Colson's Corner

05/15/2026

05/15/2026

Killing our national symbol to sell on the black market? Not on our watch.

A Washington man admitted to killing bald and golden eagles on and around the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana and selling their feathers and body parts on the black market, part of an illegal operation that slaughtered thousands of birds. Since then, a coconspirator in Texas, who recently pleaded guilty to buying the illegally taken eagle parts, admitted to purchasing those parts and having them shipped to his home.

This wasn’t an accidental poaching incident. This was part of an organized, profit driven wildlife crime carried out over years by multiple conspirators.

And it was stopped by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement and partners, who uncovered the crime, followed the money, and built the cases that brought these traffickers to justice.

This National Police Week, we recognize the law enforcement professionals who protect wildlife and safeguard the public every day.



Photo of the feet and feathers of a golden eagle that were seized by USFWS law enforcement. Photo by USFWS

05/14/2026

Hope Eunice Bush, 54, of Lusby, has been charged in Calvert County District Court with misdemeanor animal cruelty and misdemeanor animal cruelty for failing to provide necessary care after authorities said a cream-colored Poodle mix-type dog was found in severely neglected condition at a Solomons ve...

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

Big thanks to

Nita Dressel, Lyn Whitenight, Heidi Abraham

for all your support! Congrats for being top fans on a streak 🔥!

05/14/2026

Just When you’re confident in your dog training success….

05/13/2026

No, no, no, no! Do NOT do this! Please!

The internet is full of photos and videos of people picking up wild animals by the tail, particularly opossums, armadillos, and snapping turtles. It’s easy to get the impression that this is a normal and appropriate way to handle them. It’s not!

An animal’s tail is part of the spine. Pulling on it can cause serious damage that could be painful, disabling, or even fatal. A tail is not a handle. People tend to understand this with cats and dogs but forget when it comes to wildlife.

Even among species like opossums and spider monkeys, who use their tails for balance and might briefly support part of their body weight using their tails, the tail is not made to be weight-bearing for more than a few seconds and generally can’t support an adult’s full body weight even briefly. (Opossums don’t hang by their tails in adulthood— that’s a myth.)

Please be kind. If you need to handle a wild animal for some reason, such as to move it out of the road, please look up how to do properly or call a rehabilitator for help.