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herder1013

@herder1013.bsky.social
191 followers 109 following 307 posts

Throw the ball. Throw the ball. Posts on animal sciences, dog love, environmentalism, sexuality, and civil liberties. He/him. Mastodon: @herder1013.bsky.social@bsky.brid.gy Essential thoughts: herder101.carrd.co People who bake raisins into cookies DNI

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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
It's now permissible to kill endangered animals in the U.S. so long as the activity’s purpose is something else. “Unless you’re wearing a shirt that says, ‘I’m here to draw the blood of endangered species,’ you’re basically off the hook.” washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/09/22/r...
washingtonstatestandard.com
Trump administration says developers, loggers can kill endangered species • Washington State Standard
The Trump administration’s top wildlife official issued a directive last week that expands a recent rollback of endangered species protections much further than the feds had told the public. Individua...
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Real-time fire mapping is about to get dramatically better. bsky.app/profile/rsim...
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enzo rossi @enzoreds.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Speech restrictions are at best useless. Germany has some of the strictest anti-hate speech laws, and yet this thinly-veiled Nazi-lite party continues to rise and rise.
AfD poster with what looks like nazi salutes
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Joint play—tug of war, throwing a ball—between owners and dogs was significantly associated with reducing cognitive decline. Simply taking a dog for a walk, while important, did not have as big a beneficial effect. www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/dog-...
morrisanimalfoundation.org
A Lifetime of Play May Help Protect Dogs From Cognitive Decline
August 11, 2026 — Could a game of fetch help protect your dog's brain? New research suggests that regular play and activity throughout life may support cognitive health in senior dogs.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 11/04/2024
Attacking an ally for their imperfect support is a satisfying way to lose their support entirely.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
40 years ago, a young elephant was captured in Africa. Since 1988, she has performed with the Cardinali Circus. Now, as the last circus elephant in Portugal, she’s finally getting the retirement she deserves—becoming the first resident of the Pangea Elephant Sanctuary. www.good.is/circus-eleph...
good.is
After 40 years in a Portuguese circus, elephant retires to become the first resident of a new sanctuary
Julie the elephant starts a new life.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
“Corporate consolidators now own roughly a quarter of primary companion animal care clinics and about three-quarters of specialty and emergency hospitals, together accounting for around half of all veterinary revenue in the U.S.” www.worseonpurpose.com/p/your-pet-c...
worseonpurpose.com
Who Owns Your Vet? Mars, Private Equity, and Your Rising Bill
America's biggest vet provider is a candy company. How Mars, KKR, and JAB bought up your local clinic, and why your bill keeps climbing.
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Kathleen Bachynski @bachynski.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
This is absolutely heartbreaking. Please know that if you ever come into contact with a bat, you should seek medical attention. Even if there are no visible bite marks, you may have been exposed. Rabies is preventable with post exposure prophylaxis, and fatal without it @jackiantonovich.bsky.social
cnn.com
Canadian boy, 11, died from rabies after waking up with bat on his mouth | CNN
An 11-year-old Canadian boy has died from rabies after waking up with a bat on his nose and mouth.
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Sophie Labelle @assignedmale.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
A legend, an icon and a trailblazer.
4 frame comic. first frame shows the ibm building, 2nd shows a smartphone, 3rd shows a trans flag, and 4th shows Lynn Conway, smiling. Text reads: After Lynn Conway transitioned in 1968, she lost her family and was fired from her job at IBM. she went on to pioneer the microchip technology that powers your smartphone. She has been a tireless advocate for trans rights and an inspiration for trans leaders everywhere. She was a legend, an icon and a trailblazer. She will be thoroughly missed.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
A Colorado initiative to end trophy hunting of big cats failed because voters incorrectly believe wildlife managers follow the guidance of scientists and fairly reflect public sentiment. panworks.medium.com/ballot-box-b...
panworks.medium.com
“Ballot Box Biology:” The Myth That Stopped Proposition 127 — and Could Shape the Future of…
It’s time for the animal protection movement to create a national campaign inoculating the public against the “ballot box biology”…
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
The U.S. government aims to use TV ratings to demonize LGBTQ people. glaad.org/fcc/
glaad.org
Tell the FCC that LGBTQ Stories Don’t Need a Warning Label | GLAAD
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is targeting LGBTQ stories. They are trying to control what you see on television. This government overreach is dangerous...
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
European users can and should get hosted on European servers. eurosky.tech/accounts/
eurosky.tech
Register for a eurosky.social account - one web identity, dozens of apps — Eurosky
Eurosky is a European initiative to build and operate sovereign social web infrastructure
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Meri Kytö @merikyto.eurosky.social · 27/04/2026
Are you friends with pigs? Do you not know much of pigs? Either way, here’s how you can contribute to a research that has the most cute name, Project Oink, a study on pigs vocalization: project-oink.org
project-oink.org
Project Oink Research
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
“These structures would contain all of the typical organs—except a brain, rendering them unable to think or feel pain. The company’s long-term goal is to make human versions that could be used as a source of tissues and organs for people who need them.” www.wired.com/story/a-bill...
wired.com
A Billionaire-Backed Startup Wants to Grow 'Organ Sacks' to Replace Animal Testing
R3 Bio has a bold idea for replacing lab animals: genetically-engineered whole organ systems that lack a brain. The long-term goal, says a cofounder, is to make human versions.
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Barbara J. King @bjking.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
I wrote politely to @southernliving.com Southern Living Magazine: this current cover story glorifying chicken wings was too much for me. 700+ million chickens killed for the Superbowl weekend alone. Awful harms to the environment and Southern communities. #chickens #factoryfarms #animalrights
The cover shows a plate of chicken wings, baked beans, and cole slaw with the title imposed over it: The WING List: 20 Best Chicken Wing Spots in the South.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
“At a wildlife sanctuary, we were instructed to avoid feeding animal parts that still had faces; haunches and torsos were more acceptable to onlookers. Whole fish, rats & chicks are fine, we were told, ‘but try not to let the visitors peek in the food buckets’.” panworks.medium.com/death-for-di...
panworks.medium.com
Death for Dinner
The moral baggage in feeding captive predators.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
Urban tourism is a miserable job for horses. Cartagena, Columbia is replacing horse-drawn buggies with electric carriages, preserving quaint experiences for visitors while protecting horses from a wretched life on asphalt and in traffic. apnews.com/article/colo...
apnews.com
A Colombian city swaps iconic horse buggies for electric carriages amid animal welfare concerns
Cartagena, Colombia, is replacing its iconic horse buggies with electric carriages. The change comes after years of protests by animal rights activists who argued the horses suffered from exploitation...
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
“Plant‑based pet food is a healthy source of food for pets that eliminates many allergens—the vast majority of identified dog and cat food allergies are to animal proteins—while incurring a fraction of the environmental impact of regular pet food.” www.wapo.com/climate-envi... archive.is/8zE71
washingtonpost.com
Column | I fed my dog vegan kibble for a year. Why the switch is now permanent.
Vegan pet food is gaining human and animal fans alike, as people look to reduce their household’s environmental impact and enhance their pets’ health.
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Raffael Fasel @raffaelfasel.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
'If a vegetarian hotdog is to be ruled out ... on the grounds that it contains no meat, the meat version should be ruled out on the grounds that it contains no dog'. Highly recommend @georgemonbiot.bsky.social's hilarious column on the livestock lobby's perverse efforts to stop vegan products.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
Attempting to visit the US is increasingly a permanent surrender not just of your private life and your body's unique details, but of your family's privacy as well. Is any holiday really worth it?
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Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.org · 10/12/2025
It is a bad idea to try travelling to the US right now. You might think the worst that can happen is being refused entry, but once that happens you'll probably never be able to enter. Trump will be gone & you'll still have a note 'refused entry' on your file. Border officials will just say 'no'.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
The backstory and full animation are at lbbonline.com/news/interma...
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
The intent and effect of banning youth from social media is to keep young people isolated and lonely. For everyone, learning that we are normal and healthy requires finding our communities of weirdos and kindred spirits. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Australia’s world-first social media ban begins as millions of children and teens lose access to accounts
Accounts held by users under 16 must be removed on apps that include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch and Threads under ban
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It’s “Mrs. Powers” during my day job @mrspowersdayjob.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
A large (maybe 3 feet wide by 5 feet tall) sign on the end of a row of bookshelves that tells the “address” of books that have sensitive content.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
When I hear a friend describe their new gun, I become sad because I know that if the gun is actually used in a violent incident, it will most likely be to hurt my friend or those close to them.
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Ellen Bardash @ellenbardash.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
The Court of Chancery spends a lot of time deciding cases that involve multi-billion-dollar deals. Its equity jurisdiction means it also gets to decide things like who should keep Tucker the Goldendoodle (don't worry, he's not getting cut in half) courts.delaware.gov/Opinions/Dow...
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Mark Peters Photography Ⓥ @markpetersphoto.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
Sometimes when I post an animal’s story, people leave comments condemning humanity. I understand the pain, but I believe change doesn’t come from blame. It comes from loving animals out loud. (Poplar Spring Sanctuary) #compassion #veganforthe animals
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
“If a ram does not fulfill his duty, he is sent to the slaughterhouse. Essentially, the sheep are killed for being gay. Couturier Michael Schmidt has joined forces with German nonprofit Rainbow Wool and Grindr to bring the story to life through a 37-piece knitwear collection.” archive.is/FnMRn
A drawing of rams playing in a green pasture with a rainbow in the sky behind them, taken from the website rainbow-wool.com
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
“You notice an ant struggling in a puddle of water. Their legs thrash as they fight to stay afloat. You could walk past, or you could take a moment to tip a leaf into the puddle, giving them a chance to climb out. Should you take a moment out of your day to help one out?” aeon.co/essays/an-an...
aeon.co
An ant is drowning: here’s how to decide if you should save it | Aeon Essays
Should we simply assume that all animals can feel pain and are of moral concern? Or is that taking things too far?
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j-salvo.bsky.social @j-salvo.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Word to the wise: do not fly internationally into Logan. All of the major public detainments of Legal Residents and Citizens at airports have been out of Logan.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 11/10/2025
The greater noctule bat climbed to 4000 feet then dove to capture a robin mid-flight. Subsequent chewing sounds, recorded between echolocation calls, indicated that the bat consumed the bird continuously during flight for 23 minutes without losing altitude. www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
theguardian.com
Grisly recording reveals bat catching, killing and eating robin mid-flight
Before the Spanish study, some scientists had been sceptical about the mammals attacking migratory birds
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Blue Heron Farm @blueheronfarm.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
I just bookmarked this and you may want to, as well. 🙄
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
“At VINE, animals are recognized as individuals with a right to self determination: they freely choose their friendships, co-author their own social norms, and pursue their social activities according to their preferences and rhythms.” panworks.medium.com/when-animals...
panworks.medium.com
When Animals Sustain the Fabric of Our Democracies
By Pablo P. Castelló, PhD.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
When government agents detain someone based on racial characteristics or on looking like they might be an immigrant, it's a Kavanaugh Stop.
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Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 01/10/2025
One of my favorite anecdotes from THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE: "That doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know."
A few days after this cartoon was published, my syndicate received a very indignant letter from someone representing the Jane Goodall Institute.
Not only did my syndicate and I both get read the Riot Act, there was a vague implication that litigation over this cartoon might be around the corner.
I was horrified. Not so much from a fear of being sued (I just couldn't see how this cartoon could be construed as anything but silly, but because of my deep respect for Jane Goodall and her well-known contributions to pri-matology. The last thing in the world I would have intentionally done was offend Dr. Goodall in any way.
Before I had a chance to write my apology, another complication arose.
The National Geographic Society contacted my syndicate and expressed adesire to reprint the cartoon in a special centennial issue of their magazine. My editor, aware of what had just occurred, declined, explaining why.
Apparently, whoever it was that sent the inquiry from National Geographic was shocked. They told my editor that "that doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know." They did some checking themselves, and an interesting fact was eventually discovered: Jane Goodall loved the cartoon. Furthermore, she was totally unaware that any of this "stuff" was going on. Some phone calls were made, and the cartoon was not only reprinted in the centennial issue of National Geographic, but was also used by her Institute on a T-shirt for fund-raising purposes.
I've since had an opportunity to visit Dr. Goodall at her research facility in Gombe. It's a wonderful place (sort of like right out of National Geographic).
"To refer to Dr. Goodall as a tramp is inexcusable even by a self-described 'loony' as Larson. The cartoon was incredibly offensive and in such poor taste that readers might well question the editorial judgment of running such an atrocity in a newspaper that reputes to be supplying news to persons with a better than average intelligence. The cartoon and its message were absolutely stupid." —Excerpt from the above-mentioned letter that started the ruckus
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Alanna Smith @alannamode.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
Give folks their flowers No, I mean right now. Go tell someone you loved their work right now. They're on social media just say it, it has never been easier "They know how much people love--" no they don't go say it right now to a composer or artist or game dev or writer or anyone AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH
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SpryOldLorax @spryoldlorax.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Some amazing gay history. Listen up kids.
I'm watching that documentary "Before Stonewall" about gay history
pre-1969, and uncovered something which I think is interesting.

The documentary includes a brief clip of a 1954 televised newscast
about the rise of homosexuality. The host of the program interviewed
psychologists, a police officer, and one "known homosexual". The
"known homosexual" is 22 years old. He identifies himself as Curtis
White, which is a pseudonym; his name is actually Dale Olson.
So I tracked down the newscast. According to what I can find, Dale
Olson may have been the first gay man to appear openly on television
and defend his sexual orientation. He explains that there's nothing
wrong with him mentally and he's never been arrested. When asked
whether he'd take a cure if it existed, he says no. When asked whether
his family knows he's gay, he says that they didn't up until tonight, but
he guesses they're going to find out, and he'll probably be fired from
his job as well. So of course the host is like ... why are you doing this
interview then? and Dale Olson, cool as cucumber pie, says "I think
that this way I can be a little useful to someone besides myself."

1954. 22 years old. Balls of pure titanium.

Despite the pseudonym, Dale's boss did indeed recognize him from
the TV program, and he was promptly fired the next day. He wrote into
ONE magazine six months later to reassure readers that he had gotten
a new job at a higher salary.
Curious about what became of him, I looked into his life a little further.
It turns out that he ultimately became a very successful publicity
agent. He promoted the Rocky movies and Superman. Not only that,
but get this: Dale represented Rock Hudson, and he was the person
who convinced him to disclose that he had AIDS! He wrote the
statement Rock read. And as we know, Rock Hudson's disclosure had
a very significant effect on the national conversation about AIDS in the
U.S.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Trans rights are not the rights of a minority. They are everyone’s rights to autonomy, to self-determination of our health and identities. Attacks on trans rights are not attacks on a minority. They are steps to stripping everyone’s ability to live their own lives with independence and dignity.
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Maldrasen @maldrasen.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
People. We need to start practicing better opsec. Don't post on social media accounts that can be traced back to your real name or your job. At least make it hard for people to come after you.
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Kendyl Hanks @kendylhanks.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
A reminder to my fellow Texans—fall litters of baby squirrels are emerging from their nests to explore and forage. They don’t understand roads and cars. I’ve seen a lot of wee pups sadly killed on local streets. Please be careful and give them a honk to startle them, train them that cars are bad.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Volunteers of campaign group Sea Shepherd have pulled up thousands of traps and saved more than 1500 octopuses in a bid to overturn illegal overfishing. Authorities estimate that in total half a million octopus traps litter the sea floor in northern Greece. www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
reuters.com
The crew on the hunt for Greece's illegal octopus traps
"Octopus!" shouted the crew of the Sea Eagle vessel as a slippery cephalopod squirmed out of a plastic pot they had hauled from the seabed off northern Greece.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
The headline calls this unexpected consequences, but I would call this extremely expected consequences.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
Travelers to the US have had their phones taken and are told by officials to sign a form saying “they reserve the right to copy all the contents of your phone & distribute them to every American intelligence agency.” Searches of US citizens’ devices are up 22% from 2024. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
Surge in U.S. customs searches of electronic devices raises concerns about harsh treatment of Canadians | CBC News
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reports a sharp rise in electronic device searches at crossings, raising concerns about privacy, discrimination and harsher scrutiny of Canadians. "There's a l...
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Avoid those who insist that the protection of the weak from exploitation demands the imposition of puritanical values. The goal of puritans is not anyone's safety and autonomy. Their goal is just moral scapegoating.
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Shutdown of the Atlantic overturning currents will bring London winters down to -20c and Oslo to -48c. We only have 10 or 20 years left to cut carbon emissions to reduce the severity before the die is cast. www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/late...
pik-potsdam.de
Possible North Atlantic overturning circulation shutdown after 2100 in high-emission future
28.08.2025 - Under high-emission scenarios, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a key system of ocean currents that also includes the Gulf Stream, could shut down after the year 21...
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
“A court order on 12-August declared that their home – the streets of New Delhi – was no longer theirs to roam, following alarming reports of dog attacks. The new ruling clarified that stray dogs are to be sterilized and immunized, and then released.” www.cnn.com/2025/08/22/i...
cnn.com
One million stray dogs in India’s capital regain the right to roam after legal battle with nation’s top court | CNN
One by one, they emerge from their slumber: Dholu, an energetic young male with a noticeable limp; Oldie, the greying elder who loves a belly rub; and Snoopy, a golden-eyed boy who patiently waits his...
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Andrew Lawrence @ndrew.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
A screenshot from Fox News' Jesse Watters Primetime

There is video playing of a black cat and a brownish orange stripey cat kinda cuddling up

The chyron reads "Lesbian cats take over Seattle"
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
“Mostly, the coyotes live quiet lives, sleeping a lot and hunting together, despite making a home in a park that gets around 42 million visitors a year.”
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
Young dogs say, “What will we do next?” Old dogs say, “Thank you for being with me.”
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herder1013 @herder1013.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
We cannot assume good faith of anyone claiming to protect animals when their methods are prosecuting prejudices, or seeking retribution for grudges.
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