Surrendering a cat can be a hard decision. However‚ it is sometimes one that we are forced to make. No matter your situation‚ surrendering your cat may have more options than you realize‚ but a lot depends on what organizations are nearby.In most areas‚ there are several organizations that you could potentially surrender your cat to. Each of these organizations likely has its own requirements and procedures which you can usually find more about on their website. Many do charge a small fee.However‚ there are some common steps that you have to take no matter where you live. Here are some things you may want to consider when surrendering your cat. Finally‚ know that in certain situations‚ such as those seeking refuge from domestic violence‚ shelters are increasingly allowing people to bring pets‚ or have temporary alternative accommodation options for pets. Call and speak to the organization directly if this situation may apply.Also note that if your cat was previously adopted from a shelter‚ rescue organization‚ or even some breeders‚ that your original adoption agreement may require you to return the cat to them. This can be beneficial for you and your cat‚ so check their adoption contract to ensure you know what conditions exist.The 8 Steps to Surrendering a Cat1. Start Close to HomeWhen possible‚ finding a home for your cat without surrendering them to a shelter or rescue is the best option. You can ensure that they have a safe home and wont be in a shelter for days‚ weeks‚ or even months.You should never give your cat away for free to anyone you dont know closely‚ though. While giving your cat to a close family member for free is one thing‚ giving them to a stranger for free is something else. Sadly‚ many people involved in activities like dog fighting often look for free pets to use as bait. Plus‚ if someone cannot afford to pay for your cat‚ then they likely cant afford to take care of the cat‚ either.Its best to surrender your pet to a close family member or friend when possible. Ask around to see if anyone is interested in taking your feline into their care.Image Credit: cottonbro studio‚ Pexels2. Research OrganizationsNot all shelters or rescue organizations are the same. They all have different policies and funding‚ which will control your cats rehoming experience. Therefore‚ if there are multiple options in your area‚ you may want to consider researching each option carefully.Many people will recommend avoiding no-kill shelters. However‚ no-kill organizations often tend to be extremely selective about what animals they take‚ and they may not take surrenders at all. Furthermore‚ many organizations that occasionally euthanize animals generally make every attempt to only do so due to severe health or behavioral problems.Because they may euthanize a cat with feline leukemia (as an example)‚ they cannot label themselves as a no-kill shelter. However‚ they may not euthanize animals just because they havent been adopted within a certain amount of time‚ either. Therefore‚ you should always ask about an organizations policies specifically.3. Consider a Pet Rehoming WebsiteIf you dont want to go through a local organization‚ you can try a rehoming website. Rehoming websites allow you to post information about your feline in the hopes that someone nearby will see it and want to adopt your pet. Its an option somewhere between finding someone you know and surrendering to a shelter.Of course‚ be sure to carefully vet anyone before surrendering your cat to them. Many websites make potential adopters fill out an application‚ which can be useful as a screening device. However‚ you should visit the applicants home (if possible) and meet them in person.As we explained above‚ some individuals do not have the best intention with surrendered animals. For your cats safety‚ you should always do your research.Image Credit: New Africa‚ Shutterstock4. Schedule an AppointmentIn most cases‚ youll need to schedule a surrendering appointment with the local shelter or rescue you choose. Sometimes there are significant waiting periods‚ depending on the time of year. For instance‚ you may need to wait for several months before your appointment.Some shelters do have emergency surrender options‚ though. However‚ these typically only occur in the case that the animal is sick‚ injured‚ or a stray.The appointment itself is usually short. The staff will probably ask you to fill out some paperwork about your cat‚ provide their medical records‚ and will perform a quick health check. Exactly what happens will vary‚ though. On average‚ these appointments dont last longer than 30 minutes. Its best to have all your papers ready to ensure everything goes fast. Some organizations may require that you have certain paperwork already filled out. If you dont‚ they may make you reschedule.5. Complete the Surrender FormAt the appointment (or after you have it scheduled)‚ youll need to fill out the surrender paperwork. Practically all organizations require that you fill out this paperwork. It typically asks several questions about your feline‚ such as their temperament and health. These questions help the staff find the right home for the pet.Youll also have to fill out information about yourself‚ such as your home address and contact information. Youll often need to have some form of ID on you‚ which helps ensure that you live within the organizations range.Its best to fill out this form in advance‚ if possible. It can make the appointment go much smoother‚ and you wont feel so rushed about giving the responses.Image Credit: Sharomka‚ Shutterstock6. Collect PaperworkOften‚ a not-for-profit organization will want all your cats vet paperwork (that you have). Be sure that you provide this during your scheduled visit‚ or your cat may be turned away. You may need to call your veterinarian and have the cats records prepared for you.While it isnt required‚ giving this paperwork to anyone you give your pet to directly is also a good practice. Your friend or family member will need to present the paperwork to the cats new vet when they visit. If you dont have the paperwork‚ giving the name(s) of any veterinary clinics your pet has been to can be just as helpful.7. Be HonestIn many cases‚ cats are being surrendered for a reason. Be completely honest about your cats potential problems‚ if that is a reason for their surrender. Dont sugarcoat your cats behaviors or leave things out. If you do‚ it may make it harder to find the correct home for your feline. The adoption center needs to know about potential problems so that they can warn new owners (or ensure these problems wont bother them).For instance‚ if your cat doesnt like being left alone‚ then finding a family that spends lots of time at home may be necessary.Image Credit: Pixel-Shot‚ Shutterstock8. Get Your Cat ReadyIf you havent gotten your cat sterilized or vaccinated‚ consider doing so before you surrender them. Sterilized pets are more likely to be adopted‚ as many organizations require the pet to be spayed or neutered before they are adopted.Furthermore‚ shelters are much more likely to take vaccinated pets without any illnesses. While sick cats wont be turned away‚ they may be quarantined‚ which will extend their stay at the shelter. Plus‚ if the cat requires extra vet care‚ their adoption cost may go up.ConclusionSurrendering a beloved cat can be a challenging decision‚ but sometimes circumstances may make it necessary. While the process may seem daunting‚ there are essential steps to follow that can help ensure your cats well-being and a smooth transition to a new home.First and foremost‚ explore the possibility of finding a home for your cat among close friends or family members who can provide a safe and loving environment.If this isnt possible‚ schedule an appointment with the chosen organization to surrender. Be prepared with all necessary paperwork and medical records‚ and complete the surrender form honestly‚ providing relevant information about your cats health and temperament.Transparency helps the organization find the best possible home for your pet. Sourceshttps://www.hepper.com/how-to-surrender-a-cat/https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/surrendering-pet Featured Image Credit: RJ22‚ ShutterstockThe post How to Surrender a Cat: 8 Vet-Approved Steps appeared first on Pet Keen.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated that Ukraine will eventually become a member of the NATO alliance‚ making the comment while standing alongside Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba in Brussels‚ Belgium. Blinken';s remarks sparked pushback from some on America';s political right.Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah tweeted‚ ";NATO can have Ukraine. Or the U.S. But not both."; (@) ";This is completely irresponsible. Ukraine should not join NATO‚ and to invite them during a war is to invite our nation into war. Do you want American ground troops in Ukraine? If not‚ we must push back against the idea that Ukraine should join NATO‚"; GOP Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio wrote.";The Biden Administration seems hellbent on walking us into a global conflict with Russia‚"; GOP Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas declared in a post.While some GOP lawmakers want to green-light additional U.S. aid to Ukraine‚ other Republicans strongly oppose the prospect.";The last thing we need to be thinking about is sending more aid to Ukraine. We have so many more important things to take care of. Does anyone remember that were nearly $35 trillion in debt?"; GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado tweeted.GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has suggested that the U.S. should withdraw from NATO. Blinken said during remarks in Brussels that a second NATO-Ukraine Council had taken place and there is an aim to make ";a bridge to Ukraine';s full membership"; in NATO. (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Lea Nikki Bacharach dealt with Asperger';s-related symptoms all her life before she tragically died by suicide at the age of 40 in 2007. The post Inside The Death Of Lea Nikki Bacharach‚ Angie Dickinson And Burt Bacharachs Tormented Daughter appeared first on All That';s Interesting.

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OpenAI CTO Mira Murati didn';t have a good answer when The Wall Street Journal';s ace technology reporter Joanna Stern asked her on camera in March to identify what data was used to train the company';s text-to-video generation tool Sora. And thanks to new remarks from YouTube CEO Neal Mohan‚ it';s even more clear now why Murati beat around the bush instead of offering a clear answer.From a creators perspective‚ when a creator uploads their hard work to our platform‚ they have certain expectations‚ Mohansaid Thursday in an interview with Bloomberg';s Emily Chang. One of those expectations is that the terms of service (are) going to be abided by. It does not allow for things like transcripts or video bits to be downloaded‚ and that is a clear violation of our terms of service. Those are the rules of the road in terms of content on our platform.In other words: OpenAI hoovering up tons of YouTube videos to teach Sora what the real world looks like is unacceptable to the search giant.Sora is OpenAI';s AI-based text-to-video generator. Image source: OpenAINow‚ there';s nothing that makes me happier right now than seeing publishers blocking AI systems from using their content -- or‚ as YouTube';s CEO has done here‚ going so far as to sternly warn the content bandits at OpenAI to keep their fingers out of the cookie jar. But there';s something else in Mohan';s comments that should also leap out at anyone who';s been following Google';s plan to start stealing traffic from web publishers in favor of a new AI-version of Google Search.Does anyone else find it ironic that Google‚ which has a monopoly chokehold on the Internet search market‚ is using publisher data to train its search engine and its AI -- while at the same time warning OpenAI from doing the same thing with Google';s own YouTube data?Don';t get me wrong. I';m not cheering either side here. Because to a certain extent‚ all that';s going on here are tech giants gobbling up the open web‚ regurgitating it back to you in a rearranged format‚ and then pretending that that';s innovation. Of the two companies‚ OpenAI is clearly the more morally bankrupt‚ having built its systems on the creation and genius of other people who had no idea they would be inadvertently complicit in the creation of a giant copycat machine.Which is to say‚ it';s actually kind of irrelevant for YouTube to snipe at OpenAI over whether the latter has trained its systems on YouTube videos. The source of the theft‚ in other words‚ doesn';t make it any less odious. And to those of you who found yourself blown away by this or that hyper-realistic and AI-generated Sora video‚ I would simply ask you: Have you ever watched a Pixar movie? Computer-generated video is not a new thing.What is new is that OpenAI';s videos don';t require any humans.Those Sora videos can be generated by anyone‚ in seconds‚ on the basis of a simple text prompt. The AI does all the work for you‚ and the results indeed are impressive. But no longer needing human input‚ human creativity‚ human work to produces these things -- that';s pretty much all that';s different between Sora';s videos and a Pixar movie. One was designed by a sophisticated AI‚ the other by artists who imbued their work with humanity.In the final analysis‚ one thing that we all have in common is that we each get only one shot at life and have a finite amount of time to spend on the things we want to do. So it really says a lot about a company and its hundreds of employees when what they choose to do with their time is push the bounds of technology as much as they can‚ in order to find as many ways as possible to supplant their fellow humans.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBZ__BeChRgDon';t Miss: AI companies like OpenAI are basically performing gain-of-function research on humanityThe post YouTube CEO to OpenAI: Dont you dare use our videos to train Sora appeared first on BGR.Today';s Top DealsTodays deals: $4 smart plugs‚ HP laptops‚ Duracell batteries‚ $23 Echo Pop‚ Under Armour sale‚ moreAmazon Big Spring Sale: Free Samsung 65 TV‚ $179 AirPods Pro 2‚ Dyson vacuums‚ KitchenAid‚ Peloton‚ moreBest deals: Tech‚ laptops‚ TVs‚ and more salesAmazon Big Spring Sale: 40 best-selling deals you need to see

Travelling to Mars has its own challenges. The distance alone makes the journey something of a mission in itself. Arrive though‚ and the handwork has only just begun. Living and surviving on Mars will be perhaps humans biggest challenge yet. It would be impossible to take everything along with you to survive so instead‚ it would be imperative to live off the land and produce as much locally as possible. A new rover called AgroMars will be equipped with a number of agriculture related experiments to study the make up of the soil to assess its suitability for growing food.Growing food on Mars poses a number of challenges‚ chiefly due to the harsh environmental conditions. Not least of which is the low atmospheric pressure‚ temperature extremes and high radiation levels. To try and address these‚ new techniques have been developed in the fields of hydroponics and aeroponics. The key to these new techniques involves using nutrient rich solutions instead of soils.Special structures are build analogous to greenhouses on Earth with artificial lighting‚ temperature and humidity control. Genetic engineering too has played a part in developing plants that are more hardy and capably of surviving in harsh Martian environments. As we continue to explore the Solar System and in particular Mars‚ we are going to have to find ways to grow food in alien environments.The space stations Veggie Facility‚ tended here by NASA astronaut Scott Tingle‚ during the VEG-03 plant growth investigation‚ which cultivated Extra Dwarf Pak Choi‚ Red Russian Kale‚ Wasabi mustard‚ and Red Lettuce and harvested on-orbit samples for testing back on Earth. Credits: NASAEnter AgroMars. A space mission taking a rover to Mars to hunt for‚ and explore the possibility of establishing agriculture on Mars! The rover will be launched with similar capabilities to the likes of Perseverance or Curiosity. The rover will be launched to Mars by a Falcon 9 launch vehicle operated by Space X but this is some years off yet. The development phase has yet to start. In a paper by lead author M. Duarte dos San- tos the mission has been shaped‚ reality is a little way off.On arrival‚ AgroMars will use an X-ray and infrared spectrometer‚ high resolution cameras‚ pH sensors‚ mass spectrometers and drilling tools to collect and analyse soil samples. The samples will be assessed for mineralogical composition‚ soil texture‚ soil pH‚ presence of organic compounds and water retention capacity.To be able to assess the Martian soil the rover must possess advanced capabilities for collecting and analysing soil samples‚ more than before. The data will then be sent on to laboratories on Earth and it is their responsibility to interpret the information. The multitude of groups involved is a wonderful reminder how science transcends geographical borders. Working together will yield far better results and help to advance our knowledge of astrobiology and agriculture on Mars.Calypso Panorama of Spirits View from Troy. This full-circle view from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASAs Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the terrain surrounding the location called Troy‚ where Spirit became embedded in soft soil during the spring of 2009. The hundreds of images combined into this view were taken beginning on the 1‚906th Martian day (or sol) of Spirits mission on Mars (May 14‚ 2009) and ending on Sol 1943 (June 20‚ 2009). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell UniversityThis doesnt come cheap though. The estimated cost of the mission is in the region of $2.7 billion which includes development‚ launch and exploration for the entire mission.The total cost of the mission is estimated to be around $2.7 billion‚ which includes $2.2 billion for the development and launch of the rover and $500 million for its exploitation during the entirety of the mission. Whether it pardon the pun gets off the ground is yet to be seen but if we are to explore and even establish a permanent base on Mars then we will have to gain a better understanding of the environment to feed and sustain future explorers.Source : AgroMars‚ Space Mission Concept Study To Explore Martian Soil And Atmosphere To Search For Possibility Of Agriculture on Mars.Link : The post Want to Start a Farm on Mars? This Rover Will Find Out if its Possible appeared first on Universe Today.

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