Manatee world: We all live in it!

Reprinted from Vegging Out I am ashamed to say I think I let out a shout when I looked up at the newsroom TV screen and saw some large shapes floating in the shallows of a beach.
I knew right away that is probably was not a good idea for such a large creature - whatever it was - to be floating so close to land - and even worse possibly - to people who might do them harm.
The whatever it was turned out to be manatees, ABC news reports.
And according to that site: "Home video shows group of sea cows splashing around in the shallow surf."
Phew.
The HuffPo also reports that the lifeguards worked to clear the area,to protect the sweet "sea cows." Go lifeguards!
And for your viewing delight, here's the video of what it looked like at the beach -for some lucky folks who got up close and personal.

police accuse man of choking dog to death after it urinated on him

Posted with permission of New Haven Register
BRANFORD, CONN. — A local man was arrested in connection with the choking death of his dog, which was found in a plastic bag in Madison in January.
Alex Wullaert, 22, of 57 East Main St., is charged with cruelty to animals and littering. His dog, which was a pit bull, Boxer mix, was discovered on March 11 when a resident located it discarded in a plastic bag in the woods by a lake and reported it to police, according to State Animal Control Officer Todd Curry.
An identifiable microchip that was recovered during a necropsy led Madison Police Officer Kimberly Lauria to identify Wullaert as the owner, Curry said.
“Through her further diligent investigation, Officer Lauria was able to contact and later interview Wullaert, who confessed that he choked the animal at his Branford home after it urinated on his leg and bit him,” Curry said.
Police said Wullaert placed the dead dog in a plastic bag and discarded it in Madison.
Wallaert was released on a written promise to appear at 9 a.m. May 15 at Superior Court in New Haven.

Scholarship being offered in memory of animal lover

The Purr Project is seeking applications for the annual Suzan’ D’Antonio Full Bucket Memorial Scholarship that honors its matron saint, friend, animal welfare advocate, and vet tech, the late Suzan D’Antonio of Cheshire who passed away in 2008.
The award is named to reflect the principles in the book “How Full Is Your Bucket,” by Tom Rath and Donald Clifton, the statement said. The book “describes how a person - best friend, coworker, or stranger - can (through their own positive words and deeds), fill your ‘bucket’ making you feel more positive,” the statement said.
“It is this principle that guided the life of Suzan D’ Antonio as a veterinary technician and an animal rights advocate - she filled buckets. The scholarship then, will go to those applicants who ‘fill the buckets’ of others by being an advocate for those who have no voice,” the statement said.
The statement also noted that: “Based on this premise, this scholarship is about service - the applicants’ service to animals and the Purr Project Foundations’ service to the applicant. The Purr Project has dedicated this scholarship in Suzan’s name in order to support you and fill your bucket.”
Academics are a component of the overall formula of how the winning applicant is chosen, but the “scholarship is for those who not only have ideas but for those who are about action in serving animals.”
“Simply put, we want doers. Each and every application will be reviewed with the understanding that each applicant is an individual and that there are going to be different ideas, different experiences, and different manners of service. This service may take many forms: helping maintain feral colonies, writing a newsletter, volunteering at a local shelter, helping with anti-cruelty programs, and more,” the statement said.
The scholarship is awarded yearly, so applicants are encouraged to reapply if they are not successful in a prior year, the statement said.
Applicants must be current residents of Connecticut (when not attending school).
“The important thing to understand is that this scholarship is for students who are or will be enrolled in vet-tech, pre vet, or veterinary medicine programs. We understand however, that academic programs can vary widely,” the statement said. “Therefore, if your institution does not have one of these programs but your intent is to serve animals in one of these capacities, then you should apply anyway. The Purr Project, does not condone animal testing research (i.e. pharmaceuticals), and will not grant scholarships in these areas.”
For information on the scholarship, The Purr Project Foundation, or to obtain an application, write to The Purr Project Foundation at 12 Winged Foot Court, Cheshire, 06410; call (203) 272-9590, or go to: purrproject.org where you can download a copy of the application.
Applications must be received by June 30 to be considered for the 2012 award. The Purr Project Foundation, Inc. is a certified 501C3 charitable organization and relies on contributions - 100 percent of which are applied to scholarship awards and are tax deductible.
Donations also may be sent to the address in Cheshire. Every donation will receive a thank you and receipt by return mail.