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Older Male Sparrows Not Threatened by Younger Males

Older male white-crowned sparrows don't see younger male sparrows as much of a threat. When vying for mates or squabbling over territory, older males don't often bother challenging their younger rivals because they pose little credible competition. Instead, they only pick a fight with other older males that could pose a significant threat to their superiority.
It turns out, the way these birds figure out each others' seniority is based on their songs as well as their plumage. Male white-crowned sparrows use song for multiple purposes including attracting a mate and claiming their territory. Since young male white-crowned sparrows sing differently than older males, song can be used to distinguish age.
After mapping the territories of 16 male white-crowned sparrows, the research team was able to observe how males of different ages responded to songs made by intruders.
They found that older birds did nto react as strongly when they heard the song of a younger bird in their territory.
Photo © Douglas Nelson / Ohio State University
Older Male Sparrows Not Threatened by Younger Males
originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife
on Wednesday, February 15th, 2012 at 14:57:05.
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Tiny Tarsier Produces Ultrasonic Calls

Scientists have discovered that tarsiers, a group of tiny primates native to Southesast Asia, produce ultrasonic calls that are well beyond the audible range of humans. The frequency of the tarsirs' calls is among the most extreme of all animals, and is comparable to the ultrasonic calls made by dolphins and bats. The team of scientists, led by Nathaniel Dominy of Dartmouth, focused their study on a species of tarsier native to the Phillipines.
Tarsiers are a group of primates that diverged from monkeys and apes some 60 million years ago. The group has changed little during the past 45 million years and are considered to be living fossils. They measure a mere 5 inches from head to tail and live on a diet of small animals such as insects and reptiles.
Dominy and colleages noticed that the that tarsiers of Borneo and the Philippines were quieter than species elsewhere. This observation led them to inquire whether the vocalizations of the Borneo and Philippine tarsiers were outside the range of human hearing. They recorded sounds of 35 wild tarsiers on special equipment that captures sounds well outside the range of human hearing. They discovered that the tarsiers were producing ultrasonic calls that were otherwise similar to calls produced by tarsier species that call in the audible range. Further tests showed that tarsiers could indeed hear the ultrasonic calls.
Their findings reveal that tarsiers can both send and receive vocal signals in the ultrasonic range.
Photo © Nathaniel Dominy / Dartmouth.
Tiny Tarsier Produces Ultrasonic Calls
originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife
on Monday, February 13th, 2012 at 16:27:13.
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Rare Bird Rediscovered in China

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a reclusive species of bird was discovered in China. The bird, given the common name of "blackthroat", was rarely sighted for over a century after its initial discovery. Now scientists working in the Quinling Mountains in Shaanxi Province in north central China have announced the rediscovery of a breeding site of blackthroats nestled in the dense bamboo, coniferous and broadleaf forests that blanket the mountain slopes above 2400 meters.
The research team, which included scientists from China and Sweden, discovered seven males in Foping National Nature Reserve. An additional seven males were located in Changquing National Nature Reserve.
Blackthroats (Luscinia obscura) bear some resemblence (size and shape) to European robins. But instead of a rusty red breast, blackthroats have a jet blakc throat and breast. Females are thought to have a brown throat and breast, but so far only males of the species have been definitely identified.
The species is classified as vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List due to its small and presumably declining population. It faces threats from habitat destruction as a result of widespread logging and agricultural land use throughout its range.
Photo © Per Alström / Foping National Nature Reserve, Shaanxi, China.
Rare Bird Rediscovered in China
originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife
on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 at 15:14:06.
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Arachnid Pictures
Arachnids are more than just spiders. Browse our new Arachnid Pictures
to get a close-up glimpse of arachnid diversity.
Arachnid Pictures
originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife
on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 12:51:54.
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Sea Turtles Coping with Climate Change

The gender of a baby green sea turtle is determined by the temperature the egg experiences during incubation. When temperatures are warmer, more females are born while. Conversely, when temperatures are cooler, more are males born.

This means that if climate change causes temperatures to rise, sea turtles risk having populations that are composed of nearly all females. If this happens, they may experience a reduction in genetic diversity since few males will be available with which to breed.
Scientists from the University of Exeter, University of Lefke (Turkey) and North Cyprus Society for Protection of Turtles have been studying green sea turtles in Northern Cyprus to assess how diverse the population is and to estimate the impact rising temperatures have had on the turtles thus far.
The research team conducted genetic tests and found that, counter to what they had expected, the green sea turtle population was surprisingly diverse. The data enabled them to estimate how many males were mating with nesting females in the population and they found that there was an average of 1.4 males for every female. Satellite tracking data revealed that males swim vast distances, sometimes thousands of miles during a single breading season. This means that males could be mating between populations that were previously thought to be more genetically isolated.
The study offers hope for sea turtles in the face of the uncertainties posed by climate change. Although rising temperatures remain a threat to sea turtles, there is cause for optimism that green sea turtles can cope with fluctations in temperature better than expected.
Photo © Kimberley Stokes / University of Exeter.
Sea Turtles Coping with Climate Change
originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife
on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at 22:33:59.
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Crustaceans - Mobile Swiss Army Knives

Crustaceans
are one of four basic groups of arthropods (the other three being the myripods, arachnids and insects). The group includes crabs, lobsters, shrimp, krill
, crayfishes, wood lice and barnacles.
Crustaceans are by no means as diverse in species number as the insects or even the arachnids, but they do come in a mind-boggling array of shapes and sizes. Since crustaceans are with few exceptions aquatic species, they have escaped the demands of life on land (demands which place limitations on the ornateness of body form that can develop).
Crustaceans are an old group of animals, dating back some 500 million years to the Cambrian. Their body plan is simple yet elegant and adaptable. In his book, The Variety of Life, Colin Tudge likens crustaceans to mobile Swiss Army knives—composed of up to 32 segments each equipped with its own pair of appendages that are modified for a variety of tasks: locomotion, defense, communication, feeding, hunting, reproduction. Each segment and its appendage is like a separate tool and together the segments and appendages form as well-adapted a tool kit as a Swiss Army knife.
Photo © Ben Cranke / Getty Images.
Crustaceans - Mobile Swiss Army Knives
originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife
on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at 16:11:41.
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Arachnids - Not Simply Spiders

Although scientists don't know exactly how many species of arachnids
there are alive today, their best guess puts the species count in the ballpark of 100,000 of which, more than 40,000 are spiders. Since that means nearly half of all archnids are spiders, it's easy to forget the other lesser-known eight-legged creatures that belong to the group.

Arachnids include about a dozen subgroups, many of which are obscure groups that most people have never heard of. But there are a few that stand out. The most well-known group is of course, the spiders. But odds are you've probably also heard of a few other arachnid groups. They include: harvestmen
, ticks and mites, and scorpions.

Scorpions are easy to recognize thanks to their segmented tails that curl up to a venomous point. Ticks and mites are generaly very small, measuring just a few millimeters in length. Harvestmen are perhaps the group that is most commonly mistaken for spiders. There are about 6,300 species of harvestmen (also known as daddy-long-legs). Members of this group have very long legs and their abdomen and cephalothorax are almost completely fused.

So next time you see something with eight legs, don't immediately assume it's a spider.

Photo © Steve Taylor / Getty Images.
Arachnids - Not Simply Spiders
originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife
on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at 13:29:32.
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Rare Langur Discovered in Borneo

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown population of Miller's grizzled langurs (Presbytis hosei canicrus), an endangered primate thought to be on the verge of extinction. The rare langurs were discovered in the Wehea Forest of East Kalimantan, Borneo. Wehea Forest is a 38,000 hectare patch of undisturbed rainforest that is home to nine species of primates including gibbons and the Bornean orangutan.

Since 2004, scientists have been concerned that Miller's grizzled langurs had become extinct. A survey conducted in 2008 found none of the langurs, further supporting the possibility that the species had become extinct. Fortunately, camera traps set up in areas west of the Miller's grizzled langur's range revealed that the species was still living.

Since the Wehea Forest is remote, it presents challenges for scientists hoping to study the animals that inhabit the area. Consequently, not much is known about Miller's grizzled langurs. Any effort to protect the species will be clouded by a lack of knowledge and understanding of the species habits and even their range.

Photo © Eric Fell.
Rare Langur Discovered in Borneo
originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife
on Saturday, January 21st, 2012 at 20:43:21.
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Thailand's Anti-Poaching Efforts Paying Off

Anti-poaching efforts are successfully helping to protect many rare species in Thailand, according to a recent report by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Videos and images collected from WCS camera traps provide park rangers much needed data that can be used to arrest and convict poachers. Additionally, camera trap information is used by Wildlife Conservation Society scientists to measure and track population sizes of numerous local species.
The camera traps, placed in multiple locations within Thailand's Western Forest Complex, have capture footage and pictures of a variety of species including wild pigs, leopards, tigers, gaurs
, Asian elephants, sun bears, clouded leopards
, banteng and many others. Camera trap data indicates that there are between 125 and 175 tigers living within the 18,000-square kilometer Western Forest Complex.
Thailand serves as a critical front in the battle against poachers. The WCS has joined forces with the Thai government to train park rangers how to protect the region's rare animals from illegal hunting. Many park rangers and wildlife guards from other Asian countries are trained in Thailand, so they can learn how to best protect the rare wildlife from poaching in their own countries.
Photo © DNP-Government of Thailand / WCS Thailand Program. Camera trap image of an Asian elephant calf in a heard of adults, photographed in the Western Forest Compex, Thailand.
Thailand's Anti-Poaching Efforts Paying Off
originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife
on Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 at 16:02:28.
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About Animals / Wildlife

Dog Fence - Dog Fence
...izing a Dog Fence is an effective way to control your pets because it automatically lets them know how far they are allowed to wander. The standard Dog Fence is durable and lasts for a long time. These fences are made from high quality materials. Our Dog Fences are also attractively displayed to give your home a pleasant look as well as a strong base structured feeling....
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Dog Training Collar - Dog Training Collar
...t will soon have your hound under your control. Don`t worry if you think the dog training collar will hurt your dog as they are intended to improve behaviour without causing any pain. In fact, you can buy a dog training collar that gives our remote controlled sprays every time the dog misbehaves. If your dog fails to react to your command you can remotely set off a short spray form the dog training collar....
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Equestrian Bedding - Equestrian Bedding
...n bedding does he like to rest his head on? Will he settle for inferior grades of equestrian bedding or would he much rather grace top quality products? If he is a horse of distinction only the best will do and he`ll want equestrian bedding that is beneath him but in a positive kind of way. ...
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Kennel Cattery Supplies Products - Kennel Cattery Supplies Products
...g off for a few weeks. A host of fine establishments are located around the county and they will pamper your pooch or mollycoddle your kitty when they stay in their care. As a caring owner you`ll want to make sure that such places will look after your pet during their stay. You can normally tell the best kennels or catteries by the appearance of the premises, the attitude of the staff and the Kennel cattery Supplies Products that they use. Any decent kennel or cattery will buy good quality products as they care for other people`s pets. Pet supplies can vary but the quality is important and establishments that want to provide the best for the animals in their care will source out premium types of Kennel cattery Supplies Products. Health and hygiene will be important in such environments and one of...
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Pvc Granules - Pvc Granules
...in to the care and training of the horses to ensure the very maximum return for the owners. More and more areas of the sport are looking to modernise where they can to help their horses stay in the peak of physical condition for their racing or equestrian events days. To aid this exercise a lot of trainers are starting to have all weather stables ? made form recycled pvc granules ? installed at their training grounds. It is not only the trainers who are looking at these all year round arenas ? many race course and events arenas are using the pvc granules too. Why even royalty have invested in an all weather pitch ? with the Princess Royal having one installed at Gatcombe Park and another has been installed at Hampton Court Palace. Their flexible pvc granules based pitches are engineered t...
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Electric Fence - Electric Fence
...ying into other fields but it is actually a fairly painless way of telling livestock to stay put. An Electric Fence has been used to control animals for numerous years ever since the first examples were used way back in the 1930s. Installing an Electric Fence can save money for farmers compared to more rigid types of fencing that can prove to be rather expensive in larger fields. By installing an Electric Fence farmers can have effective means of controlling their livestock without having to upkeep and repair damaged fence panels. One of the problems with an Electric Fence is that the power might sometimes be interrupted causing the fence to fail but in general they tend to work very effectively. After an animal has touched the Electric Fence they will receive a shock and they tend to ...
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Pet Cremation - Pet Cremation
... pet passes on into heaven. You try to cling on to the happy memories that you have of your pet and relive them time and time again in your mind. Their departure will leave a large void in your life and this immense gap will be hard to fill. To help with the grieving process it`ll be nice to give your pet a proper cremation and their ashes can be kept by you or scattered in a very special place. Dignified animal funeral services can carry out the Pet Cremation and you can rest assured that your beloved animal will be given the respect that they deserve. The funeral services can collect your precious friend from the vets or from your home if you prefer and transport them inside an animal hearse. When you feel ready a Pet Cremation can take place and you`ll get the ashes back on the same day. If you like a tribute can be...
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Electric Dog Collars - Electric Dog Collars
...dog understand the difference between acceptable behaviour and bad behaviour, electric dog collars electric dog collars awaits to keep the naughtiest of mongrels in line. Models vary to suit individual needs as you can have long range clear signal electric dog collars...
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Hygiene Disinfectants - Hygiene Disinfectants
...can pick up a wide range of bacteria and viruses but there are steps that you can take to protect your beloved pet from picking up nasty types of infections. If you use hygiene Disinfectants around the home you can keep areas clean and well protected at the same time. At the moment you might just use standard types of cleansing sprays but can they cater for the needs of your animals? They might claim to kill germs but how effective will they be against a host of bacteria or funghi? Trigger sprays can be purchased that contain hygiene Disinfectants and they not only provide your pet with premium protection, they provide you with protection from bacteria as well. Products like Conficlean are made with health and hygiene in mind and they are very simple to use. Not only do they clean comprehensively they are proven against viruses, bacteria and even the dreaded MRSA. Use this ...
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Dog Collar - Dog Collar
...contact number that can be used just in case the dog is found wandering on their own. Owners can clip a lead to the Dog Collar when they are taking their pets for a daily walk and the animal will be under their control. Yet there`s so much more to a pet accessory of this nature than meets the eye and they can be viewed as fashion accessories rather than formal items. Sure, some dog owners will buy boring old plain products but others let their imagination run wild. They can buy a funky collar that compliments their dog`s outgoing personality and a number of products can be bought that can be swapped at various times of the year. In the summer a bright and cheery collar can be worn and at Christmas a festive item can be bought. Come Halloween a spooky themed accessory can be worn around the...
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All Weather Equestrian Surface - All Weather Equestrian Surface
...e usage is in demand because it is the best surface to have. Some people refer to an all weather equestrian surface as a long-term solution to any weather condition. In most cases, when it rains, an equestrian surface can`t be used because it could be dangerous for users. An all weather equestrian surface is one that can facilitate you in the dampest of weather conditions. AN all weather equestrian surface means that you will not have to wait long for rain water to drain off. The synthetic fibers that are used to compose these surfaces are specially selected and designed to get you on the track as quickly as possible. ...
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Invisible Dog Fence - Invisible Dog Fence
... to roam then you`ll know what a potential problem they can be. Many dogs are inquisitive and love to wander away from their owners. If you`re with your dog and watching it carefully then a quick corrective shout or whistle will probably be enough to bring the dog bounding back towards you. However not everybody can watch their pet all the time. Many people choose to erect large fences and gates, tall enough to keep their beloved dog safe within the boundaries of their property, but for some this is not an option. Perhaps this could be because they live in rented property. For these people an invisible dog fence is the best option. An invisible dog fence works by burying a wire underground that can transmit a radio signal. This radio signal is picked up by an invisible dog fence receiver around the dog`s collar. When the dog tries to wander beyond t...
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Cat Food - Cat Food
... enough to realise that a cat needs looking after and they were really keen to get involved in this. I also thought it would be a good idea to get them used to the responsibility of looking after something else. I thought about what sort of cat to get and decided that we would be better off with a young cat so that it could grow up with the children. We were really lucky and found one straight away that looked absolutely beautiful. Also, luckily, the owners of the cat did not live too far away so last weekend we drove over to collect the cat. When we saw him we could not get over how beautiful he was. He was tiny but incredibly fluffy and so unbelievably cute. Understandably his owner was rather upset to be losing him but she explained that she had so many pets that it was impractical to keep him. ...
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Electric Dog Training Collar - Electric Dog Training Collar
...en looking for will finally have arrived. To teach your Jack Russell not to jump up every time you have visitors in your home, or to provide your Lurcher with pointers of how not to lurch, you can fit them with an electric dog training collar that can really help improve their behaviour. If you take a peek on the web at companies like Britishdog.net you`ll find people who know how to bring bad dogs back in line by providing a collection of training aids that will teach your Terrier how to behave properly. They can supply you with an electric dog training collar...
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Dog Bowls - Dog Bowls
... dog digs into his food at night does he have a favourite bowl? Maybe he is picky about the bowl that he chomps his food from, or perhaps he is growing a bit tired of seeing the same old bowl. A change is a good as rest in many cases and you might like to look at other types of dog bowls for your faithful friend. His current bowl might be looking a little worn and it could be high time that he had something else to use. One of the main concerns that you might have at the moment is the speed at which your dog guzzles down his food. It`d be good if you could find a bowl that actually managed to slow him down during feeding time. New ranges of dog bowls have just come onto the market and they are aimed at food chomping dogs of all breeds. The clever design of the bowl means that the dog has four smaller sections to choose from rather than one giant bowl. Once they have finishe...
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Freedom Fence - Freedom Fence
...t look as well as a strong base structured feeling. Installing a Freedom fenceis simple, and it costs less when you consider its long term use and advantages. Dog Fences are really worth having when you have an aggressive pet dog or a new one that does not seem to know its way. Surely, you would not want your pet dog wandering away. ...
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Union Jack Dog Beds - Union Jack Dog Beds
...h I`m sure you have, England will be playing in a little football tournament this summer over in South Africa. It`s called the World Cup or something like that and apparently we have only ever won it once before way back in 1966. Avid fans of football will be glued to the television for a month or so hoping that England can go all the way this time and lift the prestigious FIFA World Cup Trophy in the grand final. You`ll see flags fluttering everywhere and fans wearing football shirts. A number of pets will be using Union Jack Dog Beds and if you haven`t bought your four legged friend their special bed yet you still have plenty of time. The Union Jack Dog Beds are the latest must-have accessories for pooches this year. How else can they show their allegiance to their country than by wearing one of these fine fashion accessories? Buy your pet one of the...
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Dog Health Products - Dog Health Products
...UK has a large amount of dog owners who will try anything to keep their dog in peak condition. Dog Health Products cover a wide range of things but mainly supplements that contain the beneficial properties of plants. The plant material is converted to a liquid without using potentially harmful alcohol, distillates or chemical solvents. The Therminfusex process can guarantee that all the important components of the plants are infused over several hours. Each of the batches requires around 26 hours of manufacturing time. This ensures it is as pure as it can be, producing a high quality supplement. Many Dog Health Products on the market today have seen some great results which is why they are very popular. It is not only humans that can benefit from supplements. You can find a huge range of Dog He...
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Bedding For Horses - Bedding For Horses
... the stables in the area to supply them with bedding for horses. He really enjoys his job as he has always loved horses and being around them so this is the perfect career for him. He also likes the travel that is involved as he transports the bedding for horses to all the different clients that he has and he finds his job very peaceful and relaxing. As he says, it is quite unlike a pressurised city office job because all of the people he deals with are the outdoor types and they all share a love of horses with him obviously. One of the perks of his job is that he gets to ride horses quite regularly and he uses this as a way to keep fit. Last week he took me on a riding expedition with him and I could not believe how difficult it was. Although the riding experience was really good fun, after getting off th...
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Devils Claw - Devils Claw
...suggested that I try giving him devils claw as an alternative treatment. I really like the vet I go to as he is not motivated by money as so many of them seem to be these days. He told me that devils claw was an alternative treatment that originated in southern Africa and it has been touted to be very effective. After he explained the possible benefits of devils claw, I must say I became very interested in using it on my dog as it seems that we have tried everything else with little or no success. As I look at my dog on a regular basis I can really tell that he is in pain with this arthritis and it really upsets me to see him suffering. I remember the days when we used to romp about in the park all day and he would run and run after things that I would throw for him. The difference in him these...
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Horse Fencing - Horse Fencing
...t-effective solutions to your problems? Would you like to keep an open aspect to your fields but need to ensure the horses don`t come to any harm? If you think that traditional types of fencing are much too fixed and want to adopt a more flexible approach, Electric Horse Fencing can keep your fillies safe from harm and it won`t cause them any damage either. When you have traditional types of fencing, mares can brush-up against it and cause themselves all sorts of injuries. By installing Horse Fencing they`ll receive the slightest of shocks every time they touch the wires. This shock won`t cause them any harm, it`ll just be a reminder for them to stay within their enclosure. Many paddocks use Horse Fencing to keep there stallions inside and it proves to be a very popular product. Suppliers can...
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Pet Memorial - Pet Memorial
...ops between a pet and its owner can become deeply entrenched over a set period of time. Sadly pets will only live for a certain amount of years and the sad day will come when they pass on into another life. This often leaves a distraught owner behind who can find little in the way of comfort. Their life will become an empty void and they`ll cling onto precious memories of their prized pets. Plenty of owners like to buy a Pet Memorial to help them with the grieving process. If they have buried their pet at home in the garden a Pet Memorial can be erected on the site of the grave. Other owners have their pets buried or cremated at special animal funeral services and their bodies can be buried in woodland areas on the site, or their ashes can be scattered in the grounds. A Pet Memorial can be erected within the grounds of the funeral services and the owners can visi...
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