Saturday, February 18, 2017

Saving the Imperiled Painted Dog

There was news that a Cumberland zoo in Ohio has just brought a litter of six painted dog pups out where the public can see them.  The news triggers some curiosity since what kind of sick bio-vandalism justifies painting a dog and, by the way, what is a painted dog.  (ABC:  Zoo introduces endangered African painted dog pups to public)

An Ohio zoo says a litter of six African painted dog puppies born in December can now be viewed by the public.

The Columbus Zoo says the puppies from the endangered species have begun exploring publicly visible areas of the zoo's conservation center, The Wilds, in Cumberland, Ohio.

Dan Beetem, director of animal management at The Wilds, says the puppies are the center's first successful litter of painted dogs. Beetem says the dogs' mother, Quinn, was an attentive caregiver after their birth, a rarity for first-time painted dog mothers.

- AP


It's swell that the public can see these painted dogs if we go to Ohio but the author of the article didn't think it was necessary to include a crumby picture so I still don't know what they are.

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Because we love you, here at the Rockhouse, we go the extra distance to find you painted dogs.



How about that for dog coolness.  These would sure turn some heads at the Kennel Club.

Ed:  they're endangered, you slimy predator!

Back up a little, Tree-huggin' Mama, since when did dogs ever have trouble making more dogs.  The force driving them out of the world is habitat encroachment just as with many species in the world.

Ed:  so that makes it ok to traffic in them as pets?

No but it does mean breeding programs such as at the Cumberland Zoo are likely to continue to be successful so the future, at least in zoos, looks good for painted dog puppies.


They're cute but they're also carnivores which have never been domesticated so they would likely bring bliss to your home life just the same as when you bring a wolf or a coyote into it.

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