considerable amount of time looking at pictures with funny captions. Here are some of my favs: