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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 2000--


Animal obituaries


Misty II, 14, last grandfilly of Misty of Chincoteague, and the
only one with the same color and markings, died from cancer on August 24
at the farm of Keith and Kendy Allen in Manheim, Pennsylvania. Her
remains were returned to Chincoteague Island, Virginia, to be buried at
the newly opened Chincoteague Pony Center. The first Misty rode to fame
with the success of the children's book Misty of Chincoteague, by the late
Marguerite Henry. Misty of Chincoteague made her one of the most
successful writers of horse stories ever, having already sold more than a
million copies by 1961, when it became a hit film. Henry produced two
sequels: Stormy, Misty's Foal (1963), about the mother of Misty II, and
Misty's Twilight (1992), about the last days of Misty, who died in 1972.
But Misty II did not inherit an easy life. The Allens found her as a
withdrawn, difficult, reputedly untrainable one-year-old at a miniature
pony farm. "She had a reputation for being a rogue and kicking her stall,"
Jim Allen told Pamela Stallsmith of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "But she
let me put a halter on her and walked like she was walking away from that
place for good. Misty II went on to earn her own fame and acclaim as a
multi-time pony show champion, and as a longtime member of the
Chincoteague Pony Drill Team, who perform precision steps to music.

Ray, 10, a chimpanzee in custody of the Coulston Foundation,
died in August "after apparently being sick for days without veterinary
care," In Defense of Animals charged. "TCF is already under investigation
for other chimp deaths," IDA continued, "including that of Donna, who
died from a massive infection and uterine rupture after carrying a large
dead fetus for up to two months. In a sworn affidavit, USDA Western
Regional Director Dr. Ronald Gibbons stated that his agency anticipates
filing a formal complaint against the Coulston Foundation. This would be
the fourth time that the USDA has formally charged Coulston with multiple
and repeated Animal Welfare Act violations."

The Coffee-Creamer Bear of Park County, Colorado, was killed by
state wildlife officers on September 18, after breaking into at least 60
camper trailers and cabins to smash open cabinets and search for coffee
creamer, her favorite human treat. "It was really a bum deal," district
wildlife manager Mark Lamb told Denver Rocky Mountain News staff writer
Gary Gerhardt. "At first I was angry at her for not staying out of
trouble. Then I got mad at the people who refused to clean up their trash,
hummingbird feeders, dog food, and barbeque grills that attracted her."
Her two cubs, born early this year, were judged ready to survive on their
own.

Whiteheart and Spirit, two radio-collared black bears studied by
researcher Lynn Rogers in northern Minnesota, were shot by hunters on
August 23 and August 26. Whiteheart was star of a recent Discovery Channel
episode which was filmed by sneaking a video camera into her den.

Nero, 11, a Hungarian-born police dog handled by Officer Phillip
Aufiero of New Castle, Delaware, died on September 23 with his head in
Aufiero's lap. "I had to learn to speak Hungarian to handle him," Aufiero
said. In August 1992 a robbery suspect tried to shoot Aufiero. Nero
disarmed him, becoming known as Nero the Hero. Nero went on to seize more
than $1 million in contraband, caught many criminals, and found a few
lost children and Alzheimer's patients. He was retired from police work in
August.

Rumplesealskin, 26, who came to the Birmingham Zoo with four
other California sea lions in 1975, died on September 16. Although sea
lions rarely live to 25, she was survived by two of her companions, Julie
and Triton.

Robbie, an obese Cape fur seal who lived in Kalk Bay, South
Africa, for at least 10-15 years, cadging handouts from fishers, on
September 26 "put up a tremendous fight for his life before being gobbled
by a 23-foot great white shark," witnesses reported.

Kubu, 14, the oldest of three Sumatran tigers at the Colorado's
Ocean Journey theme park near Denver, was euthanized on September 15 due
to painful conditions of age. Kubu came to Colorado's Ocean Journey on
retirement loan from the Phoenix Zoo in October 1999.

Dan Dan, the only brown-and-white captive panda, died from cancer
on September 7 at the Xi'an Zoo in central China. Captured in 1985, she
birthed one cub, Qin Qin, who was the normal black-and-white.