Tag Archives: animals

Paws With A Cause breaks ground on renovations that will change lives of those with disabilities

3-bottom, architecture, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Going Local, Health, Kent County, Local Business, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, Voices, West Michigan, , , , , , , ,
PAWS celebrated a milestone moment by recently breaking ground for their $9.5 million facility renovation project (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Paws With A Cause (PAWS) celebrated a milestone moment by recently breaking ground for their $9.5 million facility renovation project.

For over 45 years, PAWS has enhanced the independence and quality of life for those with disabilities through the use of custom-trained Assistance Dogs. Since its inception, PAWS has placed over 3,000 Assistance Dogs with people with disabilities.


PAWS is determined to serve even more people within the community (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Determined to do more

Four years ago the PAWS team brainstormed one simple goal: to serve even more people with disabilities.

“By 2030, our goal is to place over 100 assistance dogs with clients annually, and for 90% of our PAWS dogs to go into some kind of working career,” said Sarah Osterman, PAWS Board of Directors Chair and volunteer foster puppy raiser at the groundbreaking ceremony.

There is a growing demand for Assistance Dogs and the lifetime support that PAWS offers. Each year over 400 qualified individuals apply for a PAWS Assistance Dog. Current buildings and facilities limit the ability to address this unmet need.

“PAWS has outgrown our capacity to be able to breed, raise and train more PAWS dogs in these current facilities,” said Osterman. “Renovating our building to address these needs for improvement will allow us to expand our transformational and inspirational work.”


PAWS Assistance Dogs were in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Embracing the journey

The first step toward attaining these renovation goals was to embark on PAWS’s first community-wide capital campaign, Embrace the Journey, in April 2024.

“The goal for the Embrace the Journey campaign is to raise $9.5 million in charitable gifts, allowing us to improve five critical areas in our existing facilities and to address the growing demand for assistance and facility dogs,” said PAWS CEO, Michele Suchovsky.

“Many community members rallied around our vision for the future. I am thrilled to share that today we have raised over $8.6 million of that $9.5 million.”

To date, more than 700 donors have supported the campaign.

PAWS National Headquarters is nestled amid commercial firms and farmland in Wayland, MI. Though the current PAWS facilities have served them well since 1994, few improvements have been made over the years.

  • PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
  • PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
  • PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
  • PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)

The upcoming renovations will include:

  • Improved kennels
  • Exemplary veterinary facilities
  • National breeding center
  • New foster puppy spaces
  • Updated training facilities

“With these renovations we’ll be able to place more Assistance Dogs with clients, and place more working dogs in community-focused careers through our purposeful placements department,” said Suchovsky.

But more importantly, the results of these renovations will be felt by current and future PAWS clients.

Life-changing moments

“Each PAWS Assistance Dog opens a world of possibilities, something I can personally attest to as a client,” said Molly Koroleski, PAWS Board Member and client.

After contracting meningitis at the age of three, Koroleski woke from a coma to realize  she had lost her hearing. She moved through life unable to hear smoke alarms, emergency sirens or a knock on the door. Though she had family to tell her when those things occurred, it was troubling to be unaware of them when alone.

“Then I discovered PAWS, and my life changed,” Koroleski said. “Through the PAWS custom matching process, I received Mater, an Assistance Dog that was custom-trained to help with exactly what I needed.”

When Koroleski learned she was pregnant with her son, she called the PAWS team.

PAWS staff, volunteers and dogs were available at the ceremony for attendees to meet (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“Mater had already been my Hearing Dog for two and a half years at that point, and he wasn’t originally trained to the sound of a baby’s cries,” said Koroleski.

Within a few weeks of making the call, the PAWS team had trained Mater to alert Koroleski to her baby crying.

“I felt much more prepared to care for my son with Mater by my side,” said Koroleski. “These renovations will allow PAWS to match and custom-train more Assistance Dogs like Mater for clients like me.”

Service Dogs for Children with Autism, known as SDA dogs, are also in high demand, with four applications for every one SDA spot available.

“These children deserve an Assistance Dog that will help them,” said Suchovsky. “We know how important a PAWS Assistance Dog is for a person with a disability.”

It’s time to give back…

For years, local residents have rallied behind PAWS to help those in need.

Deann and Kevin Hurn, Hudsonville residents and volunteer foster puppy raisers, have been volunteering at PAWS for over 13 years, currently fostering their ninth puppy. Recently, Kevin became a PAWS board member.

The help of a PAWS dog can be life-changing (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

When asked why she became involved with PAWS, Deann said, “To give back, to help somebody else. We just feel very blessed with everything God has given us – healthy children, healthy grandchildren – and it’s great to give back.”

Deann is currently hosting a Visiting House Dog in the PAWS program that she brings to Pine Rest Mental Health Hospital every week to visit with the inpatients.

“I come home every week and tell my husband that I was in tears because of what she did for someone, how she loved on them and what it meant to them,” said Deann. “It’s so cool to see.”

Deann heard about PAWS when she met a woman with an Assistance Dog. The woman encouraged Deann to attend the next PAWS meeting.

“I came home and told Kevin, ‘I’m going to this information meeting, but it’s just information.’” Deann paused. “A week later we had our first dog,” she said with a laugh.

One step closer…

(Courtesy, Deborah Reed)

As PAWS renovations begin, excitement is high.

“We are excited that this project will allow us to serve more clients, and our clients are excited too,” said Suchovsky. “We are one step closer to our goals and to creating thriving communities for us all.”

Learn more about the PAWS organization here.

Experience “The Robot Zoo” before it leaves Grand Rapids Public Museum

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Environment, Kent County, Kids Activities, Local Business, Pets/Animals, Recreation, Tech Trends, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, , , , , , ,
The Robot Zoo is open through Sept. 22 and provides insights into biology and technology (Courtesy, GRPM)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org

Interactive activities illustrate animal characteristics (Courtesy, GRPM)

The Robot Zoo is available at Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) until Sept. 22 and features enormous and complex robotic animals.

This exciting exhibit provides new insights into biology and technology with eight robotic animals of considerable size. Visitors will discover how chameleons change color, giant squids propel themselves, flies walk on the ceiling and more.

Over a dozen hands-on activities illustrate fascinating real-life animal characteristics. Cutaways expose the mechanical animals’ insides as a host of easily recognizable machine parts and gadgets that demonstrate what makes them work.

“By comparing the anatomy, environments, and size of the actual creatures to the mechanic counterparts, The Robot Zoo provides fantastic new insights into biology and engineering, and hands-on fun for all ages,” the website states. “This exhibit reveals the magic of nature as a master engineer.”

Plan a field trip!

Educators are invited to bring students to experience The Robot Zoo. GRPM’s Educator’s Guide can enhance your group’s visit with a fun collection of multidisciplinary activities.

Insect investigations, sensory experiences of the rhinoceros and additional crafts and experiments can be utilized before or after the exhibit experience.

Cutaways expose the mechanical animals’ insides as a host of easily recognizable machine parts and gadgets (Courtesy, GRPM)

Dive deeper with books!

The GRPM and Kent District Library have collaborated to expand learning opportunities about biology, robotics and biomechanics with a variety of English and Spanish book titles for all ages.

Explore the fascinating worlds of animals and machines with these books!

Meet Ray, an advocate for special needs pets

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Pets/Animals, , ,

By Janet Vormittag
WKTV Contributor

Fig and Friends founder Julie Beukema with Ray (courtesy, Janet Vormittag)

Julie Beukema monitors Michigan Urgent Cats on Facebook, where cats in desperate circumstances are posted with the hope someone can assist. Last November, she spotted a listing regarding a tiny kitten with infected eyes and knew she had to help. A volunteer drove the six-week-old kitten from the Detroit area to Grand Rapids.

Beukema is the founder of Fig and Friends Pet Rescue, a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit that relies on foster homes, volunteers and donations. The rescue takes in owner surrendered pets as well as cats and dogs from crowded shelters. The nonprofit works closely with the Calhoun County Animal Center and shelters in Southeast Michigan.

When the black and white kitten was delivered to Beukema, he was immediately rushed to a veterinarian. The diagnosis wasn’t good—both eyes were ruptured and tissue was becoming necrotic. Surgery to remove the eyes was recommended.

Other than his eyes, the one-pound kitten was healthy and purred up a storm.

“We felt we had to give him a chance,” Beukema said.

The total vet bill for Ray including surgery followup, neuter, vaccines, and microchip was close to $2,000. A Facebook fundraiser was created.

Ray, the Entertainer

Beukema named the longhaired kitten Ray Charles after the blind singer. Being blind didn’t hinder the entertainer and it hasn’t hampered his namesake.

“He’s the most social and curious kitten I’ve ever seen,” Beukema said.

At first glance, Ray’s missing eyes are not noticeable as the fur on his face is black. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)

At first glance, Ray’s missing eyes aren’t noticeable. The fur on most of his face is black and his longhair gives him a shaggy look as if his eyes are merely hidden.

Ray is now seven-months-old and is the official greeter at the Happy Cat Café, 447 S. Division Ave. Beukema recently partnered with the café, where cats from Figs and Friends are featured in the café’s adoption room.

Happy Cat Café has collaborated with numerous rescues since they opened and have adopted out close to 700 cats.

The Socialite

Ray is not available for adoption. He had been adopted, but allergies forced his return. Beukema then decided to adopt him herself. Because the blind kitten was so social, she thought to try him at the café. It turned out to be a good fit.

Ray is thriving at the café. He interacts with people, plays with toys and was the first cat to figure out how to run on an exercise wheel — picture a carpeted, four-foot tall hamster wheel.

Ray navigates through sound, scents and his whiskers. He chases and bats around toys like any sighted cat and leaves guests in the cat room amazed at his abilities.

 “He’s doing phenomenal. He’s an advocate for special needs cats,” Beukema said. She added if she ever notices Ray isn’t enjoying himself at the café, she’ll bring him home.

Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals in 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.

Going Batty: John Ball Zoo official offers insight into often misunderstood creature

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The Grand Rapids Public Museum’s “Bats: Masters of the Night” features hands-on exhibits. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

From carrying diseases to being the source of COVID,  bats have gotten a bad rap.

“I think it is just popular opinion because of all the advertising around bats being spooky thieves.” said Jamie Racalla, an animal care supervisor with John Ball Zoo. “When in truth, half of them are pollinators, take care of those pesky bugs like mosquitoes, and don’t really carry all those diseases.”

Jaime Racalla is an animal care specialist at John Ball Zoo. (Supplied)

It is why such exhibits as the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s current “Bats: Masters of the Night” are so important, Racalla said, because it helps to dispel some of the myths around these very difficult to study and often misunderstood creatures.

“We really don’t know that much about bats,” said Racalla, who recently participated in a study on bats in Michigan hosted by the Detroit Zoo. “Think about when they are out, at night, which makes them difficult to study because it has to be dark.”

For a while, researchers would study bats during the day while they slept in bat houses or when they hibernated during the winter. Unfortunately, White-Nose Syndrome developed among North American bats, which is a fungus call Pseudogymnoascus destructans, that invades and ingests the skin of hibernating bats, causing them to wake up more frequently in the winter and use up their limited fat reserves. First found in North America in 2006, it is estimated that by 2012 more than 6.7 million bats in North America have died from the disease.

To help reduce the spread of the fungus, researchers have discontinued visiting bats in their homes, but instead are using sonar to help track the bat population in the United States, This past summer, Racalla drove around parts of Greater Grand Rapids using equipment to hear bat calls which helped determine what type of bats could be in the area.

Through her research, Racalla said she found several bat types such as the little brown bat, eastern red bat, big brown bat, and the silver-haired bat, all of which eat insects such as mosquitoes, beetles, flies, ants, and spiders.

   

Through the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s exhibit, residents can make their own discoveries about the creatures of the night. While there are blood-sucking bats — vampire bats live in Central and South America — a majority of the bats are gentle and much like the bats found in Michigan, beneficial to the ecosystem.

Bats are important to the environment in that they help to pollinate plants and eat pesky bugs such as mosquitoes. (Supplied)

Visitors can learn more about diet and flight of various bats around the world (The only place without bats are Arctic, Antarctic and a few isolated Oceanic islands). The exhibit includes lifelike models, multi-sensory interactive displays and environmentally lifelike settings. There also is a hands-on display showcasing the evening activities of bats, such as echolocation (sonar ability). In a demonstration of echolocation, visitors can use a joystick to maneuver a bat model in search of food using a laser to simulate sonar. In a visit to a bat nursery, visitors learn how caring bat mothers are by using sound to help the mother bat find her baby.

“I personally can’t wait to see the exhibit,” Racalla said. “I hope people go and it helps them have a greater understanding of just how misunderstood and unique they are.”

Also the importance of preservation of the bat community. Because of the White-Nosed Syndrome, most Michigan bat species are considered threatened or endangered. Because of state and federal productions, it is illegal to kill certain species of bats, according to the USDA Forest Service.

“Bats: Masters of the Night” will be up through January 2022 at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW. Hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. “The Bats: Masters of the Night” is included in the museum’s general admission. General admission for Kent County residents is $5/adults, $3/seniors, and free/children 17 & under. For more information

Comprehensive study to begin on possible sites for John Ball Zoo Aquarium

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Travel, ,
John Ball Zoo envisions a fresh and salt water aquarium with a million or more gallons that includes a large shark tank, a living coral reef, jellyfish, floor to ceiling viewing walls with walkthrough tunnels. (pxhere.com)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

John Ball Zoo is launching a comprehensive economic and feasibility study for a premier aquarium located in West Michigan.

The John Ball Zoo began discussions earlier this year about a detailed aquarium study with Kent County when Zoo officials were approached by the City of Muskegon requesting consideration as a potential aquarium site. As a result, a joint study is set to launch to explore which location (City of Muskegon or Kent County) drives the greatest community impact and is financially feasible for a large- scale aquarium.

“We’re humbled to work with two great community partners in exploring both amazing locations,” said Peter D’Arienzo, CEO of John Ball Zoo.

“The City of Muskegon Economic Development Team takes a regional approach to growth for the community we serve. We are very grateful for the opportunity to be considered in this feasibility and economic impact analysis, and are confident Muskegon will shine as a desirable option to consider. We thank the board and administration at John Ball Zoo for the partnership in allowing our city to participate in this process,” said Jake Eckholm, Director of Development Services for the City of Muskegon.

Both Muskegon and Kent County officials are excited about a large-scale aquarium being built in the area. The Zoo, along with the City of Muskegon and Kent County understand a study of this size and breadth is important in selecting the best site and community where the aquarium can be successful and make the greatest impact.


John Ball Zoo envisions a fresh and salt water aquarium with a million or more gallons that includes a large shark tank, a living coral reef, jellyfish, floor to ceiling viewing walls with walkthrough tunnels. Exhibits will educate visitors on the wonders of salt water and fresh water ecosystems, including the Great Lakes.

“A world class aquarium would be another phenomenal attraction in the Grand Rapids area,” said Kent County Administrator/Controller Al Vandenberg. “When you consider the land and water trail network that will go from the beach in Grand Haven to eastern Kent County and the huge number of amenity linkages created by that system, the aquarium would be another anchor to ultimately bring millions of folks to our community and greater region.”

Zoo Advisors will conduct the comprehensive study, which is estimated to take up to 12 months. “The results of this comprehensive study will help define the most successful location to not only ensure success but to also drive the greatest community impact as a national tourist destination to our great state,” D’Arienzo said.

Mapping pathways for roaming cougars

3-bottom, Environment, Great Lakes, , ,

By Eric Freeman
Capital News Service

Cougar habitat in North America has been shrinking due to development and land fragmentation, while “human-induced mortality” has shrunken their numbers, wildlife researchers warn.

Even so, the future of these alpha predators isn’t all gloom and doom, say scientists who compiled 180 reports of confirmed cougar observations in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota between 2010 and 2020.

Sightings rose that decade, helped by improved technology such as trail cameras and camera phones, they said.

“Cougars have lost substantial portions of their historical range, yet increased sightings suggest potential for re-establishment in some regions,” researchers from the Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin departments of Natural Resources and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry wrote in a recent article in the journal “Biological Conservation.”

The Michigan DNR says the last wild cougar known to have been legally hunted in the state was killed near Newberry in 1906.

“The Great Lakes region will likely be an important area for cougar range expansion into the Midwest and Eastern U.S.,” the study said. “Greater understanding of potential distribution and connectivity is necessary to make sound management and policy decisions.

Cougar traffic is apt to move from west to east, the study said. “An individual cougar moving randomly through the study area would be more likely to move through northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.”

The goal of their project was to develop a regional map that highlights suitable habitat and connectivity, referring to a physical network of pathways linking locations where cougars may live. Their study area was 44% forested and 37% agricultural land, with wetlands, shrublands and developed land accounting for the rest.

The team mapped 362 linkages – pathways from a half-mile to 3.7 miles long – connecting 191 “core patches” of land, primarily in the northern part of the three states. About half the core patches are in legally protected areas, such as national forests, natural resource management areas, and state and local conservation areas.

As for the other half, private landowners should play an essential role in protecting habitat and connectivity, the study said.

Not many years ago, the mere presence of cougars in Michigan was questioned, with reported observations but no scientifically conclusive proof.

“There was a long history of sighting reports” but “they were not only not accepted by the DNR but met with animosity,” said Patrick Rusz, the director of wildlife programs at the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy, based in Bath. People who claimed to have seen the animals or their tracks “were ridiculed and called crazy.”

Rusz, who studied sightings across the state, said, “It wasn’t like a phenomenon that popped up. It had been going on as long as Michigan had been settled. I found, to most people’s satisfaction, there were cougars out there.”

He said skeptics then shifted their arguments to contend that the sightings were of pets or transitory visitors, but “the problem (with that argument) was that these were resident animals, not wandering around aimlessly. They had core ranges because we found them again and again and again.”

And technology – in the form of trail cameras and smartphones – has provided “evidence you can’t ignore, Rusz said.

As for the new study, Rusz said he’s skeptical about the relevance of modeling and mapping of connectivity. “It looks good, but whether it has anything to do with the future of cougars or not I tend to question.”

That’s because cougar survival in the Great Lakes region doesn’t depend on pathways and core patches, he continued.

 

“There’re corridors everywhere. A cougar doesn’t need a corridor. They could care less about that. They do really well around people.

“If our cougars are limited in some way, they’re limited by genetics, not limited by habitat and such. They have a tremendous ability to live in a variety of cover types,” Rusz said. “In the West in deserts, urban areas, plains – anywhere they have something to eat.”

Brian Roell, a Marquette-based wildlife biologist for the DNR, said the Dakotas are likely the source of Michigan cougars.

He said the Michigan DNR’s cougar team hasn’t identified any females, and “we suspect we don’t have a breeding population.”

He said the team has confirmed at least two observations in the Upper Peninsula so far this year.

Wherever they are, they’re at low density, Roell said. They aren’t expected to harm or kill other wildlife species or farm animals.

“We have not confirmed any depredation from cougars,” he said, adding that there have been no claims by Upper Peninsula farmers for indemnification from the state. A claim in the Lower Peninsula was turned down because the predator turned out not to be a cougar.

Humans pose the biggest challenge to cougars, Roell said, calling it a matter of “social tolerance – will people leave them alone?”

Eric Freedman is professor of journalism and former associate dean of International Studies and Programs. During his 20-year newspaper career, he covered public affairs, environmental issues and legal affairs for newspapers in New York and Michigan, winning a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of a legislative corruption scandal.

It’s a tropical theme for the next John Ball Zoo Adult Night Out event

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,
John Ball Zoo will be hosting three more Adult Night Out events, one more in July and two in August. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

John Ball Zoo’s popular Adult Night Out continues with the third of the six event series this Thursday, July 15.

Adult Night Out gives guests ages 21+ the opportunity to experience the Zoo at night without any kids. There will be select animal encounters for guests to enjoy, along with beer and wine selections, including a specialty brew from Two Guys Brewing, and delicious food options throughout the Zoo.

For July 15th, a tropical-themed menu will be offered at the Zoo’s Monkey Island Café featuring cilantro lime rice mixed with juicy pulled pork served in a pineapple bowl, a classic Cuban sandwich, jerk chicken wrap with rice, greens, jerk chicken and the Zoo’s signature sauce, along with pineapple Dole Whip.


John Ball Zoo will be hosting three additional Adult Night Out evenings on July 29, and August 12, 26. They are a perfect date night, an opportunity to network, or to enjoy a friends’ night out.

Each Adult Night Out is 6 – 9 p.m. The Zoo offers four times to enter at 6, 6:15, 6:30, and 6:45 p.m.

Tickets for all dates are available online for $18 for members or $20 for non-members at jbzoo.org/AdultNightOut. Limited tickets are available for each evening. Both events in the month of June did sell out, so the Zoo highly recommends reserving tickets before the event.

John Ball Zoo is located on Fulton Ave., one mile west of downtown Grand Rapids. For questions for more information, visit www.jbzoo.org, call 616-336-4301 or email info@jbzoo.org.

Two snowy owls are newest addition at John Ball Zoo

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,
Guests can tell Zenon and Chione apart because males are more uniformly white and smaller than females. Females have a more extensive black speckled pattern.(Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The latest addition to the John Ball Zoo is two snowy owls which have now made their home in a newly constructed habituated located at the zoo’s Forest Realm near the Amur tigers.

The zoo recently acquired the two owls from different Michigan raptor rehabilitator organizations. The owls, the male is Zenon named after the Zeno the Greek philosopher and the female is Chione after the Greek goddess of snow, cannot be released back it not he wild because of injuries.

Zoo officials said they hope for a mating match as Zenon and Chione are recommended for breeding as part of the snow owl’s Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSP oversees the population management of select species within the Associations of Zoos and Aquariums member institutions and to enhance conservation of this species in the wild.

In the wild, snowy owls live in the northern hemisphere around the world, along open fields, tundra, and shorelines. They primarily eat other birds, fish, and small mammals – typically lemmings and mice. Also, unlike many other owl species, snowy owls are active during the day and spend a majority of their time on the ground.

Snowy owls utilize sight, sound and touch to communicate and perceive their environment. Males “hoot” more frequently than females, and seem to use this vocalization in territorial defense and establishment. Males and females also give a variety of other calls, including a “rick, rick, rick”, a “kre kre kre”, a mewing and a hiss.

With an approximate number of 28,000 mature individuals in the wild, the snowy owl’s conservation status is vulnerable. Humans are considered the most prevalent predator of snowy owls. Snowy owls are killed by humans for food, trophies, and to protect game animals. Other predators include foxes, jaegers, and probably dogs, wolves and other avian predators.

Two exhibits at the Public Museum set to close at the end of April

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,
“Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO Bricks” ends May 1. (Supplied)

By Kate Kocienkski
Grand Rapids Public Museum

Visitors have a limited time left to explore the popular Under the Arctic and Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks exhibitions at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM). Under the Arctic’s last date to visit will be Sunday, April 25 and the last date to visit Wild Connections is Sunday, May 2.

“The Museum continues to offer an unforgettable experience for the community, and currently these popular exhibitions offer two distinct experiences allowing all ages to learn about science, ecosystems and the human impact on nature, in a fun and immersive way,” said Kate Kocienski, the GRPM’s Vice President of Marketing and PR. “Museums offer a low-risk opportunity for the community to get out of the house, spark their curiosity and create family memories, while learning and having fun. We encourage visitors to plan their trip in advance to see these exhibits before they leave Grand Rapids.”

 

Explore larger-than-life sculptures made with more than 2 million LEGO® bricks in Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks! Kids and adults are in awe of the stunning sculptures that teach about animal endangerment, ecosystems, and mankind’s relationship with nature. Favorites include the hummingbird that defies gravity, the mountain goats whose textured fur is made from small LEGO® brick people when you look closely at the detail, and the miniature cityscape. Wild Connections must be added in addition to general admission tickets for your visit.

Included with your admission tickets, Under the Arctic addresses climate change through the lens of a thawing Arctic environment to educate visitors about permafrost’s fascinating characteristics and its greater implications. Featuring various interactive components, this exhibit includes a 30-foot-long Alaskan permafrost tunnel replica, fossil research stations and interactive games.

Visit grpm.org to purchase tickets today to see these fascinating exhibitions before they are gone. Kent County residents receive discounted admission to the GRPM, including Kent County kids aged 17 and under receiving free general admission everyday! Wild Connections tickets are only $4 for the public and $2 for GRPM members.

 

“Under the Arctic” is set to close on April 25. (Supplied)

Advance ticket purchase is required before you visit to ensure a seamless and contactless entry for each visitor. Visitors are required to wear masks properly during the duration of their visit. The Museum offers a low-risk environment with increased sanitization stations and cleaning protocols, hospital grade HVAC ion filters for air filtration, and limited capacity for daily entrance to ensure social distancing.

Baby animals are adorable — but leave ’em alone, OK?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , ,

A possum family

By Blandford Nature Center and Victoria Mullen

 

Aw, isn’t that baby animal just adorable? Maybe you’re tempted to scoop him up and turn him into a pet — after all, he must be starving, because mom isn’t around, right?

 

Not necessarily. In fact, if you intervene, you could make things a lot worse.

Baby mammals

Mammal babies are usually born naked with their eyes shut and require a lot of care from their parents. People are often tempted to take in mammal babies and try to raise the babies themselves. This is a bad idea. Not only is it illegal to do so without the proper permits, but it is dangerous for the animal and yourself for multiple reasons:

 

Misfeeding or Dietary troubles

People will try to feed mammal babies, and they will often end up having the babies choke to death on the food. Many people are under the misguided impression that since it is a baby animal, they should get milk from the store and feed that to it; however, only humans and cows can digest cows’ milk! Baby animals are lactose intolerant, which means that drinking milk will cause diarrhea, which may result in death (due to dehydration and lack of nutrition).

 

Mammals can carry a variety of diseases.

For example, raccoons can carry distemper, rabies, and a roundworm parasite that can be transmitted to other mammals, including humans. The parasite finds its way into the body and can burrow into the brain.

 

Squirrel siblings

Another problem is that of imprinting.

People who don’t know how to properly rehabilitate animals will end up with imprinted babies — even skilled rehabbers can have problems with imprinting babies. So, when the cute baby mammal turns into a mean adult mammal, and you try to release it, it can come right back and not be afraid of you, other humans, or people’s dogs and cats. Imprinting makes it easier for these animals to be hunted or injured, and there have been attacks on people by imprinted animals, particularly children.

About bunnies

Baby rabbits are often found in backyards. Rabbits will make nests in shallow depressions in the ground, in grassy areas. These areas are often near edges of forest, by fences, and under shrubs. Before you mow the lawn or rototill your garden, you should check the area for rabbit nests, and if you find one, just work around it and wait a few weeks; the babies will be ready to leave and get out of your way.

 

Bunnies are born with their eyes closed and no fur. Their ears are close to their head. Bunnies are on their own when they are around 5 inches long and furry, with their eyes open and ears up. They may still hang out with each other near the nest for awhile before going their separate ways. You don’t want to bring these older bunnies to a wildlife rehabber, since they don’t need help, and bunnies tend to become stressed out very easily and could die from just the transport to a rehab center. It’s a good idea to make sure they need help before trying to help them, or you could do more harm than good.

 

Baby bunnies

If you find a nest with bunnies inside that are too young to be on their own, unless they look injured, leave them alone. The mother will come back, but not until dusk and dawn. So, you won’t see her coming back to the nest. If you’re worried that the mother isn’t coming back to the nest, put flour around the nest and place some twigs in an X formation over the nest, and check back the next morning. If the flour and/or twigs have been disturbed, the mother hasn’t abandoned her babies. If you happen to touch one of the babies, just put it back and gently touch the others so they all smell the same. The mother will still accept them, just make sure you don’t handle them much.

 

It is not a good idea to move a rabbit nest, but if you can’t wait a week or two for them to leave, or if you have already disturbed the nest, you can try to move it. You should move it to an area as close as possible to the original location, in an area that has some longish grass, possibly under a shrub. Put the fur that was in the old nest in the new one, and cover the bunnies with dry grass. Again wait till the morning to see if the nest was visited by the mother, using flour and twigs.

 

For info on other baby animals, go here.

 

 

Humane Society of West Michigan offers animal camps for kids ages 5-17 this summer

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All photos courtesy Humane Society of West Michigan

By Humane Society of West Michigan

Spend your summer with the animals!

Humane Society of West Michigan’s Summer Camp is a great place for your kids to spend their summer learning, growing and having a fun-filled experience that will leave a lasting impression! Summer Camps are filled with activities, games, crafts, lessons and hands-on experience for everyone based on animals and animal welfare! Five different camps are offered for a variety of ages and interests.

  • Full day sessions —  from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • AM sessions — from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
  • PM sessions — from 1-4 p.m.
  • After Care and Before Care are available for an additional fee.

Camp PET PALS

This camp offers a new theme everyday, including Delightful Dogs, Fun with Critters, Feline Friends and more. Days are filled with crafts, games and fun! Campers are expected to bring their own lunch, snack and a water bottle each day. Limited to 40 campers per session.

  • June 19-23, ages 5-7 — half-day sessions (AM and PM)
  • June 26-30, ages 8-10 — full-day sessions
  • July 17-21, ages 11-13 — full-day sessions
  • July 24-28, ages 5-7 — half-day sessions (AM and PM)
  • August 7-11, ages 8-10 — full-day sessions
  • August 21-25, ages 8-10 — full-day sessions

MEDIA MUTTS Camp

In this learn-and-create camp, campers will learn about a new topic each day focused on animals. There are different activities and projects throughout the week leading up to the final unique media project. Campers are expected to bring their own lunch, snack and water bottle each day. Limited to 40 campers per session.

  • August 14-18, ages 8-12 — full-day sessions

Vet Camp

In this hands-on camp, teens who are seriously considering a career in veterinary medicine will learn the ins and outs of being a vet. Spend some time with HSWM’s vet staff and watch surgeries, participate in dissections, practice suturing and injections, learn about diagnostic testing and more! Campers are expected to bring their own lunch, snack and a water bottle each day. Limited to 25 campers per session.

  • July 10-14, ages 13-17 — half-day sessions (AM)
  • July 31-August 4, ages 13-17 — half-day sessions (AM)

K9 Enrichment Camp

Sit, stay and come are just a few of the basic commands you will teach shelter dogs during this canine enrichment-filled camp. Learn basic and advanced obedience training, scent training, agility training, enrichment and socialization! Trainers will practice positive reinforcement training and special skills. They will also perform further research in body language, behavior assessment and breed histories to create a long-term strategy for a shelter dog. Campers are expected to bring their own lunch, snack and a water bottle each day. Limited to 25 campers per session.

  • July 10-14, ages 13-17 — half-day sessions (PM)
  • July 31-August 4, ages 13-17 — half-day sessions (PM)

Animal Advocates Mini Camp

In this mini three-day camp, campers who are passionate about animal welfare and making a difference will meet guest speakers and learn about current animal issues in our community. Each day campers will learn about a new topic through games, crafts and activities and even complete a service learning project! Campers are expected to bring their own lunch, snack and a water bottle each day. Limited to 40 campers per session.

  • July 5-7, ages 13-17 — full-day sessions

Reserve your place by signing up today!

Sign-up by emailing JordAnn your Summer Camp Registration Form (below) at jbush@hswestmi.org.

Go here to download the Summer Camp Registration Form.

John Ball Zoo celebrates 125 years in 2016

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john ball zoo logoBy Lizzie Lemur

Additional reporting by Ziggy Zebra

 

Ah, the Gilded Age. The Gay Nineties. The Mauve Decade. As one waxes nostalgic about the 1890s (easy to do if you didn’t live through them), one tends to forget that in that same decade, the Panic of 1893 sparked a severe depression throughout the country, and crime and poverty were pervasive. There were also many strikes in the industrial workforce.

 

Things in Grand Rapids mirrored those of the country. But the people of Grand Rapids had at least one respite — a gift bequeathed to the city by an influential personage, John Ball, upon his death in 1884 — forty acres fondly called Ball 40, where John Ball Zoo (JBZ) currently stands.

 

1 John Ball with his last child
Old guy with a baby. Oh, wait… that’s John Ball!

A pioneer from Hebron, New Hampshire, John Ball (1794-1884) studied and traveled extensively throughout the United States before settling in Kent County and serving in the Michigan legislature, representing West Michigan. He never left West Michigan and is buried in Fulton Street Cemetery, the oldest graveyard in Grand Rapids.

 

In the beginning, people used the land as a park. In 1890, the Common Council declared that it would be called John Ball Park, and a conservatory and greenhouses graced the grounds.

 

Historical records indicate that animals were kept beginning around 1891, and Ball 40 became home to raccoons, fox squirrels, rabbits, a woodchuck and two deer (added later in the year, thanks to two aldermen who gave a portion of their salaries to purchase the buck and doe to start a herd). Owls, hawks, a crow and an eagle also called Ball 40 their home.

 

John Ball Zoo-early zoo exhibits

Notably, there were no lemurs or zebras.

 

But what’s a zoo without a bear, and “Ol’ Jack” was added to the menagerie in 1894. The following year, a bride for Jack the Bear came on board. Jack escaped the zoo in 1897. He didn’t say why, but legend has it that the bride’s disposition wasn’t all that sunny.

 

More animals were added each year, and in 1903, Park Day became a city tradition. Workers got a half day off and all the city parks would open on the same day. Band concerts, speeches and just strolling along provided amusement.

 

john ball zoo installing statueOver the years, the following things happened:

 

In 1909, a reporter played music from a Victrola in front of various animals. It is said that the animals enjoyed this, but individual responses were not noted. We’re here to say that enjoyment is relative and depends on the music being played and the personal tastes of the animals. We would not jump to the conclusion that animals enjoyed any Victrola recording.

 

The John Ball statue was installed and dedicated in 1925. (And we ask, what took them so darn long? After all, a gift of 40 acres is not a mere trifle. Nor is it measly.)

 

Charles Lindbergh spoke to throngs of admirers at the park in 1927. Guess what his speech was about. (Hint: Charles’s mind was on one thing and one thing only.)

 

Hard times hit in 1930, and some of the animals were taken to other zoos during the Depression. Only a small group of animals remained.

 

John Ball PARK DAY POSTCARD

In many ways, our history reflects that of most American zoos created in the Victorian era. Before then, only the very rich had access to collections of exotic animals. Cities began to build their own zoos in the late 19th century. For the first time, everyone could share in the mysterious and fascinating world of animals.

 

Zoos have evolved through the years as we learned more about exotic animal husbandry and exhibit design. Education became a major focus, naturalistic design became a force, and conservation became the mission.

 

Help JBZ celebrate this special birthday

Sponsor one of its 125 days of animal birthdays or become a member (you’ll get unlimited free admission and many other perks!). JBZ also offers a wild place to hold your next event with a variety of indoor and outdoor venues. Go here for more info.

Want to learn more about JBZ? Visit the website here.

The Humane Society offers hope and shelter to animals

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Pets/Animals, , , , ,

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By: Dylan Rettler

 

Throughout the ages, cats and dogs have been two of the primary animal companions for people. Walk down almost any residential neighborhood in the United States and you’ll see firsthand the camaraderie between humans and canines, but that bond goes back before the nation itself. In fact, dogs were the first animals to take up residence with people and can be found in human societies all over the world. In addition, the affection of the feline that peppers domiciles throughout the planet goes all the way back to ancient Egypt.

 

Unfortunately, this symbiosis is experiencing some critical failures that demand attention. Pet populations and animal abuse have run amok, leading to a cycle of suffering that requires a remedy. The Humane Society offers a viable antidote.

 

Spinelli
Spinelli

The truth of not only the ailment, but also the prescription, for the crisis at hand is demonstrated with a dog name Spinnelli.

 

Four years ago on Thanksgiving, a jogger was enjoying what seemed to be a routine trot through riverside park. As she ran, the jogger noticed something unusual, a moving cardboard box. Curiosity led her to the discovery of nine puppies less than a day old. The Humane Society took in these abandoned animals and bottle fed them for four weeks.

 

Spinnelli was one of the lucky nine to be found, rescued and adopted. On top of being loved and cared for, Spinnelli participates in frequent seminars with the Humane Society educating children on how to work safely with animals.

 

The solution to overpopulation and abandonment illustrated above is one of many that the Humane Society offers to ameliorate the pain that animals endure. An institution rooted in compassion, the Humane Society of the United States was founded in 1954 and addresses five key issues.

 

1:  factory farming
2:  animal fighting
3:  fur trade
4:  puppy mills
5:  wildlife abuse

 

As a Washington D.C. institution, the Humane Society involves itself in engineering national legislation that champions the rights of animals.

 

Luckily, the Grand Rapids area has its own chapter of the Humane Society offering some relief to this distress. The Humane Society of West Michigan (HSWM) achieves this through several programs that go beyond these animals’ basic requirements of food, shelter and medical care. These include, the rescue wagon, dog shadowing, reading with Fido, and an ongoing intensive adoption program.

 

Dogs walkingRescue wagon is a charitable operation that goes to shelters in the southern states, collects dogs, and ferries them to shelters like the HSWM that are more capable of caring for them. Shelters is these southern states are overwhelmed as a result of overpopulation reaching staggering levels and leaving countless animals on “death row.” The dog shadow program assures that the canines are taken on regular walks while they stay at the society and, of course, are provided with treats.

 

Reading with Fido, which has a parallel program for felines, provides companionship and affection for the animals while at HSWM. Reading with Fido volunteers take the animals to a separate room or sit in their cages and provide them attention.

 

The noteworthy benevolence of the Humane Society has experienced an overflow that has cycled itself back in offshoots to humankind. This circle of benign activities giving back to humanity is evident in Pets for Patriots, companion animals, and summer camp programs.

 

Pets for Patriots allows those who have served or are currently enlisted in the United States military to participate in a mutually beneficial condition of friendship. The Patriot program coordinates adoptions while providing ongoing financial assistance for animal care.

 

Similarly the companion animal program allows anyone with need for emotional support to involve themselves in rescuing an animal while fulfilling mutual requirements for affection.  Lastly, the summer camp program provides attention and training for shelter animals while giving participants an education in handling animals.

 

The words of the Dalai Lama work well to illustrate the reasons the compassion being dealt by the Humane Society and others appreciates a condition of justifiable continuity. “Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures. Even now an animal is waiting to realize a deliverance from their predicament.”

 

The Humane Society does much to resolve the impasse the relationship between humans and their four-legged friends has reached. However, as the saying goes, one person cannot do everything, but everyone can do something.

 

Truly the Humane Society’s success is due to a concerted, determined effort of many caring individuals.

 

The Humane Society holds years round adoption drives. Through these, and other programs, the Humane Society of West Michigan – located at 3077 Wilson NW, Grand Rapids, 49534 – assists over 8,000 animals annually.