Animal Information

Animal Welfare Society Port Elizabeth needs your help

2012-01-26T09:43:00.000+02:00

Goodday,

Yourfavourite society needs help again!

TheAnimal Welfare Society in Port Elizabeth is bursting at its seams with all thenew unwanted pets that were dropped with us.

Weare in need of 2 good Industrial Washing Machines.

Please if you couldassist in any manner to help us to obtain such, we will appreciate it verymuch.

Mycontact details are listed below.

Thankingyou kindly

MarizanneFerreira 083 446 6180

Fundraiserand PRO for Animal Welfare Society, Port Elizabeth

www.animalwelfarepe.co.za

BankingDetails:

FNBBr Code 211 217

AccNo: 545 900 54423 (Current Acc)

AccName: The Animal Welfare Society PE

NPO No: 003-538

HalfTime Bed & Breakfast, Sardinia Bay Port Elizabeth

www.halftimebnb.co.za

Cell: +27 (0)83 446 6180

Fax: +27 (0)86 609 1966

Luxurious, yet Affordable Accommodation!

Flooding in Hoedspruit and Kruger

2012-01-19T09:25:00.000+02:00

Please spare a thought for everyone who has been affected by the flooding due to the Tropical Cyclone that hit Mozambiue on Sunday night:

Here is a video of the Letaba Rest Camp taken 18/01/2012. We were there 2 weeks ago, and that is one mighty strong river flowing next to it.

Funny Rhino picture

2012-01-13T16:30:00.000+02:00

Dear Mr Rhino, we love your signature artwork :)

Rhino Hunting - Legalise it?

2012-01-10T08:02:00.001+02:00

I can not understand how anyone prefers to see any animal dead (killed by the hunter) rather than alive. It makes my stomach turn when I look at facebook pages that boast 'specialised hunting' and they kill for the sake of killing. Urgh!

That concept will never pass by me. Be that as it may, Im not ignorant to the fact that Professional Hunting has created a modern wildlife world and the fast diminishing land they were used to roam freely on is no longer a reality - everyone wants to own a piece of this land.

Louise from SanWild has made a very valid statement and in my heart I do agree with her.

But it does not stop me from wondering why they have not yet legalised Rhino hunting up to now.

Anyone knowing anything about true conservation will tell you (or maybe not because they might be too concerned about being ridiculed in public) that once they legalise hunting of a species, the numbers start to be controlled via permits for breeding and hunting, the value suddenly drops, and everything becomes a little more above board.

What underhanded bloodsucking greedy high-ranking official will want to then make this legal, as I can assure you they are in on it!

Sadly Im a true fence sitter here. Cant stand it when people hunt animals (mainly for a photo with a noddy badge - I know, I come from that background), but like it even less when they half kill any rhino they can get their hands on (pregnant, or mother with baby!) and leave them to die a slow terribly painful death, sometimes even with a little calf waiting for the mom to wake up. At least with a Professional Hunting permit, these types of occurrences will be on a far lesser scale.

So it hurts deeply just thinking about the fact that Im saying "Make Rhino Hunting Legal", but I would rather support a (fairly) controlled environment, than the current awe full careless shameless poaching one.

The reason why I get so upset is that I have an immense amount of respect for the dead. I cant even drive past a dead animal on the road. I will rather pick it up (and have sadly also found SO MANY still alive when doing so!) and move it out the way to respectfully continue in the food chain, instead of a million cars pummeling it into the ground over and over again. On this same note, I hate it when people hurt animals and just carelessly leave them to die a horribly slow death. Having said all of this we have to take note that in a very real world that we most often choose to ignore, my message is as follows:

Show respect to nature. Thats it. (It just that I had to write a whole blog post to try and get my message across).

Peace everyone xxx

PS: Maybe the world should start focusing on looking at the heads of SANPARKS and the minister of environmental affairs... And THEIR bank accounts. Why worry about the poachers. Its those at the top that need to investigated. Jackie Selebi is a perfect example of investigating from the top down. I wonder about all the 'support groups' that we have to donate to. What about creating a support group to investigate the heads of all these places? The likes of Minister of Environmental affairs, Head of SANParks and the ambassadors of these Eastern countries, etc? Maybe, just maybe!

Baby Giraffe Born in Zoo

2012-01-09T10:50:00.000+02:00

Happy new year everyone! (thanks Yael for the share! xxx)I love the way mom gives the little one a small push to start walking.

Merry Christmas everyone

2011-12-25T06:30:00.000+02:00

What a Wonderful World we live in.

Celebrating Christmas is not only about the birth of Christ, but its is also for us to sit back and reflect on and appreciate that which we have been blessed with... and sometimes its not the value of the gift that you receive today, but more the value that you put to life and the people that you are spared with to spend it along side.

Enjoy this amazine 2minute video of David Attenborough narating to the words of Louis Armstrongs' song, What a Wonderful World.

Ban Shark Cage Diving

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000+02:00

Reminder friends: Puhleezzz take shark cage diving OFF your 'to-do' list. It encourages sharks to come close to humans, creates unnecessary expectations that we r associated with food. If all the National Parks say "don't feed the animals" - why would this rule not have the same negative impact for the apex predators of the ocean! Thanks guys pls share this info with your friends too.

Shark Cage Diving is animal cruelty and Human Stupidity

By Living Cruelty Free

Feeding causes wildlife to lose their natural fear of humans. These animals become easy targets for people who do not respect wildlife and would hurt them intentionally. Also, people who become fearful may injure an animal in an attempt to defend themselves against a mistaken “attack.”

Feeding causes injuries and harmful interactions between marine animals by forcing competition and confrontation among individuals and species which otherwise would not interact.

Do Not Feed Marine Wildlife

Feeding marine animals might seem harmless, or even helpful, but it’s not!

Further reading can be done on the various Facebook groups:

We hope you will enjoy your December holidays, and take this activity off your list. But most of all, we hope you will educate others on the realities of this industry.

I know the thrill that people wish to go through to see a lion, and I know the thrill people will go through to want to see a shark. But luring the shark to come to you with food is what makes this activity so wrong. go to Cape Point and experience being attacked by a baboon who is conditioned to people which it associates with food. Experience how angry you get at the baboon, and how you know he will really hurt you if you dont give him what he wants. Experience that animal human interaction, and understand that this is what chumming sharks is doing to sharks. The net result, more 'Man Eaters' in the making.

I dont say that shark cage diving people are bad people, Im saying they are fools. And NEVER argue with a fool. Spectators will not know the difference.

Thanks for understanding.

Giraffe falls into swimming pool video

2011-12-12T05:30:00.000+02:00

See what happens when a giraffe falls into the swimming pool.

Click on the link to view the video. Enjoy :)

Normal Cat Expensive Cat

2011-12-12T04:00:00.000+02:00

I could not resist this one :)

Victory in the campaign to ban circus animals in the United Kingdom

2011-12-07T17:00:00.000+02:00

Government in the United Kingdom concedes defeat after bribes and intimidation fail to deter rebels.

MPs in the United Kingdom voted to ban wild animals in circuses last night after David Cameron's attempts to bully Conservative backbenchers into voting against the measure backfired and ended in a humiliating public defeat. In a decision hailed by campaigners as an "historic victory for animal welfare and protection", MPs of all parties unanimously backed a ban and the Government signalled that it would introduce one, ending forever the days of lions, tigers, elephants and other wild animals in the big top.

In an act of desperation, Conservative whips had warned they would impose the most serious parliamentary voting sanction, a three-line whip, to bring recalcitrant backbenchers to heel and get them to support the Government's alternative proposal of a licensing system. But in a victory for The Independent's campaign for a ban and for the long campaigns waged by animal welfare organisations, Downing Street backed down when it became apparent that it would lose the vote despite what backbenchers described as "desperate" measures. One of the three MPs who brought the cross-party motion for a ban disclosed that he had first been offered a government job – and then threatened that the Prime Minister would look "very dimly" on his recalcitrance – unless he amended or withdrew the motion. Mark Pritchard, a Conservative backbencher, stood firm and insisted that the measure be voted upon.

As astonished MPs listened, Mr Pritchard said: "Well I have a message for the whips and for the Prime Minister of our country – and I didn't pick a fight with the Prime Minister – I may just be a little council house lad from a very poor background but that background gave me a backbone. It gives me a thick skin and I'm not going to be cowed by the whips of the Prime Minister on an issue I feel passionately about and have conviction about.

"There may be some other people with backbones on this side and they will speak later, but we need a generation of politicians with a bit of spine, not jelly. And I will not be bullied by any of the whips."

MPs from all sides of the House including the Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster, Labour's Nia Griffiths and the Green leader Caroline Lucas attacked the Government's position, saying that both public and parliamentary opinion was in support of a ban.

The motion was to "direct" the Government to introduce a ban.

Shortly before the vote, the Animal Welfare minister, Jim Paice, said: "If at the end of this debate the House were to approve this motion then of course we will have to respect that."

Animal welfare groups were ecstatic. The RSPCA said: "This is a win for democracy as well as animal welfare." It said it hoped the Government would quickly and formally announce a ban.

Animal Defenders International, the group which shot undercover footage of the beating by a Romanian groom of Anne the elephant at Bobby Roberts Circus, said: "This debate and vote has exposed the Government and demonstrated just how out of touch they have been with their peers, the public, and animal welfare groups."

Mary Creagh, the shadow Environment Secretary, said: "The public will be absolutely delighted that MPs from all parties have stood up to the Tory-led Government on this issue to achieve such a fantastic result. The vote brings to an end 48 hours of chaos and confusion from the Government about their position on a ban. It is extraordinary that David Cameron used such bully-boy tactics to threaten his own MPs and tried to impose a three-line whip on the vote."

The Government had initially planned to ban wild animals from circuses but the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was forced to do a U-turn, and instead proposed a licensing system, after Mr Cameron, a keen hunter and shooter, blocked the move.

Mr Paice blamed a court challenge to a ban in Austria for the decision, but there was no court challenge and he was forced to admit during an emergency debate, called because of the misinformation, that he had misled the Commons. The Government's subsequent claim that a ban could be challenged under the Human Rights Act or the EU Services Directive was challenged by lawyers and the European Commission.

The Government and MPs came under intense pressure from voters. More than 32,000 signed The Independent's online petition calling for the Government to change its mind, and supporters of the protest group 38 Degrees, which had forced Defra to abandon plans for its forests sell-off, deluged MPs' offices with hundreds of emails, letters and phone calls.

During the debate, MPs said the issue was emblematic of wider animal welfare issues. But the most astonishing contribution came from Mr Pritchard who had secured the backbench debate, which should have had a free vote. He said: "On Monday if I offered to amend my motion or drop my motion or not call a vote on this motion – and we're not talking about a major defence issue or an economic issue or an issue of public-sector reform, we're talking about a ban on wild animals in circuses – I was offered reward and incentive. If I didn't call for a ban – I was offered a job. Not as a minister, it was a pretty trivial job.

"Then it was ratcheted up to last night and I was threatened. I had a call from the Prime Minister's Office directly and I was told unless I withdrew this motion that the Prime Minister himself would look upon it 'very dimly indeed'."

He told MPs: "It remains a mystery why the Government has mounted such a concerted operation to stop there being a vote on this motion."

Source: The Independent

"We still have loads of circuses in South Africa who have many wild animals stuck in those terrible caged trailers, forced to do stupid acts that are supposed to make humans laugh. Its going to take a long time for 'this circus' gets its act together to ban WILD animals from our circuses. Making the public more aware that its cruel to have wild animals in circuses is a step in the right direction. ~ ed."

Discovery Channel to air full 'Frozen Planet' series despite controversy

2011-12-07T07:37:00.001+02:00

Big news! For weeks, the Discovery Channel refused to show the stunning conclusions of its own Frozen Planet documentary series that showed the devastating effects that climate change has had on the North and South Poles -- and the danger it portends for the rest of the planet.

But just hours after Claudia Abbott-Barish's Change.org petition hit 75,000 signatures, Discovery backed down, and agreed to air the final episode (all about climate change) in its entirety!

It's another sign that something different is happening all over the world. Every day, people are taking a stand on local, state and national issues that matter to them, and they're winning.

Change.org has a simple goal -- enable anyone, anywhere, to start, join and win campaigns about issues that are important to them. We're a community of more than 5 million people, and together we've achieved some amazing victories.

In the last few weeks, people have used the Change.org platform to stop young people from being deported, save homes from foreclosure, and force big banks to drop outrageous fees for using a debit card. A Burmese monk living in Brooklyn successfully petitioned Hillary Clinton to speak out forcefully about political prisoners in his home country. An animal lover stopped a shelter in North Carolina from slaughtering thousands of dogs. A Syrian activist got Western tech companies to stop supplying spying technology to the violent Syrain regime. Two LGBT teens in Michigan pushed their state legislature to drop a harmful exemption from an anti-bullying law.

It's amazing to watch. And, if you're like me, you can't wait to see what happens next.

Herewith a sneak preview of this amazing footage:

"Well done to Claudia Abbott-Barish! ~ ed"

Animal Gifts

2011-12-07T06:58:00.001+02:00

Please think twice before you choose to give animals as Gifts this Christmas.

Snake on the Beach

2011-12-04T21:58:00.001+02:00

Monday 28 November 2011, I took my dog to the beach for her regular walk. I saw a man staring at something on the beach. Upon investigation, I noticed it was a fairly large mole snake, curled up on the beach - what seemed like - it was pretending to be a rock.

As soon as a seagull arrived to investigate the object, the snake unwrapped itself and moved towards its prey.

Im not too sure at his success rate to date, but this hunting technique looked like something he is familiar with.

Once the birds flew away, he continued to scan the beach for more food.

I became very concerned for both the snake and the people with their dogs on this very popular beach... by constantly warning people to stay away from the snake, and at the same time helping them from 'stumbling upon' the happy hunter who could end up with a rock on his head, (knowing how much people dislike snakes) it was my mission to save both.

I called the local snake man, who referred me to the SPCA mobile unit. The SPCA mobile unit arrived within 20 minutes of my call.

Mr SPCA very comfortably lifted Mr Snake by his tail and gently put him in the box.

I requested that he does not take the snake away from what we believe is his home, so he dropped the snake off back in the field, about 50 meters away from where we found him frolicking on the edge of the beach in the water.

African Tails share their plight

2011-11-11T17:51:00.001+02:00

HiHound-o-Holics

It’s been a week of mixed emotions and hard work for theteam. We spent two full days Eerste Rivier which left us emotionally drainedand physically exhausted but proud of our achievements.

As you may know, African Tails services Du Noon Township(near Table View), Joe Slovo Township (near Milnerton), the Vissershok DumpSite (on the N7) and Eerste Rivier. Despite years of continuous work inthese areas, we’re nowhere near to having any of them fully undercontrol. We know that these are just 4 specks on the globe where we workfervently and feverishly to alleviate the plight of the animals and that theproblems of mass overpopulation, neglect, suffering and abuse arewide-spread. One day we dream of being able to have these 4 areastemporarily cleaned up so that we can spread our work further afield, to areaswhere no animal welfare assistance is currently rendered. No other organisationswork in these areas in terms of mass sterilisations and the burden fallssquarely upon our sagging shoulders. We receive no government funding,are working with ineffective laws and dealing with intoxicated, uneducated,poverty-stricken and often aggressive and dangerous people who see theiranimals as a source of income.

You know those people who stand on street corners holdinghapless pups for sale? Well, they invariably live in a township wherethey have a mother dog who is bred to depletion to line their pockets. When help is offered to get the mother sterilised, the help is refused as asterilised mommy dog is taking away their income. That is why we cannotstress it enough: DO NOT BUY PUPPIES FROM BERGIES /HOMELESS PEOPLE / DRUNK PEOPLE / POOR PEOPLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. Back home, there is a mom and she will continue to be exploited. If thereis no market for pups such as these, then more and more people will accept helpto sterilise their animals when it’s offered.

Although we managed to sterilise 46 Eerste Rivier dogs andcats on Wednesday, we were turned away by countless people with Huskies,Pitbulls, Boxers, Fox Terriers and “braks” because they need the puppies fortheir own survival.

The money they make is not re-invested in theiranimals. It goes towards supporting their drug and alcohol habits. Buying a pup from the streets, from Gumtree or from backyard breeders doesn’thelp anyone, least of all the dogs. It in fact pits those working inanimal welfare against more adversity.

The owners of this chained up Husky mom pictured belowfrantically waved us down, as we cruised the streets of The River of Sorrows,for some advice. Her teats were raw and bleeding from her large litter ofpuppies suckling at her and draining her of all her resources. When weexplained how sterilisation would stop it, how it would reduce the risk of hercontracting cervical cancer, how she’d be much healthier and better, we wereshoo’d away. They wouldn’t hear of it. And so this poor girl willgo on to breed and breed and breed and there is nothing we can do. Thereis no law to stop it. Our hands are as tied as she is.

So it’s not only ignorance and cruelty that we are fighting,but we’ve come to battle without any weapons (in the form of adequate laws andscarce funding and resources). Yet we will soldier on. To the nextstreet, the next house, the next dog, the next cat. And we will help andsave those we can.

Both Du Noon and Eerste Rivier need us desperately – andthat’s why we need YOU to PLEASE help usby contributing towards our sterilisation fund. The government isn’thelping, huge corporations aren’t - it’s just you and us against the world!

Banking Details
Nedbank Sea Point
Account Name: African Tails
Current Acc no: 1069401978
Branch code: 106909(13) – if 8 digits arerequired please add the extra “13”

Reference: Your Name and Steri Fund

Alternatively, you could sign up as a monthly debit orderdonor (form attached), knowing that once a month, you are helping by ensuringthe sterilisation of at least one or two dogs. Or for a quick fix, youcan sms “WAG” to 48716 at the cost of R10.00. You can also select AfricanTails as a beneficiary on your Woolworths / My School Card.

One sterilisation costs us R250.00. Sterilisation isTHE ONLY way we can ever hope to win this war and hold on to our hopes ofseeing fewer and fewer lactating bitches scavenging for food, and fewer andfewer litters of sick, malnourished and dying puppies and fewer and fewersuffering dogs.

This is Lady and we laid her soul lovingly to rest. Could she have been saved? Probably. Should her suffering have beenprolonged? We don’t believe so. She had suffered enough. Shehad borne countless litters, was neglected and deprived of food, love andshelter and she was in terrible agony – a mere shadow of a dog. Had wespent thousands (which could have gone towards sterilisation) on rehabilitatingher, would we have found her home? Would she have become one of the 30that we HAVE saved and rehabilitated that stagnate in foster homes becausethere just aren’t enough good, loving homes for rescues out there? Had wenot been in the area doing our rounds, she would still be out there. Soeven though she paid the price of eternal bliss in the form of death, she wasultimately saved. We apologise if you find these images upsetting – wewere just as upset to see her in real life.

These two Eerste Rivier dogs (pictured “before” and “after”)could have ended up just like her had we not found them and intervened in time– through education, sterilisation and mange treatments administered by Zonia(volunteer or Helderberg Animal Welfare).

There is hope, but we have to search deep and work hard tofind it, to bring it out of the dust and dirt and darkness of these awfulcesspools of suffering, to hold it up to the light and allow it to bloom andflourish.

So today, on Remembrance Day, we ask you to please spare athought and a few pennies for these precious souls - the one’s we’ve reachedand the ones we still need to get to. We appeal for your compassion andsupport in raising awareness of the terrible plight of Cape Town’s Street andTownship Dogs. That’s all we ask of you – and we’ll do the rest. Wewill wage this battle, with archaic weapons, in the name of Dog, till thebitter end.

On a happier note – we would like to thank The CharlesGlass Society for hosting us at their year-end function last night. The Society meets on the 2^nd Thursday of every month and their mottois “Fun, Friendship and Laughter”. We certainly got our fair share ofthat last night, as well as a cheque for R5000.00! Thank you to theCharles Glass-ians for giving back! We would highly recommend you join upwith this fantastic, fun society!

Lots of puppy love andAfrican Tail-wags

Lola Cox

General Manager

Lion warning

2011-11-08T16:30:00.000+02:00

Lions are on the loose in Mozambique

and

an urgent warning is going out to all visitors to the area.

Thanks Belinda for keeping us entertained with your animal stories! Looking forward to seeing you soon my friend xxx

Powerful Smiling

2011-11-02T17:00:00.000+02:00

Do Try this at Home!... works wonders in uncomfortable moments :)

Lion Cub Rescue story

2011-09-29T05:00:00.000+02:00

Its at times like this where I just would want to put my camera down and go over and lend a human hand. Yes I know its just plain stupid, but thats how I feel and what I will want to do if I was there at the time. Well done to the photographer Jean-Francois Largot and a big thank you to my friend Belinda for sharing with us.

Lion cub saved by mum in dramatic scenes caught on camera as he cries out pitifully for help.

Clinging on for dear life to the side of a vertical cliff, the tiny lion cub cries out pitifully for help.

His mother arrives at the edge of the precipice with three other lionesses and a male. The females start to clamber down together but turn back daunted by the sheer drop.

On the brink: Four lionesses look over the edge before aborting their rescue mission because of the sheer drop.

Eventually one single factor determines which of them will risk her life to save the youngster – motherly love.

The drama begins: The mother arrives at the edge of the cliff as her son cries out for rescue after being trapped when he slipped.

Slowly, agonizingly, the big cat edges her way down towards her terrified son, using her powerful claws to grip the crumbling cliff side. One slip from her and both animals could end up dead at the bottom of the ravine.

Just as the exhausted cub seems about to fall, his mother circles beneath him and he is snatched up in her jaws.

She then begins the equally perilous journey back to the top. Minutes later, they arrive and she gives the frightened creature a consoling lick on the head.

The dramatic rescue, captured by wildlife photographer Jean-Francois Largot, was played out in Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve.

Despite the presence of wardens to deter poachers, day-to-day life for the lions is not without its dangers … as the cub learned the hard way.

The mother inches her way down towards the terrified cub Locked tight in her jaws, the mother carries her son back up the cliff face

Rescue mission: The mother inches her way down the cliff face to rescue the terrified cub before locking him in her jaws and making her way back up the cliff face.

Motherly love: The mother gives her son a lick to say that all is well in the pride following the drama!

... so special, that feeling of complete safety and comfort in the arms of your parents... its all the youngsters ask for.

Shark follows a man for 2 years now

2011-09-17T08:30:00.000+02:00

wow, I love great white sharks. so glad to see SOME people in this world can see that they are loving animals too. Thanks Abby for the share! xxx

BUT... before you continue to enjoy this lovestory... (Thanks to Grant!) he has shared the following with me:

...the bad news:
It's Fiction i.e. it's a hoax story.
See here: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/shark-love-hoax.shtml
and here: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/p/petshark.htm
:-(

This does not stop me from being in total awe about the apex predator of the oceans (and often our rivers too).

It's happening off the South Australian coast,

near Port Lincoln.

Who said that animals do not have love & gratitude?

Surfing Doggie

2011-09-16T16:13:00.001+02:00

Great way to start our weekend. I have a lovely video of a dog that just loves surfing, snowboarding and riding his skateboard. Thanks for the share Yael xxx

Fable of the Porcupine

2011-09-16T05:30:00.000+02:00

Baby porcupines are just the cutest little things ever. Actually all babies are super cute. I have never in my life seen one, as they are mainly nocturnal creatures. Thanks to my friend Ursula Petersen for sharing this amazingly cute story with us.

The parable is worth sharing…. But have you ever seen a baby porcupine? I would share the message just for this!

"It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.

After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together.

They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the warmth that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

Moral of the story:

The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities.

The little piggy and his doggy mommy

2011-09-15T06:18:00.003+02:00

Thanks to Abby Aitkenhead for sending me this very cute story about a little piggy. So cute, I could just plutz !

This is for all you dog lovers outthere. Enjoy, even if you are not a dog lover.

A giant farm dog and a tiny piglet cuddle up as if they werefamily after the baby runt was dismissed by its own mother. Surrogate mumKatjinga, an eight-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback, took on motherly duties forgrunter Paulinchen - a tiny pot-bellied pig - and seems to be taking theadoption in her stride. Lonely Paulinchen was luckily discovered moments fromdeath and placed in the care of the dog who gladly accepted it as one of herown. Thankfully for the two-week old mini porker, Katjinga fell in love withhim at first sight and saved his bacon.

And the unlikely relationship has made the wrinkly piggy a genuinesausage dog. In these adorable images Paulinchen can even be seen trying tosuckle from his gigantic new mum.
The two animals live together on a huge 20-acre farm in Hoerstel , Germany ,where Katjinga's owners Roland Adam, 54, and his wife Edit, 44, a bank worker,keep a pair of breeding Vietnamese pigs.

Nose place like home: The baby piglet nuzzles up to its new mumProperty developer Roland found the weak and struggling piglet after he wasabandoned by the rest of his family one evening after he was born. He said:"The pigs run wild on our land and the sow had given birth to a litter offive in our forest. "I found Paulinchen all alone and when I lifted him uphe was really cold

"I felt sure some local foxes would have taken the little pigthat very night so I took it into my house and gave him to Katjinga.. "Shehad just finished with a litter of her own, who are now 10 months, so I thoughtthere was a chance she might take on the duties of looking after him."Katjinga is the best mother you can imagine. She immediately fell in lovewith the piggy. Straight away she started to clean it like it was one of herown puppies.
"Days later she started lactating again and giving milk for the piggy. Sheobviously regards it now as her own baby." Mum of the year? Quitepossibly.

Have a Good Day!

Be kinder than necessary, foreveryone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

911 Hero Daisy the Golden Retriever

2011-09-09T17:33:00.003+02:00

Thank you to my friend Angie who runs a boutique Advertising Agency for sharing this lovely story with us:

Angela Jayne Collins Managing Director
082 789 3393 www.davinciedisonbell.co.za

James Crane worked onthe 101st floor of Tower 1 of the World Trade Center.. He is blind so he has a golden retriever named Daisy.

After the plane hit20 stories below, James knew that he was doomed, so he let Daisy go, out of an actof love. She darted away into the darkened hallway.

Choking on the fumesof the jet fuel and the smoke James was just waiting to die. About 30 minuteslater, Daisy comes back along with James' boss,

Who Daisy justhappened to pick up on floor 112

On her first run ofthe building, she leads James, James' boss, and about 300 more people out ofthe doomed building.

But she wasn'tthrough yet, she knew there were others who were trapped. So, highly againstJames' wishes she ran back in the building.

On her second run, she saved 392 lives. Again she went back in. During thisrun, the building collapses. James hears about this and falls on his knees intotears.

Against all knownodds, Daisy makes it out alive, but this time she is carried by a firefighter."She led us right to the people, before she got injured" the firemanexplained.

Her final run saved another 273 lives. She suffered acute smoke inhalation,severe burns on all four paws, and a broken leg, but she saved 967 lives. Daisyis the first civilian Canine to win the Medal of Honor of New York City.

Animal Related Jobs Cape Town

2011-09-08T16:30:00.000+02:00

In my constant search for helping the animal kingdom, I often come across jobs like this. Im not in the market for these, but you might be :)

Animal Keeper (trainee)
World of Birds - Houtbaai, Western Cape
See original job posting at Job Mail »

Young energetic, enthusiastic, dedicated animal carer needed. Only emailed 2PG CV will be accepted.
Please send 2 page CV to : Hendrik worldofbirds@mweb.co.za

Vet Receptionist
Cape Town, Western Cape
See original job posting at Gumtree ZA »

Milnerton based Animal Hospital is looking for a part-time receptionist for its busy clinic. Applicants must be well groomed and presented. Ideally you should live in the area and have drivers license. Shifts are 5 hours per day including Saturday mornings.
Please send CV to : ourvets@hotmail.co.za

Android Dog Fighting Application is sickening

2011-09-05T07:30:00.000+02:00

The world is a sick place sometimes! Im horrified to see that Android have created a game to teach you "How to train your dog to beat the best!" Honestly, this world of ours, it deserve what comes to them.

Tell Android to Block Dog Fighting App

Sign this Petition by clicking here

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

In "KG Dogfighting" (formerly named "Dog Wars," by Kage Games, LLC), an app for Android smartphones, you can feed, water, train and fight dogs. This app makes a game out of dog fighting -- celebrating cruelty against animals and contributing to the attitude that there's nothing wrong with using animals in bloodsports. This type of media fuels animal abuse and breed specific legislation, which costs innocent dogs their lives.

The company attacks people who are offended by this app by saying "It is just a video game." But they also tweeted the following: "#DogWars gametip: steroids will help you get stronger but just like real life you still gotta train for max effect."

One dedicated player created a video of tips, such as using the guns in the game for protection in police raids. The video also includes photos of dogs tagged with known fighting lines and puppies for sale.
Dog fighting is a felony across all 50 states. "KG Dogfighting" promotes violence and creates a virtual community for a very real crime. Like many sites, Android Market's policies don't specifically address animal cruelty, but do state: "Android Market should not be used for unlawful purposes or for promotion of dangerous and illegal activities."

Android, owned by Google, shouldn't be allowing this type of app in its market. Tell Android/Google to block "KG Dogfighting" (and Kage Games' related app, "Dog Bucks") and stop condoning animal cruelty.

After you sign and share, be sure to report the game in the Android Market, too: http://www.google.com/support/androidmarket/bin/request.py?contact_type=takedown

Bear cooling off in a barrel

2011-09-02T15:57:00.000+02:00

Thanks Brenda Breytenbach for sharing this cute story with us. xxx

This is nature taking a break: Rain barrel with bear.

People living in Colorado Springs wondered why their rain water barrel was almost empty every day. They set up a couple of cameras and look what they caught on film ~ Isn't nature beautiful?

Absolutely priceless?

Doggie and Dolphin love movie

2011-08-31T21:15:00.000+02:00

This doggie is totally in love with the dolphins in his local waters... a video worth watching over and over again

K9 War Dogs SEALs

2011-08-16T18:14:00.001+02:00

I get so many very interesting emails from my friends and readers of this blog, and this is yet again another one that I would like to share with you which came from my friend Yael. Thanks Yael :)

Its wonderful to read that the dogs whom are now taken to war have the same rights as the humans. These dog hero's are not left behind like they did to them in the Vietnam War. That thought saddened me tremendously, but my only consolation to those terrible inhumane acts is the fact that they are now in doggie heaven and not suffering any more.

The story is interesting and I hope you enjoy the read. This also does not and will not ever convince me that Osama Bin Laden was ever a real person. (that's another topic of course). Regards, Jx

When U.S. President Barack Obama went to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, last week for a highly publicized, but very private meeting with the commando team that killed Osama bin Laden, only one of the 81 members of the super-secret SEAL DevGru unit was identified by name: Cairo, the war dog. Cairo, like most canine members of the elite U.S. Navy SEALs, is a Belgian Malinois. The Malinois breed is similar to German shepherds but smaller and more compact, with an adult male weighing in the 30-kilo range.

German shepherds are still used as war dogs by the American military but the lighter, stubbier Malinois is considered better for the tandem parachute jumping and rappelling operations often undertaken by SEAL teams. Labrador retrievers are also favoured by various military organizations around the world

Like their human counterparts, the dog SEALs are highly trained, highly skilled, highly motivated special ops experts, able to perform extraordinary military missions by SEa, Air and Land (thus the acronym). The dogs carry out a wide range of specialized duties for the military teams to which they are attached: With a sense of smell 40 times greater than a human’s, the dogs are trained to detect and identify both explosive material and hostile or hiding humans. The dogs are twice as fast as a fit human, so anyone trying to escape is not likely to outrun Cairo or his buddies.

The dogs, equipped with video cameras, also enter certain danger zones first, allowing their handlers to see what’s ahead before humans follow. As I mentioned before, SEAL dogs are even trained parachutists, jumping either in tandem with their handlers or solo, if the jump is into water. Last year canine parachute instructor Mike Forsythe and his dog Cara set the world record for highest man-dog parachute deployment, jumping from more than 30,100 feet up — the altitude transoceanic passenger jets fly at. Both Forsythe and Cara were wearing oxygen masks and skin protectors for the jump. Here’s a photo from that jump, taken by Andy Anderson for K9 Storm Inc. (more about those folks shortly).

As well, the dogs are faithful, fearless and ferocious — incredibly frightening and efficient attackers. I have seen it reported repeatedly that the teeth of SEAL war dogs are replaced with titanium implants that are stronger, sharper and scare-your-pants-off intimidating, but a U.S. Military spokesman has denied that charge, so I really don’t know (never having seen a canine SEAL face-to-face). I do know that I’ve never seen a photo of a war dog with anything even vaguely resembling a set of shiny metal chompers.

When the SEAL DevGru team (usually known by its old designation, Team 6) hit bin Laden’s Pakistan compound on May 2, Cairo’s feet would have been four of the first on the ground. And like the human SEALs, Cairo was wearing super-strong, flexible body Armour and outfitted with high-tech equipment that included “doggles” — specially designed and fitted dog googles with night-vision and infrared capability that would even allow Cairo to see human heat forms through concrete walls. Now where on earth would anyone get that kind of incredibly niche hi-tech doggie gear?

From Winnipeg, of all places. Jim and Glori Slater’s Manitoba hi-tech mom-and-pop business, K9 Storm Inc., has a deserved worldwide reputation for designing and manufacturing probably the best body Armour available for police and military dogs. Working dogs in 15 countries around the world are currently protected by their K9 Storm body Armour.

Jim Slater was a canine handler on the Winnipeg Police Force when he crafted a Kevlar protective jacket for his own dog, Olaf, in the mid-1990s.Soon Slater was making body Armour for other cop dogs, then the Canadian military and soon the world. The standard K9 Storm vest also has a load-bearing harness system that makes it ideal for tandem rappelling and parachuting.

And then there are the special hi-tech add-ons that made the K9 Storm especially appealing to the U.S. Navy SEALs, who bought four of K9 Storm Inc.’s top-end Intruder “canine tactical assault suits” last year for $86,000. You can be sure Cairo was wearing one of those four suits when he jumped into bin Laden’s lair. Here’s an explanation of all the K9 Storm Intruder special features:

Just as the Navy SEALS and other elite special forces are the sharp point of the American military machine, so too are their dogs at the top of a canine military heirarchy. In all, the U.S. military currently has about 2,800 active-duty dogs deployed around the world, with roughly 600 now in Afghanistan and Iraq. Here’s the link to a dandy photo essay about U.S. war dogs that just appeared in the journal Foreign Policy. Several of the photos I have included here are from Foreign Policy, as you will see. Other photos are from K9 Storm Inc.

As for the ethics of sending dogs to war, that’s pretty much a moot point, don’t you think? If it’s ethical to send humans into combat, then why not dogs? At least the U.S. now treats its war dogs as full members of the military. At the end of the Vietnam War, the U.S. combat dogs there were designated as “surplus military equipment” and left behind when American forces pulled out.

Cute Animal Pictures

2011-08-12T06:10:00.002+02:00

Your SMILE for today……

Smile for the camera!

I'm not cute! I'm vicious! Rawwr Raawwrr! Alright fine, I'm cute.

Honey, I think you may have a fever.

Just one last hug before I go to school. Kay? Bye mom!

No dog bed? No problem.

.. visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

bathing is exhausting!

My mom wants me to get braces, I'd rather just wear a hat.

All in the family.

You go ahead on your vacation, I'll watch your fish for you.

He's right behind me, isn't he....

Just a little to the left! Now hold still!

Yoga kitty says: The key to innear health is inner peace.

Knock knock. We're cute. Give us biscuits.

Poms can purr too.....

Mommy, I'm tiewwwwd. Cawwwy meeeee!

I love a good head massage!

~~~ UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL,
PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED ~~~

Elephants Reunited After 22 Years

2011-08-11T15:27:00.000+02:00

Elephants Reunited After 22 Years -

I saw this video a few years ago, and am so glad I found it again to share on my blog. This must have been the most moving story I have ever seen and have always remembered since I saw it. I hope this story will touch your heart like it has touched mine. And once again proving that animals too share deepest and truest forms of love. Thank you for reading my blog! Regards, Juanita.

http://www.dogwork.com/relp8/

Jenny and Shirley were at the same circus when Jenny was a calf and Shirley was in her twenties. The two lived together one winter, but were separated twenty-two years ago. It's rare for elephants to display this kind of emotion in captivity. It's probably the first time such a thing has been documented.

Animal Bouquet pictures - a must see

2011-07-07T17:40:00.000+02:00

How cute are these flower arrangements? I'm definitely going to try and do this when I have a chance too.

Slaughter of Namibian Seals

2011-07-01T06:36:00.002+02:00

Its a sad day for the Namibian Seals today :( May those we cant save to live a normal life, RiP.

Herewith an extract from another concerned person who started a Facebook page to make people more aware of the situation: (Oh boy, do I just LOVE the internet... it has opened up the world for everyone to see really what madness is going on in our precious world out there.)

________________________________________________________

Did you know the Namibian seal hunt is responsible for the largest slaughter of wildlife on earth? It is considered to be the most brutal of ALL culls and is officially responsible for the deaths of more seals than the Canadian cull.

From the 1st of July, 85,000 Cape Fur seal pups will be savagely beaten to death for their fur pelts. Six thousand bulls will be shot so that their penises may be used to make an ineffective aphrodisiac. For the next 139 days, terrified pups will be rounded up, separated from their mothers and be violently beaten to death. The colony will be rounded up at day break. Pups, bulls and cows will be surrounded and kept away from the safety of the sea. Men with clubs move in and the seals run in fear.

To kill the animal, the men need to administer a swift blow to the head. This is supposed to cause the cranium to disintegrate. This initial strike is seldom sufficient to kill the animal and, as it tries to take evasive action, it is repeatedly beaten until it is either dead or unconscious. The sealer then stabs the little ones in the throat, sometimes while they are still alive. The baby seals are known to become so terrified that they will vomit up their mothers milk. The sand on the beach is stained pink from all the blood. Carcasses are hurled onto the backs of waiting vehicles and the bulldozers set to work cleaning up the blood before the tourists arrive to view the colony.

Each year, despite a declining population, the quota gets increased.

ON FRIDAY, JULY 1st, THE DAY THE HUNT BEGINS, WE WILL JAM THE PHONE LINES OF NAMIBIA EMBASSIES WORLDWIDE, AND LET THEM KNOW THE WORLD IS WATCHING THEIR BARBARIC ACTIONS!

List of Namibian Embassies worldwide:
http://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-of/Namibia
or try:
http://www.embassyconsulates.com/namibia-embassy/all-embassy-worldwide.html

Call early, call often.....they should not be able to do any other business that day.

PLEASE SHARE THIS EVENT WIDELY!!

More Info: https://sites.google.com/site/thesealsofnam/home

________________________________________________________

And just to add to their (Namibian Embassy) SEO for Google and the rest, just in case someone is looking for a Namibian Embassy, I thought I would make it easier for them, if they can find it on this website... linked to their hidden secret of horror for those poor innocent seals that have to die such a painful death every year.

... so here you gooooooo:

High Comission of Namibia in Arcadia, South Africa
197 Blackwood Street
City: Arcadia
Country : South Africa
Tel: (+27-12) 4819100
Fax: (+27-12) 3437294, 3445998
E-mail: secretary@namibia.org.za

Embassy of Namibia in Luanda, Angola
Rwa Dos Cocqueiros No. 37
City: Luanda
Country : Angola
Tel: (+244-2) 395483, 2394730, 23962811
Fax: (+244-2) 339234
E-mail: embnam@netangola.com

Embassy of Namibia in Vienna, Austria
Ungargasse 33/5 A-1030
City: Vienna
Country : Austria
Tel: (+43-1) 4029371, 4029372, 4029373
Fax: (+43-1) 4029370
E-mail: nam.emb.vienna@speed.at
Website:www.embnamibia.at

Embassy of Namibia in Bruxelles, Belgium
Av. de Tervuren, 454
City: Bruxelles
Country : Belgium
Tel: (32-2) 771 1410
Fax: (32-2) 771 9689
E-mail: nam.emb@brutele.be
Website:www.diplobel.org

High Comission of Namibia in Gaborone, Botswana
2nd Floor Debswana House
City: Gaborone
Country : Botswana
Tel: (+267) 3902181
Fax: (+267) 3902248
E-mail: nhc.gabs@info.bw

Embassy of Namibia in Brasilia, Brazil
QI 09 Conjunto 04, casa 15 - Lago Sul
City: Brasilia
Country : Brazil
Tel: (+55-61) 2486274, 2487621
Fax: (+55-61) 2487135

Embassy of Namibia in Beijing, China
1-13-2, Tayuan Diplomatic Ofc. Bldg., Jianguomenwai
City: Beijing
Country : China
Tel: 6532 4810
Fax: 6532 4549

Embassy of Namibia in Kinshasa, Congo, Democratic Republic
4967 Kauka Avenue
City: Kinshasa
Country : Congo, Democratic Republic
Tel: (+243) 8807208
Fax: (+873) 761912745

Embassy of Namibia in Miramar, Cuba
Ave. 5ta.-A No.4406 e/ 44 y 46
City: Miramar
Country : Cuba
Tel: (+53-7) 2041428, 2041430
Fax: (+53-7) 2041431

Embassy of Namibia in Moscow, Russia
2nd Kazachy Lane House 7
City: Moscow
Country : Russia
Tel: (+7-95) 2303275
Fax: (+7-95) 2302274
E-mail: namembrf@online.ru

Embassy of Namibia in Stockholm, Sweden
Luntmakargatan 86-88
City: Stockholm
Country : Sweden
Tel: (+46-8) 6127788
Fax: (+46-8) 6126655
E-mail: info@embassyofnamibia.se
Website:www.embassyofnamibia.se

Embassy of Namibia in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Bole Road, W17, K19, House No. 002
City: Addis Ababa
Country : Ethiopia
Tel: (+251-1) 611966
Fax: (+251-1) 711577
E-mail: nam.emb@telecom.net.et

Embassy of Namibia in Paris, France
80, avenue Foch
City: Paris
Country : France
Tel: (33-1) 4417 3265
Fax: (33-1) 4417 3273
E-mail: namparis@club-internet.fr

Embassy of Namibia in Stockholm, Sweden
Luntmakargatan 86-88
City: Stockholm
Country : Sweden
Tel: (+46-8) 6127788
Fax: (+46-8) 6126655
E-mail: info@embasyofnamibia.se

High Comission of Namibia in Manhattan, USA
135 East 36 th Street
City: Manhattan
Country : USA
Tel: (+1-212) 6852003
Fax: (+1-212) 6851561
E-mail: Namibia@UN.Int

Consulate of Namibia in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Unit 02, 13/F, McDonald's Building, 46-54 Yee Wo Street
City: Causeway Bay
Country : Hong Kong
Tel: (+852) 25861339
Fax: (+852) 28771264
E-mail: henry.chan@e-consulate.org

Consulate of Namibia in Budapest, Hungary
VÃƒÂ©rcse u. 2/c
City: Budapest
Country : Hungary
Tel: (+36-1) 3192421, 3190916, 3192667
Fax: (+36-1) 3196120
E-mail: namibconsul@namibconsul.axelero.net

Consulate of Namibia in Milano, Italy
Via Q. Sella, 4
City: Milano
Country : Italy
Tel: (+39-2) 804041
Fax: (+39-2) 89010314
E-mail: johannesen@lanamibia.it

Embassy of Namibia in Paris, France
80, Avenue Foch
City: Paris
Country : France
Tel: (+33-1) 44173265
Fax: (+33-1) 44173273
E-mail: namparis@club-internet.fr

High Comission of Namibia in New Delhi, India
A 2/6, Vasant Vihar
City: New Delhi
Country : India
Tel: (91-11) 2614 0389, 0890, 4772, 2615 5481
Fax: (91-11) 2614 6120
E-mail: nhcdelhi@del2.vsnl.net.in

Embassy of Namibia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
No. 11, Jalan Mesra, Off Jalan Damai
City: Kuala Lumpur
Country : Malaysia
Tel: (03) 2143 3595; 2141 6552
Fax: (03) 2141 0235; 2141 7803
E-mail: namhckl@po.jaring.my

Embassy of Namibia in London, United Kingdom
6 Chandos Street
City: London
Country : United Kingdom
Tel: (+44-20) 76366244
Fax: (+44-20) 76375694
E-mail: namibia-highcomm@btconnect.com

High Comission of Namibia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Suite 15-01, Level 15, Menara HLA, No. 3, Jalan Kia Peng
City: Kuala Lumpur
Country : Malaysia
Tel: 603-2164 6520, 2162 8950
Fax: 603-2168 8790
E-mail: namhckl@po.jaring.my

Embassy of Namibia in Brussel, Belgium
454, Avenue de Tervuren
City: Brussel
Country : Belgium
Tel: (+32-2) 7711410
Fax: (+32-2) 7719689

High Comission of Namibia in Victoria Island, Nigeria
Plot 1395, Tiamiyu Savage Street
City: Victoria Island
Country : Nigeria
Tel: (+234-1) 2618606

Embassy of Namibia in Paris, France
80, Avenue Foch/, 17 Square de l Av. Foch
City: Paris
Country : France
Tel: (+33-1) 44173265
Fax: (+33-1) 44173273
E-mail: namparis@club-internet.fr

Embassy of Namibia in Grocka, Serbia & Montenegro
Boska Buhe 220
City: Grocka
Country : Serbia & Montenegro
Tel: (+381-11) 896732
Fax: (+381-11) 896732
E-mail: namconsul@hotmail.com, namibcon@net.yu

High Comission of Namibia in Arcadia, South Africa
197 Blackwood Street
City: Arcadia
Country : South Africa
Tel: (+27-12) 4819100
Fax: (+27-12) 3437294, 3445998
E-mail: secretary@namibia.org.za

Embassy of Namibia in Moscow, Russia
Kazachiy Lane, 7
City: Moscow
Country : Russia
Tel: (+7-95) 2303275
Fax: (+7-95) 2303275

High Comission of Namibia in London, United Kingdom
6 Chandos Street
City: London
Country : United Kingdom
Tel: (+44-20) 76366244
Fax: (+44-20) 76375694
E-mail: namibia.hicom@btconnect.com

Embassy of Namibia in Washington, USA
1605 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
City: Washington
Country : USA
Tel: (+1-202) 9860540

Embassy of Namibia in Beijing, China
1-13-2, Tayuan Diplomatic Ofc. Bldg., Jianguomenwai
City: Beijing
Country : China
Tel: (86-10) 6532 4810, 4811, 2211
Fax: (86-10) 6532 4549

High Comission of Namibia in Harare, Zimbabwe
Lot 1 of 7A, Borrowdale Estates, 69 Borrowdale Road
City: Harare
Country : Zimbabwe
Tel: (+263-4) 885841, 882709
Fax: (+263-4) 885800

Why animals dont live as long as humans

2011-06-24T05:27:00.002+02:00

        A veterinarian had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolf hound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

        I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

        As we make arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

        The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

        The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why".

        Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.

        He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?"

The Six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

Chimp Mother & Tiger babies

2011-06-20T17:57:00.003+02:00

When hurricane Hannah separated two white tigers from their mother,
Anjana came to the Rescue.

Anjana, a chimp at TIGERS in South Carolina, became surrogate mom

and playmate to the cubs, even helping with bottle feeding, according

to The Sun.

But here's the truly amazing part:

This is something Anjana does all the time, having helped raise

leopard and lion cubs on several occasions.

These pics are truly gorgeous..

I love this photo!!!

"Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

Cheetah Mom at Tsukudu Private Game Reserve

2011-06-16T16:14:00.000+02:00

This cheetah mom had babies, so she could not join us for a walk like the rest of her lion friends at Tsukudu did that day, but she loved it when we popped in for a visit. She purred like a house cat when I touched her and her beautiful black spots were more fluffy than the rest of her fur...

Brutal Seal Culling of Namibia: Peaceful Protests in Johannesburg (15 June) and Cape Town (17 June)

2011-06-13T11:56:00.000+02:00

Brutal Seal Culling of Namibia: My heart starts beating and I get a huge lump in my throat when I see this terrible fate these animals are destined for. PLEASE share this and PLEASE support this campaign to stop this. Its very real and the best part is that we are able to stop this. Captain Watson of the Sea Shepherds has achieved so much in his journey so far, lets support him on this one too. Lets help him to make it known to the world what happens every year in June on the beaches of Namibia. Please.

Warning, extreme graphics of cruelty are displayed. And if you dont / cant watch this, please still make the effort to support this campaign. If you cant BE THERE, then please share this with friends and family, so that everyone can support this in their own special way. Thank you!

Each year, 85 000 CITES listed Cape Fur Seal pups get savagely beaten to death on the beaches of Namibia. A further 6 000 adult bull seals get shot at point blank range so that their penises may be used as an ineffective aphrodisiac. Not only are these animals an endangered species, but this is the largest slaughter of wildlife in Africa.

Sea Shepherd South Africa, Beauty Without Cruelty and Fur Free South Africa have joined forces to fight this madness under the banner of The Seals of Nam. We have secured the support of several South African celebrities, see some of their statements here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCZKMbnzFEw

We will be staging PEACEFUL demonstrations in protest of this annual massacre in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. TV and news crew have been informed and several celebrities have confirmed provisional attendance. You are also invited to attend and to please inform others of these events. Details are as follows:

JOHANNESBURG
Where? Outside the Namibian Tourism Department. Corner of Main Road and Peter Place, Bryanston West (outside the Bryanston Gate Office Park)
When? Wednesday 15 June 2011
What time?12:30-14:00.

CAPE TOWN
Where? Lower Buitengracht (entrance to the V & A Waterfront)
When? Friday 17 June 2011
What time? 12:30 to 15:00

For more info, you can refer to the Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191813500865565

FREE ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY

We have the HD files for some AWESOME posters, fliers, placards and banners for the protest actions against the Namibian seal slaughter. If anyone would like these files, or would like FREE ADVERTISING for one year on our website (https://sites.google.com/site/thesealsofnam/) in return for sponsoring the printing of some of these, even just a banner or two, PLEASE send a mail to TheSealsOfNam@gmail.com ASAP or contact me telephonically on 076 875 3545

Footage of the massacre can be viewed here. WARNING! Graphic violence and extreme cruelty portrayed. Not suitable for minors or sensitive viewers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7EGV5Jw_V4

We look forward to your participation.

Kind Regards,

Pat Dickens

Campaign Manager

The Seals of Nam

Tel: (+27) 76 875 3545

Fax: (+27) 86 512 1149

Builders Warehouse Funny Advert

2011-06-12T19:33:00.000+02:00

This must be one of the funniest adverts Ive seen in a while... (shot by - my friends Angie and Patrick - DavinciEdisonBell Boutique Advertising Agency)

Builders Warehouse | Why Wait | Lawnmower from DaVinciEdisonBell on Vimeo.

Shoe City tasteless ad campaign

2011-06-12T12:00:00.003+02:00

I heard on the radio today about an ad campaign that was published in 3 local magazines, which suggested that one can reward yourself with a pair of boots once you have

killed your cat,
or your neighbours' cat, or worse,
killed your neighbours' prized Persian fluffy...

"Gasp!" eh, yo bru, you seriously think this was going to sell shoes? I must say those shoes are nice, and I would never have seen them if it was not for me hearing about their shocking advert. So I guess shock therapy does work... to get yourself seen or heard. Sad but true in this case for sure.

Im of the opinion that the genius who wrote the copy, brainstormed the brief and worse, the marketing manager of shoe city should be axed in one short sweep, but then again, she did say sorry (must be over a thousand times by now...) In fact I think she has probably employed herself a PA to just say sorry for the next month at least, on all the social media pages that have sprung up to ridicule their poor taste in advertisements.

Not everyone are animal lovers - like most of us - but I believe that any one individual who has any urge of any nature to be cruel to animals, seriously have personal issues who might even be a danger to those closest to them. This sort of aggression is very deep (and often hidden) and these types really need to be helped rather than shunned into a dark corner for being bad.

Herewith the full article by Lindsay Grubb on how to loose your customers in 3 easy steps. well said Lindsey!

How to lose your customers in three easy steps

By: Lindsay Grubb

7 Jun 2011 11:3539 comments6 biz likes

It's much easier to lose a customer than it is to make them a loyal fan, so why are companies such as Shoe City shooting themselves in the proverbial foot? Here's how it - and You magazine - lost my business in three easy steps. [update: Shoe City apology]

Step 1: It agreed with its advertising agency that this ad was a good idea and was sure to bring customers in store

I can picture it now. The creative sitting there, rocking back and forth on his high back chair, brainstorming Shoe City's next ad.

"Hmmm, ok, free association time. Boots... puss in boots... cats... my neighbour's cat is really getting on my last nerve OK! I got it - We'll sell shoes by saying you should reward yourself for running over cats. That's the idea that is going to win me multiple awards."

Somehow, this idea makes it past brainstorm stage and the creative director allows it to be pitched to the client.

Then I'm picturing the agency pitching Shoe City this ad idea and I'm wondering how it wasn't chased out of the room in disgust by the Shoe City marketing manager, because who on earth would agree to align their product with behaviour - accidental or otherwise - that leads to animals meeting a tragic end?

Step 2: It forgot who it was talking to

So, somehow this ad makes it through all of the sensible checks and balances on its journey to its magazine appearance. Or did it? Surely somebody gave some thought to their target audience. They are advertising women's winter boots - so it would be safe to assume they're targeting women.

If they had, they should probably have thought about the fact that, on the whole, women are quite emotional, nurturing creatures themselves. The odds are high that, at some stage in their lives, these women have had a pet or two, and the odds are quite high that those pets were probably cats. They loved these animals, sought comfort from them, nurtured them, and treasured them.

Again, the odds are high that, at some stage, many of their female target audience have lost their beloved pets in horrible ways. In the course of my lifetime, for example, I have had four cats and two dogs. Two of the cats were run over, one was definitely by a neighbour. I found them and it wasn't pretty. I was traumatised, added to which I'm the kind of person who gets upset when I see cats run over when I'm out and about, and they're not even mine.

So, just maybe, instead of thinking this ad is clever and witty, the women you are trying to get into your stores would be highly offended by it. Maybe, this ad would dredge up horrible memories and now, every time they think of your brand, they associate it with this terrible ad and the way it makes them feel.

Step 3: It went ahead and did it anyway

Against all logic and good judgement, Shoe City paid good money to showcase this full page ad in You magazine. (I don't know how many other magazines this went into, and this doesn't deserve my valuable time to investigate it further.) It was short-sighted enough to think this ad wouldn't hurt and offend people.

You magazine is also an accessories after the fact. It accepted money to include this offensive ad in its 26 May 2011 edition, when it should have said, "We don't want something like this in our family magazine as it will offend our readers."

Here's a rule of thumb: When we as human beings, whether by accident or on purpose, take a life - human or animal - we do not reward ourselves with a pair of boots.

So Shoe City and You magazine, whatever happens, there's always another store around the corner where I can buy my shoes and another magazine or website where I can get my dose of celebrity gossip.

For more:

Bizcommunity: Shoe City ad: Lowe Bull "regrets any distress caused", apologises
Bizcommunity: Shoe City ad: You magazine editor responds
Bizcommunity: Shoe City apologises for "tasteless" magazine ad by Lowe Bull
Twitter Search: shoecityapology OR ShoeCity OR shoecityad OR shoecitySA OR "Shoe City"

Updated at 1.11pm on 8 June 2011.
For More links updated at 3.54pm on 8 June 2011.
For More links updated at 10.42pm on 9 June 2011.

The Paw Print from Wetnose

2011-05-24T15:16:00.000+02:00

The Paw Print

May 2011

New kids on the block completed

After months of blood sweat and tears, New Kids on the Bock is finally finished. This area is to be an isolation area where new dogs that are brought to us are kept for about 10 days, until we are sure that they are not carrying any contagious diseases which could spread to our other dogs. While they are in New Kids on the Block they will also be sterilised, vaccinated, de-wormed and dipped, so that when they move to the main kennels they are ready for adoption.

12th birthday

Wet Nose turned 12 years old in April and with very little pomp and ceremony, we took a trip down memory lane with a hand full of volunteers and sponsors, who were prepared to brave the cold and wet weather to come and celebrate with us. We had some snacks and a piece of cake, and rushed off home to our warm beds.

Maximus

Maximus is literally “The Beauty and the Beast” all in one. He was brought to us by a gentleman who had been trying to catch him and his brother Titus for about two months, by coaxing them with food every day. He could see that Maximus had been badly injured and added antibiotics, obtained from a vet, to Maximus’ food daily. Something or someone had done something terrible to poor Maximus’ nose. Half his upper jaw, including his upper canines was missing. Our best guess is that it was either caught in a snare or someone had chopped him with a panga. Despite Maximus’ injury, he has decided to trust humans again and he just wants to be loved. He gives you his paw to say hello and laps up all the attention he can get. He is such a beauty!

A tough decision lay ahead of us with this awesome boy… Would he be able to live a normal life or would we be prolonging his agony by trying to save him? We consulted various vets, who all agreed that although he must have been in agony when his injury happened, that he was no longer in pain. He can eat and drink normally, even hard pellets, his general condition is good and he is a happy boy.

Finally, we approached Dr Steenkamp, a Maxillofacial Specialist at Onderstepoort, to see if anything could be done surgically to help Maximus. True to Maximus’ nature, he greeted Dr Steenkamp with a paw shake whilst tugging hard on the good doctor’s heartstrings! Dr Steenkamp immediately offered to fix Maximus’ face pro-bono, provided that there was no cancer present!

Maximus went back last week for a biopsy on his open nasal cavities as well as for a scan of his face so that reconstruction could be planned. The good news came through a few days later, that there was no cancer and everything looked very positive for reconstruction. We are now waiting for Dr Steenkamp to let us know when he has got the plates etc. needed for the operation and when to take him in. In the meantime, hundreds of Maximus supporters are praying for a successful operation and that he will get a very loving home soon afterwards, as he so deserves.

PERMANENT SPONSORS

Please support these companies, who contribute very generously every month in return for supporting us.

Homeless Animals Day – 27 August 2011

We are once again planning Homeless Animals Day together with Complete Pet, our main sponsor for the event. This is the day that you get the opportunity to adopt one of our dogs for a few hours, take it for a walk, spoil it rotten and have a fun filled family day. There will be entertainment, dog shows, horses, craft stalls, lots of food and a beer garden with a big screen for the die-hard rugby fans. We will give you more details in the next news-letter, but in the meantime, we need a lot of volunteers to help make this day a huge success, so please step up to the plate if you can help out.

New receptionists

As you all know, Andrew Clark is now retired and we have appointed two new receptionists. These friendly faces will be what you see next time you visit Wet Nose. Isabel (left) and Cheryl (right) are both very passionate about animals and have made a great start in getting good homes for our precious animals. Good luck girls, and keep smiling…

Special home for Angie

Angie is doing well and is starting to use her leg more after her massive operation and femur head amputation. She is a very affectionate girl and really needs a home. We have been socialising her with the office dogs and cats and she gets along well with them and likes to play. Although a little possessive at first, she will quickly adjust to living with other animals. If you can provide her with a good home, please contact us urgently. This little girl needs more than a cold kennel as she is still recovering from her ordeal.

Exxoro and the ABSA Cape Epic

Mr Mellis Walker who is a very tenacious man decided to take on the ABSA Cape Epic, which is an off-road cycle race over very difficult terrain and takes place over a few days. He decided that Wet Nose is worth riding for, and together with Exxaro, whom he works for, and some other corporate sponsorships, he raised R100 000 for Wet Nose! I watched parts of this race on T.V. and let me assure you it was gruelling. Thank you Mellis, the animals at Wet Nose thank you for the aching muscles and the hard work to make sure that you finished in order to get them their sponsorships. You are a real champion!

DELIGHTFUL DONATIONS FOR MAY

Name	Item	Name	Item
Price, Waterhouse, Coopers (PWC)	R5000 worth Iams/ Eukanuba	Jaqui,Trev,Brad, Jade	Food, Blankets
E Heath	Cash	The Tea Cafe	Donation
Y Craig	Cash	R Hartzenberg	Food, Blankets
Youth Church	Pet Food	R & G Prinsloo	Food, Blankets
J van Zyl	Pet Food	J Craig	Food, Blankets
A Maharaj	Pet Food	Animal Worx	Food, Beds
C vd Linden	Pet Food	B Holm	Donation
V Pillay	Pet Food	OP Students	Blankets
J Rubkina	Food, Blankets	IVSA Committee	Blankets
C Levy	Food, Blankets	Animal Palace	Pet Food
K Scrooby	Blankets	Hartland Family	Blankets
Lasec SA	Food, Cash	Monument Spar	Blankets
Claudia, Willem	Food, Cash	Simone, Tanya	Blankets
Marie Neethling	Food, Cash	L Pettigrew	R2000 Food
Moggs & Mutts	Blankets	N James	Cash
S Greyling	Blankets	D & R Hook	Blankets
Perago & Trustlink	Vet bill, paint, blankets, food, building goods	L Joubert	Blankets & Dewormer
We received many more donations that were not written up in the donations register. Thank you!
TO ALL THOSE SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE MADE DONATIONS DIRECTLY INTO OUR BANK ACCOUNT, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR ANIMALS HAPPY

Wet Nose Bank Details:
ABSA Bank
Rayton Branch 632005
Acc No: 407 6499 150
Cheque Acc: Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre

FEEDBACK TO OUR MONTHLY KENNEL SPONSORS!

Our monthly kennel sponsors receive feedback every two or three months on the animal in “their” kennel. Most sponsors love receiving this feedback and some even come to spend time with “their” animal. We have however discovered that there are a few of the sponsors who have been contributing for a long time, and were on the old system, who are not getting any feedback. This is because we do not have all your details and don’t know where to send the feedback. If you are one of these sponsors, please give us a ring or drop us a mail with all your details, so that you too will know what is happening in “your” kennel. We really appreciate every sponsor and would like to thank you in the same way whilst providing feedback to you.

Increase in Adoption Fees

The adoption fee at Wet Nose has stayed the same for many years. We try to keep it as low as possible in order to encourage adoptions. With the prices of medication, vaccinations and everything else going up, we have had to increase the adoption fees. The dog adoption fee was R450 and will now go up to R480, and includes sterilisation, de-worming, vaccination and a micro-chip. As you can see the increase is minimal.

The cat adoption fee used to be R350 and included sterilisation, de-worming, vaccination and a FIV/FeLV test (Feline aids and leukaemia) for adult cats. We will now also be micro-chipping our cats and the new adoption fee will be R420. These increases will take place as of 1 June 2011.

TILL NEXT TIME… DON’T BREED OR BUY WHILE HOMELESS ANIMALS DIE!

VISIT WETNOSE WEBSITE

013-932 3941/2

PLEASE SUPPORT THE DOG DAYS CALENDAR FOR 2011 & 2012

Shoot and be shot

2011-05-20T16:59:00.000+02:00

Defence minister to poachers: "Shoot and be shot"

Shoot at our soldiers and they will return fire, Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu warned wildlife poachers on Friday.

A male rhino about 7 minutes after being darted in order to microchip its horns. The dart can be seen in his rear. A male rhino about 7 minutes after being darted in order to microchip its horns. The dart can be seen in his rear.

Photograph by: Reuben Goldberg

In a strongly-worded statement issued after SA National Defence Force troops killed three poachers inside the Kruger National Park near the border with Mozambique, she said poachers had to know the army would "fight fire with fire".

On Wednesday this week, an SANDF patrol was shot at by poachers in the Houtbosrand area in the north of the park. The troops returned fire, killing the three men.

An AK-47 assault rifle, a Bruno .458 hunting rifle, two axes and two cellphones were found in the men's possession.

The SANDF started guarding the park's borders in April last year, following a surge in rhino poaching.

"The SANDF will do anything to protect our national assets; we will not allow criminals to do as they wish in our parks. We also want to send a very strong message that poachers who shoot at soldiers must know that we will return fire with fire."

She said the SANDF and SA National Parks would co-operate to protect the country's national parks.

"The co-operation will include joint operations, sharing of information and training."

Sisulu said that by the end of 2013, the SANDF would be patrolling the full length of South Africa's land borders with Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia.

Source: TimeLive

.

Elephant Rescue gives his friend a helping hand

2011-05-17T10:01:00.001+02:00

Herewith a very cute extract from a post in the SANParks Forums posted by Forum Member J.J:

Last Saturday, in Addo N.P., I was watching young ellies playing and fooling around in the road. Suddenly a little one's back legs slip in the mud, next to the road, and he falls down...

When he tries to get up his front legs also slip and he falls flat on his side...

I could see that he was really in an difficult position and he was trying again and again to get up... but without success.

Then one of the smaller ones helped him...firstly he pushed him in an upright position.

Then he gave him that helping "hand". Watch how he firmly gripped that tooth and pulled himself up. This took about 2 minutes with lots of puffing and shuffling.

Then he went to the back of the ellie and start to push him so that he can get up.

I could hear him say: "Thanx pal"...and they shook hands.

Source: SANParks Forums

.

Happy Mothers Day to all mommy's out there

2011-05-08T04:04:00.002+02:00

Happy Mothers day!

2011-05-01T06:29:00.002+02:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who have furry children!

This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick animals in their arms, wiping up barf laced with edible and inedible things and saying "It's okay baby, Mommy's here."

Who have sat on the floor for hours on end soothing their pets who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with pet hair on their suits, unexpected scratches on their wrists and poop bags in their purse, coat pocket, pants pocket and all other pockets.

For all the mothers who make their own pet food and treats. And all the mothers who don't.

This is for the mothers who help the new mothers deal with the loss of their babies. And the mothers who help them cope when they are given new homes.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections consist of ribbons and photos.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns, sweated gallons, and swatted away bees to watch their precious prance into a ring and achieve 2nd place and then jump around as though they had won best in show.

This is for all the mothers who go to the special pet stores to collect the proper treats, food and toys no matter that it take 3 stops and 50 stoplights.

This is for all the mothers who taught their pets to sit, come and stay. And for all the mothers who opted for sit.

This is for all the mothers who teach their pets agility and obedience and actually understand that it needs to be FUN!

This is for all the mothers who took their pet to the vet assuring them that there would be no needles only to be told they need a blood sample.

For all the mothers whose pet has gone missing and was returned because she had the forethought to have chip put between its shoulders.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Ever available treats?

The ability to answer the door, hold back the pet and deal with a phone call all at the same time?

Or is it in her heart?

Is it the ache you feel when you walk out the door to your job every day knowing that 2 eyes are boring into your back?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread when you hear the sounds of heaving at 2:00 am?

Years later, the guilt that won't go away when you have no other choice but to put your friend down?

The emotions of motherhood are universal, and so this is for you all. For all of us...

Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can.

Tell them everyday that we love them.

Cape Town Toxic Ocean

2011-04-20T19:57:00.000+02:00

I have reason to believe that the location of this 'toxic' situation has much to do with the nearby Koeberg Nuclear Power station. The media might get a mandate from the government to not disclose the truth, as this information could cause chaos in our 'real' world.

Today Im really fed up with the crap propaganda on the news and even though it has little to do with animals, I still want to justify why I have chosen to write about it on my Animals Blog:

"The Brutality of the South African Police". Suddenly a protester is National Hero for what he did. Suddenly the police are the bad boys. What nobody is thinking about is the life they are exposed to every day. The poor training that they get every day. The public dont respect them. They have a right to have a no tolerance attitude. If this story was not filmed, we would never heard about it. The SAPS are also very poorly managed. I dont think they (The South African Police) are the only ones to be blamed for the outcome of this scenario, the hooligans that caused the chaos should be blamed equally. But its crap politics like this that frustrate me and gets front row seats on the headlines.
The War in Middle Africa: what nobody takes into consideration is that in the CRAP capitalistic world that we live in, our modern economies can not survive without wars. Wars create massive amounts of spending (including the spending of money to rebuild what they destroy). Also, when Northern China attacked Southern China, America could easily have created a 'war'. But no, they would rather create a war in a country that has almost zero value for the worlds' economy should it be destroyed in its entirety. Can you imagine America going to war with Northern China? They know that they could not defend themselves and Northern China will probably just destroy America in one go - what a fuck up it would be in deed. In the capitalistic world that we live in, we can not afford for the American economy to go down even further on a global scale. The world media is focusing on the African war, blaming, accusing and reasoning for all sorts of mundane reasons justifying its existence. In my opinion, this war is to regenerate an imploded world economy. In a capitalistic world, this is the only way they know... its in the make-up of those who encourage it. I dont know the answers, but I sure as hell know that they are doing it wrong, and there is nothing I can do about it, other than sit on my little animal blog and rant over the state of a failed capitalistic world economy... and seeing NO change for the future. This imploded economy will recover, but it will just become part of a curve that every economist will prefer to ignore.

so... after all my ranting, I really hope that the mess the people create, will be fixed in some way or another. I dont understand why I have such a massive amounts of compassion for the animal world, because I feel little for the outcome of disasters created by the greed of man, only for the animals that suffer in that process. I wish I was otherwise, but Im not and there must be a reason and a place for people like me.

This is another disaster which I believe is created by the greed of man (Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, owned by a private company in France and who share their profits with the governments of the countries that they get to build their terrible machines in). Why cant we do something about it. Just because we were born into this situation, does not mean we cant change it. Why must we accept that this reality is right?

Source: Health24

Hundreds of dead abalone have washed up on Melkbos beach near Cape Town in recent weeks, prompting fears that the ocean in the area between Bloubergstrand and Melkbosstrand is toxic.
The Department of Agriculture and Forestry & Fisheries has allegedly alerted all abalone quota holders that the Melkbos area is a no-dive zone until further notice.
This is a particularly worrying as the upcoming Easter weekend would normally bring hordes of families, surfers and fishermen to the area. To date, no official notice has been publicly broadcast warning the public of the concerns.

Marlin washes up on Melkbos beach
Melkbos resident Beatrix McLaughlin, who is an abalone quota holder for the Melkbos area, first became concerned about the quality of the water on March 25 when a marlin weighing roughly 240kg washed up on shore. According to McLaughlin this fish is uncommon for the area.

Marine Coastal Management (MCM) was called to collect the fish (see images below).

However, McLaughin says that despite repeated e-mails and phone calls to try and find out whether the fish was tested and what the results were, she has not heard anything back.
Then last week ,on April 11, McLaughlin says that two commercial abalone fishing boats “working in the Melkbos area Zone G, came across thousands of dead abalone and other sea organisms. They had to abort [the dive] as it was not safe to collect”, as they suspected the deaths were due to toxins.

They immediately phoned MCM from the water to inform them of the problem and were told to abort the dive and that the Melkbos area was a ‘no dive’ zone. This information had not been shared before.
To add to the mystery, McLaughlin says that at this point they came across a Koeberg Research Boat with divers who told her they had “not come across anything like this” before. The fishermen handed over samples of the dead abalone, after which McLaughlin said the boat “headed back to Koeberg very quickly”.

People collecting dead abalone to eat
Concern continued to grow amongst commercial fishermen that the water in the Blouberg, Big Bay and Melkbos areas was perhaps toxic , and on the morning of the April 12, when McLaughlin came across dead abalone and eel on the Melkbos beach, she decided to bag as many of the dead creatures as possible and made an appointment at the MCM offices to get to the bottom of the problem.

“While I was picking up the dead abalone to take them to MCM, there were dozens of other people also collecting them off the beach to take home and eat. I tried to tell them not to but they looked at me like I was crazy. But the kelp is dead too, and even bottom feeders like eels are washing up on shore so something is going on. When I got home my hands were burning from touching the abalone,” she says.

Yet when she finally had her meeting with MCM management and presented them with the now-foul smelling dead abalone, she claims that she was merely congratulated for “looking after the coast and bringing this to their attention”.
“They said they didn’t realise the situation was so bad, despite my numerous e-mails and phone calls to them before that, and said they would make measures to alert the relevant municipalities.”

Many questions remain unanswered
With only a few days to go until the Easter weekend, the beaches in this area are already teeming with surfers, children swimming in the sea, people fishing from land and people walking their dogs.
The real question is what is happening to the water, and if it’s killing sea-life, is it a threat to human health? Is the water toxic? Does the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station have anything to do with it? Is it a result of sewage being pumped into the sea?
We attempted to put these questions to MCM but were told they were unavailable.
“I would like to know why the public is not being made aware of what’s happening here; and if the water is toxic - which I do believe it is - the public should be made aware,” says McLaughlin.
(Amy Froneman, Health24, April 2011)
Read more:
Dead abalone due to low oxygen - (?!)

I wonder if this article will even make the TV News?

Baby Elephant swimming

2011-04-14T21:18:00.000+02:00

I thought this picture taken by my boyfriend, was so cute ... to see how he slips all clumsy into the water :)

Copy Alex Aitkenhead

Biggest Marine Census Complete

2011-04-08T05:52:00.002+02:00

October 4, 2010—The Census of Marine Life has released its findings of ten years of research and exploration of the world's oceans. The first-ever study of its kind, involving 2,700 scientists from 80 nations, identified more than 6,000 potentially new species. The effort will help researchers observe how marine populations change in response to events such as oil spills and climate change.

Source: © 2010 National Geographic, The Census of Marine Life

Cute Animal Video Kitten

2011-04-06T06:13:00.003+02:00

A very cute video of a little kitten being tickled :)

Namibia’s Deadly Little Secret: the Cape Fur Seal Cull

2011-04-02T20:23:00.000+02:00

oh boy how this breaks to heart to see how the greed of man when it comes to hurting animals.

...if the animals are endangered, then why do these careless governments allow for such brutalities?

Commentary by Pat Dickens, Sea Shepherd South Africa Coordinator

The Cape Fur Seal colony on Namibia’s coastIn less than four months, the Namibian seal ‘cull’ will begin, and over 90,000 seals will be brutally clubbed to death in what is now the largest slaughter of marine wildlife on the planet. It is considered to be the most brutal of all ‘culls,’ and is now responsible for the death of more seals than even the Canadian seal hunt.
On July 1st, 2011, the annual slaughter of 85,000 baby seal pups and a further 6,000 bulls, begins in Namibia. For the next 139 days, terrified pups will be rounded up, separated from their mothers, and violently beaten to death. Pups, bulls, and mothers will be surrounded…men with clubs will move in, and the seals will be massacred. The sand on the beach will literally be stained red with blood, the bloody bodies thrown into the backs of waiting vehicles. Soon after, bulldozers will be brought in to clean up and restore the beach before the tourists arrive to view the colony, because all of this happens in a designated seal reserve.
The Cape Fur Seal is listed in Appendix 2 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This means their survival is dependent on conservation. They have a natural mortality rate of around 30 percent within the first few weeks of being born. Clubbing begins when the seal pups are just seven months old, still little babies, and very much dependent on their mothers.
Loss of habitat, commercial fishing, pollution, and starvation are also major threats to these animals. Between 1994 and 2000, it is estimated that some 300,000 seals died from starvation, even while the pup birthing rates decrease with each passing year. In 1993, the pup birth rate was 164,248, in 2000, it was 147,823, and in 2006, it was just 107,910, yet the Namibian government allows over 90,000 seals to be cruelly slaughtered each year…although some refer to this act as a ‘cull.’
Workers skin thousands of seal pups and dispose of their remainsThe ‘cull’ is driven by only one man, Hatem Yavuz, who has the contract to buy every skin resulting from the Namibian seal slaughter until 2019. He pays $7 per pelt while foreign tourists pay $12 to view the colony. While Yavuz will eventually sell his fur coats for as much as $30,000, local Namibian workers are paid less than minimum wage. There is no profit sharing scheme in place, and less than 150 locals are employed for their participation in this ‘cull.’ "In order for them [the seals] to feel less pain, they need to be killed with a club that has a nail in it,” Yavuz, who describes himself as a so-called animal lover, has said.
Related facts:
The Namibian SPCA, that has the legal powers and mandate to prevent cruelty and end the ‘cull,’ have actually condoned the violent fatal beating of 85,000 baby seal pups.
The Animal Protection Act of 1962 (Namibia) gives the Namibian SPCA the power to arrest and detain anyone caught beating an animal to death.

Sea Shepherd South Africa and the South African Seal Saving Initiative (SASSI) are considering a variety of action-oriented options for later on in the year.

A big thanks you to everyone involved in protecting our wildlife from the exploits of man.

Source: Sea Shepherds

Friday night fun...

2011-04-01T15:34:00.002+02:00

big scary monster

2011-03-30T21:53:00.000+02:00

Water Polution in Cape Town?

2011-03-19T15:00:00.000+02:00

Lots of dead fish on the beach again today :( This one was so beautiful, thought I'd share it...

Didn't feel too good all night

So we took a walk in the morning light

And came across the strangest sight

Down by the river

Silver fish lay on its side

It was washed up by the early tide

I wonder how it died?

Down by the river

The doctor put us both to bed

Dosed us up and he shook his head

"Only foolish people go" he said

"down by the river.

And why do willows weep?" said he

"Because they're dying gradually.

From the waste from the factory."

Down by the river

And in time the riverbanks will die

The reeds will wilt and the ducks won't fly

There'll be a tear in the otter's eye

Down by the river

The banks will soon be black and dead

And where the otter raised his head

Will be a clean white skull instead.

Down by the river.

by Albert Hammond - Down by the river.

Shared with us by my Facebook Friend Nicolene Erasmus.

Video Best Friends: Dog helps his buddie after injured in Japan Tsunami

2011-03-16T18:03:00.003+02:00

A tsunami hit Japan East Coast on Friday 11 March 2011. This video shows how a dog refused to leave his injured friend. What we dont see in the video is that both dogs were rescued, but it took the dog 2 hours to calm down before the people could get to his friend.

Thank you to those who have stepped up to also help the animals of this terrible tragedy.

Baby and Dog Video

2011-03-15T12:52:00.002+02:00

This little baby is trying to get a drink of water... too funny!

Footprints Revealed - Video of our Road-trip to the Richtersveld, Kgalagadi, Augrabies and Namaqua

2011-03-06T10:58:00.003+02:00

We visited the Richtersveld and Kgalagadi in Dec 2010 and I did a video of our trip.

If you have ever wondered what is the fuss about the vast beauty of the Richtersveld or what is so special about the Kgalagadi, then I think the documentary of our recent visit to these Arid parks of the Northern Cape would give you an idea of what to expect in this part of our beautiful country, South Africa.

The reason why we recorded this was for the viewer to see what the environment looks like, the type of roads to expect and the type of accommodation available if you are planning a trip to these destinations.

Day 1 and 2 Traveling to the Richtersveld
This is was the beginning of our 11 day adventure. We departed Cape Town on the 21st of December 2010, and headed for a small village in the Richtersveld called Kuboes, which was recently also declared a 'World Heritage Site'. We hope you will find it as informative, as we had fun making this videos and taking the photographs. Our motivation behind this documentary was to provide a useful insight to others that we ourselves could not source when we researched these areas. Note my comment on the 'wild dog' was not the technically speaking wild dog that we know it to be, but merely my attempt to describe something more domestic, but of similar character - after (need I say) a well deserved glass of red wine.

Day 3 Richtersveld
On the morning of our 3rd day, after spending our first rather peaceful night in the Richtersveld, we left the Richtersberg campsite which is situated on the banks of the Orange River, and traveled to places like the famous Kokerboomkloof, Helshoogte and Akkedis pass. Along the way we saw some hard core 4x4 types passing us - with caravans in tow (respect to them!). This is an extremely harsh and rugged environment for any visitor traveling through this arid park, so when we saw them pulling their caravans along, we were seriously amazed at the ability of both the drivers and their toys. At the end of a long day exploring the Richtersveld, we spent our night in Sendelingsdrif on the banks of the Orange River.

(NOTE: This footage was shot about 2 weeks prior to the river level rising by 8-9 meters (from about the 2nd week in January 2011) and most of it got damaged or washed away.)

Day 4 am Sendelingsdrift Camp and the Pontoon, Richtersveld
While Alex ventured off to capture the sunrise, I enjoyed preparing a hearty breakfast in the fully equipped kitchen of our challet, before we continued with our journey to our next destination - to go river rafting with Bushwacked River Rafters. Passports were checked and stamped and a quick float across the Orange River via the pontoon, we head into Namibia to again drive along the road next to the Orange River.

Day 4 pm Bushwacked River Rafters
The road which hugs the Orange river is also the path which defines the border between Namibia and South Africa, is breathtaking. An easy well maintained road (at the time before the floods) allowed us to comfortably reach speeds of 80km/h. This road crosses over the mouth of the Fish river at the point where it flows into the Orange River. Here we pass the local communities of Aussenkeihr and Noordoewer, and then eventually headed towards Bushwacked to go river rafting. Yawn yawn yawn. If you were hoping (like I did) for an adrenalin rush of an experience, then please be prepared for nothing but a very laid back slow motion flow down the majestic and mighty Orange River. I should have known what was to come, considering the dead give-away of the 10km/h speed control sign as we entered the venue. The camping accommodation at Bushwacked made up for my disappointment and was very cozy and well worth the visit.

Day 5 Fish River Canyon
Leaving our river rafting venue (Bushwacked) by the Orange River (on the South African side), we head back into Namibia - same 'hoohaa' of stamping passports, paying duties and the details one could expect when crossing a country border - to find our next destination, the Fish River Canyon via a quick stop at the /Ai-/Ais to view the origin of this famous hot water spring (65 degrees), to overnight at The Canon Roadhouse.

This picture was our self portrait whilst having a sun downer on the edge of the viewpoint at the Fish River Canyon. Quietly we sat enjoying our red wine, whilst listening to the sound of the swooping birds wings; fly past us and diving deep down into the depth of the Canyon below. The desert summer heat constantly reminded us of the respect given to those who survive here.

The next day we were up before sunrise, heading on towards our next destination... The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (also previously known as Kalahari Gemsbok National Park).

Day 6 Fish River Canyon Road to the Kgalagadi
We departed before sunrise and arrived at Nakop (the last border post / crossing for the trip) by around 8am. From here its another 4 hour long (boring) road to Tweerivieren at the South African entrance gate to the Kgalagadi. The condition of the roads seem very poor, but drivable for most sedan vehicles. We first saw some animals and show you a small section on the Urikaruus Camp. I think that this camp is built from materials to make for a very hot spot in summer and freezing in winter. I did not like staying here one bit, some rave about this camp, but I surely did not enjoy staying here at all. We were here in the heart of the South African summer (December) and from experience I can just imagine that this place must be as cold in winter as it was hot in summer. The old mining style buildings just did not work for me, when it comes to shelter / temperature control. From an animal viewing perspective, you will notice the action started almost instantly as we entered the park.

Day 7 Urikaruus to Nossob - Kgalagadi
Wow, this day was jam-packed with a variety of animals... almost every animal on this road trip was an experience to remember. The animals to see in this video are Bat-ear Fox, Black-backed Jackal, Black mane Lion, Cheetah, Ground Squirrel, Cheetah chase, Secretary bird coming in for a graceful landing and a typical sandy whirlwind, baby Springbok fawn, baby Barking Gecko.

Day 8 The unfenced Polentswa camp - Kgalagadi
A drive from Nossob Camp to our next stop for the night, the Polentswa unfenced camp. This brought back childhood memories of living on a farm... creepy crawlies and wild everything. I did not sleep like a baby this night at all. The thought of a wild animal coming and tearing our tent apart was just too real for me. Alex loved every second of it. We popped the lid of a bottle of Moet to celebrate the moment of finally getting to the camp we have been planning to get to for 6 months. That said, the champagne went down like cold drink and helped take the edge off for me. Im super sad that I did not get to see the big thick tail scorpions of the Kgalagadi, and hope next time I will spend more time looking for them! On the other hand, maybe it was a good thing that I did not attempt to search for them after all that 'cold drink'.

Day 8 midday Polentswa Raptors - Kgalagadi
Wow, what a spectacular sighting this was for us... about 20 raptors from different species frolicking in and around the Polentswa watering hole at the same time during midday. Our best sighting of the trip for sure, we spent hours here and loved every second of it.

Day 9 early am Polentswa and the Brown Hyaena - Kgalagadi
Whilst enjoying the dark silence of the night, drinking our fine wine and hoping to see the light of the next day, we had our neighbours from the camp next to us pop in for a visit. They told us to try and get to the Polentswa watering hole just after daybreak and we were almost guaranteed to see a brown Hyaena. So the next morning we could not wait to hopefully also be honoured with the presence of this beautiful animal. True to form, this beautiful but very shy Brown Hyaena came to drink some water.

Day 9 late morning Polentswa to Nossob - Kgalagadi
After packing up camp at Polentswa we headed back in the direction of the Nossob camp. This is where we were again very fortunate to have found a male lion roaring away in the heat of the morning... the same culprit who kept us awake the night before. Then moving on to Nossob, we were entertained by amongst others, a family of Yellow Mongoose and the squirrels of Nossob.

Time was never on our side, and we had to move on to make it to our camp (Kalahari Tented Camp) on the furthest side away from us. This route involves crossing over the 50km stretch of dunes, but just before we started the crossing, we found a lion resting in the shade by the Dikbaardskolk picnic spot where we almost stopped for a quick bite.

Day 9 pm Nossob to Kalahari Tented Camp - Kgalagadi
There were some rain showers the night before and resulted in many water puddles in the road. We came across a Martial Eagle drinking rainwater in the road. We called him the move-star of the day, as he refused to budge from the sweet fresh rainwater for the entire time that we were there by his side. Before the final leg of our journey where you see footage of the Kalahari Tented camp in more details, we spotted a giraffe pair mating in the distance.

Day 10 The Hyena Pup and his Family
I was very sad to have arrived so late at the Kalahari Tented camp and at the same time having to leave so early the next morning, but this is what happens when you need to fit everything into your trip over a 11 day journey. Much of our need to get out of the camp, was to get to the Hyena den as early as possible and see if we could find anyone still around. Luck was on our side, as we arrived about 10 minutes before the family arrived back from their early morning hunt, at the den to feed their beloved pup. We were again spoilt for choice as we were entertained by the sighting of the cute little hyena pup, the love the family shared for the youngster and how the hyena siblings enjoyed playing with each other.

Just before we reached the end of the park, Alex noticed a Leopard Tortoise struggling to climb the bank of the heavily scraped dirt road. I decided it was worth it to intervene here with nature and help him along without picking him up, but rather sliding his heavy little shell up the embankment to continue on his merry little way.

Day 10 Departing Kgalagadi for the now flooding Augrabies Waterfall
We left the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park around lunchtime and headed for Augrabies which we were told is in flood. Little did we know, that about 10 days later, this waterfall increased about 5 times to what you see in this video and washed the viewpoints away...

NOTE: This footage was shot about 2 weeks prior to the river level rising by 8-9 meters (from about the 2nd week in January 2011) and most of it got damaged or washed away.

In conclusion, we drove 4300km over 11 days and stayed in a different spot each night. It was far and hot. 95% of the cars besides the Landrover, that we saw were Toyota Raiders. Our Toyota Raider was such a pleasure to be in and we understood why: the car was very comfortable to drive and is made for these tough conditions. From now on, we will try to stay in one accommodation for at least 2 nights or more. Our next park to visit is Tankwa then Kruger and probably back to the Kgalagadi thereafter.

The Pastor's Ass

2011-02-24T18:12:00.000+02:00

The Pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won.

The Pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again and it won again.

The local paper read:

PASTOR'S ASS OUT FRONT.

The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the Pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.

The next day the local paper headline read:

BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS.

This was too much for the Bishop so he ordered the Pastor to get rid of the donkey.

The Pastor decided to give it to a Nun in a nearby convent.

The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day:

NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.

The Bishop fainted.

He informed the Nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey so she sold it to a farmer for $10.

The next day the paper read:

NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10.

This was too much for the Bishop so he ordered the Nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild.

The next day the headlines read:

NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE.

The Bishop was buried the next day.

The moral of the story is

. . . being concerned about public opinion can
bring you much grief and misery . . even shorten your life.

So be yourself and enjoy life.

Stop worrying about everyone else's ass and
you'll be a lot happier
and live longer!

Have a nice day!

Driving with Miss Daisy

2011-01-25T05:42:00.006+02:00

How to know when its time to stop driving :)

Was it poor judgement of a researcher at the Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana?

2011-01-24T11:30:00.005+02:00

I have been saddened by the content of this letter published in the recent Africa Geographic about the researcher of the Northern Tuli Project at Mashatu Game Reserve (part of the MalaMala group) who refused to help a snared hyaena.

The writer requested some feedback on the morality of helping injured animals in the wild.

I have an short and sweet answer. The animals MUST be helped if their injuries are brought on by the actions of man. If an animal is injured because of the intervention of man, then all efforts must be made to try and help the animals. Its a known fact that all animals are always helped when they are found with snares around them.

The same goes for sea creatures like whales trapped in nets. We humans always try to go and and help trapped animals. If this is true, why did this hyaena have to suffer such a cruel death?

I have been told that the story above of this researcher of the Northern Tuli Project at Mashatu is not 100% correct and look forward to seeing the next publication of Africa Geographic. Lets keep our eyes are ears open for the next issue.

I hope Africa Geographic will share in my sentiment by publishing my feedback to their readers. What do you think should one do when you find a snared animal?

Juanita
.

Stealing Turtle Eggs on the Coast in COSTA RICA

2010-11-25T17:29:00.000+02:00

I received these pictures in an email today, and thought I would share it with my readers. Apparently these people are stealing these turtle eggs to sell them. Wow, (if it is true) how sad is it once again to see nature being destroyed in such a shameless way.

Please see if you know someone that can verify this. Please forward this to as many people as you can, so that we can make the world aware of the things others do, so that we can find a way to communicate this to them and teach them that its wrong. Thanks!

.

Tarantula Pictures

2010-11-15T21:28:00.000+02:00

Every time we go to Cape Union Mart in Canal Walk (Cape Town, South Africa), Im 'mezmorised' by the display of their live tarantula's in these small glass boxes.

As a general rule, I dont like animals in cages, this list includes birds who's wings get clipped - so my instinct is to hope that this display will go away and someone will set these poor tarantula's free. They are so big, its hard to classify them as spiders.

I understand that we need to be educated and all that, but in my heart I still cant stand caged animals.

Thanks to Cape Union Mart for at least keeping these tarantula's environment in above recommended standards.

Labrador swims with Dolphin

2010-11-14T05:34:00.001+02:00

A Labrador goes for a swim with his dolphin friend. Oh boy, do I just love animals more when I see things like this. So special!

Crows are not vermin

2010-11-11T09:11:00.003+02:00

My response to this article (as above) published in our local paper TygerBURGER yesterday:
People frustrate me at their uneducated abilities to judge the value of an animal - and get it published in the paper! "Crows are vermin" is so untrue. They form a vital part of the food chain and your view on 'vermin' published in the paper is now going to have the outcome of many people who dont know better - and who dont read my comment to you - labeling crows as vermin if and when they have the opportunity. They "get out of hand" because their natural killers, hawks are becoming less and less due to the increased destruction of their natural environment.

I am not going to go onto this topic any further, as I can speak about it for hours. My message to the public is: Animals, no matter what they are (sharks, snakes, crows, even rats) form a very vital part of the food chain in life and nature.

Do not judge animals' status in nature. We all have a right to life my friend, even crows.

The part that I did not send into the papers: Crows are extremely intelligent birds. Please take the time to educate yourself on their fantastic intellectual abilities, you will be surprised at how amazing they actually really are. Just because they attack birds, cats and people, does not mean they are vermin. Its their natural survival instinct.

A doggie promotes himself at the shelter - very cute video

2010-10-24T05:31:00.002+02:00

Ha ha! check out this very cute video. The happy couple are at the shelter looking for a doggie.

One very cute doggie decided to promote himself...

Christian the Lion who was released into the wild in Africa

2010-10-19T22:45:00.001+02:00

It just breaks my heart to see how amazing animals really are. This is the true story of Christian the Lion who was bought from a pet shop in Harrods, London. Their aim was to re-introduce the lion cub back into the wild - where he belongs.

To this day, I can not for the life of me, understand how man can get satisfaction out of killing animals. "Hunting animals for pleasure" is something I will never understand and always frown upon. I hope you enjoy this video as much as I do ~ every time I see it ~ I just love watching it again and again. So very special!

The Movie Above The Line. A must see if you dont know what is happening to the fish before it reaches your dinner plate.

2010-10-19T13:11:00.001+02:00

The end of seafood by 2048. The ocean without fish. Your meals without seafood. Imagine the global consequences.
Narrated by Ted Danson this award winning, groundbreaking film reveals the impact of overfishing on our oceans. This is the future if we do not stop, think and act.

Releasing in South Africa at selected Nu Metro & Ster Kinekor cinemas countrywide on October 22nd - dont' miss it!!

Wet Nose in another mess

2010-10-14T17:24:00.002+02:00

The typical route of all failed animal shelters.

Why is Wet Nose Animal Shelter constantly in such a mess with regards to Management? They forever have some sort of crisis that the world must suddenly support them and help them.

This is the story on HopeFull Homeless website...

Here are my thoughts:

The problem here is poor management. I think everyone here is responsible for this mess. The board have not set clear guidelines. The board have not managed the person in charge of the kennels. The person in charge of the kennels did not manage the people who are working there. This is a huge mess and everyone is to blame!

I smell a rat on everyone here. How sad to hear this nonsense and the poor animals must suffer. this mudslinging is shocking to say the least.

People (The Board) think its easy to run a company. if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. You sound like a bunch of greedy shameless individuals and sending out that mailer to me now has just confirmed to me how shameless you all actually are.

Sadly the poor animals have to suffer – as usual – for the incompetence of people who at first had a good intention, then when they smelt money, the goodness flew right out the window, never to be seen again. (The typical route of all failed animal shelters.)

I dont give a hoot what happens to Wet Nose, I just hope SOMEONE can save the poor animals. I dont live close by, pity.

Its also very strange that the writer of Hopefull Homeless knows so much detail (another raised concern).

Name and Shame the Rhino poachers of South Africa!

2010-10-12T17:18:00.002+02:00

Greed is one of the main reasons why our animals are exposed to such brutality. Its with mixed emotions that I post this post... sad about the reality of the situation, but happy that they have not caught these horrible people, but hope that the BUYERS OF THESE HORNS will also be followed up. They did a documentary on Carte Blanche (local South African Television program) about a year ago of the Ambassador of Thailand apparently buying the horns and taking it over to wherever they take it to (Thailand?!) for trading. Now suddenly this story is nowhere to be found, but they had video proof of the trading taking place. Makes me wonder!

Please name and shame these criminals and send this on to everyone to identify these horrible people.

Eleven people, including two veterinarians, a pilot and a game farmer, all allegedly part of a rhino poaching syndicate, were arrested in Limpopo last month.

National police spokesman Colonel Vishnu Naidoo said it was believed they had been involved in several hundred incidents of rhino poaching, rhino killing, selling of the horns and disposing of the rhino carcasses over the past years.

They allegedly operated around Polokwane, Modimolle and Musina.

Veterinarian Karl Toet and his colleague Manie du Plessis were said to be the two alleged masterminds behind the syndicate.

All 11 were released on bail ranging from R20,000 to R1 million.

Another two men were arrested in Limpopo in connection with dehorning rhinos and the buying and selling of horns.

It was alleged that Jan Karel Pieter Els, 37, bought 36 rhino horns from Tom Fourie, 51, who allegedly dehorned the rhinos.

The men had appeared in the Musina Magistrate's Court.

Els was released on R30,000 bail and Fourie R5000 bail.

A few days later three men were arrested inside the Kruger National Park by game rangers.

The game rangers came across the men walking around the park with rifles and allegedly in possession of two rhino horns while a carcass was found nearby.

They appeared in the White River Magistrate's Court and were granted R7500 bail each.

Police were investigating the possibility that the men were part of a syndicate responsible for other poaching incidents in the area.

Last week five people believed to be rhino poachers were arrested in Ophathe Game Reserve near Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal.

The arrests were the result of months of investigating by a team of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife staff and police.

The group was expected to appear in the Ulundi Magistrate's Court this week.

The Ophathe Game Reserve had been plagued by rhino poaching with three rhinos killed and their horns removed in the past ten days.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said the recent poaching of rhinos in the game reserve had bought the number of poached rhinos to 17 in KwaZulu-Natal this year.

South Africa has lost 210 rhinos to poaching since January, compared to 122 for all of last year.

Black-market demand for rhino horns had risen sharply as economic growth had spread through east and south-east Asia, where the horn was believed to have medicinal properties.

Wildlife monitoring group Traffic said the surge in demand, combined with endemic poverty in many rhino habitats, had helped to push rhino poaching to the highest levels in 15 years.

Become a rhino warrior. (Proudly supported by Woolworths South Africa) OK, this one's certainly not for everybody. But if you have ranger or military experience, the anti-poaching campaign may be able to use you on the ground, either as an employee or volunteer.

You can also apply for training to become part of an anti-poaching unit -- again, not for everyone: you need to be fit enough, have the right temperament, and be prepared to devote considerable time and dedication to acquire the skills that equip you for this dangerous, highly responsible task. SanWild is running a counter-poaching ranger training course (18-35-year-olds only I'm afraid, and Rambos who can't follow orders are unlikely to be welcome!) -- see their web site for details or contact them at lizel@sanwild.org.

Volunteer. We can't (nor should we) all be on the front line, but there's plenty of vital support work needed to keep rhinos and their protectors safe. You can volunteer to join South African National Parks' Counter Poaching and Ranger Support Services (CP & RSS) as an honorary ranger. Contact the chairperson of CP &RSS, John Turner, for more info: johnturn@iafrica.com. Rangers may do patrols too, but this is not the kind of counter-poaching work which requires specialised training as mentioned above.

Make a Donation to help towards saving the Rhino. Click here to be redirected to the World Wildlife Fund website and make your donation.

Herewith a video clip:

Source: TimesLive.co.za

Why do Animals have such a Short Lifespan on earth?

2010-05-18T21:12:00.001+02:00

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

Happy Mothers Day for moms with furry children

2010-05-06T06:02:00.001+02:00

The Cove : Dolphin Fishing at its worst

2010-02-26T10:03:00.004+02:00

Spread the word... to all animal activists.

Source: Wavescape

The trailer for The Cove, award winning doccie that exposes slaughter and greed in Taiji, Japan, where former dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry has come to set things right after a long search for redemption. In the 1960s, it was O’Barry who captured and trained the 5 dolphins who played the title character in the international television sensation “Flipper”.

In a remote, glistening cove, surrounded by barbed wire and “Keep Out” signs, lies a dark reality. It is here, under cover of night, that the fishermen of Taiji, driven by a multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry and an underhanded market for mercury-tainted (A heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element; the only metal that is liquid at ordinary temperatures) dolphin meat, engage in an unseen hunt. The nature of what they do is so chilling -- and the consequences are so dangerous to human health -- they will go to great lengths to halt anyone from seeing it.

(To view the above video: Click on the button (>) above to Pause (II). Wait a few moments to allow video to stream and then press Play (>) when you can see that it has fully streamed. This will assist you to watch the video without interruptions and waiting for the entire data of the video to download)

DA Counsellor's Dog, Lady is now ready for a new home

2010-02-04T13:45:00.004+02:00

Lady - now ready for a new home.

Many of you will recall the news of DA Counsellor, Caroline Woods, and her starving dog, LADY, whom she claimed belonged to her husband. The Court case is now over and Mr Woods has, amongst other sentences, been prohibited from ever owning an animal again (unprecedented in South Africa). We are finally seeing some justice in this country.

LADY is now available for adoption and the truest happy tail would be for her to find a home along with her partner HAPPY who saw her through her rehabilitation….A remarkable story of triumph over tragedy and the endless forgiveness these animals bestow on humans!

For anyone who can’t remember Lady’s state when she was found...

I saw Lady when she first came into Animal Welfare and couldn't believe how she looks now - but the best thing is that her formerly shy and mistrusting personality has become outgoing and loving. If anyone deserves a good life it is her! Happy is a really lovely dog too - very sparky and affectionate.

Contact:
Tanya (Hahndiek) Cell: 078-1929384 (working hours) Home: 021-7824219 (after 19h00)
ALICIA - contact at Animal Welfare, Philippi - Tel: 021-6922626.

How this story unfolded from the start : Click here

German Shepherds Looking for a Home

2010-02-01T05:56:00.001+02:00

Lost: looking for a new home.

We are desperately looking for a home for these two beautiful well behaved German Shepherds that were picked up in Milnerton on the 8th of January.

I have advertised them at all the local vets and the SPCA but no one has claimed them yet.

They are beautiful animals but should preferably be homed together, as they are very attached to each other.

This is a little tricky as they are not exactly small animals. They are a boy and a girl.

Contact 082 777 3061 if anyone is interested in taking them or wants further details hvdm@incelaw.co.za

Township dog needs to be saved

2010-01-24T05:12:00.002+02:00

Mommy - stuck Elands Bay Township

We have found ourselves at our wits end with the owners of one of the dogs in Elands Bay township. Basically, the doggy looks like she is starving, and as per usual, her owners swear they are feeding her. We have treated her for all possible problems and no improvement, so clearly she is indeed starving.

The pictures of "Mommy" attached tell it all.

Her actual name is Sissa and we finally have the consent of the owners to remove her, so PLEASE can anyone help by giving this girl a forever home where she can finally start to look like a normal, loved dog.

She is now being permanently tied up so I have to get her out of there!!

Please contact me on 082 447 8866 or jolene@ashersons.co.za

Cats and Relationships

2009-10-20T12:11:00.001+02:00

You betrayed our love !

Can you do what I can do?

2009-10-10T07:45:00.002+02:00

Love animals! :)

You know its summer when...

2009-09-30T08:40:00.002+02:00

Love animals! :)