How the Love of a Dog Saved My Life

Two things that have been a part of who I am for as long as I can remember are a love of dogs and a tendency to depression, the first of which can sometimes help to take the sting out of the second. But around the time I turned 30, I went through a period of depression so profound that I could barely function. Spiraling toward oblivion, I made the painful decision to check myself into a psychiatric hospital and to give away my dog, Lou. Though I eventually climbed my way back to health, I remained shaken by the encounter with my own fragility and ashamed that I had fallen to the point where I was unable to take care of not just myself but a dog who depended on me.

After that, the idea of ever getting another dog seemed out of the question. But in the fall of 2012, my significant other, Charlotte, with whom I'd lived for fifteen years, said that she wanted a dog. A few years earlier, we had talked about having a child and, for various reasons, it hadn't worked out. Now, our relationship was going through a difficult time, and in the way some couples look to a baby to save a faltering marriage, Charlotte and I each hoped that adopting a dog would draw us closer. And as soon as she texted me a picture from the North Shore Animal League of a tiny 12-week-old terrier mix—fluffy and white with brown and black markings, a black gum drop of a nose, and giant brown eyes—I instantly texted back: "Bring that dog home! Now!! I think her name is Quincy!"

When Charlotte arrived at our rented cottage on Eastern Long Island, carrying Quincy wrapped in a blanket, I felt a rush of love. As I watched her pad clumsily around the living room—sniffing the skirt of a couch here, mouthing a coffee table leg there—it seemed to me that this could be a new beginning. I vowed to myself that this time I would take good care of my dog. It would be my way of putting things right for abandoning Lou all those years ago.

For a while, Quincy seemed to be a dog designed more for looks than loyalty. (One night, as Quincy was snouting a tennis ball under a table rather than snuggling on the couch with us, Charlotte started crying and said, "I think there's something wrong with her.") But over time, as she saw that we understood and would meet her needs, a powerful bond developed between us and she lavished us with affection—all the sweeter because it felt earned, though she remained an independent little creature who lived and loved on her own peculiar terms.

We soon settled into a routine: Awakened by Quincy's melodic whine—we called it "warbling"—we would take her to the dog run when we were in the city, where we watched her go from a timid puppy cowering by our sides to a fearless scrapper, or to the beach when we were on Long Island, where she developed into a dazzlingly fast runner, obsessed with chasing down tennis balls and various creatures of the land and air. Quincy attracted attention wherever we went—women started smiling at me on the street when I was with her—and passersby routinely stopped to ask what kind of dog she was. I would proudly announce that she was a mutt; Charlotte told people that she was a "Tricolor Snowball," adding, "they're very hard to find."

I was besotted, and my Instagram feed became all-Quincy, all the time. I spent dozens of hours researching dog food on the internet, settling on a brand that consisted of raw, grass-fed meat and organic vegetables, a bloody mess that I delighted in watching Quincy devour. I even wrote a song about her, whose lyrics I will spare you.

As a writer who works at home, I had spent most of my adult life allowing my days to unspool as a series of jazz improvisations. During my unhappy young adulthood, Lou's routine was dictated by my vagaries, to both our detriments. Now, I was submitting to Quincy's rhythms, and she gave my days a structure and order that went beyond meeting her needs. Every morning after her walk, I began meditating for half an hour and sitting down at my desk to work by 9:00. I also started going to CrossFit five times a week and adopted a Paleo diet, which turned out to be much like Quincy's, though I preferred my meals cooked and free of offal. Getting a dog may not be a panacea for all human problems, but to take care of Quincy, I had to take care of myself, and that was a lot.

Safety Tips for Pet Owners on Halloween Night

With Halloween around the corner and trick-or-treaters on the hunt for candy, pet owners can take a few precautions to keep their pets safe.

Some pets may be afraid of spooky, eerie noises and be protective when people ring the doorbell or come in for a treat, so it's best to keep them away from the front of the house.

"In either case, some dogs get so stressed out, they act out," said County Animal Services Director Dan DeSousa. "Do Fido a favor and keep him behind a closed door or a crate away from the front door."

Also, if you decide to buy a costume for their dogs, make sure it isn't too restrictive or bothersome, according to Tracy DeFore County of San Diego Communications specialist.

A few pet owner tips:

Secure your dog away from the door.

Distract your dog with a favorite toy.

Turn on the TV or play music in the dog's room to mask sounds of activity at the front door.

Close the drapes so the dog doesn't see people walking by the front windows.

If your dog barks at the doorbell, disconnect it or watch for trick-or-treaters so they won't ring the bell or knock at the door.

Keep all pets indoors (cats, too) so they don't get spooked and run away.

Make sure all your pets are microchipped and dogs are registered with Finding Rover in case they do escape out the front door.

But parents and kids out trick-or-treating should also stay away from a pet owner's dog to prevent agitating them.

Dodgers Face Elimination After Heartbreaking Loss to Astros

Here are some tips for parents and kids out trick-or-treating:

Don't approach any dog even if you know him. He may not recognize you in costume.

Avoid houses with a dog barking behind the door or a fence.

If a dog is at the door when the owner opens it, do not approach him. Let the owner come to you with candy.

If the dog escapes or you meet a loose dog, stand still and "be a tree." That means fold your hands in front and watch your feet. The dog will probably just sniff you and move away but if the owner is present, wait for him to get the dog before you turn away.

Extinction looms for two rare birds after devastating hurricanes

Conservationists race to save remaining populations

Conservation biologist Paul Reillo is torn between two worlds in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria — one of swift action and one of waiting.

There is little time to rest. More than 200 animals, many fighting extinction, are relying on him. The FIU scientist is the founder of the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF), a partner in FIU's Tropical Conservation Institute (TCI), which offers safe haven, captive breeding programs and field-based conservation to help save endangered species. In a matter of two weeks, two species of birds on the brink of extinction were dealt devastating blows when hurricanes Irma and Maria crossed the Caribbean, leaving devastation in their wakes. The team at the Tropical Conservation Institute knows it is facing an unprecedented conservation crisis.

Working

Hurricane Irma caused more than $200,000 in damages at RSCF's property in Loxahatchee, Fla. Little could be done to save enclosures and fences from the storm, but Reillo and his team secured the animals, including 40 endangered east African bongo antelopes, 35 primates including endangered golden lion tamarins, nearly 100 parrots representing a variety of threatened and endangered species and 42 critically endangered Florida grasshopper sparrows.

The TCI team is putting in long hours to rebuild what was destroyed at the RSCF facility and to help the animals recover from the stress brought on by the storm. The Florida grasshopper sparrows are the greatest cause for concern. It is the world's most endangered bird with less than 100 remaining in the wild before Irma. The team fears the hurricane has crippled the wild population which resides exclusiv
ely in the prairie grasses of Central Florida. They are working with state and federal wildlife officials on strategies to help preserve the small number of birds that remain on the planet.

Waiting

Meanwhile, Reillo is waiting for news about Dominica's critically endangered Imperial Amazon.

Since the late 1990s, he has been working with Dominica's Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division to help restore the rare parrot's population in the wild which has been devastated by habitat loss, the pet trade and natural disasters. In 2000, the local government established a national park to protect critical habitat for the rare parrot species. Reillo raised many of the funds himself to purchase the land necessary for the initiative.

Hurricane Maria, in a matter of a single day, destroyed more than 20 years of work to save the species.

"The flagship species we have fought to save for so many years may now face imminent extinction," Reillo said, pausing for a rare break from post-hurricane clean-up.

When Maria marched across the Caribbean, the expansive forests of the island were decimated. Tree canopies were gutted and critical habitat for the Imperial Amazon was destroyed. Dominica is among the most hardest hit countries by the recent spate of storms that attacked the Caribbean. Fewer than 250 mature Imperial Amazons were known to populate the forests of Dominica before Maria. Local forestry officials have been looking for any signs that some of the rare parrots weathered the storm, but the bird is elusive and difficult to find under normal circumstances. These are not normal circumstances.

"TCI's fight to save endangered species is critical," said Mike Heithaus, dean of FIU's College of Arts, Sciences & Education, which houses TCI. "Recent hurricanes have proven how very vulnerable many species are. Our programs can make the difference between an animal being here and not, but the monumental task before us is going to require tremendous local, national and international support."

Even if Imperial Amazons survived, the catastrophic destruction of the island's richly biodiverse forests is causing alarm for conservationists. Locals have spotted the more common Jaco parrot among the gutted forests, but those are struggling to find food. Their plight represents a much larger crisis looming over Dominica's wildlife and especially the Imperial Amazons.

Reillo believes the Imperial Amazon still has a fighting chance. For now, the focus is on getting supplies to the island including tarps, chainsaws, tools and veterinary supplies. Researchers and forestry officials are still trying to assess the status of the population and develop a strategy for recovery. The FIU Tropical Conservation Institute team is preparing for an aggressive plan that Reillo knows will come at a significant cost. But the alternative — loss of another flagship species — poses a far greater cost to the health of the planet.

For the love of birds

Any bird lovers out there? The change into the autumn season awakens the wonder of migratory birds on the wing once again, and with expectations we watch the sky for the first arrivals from the north.

At the same time, in this fiery fall of 2017, we watch the sky for smoke — the devilish byproduct of fire — and hope the waterfowl and other wanderers can endure the toxic atmosphere. Let the flames cease!

Of all the nature categories, birds have been one of the greatest attractions to me, a passion kindled during my Missouri boyhood days. Through the Missouri Department of Conservation, I became a Nature Knight, a program for kids, and was supplied with field guides, obtained a cheap monocular, and became obsessed with identifying a host of birds, as any bird watcher experiences when confronted with flocks of feathered friends.

When some of those vicious Midwestern storms pounded wind, lightning, and thunder into the night, I would lay in bed and wonder how those delicate bird beings could survive out there in the dark. I still think of the bird's crisis in extreme weather, or wildfires, 80 years later in Oroville.

Amazingly, next morning after a storm, the little sparrows, juncos, quail, and jays are there, going about their food-gathering ways like the beginning of a new day!

Prodded by that concern for resident winter birds in the Heartland, I would load my sled with lespedeza and grains after a big snow, and plow my way to a grove of eastern red cedar at the edge of Floyd's Timber. The cedar's low sprawling evergreen branches provided a shelter of sorts where I would lay out my offerings and hope no fox or weasel caught on. The adjoining woods were alive with squawking blue jay and jubilant cardinal and juncos that descended on my offerings.

Just imagine clutching a branch with thin legs as wind whips the woods furiously, and stinging rain — and sometimes hail — pelts the birds as if with a will to bring them down. You wonder if they feel fear, or worry about life itself.

Equally, what do the thicket birds do when flood or snow covers up their food supply, or a forest fire destroys their habitat? Shrubs such as buckbrush in California are very important shelters for ground birds, but its doubly tragic when the flame-monster destroys that benefit. There is doubling up on habitat, too, if they can escape on wings in time.

In the same vein, coral-berry brush, scattered weed patches, and fence rows were life savers for Missouri birds when winter weather raged.

There is always the presence of predators, even at night with the owl and fox on the prowl. Regardless of sympathy expressed by those who know birds and care, it is a dangerous jungle out there for songbird and shrew alike.

Resident birds endure the winter rather than migrate like the swallows and flycatchers, and as do the waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway. Who is there that cannot feel compassion for the goose or duck winging their way through the perilous sky southward toward an ice-free marsh?

"All day thy wings have fanned,/At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere ..." said Bryant.

Of utmost concern, even pity, is the case of Anna hummingbirds that choose to remain in Oroville rather than migrate like most hummers. The flowers on which they depend are far fewer in winter, and I, as well as many others, keep sugar-water feeders out for them.

Wallflower center pack baboons find place

Are you the kind of person who, at a party, tends to be surrounded by friends in the middle of the crowd, or do you prefer to find a quiet corner where you can sit and talk? Recent work by scientists at UC Davis shows that wild baboons behave similarly to humans—with some animals consistently found in the vanguard of their troop while others crowd to the center or lag in the rear.

Using high-resolution GPS tracking, UC Davis Assistant Professor Margaret Crofoot and her team of researchers continuously monitored the movements of nearly an entire baboon troop in central Kenya to discover how interactions among group-mates influenced where in the troop individuals tended to be found.

"How animals position themselves within their social group can have life or death consequences," explained Crofoot, an anthropologist. "Individuals at the front of their group may get the first crack at any food their group encounters, but they are also more vulnerable to being picked off by predators."

Interestingly, the team's work suggests that very simple behavioral rules may explain baboons' apparent preferences for particular spatial positions. "Animals who pay attention to more of their group-mates when deciding where to move will inevitably end up at the center of their group," said Crofoot. Differences in social sensitivity may therefore explain why younger baboons end up in the safest positions at the center of their troop, while adult males find themselves exposed on the leading edge.

Researchers have long noted that spatial positioning has important fitness implications, but where an animal is positioned in its group depends not only on its own behavior, but also on the behavior of its group-mates. "How natural selection shapes such emergent properties is fundamental to understanding the evolutionary dynamics of social organisms," Crofoot said.

Missing Arctic Fox found in Orchard Park

An Arctic Fox that went missing from Buffalo Animal Adventures last week has been found and is back at their enclusre in West Seneca.

The animal was spotted by a woman on her lunch break Tuesday in Orchard Park. 

A viewer, Anthony Rusinek, sent 2 On Your Side a photo of the white, furry fox saying his wife snapped the picture while eating her lunch in the parking lot of the Buffalo Medical Group on North Buffalo Road.

After the photo was posted on social media, a representative from Buffalo Animal Adventure, Anthony Kelly, called 2 On Your Side. Kelly said he thought the fox was one-year-old Cleo who went missing from Animal Adventures last Thursday.

The animal education firm says Cleo was adopted by them after a man in Ohio tried to keep her as a pet. Kelly says they have permits from the state to keep her in a special double-gated enclosure because she is technically considered to be wildlife. They stress she got loose at feeding time last Thursday because of a mistake by one of their staffers. They also say this is the first such escape from their enclosure and the staffer will be re-trained to make sure it does not happen again.  

The fox is not a public health concern in any way, an Animal Adventures representative says. She is not aggressive and has been vaccinated.  She is used for educational visits to homes, nursing homes, and evemn kids birthday parties.

The tip from a viewer prompted Buffalo Animal Adventure staffers to try to catch her in Orchard Park. They were unsuccessful on Tuesday evening. But she was spotted again near the Orchard Park Veterinary Emergency Hospital and wildlife expert Elise Able was able to successfully and safely lure her into a Have A Heart style trap. She has since been returned to the West Seneca enclosure.

Online animal lovers raise money for wounded pup

It had been more than a week since Marissa Hinrichs and Cory Stinar had last seen their dog, Orion, but the pair wasn't giving up hope.

The husky, less than a year old, had gotten away from the Grand Forks couple two weeks ago while on a walk in Alvarado, Minn., sparking a campaign of flier-hanging, Facebook-posting and general worrying about the fate of the energetic dog Hinrichs describes as "technically still a puppy" but almost wolf-like in appearance.

Eventually, their search paid off. A man in Grafton, N.D., about 30 miles from Alvarado, called their home to say he believed the dog was in his shop.

"We drove out there immediately and saw it was Orion," Hinrichs said. "That's when we saw his paw had just an awful, nasty gash on it."

The dog was stand-offish at first, favoring the wounded paw in which bone and tendon could be seen through the torn flesh and fur. But when his owners called his name, Orion limped to them, whining in recognition.

The couple drove to Kindness Animal Hospital in Grand Forks to assess the severity of the wound. The veterinary staff soon found bullet fragments embedded in the gash, Hinrichs said, indicating Orion had been shot. What's more, the bullet had caused such damage to the dog's lower leg that the veterinarians determined the paw—and possibly the entire affected leg—could not be saved.

Orion is now due for surgery Thursday at the animal hospital. Hinrichs said the staff there will determine the full extent of the damage to his leg that day to decide how much of the limb is in need of amputation. Though Orion was largely back to his old, playful self by Wednesday night, Hinrichs said the cause of his injury is still a sore subject.

"After we found out it was caused by a bullet, it's hard not to be angry," she said. "He's our family, so it's hard to imagine him going through that pain."

The initial shock of the gruesome-looking injury was followed shortly after by some sticker shock at the vet. Hinrichs said the cost of Orion's surgery is nearly $1,600, a sum she said will likely be boosted to an even greater level by follow-up care and therapy.

To help defray the expense, Hinrich's mother, Vicki, started a GoFundMe page to raise donations on the popular crowdfunding site. As of noon Thursday, the effort to raise money for Orion had raised more than $1,300 toward a $1,500 goal.

The outpouring of support has been overwhelming, Hinrichs said, and she expressed gratitude for monetary gifts and positive thoughts alike.

Even if the surgery leaves Orion a three-legged pup, Hinrichs was optimistic he'd be content no matter what. Shortly after coming home from the vet Monday, Orion had "snuggled up into his bed" to recuperate with plenty of sleep and food. By mid-week, Hinrichs said, he was "trying to play as if nothing is wrong."

"He's hopping around on three legs," she said. "I think after the operation, he's going to be just fine, going to be happier than ever."

Wallflower center pack baboons find place

Are you the kind of person who, at a party, tends to be surrounded by friends in the middle of the crowd, or do you prefer to find a quiet corner where you can sit and talk? Recent work by scientists at UC Davis shows that wild baboons behave similarly to humans—with some animals consistently found in the vanguard of their troop while others crowd to the center or lag in the rear.

Using high-resolution GPS tracking, UC Davis Assistant Professor Margaret Crofoot and her team of researchers continuously monitored the movements of nearly an entire baboon troop in central Kenya to discover how interactions among group-mates influenced where in the troop individuals tended to be found.

"How animals position themselves within their social group can have life or death consequences," explained Crofoot, an anthropologist. "Individuals at the front of their group may get the first crack at any food their group encounters, but they are also more vulnerable to being picked off by predators."

Interestingly, the team's work suggests that very simple behavioral rules may explain baboons' apparent preferences for particular spatial positions. "Animals who pay attention to more of their group-mates when deciding where to move will inevitably end up at the center of their group," said Crofoot. Differences in social sensitivity may therefore explain why younger baboons end up in the safest positions at the center of their troop, while adult males find themselves exposed on the leading edge.

Researchers have long noted that spatial positioning has important fitness implications, but where an animal is positioned in its group depends not only on its own behavior, but also on the behavior of its group-mates. "How natural selection shapes such emergent properties is fundamental to understanding the evolutionary dynamics of social organisms," Crofoot said.

10 adventures for animal lovers in Gloucestershire

Well if the little people in your life are into animals they are in for a treat as there are so many places in Gloucestershire full of furry friends.

Three Counties Show: You will be able to find thousands of fantastic beasts on display at the Three Counties Show this summer. This celebration of all things rural is taking place at the showground in Malvern between June 16 and 18 and there are plenty of activities for all ages from farming displays and a sheep marquee to a Medieval battle re-enactment.

Over Farm: The farm has a variety of farm animals including pigs, ostriches, chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, donkeys and ponies. Admission is free, but if you wish to feed the animals you can purchase food in the shop, which is open 9.00am-5.00pm from Monday to Saturday and open 9.30am-5.00pm on Sundays.

St James City Farm: This is in the heart of Gloucester and is run by the charity The Friendship Café and by a group of teenage volunteers. Animals include goats, sheep, horses, cows, guinea pigs and owls. The farm is 18 years old and based on Albany Street. It is free to visit and is open 9.30am-5.00pm from Monday to Sunday. On rare occasions the farm will be closed, so if you're travelling far, call 01452 305728 to check.

Cattle Country: Cattle Country is an adventure park based in Berkeley which allows you to feed calves and goats, race ferrets and groom donkeys. Also, Cattle Country has other activities such as an indoor soft play area, an outdoor trampoline area, jumping pillows, a shallow splash pool, an outdoor assault course and a boating lake.

Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park: Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park is the winner of the 2014 Farm Attraction of the Year award; Cotswold Farm Park is the farm of Britain's most-loved farmer, Joe Henson, featuring animals like rare breeds of Cattle, Goats, Pigs and Ponies.

Birdland Park and Gardens: Birdland Park and Gardens is based in Burton on the Water. Here you can visit Penguins, Parrots, Owls, Flamingos and Birds of Prey. Day tickets are £9.95 for Adults, £6.95 for Children and £8.95 for Concessions, though this is cheaper online.

Cotswold Falconry Centre: Cotswold Falconry Centre is in Morton-on-the-Marsh. The Falconry Centre hosts Vultures, Hawks and Owls of varying breeds which you can see in the centre's aviaries or in one of their daily flying displays.

International Centre for Birds of Prey: based in Newent and was opened in 1967 by internationally-renowned falconer Philip Glacier. The birds are flown every day; in fact, up to 40 can be flown in the summer months.

WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre: Visit animals such as Otters, Water Voles, Flamingos and Cranes. Adults are £12.26, Concessions £9.45, Children 4-16 years are £6.75, and children under 4 years old are free.

Cotswold Wildlife Park: Based over the border in Burford this family favourite boast giraffes, rhinos and all sorts of other animals. Don't forget a picnic to enjoy on the front lawn after you've explored.

How a Skate Business Came to the Aid of Shelter Animals

The inspiration struck in early 2011, as surf and skate enthusiast David Hendrickson was paddling around on his longboard with his dog, William, adopted three years earlier from an animal shelter in Orange County, Calif. During the adoption process, Hendrickson was told the pup--whose mother was poisoned by cleaning supplies while pregnant--had only a month to live.

William survived, but at a cost: Hendrickson ended up dropping out of college to work three jobs in order to pay $20,000 in veterinary bills. It was during this rough patch that he had his on-board epiphany. "I was just holding [William] out in the water, and I realized I wanted to take my passion for art and design, longboarding and helping animals and combine them," he says.

Hendrickson went home, sold his iPhone on Craigslist for $250, bought a used silk-screening machine and started printing the T-shirts that would later become a key component of his company, Hendrick Boards.

With William--who's doing fine now--as the brand's floppy-eared mascot, Hendrickson started his eco-friendly skateboard and apparel business in June 2011 with a mission to help rescue animals. Hendrick Boards donates as much as 40 percent of its revenue to some 200 animal shelters, rescues and sanctuaries--a generous amount considering that 2012 revenue hit $350,000 and sales are growing between 40 and 50 percent every month.

Hendrickson notes that proceeds from the sale of a single T-shirt will house and feed a shelter animal for a month. Each donation is sent to the organization located nearest the purchaser, in order to make a palpable difference in his or her own community.

Hendrick Boards crafts skateboards from sustainable bamboo and maple, stained with coffee grounds and handmade dyes (shortboards sell for $49.99; longboards for $99.99). Apparel is priced at $24.99 and up (the top seller is the "Keep calm and rescue on" shirt). From time to time, limited-edition products are designed to help specific animals deemed "high-needs medical cases."

The company and its mission have attracted plenty of interest--and quickly. In the first month, Hendrick Boards went from working with two nonprofits to 15; in just six months, the operation turned a profit. Hendrickson says the key to growth, besides "learning from every mistake," has been using social media to up engagement levels. The Hendrick Boards Facebook page boasts more than 70,000 Likes; in a nationwide small-business contest last year, Facebook and American Express Open selected the company as a top 10 finalist.

In February Hendrick Boards and its five employees moved to new 2,000-square-foot digs in Fullerton, Calif. The plan: to ramp up production to back even more animal-rescue initiatives. "When we started, I knew we weren't ever going to be a multimillion-dollar business," Hendrickson says. "I just knew we had to be profitable, because that was the way to save more animals."

What Kind of Sales Animal Are You

Salespeople can learn a lot from the animal kingdom. Every animal has dominant traits that allow it to survive in its environment--and so does every salesperson. When it comes to your selling style, what kind of animal are you?

Bear: The bear's strengths are leverage and power. Bears are also rugged, tough, determined and tenacious. Tenacity builds sales champions. The top sellers don't give up, no matter how many setbacks they face. Never under-estimate the power of tenacity. It offsets many deficiencies and sends a message to the prospect that you believe in your product.
Of course, there's a fine line between professional tenacity and obnoxiousness. Strength and power can be misused. The next time you contact your prospect to close the deal, don't just ask for the order--bring up a new idea or solutionthat ties into your pitch.

Chameleon: Chameleons know how to blend in with the environment and adapt to a situation. Great salespeople have an uncanny way of adjusting their style to adapt to their customers' styles. They listen for clues that help them understand a customer's environment, then customize their presentation to blend in with the customer's key needs and objectives. Many great deals have been made because the salesperson noticed things the customer didn't and recommended something new that brought the customer's business added value.
Watch out, though: Customers like salespeople who believe strongly in what they sell and don't change just to please them.

Dog: Dogs are known for their loyalty and friendliness. They're also quite persistent when they want something. Everything in sales comes down to the relationship and friendship you've developed with your customers. Whether it's finding ways to help them build their businessesor taking them to lunch, look for ways to strengthen that bond.
But you should also ask yourself, How many friends do I have time for? Be careful how you spend and manage your time with all your clients.

Elephant: Elephants have thick skin, great memories and strong emotions. Being thick-skinned in sales is a big plus for dealing with all the rejection you encounter. And like elephants, great salespeople don't forget things. When you hear something your prospect says during a casual conversation and repeat it back to him weeks later, it makes a lasting impression.
Be careful not to step on people on the way up, though. We tend to meet the same people on the way down, so always leave the door open with prospects who aren't initially a good match. Situations can change, and an account that is unqualified today can be an opportunity tomorrow.

Monkey: Monkeys are intelligent and have a great sense of humor. Humor breaks down barriers. Have you ever had a belly laugh with a client and felt like the relationship reached a whole new level afterward? Life is too short to be taken seriously. It also doesn't hurt to come up with intelligent ideas on how your product can move your customer's business forward. Doing your homework on your client's business can help your solutions hit home.
Just be careful with your humor. What you think is funny might be distasteful or insulting to others. It's safest to laugh at yourself to connect with customers and show your human side.

An Algae Serum Is Being Used to Treat Wounded Animals

Joe Landolina has always been a bit of a science nerd. Growing up he'd spend hours at his grandparents' winery, finding plants in the vineyard and trying to see what he could extract from them. It was while he was tinkering with algae that the then 17-year-old discovered a liquid that would change into a solid quickly. "I always knew I wanted to go into medicine, so I thought of stopping a bullet wound [using that liquid]."

Now 22, Landolina has started his own company called Suneris which makes Vetigel, a plant-based serum that, when applied to wounds, stops bleeding in seconds. It's a product bigger than his initial aspirations.

"[Liquid bandage] doesn't stop bleeding. It'll seal the surface of a small cut but is not effective for traumatic bleeding." Landolina says. "Vetigel makes a mechanical plug that holds the pressure in and also helps the body make its own clots."

While Landolina, along with his co-founder Isaac Miller and 25-person company, are still about a year away from being able to use its product on humans (if all goes well in the approval process), the entrepreneur has found an unexpected industry for Vetigel: animal health care.

"Vets don't have most of the tech that's available to human patients," Landolina says. He explains the standard of care for animals with traumatic bleeds is to use a gelatin sponge, but this method can take 10 minutes to staunch the bleeding, compared to seconds with Vetigel. This coupled with the fact that there are fewer federal regulations required to administer products to animals (as opposed to humans) has helped Suneris quickly break into the field.

There are 3,500 veterinary clinics enrolled to use Vetigel once it's distributed in the coming months. The company's focus continues to be getting its product -- retailing for $150 for five syringes -- into the hands of surgeons, a high-use customer, as well as general practitioners (so they can begin do basic surgeries, rather than providing a referral to another doctor).

With Vetigel's current use and the possibility that it could one day be used on humans has caused a lot of interest among investors. The company has more than 60 investors, and they were easy to find. After Landolina hosted a Ted Talk (see below), Suneris had more interest than they could take on. "We had 1,200 accredited investors that asked to invest," he says, adding that he and his team eventually asked potential backers to apply to be considered via a selection process. They whittled that batch of applications down to 40 (adding additional investors later on). Though Landolina wouldn't give names, he says the backers are private individuals with high net worth, most of whom he had never met or had a connection to prior to investment. "We want someone who is not a VC, who's passionate about the product, trusting of the team and has a network that's beneficial," he says.

The funding Suneris has received is going toward research and development, along with focusing on the next step: getting FDA approval for human use. Everyone from military members to surgeons and emergency medical technicians could benefit from Vetigel's abilities but that's still a bit down the road. FDA approval for military and emergency use is expected within the next year or two and surgical use could be approved as soon as three years from now. To that end, the company is working on a new facility where they can work on researching, testing and manufacturing the version of Vetigel that would be used on people. Suneris hopes to find a suitable facility by early next year.

For their launch event this summer, the backdrop was the Brooklyn Zoo. As vets and other guests filed in, a sea lion surfaced on a rock in his tank and barked. It was a happy sound, perhaps signaling approval.

What you can learn about teamwork from these animals' traits

Teamwork can be described as the process of working collaboratively with a group of people in order to achieve a goal. It involves subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole. Over 200,000 years of evolution, mankind has survived the ice-age, famines, and plenty of other adverse conditions to reach the evolved state of civilization we are in now. We survived the worst of times because we worked together and supported each other. The basic ground for survival was to ‘be together or perish’.

We may say that mankind is more evolved because human cognitive abilities are much higher than that present in the animal kingdom. However, there are certain species of fauna that display traits, which we can learn from when it comes to working as a team.

1. Trust from Meerkats

Remember Timon from the famous Disney movie, Lion King – well, he is one. Meerkats live in the harsh and dangerous conditions of Africa. They have adopted a very smart survival strategy, which is based on mutual trust. One member is assigned the job of guard while the mob feeds. As soon as they spot any danger, they alert the whole clan, which then has enough time to run for safety. The amount of trust the mob places on each other is massive; one slip of alerting the mob can be the difference between life and death, but they still do it with a high rate of success.

Learning: Similarly, trust in each other is the most basic requirement in a team. You cannot grow or achieve much individually until you trust your team and work together.

2. Communication from Wolves

Wolves have a highly evolved social structure with roles defined for each member of the pack. They utilize every channel of communication at their disposal – right from their bone-chilling howl to miniscule eye movements. Researchers say that wolves pay close attention to all types of communication. Their power of observation is honed so finely that they record even the most subtle changes in each other's behaviour.

Learning: This is the kind of approach that works wonders in teams as well – understand each other well and communicate so effectively that the scope of miscommunication becomes absolutely less whenever there is task at hand.

3. Coordination from Killer Whales

Killer Whales are the most dangerous predators that roam the seas. They understand the power of collaboration and coordination to increase their success rate in finding preys. They hunt down whales much bigger in size than them as easily as they pick up unsuspecting seal on an iceberg. In fact, they are the only species to have perfected the art of picking up prey from the beach without getting beached.

Learning: Coordinated efforts play a major role in completing any task, simple or complex. Irrespective of who is gets more recognition for the same task, what matters is the bigger picture of completing a task which is going to add value to your organization.

4. Conflict resolution from Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees, who have been in conflict with each other at a previous occasion, are likely to be near each other in a conflict against another. This close proximity allows the exchange of grooming, hugs and kisses, which serves to diffuse the chances of future conflict. After fights, the chimp who comes off worse in a conflict is the one who initiates reconciliation.

Learning: Since teams are composed of people with different personalities, there are always chances of conflict occurring over differences. We must remember that conflict does not only affect the people involved in the argument, but also the entire team, thereby creating negativity. It is essential to understand the importance of resolving conflicts and maintaining amiability.

5. Empathy from Elephants

Elephants are one of the most intelligent animals and are very social too. They have an innate ability to remember and act empathetically towards other herd members. If any member of the herd is injured or sick, the others will try to pick them up with their trunk. If a member is dead, the rest of the herd mourns for the one gone.

Learning: When you empathize with your team members and understand their joys and sorrows, you tend to create bonds which are very important for the team to perform better. Making an effort towards going that extra mile always reaps benefits at some point or the other.

To conclude, it doesn’t matter where you are or what you do, you are always going to work with others to make things happen. No task can be accomplished without teamwork and a good way to learn how to do so is to observe the traits offered by nature itself. Observe, learn and implement.