| Siberian Tigers As Pets?
Siberian tigers are native to northeastern China and Russia. They're rare in the wild. So what's a family of four doing in Eastern Washington?
As correspondent Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports, they represent an ongoing debate in the Northwest over the practice of
keeping exotic animals as pets.
----------------
Debbie Wyche is operating on very little sleep today. She was up almost all night overseeing the arrival of four highly unusual guests.
Debbie Wyche: "The girls are a little cranky this morning. The boys are just kind of looking around trying to figure out what's going on."
They're Siberian tigers. A pair of 2-year-old cubs named Romeo and Juliet. And their parents, Samson and Delilah.
This is a first for the Cat Tales sanctuary and zoo just north of Spokane.
St. Louis Commerce Magazine
The secrets out. St. Louis is a major center of agribusiness. Geographically blessed, St. Louis sits at the center of both the national rail and highway systems, is situated at the confluence of three major working rivers and is surrounded by prime farmland. While the local media focus on issues relating to the regions emerging status as the center of the BioBelt, and area civic leadership tends to speak in terms of traditional industry sectors vis--vis local industry, the reality of the matter is that agriculture contributes substantially to both.
This has been made evident in a study commissioned by The St. Louis Agribusiness Club. The Club, itself, is an entity of 255 members (ranging from farmers, to business executives, to lawyers, to educators, to scientists) and 144 types of companies.
Household hazards to pets
Spring is just around the corner. While that means better weather for walking the dog and sunny windows for cat snoozing, it brings its own hazards. Here are some timely reminders from the ASPCA's national animal poison control center: Beware of toxic plants. Be especially careful with Easter lilies as you decorate for the upcoming holiday if you have cats -- even a few mouthfuls can be deadly. If you have a rat or mouse infestation, be careful that the cure isn't worse than the problem. Rat and mouse baits are just as deadly to cats, dogs and other pets as they are to the unwanted creatures in your home. Read labels on flea products carefully. Overdosing with some flea products can be lethal. Some dog products can make cats sick. Be careful with lawn treatments.
Open season on gators?
The alligator was curious. As Daniel Mendoza's 4-year-old daughter enjoyed a birthday party in their Pembroke Pines backyard, the 7-foot reptile glided across an adjacent lake for a closer look. The alligator didn't come out of the water. It just watched.
"He's not shy," Mendoza said. "If there's noise in the yard, he'll come over to investigate. It's not a safe environment at all, with kids and pets."
.
|
