USA (EXOTIC ANIMAL NEWS) – Sad news comes to the animal lovers out there, who are concerned about the world’s populations of endangered animals.

66 wolves were initially re-introduced to the Northern Rocky Mountains from Canada back in the middle of the 1990s. Today, there are approximately 1650 in the population.

The issue is that the White House is ready to accept a budgetary bill including an unprecedented lifting of the Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in five US Western states, which has been a law in effect for 37 years, and it being the 1st time Congress has approached a species that’s protected as a target.

These lawmakers are trying to justify this provision in the budget because they’re calling it an intervention to a wildlife problem they are painting to seem as out of control. Apparently, wolf attacks are on an increase on livestock and big game herds in these states, and ranchers & sportsmen are complaining, full of resentment.

Any endangered species acts are typically unpopular entities when it comes to conservatives who feel their existence hinders economic development.

The frightening portion of this story is the future ramifications by setting a precedent for even the most endangered and vulnerable species of animals, fish and plants as negotiation chips when it comes to receiving political pressure.

Unfortunately, states such as Montana and Idaho are reeling and ready with planned public hunts in the works to eradicate these “pests,” who just so happen to be quite endangered and one of the most majestic animals of North America.

Patrick Parenteau, a professor of environmental law from the Vermont Law School, claims:

“The president could have used some political capital to influence this and he didn’t…The message to the environmental community is, don’t count on the administration to be there [for the protection of endangered species].”

Some feel this issue is being passed over too quickly and handled too rashly in the hopes of quickly pushing the budget plan through. However, environmentalists are still hoping that President Obama will stand up for climate change, wilderness preservation, oil and gas exploration, but at this point, they aren’t holding their breath with this new ploy. These hopes came with Obama being elected as president, since these types of laws were much ignored during the Bush administration.

Also in the works is a 2012 budget request from the Department of Interior that would put into effect a serious spending cap on a program allowing citizens to petition & list species considered endangered; this program has been used over past decades to list the endangered species that are currently on it!

Kieran Suckling, a representative of the Center for Biological Diversity, explains:

“We are having the worst attack on the Endangered Species Act in 30 years while we have a Democratic Senate and a Democratic White House…They are trying to shut citizens and scientists out of the endangered species process.”

An expert of Endangered Species Act from Florida State University, J.B. Ruhl, believes we should take the wolf provision with a grain of salt, as it was attached to a bill considered a “must-pass,” which was designed & needed to stop the government shutdown that was to ensue otherwise.

“It seems to me the planets had to be aligned just right to make this happen…There might be a wing of the Republican party that would love to see the Endangered Species Act reformed, but I don’t think they are going to be able to ram that through anytime soon.”

We don’t only have the Obama administration to blame, as this idea was first posed during Bush’s administration to lift this wolf’s protection.

Instead of directly answering questions, the White House has directed these to the office of Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar. The funny thing is Kendra Barkoff, a spokesman for the Interior, refused to directly answer any questions regarding this legislation about the Endangered Species Act, touting it as a “critical safety net” that has, over the years, prevented innumerable species from going extinct, but emphatically stated:
“It is our responsibility to continue implementing the law.”

Irregardless, people aren’t happy and they are up-in-arms about it, including Democratic Senators, Ben Cardin of Maryland and Barbara Boxer of California, and Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts. Representative Markey is the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. He is accusing the accused the GOP, aka “Grand Old Party” or Republicans (“Old Boys Club”), of wanting to:

“…kill wolves instead of cutting pork.”

Who exactly can we “thank” for this piece of legislation? Montana’s two Democratic senators, Jon Tester and Max Baucus, which is mind-boggling, since they are democrats. Baucus explains:

“It was a little hard persuading Sen. Boxer and Sen. Cardin that we’re not gutting the Endangered Species Act…They don’t have the same understanding of the wolf problem that we have.”

Fred Cheever of University of Denver: Sturm School of Law, claims:

“It’s a scary road to go down…Everything is a bargaining chip, from bombers to baby care. Riders aren’t limited to the Endangered Species Act.”

Question:

• What’s your take on this provision to life protection of the endangered gray wolf?
• Who is to blame?
• How will you fight back?

photo: wallcoo.netКартиниИдея за подаръкикониикони

Congress Lifts Protection of Gray Wolf, Seen as Precedent? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

If you’re looking for a more unusual common pet, then you’ll want to look for more “exotic” breeds of dogs, cats, birds or fish.

The Pharaoh Hound is a great example of an exotic breed of dog that is domesticated and a fabulous pet and part of the family.

Pharaoh Hound Puppies

Pharaoh Hound

History and origin: The Pharaoh Hound is an ancient breed of hound, going back to the Phoenician empire. They took these hounds with them when they set up residence at Malta and Gozo. They are medium sized and generally used for hunting by Egyptian nobility, they hunted everything from rabbits to gazelles.

Description: The Pharaoh Hound can weigh anywhere from 45-60 pounds and will stand about 21-25 inches in length. They have a beautiful coat, either red or tan that requires very little maintenance. Their eyes are amber and they are known to be very athletic and are able to move extremely gracefully.

About the breed: Documents show that the Pharaoh Hound is the oldest domesticated hound in recorded history. They were very important in Ancient Egypt and played a prominent role in the lives of kings and nobles. Their elegance, intelligence, and power made them very popular among different hounds. They are very affectionate, but cautious, they do not appreciate chaos of any kind around them. They have a high prey drive and you have to watch them around smaller animals because they will attack them. Therefore, they are terrible watch dogs. Pharaoh Hounds are site hounds and need to have constant exercise to remain happy and content. They tend to take a long time to train and you should never rush or force them to do anything. You need to have a high level of patience because if you push them they will become passive-resistant and panic. Pharaoh Hounds have a difficult time learning to “Sit” and “Come.” They tend to be very timid and to avoid this they need to socialize from a young age.

Feeding: The Pharaoh Hounds needs 1-1 ½ cans of branded meats (13.3oz) and it is important to give them biscuits or 3 cupfuls of dry food for an all around diet.

Ideal Home: As long as the Pharaoh Hound is getting enough exercise, they can handle living in an apartment. They thrive in a peaceful environment, and will not do very well with any sort of chaos around them. They are prone to snapping if roughhousing is going on around them.

Owners need to give Pharaoh’s Hound their own area in the home and need to be respectful of their space. Potential dog owners want to avoid the Pharaoh Hound if they are loud and overbearing or have other small pets around the house.Content written by Calvin Witherspoon of ohmydogsupplies.com, check out our complete assortment of car seat covers for dogs online.

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I hope you enjoyed this Dog Breed post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more great information on Pharaoh Hounds, you can check out this really helpful book:

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Adopting a Pharaoh Hound: An Exotic Dog is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

A wild fox, playfully entertaining itself on a trampoline it found in a human’s backyard!

Enjoy!

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I hope you enjoyed this video on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Add me as a friend on Stumble Upon!

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Wild Foxes Like Playing on Trampolines Too You Know… is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

It documents the relationship of my miniature schnauzers and my African Pygmy Hedgehog with some great photos included…

It also outlines out a solid plan on how to Socialize your pets towards each other…Check it out here:

Can Hedgehogs & Terriers Get Along? Socialization Is An Issue!

Let me know what you think about this post, and please share your stories and experiences on socializing animals in your household…

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards ;D

P.S. Learn how to train your dog in 1 Night…That’s what they claim! The Secrets A Retired Plumber And His Wife Used To Train Their Out Of Control Dog In One Evening! Check it out here:

Train Your Dog in 1 Night

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Proof That Hedgehogs & Dogs Can Get Along… is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

You have made a vow to care and protect your adopted creature! Live up to it to the absolute best of your ability!

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Pets Are People Too….Wait……..Uh……. by Jeff Swett

Okay, so animals aren’t actually people, but they have feelings like we do. Which makes them like people, doesn’t it? If a group of us were sitting around the living room hanging out, my old dog would sit in his own place and just look around at everyones faces because he thought that’s all we were doing. He thought he was a person too.

People like to have fun, right? So do pets! In fact, I guarantee your pets need more fun. Imagine how boring it must be to sit around the house all day with no company, as you wait for your owner (your best friend mind you) to get home from school or work only to be too tired to show you the attention you’ve been craving all day.

Don’t forget to play with your pets. It is sometimes difficult for a pet who lives in an apartment to get the appropriate amount of exercise when they are cooped up in a smaller space with no back yard. If you have a dog, make sure to take it out for walks not only to go the bathroom, but also to stretch its legs, chase a ball, and run around. Some apartments even have dog parks or huge courtyards that welcome your animals expenditure of energy. Be sure to clean up after your pet though! You don’t want to get in trouble with a neighbor or management for Fido leaving any land mines.

If you have a cat I recommend fun stringy toys with catnip. The catnip itself will make your cat run around in circles and act like a sugar crazed school child. Throw a piece of string with some sort of feathery object at the end to a stick and bounce it around, the cat will go nuts. They also sell laser pointers that any animal loves to chase around the house. Sometimes I’ll turn out the lights and focus a flashlight on the wall for my friend’s cat, Peg Legs. She goes crazy for it!

There are a massive number of toys and treats out there that can be used to entertain you pets, but always remember that no matter how tired or busy you are, you should take a few minutes to show them some love, attention, and play with them.

Remember, they’ve been cooped up all day in YOUR apartment and can get restless, adventurous, and curious. For your sanity…make sure your animals are having fun. A smiling apartment pet has a smiling apartment owner.

Woof!

At AHL Apartmentites have a platform to share their own stories, get great info & tips on apartment living, read Jeff’s entertaining blogs/stories, find Answers to a wide array of apartment related questions, and have a ton of fun sharing their love of apartment living with others. Don’t forget to go and set up your own MyPlace page to really get the full Apartmentite experience!

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. This Is The No. 1 Dog Training And Behavior Product On The Net And Has Been For Over 2 Years. Check it out here:

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Care, Protect and Play With Your Adopted Apartment Pet is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover