Author Topic: Animals In Our Lives  (Read 1006403 times)

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #880 on: December 01, 2011, 07:41:10 pm »


http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/12/under-pet-hating-dictator-a-hard-life-for-mans-best-friend/249139/


Under Pet-Hating Dictator,
a Hard Life for Man's Best Friend

The president of Turkmenistan is known for his eccentric disdain for cats and dogs

By Catherine A. Fitzpatrick
Dec 1 2011, 8:25 AM ET8



Turkmen President President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov / AP
 

There's nothing that gets President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov more crazy than stray dogs and cats -- whenever he spots them around the capital, especially if they run across his motorcade, he orders subordinates to have them destroyed.

Maybe he's obsessed with cleanliness in his sparkling white-marbled city; maybe he's spooked at the recollection of the coup attempt nine years ago this month on the motorcade of his predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov.

As we know from WikiLeaks, in what has got to be the most bizarre cable from Ashgabat, the Turkmen leader has even fired military officials when a cat crossed his path.

The frequent presidential orders to exterminate dogs and cats has led many people to lose their pets, and they're getting fed up.

But one Ashgabat resident decided to stand up for man's best friend, the independent emigre web site chrono-tm.org reported.

Earlier this month, a man was walking his dog late at night near the Puppet Theater. Suddenly, police surrounded him, forced his arms behind his back and hauled him off to the police station, along with his dog.

It turned out that the president's motorcade had just happened to be speeding by at that moment. The man, whose name was not provided, was held for several hours in the police station. Police told him that they had received orders: either his dog would have to be shot, or he would have to serve 15 days in jail.

So to save his pet, the man decided to opt for the jail time. He was allowed one phone call, and asked his relatives to come and pick up the dog.

In the end, he served just 7 days of his sentence -- thanks to his relatives' appeals, he was released with a notice that he had been detained for "disturbing the peace."


This article originally appeared at EurasiaNet.org, an Atlantic partner site.
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
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and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
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Offline Kelda

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #881 on: December 02, 2011, 06:26:14 am »
wow...



http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/12/under-pet-hating-dictator-a-hard-life-for-mans-best-friend/249139/


Under Pet-Hating Dictator,
a Hard Life for Man's Best Friend

The president of Turkmenistan is known for his eccentric disdain for cats and dogs

By Catherine A. Fitzpatrick
Dec 1 2011, 8:25 AM ET8



Turkmen President President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov / AP
 

There's nothing that gets President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov more crazy than stray dogs and cats -- whenever he spots them around the capital, especially if they run across his motorcade, he orders subordinates to have them destroyed.

Maybe he's obsessed with cleanliness in his sparkling white-marbled city; maybe he's spooked at the recollection of the coup attempt nine years ago this month on the motorcade of his predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov.

As we know from WikiLeaks, in what has got to be the most bizarre cable from Ashgabat, the Turkmen leader has even fired military officials when a cat crossed his path.

The frequent presidential orders to exterminate dogs and cats has led many people to lose their pets, and they're getting fed up.

But one Ashgabat resident decided to stand up for man's best friend, the independent emigre web site chrono-tm.org reported.

Earlier this month, a man was walking his dog late at night near the Puppet Theater. Suddenly, police surrounded him, forced his arms behind his back and hauled him off to the police station, along with his dog.

It turned out that the president's motorcade had just happened to be speeding by at that moment. The man, whose name was not provided, was held for several hours in the police station. Police told him that they had received orders: either his dog would have to be shot, or he would have to serve 15 days in jail.

So to save his pet, the man decided to opt for the jail time. He was allowed one phone call, and asked his relatives to come and pick up the dog.

In the end, he served just 7 days of his sentence -- thanks to his relatives' appeals, he was released with a notice that he had been detained for "disturbing the peace."


This article originally appeared at EurasiaNet.org, an Atlantic partner site.
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Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #882 on: December 13, 2011, 01:17:13 am »


http://money.msn.com/family-money/article.aspx?post=7d6c20f1-fdc6-4db1-90b5-4e9d64d3755e


Italian cat becomes hairy heir
A former stray cat in Rome joined the ranks of the world's
richest animals when its owner left it $13 million.

By Giselle Smith
Mon, Dec 12, 2011 6:17 PM



It's hard to imagine an heir more indifferent to his huge inheritance than Tommaso.

The 4-year-old Italian black cat -- a former stray on the streets of Rome -- is apparently now the richest cat in the world, according to the International Business Times.

Tommaso inherited an estate worth $13 million when its owner, Maria Assunta, died two weeks ago at the age of 94, The Telegraph  reported. Assunta was the widow of a property tycoon, and had no children or living relatives.

Assunta's estate included a large bank balance and property in Rome, Milan and Calabria, but Tommaso's care was entrusted to the nurse who cared for the cat's owner in her final months. In fact, because Italian law doesn't permit animals to inherit property, the attorney for the estate gave the cat and his fortune to Assunta's former nurse.

Tommaso now lives with Assunta's caretaker, Stefania, at an undisclosed location outside Rome. "I had no idea the signora had such wealth," she told The Guardian.


Other famously wealthy pets

Tommaso is the latest in a long line of pets that became millionaires upon the death of their wealthy owners.

Leona Helmsley's Maltese, Trouble, was probably the most famously wealthy pet when his owner died in 2007, leaving $12 million to the dog. The dog itself passed away in June, at the age of 12, and the money reverted to the Helmsley Charitable Trust, The Street  reported.

Other rich animals include Alexander McQueen's dogs ($82,000) and Michael Jackson's chimp, Bubbles ($1 million). Oprah Winfrey's dogs are set to inherit $30 million, according to Woman's Day.

However, none are as wealthy as an Alsatian dog named Gunther IV, who inherited a fortune worth about $372 million from a German countess, according to The Guardian.


Increasing popularity of pet trusts

An increasing number of pet owners are seeking to make provisions for their pets in their wills, according to Gerry W. Beyer, a professor at Texas Tech University School of Law.

"It is something that has gone from almost a comical thing to something that people take very seriously and want…. People are sometimes more interested in taking care of their pets than their families," Beyer told the Chicago Tribune.

A pet trust is a legally sanctioned arrangement that provides for the care and maintenance of one's pet (or pets) when its owner dies or becomes disabled. Funds are left in the care of a trustee, who can care for the pet or identify a caretaker.

According to Beyer's website, ProfessorBeyer.com, a trust might cover:

Food, toys and cages
Grooming
Socialization
Medical care
Compensation for a caregiver
Guidelines for how the caregiver should document expenses
Instructions for disposal of the pet’s remains



Most states have enacted pet trust laws, but specifics vary by state. Some impose funding limits, and a few limit the duration of the trust to 21 years -- a potential hardship if the deceased's pet is a parrot, which can live up to 90 years.

A list of 44 state pet trust laws is available on the ASPCA website.

Alas even someone as wealthy as Helmsley can't always get what she wants when it comes to leaving money to a pet. Though she famously left the bulk of her estate to the dog, a judge reduced the $12 million bequest to about $2 million. In addition, the judge overturned her directive that the charitable trust be used for animal welfare, and allowed the trustees to distribute Helmsley’s assets to any charities they chose, according to the Washington University in St. Louis newsroom.

Furthermore, Helmsley had requested that Trouble be buried in the mausoleum beside her and her late husband, Harry Helmsley, but by law, animals cannot be buried in human cemeteries.

What will happen to your pets when you die? Have you considered creating a pet trust to care for them?

"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

Offline Fran

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #883 on: December 16, 2011, 02:09:56 pm »

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #884 on: December 16, 2011, 07:21:07 pm »
What will happen to your pets when you die? Have you considered creating a pet trust to care for them?

I'll have my cats timed.  Depending upon my own health, and knowing how long on average pets live, if my health holds, I know at what age I need to stop owning pets.  Once the last generation passes, then I won't own any more pets.  I'll start fostering, therefore if anything happens to me, my family won't have to worry about taking care of my pets.  They'll just contact the foster animal people and they'll come and collect the animals.

And Seasons Greetings to Ember

 :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*

and Fran.  :)

Offline Sason

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #885 on: December 16, 2011, 07:53:50 pm »


Thanks Ember cutie!

Right back atcha, and please tell your mum too!

Düva pööp is a förce of natüre

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #886 on: December 16, 2011, 10:51:55 pm »
Thank you, Fran and Ember.  :-*
"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Kelda

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #887 on: December 27, 2011, 07:31:24 pm »
This made me giggle for about 10 minutes straight..

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GRSbr0EYYU&feature=plcp&context=C3254079UDOEgsToPDskJNGdRYoOItGF-Z0Lshv2XD[/youtube]
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Offline Meryl

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #888 on: December 27, 2011, 08:42:28 pm »
 :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline Sason

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Re: Animals In Our Lives
« Reply #889 on: December 28, 2011, 04:48:03 am »
What's he shouting apart from Jesus Christ?

I can't hear it.

Düva pööp is a förce of natüre