9/11

We will always remember what happened on 9/11. My thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones in the World Trade Center.

Hundreds of rescuers went to Ground Zero to find those who had survived. And with those amazing people, were rescue dogs. Rescue dogs were instrumental at Ground Zero, sniffing out survivors.

There is only about a dozen of 9/11's rescue dogs still alive now. Moxie, Orion, Guinness, Red, Bailey, and Bretagne are among those canines. These and other unsung heroes will be featured in the book Retrieved, by Charlotte Dumas.

Search and rescue dogs (SAR) sniff out missing people using airsenting (sniffing airborne scents), trailing (looking for someone specific), or tracking (working on a lead, with nose to the ground). What these dogs are able to accomplish with just their noses is another reminder how amazing God's creation is!

God Bless America!!



sources: http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/retrieved-a-new-photo-book-honors-9-11-search-and-rescue-dogs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_and_rescue_dog

Dog Breed Of the Month: The Tibetan Spaniel

The Tibetan Spaniel is cheerful, independent, clever, trusting, and a good watchdog. They are not yappy, but will bark at strange noises or intruders. They get along well with other dogs and animals, but can be difficult to train. As with all small dogs, the Tibetan Spaniel needs a strong pack leader to show them who's boss.

Tibetan Spaniels can be prone to respiratory problems and heat stroke, with an average life span of 12-15 years. Females Tibetans, unlike many other breeds, go into heat only once a year. They have an average litter size of 3-6 puppies.

They are good for apartment life, and do okay without a yard as they are relatively active indoors, but they do need a nice long walk each day.

Their coat needs a regular brushing. Tibetan Spaniels are average shedders all year round, but in comes out in clumps (poor vacuum!) once a year.

So if your looking for a sweet family companion who's good for apartment life, consider the Tibetan Spaniel!



Sources:
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/tibetanspaniel.htm

The Tiger

Tigers are found in north and east Asia. They live in grasslands, tropical forests, evergreen forests, woodlands, swamps, and savannas. Tigers are solitary animals, and will defend their territory strongly against any strange tiger that dares intrude. Female tigers have a territory of 10-618 sq. miles, and male tigers have territories that are much larger, and connected to that of several female tigers.

Tigers are carnivores, which means they eat meat exclusively. They will prey on a variety of medium to large sized animals, including water buffalo, elk, wild boar, and several types of deer. They also eat smaller animals such as fish, reptiles, and monkeys sometimes. Tigers hunt alone, and will ambush their prey from any angle, using brute weight and force to knock larger prey off their feet.

Tigers have a gestation period of about 104 days, after which 2-4 cubs are born. The babies are born with their eyes closed, and are approximately 2.2 pounds (Aww!). When the cubs reach 8 weeks old, they start to accompany their mother out of the den, and start to eat meat. Cubs become independent at around 10 months, but will not completely leave their mother until they are around 2 years old.


Thanks to David D. for taking and editing the photo.
source: http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/tiger.html

Email me your pictures!!

Hello readers! Due to a shocking lack of having my camera with me, I am running out of pictures of animals, and I need your help to have "blog fodder" for FFPandC.

So email me your pictures of animals!

ffpandc@gmail.com

Note: always tell me who took the picture, so I know who to site as the photographer.

Thanks!

Wild Things: The fainting fawn

Yes, fainting fawn!

So, I know that I just did a post on Wild Things, but this video just has to be posted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi563h5-iNs

The beginning has the fawn's back story, and if you fast forward to 3:28, that's when he faints, the poor baby.

SPCA: Kira

Kira is an independent cat who likes attention on her terms. Since she can be a bit picky, a home without children would be best, but Kira is a sweet cat with the softest fur ever, and she's waiting at the SPCA Annex just for you!

Kira is 2-3 years old, and makes a wonderful pal (when she's in an affectionate mood :) ) So if you want a pretty kitty with a little bit of attitude, look no further, Kira's the one for you!

As a reminder, here's the SPCA's website: http://www.spcaonline.com/ And Kira's at the SPCA Annex, with a whole bunch of other awesome kitties.

Dog Breed of the Month: The Mini Schnauser

Intelligent, loving and happy, the mini schnauzer is playful and gets along well with children. They are affectionate, keen, and docile. Like many smaller dogs, this breed needs to be socialized well and have a strong pack leader.

The mini schnauzer is good for apartment life and will be calm indoors as long as they get enough exercise, like a long walk.

Mini schnauzers have a wiry coat that should be combed daily. The breed sheds little hair, so it's good for allergies.

Mini Schnauzers live about 15 years, and are prone to certain health problems including liver disease, kidney stones, and diabetes. They gain weight easily, so they should not be overfed.

Energetic and loyal, this breed makes a good watchdog (as is definitely the case with the two schnauzers who live next door to me. Yeah, they are really loyal to their owner)

source: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/miniatureschnauzer.htm

Wild Things update

Here's an update on that wonderful wildlife sanctuary, Wild Things!

In addition to the many baby animals they get this time of year, WT has had several fawns, two of which are being bottle-fed by me and my mom in the picture.

(Note: that's not Pepsi we're feeding them, it's a special fawn formula. We just recycled the bottles.)

Remember, if you see a fawn hanging about without it's mother, leave it. chances are, the mother will come back. Fawns are very good about staying put while their mom goes off for a while. But if you know that the fawn is an orphan, or if it becomes continually starved and cries for hours, than call a wildlife rehabilitator.

Once again, here's Wild Things' website: http://www.wildthingssanctuary.org/

Happy Independence Day!

Ah, Independence Day. A day to celebrate what makes America America: Freedom.

So naturally, today's animal would have something to do with America. And what better American animal--American bird--than the Bald Eagle?

My mom took the picture of the US flag to the left and I touched it up. Pictures of the eagle can be found here.


The bald eagle is the only eagle unique to North America. It ranges from Alaska to northern Mexico, and is the USA's national bird.

Eagles are famous for their excellent eyesight. They have a wingspan of 72 to 90 inches, and can fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet. In the wild, bald eagles can live as long as thirty years and in captivity they can live as long as fifty years.

Fish-mainly salmon-- are an important food source for the bald eagle. They will eat other animals, but fish are the staple of their diet. They will even eat dead or dying fish. Their hunting ranges vary from 1,700 to 10,000 acres. Ranges are smaller where food is in abundance.

Once they are paired, a male and a female bald eagle will stay together for life. They build nests in large trees near bodies of water. The female lays one to three eggs every nesting season, and the eaglets hatch after 35 days of incubation, and reach maturity at four or five years of age.

So, the bald eagle.
Y'know, Ben Franklin didn't want it to become our national bird. He wanted the turkey.


Sources: http://www.rlrouse.com/bald-eagle.html
http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/www/critters/eagle/826572782.html

The Ground Hog

Also known as woodchucks, these furry little critters are found in Alaska, southern Canada and the eastern United States. The ground hog in this picture made it's home in my backyard.

Ground hogs rarely venture far from their burrows. An intricate network of tunnels, these burrows have an average of three or four holes, and den pipes will be anywhere from 15 to 20 feet in length.

Breeding season begins mid-February when ground hogs come out of hibernation. After a gestation period of about a month, a litter of 2-9 pups is born. They will stay with their mother until midsummer, when they go out to dig their own dens.

Ground hogs are vegetarians. They will eat flowers, leaves, soft grasses, carrots, peas, and more. They will eat as much as three fourths of a pound of food a day. When they are about to go into hibernation, they will really kick into eating overdrive.

Most groundhogs live only a year or less, but some lucky ones can live to be three or four years old.

Now, you may have heard of Ground Hog Day. That is the day when Punxsutawney Phil the ground hog is brought out and everyone crowds around to see if Phil will see his shadow. If he does, winter will continue. If he doesn't, then spring is just around the corner. Though it's a fun idea, I think it's a little silly. spring will come when spring will come. It has nothing to do with a ground hog in Pennsylvania on February 2nd.



sources: http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/groundhog/meet/meet.html
http://www.terrierman.com/lifehabitatgh.htm