animals

Redefining Pet Loss
By Nicole Engelman
December 15, 2017 - 12:54pm
The death of a pet once left owners to suffer in silence, but with a new understanding of a pet’s role in society, efforts are being made to recognize their grief and help them cope.

A Cornell University veterinary student rolls up the sleeves of her black fleece half-zip embossed with the school’s logo, and shoves her blonde hair into a lazy ponytail. She misses a lock of hair, but there’s no time to fix it. There is a call she has to take. She stretches out her thumb and pinky, and brings her imaginary phone to her ears. “You’ve reached the Pet Loss Support Hotline. What can I help you with today?” she says. “I’ve been having a really difficult time since my dog Sparky died from lung cancer last week,” says her caller. “I’ve been having trouble getting out of bed.

SUNY-ESF taxidermy collection brings animal specimens back to life
By Kerry Wolfe
May 2, 2013 - 4:28pm
In a SUNY-ESF classroom lies the Roosevelt Wildlife Collection, an assortment of 10,000 stuffed animal specimens that educate and inspire students to add their own finds to the collection.

Remove the skin from the body. That is what Tiffany Dellaventura, a senior conservation biology major at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, will do with the two baby raccoon carcasses she just pulled out of her backpack. She will pay careful attention when skinning their faces, because the face draws the most attention from viewers.