How do you honour a rock legend like the iconic singer and songwriter Neil Young? Name a spider after him of course! A great story from Los Angeles (Reuters) informs us that an East Carolina University biologist named Jason Bond - not James sadly, has discovered a new species of trapdoor spider and decided to name the arachnid after his favourite musician, Canadian Neil Young : a memorable name (for a spider) - 'Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi'.
In a statement Bond said "There are strict rules about how you name new species. As long as these rules are followed you can give a new species just about any name you please. With regards to Neil Young, I really enjoy his music and have had a great appreciation of him as an activist for peace and justice."
The new spider species was discovered by Bond in Jefferson County, Alabama in 2007. He explains that spiders in the trapdoor genus, who tend to live in burrows and build trap doors to seal off their living quarters, are distinguished from one species to the next on the basis of differences in genitalia. ( Perhaps a little too much information if you are more of a Neil Young fan, than a spider fan, but interesting none the less!)
Jason Bond has been able to confirm through the spider's DNA that the Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi is an identigiable, seperate species of spider within the trapdoor genus. That ought to make Neil Young fans happy, after all he is unique!
However he is not the only rock legend to have a creature named after him. He shares the honour with Roy Orbison and his wife: a species of beetle that looks as if it is wearing a tuxedo - the whirligig beetle, or Orectochilus orbisonorum - was named after them earlier this year!
Who needs a star when you can have a spider in the world wide web of fame!
If you have adopted a dog from a shelter or taken on a puppy from a breeder or even a friend, you will know how important it is to them that you understand your commitment to having a dog has to be 100% and that hopefully it will be a long lasting and mutual love affair! Well for one American company, FlexPetz, a dog is no longer for life, but just for the weekend!
I am probably not alone in thinking this is a strange and potentially cruel idea. There is nothing wrong with dog sharing when two people or even families take on the responsibility of caring for a pet, but cannot due to other daily commitments devote all the time needed to do so. Many people have dog walkers or sitters if they work or travel, but the idea of renting a pet seems to contradict what dog lovers understand : the vital importance of the relationship between pet and parent!
FlexPetz has, according to a recent article in the Evening Standard, proved popular enough in the U.S for them to launch the service in the UK. They currently have five dogs in London and have already signed up 100 'part-time owners. FlexPet (what a name) has plans to buy more dogs and expand to other British cities. Marlena Cervantes who launched the service and is a behavioural thereapist, said "Our members are responsible in that they realise full-time ownership is not an option. We screen all our members first to make sure they are suitable". (Whatever that means) Users pay an annual fee in the UK of £50 plus a monthly subscription which gets them four days with a dog. The fees also cover leads bowls, beds and food which are supplied for every trip. Well at least the dogs get to sleep in the same bed if not in the same home!
I read that most of the dogs are retired show animals that have all received full obedience training, and are fitted with tracking collars -and chips I hope- in case they get lost. But are they retired and happy to be passed around like a sports trophee?
The scheme has been criticised by animal charities who maintain that such 'timeshare' schemes are cruel to the dogs involved. Ryan Neile of pet charity Blue Cross said: "when dogs are passed around, they may become confused, distressed and upredictable" and Caroline Kisko of the British Kennel Club said that "The concept of renting out dogs as a 'timeshare' equivalent is detrimental to the dog".
Let me know your thoughts on this one, but let's hope that this rent a pet exercise will lead some of the scheme's members to put their time and pet caring efforts into adopting from a shelter where so many dogs are needing just one home!
They say it is the latest cult website...and not just for cat lovers, so if you think you can take the good, the bad and the plain mad, then check out www.LoLcats.com, yes that's Laugh Out Loud cats!
Allergies that develop in childhood as well as asthma are on the increase, and it is often assumed that our furry friends make things worse. Well there might be some good news for worried parents: according to new research just published in the European Respiratory Journal rather than being a trigger for allergies, pets could actually prevent children from developing allergies.
An article by Jenny Hope, the Daily Mail's medical correspondant, says that researchers found 'children up to the age of three who lived with a dog were 50 per cent less likely to become sensitised to allergens such as pollen.'
"It is thought the pets bring germs into the home stopping it from being 'too clean' and kick starting the child's immune system. Children who are licked by dogs may also be protected by early exposure to bugs that live in the dogs's mouths and on their coats. Previous generations were exposed to more dirt - and the micro organisms in it - which helped their immune systems develop resistance."
The study was carried out over six years and surveyed 9,000 parents in Germany. They were asked by scientists at the National Research Centre for Environmental Health in Munich, to answer detailed questionaires on possible allergic symptoms and the children's exposure to dogs.
Jenny Hope explains in the Mail's article that ' In addition, blood samples were taken from more than 3,000 children at the age of six and tested for markers which indicate an allergic response to pollen, dust mites, cat and dog hair, and mould spores.
Lead researcher Dr Joachim Heinrich said: "Our results show clearly that the presence of a dog in the home during infancy is associated with a significantly low level of sensitisation to pollens and inhaled allergens."
Dr Heinrich pointed out that it was important the dog was kept at home from the start of the child's life, with the first year seemingly critical to reducing his or her sensitivity to allergens. He cautioned however that "Until we understand the mechanisms underlying this protective effect from dogs, we cannot say that parents-to-be should go out and get a puppy or a kitten."
More tests are planned when the children reach the age of ten for researchers to see whether the protection stopped them from developing allergies such as hay fever.
As we have a history of severe asthma in the family, I have always been concerned that having a large dog that moults on a regular basis would aggravate the symptoms for an adult and possibly trigger the asthma in the children. I am happy to read these findings because so far growing up with a dog does not appear to have affected my children's health, in fact quite the opposite!
Let's hope this research proves conclusive sometime in the not too distant future!
Those of us lucky enough to have a pet at home are well aware of the great benefits of their companionship, and the saying that a dog is 'man's best friend' is as true as it is old. Well it seems that our pets can also bring not just comfort but real psycological benefit to the sick and lonely, and if you have the time and the inclination to reach out to these people then there is a 'visiting pets program' that need you!
One such organisation is called Prescription: Pets and it is the local affiliate of the Delta Society's Pet Partners Program. Set up in 1990, The Pet Partners Program trains volunteers to visit local nursing homes and assisted living facilities with their pets.
Aproximately 6,400 Pet Partners teams now operate in all 50 states and four other countries, and are helping over 9,000 people each year. The program ensures that both people and animals are well prepared to take part in animal-assisted activity and animal-assisted therapy programs.
Maggie Kraft who is the coordinator for Prescription: Pets in Humboldt County, says "the goal is to enhance the quality of life and emotional health of patients, clients and staff by visiting public and private health-care facilites and schools." In her experience animals connect to people on a deeper level. "I work with a lot of people who have Alzheimer's or other related dementias, and I am very struck by how the pets are able to connect with these people easily when most people feef uncomfortable around people with brain impairments or physical disability." Maggie is a certified trainer for the program and uses her own dog Nevada to help others prepare for the visits with their pets. " As far as the 'pet connection' goes, Maggie says "we are taught in this programme to support our animal in this process and to step back and let the magig flow. I joke that I am really Nevada's chauffeur and if she ever learned to drive, she wouldn't need me to go on these visits."
You might think this kind of volunteer work is restricted to cats and dogs, but in reality local programs have included rabbits, birds and even a miniature pony, a popular pariticipent! What a great way to spread happiness in the company of your best friend!
