danon5 wrote:We are hoping for the best for Mika from here in TX...
Yeah, ehBeth, being blindfolded means you must rely on braille - - - Hmmm, I like the sound of braille!!! OK OK it's an innocent remark!!
That reminds me =
Have you all heard of the new computer programs being experimented with at the Univ of Wisconsin?? It's called Sensory Substitution Tech - and involves substituting the body's senses for normal eyesight. Currently, the researchers have found that the tongue is the most sensitive site to conduct the experiment. They have placed a stamp sized sensor on the tongue of a person who has been blind from birth - with very little practice the person can navigate through a strange house without bumping into things - they can take walks outside without the aid of a cane or dog - and they have been able to identify letters of the alphabet placed in front of them. I think this is GREAT news. The premise of the experiment is that it is the brain that actually gives us the feeling of looking even though we have the impression that it is our eyes that do it. An analogy given in clarification was of a person blindfolded and allowed to use a cane to navigate - the "feeling" of determining obstacles for the person "seemed" to be at the tip end of the cane - but, we all know that the cane has no feeling. It is actually the brain "projecting" itself out to the end of the cane. Well, the tongue is doing the same thing that the cane does in the above analogy. It is identifying variable signals sent to it electronically by a computer and is relaying that information to the brain - which projects itself to the tiny camera which initially picks up the information and sends it to the computer which sends it to the brain. With practice, it is as if the tiny camera is the persons "eyes".
All clicked..
That's interesting. I was reading (while -sob- a2k was down) that Orangutans "may" create a 3-D map of the jungle forest in their brains as a memory aid.
Hoping for good news about Mika.
Click...
ehBeth,
No, I didn't get it. It may be my spam blocker prog that stopped it. If you send another to me, I'll look for it and add it to my ok list.
Piffka,
That's interesting - I think most of the animals are smarter that we think - I think.
Piffka, sorry to report Mika is gone. We searched for a sanctuary, but because Mika was human socialized, <and if Mika were introduced to a wolf pack, he would have been rejected and probably killed> Mika also did not qualify for hybrid rescue because he was more wolf than husky.
When Mika was just a puppy, he was purchased from a hybrid breeder.
The people that bought Mika were not able to control him when he began displaying wolf behaviour, so their solution was chaining him to a post. For Mika's second birthday, "owners" surrendered him to our shelter reason being: Aggressive Behaviour. <Not a wonder>
I received confirmation from my supervisor today regarding Mika's fate.
Shedding a sincere and heartfelt tear for Mika. A lousy end to a below-par weekend.
Merry Andrews, Mika was quite the wonderful animal, and I can assure you his life was not taken lightly nor given in vain.
((((((((((MerryAndrews))))))))))
I will carve a stone for Mika.
Danon, Mika will be honored.
((((((((((HUGS))))))))))
<sigh>
The news about Mika isn't any easier to hear today.
aktbird57 -
You and your 282 friends have supported 1,639,589.6 square feet!
Marine Wetlands habitat supported: 51,217.2 square feet.
You have supported: (33,315.7)
Your 282 friends have supported: (17,901.5)
American Prairie habitat supported: 31,878.5 square feet.
You have supported: (9,106.1)
Your 282 friends have supported: (22,772.4)
Rainforest habitat supported: 1,556,493.9 square feet.
You have supported: (157,866.8)
Your 282 friends have supported: (1,398,627.1)
{{{{{{{{{{ STRADEE AND MIKA}}}}}}}}}}
Stradde, so sorry to hear the sad news. I have a pretty good idea of how you feel. Something to feel good about is that he had a very good life with you.
Dannon, great article. The brain is a wondrous thing!
Diane, thankyou for your kind words.
Mika lived at the shelter for just a few days ~ mostly we were trying to find him a place where he could live out the rest of his life the way nature intended.
Mika did leave me with a wonderful gift that truly touched my heart. During one of my last visits with him at the kennel, the other animals in protective custody began barking. When all was quiet, Mika sang.
I'm more determined now than ever to continue the fight for preserving wildlife remaining in America and throughout the world.
danon5 wrote:I will carve a stone for Mika.
That sounds so cool, Danon. I didn't know you were a stone-carver.
Stradee -- I am really sorry to hear what happened. I wish that people weren't so foolish and thoughtless and self-centered as to hybridize dogs and wolves. It is, imo, a huge mistake.
Piffka, Diane, ehBeth, Danon, Merry Andrews, Helen and All ~
Thank you from Mika ~
Hi, everyone...
Stradee...
I just read the news about Mika and I'm so sorry...and, I'm extremely angry. I don't quite know what to say, but the thought has crossed my mind that the people who caused Mika so much pain and suffering during his life deserve...Well, I won't say what I thought, but it wasn't nice.
Like I told you before, at least Mika had the chance to know you and the others at the shelter and was able to see that not everyone wanted to treat him like yesterday's garbage. For a brief time, you were able to show him what love and kindness are. I'm sure he took that gift with him.
Matrix, thank you.
God has given our shelter the miraculous ability to keep our emotions in check. If we had gone after the "owners" of Mika, then we'd be detering others from surrendering hybrids. One can only imagine what Mikas fate would have been had he not been surrendered. Until the laws are changed, our hands are tied.
Now, if you want to see anger, just place my face anywhere near a hybrid breeder - or puppy mill owner - or a degenerate that traps a neighbors cat. Those jerks shouldn't be allowed breathing the same air as the rest of us. People that buy into the notion that wolves will somehow transform from wild to loving family pet are not dealing from a full deck either.
Thanks Matrix for your kind words. Mika was treated well at our shelter, but the poor guy was taken off a chain only to be placed in a cement kennel. I believe Mika's in a better place, and if we were able to make his transition easier, then I'm grateful.
Ohh. That is so sad.
Stradee, thanks for your good works, it must be difficult to see what you see at the shelter. I imagine emotions are in danger of spilling over a lot.
The only person I can imagine "needing" a wolf-hybrid (and this is a stretch) would be some guy living in the Alaskan outback. I met a woman years ago who was "into" wolves and she did seem like a nut-case -- had at three kids under age 10 and several wolf hybrids. When she wasn't trying to sell a hybrid for big money-$$$, she would talk about how she wanted to be the alpha. To me it seemed like a huge control issue and need to dominate. Gee whiz. Get a cat. Then you can see who is really the boss.
Sometimes, people should be careful of what they wish for. Mika's 'owners' surely thought they were right in their decision to get the animal in the beginning. Maybe this has been their lesson.
Yeah Piffka,
I don't remember the person who said it, but, essentially one of the old philosophers said something to the effect - 'A man can act the fool around a dog, and the dog will act the fool in return. A man who acts the fool around a cat will be confronted with a distainful look of reproach from the cat.'
I always thought that was great.......<G>
Piffka, we have our moments, believe me. Lots of stress, but also laughter and silliness happenin'. Difficult staying upset when caring for wonderful animals - as they have a way of making the most horrendous situations tolerable.
IMO, no breeder has the sense or understanding that animals are sensitive, living, breathing beings. If they did, there would be no need for rescue groups and animal shelters. The animal trade a brutal,
horrific practice costing millions of animals their lives each year. Not to mention the amount of money people spend first purchasing an animal, then paying phenominal vet bills, only to see thier beloved animal die prematurely.
Hybrid breeders are the worst.
Danon, given the circumstances of Mika's life, it only makes sense that the 'owners' will have learned something.
Thank you
