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CRUEL thieves have stolen rare birds from a family for a second time within the space of a fortnight.
Lavinia Thornley, 39, lost eight rare Khaki Campbell ducks to raiders two weeks ago.
The ducks were bought as eggs and hand reared by Lavinia’s 13-year-old son Stewart.
Now the family, from Bilston in Midlothian, have been robbed again, this time losing five Khaki Campbell ducklings.
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By Oliver Farrimond
PET rustlers have stolen more than ₤75,000 worth of animals in the past year.
The animals – including parrots, goldfish, sheep and a prize cockatiel worth ₤6,000 – were snatched from public spaces and homes, with some being returned to their owners, and others turning up dead.
Among the animals targeted in the Edinburgh and Lothian areas were a flock of 200 sheep worth ₤16,000 stolen from their field in the middle of the night, and four Herman tortoises boosted from a pet shop.
Brian Stuart, head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, based in West Lothian, said that animals were often targeted for lucrative black market trading. Continue reading
By Zoë Keown
SCOTTISH women are substituting children in favour of pets, a new study has revealed.
Up to 77 per-cent of Scottish women are choosing to acquire pets for companionship around the home, a survey by insurer Petplan found.
Three in four buy their pets presents for birthdays and Christmas, and up to a quarter have adjusted their home especially for their pet.
But a psychologist called the findings “a bit silly and a bit sad.”
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By Shaun Milne
ANIMAL welfare supporters are stepping up their call for a ban on snares by launching a new campaign at the Scottish Parliament later this week.
Edinburgh based Advocates for Animals will unveil an 8ft sign reading ‘Welcome To Scotland, A Snare Free Country’ outside Holyrood at 10am on Thursday.
The snares being targeted include wire nooses used by some estates and farmers to catch what they commonly regard as pests such as rabbits and foxes. Continue reading
By Michael MacLeod
A ROTWEILLER with cancer had to be put-down after its owner dumped it because he was “too embarrassed” to take it to a vet.
Colin Clark abandoned his 10 year-old pet when a tumour grew on its paw.
The 35 year-old tied the dog to a fence in Edinburgh’s Trinity Road last June and left it to starve.
SUSAN Boyle is still living off a £200 per-week allowance and “hasn’t seen a penny of her fortune” according to her brother.
The singing sensation is thought to be worth millions after her debut album shifted four million copies world-wide in just a month.
But her brother Gerry is urging her to leave her humble council house, fearing thieves are planning a raid when in fact she has “nothing worth stealing.”
His comments came as weekend reports claimed SuBo, 48, had a panic alarm fitted in her home after she found intruders lurking in her garden in the middle of the night.
By Cara Sulieman
POSH Scots department store Jenners is bracing itself for chaos tomorrow morning (Sat) ready for desperate parents queuing up to get their hands on the last remaining Go Go Hamsters in time for Christmas.
And a similar rush is expected at the newly opened Hamleys toy store in Glasgow next week when the 250 toy rodents they are getting in go on sale.
The final delivery at Jenners before the festive season is planned for 9am, with a ticket system in place to try and bring some order to the scrum.
Just two dozen of the must-have toys are being made available to lucky customers, who are only allowed to buy one toy and one accessory each.
Similar scenes have been played out around the country in the past few days as shoppers scramble for the £9.99 surprise hit.
By Cara Sulieman
A NEW school is opening up to help student vets get over their fears of snakes and rats.
Rising numbers of unusual animals being kept as pets prompted Edinburgh University to set up an exotic teaching facility.
It is estimated there are 100,000 households in the UK with snakes and a further 80,000 with pet rats – all of whom need veterinary care.
But even vets have phobias, and they will be given special one-to-one lessons to help them overcome their fears at The Royal (Dick) School for Veterinary Studies in Midlothian.
FOUR cute piglets – which are the size of a teacup when born – are the latest attraction at a Scottish zoo.
The unusual animals are known as “micro” or “teacup” pigs and at only two weeks old can easily fit into a mug.
This particular breed of pig only grows to between 12 and 15 inches long after reaching adulthood.
A cross between Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs and Kunekune from New Zealand, the tiny porkers are increasingly becoming popular as pets.
Proud mum and dad Mork and Mindy first arrived at the Five Sisters Zoo, near Polbeth, West Lothian, two years ago and this is the pair’s first litter together.
Owners Brian and Shirley are still to name the new arrivals, and are now being kept on their toes trying to keep up with the “lightning” fast piglets.
Mr Curran said: “We were keeping a fairly close eye on them as we knew Mindy was pregnant, but we weren’t exactly sure when they would arrive.
“In the end it was no trouble at all though, and they were all born in about ten minutes.
“They are incredibly healthy, and it was surprising to see how quickly they were up and about.
“They move like lightning now and it can be difficult to keep track of them, but fortunately they are not straying too far from their heated enclosure at the moment.”
The teacup pigs are becoming increasingly popular to keep as pets, although they are still extremely rare in Scotland.
The animals are seen as ideal pets because they are small, light and can be easily house-trained.
Deadline Press & Picture Agency 