2010’s first roundup requires protective eyewear
By David S. Greene
January 4, 2010
Welcome to a whole new year of news you can use!
No Kill done right in Detroit: Hard on the heels of Christie’s recent pondering of what no-kill means, we have a perfectly timed story from Detroit. An Oakland County shelter’s getting it done, the right way. I’ve gotta tell you, the following quote from Larry Obrecht, the head of the county’s Animal Control Division since 2003, just makes me smile.
“We’re there on dogs, and we’re almost there on cats,” Obrecht said. “The only dogs that are euthanized here are dangerous, really sick or critically injured.”Obrecht, 68, of Lake Orion said reducing the euthanasia rate for strays and other animals that come into the county’s Animal Care Center in Auburn Hills requires the right attitude, an aggressive adoption program and constant efforts to spay and neuter animals.
Sweet Georgia clay: Hey cat-lovers! Did you know that the evolution of kitty litter technology is creating problems in the once-booming Georgia clay industry.
“[A] dizzying variety of new litter has entered the market in the last decade and threatened Georgia’s position as the leading litter producer.
At least two large factories have closed as cat owners shift to clays that form clumps when wet, allowing easy removal with a slotted scoop. Pine, wheat and other natural products have also gained in popularity.”
Canned pumpkin shortage alert: Thank you to Mary Mary for giving us a heads up on this. There’s a canned pumpkin shortage in some parts of the country, and it appears to have been problematic since at least November. It’s worse in some areas than others, and you do have alternatives, of course. You could steam fresh pumpkins (we still have lots here in New England), check with other markets (I found no shortage here in the Boston area, calling around) or, perhaps, use substitutes such as canned winter squash. Canned pumpkin, with all that wonderful fiber, is great stuff that keeps things moving on through, if you take my drift. Not to mention … pie.
Another reason I’m not a tarantula owner: Gina sent me something on New Year’s Day morning which briefly made me consider changing my e-mail address so she couldn’t send me anything more like it. I wouldn’t think you’d need an excessive number of reasons to consider not owning a pet tarantula, but just in case, the LA Times has one more: The little monsters can (and do) shoot tiny, barbed hairs into your eyeballs. That’s right, eyeballs. Indiana Jones didn’t like snakes, and for the record I’m pretty seriously anti-spider. There’s a lovely, sharp picture in the article that I opted not to include here in the post. You’re welcome. (Oh, and here’s another version of the same story by ABC News which I could not bear to look at, sorry, but which I’m told features the expert advice of Cindy Steinle, one of our pals at PetHobbyist.com.)
What will we be talking about over the next 12 months? Pete the Vet offers a pointer to predictions of issues we may face in 2010 . Would you believe the spider story gets a mention in the article’s preamble? How many times am I going to be squicked out in one day?
A loving legacy from a grateful client: Vets get to make wish lists for Santa, too. For Sydenham Veterinary Services in Kingston, Ontario, Santa (in the guise of a longtime client’s family) came through in a big way.
Not sure of what the dollar amount might be, the veterinarians at the clinic came up with items that ranged from $50 to $20,000. From the list, the family picked the surgical table.
They wanted something that would be a lasting testament to Mrs. Gemmell, said Mrs. McRobert. They also donated money to various charities in her memory, “but we wanted something that was a little more tangible.”
They are also donating a digital picture frame that can hold thousands of photos. One of the photos that they have already loaded is of Barbara Gemmell.
The stainless steel surgical table, about two feet by four feet, can be raised, lowered or tilted in any direction so it can be positioned just right for whatever procedure happens to be going on, said Chubaty.
As always, if you’ve run across a non spider-related story, please either give a shout in the comments, or send it directly to me.
Photo credit: Larry Obrecht: Patricia Beck/DFP. Libby canned pumpkin: NYT.



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