Cows Crabs Pigeons Stingrays Turtles and Otters

Hannah: Welcome back, animal lovers! We have a double feature heading your way this week.

Jenna: To start things off, I will say that I was so happy to learn that cows can have friendships with each other and can even recognize their cow friends from photographs. Friendship among cows also influence the cows’ health and wellness. Isolated and lonely cows actually miss fellowship and as a result, can live in agony. Much like humans, cows benefit from socializing with their friends consistently.

Hannah: It was saddening to read that large, corporate cow farms move cows around very frequently from herd to herd. This means these cows are incapable of forming friendships and, ultimately, their wellness can deteriorate.

Jenna: Just another reason to support local, humane farms or, even better, consider a vegan diet.

Hannah: You make a great point, Jenna! Tell me, have you heard THE news of the week?

Jenna: Are you talking about the stingray attacks that left 176 people injured in one day?

Hannah: No, but now I’ve got to know about that!

Jenna: What might appear to be an aggressive move from the wildlife, is, in reality, the result of human interaction with marine life in their natural habitat. It is a stingray’s reflex to sting when they are stepped on or suddenly disturbed, as they were when beachgoers in California made their may into their territory.

Hannah: Wow, I’m glad everyone is okay, but it is important for us to keep in mind that the ocean is the wildlife’s habitat and should be respected.

Jenna: So if the stingray news was not THE news of the week then what was?

Hannah: The United States House of Representatives passed a bill that deems cruelty and abuse to animals a federal offense. Exceptions to this bill include vet care, certain self-defense cases, and hunting. This unanimously passed legislation piece is known as the PACT Act or Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act. Perpetrators of the PACT Act will face felony charges, such as heavy fines and prison time.

Jenna: That is major news and an uplifting way to close out this week!

Hannah: More news to come next week.