September 2007
FDA Warns Against Dog Treats
28/09/07
Chicken jerky treats may be causing some dogs to fall ill, US federal health officials warned on Wednesday.
The US Food and Drug Administration issued the warning after receiving more than 70 complaints about nearly 100 dogs that became ill or died after consuming store-bought chicken treats. The agency has conducted chemical and microbial tests on the suspected treats, but has yet to find any contaminant. Dogs that became sick showed symptoms of lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, increased water consumption and/or increased urination.
Earlier this year, Wal-Mart pulled various brands of chicken jerky dog treats from their shelves after reports of dogs becoming sick after eating them.
Dog Rescued from River
27/09/07
Emergency personnel saved a drowning dog from the Chicago River last night.
Miss Pickles, a bull mastiff, was walking on a leash with her owner yesterday when she spotted a rat and chased it into the water. The Chicago Police marine unit and the Fire Department were quick to respond when the dog’s owner called 911 for help rather than jumping in the water after his pet. Divers tied a rope around the dog’s collar for others to tow her to shore in the 15 minute rescue operation.
Miss Pickles is doing well and has been reunited with her grateful owner.
Vick Indicted on Additional Charges
26/09/07
Michael Vick has been indicted on a new round of charges relating to the dog fighting network based at his Virginia property.
The Atlanta Falcons quarterback’s latest indictment was brought forward by prosecutor in Surry County, Virginia, where Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels was based. The charges are for beating or killing or causing dogs to fight other dogs and engaging or promoting dog fights. Vick pleaded guilty to federal dog fighting charges last month, for which he will be sentenced on December 10. The maximum sentence for Vick’s initial federal offence is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 USD.
Since pleading guilty, Vick has been suspended indefinitely from the NFL and lost numerous endorsements, including Nike.
Dog Returned to Panhandler
25/09/07
A Chicago panhandler was reunited with his missing dog on the weekend after two weeks of searching.
Tom Finley, 69, handed out fliers to passersby for two weeks after his beloved blond husky-terrier mix, Reba, disappeared. His perseverance proved worth while when an unidentified woman returned the dog to an official with the Anti-Cruelty Society. Finley lost Reba when he left the 12-year-old dog tied outside of a McDonald’s on September 7. Finley had received an outpouring of public support while searching for Reba. One woman gave him a prepaid cell phone to field calls in the search, on which he received hundreds of tips.
The Anti-Cruelty Society has offered the 30-pound dog that walks with a limp a lifetime of free veterinary care, beginning with an appointment today.
Bangkok’s Free Dog Microchipping
24/09/07
The city of Bangkok is providing free registration and microchipping for dogs in preparation for new pet ownership requirements.
Thailand’s capital will provide the free dog identification processes over the next three months to the first 50,000 dogs to be registered. The program was introduced to boost participation in the recently announced legislation that will require all dogs in the city to be registered within 120 days of their birth by July 2008. The new law, and subsequent free microchipping, is an initiative of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to reduce the number of stray dogs in the city. People who do not register their dogs will face fines.
Proper dog identification is encouraged around the world in the form of microchipping and dog collars with ID tags.
Ten Convicted in Dog Fighting Bust
21/09/07
Ten men were yesterday convicted of involvement in a sadistic dog fight that shocked officials.
All of the men were found guilty of attending the fight and five were also found guilty of the more serious charge of organizing the bout, at the end of the three-week trial in Birmingham, UK. The dog fight was raided by police last February when they heard cheers and yelps coming from the premises. The court was shown graphic photos of scenes from the brutal fight that resulted in one dog dying in the ring and another being put down two days later.
The judge issued fines of up to £1,400 for attending the fight, while the five men charged with organizing the fight will face sentencing in October.
Mountie Dog Puts Bite on Crime
20/09/07
An RCMP dog helped locate a man suspected of holding up a taxi driver with a syringe this week.
Police dog, Cargo, tracked down the 23-year-old suspect shortly after a taxi driver reported an attempted robbery in Chilliwack, British Columbia. The driver was dropping off the passenger early on Tuesday when he stuck a needle in his neck and demanded money. The 57-year-old driver managed to fight off the robber and flag down an RCMP officer after the incident.
Cargo tracked down a suspect after the attack and left the man with puncture wounds in his arm. The suspect was treated at hospital for dog bites and has been charged with attempted robbery and resisting arrest.
Stolen Dog Found After Two Years
19/09/07
A small Pug has been recovered after being abducted from her home two years ago.
Cupcake, a fawn and black Pug, was found abandoned on the side of the road a few weeks ago by two sisters. They took the starving, flea-ridden dog to a veterinarian who scanned her for a microchip, revealing that Cupcake belonged to Jennifer Gleason. Cupcake was stolen from the Gleason family home, along with another purebred Pug, two years ago in a break in that targeted the purebred animals. Gleason and Cupcake were happily reunited over the Labor Day weekend.
Pug rescue workers emphasized the importance of using pet identification in light of Cupcake’s recovery. They strongly recommend microchipping and placing a collar with tags on all dogs.
Rescue Dogs take the Plunge
18/09/07
Italian rescue dogs are being trained to jump from helicopters to save people drowning at sea.
The Italian Dog Rescue School is introducing the groundbreaking program where dogs leap from helicopters into dangerous waters and tow people to safety. The program generally takes in docile dogs that like the water and weigh more than 55lbs. The most popular breeds are large Newfoundlands, German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers. Some of the rescue dogs can even tow a rubber dinghy with four people aboard to shore.
The trainers say that most of the dogs enjoy the experience, but if they show signs of reluctance, such as tucking the tail between the legs, they aren’t forced to jump.
Woman Saves Dog from Python
17/09/07
A British woman battled a 14ft Burmese python in Hong Kong to save the life of her pet dog.
Expatriate Catherine Leonard, 41, was walking her mongrel dog, Poppy, near her home when the python attacked. She was alerted when the 44lb dog yelped and rushed to see the snake coiling around her pet. Leonard kicked and grappled with the snake until it loosened its grip enough to let Poppy run to safety. Officials posted warning signs after the incident, but Leonard believes the python should be captured and relocated, as the trail is near a family picnic area.
The attack took place in the rural New Territories area of Hong Kong along a stretch of trail where a pet Husky was killed by a python last year.
Dog-Catching Contest Cancelled
14/09/07
Animal rights activists have succeeded in persuading a Malaysian town to call off a controversial dog-catching competition.
Officials in Selayang town announced the cancellation today after protesters, with dogs in tow, staged demonstrations against the competition, which they branded as inhumane and distasteful. The town launched the competition last week to alleviate the problem of stray dogs. Residents were to be given about $5.70 USD for each captured dog, while community associations that caught at least 150 dogs in six months were to be awarded with new playgrounds and facilities.
Activists condemned the plan as being ineffective and warned that people may resort to violent dog-catching tactics or people may be bitten by the animals. No dogs were caught in the short-lived program.
Surfer Rescues Drowning Dog
13/09/07
A surfer rode a wave on his stomach to scoop up a drowning dog from dangerous water in Lake Michigan on Tuesday.
Matt Smolenski, 25, grabbed the brown and black mixed breed by his collar and dragged the dog onto the surfboard with him. The dog had been swept off the pier by a wave and had just stopped dog-paddling as Smolenski came to the rescue. Another surfer, Joe Riopelle, 24, helped haul the duo to shore through the large waves and strong current.
The dog was not wearing a leash when he was swept into the water. The same wave that washed the dog off the pier knocked the owner off his feet.
Vancouver’s Top Police Dog
12/09/07
A Vancouver Police K-9 team has been ranked the best in Canada for taking a bite out of crime.
Police Constable Ray Wong and police dog Bear were awarded first place out of 50 competing teams at the National Police Dog Championships in Edmonton last week. The K-9 teams were tested in categories including compound search, team event, criminal apprehension, evidence search, tracking and agility. The event was organized by the Canadian Police Canine Association and ran from September 5 - 8.
The championship marks a significant comeback for Bear who was electrocuted while on duty in 2002. Bear stepped on an electrical plate while pursuing a burglary suspect and was resuscitated by Wong.
Dogs Detect Epileptic Fits
11/09/07
Dogs are being heralded as heroes during Epileptic New Zealand’s awareness week.
Epilepsy sufferer Belinda Simpson gave a speech yesterday in Tauranga, New Zealand raising awareness on the importance of training epileptic service dogs. Simpson credits her service dog, a Golden Retriever named Bradley, with warning her of impending seizures up to 20 minutes before they happen. Bradley warns Simpson of the seizures by pacing, licking her hand and acting agitated. Not all epileptic service dogs can detect a fit, though, and their ability to do so relies heavily on the bond with their owners.
Epileptic assistant dogs take about 18 months to train and wear recognizable purple harnesses while working. They are trained to do a number of tasks including getting phones, activating medic alert buttons, opening and shutting doors, and even taking the laundry out of the washing machine.
US Free of Canine Rabies
10/09/07
Officials declared the US free of canine rabies last Friday to coincide with World Rabies Day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made the announcement in a press release that heralded the eradication as one of the major success stories in public health over the past 50 years. Although the dog-to-dog rabies strain has been eliminated, US citizens were warned that wildlife, such as skunks and raccoons, still carry strains of the disease. These different strains can be spread to humans and dogs, so it is still well-advised to keep vaccinating pets against rabies.
The canine rabies elimination in the US was achieved through stray dog control in combination with dog licensing and vaccination.
Deal for Voting Dog’s Owner
07/09/07
A Seattle woman who registered her dog to vote has accepted a deal that will allow her to avoid criminal conviction.
Jane Balogh, 66, will perform 10 hours and community service and pay a fine of $240 USD in court costs as a part of her misdemeanor charge agreement. Balogh could have faced up to 90 days in jail if prosecuted and found guilty. Balogh registered her Australian shepherd-terrier mix to vote as a demonstration of the inadequacy of voter identification procedures. She used a phone bill in the dog’s name, Duncan M. MacDonald, to prove his identity.
Balogh submitted absentee ballots in multiple elections for the dog marked as "void" and using paw prints as the signature. No votes were cast.
Veterans Remember War Dogs
06/09/07
Veterans in the US are pushing lawmakers to establish a national memorial for war dogs.
Each year, a small group of veterans meet the Sunday before Memorial Day at the Riverside March Field Air Museum to honour forgotten heroes of battle. They meet at the West Coast War Dog Memorial, but would like to hold future gatherings at a national memorial dedicated to their lost companions. Many of the veterans who mourn their war dogs credit the canines with saving their lives on multiple occasions.
War dogs have been used for many years for both scouting and sentry positions. Sentry dogs work as guards, while scout dogs patrol with their handlers sniffing out buried explosives, detecting tripwires and sensing danger.
Whoopi Defends Vick
05/09/07
Whoopi Goldberg provoked harsh criticism from animal rights activists yesterday after defending Michael Vick on television.
The comedian spoke out in defense of Vick on her first day as a panel member on the television show, The View. Goldberg named cultural influence as the rationale behind the Atlanta Falcons quarterback’s involvement in dog fighting. She said that dog fighting was a part of the southern culture which Vick came from and that he was raised to believe it was acceptable behaviour. Various animal rights groups have rebuked Goldberg’s statements saying that opposition to dog fighting is a universal value in American culture.
Vick pleaded guilty last week to federal dog fighting charges, admitting his involvement in Bad Newz Kennels and helping to kill underperforming dogs.
DNA Testing for Troubled Dogs
04/09/07
A researcher in Boston is charting new territory in the exploration of canine genetics.
Dr. Nicholas Dodman, head of the animal behaviour clinic at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, is preparing to explore the genetics of complex psychiatric problems in dogs. Dodman will begin by comparing the DNA of Doberman pinschers that suck on their own flanks, to the DNA of normal behaving Dobermans. He later hopes to study other breeds for obsessive compulsive behaviour, such as constant tail chasing, and perhaps even trace a genetic influence in canine aggression towards humans.
Dodman is using a new "chip" technology developed by researchers at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, where the entire dog genome was sequenced a couple of years ago.
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