Fun Fact - Julius The Monkey Looking For A New Owner

Paul Frank Industries and Julius, its officially licensed monkey mascot, has charmed millions by slapping a simple cartoon drawing of a monkey's head onto millions of products and has now put itself on the block for a grand $50 million. They have done an excellent job creating an iconic image and putting it on anything the public will allow - clothing, bags, accesories etc. Definitely a good rep for monkeys. Lets hope many more upcoming brands will follow suit in this lovely example. :)

Free PetSmart Doggie Day Camp

• PetSmart is offering one FREE session of free doggie day camp for new customers only.
• Valid through 6/30/2010 at PetSmart with Coupon and PetPerks card.

Enjoy, doggies! ;)

Oscar, World's First Bionic Kitty

Saving a kitty's life! Unbelievable proof of what modern science can do.

Courtesy of Neuro-Orthopaedic Noel Fitzpatrick, Oscar, a two year old kitty who was fighting for his life after a horrific accident cost him both his rear paws is now the world's only kitty with a pair groundbreaking prosthetic paws!

This is certainly an upgrade from handicapped animals in wheelchairs. Biomedical engineers were able to fit Oscar with Intraosseous Transcutaneous Amputation Prosthetics, or ITAPs, which is basically metal pegs coated with a bone growth-promoting substance that fuse together both metal and bone. Oscar's prosthetic paws have been specially made with a degree of wobble to enable walking, climbing and running. Only catch is Oscar will have to retreat to being an indoor cat as the false limbs are not suitable for outdoor life.

Update: BBC 1 is airing the tale of Oscar on The Bionic Vet at 2245 BST, Wednesday, 30 June 2010.

World Cup 2010 Controversy - Roaring for Lion Burgers

In honor of South Africa hosting the world cup, the Il Vinaio Restaurant near Phoenix, Arizona have been serving a lion burgers, for $21, served with spicy homemade crisps and roast corn on the cob, and rightfully causing quite a bit of backlash from animal rights activists, and even a bomb threat!

Apparently, according to the US Department of Agricultural, lion meat is uncommon but not illegal for consumption.

The owner of the restaurant in question, Cameron Selogie, says: "In Africa they do eat lions, so I assume if it's OK for Africans to eat lions then it should be OK for us. We thought that since the World Cup was in Africa that the lion burger might be interesting for some of our more adventurous customers. Most of them, when we tell them the facts, that this is farm raised and it doesn't hurt the endangered animals, seem pretty reasonable."

Personally, I think serving cooked lion just to honor a sport takes it a little too far, especially since lions are an endangered species. Yet, would I be contradicting myself if I said it was wrong because I am not vegan and I eat beef and pork? I do however, think that the backlash is caused by American culture, just like how we regularly redicule the Chinese for eating dogs. Question is - Why the need to put another animal species through nightmares when we already have more than enough to survive?

New Craze - Dyeing to be a Tiger

Always quick to embrace bizarre trends, folks in China celebrated the opening of a new pet park at the Dahe Mincui Park in Zhengzhou by dyeing their pups a variety of colors to resemble exotic wildlife! It is slowly becoming a big hit for owners to not only shampoo and trim, but also to color dye their pets at grooming parlors. What the animals might quite think about this, is another matter entirely. Though, I have to say that the animals in the pictures look unfazed by their new coats! A good sign. :)

My stance on this matter is:

• As long as it doesn't cause discomfort and stress to the animals, it should be alright.
• As long as the dye is washable, organic and fur friendly.
• What is the real difference between this and dressing your pets up in fashionable outfits? ;)

Free Peta 2 Sea Kitten Action Pack

Fancy receiving a FREE sea kitten action pack for your kids and still manager to look cook in front of their peeps? All you have to do is to go here, and fill out the form to order your free Sea Kitten Action Pack from Peta2!


About Sea Kittens, here.
Sea Kittens Bedtime Story, here.
FREE Sea Kittens Web Banners and Avatars, here.
Petition Tally for Sea Kittens, here.
Purchase a Sea Kitten Plus Toy, here.

Winslow Therapeutic Center - Healing With Horses

Winslow Therapeutic Center is a non-profit organization accredited by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association since 1974. Winslow's horseback riding programs are designed to meet the needs of children and adults with physical, emotional, mental or social disabilities. Goals vary in degrees, from improved all-around well being to improved self-esteem, self control and confidence. Winslow's well trained and caring staff plus volunteers make it possible for the community to have a unique and often times life changing horseback riding experience. :)

More on Winslow Therapeutic Center, here.
More on Therapeutic Riding, here.
More on being a Volunteer, here.
More on making a Donation (or sponsoring a horse), here.

Free Peta Kids Magazine

Attention all Parents! 

Thinking about how you can start instilling animal awareness upon your kids starting from a young age? 

What better way to teach them than by receiving a FREE 'Kid's Guide to Helping Animals' magazine that includes tips from protecting wildlife, purchasing cruelty-free products, to organizing animal-friendly field trips for your kids' classes and more! Also included are plenty fun and exciting puzzles, quizzes, free stickers and scoops on young Hollywood celebs being great examples.

All you have to do is to fill out the form, here, to receive your FREE magazine. As a bonus, Peta Kids will also be throwing in a set of FREE Comics and Peta Kids Sticker Sheets!

Nothing to lose and everything to gain. Enjoy! :)

The Cove - Spread The Word, End The Slaughter

The Cove is a very powerful movie, designed to create awareness to put halt to a best kept secret in Japan - bestial dolphin fishing frenzy.

Despite what is written on the internet about the film being a superbly crafted and one sided manufactured film with conspiracy theories and an overt agenda, facts will remain facts and excuses shall not be tolerated.

The movie follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers and free divers embarking on a life risking mission to expose the deadly secret of dolphin massacre in Taiji, Japan. The film takes its time in unfolding the horrors and conspiracy layer by layer and ends with a bang. What's heart wrenching is that this has been happening for over three decades, and has fallen on deaf ears. Hopefully, thanks to all who still care, those who still know what humanity means.

My Stance:

• Wild animals should not be in captivity. The equivalent would be to hold a person accountable for a crime it did not commit, and throw it in a holding cell for the rest of its life.
• If absolutely need be, for no other reason than to comply to the food chain, any living thing should be humanely put down. There is no excuse plausible for brutal slaughter, no reason at all for a barbaric massacre.
• Animals that are conscious beings, in my opinion, should be on top of the food chain, just as us humans are. To feed on them, would distinguish us no as different from barbarians or cannibals.

Dolphins. We are their worst nightmare, and ironically, also their only hope.

So, please do take action (purchase & watch the DVD), reach out (sign a petition letter urging our government to address this issue), create awareness and hopefully help save hundreds of thousands of lives of these magnificent creatures put on this earth to share the planet with us.

The next slaughter is scheduled in September, 3 months away from now. So please. Help the helpless, make a difference.