CLEVELAND (Reuters) – A spotted leopard , one of dozens of exotic animals that set off a panic when they were briefly released in rural Ohio last October, has died at the Columbus zoo after its spinal cord was damaged in a freak accident, a zoo spokeswoman said Tuesday. The spotted leopard was one of 56 animals Terry Thompson released on his Zanesville, Ohio farm before shooting himself. Ohio law    .. more …

FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 31 (UPI) — An 18-month old Fort Worth, Texas, boy was hospitalized after he crawled through a pet door into his back yard and was mauled by four dogs, officials said.The mixed-breed Boxers bit and chewed the ears and face of the child, the Tarrant County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department reported. They were among seven dogs in the fenced back yard of the home, owned by the    .. more …

Four horses , including three thoroughbreds, were found neglected and emaciated this week in northwest Miami-Dade County ‘s C9 Basin, an area notorious for the illegal slaughter and selling of horse meat.”There were tires, toxic waste and four horses,” said Richard Couto, an animal-rights activist who investigates illegal horse slaughter. “The horses were feeding off of whatever they could feed    .. more …

THE HUMANE SOCIETY FOR GREATER SAVANNAHAll pets adopted from HSGS are spayed/neutered, up to date on vaccines, dewormed, micro-chipped and get a free vet exam. To view all available pets, go to humanesocietySAV.org or stop by 7215 Sallie Mood Drive. Adoptions are 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturdays at PetSmart, 11132 Abercorn St. Foster pets are socialized in homes, current on vaccines and spayed/neutered    .. more …

ASHLAND — The KYOVA Mall on U.S. 60 in Ashland will host the Kentucky Reptile Expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7. The 10-year-old expo boasts of about 50 tables full of captive-bred    .. more …

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – American number one Mardy Fish crashed out of the Australian Open Wednesday, beaten 7-6 6-3 7-6 by Alejandro Falla in the second round. Afterwards, eighth-seed Fish questioned whether the Colombian had “abused” the rules by calling out the trainer as a tactical ploy during a tense third set. Fish had to battle back just to force a tiebreak in the third set on court three but    .. more …

The American No. 1 slumped to a 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 defeat at the hands of the Colombian Alejandro Falla out on Court 3 on Wednesday, and then suggested his opponent had used frequent treatment for cramping as a ploy.Having admitted that he didn’t play well and made too many errors, Fish said, “The third set (which Fish served for at 5-4) was obviously pretty important, knowing he was struggling, I    .. more …

Due to the preponderance of dog poop on school fields and grounds, Teton County School District No. 1 has banned all canines from its properties, including popular public pathways.The ban excludes dogs from athletic fields and all pathways around Jackson Hole Middle School, Davey Jackson and Colter elementary schools and Jackson Hole and Summit high schools.That ban means dog owners who reside in    .. more …

CHEEKY parrots, giddy lemurs and an elephant calf named Scott were all present and correct when I went along to Whipsnade Zoo as they conducted their annual animal count on Tuesday (January 10) writes Richard Redman. Our guided tour of the stock check began in the Discovery Centre ” home to tropical reptiles, amphibians and insects ” where I was witness to my new favourite-ever warning sign:    .. more …

Not that de Groot and his technicians don’t work on “drivers,” such as 2008 Maserati Gran Turismo on a lift in early January. It’s undercarriage clearly shows scrapes and dings imparted by unforgiving road surfaces. A portion of the cars at Exoticars USA are “garage queens,” purchased by owners content to assemble fleets that are seen, but rarely heard. The shop specializes in maintaining,    .. more …