Inside This Issue:
- A Question of Neglect, A Legendary Primatologist Passes Away, and More!
A Question of Neglect, A Legendary Primatologist Passes Away, and More!
Dr. Jane Goodall's favorite animal wasn't one she studied... it was the dog.
In England, a couple was convicted of animal cruelty and banned from owning pets for the next decade after their 11-year-old Labrador, Daisy, was found to have been suffering for years with multiple painful, but treatable conditions. The dog had the types of issues with her teeth and nails that you’d expect in a neglect case, but what pushed this into criminal territory was an oozing eye, an oozing neck wound (an issue the couple said had existed for a year), a mammary tumor, and a large mass in/around one of the dog’s ears. The eye and the wound were definitely causing the dog pain and discomfort, and the dog's tumor and mass couldn’t have felt good, either. After the extent of Daisy's health problems were revealed, she was immediately taken to an animal hospital for treatment. However, after two days without improvement, the decision was made to euthanize her. The veterinarian who examined Daisy was scathing in a weirdly understated way, writing that “Her conditions would have been obvious to any reasonable person and any reasonable person responsible for Daisy would have sought prompt veterinary treatment.”
The couple, for unknown reasons, had not taken Daisy to see a veterinarian in at least three years.
Whenever a case of animal neglect or abuse is posted online, it’s a safe bet that someone in the comments section will say the accused person should “never be allowed to own animals again” or even more strongly hope that the accused should “experience the same suffering they caused to animals.” These knee jerk responses are practically a comments section tradition. But we’re curious to know what you think about a case like this? Assuming all the charges are true, are the penalties and 10-year ban enough, too much, or not enough? Also, how should neglect and pet abuse cases be investigated? We obviously don’t want police forces kicking in doors because someone reported a dog with untrimmed nails or because you’re on a "list" for not bringing your perfectly healthy cat in to the vet for a checkup. But there is also a point where (to quote the veterinary examiner above) “any reasonable person” can see that a pet owner’s lack of care is so harmful that it requires outside intervention – so what, exactly, is that point, and how do we come to agreement on where that point is?
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Dr. Jane Goodall in 2019
We’re 99.9% sure you’ve already read or seen this elsewhere, but earlier this week, Dr. Jane Goodall, arguably the face of primatology, and later in life, a world-recognized animal and conservation activist, passed away at 91 while on a speaking tour. During her life she revolutionized how people view animals and the environment, and she inspired countless young people – especially young girls – to become actively involved in science, animals, and the environment.
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Two Cane Corsos
In celebrity news of the bad variety, singer/actor Tyrese Gibson’s Cane Corsos allegedly attacked and killed a neighbor’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel earlier this month. The alleged attack occurred because Gibson’s dogs were off his property and roaming the neighborhood – an issue that he was apparently warned about multiple times over the last few months. Despite multiple complaints and warnings about his dogs running free since at least April of this year, Gibson himself was not actually cited, mostly because he was never at home to be cited. This is kind of an important fact in this case – even if we aren’t home to care for our dogs, they’re still our responsibility. Making sure that a capable and trustworthy person is left in charge is an essential part of responsible pet ownership.
The actor says he has rehomed the dogs since the attack. He also released a statement through his attorney saying how heartbroken he was for the family that lost their dog, and that his dogs, even though he did get them for home protection, were never trained to be aggressive. These words all sound proper and legally safe, but at the end of the day, it's not that complicated: dogs just need to be kept on their own property. Even the biggest, sweetest oaf of a dog can chase and kill a raccoon or opossum – or small dog – if allowed to run wild through the neighborhood at night. And, of course, it's also unsafe for the dog to be running free. When our dogs aren't under our control and we don't know where they are, it always raises the odds of something bad happening. Why chance it?
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Won't back down. Also, literally can't back down.
Normally, we save animal listicles for the “Also in the News…” section of our newsletter, but this week, we came across two lists that are worth a bit of discussion. First off, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture released a list of 60 invasive aquatic animals that are of the “greatest concern” to the state, and it is really a lot to take in. This list definitely doesn’t hit like a BuzzFeed article (another reason not to include it in the “Also…” section) and, while 60 is a big number, it’s important to acknowledge that a lot of the animals on the list aren’t currently in the state of Pennsylvania. Several of the species that were named and shamed on the list are animals that the state desperately wants to keep out. This task becomes more challenging each year due to globalization, but proactive exclusionary efforts are vital for preserving the state’s ecosystem. And really, the best way to keep species like the bighead carp from causing problems in your rivers is to keep them from spawning there in the first place. As past experience has taught us, once an unwanted invasive species has a foothold in an ecosystem, getting rid of it can be a near-impossible nightmare.
The second list is on the lighter side – your typical “fascinating animal facts” fare. We decided to include it here because it was nicely written, has some nice photos, and there are even a few facts – like elephants having dominant tusks or a kangaroo’s inability to walk backwards – that you probably haven’t already heard a million times at pub trivia. Enjoy!
Also in the News...
★ Zoo News: Fall is ideal for viewing animals (Milder Temperatures, Busier Animals, and Better Visits)
★ Hit a deer? You're not alone. Missouri ranks among states with highest animal collisions. (Be Careful on the Road)
★ (Podcast) From vultures to hyenas: How scavengers protect human health (Possibly Unexpected Heroes; Frightening Domino Effects)
★ Can I keep a pet squirrel or python in WA? State rules for wild, exotic animals (Exotic State Lists)
★ Ancestors of Modern Demosponges Were Earth’s First Animals: Study (Extremely Early Animal Life)
★ ‘Not even animals escape the extreme barbarity’: wildlife caught in Rio’s rampant gun crime (Wildlife, Pets, Superstition, and Crime)
★ Super-sized species: meet the world’s BIGGEST ANIMALS (Giant Lists: Just Look at That Bee!)
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