Latest news with #animalcare
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Myerscough College to close 'unique' campus building
A Lancashire college has confirmed plans to close one of its College said it had made the decision to shut its site at Witton Park in Blackburn at the end of July following a period of move has been condemned by the University and College Union (UCU) which said staff were "angry and devastated" by the decision, pointing out how it offered "unique" classes in animal care subjects.A college representative said both Myerscough and Blackburn with Darwen Council "remain committed to supporting resident learners affected through the transition". Founded in 1894 as the Lancashire County Institute of Agriculture, Myerscough College is one of the oldest further education institutions in the UCU said 12 permanent staff and several more on temporary contracts were at risk of redundancy unless they accept alternative jobs at the college's main campus in Bilsborrow, Preston. 'Transition plan' General secretary Jo Grady claimed the college had "rejected all the suggestions UCU made that would have enabled this much-loved centre to remain open".The college said it had explored all viable options."Our shared priority remains to minimise any disruption to their learning while seeking opportunities to support and enrich their overall experience," it said in a said a "transition plan" was in progress to ensure students can continue their studies either at the college's main campus or, depending on individual preferences, at another suitable location."We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated and passionate staff based at the Witton centre," it added."Throughout the consultation process, it has been abundantly clear how much the site means to students, staff, and the wider community." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
CNET
11-07-2025
- Health
- CNET
The Heat Can Be Dangerous for Your Pets. Here's What Veterinarians Recommend to Keep Them Safe
We are officially experiencing a heat wave across the country and humans aren't the only ones who should be careful during scorching temperatures. Our pets also need a little TLC to keep the dangers of high temperatures at bay. Our pets can also experience heat-related illnesses, including heat strokes and dehydration, as well as paw pad burns. As pet parents, there are steps we can take to protect them from potential heat hazards to ensure they have a happy and healthy summer. Pet heat-related illnesses Rising temperatures can pose significant risks to pets. Understanding the signs and symptoms of common heat-related illnesses is crucial to preventing complications. Heat stroke in pets It's important to note that animals can't cool down by sweating like we (humans) do. Although they do have their own ways of cooling themselves, like panting, it can be harder for them to regulate their body temperature in high heat. Heat strokes occur when our pet's body temperature rises to a dangerous level, and they can't cool down. This can cause organ damage or even be life-threatening. Heat stroke in pets symptoms: Drooling Excessive panting Red gums Increased heart rate Vomiting Weakness Seizures (in severe cases) What to do if your pet has a heat stroke: Take your pet to a cool, shaded area Give them cold water to drink Help them cool down with a fan or put a cool, wet towel over them Call your vet to advise on the next stepsPaw pad burns Hot sidewalks, pavement and sand can cause burns on your pet's paw pads. If you want to check if the ground is too hot for your pet, you can follow the seven-second rule by pressing your hand against the pavement or asphalt for seven seconds. If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for your pet. According to Dr. Sara Ochoa, a veterinarian in Whitehouse, Texas, "Asphalt can become significantly hotter than the surrounding air temperature. On a sunny day, asphalt can reach temperatures up to 104 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit." She recommends avoiding walking on asphalt when the ambient temperature is above 86 degrees Fahrenheit. If you must take your pet outside when it's hot, it is best to walk in grassy areas or wear protective booties. Paw pad burn symptoms: Blisters on their paws Missing skin on their paw pads Redness Limping Refusing to walk Discolored pads Excessive licking of paws How to treat your pet's paw pad burn: Disinfect your pet's paw pads with water and antibacterial soap Soak paws in clean, cool water Bandage your pet's paws to prevent licking and infections Call your vet to assess the seriousness of the burns Dehydration in pets Like us, pets can become dehydrated in hot weather if they don't drink enough water while engaging in activities. Dehydration occurs when your pet loses more water and electrolytes than it takes in. Drinking plenty of water ensures your pet can cool down when their body temperature rises. If you plan to take your pet out for the day, bring an extra water bottle and a drinking bowl. If you plan to leave your pet at home while you're out, be sure they have enough water until you return. Dehydration symptoms in pets: Difficulty breathing Muscle tremors Excessive panting Lethargy Vomiting or diarrhea Dry nose Sunken eyes (in severe dehydration) Collapse or shock (in severe dehydration) What to do if your pet is dehydrated If your pet presents symptoms of severe dehydration, call your vet immediately. Offer small amounts of water with ice. Drinking too much water can cause them to vomit, worsening dehydration. Tips to keep your pet safe in the heat Keeping our furry friends safe during the warmer months is crucial for their health. Here are a few expert tips for pet owners to keep their pets cool and comfortable all summer. Never leave your pet alone inside a parked car Not only is leaving your pet alone in your car illegal in some states, but doing so can result in permanent organ damage or even death. I know what you're thinking, "I'll just leave the air conditioning on." Not so fast. It's not just the heat from outside that can affect your pet. Your pet's body temperature can also rise due to stress, and excessive panting can worsen the rising body temperature. Always supervise your pet when around large bodies of waterEven if your pet is a good swimmer, use a life vest for pets when on a boat, paddle-boarding and kayaking. If you plan on taking your pet to the pool, bring fresh water for them and be sure they don't drink the pool water. Provide shade and water when outside When engaging in outdoor activities with your pet, be sure to research if there are any trees in the surrounding area to provide plenty of airflow and shade for your pet to cool down. A dog house is not ideal since the air doesn't flow properly inside and it can make the heat feel worse for them. Use sunscreen for pets Amazon Bodhi Dog Sunscreen for pets Moisturizer that protects your pet's skin and coat from harmful UV rays. Recommended for pets with thin, white or light-colored hair $17 at Amazon According to Dr. Ochoa, just like humans, animals can also get sunburned; "especially those with light-colored or thin fur." To prevent sunburns on your pet, you can apply pet-friendly sunscreen to the areas that are most exposed to the sun, like the nose and ears. You can also use protective paw creams that act as barriers between your pet's paws and the pavement. Limit exercise and physical activities on hot days It's best to look at the weather report during the hot months to keep your pet safe when exercising them. If it will be particularly hot, it's best to take them out during the early morning or late afternoon when it's cooler. If you must take your dog outside during the day, try to walk them on grass and give them lots of fresh, cool water. Amazon MalsiPree Dog Water Bottle Portable water dispenser for pets. It's leak-proof and easy to use, making it great for outdoor activities. $17 at Amazon Be mindful of the humidity As if the heat weren't enough to wreak havoc on your pet's health, the humidity can worsen it. Your pet's panting is their way of removing excess moisture from their lungs to cool down. When there's high humidity, it makes it harder for them to cool down as fast. If it's hot and humid, give them frozen treats or cold water, or even take a portable fan with you to keep them from overheating. Bridget Davey/CNET Don't shave your pet It may seem counterintuitive to not shave your pet's fur coat during the summer, but its fur plays an important role in keeping the pet cool. The undercoat layer of your pet's hair helps regulate their body temperature during the heat. Cutting or shaving your pet's hair can impede their ability to cool down when needed.
Washington Post
10-07-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Miss Manners: Parent's phobia means couple can't host
Dear Miss Manners: My boyfriend and I share an apartment, and also share two pet snakes. These are not large reptiles, and are kept in very secure glass tanks behind closed doors. We understand that many people are not comfortable with reptiles, so we never let them roam around the apartment. If we have company, we never bring our pets out or even open the door to that room; they stay completely out of sight. We would never presume to force anyone to interact in the slightest with an animal that caused them anxiety.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Abandoned kittens dumped in Penwortham bin thriving after rescue
Four newborn kittens that were found after being dumped in a shopping bag in a bin have "gone from strength to strength" after being rescued by the three females and one male were discovered on 17 April after a member of the public heard noises coming from a litter bin next to a wooded area on Hill Road South, in Penwortham, kittens, who were only a few days old, had been wrapped in a blanket and still had their umbilical cords Buttercup, Daisy, Foxy and Bud, they were placed in incubators and fed every few hours after being cared for by Anne Mitchell, who said she had "bottle fed hundreds of kittens" over the past 40 years. Ms Mitchell, animal care manager at the charity's Southport, Ormskirk and District Branch, said: "It's never easy with newborn kittens as they need to be constantly monitored. "The first eight weeks can be tricky, especially when the time comes to wean them as the mother cat usually instinctively knows when to do this."She said two incubators, one of which was fundraised by supporters, had made "a huge difference"."It means we can provide a constant, warm temperature which is absolutely critical for newborn kittens as they can't regulate their own body temperature effectively for the first few weeks of life," she they were found, the kittens weighed 120g (4.23 ounces) each, but now weigh more than 1kg (2.2lbs).Once they were old enough, they were placed in a foster home to help them become more socialised and familiar with a home environment, where they went "from strength to strength".Bud and Foxy are "enjoying life" with a new family after they were rehomed last week, but their siblings Buttercup and Daisy are still waiting at the branch's animal centre to find new homes, the RSPCA said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Life in the Dales' Reuben Owen helps girlfriend save lamb from 'life-threatening' illness
Reuben Owen faced a race against time to help his girlfriend save a newborn lamb at risk of a deadly infection. The Life in the Dales star - who starred alongside his mum Amanda Owen and farmer dad Clive Owen in Our Yorkshire Farm - now has a Channel 5 spin-off following his journey building his machinery business. In the episode that aired on Tuesday, 8 July he took some time out from his own work to help his girlfriend Jessica Ellwood on her family farm during lambing season. The pair had gone to check on the new arrivals in the fields and spotted one shivering newborn whose mother wasn't feeding it. Without its first feed it was at risk of a bacterial disease that can kill newborn lambs fast. In the episode, Owen helped Ellwood set up pens in a barn ahead of lambing, so that they would be ready in case any of the lambs needed extra care and had to be looked after inside. The pair, who have been dating for several months after meeting at a convention for young farmers, then headed out into the fields to check on the new arrivals. Ellwood spotted one very young lamb which was struggling, as the mother was moving away every time it tried to feed. "I don't think that sheep is letting that lamb suck, she keeps turning when it tries to suck," she told Owen, 21. "Let's go on over and feel him, see if he has got any milk in him and if not we will have to take him inside." Approaching the lamb and its mother, Owen and Ellwood decided on a "pincer movement" to make sure they didn't get away. However, the mum darted off as Owen made his move, leaving him exclaiming over how "incredibly fast" she was. "This is the downside of lambing outside," said Ellwood, who managed to grab the lamb. "If we were in a shed it would have been easier," she added, as she enlisted the help of her sheepdog to round up the ewe. "This lamb was born about an hour ago and he hasn't sucked, he has got cold and he has just laid and shivered," she said. "She hasn't really licked him that well either." Read more on Reuben Owen Reuben Owen unveils new tattoo on Life in the Dales Reuben Owen comes to mother Amanda Owen's rescue over pothole trouble Life in the Dales' Reuben Owen suffers setback as he marks milestone with tractor challenge Reuben Owen overcomes big fear in Life in the Dales Luckily, Ellwood's dog was able to head the mother sheep in their direction and Owen and Ellwood managed to get her into a small trailer, where she could feed the lamb. "This is the colostrum, the most important... this will be the most important meal of his life won't it?" asked Owen. "Yes very important," Ellwood replied. "And he needs to have it quickly as well because the colostrum is full of all the antibodies." She explained that if lambs don't get their colostrum they can get a bacterial disease called "watery mouth". "It's really bad, it can be life-threatening," she said. As the lamb started to feed, Owen praised Ellwood for what she had done. "Well that's another little life saved - well done darling," he told her. "That's why it's so important to go round them. He probably wouldn't have survived if he had been left." "No definitely not, he would have got cold and shivered and then hypothermia and watery mouth probably," she agreed. Ellwood later decided to name the lamb after her boyfriend. Dabbing some orange pen on its head so that she could spot it in a crowd of lambs, she noted that it was the same colour as Owen's jacket. "Definitely called Reuben now!" she laughed. The episode also followed Owen as he moved 100 tonnes of stone as part of a job. When the job finally came to an end, he confessed he was feeling "lost" after having worked on it for weeks. "Do you feel a bit lost now?" he asked his team. "I do." "All we have been trying to do for the last month is 100 tonnes of this and now we are done," he explained. However, he marked the end of the job with a barbecue for his workers, plus Ellwood and his brother Miles, who is one of his eight siblings. Owen volunteered to cook the meat himself. but his friends were left looking a bit unimpressed when he had a hard time getting the barbecue started and then offered up sausages that one of his team said were so undercooked they were "about to run off". After the group had eaten, Owen shared his hopes for the future as he reflected on his week. "I think the next thing I need to think about is getting somewhere a bit better to keep all these machines," he mused. "And hopefully somewhere for me to live as well. That's the dream next." Reuben Owen: Life in the Dales is available on Channel 5.
