Bluebirds find a safe back yard habitat

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCADIA, N.C. — With each sunrise, the familiar sound of birds chirping ring in the ears of Arcadia resident Ray Welch, offering a pleasant and enjoyable start to his day. Holding a small cup of meal worms in hand, Welch heads outside to fill up his bird feeders, gives a few whistles and waits for the bluebirds.

“I usually feed them every day,” said Welch, pointing to a special feeder he had specifically made for bluebirds.

Welch is the president of the North Carolina Bluebird Society and has been involved in the organization for the last 15 years. Read more.

News with a Bite

Fla. dogs getting sick from iguanas killed by cold

MIAMI — There’s a new danger for dogs in South Florida: iguanas killed by the recent cold snap. The carcasses litter some neighborhoods, and have been deadly for some dogs. They seem to be contracting botulism, an infection causes paralysis. Veterinarians at first couldn’t figure out what was wrong. The disease is typically so rare they could go decades without seeing it. A Broward veterinary neurologist first sounded alarm in mass e-mail to colleagues late last month.

Charges filed after R.I. man says he operated on own dog

BARRINGTON, Rhode Island — A man who says he could not afford veterinary care for his dog has been charged with illegally operating on the pet. Alan MacQuattie recently removed a cyst from the leg of his 14-year-old Labrador mix. The dog was operated on again by professionals to deal with an infection from the first surgery. MacQuattie, 63, who says he is disabled and living on Social Security retiree benefits, said Friday he used local anesthetic to operate on the cyst and removed it on his own since he doesn’t have money for a veterinarian.

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