Animals Unfolded

What do you feel about this? PETA objects to U-M President Mary Sue Coleman's social justice award - AnnArbor.com

flickr photo courtesy of tobyotter Despite the fact that the general climate of dog ownership has evolved over the last 20 years or so, there are areas where many feel that the treatment of animals still needs to be improved. There is one specific practice that is a sticking point for one woman from Michigan — canine tethering . We've all seen it: Dogs secured by a chain or other tether to a stationary object, alone. For some animals, it's a way of life; little or no contact with other animals, or humans for that matter, for years. In some instances the canines are neglected, and chains or collars are embedded in their necks. Animals frequently get entangled in the tether and are unable to access water, food — or even shelter . Dogs are not meant to live a solitary existence, and since by nature they are very social creatures, it's no wonder that these scenarios have been shown to be psychologically damaging to dogs, causing anxiety, aggression and other behaviora...

Earlier this week, I posted a blog with video on AnnArbor.com's pet section of a cat with a habit that has gained a lot of attention: bringing home objects to his owners. How many? Hundreds. Not only did his antics get attention, but so did his appearance. From first glance, Dusty has the characteristics of a Siamese, but with a few variances. Flickr photo courtesy of stevevoght A couple of comments on the post indicated that others were as enamored by his appearance as I was. After a little sleuthing and a good shove in the right direction by one of the readers, Dusty's breed was revealed: the very generous feline is a Showshoe , a breed that has been around for about 45 years. Much like other unusual cat breeds, the Showshoe results from a genetic mutation . It was first seen after a breeder's Siamese gave birth to three kittens with the fur pattern. They are rare, because of the challenge of reproducing the correct coat markings . They share a lot ...

Dogs and cats live together pretty well in a family unit, and our pets are no exception. Gretchen (our 80 lb dog) and Silver (our 10 lb cat ) pretty much grew up together, and after some kinks to work out initially, they get along quite well. Ditto for our other family dog, Bruiser (who is also about 80 lbs) - who melded pretty well into a blended family. Co-existing with not only another dog - but a cat -  was something he was not accustomed to. Kudos to him! We live in a relatively peaceful household, but one thing is clear: Silver rules the roost. He's always had a strong personality . The dogs don't mess with Silver at all, especially if he is standing in front of the water dish. He'll stand there, getting a leisurely drink and if the dogs want to get one, they will wait. Under no circumstances will they try to nudge him out of the way. They'll stand there, waiting behind, staring at him - until he saunters off when he feels like it. It's funny ho...

Kathy Lundberg is a long-time horse owner and when I visited her facility located in Ann Arbor, Scio Church Stables on a cold morning a few weeks ago, I got a crash-course in equine care and day-to-day life. Kathy is a real down-to-earth kind of individual , along with her daughter Annette, I really got a feel for what owning a horse and caring for them is all about: It's not for the faint of heart, to say the least. There's a lot of work involved, but the benefits are exponential, no question about it. I also had a chance to meet Dee, SCS's Barn Manager. In talking with her, it was clear that not only does she have an innate sense of what the animals there need, but in order for a boarding stable and farm to be all that it should be, it takes commitment, a good relationship between owners, staff, horse owners and, yes, the animals themselves. Especially in the latter, no two are alike. Dee mused about her work at SCS and I was thrilled to be able to see the...

Pet ownership has certainly increased in the past 20 years. Having said that, many breeds of pets have been introduced into areas that might be challenging for them to thrive in due to living situations that are less-than-ideal as far as the geographic area that they spend time in, the time that their owners spend at work, or perhaps the amount and type of exercise that is made available to them. That, coupled with the way that our communities are changing so quickly, it's no wonder that most species of pets are finding it difficult to be fulfilled. Some breeds of dogs really need outlets that allow their inherent abilities to be used - like Border Collies , for example. If they don't get to use their skills, things can get pretty dicey. Cats exhibit behavior problems, too, regardless of the breed, if physical and mental needs are not met. A few months ago, I wrote a piece on the Indoor Initiative for Cats, facilitated online by The Ohio State University College of Vet...

English Bulldogs are pretty unique dogs; they're ridiculously adorable and stubborn. What you might not know is how athletically gifted they are. Bulldogs are very good at jumping on a trampoline , as well as exceptional at skateboarding . This fella, Tyson , from Las Vegas , shows his skills on a skateboard. Check him out: Lorrie Shaw is a pet blogger and owner of Professional Pet Sitting in Dexter Twp, MI. She welcomes your contact via e-mail and you can follow her daily adventures on Twitter.