Cat Tales for Mariette: An Unexpected Friendship on the Camdeboo Plains of South Africa Cat Tales for Mariette: An Unexpected Friendship on the Camdeboo Plains of South Africa is a remarkable story of love and friendship: for people, for pets, for the wild and nature. Michael Brown, author of The Presence Process and Alchemy of the Heart has written a charming tale (or many tales) of love and loss, joy and death, and the foibles of humans and animals. He narrates the story of how he is coerced by a well-meaning local to visit one of the town’s residents who is dying of cancer in the local hospital. Michael reluctantly agrees to a one-time visit, which becomes daily.

Earlier this week scientists reported new findings indicating that fish may have consciousness and feel emotions like mammals. From www.eurekalert.org we read: Researchers… have for the first time observed an increase in body temperature of between two and four degrees in zebra fish, when these are subjected to stressful situations. This phenomenon is known as emotional fever, as it is related to the emotions that animals feel in the face of an external stimulus and it has even been linked, not without some controversy, with their consciousness.

The Humane Farming Association (HFA) is the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization. They have been instrumental in securing the first ever felony convictions of veal industry leaders, blocking a major pig factory, and conducting the nation’s largest farm animal rescue. Recently, the HFA announced a new achievement: “It is with good reason that The New York Times declared our National Veal Boycott the most successful animal rights boycott in the United States. We are pleased to report that, again this year, HFA’s signature campaign has driven per capita veal consumption in the U.S. to an all-time low!”

Earlier this week Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus announced that they would phase out using elephants in its circuses. The elephant, an iconic symbol of the American circus, also has long been a symbol for the cruelty and mistreatment of all circus and other performance animals. Citing changing public attitudes and financial concerns, the parent company, Feld Entertainment, said the animals would be phased out and retired to farms by 2018.

We all talk to our animals, but have you ever wondered what it would be like to hear them answer back? Meet Susan Deren, the lady who can hear what your pets have to say. Susan Deren has over 19 years experience as an Animal Communicator and Psychic Medium. Her abilities have been featured on ABC-TV’s Boston affiliate station WCVB-TV’s CHRONICLE, an evening news magazine program aired throughout New England. She has also appeared in Boston Herald, Boston Magazine, Eagle Tribune, Haverhill Gazette, and Horse Show Wire E-Magazine. From www.susanderen.com.

Check out what’s happening at the Wolf Center: There’s Yoga, Campouts, Howling and more! July’s calendar is loaded with fun events for you and the family. There’s sunsets hikes, howling with the wolves, yoga classes, and “wolf camp” for kids. For more information, fees, or to register for events, go to www.nywolf.org