michiganpaw.org aim to reconnect lost pets and owners

 

michiganpaw.org is a Michigan animal welfare group now aims to help people find lost pets using their new features on their website.

Their new map feature will help people contact an animal shelter that may have their cat or dog. The map also helps people find the right shelter if they discover a lost pet.


Linda Reider of the Michigan Humane Society says most counties have a single shelter that holds stray animals, but urban areas could have many. Michigan law requires shelters to hold stray animals for four to seven days, depending on whether they have a tag or some other identification.

Pets usually kept indoors are the ones most frequently found without identification.

Big increase in marijuana poisoning in pets

SEATTLE -- After Washington voted to legalize marijuana last year, and veterinarians are now reporting a disturbing increase in pets being accidentally poisoned.

Hempfest has Seattle at the epicenter of pot culture this weekend, but all that marijuana is leading to some unknowing users.

Veterinarian Dr. Cheri Trisheium said she's seen a big jump in dogs getting sick from eating pot.

"They are sort of out of it," she said. "They are kind of bobbing, they are easily startled, their eyes are dilated."

While rarely fatal, marijuana poisoning in pets can be serious.

"In severe cases though, their blood pressure can drop dramatically. They can have all the signs and symptoms of shock," Trisheium said.

Representatives from a pet insurance company called Trupanion say claims from pets ingesting marijuana are up 37 percent this year in Washington.

The average bill for treating an animal is $579, but that can easily climb into the thousands of dollars.

"For an owner who sees their dog absolutely altered and not themselves, it can look like seizures to owners, it can be incredibly alarming," Trisheium said.

Vets say another problem is just getting the owners of sick pets to admit what happened.

"Folks are often like, 'No, no, no, there is no way he could have,' even if your friend smokes or uses edible marijuana. We try to let them know that we don't care, we just want to help them with their pet," Trisheium said.

Trisheium said if you suspect your pet has eaten marijuana, you should get them to a vet as soon as possible to help them recover and rule out any other problems.

More: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Vets-see-large-increase-

Alaskan Bear rides a Jet Ski

A young brown bear jump on top of a Jet Ski while in the Naknek River with his mom. The bear appeared to be preparing to take the personal watercraft for a spin. It was captured by Graham Morrison, the owner of a fishing guide service in King Salmon, Alaska.

Morrison posted the photos to his company's Facebook page Monday, along with commentary about what could have prompted the bear to jump on the jet ski parked at a dock.

Morrison said that the mother bear was eating her catch in the water and the baby bear appeared to growl at her in an effort to get her to share. The bear slid off the back of the jet ski at one point before climbing back atop and then standing on its two hind legs with its hands on the wheel.

Morrison told the Alaska Dispatch there was no damage done to the Sea Doo during its brief encounter with the bear.

Mastiff saves owner, grandson from fire

A family rescued a 150-pound Mastiff named "Bear" from a shelter, and two weeks later "Bear" saved his owner from fire. When a fire broke out at Carol Swinson's Long Island home during the night the fire alarms did not go off. Bear sensed that there is something wrong and jumped on Carol to waker her up and her 9-year-old grandson.

Swinson says she was startled at first because Bear had been good about following the rule of staying off her bed. A very grateful Swinson says, "I'll do right by that dog for the rest of my life."

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