Quick Hits: Mardi Gras School for Horses; Chimp Regulation

These stories are worth a click:

* New Orleans polices horses go to two-week Mardi Gras school to tolerate flags, drunks, bands, silly string and other scary distractions. – AP

* Birders tallying species for the 2009 Great Backyard Bird Count. – BirdSource

* Chimp attack renews push to ban primates as pets in Connecticut and nationwide. – MSNBC

* Maryland decides not to ban letting your dog run free in the back of your pick-up truck. Yee-haw! – ZooToo

* Chicagoland trainer sets up a pet food pantry for those hit by the financial crisis. – Chicago Tribune