(Photo: KYW)
A Philadelphia carriage horse is recovering tonight after being attacked by a dog in Old City. The dog, a pit-bull mix, broke free from its collar after being spooked by traffic and noise lunged at the Belgian draft horse, biting its upper leg. The horse was taken back to the stable for treatment. The dog was rescued recently after its owner threw it from a moving car, said Melissa Levy, executive director of Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, which took in the dog from the Pennsylvania SPCA two weeks ago.
Following the lead of Philadelphia Park race track in Bensalem, two Illinois tracks are now putting their purses where their mouths are. Arlington and Hawthorne parks are now deducting a percentage of the purse to fund race horse retirement. Philadelphia Park started the ball rolling last year when it founded a program by a small fee charged to owners and jockeys per horse raced. The programs all work to place retired racehorses in new homes and prevent them from being sold for slaughter.
Speaking of racehorses, Lost and Found Horse Rescue is in danger of losing its farm in York County, Pennsylvania. After rescuing hundreds of ex-race horses, Amish plow and buggy horses and other unwanted equines, the farm has lost its major benefactor and needs to raise $300,000 to buy the farm by next month. More coverage here.
The Pennsylvania SPCA board voted to continue to handle stray animals for the city under the new contract which starts in July. The PSPCA also reports its euthanasia rate is down for the first five months of 2010. In the same period in 2009 the shelter euthznied 4,175 dogs and cats. A spokeswoman says the new figures are not yet finalized. Stay tuned.
The Delaware County SPCA was fined $6,000 by the Department of State for soliciting without a license.
Just in time for "kitten season," June is American Humane's Adopt-a-Cat month and shelters across the land are promoting the many felines looking for purrfect homes:
On June 12 and June 13, volunteers with Furrever Friends Rescue and Volunteers will be holding "KITTENpurrlooza" at the new Petsmart in Deptford, NJ to showcase available cats needing home. They currently have 51 kittens and 50 adult cats available, some with special needs. The struggling rescue reports it is also in need of donations of kitten chow, cat food, litter, laundry detergent and gift cards.
The Animal Coalition of Delaware County is holding special adoption events each weekend this month. This Saturday they will be at the PetSmart in Concordville (800 Hatton Dr., Glen Mills), from 12 noon to 3 p.m.
The PSPCA is offering an Adopt-A-Buddy program or two for the price of one special on cats this month.
Check out American Humane's website for tips about cat adoption.
In Defense of Animals is taking its campaign against elephants in zoos to zoos all over the country on June 19, including Philadelphia. But wait, Philadelphia doesn't have elephants anymore. What gives? Our zoo beat reporter Sandy Bauers tells Philly Dawg that activists are angry about where the elephants were sent. The exhibit was closed and the two remaining elephants were moved to the Pittsburgh Zoo's 700-acre rare breed sanctuary in Somerset County (shown at left) in 2009. The protest will be held at the Philadelphia Zoo from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Nobody's used the word "dynasty" to describe a Philadelphia sports team lately, but the Phillies home Citizens Bank park is taking home another world class dining award. For the second year, PETA dubbed it the best vegan dining in all of major league baseball. Here's what PETA's food critic wrote:
It's hard to say whether the Phils' biggest off-season acquisition was ace Roy Halladay or the new faux chicken sandwich and vegan rice crispie treats offered at concession stands. Added to other meat-free fare, including veggie burgers, Southwestern black-bean burgers, veggie dogs, faux steak sandwiches, veggie chicken steaks, mock crab cakes, hummus and pita chips, and fresh fruit, Citizens Bank Park is the first undisputed dynasty in the history of PETA's prestigious rankings