Posted January 31, 2018in People & Pets
A tale of love-filled guard llamas “I don’t know how many times my husband and I would talk, and I would be like ‘I think she’s the best thing we’ve bought,’ ” says Lacey Swedberg. The Swedbergs’ path to llama ownership came in a rather roundabout way. The couple’s youngest
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Posted January 03, 2018in People & Pets
A teenage dream comes true Courtney Tompkins was destined to own miniature donkeys. “I saw them as a teenager and just thought they were super cute and said, ‘One day I’m going to have mini donkeys,’ ” Tompkins says. The miniature donkeys found their way to her in the most
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Posted December 06, 2017in People & Pets
Real reindeer Jodi and John Philipp aren’t your average Santa and Mrs. Claus. You won’t find them at the local mall either. For 17 years, the couple has been touring their troupe across the Midwest and beyond, and that includes reindeer. “We try to spread some Christmas magic,” Jodi Philipp,
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Posted November 01, 2017in People & Pets
A police officer and his canine partner The K-9 unit of the Des Moines Police Department was first established in the 1980s. A small and specialized unit, the city of Des Moines has eight K-9s, with five dual-purpose patrol dogs, two single-purpose bomb dogs and one single-purpose narcotics dog. Officer Dao Meunsaveng and dog
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Posted October 04, 2017in People & Pets
Not a crazy cat lady Black cats are the source of several myths and legends. As the spookiest holiday of the year approaches, the stigma surrounding the darker variety of felines becomes even more nefarious. Cat and all-around animal lover Jessica Greenwell doesn’t subscribe to any of the black cat-related
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Posted July 05, 2017in People & Pets
Nine chickens and counting Backyard chickens may be a trend of urban hipsters, but for Des Moines resident Nicole James and her family, they are beloved backyard pets. The James family has kept chickens since 2013, and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing in the poultry department. “We started with
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Posted November 30, 2016in People & Pets
Digging a grave for a loved one gives the gravedigger an opportunity to reflect on good times past. Recently, I dug her grave on the edge of our prairie. It was cool, overcast and windy, but ramming the shovel into hard clay brought out beads of sweat. Despite the dreary
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Posted November 02, 2016in People & Pets
Who do you call when you find an abandoned dog, just 4 months old, tied to a stake in a yard, stuck in the freezing temperatures at what appears to be an abandoned home? The dog’s stomach was sucked in, and its body was taut, its muscles were too lean.
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Posted October 05, 2016in People & Pets
Like clockwork, Tyler Hall wakes up each morning to a face-licking from his dog, Kingsley, at about 6:30 a.m. And from there, he and Kingsley start their daily routines as man and BFF — “best furry friend.” “I don’t even need an alarm clock,” said Hall. Then the duo eats
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Posted August 31, 2016in People & Pets
According to Snapple Facts, it is illegal in Switzerland to own only one Guinea pig because they are prone to loneliness. Jackie Gautsch doesn’t have to worry if her two Guinea pigs — Baby Lady and Monkey — are depressed, because they now have each other. “I have a pet
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