LOS ANGELES — Linda Bruno called her Pennsylvania cat rescue the land of milk and tuna. It thrived for years as people sent pets they couldn't care for from hundreds of miles away — unaware it was a death
camp for cats.
Investigators who raided the place two years ago found killing rooms, mass graves so thick they couldn't take a step without walking on cat bones and a stunning statistic: Bruno had taken in over 7,000 cats in the previous 14 months, but only found homes for 23.
In doing so, she had become a statistic herself, one of an increasing number of self-proclaimed rescuers who have become animal hoarders running legal and often nonprofit charities.
...
"When I first started looking into this 20 years ago, fewer than 5 percent would have fit that description," Lockwood said. Hoarding itself is not a crime in most states, but cruelty is and both can start around the same time — when one more animal becomes one too many. Rescuers take in rejected, abandoned, abused or stray pets. Some come from municipal shelters as they are about to be euthanized.
It remains a mystery how someone goes from trying to rescue animals to stockpiling them in inhumane conditions without food, water or basic care. No single trigger has been found, but dementia, addiction, attachment disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other psychological problems are often blamed.
--
full story:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gkVdyC3DqPrZ11ijtWXVkl8pqU7wD9HVVG380
Showing posts with label animal sanctuary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animal sanctuary. Show all posts
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Experts: quarter of animal hoarders were rescuers (Vias Puerto Rico Animals Newsgroup)
LOS ANGELES — Linda Bruno called her Pennsylvania cat rescue the land of milk and tuna. It thrived for years as people sent pets they couldn't care for from hundreds of miles away — unaware it was a death
camp for cats.
Investigators who raided the place two years ago found killing rooms, mass graves so thick they couldn't take a step without walking on cat bones and a stunning statistic: Bruno had taken in over 7,000 cats in the previous 14 months, but only found homes for 23.
In doing so, she had become a statistic herself, one of an increasing number of self-proclaimed rescuers who have become animal hoarders running legal and often nonprofit charities.
...
"When I first started looking into this 20 years ago, fewer than 5 percent would have fit that description," Lockwood said. Hoarding itself is not a crime in most states, but cruelty is and both can start around the same time — when one more animal becomes one too many. Rescuers take in rejected, abandoned, abused or stray pets. Some come from municipal shelters as they are about to be euthanized.
It remains a mystery how someone goes from trying to rescue animals to stockpiling them in inhumane conditions without food, water or basic care. No single trigger has been found, but dementia, addiction, attachment disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other psychological problems are often blamed.
--
full story:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gkVdyC3DqPrZ11ijtWXVkl8pqU7wD9HVVG380
camp for cats.
Investigators who raided the place two years ago found killing rooms, mass graves so thick they couldn't take a step without walking on cat bones and a stunning statistic: Bruno had taken in over 7,000 cats in the previous 14 months, but only found homes for 23.
In doing so, she had become a statistic herself, one of an increasing number of self-proclaimed rescuers who have become animal hoarders running legal and often nonprofit charities.
...
"When I first started looking into this 20 years ago, fewer than 5 percent would have fit that description," Lockwood said. Hoarding itself is not a crime in most states, but cruelty is and both can start around the same time — when one more animal becomes one too many. Rescuers take in rejected, abandoned, abused or stray pets. Some come from municipal shelters as they are about to be euthanized.
It remains a mystery how someone goes from trying to rescue animals to stockpiling them in inhumane conditions without food, water or basic care. No single trigger has been found, but dementia, addiction, attachment disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other psychological problems are often blamed.
--
full story:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gkVdyC3DqPrZ11ijtWXVkl8pqU7wD9HVVG380
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Dog Slum Of Brazil
6th, June 2010TO the dog slum, or favela, of Caxias do Sul, Brazil, about 1,600 abandoned canines are chained to around 1,000 little dog houses. A farm? An art installation. A fat camp?
No, this is the dog slum run by So Ama, or Just Love, a dog charity.
Says Natasha Oselame, who runs the organisation’s PR:
“We started out with the naivety of wanting to change the world, and the project just kept getting bigger, so unfortunately this is all we have to offer them.”
Them being the dogs and around 200 cats. Of course, the PR is telling us this and showing the photos. So, give generously, if moved. You might argue that bed and baord is pretty high living for a dog.
Brazil’s North Korean community is not being offered special visiting rates – yet…
See photos at: http://www.anorak.co.uk/249784/strange-but-true/in-pictures-the-dog-slum-of-brazil.html
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Sanctuary staff in Gweek mourn the death of Sahara the seal
4:31pm Tuesday 13th April 2010Gweek Seal Sanctuary staff have been left shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Sahara the wandering seal.
Sahara, a hooded seal, who was the sanctuary’s most famous and best-loved resident passed away unexpectedly last week.
Sahara made national press and television news in 2007 after being rescued for the second time in two years from the coast of the Mediterranean, more than 1,000 miles from his home on the Arctic ice pack.
After his first rescue from Morocco the Sanctuary organised a mission to ferry him to the seas off the Orkney Islands, in the hope he would then continue north. Instead he turned round and swam all the way back to southern Spain.
The Sanctuary had been his permanent home since then, and plans were being made to create an Arctic-style enclosure for his own exclusive enjoyment.
“We’re all devastated by this,” said animal care supervisor Tamara Cooper. “Sahara had never been especially healthy, having been treated for a variety of ailments.
“He was off his food and we were treating him with antibiotics, but he seemed generally okay and there were certainly no outward signs to warn of this tragedy.
“A preliminary post-mortem revealed a large abscess on the lung which must have developed gradually over a long period. Both times he was rescued his notes showed he had been suffering from a lung infection so we can only assume that this might be the underlying reason for the abscess.
“Sahara's amazing story inspired many people outside the sanctuary team and caught the imagination of people all over the world,” she added.
“So much has been learned from Sahara and the adventures we have undertaken with him, but most of all, for myself and my team who adored him, it will be his lovely personality and individual ways that will be hugely missed.”
http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/8096463.Sanctuary_staff_in_Gweek_mourn_the_death_of_Sahara_the_seal
(Submitted by Liz R)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
AN ALIEN GREY (sorry, I couldn't resist that)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8608120.stm
Mystery orphan washes up in Ireland
A mysterious stranger has been found washed up and starving on the Irish coast. The little grey seal was found in Skerries, north County Dublin, and brought to the Irish Seal Sanctuary suffering from starvation. The animal was wearing a tag which asked the finder to contact London Zoo.
But London Zoo said it knows nothing about the little grey seal. The Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS) said the tag was not suitable for the little seal and made it difficult for the animal to swim. This may have resulted in the seal starving.
The tag has been removed to allow the seal's flipper to heal. Volunteers at the ISS have sent a call to all the rehabilitation sanctuaries in the UK and Europe. They want to find their little orphan's real home.
Mystery orphan washes up in Ireland
A mysterious stranger has been found washed up and starving on the Irish coast. The little grey seal was found in Skerries, north County Dublin, and brought to the Irish Seal Sanctuary suffering from starvation. The animal was wearing a tag which asked the finder to contact London Zoo.
But London Zoo said it knows nothing about the little grey seal. The Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS) said the tag was not suitable for the little seal and made it difficult for the animal to swim. This may have resulted in the seal starving.
The tag has been removed to allow the seal's flipper to heal. Volunteers at the ISS have sent a call to all the rehabilitation sanctuaries in the UK and Europe. They want to find their little orphan's real home.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Revealed: the animal rescues that cost £8.5m
It is not just rescuing cats from trees – it seems the job of a modern firefighter also involves removing dogs from wine racks, hamsters from beneath baths and six-foot snakes from behind radiators.
By Jasper Copping
Published: 7:30AM BST 18 Oct 2009
A survey of fire services across the UK has revealed the dozens of species that have required the aid of crews.
Firefighters have been involved in 10,726 animal rescues over the past two years, at a cost of £8.5 million.
The most frequently-rescued pets were cats, with 2,826 call-outs, followed by dogs, with 2,277. However, there were also thousands of rescues of smaller household pets, farm animals and even wild animals.
The third most common type of incident was rescues of birds, with a total of 2,049 over the two years. Although some were pets – including a budgie stuck behind a fridge in Kent – most were wild birds which had become entangled in netting or on buildings or trees.
Seagulls and pigeons were the most frequently rescued birds. In East Sussex, for instance, 108 seagulls were rescued. Just one operation, to rescue pigeons trapped in netting in North Yorkshire, required three fire appliances and cost £1,406.
Among rescues of wild animals there were incidents involving deer (244), squirrels (21), and badgers and hedgehogs (10 each), as well as one involving an otter. Thirty-four foxes were rescued – one, in East Sussex, from under a drawbridge, and one, in Humberside, which had become trapped on a duck island.
Fire crews have also been to the aid of marine mammals: whales (at least four call-outs), dolphins (four), and seals (nine).
Rescued animals ranged in size from horses (1,909) and cattle (955) to gerbils, chinchillas and iguanas (three of each). Pets including ferrets, rabbits and guinea pigs have been saved.
Among the 18 hamsters that required rescuing was one in East Sussex trapped under a bath.
In Strathclyde, firefighters were called after a pet rat became trapped under a children's roundabout. In Devon, a crew had to extricate a six-foot boa constrictor from behind a radiator; the task was completed in 45 minutes and cost £312.
A buffalo was rescued from a pond by a crew in Fife. Other unusual rescues have involved a raccoon, on Humberside, and even two fish "in distress", in Nottinghamshire.
Although fire services can charge for rescues, in most cases they pick up the bill themselves. The cost varies, depending on the number of fire engines required and the length of the incident. Most services cost their work at between £200 and £300 an hour.
From the figures, provided under the Freedom of Information Act, the average cost of each animal rescue in the past two years was £557.
However, some rescues can be far more costly. An operation to recover a dog in trouble at Ross-on-Wye took seven hours, at cost of £1,819.
The same service, Hereford and Worcester, was also involved in the rescue of a swan at Kidderminster which took nine hours and cost £2,207.70, and two black swans at Droitwich, which took 8 hrs and 56 mins and cost £2,150. All three swans were successfully rescued.
In North Yorkshire, the rescue of a swan with a broken wing involved seven appliances and cost £3,483.80.
Other incidents are resolved far more simply. When firefighters from the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service were called to an address in Tilehurst, Reading, to assist a squirrel stuck on a roof, their log recorded simply: "Persuaded down by brigade. 1 hour."
The rescue of a rabbit under a garden shed in Northern Ireland was resolved in a similarly straightforward manner, by the crew poking a broom handle under the structure.
On some occasions, the animals seem to need rescuing from other animals.
Firefighters in Cornwall were called to a fledgling tawny owl which had left its nest but become stuck 25ft up a tree, in Helston, where a caller said it was being "mobbed by crows". The crew were able to rescue the owl using a ladder in an incident that cost £133.65.
In Strathclyde, a cat, called Magnus, needed rescuing because a caller reported he was "stuck up a tree being attacked by magpies".
Another cat, in the same region, became trapped in a dumb waiter.
Among the most common places for cats to become stuck are up trees, on roofs, in chimneys or wall cavities and in television sets.
In North Yorkshire, an operation to remove a cat from up a tree required three appliances and cost the fire service £1,446.98.
One cat in Fife became trapped in a washing machine and required five firemen to free it.
While many dogs became stuck while playing outdoors, many also became entangled in domestic appliances.
At least two dogs became caught in wine racks – one in Leicestershire and a ten-week-old puppy in Dorset, in an incident which was resolved in just 16 minutes at a cost of £21.94.
A Pomeranian, called Chloe, had to be removed from a reclining chair, by Northern Irish firemen using spanners and a lever bar
A Shih Tzu in Inverness also became stuck in a reclining chair, which the crew had to dismantle with chisels and screwdrivers.
Firefighters in Lincolnshire had to use similar tools to remove a cat flap after a dog became wedged in it.
Another dog, in the same county, had to be released from a wheelie bin by firefighters using hydraulic cutting gear usually deployed to free the victims of car accidents. One dog, in Norfolk, had to be freed after getting its mouth stuck between two table legs.
In Tyne and Wear, a crew was called after a trainee guide dog became stuck in its travel crate.
Bob Ratcliffe, a fire officer in Hampshire and chairman of the Chief Fire Officers' Association's animal rescue forum, said most reports of trapped animals were first reported to the RSPCA, but that fire services often responded in order to discourage members of the public from putting themselves in danger by attempting to help the creature themselves.
"Our concern is about the welfare of the animal as well as the safety of the public who may try to respond to that animal," he said.
A spokesman for the RSPCA said the money used to rescue the animals was well spent: "We believe that the investment is worth it to prevent any animals from suffering and to safeguard their welfare.
"I'm sure that all those grateful people who have had their beloved pets rescued would say that having their animals returned to them was priceless."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6360102/Revealed-the-animal-rescues-that-cost-8.5m.html
By Jasper Copping
Published: 7:30AM BST 18 Oct 2009
A survey of fire services across the UK has revealed the dozens of species that have required the aid of crews.
Firefighters have been involved in 10,726 animal rescues over the past two years, at a cost of £8.5 million.
The most frequently-rescued pets were cats, with 2,826 call-outs, followed by dogs, with 2,277. However, there were also thousands of rescues of smaller household pets, farm animals and even wild animals.
The third most common type of incident was rescues of birds, with a total of 2,049 over the two years. Although some were pets – including a budgie stuck behind a fridge in Kent – most were wild birds which had become entangled in netting or on buildings or trees.
Seagulls and pigeons were the most frequently rescued birds. In East Sussex, for instance, 108 seagulls were rescued. Just one operation, to rescue pigeons trapped in netting in North Yorkshire, required three fire appliances and cost £1,406.
Among rescues of wild animals there were incidents involving deer (244), squirrels (21), and badgers and hedgehogs (10 each), as well as one involving an otter. Thirty-four foxes were rescued – one, in East Sussex, from under a drawbridge, and one, in Humberside, which had become trapped on a duck island.
Fire crews have also been to the aid of marine mammals: whales (at least four call-outs), dolphins (four), and seals (nine).
Rescued animals ranged in size from horses (1,909) and cattle (955) to gerbils, chinchillas and iguanas (three of each). Pets including ferrets, rabbits and guinea pigs have been saved.
Among the 18 hamsters that required rescuing was one in East Sussex trapped under a bath.
In Strathclyde, firefighters were called after a pet rat became trapped under a children's roundabout. In Devon, a crew had to extricate a six-foot boa constrictor from behind a radiator; the task was completed in 45 minutes and cost £312.
A buffalo was rescued from a pond by a crew in Fife. Other unusual rescues have involved a raccoon, on Humberside, and even two fish "in distress", in Nottinghamshire.
Although fire services can charge for rescues, in most cases they pick up the bill themselves. The cost varies, depending on the number of fire engines required and the length of the incident. Most services cost their work at between £200 and £300 an hour.
From the figures, provided under the Freedom of Information Act, the average cost of each animal rescue in the past two years was £557.
However, some rescues can be far more costly. An operation to recover a dog in trouble at Ross-on-Wye took seven hours, at cost of £1,819.
The same service, Hereford and Worcester, was also involved in the rescue of a swan at Kidderminster which took nine hours and cost £2,207.70, and two black swans at Droitwich, which took 8 hrs and 56 mins and cost £2,150. All three swans were successfully rescued.
In North Yorkshire, the rescue of a swan with a broken wing involved seven appliances and cost £3,483.80.
Other incidents are resolved far more simply. When firefighters from the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service were called to an address in Tilehurst, Reading, to assist a squirrel stuck on a roof, their log recorded simply: "Persuaded down by brigade. 1 hour."
The rescue of a rabbit under a garden shed in Northern Ireland was resolved in a similarly straightforward manner, by the crew poking a broom handle under the structure.
On some occasions, the animals seem to need rescuing from other animals.
Firefighters in Cornwall were called to a fledgling tawny owl which had left its nest but become stuck 25ft up a tree, in Helston, where a caller said it was being "mobbed by crows". The crew were able to rescue the owl using a ladder in an incident that cost £133.65.
In Strathclyde, a cat, called Magnus, needed rescuing because a caller reported he was "stuck up a tree being attacked by magpies".
Another cat, in the same region, became trapped in a dumb waiter.
Among the most common places for cats to become stuck are up trees, on roofs, in chimneys or wall cavities and in television sets.
In North Yorkshire, an operation to remove a cat from up a tree required three appliances and cost the fire service £1,446.98.
One cat in Fife became trapped in a washing machine and required five firemen to free it.
While many dogs became stuck while playing outdoors, many also became entangled in domestic appliances.
At least two dogs became caught in wine racks – one in Leicestershire and a ten-week-old puppy in Dorset, in an incident which was resolved in just 16 minutes at a cost of £21.94.
A Pomeranian, called Chloe, had to be removed from a reclining chair, by Northern Irish firemen using spanners and a lever bar
A Shih Tzu in Inverness also became stuck in a reclining chair, which the crew had to dismantle with chisels and screwdrivers.
Firefighters in Lincolnshire had to use similar tools to remove a cat flap after a dog became wedged in it.
Another dog, in the same county, had to be released from a wheelie bin by firefighters using hydraulic cutting gear usually deployed to free the victims of car accidents. One dog, in Norfolk, had to be freed after getting its mouth stuck between two table legs.
In Tyne and Wear, a crew was called after a trainee guide dog became stuck in its travel crate.
Bob Ratcliffe, a fire officer in Hampshire and chairman of the Chief Fire Officers' Association's animal rescue forum, said most reports of trapped animals were first reported to the RSPCA, but that fire services often responded in order to discourage members of the public from putting themselves in danger by attempting to help the creature themselves.
"Our concern is about the welfare of the animal as well as the safety of the public who may try to respond to that animal," he said.
A spokesman for the RSPCA said the money used to rescue the animals was well spent: "We believe that the investment is worth it to prevent any animals from suffering and to safeguard their welfare.
"I'm sure that all those grateful people who have had their beloved pets rescued would say that having their animals returned to them was priceless."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6360102/Revealed-the-animal-rescues-that-cost-8.5m.html
Revealed: the animal rescues that cost £8.5m
It is not just rescuing cats from trees – it seems the job of a modern firefighter also involves removing dogs from wine racks, hamsters from beneath baths and six-foot snakes from behind radiators.
By Jasper Copping
Published: 7:30AM BST 18 Oct 2009
A survey of fire services across the UK has revealed the dozens of species that have required the aid of crews.
Firefighters have been involved in 10,726 animal rescues over the past two years, at a cost of £8.5 million.
The most frequently-rescued pets were cats, with 2,826 call-outs, followed by dogs, with 2,277. However, there were also thousands of rescues of smaller household pets, farm animals and even wild animals.
The third most common type of incident was rescues of birds, with a total of 2,049 over the two years. Although some were pets – including a budgie stuck behind a fridge in Kent – most were wild birds which had become entangled in netting or on buildings or trees.
Seagulls and pigeons were the most frequently rescued birds. In East Sussex, for instance, 108 seagulls were rescued. Just one operation, to rescue pigeons trapped in netting in North Yorkshire, required three fire appliances and cost £1,406.
Among rescues of wild animals there were incidents involving deer (244), squirrels (21), and badgers and hedgehogs (10 each), as well as one involving an otter. Thirty-four foxes were rescued – one, in East Sussex, from under a drawbridge, and one, in Humberside, which had become trapped on a duck island.
Fire crews have also been to the aid of marine mammals: whales (at least four call-outs), dolphins (four), and seals (nine).
Rescued animals ranged in size from horses (1,909) and cattle (955) to gerbils, chinchillas and iguanas (three of each). Pets including ferrets, rabbits and guinea pigs have been saved.
Among the 18 hamsters that required rescuing was one in East Sussex trapped under a bath.
In Strathclyde, firefighters were called after a pet rat became trapped under a children's roundabout. In Devon, a crew had to extricate a six-foot boa constrictor from behind a radiator; the task was completed in 45 minutes and cost £312.
A buffalo was rescued from a pond by a crew in Fife. Other unusual rescues have involved a raccoon, on Humberside, and even two fish "in distress", in Nottinghamshire.
Although fire services can charge for rescues, in most cases they pick up the bill themselves. The cost varies, depending on the number of fire engines required and the length of the incident. Most services cost their work at between £200 and £300 an hour.
From the figures, provided under the Freedom of Information Act, the average cost of each animal rescue in the past two years was £557.
However, some rescues can be far more costly. An operation to recover a dog in trouble at Ross-on-Wye took seven hours, at cost of £1,819.
The same service, Hereford and Worcester, was also involved in the rescue of a swan at Kidderminster which took nine hours and cost £2,207.70, and two black swans at Droitwich, which took 8 hrs and 56 mins and cost £2,150. All three swans were successfully rescued.
In North Yorkshire, the rescue of a swan with a broken wing involved seven appliances and cost £3,483.80.
Other incidents are resolved far more simply. When firefighters from the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service were called to an address in Tilehurst, Reading, to assist a squirrel stuck on a roof, their log recorded simply: "Persuaded down by brigade. 1 hour."
The rescue of a rabbit under a garden shed in Northern Ireland was resolved in a similarly straightforward manner, by the crew poking a broom handle under the structure.
On some occasions, the animals seem to need rescuing from other animals.
Firefighters in Cornwall were called to a fledgling tawny owl which had left its nest but become stuck 25ft up a tree, in Helston, where a caller said it was being "mobbed by crows". The crew were able to rescue the owl using a ladder in an incident that cost £133.65.
In Strathclyde, a cat, called Magnus, needed rescuing because a caller reported he was "stuck up a tree being attacked by magpies".
Another cat, in the same region, became trapped in a dumb waiter.
Among the most common places for cats to become stuck are up trees, on roofs, in chimneys or wall cavities and in television sets.
In North Yorkshire, an operation to remove a cat from up a tree required three appliances and cost the fire service £1,446.98.
One cat in Fife became trapped in a washing machine and required five firemen to free it.
While many dogs became stuck while playing outdoors, many also became entangled in domestic appliances.
At least two dogs became caught in wine racks – one in Leicestershire and a ten-week-old puppy in Dorset, in an incident which was resolved in just 16 minutes at a cost of £21.94.
A Pomeranian, called Chloe, had to be removed from a reclining chair, by Northern Irish firemen using spanners and a lever bar
A Shih Tzu in Inverness also became stuck in a reclining chair, which the crew had to dismantle with chisels and screwdrivers.
Firefighters in Lincolnshire had to use similar tools to remove a cat flap after a dog became wedged in it.
Another dog, in the same county, had to be released from a wheelie bin by firefighters using hydraulic cutting gear usually deployed to free the victims of car accidents. One dog, in Norfolk, had to be freed after getting its mouth stuck between two table legs.
In Tyne and Wear, a crew was called after a trainee guide dog became stuck in its travel crate.
Bob Ratcliffe, a fire officer in Hampshire and chairman of the Chief Fire Officers' Association's animal rescue forum, said most reports of trapped animals were first reported to the RSPCA, but that fire services often responded in order to discourage members of the public from putting themselves in danger by attempting to help the creature themselves.
"Our concern is about the welfare of the animal as well as the safety of the public who may try to respond to that animal," he said.
A spokesman for the RSPCA said the money used to rescue the animals was well spent: "We believe that the investment is worth it to prevent any animals from suffering and to safeguard their welfare.
"I'm sure that all those grateful people who have had their beloved pets rescued would say that having their animals returned to them was priceless."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6360102/Revealed-the-animal-rescues-that-cost-8.5m.html
By Jasper Copping
Published: 7:30AM BST 18 Oct 2009
A survey of fire services across the UK has revealed the dozens of species that have required the aid of crews.
Firefighters have been involved in 10,726 animal rescues over the past two years, at a cost of £8.5 million.
The most frequently-rescued pets were cats, with 2,826 call-outs, followed by dogs, with 2,277. However, there were also thousands of rescues of smaller household pets, farm animals and even wild animals.
The third most common type of incident was rescues of birds, with a total of 2,049 over the two years. Although some were pets – including a budgie stuck behind a fridge in Kent – most were wild birds which had become entangled in netting or on buildings or trees.
Seagulls and pigeons were the most frequently rescued birds. In East Sussex, for instance, 108 seagulls were rescued. Just one operation, to rescue pigeons trapped in netting in North Yorkshire, required three fire appliances and cost £1,406.
Among rescues of wild animals there were incidents involving deer (244), squirrels (21), and badgers and hedgehogs (10 each), as well as one involving an otter. Thirty-four foxes were rescued – one, in East Sussex, from under a drawbridge, and one, in Humberside, which had become trapped on a duck island.
Fire crews have also been to the aid of marine mammals: whales (at least four call-outs), dolphins (four), and seals (nine).
Rescued animals ranged in size from horses (1,909) and cattle (955) to gerbils, chinchillas and iguanas (three of each). Pets including ferrets, rabbits and guinea pigs have been saved.
Among the 18 hamsters that required rescuing was one in East Sussex trapped under a bath.
In Strathclyde, firefighters were called after a pet rat became trapped under a children's roundabout. In Devon, a crew had to extricate a six-foot boa constrictor from behind a radiator; the task was completed in 45 minutes and cost £312.
A buffalo was rescued from a pond by a crew in Fife. Other unusual rescues have involved a raccoon, on Humberside, and even two fish "in distress", in Nottinghamshire.
Although fire services can charge for rescues, in most cases they pick up the bill themselves. The cost varies, depending on the number of fire engines required and the length of the incident. Most services cost their work at between £200 and £300 an hour.
From the figures, provided under the Freedom of Information Act, the average cost of each animal rescue in the past two years was £557.
However, some rescues can be far more costly. An operation to recover a dog in trouble at Ross-on-Wye took seven hours, at cost of £1,819.
The same service, Hereford and Worcester, was also involved in the rescue of a swan at Kidderminster which took nine hours and cost £2,207.70, and two black swans at Droitwich, which took 8 hrs and 56 mins and cost £2,150. All three swans were successfully rescued.
In North Yorkshire, the rescue of a swan with a broken wing involved seven appliances and cost £3,483.80.
Other incidents are resolved far more simply. When firefighters from the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service were called to an address in Tilehurst, Reading, to assist a squirrel stuck on a roof, their log recorded simply: "Persuaded down by brigade. 1 hour."
The rescue of a rabbit under a garden shed in Northern Ireland was resolved in a similarly straightforward manner, by the crew poking a broom handle under the structure.
On some occasions, the animals seem to need rescuing from other animals.
Firefighters in Cornwall were called to a fledgling tawny owl which had left its nest but become stuck 25ft up a tree, in Helston, where a caller said it was being "mobbed by crows". The crew were able to rescue the owl using a ladder in an incident that cost £133.65.
In Strathclyde, a cat, called Magnus, needed rescuing because a caller reported he was "stuck up a tree being attacked by magpies".
Another cat, in the same region, became trapped in a dumb waiter.
Among the most common places for cats to become stuck are up trees, on roofs, in chimneys or wall cavities and in television sets.
In North Yorkshire, an operation to remove a cat from up a tree required three appliances and cost the fire service £1,446.98.
One cat in Fife became trapped in a washing machine and required five firemen to free it.
While many dogs became stuck while playing outdoors, many also became entangled in domestic appliances.
At least two dogs became caught in wine racks – one in Leicestershire and a ten-week-old puppy in Dorset, in an incident which was resolved in just 16 minutes at a cost of £21.94.
A Pomeranian, called Chloe, had to be removed from a reclining chair, by Northern Irish firemen using spanners and a lever bar
A Shih Tzu in Inverness also became stuck in a reclining chair, which the crew had to dismantle with chisels and screwdrivers.
Firefighters in Lincolnshire had to use similar tools to remove a cat flap after a dog became wedged in it.
Another dog, in the same county, had to be released from a wheelie bin by firefighters using hydraulic cutting gear usually deployed to free the victims of car accidents. One dog, in Norfolk, had to be freed after getting its mouth stuck between two table legs.
In Tyne and Wear, a crew was called after a trainee guide dog became stuck in its travel crate.
Bob Ratcliffe, a fire officer in Hampshire and chairman of the Chief Fire Officers' Association's animal rescue forum, said most reports of trapped animals were first reported to the RSPCA, but that fire services often responded in order to discourage members of the public from putting themselves in danger by attempting to help the creature themselves.
"Our concern is about the welfare of the animal as well as the safety of the public who may try to respond to that animal," he said.
A spokesman for the RSPCA said the money used to rescue the animals was well spent: "We believe that the investment is worth it to prevent any animals from suffering and to safeguard their welfare.
"I'm sure that all those grateful people who have had their beloved pets rescued would say that having their animals returned to them was priceless."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6360102/Revealed-the-animal-rescues-that-cost-8.5m.html
Sunday, June 28, 2009
I share my home with 11 cats - four cheetahs, five lions and two tigers
Sharing a bed with your furry friend has taken on a whole new meaning for Riana Van Nieuwenhuizen.
But Riana's real dream was fully realised after she set up the not-for-profit Fiela Funds Cheetah Breeding Project in South Africa to ensure the long-term survival of the cheetah and their ecosystem.
The sanctuary worker shares her South African home with not one but FOUR orphaned cheetahs, five lions and two tigers.
Forty-six-year-old Riana said: 'I love them all. But they're a handful.'
Riana bought her first cheetah, Fiela in 2006, after realising the big cats were in trouble and heading for extinction with only 1000 left in Africa.
She left her full time job working for the department of justice - a position she had held for 22 years - and found temporary employment on a game ranch where she could raise her beloved big cat.
But Riana's real dream was fully realised after she set up the not-for-profit Fiela Funds Cheetah Breeding Project in South Africa to ensure the long-term survival of the cheetah and their ecosystem.
The project spreads over a hectare of land and visitors can meet Fiela and the other cats and even have their pictures taken.
And if you want to outdo your friends in the wedding photo stakes the project also offers newly weds the chance to be snapped cuddling up to a big cat.
The cats in Riana's own home are truly part of the family and are allowed to roam freely.
They make it known when they are hungry, even jumping up onto work surfaces in an attempt to snatch a bite of whatever's going.
Luckily Riana's two dogs aren't on the menu but instead romp with the cats and even snuggle down with them for a snooze.
The cheetahs have even been known to sit in on the odd card game but whether they offered any cat-like-cunning or poker faces is unknown.
By Amy Oliver
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Looking into wetlands' ancient past
The hidden history of marshlands near a Lincolnshire town could be revealed when archaeologists start digging them up.
The work is taking place in advance of a project to create a haven for otters, water voles, birds and dragonflies at Beckingham Marshes, near Gainsborough.
A team from the University of Birmingham will be using carbon dating and analysis of buried pollen to work out what the Trent Valley looked like between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago.
This is expected to highlight an ancient wetland landscape of reedbeds and wet woodland.
It was a landscape which could have been home to prehistoric hunter-gatherer people living alongside wild boar, elk and deer.
Once the work is completed, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds will press ahead with its wildlife habitat project after securing a £32,700 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
RSPB has been working with the Environment Agency to draw up a 10-year plan to turn Beckingham Marshes – once rich in birds and animals – back into an oasis of nature.
A series of public meetings have been taking place to give people the chance to contribute to the bid to create one of Britain's biggest wetland wildlife reserves.
It already has full planning permission from Bassetlaw District Council, approved last November – and Natural England is supporting the project under the Countryside Stewardship scheme.
A public meeting about the project take place tomorrow at 6.30pm at Gainsborough House, Parnell Street, Gainsborough.
And further meetings take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday in Walkeringham Village Hall, on Thursday in Beckingham Primary School and on Wednesday, July 1, at Gringley on the Hill Village Hall.
http://www.thisisretford.co.uk/news/Looking-wetlands-ancient-past/article-1095168-detail/article.html
The work is taking place in advance of a project to create a haven for otters, water voles, birds and dragonflies at Beckingham Marshes, near Gainsborough.
A team from the University of Birmingham will be using carbon dating and analysis of buried pollen to work out what the Trent Valley looked like between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago.
This is expected to highlight an ancient wetland landscape of reedbeds and wet woodland.
It was a landscape which could have been home to prehistoric hunter-gatherer people living alongside wild boar, elk and deer.
Once the work is completed, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds will press ahead with its wildlife habitat project after securing a £32,700 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
RSPB has been working with the Environment Agency to draw up a 10-year plan to turn Beckingham Marshes – once rich in birds and animals – back into an oasis of nature.
A series of public meetings have been taking place to give people the chance to contribute to the bid to create one of Britain's biggest wetland wildlife reserves.
It already has full planning permission from Bassetlaw District Council, approved last November – and Natural England is supporting the project under the Countryside Stewardship scheme.
A public meeting about the project take place tomorrow at 6.30pm at Gainsborough House, Parnell Street, Gainsborough.
And further meetings take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday in Walkeringham Village Hall, on Thursday in Beckingham Primary School and on Wednesday, July 1, at Gringley on the Hill Village Hall.
http://www.thisisretford.co.uk/news/Looking-wetlands-ancient-past/article-1095168-detail/article.html
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