Pets
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Dogs like to watch dogs on TV, new study by UW researcher finds
A newly published survey by UW researchers tracked what kinds of content dogs like to watch on TV. It’s part of a larger project to study eyesight loss.
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Preserving collections and saving cats: Inside Redner’s Rescued Cat Figurine Mewseum
Cats are special companions to many people, including Shawn and Hilary Redner. The couple love cats so much they created Redner’s Rescued Cat Figurine Mewseum, where they display thousands of cat-related figurines from around the world. WPR producer — and cat lover — Trina La Susa ventured to Menomonee Falls to check out the collection.
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A trainer’s guide on connecting with your dog to get the behavior you want
In the years Jorge Melara has spent training dogs — and their owners — one of his simplest rules comes down to making sure the owners know and understand what behavior they’re rewarding. Melara, a certified professional dog trainer who owns Divine K-9 in Madison, joined Wisconsin Public Radio’s “The Larry Meiller Show” to talk…
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Northwoods tribal leader reflects on 40th anniversary of court protecting treaty rights
This year marks the 40th anniversary of a landmark ruling that reaffirmed the 1837 treaty rights of a northern Wisconsin tribe to hunt, fish and gather on ceded territory. In 1983, two brothers from the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Fred and Mike Tribble, were arrested for spearfishing outside the boundaries of…
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Natural Resources Board approves DNR’s wolf management plan
With a majority of new members, the policy-setting board for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources unanimously approved the agency’s contentious wolf management plan Wednesday. While it is supported by conservation and environmental groups, the plan has drawn criticism from GOP lawmakers over its lack of a statewide population goal. Last week, Senate Republicans advanced…
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Wisconsin’s Driftless region is the setting for Rebecca Gilman’s off-Broadway play, ‘Swing State’
In a lower Manhattan off-Broadway theater, tucked away from the traffic and bright lights, an old farm house nestled on 40 acres of remnant prairie introduces theatergoers to a Wisconsin woman making zucchini bread, and Rebecca Gilman’s play “Swing State” begins. The play, set “somewhere in the Driftless area of Wisconsin” in the late summer…
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Dog lifeguards? Midwest club trains Newfoundlands for water rescues
A Newfoundland dog club covering most of Wisconsin tested the water rescue skills of its dog trainees over the weekend. The Pleasant Prairie event aimed to “simulate the talents and instinct” of a breed literally made for the water, according to Dona Baker-Austin, a Wisconsin dog breeder and past club president. Newfoundlands originate out of…
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Madison city ordinance forces Rudi the pig to relocate after neighbor complains
A beloved Madison resident, known to bike path commuters and west side residents alike, is being evicted. Rudi, a Juliana miniature pig, has called Paula Niedenthal’s backyard home since May 2022. He’s delighted bikers and walkers of all ages along the Capitol city’s busy Southwest Commuter bike path — but not anymore. Niedenthal was notified…
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Wisconsin veterinarians see 49 percent wage growth as clinics compete for limited number of doctors
New federal data shows pay for veterinarians in Wisconsin has increased significantly in recent years. Veterinarians.org, an online industry publication, compared salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for all 50 states from 2020 to 2022. The report found the average veterinarian salary in Wisconsin increased by 49 percent, going from $99,860 in…
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Egg-stra! Egg-stra! Madison doubles its cap on backyard chickens
Madison is doubling its limits on residential chickens. Zoning changes adopted unanimously by the Madison Common Council this week raise the city’s limit on backyard chickens from four to eight. Madison resident Philosophy Walker spoke in support of raising the limit. She noted hens eventually age out of laying eggs, leaving chicken owners like her…