Regulars and Shorts

Animalia: January 2012

By catalyst

Ideas, profiles, products & news for all things animal.

 

Animal Angel

Friends In Need Animal Rescue had its start in the early 2000s when Karen and Kim O’Donnell purchased five and a half acres in the Eagle Mountain foothills. Today it is home to 160 birds, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, yaks, dogs, llamas, cats and more. Most animals have come here to end their days; they are either old or, as Karen described, “eatable” (meaning some folks adopt the farm animals for meat).

The sociability of the animals at Friends in Need shows they experience a great deal of love and attention. They are highly interactive with humans and other species, and it’s common to see two different species in the same enclosure harmoniously basking in the sun.

Volunteers are welcome to help with feeding the animals any time. Friends In Need is operated solely on private donations, which are much appreciated.

Karen and Kim have devoted their lives to their non-profit, including their entire home, where they live with their large family of animals (who have several bedrooms to themselves). friends-in-need.org

Recommendations

Read: The Species Seekers: Heroes, Fools, and the Mad Pursuit of Life on Earth by Richard Conniff. A fascinating timeline of amateur naturalists across the globe and their frenzied quest to discover new species; leading to questions of human origins, evolution, and the age of our planet.

Watch: Dog and Horse play. Another example of how dogs befriend all creatures; a valuable lesson for us all. tinyurl.com/dogandhorseplay

Always remember, a cat looks down on man, a dog looks up to man, but a pig will look man right in the eye and see his equal.

—Winston Churchill

News bites and special events

Wild Wednesdays at Ogden Nature Center (ONC). Every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., the ONC offers lectures on various wildlife topics. ogdennaturecenter.org

Attention shelters & sanctuaries: Are you aware of grants available through organizations such as ASPCA, Chase Community Giving and petfinder.com/foundation? In the first six months of 2011, ASPCA alone allotted $5.6 million to 420 recipients. Many organizations and foundations can help.

“Like” Catalyst Magazine on Facebook to see up-to-date animal news, stories, tips and advocacy opportunities, along with all our other awesome posts!

grace_dogOne of my “pet” causes—so to speak—is advocacy for senior adoptions. A few weeks ago, Friends In Need posted a story  on Facebook about a 15-year-old yellow lab who was found on the street. Blind, deaf and barely able to walk because of her advanced age, she wouldn’t have lasted long on her own. Friends in Need had worked for weeks searching for her family, to no avail. When I read her story and saw her sweet face in the photo, that was it. This old girl now lives in my menagerie of a home and has shown such grace as she unconditionally accepts our help and love that I have named her just that, Grace.

Lola is a sassy 10-year-old Miniature Pinscher who doesn’t let anything keep her down. She even kicked breast cancer to the curb! While she is a go-getter, Lola is definitely more of a lover and prefers to spend her time snuggled under a blanket with her person.lola_dog

van_catWith his stunning good looks and award-winning personality, Furburbia has no idea why Van has been there for a year. This 4-year-old tuxedo boy is the life of the party and dreams of the time when can go home with a family.

Our animals this month come to you via Furburbia—Friends of Animals adoption center in Park City. The folks at Furburbia are dedicated in finding the right fit between their adoptees and potential families, they will spend as much time as needed to make sure everyone goes home happy. foautah.org

This article was originally published on December 28, 2011.