Animals

The U.S. Department of Agriculture filed a complaint against the Topeka Zoo last week, saying the zoo willfully violated the Animal Welfare Act. In the complaint, the agency said "the gravity of the violations herein is great.” The complaint claims that at least nine infant, juvenile or young adult animals died between April 2007 and July 2011. Here are a few examples of the charges: A 17-day old lion fell from a three foot tall platform, broke his back on June 24 th , 2007 and was found dead hours later after hemorrhaging.

More than 600 students spent the day learning about animals.  The ARC of Sedgwick County had a special field trip at Tanganyika Wildlife Park Monday. The field trip was part of the Circle of Friends program.  The program matches students with special needs to their regular education peers.      Also attending the field trip was Miss Kansas Sloan Lewis.  She says programs and events like this can make a big difference in the life of a student with special needs.

Flooding along the Souris River in Minot, North Dakota, leads to some exotic visitors in the Wichita area. The Tanganyika Wildlife Park near Goddard took in several animals from the Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot. They include three giraffes, two lions, two tigers and two leopards. The animals arrived several weeks ago when the zoo in Minot became concerned about river levels. The river actually runs through part of the zoo. Officials at Tanganyika say, while not close to North Dakota, they were one of the closest with enough room to handle so many big cats on just eight or nine hours notice.

A judge tells a Wichita man he can never own another animal again. Jeffrey Kwist hit a miniature dachshund with an ax over the summer. On Friday, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail and two years probation. The dog named Weenie was ok after the attack.He suffered a mark on his back and bruises.

Wichita, Kan. - PETA receives reports every year about animals who suffer horrifying deaths during the spring and summer months. During warm weather, even dogs who are left in a car in the shade can quickly succumb to heatstroke and suffer brain damage as a result. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. If you see a dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke - including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite or coordination - get the animal into the shade immediately.

There's no denying that the animals at the Kansas Humane Society want to go home with you.  Regardless if you find a cute companion, you'll be leaving with some of its hair.  Jennifer Campbell works with all sorts of hairy animals every day.  That's why we wanted her to test Sticky Buddy.  You can buy it for about 10-dollars.  The selling point... you can use it over and over again... just wash it off. "It would actual be pretty epic to get a brush that would never run out.  Because I'm dealing with hundreds of animals every week,” Jennifer said.

One opponent calls testing cosmetic ingredients on animals the "ugly face of beauty. "   The European Union this week banned the sale of cosmetics tested on animals, now some celebrities and animal rights activists are working to get the same action in the United States. Read about the debate here and tell me how you feel.   And here is information about the FDA's oversight of cosmetic products.

By Candice Tullis "Nature is becoming...I don't know, it's on the back burner," Joyce Lent says, exasperated. "I don't even think it's on the burner anymore. I think it's in the cupboard in the dark somewhere. " Lent, a naturalist with the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center, has been in charge of animal caretaking for 11 1/2 of the 12 years she has been with the organization. She taught school for USD 259 for 34 years before joining the GPNC full time. Lent says although she doesn't have a degree in biology, that hasn't stopped her from pursuing education about the center's animals and passing that knowledge on to others.

Forty purebred dogs and eleven puppies are taken from a Kansas breeder. Half of them are now getting a new life at a Newton animal shelter. But how they got there reflects a trend you may not have heard about. The furry faces inside the cages are waiting their turn for a haircut and a check-up at the Caring Hands Humane Society in Newton. "They were scared," said Julie Gleason, a volunteer. "The uproar of them moving made them nervous. " All nineteen of the dogs arrived Saturday morning.

A seven month old puppy dies after swimming in a lake with blue green algae.  The Kansas Army Corp of Engineers says four other dogs are also suspected of dying from the algae.  He says they've been notified by pet owners and heard second hand, but only one death has been officially confirmed.  Across Kansas, 17 people are suspected of getting sick from the algae as well. Trina Haley says she thinks Milford Lake should be shut down until the blue green algae clears.  The algae carries a bacteria that can make humans and animals sick.  It's been a bigger problem this year because of the extreme heat.  The Kansas Department of Health and Enviornment has issued warnings and advisories for several lakes across the state.  But Haley says she never realized an animal could die from it. She says two weeks ago they were at the lake swimming for several hours when a park ranger came and told them the lake was under a blue green algae warning.  She says nothing happened to them.  Then last week they went back to the lake.  Milford Lake had been downgraded to an advisory.  Haley says she didn't think anything of it because they had been fine before.  She says her two dogs spent about an hour in the water and when they came out they were covered in green stuff.  She says the next day they started acting strange and then threw up.  She took her two dogs to the veterinarian.  Her 7-month-old dog died and her 3-month-old is still sick.  Her fiance...

More than 600 students spent the day learning about animals.  The ARC of Sedgwick County had a special field trip at Tanganyika Wildlife Park Monday. The field trip was part of the Circle of Friends program.  The program matches students with special needs to their regular education peers.      Also attending the field trip was Miss Kansas Sloan Lewis.  She says programs and events like this can make a big difference in the life of a student with special needs.

Seven years after lawmakers passed an animal cruelty law, advocates say there are flaws in the systems. Kansas passed Magnum's law in 2006 to protect animals from abuse, and put the perpetraters behind bars. But some organizations say police and prosecutors do not know how to enforce the crime. Richard Havens, Hutchinson Animal Shelter, said he offers training sessions to help spot abuse. "There is no community that is immune to animal abuse sometimes its intentional and sometimes its owner ignorance," he said.

One opponent calls testing cosmetic ingredients on animals the "ugly face of beauty. "   The European Union this week banned the sale of cosmetics tested on animals, now some celebrities and animal rights activists are working to get the same action in the United States. Read about the debate here and tell me how you feel.   And here is information about the FDA's oversight of cosmetic products.

A dog considered missing in Pratt county, has been found and soon could be in a new home. Sally's back and everyone is talking about it. "She's starved for loving," says Jackie Hogan, board member for the Pratt Area Humane Society. It is believed that Sally is one of six dogs that had been neglected by a Pratt couple for more than a year.  A woman found Sally wandering in Sylvia, 30 miles north of Preston. She nursed the malnourished dog back to health but wondered who she belonged to. "Through facebook and seeing pictures of her they wondered if this was one of the dogs from Preston," Hogan said.

Update:  A Pratt County couple is arrested on animal cruelty charges.  Jimmy and April Cleaver were arrested Thursday.  The Pratt County Sheriff's Department says they couple failed to provide food, water and shelter to at least six dogs. They were released from jail after posting $500 bond. ------- Original Story - Jan, 2013 A Pratt county couple faces animal cruelty charges after complaints about the way they treat their dogs. County Attorney Ken VanBlaricum says he's received many reports about the dogs being malnourished and left out in the cold without shelter.

A baby male giraffe named Neo is the newest attraction at the Hedrick Exotic Animal Farm and Bed & Breakfast in Nickerson. Neo was born in late December. He already nearly five feet tall and weighs a hundred pounds. Click here for photos of the giraffe Neo, and his mother Faola, live on the farm with the other members of their extended family. Owners Joe and Sondra Hedrick say they chose to name him Neo because it means “gift” in Swahili.

Firefighters rescue a duck frozen on a pond in west Wichita.  The rescue happened around 8:30 Friday morning. The owner of the domesticated duck thinks its was chased onto the ice by a raccoon or fox and got stuck. Click here for photos She called 911 for help and firefighters arrived to rescue it.  They tied ropes to a spine board and firefighter slid out onto the pond.  He was able to reach the duck and they were both pulled to safety. This isn't the first animal call authorities received this week.  With the holidays, they receive about 150-200 calls a day.  Wichita's Animal Control says animals are most likely to get out because there is so much commotion this time of year.  "A lot of time there are strangers in the house that don't visit very often and animals get excited and scared.  That's why we see it more around the holidays," said Gretchen Garrett with Wichita Animal Control.

County fair time means food, fun and 4H.  But don't be surprised to find this year's prized livestock not looking their best. "In both the sheep and goat department, numbers are down this year," Harvey County Fair sheep and goat superintendent Lisa Stockerbrand says.  "Part of it is due to the heat, and part of it is due to the higher feed costs because of the droughts and stuff. " So some kids have fewer animals to show, and at fairs across the Midwest many of the animals are underweight.

There's no denying that the animals at the Kansas Humane Society want to go home with you.  Regardless if you find a cute companion, you'll be leaving with some of its hair.  Jennifer Campbell works with all sorts of hairy animals every day.  That's why we wanted her to test Sticky Buddy.  You can buy it for about 10-dollars.  The selling point... you can use it over and over again... just wash it off. "It would actual be pretty epic to get a brush that would never run out.  Because I'm dealing with hundreds of animals every week,” Jennifer said.

The Hutchinson Animal Shelter is asking for donations to help build a new outside area for dogs. It's volunteers say the space is needed to make sure pets get enough exercise and stay healthy while they are waiting for adoption. The shelter has on average 30 to 40 dogs waiting to be adopted. The shelter's volunteers say they spend too much time in their kennels because the only time they get walked is when the volunteers can walk them. So the shelter is asking for donations to to put in a fenced area behind the kennel building.