Weekly Roundup: 2-21-2025
Weekly Roundup: 2-21-2025
Inside This Issue:
- Bird Flu Policy Update and Questions
- Another Successful Spay/Neuter Clinic in Las Vegas: 500 Pets Fixed
- Wandering Cows and Sweet Molasses
- "Out of Control" Deer in New Zealand
- News Bites: Shark Bites, Horse (and Human) Eyes, a Little Truth in Advertising, and Doomsday Fish
Bird Flu Policy Update and Questions
Bird flu vaccine.
Avian influenza, or “bird flu,” has led to the deaths of over 150 million poultry since 2022, has spread to cattle, and infected several people, too. The disease is currently thriving, and in just the last quarter alone, U.S. farms have lost a whopping 20 million egg-laying chickens to the disease.
The Trump administration said this week it is going to fight this flu with a new strategy of vaccinations, tighter biosecurity, and no longer culling entire flocks of birds when an infection breaks out. Unfortunately, the announcement was overshadowed by last weekend’s accidental firing and attempted rehiring of several USDA employees who were working on the government’s response to the avian flu. The new strategy is big news, though – a clear change in direction that sounds ambitious and raises several questions.
As always, money is a core concern. Keeping chickens from getting sick is a huge win, but ultimately, “success” will be measured in how well this pans out for stakeholders in dollars and cents (and, of course, the price of eggs). Vaccines aren’t free, and most U.S. trade partners won’t accept eggs from vaccinated chickens. That could be a problem. And along with the cost of vaccines themselves are the logistics – administering shots takes time and labor, too. Ideally, such a problem will spur non-injectable innovations, but how long will that take? Another big question is how much biosecurity is secure enough – will it ever be enough? If entire flocks are no longer culled, what type of barriers to transmission, especially between barns on the same farm, will be effective? Everybody says they want better biosecurity, but not everybody agrees on the best way of going about securing things – and no two people are exactly as careful as one another. To quote bird flu expert, Dr. Carol Cardona, "I've seen it work, I've seen it fail dramatically in other cases."
Currently, the U.S. is producing fewer eggs, stores are limiting how many eggs customers can purchase, and we are even importing eggs from Turkey until next July (did you know Turkey was a top egg-producing country?). By July, we will have a much clearer picture of the Trump administration’s plan of action for combating the bird flu, and maybe even some early signs of whether we should be feeling hope or horror regarding Avian influenza.
Source: Trump administration plans big changes to fight bird flu as egg prices rise
Another Successful Spay/Neuter Clinic in Las Vegas: 500 Pets Fixed
Fluffy, one of the few Las Vegas residents to go on record strongly disapproving of Las Vegas' recent spay/neuter clinic.
Can you imagine having your pet spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated for only $20? Too good to be true? But wait, there’s more: on top of that, you are given a monthly preventative and your dog or cat’s nails are trimmed and their ears cleaned. OK, hide your credit card info and personal data, this must be some kind of scam, right? After all, if you’ve got a 60 lb dog, you’re probably paying at least $20 each month just for your flea and tick preventatives!
But no, it’s not a scam at all – this was a recent four-day clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada. Held by the Las Vegas Animal Care Center, aided by Helping Paws Across Borders, funding from BISSELL Pet Foundation, and the hard work of tireless veterinarians and volunteers, this event spayed, neutered, and vaccinated nearly 500 local animals. It’s not their first rodeo, either. The city has held similar clinics in the past, though this one gets high marks for running a lot more smoothly than previous events. This improvement is largely attributed to changing the format from first come, first served to scheduled appointments (having a few clinics under the city’s belt probably helped a bit, too).
For locals who weren’t able to schedule an appointment this time, don’t lose all hope: the city plans on having more events throughout the year. And these events are super important for public safety, too – dogs, or rather roving packs of dogs are a problem in the area, and the combination of low-cost spay/neuter services for pet owners and enforcement of roaming and dumping laws are vital ingredients for solving the problem before it gets out of control.
Some pet owners choose not to spay or neuter their animals, but for the many pet owners who choose to spay or neuter – especially those who are on a tight budget – an event like this is a godsend. We tip our hats to the organizers, funders, veterinarians, and volunteers who made this possible!
Source: City fixes nearly 500 animals at spay/neuter clinic
Wandering Cows and Sweet Molasses
Wanderer or homebody?
Recent research from UC Davis has revealed fascinating insights into cattle grazing behavior, demonstrating that cows don’t just mindlessly follow the herd… especially if the cow in question has a sweet tooth. By offering sweet molasses feed as a temptation, researchers discovered they could predict which cows would become "wanderers" versus "homebodies" in grazing situations. The "wanderer" cows, when offered a choice, would consistently leave their herd in order to get their molasses fix. Meanwhile, the "homebody" cows consistently chose to join their herd, even when tempted by sweets. Which cow would you be?
This breakthrough in understanding animal behavior has significant implications for both land management and animal welfare. Cows that wander more widely help distribute grazing impact and reduce wildfire risks, while those that stick closer to the herd maintain strong social bonds. The study provides ranchers with a simple, cost-effective way to identify these behavioral traits without expensive GPS tracking.
The research's welfare implications extend beyond just grazing patterns. Understanding individual animal personalities helps farmers provide more tailored care, reducing stress by allowing animals to express their natural behavioral preferences. For instance, knowing that some cows are naturally more independent while others prefer close social contact enables ranchers to make better decisions about herd management and pasture allocation. The ongoing research, which includes analyzing genetic markers and studying whether these traits are inherited, could revolutionize how we approach animal welfare in agricultural settings.
This study exemplifies how behavioral research can lead to practical improvements in animal welfare while simultaneously addressing environmental concerns and operational efficiency – a win-win situation in modern agriculture.
Source: Sweet molasses feed proves key to understanding grazing behavior in cattle
"Out of Control" Deer in New Zealand
Cute factor.
In the Te Miro hills of New Zealand, fallow deer – the descendants of just 18 animals released in 1876 – are plentiful and roam freely. This small founding population flourished into what has turned into a crisis today, highlighting a crucial lesson in island ecology: introduced species on isolated landmasses can rapidly overwhelm native ecosystems that evolved without large herbivores. These clever animals are also remarkably adaptive. As hunter Dylan Hogg explains, deer have become increasingly elusive, forcing cullers to adopt sophisticated methods like thermal imaging and drone technology. Even then, success isn't guaranteed – the animals' intelligence and wariness make them formidable opponents.
New Zealand faces a unique conservation challenge with these deer, as well: balancing pest control with public sentiment. Unlike other invasive species, deer benefit from what Hogg calls "the cute factor" – public sympathy that complicates control efforts. A farmer might hate these deer, while the farmer's friend and neighbor leads efforts to prevent culling deer. This emotional connection, combined with the animals' adaptability and the country's extensive forest cover, creates a perfect storm for population growth. The solution remains contentious. While complete eradication isn't the goal, current control methods struggle to keep pace with reproduction rates. As Hogg states, "We don't want to see them eradicated, but we do want to see them controlled" – this is a delicate balance that continues to elude this island nation's conservation efforts.
Source: Out of control: The devastating impact of deer
News Bites: Shark Bites, Horse (and Human) Eyes, a Little Truth in Advertising, and Doomsday Fish
A horse gazes also into you.
A Canadian woman lost both of her hands to a shark while swimming at the beach last week. The original reporting on this story was pretty sensationalistic and finger-waggling, saying the close encounter occurred because she was trying to take a selfie with the shark (yikes). Follow-up reports say she was bitten in the leg, then lost both hands trying to fend the shark off. Regardless of how this transpired, the outcome is horrible for this woman, and a brutal reminder that wildlife is, well, wild.
People who understand the value of biomedical research often point out the fact that animal research doesn’t just benefit humans. Many of the treatments that are developed for human beings also treat animals suffering from similar conditions. Of course, it can work the other way, as well: a treatment for horses suffering from a disease that causes blindness may someday work for humans, too! New eye drops for horses suffering from the disease – equine recurrent autoimmune uveitis – have had positive effects so far. Uveitis, which affects both horses and humans, causes inflammation, and leads to blocked vision and damaged eyes. Currently, steroids are used to treat and slow progression of the disease, but it’s only a temporary fix, and the side-effects ultimately make this approach unsustainable. Eye drops may not be much fun, but they’re definitely preferable to blindness. Kudos to the researchers working on this project – we will definitely be following up on this story!
During the Humane Society of the United States’ rebranding as Humane World for Animals, their CEO, Kitty Block, described the organization as a “lobbyist shop.” She also distanced her organization from the work done by local rescues and shelters. Well, duh. For years, many of our own readers have been snarkily (though accurately) describing HSUS/HWA as a lobbying/fundraising vehicle that doesn’t have anything to do with local pet rescue. Still, it’s wild seeing their own CEO finally come out and own it. Points for honesty?
Just in case you weren't already consumed with doom and gloom, here's a sign you should be: a doomsday fish has just washed up on a Mexican beach. The fish in question is an oarfish, and if you are unlucky enough to see one of these rare fish, something really bad is about to happen. Well, at least that's how it works according to Japanese folklore (well... maybe). Men's Journal describes two recent incidents where oarfish were sighted before earthquakes. However, given that the most recent earthquake occurred a month after a "doomsday" sighting, that incident, at least, seems like a bit of a fish story.
Also in the News...
★ Animals Like to Bathe, Too – Here Are 5 Grooming Habits in the Animal Kingdom (Bath Time – Rub Some Dirt on It!)
★ (Video) Baby Goats' Irresistible Case of the 'Zoomies' Set to Epic Music Mashup (Capra hircusography)
★ Blount Co. Animal Control says new pet protection laws are necessary but painful (Legislation; Roaming, Tethering, and Euthanasia)
★ 28 animals rescued from east Macon home in alleged hoarding case (Your Weekly Tale of Hoarding)
★ Snow day for the animals (Eye Catching Lists One: Snowy Photos; Winding Down Winter)
★ Proposed bill would ban hunters from baiting fur-bearing animals (Legislation; Hunting & Wildlife)
★ 44 Absolutely Adorable Photos Of Animals Staring Hungrily At People’s Plates (Eye Catching Lists Two: This Is What You Read For)
Click here to see what is happening legislatively
