Gossip Rocks Forum - Pets and Animals

What kind of pet would you get?

fgg — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:07:18 GMT

inspired by the bulldog & kitty thread:

whenever there is a cute animal thread, a lot of us usually say we want one. what would you get if you didn't have to worry about taking care of it, etc.?

i want a teacup yorkie but i don't have a yard for it to run in, i work a lot and i'm still a little too selfish to care for something other than myself on a full-time basis.

what would you get?

Funny video

Fly_On_TheWall — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:43:02 GMT

YouTube - Sarah McLachlan ASPCA Ad Against Internet Animal Cruelty

British sailor on storm-hit yacht saves nine puppies

Honey — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:19:59 GMT

Laura Hughes was forced to abandon her yacht off the coast of Turkey but was determined to save her nine puppies

A British woman stranded in a storm off the Turkish coast abandoned ship and swam 75 metres to the shore in a bid to save her nine puppies.
Laura Hughes, 28, a strong swimmer, balanced a milk crate containing the animals on her head and managed to save herself and all her puppies despite braving waves reaching five metres high.
Following a terrible mid-afternoon storm on October 21, Laura's 14.5metre boat 'Csavargo' had been pushed around the Turkish coast by powerful gale force winds, leaving her close to the Greek island of Rhodes.
Laura, her boating companion John Cochrane, her two dogs Ragga Muffin and Tiger Lily, and the nine pups Ragga Muffin gave birth to while at sea, were all left completely helpless after a rope from the boat's sails got caught in the boat's propeller and caused an engine malfunction.

Laura, from Bedford, tried desperately to control the steering wheel there was no way of stopping the boat.
Laura said: 'The gale force winds were rocking the boat from side to side. I felt as if I should have been wearing a harness.
'The boat was filling up with water from waves washing over the side. I felt that if I didn't get off the boat it would either sink or capsize. I had no option but to get off.'
After several hours, Laura found the boat stranded in a busy shipping lane three miles off the coast of Rhodes.
Worried that they would crash into another boat, Laura sent out a May Day distress signal over the ship's VHF radio.
After being pushed miles around the coast and fearing her boat would sink or capsize, Laura had no other option but to abandon ship - and swim to the shore with the puppies in tow.

Alive and well: These puppies were saved when Laura Hughes decided to swim to shore, carrying them in a milk crate on her head

Laura added: 'It was when we got into the shipping lane that I really started to become concerned.
'I am quite a strong swimmer. My mum used to say I swam like a rat with just my head above the water.
'I swallowed a lot of sea water when I was swimming but my main concern was to keep my puppies safe.'
A Greek cruiser liner answered their distress call and the captain told them that they had alerted the emergency services.
Abandon ship: Laura jumped off her boat fearing it would sink or capsize - but not without her puppies

The cruise liner started circling around Laura's boat to protect it from other oncoming boats.
By this point night had fallen and the waves rocking the boat from side to side were five metres high.
A rescue boat finally arrived, but because of the ferocity of the waves it couldn't get near enough to Laura's boat to rescue her.
A Greek tug boat rescue team also arrived, but they wanted to charge Laura 10,000 euros for rescuing them - and Laura didn't enough money to pay them.
So, wearing a lifejacket, Laura jumped out of the boat, carrying the nine Rottweiler puppies 'African-style' by balancing the crate on her head and holding the side with one hand while swimming with the other.

Enlarge This map shows where Laura, John and their furry friends swam to safety

She had also attached a U-shaped buoyancy aid to the orange milk crate carrying the puppies and put a sheet inside it to soak up any sea water which splashed into it.
Laura explained: 'A few of the puppies were a bit damp and their little legs were sticking out of the crate but they seemed to be none the worse for their adventure.'
John and the two adult dogs also jumped off the boat and swam to the nearest beach at the Greek resort of Lalyssos about 100 metres from their boat.
The pair were able to wade the last 25 metres as the water had become shallow enough for them to touch the ground.

When they got to the shore, exhausted, they were helped by German tourists from a beach hotel and members of the emergency services.
The British Embassy found Laura and John a hotel room for the night - and the puppies spent the night at a local Greek police station.
The next day local fishermen rescued Laura's boat which had been washed up on some nearby sand dunes.
Laura's boat is now moored in a marina while she takes a well-earned rest.
She is planning to sell her puppies.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1228990/Holidaying-woman-braves-metre-high-waves-save-puppies-boat-falls-victim-vicious-storm.html#ixzz0XLIexSHq

French bulldog puppy and cat

Honey — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:04:40 GMT

YouTube Video
ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.

Kitty eats from chopsticks

Belt Up — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:01:35 GMT

Clever puss!

YouTube - Cat eats from chopsticks

Baby Otter playing with toys! AWWWW

Grimmlok — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:33:46 GMT

YouTube Video
ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.

Funny & cute animals

word — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:52:12 GMT

Funny & cute Animal | Crazy pics

Pup yawn

Honey — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:05:47 GMT

THIS JUST IN: Pup yawn — Cute Overload

Animal pictures of the week

Honey — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:52:09 GMT

Animal pictures of the week: 13 November 2009

This is Heidi the one-winged Masked Owl, who is cared for by Alf Boden at his home in Pinkenba, Australia. Mr Boden and his wife have reared the seven-year-old owl from a chick after her wing was crushed during tree felling at Beerwah State Forest

These 12-day-old little lorikeets are hand-reared after being bred in captivity by Chris Humfrey's Melbourne-based Wild Action group, which specialises in educational shows for children

Zimba, a male lion cub, and Bogi, a male Puli dog, are seen at Gyoengyoes zoo in Hungary. Zimba was donated to the zoo by a private donor, and will be raised by Bogi

A black-faced spider monkey eats frozen fruits in Sao Paulo Zoo as temperatures hit 30 degrees Celsius

A white-handed gibbon monkey licks frozen fruits at the zoo in Sao Paulo

A two-year-old male Giant Panda, one of the pair of male and female Giant Pandas which will be loaned to Singapore in 2011 for ten years, sits at China Wildlife Conservation Association

A turtle in a bucket of water in Khadipala, Orissa, India. Villagers say it bears holy symbols on its back and is an incarnation of Lord Jagannath

An inquisitive Emperor penguin appears to look through the viewfinder of a camera in Antarctica as others pose for a group photo. Photographer David Schultz snapped the flightless birds exploring his camera and tripod when he left them on the snow and ice

An orangutan named Peipei got a real treat when a rabbit hopped into his enclosure at the Yunnan Wild Animal Park in China. Peipei tickled the rabbit's ear, grabbed it by the hind legs, and yanked it into the air, but eventually he let it go

A baby elephant walks around with its mother at Amersfoort Zoo, The Netherlands

A polar bear walks along a road in Churchill, Manitoba

Animal pictures of the week: 13 November 2009 - Telegraph

100-pound rhino born at Busch Gardens

Honey — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:29:34 GMT

A newborn baby white rhinoceros with her mother Mlaleni at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay, Florida

It's a girl!
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a new baby white rhinoceros Wednesday.
The newborn � who has yet to be named � weighs an estimated 100 pounds. She is the third calf born to mother Mlaleni and father Tambo.
The October 2004 birth of Mlaleni and Tambo's first calf, Malaika, marked the first white rhino birth in the adventure park's history. Their second calf, Dakari, was born in August 2006, and their third, Crash, was born in May 2008.
This latest birth brings the black and white rhino population at the adventure park to 12. There are nine white and three black rhinos.
Mlelani, Tambo and another female white rhino were airlifted from Kruger National Park in South Africa in 2001. According to the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of rhinos, a little over 14,530 white rhinos remain in the wild, and fewer than 170 live in zoological facilities across North America.

Poor stork! 100-pound rhino born at Busch Gardens

Hawaiian sea turtles take to the waves

Honey — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:28:08 GMT

He has eaten a big lunch and had a snooze on the beach. So this turtle is looking for a nice quiet journey home.
Rather than be crashed about on the breakers as he makes his way back out to sea, he ducks down to the sand for a smoother ride.
The Hawaiian green sea turtle makes the same journey every day to and from the Laniakea Beach in Hawaii, where he munches on seaweed and takes his rest.

Here comes the wave: A giant Hawaiian sea turtle prepares to ride the surf

He and his friends have been caught on camera by surf photographer Clark Little.
Mr Little, 40, took the pictures this summer while shooting waves from below sea-level.
He said: 'The turtles often travel through the breaking waves. I usually run into them after they have been eating. What they try and do is swim under the wave, to avoid a thrashing.

Splash down: The creatures barrel through the surf in their quest to reach the shore

'The turtles come to the shore to get the seaweed that grows there. They also swim in to sleep.'
The creatures are so used to the routine, it is easy to imagine them enjoying the same laid-back surfer�s lifestyle as the turtles in Finding Nemo.

Sea faring: The Hawaiian sea turtles are reminiscent of the band of surfing turtles in 2003's Finding Nemo

Clark, who specialises in capturing images of the inside of breaking waves, has released the shots as part of a new book.
The father-of-two gets his shots of the turtles by swimming in seas and crouching down with his waterproof camera to capture rarely seen views.
Clark, from Oahu, Hawaii, says he often risks his life to capture the photographs.
He said: 'I love the ocean - I am addicted to the waves. I'm always in the water before dawn to try and snap that perfect picture as the sun rises.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1227582/Surfs-Hawaiian-sea-turtles-waves.html#ixzz0WwjClqLX

Rabbit and cat love

celeb_2006 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:17:35 GMT

YouTube Video
ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.

Sad, update says cat was killed by someone

Missing Persons singer jailed for animal cruelty

bellini — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:09:30 GMT

Quote:

Missing Persons singer Dale Bozzio is sitting in an Ossipee, New Hampshire, jail today after dropping her appeal of a March animal cruelty conviction.
Thirteen animal cruelty charges stemmed from Bozzio's failed attempt to "save" feral and sick cats from the New Hampshire woods. Two cats were found dead and 12 were put down following an undeterminable period of neglect that came to a head while Bozzio toured last fall (our exclusive photos from the scene can be viewed here, but be forewarned - they aren't for the faint of heart or stomach). She was found guilty of one count of cruelty to animals.
In May, Bozzio was sentenced to 90 days in jail with 60 days deferred for two years, plus 250 hours of community service. She was also ordered to pay a $2700 euthanization bill. That sentence has now been imposed.

After following the saga for nearly a year, I found Bozzio yesterday in a zen-like calm as she waited in the Carroll County District Court clerk's office with her husband Richard McKenzie and lawyer Dennis O'Connor. Known for her perky personality and happy-go-lucky songs like "Walkin' in L.A." and "Destination Unknown," the singer was friendly and positive that she would be just fine. She hugged me, blessing me and telling me "I respect you" before she voluntarily surrendered to the county jail.
With good behavior, Bozzio could serve as few as 20 days of the sentence. But given recent developments on the West Coast, the financially strugging star's troubles will unquestionably continue upon her release. Her former Reseda, California, landlord tells us he will now take legal action over skipped rent payments and at least $3,600 in cat-related damage.
For a more in-depth look at this story, pick up next week's Phoenix.

The next time she feels the need to rescue some cats, she should wait for it to pass. The cat would be eternally grateful.

Missing Persons singer Dale Bozzio jailed - Phlog

Fox Cub falls 12ft through the ceiling... and into shop window

Honey — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:34:12 GMT

Shoppers at a busy leather goods store couldn't believe their eyes when a fox fell through the ceiling and into the front window display.
The startled animal dropped into the shop and fell 12ft before landing on a pile of luggage.
It is believed the fox, who is only a cub, crept into the suspended ceiling through the fan system, which is switched off at night.
Startled consumers crowded around the front window as the fox nestled between some handbags and allowed itself to be petted.

Brush with death: A fox fell through the ventilation system at Dolphin Leather Goods in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

Store owner Ruth Reeves, 47, photographed the animal on her mobile phone before calling a local wildlife centre to arrange a rescue at the Dolphin Leather Goods in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
She said: 'We heard some scratching and a kerfuffle in the suspended ceiling and one of the panels just sort of collapsed.
'I thought, "Oh, gosh. Something's fallen on to the floor," and I then I heard this scuffling and I went over to the window and there was this beautiful little fox.

Lucky escape: Despite suffering from concussion, the disorientated animal was otherwise unharmed

'There are air fans up there that run during the day that are off at night so he must have come through the vents after hours.
'He didn't hurt himself because he fell on some big travel bags which are full of stuffing I've got near the front window.
'He was lovely. He let me stroke him in the window just like a little cat.
'He looked like a perfect little fox - he had a lovely bushy tail and his coat was beautiful, although he seemed to have a little cataract in one eye.'

Window dressing: The docile fox brightened up the shop front

Mother-of-three Ruth phoned the Secret World Wildlife Sanctuary in nearby Highbridge, Somerset, after the fox fell into her store at around 1pm on Monday.
Secret World founder Pauline Kidner, who is now caring for the animal, said he was 'very lucky' not to have been seriously injured in the fall.
She said: 'He was certainly suffering from concussion when he came in - he was very disoriented and very quiet.

'He was very lucky that he had a soft landing on some bags when he fell.
'We put him in one of our casualty pens and supported him with heat and pain relief because he had bruises, but luckily he had escaped without any other injuries.
'He's doing very well now, and we've been walking him up and down the corridor.
'He's a cub from this year, who's in very good condition. We're hoping to release him on Sunday in the middle of the night.
'We've been calling him Fantastic Mr Fox.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1226283/Fantastic-display-Mr-Fox-Cub-falls-12-ft-ceiling-shop-window.html#ixzz0WlIqUYTY

Most people keep their ducks in the bath, but this lot aren't made of rubber

Honey — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:23:44 GMT

There's not a huge amount of room and it gets rather dull going round and round a little sink - but it's a whole lot better than being in the cold outside.
These ducklings were rescued by a farmer after they hatched earlier this week - six months before most broods.
Fearing they would perish outside, the farmer took them indoors and later put them in his bathroom sink for their first paddle.

First paddle: The ducklings were rescued by a farmer after they hatched earlier this week - six months before most broods. Fearing they would perish outside, the farmer took them indoors

Rubber ducky, you're the one: The ducklings will be moved to a duckery unit next week

They've now been moved to an animal rescue centre where they will be cared for and kept warm until March when they will be released into the wild.
Pauline Kidner, founder of the Secret World Animal Rescue Centre in Highbridge, Somerset, said: 'It's very important to keep them warm. We'll be looking after them over Christmas and through the winter.
'Next week they'll be moved to a duckery unit which allows them to go into the water if they want, with a heater to keep them warm and dry.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1227395/Most-people-ducks-bath--lot-arent-rubber.html#ixzz0WlGCc6O4