Happy Steve Irwin Day!

November 15th is designated for remembrance of one of the greatest friends an animal could ever have. Get your khakis on and tune in now to catch the live events at the Australian Zoo-

 Steve Irwin Day Broadcast

Crikey, we miss you, Steve!

Dog helps escort Olympic torch through London

Aurora Borealis- Dance of the Spirits

Ok, so this isn't animal related at all, but you have to admit this is still pretty freakin AWESOME

Orca Celebrates 100th Birthday!

Come celebrate the estimated 100 year birthday of J2, Granny !!!

The Center for Whale Research is hosting a celebration of the estimated birth year of J2, one of the oldest females in the southern resident killer whale population. Based on J2's apparent age at the inception of the Orca Survey study in 1976, she is estimated to have been born in 1911 making 2011 her 100th year, and although we do not know her exact age she is likely the oldest living whale among J,K, and L pods. This celebration marks 100 years of evoloving interaction between humans and killer whales in the ecosystem now known as the Salish Sea.

We invite everyone to come to Lime Kiln State Park to celebrate the estimated century long life of J2 and to learn more about and the obstacles she, and all the southern residents, have faced in their struggle to survive the changing world.

Please join us, bring your own picnic lunch to the park, and enjoy an afternoon of music by the Kevin Carr Family Band followed by a talk from Ken Balcomb, director of the Center for Whale Research. There will be children's games and activities provided by Jeff Hogan's Killer Whale Tales. The Salish Sea Association of Marine Naturalists (SSAMN ) will also be hosting an informational booth offering tips and opportunities to foster stewardship of the Salish Sea environment on which the killer whales depend. Additionally, the Center for Whale Research Information Station will be open to provide education about the local killer whales and the Orca Survey project.

J2 100th Birthday!

WHEN: July 2, 2011, 1:00 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Lime Kiln Point State Park, San Juan Island
WHO: Hosted by the Center for Whale Research and supported by:

Kevin Carr Family Band

Killer Whale Tales - Environmental Science Though Storytelling

SSAMN - Salish Sea Association of Marine Naturalists

Orca Network - Connecting whales and people in the Pacific Northwest

We hope to see you all there!

For additional information or questions please contact: erin@whaleresearch.com

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To find out how you can adopt a Southern Resident orca, check out The Whale Museum!

Dog Trainer Receives Tony Award

Dog Trainer Makes History at Tonight's Tony Awards

Tonight’s Tony Awards telecast will be eye and ear candy for fans of the New York theater. But even if Broadway show business isn’t your thing, there’s one feature of tonight’s program that’s sure to appeal to Dogsters. In a historic first, the prestigious Tony Honor for Excellence in Theater will be awarded to … a dog trainer.

William Berloni – Bill to his friends – is the founder of William Berloni Theatrical Animals and director of animal behavior at the Humane Society of New York. His specialty is discovering K9 stage stars at animal shelters, then prepping them for a run on the Great White Way.

He’s so modest, and he makes it look easy, but it’s a lot harder than it sounds, as Bill’s memoir “Broadway Tails,” explains. Dog trainers who work in movies have the luxury of re-takes. Dogs who perform in live stage productions only get one shot at stardom: You mess up on stage, your career is over. Berloni’s dogs never mess up. They are the creme de la creme of K9 talent – true professionals who work hard to earn every ovation they get. And to get his dogs to achieve their best, Bill uses only positive, gentle training methods.

The story of how Bill secured his unique niche in dog training reads like a Broadway-bound play itself. Back in 1976, director Martin Charnin was getting ready for the opening of a musical based on a popular comic strip about an orphan girl and her best friend, a sandy-haired mutt. Charnin charged Bill, then a 19-year-old aspiring actor, with securing a dog for the production, and training the K9 to do tricks on cue.

Bill, who had loved and worked with dogs since childhood, was happy to volunteer as the trainer in exchange for his actor’s card. After visiting various animal shelters in his home state of Connecticut, he discovered the perfect dog to play Sandy. A dog star was born. Sandy the mutt charmed and delighted fans of the musical “Annie,” on and off the stage.

As everyone knows, the musical “Annie” became a blockbuster. Berloni’s professional destiny was sealed. He wouldn’t act after all; instead, he’d be the force behind Broadway’s fabulous, four-footed stage performers, motivating and guiding his proteges all the way to superstar status.

Today, Bill has a stable of some 30 Sandy mutts, all veterans of various “Annie” revivals, and all adopted from animal shelters (that’s one of them in the photo above, taken at last year’s Tonys). He works with many other breeds and mixes as well, from pit bulls to poodles (like the toy poodle he trained for “Gypsy,” starring Bernadette Peters). Remember Chico, the famous Chihuahua who starred as Bruiser in the Broadway blockbuster “Legally Blonde”? He’s a Berloni discovery, as is Toto in Broadway’s “The Wizard of Oz” and Pi the Boston Terrier, the sweet scene-stealer in Susan Stroman’s “Double Feature” for the New York City Ballet.

He’s soft-spoken and modest, but Bill is a legend – and other legends have tipped their hats to him. Documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles of “Grey Gardens” and “Gimme Shelter” fame has a doc in the works about Berloni; famed photographer Elliott Erwitt shot an iconic image of Berloni and Sandy sitting on a park bench; director Mike Nichols tapped Berloni to train the animals (dogs plus a cat) for the Tom Hanks movie “Charlie Wilson’s War.”

But the thing we love most about Bill Berloni is this: He’s steadfast in his loyalty to shelter animals, and remains dedicated to raising awareness of the heartbreaking numbers of dogs in animal shelters across the country whose talents too often go unnoticed. He always gently urges everyone he meets to try following his proven m.o. for success: Find and adopt pets from animal shelters. Whether they perform on Broadway or just do tricks for you and your family, those dogs are the ones with star quality to spare.

Bravo, Bill - Dogsters will be cheering as you pick up your richly deserved award tonight. Knock ‘em dead!

Attention! Attention!

Tuesday, February 23rd is
International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!

prepare accordingly

Finally They're Here!

What else would it be but the Guinea Pig Olympics!


Ever since Heracles blessed Olympiad with a stadium in honour of his father, Zeus, the sporting heroes of the day have taken part in the Olympic games. But man is not the only species to hold competitive sporting events


New images reveal, for the first time, that man's most trusted ally, the guinea pig, holds a yearly competition. The Guinea Pig Games (GPG) pits two teams of athletic Cavia porcellus against each other to win gold, silver, and bronze medals


As with the human Olympics, guinea athletes are held in great esteem among their fans, admired for their stamina, prowess and incredible feats


But they should also be admired for the dedication they show toward their chosen sport. Snuffles McSqueeby, gold-winning squash champ of last year's games, trains for 6 hours a day. The rest of his schedule consists mainly of trembling in the corner of his hutch


Many GPG hopefuls have had to overcome disabilities in order to compete. Fluffy Peters, like all guinea pigs, has no thumbs to hold the foil with. Over time he's strengthened his claw-like-paws to actually be able to grip the handle. He's not very good at swinging the tiny metal sword, but that's beside the point


A natural fear of water hasn't taken any wind out of the sails of former gold medallists, Snooky Pooky and Gertrude Tiddlywinks


Guinea athletes want to be taken seriously, but prejudice hangs around the GPG like a bad stench. Many humans see serious animal athletes as "adorable", they may laugh or condescendingly stroke them - a factor that has always prevented guinea pigs from joining the human Olympics....


...Linford Christie "accidentally" stepped on 100 metres hopeful, Bitey Stevens, during Barcelona '92. Bitey was only injured, but he could not compete and the Guinea Pig Games Committee decreed that guineas would no longer compete with humans until they are viewed as equals


The Guinea Pig Games is not without controversy of its own. Harvey Higginbottom, four time silver medallist, was banned from this year's GPGs because he failed the obligatory drugs tests...


...and renowned 'ard-man, Squeakers "Knockout" Thompson, caused outrage four years ago when he not only bit the ear off of his competitor, Jimmy Nibbles, but ate his babies too


Hamsters have been trying to get in on the event for decades, but snooty GPG bosses have forbidden them, stating that the hamsters carry too much weight in their cheeks to hurdle properly. We could get no comment from the disgruntled hamsters


This year's Guinea Pig Games ultimate winner will be announced in December. The images appear courtesy of The Guinea Pig Games Calender 2009, published by Icarus Arts

Go Orange on April 10th

Join Animal Lovers Everywhere and Go Orange for Animals on April 10 for ASPCA Day!

On Thursday, April 10, cities all over the country will be going orange to celebrate the ASPCA’s victories on behalf of animals and the joy they bring to pet parents everywhere. Lend us your voice on April 10 by dressing yourself, your kids, your pet—even your school or company!—in ASPCA orange, and show the world you support the ASPCA and the pets we protect. Visit the ASPCA Day Online Community Group to give—and get—good ideas for going orange.

Learn more about ASPCA Day here