Animals of all sorts at State Museum; 2 homeless dogs

Common loon  

How did turtles’ skeletons move from inside to outside, becoming part of their protective shell, or carapace?  Do you know the two animals in our world who go way back to the Ice Age?  (Hint: they’re both “long in the tooth.”)  What bird is known to use tools and recognize individual humans? 

Answers to these questions and zillions more are easy to find at the New Jersey State Museum, Trenton. What’s more, the place is spacious; its exhibits are interestingly varied; it has great informative signage in the galleries I visited recently; and it’s open for more days and hours than might be expected. (Tuesday-Sunday: 9 am-4:45 pm; some galleries start closing by 4:30 pm) 

a Jersey dino

Yes, this is an undisguised pitch for visiting the State Museum, especially on a Sunday, when there’s free street parking in front of the main museum building (205 W. State St.).  A few weeks ago with a friend, I found far more things to look at, read and think about than there was time.  Return visits are a certainty!

Although the museum includes a planetarium, our visit was about overviewing the collection after some-time away -- but we could only make a stab at that goal via (1) "Written in the Rocks/Paleo Lab/Discovery Den," (2) the exhibition on "Fine Feathered Friends: Birds as Mainstay and Muse," featuring 200 rarely-seen artifacts & specimens," and (3) the Fine Art Collection. 

There’s also a gift shop that, uncharacteristically, we had to pass up that day for lack of time.

For details and news, the place to go is the museum’s comprehensive website, https://nj.gov/state/museum/index.shtml.  And after that, maybe I’ll see you at the State Museum, looking for answers to the questions posed above.

2 shelter dogs who need loving homes

Meet Bishop, now a resident at Easel’s animal shelter, but soon (we hope) a happy dog in a loving home.  It doesn't seem that he’s been kenneled before, so the shelter’s hustle and bustle are both stimulating and confusing for him.  He can appear to be depressed, which is why he’ll be much happier in a home – asap!

A strong, energetic dog, Bishop’s very affectionate and has had some training.  He likes other dogs and is friendly with people.  He has been around young children, but is too energetic for them.  He enjoys going for walks and being outside in the fresh air. And he loves to go to adoption events and meeting new people.  (Maybe that’s how he’ll find his new family.)

In the home, Bishop is relatively calm with enough exercise; he appears to be housebroken; and he would make an excellent companion.  He enjoys loading up in the car and going for rides, especially if those trips  include a stop at the drive-thru for a special treat.  

We think Bishop would be happiest in a home with a calm other dog.  He enjoys playing with puppies and less dominant dogs at the shelter.  In his new home, Bishop would appreciate a couch to curl up on or a dog bed to snuggle in. 

Meet Dozer, a friendly, four-year-old Pointer-Lab-Staffordshire Terrier mix searching for his forever home.  He was transferred to Easel from a high-volume shelter where he was overlooked, so now he has a better chance of finding his new family.  

Energetic and active, Dozer would be a perfect fit for a home where hiking trips and other outdoor activities are frequent pastimes.  He likes going to the park and adoption events.  Although he enjoys playing with other dogs, he can be overwhelming if they can’t match his energy and play style.  

Structure is good for this handsome boy, who can occasionally get antsy when he needs exercise. That’s why an active home is so important.  Not a candidate for a home with young children, he’s still learning manners and not to jump.  Dozer knows his basic commands and has mastered the agility course at the shelter.  

As a resident there for several months now, Dozer is ready for the loving home that all dogs deserve to have.

 

--Info on Bishop and Dozer courtesy of a spokesperson for Easel Animal Rescue League (easelnj.org). 

 

 

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