Your artwork could go on an undersea adventure aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus. National Geographic Explorer Robert Ballard, NG Emerging Explorer Katherine Croff Bell, and NG Kids will choose one drawing to be made into a patch worn by the Nautilus crew as they cruise the world’s oceans to make exciting discoveries.

In July 2011, Dr. Robert Ballard, Dr. Bell, and the Corps of Exploration of the Nautilus will embark on a four-month mission to explore ancient shipwrecks, underwater volcanoes, submarine canyons, and undersea mountains in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Atlantic Ocean. The explorers on the Nautilus will use robotic vehicles to study these areas and the critters and share what they learn with scientists and students all over the world in real-time.

FOR INFORMATION ON How to Enter the Patch Contest:

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/activities/contests/nautilus-patch-contest/

Obama Shifts to Speed Oil and Gas Drilling in U.S.

By JOHN M. BRODER

In at least a partial concession to his critics, President Obama announced several steps to accelerate drilling on public lands and waters.

For the complete story go to nytimes.com

Young cubs

Bath time

Arctic Wolf Cubs (2010)

The “Big Guy”

For more information on the Park hours and fees please go to their website at:

http://www.bearizona.com/

The proposed expansion……………….

If you can assist with donations, I’m sure they will appreciate anything you can afford to send them.

Either click the elephant button on the right side of the page or go directly to their site and read all about the elephants and their care at:

http://www.elephants.com/

ALSO you can view the ELECAM at:

http://www.elephants.com/elecam/

Third-party investigations into large-scale agricultural enterprises, and the benefits they reap for society, have a long and storied history in this country dating back over century, when publication of The Jungle exposed conditions inside meatpacking plants and led directly to federal regulation of that industry. Indeed, many of the advances in animal protection laws have succeeded because of the clear documentation provided by concerned individuals. But due to the many undercover videos that have shown the public how animals are mistreated at factory farms, some agribusiness enterprises are working to make sure such evidence can no longer be gathered without serious consequences, including jail time.

So-called “ag-gag” bills were introduced in Florida, Iowa and Minnesota this year—and we can expect to see more states introduce these bills in the years to come, warns Ann Church, ASPCA Senior Director of Legislative Affairs for the Southeast Region.

“This is a trend that is not going away,” says Church, “and to grant factory farms this level of protection is not only bad for the animals, it’s deeply concerning from a First Amendment, free speech standpoint. When the safety of our nation’s food supply is at stake, we should all be working for more transparency, not less.”

From the massive recall of Hallmark beef in 2008, the result of video depicting workers forcing downed cattle into the meat supply, to the recent video of calf abuse at a Texas ranch, we’ve seen time and again the vital role undercover investigations play in policing an industry that is unwilling or unable to police itself. Laws to cover up animal abuse do not make it go away: Rather than stop animal cruelty, ag-gag bills will simply ensure that the public never learns about it. Adds Church: “If big agribusiness would put as much effort into providing humane care as they do trying to justify and cover up cruelty, animals and consumers alike would benefit.”

Minnesota’s ag-gag bills are still pending; Florida’s and Iowa’s have died, but not before garnering great support in their respective legislatures. Please help the ASPCA fight ag-gag bills and join our Advocacy Brigade to stay up-to-date on this disturbing legislative trend.

Go to aspca .org

Advocacy Brigade

Any articles that would appear on this blog will be posted on This and T hat Online Shop Blog at……………….

http://www.oldstuff4saleshop.com

Although it may be tempting and convenient to order your pet’s medications online, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to pet parents about unregulated online pharmacies that sell expired or counterfeit drugs without a prescription. According to the FDA, foreign and domestic web pharmacies may ask pet parents to fill out an online form and then falsely claim that a veterinarian will evaluate the pet’s condition to prescribe the appropriate treatment.

“Some of the Internet sites that sell pet drugs represent legitimate, reputable pharmacies,” says Martine Hartogensis, D.V.M., deputy director of the Office of Surveillance and Compliance in the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM). “But others are fronts for unscrupulous businesses operating against the law.”

The ASPCA does not recommend that pet parents forgo purchasing pet drugs on the Internet altogether, but encourages the active participation of your veterinarian in any decision to medicate your pet. “All pet drugs should be prescribed by a veterinarian after an in-person physical exam, and should either be purchased from that veterinarian or outsourced to a reputable pharmacy, whether on- or off-line,” says Dr. Camille DeClementi, ASPCA Senior Director of Medical Records.

Dr. DeClementi also recommends that pet parents avoid purchasing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—one of the most common types of drugs dispensed online without a prescription—to treat their pet’s pain without consulting a veterinarian to determine the underlying cause of the pain. NSAIDs can be dangerous if not dispensed properly, and pets who are taking these drugs should be monitored closely.

If you do decide to purchase your pet’s medications online, please follow these smart practices:

• Bring your pet to a veterinarian for a physical exam and obtain a written prescription for any necessary medications.
• Ask your veterinarian if he or she uses an online pharmacy service. These services are state-licensed and require the active participation of a reputable doctor.
• Only purchase medication from websites that are Vet-VIPPS (Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) accredited. Check to see whether the online pharmacy you’re considering is accredited at www.nabp.net.
• Mail or fax your veterinarian’s written prescription to a Vet-VIPPS accredited pharmacy.

For more helpful tips and to watch an informational video about purchasing pet drugs online, please visit the FDA’s consumer health information page.

ASPCA.ORG

On November 2, animal lovers everywhere will be watching election returns from the State of Missouri as its citizens decide the fate of the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, which will appear on the ballot as “Proposition B.” If passed, the Act will vastly improve the lives of dogs in Missouri’s commercial breeding operations by limiting the number of breeding dogs to 50 per facility and requiring basic elements of humane care including clean water, regular exercise and adequate rest for female dogs between litters.

With just over three weeks to go until Election Day, Missourians for the Protection of Dogs/YES! on Prop B—a coalition of animal welfare groups that includes the ASPCA—has intensified its efforts to get state voters to the polls by producing and airing four short television commercials. The first 30-second ad, which you can watch below, began running on October 4 in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia/Jefferson City, Joplin and Cape Girardeau.

Although the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act would be a state law, its passage would have far-reaching implications around the country. Known as the Puppy Mill Capital of America, Missouri supplies more than 40 percent of all dogs sold in pet stores nationwide and is home to more than 3,000 commercial dog breeding facilities—as many as the next three largest dog-breeding states (Arkansas, Oklahoma and Iowa) combined. It is estimated that nearly 70 percent of puppies sold in New York City pet stores come from Missouri.

Please help Missouri’s puppy mill dogs—our nation’s puppy mill dogs—by supporting Prop B in whatever way you can. Post the video on your Facebook page or blog, tweet this article, and visit www.yesonpropb.com to see how you can support the cause, even if you live outside of Missouri.

Paid for by Missourians for the Protection of Dogs / YES! on Prop B, Judy Peil, Treasurer

ASPCA.ORG

AKC MEET THE BREEDS®: Pomeranian

The Pomeranian is a cocky, animated companion with an extroverted personality. This compact little dog is an active toy breed with an alert character and fox-like expression. Today, the Pomeranian is a popular companion dog and competitive show dog. They can come in all colors, patterns, and variations although orange and red are the most popular.

A Look Back
The breed’s name originally came from the historical region of Pomerania (now present day Germany and Poland). Originally weighing nearly 30 pounds, the dog served as an able herder of sheep in its larger form. They were not well known until 1870, when the Kennel Club (England) recognized the so-called Spitz dog. In 1888, Queen Victoria fell in love with a Pomeranian in Florence, Italy, and brought the specimen back to England, influencing its popularity dramatically…..for more on the breed and other dogs go to:

akc.org

ADMIN NOTE:

Of course you can always find a wonderful companion through Pet Finders and/or breed rescues. Please consider giving a needy dog or cat a loving home and you will be rewarded ten times over.