Inside This Issue:
- Chonky Cats May Be Cute, but It's a Problem
- Will Uber's New Accessibility Features Help Riders with Service Animals?
- Leopards Never Change Their Saws
- News Bites: Militant Rescue Blues, Sugar Birds, Animal Research & Medical Breakthroughs
Chonky Cats May Be Cute, but It's a Problem
Part of the 61 percent.
Your chonky cat might look cute, but those extra pounds could be stealing years from its life. Recent studies show an alarming trend: 61% of cats and 59% of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. Most pet owners don't even realize their furry friends are carrying too much weight, but it needs to be noted and taken seriously, because those extra pounds aren't just about appearance. Overweight pets face serious health risks, including diabetes, heart disease, and joint problems. Research shows that obesity can cut up to 2.5 years off a dog's life, depending on the breed. And it's not just the weight itself causing problems – fat tissue actually produces hormones that increase inflammation throughout the body. Luckily, pet obesity is preventable and treatable – and as a responsible pet owner, the power to do so is in your hands!
As with all living beings, every pet is unique and there are always exceptions to the norm, but here are some good rules of thumb when it comes to monitoring and managing your pet’s weight:
Know the Signs of a Healthy Weight
- You should be able to feel your pet's ribs easily (but not see them)
- Look for a visible waist when viewing from above
- Their belly shouldn't sag when viewed from the side
Smart Feeding Tips
- Measure portions instead of "eyeballing" it
- Keep treats to less than 10% of daily calories
- Skip the table scraps (yes, even those puppy dog eyes)
- Feed according to your pet's ideal weight, not their current weight
Get Moving Together
- Schedule regular play sessions
- Take daily walks
- Use puzzle feeders to make mealtime more active
- Try new activities like fetch or cat wand toys
Weight loss in pets should be gradual, and if it is extreme (or if you have additional questions) it should be supervised by a vet. If you're concerned about your pet's weight and want some extra assistance, don't beat yourself up – you're not alone, and veterinarians are here to help pet owners, not judge them. A healthy weight is a major and controllable factor in your pet's overall health and longevity, and we all want our four-legged family members around for as long as possible!
Source: Obesity continues to be a problem for pets
Will Uber's New Accessibility Features Help Riders with Service Animals?
Service animal handlers have long been frustrated with Uber and rideshare services in general.
Last month, Uber launched new accessibility features for people who ride with their service animals. Essentially, service animal handlers can choose to self-identify on the app, then the app will notify the driver upon arrival that they will also be picking up a service animal. Surprise! If, at this point, the driver tries to cancel the ride, the app will issue them a stern warning, reminding the driver that it is against the law to refuse transport to someone with a service animal. In theory, drivers who ignore the warning and still cancel on riders with service animals could lose access to the Uber platform.
On paper, Uber’s policies toward people with service animals sound friendly and eager to comply with the law. In practice, service animal handlers have long complained about being turned down by rideshare drivers, and Uber has not been clear about how it holds ride-denying drivers accountable. For a long time, when rideshare drivers illegally denied riders with service animals, the only person who was guaranteed a tangible “punishment” was the rider. So, while Uber’s new feature is viewed as a positive step, many service animal handlers remain skeptical. Is Uber just trying to do the bare minimum in order to stave off lawsuits and punitive, state-level legislation, or will this noticeably raise levels of ADA compliance? If you are feeling a certain level of cynicism, it’s understandable.
Source: Coloradans applaud Uber launching new feature for riders with service animals
Leopards Never Change Their Saws
Brooding loner and a bioacoustic superstar.
Scientists have made a fascinating discovery about leopards: they can identify individual cats by their distinctive "sawing" roar alone! This unique vocalization, a low-frequency sound that, as its name suggests, is reminiscent of wood being sawed by hand, can be heard from over half a mile away and is primarily used in the context of attracting mates and defending territory.
In a groundbreaking study researchers at Tanzania's Nyerere National Park combined camera traps with microphones to monitor these elusive big cats. The team achieved a whopping 93% accuracy in identifying individual leopards through their vocal patterns. This marks what study author Jonathan Growcott calls "an important first step towards using bioacoustics in the conservation of leopards." Since leopards are classified as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List, this innovation couldn't come at a better time. Populations have declined due to habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. Their solitary, nocturnal nature and vast territories make traditional monitoring challenging, but bioacoustics offers a promising solution.
The technology could be particularly valuable in areas where traditional camera traps face limitations. Paolo Strampelli, a conservationist at the University of Oxford, points out that bioacoustics using hidden microphones could be especially useful in regions where cameras are at risk of theft or as part of broader biodiversity monitoring efforts that include other sound-producing species. Interestingly, this scientific discovery aligns with traditional ecological knowledge. William Leekoolol, a Maasai village elder and local conservationist in Kenya, notes that communities living alongside leopards have long recognized these distinctive sounds, particularly during mating seasons. For centuries, the Maasai have used this understanding to avoid leopard territories during these sensitive periods.
News Bites: Militant Rescue Blues, Sugar Birds, Animal Research & Medical Breakthroughs
While this bird typically eats bugs and seeds, it won't turn down a quick sugar fix.
A recent USA Today story covers an all-too-familiar tale of the frustration and heartbreak faced by pet lovers at the hands of rescue’s “militant wing.” Term paper-length adoption applications. Invasive, arbitrary-yet-inflexible adoption terms. Fees and take-back clauses. You know the story. This self-defeating behavior has been a trend for awhile, and we had dared to hope it was going out of vogue. But it is apparently still alive and kicking. What a shame!
As much as we may crave it, we all know sugar is bad news. High blood sugar contributes to numerous health problems, like obesity and diabetes. It is also, alarmingly, tied to an increased prevalence of cancer. And not just for human beings, but for vertebrates in general. Well, maybe not all vertebrates. Research out of Arizona State University shows that birds – vertebrates that generally maintain high blood sugar levels – have lower cancer rates than mammals or reptiles. And further, their blood sugar levels remain high pretty much no matter what they eat. It doesn’t matter if the bird is carnivorous or lives on nectar. And remarkably, even when fed an artificial diet of fat and sugar (aka, the “human diet”), the birds’ blood sugar response remained stable. Huh! Obviously, this could provide valuable insights for human health and cancer prevention, but first, we’ve got to unravel how these sugar-tolerating, cancer-fighting processes work in birds.
Speaking of animal research, Stanford University has had success using an “anti-surgical adhesion gel” with mice and pigs. This gel prevents the excessive scar tissue, chronic pain, infertility, bowel obstructions, and worse that all-too-often develops after abdominal surgery. In a best case scenario, this could be implemented as a standard part of abdominal surgery for animals and humans, to ensure fewer complications, saving everybody a heck of a lot of pain, time, and money.
Also in the News...
★ The Secret to Understanding Animal Consciousness May Be Joy (Science, Philosophy, and Dancing Turtles)
★ After a near-death bite from the world's most venomous snake, an SC city is banning exotic animals (Exotic Pets Defined by Their Worst Keepers)
★ Could a law already on the books keep animals from staying years in shelters as evidence? (Good Intentions & Bad Legislation)
★ What experts have to say about keeping a wild deer, raccoon, turtle in Pennsylvania (Don't Do It)
Click here to see what is happening legislatively
