🐻 Meet the bear who fought the Nazis

We know things aren't always perfect at work. This week, you may have dealt with a difficult client, or had a challenging case, or couldn't eat lunch one day because you were pulled in a million different directions. We feel for you, and we've been there.

But when the going gets tough, just remember that you're definitely having a better week than Elon Musk and Sam Bankman-Fried. We promise there will be no more references to the Twitter and crypto meltdowns. We're sticking to what we know for this week's newsletter:

🕯️ Remembering the animals of war
🥩 The raw food debate 
👍 Some good news 
🚀 Quick hits: stories of the week

🕯️ Remembering the animals of war

This past Friday November 11 was the 104th anniversary of the armistice that concluded World War I. Since 1918, Commonwealth countries have celebrated Remembrance Day - or Veteran's Day in the US - to honor the sacrifice of armed forced members, and the red poppy has become a symbol of remembrance and hope for a peaceful future.

There is some debate as to whether animals who have served in armed conflicts should be remembered as heroes or victims. On one hand, the purple poppy was created in 2006 by the charity Animal Aid as a way to commemorate animals as the forgotten victims of war. On the other hand, the Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the UK to honor the work of animals in World War II, and the and Gold Cross was instituted in 2001 to acknowledge the bravery and devotion of some of our finest animal companions. Approximately eight million horses and donkeys died during the First World War. In WW2, there is no definitive figure but estimates range from 2-5 million.

These are staggering numbers, and it's hard to say that they were anything but victims in a human conflict. But the stories of animal heroics across the Great Wars shine just as brightly.

From Gustav - the a RAF messenger pigeon who carried the news over 150 miles to England that the allied forces had landed on the beaches in Normandy, to Jet - a search and rescue dog responsible for recovering 150 people from buildings destroyed in German air raids. Our personal favorite is the story of Wotjek the 'Soldier Bear'. Wotjek was adopted by Polish troops in WW2 and become the unofficial mascot of 22nd Transport Artillery Supply Company.

In 1943, when the unit was posted in Italy the troops officially enlisted Wojtek so he could accompany them. He was assigned a service number and given the rank of Private. Wojtek helped keep front-line troops supplied by carrying heavy shells and boxes of ammunition. The image of Wojtek carrying shells was later incorporated into the company’s insignia (above). After the war, Wojtek travelled with the unit to Scotland, where he eventually found a home at Edinburgh Zoo. Memorial statues and plaques of Wotjek can be found in Poland, the UK, and Italy.

Along with the video above, the Imperial War Museum has a list of 15 animals that went to war, along with some fascinating photographs of the animals in action. 

🥩  The raw food debate

The team behind Bella & Duke - a raw pet food subscription service in the UK - is on a PR mission to have veterinary leaders re-examine their product since the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has previously warned of a “significant risk” from a raw diet. The BVA is expected to review it's position in the coming months. 

As you likely know, most of the concern about raw feeding relates to concerns over the greater reported prevalence of Salmonella and antibiotic-resistant forms of E coli among raw-fed dogs.

Our take:

At Obi, we are fans of science. And the best reports we’ve see have placed raw food at the center of zoonotic risk for food borne pathogens. While it may be the right choice for a very select group of dogs, it's important to remember that a golden doodle is not a wolf. So just feed it a dental kibble and watch it live a long and happy life. 

But as raw food diets gain popularity, the debate will only get stronger. So what do you think: should veterinarians be recommending raw food diets?

👍 Some good news 

Once,again the fine people at Future Crunch have compiled all kinds of good news for us to enjoy. From improved human health around the world, to improved conservation efforts, to progress on climate change - we promise you'll find something to get excited about in the newsletter. 

But here are three animal-centric pieces of good news that we'd like to share. Courtesy of Future Crunch:

Almost 4,000 hectares of koala habitat in Australia will be protected after the land was privately acquired for conservation. The habitat is home to more than 100 vertebrate species, including the endangered koala and 11 other animals listed as threatened. It's also surrounded on three sides by largely intact forest - allowing animals to move freely from place to place. Guardian 

The jaguar is making a comeback in the Mexico's Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, one of the biggest unbroken tropical forests in the Americas. The government has also tentatively agreed to expand the reserve from 726,000 to 1.3 million hectares, which would make it one of the largest protected areas in the world's tropics. NYT 

More than 6,000 hatchlings of endangered taricaya, charapa and teparo turtles have been released into Peru's Amazon basin to help them repopulate. The eggs were collected from natural sites and then allowed to incubate in protected areas. "With the release of these species at risk, it will be possible to repopulate the lagoons and rivers of the Amazon." France24 

🚀  Quick hits

Here are some stories we're following this week from around the veterinary world and animal kingdom:

Finding purpose in a career in veterinary medicine [DVM360] 

Bridging the veterinary inequity gap [DVM360] 

Scientists illuminate how virus attacks cat kidney, could jump to humans [AVMA] 

Veterinary ‘Work-Life Balance’ Debate: Is Burnout A New Phenomenon? [Paulick Report] 

AVMA offers resources during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week [AVMA]