Danny DePaz is a lucky young man.  After he tried to help what he believed to be an injured bat, it bit him.  He threw it back down to the ground and walked off.  Another student, Erin Tam, took the bat to the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida--and it tested positive for rabies.  She tracked DePaz down, and probably saved his life.

As a rural person, I have seen many rabid animals.  One of the most obvious clues is that you see the animals at all--especially those which prefer to be out in the dark.  They act very strangely, and don't seem to be scared of people, just sort meander around aimlessly.  If approached, they can turn and attack.  Skunks, which usually spray, will try to bite.  Coyotes will try to chase you (they usually run away).  Possums and bats flounder around, and then attempt an attack.

All mammals can carry rabies.  True, there is a vaccine for it; but the shots are not pleasant, and if started too late, will probably not save a person. 

Please, if you see what appears to be an injured wild animal of any kind, call the nearest game warden or animal control officer.  Stay nearby, if you are very concerned about the animal, but please don't approach it.  Your life may depend on it.

The tough new Houston leash law was given preliminary approval in the Texas House.  People can get 10 years in prison if their dog runs loose and maims or kills someone.  Considering some of the horrific dog mauling cases that Houston has had in the past few years, this law is greatly needed. 

A woman with a young child decided to help out two tiger cubs that were taken from their aggressive mother after the tiger mother killed the third of the litter.

So, she is breastfeeding the Bengal tiger cubs, but only while they still don't have teeth.  They are only about two weeks old, and they are also receiving formula.

That's what I call a dedicated animal caretaker.

Janice Azbell, a 911 dispatcher for West Columbia, didn't know what to think when she received an emergency call after 10 at night recently.

All she heard was heavy breathing.

She didn't know if she was hearing an assault, a murder in progress or what.

But after a few minutes, there was someone talking in the background--telling whoever was on the phone to lay down and go to bed.

So she whistled into the phone, and the talker picked up the phone.  Sure enough, a dog had called the 911 line.

The dog's human said the dog just didn't want to go to bed and must have dialed 911 by accident.

Has anyone else noticed that Sandy Berger's guilty plea came at a time when the MSM is more concerned with Terri Schiavo and the pope?  The timing of this annoucement seems contrived to make as little a splash as possible (especially since the MSM have consistently tried to bury the Berger affair in the first place).

This is a former National Security Advisor who stuffed classified papers in his pants, walked out of the National Archive, then shredded the documents in his office with scissors.  Documents that were important to the 9/11 committee.  Documents that were important for people to understand where the government failed to take action to stop 9/11.  How can this be so unimportant?

True, there are two other intact versions of the documents.  But those don't have the information written in the margins that may have given everyone a clearer view of what the Clinton administration knew or didn't know about Al Qaeda specially or terrorists in general.  Berger destroyed evidence in a possible criminal trial.  Berger, a National Security Advisor, distinctly violated his oath of office, and betrayed the country he had promised to protect.

He is not even going to spend any time in jail for his criminal behavior.  He wasn't even charged with perjury.  All he has to do is pay a fine and his security clearance is pulled for three years.

Here's to hoping he never gets his security clearance back.  He doesn't deserve it, and he doesn't deserve any trust from the American people.

In New York City, Brad Wilkenson set up one dog treat dispenser a year ago.  Now he has twenty, and plans to put in another fifty in the next year.

Store owners love the machines because they get seven cents a treat.  Wilkensen loves the machines, but hasn't said how much he makes for each treat, which sells for 25 cents.  The dogs love the mini liver flavored treats so much, that they try to get back to the treat machines after they get one.  Dog owners love it because they can always stop and pick up a treat for their dogs on their daily walks without having to carry one around in a pocket.

Sounds like a great idea for everyone involved.

 

 

Aren't these the same people who bitched whenever anyone was shot by HPD?  So the cops use tasers to cut down on injuries to criminals.  Now these same idiots are complaining about taser use.  Exactly what are the cops supposed to do to stop criminals? 

Of course, that is the point.  These so called activists don't want the criminals stopped.

Excuse me while I go gag.

A relative of mine emailed me and asked why I don't take pictures of the dogs from ground level, where I could get better pictures.  Ground level just isn't a place where I can get reasonably good pictures.

Bonnie at ground level

I should note, she only has one little, unexcitable dog.

I have six of the critters--and only old Sugar doesn't leap on anyone near the ground.  Annie and Jasmine are a threat to life and limb from their puppy excitability.  Midas and Bondelia (Bonnie) both try to sit on anyone close to the ground.  And Porter is Porter--he loves people, and will get right into your face if you are taking pictures.

I love my dogs and I love to take pictures of my dogs.  I just don't want to have all the dogs sitting on me when I do it.