There are various pet options there for you. The most common pets out there are dogs and cats. Then you have your guinea pigs, hamsters and even love birds. But have you ever considered raising pigeons as pets? Yes, it is exactly those birds whom you’ve often seen flapping their wings around in the wilderness. Pigeons have been used as messenger birds during the previous ages, when modern technology and mobile phones were centuries away.

So pigeons are definitely a viable pet option for you! In fact pigeons are gaining popularity as household pets and wouldn’t it be quite amazing if you become The Pigeon Aficionado?

However, getting a new pet is indeed a major decision and you have to think twice before jumping into it. Fear no more, this write up will help you understand the basics of raising pigeons as pets.

1. Pre-purchase considerations:

Making a decision to purchase pets is not a simple one, and it is no different in the case of raising pigeons as pets. Remember that your decision to raise pigeons should not be a spur of the moment action. There is much to consider before you get them as pets. Here are a few points to consider:

Do you think you have the time and energy to dedicate towards your pet pigeons? Think about the aspects of feeding them, cleaning their cotes, observing them and making sure they are healthy. Remember that having a pet is a two way street, your pets should be able to derive the same amount of joy that you may derive from them. It is our duty as pet owners to ensure that they are clean and comfortable.

Another factor to consider is, would you be able to bear the costs which accompany raising pigeons as pets? Don’t just think about the costs of buying the pigeons, but deliberate over the cost of building their cotes, the vet expenses you might have to incur. It is better to weigh your decision wisely, rather to give away those pigeons you love so much, merely because you are not able to spend on their needs.

Is your family alright and encouraging of your decision to get pigeons as pets? Obtaining their consent at the initial stage will go a long way to help you out. Incessant complaints from your family members would sour everyone’s mood around. Convert them into pigeon lovers! That is the way to go.

Do you have enough space to comfortable accommodate your pet pigeons? Birds would like to have some space to fly around.

Think about all of these before you plunge into your decision. Ensuring that you are committed towards your pets will only help you to strengthen your bond with them.

Now that you have made up your mind on getting pigeons as pets, here are a few guidelines on raising your pigeons.

2. Pigeon Housing:

If you are planning on keeping your pigeons indoors, it would be advisable to get a large cage that provides them ample space to fly around and stretch their wings. Pigeons are really social birds, so it would be advisable for you to get at least two birds, so that they do not get lonely.

However, if you have the space and facility to house your pigeons outdoors, you could construct dovecotes, which are structures with contain pigeonholes where the birds can rest and build their nests. However, ensure that your neighbours do not find your pigeons annoying or a menace. These cotes would provide the birds the freedom to fly around and not feel caged.

If you are a pigeon fancier and have much interest and enthusiasm to breed pigeons, then dovecotes are the way to go!

3. Dietary requirements:

After you have made arrangements for housing your pigeons, the next step would be to focus on the dietary requirements of your pet pigeons. Commercial pigeon feed and seed mixes are available to feed your pet pigeons. Make sure that the commercial feeds are natural with minimal chemical content. Seed mixes may also be fed for your pet pigeons, apart from the commercial feed.

Most pigeons that are in the wild forage for their food and eat wild berries, fruits, leaves, acorn, seeds and even insects here and there. So you could feed your pet pigeons some greens which may include lettuce, spinach etc.

Feel free to feed your pet pigeons some treats occasionally, so that they may enjoy some variety in their food.

If you keep your pigeons indoor, they may require some vitamin supplements to compensate their lack of exposure to the sunlight. Make sure you consult a vet and get supplements if they are prescribed by him for your pet pigeons.

Apart from the seed mixes and grains you may feed them, the indispensable addition is water. Ensure that your pigeons have a clean water bowl with an endless supply of water so that they never feel thirsty or parched. Change the water regularly so that it is clean.

In fact, it would do for you to place water in tub from time to time, so that the pigeons have facility to bathe themselves. In fact, it could be quite fun to watch you pigeons splash around in the water as they keep themselves clean.

With these few directions, you can confidently step forth into becoming a proud owner of pigeons! Did you know that there are pigeon exhibitions where you could showcase and exhibit your pigeons proudly? If you are enjoying the presence of your pet pigeons and your love and interest in them is steadily growing, you could even venture into pigeon breeding and enter competitions! What started as just having pets to dispel your boredom could evolve into a fill fledged hobby that is rewarding too.

So what are you really waiting for? If you have the commitment, energy and the enthusiasm to raise pigeons as your fellow companions, get to it already!

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When you think of chicken, what comes to your mind? In one go, all the non-vegetarians out there would think of all kinds of mouth watering chicken cuisines. Well if you are what they say as ‘pure-nonvegetarian’, then why not have your own farm of poultry and raise your own healthy chickens, so that you never have to go to the supermarket to buy eggs and flesh and get a fresh supply from your own backyard. Keeping poultry pets is not so popular in suburban areas but here are few reasons as to why and how you keep a flock in your backyard.

Why?

1. An omelette in morning and a chicken cuisine for dinner would be something quite common for you, and that includes the family dinners and parties as well. You will be happily feasting with your friends and relatives.

2. Keeping chicken is fun. They are active, alert always ready to run around. You can cuddle them, pamper them only if you take care of them and bond well. They are unique! Yes, every chicken is unique in its personality trait, apart from varied feather colors and sizes. Chicks are equally adorable. You will love to play around with them and raise them in your backyard.

3. Keep them if you have pest problems in your garden. They can turn it into a fertilizer. No need to use pesticides also. Chickens love to roam around freely and forage. They can eat almost anything, even the grass that has grown too long. So stop caring about mowing your gardens and let those chickens go loose.

4. Low maintenance is what is synonym to keeping chicken. No walking, no brushing only feeding twice a dy. With minimal needs and plethora of benifits what more you can ask from your pet, than an egg every morning. The cleaning and bedding is a once in a while effort.

5. Save a chicken from the farm-factory where they follow ruthless and cruel farming of poultry and diary animals to produce higher output. High epsticides and antibiotics are used to rpevent spread of diseases in the stocked up innumerable poultry animals. Here you keep chickens, there one less chicken is put in a gruesome situation plus even you prevent yourself from ingesting those chemicals.

6. Its not just about chicken and eggs, in the end you get a pet to whom you can cuddle, scoop around, comb and pamper. Amaze others as you make your chicken fall asleep in your arms, they can be good pets if bonded well.

Now that you have got enough reason to keepp them, lets see the how part.

HOW?

DIET

FOOD

Chicken diet depends upon the breed and the age. Feed should be well balanced and the containers should be regularly cleaned to avoid any chances of illness. Chickens need insoluble grit in their diet like hard flint grit. Chicken feeders are equally important when keeping chickens as pets.

Water

Constant clean and fresh water is a must in your poultry house. The drinkers should be cleaned regularly. Care should be taken that drinkers are not too deep to prevent the chicks from falling into them.

HOUSING

The place where your chicks will grow up and thrive has to be warm, dry and well ventilated. The area needs to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to remove parasites and other insects. The feeders and drinkers should be placed in one corner of the house and if you have more number of chickens, two or more feeders can be kept per chicken coop.

Flooring

The flooring should be made of dry material like wood shavings or straw that should be topped up. Chicken like to forage and dust bath around so the toppings can be replaced when required. The floor should be dry to avoid habitats for parasites to grow and cause unwanted diseases to your pets.

Space

Chickens require ample space to stretch their wings, run and hop around. If you have 30 birds in your coop, roughly 12 square meters of space would be enough for them. But this also depends on size and number of chicken pets you have. You can fill the space with perches, about 3 to 5 cm in length with round edges to avoid the chicken getting hurt.

 Nest Boxes

When the hen is getting ready to lay eggs it needs quiet places. Make sure you provide the would-be moms with warm, serene enclosed nest boxes where they can lay eggs in peace without any disturbances from humans and other male chickens. The flooring can again be straw or wood shavings, in short, something dry and comfortable.

Outdoor Environment

Provide an overhead cover over the coop, like a small tree or a shed to protect your pets from sun and weather. Chicken constantly sun bathe and forage so enough space should be there for them to do so. Feeders and drinkers should even be kept outside for easy access to food and water. Proper fencing should be there to protect your pets from wild animals or other pets in your house. Make sure the bird doesn’t get out of the fence or not hurt itself getting stuck in it.

HEALTH

Healthy chickens are easy to notice. They have bright eyes and alertness in their movement. Poor health symptoms include hunched posture, reluctance in movement, erect feathers, hiding in corners etc. The chicken seems dull and less interested. Always contact your vet if you think your chicken is not doing well. Late response may make other chicken unwell too. Chickens should be checked for lice and red mites, generally found under the wings or in the crevices of the coop. Chickens need regular de-worming, if kept outside in the same area over a long period of time.

Chicken Company

Feather pecking can be a cause of serious trouble while introducing new chicken to the flock. Cockerels who haven’t grown together should be kept separate to avoid rivalry. Even hens peck and pull at the feathers of other hens causing injuries. This can occur anytime and may even lead to cannibalism. Care should be taken to separate any newly introduced member into the flock if they break into a fight.

Before getting yourself a flock of your own birds make sure you have ample space and can devote enough time and care towards them.

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Are you looking for birds? Obviously you will be searching for the fun chirpy kind of birds and not ominous ravens or rooks. An extremely popular choice of a pet bird is the love bird. These cute birds are extremely friendly and will capture your heart at first sight, staying true to their names. Maybe you have just got your pet love bird or love birds (since they are seldom found as a single bird) or you might be thinking of getting love birds as pets. One thing you must absolutely know about is, how to take care of them.

Any genuine pet lover would not even think of getting a pet without learning to take care of them. The first important step is figuring out your love bird’s living arrangements. Love birds, which belong to the parrot family, are loud and active birds. They are impulsive and stubborn and would definitely require a certain amount of attention from you.  Here are a few guidelines to housing your pet love bird.

Cage:

Obviously, you would require a cage for your pet love bird. However the size of the cage plays a crucial role in ensuring that your love bird is comfortable. Even though they are small birds which typically grow to 13-17 cm in length, they require spacious cages for their active personalities.  A cage which is of the size 20 inches x 20 inches would do well. At the same time make sure that the holes in the cage are not too large, the maximum space should be half an inch. It would be better if the cage is longer and wider, rather than a cage which a greater height. The reason is because birds fly horizontally and your pet love birds can fly around with ease. Of course, there are wide varieties of cages available for birds, so you have a lot of space to explore and pick out a cage that suits your personality and which is also much appreciated by your love birds.

Perches:

Once you have got your cage down pat, the next step in making a homey place for your pet love birds would be to get perches for them to rest on. Perches are a must for your cage and it would be a good choice to purchase a wide variety of perches. The cage must be fitted with perches of varying lengths at different height levels. This would ensure that your lovebirds have various places for them to rest on. Just like cages, perches are also available in abundance in different materials ranging from wood, plastic, and metal to even concrete. It would be a great idea to buy perches of different diameters as it would ensure that the birds would exercise their leg muscles too while they perch on them. Here is a tip, place the perches away from the water and food bowl as this would ensure that the bird’s droppings do not fall into their food.

Dishes:

Once the perches are good to go, the next thing you should invest for your love birds would be their food and water dishes. There is no specific material from which you need to buy dishes. Just ensure that the dish is not made of any toxic substance which might slow poison your birds. Your most important duty would be to endure that the food and water dishes are always clean. Remember, raising a pet is fun but you should also ensure that you are fully committed to task, which includes all the cage cleaning and no dirty dishes!

It would be best if you could have around 3 dishes in a cage for your pet love birds. One dish would be filled with water, another would be for the commercial seed mixes which would be what you would be feeding your love birds on a regular basis. The third dish is for the chopped fruits or vegetables which you may place as treats for your love birds from time to time. When you do feed them fresh fruits or vegetables, make sure you clean the dishes even if the birds don’t consume them, as rooting fruits or veggies are thriving grounds for bacteria which may infect your birds. Thus, it would do good to go with the ideal 3 dish combination.

Toys:

There is no fun for kids without toys, and your pet birds are no exception. They do require something to spice up their boring caged life and fill them with enthusiasm in their constraints. Toys would fulfill your bird’s fun quotient. Love birds love toys that swing and also those which jingle like bells. Make sure these toys are made of materials which do not cause harm to the birds and those which do not unravel easily. Positioning of toys is as important as the toys, as they should be placed in a way that it does not clutter the cage and make it difficult for the love birds to fly around in their cage. Surprise your love birds by switching their toys from time to time. Go creative and try to even create your own toys for your pet birds, as long as they do not contain small parts which could be pecked out and swallowed, you could be an expert toy crafter for your pet love birds.

These are a few essentials on housing your pet love birds, and ensuring that they are as happy as they can be! Remember to position the cage in a proper spot for your birds. Once everything is set, it is time to lean back and watch your pet love birds flutter around as they chirp with joy!

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You might have came across some pocket sized books and other such stuff, which are miniature versions of large things, and can easily fit in your pockets. Thus they are easy to handle and care for! But have you ever heard about some pocket sized bird? Lovebirds are a living example of them. These miniature parrots fulfill all the benefits and benchmarks set up by a common parrot, and in addition to it, have a small size, thus rendering them to be a more favored pet than the common parrot.

Lovebirds are small clown creatures, who like to play, and have the stamina to play for hours on a stretch. Alongwith being cute, they are extremely notorious as well! They like to play pranks with the guests or their owners by imitating their voice, or just by picking on their shirt buttons, as they simply love doing this! So when you have pet lovebirds, prefer wearing a T-Shirt! It is commonly told to get these lovebirds in a couple, but that is not mandatory, and in fact, not even necessary as long as you would entertain that little creature. These birds create a bond with someone they see everyday, and that too without much difficulty, which eliminates the need of a companion of the same specie. But if you are an office person, and won’t be present in the house for most of your time, then better get a couple of these birds, so that any of them doesn’t get bored while they are alone. A few quick facts of lovebirds are mentioned in the space below.

• Lovebirds saw their origin from the land of flora and fauna, that is Africa. The scientific name of Lovebird is “Agapornis”. The literal meaning of “Agapornis” can be derived from two languages. The first part, that is “Agapein” means “To Love” in Greek language, and the second part, that is “ornis” means “Bird” in Latin, thus giving the lovebird, its name.
• There are 9 different species of lovebirds. Cross breeding has been tried in many laboratories of various countries, but the produce that was obtained was in no manner, similar to the parent’s characteristics, or ideal for the purpose of keeping as pets. It just felt as an act of playing with nature, as a positive outcome was not obtained by cross breeding, and also, the off springs could not be used to produce the original specie, thus decreasing its value.

• Lovebirds don’t always remain by their name. Although they do love everyone, but at the same time, easily get angry, and as a consequence, can bite their fellow beings. These birds maintain a life long relationship with their companion, and are extremely good at maintaining inter-specie relationships too!
• Birds that are trapped from the forests, and then are used for the purpose of domestication, don;t make such good pets when compared to the birds, that have already been bred by someone. The reason behind this is the birds captured from the wild are not habitual of living in captivity! They will take a long time adjusting in the extremely different conditions. In the beginning, they would even face depression for a while, and after that, they would start developing a relationship with you, but by that time, your patience would have given up and you would have started seeing that little creature with a different morph! Moreover, capturing more of these creatures that are living in the natural habitat would just be like disrupting the nature’s flow!

• Lovebirds are known to mate for life, which means they would be giving off springs for as long as they live and find a companion!
• Domesticated lovebirds are usually kept in a cage, though they must not be captured and punished for a crime they didn’t commit! Although keeping them in their cage seems to be necessary, as otherwise, they would simply fly away, so a better alternative would be letting that bird out for some hours each day. If your bird has undergone a proper training procedure, then releasing it in the open won’t be harmful, as at the end of the day, it would return to you, but if it has not yet been trained then you can take him out of its cage in a closed room, in which, proper bird proofing has been done, which might include removing all the electrical equipments and even wires from that room, closing the windows, removing all the things that can make the bird escape etc.

• Lovebirds are very much similar to common parrots, and so is their diet. They are nurtured best, when fed upon a mixed variety of seeds, nuts. Occasionally, they can also be provided with fruits and vegetables cut into small pieces, so that they don’t suffer any problem in swallowing it.
• Though lovebirds are very peaceful creatures, but their nature alters when they are around some other specie of birds. In that case, they suffer from arrogance problems. They treat themselves as the most superior specie of all, which tends to make them angry ad bring out their hidden anger. These pet birds, when angry, can also bite their owner or anyone present in the house at that point of time.

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Birds make good pets, but before I begin I would like to add a personal note to it. If you really want to keep birds as pets don’t cage them all the time. They have got wings for a reason. So if you saw your neighbor getting a pair of love birds home and you wish to get a bird friend too, go for a parrot. Parrots are social and intelligent birds. They are trainable and develop very strong bonds with their owners. You can cuddle them; play with them, they simple love interaction, be it with their owners or other parrots. Now that you have decided upon buying a pet parrot, you have got a number of species to choose from.

 Parrots as Pets

There are a lot of things to keep in mind if you have decided to keep a parrot as pet. Some of them include cost, space available in house, interaction and time spent with your pet. Generally parrots’ diet includes a variety of fresh fruits and veggies, sprouts, nuts and seeds. Parrots create a lot of mess while eating; one has to be patient to clean the cage regularly. Be careful when you let the parrot out of cage, usually parrots have tendency of chewing upon things like furniture. Protect your belongings before you let the parrot out of the cage. Parrots need exercise and should be left free to roam around in the house. May be you can make a place to play around. Parrots screech and create lot of noise. The owners should be committed towards the pet, and should give enough time and attention to the pet. Parrots are social birds. They need attention from their owners. They might get irritated and can cause a lot of destruction if not comfortable. If you think you can’t pay required attention to your bird pet, then better by it a companion.

Parakeets

These tiny parrots are about 7 to 12 inches in length. Caring for parakeet involves going for regular round to a veterinarian, even at first signs of illness. Also parakeets shouldn’t be kept with other species of parrots, they don’t along much together. It might lead to behavioral problems. Parakeets are good at learning and can be easily trained. They can be trained to talk, sit on owners shoulder, perform tricks etc. But all of this is only possible if your pet is comfortable with you. A strong bond needs to be built before you start making him learn things. They love petting and pampering. Care need to be taken care as they get ill easily. Proper cleaning of cage, regular change in water, washing of food and water dishes, regular exercise, and proper nutrition needs to be taken care of. The bird’s cage should be placed at some secure place, away from too much noise and direct sunlight.

Cockatiel

They are usually grey or cream yellow in color with blushing cheek patches. The difference between male and female is so undistinguishable visibly that a DNA test needs to be done. Cockatiels require more seeds in their food. Some other food items include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, corn and few fruits like apple, mango, pear and pineapple. Chocolates, ice-creams, pastries etc should be strictly avoided. These birdies require big cages, preferably longer in length than in height. Cockatiels don’t usually learn to talk but males can be made to talk and whistle more likely than females. Patient and soft training sessions can possible earn good results. Breeding is a little difficult and requires time and commitment. It is best practice to delay breeding until your pet is mentally and physically mature enough.

Parrotlets

The most popular parrot species is a beautiful blue colored Pacific Parrotlet as the name justifies. Now several colored mutations have been developed though. These species though puny are bolder than expected on seeing their size. There are different species even in Parrotlets based on their color and size. Green Parrotlets are a little smaller than Pacifics and slightly intimidated by new things while Spectacle Parrotlets, which are similar to Greens in size, turn out to be more curious and inquisitive. The cage size for parrotlets should be 18” in length breadth and height on an average. The cage should be longer than being tall. These species require a lot of food in contrast to their size. This mostly includes fresh fruits and veggies, grains, seeds and high protein foods. Fresh clean water is must for you pet. They bond well with person who spend maximum time with them.

African Grey

Considered to be the most intellegent of  all parrot species, it originally belonging to Africa, is about 12 to 13 inches in length from beak to tail. A big bird, if you have decided to pet it, you should consider having a big cage and spacious living place for your parrot. They will give you company till 50, although some can even live till the age of 70+. These are intelligent beings and that shows in their behavior. They are affectionate towards their owners, but if bored or frustrated it will create havoc. As the name says they have grey feathers, with threads of white over the fur and black beak. They have shiny red tail color in contrast to old grey look. Like other parrots their diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables but they can even be fed pelleted food along with egg, cheese bits and nuts and seeds. They provide a good company and can easily be trained to talk. If properly cared for they develop strong bond with their owners. But care should be taken as to what you speak in front of them as they tend to repeat everything and remember it too all thanks to their high IQ levels. That may land you in trouble later.

Macaws

Macaws are large, colorful parrots named after their feather colors like scarlet macaws, blue and gold macaws, military macaws and hyacinth macaws. There also exist mini-macaws which include species like Hahn’s noble and yellow colored macaws. They reach to a length of 20 – 40 inches depending upon the species. The life span is about 30-50 years though if cared well they live beyond that. They are playful, exuberant, and affectionate and remain happy when they get enough attention from their owners. Yes they screech, they are loud and noisy. They have excellent ability to imitate but not as good as African Grey. Macaws need large cage about 24”x36”x48” for an average size macaw. The cage must be strong enough to withstand their strong beaks. Since they are quite playful, you can get them wooden toys to chew upon and play with and some hangings to climb upon. Their diet can include pelleted food with usual fresh fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds.

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A pet is your animal companion and eventually becomes your family as you develop bonds with it. At one point this human-animal bond becomes so strong that it can turn your pet into your protector. There are hypothetical super-humans who risk their lives for your safety. Now let us have a look at super-pets who have pushed the limits of human-animal relationship and emerged as heroes with their extraordinary and unbelievable deeds to protect their owners and family.

Below are few instances where animals have proved themselves to be understanding, protective, heroic and above all a best friend.

1. Protector Pedigree

This incident took place on a fine October day in 2007. Charlotte Svillicic, a 17 month old baby was playing in yard in her Australian home when suddenly their pet Doberman, Khan starting making growling noises. The reason behind his snarl was totally unexpected, as it turned out to be one of the most poisonous snakes of the world, king brown snake, under the house. The dog tried to nudge the baby away but when it realized no avail in doing so, it lifted the baby with the diaper and tossed her few feet behind him. This startled the snake and in the sudden act it struck back at Khan and bit him on the paw. The snake dashed away and the toddler was saved, but the dog was ended up in hospital. Though Khan was given antivenin and he soon recovered but this act of courage got him appraisal and made him ‘hero of the day’.

2.  Parrot Alarm

Megan Howard, who was babysitting 2 year old Hannah Kuusk, heard her pet Quaker parrot screaming at the top of its voice and flapping its wings. Megan was in bathroom at that time and later said that she had never heard such shrill cries of her pet before. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw the toddler had chocked herself and her face had turned blue by then. Immediately Megan performed Heimlich maneuver over Hannah, a series of steps to save people from chocking. Although she saved the little girl but admitted that her pet had been the real life saver. The bird was later presented with the local Animal Lifesaver Award by Red Cross.

3. Lulu to the Rescue

While on a vacation in Pennsylvania woods, Jo Ann Altsman suffered from a heart attack. Lulu, her potbellied pet pig realized that something went wrong with her owner and somehow managed to get out of their mobile home, towards the road. When a car would approach, the petit piggy would lie down in the middle of road to stop the passerby. The times car didn’t stop, Lulu would go back to her owner to check upon her and then run back to the road. This intelligent act of the pig made a motorcycle stop and follow the pig into the woods. There he found the lady and immediately called 911. Such an immediate and surprising act saved by Lulu, saved the owners life.

4. A Meow saveS 3

Keesling family would have died in their sleep, had their cat not woken them up, by nudging and meowing loudly and continuously. A gas-powered water pump started leaking odorless carbon monoxide in the home. Nobody realized it except the cat, who tried her best to wake up her owners. Cathy’s husband and son were already unconscious, when Cathy got woken up by shrilling meows of her cat. Slightly feeling dizzy she called 911 and got help before it was too late.

5. Magic Mare

Animal therapy has long been known for its health benefits. Animals are known to reduce blood pressure and even prevent heart attack.  In a similar incident where horse therapy proved to be a boon to a patient who hadn’t spoken to anyone for three long years in her assisted-living facility. Magic, a beautiful mare with blue eyes used to visit patients, who needed comfort. That included her trips to hospitals, care facilities and group homes. When that patient saw Magic for the first time, she uttered out her first few words after a long time and that were,” Isn’t she beautiful?” Those words made every one come to tears and the lady improved considerably up on her health. This one interaction got Magic AARP’s Most Heroic Pet 2010 award.

6. Taking a bullet

In this heroic act by Lefty, this brave dog dared to cross all bounds when she leaped in front of one of the robbers, who pointed the gun at one of the family members. This incident happened during one night when the family home was broken in by four robbers. The dog took the bullet all by her and ended up getting injured on her leg and her shoulder. She was immediately taken to the nearby veterinary hospital but unfortunately had to lose one of her limbs. The cost of surgery was too much so in order to raise money for her treatment, they shared her story on Facebook. Not only were they able to get enough funds but the family pet became a heroic pup overnight.

7. Fire Fighter

Buddy, a brave German shepherd, received a silver-plated bowl from Alaska State Troopers for his heroic act when he saved his owners home from fire. When Ben Heinrich’s workshop caught fire in 2010, he shouted to his pet for help. Buddy made a dash to the road nearby and led a state trooper to the fire site. With the in-time help and Buddy’s bravery, Ben’s house was saved from flares.

These are just a few stories of bravery and selfless acts of pets towards their owners. These super animals have saved lives in time, with their intelligent and heroic acts. They are not just your friends, they are caring and concerned for you as any family.

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Eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos is a part of growing up for most of us. Most of us buy our beloved “pets” at pet shops like they are commodities. Then we keep our dogs chained up even inside the house, make guinea pigs run around the wheel for food and keep beautiful birds in cages. We take pride in wearing wool and silk, gobble up McDonald’s burgers, and go to fishing trips for recreation. We never consider the impact of these actions on the animals involved. Then for what reason should animals have rights?

Animal rights in India? How many people in India do actually know that something called ‘animal rights’ even exist? In a country where fellow human beings are deprived of their fundamental rights laid down in the country’s constitution, how can we even expect people to grant animal rights to their fellow living beings? Can even one person say that they have not seen a sleeping stray dog being kicked or a street entertainer making a monkey dance for money? The plight of cows and stray dogs is a common sight in India. Is it not cruelty to let them roam around on the streets, and let them eat garbage dumped on the road sides, exposing them to being hit by fast moving traffic and also by shopkeepers whose goods they are destroying? When the animal has served its purpose and becomes old, infirm, or diseased the amber abandons it and leaves it on its own to suffer pangs of hunger and pain.

The Animal Welfare Board of India, the first of its kind Animal welfare organization to be established by any Government in the world, was set up in 1962, in accordance with Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts 1960. Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale pioneered the setting up of the Board, with its Headquarters at Chennai, and guided the activities of the Board for nearly twenty years till her demise in 1986. In 2000, the High Court in Kerala used the language of “rights” in relation to circus animals, ruling that they are “beings entitled to dignified existence” under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The ruling said that if human beings are entitled to these rights, animals should be too. The court went beyond the requirements of the Constitution that all living beings should be shown compassion, and said: “It is not only our fundamental duty to show compassion to our animal friends, but also to recognize and protect their rights.” In 2012, the Indian government issued an extensive ban of vivisection in education and research.

But even today, most Indians do not even recognize their acts as abuse towards the poor animals. Some try to blame it on our culture. Myths, legends and superstitions of black dogs still haunt our collective unconscious, illustrated by the difficulty black dogs often have being adopted from shelters. ‘Never cross the road if a black cat has crossed the road before you’ is one myth, which brings out the meanness of our society.  There is a great amount of fear in people even today when they see a black cat, or a cat crossing the road or path they are travelling upon. I have seen that people stop besides the road, or slow down their car/scooter and wait for another person to cross it, before they do so.  This shows the height of selfishness and meanness to which we go.  I think this is one baseless belief we are still carrying on, without thinking that a healthy animal is bound to move around whether we think it’s a good omen or bad. Animals being discriminated against on the basis of colour gives a whole new meaning to the word ‘racism’! But in our wide ranging mythologies, there are a few stories which teach people to love and care for animals too. Dogs are worshipped as a part of a five-day Tihar festival in some northern regions of India that falls roughly in November every year. It is believed that dogs guard the doors of Heaven and Hell. This is a day when the dog is worshipped by applying tika (the holy vermilion dot), incense sticks and garlanded generally with marigold flower. Sarama, the female dog of the gods, is described as the mother of all dogs. The dog (Shvan) is also the vahana or mount of the Hindu god Bhairava. Yudhisthira had approached heaven with his dog, therefore among many Hindus, the common belief exists that caring for dogs can also pave way to heaven. Cows are revered as the source of food and symbol of life and may never be killed. They may be worshipped during some festivals or at some places. Verses of the Rigveda refer to the cow as Devi (goddess), identified with Aditi (mother of the gods) herself. Despite their sacred status, cows don’t seem much appreciated in India. Visitors are often surprised to see them walking neglected around city streets, living on garbage from the gutters.

Animals surely deserve to live their lives free from suffering and exploitation. Even animals have the ability to suffer in the same way and to the same degree that humans do. They feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustration, loneliness, and motherly love. How can people be so heartless and use these creatures for scientific experimentation, medicines, cosmetics etc.? Whenever we consider doing something that would interfere with their needs, we are morally obligated to take them into account. Every creature with a will to live has a right to live free from pain and suffering. Animal rights are not just a philosophy—it is a social movement that challenges society’s traditional view that all non-human animals exist solely for human use. All living things have a right to live on this Earth but, we, very often become, totally, insensitive to their pain, only because animals can’t speak the language of humans, they don’t have a voice. But they are creations of God too and they have lives which cannot be governed by us, humans.

So the next time you see someone stoning a dog raise your voice against him; if you see an injured cow, try to help her or atleast ring up an animal shelter; if you find a baby bird on the ground, put it back in its nest. Making all Indians aware of animal rights and making them regard it as a serious issue will take many years but we must remember that ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’.

The post Who’s the Real Animal? appeared first on Pet Attack.

We the humans know how bad it feels to face neglection. It hurts when one throws a straight no at your face. The miseries seem endless, troubles unending and we feel as if nobody is standing beside us as a support. We are shattered, lonely and sad. All the bright, wordly colours of life look bleak and dull.
Animal emotion is a complicated arena, but it seems the scales are slowly tipping toward the opinion that animals do have emotions, although some skeptics remain. The debate surrounding the scope of emotions animals possess derives from two main complications: the potential for anthropomorphism (humans projecting their own traits onto animals) and the inherent difficulties of studying emotions in nonhuman species.
Such emotions must have evolved out of a social necessity. Animals, once involved with others learn such social necessities. Hence a slight mistreatment from your side can upset your beloved friend. The relationships with pet animals are very mutual, we find a source of happiness, playing with them gives us a scope for physical exercising and the attention we give to them is returned manifold times through constant company they give us. Not only we talk to our pets without even thinking if they understand our language or are interested in them; animals when not in direct contact with us make up for a pleasant watching through their playing, jumping around and other surprising activities. Animals at home are a complete element of surprise because everyday we get to discover a new aspect of our pet. When you let down this very source of joy, you break its trust. Dogs empathize and sympathize with humans and in turn expect just a little encouragement from us, their masters. If we fail to provide so they become depressed since thy too need plenty of attention, care, love and time. If they are left alone and hardly taken outside for strolls, he is likely to feel and remain aloof. We, as the proud, responsible owners, also have some commitment towards them which we ought to fulfill other it will feel useless and unncessary to you. If someday you return home tired from work and your pet dog suddenly starts jumping on you, demanding to be taken outside for a long walk, we usually put it away. He does understands well that you will not take him out and will, instead move away with a bowed down head and a dejected heart.

Usually animals, especially dogs show attention seeking behaviour from their very puppyhood age. They communicate to us by showing actions or even barking, pawing at your hands, whinning etc which is perfectly normal. We try to stop their behaviour by yelling at them because we get annoyed. This discourages them. Like any other living creature, animals are also a basket full of emotions. When we, the all powerful humans stop them from channelizing their energy in the correct direction, they get depressed which at times may lead to an aggressive behaviour. This can later on become uncontrollable. Simply buying an animal and keeping it at home is not enough. Just bathing and feeding it daily and giving this the name of love and care is not enough. We become selfish and mean with the bonds we share with them. Do we take them for granted? Surprising to hear that we ourselves do not know this answer because we are so overloaded and preoccupied with our own worlds. Since we are their closest companion, we need to understand their psychology better. They have different needs, their own way or method of approaching things and their own workings of the brain. It may want to spend quality time with you to be happy and satisfied. It doesn’t like being left alone. When they do not get it, normally, they will react resultantly. Then, we cannot merely judge it as BAD or GOOD behaviour.

We vow to love whatever pet animal we bring home and when that vow is broken, the animal’s heart is broken. Animals love humans. Why can’t we love them back? Pet owning is a wonderful experience but if we are busy and as a result neglect them, we can never call ourselves ‘the responsible owners’. Maintaining a social bond with your pet companion is a lifelong process. So do not think that simply buying a pet dog and having a walk or two with it completes your task of showing generosity towards it. Training them, caring about them is also a good way to hook up with your pets. If you treat your dig like a showpiece meant only for decorating your household and not to treat it humanly, you simply don’t deserve to have them. Your pet will love nothing more than being commited to you for a lifetime. It will never doubt your love, your intentions nor be jealous or possessive. It will never get bored of you. It will not mind if you shout at him for minutes. Such a generous creature your pet proves to be. Such noble manners is he gifted with. The love from animals cannot be found elsewhere. It is said that animals constitute a small part of our lives but for them we are their whole lives. It will never demand materialistic things and fussing that you otherwise have to provide in case of others. All it needs is you to play with him often and give him some love. So, when, though you do not have to put in any effort to woo it, please do not neglect it by sheer means. Make your beloved animal feel loved.

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The year was 2002 when I first heard about the tailorbird, the time when I used to be a student of 2nd standard, and now, when I am in pre-final year of my undergraduate course, I am reminiscing that time which left us awestruck. As the teacher began to tell us about the exceptional skill of tailorbird, my eyes were full of amazement and my mind imagining about a small bird having the ability to stitch their nest. Other birds usually collect some hay pieces and gather them in such a form that they end up with a nest, but the tailorbird is a little different. It uses a leave, stacks hay in it and stitches the leaf. As amazing as it sounds, witnessing the procedure is even more wonderful.

• Physiology

Tailorbirds are small birds having a size from 10 cm to 15 cm, that is as long as the classic metre scale we use made of plastic. Tailorbirds are usually not heavier than 10 grams. These facts reckon that these birds are so small that they can fit in our hands. It has a straight standing significant tail, short round wings and strong legs. The main recognition that distinguishes it from other birds is its bill, which has a small curve in the upper direction, which enables it to perform the task it is known for. Tailorbirds usually are of bright colour having mixes of yellow, orange and greyish shade throughout their body.

• Habitat

Tailorbirds are humid loving birds and are usually found throughout South East Asia. These birds are found in plenty in the humid regions of India, Pakistan, Inonesia or in the mangroves of China. These are the birds resident of India, and can be rendered as “Asians”.

• Tailors

The name of this bird says a lot. As it specifies, they are known for the process of tailoring their nets. The process is not much complicated, but every bird is not equipped with the ability to do the same. These birds simple fold up a leave, punch holes in the meeting side with the help of their beak, and weave the two open ends with the help of a dried up stem of a plant or a spider web. Yes, they even make use of home of a spider to build their own home. After properly joining the two ends, they deposit the conventional hay and other materials inside the leaf to build a proper house to live in. They lay their eggs and can seal up the leaf if required, as a prevention measure from their prey or to protect themselves from the temperature. These stitching abilities are usually found only in female birds.

• Sound

Tailorbirds are usually known for their ability to form an unusual nest, but they also have a hidden talent in them, which is in front of us but we often ignore it. Their way of communication, that is their sound. They produce a high pitch musical sound of the form “chi-o chi-up chi-row”. They use their musical sound to communicate with other birds and to attract their prey. They have the ability to vary their pitch for various purposes. They can warn others of their kind in need of emergency or any other such situation.

• Diet

Tailorbirds are in most ways, similar to other birds. They belong to the family of small birds that feed on insects, larvae or other such things. They usually keep on flying or resting on a tree or in their nest, but they can often be seen jumping on the ground, so that the worms could come out of their holes and they could fulfill their dietary needs, and could also feed their young ones.

• Present Habitat

These birds are usually found in the populated regions of South Asia, due to which, they are not getting the proper nature to grow up in. The population rise is asking for cutting up of flora plantations for creating new places for the residential and other purposes of humans. In spite of this depleting flora regions, these birds have started adjusting to the changing conditions of the Earth. They have adjusted to the extreme climatic variations and have started adjusting living with human population.

These are one of the unique species on this planet. Their stitching abilities differentiate them from rest of the birds. They can be seen easily in the remaining forests of India, and usually don’t go up flying over the cities, so spotting them could be a little cumbersome in residential areas. These small birds usually remain in a group, but sometimes, they do become solitary and fly alone. As I always say, trapping any fauna species in a cage is totally non human on our part. Similarly, trapping a bird in the name of pet is totally wrong and should not be done. Birds are meant to fly and live a life in the habitat they feel right, but are not at all meant to be trapped in cage for the sake of entertainment of us, human beings. These tailorbirds are one of a kind and are not found around the globe. Their are only particular regions where you can see them, so hunting them down or trapping them would be extremely wrong, as trapping them won’t allow them to show their talent, that is stitching.

The post The Common Tailorbird – Is it Common enough? appeared first on Pet Attack.

WHAT GENERALLY HAPPENS? 

No matter how much we humans might love the monsoons, that brings along with itself the ability to relieve us from the scorching heat, the same monsoon season might be a nightmare for our little furry creatures. From birds to dogs, the showers affects them all, and ends up leading to a dampener of all activities. There so many diseases under the umbrella of this rain that might affect them, of which one must be wary of. Allowing for your pets to run around in this kind of weather might only lead up to more health complications which in turn might lead to dire consequences as well. The pleasant weather might not be so pleasant for them, as however much we even try to get sore throat and cold out of our heads, it’s even more difficult for a pet who end up going through problems regarding indigestion, fungal infections, skin infections and a lot more!

PETS LIKE DOGS WHO STAY OUT IN THE RAIN CATCH MANY DISEASES

Being vulnerable to many diseases during this monsoon season, there are a host of different problems that might be faced when taking care of our beloved pets, and it is even harder to take in to account ALL such problems and their remedies, which is why one’s knowledge will always be restricted, but the most common of all problems and remedies are given as follows for directional purposes when it comes to taking care of pets:

1. DIET PLAN:

It is vital to make a meal plan for your pet and it is even more essential to follow it up- REGULARLY!

• DO – make your pet eat HEALTHY NUTRITIOUS FOOD compromising of nutrients like chicken/lamb eggs, fat, fish oil etc. Boiled, and filtered water is a must and it should be taken care of that the pet does not eat/drink unhealthy, unauthorized food, water.

• DON’T- have your pets eat corn, soy or wheat.

2. REGULAR NUMBER OF MEALS PER DAY:

Food is one of the most important things when it comes to nutrition of a pet and it becomes imperative to give your pets, ideal number of food supply every day at least till the monsoon ends.

• DO – make your pet eat twice or thrice a day (for adults) and four to five times for a new born

• DON’T – overfeed your pet!

3. RAINY FUR COAT:

One of the common problems all pet owners face are the dirty fur that their pets carry around after it rains, dirty paws lead to yeast/fungal infections, dirt fur if not scrubbed or washed properly may even lead up to the death of the dog triggered because of the dirt present around. The mud that a dog likes to play in, might go inside their mouths which may end up causing problems in their stomach.

• DO – Wash/Scrub/Comb your pets fur two or three times a week of heavy monsoon rains, if your pet is incapable of staying put at your homes, and is very restless that he/she sneaks out for a little run-  it is imperative on your part to make sure their fur is clean and dry. One may use a blow drier or heaters to help serve that purpose.

• DON’T – direct heat from the heater/ blow drier might electrocute your pet and scrubbing everyday might even result in rampant hair fall – both the things must be done only and when required.

4. PLAY TIME?

It becomes extremely crucial to make a pet stay put in a house during the monsoon season. For one who may afford a big lavish mansions wherein the pet has free enough space to survive in, it might not be a huge deal but for the others it might be!

• DO – Lesser walks, indoor playtime with Frisbee/ ball, making the pet climb up and down the stairs or leaving it out in the open in the inner garden will let the pet remain active for a long time.

• DON’T – take them out for usual regular long walks, especially when it is pouring down.

5. PSYCHO PETS:

Scientists reveal that the most amount of fear for an animal is generally triggered by – THUNDERSTORMS. It might shake up the most peaceful and calmest of animals and end up making them have nightmares and howl throughout the night time.

• DO – hug your pets, make them feel as comfortable to you as possible, keep them cosy enough and try sleeping them if possible! Anti- anxiety pills must only be used in the rarest of rare cases.
• DON’T – leave the pets alone in such dire situations which results in excessive aggressiveness, howling, barking, chewing up of furniture etc.

6. FURRY CARE:

It is believed that not only dogs but even birds face issues with body odor, sweat and gastroenteritis. They must be taken regularly to their respective vets/ doctors for regular check-ups in such a weather and must be taken care of

DO – for dogs, clean their claws after they come back from a walk, changing water in their pails is necessary. For fishes, their aquariums must be drained out regularly and should be cleaned with fresh water added at least twice a month; making sure that organic foods and all the dirt is cleansed out, thoroughly.

DON’T – Let the dogs stay out, let the water be contaminated for long, Spectrozol; an anti – bio tic lotion that allows for humidity not to affect Birds must be used regularly.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST:

A dog’s claws are prone to get very dirty and nails must be trimmed regularly so as to avoid yeast infections or skin infections. One might judge if their pet lie a dog is really uncomfortable if they keep on licking themselves, or are scratching their paws against their heads a lot which is an indication of ticks being present in their body.

These pet care tips are vital for any pet care takers and must be takin to account thoroughly so as to provide for a healthy, suitable environment for their pets which was promised to them in the very first place in this dirty, vulnerable weather of MONSOON RAINS!

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