Happy photos

I received this and wanted to share.

These pictures were taken immediately after birth. The mare laid down and the little one trotted around and crawled right up into her lap.

Mom, Dad, Uncle Jim ~~ ~~ ~~ DON'T MOVE YET!!

He's not my brother ~~ ~~ He's just HEAVY!!

I promise I won't do it again, Momma!

Just wait a couple'a years and try that again! YEAH!!

Come on, throw the ball, throw the ball, ~~ ~~ I'm ready ~~ ~~ yeah ~~ throw it!

Hmmmmm. I know you think you understand what you thought I said, but I'm not sure that what you heard is what I actually meant!

We gotta get a bigger bed!

Hey, can I have a bite'a that?

HEY!! What's with this 'warm spot' ?

You woke me up to tell me THAT??

HIIIIEEEEEEYAAAAH!!!

Feline Rescue's 2010 Book Fair

FELINE RESCUE'S 2010 BOOK FAIR

Feline Rescue’s 2010 Book Fair will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 14 and 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Feline Rescue adoption center, 593 Fairview Ave N in St. Paul (just north of University Ave.).

Donate an item!

Have you been spring cleaning? Feline Rescue would love your donations! Please keep Feline Rescue in mind and donate the following items that we can sell at the Book Fair:

Gently used books
Audio books
Music CDs
DVDs
VHS
Video games
We appreciate your donations, but we can't accept textbooks, computer manuals, magazines, or encyclopedias.

We will accept donations Monday, July 12 through Monday, August 9.

Please drop off your donations at the Feline Rescue adoption center during the following hours:

Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Please note that we will be unable to accept donations after August 9 - we won't be able to process the donations in time for the event.

How to prepare your items for donation

Since you know your books best, we kindly ask that you sort and label your donations according to the following categories (you may select more than one category):

Animals
Fiction, including Romance and Mystery
Non-Fiction
Biography and Auto-Biography
History
Sports
Science Fiction
Children and Teen
Self-Help
Religion / Philosophy
Cook Books
Arts, including Art & Writing and Arts & Crafts

This year we will feature Twin Cities author Audrey McClellan and her newly-released book, O’Leary, Kat and Cary Grant ~ Adventures with a Paranormal Cat. Meet Ms. McClellan at the Book Fair and enjoy her new book! Proceeds from the sale of her book will benefit Feline Rescue.

Other authors have donated copies of their books to benefit Feline Rescue!

Twin Cities author and U of M veterinarian Justine Lee’s It’s A Cat’s World … You Just Live In It
Debra Halborn’s Greetings from the Starcat Cluster ~ It’s the Place in Space!

Proceeds from this event will go to Feline Rescue, Inc. for food, shelter, and medical care for stray, abused, and abandoned cats and kittens.

How to make a financial donation

Would you like to make a financial donation? Donations by personal check can be mailed to:

Feline Rescue, Inc.
593 Fairview Ave. N.
St. Paul, MN 55104
Attn.: Donations

If you would like to donate online using a credit card or use our PayPal account, please find the yellow PayPal Donate button on our website at www.felinerescue.org.

Good news from Animal Ark

As anyone who has followed animal welfare issues knows, summer is the busiest season for animal shelters. Available funds are generally at their lowest point of the year and demand for services reaches a high as the temperatures climb. As a result, of the business of summer, I have saved up several important and fun announcements for one post. So here it is!

Twin Cities Pet Fix Program Expanding!

After years in operation, Minnesota's largest low-cost spay/neuter program is expanding. Historically, certificates for low-costs and, based on available funding, sometimes no-cost, spay/neuter certificates have been available at the Animal Ark Thrift Store and the Animal Ark Shelter. Within the next month, changes to the program will allow for increased certificate distribution at additional locations, including animal control centers, animal shelters and animal rescue organizations. If a nonprofit animal welfare organization or an animal control center is interested in distributing Pet Fix spay/neuter certificates, all they have to do is contact Animal Ark at (651) 772-8983 Ext. 51.

Wildcat Wednesdays Expanding!

Three years ago, Animal Ark began piloting a program with St. Paul Animal Control to help sterilize, vaccinate and release free-roaming cats in that city. Gradually, over the following years, the program was expanded and refined. In July of 2010, the program is now officially available to anyone seeking services for a free-roaming (i.e. not owned) feline. Each Wednesday, Animal Ark's mobile surgical hospital called "The Neuter Commuter" performs free surgeries, vaccinations and other veterinary services for area feral cats. More information about the program is available by downloading this brochure.

Animal Ark's Endowment Fund Established

More than 30 years ago, Animal Ark was built by a group of compassionate animal lovers in a grass-roots effort to establish Minnesota's first no kill animal shelter. Over the following years, many wonderful achievements have been accomplished. Yet, the long-term financial stability of Animal Ark was always a distant dream. Recently, that began to change with the first sizable donation into Animal Ark's endowment fund. Animal Ark's endowment fund is a capital resource that cannot be used for general operating or program expenses. Its purpose is to provide future income through interest, and, thereby, ensure our long-term financial stability.

According to Animal Ark Founder and President, the current endowment is a great start. However, she also states that ensuring the financial stability of Animal Ark into the future will require a substantial expansion of the endowment.

Animal Ark Cat Center Officially Named

Though relatively small, Animal Ark's cat center has been getting national attention for its creative and innovative design. It features many amenities, like floor to ceiling cat trees, ceramic tile, windows and more. It provides homeless felines with unmatched comfort. Now, it is getting a new name. The Animal Ark cat center is being named in loving memory of Lisa Richcreek Neiland. Lisa is survived by a loving family. Her love of animals - especially cats - will be remembered forever. Animal Ark's cat center will from now on be called the Lisa Richcreek Neiland Cat Center at Animal Ark. An official naming celebration and remembrance day of Lisa's life will be scheduled at Animal Ark, time and date to be announced.

National Speaking Tour Continues

As the national animal welfare movement continues to focus more attention on the programs and services needed to achieve no kill community-wide, Animal Ark is being called upon more frequently to consult with organizations and municipalities outside of Minnesota to help them achieve the no kill goal. We have recently presented in Nashville, TN, and Copperas Cove, TX. We have upcoming speaking engagements scheduled for Austin, TX, Miami, FL, and Washington, DC. Though this work adds to the demands on our time during the busy season, we are proud and privileged to be asked so share our expertise with others.

Animal Ark to Host Monthly National No Kill Webinars

Beginning in the fall of 2010, Animal Ark will be hosting a monthly series of webinars designed to help shelters and animal control centers achieve no kill community wide. The webinars will feature some of the top no kill advocates in the USA, each with proven track records of success. The projected cost per webinar will be under $15 per person. Keep an eye on the Animal Ark web site for additional details to follow.

--
Mike Fry
Executive Director of Animal Ark
Co-Host of Animal Wise Radio
http://www.animalarkshelter.org
http://www.animalwiseradio.com
Animal Ark Main: (651) 772-8983
Mike Fry Direct: (651) 964-3140
Toll Free: (888) 668-0687 Ext 99
FAX: (651) 304-6038

Oscar the cat gets "bionic" feet!

Cat amputee fitted with 'bionic' feet
By Dana Rosenblatt, CNN
July 8, 2010 9:00 a.m. EDT

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
A British cat has made a full recovery after being fitted with a new pair of artificial feet

The cat, Oscar, had his hind paws accidentally severed by a combine harvester

Vet: Fitting a cat with a prosthesis below its ankle had never been performed

Doctor believes cat's surgery could improve quality of life for human amputees

This cat, whose hind paws were accidentally severed, has been fitted with a new pair of artificial feet.

(CNN) -- If cats have nine lives, they may have just acquired a 10th -- thanks to a groundbreaking surgery that saved the life of a feline double amputee.

A British cat, Oscar, has made a full recovery after being fitted with a pair of prosthetic feet in November. The cat's hind paws were severed by a combine harvester.

The three-hour procedure, performed at an animal hospital in Surrey, England, by neuro-orthopaedic veterinary surgeon Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick, could serve as a model for human amputees.

Oscar's custom-made implants, ITAPs (Intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prosthetics), were modeled after deer antlers, which have a honeycomb structure that bones can grow through and skin can grow over.

By using computer-generated technology, a team of veterinarians and scientists designed a feline foot that mimics the way a cat walks and runs.

Oscar's implants were attached to his bones and then covered by hydroxypatite, which allows bone cells to grow onto the metal. Skin can then grow over the ITAP to form a seal against bacteria and keep infections at bay.

Custom-built paws were attached to the end of Oscar's prostheses, allowing him to run and jump like normal cats. One video of Oscar walking on his artificial feet has attracted more than 346,000 views on YouTube.

Fitting a cat with a prosthesis at the joint below the animal's ankle is a procedure that had never been performed, said Fitzpatrick, who waited seven months to announce news of Oscar's surgery because he wanted to see how the cat would recover.

The ITAPs, made from titanium aluminum, were first developed by a team of scientists at the University College of London, led by Professor Gordon Blunn.

Oscar's masters, Kate and Mike Nolan, were referred to Fitzpatrick by their local veterinarian in Jersey, England, after Oscar's accident last fall. They decided to proceed with the complicated surgery, knowing it could positively affect human medicine.

But first, Oscar's life-threatening injuries had to be treated and a course of antibiotics administered.

"We had to do a lot of soul-searching, and our main concern has always been whether this operation would be in Oscar's best interests and would give him a better quality of life," said Kate Nolan in a statement released by the animal hospital.

"Through our own background reading, we were aware that this sort of procedure is cutting-edge and also has an impact on human medicine," added Mike Nolan in a statement. "So knowledge about the way that Oscar's been treated can be carried over to human treatment going forward, so that's good for everyone."

While the surgery can benefit humans, Fitzpatrick said his decision to treat Oscar was made first and foremost to save the cat's life.

"He is the most remarkable cat. You can see that he desperately wanted to live," he said.

While many animals can live with only three limbs, it would have been impossible for Oscar to survive with only two limbs, Fitzpatrick said.

Although Oscar's life was insured for 4,000 British pounds (approximately $6,070), Fitzpatrick dedicated much of his time and hospital resources at no cost to treat Oscar.

Fitzpatrick believes the cat's prosthetic surgery could lead to similar advancements for human amputees needing artificial limbs.

"As long as it's in the interest of my patient, if everything works well, we can apply this to human victims," he said.

Oscar has adjusted well to his new legs, Fitzpatrick said, although he'll remain an indoor cat.

He may not chase mice like he used to, but he can still scratch up the furniture.

Moose playing in backyard sprinkler

The simple joys of summer!

http://www.wimp.com/babymoose

Animal Welfare inspection

FROM: Minnesota Humane Society [info@mnhumane.org]

In response to consumer complaints, media investigations and pressure from animal welfare organizations, the Inspector General conducted an audit of APHIS/USDA inspections of licensed breeding facilities. The audit was performed between 2006 & 2008, and the final report was released just this week.

The conclusions of the audit confirm what animal welfare organizations have long suspected. USDA inspectors are not adequately trained and are not enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. The audit report cites the following findings:

• The enforcement process was ineffective against problematic dealers. Education was the preferred action taken and no enforcement action was taken against violators.

• Violations were not cited or documented properly by inspectors to support enforcement actions.

• The monetary penalties assessed were not adequate to deter violators.

• The internet is a loop hole allowing an increasing number of large scale breeders to avoid inspections and these breeders are not being monitored to ensure the animals are being humanely treated.

APHIS/USDA has acknowledged the various problems raised in the audit report and is working to incorporate the recommendations of the Inspector General. Additionally, these findings could give leverage to the national legislation, Puppy Uniform Protection Statute (PUPS), which if passed would require:

• All breeders selling more than 50 puppies per year to the general public be federally licensed and inspected.

• Dogs at commercial breeding facilities must be given the opportunity to exercise for 60 minutes daily.

Help get the PUPS legislation passed. Please call your US Senator and Representative and urge them to vote in favor of PUPS. Below are links to access contact information for your US Senator and Representative.

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

http://www.house.gov/

Red Lake Rosie's Rescue

Red Lake Rosie's Rescue is an organization near and dear to my heart. I have worked with many animal rescue groups but in my experience this one has the purest motives and greatest need. I write their blog (www.redlakerosie.blogspot.com), help with transports, clinics, and foster cats and kittens for them.

This video was created with photos from a clinic at Red Lake in March 2010 and includes an interview with Karen Good the creator and driving force behind Red Lake Rosie's Rescue.

The Animals at Red Lake Rosie's Rescue from JanetRoper on Vimeo.

Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue is an all volunteer, non-profit organization with a board of directors from the Red Lake Indian reservation, and operates a shelter on Red Lake Tribal land leased to Karen Good. Karen grew up in a large family on the reservation, left to get a college degree and returned to teach at the high school.

On March 21, 2005, a Red Lake 16-year-old killed his grandfather and his grandfather's girlfriend and then drove to the school where he shot and killed seven people on the school campus, including five students, one teacher and an unarmed security guard. Five others were wounded and the shooting spree ended with the boy committing suicide.

The day of the Red Lake massacre, Karen was driving home in a state of shock and horror. She noticed a skinny dog at the dump scrounging for food. On the spot, she decided she had to take some kind of action to make some kind of positive change. She took that dog home and that act ultimately resulted in the rescue which is named for the dog, Rosie.

Now animals are picked up routinely from the reservation dumps where stray animals go to find food or where their owners have abandoned them. Police, social workers and residents have come to know that the rescue will take the animals that may be suffering from malnutrition, injuries and exposure. Before the rescue, the only option was to shoot them.

Animals taken in by the rescue have been transported to nearly 50 different rescues across Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Prevention and education are the other main components of Red Lake Rosie’s mission. The rescue organizes several animal care clinics each year with Animal Ark’s Neuter Commuter, the Animal Humane Society’s mobile clinic, vets from Minnesota and Wisconsin and HSUS/RAVs (the Humane Society of the United States Rural Area Veterinarians). Hundreds of spay/neuter surgeries have been performed and animals receive shots and basic medical treatment.

Education of the animal owners about appropriate pet care is also a big part of the clinics and continues with school children. The very basic information about the need to provide shelter, water and food is the starting point and people are provided with buckets for water and food, as needed. Visits with animals are made to elementary classrooms and the last two years the children have saved their pennies to make a donation to the rescue. Some groups of high school students have been able to visit at the rescue or help at the clinics.

Finally, there is a metro support group for Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue that helps in a wide variety of ways. Some volunteers drive north to help at the rescue or a clinic or they transport supplies up and animals down. But, many volunteers help from home by raising funds, creating informational materials, fostering animals. Learn more at www.redlakerosie.org.