IPIP Blog

Taylor Swifts music video for Story of Us tells the tale of an uncomfortable run-in with an ex, but in reality the singer and her crew found themselves in the middle of a downright scary situation of their own.

According to MTV, Swift was shooting scenes for the video at Vanderbilt University, located near her home in Nashville, Tenn. But filming was interrupted due to a weather emergency — something people in the Midwest and South unfortunately know all about.

There were a few complications. This was actually when a bunch of tornadoes were hitting Nashville, Swift said about filming the video. We had to hide. All of us, we had to hide in a room where there were no windows, so that was a little bit crazy.

The recent tornado tragedies across many states hit close to home for Swift, who took the stage last weekend for a benefit concert. According to E! Online, the singer turned what was technically the final dress rehearsal for her Speak Now tour in Nashville into an event to help those affected by the recent tornado devastation in the South.

HELENA, Mont. — There have been a half-dozen encounters between grizzly bears and humans reported in Montana this month alone, a number experts attribute to a growing bear population stuck in the low country because of the deep snowpack.

Most of those encounters didnt turn out well for the bears. Four times, the grizzlies were shot and killed.

Grizzly bears are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, but their numbers have been growing in recent years, increasing the chance for encounters with humans, said Chris Servheen, the grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

In addition, heavy snowfall this winter has taken longer to melt in cool spring weather.

You have more bears, and then you have these high snow levels so the bears cant be in the mountains where they want to be, Servheen said.

Authorities were investigating the death of a grizzly sow shot near East Glacier sometime between May 7 and 12, after a nearby landowner complained that an adult bear and two cubs had killed a calf. Federal officials received a warrant to search the landowners home for the .22-caliber weapon that may have killed the bear, though no charges have been filed.

Soon after that carcass was discovered, a Ronan-area landowner shot and killed a female grizzly bear on May 14 that had been killing chickens. Wildlife officials with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes said the shooting was justifiable and that no charges would be filed.

That same weekend, an antler hunter shot and killed a sow grizzly in the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area. State officials determined that also was justifiable self-defense.

And on May 10, a Fairfield-area rancher shot and killed a grizzly bear that was killing sheep in a pen near his Sun River home.

In the two nonfatal encounters, two hikers were mauled by a bear in the Gallatin National Forest when they came across a young grizzly bear and a sow chasing an elk. The 36-year-old woman tried to climb a tree when the sow bit her in the leg. The man was bitten in the forearm when he tried to fight off the bear.

Neither injury was life threatening.

On May 20, Salish and Kootenai tribal officials trapped and relocated a grizzly bear that had killed a chicken earlier east of Ronan.

Tribal officials said four grizzlies have been killed and six relocated from the Flathead Indian Reservation due to unprotected chicken coops or livestock.

Servheen said he didnt consider the number of encounters to be unusual, but said it served as a good reminder for people to be bear-aware and make noise and carry pepper spray while hiking.

Coyotes are not new to Brookline. But according to one resident, their increasing fearlessness of people is a fresh twist that is causing some to fear for the safety of pets and small children.

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Allegra Loux, a mother who lives on Westbourne Terrace, says she has seen a notable shift in coyote activity in recent months.

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It used to be, even when pulling in with the car, youd see them and theyd just trot away immediately, says Loux, but they dont do that anymore. Theyll just like, stay, now. Youll be clapping and yelling and stuff, and they just kind of hang there like, whats up?…heyre very accustomed to be there. Theyre turning into, like pigeons.

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Louxs home and backyard are currently under construction, and she has taken photos of coyote pawprints left in the mud after a rain.

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Its very frightening because I have little kids, says Loux. People say [coyotes are] afraid of people; theyre not afraid of people. Come check out the coyotes and then tell me theyre afraid of [people]. Its easy for people to say that they read stuff, but when youre actually here, and the coyote is in front of you, and its walking toward you, tell me the coyote is afraid of you. 

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Loux also recounts the story of her son coming home from a movie, and seeing a coyote in the yard. She says he is now afraid to enter the yard, and has her check the area before he will go out. It sounds a little like looking for a monster under the bed, except this ones real, she says.

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Loux isnt the only one concerned. This thing comes under the heading of, are you kidding me?, comments Mark Castel of 322 Mason Terrace. Coyotes have no place in an urban area, they are varmints that are hunted for sport in most locations. Coyotes can be dangerous to small pets and children and should be dispatched.

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Castel has two chocolate labs who go into his yard through a dog door to chase coyotes away from his property.

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But not everyone agrees that coyotes who live nearby should be dispatched. A spirited discussion with views from both sides has been underway in the comment section of a Brookline Patch story published in January.

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Coyotes are intelligent canines which are sometimes mistaken for German Shepherds or other large-breed dogs. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) says that they are opportunistic feeders, and will eat whatever is available: berries, garbage, rodents, and sometimes small pets.

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State Representative Frank Smizik of Brookline stressed that the coyote is a protected animal. In some parts of the state, there is a season in which coyotes can be hunted, but Brookline is not one of them.

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In fact, MassWildlifes website notes, Coyotes are a legally protected furbearer and game animal. Therefore, there are statutory laws and regulations dictating how and when a coyote can be removed. A coyote may not be removed simply because of its presence in an area, there must be damage or a threat to human safety by a specific animal.

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Brookline Town Meeting Member Evelyn Roll first became concerned about the presence of local coyotes after watching a Nightline report on coyote activity. The report aired on Feb 15; two days later she emailed her neighborhood.

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Although I have heard from the police and others that these animals will not harm humans, recent sightings of coyotes in our backyards, with a possible killing of a pet cat, have led me to look into the possibility of changing the present laws that state we cannot disturb the coyote, trap or kill them unless they are acting strangely, Rolls email said.

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Eeven further back, in an informal poll last year, Brookline Town Meeting Member John Bassett asked 150 members of the Brookline Neighborhood Alliance for reports of coyotes. In one week, he says there were 38 reports of sightings, 20 sightings in the three months preceding the poll, and seven reports of pets, six cats and a chicken, killed. He did not verify the reports, but all of the reporting neighbors were sure it was coyotes. 

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So coyotes are nothing new; theyve become part of the urban landscape in Chicago and other major cities. Prior to living in Brookline, Bernadine Tsung-Megason lived in an urban part of Los Angeles where neighbors ran into coyotes from time to time.

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You would see posters these of missing cats, and right above it, coyote sightings in the neighborhood. So, what would happen is that when people started putting up signs, and people would bring their animals in[side]. The coyotes, I think they really do go to where their food source is, so theyd go to the next neighborhood, explained Tsung-Megason.

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She did lose a pet cat to the coyotes. While living in LA, she participated in a foster cat program, taking in otherwise homeless cats temporarily. One of the cats she was caring for at the time broke a window screen, letting her own cat escape. Tsung-Megason, a mother and pet owner, now keeps foster dogs at her home on York Terrace.  

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Representative Smizik added, If I had a child who wanted to go out in the backyard and play, I would be uncomfortable. Its a hard problem, and there is no easy solution.

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The MassWildlife Web page on coyotes lists three different ways to handle coyote presence in your neighborhood: 

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• Tolerance

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• Animal husbandry and fencing

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• Removal

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The first two refer to methods of removing incentives or preventing coyotes from entering your yard. Physically moving the coyotes, on the other hand, is described as illegal and ineffective.

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The Web page does note that, If you cannot tolerate a coyote living in your area, the only solution is to have it lethally removed.

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That is a solution which some neighbors are endorsing. Several of the concerned neighbors who spoke to Patch share a similar sentiment: something should be done before a coyote attack happens. Neighbors have expressed concern about coyote attacks, despite assertions from police that attacks are very rare. 

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According to a Smithsonian.com article about coyotes in cities, in the US there have been only about 160 recorded attacks by coyotes on humans in the past 30 years. Compare that to 36 shark attacks in 2010 alone, according to the International Shark Attack File, or an estimated 4.5 million dog bites per year, nationwide according to an article on dog bite prevention from the Centers for Disease Control. Mass Audabon Society also notes that there has only been a single human attacked on the East Coast, in 1998. 

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That said, neighbors are still worried about the presence of these canines in their back yards. 

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I would support removal before something bad happens to someones pets or kids, commented Daniel Glazer of Mason Terrace.

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Glazer also noted that he is an outdoorsy person and that nature conservation is important to me.

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Its hard to explain until youve actually lived it. Loux agreed, I want the coyotes gone. I want them to take them out. I want the coyotes removed, I dont care how they do it, but I would like them gone. Id like let my to kids out, and not have to be checking for coyotes every second.

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There are neighbors who oppose the lethal removal of coyotes. They say the lethal option should be a last resort, instead of a preventative measure.

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If you brought in all of your cats and dogs, and your children, and it didnt go away and it started getting aggressive, then of course you have to protect the neighborhood. Tsung-Megason explained, I just think its not productive to say I want to leave all of my animals outside, and I expect the coyote not to come into my yard. You cant reason with it.

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However, with the coyotes protected status, there is a legal roadblock to any action being taken. 

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Brookline Town Meeting Member Evelyn Roll also said, to Patch, I would love to do something about it, but our hands are tied until they change the regulations.

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Regulations that could prove a challenging to change. State Rep. Smizik pointed out that over 6000 bills are written each year, but only a few hundred pass. He said its also likely that there would be opposition to the bill.

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Said Smizik, What can I do? I can write a law, [but] it would have to get passed. It doesnt solve the problem in the short-term.

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He added that people should stay on the police, and Mass Department of Fish and Wildlife. Brookline has an Animal Control Officer, Pierre Verrier, whose can be reached at (617) 730-2730. Track the movement of coyotes and contact Police as soon as someone spots aggressive behavior. There are also a number of ways that you can try to co-exist with coyotes.

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It takes us doing what we can to fix our problems. Its easy enough, I think, to keep an eye on your children, keep an eye on the cats or small dogs. Thats a simpler solution than trying to change the federal law or the state law-which might impact things that you dont want impacting, Tsung-Megason added.

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The issue is one with no clear solution. As the comment thread for Help Patch Track the Coyotes of Brookline shows, it has the potential to divide neighbors. However, until the laws are changed, the only solution seems to be vigilance.

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Brooklne Patch will stay on the topic and find some ways to better protect your home, and your family (four-legged members included) from coyotes. 

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New York Times, Michelle Higgins

SUMMER vacation is no longer just for two-legged travelers. Room service menus for Fido, massages for over-stressed terriers and tabbies, cushy beds for canines: many hotels have been ratcheting up the pet amenities. Best Western has even hired Cesar Millan of National Geographic Channel’s “Dog Whisperer” to be the chain’s pet travel expert.

The problem is getting your pet to the destination. In recent years, transporting pets on commercial flights has grown more complicated — and more expensive. All major carriers have significantly raised the fees they charge for bringing pets onboard, matching, or in some cases, surpassing, the $100 surcharge each way they typically charge for children flying alone. Fees vary depending on whether the pet flies under your seat, or as checked baggage or cargo, which involve extra handling. American, Delta, United and Continental charge $125 each way for pets in the cabin. United charges the most for pets traveling as checked baggage: $250 each way or $500 round trip.

Pet safety has also become a more pressing issue. Incidents of animals being lost, injured or dying have recently risen. Thirty-nine animals died while flying aboard commercial jets in the United States last year, compared with 22 in 2009, according to the Department of Transportation. Thirteen were injured and five were lost. Delta was responsible for a significant portion of the increase, with 16 deaths and 6 injuries in 2010, compared with 3 deaths and no injuries the previous year.

While those numbers are a small percentage of the hundreds of thousands of animals flown by the airlines each year, they expose the dangers that pets may face while traveling. Not that airlines don’t anticipate risks. Carriers typically will not accept pets as checked baggage or cargo when the temperature is forecast to exceed 85 degrees or fall below 20 degrees at any location on the animal’s itinerary. Also, many airlines will not accept snub-nosed pets, like bulldogs or Persian cats, as cargo since they are prone to breathing problems. Delta, for instance, which reported several bulldog fatalities last year, has changed its policy and now bans the breed from its planes.

Mixed breeds can also be turned away as Bruce Max Feldmann learned when he and his 70-pound mutt, Chicha, an American Staffordshire terrier cross, showed up at the American Airlines ticket counter for a flight from San Francisco to León, Guanajuato,Mexico, earlier this year.

When he called the airline to confirm the reservation, he was told that the only requirements for his dog were that the carrier and animal meet a 100-pound weight limit and that the pet’s vaccinations be current. But the check-in agent said that not only was his dog on the list of restricted breeds, but that the pet carrier was also too big for the plane.

“I was shocked and angry,” said Mr. Feldmann, a retired veterinarian from Berkeley, Calif., who was rebooked the next day on a United flight to Los Angeles, where he transferred to an Alaska Airlines flight to Guadalajara, a three-hour drive from León. The ordeal ended up costing him an extra $978 ($528 for a last-minute, first-class ticket onAlaska, and $450 for a car from Guadalajara to Guanajuato). American points out that it lists restricted breeds and carrier dimensions on its Web site under Traveling with Pets.

Despite such inconveniences, airlines say they are going out of their way to be pet friendly. Delta has climate-controlled holding areas for pets shipped as cargo that are connecting at its hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Dallas and Salt Lake City. JetBlue has a frequent-flier program for pets called JetPaws that allows customers to earn extra miles when flying with a pet. And last year Frontier Airlines, in response to demand, began accepting small pets in the passenger cabin for the first time for a fee of $75 each way. Previously it had transported pets only as baggage.

If you are considering putting your pet on a plane, here are a few tips to smooth the process.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT CARRIER Requirements vary by airlines and size of plane, so make sure you know what those requirements are before you arrive at the airport. Delta says maximum carry-on kennel dimensions are determined by your flight, so you must contact reservations to determine the appropriate size. The maximum size for cabin pet carriers on American is 19 inches long by 13 inches wide by 9 inches high. Animals must be able to stand up, turn around and lie down in a natural position in the kennel. Sherpa Pet Group, known for its pet carriers (from $40 to $156) offers a program that guarantees that its carriers are compliant with airline rules and will refund the cost of your airline flight and your pet’s travel fee to those who sign up at Flygob.com.

BOOK EARLY Airlines limit the number of pets in the cabin, so don’t wait until the last minute to book.

PREPARE YOUR PET FOR TRAVEL Cesar Millan suggests taking the time to acclimate your pet to the carrier by placing it on the floor of the car so the pet can feel the vibration as it will on a plane. Mr. Millan also recommends using lavender oil as an “association scent” to help the pet relax on the plane. At feeding times and before walks, place a drop of the oil on your hands and let your dog pick up the scent. Once onboard, “the positive association will allow him to calm down and remain relaxed,” Mr. Millan explained. Finally, Mr. Millan said, take your dog for an extra-long walk or run to help drain his energy before the flight. “The more tired he is,” Mr. Millan said, “the more likely he will be to sleep and relax during the flight.”

CHECK OUT PET AIRWAYS Based in Delray Beach, Fla., Pet Airways began offering pet-only flights in 2009 and currently serves nine destinations across the United States, including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Fort Lauderdale. The airline recently announced plans to fly to Orlando, Fla.; St. Louis; Houston; Austin, Tex.; and Dallas this summer. Pets fly in a climate-controlled passenger cabin, outfitted with individual crates instead of seats, where a flight attendant checks on the animals every 15 minutes. Fares begin at $99 each way from New York to Baltimore, $199 from New York to Chicago and $249 from New York to Fort Lauderdale. After landing, pets are given a potty break, and can be picked up by their owners at the airline’s Pet Lounge at the airport.

GIVE YOUR PET ITS OWN VACATION There are a growing number of kennels (including some near airports) with upscale pet amenities from bone-shaped wading pools to pet cams so that owners can log onto the Web and catch a glimpse of their cat or dog at play.

Best Friends Pet Care Inc., a chain of 42 boarding centers in 19 states across the country, offers tiered accommodations from standard rooms (about $30 a night for dogs and $19 for cats) to VIP. suites ($60 to $70) complete with flat-screen TVs, webcams and a roster of add-ons like chewy treats for dogs ($2), cookies and milk for cats ($4) or cuddling ($8 for 10 minutes).

Similarly, PetSmart, the pet-store chain, offers PetsHotels, equipped with Poochy Cots, TVs tuned to animal shows and special ventilation systems so the dogs and cats don’t smell one another. The average boarding rate is about $30 a night for dogs and $17 a night for cats.

More New York Times: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/travel/what-to-know-when-traveling-with-your-pet-practical-traveler.html?

MORE TRAVEL: Have Fur, Will Travel: Furry Stowaways On HolidayJet Set Pets: Top 10 Tips For Safe Air TravelTop 10 Travel Adventures For Animal LoversGAReady to hit the road? Anytime you travel, please consider booking flights, hotels and car rentals through the GLOBAL ANIMAL FOUNDATION TRAVEL PAGE. A portion of all bookings goes to the nonprofit Global Animal Foundation and emergency rescue for animals in crisis worldwide.

UPS and Live Nation Entertainment has struck a partnership to offset the carbon emissions from ticket shipping and musician travel.

The multi-year sponsorship alliance is aimed at promoting UPS’s logistics solutions to millions of music fans across North America. Under the deal, UPS is now the exclusive global package, shipping and logistics sponsor of Live Nation Entertainment and select Live Nation Entertainment tours and venues. UPS also will serve as an Official Sustainability Partner of Live Nation Entertainment.

Live Nation Entertainment companies include Ticketmaster.com, one of the world’s biggest e-commerce sites, along with Live Nation Concerts, which produces over 20,000 shows a year for over 2000 artists. Other Live Nation subsidiaries include Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network.

Through UPS, Live Nation Entertainment will purchase certified carbon CO2 offsets to mitigate emissions from ticketing events at Live Nation-owned and operated venues, as well as from shipping merchandise from the Live Nation Entertainment store.

UPS will also provide participating musicians with verified measurements of their transportation footprint and customized emissions-reductions plans using the companys multi-modal network. The shipper will then mitigate the artists remaining CO2 output by buying and retiring certified carbon credits.

Live Nation and UPS said they will work together to reduce waste and use more efficient products and services across all Live Nation Entertainment tours and venues.

Managing the logistics of a concert tour is not unlike what UPS does for other high-stakes customers that require flawless execution, such as the healthcare and high-tech industries and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, said Ron Rogowski, UPS’s vice president of sponsorship and events. More and more of our customers are depending on UPS to help them find more efficient and sustainable ways to manage their entire supply chains.”

Under the partnership, UPS will promote its brand across Live Nation Entertainments diverse entertainment platforms, using in-venue signage, hospitality events, VIP ticketing and backstage experiences to reach over 30 million fans a year. UPS will also advertise on Live Nation’s website, reaching an average of almost 17 million unique monthly users.

As we work together to drive measurable results, well create visibility of our alliance that showcases how weve integrated UPS into every part of our business, from ticketing to concert tours to social media to our network of venues,” Live Nation Network president Russell Wallach said.

It has been reported that rabbit owners in Worchester can have the health check up of their pets done during the Rabbit Awareness Week.

There are several organizations which are working hard to support this week. These organizations include RSPCA and Burgess Pet Care.

These organizations will be providing free health checks and also offer reduced price neutering and vaccinations for pet rabbits in this week.

It was reported that last year RSPCA and Mid Worcestershire have helped 106 rabbits and 44 other small pets like guinea pigs, and chickens.

Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) 2011 will start from May 23 and all the veterinary clinics in Driffield and Bridlington will provide free health check for the pets during this week.

Holly Kitson, Veterinary Surgeon at The Pet Clinic, said: “Rabbit Awareness Week is a very important annual campaign. We wanted to be part of the national activity by offering free rabbit health checks all week. We look forward to welcoming rabbit owners to our free health checks at the surgery, to ensure they are not only physically well, but also emotionally”.

Matt Brash, TV vet and RAW supporter, has claimed that this is the awareness program to support these little animals and also to encourage the owners to keep them healthy.

Snorkelling, swimming, surfing and suntanning arent the only reasons Canadians visit Hawaii these days.

Theyre saying aloha to condos and homes that have plummeted in price as much as 60 per cent since January 2008, while the Canuck buck soars. Why buy a cottage on a lake in Canada when you can be on a beach with gardenia-scented breezes?

Whats really driving the market is foreclosures, says Re/Max Resort Realtys Howard Dinits, who lives on Maui.

Many island properties here were bought as second homes by speculators in the States. In the economic downturn, people used revenue from these holiday rentals to make payments on their main homes -then they defaulted on the island properties.

In some areas prices have dropped 40 to 60 per cent and its as bad as Phoenix.

He gets calls and emails from Canadians daily.

Some are waiting for a bell to ring that says we have hit absolute bottom, he jokes. Others have pulled the trigger because, in Maui, were having a half-off sale.

The best values are on the big island, Dinits says.

In Maui you need two wallets -on Hawaii you can survive on one, he says. You can get a nice house on Hawaii today, six blocks from the ocean, for $66,000. That would be a bank-owned foreclosure, or REO (Real Estate Owned) deal.

The Hawaiian capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu, where property values declined only 7.1 per cent in the last year thanks to a more stable population and US military base.

While cheaper homes sell fastest, on Maui more than 250 homes sold for over $1.8 million last year. A typical condo now sells for about $250,000, while a typical house is $480,000.

Dinits sold Ottawa businessman David Renfroe, 38, a two-bed, twobath condo in the Maui town of Lahaina last year for his growing family. We went over looking for a bank foreclosure, Renfroe says. With our strong dollar it seemed like a no-brainer.

After doing his due diligence, he made a lowball offer and was shocked when he got it. We paid $245,000 for a condo previously priced at $550,000. We were thrilled.

He has reserved several months for family and friends and rents it the rest of the time. Its been 78 per cent rented, so the cost to us is zero.

Everybody here is looking at Florida, but theres hurricanes and 20 per cent unemployment there. I think the Hawaii market will come back quicker.

Dinits recently sold two oceanfront condos to a Lillooet couple: a onebedroom for $250,000 and a twobedroom for $300,000. Both are available for vacation rental, which is important, as strata fees (maintenance fees) can be $800 a month.

Another young Canadian family recently bought a vacation home in Lahaina for $245,000. Its managed by a company that rents it, cleans it and had it 90 to 100 per cent rented all winter at $195 a night. The unit was worth $500,000 in 2005.

The best deal he saw recently was a $123,900 condo previously valued at $289,000. Located at the north end of Kihei, a block from the beach, it had a recent $40,000 renovation and featured two bedrooms, two baths and two parking stalls.

Panama City Beach, FL (PRWEB) May 28, 2011

Panama City Beach Hotels and Resorts recognize todays family is looking for more than just a place to stay when planning their Summer 2011 vacation.

In order to entice vacationers to visit, increasingly more hotels are demonstrating an intention to create a beach vacation experience, rather than just providing sleeping accommodations. This is evidenced by hotels such as the Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort, which has adjusted its entertainment schedule to include several family focused activities. These include beachside games and contests, an authentic Polynesian fire dancing show, face painting, and live bands playing in the Tiki Bar – all of which compliment the existing amenities already offered.

Chris Brown, with Resort-Guest Relations, says the Sandpiper has experienced an enthusiastic reception by its many repeat guests to all of the changes taking place at the Resort. Once checked in, most guests never leave the property boasts Chris, leading him to believe that Now more than ever before, vacationers visiting Panama City Beach expect their dollar to go further.

This year alone, Panama City Beach has been awarded the Travelers Choice Beaches Award by TripAdvisor, as well as earning a place in AOL Travels Top 10 Budget Destinations. In 2010, Panama City Beach was recognized by CNN as being one of the Top Five Value Destinations for Winter 2010, as well as making into USA Todays Top Five Bargain Destinations for Spring 2010.

TripAdvisor recently reported that 86% of travelers are planning leisure trips during Summer 2011; a noticeable increase from the 83% they said had traveled last year. While there is no indication as to what percentage of these travelers will be staying in Panama City Beach Hotels, business owners remain confident that the recent positive exposure will have an impact.

Building off a predicted increase in travelers planning leisure trips, Hotels in Panama City Beach are making greater efforts to appeal to holidaymakers planning a Summer 2011 vacation. For an example of how one Panama City Beach Hotel is applying this, visit the Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prwebpanama-city-beach-hotels/sandpiper-beacon-2011/prweb8489446.htm

n Cage/carrier for each animal, labeled with contact information

n Manual can opener

n Copies of veterinary records, including pets#x2019; current rabies vaccination certifications and proof of ownership

n Toys, treats

n First aid kit

n Medications including instructions and veterinarian contact numbers

n Leash, ID collar, harness for each animal

n Litter, litter pan, scoop

n Muzzles for dog or cat

n Pet bedding

n Photograph of pet

n Food and water dishes

n Paper towels

n Trash bags

Animal first aid kit

n Activated charcoal (liquid)

n Anti-diarrhea medicine

n Antibiotic ointment for wounds

n Antibiotic eye ointment

n Bandage scissors, tape

n Cotton bandage rolls

n Cotton-tipped swabs

n Elastic bandage rolls

n Eye rinse (sterile)

n Flea and tick treatment

n Gauze pads and rolls

n Hydrogen peroxide

n Ice cream sticks, which may be used as splints

n Alcohol prep pads

n Latex gloves

n Liquid dish detergent for wound cleansing

n Medications and preventatives

n Saline for wounds

n Styptic powder clotting agent

n Syringe or eyedropper

n Thermometer (digital)

n Tourniquet

n Towel and washcloth

n Tweezers

Shelters

n Additional pet shelters may open if needed. Monitor media coverage.

n Space is limited and no more than two family members will be admitted in pet shelter area.

n Dogs, cats and birds are allowed.

n Check petswelcome.com for motels and hotels that allow pets.

While evacuating

n Bring animals inside.

n Make sure all animals have collars and some form of ID securely fastened.

n Place all small pets inside individual carriers. When stressed, animals can become aggressive.

n Secure leashes on dogs.

n Load larger animal cages/carriers into your vehicle to serve as temporary housing for animals if needed.

n Load the animal evacuation kit and supplies into your vehicle.

n Call prearranged animal evacuation site to confirm space.

n Implement your equine/livestock evacuation plan.

n If you must leave equine/livestock behind, relocate them to a predetermined safe place. Ensure that they have access to a safe food source, clean water, a safe area or high ground above flood levels. Do not rely on automatic watering.

n Secure or remove outdoor objects that may turn into flying debris.

– Sources: American Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Terry Clikes, Braden River Animal Hospital, Humane Society of Manatee County

Owen Good
During the PlayStation Network outage, Sony was asked to appear before a US House of Representatives committee to explain the situation. The company declined, sending an eight-page letter instead. Now it will go before Congress, when the president of Sony Network Entertainment visits a Tuesday hearing to answer questions.

Tim Schaff will testify before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, reports The Atlantic. Rep. Mary Bono Mack is the committee chair.

While Chairman Bono Mack remains critical of Sonys initial handling of the data breaches, she also is appreciative that the company has now agreed to testify, a subcommittee aide told The Atlantic.

Bono Mack thinks Sonys experience with the 23-data network outage, and a data breach that compromised some 10 million credit card numbers, will be instructive as the committee prepares to develop comprehensive data protection legislation, the aide said. The legislation should be introduced in the next few weeks.

In Sonys eight-page letter to Congress on May 4, Sony Computer Entertainment president Kazuo Hirai said Sony knew how the attack was perpetrated byt not who was behind it. Hirai detailed additional security measures the company had taken and noted it was cooperating with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to find those responsible.

Sony Exec to Testify About PlayStation Network Hack [The Atlantic]