Furry Toy Souvenirs Made With Real Fur, Hide

5:48 pm EDT May 20, 2005-WTFV News

ORLANDO, Fla. -- An Eyewitness News investigation has found Central Florida stores selling furry souvenirs made with real animal hide and fur. Channel 9 bought animal figurines at Central Florida shops and sent them for DNA analysis at a nationally known crime lab. The results were startling. The animals weren't covered in synthetic fur, but in real animal hides such as goat and rabbit. Some of a toy kangaroo's fur came from what appears to be rat, and the lab couldn't rule out dog hide and fur on a monkey.

"It's pretty incredible, actually. It's hard to believe that some people are actually making figurines out of dogs and rats and passing them off just to make a profit," said parent Maurice Simmons.

The fur figurine industry is a four to five million dollar a year business in Asia, which is where experts said most of the animals come from.

View the complete story at http://www.wftv.com/news/4513895/detail.html

What do we know about Cheetahs?

Cheetahs can be found in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. They prefer a fairly open terrain but can be seen in thick bush as well as semi desert type situations.

Cheetahs are 30+ inches tall at the shoulder and they weigh 80 to 140 pounds.

Here are some Cheetah facts and statistics:

• The Cheetah, Acinonyx Jubatus, is the sole member of its genus. Twenty thousand years ago, Cheetahs roamed throughout the savannahs and plains of four continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. About 10,000 years ago - because of climate changes - all but one species of the Cheetah, Jubatus, became extinct.
  
• The name Cheetah comes from an Indian word meaning "spotted one."
  
• The Cheetah, having been clocked at 70 MPH, is the fastest land mammal on earth.
  
• They move over a large area and do not climb very well.
  
• Females are normally found on their own or in a family group.
  
• Males are more commonly found moving around together in groups.
  
• They do not have very will developed jaws and they have small teeth.
  
• Physically they are not strong animals and there has never been an attack recorded on man in the wild.
  
• It is one of the few animals who hardly (if ever) scavenge. Once they have selected an animal to hunt they will not veer away from their choice.
  
• It is said that Cheetah nearly became extinct and re-bred from just two individuals.
  
• Prey normally has to be running away from the Cheetah before it can catch it.
  
• They have a long flat tail with a heavy tip which aids them in changing direction at high speeds.
  
• Cheetahs do not roar like lions, but they purr, hiss, whine and growl. They also make a variety of contact calls,
  the most common is a birdlike chirping sound.
  

View the entire article on Cheetahs

Gift ideas for Cheetah Lovers

Some Interesting Statistics for Animal Lovers

Here are some interesting statistics about animal lovers in the United States:

• 63% of U.S. households own at least one pet
• Nine in ten pet owners say they consider their pet a member of the family.
• More than $650 Million was donated to animal-related charities in 2004
• 90% of pet owners would not consider dating someone who disliked their pet
• More than 110 million people visited American Zoo and Aquarium institutions in 2004

I wonder how many dogs and cats gave Father's Day Cards this year?