Animals

Update: The Kansas Humane Society says over 114 animals were adopted out as part of their Priceless Purrs event. For two hours on Saturday, kittens were free and puppies were half-priced. A spokesperson for the organization says 76 cats, 27 dogs and 1 rabbit all found homes this weekend. Each animal adopted has had the following services: a full physical exam, spay or neuter surgery, microchip and some vaccinations. A number of dogs and cats are still available for adoption.

Friday Colby Community College became the first veterinary technology program in the U.S. to train students on in-house animal stem cell therapy. Colby CC was part of the initial veterinary technology programs established in the nation and is the only program in Kansas fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. The patient is a 9-year-old neutered male Australian Shepherd/Blue Heeler mix named Rocky.  He suffers from severe arthritis in his hips. Officials at the College say adult animal stem cell technology uses the body's own regenerative healing power to help cure dogs, cats and horses suffering from arthritis, hip dysplasia, tendon, ligament and cartilage injuries and other ailments.

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback is hosting an economic summit on Kansas' animal agriculture sector.  State and local agriculture experts will discuss a range of topics about getting the most out of our state's animal industry. You can listen in on the summit using the link below. Listen Live Through UStream Full Agenda  

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...

The rare leopard that injured a child earlier this year is back on display at the Sedgwick County Zoo. Nia returned home to record breaking temperatures but the cat is glad to be home in spite of the heat. "It is hot, that's all i can say. It is hot," said one Zoo visitor. While people at the Zoo turn to water misters and snow cones to cool off, the bears take to the shade; using as little energy as possible until it's time to cool off. The bears have no problem wading in the water to enjoy a popsicle of their own half of a frozen watermelon.

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.

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.

You have a chance to make a new friend, and help out some stressed animals. The Kansas Humane Society right now has several animals available for adoption from Oklahoma. They include Joe, a Jack Russell Terrier, who survived last month's tornado that destroyed the animal shelter in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Initially, a dozen of the Oklahoma dogs and cats were shipped to Wichita. Most of them have been adopted, leaving Joe and three cats still available. Melissa Houston of the Human Society tells us, "You can see the stress, I mean they had a long journey.

Update: The Kansas Humane Society says that all but three of the Guthrie pets have been adopted and another cat is newly up for adoption. The following animals are still looking for a good home: Joe the Jack Russell Terrier – (Joe was a TV Star on KWCH yesterday for the noon Pet of the Week segment if you need some new footage.) Joe’s canine-ality is a Goofball. “I’m a fun-loving, happy-all-the-time, glass-is-half-full kind of dog looking for someone who loves to laugh and play around.

As the temperatures across the state begin to break into the triple digits, animals are also feeling the heat. Veterinarian Dr. Dan Thompson says number of animals suffering from heat stroke have come through his door. “You really have to be careful, because this year there has been no acclimation. We’ve gone from cool weather with almost springtime, with a lot of wind to excessive heat all at once. Our animals are not acclimated to this change. So many of our dogs have excessive hair and fur on them right that they haven’t had a chance to shed.” Dr. Thompson says that if you must leave your pets outside that you should run sprinklers, set out a children’s wading pool, and make sure there is a place your animals can find shade…but he says owners should still keep an eye out for dehydration.