These stories are worth a click:

A Florida man, after getting swiped across the face by a bear paw, was fined $200 for feeding wildlife. The female bear was later captured and euthanized. —OrlandoSentinel.com

An editorial in The Canadian Medical Association Journal calls for the ban of pets from airplane cabins, citing allergy risks to passengers. —NYTimes.com

New York City's oldest dog, a 20-year-old dachshund named Paco Sosa, died last week after living over 140 canine years. —New York Daily News

Saffron finches, known for their aggressive mating behavior, are increasingly being used in canary fighting rings. Owners breed the birds for aggressiveness and sharpen their beaks, and the birds can sell for more than $1,000 each. —The Boston Globe

Two meerkats at a Lisbon zoo escaped their enclosure and wandered into a giraffe's pen. The animals were photographed sniffing one another before the giraffe got upset and the meerkats ran off. —Mail Online