Recently, a juvenile black bear has made a few appearances close to homes in Marin. Not surprisingly, this caused quite a stir but our friends at WildCare remind us that black bears are shy and absolutely prefer to avoid people. While awareness is important - it's just as important not to panic. If you see our wayward bruin, back away slowly and keep pets away. You can encourage the bear to move along by clapping or shouting loudly. We don't want him to become accustomed to humans and lose his natural wariness, which can lead to conflicts. While the knowledge [...]

“Sadly, the stench of death overwhelmed the Kentucky Derby and its magnificent athletes on Saturday. Five horses perished in the past week at Churchill Downs. … Then, on the Derby undercard, two more died. Seven horses gone.” So begins a May 6 Associated Press article, in what has turned into an all-too-familiar refrain of eulogies for racehorses who died at the country’s most prominent racetrack. Year after year, news of “catastrophic injuries” and dying horses make the headlines — some of which play out in the public eye. In one notorious case in 2008, Eight Belles, [...]