Animals

A mini menagerie of exotic animals visited Cerritos Elementary Tuesday drawing gasps of wonder from the students. A boa constrictor, an injured turkey vulture, an endangered slow loris and an African pixie frog were some of the wildlife featured in a presentation, called "The Unhuggables," that Wildlife on Wheels, a nonprofit animal health and welfare organization, put on. "Today we're going to see some exciting animals because they're unhuggable...

I am writing to alert the Glendale community about the cruel treatment of animals by the Ramos Circus. The animals are confined to very small enclosures where they must stand or sit tied all day and night. Many people have written to Glendale officials asking that they revoke the permit. The City Council and city officials have not revoked the permit nor even taken a stand. The schools should not accept free tickets from the Ramos Circus, as this demonstrates they support the circus.

The sounds of morning traffic that usually surround Holy Redeemer Catholic School yielded to the sounds of barking, meowing and yes, quacking on Thursday morning. The annual Blessing of the Animals was in full swing on the school’s campus as students brought in their favorite pets to be blessed as part of the traditional ceremony. “It is a great delight for the kids and families,” said Monsignor Jack Foley, better known as Father Jack. “Some [kids] brought pictures of their pets because their parents couldn’t get off work [to bring the pet in]

"Menagerie: The Art of Animals" is an exhibition true to its name. The Forest Lawn Museum along with guest co-curator and artist William Stout have assembled a collection of art that depicts animal subjects, including bronze and paper sculpture, animation art and paleoart, produced by more than two dozen artists spanning more than two centuries. Paintings by Los Angeles Zoo resident Rosie the Orangutan and insect wrangler Steven R. Kutcher are a fun contribution to the exhibition, adding a new dimension to the term Animal Art with their depictions and observations.

The brouhaha over a pack of coyotes and their impending demise this week after North Glendale residents complained of their presence to L.A. County officials brought an important lesson to the fore. In a city with several urban areas wedged up against wildland, there's bound to be turf wars between humans and wildlife. As the hubbub unfolded, what started as a plan to remove - by trapping and euthanasia - a pack of coyotes that have taken up residence at a vacant, fire-gutted home on Brockmont Drive turned into a public uproar among those believe that the response to wildlife in urban areas shouldn't be death.

The writer to the Glendale News-Press regarding the city's elephant-themed Rose Parade float (“Step up and help out or don't complain,” Jan. 6) just doesn't get it. Were the animals displayed in chains? Roped up or down in any way? I didn't see another parading float with any animal being abused. Maybe all the Disney characters and the other cartoons are abused by this reader's standards. Well, she should watch carefully next time. Joe Zuazua Glendale

Claudia Peschiutta NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- This is one feline that could be welcomed into any home. Noel doesn't require food, water or a place to sleep. The only thing this cat could use is a frame. The Glendale Humane Society is hoping to find hundreds of people who are willing to take Noel home. The black cat is the subject of a colored-pencil drawing titled "The Missing Piece of the Puzzle," which a group of community members has turned into a limited-edition poster for sale by the Humane Society.

Are you a cat person or a dog person? Or are you just not an animal person? According to a recent CalTech study , our brains are hardwired to react to creatures of the nonhuman kind. CalTech and UCLA researchers found that neurons throughout the brain's center for processing emotions (amygdala) respond preferentially to images of animals. "Our study shows that neurons in the human amygdala respond preferentially to pictures of animals, meaning that we saw the most amount of activity in cells when the patients looked at cats or snakes versus buildings or people," Florian Mormann, lead author on the paper and a former postdoctoral scholar in the Division of Biology at Caltech, said in a press release.

Janine Marnien Volunteers at Bundles of Hope have about 300 stuffed animals they've collected for children displaced by wildfires in western states earlier this summer. The problem is, they can't seem to get rid of them. The group, made up of Taylor Witte, 12, Carri Witte, 10, and Remy deBrauwere, 11, had initially hoped to give the animals to the American Red Cross for distribution. About 100 animals were shipped to displaced children in Texas, but the lack of response to the group's continued efforts was frustrating, said Dawn Witte, Carri's mother.

Tim Willert CITY HALL -- Nearly three months after being pulled from the air waves, "The Dog House" is returning with a new pair of co-hosts. The Glendale Humane Society's popular pet adoption program will return to GTV6, the city's government access station, beginning Dec. 3, city spokesman Ritch Wells said Friday. "'The Dog House' is one of our most popular programs," Wells said. "Anybody who loves animals loves the program." Co-hosting the show will be former mayor Ginger Bremberg and former city treasurer Betty Evans.

One Glendale veterinarian is betting that the recent growth in animal medical care will mean the $1.5-million renovation and expansion of his business will be a smart move. Rafael Villicaña, veterinarian and owner of the Gateway Animal Hospital, said he purchased the building next to his practice on the corner of Los Feliz Road and Gardena Avenue 15 years ago and leased it to other businesses. Now, he's expanded his veterinary office into that location. "The market is changing, and you need a good facility to attract good new veterinarians," he said.

Even as DreamWorks Animation Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenberg was in China this week crowing about the box office success of "The Croods" ,  Chinese theater owners were ordered by regulators to end the movie's theatrical run two weeks earlier than anticipated. The move was widely interpreted as a way to make room for local animation films, underscoring how even the Hollywood studios that are most successful in China can be subject to the unpredictable decisions of government authorities eager to expand their own film industry.

DreamWorks Animation is turning to the Australian outback for inspiration for its first full-on animated musical. The Glendale-based studio said it had tapped award-winning composer, actor and writer Tim Minchin to help create a musical project called "Larrikins," which is Australian slang for mischievous youth. The all-animal comedy, based on an original idea written by Harry Cripps ("Supernova") and produced by Christina Steinberg ( "Rise of the Guardians," "National Treasure")

In a deal that underscores the growing importance of digital platforms for reaching young audiences, DreamWorks Animation said it is acquiring the YouTube teen network AwesomenessTV for $33 million in cash. Under terms of the agreement, DreamWorks will pay the up-front cash consideration and there are incentives that could ultimately make the acquisition ultimately worth as much as $117 million, if AwesomenessTV achieves certain performance goals over the next two years. "AwesomenessTV is one of the fastest growing content channels on the Internet today and our acquisition of this groundbreaking venture will bring incredible momentum to our digital strategy," DreamWorks Animation Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a statement.

DreamWorks Animation posted a nearly 40% drop in profit in the first quarter while revenue remained virtually flat. For the three months ended March 31, the Glendale studio posted net income of $5.6 million, or 7 cents a share, on revenue of $135 million. That compared with net income of $9.1 million, or 11 cents a share, and revenue of $136.1 million during the same period a year earlier, the company said in a statement. Still, despite the decline in profits the company's results exceeded what industry analysts had projected.

DreamWorks Animation is moving ahead with a sequel to its prehistoric family comedy "The Croods," according to a spokeswoman at the Glendale studio. Writers-directors Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders will return for the second installment, which does not yet have a release date. "The Croods," which featured the voices of Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone as a cave-dwelling father and daughter navigating familial and tectonic shifts, garnered modest praise from critics, but received a Cinemascore of A from audiences and went on to gross a strong $142 million domestically after its release March 22. Continue reading > > -- Rebecca Keegan, Los Angeles Times

DreamWorks Animation SKG said it would take an $87-million charge on last year's holiday movie "Rise of the Guardians," marking the largest write-down the studio has ever taken for one of its own movies. Analysts had estimated that the studio would take a write-down of from $70 million to nearly $100 million on the film, which represented a rare box-office misfire for DreamWorks, creator of the popular " Shrek ," "Kung Fu Panda" and "Madagascar" films. "Rise of the Guardians," which cost about $145 million to make, has generated $302 million in global box-office ticket sales since its debut in late November, well short of a typical DreamWorks Animation movie.

DreamWorks Animation SKG is licensing its movie characters for various theme parks being developed in Russia , an increasingly important market for the Glendale-based studio. The creator of the " Shrek ," " Madagascar " and "Kung Fu Panda" franchises said it had signed a licensing agreement with Regions Group of Companies, which is developing what is billed as Europe's largest indoor theme parks. Regions says it's the fourth-largest retail property owner in Russia.

Jane Hancock and her family moved to a house on Edmonton Road in 1961. “I fell in love with the house and the neighborhood the moment I saw it.” The weekend after they moved in, their neighbors invited them to a party and there she met Jean Armstrong. Hancock and Armstrong became friends; their children grew up together and went to the same schools. Hancock knew that Armstrong had a mysterious scar but never knew of her adventurous past. That is, until recently. Hancock and her husband Fred raised five boys and taught English and social studies, journalism and media at Toll Junior High from 1962 until 1992.