Coast Guard Station St Petersburg crews immediately responded to a distress call from a woman on a sailboat off the coast of Florida.

A woman with her two dogs on a 32-foot sailboat called for help when her boat started to take on water near Shell Key. The boat was rocking back and forth on the choppy water as the two rescue boats approached.

A 29-foot rescue boat pulled up to the sailboat with the woman on the bow and made plans to rescue her and her dogs. The other 45-foot response boat towed the sailboat back to the marina.

“Our crews are highly trained to assist boaters in distress despite the weather conditions,” said Capt. Matthew A. Thompson, the Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg commander. “We’re happy we were able to bring that person back home safely but want to remind the public to … Read the rest

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina ruled in a case brought by the Southern Environmental Law Center that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must develop a plan by March 1, 2021, to resume its longstanding and successful practice of releasing captive red wolves into the Red Wolf Recovery Area in North Carolina. The case was brought on behalf of the Red Wolf Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife, and Animal Welfare Institute.

As reported by WAN last month, there are tragically as few as seven red wolves remaining in the wild today. The court order temporarily prohibits the agency from implementing its recent policy change that would prevent the release of captive wolves into the wild.

On November 16, 2020, the Southern Environmental Law Center sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina for violations

A kitten with bent paws was found on a farm along with her brother. She was determined to live a full life.

Anna Dickerson-Homan @kittenfactory

A tabby kitten was discovered in a horse barn along with her brother a couple of months ago. Anna Dickerson-Homan, an animal rescuer and fosterer based in Higgins Lake, Michigan, came across a post about the tabby needing rescue.

The two kittens were around 3.5 weeks old and the tabby had noticeable genetic defects. They were covered in fleas and filth and were in desperate need of proper food and medical attention.

After getting much-needed baths and nourishment, the kittens curled up in their new bed and went to sleep with full bellies. They were named Bart (black) and Lisa (tabby) after Anna’s parents.

Anna Dickerson-Homan @kittenfactory

The kittens were born with Manx Syndrome (tailless and with spinal defects). Lisa the tabby also had … Read the rest

For many, animal activism starts and ends at the supermarket. But even at the tried and true butchers’ counter, you can’t believe everything you read.

It’s becoming commonplace to see labels on meat products that convey some sort of ethical standard. Phrases like “humanely raised” or “commitment to animal welfare” may catch the eyes of consumers who are concerned about the way farmed animals are treated.

But, are they based in reality?

A report from the anti-factory farming group Farm Forward shows that companies use “humanewashing” to deceive consumers who care about animal rights, leading them to believe animals were raised according to their expectations of humane treatment even when they were not. They play on the familiarity of terms like “all natural” and “free-range” by using certification schemes to formalize their own empty standards.

A cat with three paws took to a kitten who walks on his front legs. They instantly bonded.

Ahsen @zikrettinn

A tuxedo kitten was brought to a clinic in Istanbul, Turkey a couple of months ago. He was paralyzed in his hind quarters and surrendered to the vet. Ahsen, an animal rescuer, was contacted and asked if she could help.

“I met him at the clinic, and he was receiving treatment for some injuries and infection. It would take time for him to heal so I offered to foster him and took him home,” Ahsen shared with Love Meow.

The little tuxedo had a lot of healing to do. After getting a bath and treatment, he took a long nap in a comfortable, warm bed, making up for lost sleep.

Ahsen @zikrettinn

“I knew I would look after him for as long as it took. I was just happy and … Read the rest

When 32-year-old Pete MacNab went for a walk in the Scottish Highlands, he expected to get some fresh air. He didn’t know that he and his friend, Piotr, were about to rescue a critically endangered animal.

The men were strolling through Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park when they noticed a flock of sheep standing over what looked like a tiny stray kitten. As the pair got closer, the sheep scattered, allowing MacNab and his friend to see the kitten was nearly frozen to death in the snow.

“The animal was in a very poor state curled up in a ball in the snow, absolutely motionless,” McCab later recalled. “We tried to coax the feline back up and onto its feet but as we were trying to assist, it was becoming apparent that the tiny ball of fluff was quite severely unwell. It was so small it fit … Read the rest

A kitten who was found as an orphan, got a visit from a kind couple and had her life turned around.

@titakthesiberian

A little kitten was discovered outside a resident’s home as an orphan. She was just a few weeks old when she lost her mom, and was in need of rescue. The homeowner took her in and tried to care for her, so she wouldn’t have to fend for herself in the outdoors.

Simin Zargaran learned about the kitten’s plight from the homeowner, her friend, and offered her assistance. “We went to visit the kitten, and when I held her in my arms and looked into her eyes, I knew she was the one,” Simin told Love Meow.

“She was very tiny and a little scared. When she curled up in my arms, she immediately relaxed.”

@titakthesiberian

They took the kitten to the vet that evening and got her … Read the rest

This story was originally shared in the Clear the Shelters Adoption Story Challenge on ShelterChallenge.com. Create your own free Shelter Challenge account and vote for your favorite shelter or rescue group to win cash and prizes. Every time you vote we’ll give an extra donation to shelters!

Hiya, I’m Oso!

I’m 3-months-old, and a very nice lady saved me from the side of the freeway and brought me to SPARC! It’s really called Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center, but I like SPARC better! My owners never came to get me so I got to stay at SPARC for a while until I felt better. I had some pretty bad scrapes, bumps and bruises, but I hung in there.

The worst part was that I was struggling with some other issues that the humans weren’t able to figure out right away. I needed to itch my legs so bad, and … Read the rest

Más Veggies Taqueria, a new virtual concept by Veggie Grill, launched this week, marks the first national Mexican restaurant offering all plant-based and planet-friendly food for delivery only. The virtual taqueria features an innovative menu in partnership with plant-based leader Beyond Meat and offers a range of crave-worthy tacos, burritos, bowls, and nachos, made entirely without animal products.

“Meet the newest member of the Veggie Grill family, Más Veggies Taqueria. A plant-based taqueria that brings amazing, and conscious, Mexican food straight from our kitchens to your home,” notes a greeting on the Más Veggies Taqueria website. The new concept addresses the surging consumer demand for plant-based options and the current preference for convenient contactless delivery due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Kajsa Alger, Veggie Grill’s VP of Food and Beverage and former Corporate Chef at Border Grill and Ciudad restaurants, helped Más Veggies Taqueria develop the creative menu that

The Sonoran Sky Islands make up about 45,000 acres in northern Sonora in northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States. The terrain ranges in elevation from deep valleys to cloud-piercing peaks, and covers several major biogeographic zones.

Between the mountains and canyons, along the river, a thriving world of vulnerable flora and fauna can be found hiding in the long grasses of the savannah or in the ranch’s lush oak woodlands. Ocelots and jaguar skulk in the shadows, turkeys strut around in the bushes, and black bears look for berries and fish..

Recent photos taken by trail cams set up by the Madrean Discovery Expedition project show that these species are thriving.

Bears

The American black bear’s territory extends into Mexico in Sonora and Coahuila. … Read the rest