Attention: Calling all pet blood donors

People are not the only ones in need of blood. Many sick pets rely on animal blood donors to make it through surgeries and to stay alive.

Hungry hippo intercepts short pass

As the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to square off in Tampa Bay for Super Bowl XLIII, Busch Gardens counts down to game day in some “wild” ways.

In the Edge of Africa habitat, a hippo opens wide to catch a “football” tossed by one of its keepers. The ball is actually a watermelon – one of the animal’s favorite treats – decorated with food-safe watercolor paint, and serves as enrichment for the hippo.

Enrichment can take many forms, including toys, food or objects to explore, and is usually something different, unusual and challenging that stimulates the animals’ interest. Animal enrichment activities such as this are some of the many ways the park’s zoological team keeps the animals engaged and active.

Tasmanian tiger DNA offers important clues

An extinct tiger may be able to help other endangered animals. Some scientists at Pennsylvania State University have been studying the genome of the Tasmanian tiger.

How far would you go for the love of your dog?

A Florida couple is keeping the memory of their deceased dog alive, literally. After waiting six months, Ed and Nina Otta were waiting as their cloned canine arrived at the Miami International Airport Monday after a first-class flight from San Francisco.

His name is Lancelot Encore, and he’s a clone of the Edgars’ late dog Lancelot, a yellow Labrador that died of cancer in January 2008. The Ottos paid a pretty penny for their new pooch — he cost $155,000. The couple placed the bid with a Bay Area biotech firm’s dog-cloning auction last July.

Sitting on a dock of the bay

Officials from New England Aquarium awoke to a special guest on Tuesday morning.

They found a Yearling Harp Seal in Boston Harbor.

Because of the cold, the seal stayed out of the water and hung out on a snow-covered part of the dock, catching catch some rays.

The Aquarium said the last time one of these seals showed up in Boston Harbor was a couple of years ago.

Since then, seals have turned up south of the city in Quincy and Weymouth.

Lemur makes the tackle

As the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to square off in Tampa Bay for Super Bowl XLIII, Busch Gardens, Tampa’s top spot for family fun and adventure, counts down to game day in some “wild” ways.

A red-ruffed lemur tackles a football slathered in fruit juices on a lawn near Gwazi, a wooden coaster featuring dueling tracks. The lemur is one of the park’s Animal Ambassadors, animals that greet guests in the park, at educational programs and through other outreach opportunities, with the purpose of sharing a message of conservation.

The football is used as a form of animal enrichment, which can take many forms, including toys, food or objects to explore. Enrichment is usually something different, unusual and challenging that stimulates the animals’ interest. Activities such as this are some of the many ways the park’s zoological team keeps the animals engaged and active.

Photo credit: Matt Marriott/Busch Gardens

Wear your love for animals this Valentine’s Day

The MSPCA-Angell has a unique gift for your special someone on Valentine’s Day. MSPCA-Angell has partnered with Amelia Rose Design to create a beautiful paw print pendant in either sterling silver, for a minimum contribution of $50, or 14K gold, for a minimum contribution of $250. Proceeds will support the kindness and care for animals.

Click here to buy yours now!

For more information or to place an order offline, please contact Susan Turner, at the MSPCA-Angell, by phone or email at 617.541.5081 or seturner@mspca.org.

Got a question? We’ve got the answer.

In this Pet Talk – Dr. Martha Smith of the Animal Rescue League returns – to answer some of your animal questions.

Why not give it a whirl? Try pet acupuncture

If you’re looking for a more holistic approach to keeping your dog healthy – you may want to try pet acupuncture. Dr. Christina MacKenzie show us how it’s done.

Let your dog feel like a kid in a candy store

A lesson in fun – for you and your dog. Animal trainer Brian Kilcommons shows us some of the top toys on the market.