Urban Wildlife

Dog is ready for Santa, but is Santa ready for the dog?

Submitted by Richard Todd, Reporter

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011, 1:54am

Dog is ready for Santa, but is Santa ready for the dog?

BRIGHT, IN (FOX19) - Oscar, a Bichon Frise who lives with the Hendrickson family in Bright, Indiana, looks ready for Santa Claus as he poses in front of the Christmas tree.

Actually, he looks a little too ready, as his eyes glow brighter than the lights on the tree.

Santa needn't worry though. The glowing eyes appear to be artifacts of the camera flash unit, and Bichons are known for their cheerful personalities.

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Public Open House October 12 for new Dearborn animal shelter

Submitted by Richard Todd, Reporter

Friday, October 7th, 2011, 1:53am

LAWRENCEBURG, IN (FOX19) - With the opening in late September of the P.A.W.S. of Dearborn County Humane Center, the dream of providing a new animal shelter for the homeless and abandoned dogs and cats of Dearborn County is a reality. The state-of-the-art facility is located in a quiet 8-acre corner of Lawrenceburg, at 200 Charles A. Liddle Drive.

The P.A.W.S. Human Center is not your grandfather’s “dog pound.” The P.A.W.S. Humane Center has the capacity to house over 100 dogs and 100 cats.

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Deer a proven danger in Southeast Indiana

Submitted by Richard Todd, Reporter

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011, 11:20pm

Deer a proven danger in Southeast Indiana

VERSAILLES, IN (FOX19) - Its early fall in southeastern Indiana and the deer are beginning to move more. With cooler temperatures, farmers harvesting their crops, hunters taking to the woods, and the mating season or “rut” coming up in the next few weeks, deer movement is more prevalent than it was during the hot, dry summer months. Motorists are encouraged to use extra caution when traveling the rural areas particularly around corn or bean fields and those roadways where wooded areas are near the roadside. Deer movement is usually more prevalent just after dark and during the pre-dawn hours.

In 2010 there were a total of 15,452 car/deer crashes on Indiana roadways. Of these, 340 resulted in personal injury with 405 persons injured and four resulted in fatalities.

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Leopard frog lounging in Lawrenceburg

Submitted by Richard Todd, Reporter

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011, 8:59pm

LAWRENCEBURG, IN (FOX19) - This Leopard Frog seems to be enjoying the weather in the Lawrenceburg area, though it's hard to tell for sure.

The adult Leopard Frog was photographed by Caveman Etris in the Oxbow Conservancy area in Lawrenceburg Indiana, in Mercer Pond.

Leopard frogs are fairly large frogs, though usually smaller than bullfrogs, that eat a wide variety of prey. The Oxbow Conservancy area straddles the Ohio-Indiana line from Lawrenceburg to Shawnee Lookout Park in Hamilton County..

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Snapperfest goes on despite protests

Submitted by Richard Todd, Reporter

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011, 2:40am

RISING SUN, IN (FOX19) - An event that created a national controversy after it was publicized this summer went off in seemingly typical fashion this weekend in Ohio County, Indiana.

"Snapperfest" is a weekend campout and recreation event with many typical festival activities, and one that is unique. That is the weekend's signature event, where men (and men only) reach into a tank of murky water containing snapping turtles, grab one, and carry it a few feet from tank, try grab its head without being bitten, and pull the head out of the shell far enough that the turtle can be grasped by its long neck.

Some individuals and members of a group opposed to the event who tried to get in with cameras reported they were turned away at the gates of the Camphouse Campground upstream from Rising Sun.

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PETA, HSUS protest Southeast Indiana "Snapperfest"

Submitted by Richard Todd, Reporter

Friday, August 19th, 2011, 10:14pm

PETA, HSUS protest Southeast Indiana "Snapperfest"

RISING SUN, IN (FOX19) - An annual event that has been going on since 1996 is creating a storm of controversy this year after people found online videos of it and animal rights group PETA featured it on their website.

"Snapperfest" is a weekend campout and recreation event with many typical festival activities, and one that is unique.

That is the weekend's signature event, where men (and men only) reach into a tank of murky water containing snapping turtles, grab one, and carry it a few feet from tank, try grab its head without being bitten, and pull the head out of the shell far enough that the turtle can be grasped by its long neck.

One online video, which was removed from YouTube Friday after being online for a year or two, shows a man slamming the turtle onto a mat on the ground, grabbing its head, stretching its neck, standing up and doing a near-360 degree spin with it, apparently kiss it on the nose, and hand it to another man, as a large ground with l

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Oxbow program discusses birds and their behavior

Submitted by Richard Todd, Reporter

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011, 1:56am

Oxbow program discusses birds and their behavior

LAWRENCEBURG, IN (FOX19) - Birds are wonderful things. They inspire, give joy and a window to the natural world that is accessible to nearly everyone. Their ability to appear anywhere gives an observer of birds a chance to witness something beautiful at anytime.

Stop in Tuesday night (August 9) from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. for a discussion of birds and bird behaviors with Dan Striley, an everyday birdwatcher and citizen scientist. Dan will share his passion and love of these creatures and hopes that you will carry his excitement with you the next time you are out birding.

The program will be at the Oxbow, Inc. Office at 301 Walnut in Lawrenceburg.

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