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    ACO Accused of Stealing, Selling Dog, and Telling Family It Had Died
An animal control officer, Scott Casterline, is accused of taking and selling a family dog, and telling the family it was dead. The dog, a 9-year-old Yorkshire Terrier named Hope, had been picked up while wandering outside, and taken to a local shelter. According to the Sheriff's office, Casterline, while working as a public servant, took the dog, sold her to a family in Ohio, then reported her as deceased. The police conducted phone investigations to find Hope’s location. The family in Ohio who loved and cared for Hope had no idea she belonged to another family a few states away.
Two investigators drove to pick her up and bring her home. According to Corning City Officials, Mr. Casterline was only a contractor and resigned a few months ago. As a result of the investigation into the dog's disappearance, Casterline has been charged with official misconduct, misapplication of property, and false written statement. As for Hope, she is home with her family and back to her old self again. Major kudos to the City of Corning Police Department for reuniting her with her family.
New York animal control officer arrested in yorkie dognap plot

Resources
★     They thought their dog died, then it turned up in Ohio. Why it's led to criminal charges
★     (Media Release) Steuben County Sheriff's Office

    USFWS Partners With AZA to Care For Confiscated Animals 
Not a good – or legal – pet, but someone, somewhere, is willing to shell out a ton of money to try and make it one.
Illegal wildlife trafficking is a lucrative global business. Some people want wild "pets" that seem more lavish, exotic, or dangerous than any animal they can acquire legally (the illicit nature no doubt adds to the mystique, too). Other people don't seek live animals, but acquire trophies or animal parts. Regardless of the buyers' motivations, they are willing to pay top dollar for illegal animals and animal parts on the black market. So much money, in fact, that sellers are willing to face fines and jail time for the cash they can score off of one sale.
But what happens when these transactions are intercepted and authorities find boxes of live cargo? These animals could be anything from leopard cubs to venomous reptiles – are port authorities and wildlife agents well enough equipped to handle whatever may come their way? It is a difficult burden, but the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to help support agents when illegal wild animal shipments are seized in Southern California. The network of AZA zoos in North America is full of animal husbandry and veterinary professionals who are experienced with all types of exotic animals, so their new cooperation will ensure that animals that are taken in receive the highest standard of care available. Not only that, it frees up agents to continue their investigative work without bogging them down with zookeeping. In addition, the shipping facilities will not have to house animals - the zoos will help find homes for any creatures in need. With the establishment of the Southern California Wildlife Confiscations Network, AZA and FWS hope to expand the program nationwide in the future.
New Network Gives Hope to Animals Trafficked Through Illegal Wildlife Trade

Resources
★     Oxnard Man Pleads Guilty to Wildlife Smuggling and Trafficking Charges for Illegally Importing More Than 1,700 Animals into U.S.
★     (2017) 16 Charged In California Animal Trafficking Sweep

    Farmers in Swiss Village Demand More Cowbell.
One of the touchier parts of keeping animals is that no matter how much we might love them, our neighbors might feel quite differently. The sounds, the smells, even the mere sight of some animals can set a neighbor off, leading to arguments, misunderstandings, and protracted battles that leave everybody miserable.
Now, imagine the intensity of these neighborly disagreements if cultural identity and tradition are brought into the picture. That’s what happened in the sleepy Swiss village of Aarwangen after new housing developments brought in former urbanites and commuters seeking “rural peace and quiet.” These newcomers found themselves not in the peaceful, rural paradise they had perhaps envisioned, but rather, lullabied to sleep each night by a chorus of cowbell-adorned dairy cows. After two of the new families lodged a complaint, asking the town council if the cowbells could be removed from the cows at night, the village’s farmers went ballistic, gathering a 1,000-signature petition in just days (fewer than 5,000 people live in Aarwangen) to “preserve the future of tradition.” One farmer went so far as to describe the request as a personal insult – not only to him, but to his cows. Now we're getting serious!
Interestingly, before the complaints, the cowbells may have been on their way out. Swiss dairy farmers are relying more on electronic chips and fences to keep track of their herds these days. And in some villages, farmers have already voluntarily removed their cow’s bells at night so that their new neighbors can enjoy uninterrupted sleep. There is no telling how this issue would have played out in Aarwangen if no complaints been lodged, but now that the farmers feel attacked, they are clearly ready and willing to fight for their cowbells!
Swiss village of Aarwangen in ding-dong over challenge to cowbells

Resources
★     (2017) Woman deemed 'too annoying' to get Swiss citizenship wins battle for passport (Animal Rights & Anti-Cowbell Campaigning)
★     Barking Dogs and Neighbors' Legal Rights

    Aquaculture Is a Big Industry in Florida
If you have obtained fish for your aquarium here in the US, you very likely have fish from Segrest Farms in Florida. Since opening in 1961, Segrest Farms has pioneered the breeding and husbandry of aquarium fish in America and abroad. Florida is a major hub for aquarium fish breeding, hosting the most farms in the nation.
Aquaculture is an important industry in Florida due to its extensive coastline and favorable climate for aquaculture activities. Many individuals and businesses engage in the breeding and sale of ornamental fish, often for home aquariums and water gardens. Professionals from the Florida Tropical Fish Farms Association work with private enthusiasts to perfect the art of breeding healthy, attractive fish. Aquaculturists also employ the expertise of scientists from the University of Florida who conduct research and provide resources to support the state's aquaculture industry. In doing so, the industry continues to evolve to meet the demand for ornamental fish while addressing environmental and sustainability concerns. Despite having the corner on the market, the Florida fish breeding stronghold is still affected by economic factors from the pandemic and a real estate boom, both of which closed local farms. As additional pressure, farms in tropical countries like Thailand or Vietnam can operate at much lower costs, ratcheting up the competition. But industry leaders are confident that Florida is capable of withstanding any setback and able to stay on top of the aquarium fish market.
One of Tampa Bay’s top exports? Aquarium fish

Resources
★     Segrest Farms
★     Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Aquaculture

    Simple Ways of Keeping Your Pets from Being Poisoned
Don't let your pets eat this (don't you eat it, either).
Many of us own pets that are eager to taste just about anything that appears edible. When tempered with moderation and common sense, this enthusiasm can come in handy. Food motivation is a fantastic training aid, after all, and pet-safe scraps may assuage your guilt over wasted produce (that celery stick you let get "too rubbery?" Your dogs will love it!). Unfortunately, when your pet gets ahold of something toxic, it can lead to things like upset stomachs, illness, exorbitant vet bills, or even death. Sickness due to ingesting toxic mushrooms is covered in this recent DVM360 article, and it comes with a lot of sensible advice worth reviewing.
Much of the advice here, such as knowing your pet’s environment, removing sources of possible toxins from areas you frequent, and keeping your pets leashed while on walks are helpful as general rules, regardless of the types of fungus you and your pets may encounter. Some of the other scenarios covered here are more mushroom specific, though. For example, the worst-case scenario treatments for toxicosis (yikes!), or how a mushroom-ingesting pet may seem fine after a short bout of nausea, only to go into liver failure a few days later. But no matter your specific scenario, the message here – that an ounce of prevention is worth several thousand dollars of cure – is a valuable one!
Preventing mushroom toxicosis in our companion animals

Resources
★     Poisons in Dogs
★     These 7 Foods Cause the Most Pet Deaths

    Also in the News...

★   Dozens of cows turn up in Port Washington neighborhood (Cows on the Run)
★   As canine influenza outbreak continues, Wake County Animal Center extends closure (Rescue & Shelter Issues; Protective Measures for Pets & Public Health)
★   Thermal Imaging Is a Promising Tool to Measure Stress in Wild Animals (Reducing Chronic Stress; Non-invasive Observations)
★   How Do Animals Know It’s Lunchtime? (Circadian Bacon & Pineapple)
★   Oregon researchers test wild animals for virus that causes COVID-19 (Zoonotic Predictions; Mostly Mammals)
★   5 New Animal Species Discovered in 2023 (Lists: Part 2; Discovery)
★   Why Do These 6 Animals Represent Death in Cultures Around the World? (Lists: Part 2; Animals in Folklore & Culture)
★   The Scariest, Creepiest, and Most Frightening Animals in Fiction (Lists: Part 3; Subjective Lists to Argue About; Note for Nitpickers: It's Fiction!)

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