Like swallows to Capistrano, the American robins have returned to the Adams County fruit orchards. Their morning chatter is a wonderful reminder that spring is upon us. The federal government issued a gloomy report this week about the harm new energy development  - coal, wind, biofuels - is causing to bird populations, but did you ever consider how many birds are lost in vehicle collisions each year?

Some birds seem more susceptible to encountering car windshields than others. Have you ever seen a dead starling by the side of the road? Probably not. But hawks unfortunately love to perch on highway wires and swoop in on prey in the median. They dive low, with no regard to tractor trailers in their paths. Alas, Pennsylvania highways are littered with hawk carcasses.

Or consider the robin. They enjoy perching on low tree branches of roadside berms. They don't fly straight across the road, they dip low with the speed and agility of a slow-moving C-17 military cargo plane. Hence, the reason why we see so many perish in the roads each year. A little tap on the brakes when a robin sails in front of you can mean the difference between life and death for these loveable springtime friends. 

The Pennsylvania Game Commission announces the return of LBJs or "Little Brown Jobs," a generic name for small, semi-brown song birds. In Pennsylvania this spring that means pine siskins. My feeders (sunflower and thistle) are full of them right now and they have remarkably little fear of humans. 

The pine siskin is smaller than a house finch, has a smaller bill than a goldfinch, and has distinguishing yellow wing-bars and a flash of yellow under their wings. They have a rising buzzy “zzcree” call.
 

Meanwhile, high above Harrisburg, the falcons of the Capitol have returned. Each spring for the past nine years, a peregrine falcon pair has nested on a window ledge near the top of the Department of Environmental Protection headquarters and produced eggs. The building is appropriately named after Rachel Carson, Pennsylvania's famous environmental daughter who first sounded the alarm about the dangers of the pesticide DDT with the publication of Silent Spring in 1962. Scientists later learned that DDT was responsible for the near extinction of the peregrine falcon in the United States.

To follow the progress at the nest or to get more information about falcons, tune into the falcon cam Website. The male and female breeding pair have at least one egg in the nest this morning. A warning though, the falconcam is addictive, particularly when the eggs begin to hatch.

But the Capitol is not the only place falcons are nesting in Pennsylvania. In recent years pairs have nested at Philadelphia City Hall, the PA-NJ Turnpike bridge in Bristol, Bucks County, the Commodore Barry, Girard Point, Betsy Ross bridges, and on the New Jersey side of the Walt Whitman Bridge. Any reports of Philadelphia-area falcon activity are welcome. See Delaware Valley birding Website for a full list.

And finally, the Game Commission is doing its part to help the homeless - of the feathered variety.  For the first time the commission is offering houses for sale for a range of birds, from wrens to owls and wood ducks. You can view the entire selection of nesting structures for sale on the Game Commission’s website by clicking on “Deals on Wildlife Homes” in the “Quick Clicks” box in the right-hand column of the homepage. The brochure and order form list the nesting structures by habitat type, to guide landowners in determining which nesting structure is best suited for their property.
 

The medical director at the Pennsylvania SPCA was fired yesterday after shelter officials learned he was the attending veterinarian at a Philadelphia kennel, according to a Fox 29 report.

Dr. Ravi Murarka was employed by the PSPCA for two decades and his work saving sick and injured animals was featured prominently in the recent Animal Planet series, Animal Cops: Philadelphia. 

But he apparently also worked as a veterinarian at a local licensed kennel that had recently received a poor inspection report. A state inspection on March 5 revealed Blood Brothers kennel kept eight dogs in a poorly lit basement with broken fencing that posed a threat to the dogs. The kennel owner was cited for failing to have proof of rabies shots for two of the dogs. The shelter said it dismissed Murarka because of a conflict of interest. 

To see the story on Fox 29 last night click here.

A Philadelphia law firm has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of consumers it says were defrauded by nation's largest pet store chain and its suppliers.

The firm, Saltz Mongeluzzi Barrett & Bendesky, along with the Humane Society of the United States is suing Ohio-based Petland Inc, alleging the company and its suppliers, including the Hunte Corporation of Missouri, violated federal and state laws - including Pennsylvania consumer protection act - by selling unhealthy puppy mill puppies to unsuspecting consumers.

In the 34-page suit filed in Phoenix today, the plaintiffs contend Petland "orchestrated and executed a scheme to defraud consumers by manufacturing a fictitious market for puppy mill puppies."

"Unscrupulous dog dealers like Petland and Hunte reap massive profits by pushing unhealthy puppies on well-intentioned dog-lovers who would never knowingly buy a puppy mill dog,” said Jonathan Lovvorn, vice president & chief counsel for Animal Protection Litigation at The HSUS. “Families often bear the great expense of veterinary treatment for sick and unhealthy dogs, or the terrible anguish of losing a beloved family pet. This industry has been systematically lying to consumers for years about the source of the dogs they sell, and it’s long past time for a reckoning.”

Petland has 140 locations across the country, including four in the Pittsburgh area and one in Levittown. The company has denied it supports these substandard breeding facilities and called the HSUS investigation "baseless."

The class action lawsuit is the result of many months of investigative and legal research, and comes after an eight-month investigation into Petland stores by HSUS that demonstrated a direct link between multiple Petland stores and unscrupulous puppy mills. HSUS alleges that Petland engaged in deceptive sales practices, including the marketing and sale of puppies with potentially fatal genetic defects and highly contagious parasitic and viral infections.

The complaint includes numerous examples of sick or dying puppies that Petland sold including:

Mainerd, a Boston terrier, was diagnosed with a congenital spinal condition. Some of her vertebrae have not formed completely while others have fused together causing tissue to grow underneath along with possible nerve damage. Mainerd is now receiving steroid treatments for her ailments and may require expensive surgery.
Minchy, a miniature pinscher, was sold by Petland at 10 weeks old. He was immediately diagnosed with coccidian, an intestinal parasite that causes diarrhea and weight loss. Minchy was also diagnosed with an inherited disorder, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, which will ultimately lead to permanent blindness.
Tucker was sold at four months old. The bloodhound puppy experienced severe separation anxiety and various health problems before developing orbital cancer at only 7 months of age.
Patrick, a Pomeranian puppy, was sold at three months old. He suffered from diarrhea and vomiting shortly after arriving at his new home. At 11 months old, Patrick was diagnosed with a genetic disorder, dual luxating patellas, which will require expensive surgery on both of his knees to correct.

A Bensalem attorney has filed a complaint against the Philadelphia Gun Club alleging the club violated the township's order banning live pigeon shoots on club property.

Elissa B. Katz in a letter, asked township solicitor Joseph Pizzo to enforce the 2002 cease and desist order. 

Katz said she witnessed club members shooting pigeons at the property along the Delaware River last Saturday and reported it to township police. She said they told her they knew nothing about the cease and desist order despite Pizzo's assurance that the township's Public Safety Director had been informed and would notify all officers that the shoots were illegal.

Heidi Prescott, now senior vice president for campaigns for the Humane Society of the United States, helped convince the township to take action against the shoots when she worked for the now-defunct Fund for Animals. The township issued the cease and desist notice in 2002 after determining that the practice was cruel and violated the township's firearms discharge law. 

Pizzo said at the time the township would "take any and all actions necessary to make them stop the shoots."

On several occasions since late 2008, Prescott, Katz and others have notified local authorities that the shoots were continuing and were assured that "internal measures were taken enforce the ceae and desist order." Numerous attempts to reach Pizzo over the past three months have been unsuccessful.

The Philadelphia Gun Club, which has 61 member today, was founded in 1877. Its Web site describes the club as a "mecca for shooting gentlemen interested in serious competitive shooting in a genteel atmosphere," and chronicles the rich and famous who hunted at the former estate property, including Ernest Hemingway, William K. Vanderbilt Jr. and Annie Oakley. There is no mention that the quarry today is pigeons - hundreds of them - which are trucked in, stuffed in spring-loaded boxes and shot as they are catapulted into the air.

Prescott said the Bensalem situation is evidence that statewide legislation is needed "to address this cruel practice." Bills banning live pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania have been introduced each session for the past two decades but have failed to be voted out of committee. Prescott says she plans to lobby for new legislation this spring.

In an interesting historic twist, the New York Times in 1890 reported a Pennsylvania judge found A. Nelson Lewis, a member of the Philadelphia Gun Club, guilty of cruelty to animals for participating in a pigeon shooting match on the grounds of the club three years earlier.

Remember the sad tale of Prince Chunk, the tubby New Jersey feline found roaming the streets of Voorhees last August? At last, the fairy tale ending has arrived.

The white-haired cat, whose large girth gained him worldwide attention, was left homeless after his owner lost her home to foreclosure. We learn today that he has officially been adopted.

The Damiani family of Washington Township finalized the paperwork in February, though they've been caring for the cat since last summer, according to the Associated Press. Chunk's fifteen minutes (or more like 22 pounds) of fame landed him appearances on several talk shows and the New York tabloid covers.

But - good news - Chunk has lost about two pounds, tipping the scales at just over 20 pounds and he's getting along swimmingly with his new animal siblings: a kitten and three dogs.The Damianis are working to establish a foundation to help struggling pet owners avoid giving up their pets due to the financial crisis.

Help Bocci get home to Utah. This six-year-old chihuahua was so traumatized during her life at a Lancaster County puppy mill that Humane League of Lancaster felt the last and best chance for her to find peace was the legendary Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah.

Last year Bocci was removed by humane agents from Ervin Zimmerman's kennel in Ephrata, suffering from severe wounds to her ears and back. (Zimmerman was convicted of animal cruelty and lost his kennel license last year.)

Here's how the shelter describes Bocci one year after being rescued:
Bocci's physical wounds have healed but the trauma that she suffered from years of neglect has left her a shadow of a normal dog. If you have ever tried approaching a feral cat then you would understand Bocci's behavior; she runs when people come towards her and will not let anyone touch her. She is not housebroken, does not walk on a leash, and will only eat her food in the middle of the night when her foster mom is asleep and she feels safe enough to venture out of the corner of the kitchen that she prefers to stay in.
Shelter operators contacted Best Friends after being unable to place Bocci with a local rescue because of the lasting effects of her severe trauma. Two shelter staff members will drive Bocci 2,288 miles to Utah and return home by plane. The Humane League is seeking monetary donations, gas cards or frequent flier miles.

Donations may be sent to the HLLC or made online by selecting "Help Bocci get to Utah" from the drop down designation menu. If you are interested in donating frequent flyer miles, gas cards, or covering the cost of a rental car please contact the shelter at (717) 393-6551 or e-mail bgotshall@humaneleague.com.
 

Chocolate and pets don't mix. But what else under your roof can harm your pet? You may want to find out during National Poison Prevention Week. Animal welfare groups are reminding pet owners to keep dangerous household items out of the reach of pets. This means not only keeping medicine and cleaning cabinets closed, but being aware of the dangers lurking in flower bed and the kitchen trash can. Among the other food products and flowers to avoid: onions, eggs, avocados, tulip bulbs, lilies and azaleas. Experts also caution that dog flea medicine can be fatal if used on cats. For a listing of more life threatening foods, medications and plants and what to do in a pet poison emergency, click here.

Factory farm abuse is the focus on HBO tonight. The cable channel's latest animal documentary, “Death on a Factory Farm” premiers tonight at 10 p.m.  The film looks at events that led to animal cruelty charges brought against an Ohio hog farmer. Animal welfare investigator "Pete" goes undercover at the farm to document conditions there. This same investigator has worked extensively in Pennsylvania exposing wretched conditions inside puppy mills. The film was produced by the folks who made "Dealing Dogs," the 2006 documentary about so-called "B" dealers who sell to research facilities.

March is "Give a Dog a Kong" month at the Pennsylvania SPCA. The shelter uses Kong food puzzle toys as a treat for their dogs and as a way to keep them stimulated while in the kennels. Kongs are (almost) indestructible, stress-reducers and, filled with treats, can keep dogs busy for hours. The PSPCA especially needs large and XL extreme Kongs—listed on our Amazon.com wish list or visit their Website at www.pspca.org.

Bric-a-brac in Bucks for beagles and other pups and kitties. A new thrift shop opened this weekend in Warrington that supports the rescue work of Animal Lifeline, a non profit, animal adoption organization operating in eastern and central Pennsylvania. Among its ongoing projects, the group works with frontline rescuers in poverty-stricken Clay County, Kentucky. See the video of their work here. The group is seeking gently-used clothing, CDs and DVDs, artwork and jewelry and housewares to stock its shelves. You can also check out their inventory of rescued cats and kittens while you're there. The shop is located at the Warrington Pavilion Shopping Center 1111 Easton Rd. in Warrington. For more information call 215-343-5050.

Citing repeated unsatisfactory inspections, the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement has so far rejected seven applications for kennel license renewals in 2009. Six are kennels in Lancaster, Berks, Lycoming, Lehigh and Bradford counties and one is a pet store in Cumberland County.

They are: Paraglide Kennel in Bradford County, Petz Unlimited, a pet store in Cumberland County, Allegheny Ridge in Lycoming County, Burkholder Farm Kennel in Berks County and Country Lane in Lancaster County.

On Monday, a rejection notice was sent to Samuel E. King of Country Lane kennel, which has a history of poor inspections and citations, according to state officials. 

The most recent inspection on Feb. 5 noted holes so large in cages that the dogs sat with their heads and upper body outside of the pens, food contaminated with mouse dropping and dog feces and wire openings in the kennel floors so large that puppies' paws slipped through. In addition, several dogs had severe matting and overly long nails. A veterinary exam was ordered on a young Bulldog with nasal discharge and who was walking on its pasterns. King has received at least 18 citations in the past five years, including six last month, for failing to keep his kennel in a humane and sanitary condition.

There were 287 dogs reported housed in King's kennel during the inspection last month and 1,470 dogs were sold in the last year. 

These are in addition to Almost Heaven in Lehigh County and Scarlet-Maple Farm Kennel in Lancaster County whose licenses were refused last month. Of those kennels four (Almost Heaven, Scarlet-Maple, Petz Unlimited and Burkholder Farm kennel) have appealed their license revocations. Country Lane kennel has until March 19 to appeal.

Under terms of an agreement with the state, these kennels may continue to sell dogs but may not breed or purchase new dogs until a federal lawsuit over the new dog law is resolved. The agreement was reached last month by the Attorney General and a group of breeders that has filed a federal lawsuit alleging the new dog law  is unconstitutional.

Buddhist monks cannot own personal property. So what happens when a few cats hanging around the temple turns into a feral colony? In the case of the felines that reside at Mongkoltepmunee Temple in Bensalem, that's when the Bucks County SPCA stepped in.

Read the picture-purrfect story of how a religious community - and some alert volunteers - came together to help the monks and the animals that grace their temple grounds in the Bucks County Courier Times.

The owners of a Philadelphia pet shop thought they were getting a regular shipment of exotic fish on Monday night, but what they ended up with shocked the store's owner...and the family of man who had recently succombed to Alzheimer's disease.

The store, Pets Plus USA, was expecting a load of fish to be flown in to Philadelphia Airport on Monday night. But the store's owner said he got suspicious after finding out cargo handlers at the airport had loaded up his driver's Jeep with a whale-sized box. "We've never gotten a seven-foot box of fish," Ray Arabia told his brother, Mark.

 Wondering what happened next? Read the story by my colleagues at the Inquirer, Howard Shapiro and Barbara Boyer.