Animals 24-7

News on dogs, cats, horses, wildlife, zoonoses, & nature

Wildlife in America author Peter Matthiessen, 86

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Saw CIA job as “free trip to Paris” Peter Matthiessen,  86,  died on April 5,  2014 at his home in Sagaponack, New York,  after a year-long struggle with leukemia. Raised in Manhattan,  in the same building as another later famous author,  George Plimpton,  who was two months older,  Matthiessen served in the U.S. Navy as […]

Alleged Sariska tiger poacher Sansar Chand, 56, dies of cancer

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Imprisoned since 2005 JAIPUR,  India––Sansar Chand,  56,   on March 18,  2014 died of cancer at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur. Chand,  who spent his life mostly in New Delhi,  was scheduled to attend a hearing that day on charges pertaining to his role in poaching tigers out of Sariska National Park in 2004.  The […]

Virginia Handley, longtime California animal lobbyist, dies at 68

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Was also involved in performing arts Virginia Handley,  68,  was on March 20,  2014 found dead by a neighbor at her home in El Sobrante,  California.  Handley apparently died from natural causes. A second-generation animal advocate,  Virginia Handley and her mother Grace Handley cofounded the San Francisco-based Animal Switchboard information hotline in 1970,  assisted by […]

Petco Foundation founding director Paul Jolly, 57

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Long struggle with Lou Gehrig’s disease             Paul E. Jolly,  57,  died in his sleep on March 8,  2014 after a long struggle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. A 35-year employee of the Petco pet supply chain,  Jolly in 1999 became founding executive director of the Petco Foundation. Under Jolly the Petco […]

Terry DeGaw, 70, founder of the Serenity Springs Sanctuary

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Terry DeGaw,  70,  founder of the 20-year-old Serenity Springs Sanctuary in Forestburg,  Texas,  died of cancer on December 18,  2013.  Volunteers closed the 25-acre sanctuary,  transferring most of the resident pigs,  chickens,  horses,  donkeys,  dogs,  sheep,  cats,  and peacocks to the Atlasta Home Sanctuary in Ennis,  Texas.  Other sanctuaries and individuals adopted the rest.

Molly Richardson, 85, director of Native Animal Rescue

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Molly Richardson,  85,  longtime director of Native Animal Rescue in Live Oak,  California,  died on January 19,  2014.  Born in India of British parents,  Richardson later lived in New Zealand,  before teaching for many years in Pacific Grove,  California. “The 30-year-old Native Animal Rescue was first operated out of the local animal shelter,”  recalled Jason Hoppin […]

Lily Glidden, 24, apparently trampled by elephants

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                Lily Glidden,  24,  of Freeville,  New York,  was found dead on January 18,  2014 in Kaeng Krachan National Park,  Petchaburi,  Thailand,  five days after disappearing while on a hike by herself to photograph wildlife.  Glidden had apparently been trampled by elephants. “Looking at the pictures she took in […]

“Elephant whisperer” Marianus Topno, 48

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Marianus Topno,  48,  a factory welder in rural Odisha state,  India,  was fatally trampled by elephants on November 13,  2013 in the Saranda forest.  Topno had become known for politely asking elephants to leave villages and farms where they were doing damage,  with frequent success.  His daughter Nirmala,  17,  of Pograposh village,  had become renowned […]

Anne Bachman, 25

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                Anna Bachman,  25,  fell to her death on January 8,  2014 when a beachside cliff collapsed beneath her in San Diego,  California. A graduate student at the University of Illinois,  she was the younger daughter of Richard Bachman,  DVM,  a longtime volunteer for international street dog sterilization projects […]