Search results matching tag 'Animals'

Animals%20First%20Gene%20Covey%20of%20Manchester.jpg

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:54:00 GMT

Animals: First Place - "Elephant" - Gene Covey

Chinook a step closer to being state dog

Bedford Editor — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:07:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

With a group of seventh-graders presenting in front of State House members, it wasn’t the students who were nervous.

“I was shaking like a leaf the entire time,” said Lurgio seventh-grade teacher Jen Wells. “They were much more calm and relaxed and I was very nervous. I wasn’t even presenting, but I was concerned for them.”

Wells has been the driving faculty member that has been involved in the lengthy process of having the Chinook become the New Hampshire state dog, although it has been the students who have worked to bring the idea in front of state politicians.

The presentation to the House was one of the final steps in the process, which could be completed by the first week in May.

Prior to reaching the House floor, the proposal unanimously passed the Senate, something state Rep. Jayne Spaulding said is an accomplishment on its own.

“I think it’s wonderful. They did this completely on their own,” said Spaulding. “They did the research and learned how the procedure works and they are extremely impressive at public speaking. They’re learning first-hand how the government works.”

Wells and other Lurgio educators have used the process to form lesson plans in various courses, like learning public speaking in language arts class or about DNA in science.

Ideally, the final decision will come in the first week of May so the entire seventh grade can make a field trip to be on hand for the result.

Overall, the idea has been well received in Concord. Spaulding said one Chinook breeder brought a dog to the session, and the animal “stole the show.”

Regardless of the end vote on the topic, Wells said her students have already learned lessons they can apply as they get older.

“I am hoping they now understand the process,” said Wells. “They can see that in order to get the result it requires perseverance. They can make a change. Whether it is a bill or a job interview, or anything else they’d like to do with their lives.”

Wells and the Lurgio students put in a request that if the bill passes, Governor Lynch makes the trip to Bedford to sign it and meet the students involved.

Spaulding is optimistic entering the final weeks of the project.

“I have a good feeling that it is going to pass,” said Spaulding, who has been impressed by the student initiative. “They’ve driven this. We are just the mechanism to get it through the state house.”

15 cats stored with live shell recovering

Salem Editor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:17:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Fifteen cats found living in a storage bin along with a live artillery shell on Monday, Oct. 6, are recuperating at the municipal animal shelter shared with the Salem Animal Rescue League.

Ray Denis, SARL director of development and shelter operations, said the town would retain control of the felines until their owner surrendered the animals. At that point SARL would take possession of the cats, move them into their regular feline shelter and begin the process of medical check-ups, neuterings and eventual adoption.

“They’re very comfortable right now and well cared for through the efforts of the town,” Denis said.

The cats are housed inside a string of pet cages lining the walls of the Salem’s animal shelter. Affixed on each cage is a sign warning shelter volunteers not to open the enclosures. Until the criminal investigation into the owner is finished, Denis said, the town is not allowing the rescue league to give input on how the cats are handled.

“If and when the case is won, they’ll be released to us,” Denis said. “It could only be short term, which would be better for them psychologically. In the meantime, they’re being well cared for.”

A Salem animal control officer discovered the cats after two customers of Uncle Bob’s Self-Storage at 134 South Policy St. reported both hearing and seeing them living in the storage unit on Saturday, Oct. 4. After an initially unsuccessful attempt to retrieve the cats over the weekend, managers at the self-storage again contacted animal control after hearing the animals crying on Monday.

According to Diane Piegza, a company spokesman, store managers then opted to perform an emergency access of the 10- by-20-foot storage unit. Sifting through what Piegza described as a “very, very full” storage unit to look for the animals, searchers were delayed when a large artillery shell was discovered instead, forcing the authorities to evacuate the facility as well as two nearby homes.

The New Hampshire State Police Bomb Squad removed the shell without incident.

With the artillery shell gone, animal control and store management resumed the search and discovered 13 cats living in the rear of the bin. While the animals had food and water available nearby, police described the conditions inside as deplorable.

According to the authorities, the cats had been living in the unit for two months without light or temperature controls.

Two more cats were discovered late Tuesday night, according to Denis.

Piegza said the number of cats inside came as a surprise to the storage facility’s management.

“We, at the time, sort of thought it got into one of the units, and we called animal control, and they came over and set traps to try and catch the kitty, thinking that however it got in, it got back out,” she said.

The case is currently under investigation by animal control. No charges have been filed.

The Salem shelter is preparing to take possession of the animals as soon as the town is ready to turn the felines over by taking steps to free up space inside their regular cat shelter. Denis said the shelter was pushing to get as many of the cats they have now adopted and out of the shelter by the time the case is concluded.

Balancing the influx of animals from this case with the animals already coming in from owners who can no longer afford their pets remains a challenge going forward, Denis said. At the moment, the cats rescued from the self-storage bin do not pose any significant strain on SARL’s shelter operations, but that could change down the road, he said.

Bedford woman learns veterinarian care in Mexico

Bedford Editor — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:14:00 GMT

BY PATRICK O’NEILL

When Kaitlyn Stone was looking for something to do this summer, spending a week in Mexico at a pet clinic was probably the last thing to cross her mind.

But after helping spay and neuter almost 200 pets and learning about issues of animal treatment and euthanasia, she now wouldn’t trade the experience for anything else.

Earlier this year, Stone got involved with World Vets, a nonprofit organization that visits Third World countries to provides veterinary assistance, bringing doctors and supplies to help towns deal with their pet populations.

“I’ve always been interested in animals and animal welfare,” said Stone, a 19- year-old student at UNH. “I thought it would be great to visit another country and get a cultural experience.”

Stone first heard about the program through an advertisement on Craigslist.com and after researching the company, she decided to take part in the organization’s week-long visit to Loreto, Mexico, from May 31 to June 7.

“We had two days off,” said Stone. “We had four full days of surgery at the clinic, Animalandia. We’d get there at eight (and work) until six doing surgeries.”

While they were there, locals from all over the area would bring in their pets.

“Many locals would bring pets in a wheelbarrow,” she said. “They’d come with bicycles with milk crates attached to hold the animals.”

According to Stone, four doctors performed surgeries, with four veterinary students, two veterinary technicians and Stone, who was one of two assistants.

By the end of the week, the team performed 194 spays and neuters. The team also worked on pets who had been involved in car accidents, had skin problems or were lame.

“I was an assistant in charge of recovery,” said Stone. “They would bring animals out to me after surgery. I would give them vaccines and monitor their breathing and heart rate; make sure they were waking up without a problem.”

While helping the doctors, Stone began to learn about how animals are treated in other parts of the world.

“We had one dog come in,” she said. “He looked like a Maltese. He clearly hadn’t been taken care of in years. The owner came in to have him shaved, (but he) didn’t want him neutered. It blew us away how people didn’t know basic care and how an animal should live. He thought the dog was happy as he was. We shaved him, but didn’t neuter him because the owner said no.”

Stone and the team also had to euthanize some pets who visited the clinic, ranging from a barely 8-week-old puppy to a Chihuahua who had been hit by a car.

“It was absolutely awful. I tried to think more with my head than my heart,” she said.

There were happy endings, too. Some animals were saved from being put down. When a group of stray dogs with no owner was brought in to be euthanized, Stone chose to save one of them, a mixed breed of mostly beagle, which she has named Lucy.

“I went down planning, ‘I’m not going to bring anything home,’” she said. “But, had I not taken her, she would’ve been dead.”

The clinic also brought home two other puppies and two kittens. To bring Lucy back to the U.S., Stone had to get a health certificate signed by a veterinarian in Mexico verifying the dog’s health.

Back at home, Stone plans to put her knowledge to work and help animals in the U.S.

“I’m really interested in animal behavior. I’ve been considering a law enforcement job, maybe as an animal cruelty investigator,” said Stone, who is currently majoring in psychology, with a minor in animal science. Her parents have been very proud of her achievements and her courage to travel that far away from home.

“We weren’t sure she was going to do it,” said her mother, Tracie. “We knew it’d be a great experience for her. She did her homework and did what she needed to do. And, now we have a new member of the family.” “It was a great experience,” said Stone. “There’s so much hands-on experience. I would love to go again.”

Donations can be made to World Vets by visiting www.worldvets.org.

Abutters don’t want Salem animal shelter in their neighborhood

Salem Editor — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:14:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Residents of Brady Avenue again challenged a plan by the Salem Animal Rescue League to construct a new animal shelter in their neighborhood.

Raising concerns over traffic, noise, animal waste and odor, potential neighbors of the 15,000-square-foot shelter lined up at the Tuesday, June 24, Planning Board meeting to express their reservations about a project that is still in the conceptual phase.

Shelter architect Steve Jensen presented figures comparing the proposed building to other large structures in the area in a defense against criticisms over the proposed size and layout of the shelter.

Terry Perrino, of 70 Brady Ave., remained unconvinced and challenged Jensen’s figures while voicing concerns that the presence of the shelter would lower the value of his property.

“I’m still opposed,” he told the board. “I still don’t think they should have an animal rescue league on Brady.”

Jensen, who has designed shelters across the country, including one in Methuen, Mass., and another in Brockton, Mass., attempted to address the issues previously raised by neighbors and abutters at the April 21 board meeting, but failed to quell concerns from residents.

Changes to the original concept made by Jensen since the April meeting included adding a row of evergreens or shrubs along the property lines, adding fence to the dog play area and using a landscape finish for the proposed retaining walls for aesthetic purposes.

According to Jensen, more work needed to be done.

“We’re going to have to rescale (the shelter),” he said. “We’ll be in front of the board again.”

David Fredrickson, of 16 Brady Ave., called for a study of the impact of new traffic and criticized SARL for not yet applying for a permit for their proposed septic system and to build a driveway on a state road.

“I’m against this. It doesn’t fit,” he said. “We’ve been a quiet neighborhood and we haven’t asked much from the town. This is something the town could do for us, to preserve the tranquility that we now possess.”

SARL has been working with the town for more than six months to locate a site on which to build a new shelter, according planning director Ross Moldoff. The location on Brady Avenue was received from a benefactor and is one of several sites explored by the animal rescue league.

According to Valorie Hayes, director of marketing and media relations for SARL, the organization is currently operating out of three modular shelters. Five or six years ago, SARL had been informed that the land they operated on would be flooded and reclaimed for wetland use by the state and town, she said. At that point, the 15-year-old organization began searching for a new location.

Hayes called the previous meeting before the board “amicable.”

“Some of the neighbors expressed concerns. Everything was very amicable.

People that know us appreciate the work that we do,” she said. “I hope we’re able to address all the concerns to our abutters. SARL has always been a good neighbor.”

Sheep mauled in Candia incident

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:09:00 GMT

BY TOBY HENRY

A High Street couple, horrified after a coyote attack on one of their sheep, said the run-in with the canine was the only predator attack they’ve had in more than 30 years of raising animals.

“It was terrible,” said Francis Huard. “There was no way to save (the sheep), really. We’ve seen coyotes out back once in a while, but nothing like this has ever happened before.”

Huard and his wife, Cindy, were at home around 7 p.m. on June 22 when Cindy said she noticed one of their two sheep was missing. Francis said the animals were loaned by a friend to help keep their grass down as an easy alternative to a mower, and typically the two stayed together as they roamed the property. “The other sheep was calling for it, looking for the other one, and we knew that was strange,” Francis said.

Cindy said she then saw a large coyote dart by, and she immediately feared the worst. She went outside to the rear of the house to investigate, and, to her shock, discovered the badly injured sheep.

The couple both said the animal’s back leg was badly chewed, and the animal attempted to move but could not stand up. They soon called the police, and they later asked officer Rick Langlois to shoot the suffering animal.

Cindy said the attack took place in broad daylight. Francis said that in years past, they had other sheep, turkeys and even cows that were never harmed, but he added that the two placid sheep probably seemed like an easy job for the coyote because no larger farm animals were around to intimidate a would-be predator.

“We’ve had cows out there with our sheep before and never had a problem, but cows are very big and they probably kept the coyotes away,” Francis said. “I’ve never seen one in broad daylight like that before, so it might have been pretty hungry.”

The Huards said the remaining sheep appeared upset after the traumatic event, and it was brought to the nearby Charmingfare Farm to be with the other animals behind the petting zoo’s heavy fencing. Police Chief Michael McGillen said the incident was an unusual one for Candia and warned that residents should keep a close watch on pets that venture outdoors and to also make sure that trash is stored in secure containers.

In New Hampshire, coyotes may be shot at any time of the year. According to online Fish & Game and animal control resources, most New Hampshire coyotes average about 35 pounds and the animals are increasingly being seen in suburban areas, such as Portsmouth.

Puppy

oddity365 — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:40:00 GMT

Diesel at 8 weeks old playing outside on a fall day

chipmunk.jpg

admin — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:02:00 GMT

An Eastern Chipmunk coming from its winter sleep and waiting for springtime in the cold weather of Northern NH, with the much snow of 2008 covering the ground. This small one could not find much food, thus soon went back underground and only came back out a few weeks later when snow coverage was less.

squirrel.jpg

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:43:00 GMT

Red squirrel on the hunt for bird seed.

hawk.jpg

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:35:00 GMT

A hawk in my yard in the fall of 2007.