Dr. Dolittle, meet AI: new model identifies pain in cats

Scientists use deep learning models and facial recognition analysis to detect subtle changes in ear tips, eyes and whiskers that indicate pain.

Naama Barak writes about a fascinating discovery that will help cats and their owners. Great news!

As any cat owner knows, felines can be pretty difficult to read – a problematic situation when our beloved pets are in pain. But now, a new artificial intelligence model can help us identify when our little tigers need that extra TLC. The reason it is difficult to tell when cats are in pain is their evolutionary ability to hide discomfort. This can result in house cats suffering from chronic pain without their humans ever knowing about it or taking them for treatment.

A team of researchers from the University of Haifa’s the Tech4Animals lab is developing the Dr. Dolittl-E app to detect animal feelings, using AI technology to advance and transform the world of veterinary care.

Along with researchers from São Paulo University in Brazil and Lincoln University and Nottingham University in the UK, they used deep learning models and facial recognition analysis to achieve a success rate of more than 70 percent in identifying cats in pain.

Their research, recently published in the Scientific Reports journal, is based on a study of 29 British shorthair cats. The researchers photographed female cats’ faces before and after sterilization, while they were still under the influence of painkillers and after the painkillers had worn off.

The AI models detected subtle changes in facial expressions, for example in the tips of the ears, eyes, whiskers and mustaches, that indicate pain. The areas around the mouth and eyes were found to be most significant in identifying pain.

The researchers say that their findings could change the way in which we care for cats, enabling anyone to photograph them in order to know whether they are in pain – and without the need for physical contact.

 

The Potty Mouthed Parrot

Now here is something you don't hear about every day - A report from the Washington Post on a potty mouthed parrot:

A few days after the Niagara SPCA animal shelter took in a white-fronted Amazon parrot last month, staffers and volunteers got an earful. “Do you want me to kick your [expletive]?” the parrot named Pepper asked a volunteer at the Niagara Falls, N.Y., shelter. Pepper and six parakeets were surrendered by a woman who said she could no longer care for them.

White-fronted Amazon parrots can mimic 30 to 40 sounds, and Pepper’s former owner warned that the bird was likely to unload a bawdry blue streak when the mood hit him, said shelter director Amy Lewis. Right away, Lewis knew exactly how she’d rise to the challenge of finding a new family for Pepper.

“If you think Pepper’s feathers are colorful, you should hear his language,” Lewis wrote on Facebook on June 15, announcing the shelter had a “potty-mouthed parrot” up for adoption.

Pepper after his arrival at the Niagara SPCA in mid-June. (Niagara SPCA)

“Bringing home a cursing conure might seem like a fun idea until Pepper offends grandma’s Tuesday night knitting group,” she continued. The post went on: “On the bright side, if you want to keep unannounced company from dropping in, adopt Pepper. They’ll think twice after being cussed out by your new foul-mouthed feathered friend.”

Lewis then advised that only people with experience caring for birds should apply. “Give us a call if you want to add a spicey Pepper to your life!” she wrote. “Somebody get this guy a bar of soap or a humor-loving home!”

More than 400 applications poured in, Lewis said.

“We had adoption offers from all over the country,” she said, noting that applicants included a Texas saloon owner named Wild Bill and a former Navy sailor who said he had a vocabulary to rival Pepper’s. “It seemed like everyone wanted a cursing parrot,” Lewis said.

Both bird lovers and lovers of salty language flooded her Facebook post with comments.

“My grandma is about to be 81 years old and swears all the time,” wrote one person.

“Can we have a video of Pepper cussing?!? I can’t be the only one who wants to see this!!” wrote another.

“If I had a cage, pepper and I would be bff’s,” wrote a third, using shorthand for “best friends forever.”

Pepper enjoys hanging around outside his cage in Olean, N.Y. More than 400 people applied to adopt him. (Tiffany Turner)

Lewis and her staff spent three weeks studying the applications and narrowed them to 10 before deciding that Tiffany Turner, a special-education teacher from Olean, N.Y., was the best choice for Pepper.

Turner and her fiancé, Tim Sage, already had another cursing bird at home — an African grey parrot named Shelby. “They had a lot of knowledge about parrots, and their home is like a regular truck stop with another swearing bird,” Lewis said. “It seemed like a perfect fit.” She said she was also impressed that Turner acknowledged the challenges of caring for parrots in her application.

White-fronted Amazon parrots live an average of 40 years but with proper care can live into their 60s, 70s and beyond, she said.

“Pepper is in his mid-20s,” Lewis said. “Tiffany said [she and Tim] were in their 30s and would be able to age with Pepper. That told me they were prepared and had put some thought into applying.”

On Friday, shelter staffers drove Pepper two hours to his new home in Olean. Turner said she and the bird connected right away. “He’s really sweet, and he seems to love women,” she said. “I could tell he was definitely a ladies’ man.” She said she is slowly introducing Pepper to Shelby and has high hopes that they’ll soon be having lively conversations.

Shelby, Tiffany Turner's African grey parrot. (Tiffany Turner)

“Shelby is also foul, so we’re happy to have another swear bird,” Turner said.

So far, she’s heard only one curse word from Pepper, but she said she has a hunch there will be more.

 

“He’s a very vocal and loud bird,” she said. “He’s also very excitable. When my mother came up and visited, he fanned out his feathers and did a little dance with a butt wiggle.”

Turner said she learned about Pepper after her mother-in-law passed along the Niagara shelter’s adoption post.

“We’d wanted another parrot for years, but we didn’t want a young one because they live for so long,” she said. “When we heard about Pepper, we thought he’d be perfect.”

Tiffany Turner with Pepper at home in Olean, N.Y., a few days after she adopted him. (Tiffany Turner)

Once Pepper is accustomed to being outside his cage, he’ll be allowed to roam freely around the house for 6 to 12 hours a day like Shelby, Turner said.

“They get lots of fresh fruits and veggies every day, and we have a living room upstairs where they each have their own window to look out at our bird feeders and free-range chickens,” she said.

“Pepper is really intelligent, so he should soon be adding some new words to his diverse vocabulary,” Turner added. “It’s probably a good thing that we don’t have kids.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lost Dog Finds Her Way Back Home to a Shelter

This amazing story of Bailey from the Washington Post:

It had been 36 hours since Bailey the dog disappeared. Her new owner and the animal shelter where she had lived for more than a year knew that every second that passed dimmed the likelihood that she would be found alive. The Animal Rescue League of El Paso sounded the alarm on its Facebook page: Bailey was missing, and it needed locals to keep an eye out and notify the shelter if she was spotted. People soon called in sightings. Others joined in the search. Her owner scoured the city deep into the night.

All of it for naught. Bailey remained on the loose, at risk of being run over, ravaged by a wild animal or falling prey to some unknown horror in the unforgiving West Texas desert. Then, deep into the second night after her disappearance, animal shelter employees were notified that someone was pressing their Ring camera doorbell. They opened up the app, which showed the exterior of the animal shelter and its late-night caller: Bailey.

Her doorbell camera cameo ended a 36-hour search for a dog that did not need to be rescued. Bailey knew where she was going and traveled some 10 miles to get there. But she now faced an obstacle she could not overcome. Without a key or opposable thumbs, she needed someone to let her in.

Bailey first came to the Animal Rescue League of El Paso more than a year ago. After housing her for a few months, another shelter transferred her to the rescue league in the hopes that its higher foot traffic would lead to her adoption. Despite the boost, Bailey languished at the rescue league for more than a year because of “some quirks that were not easy for people to overcome,” including being hyper, untrained and a bit of an “escape artist,” according to rescue league director Loretta Hyde. “She spent most of her life in a shelter,” Hyde said, adding that Bailey took an obedience course during her time at the rescue league.

Bailey’s quirks bubbled up after she was adopted a few months ago, Hyde added. Her new owner returned her three days later because Bailey escaped from her crate and destroyed a piece of his artwork. About a month later, a second owner adopted her. He already had a feral dog that he had painstakingly trained for a year. After a few visits to make sure the two got along, he brought Bailey into the fold, taking the two dogs with him every day to his job training, teaching and competing in martial arts.

 

All was going well until around noon on Jan. 29 when Bailey slipped her new owner’s grasp as he tried to fit her for a new harness and bolted, Hyde said. He chased her on foot and then by car, but she eluded both efforts. So he called the shelter, which put out an urgent alert on its Facebook page that night informing its more than 33,000 followers that Bailey was on the loose and asking them to report any sightings.

There were at least three over the next 36 hours but none panned out, Hyde said. By the time shelter workers arrived at each location, Bailey had taken off. One of the shelter employees, Yvonne Arratia, was at home in bed and nearly asleep on Jan. 31 when she heard a loud ding from her phone. The noise meant that someone was pushing the shelter’s Ring doorbell. But it was 1:15 in the morning. No one would be there this late, she thought, believing she was dreaming. Then, a second ding. And finally a robotic voice emanated from the phone: “Someone is at your door.”

Annoyed, she got up to check. She opened the Ring app, which showed an image of the late-night caller with two beady eyes glowing in the dark. Then, the animal’s full body came into view. “Oh my God, is that Bailey?!”Arratia ran to her daughter’s room. Geneieve also worked at the shelter and Arratia wanted her opinion. They unmuted the doorbell’s microphone so they could speak with the dog outside the shelter. “Bailey! Bailey! Is that you?!”

Bailey’s brown head popped up to fill the entire screen, followed by whining and scratching at the door. Arratia and her daughter hopped in the car and started heading to the shelter. Arratia drove while Geneieve kept talking with Bailey through the phone, coaxing her to stay put during the roughly 15 minutes it took them to get there. When they did, Bailey was ecstatic. Arratia secured her in a harness and let her into the shelter. Bailey muscled her way back to the kennels where she had lived for more than a year. They fed her and let her rest. Later that morning, they notified her owner that his dog had been found safe and was at the shelter.

Bailey’s odyssey reminded Hyde how amazing dogs are. During her trip, she traveled some 10 miles, crossing over a main drag in El Paso and Interstate 10 to somehow find her way back to the shelter. Hyde said that is a feather in the shelter’s cap.“She lived at the shelter for soooo long this was home to her,” the shelter wrote one Facebook announcing that Bailey had been found. “She felt safe here. When she got loose she was on a mission to get home.”

The best pet supplies

Dog Age Calculator

I tend to compute dog age into human age by multiplying the dog's age by seven. But according to Dr Leslie Brooks, an advisor at Betterpet, different breeds require different calculations.

Betterpet has developed a free online tool that is a dog age calculator that allows users to enter a dog's age and see it converted to human years. Even more, the tool provides insights like average life expectancy, weight, and height for over 100 dog breeds. 

Unfortunately, many pet owners don't always know how old their dog actually is and how they should be caring for their furry friend. If pet parents know their dog's exact stage of life, they can make better decisions about their diet, nutrition, exercise, and health. That’s why my team decided to make a resource like this free and accessible to the public. 

Key takeaways about a dog's age

• The 7:1 ratio is flawed —As it turns out, figuring your dog’s age is more complex than multiplying by seven. That old rule of thumb that one dog year equals seven human years is based on the notion that dogs live about 10 years and humans live to about 70.
• There isn’t a perfect formula — A dog age calculator is a great way to get a better idea of your dog’s age in human years, but parents of rescue dogs may not know their pet’s birth date. There are other ways to estimate if you don’t know your dog’s age.
• Small dogs typically live longer than big dogs — Dogs under 40 pounds aren’t as prone to conditions such as hip dysplasia that can limit their mobility and increase their risk for obesity and other health conditions.

So enjoy every moment with your fur baby and celebrate!

Inside The Beagle Rescue

Many of us are aware of a massive rescue of 4,000 beagles who were bred for scientific experiments - a crime in itself but the treatment of these poor animals is especially criminal. The Washington Post researched the entire rescue operation. I cried while reading throughout this article. Here is an excerpt -

Profit, pain and puppies: Inside the rescue of nearly 4,000 beagles

How dogs being bred for research at Envigo became the target of the largest animal welfare seizure in the Humane Society’s history

 

CUMBERLAND, Va. — The first beagle out that day had brown eyes and a chunk missing from his left ear. His tail was a nub. It went from tan to white, then disappeared, maybe bitten off in a fight or caught in a cage door.

The 1-year-old had never been given a name — just an identification code, ‘CMG CKA,’ tattooed in blue-green on the flap of his left ear. Like the thousands of other beagles bred for research at Envigo, a sprawling complex tucked deep in rural Virginia, he’d spent his entire life in a cage surrounded by the relentless barking of other dogs.

Now, on a Thursday in late July, that was about to change.

Uno, as he was immediately dubbed by his rescuers, and 3,775 other beagles were being sprung from their misery in an unprecedented animal welfare seizure.

After years of alarm from animal rights advocates and state legislators, after U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors found maggot-infested kibble, 300 dead puppies and injured beagles being euthanized, after an undercover investigation by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and after a lawsuit filed against Envigo by the Justice Department, the Indianapolis-based company had reached a settlement with the federal government. It agreed to shut down the Virginia breeding operation — admitting no wrongdoing and receiving no punishment or fines — rather than make what the CEO of its parent company called “the required investments to improve the facility.”

In July, U.S. District Court Judge Norman K. Moon approved the surrender of Envigo’s beagles to the Humane Society of the United States, giving the nonprofit group just weeks to organize the biggest rescue in its 67-year history. “There’s been nothing, ever, like this. Just the sheer volume of dogs, or really, any animal,” said Kitty Block, the Humane Society’s president and chief executive.

What followed was two months of beagle mania, as people across the country showered the Humane Society with $2.2 million in donations and clamored to adopt the dogs. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took in a beagle. So did the governor of New Jersey and the chief meteorologist at a Virginia news station. But the beagle emancipation was cloaked in secrecy. Almost no one was allowed to see the dogs leave Envigo.

Here is a link to the full story.

The Shark Whisperer

You will be moved by this wonderful video on sharks:

VETBROS - Making the USA Pet Industry More Environmentally Responsible

 

 

 

 

 

VetBros Pet Education Charitable Fund, a 501c3 nonprofit institution, is changing the industry, one pet at a time. The VetBros PECF created by Dr. Mondrian Contreras is teaming up with Central Bark doggie daycare and Carol Stream Animal Hospital to implement sustainability, renewable/green energy and conservation into their facilities in efforts of influencing the USA Pet Industry to be more environmentally responsible. Climate change is one of the greatest public health threats of the twenty-first century.

The pet industry has had a strong desire to promote environmental sustainability within our industry, but lacks the resources available to make an impact.

The VetBros PECF is teaming up with Green2Gold’s TRANSITION PROJECT with this focus to support the pet industry in learning about and taking action to decrease its environmental footprint. The Transition Project, in partnership of a master national initiative by the insurance industry's Resilience Innovation Hub, is the environmental initiative that is helping the pet industry upgrade their facilities (veterinary hospitals, doggie daycare, pet stores, animal shelters, etc.) in order to reduce their general waste and energy consumption. The pet industry has always highlighted their own concerns about the impact that climate change has on the pets we care for and care about. It is time for our industry to lead by example, and the Transition Project provides the tools and guidance needed to make our industry be a leader in environmental sustainability and resilience. 

Services provided by Green 2 Gold’s Transition Project  includes 52 years of  expert consulting, research, identification of needs, applications and implementation of loss prevention opportunities, liability & insurance reduction, federal, state, local tax benefits, rebates, grants, private and philanthropic sector incentives and partnerships, permits, licenses, recognition (certification, awards, etc.) for energy efficiency, water & waste conservation, renewable energy usage, yielding reductions in overhead, maintenance, and operational costs, with enhancement of profitability of the business. Benefits of transitioning to “greener” facilities include providing a non-toxic and healthy indoor environment for the pets, human staff and clients as well as contributions to the local community's economic development. Additional benefits are seen in state, national, and global environmental quality, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptiveness.

Time4Pets, a Green2Gold enterprise and VetBros will also be launching a semi-annual “Eureka!! 4Pets” contest for new pet products in which these contest winners will be offered the opportunity to have their green products licensed for further development. T4P expects to market an extensive line of pet products from this contest. Our T4P team sincerely hopes that investors around the world will join our efforts in creating sustainable products while also helping VetBros save the lives of thousands of pets every year. Time4Pets has multiple opportunities for investors who are interested in being an active part of T4P.

Website Link: 

www.vetbrospeteducation.org 

National Transition Initiative

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s9GQe8exeafhPDINtQruEmOhOlNm81sB/view?usp=sharing

Speech: See Dr. Contreras’s speech on the pet industry roll in sustainability  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15iX4WuTIFkVvdmNZ7WXhFyltWOSZqi6v/view?usp=sharing

Newsletter 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WQaEyZHfPzR2ZZNHmj7RlDDBQYpNj-GV/view?usp=sharing

Wild Bird Fund Flocktail Party

If you are interested in supporting a worthy cause to help save birds and other creatures from injury and death, this is an organization for you - The Wild Bird Fund. And every year they host a benefit fundraiser call a Flocktail Party in New York City's Central Park Boathouse. It is a wonderful setting for a worthy cause. This year it will be held on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 from 6:30-9:30.

Urgent Call From American Bird Conservancy

Media Advertiser

 

ACT NOW: Strengthen Protections Against Bird-Killing Pesticides Dear Friend, A recent opinion published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could signal upcoming approvals for bird-killing neonicotinoid pesticides (“neonics"), possibly for the next 15 years. Your voice is urgently needed to reduce the threat of these pesticides. Will you take action now? The agency is in the process of renewing the registration for a number of dangerous pesticides and is off to a concerning start. Last week, the EPA released a document stating that the harmful effects of malathion, one of the pesticides being evaluated, would be negated with minor measures. But malathion poses a threat to 97 percent of species listed under the Endangered Species Act, including Kirtland's Warbler and Black-capped Vireo. This approach could foreshadow the decision for three neonicotinoids in fall 2022. Once made, these decisions will shape how the pesticides are used for the next 15 years. Please ask Congress to strengthen protections for wildlife against toxic pesticides. The Saving America’s Pollinators Act would cancel the registration of all neonicotinoids and establish a Pollinator Protection Board. Study after study has shown alarming declines of insect pollinators, like bumblebees and butterflies. Pesticide use is a strong contributor to these declines. One study published last year found that exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides caused declines in hummingbirds’ metabolism, a serious concern for these energy-intensive birds. Other birds are at risk as well: Studies have also shown that a single seed treated with neonicotinoids can kill songbirds. Please ask your U.S. Representative to cosponsor the Saving America's Pollinators Act and protect birds and insect pollinators, along with their habitats. For years, we’ve worked with thousands of bird advocates to achieve the cancellation of more than a dozen harmful pesticides and demand accountability from their producers. Please join us. Your voice is critical to ensure that this bill crosses the finish line. Ask Congress to support the Saving America’s Pollinators Act and protect birds and pollinators from dangerous chemicals! Thank you, Steve Holmer Vice President of Policy American Bird Conservancy Take Action

A Guide to Dog Body Language - Part 1

This fascinating guide, which we post in two parts, can help us better understand how dogs can communicate with us and with each other. It is written by Will Hank  and Medically reviewed by Dr. Erica Irish

Dogs sometimes bark, growl, or whine to send messages, but nonverbal communication is more common in canines . Since dogs depend so much on their pet parents, it’s essential for owners to understand their methods of communication. Even common dog body language, like a wagging tail, can mean different things in different circumstances. Pet parents can keep their pups calm, safe, and happy by learning how to read and decipher a dog’s body language.

PART 1

How dogs use body language to communicate

Dogs use a variety of movements with different parts of their bodies and faces to convey messages. Even a dog’s body position itself helps to display a certain attitude or emotional state. Keep an eye out for these common communication methods when trying to understand your dog:

Body position and posture. Dogs stand differently when relaxed versus excited, aroused, or scared. Even weight distribution on all four paws often indicates a relaxed or happy dog. Stiff front legs with the weight shifted forward and hackles raise, hair standing up on your dog’s neck, can show arousal or excitement. Conversely, dogs cowering or hunched over are often displaying signs of fear and/or submission.

Body movement. Like body posture, dog body movements can communicate a lot. Pacing can often signal a stressed or nervous dog. On the other hand, a jumping or bouncy dog is usually happy and excited. One common example of dogs greeting each other is the “play bow,” with the front legs down and their butt in the air. As the name implies, this signal is used between dogs as an invitation to play.

Tail. There’s one common misconception about a dog’s tail: the idea that a wagging tail automatically equals a happy dog. Yes, dogs often wag their tails loosely when relaxed or happy. But, a raised or stiffly wagging tail may suggest arousal, excitement, confidence, or even aggression. On the flip side, a lowered tail, especially one tucked between the legs, is often a sign of fear, stress, or submission.

Ears. Dogs communicate with their ears in a variety of ways. Upright, forward-facing ears “at attention” often show interest or arousal, while pinned back ears may mean a dog is afraid. As with other body language, ear movements can have conflicting meanings. So, it’s important to consider the situation and the dog’s other movements when deciphering ear position. In general, dogs with erect ears, like German shepherds, display a wider variety of ear movements than a floppy-eared breed, like Labrador retrievers.

Eyes. Eye contact is an important sign for dogs and the intensity of a dog’s eyes matters. A soft or squinty stare often suggests happiness or relaxation. A hard, direct stare, can often mean an aggressive dog. A dog averting their eyes or looking away can be a common sign of stress or fear. They’ll often display the whites of their eyes, a gesture known as “whale eye”, in response to stress or anxiety.

Mouth. Dogs display facial expressions and mouth movements to communicate in several ways. Many of us recognize relaxed dogs by their slightly open mouths and panting tongues. But, several mouth movements can often suggest signs of stress or even nausea. Yawning and/or licking the lips are often displacement behaviors. This means the dog is anxious and suppressing the urge to do something else, such as bark or bite. A more concerning sign is when dogs display their teeth in a snarl or “smile.” While it may look funny to us, this often signifies aggressive behavior.