TresSugar

How Much a Pet Is Going to Cost You Each Year

Emily Co — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:00:00 PDT

Pets are such a joy to have, but people definitely need to think long and hard before they decide to get one. I've been hesitant about getting a dog, because not only does it take a lot of time and commitment, but raising an animal can also get pretty pricey. Before you take the plunge and fall for a furry friend, make an estimate of what the pet will potentially cost you. Here is a list of basic annual expenses for a variety of pets calculated by the ASPCA.

Small dog: $580
Medium dog: $695
Large dog: $875
Cat: $670
Rabbit: $730
Guinea pig: $635
Small mammal: $300
Small bird: $200
Fish: $35

Keep in mind that getting a pet will initially be a lot more expensive than the annual cost, because you'll have to buy new equipment and pay for the cost of the pet and standard checkups.

Free Weekend Activity: Visit Your Local Pound

Emily Co — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 03:05:08 PDT

One of the things that I love doing on the weekend is visiting my local SPCA. This is an activity that I definitely recommend to animal lovers who have a shelter near them. Check nationwide shelters like the ASPCA or the Humane Society. They sometimes have free weekend classes to educate people on how to raise puppies, so it's a good idea to participate if you're thinking of getting a dog sometime in the future. I just go to coo at them through the windows and sometimes play with the animals as well.

Furthermore, animals are known to reduce stress, so consider this a healthy activity that will help you take your mind off work and reduce stressors in your life. In fact, a certain ivy league law school even started using a therapy dog to test out the stress reduction theory on students. The dog will be placed in a private area of the Yale Law School library, and students will get the chance to interact with the dog only if they sign up for a time slot. Have your own doggy relaxation time by visiting the SPCA, and who knows, this can possibly lead to opportunities for volunteering at the shelter on the weekend.

Source: Flickr User mbostock

Are You Interested in Learning How to Break Down Meat?

Katie Sweeney — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:37:16 PDT

While I'm not sure if I could slaughter my own animals, I'm ready to learn how to break down a carcass. I've taken out the backbone of chickens and turkeys, and after watching a fascinating demonstration on lamb butchery at a lunch hosted by the American Lamb Board, I want to learn how to slice a larger animal into its primal cuts. How about you? Have you ever sliced a lamb or pig into pieces?

What Do You Think of Bringing Dogs to Work?

Emily Co — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:10:55 PDT

An Inc. magazine article recently highlighted the benefits of bringing Fido to work. There are many advocates for a dog-friendly office environment, which say that having dogs around at the workplace will increase productivity and employee satisfaction. Debrah Schnackenberg, vice president of emergency services for the American Humane Association says:

"There are a lot of people who know they have to spend extra hours at work, particularly in this economic climate . . . People feel comfortable spending that extra hour or two at the office when they know their dog is right there with them."

Studies have shown that dogs are known to promote teamwork and co-workers with dogs will definitely seem more approachable, which in turn will strengthen friendships in the office.

What are your thoughts on this - do you think a dog-friendly workplace is a good idea?

Animal Instincts: Furry Cuteness Abounds in Spring Editorials

Noria Morales — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:30:03 PDT

We look at these photos and think these had to be the most fun photo shoots ever. Who doesn't love playing with small, cute, furry animals? Here are highlights from Spring's bounty of models+animals bonding for some gorgeous editorial. Click our slideshow to see.

Penguin in a Wetsuit!

Mandy Harris — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:33:53 PDT

Most penguins have their own built-in wetsuits, but not this little guy! This 10-year-old Humboldt penguin lives at the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore, and has been losing his feathers since last year. To keep him warm and protected, he wears customized wetsuits! This isn't the first time we've seen a Humboldt penguin in a wetsuit, but this guy's condition seems to be lasting longer than usual. The suits are also supposed to encourage feather growth and prevent new feathers from falling out, so here's hoping he's on the mend. Click through for more cute photos of our featherless friend.

Ryan Gosling and Evan Rachel Wood Visit the Cincinnati Zoo!

Mandy Harris — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:30:38 PST

Lucky ducks! The Cincinnati Zoo had some very special guests yesterday when Ryan Gosling and Evan Rachel Wood took a break from filming The Ides of March to snuggle, pet, and smooch some of the zoo's residents. Click through to see Ryan getting cozy with an okapi, Evan hanging with a baby cougar, and more unbearable cuteness!

Source

Animals Pick Stocks Better Than You Do

Emily Co — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:05:06 PST

Next time you're trying to figure out which stock will give you the best ROI or return on investment, maybe you'd better ask your neighborhood pigeon. Rats will do, too.

Past research from Dartmouth showed that the rodents and birds made better predictions of random events than humans. But how do you shed your human inhibitions and pick stocks like an animal? First of all, just because everyone is buying something, don't get caught up in it and jump on the bandwagon. Try your best to not let outside influences affect you. Next, don't overthink it. Humans are overconfident in their ability to interpret patterns, so don't let your insistence on being right cloud your judgment.

Desire/Acquire: Animal-Shape Pillows

Elka Karl — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:20:16 PST

I'm an animal lover, and since this is the Year of the Rabbit, adding one or two bunnies to the house may be inevitable. I'm digging the Fauna Rabbit Pillow ($104) but at just over a benjamin, this bunny goes from cute to a little too precious. And while I love that these pillows are printed by hand and also feature other fun animal shapes, truth be told, if I'm going to add one of these creatures to my house, I don't want to be defending it from a sticky-fingered toddler who might mar its expensive pelt. Bottom line: I'd like a cute animal pillow that costs a bit less, thank you very much. Luckily, there's a much less expensive option!

Sex and Science: What Human and Animal Sex Lives Have in Common

Annie Scudder — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:15:29 PST

To help curious lovers celebrate Valentine's Day, the California Academy of Sciences museum in San Francisco turned its weekly Wine and Dine event into an evening about sex and science this past Sunday. The night included an hour-long tour about the sex lives of the Academy's most amorous animals, followed by a delicious three-course dinner at the museum's restaurant The Moss Room. I was invited to attend and found it to be a wonderfully nerdy and romantic date! Below, find five things I learned about sex in the animal kingdom, and how it compares to our own mating practices.

Some animals:
Can last longer. Thanks to a penis bone, seen above, certain animals can have sex practically nonstop for days. For example, male lions can mate every 20 minutes with a female in heat. Such frequency raises the chances of pregnancy, and guarantees that the male lion knows the offspring is his. Animals with a penis bone never soften or shrink - so you know humans do not have such bone. But how come? Scientist suspect that a lack of penis bone helps female humans select healthy males, since it takes a level of health to get an erection. Viagra is throwing a wrench in evolution.

Mate for life. Just like us, some animals, like penguins, find a mate for life. When penguins are young, they test out different partners, but once they find the one, they perform a series of rituals to cement the bond (like a wedding, but free). When a mate dies, they will attempt to find another.

Are less picky. Jellyfish, for example, practice "broadcast spawning." The male shoots sperm out into the water, and the female gathers it up not knowing whose it is. The animal version of a sperm bank!

Can change sex. Many creatures under the sea can change sex in order to keep a balance of males to females. So for these hermaphrodite species, there really are always more fish in the sea - because if you can't find any decent males out there, the females will just become male themselves!

Have flings. Creatures like the leafy seahorse mate with an exclusive partner for a breeding season. Just like human Summer lovin'.