CORTELEONA E GENZONE, Italy — One of Giovanni Airoli’s sows tested positive for African swine fever in late August. Within a week, all 6,200 sows, piglets and fattening pigs on his farm south of Milan were slaughtered under strict protocols to halt the disease threatening Italy’s 20 billion euro prosciutto, cured sausage and pork industry. … Read more
LONDON — Actor Damian Lewis drove a flock of sheep across the River Thames on Sunday in homage to a centuries-old tradition. Lewis is among thousands of people granted the honorary title of Freeman of the City of London, which in medieval times came with the right to bring livestock across the river to market … Read more
People living near a chimpanzee research centre in Guinea attacked the facility after a woman said one of the world-famous animals had killed her infant, the centre’s managers said. An angry crowd ransacked the building at the Bossou Environmental Research Institute, destroying and setting fire to equipment including drones, computers and more than 200 documents. … Read more
JD Vance, Donald Trump and other Republicans are clinging to a racist and thoroughly debunked lie that a group of legal immigrants in Ohio are abducting, killing and eating people’s pets. There’s zero truth to the claim. And yet, there’s a mountain of evidence — in the last week, month, year and half-century — that … Read more
A zoo in China has admitted its star attraction, two so-called pandas, are just painted dogs. The fluffy Chow Chow dogs painted to resemble the country’s beloved national animal were seen in a video shot by a visitor to the zoo in southern Guangdong province. The video, posted on Monday on Douyin, China’s version of … Read more
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Scientists in South Africa say they have identified an outbreak of rabies in seals that is believed to be the first time the virus has spread in sea mammals. At least 24 Cape fur seals that were found dead or euthanized in various locations on South Africa’s west and south … Read more
LONDON — Scientists searching for the origins of COVID-19 have zeroed in on a short list of animals that possibly helped spread it to people, an effort they hope could allow them to trace the outbreak back to its source. Researchers analyzed genetic material gathered from the Chinese market where the first outbreak was detected … Read more
CHONBURI, Thailand — Only a month after Thailand’s adorable baby hippo Moo Deng was unveiled on Facebook, her fame became unstoppable both domestically and internationally. Zookeeper Atthapon Nundee has been posting cute moments of the animals in his care for about five years. He never imagined Khao Kheow Open Zoo’s newborn pygmy hippo would become … Read more
NEW YORK — The cuddles. The loyalty. The worshipful eyes. There’s a lot of joy in having a dog, not the least of which is heading out for a brisk walk. And therein lies a peril some dog people should pay more attention to. Over the past 20 years, injuries related to dog walking have … Read more
LONDON — An animal rights group trying to get real fur out of the bearskin caps worn by King’s Guards at Buckingham Palace took aim Thursday at the cost of the ceremonial garb. The price of the caps soared 30% in a year to more than 2,000 pounds ($2,600) apiece for the hats made of … Read more
