Innehållsförteckning för November/December 2019 från All Creatures

LATELY I’VE BEEN THINKING about an arctic fox’s epic journey from Norway to Canada across 2,175 miles of mostly open sea ice in just 76 days. Researchers in Norway were tracking the young female to better understand her local migration patterns. Boy, were they surprised when she ended up in Canada! The scientists surmise that the little fox was seeking a better breeding habitat due to changes in the climate back in Norway. I was struck by the vixen’s courage to undertake such a perilous quest for the sake of her future young. Nature is replete with examples of animals demonstrating astounding bravery. Well known is Balto, the Alaskan sled dog, who in 1925 battled the elements to bring lifesaving serum to Nome, which was in the throes of a…

Chances are, if the face of an adorable dog on a book cover or a movie poster has made you smile, W. Bruce Cameron is the man to thank. His best-selling books and three hit movies—including the latest, A Dog’s Journey—portray the dog–human bond with humor and poignancy. The prolific author, producer and screenwriter gives new meaning to the term dog lover: His marriage, career, life philosophy and technique for getting to know the neighbors all center around a passion for pups. When and how did you become a dog lover? I was eight years old, around the age when Burke meets Cooper in A Dog’s Promise. My father opened the backyard gate one day and in bounded a Labrador puppy. I don’t remember meeting any dogs before then. We…

I already had four dogs. But I couldn’t resist the adorable furry face in my Facebook feed—a chocolate teacup poodle who’d been liberated from a puppy mill down South. I contacted the Maine-based rescue agency that had posted her photo and said I was interested in giving her a loving home. I was honest about my concerns, though. Would she and my other dogs get along? What if the puppy mill had left her so traumatized that she needed an owner’s undivided attention? The rescue coordinator told me not to worry. The poodle would be among a group of dogs they were taking to Maine the week before Thanksgiving. After she spent the state-required three days with a foster family, I could go meet her and introduce her to my…

› The Space Between With short bodies and tiny ears covered with dense fur, lemmings survive frigid climates by living in the space between the frozen ground and the snow, building elaborate tunnels in which their communities thrive. › Woolly Warmth Beneath its long outer coat, the musk ox has a layer of dense underwool, called a qiviut, which grows during the winter months to protect against the chill of the Arctic wind. › Hardheaded A layer of blubber that's almost 20 inches thick helps bowhead whales stay warm in icy water. They also have dense skulls, which allow them to break through up to eight inches of sea ice. › A Long Tail Snow leopards use their long tails for balance and wrap them around their bodies for warmth…

Most people would not be thrilled to spot a cockroach in their home—or anywhere, really. But 12-year-old Shelby Counterman has thousands of them in her bedroom. And that’s just the way she likes it. When Shelby was only 18 months old, her mom, Meg, took her to the conservation district near their home in Claremore, Oklahoma. “Shelby spotted the tank of roaches, and she just lit up with excitement,” Meg says. Around the same time, little Shelby received a diagnosis of neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves. Her leg became so bowed that she had to wear a brace. Everyday life became challenging, and as Shelby grew, Meg could see how her daughter’s condition frustrated her, despite her happy disposition. But on Shelby’s third birthday,…

THE HOLIDAYS ARE a busy time of year: shopping, cooking, traveling. But the spirit of the season is really about being together and giving to those in need. What better way to show that spirit than to welcome a shelter dog into your home? For the second consecutive year, people in Columbus, Ohio, will have the opportunity to do just that. When Kaye Persinger, director of the Franklin County Dog Shelter, spearheaded the Holiday Sleepover campaign in 2018, she and her staff were seeking more than just a way to get the word out about adoptable animals. The holidays are a slow season for pet adoption, and they wanted the dogs to receive enrichment, companionship and comfort in a home setting, even if it was temporary. Still, Persinger was shocked…

I WAS WORRIED about my black-and-white paint horse, Storm. Two weeks earlier her pasture mate, Lightning, had to be put down after breaking his leg. Since then, Storm hadn’t been herself. She wasn’t eating well and didn’t want to run or socialize like she used to. She just stood listlessly in the pasture. Storm had lost her friend of 13 years. She was heartbroken. I understood. I was devastated too. I’ve loved horses all my life and losing one of them was like losing a piece of myself. I set out to find Storm a new companion. Money was tight so buying a horse wasn’t an option. I considered adopting from a rescue or possibly taking in an abused horse. I looked at a number of adoptable horses online but…

I took a walk in the autumn air with my golden retriever Ernest and a military veteran friend. Ernest is a certified therapy dog and was there to provide affection to this veteran, who was missing his late dog. People stopped us: “Can I pet him?” “Where’s his vest?” “Can he go into the grocery store with you?” We often get these questions, as there’s a lot of confusion about the difference between therapy dogs, service dogs and emotional support dogs. Here are the facts. SERVICE DOGS 1. A service dog is trained to perform a task to help a person with a medical condition or disability. Examples are guide dogs for the blind, mobility dogs and diabetic alert dogs. 2. Tasks that service dogs may perform include pulling wheelchairs,…

› Bovine Buddies You’ve heard of animal therapy with dogs, cats, horses, birds…but cows? On farms in the U.S., the Netherlands and other countries, cow cuddling (koe knuffelen in Dutch) is helping people feel better. Not every cow is suited to the job, but many have calm personalities that invite a warm embrace. Some even lie down, allowing folks to get closer. A farmer, a therapist or a handler shows visitors how to approach and greet the cows and oversees the session to ensure it’s a safe interaction. › Canine Conservationists In 2017 the worst wildfires in Chile’s history destroyed 1.4 million acres of forestland in the central Maule Region. Three border collies named Das, Olivia and Summer trotted in to help. Wearing special backpacks filled with native seeds, the…

Q My cat licks the sap and nibbles on the needles of my Christmas tree. I also love lighting scented candles during the holiday season but worry about her inhaling the scent. Is she in danger? —Katie T., Denver, Colorado A Christmas trees are usually spruce, pine or Douglas fir. The sap of these trees is mildly toxic to pets and may cause drooling (because of the unpleasant taste) or even vomiting if ingested in sufficient quantity. Ssscat could be a successful deterrent. Perhaps a new cat tree or bed will distract her from the Christmas tree. But if your feline refuses to keep her distance, you may want to consider an artificial tree. Your instinct about scented candles is spot on. Most commercial-grade scented candles are made from paraffin…

THE SMALL WAITING ROOM at the veterinarian’s office was crowded with animals and their humans, including me and my two big dogs, Roscoe and Chaucer. They were going to get their nails clipped. The woman next to me held a schnauzer on her lap. “Routine shots,” she said. A balding man with a beard stroked his black mitten-foot cat. “Infected chigger bites,” he said. One woman was silent, gently patting the top of a small animal crate, her foot swinging nervously. Finally, the balding man asked, “Is it a cat in there?” “Yes, she’s having kittens,” the woman answered. “She’s had two, but the third one won’t come. She’s been in labor all night. She was a stray. She arrived on my doorstep one night, pregnant. I named her Buffy.…

Thud…thud…thud. Then one un earthly yowl after another. My eyes snapped open. It was the middle of night, but I was wide awake now. So was my husband, Lou. Wordlessly, we leapt out of bed to investigate. At the foot of the stairs was a dark, familiar shape. Our son, whom I’m calling Sam to protect his privacy. I turned on the hall light. He had a pile of bags with him, and in his arms was the ugliest cat I had ever seen. Like Sam, she was scraggly and gaunt, with a lost look in her eyes. She shrieked at my two cats, Baby Cat and Soda, who responded in kind. Sam gave us a curt hello before shutting himself and his frightened cat in the guest bedroom I’d…