Cat survives eight days hidden in box spring during Edmonton-Surrey move Augustus the ginger tom has a touch of the Cowardly Lion about him, which probably explains why he vanished while his family was packing to move from Edmonton to their new home in Surrey last month. “If he goes outside he always hides under the porch. He’s easily frightened.” 9/2/2010 5:28:12 PM

Earth's animals face grim future Corals, big mammals and many tropical species could all go extinct in the not too distant future, predict scientists who are attempting to forecast the fate of today's animals by studying what happened to those in the distant past. 9/2/2010 3:53:26 PM

Video shows Christina Lake's grow-op bears being fed As animal lovers rejoice that the Christina Lake bears have been saved “for now” from extermination, there’s conflicting reports about the animals that have been roaming around the rural property for years.

“I’ve certainly had no problems [and] as far as I know the neighbours have had no problems in the 10 years that I’ve been doing this,” said Allen Piche. 9/2/2010 8:42:26 AM

Grey whale delights West Vancouver Seawalk strollers West Vancouver residents out for a morning stroll along the Seawalk were treated to the sight of an unusual visitor Monday morning as a grey whale was spotted just off the shore at both Ambleside and Dundarave.The grey whale was first spotted Sunday morning off English Bay. 9/2/2010 7:57:23 AM

Why we think bigger dogs are smarter Bigger dogs aren’t necessarily smarter than little dogs, they’re just perceived by people to be smarter, according to a study done by a New Zealand researcher. His interest in human work has led him to look at how dogs perform work to help humans. 9/2/2010 7:44:44 AM

Geese, deer running wild in B.C. municipalities; province asked to help B.C. municipalities say they are being overrun by wild animals that are threatening public safety and they are asking the provincial government for help. The biggest problems are increasingly urban deer herds in the Kootenays and Canada geese in the Okanagan and on Vancouver Island. 9/2/2010 7:18:29 AM

Man nabs roaming goat with Facebook following A wandering Missouri goat whose exploits have been chronicled on a popular Facebook page has been captured. KXEO reported that a man named Mervin Beechy noticed the goat Tuesday afternoon while he was driving around the eastern Missouri town of Mexico. 9/1/2010 6:22:05 PM

Teenage girl throws puppies into a river in online video (Video) The images were originally uploaded via a YouTube account on a site called Liveleak. It appears to show a young girl with long blonde hair in a red hooded top picking up newborn puppies by the scruff of the neck and hurling them into a fast-flowing river. 9/1/2010 2:08:20 PM

The Frozen Zoo aiming to bring endangered species back from the brink The inside of a metal box filled with liquid nitrogen and frozen to -173C (-280F) is hardly the ideal habitat for a large African mammal. But, as a test tube is fished out of the frigid container amid a billowing cloud of white gas, a note written on its side is unequivocal about its contents. "This is a northern white rhino." 9/1/2010 2:03:44 PM

Grizzlies spotted in Cranbrook neighbourhood Amidst the discussion about the urban deer in Cranbrook, some people saw visitors of a different kind on Monday morning. A grizzly sow and her two cubs were spotted by residents of the Southview neighbourhood. Barking dogs scared the animals back into the forest. "They're still in the vicinity." says conservation officer Ray Gilewicz. 9/1/2010 12:19:07 PM

Updated: UVic begins trapping rabbits after court victory The traps were out at the University of Victoria Monday afternoon within hours of B.C. Supreme Court's setting aside of an injunction prohibiting UVic from trapping or killing feral rabbits hopping around campus. However, resumption of trapping does not mean that rabbits are going to die. 8/31/2010 7:13:44 PM

B.C. pot bears can keep feeding until hibernation The B.C. man who admitted feeding up to two dozen black bears on his property near Christina Lake says he's struck a deal with conservation officers to keep giving the animals dog food until they leave to hibernate in early October. "We've certainly had no problems in the 10 years I've been doing this," he says. 8/31/2010 6:57:12 PM

Hundreds of dolphins make themselves at home in waters of southwest B.C. When the first white-sided dolphin showed up in Echo Bay in the Broughton Islands about 13 years ago, Billy Proctor had no idea what it was. Proctor, who grew up in the Broughtons, near the north end of Vancouver Island, had never seen one of the mammals before. Now he sees hundreds. 8/31/2010 7:32:17 AM

Pooches put through their paces at dog agility demo Geoffrey the Yorkshire terrier usually loves racing across teeter-totters, through tunnels, up and down ramps, and over hurdles. But on Saturday, he wasn‘t quite in peak form at a dog agility demonstration in Kelowna, having problems in particular with the slalom-like portion of the course. 8/30/2010 9:52:22 AM

Pitt Meadows man charged with cruelty against pet Pekingese dog A Pitt Meadows man has been charged with animal cruelty after he allegedly abused his seven-month-old Pekingese, Bosco. A veterinarian alerted B.C. SPCA after a man brought in the dog to his clinic suffering from a broken hip and two fractured hind legs. 8/29/2010 7:29:45 AM

There are at least two bears on Bowen now Conservation officer Simon Gravel confirms that there are at least two bears on Bowen. One has an ear tag, the other doesn’t, and there were two bear sightings five minutes apart in different neighbourhoods. 8/29/2010 7:11:53 AM

Dog Whisperer unleashes his pack power in B.C. Cesar Millan, the hugely popular trainer on TV series The Dog Whisperer, is about to embark on a cross-Canada tour and is scheduled to appear in Richmond and Coquitlam Oct. 27 and 28, and in Victoria Oct. 26. Millan will give talks on how to "unleash your pack power." 8/28/2010 9:20:53 AM

Pet-sitting company left cats to die: owner A man who hired a St. John's company to care for his two cats while he was away says he got a nasty surprise when he returned home and found his pets missing. Iain Mcgaw believes the person he hired to drop by every second day to look after them is responsible for their death. 8/28/2010 8:40:08 AM

Missing cat makes move to B.C. in a mattress In spite of his formidable name, Augustus the cat has a touch of the Cowardly Lion about him — which probably explains why he vanished while his family was packing to move from Edmonton to their new home in Surrey, B.C., earlier this month. 8/27/2010 8:48:16 PM

Abandoned shepherd was infested with maggots Despite the searing summer heat and open sores covering a good portion of her emaciated body, "Lacy" staggered towards a group of firemen conducting a practice session along the west Ladner waterfront. "I know dogs well, and judging from her body language as she came up to us, she wanted us to help," says Capt. Dave Plenert. 8/27/2010 7:02:38 AM

The criminal baboons terrorising South Africa (Video) Whether it's the beautiful scenery, sea breezes or deep history, tourists flock to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa in droves. But now there is one visitor that the people of the Cape peninsula would rather live without. 8/26/2010 1:15:41 PM

Talk about star power — Walking with Dinosaurs has it The show Walking with Dinosaurs has returned to Vancouver for performances Thursday to Sunday at Rogers Centre. The show, with animatronic dinosaurs as tall as 12 metres, is a live version of a popular BBC TV series, and has been drawing huge crowds around the world for three years, and still going strong. 8/26/2010 11:18:50 AM

Bear Alert: 8 parks enough for bears "Since we initially posted bear warning signs last week on phase one and phase two of the Mission Creek Greenway and at Woodhaven Nature Conservancy, we‘ve had bear sightings and/or bear scat (droppings) at the four additional parks," Central Okanagan Regional District spokesman Bruce Smith said. 8/26/2010 7:52:12 AM

SPCA Fund raising golf tournament at Twin Lakes An SPCA supported golf tournament will be held at Twin Lakes Golf Resort on Sunday, October 3 for only $75 total, tax included. Each participant receives 18 holes, a shared power cart, a beer or pop etc., prizes as well as a 50/50 beer draw to support the SPCA program. 8/26/2010 6:52:46 AM

Dead pet policy cruel, Calgary woman says Pets that are run over and killed on city roads shouldn't be thrown in the dump, according to a Calgary woman who recently lost her cat. "Clearly this is somebody's companion and somebody's pet, and they should be treated differently than a squirrel or a pigeon and not disposed of like garbage." 8/25/2010 6:42:00 AM

56-year-old chimp gives birth at zoo in Kansas A 56-year-old chimpanzee has surprised officials at a zoo in northeast Kansas by giving birth. Officials at Sunset Zoo in Manhattan announced Monday that Suzie the chimp gave birth to a female on Aug. 18 and that the mother and baby are in good health. 8/24/2010 8:52:35 PM

Reptile experts get stray 'gator in Chicago River A second alligator has been captured from the waterway that winds through downtown Chicago. Children, parents and dog walkers gathered this week to catch a peek of the 3-foot-long reptile in the river on the city's North Side. 8/24/2010 8:51:20 PM

Woman who tossed cat in garbage bin has police protection A U.K. woman filmed throwing a cat into a garbage bin now has police officers stationed outside her house. Not to protect her from angry animal lovers baying for her blood on Facebook. But just to manage all the media who are standing there,” a Coventry Police spokesperson told the Star. 8/24/2010 6:02:31 PM

Tales of a little dog from a big-hearted man Flipping through James Murray’s website, one immediately wonders whether this storyteller isn’t prone to tall tales. With a picture of his beloved dog Duff in his arms, the veteran community newspaper reporter has posted a story—one last story—about the faithful companion he calls his friend. 8/24/2010 4:20:48 PM

Britain: Woman dumps cat in garbage bin (Video) The grey-haired woman, aged around 50, is filmed stroking tabby Lola on a wall outside a house on Brays Lane in Coventry Saturday. But she then suddenly grabs the four-year-old cat by the scruff of the neck before throwing it into a wheelie bin and slamming the lid closed. She then calmly walks away. 8/23/2010 7:07:18 PM

Trooper's first owner pleads guilty to animal abuse Trooper, an emaciated Golden Retriever that nearly died under the care of a cruel owner, got some justice today. The young dog’s previous owner, Michael Schneider of Maple Ridge, appeared in court Monday and pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and abandonment charges. 8/23/2010 4:00:00 PM

These animals have more Facebook friends than you I’ll admit I was late to the social networking party. Once I joined Facebook, though, I soon realized it was a wonderful way to reconnect with friends and find out which of the mean girls from high school had gotten really fat. One thing I didn’t count on, however, was that Facebook would return me to high school in other ways. 8/23/2010 11:51:05 AM

SeaWorld Blamed for Trainer’s Death Remember when a killer whale killed a SeaWorld trainer in February? Linda Simons, the former head of safety for SeaWorld, says that gross negligence led to the drowning. She also says she was fired for talking to federal investigators about the case, when Dawn Brancheau died. 8/23/2010 10:55:44 AM

Group wants to end setting dogs on chained bears A declawed, defanged bear is chained to a stake as hunting dogs bark and snap at it, trying to force the bear to stand on its hind legs so hunters can shoot it more easily. The practice called bear baying is only allowed in South Carolina. 8/23/2010 9:15:34 AM

Watch Out for Yellowstone Bears - They're Hungry Yellowstone's grizzlies are going to be particularly hungry this fall, and that means more dangerous meetings with humans in a year that is already the area's deadliest on record. Scientists report that a favorite food of many bears, nuts from whitebark pine cones, is scarce. 8/23/2010 6:22:23 AM

PR blitz claws away at cats’ negative image So that animosity doesn’t kill the cat, marketing efforts are afoot to rebrand felines as more glam than granny. Veterinarians, scholars, non-profit and animal-welfare organizations have joined forces for the initiative. 8/23/2010 6:21:16 AM

Australia: Man 'punches horse in head' in brawl A WILD melee in downtown Darwin ended with a police officer in hospital after a brawler allegedly attacked a horse, punching it in the head a number of times. Police have labelled it a "cowardly act" on members who were simply trying to keep everyone safe, the Sunday Terrorian reports. 8/22/2010 11:25:42 AM

Britain: Service held in memory of Kent's giant carp A special service has been held after the death of a giant fish. "Two Tone", a mirror carp thought to be one of the UK's biggest freshwater fish, died earlier this month. Two Tone, who weighed 67lb 14oz, was found floating on the surface of Conningbrook lake. 8/22/2010 9:40:21 AM

Loggers 'driving out Tasmanian devils' LOGGING is playing a role in driving the Tasmanian devil to extinction and urgent changes to forestry practices are needed, experts say. With about 80 per cent of devils wiped out by a communicable cancer, some members of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program are frustrated that clearing of key habitats continues. 8/21/2010 3:39:58 PM

Dog in Hot Car: Some people just don't get it! They are known as "hot dog" calls and they are all too common. Despite numerous warnings, some people are still leaving their dogs locked in cars parked in the blistering Okanagan sun. Kelowna SPCA branch manager Sabrina Fedorak saidthey get anywhere from one to as many as 10 per day. 8/21/2010 10:18:50 AM

Ailing BC woman faces eviction if she doesn’t get rid of her dog If it weren’t for her dog Oliver, Natasha Nicole doubts she would be alive today. “A dog is necessary for me. I have letters from my doctors from 10 years ago that for my mental health I require a pet,” Nicole said. “I have absolutely no one; a dog is my reason to go on.” 8/20/2010 6:51:41 AM

Orca-on-minke attack a whale of an experience Orcas are being sighted in increasing numbers off the coast of Newfoundland this month, and experienced whale watchers have been shocked on three occasions to see the carnivorous predators killing the local minke whales. 8/20/2010 6:35:56 AM

Pilots on alert for high-flying vulture Britain's air traffic controllers put pilots on alert this week after a vulture which can soar as high as 30,000 feet escaped from her handlers during a display. Gandalf, a Ruppell's Vulture with a 3-meter/10ft wingspan, has not been seen since she caught a warm thermal during a show at the World of Wings center on Tuesday. 8/19/2010 7:01:29 PM

Medicine Hat caps pet ownership The City of Medicine Hat voted Monday to limit the number of pets people are allowed to own. Under the new Responsible Animal Ownership bylaw, pet owners can have no more than three dogs and six cats as of May 1, 2011. Edmonton also limits pet ownership to three dogs and six cats. 8/19/2010 4:44:54 PM

Father braves angry bear to save daughter, 3 A Dutch man braved an angry bear to save his three-year-old daughter after the girl climbed a fence in a German zoo and tumbled into the animal's pen, police said Thursday. Both father and daughter needed to be hospitalized, but their wounds were not life-threatening. 8/19/2010 12:18:26 PM

Kelowna: Dog Catcher gets Gator ATV to pounce on pooches The dog-catcher has new wheels. Dog control officers are now using a Gator vehicle to help enforce dog bylaws in the Central Okanagan. They‘re scooting along the Mission Greenway and other Kelowna corridors and roads linking linear parks, looking for dogs that are unleashed or walking on forbidden trails. 8/19/2010 12:04:39 PM

Missing kangaroo causes a stir in Austria No kangaroos in Austria? Wrong! The search is on for a missing marsupial in the Alpine republic. Sumsi disappeared from a private zoo in the southern village of Preding about two months ago and is keeping locals busy by popping up and then quickly getting away again. 8/19/2010 7:04:44 AM

Alberta Dog survives arrow shot The owner of a dog that survived being shot with an arrow says she's sickened by the thought of someone trying to kill her pet. Amy Gill, who lives just outside Okotoks, Alta., said her four-year-old Great Pyrenees, Eddie, managed to escape his kennel and wander off. 8/18/2010 7:18:56 PM

Samantha the gorilla dies at Toronto Zoo To the world, Samantha was just another gorilla. To another gorilla, she was the world. Sure, Charles had other female gorillas to cavort with. But it was Samantha, his 37-year-old steady, he favoured. The oldest female Western Lowland gorilla with a “perpetual pout” died at the Toronto Zoo Monday morning. 8/18/2010 1:40:23 PM

Two men accused of running Ontario cockfighting ring The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has stopped an alleged cockfighting ring in southern Ontario. Justin Irvine and Scott Hamilton, both of Tecumseh, were charged Tuesday with owning or possessing equipment or structures used in animal fighting or training. 8/18/2010 11:08:42 AM

New Westminster: Abused cat put down A cat who was thought to be on the road to recovery after being dunked in a corrosive chemical had to be put down last weekend. The cat, Harley, leaves behind a traumatized eight-year-old boy and a crippling vet bill of nearly $18,000 — only half of which has been raised through fundraisers to aid the cat's owner, a single mother. 8/18/2010 6:23:33 AM

Crown drops charges against former Toronto Humane Society officials A spokesman for the Ontario SPCA reacted with anger, frustration and sadness at a news conference Monday afternoon, denouncing the Crown attorney's decision to withdraw charges against former Toronto Humane Society president Tim Trow and four others. 8/17/2010 7:20:07 AM

CDART right on bull‘s eye When a wildfire or landslide strikes and an evacuation order issued, RCMP and local fire departments are responsible for getting humans out of the area. Deborah Silk and her corps of trained volunteers receives permission from the RCMP to go into evacuated areas and get animals out. 8/17/2010 7:12:06 AM

'Sport of Kings' enjoys local revival The ball is thrown and play begins. With the crack of the wooden mallet, the ball is sent flying down the field with horses and riders thundering after it. Called the Sport of Kings, horse polo has been around for thousands of years. 8/17/2010 6:49:54 AM

Winfield girl's tribute to beloved pets wins SPCA Paws contest A 10-year-old Winfield girl’s artistic tribute to her beloved pets who passed away will be seen on 5,000 T-shirts across B.C. Jayden DePlonty’s picture of her cats Eemo and Punkin and her 17-year-old dog Sadie, adopted from the SPCA, was the winning entry in the Paws for a Cause T-shirt contest. 8/16/2010 7:33:24 AM

Black cats shunned at B.C. shelters If black cats make you wary on Friday the 13th, it seems you're not alone.
cats face some of the worst odds of all animals in shelters when it comes to finding permanent homes. Black cats and kittens take 15 to 20 per cent longer to find homes for than other cats. 8/15/2010 2:17:40 PM

Parks Canada teaches people to scare coyotes Parks Canada is teaching people how to frighten coyotes away, should they encounter any of the animals in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The education campaign was launched after a 16-year-old girl was bitten on the head by a coyote while sleeping outside a tent at the Broad Cove campground, near Ingonish. 8/15/2010 10:06:49 AM

Plastic jar removed from Fla. bear cub's head A black bear cub in Florida affectionately known as "jarhead" can finally enjoy a good meal. A clear plastic container was removed from the 6-month-old cub's head after being stuck for at least 10 days. The cub poked its head into the jar when digging through trash. 8/15/2010 7:50:49 AM

Pamela Anderson on why she’s done with bikinis and acting Pamela Anderson, as told to Melissa Leong, Weekend Post - "When I was little, I was always an activist. I used to roll nickels and quarters and pennies, whatever I had and give them to animal shelters. I did lemonade stands. My dad wasn’t really a big hunter but we lived off venison and moose meat." 8/14/2010 9:21:01 AM

Show off your wild side to the SPCA Don’t be shy, shutterbugs — you only have two weeks left to shoot the wildlife in your community. The deadline for the BC SPCA’s 2010 Wildlife-In-Focus photography contest is Aug. 31, which means backyard and amateur photographers only have just over two weeks to enter. 8/13/2010 6:24:18 PM

Punch in nose saves man from polar bear (Audio) A 67-year-old man says he survived a polar bear attack in Nunavut by punching the bear in the face, a tactic he learned from an Inuit elder. Wes Werbowy, a longtime wilderness consultant, said the close bear encounter came while he was camping, training three Inuit hunters to be eco-tour guides. 8/13/2010 5:28:07 PM

Orcas hunt minke whale off Newfoundland coast (Video) Tourists on a boat tour on the Newfoundland coast got the show of a lifetime Thursday afternoon when a pod of orcas attacked a minke whale. The area is the splashing ground of humpback and minke whales, dolphins and seabirds, but orca whales are rarely seen. 8/13/2010 5:22:53 PM

Jaguar Saved from Poachers Stars in Brazil Movie An endangered spotted jaguar rescued from poachers is one of the stars of a soon-to-released feature film shot in the Brazilian Amazon, officials said Thursday. The 15-month-old jungle cat named Catarina plays the mother of a lost cub found by two children in "Taina 3." 8/13/2010 10:04:01 AM

New monkey species found in Amazon A new Amazon monkey species has been discovered in Colombia, and researchers said Thursday they believe the small, isolated population is at risk due to the cutting of forests that are its home. The find was announced by Conservation International. 8/13/2010 8:42:24 AM

Learn the buzz on Okanagan bees Next time a bee is buzzing around your head you may want to think twice about giving it a swat. Not for the fact that you may aggravate it to the point where it sticks you with its stinger, but for the fact that they are essential for a healthy functioning ecosystem. 8/13/2010 6:58:55 AM

Kelowna RCMP investigate cat killings Kelowna RCMP continue to investigate several cat killings over the last few weeks. The first case was three weeks ago on Pheasant Street in Glenmore. The second happened a week later in Rutland. And the most recent was reported this week on Coronation Road in Glenmore. 8/13/2010 6:46:05 AM

Home needed for dog allegedly dragged behind truck by owner A Merritt-area man is facing animal cruelty charges. The female golden Lab, named April Rain, was allegedly dragged for three kilometres behind the vehicle, over pavement, speed bumps, cattle guards and along gravel road, according to Judanna Caros of Angel’s Animal Rescue. 8/11/2010 6:03:18 PM

Kelly Anne the legless cat wins Americans’ hearts and minds (Video) It appears to be cat day here. Not only do we have a four-eared cat from Russia, and a cat marinating in oil in the trunk of a car, we now have legless cat, a tale of nine lives full of hope and inspiration. Why doesn’t this cat have any legs? “She was chased up a tree by some dogs. She was electrocuted." 8/11/2010 1:18:55 PM

Police rescue marinating cat from car trunk Asked why he was planning to eat his cat, Navarro, Gary Korkuc reportedly told police it was because his pet had been “mean” to him. Police found Navarro inside Korkuc’s trunk during a traffic stop on Sunday night. They were drawn by the animal’s cries. 8/11/2010 5:53:56 AM

Orangutans show talent for mime (Video) Just like humans, orangutans will resort to mime to get their message across, scientists report. A team from Canada found the great apes would sometimes use elaborate gestures to explain what they meant. These animals had all previously been captive, but were now living free or partly free in the forests. 8/11/2010 5:34:28 AM

Traps set for coyote that bit Nova Scotia teen A coyote hunt is underway in Nova Scotia after a sleeping teenager was bitten at Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The 16-year-old girl was in a sleeping bag outside a tent when a coyote bit her twice in the back of the head early Monday. 8/10/2010 4:22:06 PM

Pets vital to human evolution Dogs, cats, cows and other domesticated animals played a key role in human evolution, according to a theory being published. The uniquely human habit of taking in and employing animals — even competitors like wolves — spurred on human tool-making and language. 8/10/2010 8:46:05 AM

Cat starts vacuum, fire services rush to scene A cat home alone in Germany apparently turned on the vacuum cleaner, frightened itself half to death and wound up being attended to by emergency services. Police said a neighbour heard the cat's cries -- not to mention a vacuum left running for hours -- and feared there'd been a terrible accident. 8/10/2010 5:47:29 AM

Vancouver Island animal shelter inundated with 43 chihuahuas A Victoria animal shelter is overflowing with chihuahuas after 43 of the tiny dogs were dropped off last week. "To take in 43 dogs in that time period is kind of crazy," Victoria SPCA general manager Penny Stone said Monday. "Thank goodness they were small." 8/9/2010 9:55:54 PM

Coyote attacks girl in N.S. national park A teenaged girl was attacked by a coyote while sleeping at a campground in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Highlands National Park early Monday, Parks Canada says. Cape Breton RCMP said a 911 call was received around 4:30 a.m. and was attended to by Parks Canada. 8/9/2010 9:28:46 PM

Fido's food could be making kids sick, report says Fido's food may be making kids sick, a government report warns, detailing the first known salmonella outbreak in humans, mostly young children, linked to pet food. The outbreak sickened 79 people in 21 mostly eastern states, between 2006 and 2008. Almost half of the victims were children aged 2 and younger. 8/9/2010 12:40:13 PM

Bif Naked wants cat and dog fur banned (Video) Vancouver rocker Bif Naked is throwing her support behind a federal bill to ban the sale and import of cat and dog fur in Canada. The singer says most Canadians are unaware that nearly two million cats and dogs are slaughtered for their fur each year and she's calling for its use to be immediately banned. 8/9/2010 12:34:00 PM

La. Turtle Farmers Say 35-Year-Old Ban is Unfair Since the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico began, volunteers have been working feverishly to save wildlife affected by oil - including sea turtles. But in Louisiana it's the turtle farmers who are fighting for survival - threatened not by oil but by federal regulations. 8/8/2010 2:51:53 PM

Shelf lives of bookstore cats There's nothing quite like spending time in a neighborhood bookstore. Walk the aisles, often comfortingly creaky from the footsteps of so many curious wanderers who have come before you, and your eyes are drawn across thousands of titles, inviting you to enter countless worlds, lives, experiences. 8/8/2010 1:44:56 PM

Calgary elephant gets 21 kg steel tusk caps It took several hours of work by a team of eight experts backed by a machinist and a welder — plus a 10-tonne hoist just in case — but the Calgary zoo's largest elephant has a new set of stainless steel tusk caps. 8/8/2010 6:27:03 AM

Australia: Evolution of kangaroos bound up with changes in our climate NOT all kangaroos hop, and past climate changes explain why, according to the first detailed analysis of modern and extinct skeletons. "Kangaroos are our quintessential animal group and it's interesting that their evolution over the last 25 million years or so is closely matched to the changing climate and environment," said paleontologist Gavin Prideaux. 8/7/2010 7:54:14 AM

Pets on holiday: flying luggage, pampered guests Airlines may charge a small fortune to transport animals in noisy cargo holds, but pets vacationing with their owners are finding that when they deplane, there's a room with a treat waiting. "It costs $200 one-way to transport your pet as checked baggage," said Travelocity. "On the other hand, there are plenty of hotels that are pet friendly" 8/7/2010 7:45:44 AM

Disabled puppy found in box needs new home (Video) A puppy found injured in a cardboard box on the side of the road in Essex, Ont., is back in good health and ready to be adopted. The young beagle, named Crooks, was found in the freezing cold on March 19. Crooks is also known as "UPS Puppy," because a UPS parcel delivery driver found him. 8/7/2010 6:36:52 AM

Ontario may be least dog-friendly province Dog owners who truly want what's best for their canine counterparts might want to steer clear of Ontario. Because most animal lovers like to believe they're giving their dog a good home, polling Canadians on which province is most dog-friendly can be difficult, said one national pollster. 8/6/2010 9:15:15 PM

75 rats per block overrun Halifax area More rats than ever are scurrying around the Halifax Regional Municipality this summer, scientists and exterminators say. Andrew Hebda, a zoologist at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, said there has been a lot of demolition and construction in peninsular Halifax, which can disrupt the rodents. 8/6/2010 6:48:31 AM

Cariboo: Safe from the fire storm The wildfires raging in the Cariboo are displacing more than just humans, they’re putting wildlife and domestic animal lives at risk as well. Although not able to come to the aid of wildlife, Quesnel’s emergency social services has a very active pet services department. 8/6/2010 6:10:51 AM

Boomer the lion all grown up Boomer, the lion cub found wandering in the bush near Maniwaki after escaping from a backyard in the town in April 2008, is all grown up and now has a female companion named Grésil at Quebec's Granby Zoo. Zoo officials say Boomer is now more than two years old and weighs more than 124 kilograms. 8/4/2010 7:53:03 AM

Russia's parasailing donkey to fly no more after being bought by UK newspaper A donkey sent parasailing over a southern Russian beach last month has been sent to Moscow after being bought by a British newspaper. The female donkey made headlines across the globe in July when a recreation company sent the braying animal up into the sky for a promotional stunt. 8/4/2010 6:31:44 AM

Court injunction halts UVic rabbit cull The University of Victoria has temporarily halted its cull of campus rabbits after receiving an injunction from the B.C. Supreme Court. The injunction was served by activist Roslyn Cassells, who had petitioned the court for time to get the proper permits for sanctuaries to hold some of the school's 1,400 feral rabbits. 8/4/2010 5:54:16 AM

Sammie the lost pony, 37 years old, found alive after 9 days The scrawny brown pony meandered in front of Cathy Brissie as she drove to work early one morning. Slowing her pickup on the country road, she saw an animal definitely down on its luck. Not until she’d dialed 911 and made a few more calls did Brissie learn she’d just found Sammie, a 37-year-old toothless pony. 8/3/2010 8:19:45 PM

Dog eats man's infected toe and everyone is happy Dogs that bite are not ordinarily lavished with praise, but Jerry Douthett's little dog Kiko is being hailed as a lifesaver. Kiko apparently sensed an infection festering in his master's right big toe -- and chewed most of it off after Douthett passed out in a drunken stupor. 8/3/2010 8:07:30 PM

Killer grizzly’s cubs settling into Montana zoo Three grizzly cubs removed after their mother mauled three campers appear to be warming up to their new home in a Montana zoo. ZooMontana director Jackie Worstell said the bears are skinny and still wearing their ragged winter coats, but they have calmed down since the shock of being captured and losing their mother. 8/3/2010 5:22:20 PM

Military dog comes home from Iraq traumatized Gina was a playful 2-year-old German shepherd when she went to Iraq as a highly trained bomb-sniffing dog, conducting door-to-door searches and witnessing all sorts of noisy explosions. She returned home cowering and fearful. When her handlers tried to take her into a building, she would stiffen her legs and resist. 8/3/2010 12:53:51 PM

Horses have a way with people Alley Kat is a super-sensitive palomino. When people approach her with bravado in their voice but fear written in their tight shoulders, shallow breaths and jittery legs, Alley Kat bolts. She can read the smallest incongruous body language that tells her to be wary. 8/2/2010 6:19:11 PM

Blinkers blamed for horse's fatal spill Authorities say the horse that died at the Hastings Racecourse on Saturday after crashing into the winners circle was blinded by her blinkers. Online video shows the horse, named Private Mambo, clipping her heels after leaving the gate during the sixth race and sending her jockey into the dirt. 8/2/2010 6:52:09 AM

Pit bull put down after injuring owner and guest at small party A pit bull dog is dead and two people are injured after a weekend incident at a small house party in Surrey. “The pitbull apparently, to the best of my knowledge, was not used to gatherings and got a little overwrought,” explained Surrey RCMP Staff Sgt. Bruce Anderson. 8/2/2010 6:19:16 AM

Dog Training and the Myth of Alpha-Male Dominance Dogs are descended from wolves. Wolves live in hierarchical packs in which the aggressive alpha male rules over everyone else. Therefore, humans need to dominate their pet dogs to get them to behave. This logic has dominated the canine-rearing conversation for more than five years, thanks mostly to Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan. 8/1/2010 4:12:02 PM

Paintball course attracts unwanted guests: bears A newly opened paintball course in Montana had to shut down after odor from disintegrated paintballs was luring possibly dangerous guests: bears. A wildlife official says that some bears were even eating unexploded paintballs. 8/1/2010 10:19:06 AM

Doe-eyed and dangerous: deer attacks spike in B.C. It began with the daylight mauling of a dog and has grown to include the bludgeoning of a newspaper carrier and the last-minute escape of a woman and her terrified canine from a charging red-eyed doe. 8/1/2010 7:26:12 AM

University of Victoria served with rabbit cull injunction The University of Victoria was served with a temporary injunction issued yesterday by the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver which will prohibit the trapping and killing of rabbits. Roslyn Cassells went to court seeking time to process permits required to relocate many of the 1,400 rabbits overrunning the campus. 8/1/2010 2:33:09 AM

Aww! Your next pet could be a ‘potcake pup’ Elizabeth Sunshine was rushing to the airport in Newark, N.J. She had a date to meet her new baby in person for the very first time, and she was running late. The baby’s couriers — a friendly couple from Connecticut — waited patiently, and when Sunshine arrived they handed her a small, squirmy, squishy black puppy named Wilma. 7/31/2010 7:11:43 AM

Zedonk! (It's A Donkey-Zebra Hybrid Baby) A zedonk, an unusual cross between a donkey and a zebra, is attracting attention at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in north Georgia after being born there about a week ago. The animal, which has a zebra father and donkey mother, has black stripes prominently displayed on her legs and face. 7/30/2010 4:01:31 PM

4th Bear caught after deadly attack targeting Campers The fourth grizzly bear believed involved in a triple mauling at a Montana campground has been captured. DNA tests could confirm the family of grizzlies killed a Michigan man and injured two other people. Authorities said the bear family, under the tutelage of the mother, specifically targeted campers. 7/30/2010 1:36:03 PM

B.C. looking at new laws to ensure 'Fair Chase' on hunts Amidst public outrage over a trophy wolf hunt that involved bait and a high-powered snowmobile, Environment Minister Barry Penner said Wednesday he has instructed his staff to consider new regulations that would ensure a fair chase in the B.C. wilderness. 7/29/2010 8:46:42 PM

Nova Scotia family discovers 3-metre shark on beach (Video) For the Chandler family in Nova Scotia, the discovery of a 3-metre blue shark on the shore of the same waters they swim in was quite the shock. "I thought maybe if I went to an aquarium or something, but I never thought in my own cove I'd see a shark wash up on the beach," Allison Chandler, 12, said. 7/29/2010 3:51:58 PM

Officials nab grizzly that attacked Ontario woman On Wednesday morning, Deb Freele woke up suddenly when she felt something enter the tent she was sharing with her husband in a Wyoming campground. A grizzly bear had broken into her tent, and was moments from attacking her. "I opened my eyes, I hadn't moved and then I felt the bear crunch down on my arm," Freele told CTV News. 7/29/2010 1:05:38 PM

Anthrax outbreak kills 82 Ugandan hippos Ugandan officials say an anthrax outbreak has killed 82 hippos in the last month and a half. National anthrax task force spokesman Nicholas Kauta says the outbreak began in Queen Elizabeth National Park in June and has also killed nine buffalo. 7/29/2010 5:30:34 AM

Americans used snowmobiles to chase B.C. wolves for hunt When it comes to hunting, Environment Minister Barry Penner says B.C. is home to the “fair chase.” But the use of bait and high-powered snowmobiles to target a wolf pack during a guided trophy hunt on an ice-covered lake in northern B.C. is raising questions about that assertion. 7/28/2010 6:48:20 AM

Spain: Catalonia bans bullfighting in landmark Spain vote The parliament of Catalonia has voted to ban bullfighting - the first region of mainland Spain to do so. The vote took place as the result of a petition brought to parliament, signed by 180,000 people who say the practice is barbaric and outdated. 7/28/2010 6:14:45 AM

Dogs 'mimic movements of owners' Dogs "automatically imitate" the body movements of their owners, according to a study. This automatic imitation is a crucial part of social learning in humans. But Austrian researchers report that the phenomenon is evident in many other animals. 7/28/2010 6:12:48 AM

Canadian priest sorry for giving dog Holy Communion A priest in Canada has apologised after giving Holy Communion to a dog. Reverend Marguerite Rea of St Peter's Anglican Church, in Toronto, received complaints from Christians all over Canada after she fed communion bread to a German Shepherd cross named Trapper. 7/27/2010 3:55:32 PM

Dog owners beg for park access Two hundred dog owners marched in a pooch protest Sunday to demand more on-leash parks. The canine convoy of 117 hounds paraded along Abbott Street from Strathcona Park to Kinsmen Park to show their displeasure with the limited supply of green space near downtown. 7/27/2010 10:03:39 AM

Australia: Dog saves owner from rape at knifepoint A woman in Melbourne, Australia, who was hit, dragged and threatened with a knife by a man who tried to rape her, was only saved when her dog fought him off. The 29-year-old woman was walking alone with her dog in a park at about 10pm when the attack took place. 7/26/2010 7:42:13 PM

Man pleas guilty after dog's penis mutilated A man who put a condom on his dog's penis and tied it tight says he wasn't trying to torture his pet — he was trying to stop it from urinating in his apartment. Anjalo Abeywickrema, 51, pleaded guilty in court on Monday to one count under the Criminal Code of causing unnecessary pain, injury or suffering to an animal. 7/26/2010 6:28:39 PM

Vernon: Court dispute threatens Canada's oldest horse track (Video) Horse racing enthusiasts crowded into the bleachers at Vernon's Kin Racetrack on Sunday to watch what may, pending the outcome of a brewing legal battle, be the venue's final race. The City of Vernon and the North Okanagan Regional District have been trying to replace the track with sports fields for years. 7/26/2010 9:11:31 AM

Chase: Rancher 'flabbergasted' as his 30 horses saved A B.C. rancher whose 30 horses were saved from the slaughterhouse over the weekend said he is “flabbergasted” by the support he has received. Lee Oakford, of T-Bar Ranch in Chase, lost his farm due to financial difficulty. Unable to sell them, Oakford feared they’d be destined for a trip to the meat factory by Monday’s deadline. 7/26/2010 7:31:21 AM

Dog's rescue after several weeks in North Shore woods an inspiring tale The North Shore News ran a miracle dog story Sunday. Under the headline Dog Beat Odds to Survive, reporter Lara Howsam chronicled the heart-warming story of Honey, an 11-year-old dachshund with a heart condition, being returned to its owners after surviving almost four weeks in the woods. 7/26/2010 7:25:45 AM

B.C. horses destined for meat market snapped up by saviour-buyers A herd of thoroughbred horses in the B.C. Interior destined for the slaughterhouse because their owner could no longer afford to keep them are being snapped up by buyers in a last-minute campaign to find homes for them. Lee Oakford of T-Bar Ranch in Chase is losing his farm and felt he had no choice. 7/25/2010 10:50:11 AM

SPCA seizes starving dogs in Duncan Shocked B.C. SPCA officials are trying to figure out why the owner of a young Labrador-cross starved the dog and her eight puppies and left them covered with maggots under bushes on a rural Duncan property. The adult dog, named Dawn, and one surviving puppy out of eight are fighting for their lives. 7/25/2010 6:22:56 AM

Pet Health Insurance: Will Your Pet's Illness Make You Broke? California may be the first state in the nation to shine a light on the pet health insurance industry. As many dog and cat owners know, vet bills can be crippling. Yet only about one percent of Americans have health insurance for their animals. Even those with health insurance may be shocked. 7/24/2010 7:25:37 PM

Up to 3,000 coyotes now live in Metro Vancouver British Columbians and their pets have experienced all manner of dangerous run-ins with wildlife in recent weeks, from bear, coyote and cougar attacks to rampaging deer. One reason for the surge in encounters is that wildlife species in and around the Lower Mainland -- and throughout B.C. -- are thriving. 7/24/2010 6:47:35 PM

Bear gets stuck in car, goes on brief joy ride (Video) If you think you've heard it all, follow this tale of a hungry black bear who went for a ride, literally. Douglas County, Colorado, Sheriff's deputies early Friday got a call about a honking car and a commotion inside. Perhaps it was teenagers or a thief, they thought as they approached Ralph Story's Toyota. 7/24/2010 1:03:03 PM

Chase: Meat market looms for B.C. horses A herd of thoroughbred horses in the B.C. Interior might be headed to the slaughterhouse Monday because their owner cannot afford to keep them. Lee Oakford of T-Bar Ranch in Chase is losing his farm and has no choice but to sell his 30 horses for meatfor $500 a head, supporters say. 7/24/2010 5:13:41 AM

Finding beach space for dogs Do you build a water park for dogs in the middle of a dessert? It’s a topic Kelowna city council plans to address Monday as they prepare to weigh whether city staff should investigate whether a water park for dogs might resolve to the ongoing fido vs. the people debate on local beaches. 7/24/2010 5:03:10 AM

Colorado bear toots horn, takes car on short joyride A Colorado teen said a bear got into his empty car, honked the horn and sent it rolling into a thicket with the bear inside. Ben Story said he and his family were asleep in their Larkspur home, 30 miles south of Denver, during the joyride early Friday. 7/23/2010 2:03:22 PM

Special device keeps Neo the dog on the walking trail When a friend needs help, you pull out all the stops. And that is exactly what Laura Legere is doing for her dog, Neo. The 11-year-old black lab and Chesepeake Bay retriever mix and his best friend are often seen on their frequent walks in Dartmouth< Nova Scotia. 7/23/2010 12:43:05 PM

Swimming kitty proves she’s no fraidy cat Swimming has helped one lucky kitty walk again after being paralyzed. Nazzaning, a 6-year-old Turkish Van, was injured in June and was unable to move her left side. Her owner, Florence Rostami, took her to the hospital, initially believing she had broken her paw. 7/22/2010 11:13:38 PM