Farewell to Gus

There are not a huge number of ways to become famous as a polar bear. Gus somehow managed to do it by behaving like a perfectly ordinary New Yorker: he was neurotic. He became the Neurotic Polar Bear.

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Video: Islands Filled With Animals

The typical trip to Disney World starting to bore you and your brood? Sick of seeing people dressed up as animals instead of the real deal? These animal-filled oases are your answer. Each of these islands has become a travel go-to thanks to their welcoming animal residents.

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Wikipedia Good for Pet Care Says Igor Purlantov

Most pet caregivers understand that having access to websites such as Wikipedia provides a wealth of knowledge and information about animals and how to ensure their well being says Igor Purlantov.  Wikipedia has opened up unimaginable opportunities for anyone looking to expand their knowledge of animal rights and welfare. The unlimited access to this information coupled with the amount of encyclopedia information on animals available on Wikipedia is unprecedented.  Today, websites such as Wikipedia have become some of the best sources of knowledge available out there when it comes to learning about animal rights and welfare according to Igor Purlantov.  

Animal lovers are using Wikipedia to find out information on how to care for their pets and to learn more about animal rights and welfare says Igor Purlantov. The amount of information and material available on Wikipedia is astonishing and covers just about every imaginable animal related topic, from animal evolution, to various species, to animal rights and caring and treating for animals.  Thanks to Wikipedia, Igor Purlantov says that animal lovers are now able to use the information and knowledge gained from the website to improve the lives of their pets and other animals. 

One example of how people are using Wikipedia to improve the lives of animals according to Igor Purlantov is the situation when someone has a cat or dog that has fleas but they do not know exactly how this will affect their furry friend.  That person is now able to go to Wikipedia and find out a lot of information on how the pet may have come in contact with the fleas, how the fleas are affecting their pet and what is the safest and most effective treatment to ensure the safety and well being of their pet.  Thanks to this information, the pet is now able to get the most effective treatment and care says Igor Purlantov.

Unfortunately, pets cannot speak to us and share their problems so having the knowledge to understand and help them is very valuable says Igor Purlantov.   There are many articles on Wikipedia that are very helpful in explaining how animals behave and how humans can detect abnormalities in an animal’s behavior.  This type of information is readily available on Wikipedia and is essential for preventing diseases or recognizing dangerous situations like food or chemical poisoning says Igor Purlantov.

The animal articles on Wikipedia are edited by people knowledgeable in the areas of zoology and veterinary medicine which makes them highly accurate and dependable. Wikipedia has proven itself as a very credible source for knowledge in all areas including topics about animals, people have gained trust in her and they will continue to learn even more says Igor Purlantov.  Wikipedia has enabled people to easily research just about any animal and gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the animal world.  Thanks to this readily available information, people now have a better understanding of how animals think and behave as well as how to take better care of them and understand their needs says Igor Purlantov. 

There is no doubt that animals and people are connected by a common bond says Igor Purlantov. Animals have been and will continue to be our closest companions on this planet.  Our quest for knowledge and understanding about animals will only continue to be fueled by information available on websites such as Wikipedia.  Humans simply cannot survive without animals so we must learn more about animals and do as much as we can to preserve and protect their well being for future generations says Igor Purlantov. 

Modern-Day Ark for World’s Rarest Farm Animals

In 2011, Paul Davis took his 4-year-old son to a children’s farm outside London. While cooing over stripey Belted Galloway cows, Davis’ mind turned to something far more sinister: foot-and-mouth disease, and how it could wipe out all of those animals in an instant. 

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What Happens to Animals During a Forest Fire?

By now you have likely heard about the massive and out-of-control forest fire currently raging around Yosemite National Park in California. I not only heard about it last week, I encountered the beast right after it exploded like an angry fire-breathing dragon bent on mass destruction.

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NY Sanctuaries Take in Animals Escaping the Slaughterhouse

Winston escaped death to find a piglet's paradise. The little piggy found wandering this summer along a bustling Queens boulevard is among hundreds of animals - including cows, sheep, goats and chickens - that apparently managed to flee in recent years from New York City's growing number of urban slaughter markets.

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How to Bring Extinct Animals Back to Life

The passenger pigeon, the dodo and the woolly mammoth are just a few of the species wiped off the Earth by changing environments and human activities.  Now, advances in biotechnology could enable scientists to bring extinct animals back from the grave. But critics argue the practice would only hinder conservation efforts, by resurrecting creatures that could not survive in the wild.

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Video: White Bengal Cub Meets The World

The unnamed female cub was born in a Peruvian zoo and will join her parents when she’s 6-months-old.

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Bears Rescued by Helicopter in Russia

Two captive brown bears were airlifted to safety in Russia's Far East, following torrential rains and extensive flooding in the region.

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Cute New Animal Discovered

The animal kingdom just got a lot cuter.  Scientists have discovered a a new species of mammal — a raccoon-like furball with the face of a teddy bear.

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UK Animal Lawyer Initiatives Increasing Says Igor Purlantov

Animal Lawyer Efforts in the UK Help Animals Says Igor Purlantov

A good pet caregiver would best be described as someone that treats their pet as a member of their family says animal rights advocate Igor Purlantov. Unfortunately not everyone takes care of their pets and often pets end up on the streets or simply living in unhealthy homes that lack the basic needs required for animals.  The United Kingdom is one of several countries in Europe that has been taking animal protection and welfare very seriously.  You only need to look at animal lawyer initiatives and legislation concerning animal rights to see how much time and effort the United Kingdom is putting toward protecting animals says Igor Purlantov.  
 

Animal lawyer programs and laws designed to protect animals in the United Kingdom have been fairly consistent and static throughout the years.  This all changed with the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act in 2006 (AWA) says Igor Purlantov. Sweeping changes were made to legislation concerning the treatment and care of animals which led to a strong push for increased animal lawyer initiatives.  The legislation also created a real change in the way people viewed their furry friends.  The AWA was a welcomed update given that the last major change in the animal welfare laws was the Protection of Animals Act in 1911 says Igor Purlantov.

There can be no denying that the way in which we view animals and their roles in society has greatly changed in the past hundred years. The positive changes in how we view animals and the increase in animal lawyer initiatives has been the focus behind the changes made in the AWA says Igor Purlantov.  The AWA rightfully addresses animal cruelty and makes animal caregivers much more responsible when it comes to looking after an animal of any kind.  The law basically states that animal caregivers have to meet the five minimum requirements of caring for an animal says Igor Purlantov. These five minimum requirements include providing a suitable home; adequate amounts of food and water; the ability to express normal behavior; to be housed with, or apart from, other animals as necessary; and the protection from, and treatment of, disease and illness.

It is important to understand that the AWA was passed so that new laws would encompass domestic pet caregivers as well as those that have farms or other businesses where animals are commonly housed according to Igor Purlantov. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) was the driving force behind these changes and has been very proactive in supporting animal lawyer initiatives.  They have also been hard at work ensuring that the updated animal laws are being closely followed.  While the RSPCA is delighted with all the changes that are being made in regards to the prevention of animal cruelty, they still realize that there is a lot of work to be done with animal lawyer initiatives says Igor Purlantov.

Thanks to the AWA, citizens of the United Kingdom are now in a position to stop animal cruelty before it begins says Igor Purlantov.  They can also be a part of the increasing number of animal lawyer initiatives that are in place to support animal rights and welfare.  Although the AWA has been instrumental in protecting animals there are still some limitations when it comes to protecting circus animals and exotic pets.  It is expected that laws concerning these types of animals are just on the horizon.  It is only just a matter of time before every animal in the United Kingdom will be protected and afforded the chance to live a joyful and comfortable life says Igor Purlantov.

Black Cat Appreciation Day

Today is designated as National Black Cat Appreciation Day. It is a tribute—if you will—to any “solid black” domestic cat of pure or mixed breed pedigree, and, perhaps, some of their wild feline cousins.

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Loophole Allowing Chimpanzee Abuse May Soon Be Closed

Those concerned about the present and future conditions of chimpanzees — humankind’s closest genetic relative — have been given reason to feel optimistic: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed a rule that would, if adopted, finally close a loophole in the Endangered Species Act regulations that has allowed these intelligent and social primates to be bought, sold and traded, then harmed, harassed and wounded in captivity.

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‘Blackfish’ Movie Bites Into SeaWorld

Blackfish is a powerful documentary that will leave the viewer appalled at the use of highly-intelligent killer whales as amusement park attractions.

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Igor Purlantov Predicts Increase in Animal Lawyer Programs

Animal Lawyer Programs Protect Animals Says Igor Purlantov

Raising awareness of the need to protect endangered animals has proved to be quite successful in recent years thanks to the increase in animal lawyer programs says animal rights advocate Igor Purlantov. Unfortunately it is not only endangered animals that should be protected. Household pets and farm animals are also abused and mistreated daily and need to be protected with the help of animal lawyer programs says Igor Purlantov.

 

Increasingly, animal lawyer programs are driving an increase in animal abuse legislation that is being signed into law to provide tougher penalties for animal abusers. One of the most recent examples is Patrick’s Law which was recently signed into legislation in New Jersey says Igor Purlantov. The law was inspired by Patrick, a pit bull, who was nearly starved to death and thrown into a garbage chute by its human caretaker in 2011. Maintenance workers found the dog and rescued it on St. Patrick’s Day, after which point became the beginning of a new life for Patrick who has since recovered completely says Igor Purlantov.

Unfortunately, there are many Patricks out there who can benefit from an increase in animal lawyer programs and tougher animal abuse laws. The good news is that there is an increased awareness of the need for animal lawyer programs so that animal protection laws can be passed and enforced says Igor Purlantov.  Looking back to just 2001, there were only nine law schools in the United States that offered animal lawyer programs. Today that number has surpassed 100 and continues to grow. Animal law is one of the fastest growing fields in the legal profession and continues to drive the increase in animal lawyer programs says Igor Purantov.  One of the main reasons for the growth of animal lawyer programs at law schools is student demand as more law students want to help animals.  

The basis for animal lawyer programs and animal law in particular, revolves around anti-cruelty laws including damages for the wrongful death of an animal, custody determinations in cases of a divorce and veterinary malpractices, among others says Igor Purlantov. With the growth in animal lawyer programs also come some very interesting questions such as whether household pets should have more protection and rights than livestock.  Another example is the rights and protection afforded to a mouse, which may be a pet to some and a problem to others.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) which was founded more than 30 years ago plays a significant role in working on anti-cruelty legislation.  According to Igor Purlantov, the ALDF is aiming to have animal lawyer programs in every accredited law school so that animal law is taught to future lawyers.  The Equal Justice Works Fellowships Program also provides financial support to lawyers working on innovative legal projects and has sponsors interested in funding lawyers working in the area of animal law.   This is great news for students in animal lawyer programs that are looking to practice animal law.

The field of animal law is in infancy says Igor Purlantov who predicts an increase in animal lawyer programs. As animal law programs continues to grow so does the increase in awareness of animal rights and protection.  There is little doubt that the time has come to realize that animals have feelings and should not be seen as property. It is good to know that animal lawyer programs are growing to provide animal laws to protect animals and finally give animals a voice says Igor Purlantov.