A lightning strike over the province of Batangas during the eruption of the Taal volcano in Philippines, January 2020 (Credit: Domcar C Lagto/Pacific Press via Alamy)
Eruption of Taal Volcano in Philippines, January 2020
Volcanic lightning occurs when fragments of propelled ash (including glass, ice, and rock) spark against each other in the violent plume that rises above an erupting volcano. The First-Century Roman writer Pliny the Younger is credited with recording the earliest-extant account of a so-called ‘dirty thunderstorm’ after witnessing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. “A dreadful black cloud,” Pliny observed in a letter to Tacitus, “was torn by gushing flames and great tongues of fire like much-magnified lightning.” Photos taken in January 2020 of a similar display near Manila, Philippines when Taal Volcano erupted captured the world’s attention. The intense gnashing of darkness and light preserved by the images recalls the cataclysmic beauty of The Destruction of Pompei and Herculaneum, the Romantic artist John Martin’s 1822 painterly recreation of the ancient dirty thunderstorm that Pliny the Younger saw with his own eyes.
This is a copyrighted photograph and I may have to remove it pretty damn quickly.
Jean and I had the radio on, BBC Radio 4, yesterday morning and were listening to You and Yours. They had an item on puppies and the fact that at this time of the year, and especially this year, the number of puppies being brought in was very high.
There’s been a surge in puppies coming into the UK from oversees and animal welfare charities are worried about it. The Eurotunnel has put limits on the amount of dogs that can come through in one vehicle. We look at how puppies are advertised on social media and bred in countries like Russia and the Ukraine.
The former boss of Skybet, Richard Flint, reacts to the government announcement of a review of gambling laws. What can online betting companies do to make gambling fairer and safer?
We’ve been hearing how students have been struggling with their courses and accomodation in the pandemic – we hear from a father worried about his daughter in her first year, and she joins us too.
And, the number of house sales falling through because mortgage companies have downgraded valuations is rising. Are buyers just offering too much in the housing market boom?
The rules for bringing your dog into the United States depend on where you are coming from. Written or oral statements and any documents must be in English or have an English translation.
Different types of rabies exist in many mammals, but CDC focuses on importing dog rabies into the United States from certain high-risk countries. CDC experts collect and analyze rabies information around the world to determine a country’s risk for rabies.
Dog rabies was eliminated in the United States in 2007 and is under control in some other countries. However, many others do not have it controlled, and dogs coming from these countries can import this disease into the United States.
Dogs coming from a high-risk country will need a rabies vaccine certificate. High-risk countries have the greatest chance of importing dog rabies into the United States.
Photo credit: Audilis Sánchez, CDC
Example: Your adult dog lived in the United States (no-known–risk country) and visited Ghana (high-risk country) for any period of time. Before returning to the United States, your dog must have a valid rabies vaccine certificate. Be sure to get your dog vaccinated before you travel and take the papers with you.
Example: You are purchasing a puppy from Russia (high-risk country) on the Internet. Before entering the United States, your puppy must have a valid rabies vaccine certificate.
Dogs coming from a low-risk or no-known rabies risk (free of dog rabies) are NOT required to have a rabies vaccination certificate to enter the United States. However, when you enter the United States, you must provide written or oral statements that the dogs lived in a country with low or no risk for at least 6 months or since birth.
Photo credit: Michelle Decenteceo, CDC
Example: Your adult dog lived in the United States (no-known–risk country) and visited Mexico (low-risk country). This dog does NOT require a rabies certificate, because Mexico is low risk for dog rabies.
Example: Your puppy has lived in Germany since birth and is coming to the United States. This dog does NOT require a rabies certificate, because Germany has no-known risk for dog rabies.
Going back to that item on BBC Radio there was reference to a YouTube video of an illegal import from Russia.
Here it is:
Last week Love Island’s Molly Mae and Tommy Fury posted photos of their new pomeranian puppy from Russia, Mr Chai. But just a few days later they announced the devastating news that Mr Chai had died following health complications and it’s an all too common problem, when dogs from puppy farms are sold to unsuspecting families. Vet Dr Scott Miller joins us to make sure you know how to spot the signs of a reputable breeder if you’re thinking of getting a pet, alongside Sadee Slater – the victim of an irresponsible breeder.
Staying safe is more than luck; it requires research and care, and a whole lot more!
On her first day volunteering at the Norfolk SPCA in Virginia, Casey Lewis knew she wanted to adopt a dog, but was planning to wait until the moment was right. Then the volunteer coordinator introduced her to J.J. — and the adoption was official by the end of the day.
“It was love at first sight, and he came home with me that day … the SPCA still tells our story,” Lewis told The Dodo.
CASEY LEWIS
J.J. has been with his mom for over three years now, and in that time, he’s definitely caused a lot of trouble. He has very strong opinions about everything, and loves to get into things he shouldn’t.
“Last year he destroyed six boxes of tissues, tore down the baby gate for the first time, and got into the steel, pedal-operated trash can … cleanup took over an hour … But I love him, and I wouldn’t trade him for anything,” Lewis said.
CASEY LEWIS
Recently, Lewis had to go into work but couldn’t bring J.J. to doggy day care that day. She decided he’d be fine at home alone, and secured anything she thought he might be able to get into. She went off to work with her fingers crossed — and came home again to find that her hopes had been in vain.
“What I found when I got home was a MESS,” Lewis said. “He’d torn six boxes into shreds of various sizes, from recognizable to fingernail-sized. He’d also pulled down the wooden baby gate in the kitchen and managed to move the storage tower that held it in place, and a large chunk had broken off an already-broken corner of the gate. I was lucky he didn’t decide to go for the trash.”
CASEY LEWIS
As Lewis observed the mess she now had to clean up, J.J. stood there proudly with the biggest smile on his face. He was clearly so excited to show his mom the art project he’d completed while she was gone, and couldn’t have been more pleased with himself.
“He’s always proud of his messes — ‘guilty beagle’ is an oxymoron,” Lewis said.
Much to J.J.’s dismay, Lewis cleaned up the mess he made that day, knowing there are bound to be many more in the future. J.J. just loves to explore and express himself, and even though it’s messy sometimes, his mom wouldn’t have him any other way.
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Well Casey is a real hero and clearly loves dogs beyond measure.
But, as I said at the start, J.J. is an exceptional dog. And one has to regard J.J. in his own terms. It’s no good applying human behavioural values to what J.J. is doing.
This was a story that was published by The Dodo last November 18th. It is a delightful account of an ex-rescue dog who is now in loving hands.
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Pregnant Rescue Dog Gets The Ultimate Maternity Shoot
“Lily Mae was born to model” 📸
By Lily Feinn
Published on the 13th November, 2020
Ryan Fant was out for a walk in a park in Little Rock, Arkansas, when he spotted a beautiful golden retriever running around without a collar. He approached the dog and started to play with her. When she began to follow him home, Fant decided to take in the lost dog and name her Lily Mae.
After a month of searching for her owner without luck, Fant decided to make Lily a permanent part of his family. But he soon noticed that the once-skinny dog’s stomach was growing … and growing.
INSTAGRAM/CAITIESFOSTERFAM
A vet confirmed that Lily Mae was pregnant, so Fant reached out to his friend Caitie Evers for help. With years of experience fostering new dog mamas and their pups, Evers was the perfect person to help Lily through this difficult time.
When Lily arrived, Evers was surprised that her growing belly didn’t seem to slow her down one bit. “She acts totally normal and makes me nervous with her running and jumping,” Evers told The Dodo. “She is a total sweetheart. She is a stage five clinger who prefers to be in my lap every moment.”
INSTAGRAM/CAITIESFOSTERFAM
With Lily’s due date just days away, Evers decided to get the word out about her puppies. And what better way to make the announcement than with an adorable maternity photo shoot?
“I have fostered a lot of pregnant dogs and new mama dogs and I have always said I wanted to do a photo shoot for them to gain attention for the foster/rescue dogs of the world,” Evers said. “So many people are amazed when they realize she is a rescue dog. I think it’s important to get the information out there that you can really truly find every single type of dog in rescue.”
SHAUNA KIELY PHOTOGRAPHY
She contacted her photographer friend and fellow rescuer Shauna Kiely, and the two set up the photo shoot for the very next day. Lily was excited to be the center of attention and get special hugs from Evers.
SHAUNA KIELY PHOTOGRAPHY
“Lily Mae was born to model,” Evers said. “She loved it and it only took like 30 minutes total!”
SHAUNA KIELY PHOTOGRAPHY
Two days later, Lily went into labor and gave birth to eight perfect puppies. Mama and the seven boys and one girl are all happy and healthy — thanks to the loving rescuer who saved them from the street and their kind foster mom.
“They are chunky babies at already almost a pound each,” Evers said. “They are doing wonderful and are healthy and active. Mom snuggles them and loves them but is also trusting me to care for them all. She allows me to change their bedding but if I take too long she’ll start putting them back on her own.”
INSTAGRAM/CAITIESFOSTERFAM
Once the babies are weaned, they will be available for adoption through the Houston-based rescue Chip N Snip, and Lily Mae will return to Arkansas to live with her dad. But, for now, the only thing Lily Mae cares about is being the best mom she can be.
To stay up-to-date on Lily Mae and her puppies’ journey, you can follow them on Instagram. If you’re interested in adopting one of Lily Mae’s puppies and live in a 3-hour radius of Houston, you can reach out to Chip N Snip here.
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We know totally the special joy and companionship that comes from dogs who had a rough start to their lives.
Oh how much we would like to adopt a couple of the darling puppies. But firstly we are trying to be strict in not weakening our resolve not to have more dogs and, secondly, we are thankfully more that three hours radius from Houston.
Learning from Dogs 