It’s time for yet another edition of Hisses and Purrs. Each week we keep you informed on the plight of animals around the word. As always, Hissy Fit Jones steps up first to share some not so good news. Ready, Hissy?
Hisses to the Vancouver Aquarium in Vancouver, Canada, for its Yoga with Belugas program. The idea was for yoga practitioners to do yoga by the tanks holding the beluga whales captive. How ironic, an aquarium wanted to promote an activity that stresses liberation and connectedness in a space where animals are held as prisoners. Needless to say, both animal welfare advocates and yoga enthusiasts are protesting.
Hisses to The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) for demanding that a separate ministry be created for Animal Resources and Livestock Development from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Wait, that would be a good thing…. right? No, because this new government official would oversee the mass breeding of animals for agricultural purposes.
Hisses to backyard chicken enthusiasts in the US. While some enthusiasts are pragmatists and kill hens that no longer lay eggs, many people are now surrendering them to shelters or are, even worse, abandoning them in public places. Mary Clouse of Chicken Run Rescue in Minneapolis reports that last year she got approximately 500 calls from people looking to place old hens in her rescue. Wonder how many of those same folks are buying processed chicken at the local grocer?
Oh no, Hissy! What is going on with these humans? Abandoning chickens? I think we better get June Buggie in here to give us some good news now!
Purrs to Kenya for investing billions in the conservation of wildlife. Sadly, not every country is taking this proactive step. Pakistan, for example, is taking no meaningful action to keep its wildlife, some of which is in danger of extinction, thriving.
Purrs to government officials in Indonesia for intercepting hundreds of captured Slow Lorises, a mammal with a toxic bite, and considered a vulnerable species. The man who had captured the lories was to ship them across Indonesia to be sold as pets. If convicted, the most he could be sentenced to is 5 years in prison and fined 100 million rupiah ($8,700 US). That’s still a bit better than sentences in the US.
Purrs to law enforcement agencies in western Washington state for cracking down hard on the illegal smuggling of animals, both alive and dead, into the US. Washington has been identified as a key port of entry into the US. Sadly, the laws are not stiff enough to discourage smuggling. One man, Quyen To, was caught on video selling 4 Asian arowana fish to undercover officials, netting approximately $12,000. He was fined $5000 and served no jail time. Asian arowana are almost extinct in the wild.
Thanks June Buggie!
In the news, we report the death of lioness Johari at the Dallas Zoo on Sunday, when a male lion suddenly turned on her, bit her in the neck, and held her down until she was dead. The two had been kept together with the lion herd for approximately 5 years with no prior incidents. Many zoo visitors witnessed the event.
We also report that a male zebra at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., bit a zoo keeper multiple times. The incident, reported yesterday, occurred when the keeper was inside the enclosure with the zebra, which is not usual protocol. Sadly, a young gazelle kept in an enclosure nearby died when it ran into a barrier and fractured vertebrae. This was most likely a fear reaction to the incident involving the zebra.
And we sadly report that 4 coyotes were euthanized in Chicago after one bit a 3-year-old child on the cheek. The child and his mother approached the coyote, thinking it was a dog. Animal control officials captured the coyote and the others in a park on the city’s west side.
Do YOU have any hisses or purrs to share this week?
Dogpaddling Through Life 
Oh my sad but very informative post well done for spreading the awareness x
Fortunately it’s not all bad. But it’s certainly far from good.
True, but I was amazed how much has not reached UK. We are made aware about the Lion killing the other in our main news 😦
That’s what I’m here for- to keep you in the know!
This aquariums are on my blacklist. For a beluga or a doplhin this must be like living in a honey bucket. Our two chicken lay no eggs since years, but they have a place in our back yard for lifetime. I have hisses for the freaks who think they are hunters. Currently it’s like war here. Everywhere they shot no matter if people are nearby or not. And the worst is that this guys are mostly totally plastered…
That’s horrible! Now I know in England, hunting is for the rich. What about where you live?
It’s for all… really for all. Think that’s more a ball challenge or a competition who’s the one who’s spared from evolution and still the ole neandervalley-guy. Stanze (stanzesbla) has the same in her area, this freaks even shot on her house, disgusting.
That IS scary!!!!
Where I live, a lot of people hunt. Our housekeeper told my mom that she was going bear hunting in a couple of weeks. They actually close the schools here when hunting season begins. Pretty gross.
I am a pragmatist. If you are hunting to feed yourself and your family, I don’t have a problem with that. I DO have a problem with people who hunt only for the trophy or engage in “canned hunts.” I grew up in the rural south and lots of folks hunt down here. I wonder if that housekeeper of yours is going to eat that bear she kills?
I hope she fails in her quest.
Last week, we had a sad new on TV here that one university student (19years old) who adopted four kitties from animal rescue, killed them with a crossbow to release his stress……he used those poor cats for his stress out…..we can’t believe it happened…..so sad and very angry…. 😦
That is awful!!!!!
That is incredibly sad.
Over the weekend there was a big dog airlift to safety for dogs in a high kill rate shelter by rescue groups. (Virginia?) Now the faithful friends are ready to select their new homes and eager for the future.
Houston animal control is building a new shelter – the current dome shape doesn’t work well and is so harsh and grim people do not want to visit to adopt a pet. The new plans will be family welcoming with easy outdoor access for dogs stuck there. Area rescue groups are really good at taking animals from there and finding them homes, and now the city is taking steps to become much more proactive about adopting out dogs themselves. Paws crossed – it sounds good. Paws applauding with hope.
That deserves purrs from the whole gang!!!!!
Hard to believe that cute little guy has a toxic bite! That would have been disastrous for anyone who wanted one as a pet!
Humans aren’t very bright ya know.
Haha yeah that can be true…. we’ll have to train them better. 😉
I think (if I’m not wrong) Kenya has been much better than other countries in trying to protect wildlife, but has never had sufficient resources to get the job done. I hope they can. Unfortunately, coyotes really DO look, unless you know better, like big dogs and they are not afraid of people … even crowds of people We see them in our driveway often and they are rather big fellas. You’d think it was some kind of husky, maybe a siberian if you didn’t know better. Many people can’t tell the difference between wolves, coyotes and dogs … and there are enough cross breeds out there to confuse the issue even more.
Yoga with belugas? Really? Lord, people are so dumb.
Yoga with Labs licking you maybe – but next to captive belugas? Yuck.
We’re with Hissy Fit Jones on that one; kudos to stopping toxic pet bites – some people’s brains don’t seem to get turned on at birth, do they Rumpy?
That yoga with belugas is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Do these people NOT see the sick irony???
I’m guessing they do now!
Hisses to the people who kidnapped a younger french bulldog puppy earlier this month and purrs to the police officers who returned him home yesterday after tracking down the culprits. Purrs also to the twitter people who spread the word and help find Frankie another kidnapped dog who was only missing a few days and who is also, now home.
Finally, purrs to the fab vets who squeezed in seeing Nacho at short notice and were brilliant with him, even when he was terribly behaved. Kicking, scratching, biting, squealing and general trouble making! I wish all the vets at the surgery were as good as this one. It’s always good to find a great vet who cares.
Nacho, Noah, Buddy & Basil
xxxx
We have problems with animals being stolen here too. Jen never lets us go outside without her for that reason. Some animals though have been stolen with their owners right there.
Yoga with belugas? Really? Can’t they use some of the larger people to yoga with? I would volunteer, I would rather be a land whale doing yoga with people that stressing out a wild animal.
Abandoning chickens?? *shakes head* Some people are so strange, how would they like it if their wives, daughters or sisters were dropped off because they were infertile or no longer able to bear children?
I don’t have any hisses or purrs for you this week, sorry.. but thanks as always for the information and keeping me up to date with things going on.
Great work on the Kenya decision. I think Wildlife Conservation is as important as taking care of the environment.
Lorises… I’ve never seen them before.
June Buggie does look scary. Good thing we all are on his good side.
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