I know I spend a lot of time belittling the Trump Admin (there are so many reason to do so) but I will give props where props are due….the admin has decided to tackle animal abuse….from dog fighting to experimentation to puppy mills…..
Senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration say they are cracking down on animal cruelty, rolling out coordinated actions across the Justice Department, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to target dogfighting, puppy mills and animal testing.
“We are forming a strike force… and we’re going to have designated U.S. attorneys in every state to prosecute these [animal abuse] cases,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi on “My View with Lara Trump” on Saturday.
Bondi appeared with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to discuss their interagency animal welfare initiative.
Bondi said her department would work with the USDA to conduct special training for prosecutors and law enforcement agents on executing search warrants in animal abuse cases.
“We just last week convicted someone, for the first time ever, of using a firearm in a violent crime, and the violent crime was dogfighting,” Bondi said.
In another example that shows “no one is above the law,” Bondi told host Lara Trump that 190 dogs were seized from former NFL player LeShon Johnson.
“That was the most seized from one single defendant. So we’re coming after you if you’re going after these babies,” she said, holding a small black puppy named Guru in her lap.
Rollins said the USDA is taking a tougher approach to shutting down abusive puppy mills, moving away from issuing warnings and toward stricter enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act.
“Compliance with the Animal Welfare Act, which is from the 1960s, was hovering around 65, 67% until the last few years. We’re now closer to 92%, but it’s that 8% that we’re really going to focus on.”
(if you are lazy there is a video within the article cited)
If this is a serious operation and policy then I want to be the first to give them a thumbs up….and I look forward to see just how successful they are in curbing the abuse.
Any thoughts?
+++Off I go for another batches of doctors……hopefully this will be it until after the New Year.+++
I thought I would leave my readers with a little humor as this week draws to a conclusion….a raccoon has a binder….
The masked burglar broke into the closed Virginia liquor store early on Saturday and hit the bottom shelf, where the scotch and whisky were stored. The bandit then proceeded to go on something of a nocturnal rampage: bottles were smashed, a ceiling tile collapsed, and alcohol pooled on the floor. The suspect acted like an animal because, in fact, he’s a raccoon, the AP reports. On Saturday morning, an employee at the liquor store in Ashland, Virginia, found the trash panda passed out on the bathroom floor at the end of his drunken escapade.
“I personally like raccoons,” said Samantha Martin, an officer who works at the local animal control. “They are funny little critters. He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything.” Martin said she took the raccoon to the animal shelter, though she had her fair share of giggles along the way. “Another day in the life of an animal control officer, I guess,” she said.
The Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter commended Martin for handling the break-in, and confirmed the raccoon had sobered up. “After a few hours of sleep and zero signs of injury (other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices), he was safely released back to the wild, hopefully having learned that breaking and entering is not the answer,” the agency said.
At least he made it to the toilet.
I think we ought to name him after another now infamous binder drinker, Hegseth.
Whatcha think?
I hope everyone has a great weekend and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….
This Saturday I thought I would change things up a bit…..
Local–NO rain for about 2 months….temps in low 80s and low 70s at night….it may sound idyllic but we have 8 months of high temps and humidity so we look forward to some cooler weather…..so far we have been disappointed.
Personal–I got a break until early December from my treatments and then hopefully it will be limited until after the new year.
This first story has lead me change the format a bit….this week I will focus on animals.
A Pennsylvania man is recovering after his dog inadvertently shot him in the back with a shotgun, police say. The incident took place Tuesday night in Shillington, where officers responded to a report of a shooting and found the 53-year-old victim conscious but wounded on the floor, reports ABC News. The man told police he had been cleaning his shotgun and set it on the bed. He then sat down, at which point one of his dogs jumped onto the bed, apparently triggering the firearm. “He’s not sure what stage of cleaning he was in at the time, so it’s [unclear] if the dog’s paw may have gotten caught inside the trigger and the safety was off,” or if there was perhaps a malfunction,” Cpl. Michael Schoone tells WFMZ.
The Berks County man was struck in the lower back, cops say. Paramedics transported him to nearby Reading Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery, reports WHP. Police said he was expected to need at least one more operation, though it’s not known exactly how badly he’s hurt, ABC notes. The Shillington Police Department described the shooting as accidental but noted that the incident remains under investigation. “Obviously, you should be treating every weapon as if it’s loaded,” Schoone says.
First of all….what kind of idiot cleans a loaded gun?
That story lead me to look at the stupid that people do when wildlife is involved….
This guy is an idiot and should be barred from any national park.
Proves the old saying ‘can’t fix stupid’….are selfies that important?
A bear shares snacks with a child…
This wolf uses brains for a meal….
I recently wrote about a wild fox that became interested in a guy playing a guitar on a hillside….so I thought I would show just how interesting foxes can be….
This fox found a dog toy and had a bit of fun….
Next we have a pack of fox pups playing…..
Wolf pups with dad….
So even animals have grumpy old men.
Then I read a report with some troubling news in it…..California is killing wolves….
California wildlife officials have confirmed the existence of a new wolf pack in southern Plumas County, bringing the state’s total number of wolf packs back to 10. The new group, known as the Grizzly pack, was given official status after a pup was spotted on a remote trail camera, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s latest report. Officials say evidence of reproduction is one of the criteria for pack status, SFGate reports. The pack includes a male wolf from Oregon and a female from California’s Lassen pack, reports the Los Angeles Times.
This is the fourth new pack identified in California this year, a sign that the state’s wolf population continues to recover as wolves from neighboring states like Oregon establish new groups and reproduce. In 2015, official said they were “amazed” to find a wolf pack in the state for the first time in almost a century.
The Grizzly pack was found in the remote Sierra Valley, where the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range meet. The discovery comes shortly after Fish and Wildlife killed four members of a different pack in the same region due to repeated cattle losses—70 in under six months. It was the first lethal action California had taken against wolves since their return to the state. Despite extensive nonlethal efforts, including drones and 24/7 field teams, officials say the wolves had become “habituated to cattle as a primary food source” instead of their usual prey of elk and deer. Authorities are hoping to relocate any surviving juveniles from the Beyem Seyo pack to sanctuaries.
Ranchers like Rick Roberti say the losses were so frequent he stopped reporting them. “Ranchers don’t want to see all the wolves removed, but we do want the right to protect our private property just just like anybody would with property,” Roberti tells SFGate. “We’re not rejoicing. It was bad for the wolves, and it was a terrible summer for us, and stressful financially. But we’re sleeping a little better now.”
Axel Hunnicutt, gray wolf coordinator for Fish and Wildlife, says the state’s wolf population is growing and “robust,” with at least 31 pups born the year and the formation of two more packs expected, the Los Angeles Times reports. He says the Whaleback pack had a record 10 pups this year.
“This year has brought both joyful and tragic news about wolves’ homecoming to California, but I’m elated there’s a new pack and more than 30 new pups roaming our state,” said Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a news release. “Wolves are still in the early stages of recovery in California and these new arrivals keep their recovery on a positive trajectory.”
So sad that they are being punished for existing.
Finally a very loyal visitor to IST, John and his wife have gone on safari and he has been writing a series on their trip….if you, like animals and truly amazing vistas then please visit his blog…..you will not be disappointed….
This post is for my readers who’s life is dominated by a feline roommate….
I am not a cat person but I will say that cats are the very example of indifference…..cats have one trait that I do not understand and I pride myself at having a logical mind….but this one thing defies logic.
That one thing is why do cats indiscriminately go along knock stuff over?
If you have a cat that resides in your abode I know you have asked yourself many times that same question.
Mental Floss takes a look into this irritating feline habit….
Cats have a knack for knocking things off their perches—even after you plead with them not to. There’s something seemingly passive-aggressive about the way they slowly tip over your belongings, but are they intentionally being jerks? According to experts, this behavior has a few explanations, but being a bully probably isn’t one of them.
One possible reason for your kitty acting up is boredom. Cats need stimulation just like you do, but they’re probably not up for streaming something on Netflix with you. Just like when they cry at night or scratch at a closed door, knocking something over also earns them attention (a.k.a. you running into the room after hearing a crash, or begging them to not smack something off the table in the first place).
“Your cat is curious, not purposefully aggravating,” My Cat from Hell’s Jackson Galaxy told Parade in 2014. “And, depending on how you look at it, bored! Think about a toddler who has been given crayons, but no paper. Hello, bedroom wall mural! Ask yourself, ‘Do we have enough cat toys?’ If the answer is yes, would he still rather bat a cup off the table? If so, it’s time to get new toys!”
This destructive habit is likely derived from a more primitive behavior called “toying.” When your pet starts pawing at items, it’s similar to them batting around prey.
“Your cat’s instincts tell her that paperweight or knickknack could turn out to be a mouse. Her poking paw would send it scurrying, giving her a good game (and possibly a good lunch),” Dr. H. Ellen Whiteley told How Stuff Works. Your naturally curious cat doesn’t mean your shelves any harm, so if you need to blame anything, blame feline boredom—or gravity.
There are a few things you can try to do to stop your cats from knocking things over. You could prevent having your pens, glasses, and more wind up on the floor by training your kitty to stay off your counters and tables. It’s also good to make sure your pets have easily accessible toys and enrichment activities around to keep their minds occupied when boredom strikes. And if all else fails, make sure you store any breakable objects where your curious cat can’t get to them.
(mentalfloss.com)
I think that some of the time cats are being purposefully aggravating….my daughter has a cat, Jar Jar, that relishes the destruction.
Now we know what some ‘experts’ think about the habit.
My week is starting with a bang….a transformer blew about a block away and scared the Hell out of me….so go out and have a wonderful day….and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….
I have written about the orcas attacking boats and the otter that steals surf boards and even the dolphins that attack beach goers it seems to be a growing problem….but should we just laugh off these amusing reports?
Or maybe there is a deeper problem that we need to be aware of that is developing.
One particularly ingenious image showcases an orca posed as a sickle crossed with a hammer. The cheeky caption reads, “Eat the rich,” a nod to the orcas’ penchant for sinking lavish yachts.
Memes conjure her in a beret like the one donned by socialist revolutionary Ché Guevara. In one caption, she proclaims, “Accept our existence or expect resistance … an otter world is possible.”
My scholarship centers on animal-human relations through the prism of social justice. As I see it, public glee about wrecked surfboards and yachts hints at a certain flavor of schadenfreude. At a time marked by drastic socioeconomic disparities, white supremacy and environmental degradation, casting these marine mammals as revolutionaries seems like a projection of desires for social justice and habitable ecosystems.
A glimpse into the work of some political scientists, philosophers and animal behavior researchers injects weightiness into this jocular public dialogue. The field of critical animal studies analyzes structures of oppression and power and considers pathways to dismantling them. These scholars’ insights challenge the prevailing view of nonhuman animals as passive victims. They also oppose the widespread assumption that nonhuman animals can’t be political actors.
Early this morning we did one of the most useless and wasteful exercises….the time change.
We all know all the stories of how this thing effects people….and we humans are not the only animals that are effected….
We humans have to start over with our sleep habits and other routines…..so do the animals……
Deer don’t use clocks but they would still benefit enormously from making daylight saving time permanent, researchers say. According to a study published in the journal Current Biology, the change would prevent the road deaths of more than 36,000 deer annually, along with an average of 33 human deaths and around 2,000 injuries to humans. Researchers analyzed data on more than 1 million deer-vehicle collisions between 1994 and 2021 and found that collisions are 14 times more likely in the two hours after sunset than the two hours before sunrise, meaning deer—and drivers—would be better off with more light in peak evening driving hours. Making daylight saving time permanent would also save around $1.2 billion in traffic costs annually, researchers say.
“We were surprised at the magnitude of the results,” says study co-author Laura Prugh. She tells USA Today that researchers thought the later sunrise and earlier sunset would balance out more evenly. Clocks will go back an hour at 2am ET on Sunday. According to the study, collisions go up 16% in the week following the change. “The time switch occurs pretty much exactly smack bang in the middle of the mating period, in particular, for white-tailed deer,” says co-author Calum Cunningham, per NBC. During mating season, he says, male deer are more vulnerable to accidents because they “go a little bit crazy—they increase movement and are fixated on reproducing.”
“This is one fairly consequential factor for both wildlife and people that hadn’t been considered before, and it turns out it makes a pretty big difference,” says Prugh, who hopes lawmakers in Congress will take it into account when they debate the change. The Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent passed the Senate unanimously in March but it has been stalled since then in the House, where lawmakers say it is not a priority.
Why do we still have to go through this stupidity ever year?
And if the Senate GOP has it way the DST will become permanent…..
The U.S. Senate has passed legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent starting in 2023, ending the twice-annual changing of clocks in a move promoted by supporters advocating brighter afternoons and more economic activity.
The Senate approved the measure, called the Sunshine Protection Act, unanimously by voice vote. The House of Representatives, which has held a committee hearing on the matter, must still pass the bill before it can go to President Joe Biden to sign.
Some days you learn of some special person that is their part to protect the wildlife of this planet….this is one such report…..
The internet is awash with photos of wealthy holidaymakers and criminals posing alongside the heads of elephants and rhinos.
But US military veteran Kinessa Johnson spent years battling gangs of poachers in Africa, working as part of a team trying desperately to protect the world’s most endangered species.
Following her military career, she signed up to the Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife (VETPAW) as an anti-poaching advisor.
She had previously worked as a weapons instructor and mechanic during a tour of Afghanistan.
A great vet…she has my vote for person of the year….it is great to see a vet getting involved in the protection of endangered species and hold poachers to task…..
I enjoy animals they are so much more interesting than most humans….my wifey found this video on Twitter and thought I would pass it on for your enjoyment….
As long as some of us are sheltering in place I thought that IST should help spread information to as many as I can….there is lots of info flying around the web…..
I have read and heard a lot about the origins of Covid-19 as that of animals….most notably the Pangolins of Asia……but is that true or just another wild conspiracy?
Maybe not so fast on that conspiracy…….
Pangolins can harbor coronaviruses related to the new coronavirus, a study finds.
Scientists studied viruses in pangolins (Manis javanica) captured in anti-smuggling activities in southern China. The identified coronaviruses, however, are different enough from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to hint that pangolins were not directly responsible for transmitting the virus to people, which had been suggested.
One of the pangolin viruses does have a structure that closely resembles the new coronavirus’ spike protein, which allows the pathogen to get into cells, infectious disease researcher Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam of the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong and colleagues report March 26 in Nature.
The closest relative of SARS-CoV-2 is still from a bat, the only other known mammal found to be infected with similar coronaviruses.
In another story I have heard it is a bat’s fault that viruses are spread…if so why is that?
While people across the world were celebrating the holidays with loved ones at the end of last year, somewhere in China the coronavirus pandemic began with a virus moving from bats to pigs and, ultimately, to the first human.
The rest, as they say, is history. Or at least it will be when the final chapter of the great COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 is written.
But why are bats so often behind viruses that sweep across the globe and kill so many of us?
There is a report that this virus may have been around for years…..
Scientists studying the origins of the coronavirus have found similar strains in bats and pangolins, leading to speculation that it jumped from one or perhaps both of those animals to humans earlier this year. But a new study floats a different idea: that the virus was spreading in humans for years, undetected and growing ever more dangerous, reports Science Alert. Under this scenario, the virus would have passed from animals to humans a while back, but it would have been harmless to us at the time. “Then, as a result of gradual evolutionary changes over years or perhaps decades, the virus eventually gained the ability to spread from human to human and cause serious, often life-threatening disease,” writes National Institutes of Health chief Francis Collins at his blog. Collins was not involved with the study by US, UK, and Australian researchers in Nature Medicine.
The scientists found that while strains found in bats and pangolins were indeed similar to SARS-CoV-2, the strain causing the current pandemic, the gap between the animal and humans versions remains too large, per the South China Morning Post. (The human strain has a genetic mutation that makes it particularly lethal for us, and the SCMP goes into detail on that.) It’s possible that a closer version in animals exists and just hasn’t been found yet, but the researchers suggest it’s more likely that the strain mutated within humans as it slowly spread. Among other things, that raises the possibility the disease did not originate in Wuhan, China, where the first cases were detected. Another key component of the study: The researchers say it’s all but impossible that the coronavirus originated in a lab—it has all the hallmarks of a natural origin.
Just a little more information for my readers…….I like to be FYI as often as I can especially now when we are all become hermits and a bit of a recluse.
