Category: Global

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Review: The World of Farley Mowat

Allison

Published in 1980, there are nine sections to The World of Farley Mowat, each of which contains excerpts from one of more of Mowat’s published writings. Selections are grouped in chronological order. As such, given how much of Mowat’s writings were based on his own life, The World of Farley Mowat not only provides readers exposure to a variety of his writings but also a glimpse into his personal life. Indeed, the autobiographical sections are my favorite. These include Saskatchewan, Tide of War, parts of Northern Territories, Siberia, and parts of The Rock and The Deeps. Although his childhood life … Continue reading Review: The World of Farley Mowat

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Review: Newfoundland Pony Tales By Marian Brake

Allison

The idea for Newfoundland Pony Tales came to author Marion Brake when she visited the Newfoundland Pony Refuge in Change Islands and could not find a children’s book about the pony in the town’s visitor’s center. To meet that need, Brake decided to write her own. The result was a collection of stories about the ponies, with an introduction about the sanctuary. The illustrations by professional artist Cassandra Gallant are gorgeous, while the semi-interconnected tales are cute and left me wanting more. Newfoundland Pony Tales starts out by introducing Tia, the oldest Newfoundland Pony on Change Island. Her owners could no … Continue reading Review: Newfoundland Pony Tales By Marian Brake

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COVID-19 & Our Pets

Allison

In this time of uncertainty, there is reassuring news. According to both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Veterinarian Medical Association (AVMA), there is no evidence that pets can spread COVID-19. The CDC website states that coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, of which some cause illness in people and some cause illness in animals. However, the coronaviruses that infect animals rarely infect people. While the first infection of COVID-19 (and its predecessor SARS) has been linked to a live animal market, CDC added that public health officials do not actually know the exact … Continue reading COVID-19 & Our Pets

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2020 Online Community Cats Conference

Allison

On the weekend of January 24-26, I participated in an online conference hosted by the Community Cats Podcast on the topic of community cats (unowned cats that live outdoors). Now in its second year, the conference featured thirteen speakers from animal welfare organizations across North America. Following are highlights from the one presentation I disliked, and from a few of those I enjoyed. “So much has evolved in animal welfare in just the past decade. Now that we know better, we can do better,” said Dr. Sara Pizano, in her presentation titled “How We Live with and Love Cats.” Pizano … Continue reading 2020 Online Community Cats Conference

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Interview with Feline Behavior Specialist, Dr. Sarah Ellis

Allison

While studying for a Post Graduate Diploma in Companion Animal Behavior Counselling, Sarah Ellis, discovered that she loved learning about cats. At the same time, she realized that there were so many questions about this “wonderful species” and that she … Continue reading Interview with Feline Behavior Specialist, Dr. Sarah Ellis

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Canadian Cat Advocate: Irene Plett

Allison

Self-dubbed as “a servant of cats and words,” Irene Plett is an author and cat advocate from Canada. Irene has a website, Facebook page, Twitter account, and Youtube channel dedicated to cats. Through these various forms of social media, you’ll … Continue reading Canadian Cat Advocate: Irene Plett

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Review: Cats on the Job

Allison

Before I started to blog, if you had asked me to name jobs that pets do, I could have named several … and all of them would have been related to dogs. Should I have even thought of cats, I might have pointed out their ability to catch rodent. Yet cats are much more clever and versatile that most of us give them credit. You just need to read Lisa Rogak’s Cats on the Job to discover not just one or ten but fifty ways that cats purr, mouse, and even sing for their supper. In her colorful and photo-rich … Continue reading Review: Cats on the Job

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Interview with Author H.S. Toshack

Allison

I now interrupt my series of reviews to bring you an interview with H.S. Toshack. If you love animal books, and especially if you enjoyed Watership Down by Richard Adams, seek out the Paka Mdogo stories. You will not be disappointed! ALLISON: What took you to the Caribbean, Africa, Thailand, the Middle East, and now Portugal? H.S. TOSHACK: Here’s a general answer to begin with: a desire to engage with worlds beyond the one I grew up in. Why those particular places, however? They all offered a combination of rich experiences and equally rich professional opportunities – in other words … Continue reading Interview with Author H.S. Toshack

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Review: The Meerkat Wars by H.S. Toshack

Allison

The Meerkat Wars by H.S. Toshack reminds me of the masterpiece Watership Down by Richard Adams, which also happens to be one of my all-time favorite books for children. In that hefty novel, along with appreciating the adventures of the fugitives, I also reveled in how intimately I came to know the world of rabbits. While I sometimes disagreed with the beliefs of the rabbits, I also appreciated the thematic complexity of Watership Down. By the same token, I love how intimately H. S. Toshack portrays the world of meerkats and a certain house cat named Sheena, who together face … Continue reading Review: The Meerkat Wars by H.S. Toshack