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Canada Passes ‘Free Willy’ Bill To Ban Holding Whales And Dolphins In Captivity

By
Riley Cooper

Canada’s House of Commons passed a bill that imposes a ban on holding whales and dolphins in captivity on June 10.

Bill S-203, which is also colloquially known as the “Free Willy” bill, bans breeding of animals as well as importing or exporting them.

Holding in captivity and breeding these intelligent marine animals will be punishable by fines of up to CAD $200,000 (USD $150,000 / £118,000).

Passing this Bill means that these amazing, social mammals will now get to live in the place where they actually belong – the ocean.

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It’s also important to note that the new law makes exceptions for mammals that require rehabilitation or mammals that are licensed for scientific research.

“A person may move a live cetacean from its immediate vicinity when the cetacean is injured or in distress and is in need of assistance,” it’s outlined in the Bill.

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Rebecca Aldworth, the Executive Director of Humane Society International/Canada, said: “The passage of Bill S-203 is a watershed moment in the protection of marine animals and a victory for all Canadians. 

“Whales and dolphins don’t belong in tanks, and the inherent suffering these highly social and intelligent animals endure in intensive confinement can no longer be tolerated.

“We congratulate the sponsors of this bill and the Canadian government for showing strong leadership in responding to public will and sound science on this critical issue.”

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This Goes To You: The Woman Who Gave Her Love To Someone Who Doesn’t Deserve It

By
Stephanie Reeds

Hey there.

I know that you think that life is over for you. And I know that you feel like all your hopes are lost.

You’ve made a mistake. You’ve loved a person who didn’t deserve to be loved with such intensity. You gave him everything you had, and he never gave you anything in return. You sacrificed yourself for that relationship, but in the end, he left you with your heart shattered to pieces.

I know it hurts. It hurts like hell. But let me tell you something.

You are not weak. No matter how much you convince yourself that you are stupid for opening your heart to him and giving all your love to this person, you are not.

You, my darling, are brave. The bravest human being on this Earth.

You live in a world that is constantly shaming everyone for showing emotions, yet you were not afraid to open your heart.

You live in a world where people no longer care about the real values, yet you loved with all of your being. From the very bottom of your heart.

You live in a world where being vulnerable is the equivalent of being a leper, yet you were not afraid to be exactly who you are.

I admire you for having the strength to not let this world tame you and turn you into a heartless robot. I admire you for having the courage to wear your fragile heart on the sleeve. But most of all I admire you for still standing on your feet. Regardless of your doubts. Regardless of your fears. Regardless of the pain.

I salute you for not hiding your true feelings. I salute you for loving from the very depths of your heart. I salute you for knowing that you might get hurt, but still loving with the same intensity. I salute you for being entirely yourself without being afraid of this cruel, cruel world.  I salute you for always choosing to love above all else, no matter the consequences.

Lastly, I salute you for finding the strength to heal your wounds and take care of your broken heart. You may not see this now, but you have a lion’s heart.

So, stay exactly the way you are. You are not flawed, nor stupid.

It takes a great deal of courage, fearlessness and willingness to be your true, vulnerable self in a world that constantly tries to break your spirit and rob you of your hopes.

You are brave and vulnerable. And that, in my opinion, is all that matters.

Keep loving with the same intensity, let those emotions flow through your body and feel deeply. One day a person who understands your heart will come into your life and he will appreciate you for exactly who you are.

Billionaire Elon Musk Releases All Tesla Patents For His Mission To Save The Earth

By
Mary Wright

Elon Musk, the brilliant mind behind TESLA, announced that he had released all Tesla patents in order to fight climate change and save the earth.

This decision came on the day when US prosecutors charged one Chinese national for having stolen secrets from Apple’s self-driving vehicle project.

“Tesla Motors was created to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport,” Musk said. “If we clear a path to the creation of compelling electric vehicles, but then lay intellectual property landmines behind us to inhibit others, we are acting in a manner contrary to that goal.”

It seems that now Musk is skeptical of patents that served only “to stifle progress” and make rich lawyers and big corporations instead of inventors.

Musk said that he has earlier felt obliged to release the patents to stop giant car companies from copying his technology and using their massive sales and marketing apparatus to take over the market.

“We couldn’t have been more wrong. The unfortunate reality is the opposite,” he said, noting that electric or clean-fuel cars “at the major manufacturers are small to non-existent.”

He hopes that other companies will start producing more electric cars because it is impossible for him to build enough Tesla cars to stop the carbon crisis.

“We believe that applying the open-source philosophy to our patents will strengthen rather than diminish Tesla’s position, and ability to attract talented engineers,” he said.

Runner Rescued An Abandoned Puppy And Finished The Marathon Carrying It In Her Hands

By
Stephanie Reeds

Khemjira Klongsanun is a runner from Bangkok, Thailand.

But even though this girl enjoys challenging herself and racing in competitions, she also knows that some things are simply far more important than others.

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A few months ago, she participated in a local marathon. But after the 7th mile of her 26-mile run, she noticed something. There beside the road was a scared and abandoned pup that was looking for help. She spotted the little fluff ball with no one beside it.

But instead of passing it by and pretending that she didn’t see it, she did what any passionate animal lover would do. She stopped, scooped the little helpless pup into her arms and continued running.

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Yes, you read it right!

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For the next 19 miles of her run, she carried the puppy in her hands and ran. She could have handed it to someone in the crowd, but that was not her idea. She held on to it until the very end and both of them crossed the finish line together.

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But this is not the end of this wonderful story.

Klongsanun decided to adopt the little puppy. She immediately took it to the vet and later on she introduced it to her family and the rest of her dogs.

The pup finally got the home that it deserved.

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Polsin Sinsamoe

She named it Nong Chom.

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Surprisingly, the little puppy instantly fit in. Klongsanun dogs accepted it as a new member of the family. And thanks to her, this once-abandoned, lonely and neglected dog ended up surrounded by the love it desperately needed.

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Nong Chom is just one of those rescue dogs that had their life changed for the better. This pup was left all alone. And if it wasn’t for Klongsanun, it would have probably died by now. But it was destiny that brought them together. Klongsanun found Nong Chom at the right time and the right space and saved his life.

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Share this story with your friends and raise awareness about animal adoption. These lovely creatures need us. Let us be there for them and provide them with the love they need!

Blue Macaw Parrot Well Known From The Movie ‘Rio’ Is Officially Classified As Extinct

By
Riley Cooper

Do you remember the gorgeous parrot called Blu which won on-screen fame in 20th Century Fox’s movie ‘Rio?’ 

Well, while in the movie, Blu flies all the way from America to Rio de Janeiro in an attempt to find the last Macaw female, in which he succeeds, thereby saving his species, in real life, however, this species didn’t make it.

The leading cause of the disappearance of this charming bird from its natural habitat is deforestation.

What’s worse, Spix’s macaw is just one of 8 bird species that has been added to the list of confirmed or suspected extinct bird species.

In addition to deforestation, global warming and the increasing expansion of urban areas are two other grave issues that force a lot of animals all around the world to either adapt or die.

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Scroll down to check out the official trailer of the movie  ‘Rio,’ thanks to which it’ll still be possible for future generations to derive joy and pleasure from the breathtaking, unique beauty of this adorable bird.

Faith In Humanity Restored: Wildlife Authorities Rescued 550 Birds Stuffed In Small Metal Cages

By
Stephanie Reeds

I cannot believe the world that I live in. Each and every day I am disgusted by everything that humanity does. Yes, I am a human being, but I am not proud of that fact. If you ask me, human beings are cancer on this planet.

We are selfish, greedy, wicked and dangerous. We destroy entire forests, we cut down trees, we kill innocent animals for food and for sport, we wear their fur, we pollute our world and what’s even worse, we feel no remorse for doing that whatsoever.

But every once and a while, a rare kind of loving and compassionate human beings appear out of nowhere and prove to me that there is still hope. They bring back my faith in humanity and reassure me that everything is not as black as it sounds.

This is a story about that kind of people. A story that gives us hope that everything is not lost. Read on!

One month ago, wildlife authorities rescued 550 birds that were found caged in metal boxes and were ready for selling.

Can you believe it?

This happened during a raid at a market in Central Kolkata. The poor birds that were up for selling were protected species that instead of enjoying their freedom in the wilderness were actually waiting to be sold at the market as pets.

However, thanks to the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, 550 of these protected Indian birds were rescued and immediately taken to veterinarians for proper treatment. Unfortunately, they couldn’t rescue all of the animals since some of the newborn chicks were already found death due to the terrible conditions that they were living in.

This is not the only case in West Bengal. Recently this place has emerged as a massive market for wildlife smuggles. Luckily, authorities reacted on time and arrested nine of the traders. These people will be prosecuted and punished for the crimes they did.

As for the birdies, after everything they’ve been through, they will get to keep their freedom and get back to where they belong –the wilderness.

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Dealing With The Loss Of A Pet Is Painful Process And People Need To Understand That

By
Stephanie Reeds

I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine myself living without animals. My whole life I’ve been taking care of stray cats and dogs that I honestly know of no life without these furry creatures. They are the reason for my happiness. They are my entire world.

So, you could imagine how painful and difficult it would be for me to deal with their loss one day. It would literally break my heart to pieces. It would shake me so hard that I would need days and maybe months to deal with that pain. Luckily, all of my cats and dogs are in good shape because I give my best efforts in providing them the best life that they could possibly have.

Still, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t felt the gut-wrenching pain of losing a pet.

I know how it is to deal with the death of your best friend. Your best pal.

Twenty years ago, I lost my husky dog called Bella. I still remember the call I got from my mom. She was trying to be calm, but I could feel the panic in her voice. She called me to tell me that Bella was not feeling well so they had to take her to the vet. But what she didn’t want to tell me was that Bella was in fact poisoned.

I remember that I had a class after her call, and I remember not being able to focus on the lecture. Something in me knew that Bella is not okay. Thirty minutes later, I received another phone call. This time my mother couldn’t hold it in, so she burst into tears. The doctors did everything they could, but Bella wasn’t strong enough to overcome the pain.

And so, she died.

I remember I had a hard time accepting that fact. I struggled for a long time. But the thing that shocked me the most was the fact that there were people who perceived me as an unstable person. In a moment where I could use anyone’s support to get back on my feet, some of them couldn’t understand why someone would cry that much over a dog. “She was just a pet” they would say. “It’s not like you lost a person”.

Well, let me tell you something.

I know that some of you out there have never felt the pure and genuine, animal love and as a result never felt emotionally tied to these loving creatures. But that doesn’t give you the right to judge our love for them. And it most certainly doesn’t give you the right to judge our methods of coping with their loss.

Every time you try to mock a person for being too emotional over the death of their pet, remember that you have no clue how they really feel. You also have no clue about the true depth of the connection they shared with their pet.

It can be truly difficult for some of you to understand how close a human can become with an animal, but that is something that you will realize only if you feel that love. All I can say is that animals provide an immense amount of unconditional love that sometimes human cannot. They love without limits. And they love purely. They love in a way that no human being could ever be capable of loving. That is why their loss is like getting shot in the chest.

Any animal lover would understand what I am saying.

But no matter how much I try to explain this to you, the only way you can experience it on your own is by feeling it.

That’s why, the next time you get the urge to comment something inconsiderate like “It’s just a dog”, think before you speak. You don’t know how that person is feeling and you have absolutely idea what that dog meant to them. If you aren’t sure what you are supposed to say, don’t say anything. Just hold their hand and be the support that they desperately need. That will do more for them than your words ever will.

There is a significant amount of trauma and grief in the hearts of people who are going through this sort of experience. Understand their sorrow and respect their feelings.

If you know someone who is going through the same painful process, share this article with them and let them know that you are there for them.

4-Month-Old Pup’s Reaction To Shopping At Target Makes Social Media Users Fall In Love With Her Instantly

By
Riley Cooper

Did you know that our furry friends enjoy shopping?

Well, Zira, a lovely 4-month-old Corgi, certainly enjoys shopping for stuff.

Zira’s owners took her on a shopping trip to Target and they took photos of her excited, human-like expressions to the shopping and posted them on her Instagram profile.

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In a Facebook post, Zira’s owners said:

“We spontaneously decided to go to Target yesterday morning, and took Zira. She absolutely loved it! Zira got new treats and a toy. While we were turning a corner, this woman shopping saw her and freaked out! She couldn’t stop going on and on about how cute Zira was.”

“Zira just started licking her, and the woman loved it. She even picked Zira up and let her kiss her face! She kept telling us what a beautiful and sweet dog, Zira is. Just another day of Zira spreading love and joy to the world… She loves meeting new people and getting attention!”

So far this adorable puppy has 57.9k followers on her Instagram profile and her photos make everyone fall in love with her instantly.

Following are some of Zira’s photos. Enjoy.

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Hero Pit Bull Drags 7-Month-Old Baby To Safety After House Goes Up In Flames

By
Riley Cooper

This is a story that proves that certain breeds of dogs that have a reputation for being unpredictable and even aggressive don’t actually deserve the stigma that is attached to them. The pit bull breed is probably at the top of this category since these dogs are often regarded as fierce, unpredictable, and aggressive.

However, one mother from California learned firsthand that this breed’s reputation for being dangerous isn’t deserved at all. Moreover, she has her pit bull to thank for saving both her and her 7-month-old daughter’s lives.

Latana Chai was at home together with her baby Masailah and her 8-month-old pit bull Sasha when all of a sudden she heard the pup barking loudly at the back door. She immediately knew something was wrong since Sasha’s behavior was so strange – she’d never barked so intensely and frantically before.

Mom Latana Chai explains that her daughter and the pit bull are very close. They’ve spent every moment in their lives together as they were born only days apart.

The bond between the child and the four-legged pet was about to become even closer when their neighbor’s house went up in flames.

As soon as Latana heard Sasha barking, she opened the door so as to check on her, and that is when she saw flames and black smoke coming out of her neighbor’s house.

As the fire was spreading fast from the neighboring house over to her own, Latana quickly ran upstairs to get her daughter – just to discover that Sasha was already trying to drag the baby to safety by holding her in her mouth by the diaper. Then, Latana took everyone outside to safety.

It’s no wonder Sasha’s being called a hero because if it wasn’t for her warning, things could’ve ended really bad.

Find out more about this amazing dog and her heroic deed in the video below.

Let the Light In: 9 Reasons to Love Plantation Shutters

By
Elizabeth Williams

Plantation shutters are a beautiful window treatment. Find out why we love these easy to operate and elegant shutters.

Have you been considering plantation shutters for your home? If not, you should be!

Plantation shutters are among this years’ trending window treatment ideas and for good reasons. They are elegant, timeless, and add a beautiful charm to any room in your home. Plus, they are more durable than blinds and cleaner than curtains.

Keep reading to learn why we love plantation shutters and why we think you will too!

  1. They Add Character and Curb Appeal

You may not think that having shutters on the inside of your home would boost the appeal of your home on the outside. But it does!

Plantation shutters add charm to your windows that can be seen from the exterior. They look unified and clean. You don’t have to worry about some slats being open and others closed such as what happens with traditional window blinds.

Even when closed, the shutters look great from the exterior. They provide privacy without looking shabby or uninviting. 

  1. They Look Great Inside, Too

If you’re going for a southern charm feel inside your home, or you just enjoy a clean and unified interior look, then plantation shutters are for you.

The design of the plantation shutter is to be sturdy and uniform, so you never have to fix one slate or louver or have to worry about missing pieces. Plus, they are neutral in color so they lighten up your space and can be matched with virtually any other color. 

Plantation shutters also look great for room transitions. If you to add some charm to your open floor plan, shutters on a track that fold in and outlook beautiful and can allow you to close off a section of your home when wanted.

  1. They Provide Extra Insulation

There is a reason this shutter design has been used for hundreds of years. They not only look great but they provide extra insulation during those cold winter months and hot summer days.

Shuttercraft shutters can reduce heat loss by as much as 50%. Closing your shutters adds an extra barrier for your windows, keeping the weather that sometimes seeps through from reaching your living space. 

  1. They Pair Nicely with Curtains

You don’t have to say goodbye to curtains with plantation shutters. Plantation shutters actually work really nicely with curtains due to their simple and neutral design.

So, if you’re someone who loves the character that curtains bring to a room, then slatted shutters are still perfect for you. Check out some examples of shutters paired with curtains in the Shuttercraft inspiration galleries.

  1. They’re Convenient

Plantation shutters are easy to close and open. With just a pull-up or down on the tilt rod, you can close or open the entire shutter.

If you have plantation shutters with a horizontal rail, you can open the top or bottom half of the shutter while leaving the other half closed. This provides a unique look but also a perfect solution when you want some natural light but not too much.

Some plantation shutters are built so that all you have to do is close or open one of the louvers and the rest will follow. This makes it even easier to change the lighting and privacy of the room.

Lastly, some slat shutters are designed to open like french doors. This is a beautiful and super convenient way to open up those windows and add light to the room.

  1. They’re Durable

Plantation shutters are made of real hardwood making them highly durable and long-lasting. No more plastic blinds breaking or chipping on you.

Some styles are also water-resistant. This means you won’t have to worry about water damage for those shutters in the kitchen, bathrooms, or indoor-outdoor spaces.

  1. They’re Suitable for All Window Types

That’s right. It doesn’t matter how large, small, or unique your windows are. Slat shutters come in a variety of sizes and styles so you can choose what works for your needs.

Plantation shutters are suitable for large windows such as bay windows. You can choose from full height, half height (cafe style), top opening (tier on tier), track mounted, skylight, and conservatory shutters. 

There are also special shape shutters, too. Angled or curved shutters are possible for those truly unique window frames.

No matter your needs, a plantation shutter can be designed to fit.

  1. They’re Perfect for Room Darkening

Have you ever tried to have a movie night in the summer when the sun refuses to set until bedtime? We have all been there. With plantation shutters, you can virtually eliminate all outside light sources by closing the large louvers.

Because the louvers are larger than blinds, there are fewer cracks between each slat. Also, louvers on plantation shutters are thick because they’re made of wood. This means less light can get through the cracks between the slats and more opacity of the shutters themselves.

So, if there are times when you want to darken your home (maybe it’s a headache this time), then having slated shutters are the way to go. 

  1. They’re Easy to Keep Clean

Plantation shutters have large louvers that make them easy to clean. Rather than the one inch or fewer slats you get with blinds, louvers are typically three inches wide or larger. This means, with just one wipe or dusting, your slat is clean. 

This also means less dust and fewer allergens making your home cleaner and more environmentally healthy. Plus, less time cleaning means more time you can be relaxing and enjoying your home.

Are You Convinced Yet?

Plantation shutters are among the hottest interior window designs right now. But not only because they look amazing and add southern charm to any home.

Slatted shutters are also economical, durable, and flexible. They’ll save you money with extra insulation and their longevity, and can be used for any window type and any room design.

 

 

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