paw planet

33,000 years old Domestic Dog Skull

2012-01-24T22:54:00.000-08:00

Dog is known to be one of the first animal to be domesticated, and its not surprise because of the recent discoveries of a 33,000 years old dog skull. This ancient dog skull found in Altai Mountains of Siberia is consider as one of the oldest known evidence of of early domestication between the human and dog.

A researcher at the University of Arizona's Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Laboratory and co-author of a study reporting the find. According to them the find is domesticated based on morphological characteristics. Wolves have long thin snouts and their teeth are not crowded, and domestication results in this shortening of the snout and widening of the jaws and crowding of the teeth.

They also said that the interesting part of this is that we typically think of domestication on those times are for cows, sheep and goats, things that produce food through meat or secondary agricultural products such as milk, cheese and wool and things like that. They are probably providing protection, companionship and perhaps helping on the hunt.

Two women arrested after more than 100 dogs found in back of U-Haul

2012-01-20T01:02:00.000-08:00

Authorities in West Tennessee arrested two women when they discovered 128 live dogs, one dead dog and a live cat inside a U-Haul truck during a traffic stop on Interstate 40.

David Lytal, special agent in charge of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, said an agent found the animals Tuesday after detecting a foul odor coming from the back of the truck on I-40 in Fayette County. Lytal says the agent found dog kennels stacked in the truck without food, water, or adequate air and had been in the truck since Saturday.

The women told authorities they were taking the animals from California to Virginia, but they did not say why. The driver, Bonnie Sherman, 55, and passenger Pamela King-McCracken, 59, were booked in Fayette County jail on aggravated animal cruelty charges. They were scheduled to have a court hearing Tuesday afternoon and had not yet secured lawyers, a jail official said.

Currently, the SPCA is providing temporary emergency shelter for the dogs.

Father dies while saving puppy

2012-01-17T00:36:00.001-08:00

A heroic father of two, William Tuttle crawled across the frozen surface in Fountain, Colorado after fearing their family dog was drowning.

Tuttle was able to save the dog, but he could not escape the frigid water. The Fountain Fire Department said it took 90 minutes to find Tuttle's body. Rescue divers had to feel their way along the bottom of the pond during their search because the water below the ice was so murky. He was rushed to the Hospital but died a short time later.

His distraught daughter Megan, 19, said her only comfort is that her father’s last words were to tell her he loved her. ‘I told him I love him too,’ she told KRDO News 13. ‘It's so hard. He's not here anymore. He was such a great man.‘You would never see him without a smile on his face. He was always so happy. He would help anybody out if they needed it.’ While his son Taylor, 16, said he was proud of his father, adding: ‘He's my angel right now. He is. It wasn't stupid. He did what he had to do.’

Those who knew Tuttle said he was a kind man who cared deeply for his family. While saddened by his tragic death, many said they would have done the same thing for their own pets.

Carrie Underwood rescues injured pooch on Highway

2012-01-10T00:36:00.000-08:00

Singer Carrie Underwood proves that she's truly a dog's bestfriend when she rescues an injured one.

On her way home from a visit with her parents, she saw two dogs on the median of an interstate highway between Oklahoma and Tennessee. Instead of reporting it to the authorities, she pulled over and checked the poor dogs. When one the injured dogs started wagging its tail, she carried the bloody dog and load it in her car. Unfortunately, the other dog died. Carrie took the pooch, which she named Stella to the emergency vet.

On New Year's day, she updated her fans with a progress report: Stella was getting house trained, recovering from her road rash and getting her teeth cleaned. She also tried to find a permanent home for her little friend.

A day later, Carrie shared that she'd had to say goodbye to her new pal. Neighbors from down the street had adopted Stella and said she could visit now and then.

Dog Survives a killer Avalanche

2012-01-06T01:12:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Bozeman resident Dave Gaillard, his wife Terry, and their Corgi Welsh dog named Ole were cross-country skiing along Hayden Creek four miles southeast of Cooke City when they inadvertently triggered the slide that buried both man and dog.

Kerry grabbed onto a tree branch and survived. Dave was buried in 12 feet of snow, and there was no sign of Ole. Later that night, Dave's body was located and brought down from the mountainside. Ole was nowhere to be found. Heartbroken and in a state of shock Kerry returned to Bozeman.

Then, four days later, Ole showed up exhausted and hungry back at the motel, four miles from where the slide occurred. It is unbelievable how a dog with diminutive legs dug out and marched four miles to the motel across rugged terrain blanketed with 60 inches of snow, but Ole made it and survived.

Ole was delivered to Gaillard's family Wednesday night, and doing really well now.

Want a pet cat? Think first!

2011-12-28T00:38:00.001-08:00

Who would not be tempted of that adorable and playful kitten in the pet shop? But before you decided to get one, you may want to think first.

While having a cat as a kid may protect against future allergies, getting one in adulthood nearly doubles the chances of developing an immune reaction to it such as wheezing, sneezing and itchy eyes according to European studies.

Researchers surveyed more than 6,000 adult Europeans twice over nine years and took blood samples. None of participants had antibodies against cat in their blood to begin with, meaning they weren't sensitized to the animal's dander. Sensitization can also be measured in a skin prick test. It doesn't necessarily lead to symptoms, but in many cases it is the harbinger of full-blown allergies. About three percent of people who didn't have a cat at either survey became sensitized over the study, compared to five percent of those who acquired a cat during those nine years. Four in 10 of the newly sensitized also said they experienced allergy symptoms around animals -- four times the rate seen among people without antibodies against cats. The team found that people who'd had a cat in childhood had a much smaller risk of becoming sensitized to it than those who were new cat owners.

If you are an adult with asthma or other allergies and you want to acquire a pet cat, you should think twice. And if you do so, make sure to keep it out of your bedroom.

NY Allowed Pet Lovers to be buried on Pet Cemetery

2011-12-20T00:35:00.000-08:00

After being banned earlier this year, New York state division of cemeteries has issued regulations to once again allow animal lovers to rest in peace with their pets.

Pet owners can now have their ashes buried with their favorite animals. The board allow the practices for some conditions. For example, pet cemeteries may not advertise that they accept human ashes or charge a fee for doing so. The board has also proposed regulations that would allow such burials at all the pet cemeteries in the state. The director of a pet cemetery in the New York suburbs says he has no problem with that. The cemetery has been adding human ashes to pet plots since 1925.

Another Dog Shoots his Master

2011-12-12T23:12:00.000-08:00

We just recently post a dog accidentally shot his owner in his buttocks. Now another dog accidentally shots his owner but this time in Florida.

A 78 year old man from Florida got shot by his dog while hunting. Billy Brown was shot in his thigh by his bulldog Eli. According to a report his dog was riding next to him in the front seat with the gun in between them. A bumpy road get the dog excited and knocked the gun, shooting his owner in the thigh.

Brown was rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Fla. where he underwent surgery. And fortunately he is now in a stable condition.

Pusuke the World’s Oldest Dog Dies

2011-12-06T23:36:00.000-08:00

The world's oldest living dog dies at age of 26, equivalent to 125 in human years. Pusuke is born in April of 1985 and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records last December as the world’s oldest-living dog.

The dog is reportedly eating well and and active until Monday, when he lost his appetite and had difficulty breathing. He died five minutes after his owner Yumiko Shinohara had returned home from a walk. And according to her, “I think (Pusuke) waited for me to come home.”

Dog shoots his owner in buttocks

2011-12-01T00:47:00.001-08:00

A bird hunter from Brigham City Utah was rushed to a hospital after accidentally shot by his dog on his buttocks. The 46 year old man who has not been named together with his friend were duck hunting Sunday about 8:30 a.m. on the north end of the Great Salt Lake when the accident happen.

The police officers confirmed the incident was not a hoax. The man left his 12-gauge shotgun in the boat before the dog stepped on it, causing it to discharge. It happens when the man got out of the boat, the dog inside the vessel jumped up on the bow and stepped on the gun. The medical crews later removed 27 pellets, they also added that the waders that the man's wearing helped prevent a more serious injury.

FDA: Chicken Jerky Treats maybe dangerous

2011-11-23T00:05:00.000-08:00

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) renewed a warning about giving your dog a jerky chicken treats. They said that there are dozens of new reports of f mysterious illnesses and some deaths in dogs by eating jerky chicken. There are around 70 cases so far this year after reportedly eating chicken jerky products imported from China. The warnings about this product started back in 2007.

Unfortunately the FDA officials have not been able to find a cause for the illnesses. And they note that the reports of illness have not conclusively been tied to chicken jerky products, also sold as chicken tenders, chicken strips or chicken treats. Dog owners are advised to report any related case to FDA’s Pet Food Complaint site.

Police Chases Dog on a Freeway

2011-11-18T00:31:00.000-08:00

A dog chase by the police officers after an accident on the Red Mountain Freeway in Arizona. A Pomeranian dog named Mango jumped out of the car involved in the accident and run on the freeway.

Officers from the Department of Public Safety chased the dog on the freeway. The dog dodged traffic going as fast as 70 miles per hour. A video footage from a local news shows officers riding motorcycles to catch the dog. And some of the passing drivers even got out of their cars to try to catch the dog.

The dog's owner was taken to the hospital after the crash, and Mango was eventually caught and reunited with her owner at a nearby high school. The Officer who caught Mango said that the dog ‘wasn’t happy when I grabbed her. She snapped at me’.

Dog Euthanized without owner's permission

2011-11-15T01:01:00.000-08:00

A dog accidentally euthanized hours after going missing. A dog from Virginia had been euthanized at a local animal hospital after less than three hours after the dog escaped from the owner's backyard. The 17 year old Corgi/Border Collie mix named Basie was out in the backyard on Nov. 1 and wandered away into the woods, when a woman found her who thought she was a stray, brought the dog to a local animal shelter, where a veterinarian later euthanized her.

The veterinarian said that the dog suffered from a variety of health problems that's why they decided to taker her down. But the owner, Allen and Alison Holmes insisted the dog was not ready to go. And in addition, the animal hospital's examination report indicates the dog was alert and responsive. Now the owners are currently deciding whether or not to press charges. Unfortunately this case is not rare, there are several cases of accidental mix-ups with a local animal shelters that leads to taking down dogs.

Cat Cruelty Caught on Cam

2011-11-10T22:20:00.000-08:00

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is looking for a man caught on CCTV swinging a cat by its tail. They circulated a video to local media showing a man walking outside a pub and swinging a cat while walking down a street.

It is caught by a CCTV camera outside the Camden Arms pub in Ramsgate and police are now looking for the man in the video. The owner of the cat, Michelle Buchanan said that her pet had been left mentally scarred by the incident. "He's not physically injured but he is mentally. Ever since the incident happened, when he eventually came home, he's never gone back outside," she said.

Kidnapped Dog Jagger found dead

2011-11-03T00:32:00.001-07:00

We recently post about this dog Jagger being held for ransom, and now the dog found dead. Jagger went missing last month and the owner Jennifer Thomas received a text message from the thieves and threatening to kill her and her dog if they don’t get a $1,000 and the owner's prescription pain pills. Thomas contacted the police, despite being warned not to alert the authorities.

The dog remains were found dumped in the side of a road and railroad tracks in South Kelso, Washington. After examination, it is believed that the dog was killed and placed on the tracks, after which it was struck by a passing train.” But police have arrested two male suspects after multiple tips lead them to the men, Jesse James Clark and Johnny Lee Jordan. According to the news, Clark is being charged with possession of stolen property 2nd degree and giving false and misleading statements to a law enforcement officer. Jordan is being charged with possession of stolen property 2nd degree and extortion in the 2nd degree.

Selena and Justin Adopts a Dog

2011-10-25T23:48:00.000-07:00

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber adopt a dog a in a local animal shelter. Winnipeg animal rescue D'Arcy's A.R.C. got a surprise visit from the young couple, who stopped by for some canine therapy. Gomez is currently on tour and performed in Winnipeg over the weekend. They adopt a 10-week-old husky puppy that they later named Baylor.

Selena owns five rescue dogs and has publicly spoke out in support of animal rescue shelters. And she decided to adopt the pet pooch after missing her canine companions while she was away on tour.

The adoption news was first reported by HollywoodLife.

Boy mauled by a Drunk Dog

2011-10-24T01:06:00.000-07:00

A 10-year-old boy attacked by a drunk dog. The Staffordshire bull terrier mauled Joseph Pickering after a minutes of forcing to drink a can of Stella Artois by the uncle's owner. The boy was bitten in the face by the dog after leaning over his next door neighbour's fence to stroke it.

The boy rushed to the hospital with a facial wounds just above his eye and needed a skin graft to treat the injury. The dog named Diesel was said to be a "generally good-natured dog" before the incident, so a civil action was brought under the Dangerous Dogs Act for failing to keep the animal under proper control. An application for the dog's destruction was also brought by police but was not granted. The dog's life was spared when an animal psychologist David Gilman told the magistrates the beer was to blame - not the dog.

Dog held for ransom

2011-10-18T00:33:00.000-07:00

A disabled woman from Washington said that her dog is being help for ransom. Jennifer Thomas told a local news that a thieves stole her dog and are threatening to kill him if they don’t get a $1,000 and the drugs they want.

Jennifer said that she saw a man and a woman in her driveway just before she noticed her English bulldog named “Jaggar”, was missing. Since then, she’s received disturbing text messages from people claiming to have her dog. Jennifer also said that the people who took her dog knew that she was in a wheelchair, and she take prescription painkillers which the thieves demanded.
Despite being warned not to alert authorities, Jennifer has contacted Cowlitz County police for help.

Facebark account gets an Award

2011-10-13T23:40:00.000-07:00

Facebark which is a page on a social networking site Facebook was set up to help reunite lost dogs with their owners. Middlesbrough Council dog warden service created this page where it posts pictures of dogs that have been found. It also shares photos of animals it wants to rehouse, as well as using the site to send out messages about microchipping pets.

And now Facebark has won one of the RSPCA's Community Animal Welfare Footprints (CAWF) Innovator Awards. The first of its kind in the UK. The judges praised the Middlesbrough entry as an example of a simple but extremely effective and well managed idea. The page now has around 1,400 followers with around 20,000 hits every month. It has helped to reunite owners and rehomed many dogs.

The Facebark page can be viewed at: http://www.facebook.com/facebarkmiddlesbrough

Read more: http://goo.gl/YPnd0

Dog Saves Family from fire

2011-10-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

Another dog saves lives. A family saved by their dog from being a victims of a burning house. Sunday morning at Shire Way near Lawrenceville, a house is on fire. A woman and her child were fast asleep when they woke to the sound of their dog barking.

When the woman got up to check on what was going on, she discovered her home was on fire. The family immediately get out of the house, and luckily one was injured, but there was extensive damage to the walls, attic and roof of the two-story wood frame home. Smoke alarms inside the house had not yet sounded because the majority of fire was on the outside and in the attic. Gwinnett County firefighters received the call around 4:20 a.m, and they took about 40mins to control the fire. The firefighters praised the family dog for saving the family.

Bret Michaels Designing a Pet Products

2011-10-05T00:45:00.001-07:00

Bret Michaels from the band Poison is working with a pet product company to launch his own pet product line. Bret known for his outfit bandanas are now into a new business, he said: "As a dedicated pet owner myself, this is a natural partnership for me, and I can't wait to unveil the collection,” the singer said. “I know my own pets rock, and I wanted to design a line of pet products every bit as fun and cool as they are."

He is working up with PetSmart to launch this pet products to be sold exclusively at the chain called "Bret Michaels Pets Rock Collection." It has not yet been revealed what the line will look like, but the company says it will include dog beds, pet clothing, bowls and feeders, collars, and leashes, among other items. The Bret Michaels Pets Rock collection will be available at PetSmart and is set to launch Summer of 2012.

Two-Faced Cat Sets World Record

2011-09-28T03:46:00.000-07:00

Animal born with two face are very unusual and they usually live for just couple of days, but one cat sets a Guinness world record for the longest living Janus cat. Frank and Louie has a case of craniofacial duplication, an extremely rare congenital condition, a disorder also known as diprosopia which can cause part or all of an individual's face to be duplicated on its head.

Frank and Louie is the name of the cat that holds this new world record. The cat was born on September 8, 1999 with two faces, two mouths, two noses, two normal eyes, and one large non functioning eye in the center. The cat has one brain, so both faces act in unison. Frank and Louie is now 12 years old, the longest living on its condition. The cat's owner is a former veterinary nurse who does not want to be identified.

Councilman criticized for naming his dog Muhammad

2011-09-22T22:23:00.001-07:00

California councilman criticized after mentioning in a meeting that he named his dog Muhammad. Councilman Derek Reeve attract media attention, and now criticized by Muslim community and his own colleagues. He said that the comment was not meant be disparaging to Muslims.

Dogs are considered unclean in Muslim culture and calling someone a "dog" is a grave insult, so naming a dog after the Islamic prophet is even worse. And now the Islamic Circle of North America's Southern California chapter wants Reeve to apologize. So far, he did not offer an apology to anyone who might have been offended by the name of his dog.

Drowned dog found tied with barbells

2011-09-21T00:46:00.000-07:00

A bull terrier dog found near at Bay Pines Bridge weighted down with two barbells. A fisherman found the rotting body of the dog with a rope wrapped around the dog's waist and at the end of the rope there were two barbells, each about 15 pounds.

A homeless man first spotted dog and asked a fisherman to call 911. The police officer with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Animals Tampa Bay went to the scene and retrieved the dog that was in a foot of water. The investigators said that they found a tattoo under the dog's left hind leg, which might help investigators identify the dog's owner.

Authorities are asking who may have information on the dog, its owner or the events that led to the animal being dumped into the water is asked to call the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, 727-582-6200. The public also can contact the SPCA, which encourages people to report animal cruelty. If neglect or abuse of an animal is suspected, contact SPCA Tampa Bay 24 hours a day, at 727-586-3591, ext. 135.

Glow-in-the-dark cats help scientists for AIDS study

2011-09-13T01:30:00.000-07:00

Scientists are now using a technique that produced genetically modified cats that might help human and feline medical research. According to a study, cats are like humans and also can develop AIDS. US researcher Eric Poeschla has produced a glowing cats by using a virus to carry a gene, called green fluorescent protein (GFP), into the eggs from which the animals eventually grew. GFP is originally found in jellyfish, which makes the cat glow green under ultraviolet light.

And this GFP isn't the only extra-species gene this cat is carrying, it's also carries a gene called TRIMCyp, which is originally found in monkeys. And for this it might help researchers to combat diseases like HIV/AIDS. According to Eric Poeschla, M.D, the best things about this biomedical research is that it is aimed at benefiting both human and feline health.

Loyal dog refused to leave soldier's coffin

2011-08-24T23:20:00.000-07:00

Dogs are known for being loyal companions, recently we blog about a dog died when his handler soldier past away. And now dog of a slain US Navy SEAL remained loyal even in death, the dog refuse to leave his owner's casket during the funeral service.

Petty Officer Jon Tumilson from San Diego past away on August 6 in Afghanistan during a mission. During the service his Labrador Hawkeye walked up to the casket, heaved a sigh and lay down in front of it for the duration of the memorial. Tumlinson's cousin took this heart-wrenching photo and posted it on her Facebook page. And truly Hawkeye captured the public’s emotions.

Dog can sniff out Lung Cancer

2011-08-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

You might heard about a study that dog can sniffs out prostate cancer, now a new study in Germany suggest that dogs can also sniffs out human lung cancer.

According to the study, dogs were able to accurately sniff out tumors in 71% of patients in a German hospital , making scientists hopeful that dogs with their keen sense of smell could be used in early detection of lung cancer.

After smelling the breath of over 200 volunteers including healthy people, lung cancer patients, and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the dogs were incredibly detect lung cancer even in the presence of other scents like tobacco smoke. Current lab tests for lung cancer can’t do this. This suggests that there is indeed a VOC associated directly with lung cancer, which can be detected — at least by a dog — even in the presence of other compounds.

Though the study shows that there is a marker for lung cancer in the breath , still they don't know what it is. There's still more work to be done.

Pet GPS Tracker

2011-08-15T23:02:00.001-07:00

Qualcomm subsidiary called Snaptracs launched its new pet tracker, a lightweight tracking device called Tagg that attaches to a pet’s collar and helps pet owners track down their lost pets.

Snaptracs said that their product uses advanced global positioning systems technology to track the device, which is attached to the pet’s collar. If a pet goes out of a zone designated by its owner, they can be tracked either via a Web site or a mobile application. It send an alert via text messaging and e-mail to the pet’s owner. They can also locate their pets by using online mapping technology.

The Tagg Master Kit includes all hardware and one full year of service. It weighs about an ounce by itself, and about 1.5 ounces with a ring attached to connect to a pet's collar. Verizon's network is used for communication, and its battery power last about 30 days before it needs to be recharged.

Here is a video on how it works:

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Dog Helps Teenage Rape Victim Testify

2011-08-10T23:43:00.000-07:00

Dogs have always had the ability to soothe restless hearts and souls. This complex dog quality is now being utilized in the courtroom to comfort those victims who are too emotionally traumatized to provide testimony, just like what Rosie did.

A traumatized teenage rape victim testified in court last month with the help of a furry friend Rosie, the first judicially approved courtroom dog in New York. The dog would lean in and nudge the 15-year-old girl whenever she seemed afraid during her testimony. With the girl’s account, prosecutors were able to secure a conviction for her father, who sexually abused her for four years.

Rosie is an 11-year-old golden retriever whose regular job is helping provide therapy in schools for troubled children, was there at her side, helping to calm a child who experts said is otherwise incapable of talking about her traumatic ordeal.

Merrick's Dog Treats Recall

2011-08-09T23:32:00.001-07:00

Merrick Pet Care pet food company has voluntarily recalled their dog treats potentially contaminated with salmonella. They are recalling a single lot of its Doggie Wishbone pet treats and it was shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the U.S.

248 cases of Doggie Wishbone, Item # 29050, UPC# 2280829050, Lot 11031 with Best By 30 Jan 2013 are included in this recall. And no other Merrick brand products are involved. So far no illnesses have been reported, but consumer advised to discontinue use of this product.

For information of this recall or refund may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 6:00am – 3:00pm PST. You can also visit FDA website http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm267247.htm for more info.

Purina Cat Food Recall

2011-08-02T23:12:00.001-07:00

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Nestlé Purina PetCare Company announced a recall of Purina One cat food because of a possible salmonella contamination. Last Saturday Nestle Purina PetCare Company (NPPC) issued a voluntary recall on a limited number of their “Purina One dry cat food” product.

The affected batches include: Purina One Vibrant Maturity 7+, 3.5 pounds, "Best by Date" of May 2012 and production code: 03341084. UPC: 17800 01885; code: 03351084. UPC: 17800 01885; code: 03341084. UPC: 17800 01887 and code: 03351084. UPC: 17800 01887.

Consumer are advised to discontinue use of these batches of cat food and seek help from a doctor or veterinarian if they or their pets show symptoms of the food cause illness. For more information of this recall or refunds you can visit Purina website or call toll-free at 1-800-982-6559.

Postal dog gets his own stamp

2011-07-26T01:04:00.000-07:00

Owney is the name of the postal dog in 1888, he hops on trains that carried bags of mail around the country. He travel across the United States by rail and then globe-trotting to Mexico, Canada, Europe and Asia. Owney became known as a good luck charm as he traveled the country on mail trains. As he traveled the country, postal clerks would add tags to his collar from each stop, eventually Owney had so many tags they had to make him a special dog vest to put them on.

Owney died in 1897, the Postal Service had him preserved to create a lifelike replica of the dog using his own fur. The stuffed Owney is now at National Postal Museum, and now the Postal Service released a new Forever stamp with a picture of Owney. This stamp is released to commemorate the adventure and dedication of Owney.

Next month, the Postal Service is also releasing an Owney app that creates a 3-D, jumping, barking Owney on your screen. It will soon release an interactive e-book about Owney for the iPad.

Woman who lives with 800 cats and 15 dogs

2011-07-22T00:12:00.000-07:00

A woman from California lives with almost 800 cats and 15 dogs. Lynea Lattanzio has been featured on a new series of Nat Geo Wild for living with her 12 acres of land, along with close to 800 cats and about 15 dogs. She runs the rescue home for cats called The Cat House On The Kings, the largest no-cage, no-kill kitty sanctuary in all of California.

Lattanzio said that she often gets cats flown in from New York from owners who decide their apartments are too small to house their pets. Lattanzio's mother wouldn't allow her to have a pet cat growing up. She began rescuing cats after her divorce and has since saved close to 19,000 felines. Some might say that she's crazy, but according to her: “I’m not crazy. What I do is crazy.”

Dog Attacks Shark (Video)

2011-07-19T00:27:00.001-07:00

A new Youtube video about a dog bites a shark. A guy from Australia upload this video of two dogs swimming with the sharks. The dogs are seen paddling back to shore when one dog dives underwater and attack the shark. The man can't believe what he just saw on that day. "He's giving him a bite! The dog is biting the shark," the cameraman screams.

The man who took the video believe that the dogs are protecting a “Dugong” who are in the shore that time. Luckily, the potentially dangerous shark swims off and no fight ensues. The shark species in this video is unknown. Dogs are known to have a strong relationship with Dolphins. Earlier this year, a set of dolphins rescued a Doberman Pinscher from the water. So this one proves that Dog-Shark relationship isn't as strong as the Dog-Dolphin.

Police Dog Sniffs 20 kilos of Cocaine

2011-07-13T23:03:00.001-07:00

K9 police officer from Fullerton sniffed out 20 kilos of cocaine, valued at $1 million, in a car during a traffic stop that leads to the arrest of its driver. The dog named Mueller discovered the cocaine in packets in a box in the trunk. Mueller was donated to the Fullerton Police department in December.

Mueller, together with his handler Police Officer Jonathon Miller stopped a Chevy Monte Carlo driven by Alfonso Cisneros during a routine traffic stop. During the stop the officer discovered that Cisneros was on probation for narcotics violations, then officer had his dog search the vehicle. The dog alerted on the trunk area and, on inspection, Miller found the cocaine in a box. Cisneros is being held on $3 million bail, and is scheduled to be arraigned at North Justice Center in Fullerton. According to Sgt. Andrew Goodrich of the Fullerton police said that this was Mueller's first major find since joining the department.

Dog survives 150 foot Cliff fall

2011-07-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

A Bernese Mountain dog that raced off after a mountain goat in Washington's Olympic Mountains and fell 150 feet down a cliff survived for nearly three days until a volunteer mountain rescue team managed to find her.

The five-year-old dog called Sasha was with her owner Gwen Hall and Jim Krieger on the summit of 5,944 foot high Mount Ellinor when she saw the mountain goat. Sasha disappeared after chasing the mountain goat. Gwen and Jim searched for her for two hours but could not traced her. No barks, no whimpers, nothing.

Gwen and Jim try to ask help from USFS but were told that rescue does not get involved in non-human rescue. Good thing is that there is an organization like Olympic Mountain Rescue who helped find Sasha.

Six volunteers from the said organization offered to try to help. On friday, after five hours of searching, they found Sasha. She was motionless on a narrow shelf on the side of the cliff because of her leg injury. The rescuers lowered water and food, and Sasha drank a couple of liters of water. Then they began the process of lifting the injured dog in a litter attached to ropes from above.

Sasha is now recovering after having surgery to repair tendons in her right leg.

Pet Sterilization

2011-07-08T01:18:00.000-07:00

Thanks to spay and neuter programs and public education campaigns the hard work of animal rescue groups across the country is paying off by saving millions of lives. Experts reported that fewer animals will die this year because sterilization is becoming part of responsible pet ownership.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society International less than 4 million cats and dogs will be euthanized in the U.S. this year. The number sounds large, but it is down from the 12-20 million animals that lost their lives in the 1970s.

“The decline in the number of animals being euthanized each year comes as the pet population has boomed. In 1970, there were about 62 million pets, and today there are about 170 million,” Stephen Zawistowski science adviser for the ASPCA said an Associated Press interview.

Zawistowski said it took years of campaigning to change the thinking of pet owners about sterilization. And although animal rescue groups knew they could never “adopt their way out” of the pet overpopulation problem and find homes for every homeless animal, most owners did not think of sterilization as an automatic component of being a responsible guardian. Even veterinarians weren’t all proficient in spay and neuter surgeries.

Thankfully things have changed. Better medical procedures have made the surgeries easier on the animals and leave only a small incision. And mandatory spay and neuter laws in many cities have led more low-cost clinics that are easily accessed by the public.

Nearly every public animal shelter, rescue group and welfare organization has joined the effort to sterilize the cats and dogs in their care.

Spaying and neutering has become the law in some states, counties and cities. Many states require all shelter animals to be sterilized. Rhode Island requires most cats to be sterilized, and Los Angeles requires most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they are 4 months old.

When pets are sterilized, their reproductive organs are removed so they can no longer breed.

Dogs distressed when left alone

2011-07-05T01:22:00.000-07:00

Many dog owners leave for work and lock their pets in the house with dog foods and toys without a second thought. But a new study suggests that leaving your pets alone can cause distress and make them feel just as much isolation as children abandoned by their parents.

John Bradshaw, directors of the Anthrozoology Institute at Bristol University, who has studied pet behaviour for 25 years, said the situation represented a "real and ongoing crisis" for dogs.

Dr Bradshaw and his team put video cameras in the homes of 20 dog owners, all of whom claimed their pet was perfectly happy being left at home while they were at work. In fact, some were shown treading in circles around the doormat, while breathing heavily and whining, and one dog's trauma was such that it had to be referred to an animal psychologist.

In his book, In Defence of Dogs, to be published this month, Dr Bradshaw describes how his black labrador, Bruno, used to chew on his bed, the furniture and the wallpaper when left alone in the house. He explained how canines can become depressed if they experience long periods without company and may resort to causing damage in the home.

However, dog owners were warned not to punish their pooches as they will not understand why they are being chastised. "They have a different kind of memory. They cannot think back and realize what they did an hour ago is the reason their owner is cross with them," Mr Bradshaw stated.

The key to helping your dog to cope with being left alone, he said, is to teach it that seeing you leaving the house results in a positive outcome. This can be achieved by popping back after a short period to give it a treat or some attention, then slowly increasing the length of absence until the dog can be left alone all day.

Jewelry Made From Cat Fur

2011-06-29T00:41:00.000-07:00

Recently, we discovered a jewelry which is not usual. An accessory made from cat's fur. Flora Davis creates jewelry out of fur groomed from her cat, a flame-point Ragamuffin called Gaia who sheds mounds of fluffy hair each week. She then sells her fluffy creations on Etsy.

Davis was first inspired to make something out of Gaia’s hair when she started grooming her cat, whose fur needs to be combed at least once a week or it starts to get matted. She explained to Wired.co.uk: “Ordinarily I would have thrown the hair into the compost, but it felt so soft in my hands, I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away. As I examined his beautiful hair, I started rolling it into a ball and then, on impulse, I threw it to him. He loved it!”

Over time the balls of fur began to accumulate around Davis’ apartment. “Awash in hairballs, I gathered a bowlful and placed them on top of the piano. Surprisingly, the balls had a lovely appearance that reminded me of oversized white pearls. This was my inspiration for using Gaia’s ‘toys’ in a way that would display my love for this special cat.”

Davis has spent a while perfecting the technique of making perfect fur spheres. She starts by taking a small handful of fluff, which she molds into a starter ball. To this she adds more fluff around the edges and then rolls it between her palms quickly until the strands of hair start to felt into tight, solid ball forms. She then stashes the balls until there are enough to make a necklace — which can take between two and three months.

So far, Davis has created a range of different necklace designs, a little cage featuring a number of cat-hair baubles that’s “informal and goes nicely with a T-shirt and jeans,” a piece called Bubbles that features a range of fur balls attached to a branchlike necklace that “would be appropriate at any gala event,” and some more classic necklaces which look a little like chunky pearl necklaces.

For a mere $95 you can be the proud owner of one of Ms. Davis’s unique pieces of art.

Apartments to use DNA testing to ensure dog poop clean-up

2011-06-27T02:13:00.000-07:00

It sounds odd but some apartment complexes thinks that it is the best way to find out who’s not cleaning up after their pets.

The Timberwood Commons in Lebanon, N.H., opened this year and already has had problems with some residents who aren't cleaning up messes their dogs leave. So manager Debbie Violette is going to use commercially available DNA sampling kits to check the DNA that dogs leave behind when they go.

All residents who own pets are required to submit samples from their dogs so DNA profiles can be put on file. Debbie, takes a sample of the pile and sends it off to lab. Technicians there are able to determine the violators through a DNA match.

The kits cost $50 per pet, and the management says that's a cost the complex is covering.

Although they say they're not the first complex to implement this, it's getting national attention and mixed reactions from tenants and the community. Some tenants called it "extreme," while others called it "effective."

World's First Dog with a Bionic Legs

2011-06-24T00:27:00.001-07:00

You might heard about the cat named Oscar with a bionic leg, and now the first dog with a bionic leg is here. Naki'o was barely 5 weeks old when he and his brothers and sisters were abandoned by a family moving out of Nebraska. Having barely survived the winter, all four of the dog's paws were deformed into rounded stumps after being stuck in an icy puddle.

Someone found the red heeler pups and took them to an animal rescue center. Nakio’s paws were slayed by frostbite and veterinarians had to amputate. He was left with four stumps. When they healed, he was able to walk around on them for a while, but as he grew it was too much, and he could only crawl around on his belly.

"Even though he was hobbling, he was still just trying to enjoy life," said Martin Kaufmann, the founder of OrthoPets, who outfitted Naki'o with his new paws."Naki'o's personality was great." It was that spirit that captivated his owner, a veterinary technician, to adopt him form a shelter and raise money for him to get two prosthetics.

Veterinary technician Christie Tomlinson adopted him, and raised funds to get him fitted with two prosthetic rear legs. They worked out so well that OrthoPets decided to give him two more limbs free of charge.

At first walking on all four prosthetics was challenging, but Naki’o adapted quickly, learning how to use the devices as though they were his natural legs. After just a few days he was running and bounding. The prosthetics are built to mimic the muscle and bone of dog limbs, allowing them to do everything a normal dog would do.

Now, Naki'o is able to run, jump and play just like other dogs, thanks to the second chance his new set of legs have given him.

Cat that Barks like Dog

2011-06-23T00:29:00.000-07:00

Cats are supposed to meow not bark but a cat in Atlanta seems to be different because it barks. Oh yes, a cat barks like a dog.

The pet's owner crept up on it with a video camera as it imitated the canine sound. Unaware it was being filmed, the moggy carried on until it realized that it was being watched. It slowly turned its head and, upon seeing its owner, quickly turned the bark into a meow. It's like he's been caught in the act.

I know it's kinda unbelievable but some critics says that it was evidence that cats and dogs can understand each other.

Dog found from Tornado debris, 20 days later

2011-06-16T01:23:00.000-07:00

After the struck of May 22 tornado, many pets have been lost and separated from their owner. A tough little dog named Bentley apparently survived for nearly three weeks buried under a pile of tornado debris in Missouri.

Glenda Erwin, director of the Carthage Humane Society, told the Carthage Press that the spunky Shih Tzu was found in a field in the town of Diamond Saturday. It’s suspected Bentley landed there and had been under the debris ever since, judging from the nature of his injuries, which include a nasty scrape between his eyes that shelter officials speculate was caused by flying debris, splinters of wood and blades of grass and carpet fibers embedded under his skin.

Erwin said a woman was in tears when she brought the dog in with a number of children. The woman dropped off the dog, which was wrapped in a towel, at the shelter and left before workers could get her name.

The dog was took to to Central Pet Care in Carthage, where veterinarians and workers shaved the matted fur off the dog and treated its injuries. The dog appears to be deaf and possibly blind, but vets weren’t sure if those conditions are a result of the tornado or were previously existing.

Erwin said she was going to Joplin on Tuesday to look at pictures of missing pets to see if a dog matching Bentley’s description had been reported. “We want to see if the owner is still out there,” Erwin said. “If we don’t find the owner in a week or so, we will put him up for adoption.”

Multimillionaire Dog dies at age 12

2011-06-13T00:59:00.000-07:00

Do you guys remember Helmsley's heir? It's none other than Trouble, one of the world richest dog in 1992.

The darling dog of the billionaire “Queen of Mean” real-estate mogul died in Florida at the age of 12 or 84 in dog years, a spokeswoman said Thursday. Helmsley, who died in 2007, left $12 million to the pooch, though a judge later reduced it to $2 million. Trouble passed away in December but reportedly only now.

Trouble's owner, Leona said in her will she wanted to be buried with the dog in Helmsley's mausoleum at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Westchester County, but a worker at the cemetery who answered the phone there said dog burials aren’t allowed on the grounds. Instead, she was cremated and her remains are being privately retained.

While in Florida, Trouble lived a life of luxury, as Carl Lekic, the general manager of the Helmsley Sandcastle hotel in Sarasota, cared for her with a budget of about $100,000 yearly. The allowance covered Trouble's food, grooming, Lekic's fee and a security guard, according to the Daily News.

Dog helps owner to manage PTSD symptoms

2011-06-09T01:44:00.000-07:00

Truly a dog is a great help for us human. Aside from being a companion, guard, hunter, etc., dog also help with mental illness too, like managing PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder.

67-year-old Michael Gaither spent four years holed up in his Chiefland, Fla., home, leaving only for doctor appointments. About three months ago, things got worse when he fell and broke four ribs. The agonizing pain and the thought of yet another disabling condition left Gaither wondering if life was still worth living. But not until he met Honey.

Gaither found found the relief he needed from a 16-month-old German shepherd named Honey. "When I get tense, she knows it, and she comes up and puts her head on my leg or my chest to comfort me, and I forget what I'm concerned about," said Gaither. "If I have nightmares, she'll jump on my chest and wake me up." Honey also picks things up if Gaither drops them, and if he's inside and needs his wife when she's outside, Honey will go fetch her.

According to Joan Esnarya president and founder of the Psychiatric Service Dog Society, dogs are very sensitive to escalations of mood. They can tell if a person's mood is starting to escalate to a panic attack and tell it to them before they lost their composure and lost their ability to think clearly.

A growing number of veterans are turning to dogs to help with PTSD symptoms, and experts say dogs can help with other psychiatric problems as well, including major depression and panic attacks.

Dogs Surf for a Cause

2011-06-06T01:35:00.000-07:00

Dozens of dogs went on a surfing safari Saturday at the sixth annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog competition held in San Diego sparkling Imperial Beach.

This year’s event had some pretty cool dogs “hanging ten” in the 58 degree ocean water. The contest featured a variety of breeds ranging from a Shi-Tzu mix, to a Bulldog, all the way up to a Golden Retriever. More than 60 dogs from across the country took part in the competition where they had 10 minutes to catch two decent waves.

The heats are subdivided into three categories, small dogs, large dogs and tandem dogs. Judges look for confidence in the four legged surfers as well as a long wave ride and a good sense of fashion.

The winner of the small dog division was an Australian Kelpie named Abbie and the large dog division was taken by a Golden Retriever named Kalani, aka Lil Surfer Girl. The tandem event was won by Zoey, a Jack Russell Terrier who surfed alongside her owners’ Scott and Tyler Chandler. The second place seat went to the So Cal Surf Dogs, 5 dogs whose tandem ride on the surfboard set a new record.

Winners of the competition receive a special vacation package at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort. All profits from the competition are donated to DonorsChoose.org, an online forum which provides a space for public teachers in San Diego to request and receive funding for school supplies from private sponsors.

Stem cell therapy: Solution for pets in pain

2011-06-02T01:19:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about stem cell therapy? It is a revolutionary treatment for arthritic dogs that help them get comfortable again.

The treatment had been used with great success in horses for years but more and more veterinarians are adding the patented Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell therapy to their medical bag of tricks. Other veterinarians say that the the theory behind the treatment is that the stem cells can increase the body's ability to decrease inflammation, helping the injured tissues to regenerate.

The procedure involves surgery to remove fat cells from the animal, and then shipping the cells to Vet-Stem for removal of the stem cells. The cells are then sent back to the vet, ready to inject into the creaking joints of arthritic canines.

Heartland Animal Hospital in Spartanburg County is the first animal hospital in the Upstate to offer the entire procedure in-house.

The said therapy cost is steep: $3,500 to $4,000, but pet owners increasingly are willing to pay whatever it takes to keep their pets, healthy, happy and alive.

New Cat Breed: Cuban Blue

2011-05-30T00:56:00.001-07:00

Have you heard about Cuban Blue? It is said to be a newly identified breed of short-hair cat found in Cuba.

In a Havana apartment, four cats race around the floor and tumble over the furniture playing with each other, occasionally jumping into the laps of their human visitors. They act like typical house cats, but these are not just any felines. They are members of what Cuban cat lovers believe is a newly identified breed of short-hair cat they call the Cuban blue.

Cuban Blue described as a mid- to large-size strong cat, very docile and playful. They also have agreeable personality and looks similar to the Russian blue.

Azul Cubana or the Cuban Blue recognized for the silver-gray shade of its fur was reported by the Cuban Association for Cats (ACAG) as the sixth of its type in the world. According to the ACAG the breed can be easily identified because of strength, elegance and sturdiness of the animals.

As for now, it remains to be seen if the rest of the cat world will accept the Cuban blue as a new breed.

Police dog in Ohio killed by car after cruiser's door opens accidentally

2011-05-27T00:39:00.000-07:00

New Albany's first police dog was struck and killed by a vehicle last night. An automatic K-9 door opens unexpectedly and the police dog jumps into oncoming traffic.

Officer Bungee, was in a K-9 cruiser with his handler and partner, Officer Joel Strahler, traveling on U.S. Route 62 near Yantis Drive at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. "K-9 vehicles have automatic door openers installed so that doors can be opened remotely in case the dog needs to come to its handler's aid," said Sergeant Greg Jones. "Police dogs are trained to immediately leave the vehicle and get to work once the vehicle door opens."

Jones said the department doesn't know why it opened resulting to Bungee's death but there is an investigation into whether there was a malfunction with the door.

Bungee is a three-year-old Belgian Malinois, he joined the police department as its first K-9 member in August 2010. He was a huge asset in the field with his drug training, and he was a very friendly dog. He was also a fantastic community outreach tool with various school programs.

Liger cubs nursed by dog in China

2011-05-25T01:14:00.000-07:00

Today in canine heroics: A dog has stepped in to nurse two rare liger cubs that were abandoned by their mother in China. The offspring of a male lion and female tiger were apparently abandoned after merely four days of nursing. The staff at the Xixiakou Wildlife Zoo in China found a female dog that was receptive to nursing the liger cubs as well as her own pups.

According to the animals keeper, four cubs were born but only two survived. The two who died were unhealthy at the time of delivery.

The surviving pair of siblings initially had trouble drinking the dog's milk, but soon got used to the new flavor. The pair were feeding well from their canine stepmother.

Bird of prey loses it's lunch: Stray poodle found home

2011-05-17T01:23:00.000-07:00

A stray poodle picked up by a bird of prey ended up saved, not snacked on, when the bird dropped the dog on the grounds of a Sechelt, B.C., nursing home.

The six-year-old poodle, dubbed "Miracle May" by workers, dropped out of the heavens and appeared in the kitchen of a Sunshine Coast care home, desperately in need of rescue. Nancy Skelcher found the furry white creature, shivering in the kitchen of Shorncliffe Nursing Home in Sechelt, at the end of her night shift at around 5:30 a.m.

May suffered several gouges to her neck and chest from about 10 deep puncture, claw marks to her back and multiple broken ribs from the harrowing ordeal.

May was likely a stray before her unlikely “rescue”. She was found without identification, had severely overgrown nails and badly decayed teeth. The shelter don't how long she had been wandering without care but according to them, she was obviously very neglected.

The SPCA tried to look for May’s owner, but no one has come forward.

Now, the shelter is now trying to raise $3,500 to $4,000 for May’s surgeries, as well as to spay her and remove a hernia and some mammary gland tumours.

Mummified you Dog

2011-05-16T00:56:00.000-07:00

If you are a grieving pet owner and you want to bring back your pet well, now you can! Oh yes, you can have your dead or deceased pet again with the help of one woman, but lifeless of course.

A Brooklyn woman is making a name and a living for herself by practicing the ancient art of mummification on people's pets. PD Cagliastro is one of the only macabre mystics in the country slinging animal mummification services based on the ancient Egyptian art. It took her 20 years to figure out the formula by studying embalming, consulting with chemistry students and reading the few scraps of ancient Egyptian texts out there.

"It was a sick fascination," said Cagliastro, who works and lives in her "house of death" with her teenage daughter and husband, an exterminator.

The witchy woman has channeled her services for 120 customers, preserving everything from a championship Connecticut racing pigeon to cats cut short by killer cars.

"There was something really special about him," said Sebastian Duque, 26, a web designer who had his cat, Jake, mummified after it was hit by a car in 2008. His frog, Alice, was also preserved in linen and plaster. Jake is now perched on top of Mr Duque's bookshelf in his Upper East Side apartment, and Alice lives in a drawer.

Ms Cagliastro removes the animal's organs and dries out the rest of the remains by submerging them in a salt mixture for months. After wrapping and plastering, the form is painted. Some customers choose to place the pet in a decorative box or have gems and gold affixed to the remains. The services cost between $100 and $400.

Her clients come from all over the world, some going so far as to drive their dead pets to Brooklyn from Washington and Oklahoma.

But when asked about Cagliastro's greatest dream, it is to mummify a human. And she already has a potential client lined-up, who has built a chapel in her Midwest home in preparation: "She wants to be entombed like a pharaoh."

Titanium-tooth in Osama's assault

2011-05-11T00:39:00.000-07:00

Despite the few facts released about the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, people are parsing each detail in an incredibly collective study of the incident. The latest focus of attention is none other than a dog who helped the team bring down bin Laden.

Though the military has kept mum on the breed of the dog, at least one of th special breed of Belgian Shepherds called “Malinois” is said to have backed the Navy SEALs mission into the al-Qaeda chief's lair. It is not as well known as the German Shepherd or the Labrador, but it also trained to herd sheep. All the three breeds possess the speed, agility and sense of smell needed in war zones.

Daily report says, the dog has surgically-enhanced teeth that are made from titanium and strong enough to pierce a bullet-proof vest. Their body armor can withstand clouds of hot shrapnel, and they've been trained to wear oxygen masks for high-altitude skydives into enemy territory. They are also equipped with infrared night-sight cameras.

Recently, President Obama met the Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden but he doesn't know who it was. In his private meeting with the full assault force, the president met the dog who participated on the mission. Said someone in the room, “it is a really scary dog.”

It's tick season: Beware of diseases

2011-05-10T01:03:00.000-07:00

Sunshine has people rushing outside, but it also brought a rush of hungry parasites. Veterinarians says the warm weather has brought ticks out of their dormancy.

Ticks generally don't become active until the warmer months. They are an indisputably dreaded enemy, a parasitic arthropods that feed on the blood of their hosts. They are attracted to warmth and motion, often seeking out mammals including dogs. Ticks tend to hide out in tall grass or plants, in wooded areas and other inviting areas where your pets like to hang out.

Each year, thousands of dogs are infected with serious diseases that are transmitted by ticks. Commonly known as vector-borne diseases, these include ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and others. And with its furry coat and love of exploration, your dog is likely to encounter disease–carrying ticks.

To keep our pets safe and protected from any tick diseases, always check them after they've been outside and remove tick properly. In removing tick, it is important to not to use your fingers to remove it. Use either a tweezers or needle nose pliers, just something to gently roll the tick off the animal's body. You can also use tick treatment, such as shampoo, soap and spray. But it's best to consult your vets first before using any treatment.

Dog Helped Take Out Osama Bin Laden

2011-05-04T23:45:00.000-07:00

While many Americans are anxious to meet and commend the team of Navy SEALs who raided the compound in Abottabad, Pakistan, and killed Osama bin Laden, one team member would be happy just to receive a doggie treat.

Among the unnamed heroes in the raid on the Abbottabad compound where Osama Bin Laden was found and killed on Sunday is one bomb-sniffing German shepherd or Belgian Malinois whose identity is being closely guarded. The dog who was part of the Navy Seal team is one of some 600 canines serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The explosive-sniffing dog was strapped to an assault team member as they took on one of their greatest challenges to date. He was part of the operation in which the elite US Navy Seals lowered themselves down ropes from three Black Hawk helicopters into the terrorist supremo's hideout.

The dogs are well-protected in these dangerous situations, armed with ballistic body armor, protective gear to shield against bullets and shrapnel, and infrared night-sight cameras that provide crucial feedback to troops and warn of potential ambushes.

Although we don't know what's the true identity of this dog, let's salute him for a job well done. Truly, dogs have been playing a bigger role in special ops missions overseas.

NYPD Hero Dog Dies

2011-05-03T02:02:00.001-07:00

Scooby, the NYPD bloodhound who in 2007 helped find the men who shot and killed Officer Russel Timoshenko, 23, and wounded Officer Herman Yan, has died after suffering from an undisclosed illness. He was 10 - that's 70 in people years.

The North Carolina-bred bloodhound died slightly less than four years after what was perhaps his finest hour.

It was July 2007, and the NYPD was on the hunt for two violent thugs who had skipped town after shooting two cops. The NYPD officers had pulled them over in Crown Heights, Brooklyn for driving a stolen BMW. Officer Russel Timoshenko, 23, was shot in the face, and died a few days later. His partner, Officer Herman Yan, was wounded but survived.

The two suspects, Dexter Bostic and Robert Ellis escaped by getting a friend to drive them out of the city "but eventually got ditched near a highway in eastern Pennsylvania," and were seen at a rest area before they fled into the woods near the highway. Three hundred cops and six other police dogs were involved in the search. Bostic was caught quickly, and then Ellis at 8 a.m., with help from Scooby, a U.S. Marshal spotted Ellis sitting up against a tree, ending one of the biggest manhunts the Poconos had ever seen.

Monessen Cat-trapping Draws Protest

2011-04-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

Monessen policy of killing feral cats draws protest, about 35 people participated in the rally organized by the Coalition for a Humane Monessen to get council to consider alternatives to combat the city's feral cat problem. They protest the city ordinance that has resulted in the deaths of 34 feral cats. They bring signs says "Stop the killing," and "Save the cats".

The ordinance started when dozens of complaints from residents about stray cats, some of them injured and others damaging property. But some says that trapping the cats and taking them to animal shelters to be euthanized is inhumane, they also said that municipal council isn't being fair to cat owners. Now Mayor Mary Jo Smith and council decided that cat-trapping has been placed on hold until the city can find a shelter that will accept the animals.

Dog Fighting Mobile Application

2011-04-26T00:27:00.001-07:00

Dog Wars the name of a new video game available for Android smart phones are causing controversy. Critics, including the Humane Society and NFL star Michael Vick, are calling for Android to pull the game and for Google to forbid similar releases on its platform. The concept of Dog Wars is just like in real life, you feed, train and fight your virtual dog against other players who do the same. The Dog Wars tag line says “Raise Your Dog to Beat the Best,” and it was originally released on March 8, 2011

According to the creators it's just a fantasy role playing game, much like those in which human characters fight to the death. But critics say the game perpetuates cruelty against animals and teaches people how to prepare dogs for fights. Animal lovers around the Web quickly turned to the chat forums on Google's own website to voice their rage. The game developers also said the game would be a "net benefit to dogs," since a portion of the proceeds from the game will be given to animal rescue groups.

Cat Survives 2 storms in 9 Days up a Tree

2011-04-20T01:24:00.000-07:00

It took nine days for Buster the cat to get out of a 150-foot-tall loblolly pine in northwestern South Carolina.

Buster’s owner, Linda Megretto, said she expected to find him dead on the ground Monday morning, but her husband, Andrew, climbed to the top of a 40-foot ladder and coaxed the cat down. The cat stayed in the tree through two storms and found safe.

Linda called the humane Society, fire department, police but none of them couldn't help rescue her cat even the animal control. The couple was so upset and aren't happy with local officials.

Buster got spooked when Megretto’s neighbor on Broadway Lake Road, not sure what his dog was barking at, rousted the cat out from under his shed with a rake. Buster couldn’t figure out how to get back over the neighbor’s fence so chose the pine tree for escape. He climbed up about 50 feet past the tree’s lowest branch. When a neighbor boy tried to reach him from the ladder, he climbed another 50 feet.

Cat Survives Arrow Shot

2011-04-13T23:36:00.001-07:00

A 3-year-old cat named Max who lives in Live Oak, near Santa Cruz, California, has somehow survived being shot in the head with an arrow.

According to the owners, after missing for two days, Max walked in the front door with an arrow sticking out of his head. Max's owner, Brad and Nancy Paquin rushed him to a veterenary hospital at Santa Cruz Country Animal Services where an arrow-ectomy was performed.

The cat was shot with a 12-inch arrow that appeared to come from a crossbow. Xray showed that the arrow was lodged 5-8cm, entered the base of it' head. The arrow entered the side of his head, piercing his ear, and then exited the top miraculously not hitting the brain was removed by vets. After the surgery, Max is fine except for a pierced ear.

Authorities have yet to identify any suspects in the shooting, but an animal control officer is working full-time on the case. Meanwhile, Max is under "house arrest" and will likely spend the remainder of his 8 lives indoors.

Utah's Dog death raises because of Animal testing

2011-04-12T00:20:00.000-07:00

The death of a stray dog whose heart was removed by University of Utah researchers conducting cardiology tests has spurred a renewed call from animal rights groups to stop the practice of selling some shelter animals for research nationwide.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Utah Animal Adoption Center say the university and the North Utah Valley Animal Shelter, which sold the school the dog, broke state laws of "due diligence" in not attempting to locate the owners before impounded animals are sent to the labs.

Tom Hudacho, a spokesman for the state Department of Health, says it's unlikely they will sanction the university because state laws leave it up to the shelters to contact the owner and the department has no jurisdiction over that facility.

Thirty-six states, including Utah, allow stray dogs and cats to be sold to research facilities if they are scheduled for euthanasia at animal shelters. But animal activists say the shelters should be safe havens, and fear that if the practice continues, people may stop bringing in their unwanted pets.

Puppy Mill Dogs Finally got their Freedom

2011-04-07T01:38:00.000-07:00

After years of horrible neglect and a dramatic rescue effort, almost all of the 121 dogs seized from a suspected Warren County Puppy Mill have their freedom.

The Animal Rescue Corps, a 501©3 nonprofit animal protection organization in Tennessee, participated in the seizure of 121 dogs and five birds with the Warren County District Attorney’s office on March 29th. This was after weeks of investigation undercover. Upon entering the puppy mill everyone’s worst fears were coming true. These dogs were living in the most horrible conditions, displaying skin infections and eye infection that are common in puppy mills and even dead, decaying dogs among the living ones. These dogs were severely malnourished and dehydrated. The court awarded Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) custody of 117 of the dogs on April 5th so they can get them ready for adoption.

A relative of the man who operated the puppy mill came to visit, saw the conditions the dogs were living in and called authorities, Marion County Humane Society leader Caroline Wedding said. The owner of the dogs is at a psychiatric hospital in Shreveport, Wedding said. He could face criminal charges over the neglected animals. Officials said the owner, a 64-year-old man whose name has not been released, has been away from the property since last month.

Now, all of the dogs were taken to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, where a make shift shelter was created. They are being treated, vaccinated, fed, taking care of and most important thing provided love that had never know it before.

Dog Saved Missing Toddler

2011-04-05T02:09:00.000-07:00

A 22-month-old boy Tyler Jacobson, recently wandered off from his South Carolina house wearing only a diaper and a tee shirt. He would spend an entire night in the woods near his house on a night when the temperature dipped into the 40s.

After being reported missing, rescuers used a bloodhound and an infrared-equipped helicopter to look for the boy, but they had to call off the search until the next morning due to high winds and the darkness.

The next morning, a man walking down the road reported that he heard crying in the woods. When police went to investigate, they found Tyler cuddled next to his family’s mid-size black Labrador retriever mix. Apparently the dog tagged alongside the toddler, kept him warm and protected throughout the night.

“To tell you the truth, that dog is what kept him alive,” Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews told The State on Saturday. Matthews also acknowledged that Tyler's home's living conditions were "deplorable" and that the Department of Social Services had been notified. Tyler's biological father is in the military and is said to be flying home from assignment in Hawaii to be with his lucky son.

Bill that Prohibits Dog Debarking

2011-03-28T23:52:00.001-07:00

A leading Rhode Island state lawmaker says the state should outlaw the surgical removal of the vocal chords of a dog or cat.

Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio announced legislation Monday to prohibit so-called "debarking" surgery unless a veterinarian deems it medically necessary. It's used by some breeders and pet owners as a way to deal with especially loud animals. Ruggerio calls the surgery painful, inhumane and almost always unnecessary.

Debarking or devocalization is a surgical procedure that leaves dogs and cats with the ability to only make a raspy of wheezy whispering noise. Besides being inhumane, the procedure can cause difficulty breathing, chronic gagging, pneumonia, and infection.

Barking dogs may be annoying, but imagine how scary it would be if there was no warning that an angry canine is nearby.

Cat's head stuck in pipe

2011-03-24T00:50:00.000-07:00

An Erie woman was puttering around her front yard Wednesday when she spotted a black-and-white tomcat with his head lodged in a decorative cast-iron pipe.

Suzanne Engert, who lives in the 11000 block of Flatiron Drive in Erie, reported finding the black-and-white cat lodged in a large metal pipe around 12:30 p.m. She said she walked behind her shed to see her garden when "something sort of caught my eye." "This black cat was just laying there," she said. "I must have walked past the cat a couple of times." Engert said it appeared as if the cat had been digging with its feet to try to free itself for some time.

When Engert unsuccessfully free the cat, Mountain View Fire District and animal control officers responded to help free the cat. The firefighters cut away part of the pipe in an attempt to get the cat out, that did not work. Then they tried using vegetable oil and soap but the cat remained stuck.

The officials decided to brought the cat -- pipe and all -- to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. On the way there, animal control officers realized the cat wasn't alone in the pipe. They realized something was flopping around in the back of the truck, and it was a rabbit.

Apparently, the cat was chasing the rabbit and got his head stuck in the pipe.

Cats: Birds no.1 enemy

2011-03-22T01:26:00.000-07:00

While public attention has focused on wind turbines as a menace to birds, a new study shows that a far greater threat may be posed by a more familiar antagonist: the pet house cat.

The American study set out to examine the survival rates of gray catbird fledglings in three suburban parks in Washington. Researchers fixed tiny radio transmitters to the birds to monitor their progress between May and September.

After tracking baby gray catbirds with miniature radio transmitters, biologists found that cats were by far the #1 bird killer: 47 percent of the birds died at the paws of pet and feral felines (out of 80 percent that were killed by predators in general). This echoes some biologists’ view that cats are a destructive, human-assisted invasive species: “Cats are way up there in terms of threats to birds — they are a formidable force in driving out native species,” said one of the authors of the study.

The studies have found that feral cat predation on birds costs billions of dollars in economic loss every year. To help stop the slaughter of millions of birds by their longtime arch-enemy, President Obama announced his plans to impose a “fly zone”.

World's most expensive dog cost $1.5 million

2011-03-17T00:35:00.000-07:00

Thats right! The 11-month-old red Tibetan Mastiff named Big Splash, or Hong Dong in China, was purchased by a coal baron in northern China for $1.5 million.

It's lucky that his new master is a multimillionaire, because the hefty price tag doesn't factor in Big Splash's diet -- enough chicken and beef to fill a growing 80kg dog, spiced up with Chinese delicacies, such as sea cucumber and abalone. His owner will need a big house too, as Tibetan mastiffs have been known to weigh as much as 130kg -- the same as a sizeable rugby union player.

Not because red is a lucky colour in China, but Tibetan mastiffs are thought to be holy animals, blessing their owners health and security. Also, owning one of the large working dogs has become a way for the wealthiest residents of China to demonstrate their financial success, much like fancy cars and couture clothing are symbols of wealth in the U.S.

Breeder Lu Liang is surely swimming in the dough thanks for breeding what he describes as "the perfect specimen." "He has excellent genes and will be a good breeding dog. When I started in this business, ten years ago, I never thought we would see such a price," he is quoted in The Telegraph. When asked about the details of the buyer, Lu did not reveal anything other than he is a multi-millionaire coal baron from the north of China who paid 10 million yuan for the dog.

Now, a red Tibetan mastiff has become the world's most expensive pet.

Border Collie Dog

2011-03-15T01:18:00.000-07:00

The Border Collie was originally called the "Scotch Sheep Dog" and originated in Northumberland along the borders of Scotland and England. It is known as “the workaholic” of the dog world for it's shear drive and love for working. A border collie has an eye that can hypnotize cattle, and can master any type of herd by crouching down and mesmerizing the animals with it's intense stare.

Border Collies are medium-sized dogs without extreme physical characteristics and with a moderate amount of coat, which means not much hair will be shed. Their double coats vary from slick to lush, and come in many colours, although black and white is the most common. It may also have single color coats. The body is slightly longer than it's tall. Eye colour varies from deep brown to amber or blue, and occasionally eyes of differing colour occur. The ears of the Border Collie are also variable — some have fully erect ears, some fully dropped ears, and others semi-erect ears. The front legs are straight when viewed from the front but slightly sloping when viewed from the side. The medium sized tail is set low reaching at least to the hock, raising somewhat when the dog is excited.

The Border Collie is very intelligent and aware of their surroundings. In fact, it was often cited as the most intelligent of all dogs. They are able to be trained to a high degree and can pick up commands easily. They are also perceptive and constantly thinking. In January 2011, a Border Collie was reported to have learned 1022 words, and acts consequently to human citation of those words.

Because of it's extremely energy and being athletic, a Border Collie is not recommended for apartment life. They are better off in households that can provide them with plenty of play and exercise with humans or other dogs, but physical exercises alone is not sufficient. They want to work and must do so with body and mind as one, carrying out different tasks.

The natural life span of the Border Collie is between 10 and 17 years, with an average lifespan of twelve years. The median longevities of breeds of similar size are usually 12 to 13 years.

The Border Collie needs regular combing and brushing to keep the coat gleaming. Extra care is needed when the soft, dense undercoat is shedding. Bathe or dry shampoo only when necessary. Check the ears and coat regularly for ticks. This breed is an average shedder.

Trainer Revive Dog with CPR (video)

2011-03-09T22:33:00.000-08:00

A well-known Tacoma area dog trainer and instructor Ron Pace didn’t just give a 4-year-old Boxer named Sugar an obedience lesson but he also brought the dog back to life.

Saturday, during obedience class at Canyon Crest K-9 Training Center Sugar suffered a seizure. Her owner cried hysterically as her four-year-old dog lay motionless on the grass. The dog trainer, Ron Pace doesn't know dog CPR but when he saw Sugar wasn't breathing, his instincts kicked in and started chest compressions. Applying some pressure trying to give the dog a chance to breathe like what we do on a human. After two minutes of CPR the dog came back frightened but conscious.

Pace has been training dogs for almost four decades, yet admitted that he didn't know how to properly perform CPR. “It may not have been the correct way to do it and the way that they teach. It's the outcome that's what was important,” Pace said.

Mark Zuckerberg's Pet: Beast

2011-03-07T22:55:00.000-08:00

Recently, Zuckerberg and long-time girlfriend Priscilla Chan welcomed Beast, a fluffy, white Puli hailing from Grants Pass, Oregon, into their Palo Alto home. The Dog is a type of Hungarian sheepdog also known as Komodor whose personal interest are cuddling, eating and loving, and it is so cute and adorable as posted in his Facbook fan page.

Oh yes, Beast have his own Facebook account made by his ower (the man behind Facebook). Zuckerberg created a fan page to introduce his new puppy to the Facebook world. Beast account reveals his own history, interest and some pampering pictures with his new family.

Within a few hours of Beast's arrival on Facebook his page had well over 1,000 fans, and has already attracted over 4, 700 fans. It also received lots of comments mostly from happy Hungarian users.

Some call Beast as luckiest puppy on earth, and is pretty much assures that he is going to be pampered to the fullest because of Zuckerberg's status as a billionaire.

The Puli is a unique variety of sheepdog that is originally indigenous to the Hungarian plains. As a breed, these dogs are notable for being energetic and playful, simultaneously enjoying and needing exercise in order to accommodate for their high energy level. They are also excellent house pets, and noted for the protective role they take on once integrated into a family.

Dog dies after Army handler is killed

2011-03-02T22:42:00.001-08:00

An inseparable pair was proven till the end when Lance Corporal Liam Tasker of The Royal Army Veterinary Corps killed in a firefight with the Taliban.

A 26-year-old soldier, Liam Tasker and 22-month-old springer spaniel cross, Theo spent 15 weeks on a handlers course where they learned to work as a team and developed their bond. The two developed a different relationship and treated each other as a companion.

Because of their good team up, the pair had uncovered 14 home-made bombs and hoards of weapons in just five months, and with that success saved many lives. Lance Corporal Tasker loves working with Theo because of it's great character. Theo never tires and can't wait to get out and do his job and will stop at nothing. Liam was very professional, brave and dedicated that made Theo such an amazing dog.

On Tuesday they took part in a mission in the Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand, a hotbed of the insurgency. Theo’s task was to be the ‘front man’, sniffing out any hidden IEDs, weapons and bomb-making equipment when they were engaged by small arms fire. Liam received injuries from the said attack and died. Theo survived being fired repeatedly but then died shortly after returning to the camp. He was traumatised by the gunfire so the seizure could have been brought on by that.

The two died as a hero, saving many lives. Among many tributes, Liam Fox, the defence secretary, said: "From the accounts made by his military colleagues and his family, I understand that he was a dedicated and highly capable soldier, whose skills in handling dogs were second to none. He and his dog Theo had saved lives and for this, we will be eternally grateful."

Dental Health for Pets

2011-02-28T23:49:00.000-08:00

We all know how important it is to take care of our teeth. Studies have shown that gingivitis and periodontal disease have been linked to heart disease and other long-term health issues. Dentists recommend we floss and brush thoroughly twice a day to prevent bacteria from overpopulating. If left untreated, these harmful microorganisms will then enter the bloodstream and eventually attach themselves to fatty plaques responsible for causing blockages in arteries and leading to heart problems.

Just like humans, pet can also get dental disease that can lead to serious health problems including heart, lung and kidney disease. The American Veterinary Dental Society reports that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cat show signs of oral disease by age three.

Bad breath is probably the most common sign that your pet needs some dental care. Pain when eating, drooling, excessive licking, bloody saliva, rubbing the face or muzzle and pawing at the mouth can all be signs of dental problems.

Brushing your pet's teeth has many ways but the most important is just do it. Using a child's toothbrush with a small head and soft bristles works well and fits into the mouth of small dogs and cats and can also reach the back teeth. When it comes with toothpaste, owners should use pet toothpaste and not people toothpaste because pets will swallow this and get too much fluoride. Daily brushing would be ideal for two to three minutes at a time.

Here are the following process to clean the inside surfaces of your pet's teeth:

1. Place your hand over your pet’s muzzle from the top

2. Gently squeeze and push his lips on one side between the back teeth (to keep his mouth open)

3. Pull his head back gently so his mouth opens

4. Brush his teeth on the opposite side

5. Repeat this process for the other side

If your dog or cat continues to resist, try gently wrapping him in a large bath towel with only his head sticking out. Above all, avoid overstraining and keep sessions short and positive. With a little daily help, you can improve your pet's dental and physical health.

Cat With the Loudest Purr

2011-02-23T23:05:00.000-08:00

A purring cat is music to the ears for most cat-lovers but for the Adams of England, their short-haired feline's purr are more like rock music to the ears.

Ruth and Mark Adams thinks that their cat, Smokey could be the world's loudest cat. According to the Telegraph, a cat normally purrs at 25 decibels which is far different from Adams cat. Smokey, a twelve year old cat reaches 92 decibels with her feline noise, making her ten times louder than the average cat. 92 decibels is equivalent to a lawnmower or hair dryer.

“When I’m on the phone friends ask what the loud noise is and they can’t believe it’s a cat. She even manages to purr while she eats. The only time she is quiet is when she’s asleep. It’s either adorable or very annoying it depends on your mood,” Ruth said in an interview.

A spokesperson for Guinness World Records added that they have a category for noisiest cat, but no entries yet. And so for official bragging rights of having the world’s loudest cat, the Adams family has sent an application to see if Smokey has the loudest purr on the planet. For now, Smokey is the world record holder.

Dog Saves Men from Trailer Fire

2011-02-22T01:09:00.000-08:00

Early Sunday morning at Eastlake, Ohio, two man might got trapped and died from a burning trailer. When the firefighters arrived, they were told by neighbors that there might be people inside the burning trailers. But during the search, they found the victims sitting in a vehicle across the street keeping warm.

Coco, a female dog saves her owner and it's roommate as she jumped on the bed and got the man's attention. Paul, Coco's owner and his roommate were fast asleep when Coco nudged him on the center of the bed. All of a sudden he smelled something, and he rolled on his back to look at the room, the room was hazy, flames crawling up the walls with crackling sound. Paul woke his roommate and headed for the door together with Coco and it's eight tiny puppies. The trailer was gone and complete loss.

For Paul, Coco is not just a man's best friend but a savior rather.

Cat burglar on the loose!

2011-02-17T00:09:00.000-08:00

A cat in California has been caught on camera stealing over 600 items over a three-year period from neighbors' homes. The real cat burglar is such a strange case of stolen goods.

The sneaky kitty named Dusty is an average house pet by day but when the sun goes down, he hits the street by sneaking around and stole items in it's town. He is prolific and hard to catch like an amateur. Dusty was actually caught stealing a bath sponge, a toy dino and a bikini top. The thievery has been taking place for the past three years, and the cat has gotten away with a lot of stealing in that time.

Dusty's owner, Jean Chu told ABC News that he leaves at night and usually comes home with an item or two. Items he has brought home includes towels, gloves, shoes, socks and children toys. He even took a pair of shoes one at a time. Dusty's record is 11 items in one night.

Animal Planet featured the kitty thief on a show using a night vision camera to video Dusty stealing the goods using his mouth. He is known as “Klepto the cat”. Dusty obviously has an issue with taking things, and they are such a random mix of items too.

Now, the neighbor has gotten used to it and knows where to go and claim their stuff.

Wisconsin Cat Positive from H1N1

2011-02-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

A 6-year-old male domestic shorthair cat in Wisconsin has tested positive for the H1N1 influenza virus, the first confirmed case of H1N1 in a U.S. pet since January 2010, according to Idexx Reference Laboratories. The Westbrook, Maine-based company confirmed the test result with its Feline Upper Respiratory Disease RealPCR Panel. The American Veterinary Medical Association, which tracks all instances of H1N1 in animals, sent out a media alert.

The cat had been presented to a veterinary emergency hospital due to respiratory distress. A second cat, a 10-year-old female domestic shorthair, from the same household was also taken in but tested negative for the virus, although it is now presumed that it too had the virus. Despite aggressive supportive care, both cats were euthanized due to their deteriorating condition and failing to respond to treatment.

The owner of the cats had been ill with flu-like symptoms prior to the cats' illness and is believed to be the source of the infection. In addition to humans and cats, this strain of H1N1 influenza virus has also been found in pigs, birds, ferrets and a dog. There have been no confirmed cases of pets passing the virus back to people.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is reminding pet owners that some viruses can pass between people and animals, so this is not an altogether unexpected event. Pet owners should monitor their pets' health very closely, no matter what type of animal, and visit a veterinarian if there are any signs of illness.

For H1N1, signs of illness can include lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, runny nose or eyes, sneezing, coughing or changes in breathing.

Deaf Dachshund Learns Sign Language

2011-02-09T21:59:00.000-08:00

Deaf dachshund Sparky, finally had his day after he was given a permanent home at Missouri School for the Deaf.

The one-year-old dachshund Sparky, was taught to understand hand signals by prisoners at a Missouri prison before being taken in by the Missouri School for the Deaf in Fulton. Sparky was trained sign language through a program that pairs rescue dogs with prison mates. When the eight weeks of training was over, the inmates at the South Central Correctional Center in Licking decided they wanted Sparky to live with deaf students.

Today, Sparky is right at home with the school's youngsters, who have taught him additional sign language. The students continue adding to the sign language Sparky learned from the inmates. He already knows the signs for "no," "sit," "lay down," "stay," "stop" and "heel,” and s working on additional signs that mean “food” and “outside.” And a second deaf dog, a Boston Terrier named Petie, may be on his way to the school soon.

Sparky and Petie come from the Puppies for Parole program of the Missouri Department of Corrections in which inmates train animals with behavioral or other issues that make them difficult to adopt. The program saves dogs that might otherwise be euthanized and it gives inmates a constructive activity.

Sled-Dog company owner takes responsibility for slaughter

2011-02-07T23:09:00.000-08:00

The owner of the Whistler Outdoor Adventures company that allegedly had 100 sled dogs slaughtered to cut costs after the Olympics speak for the first time following reports of the tragedy. Outdoor Adventures Joey Houssian has scheduled a number of media meetings Monday along with his lawyers.

Houssian wrote an editorial letter to the Vancouver Sun saying that he shared "people's sadness and disbelief" over the execution-style slaying of the animals during a two-day period last April. He also adds, “while the facts and legal responsibility for them is being investigated, I take moral responsibility for everything that happens within my company.” I, more than anyone, want to understand the truth about what happened and what was described.”

Although the dogs were killed in April 2010, the story only came to light after Robert Fawcett, the manager of Howling Dog Tours, recently applied for worker's compensation due to suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Based on a statement, Fawcett advised Joey Houssian, his boss, that about 50 dogs would be euthanized. The dogs to be euthanized were ‘too old’ or ‘sick’ and ‘not adoptable.’ These dogs live to ‘run’ and were not able to do so and would have had to be kept in cages with the result that they would have a very poor or virtually no quality of life.” Fawcett shot and knifed about 100 dogs — including many he had raised from pups. There was at least one accidental death when one of the dogs he had intended to keep was injured by a ricocheting bullet. He was then forced to fire a fatal shot. All together, Fawcett destroyed one-third of his herd of sled dogs and indicated in the compensation board documents that he had to euthanize them after a downturn in the tourism industry following the Winter Olympics in February 2010.

This gruesome cruelty receives worldwide reaction with an outpouring grief and anger over the deaths. The company even received threats and angry phone calls.

Mayor Melamed of Whistler has suspended the sale of Whistler Outdoor Adventures activities via Whistler.com and the Whistler Visitor Centre until further clarity around allegation.

Year of the Rabbit or Cat?

2011-02-03T22:40:00.000-08:00

While much of Asia celebrates the Year of the Rabbit, Vietnam is striking a note of independence from the dominance of Chinese culture and marking the beginning of the Year of the Cat.

The two communist countries remain ideological allies and have endorsed a similar transition to a market-oriented economy. But their relationship evokes strong emotions and contradictions in Vietnam, where many bitterly recall 1,000 years of Chinese occupation and, more recently, a 1979 border war. The two countries share 10 of the zodiac calendar's 12 signs-- the rat, tiger, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig, but the Vietnamese replace the rabbit with the cat

Why does cat not included in Chinese zodiac? There is a folk that explains how each animal in the Chinese zodiac was given their place in the 12-year cycle.

According to the website of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh chapter, the Buddha summoned all the animals together for a banquet, so he could assign them a particular year in the cycle. Animals were bestowed a year in the order of their arrivals. When the cat heard the news, he notified his friend, the rat, and the two made plans to go together the next day. However, the cat lived up to its lazy reputation and slept in the next morning. As the rat did not bother to wake up his friend, the cat did not make it to Buddha’s meeting. He was not given a year in the Chinese zodiac. This legend not only clarifies the cat’s absence from the zodiac, but also explains why cats hate rats — the rat betrayed the cat. Meanwhile, the rat made its way to the assembly, but not without more tricks. Knowing that it would be hard to beat the larger animals to the meeting, the rat enlisted the help of the ox, who allowed the rodent to ride on its head. The two continued on their journey together. But right before their arrival, the rat jumped off the ox’s head and rushed to the finish line first. The rat’s wily ways earned him the first year in the zodiac cycle followed by the ox.

And how did the cat replace the rabbit in the Vietnamese zodiac? Though there are various explanations of why the cat replaced the rabbit in the Vietnamese zodiac, the most plausible and popular theory suggests that the word for rabbit in Chinese, mao, sounds like the word for cat in Vietnamese.

Regardless of how the split came about, the Vietnamese today have no interest in bringing their zodiac signs into line with the Middle Kingdom. "For the Vietnamese, it's a matter of national honour not to have copied China completely," said Benoit de Treglode, from the Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia in Bangkok.

Dog can Sniff COLON CANCER

2011-02-01T00:11:00.000-08:00

You might heard about the a study about dog can sniff prostate cancer. But there is a new discovery that a dog can also detect colon cancer by simply sniffing people's breath or stool. But not all dogs, a specially trained dogs can only do that according to a new study.

Japanese scientists discovered a Labrador Retriever could detect a chemical produced by cancer cells just by smelling humans breath even in the early stages of the disease, and almost as accurate as a colonoscopy. In the study, researchers at Kyushu University used Marine, an eight-year-old Labrador. Marine completed 74 sniff tests, consisting of sniffing five breath or stool samples at a time in which one was cancerous, over a period of months. The samples came from 48 people with confirmed colorectal cancer and 258 volunteers with no cancer. Half of the comparison samples came from people with bowel polyps, which are benign growths that are thought to be a precursor of colorectal cancer.

Believe it or not, the dog correctly identified the cancerous samples in 33 out of 36 of the breath tests and 37 of 38 stool tests.

The researchers even complicated the task for Marine by adding a few challenges to the samples, including samples from smokers or from subjects with other types of gut problems which might have masked or interfered with other smells, but these did not interfere with the dog's olfactory accuracy.

An inexpensive, more accurate test to detect bowel cancer early could help in the fight against the disease, but don't expect dogs to take the place of colorectal cancer test. Besides, it is difficult to introduce canine scent judgement into clinical practice owing to the expensive and time required for the dog trainer and for dog education.

The study shows that cancer cells give off specific discernible odours as they circulate through the body. If the specific chemicals that produce the smell of colorectal cancer are identified, a sensor could be substituted for dog instead.

2010 Most Popular Dogs

2011-01-26T23:59:00.000-08:00

January 26, 2011, The American Kennel Club (AKC) announced it's nationwide registration statistics revealing that for the 20th consecutive year.

Once again the Labrador Retriever leads the rank at no.1 as the most popular dog in America, followed by German shepherd, Yorkshire at no. 3, no. 4 Beagle, no.5 Golden Retriever, Bulldog jumps up with it's highest ranking in a century at no.6, Boxer at no.7, no.8 Dachshung, no.9 Poodle and at no.10, none other than Shih Tzu.

This year's list included some shakeups in the top 10, the Beagle overtook the Golden Retriever for the 4th spot and the Bulldog, who has been steadily rising up in rank, took 6th place away from the Boxer, who dropped to 7th in 2010.

The AKC also added three dogs to it's list of registered breeds. They include an ancient Mexican breed, Xoloitzcuintli the calm, “noble,” pointy-eared dog – also called Xolo that comes in three sizes. The Norwegian Lundehund, which is handsome, athletic and playful. And the Entlebucher Mountain Dog made it's mark as a cattle herder in Switzerland, it was described as energetic, loyal and persistent.

The AKC compiles the list based on the number of dogs registered each year with the AKC said by director of public relation, Christina Duffney. Breeders of pedigree dogs provide their new owners with papers, and the owners file those papers with the America Kennel Club.

Cat Born in Tree

2011-01-24T23:40:00.000-08:00

A Wisconsin man said the cat living in the maple tree outside his home has never left the tree in it's entire 7 months of life. It lived solo in the hollow of the tree, about 12 feet up.

The 7-month-old cat was born in a maple tree in Ron Venden's back yard, but when the mother cat moved her kittens from their perch, she left little Almond behind, Venden tells Wisconsin State Journal. Since then, the cat has remained in his treetop home.

Retired carpenter, Ron Venden, 66, has been caring for the cat which he named Almond. Venden climbs on a ladder to check on and feed Almond twice a day, spoiling her with fresh food like meatloaf, salami and fresh milk. He also created a protected straw bed with protective tarp in the tree to protect him from the icy Wisconsin elements, he even set up a dry food feeder for him.

Venden told local newspaper that he had never seen any paw prints in the snow around the tree, and it was confirmed by his relative saying that they had not seen the cat anywhere other than the tree. He tried bringing the cat down several times but Almond resisted and scratched him.

"I want to see how long it stays here," he said, happily petting his tree-bound friend."I kind of enjoy it. Though the neighbors think I'm goofy."

Ancient Dog Bone Found!

2011-01-19T23:34:00.000-08:00

Archeological digs says that oldest dog exist 8,000 years or more but have not scientifically proven until one researcher discovered an ancient bone.

Recently, a University of Maine graduate student named Samuel Belknap III was researching about the diet and nutrition of ancient people who lived in what is now Texas. As he examine human waste, he came across a small bone. He says a carbon-dating test pegged the age of the bone at 9,400 years old. A DNA analysis confirmed it came from a dog. And because it was found deep inside a pie of human excrement and was the characteristic orange-brown color that bone turns when it has passed through the digestive tract. The fragment provides the earliest direct evidence that dogs besides from being used for company, security and hunting were also eaten by humans and may even have been bred as a food source.

From the size of the bone, Belknap figures the dog weighed about 25 to 30 pounds. He also found what he thinks was a bone from a dog foot, but the fragment was too small to be analyzed.

Belknap and other researchers from the University of Maine and the University of Oklahoma's molecular anthropology laboratories, where the DNA analysis was done have written a paper on their findings. The paper has been scientifically reviewed and accepted and to be publish later this year.

This is an important scientific discovery that can tell us not only a lot about the genetic history of dogs but of the interactions between humans and dogs in the past. Dogs have played an important role in human culture for thousands of years and in the present. Truly, dog is man's greatest companion.

Court summons cat for jury service

2011-01-17T23:09:00.000-08:00

Sounds weird but yes, A pet cat has been summoned for jury service and has been told by courts that he must attend.

A cat named Sal Esposito has been called to do jury duty in the US despite it's owners telling the court that he was unable to speak and understand English. Massachusetts couple Anna and Guy Esposito considered their cat Sal as member of the family that's why they listed him on the last census form under pets.

Sal's owner Anna, wrote to Suffolk Superior Crown Court in Boston, US explaining that a mistake has been made and she's asking to have her pet disqualified from the service requirement on the grounds. She even included a letter from her vet explaining that Sal is not a human being but a domestic short-haired neutered feline, but a jury commissioner replied saying that the cat must attend on March 23.

When they ask him guilty or not guilty, what do you think Sal will say? He'll probably do a meow for answer.

However, jurors are not expecting a perfect command of the English language from the cat.

Tax or Death of you Pet?

2011-01-12T23:53:00.000-08:00

In most towns, authorities may threaten you with massive fines, liens or even foreclosure if you don't pay your taxes. In the Swiss village of Reconvilier, they may just put your dog down.

Yes you read it right, it's like choosing between Tax or Death of your pet. In Switzerland, dog ownership is taxed.

According to the Associated Press, local official of Reconvilier Pierre-Alain Nemitz is threatening to execute dogs whose owners refuse to pay the village's annual $50 dog tax. Under a 1904 law, Nemitz says, the village government has the right to kill a dog if it's owner won't cope up the cash. Also according to Nemitz, “This isn't about a mass execution of dogs. It's meant to put pressure on people who don't cooperate.” It is part of the village's solution to collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes.

Despite of the reasonable aim, it seems unfair to punish the dog for the owners transgressions. It isn't the way to solve budget problems.

Apparently, the 2, 245 of Reconilier think that the money they've earned and the 280 dogs they own belong to them not the government.

Because of that plan, Nemitz overwhelmed by threats and insults not only in his town but pet lovers also. I'm sure person who shares their life with a dog, and treat it like one of the family members would not want to live in that place.

Cat might got sick because of Stress

2011-01-11T00:16:00.000-08:00

We all know that stress can lead to illness for us human beings. But it's not just people who gets sick from stress. Do you now that cat also experience stress? And it also make them ill.

In a three-year study, Ohio State University researchers found healthy cats showed signs of illness when stressed and sick cats became healthier when stress levels were reduced. Twelve of 32 cats in the 3-year study were healthy and 20 had FIC, a chronic pain syndrome that affects the cat's bladder. Lower urinary tract diseases occur in about 1.5 percent of house cats, the researchers said, and a lot of pet owners can't stand the messes that come with them. As a result, they say millions of sick cats are euthanised or turned over to shelters every year.

To cats, stress might be unwanted attention, a dirty litter box or strange noises. So owners and vets must look at a sick cat's environment before deciding on a euthanasia. They also have to be educated about managing and maintaining an enriched environment. Having a pet is like having a baby, there are responsibilities and obligations to consider. So if you're planning to have a pet make sure you're responsible enough for them.

Chaser: Smartest Dog in the World

2011-01-05T23:58:00.000-08:00

We all know that Border Collie is the smartest dog among the other breeds. But, have you heard about Chaser?

A 6-year-old border collie named Chaser owned by a retired Wofford College professor John Pilley, broke the world's record for largest human vocabulary understood by a dog. According to Wofford College announcement, Chaser can comprehend the names of 1,022 objects. Chaser leaps ahead of the previous record holder, another border collie named Rico, who knew 200 human words.

Other dogs can sit, stay and sway but that's nothing compared with Chaser, aside from knowing more than thousand words, he can also sort his toys by function and shapes. Not only that, he happily retrieved the toys for her masters, and waited for more. No attitude problem here. Chaser's vocabulary rivals that of an average 3-year-old human.

Chaser essentially graduated from a three-year training program at Wofford College conducted by psychologists Alliston Reid and John Pilley. Alliston and John wanted to test if there was a limit to the amount of words a border collie could learn, so they taught Chaser the names of hundreds of toys, one by one, slowly and patiently, for three years. “In the first experiment where we talk about the learning of proper nouns, the procedure we use is one where she was taught in a way that she couldn't fail," Pilley said. "We would place the object right on the floor, somewhere the dog couldn't miss.” Then after a period of several months, Pilley and Reid would work with a different object, slowly training the dog on each one. Pilley stressed the training technique more than anything resulted in the incredible skills of the dog.

For now, Chaser is becoming known as the world's smartest dog and still has to work to get the Guinness Book of World Record from Puck, a budgerigar who had a 1,728-word vocabulary.

Man Kill Cats for Research

2011-01-04T00:04:00.000-08:00

A Kentucky man is facing animal abuse charges after allegedly torturing and killing four cats. Louisville Police arrested Alex Phelps, 24, on Dec. 30, after a tip line call led investigators to the Bullitt County man. Police say Phelps confessed to stabbing and killing the animals using a sharp knife.

Police have found three cats tortured to death in southern Jefferson County over the past couple of months. Bullitt County police also discovered two mutilated cats behind a Kroger in early December. Investigators say all the dead cats found over the last month have similarities including the gruesome way they were tortured, the injuries to the cats are so gruesome. They were stabbed multiple times and their intestines were out.

Investigators still looking for possible reasons why did a man do this kind of animal killing but according to Phelps, he was conducting some type of research.

Phelps was also arrested back in 2007 for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Police say he could face charges in Bullitt County as well.

Dog's Head Stuck in Wall: Rescued

2010-12-28T01:04:00.000-08:00

An 8-month-old German shepherd named Rebel lived up to his name Monday afternoon after getting his head stuck inside an 18-inch-thick brick wall while his owner was away. The pup somehow squeezed his head through a retaining wall in his owner’s yard in Desert Hot Springs, but it was not certain what led him to poke through.

A friend of the dog's owner discovered the pup in distress, whimpering and crying for help. She tried to help the dog but was unable it to free. She then immediately called the animal control officers for help.

The animal services immediately checked the dog’s breathing to make sure his airways were not restricted, then began the rescue, pulling from one side of the wall and pushing from the other. The rescue lasted for 30 minutes, the team manage to rescue the dog without breaking down the wall and risking further injury to the animal.

Kroger Pet Food Recall: Toxin Alert

2010-12-22T23:21:00.000-08:00

The Kroger Co. are recalling selected packages of pet food sold in some of its retail stores because the products may contain aflatoxin, which poses a health risk to pets. Aflatoxins are naturally occurring mycotoxins producted by many species of the Aspergillus family of fungus, and are considered as among the most carcinogenic substances known. Aflotoxins are a common cause of otomycosis, a fungal ear infection that can cause pain, temporary hearing loss, and, in severe cases, damage to the ear canal and tympanic membrane.

Consumer who purchased certain brands of cat food, kitten food and dog food from Kroger stores between Oct. 23-Dec. 18 are being asked to check the product code.

The recall involves certain bags of Pet Pride Cat Food, Pet Pride Kitten Food, Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food, Kroger Value Cat Food and Kroger Value Chunk Food. The company advises customers: if you bought a contaminated bag of pet food, stop using it immediately and return it to where you purchased it for refund or exchange. They also advise buyers who consumed affected products to monitor their pets for symptoms of illness, including sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, yellowish tint to the eyes and/or gums, and severe or bloody diarrhea. If any of these symptoms appear, they recommend consulting your veterinarian immediately.

Family dog kills Infant

2010-12-20T23:42:00.000-08:00

December 20, 2010 at Houston in Caruso Forest in Northwest Harris Country, A three months old baby was mauled and killed by her family's pet dog.

It happened Sunday afternoon when the mother left her daughter Janet in the swing while she had taken one of their dogs to the bathroom. While Alva is in the process of giving the dog a bath, she heard some barking from the room she had just left. Alva went into that room and didn't see a dog but found her only child on the floor, lifeless and bloodied. The infant's hands were mangled and head was crushed. They tried to revive her by bringing her to an area hospital but the baby didn't make it, she died an hour later.

The child's parents keep nine dogs including Rottweilers, Chows and large mixed-breeds that was kept in their backyard. Because of so many dogs, the authorities don't know exactly which of the animals was the dog that mauled the child. To determine which of the animals did that horrible deal, they took all of the animals to the Animal Control for further observation and investigation.

Pet franchises are on the move according to Franchise Direct report

2010-12-20T23:36:00.000-08:00

The pet business is exploding. Experts estimate that pet owners will about $47 billion in their animals this year in America. Many businesses are reaping the rewards of this boom, a new report from Franchise Direct states.

Franchise Direct is one of the leading franchise opportunity websites on the internet. They have great expertise when it comes to examining the state of the franchise industry. They have published many exclusive studies on franchising, and their pet franchising report examines the Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) of 17 different pet franchises, across seven different subcategories.

The industry owes its explosion in part to the fact our love for pets continues to grow. Consider America, where 62% of US households own at least one pet. Today, you’ll find a pet in 71.4 million American homes, which is an increase of over 20 million pets since 1998. In line with the rise in pet ownership is the growth of niche pet franchise markets. Pet owners now spend lavishly on expensive pet hotels, vet care and upscale pet products. But the best indicator of the strength of the pet industry is this: when then US economy went into recession in 2008, consumer spending on pets remained steady.

Pet franchises make up a diverse and growing industry. Businesses from pet supply retailers to dog-sitting franchises are all now franchised. In a developing industry like the pet industry, consumers rely upon established names, and so they regularly turn to franchises.

As for the pet franchise market, pet food continues to drive the pet economy. Yet, as pets live longer, owners are also investing more on vet care, grooming, supplies and medicine. Pet franchises have been created to work with nearly every niche in the industry.

Many entrepreneurs choose to own a pet franchise with no previous experience working in the pet industry. While anyone can be successful with a pet franchise, we find that people who love animals especially love this field. Their passion for pets drives them to better things both in life, and ultimately, in business. As the Franchise Direct pet franchise report outlines, pet franchises are in a robust state and primed for expansion.

About Franchise Direct: Franchise Direct (www.FranchiseDirect.com) is one of the world's leading portals for franchise and business opportunities. Started as a single website for the promotion of franchises in the US market in 1998, Franchise Direct now operates a suite of six multilingual sites targeting North America and Europe.

Great Dane Snatches Infant and Ran

2010-12-15T23:03:00.000-08:00

OMG! Recently, A 3-year-old and 170-pound Great Dane named Zack from California snatches a six month old baby (Jasmine Magluyan) from her mother's arms and dropped it off in the ground after running 100 feet.

The attack happened about 2:30 p.m. Monday in the 600 block of Laurel Lane, when the mother visited a neighbor and was talking on the front porch with her daughter on her shoulder when the huge dog rushed out the door, grabbed the child and ran off.

The animal ran approximately 100 feet with the baby hanging from her right side before dropping her in the street. Jasmine's mother together with it's neighbor ran to chased the dog.

After the incident, the baby was airlifted to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center where she was listed in guarded condition. She underwent treatment for broken ribs, a perforated liver, a collapsed lung, a broken clavicle and a multiple puncture wounds to her back.

Police said the Great Dane is a licensed dog and has had his shots. Therefore, Zack has been quarantined for 10 days at the Inland Valley Humane Society while officers investigate, and may be euthanized if it is declared dangerous. If the owners chose not to voluntarily put down the dog, a hearing would have been scheduled within the next few weeks. Today, even though the dog has had no history of aggressive behavior, his owners have decided to have the 3 year old great dane put down.

Jasmine was in stable condition today.

Tortured Dog, Accused Denies Charges

2010-12-13T23:59:00.000-08:00

Despite of being mistreat by it's owner, Lacey a seven pound mixed-terrier dog received an overwhelming donations from as far as the UK and Australia. The money will be used for Lacey's surgery and medication. The said dog was discovered tied to a tree in the yard. A veterinarian says the little dog was hit repeatedly in the mouth with a golf club, sprayed in the eyes and ears with bleach, and left untreated for up to four days.

Robert Gonzales, the dog's owner was accused of beating and burning his own dog. was arrested by the Bakersfield Police on three charges one for alleged animal abuse of a seven pound mixed terrier, two for felony charges for the possession of a controlled substance and three for the possession of a prohibited weapon and might face 18 months to three years behind bars if convicted. In an interview, the suspect denies the allegations and called those "false allegations" and asserted that he is being described as "a person that I am not." He said the dog, Lacey, was accidentally injured when she tipped over a bucket of bleach in his garage on Nov. 29. He also says that he never hit his dog and added that the accusations came from his next door neighbors, who happen to be the parents of his ex-girlfriend. A relationship, he says where there are a lot of unsettled issues, finger pointing and lies.

In the current case, the dog was taken to Coffee Road Animal Hospital for surgery on her left eye, which had ruptured, and her right ear, which had been burned. Kern County Animal Control has found a rescue home to care for Lacey, which will be her foster home. Lacey is slowly recovering and will undergo more surgeries ahead.

Cat lost because of Katrina, Found

2010-12-08T23:41:00.000-08:00

Five years after one hot, muggy, post-Katrina, a gray and white cat has been reunited with its family in Mississippi. A seven-year-old Russian blue and tabby cat has found his way back to his loved ones after Hurricane Katrina separated them. Scrub was about two years old when he disappeared, he got away because they had taken to leaving the doors and windows open because it was hot and there was no electricity after the hurricane. Scrub started going outside but one day didn't come back.

Jennifer Noble Scrub's owner, received a message from Humane Society of South Mississippi. She thought that the shelter had the wrong cat as she listened last week to a message left on her husband’s office answering machine.

The Humane Society of South Mississippi says Scrub was identified by an implanted microchip. It's the power of microchipping that made the cat return, there is no other way that cat would have found its family. A microchip is literally a computer chip the size of a grain of rice, designed to be safely kept under an animal’s skin. Each chip has a unique ID number on it, and is easily injected between the pet’s shoulder blades.

The cat has returned with good health, only a few scars and a slightly feral side. He still has his moments where he gets a little jumpy, but not as docile as he used to be. He also got a little bit of wild in him. After Scrub settled in with the family a bit, Noble said she knew for sure it was the same cat.

Terrier Attack: Causes plane to divert

2010-12-06T23:44:00.001-08:00

It was a terrier, not a terrorist, that caused a US Airways flight to be diverted Monday morning to Pittsburgh. A spokesman for US Airways has confirmed that a dog got loose on board a plane, and the captain decided to divert to Pittsburgh.

Mandy, a 12-pound Manchester terrier, burst from her carrier in the passenger’s compartment when sedatives began wearing off. The 89-year-old owner of the dog had sedated the animal before the flight that made Mandy became agitated. The owner brought the dog out from under her seat to try to calm her down. When a passenger whose seating next to them tried to calm her, she bit it and broke out of her cage. One of the planes attendant tried to grab Mandy down but was bitten instead.

Though the injuries were minor, it prompted the pilot to divert the Newark-to-Phoenix flight to Pittsburgh as a precaution to make sure everything was okay and also to treat those who are injured. After being treated they then got back on the plane to continue their journey. However, separate transportation was arranged for Mandy and it's owner.

Now, is it time for airlines to add a "beware of dog" warning to their flight safety instructions? What do you think?

Gothic kitten groomer wants to reopen shop

2010-12-02T22:54:00.000-08:00

Remember the woman who attempt to sell pierced cat on line? The Sweet Valley woman who was convicted of animal cruelty and sentenced to six months of house arrest. This past week Crawford asked Judge Tina Polachek Gartley if she could reopen her grooming shop called Pawside Parlor, which has been closed since April, part of the sentence handed down by Luzerne County Judge Tina Polachek Gartley after a jury found Ms. Crawford's practice of piercing kittens' ears and necks and docking their tails constituted animal cruelty.

Ms. Crawford filed a petition in October to relax her probation, saying she has struggled to find work since her conviction and that reopening her business would allow her to support her family, pay court costs and serve as a role model for her daughter. On the other hand, she has been worrying about restarting her animal-grooming business though a lot of her customers don't want to take their animals anywhere else.

Prosecutors did not oppose Crawford's request, since she has met the requirements of her probation and left it to the judge's discretion.

Leona Lewis: Attacked by evil cat

2010-12-01T22:47:00.000-08:00

Europe's Sexiest Vegetarian in 2009 and PETA's Person Of The Year for 2008, Leona Lewis described the feline as "evil". While promoting her Labyrinth tour, Leona told in an interview that she was frightened by a cat. The feline jumped on her and started viciously scratching her legs because she doesn't know what to do, she got up and shook her leg. The animal then refused to let go and dug its claws in deeper when she tried to shake it off. “It was an evil cat. I don't like evil cats,” Leona added.

Despite of the incident, the pop star is known to be a huge animal lover. She is a public supporter of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), a vegetarian and a committed campaigner for several animal charities and devotes a lot of her time and energy to the WSPA - World Society for the Protection of Animals.

Rachael Ray to Donate $775k for Animal Shelters

2010-11-24T00:10:00.000-08:00

To mark the holiday season Rachael Ray, the chef and host of her own TV show has pledge to donate $775,000 to animal shelters, charities and rights groups across the country by the end of the year. The said money was the proceeds from her Nutrish and Just 6 pet food lines.

We normally find Rachael in the kitchen cooking her favorite delicious dishes for a studio audience. She doesn't only love cooking but she also love animals, Rachael owned a pit bull named Isaboo. She and her husband can sleep at night knowing that their small space is probably wrong for a lot of animals.

"If you want to look at the state of humans, you should look at the state of animals first," Ray told People magazine. "People are choosing whether or not they can feed an animal and their family. And every shelter coast-to-coast is stuffed."

While on tour with her new book Look + Cook, Ray is sponsoring a series of pop-up adoption events for her favorite shelters in an effort to raise awareness for the plight of homeless animals. Rachael started giving to charity in 2008 and planning to distribute the funds before the end of December.

Pit Bull Attack - Shot by Deputy

2010-11-22T23:57:00.000-08:00

Spartanburg County Deputy shot a pit bull after attacking two people. Around 10:30 a.m. at Fuller Road a man's pit bull chased two women back to the car, the owner drag the dog back into the yard. But when the women got out of the car, the dog bit one of them on the arm. When the man try to restrain the dog, it bit him on the face and latched onto his arm.

To respond, Deputy Ryan Miller arrived at home and found the dog's owner bleeding and holding the animal down. The owner pinned the dog down, but the dog broke free and latched onto the man's arm. At that point the deputy shot the dog once through the chest, but the dog continued its hold. A second bullet killed the animal, which, even in death, was still clamping the man's arm.

Miller stated that he asked Spartanburg County animal control several times to come to the scene to assist during the incident, but animal control refused until ordered to go by a sergeant after the dog was dead. They will now review department policy on responding to dog bites. On the other hand, the animal was taken for testing for rabies.