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Meaty meals and play stop cats killing wildlife, study finds

Damian Carrington

February 11, 2021 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom

Pet cats kill about 100 million animals a year in the United Kingdom, so to discourage the behavior, and protect mice, rabbits, and birds, scientists conducted an experiment with over 300 household cats. They found that feeding the felines meaty food and engaging in play that simulates hunting reduced the amount of wildlife they killed. And about three-quarters of owners who participated in the study said they would continue to play with their pets after it ended.

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The train carriage for stray pets

Elizaveta Vereykina

January 01, 2021 |

BBC |

Video |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: Russia, Moscow

An initiative on the Moscow metro system has posters on the train featuring cats and dogs that are looking for a home. Known as the “Tails and Paws” train, these animals come from 13 animal shelters in the city and riders can use their phone to scan the poster to learn more about the animals up for adoption. “It’s about forming a new culture of responsible attitude to animals,” says one of the workers at a shelter.

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Police Use Painful Dog Bites To Make People Obey

Abbie Vansickle Challen Stephens

December 14, 2020 |

The Marshall Project |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington

Police often use dogs as a form of "pain compliance," non-lethal tactics that get a criminal suspect under control without having to resort to potentially lethal means. But this use of dogs can inflict pain and injury far out of proportion to the threat posed, even to the point that the detained person cannot comply with officers' demands. A lack of national standards or consensus about how to use dogs responsibly and safely, and the existence of many other tools and tactics that can be used instead, make the existence of hundreds of dog-bite cases a study in a failed de-escalation strategy.

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There are worse viruses than Covid-19 out there. How do we avoid the next big one?

Debora MacKenzie

December 08, 2020 |

Ensia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: China

Public health experts are strategizing for how to combat the next pandemic by learning from what failed to prevent the most recent coronavirus pandemic. From increasing surveillance of viruses to using diagnostic technologies to "screen for novel infections more systematically," there are a series of protocols that countries failed to utilize that can be enacted now as a preventative measure.

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Behind prison walls, cats and inmates rehabilitate each other through animal care program

Jordan Erb

October 19, 2020 |

IndyStar (The Indianapolis Star) |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Pendleton, Indiana

In Indiana's maximum-security Pendleton Correctional Facility, the FORWARD program (Felines and Offenders Rehabilitation With Affection, Reformation and Dedication) puts incarcerated men in charge of caring for cats rescued from abuse or the streets while the cats await adoption. The men learn job skills and can feel empathy for a dependent animal, which research has shown can improve behavior both inside prison and afterward. The caregivers say their job gives them purpose and greater self-esteem. About 20 have been hired after prison by Indiana's Animal Protection League, which helps run the program.

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Americans are starting to give up their pets because of COVID-19 hardships

Jen Reeder

October 02, 2020 |

NBC News |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

As the coronavirus pandemic takes a toll on the U.S. economy, some people are struggling to afford the cost of care for their pets, so a network of animal services leaders have joined together to transform the role that animal shelters play during the crisis. From providing food pantries and free veterinary care to housing animals whose owners have been hospitalized, the network of leaders are turning shelters into "pet support centers and resource centers" rather than intake centers.

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Can an Army of Feral Cats Solve New York City's Rat Problem?

Brendan Crowley

August 14, 2020 |

InsideHook |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

New York's Hard Hat Cats turns feral cats into working animals, deploying teams in outdoor spaces and indoor workplaces with rat infestations. Breweries, a prison, and other buildings have seen their rat populations plummet once cats are welcomed and cared for. The feral cats come from colonies of rehabilitated animals who have been trapped and neutered. The colonies prove less annoying to people once they are fed. Despite a lack of help from city officials, the working cats have earned their keep by addressing a problem that New Yorkers often complain about.

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How do you (safely) catch a falling bear?

Hannah Weinberger

July 07, 2020 |

Crosscut |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington

After a failed removal attempt of a bear cub from a tree, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for North Puget Sound decided they needed a new high-strength tarp. With a reported increase in the number of wildlife sightings, the one net they had in stock for the six-county region wasn’t always easy to deploy. So they secured funding for a tailor-made catch net that could be used for both cougar and bear removals.

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Meet the people sharing their homes with injured and orphaned wildlife

Aislinn Sarnacki

June 18, 2020 |

Bangor Daily News |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Maine

For some Mainers, in their spare time, they treat and care for wild animals and return them to the wild. These small-scale wildlife rehabilitators care for animals like flying squirrels and black bears by opening up their homes and wallets for these creatures. Rachel Ann Parsons of R&R Wildlife Rehabilitation cares for more than 80 wild animals annually in her home. While their services are often in high-demand during spring and summer months, these licensed professionals provide a public service for those who find a wild animal in need.

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The latest shortage? Dogs and cats, as folks foster and adopt pets during quarantine

Chris Erskine

April 02, 2020 |

Los Angeles Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

To manage isolation and the lockdown provisions during the coronavirus, many people are turning to fostering or adopting a new pet. Rescue organizations are implementing social distancing protocols for these adoptions and transfers, as cats, dogs, and rabbits make their way to their new homes to comfort individuals and families during the pandemic.

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