Florida turtles stuffed in socks recovered in illegal animal trafficking case

Federal authorities intercepted hundreds of box turtles smuggled out of the United States after discovering the animals hidden inside socks and falsely labeled as plastic toys in New York, officials said.

Pinellas County considers stricter oversight of retail pet stores after hundreds of violations

Pinellas County commissioners will discuss tighter regulations for retail pet stores during their meeting Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. The move comes after county animal services issued nearly 400 citations to pet stores across the county over the past year, raising concerns among animal welfare advocates.

ZooTampa welcomes rare baby monkey

An Angolan colobus monkey was born at ZooTampa last week, marking the first birth of this species at the zoo since 2018.

'A miracle happened': Lifeguards rescue runaway dog swept out to sea in rip current

A beloved black lab mix named Sadie had luck, lifeguards and an AirTag on her side when she escaped from the San Diego home she was visiting and got swept out to sea by a rip current.

Florida lawmakers push to make American Flamingo the official state bird

For many Floridians, the flamingo feels like an obvious symbol of the Sunshine State. From "Phoebe" the giant flamingo sculpture at Tampa International Airport, to the bird’s presence on countless souvenirs, it’s easy to assume it already holds official status. 

Ybor Heights community helps neighbor track down stolen dogs

A Tampa dog owner is thankful for her Ybor Heights community after her neighbors worked together to track down her stolen dogs. 

San Diego Zoo’s oldest resident, 141-year-old tortoise Gramma, dies

Gramma, the San Diego Zoo’s oldest resident and one of the world’s oldest Galapagos tortoises, has died at the estimated age of 141.

New USDA website centralizes info in fight against New World screwworm parasite threatening U.S. livestock

The U.S  Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched a new website to centralize federal  agencies as they work together to protect livestock, wildlife, and the public’s health against the New World screwworm parasite.

FDA authorizes drug to treat cats and kittens infected with New World screwworm

In October, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first time ever issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a drug to treat dogs and puppies infected with the parasite New World screwworm (NWS).  Now it’s doing the same approval to treat kittens and cats.

Grizzly bear attacks students, teachers in British Columbia; 11 injured

A grizzly bear attacked a group of students and teachers on a walking trail in British Columbia, Canada, injuring 11 people, two of them critically.

Parakeets found in man's pants at Mexico border

Crossing the border at Tijuana often brings the challenge of not only checking documents and identification for authentication, but also checking out the person attempting to enter the country as well.

Rescued parrots find a home at Inverness sanctuary

Ziggy's Haven Bird Sanctuary at 84 N Florida Avenue in Inverness takes in birds that are abandoned, confiscated or turned over by their owners because they can no longer care for them.

Watch: Michigan woman rescues raccoon stuck inside dumpster

The woman attempted using a metal trashcan and a cardboard box to get the raccoon out, but neither option worked.