Animals

A vagrant goat found wandering the roads of Alachua County will be given away Friday in a free adoption event. The Alachua County Sherriff's office, in the meantime, has been housing the goat.

Four-legged and furry may not be what one thinks of as attributes of a medical team member when recovering from a malady, but therapy dogs can have a big impact in the healing process. Pets like Georgia, an 11-year-old yellow Lab, can help give patients something to focus on other than being sick.

Eddie, a 6-pound toy poodle, is a certified therapy dog, like many others in Gainesville. His job is to go to local nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals in order to show patients and residents a little canine love.

Thirteen Muscovy ducks will be removed from the historic Duckpond Neighborhood in northeast Gainesville, following a vote by the neighborhood association board.

One year after the organization saved 700 cats from Haven Acres and prosecuted the abusers, Alachua County Animal Services was awarded with the 2012 Humane Law Enforcement Awards. HSUS Florida State Director Kate MacFall says it was all due to the admirable way the situation was handled. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/macfall1.mp3] The rescue project …

Mill Creek Farm is a retirement home for horses.  Located in Alachua, Florida, the farm has been a safe haven for retired, abused, neglected and unwanted horses since 1984.  Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Liana Charles reports on the owner’s experiences of operating a 265 acre farm. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/LCMillCreekFarmRadio2Project.mp3]

Investigators are now confident a deadly cat virus that closed the Alachua County animal facilities is now neutralized.  The deadly cat virus, Panleukopenia was found last week, and as Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Dana Lewin reports, the shelter is back and business. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/FPPanleukopeniaDana.mp3]

Animal shelters are usually a place where stray animals can be dropped off and cared for. But what happens when the shelter becomes the place of danger? WUFT-FM’s Kevin Roberts has the story on a disease that caused a scare at the Alachua County animal shelter. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/08/Panleukopenia.mp3|titles=Panleukopenia]  

Last week’s burglary at the Alachua County Humane Society won’t stop the animal safe haven from operating. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’S Liana Charles has an update on the Humane Society’s condition. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/ANIMALMIXDOWNFINAL.mp3]

The public is invited to view some of the world’s smallest horses this weekend.  It’s being called the “Last Chance” show because it’s the last in a stringof three shows intended for miniature horse exhibitors to qualify for the World Championships of the American Miniature Horse Association scheduled for this …