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DOZENS OF DOGS FOUND
USA
May 31, 2008

Dozens of dogs found inside unoccupied Randolph home
Senior rescue technician Mike Brammar and shelter agent Ashley Arseneau load puppy number 35 onto the mobile adoption rescue truck.



Authorities in Randolph along with the Animal Rescue League of Boston rescued about 50 dogs and puppies from an unoccupied home in Randolph tonight.

more stories like thisThe conditions inside the Thayer Circle residence led the Randolph Board of Health to temporarily condemn the residence, according to Christopher Smalley, spokesman for the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

The League executed a search warrant on the home along with Randolph Police, Randolph Animal Control, and the state Department of Agricultural Resources, after receiving a tip from a concerned neighbor.

The rescue league removed the dogs tonight, Smalley said. "They all have initial veterinary checks on site, and then they will be brought to our various veterinary facilitates in Boston, Dedham, and Brewster, and various other veterinary clinics that we work with from time to time."
Some animals were in cages and some were not, he said, and an investigation by the law enforcement division of the league is ongoing. Smalley did not give specifics about the conditions the animals were kept in but said "the fact that the Randolph Board of Health has condemned the house speaks for itself."

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Machete thugs snatch terrier puppies


DOG-NAPPED: Navy with her puppies
AN armed gang stole five pedigree puppies after setting up a fake sale and bursting into a stunned young couple's home.

Owners Halina Bhati and Kuljit Rathore also lost the litter's Staffordshire bull terrier parents in the raid and fear they will be put into illegal dog fights.
VALUABLE: One of the puppies
The couple fell for a sob story from a man who promised to buy his girlfriend a puppy for her birthday after forgetting to at Christmas.
But - in front of two genuine customers - his two accomplices broke the front door down brandishing knives. One thug, wielding a foot-long machete, said: "Anyone trying to be a hero is going to get it".
Miss Bhati, 23, of Hampton Road, Ilford, hopes publicity will stop the thieves making money from the pups.
She said: "The puppies can be worth up to £1,000 each and we agreed to give him a reduction because of his circumstances.
"My boyfriend tried to keep them out but they shoved their way in and kept him on the ground.
"I think they took the parents to make puppy sales look genuine, but they are so gentle that they will be killed in dog fights.
"We are not professional breeders, this is the first litter we have done and it's a horrible, horrible thing to happen."
As the men gathered up the dogs, one startled puppy made a break for it and hid behind the fridge and escaped the robbers.
The men - caught on a neighbour's CCTV camera - fled towards Kingston Road in a black car but police said they had used stolen number plates.
The incident happened at about 8.40pm on Wednesday, last week.
The bespectacled man posing as a customer is black and in his early 20s. He is about 5ft 5in, slim and was wearing dark clothes.
The man with the machete is heavily built and black. He was wearing black clothes and a hoodie obscured his face.
The third man is of mixed race and also heavily built. He was wearing a grey tracksuit and his face was covered by a scarf.

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Terrier Bess - scourge of Roker rats menace


Stephen Thompson with his dog Bess. He says the house next to his in Roker Avenue is rat infested.

Desperate Stephen Thompson says he has had to turn to his pet terrier as the last line of defence against the rats plaguing his Wearside home.
The 41-year-old blames a run-down house in Roker Avenue, Sunderland, for the spread of the rodents.
Despite the best efforts of pest controllers, Mr Thompson said he is unable to get rid of the vermin without access to the empty property and has had to rely on his dog Bess to scare off the growing rat population.
"The other day I saw a rat as big as a kitten sat on my window ledge looking at me," said Mr Thompson. "Every time I leave my front door I see at least one; they're everywhere outside.

"We know they are coming from this house, but there's no way to get to them. If it wasn't for Bess chasing them away, they'd be inside our house in a flash."
Mr Thompson, who lives next door to the house with girlfriend Joanne Martin, 35, said the rats are spreading to other properties in the street and he fears a public health problem.
"It's not just us, it's the whole of the street," said Mr Thompson, who suffers from ill health and is on incapacity benefit.
"There are people with young families and kids who play football on the streets. These rats are literally a few feet from them and there seems to more of them all the time.
"The basement of the house is wide open and you can see inside from my place. There must be more than a dozen rats running around in there. We think they're coming from the sewer."
Mr Thompson said he has been renting his terraced house for eight years, but it was only recently that the rat problem emerged.
"We've never had anything like this in the street before," he said. "We've tried just about everything, but we can't get in touch with the owner of the house.
"It's been up for sale for about a year now and no one is renting it. The whole situation is making our lives a misery."

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DOGS SNIFF OUT DRUGS
CHESTER
ENGLAND
May 28, 2008

Dogs sniff out drugs on Chester city centre streets


A police sniffer dog

SNIFFER dogs uncovered a quantity of cannabis and what is believed to be cocaine in Chester.
Officers from Chester Inner Neighbourhood Policing Unit took to the streets with a passive drugs dog from 9pm-1am on Friday.
This morning, Sgt Andy Pickup confirmed three people were arrested on suspicion of possessing what is thought to be cocaine. A quantity of cannabis was also seized.
"We went to several locations in the city centre including Northgate Street, the Cross and Foregate Street," he said.
"We made three arrests for possessing what we believe is cocaine.
"We recovered several amounts in queues where people have got rid of drugs because they know they are going to get caught if they still had it on them."
The drugs dog, which has also been used in Ellesmere Port and Frodsham, is highly trained to smell different types of drugs and to direct officers to those drugs when they are sensed.
Sgt Pickup said: "It was a success in two respects. "One, we uncovered some drugs and two, we made a big impact and people were very aware of what we were doing.
"We are sending the message out that there is a good chance you will get caught, no matter how well you think you have got it hidden.
"The dog will find it. It's a very good tool and it will smell it."
He added: "Ultimately if people are going to take drugs like cocaine with alcohol it can result in increased incidents of public order offences and assaults."
The use of the drugs dog was the final activity in a week of high profile Operation Strikeout initiatives.
Last week, police seized 25 mature cannabis plants during a raid on a house in Tarvin.
They also seized cannabis, amphetamines, cultivation equipment and three bags of what is believed to be cocaine and a quantity of money from Elton, Kelsall, Frodsham and Helsby.
Officers also uncovered amphetamines and cannabis in Blacon.
A 47-year-old woman was arrested in Hatton Road, Blacon, and was later given a caution for possession of amphetamines.
A 36-year-old woman was arrested in Blacon Point Road and was given a street warning for possessing cannabis.

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WOMBATS INFECTED DOGS
AUSTRALIA
May 27, 2008

Animal cruelty couple say wombats infected their dogs

INFECTIOUS wombats are to blame for the horrific condition of 120 dogs seized in Australia's worst case of animal hoarding, a court has heard.

Fugitives Joseph and Margarete Higham today told the Adelaide Magistrates Court they were treating diseases transmitted to their dogs from the native animals when their property was raided by the RSPCA.
They said they fled the state when told to re-home all but four of their dogs because "killing them" was their only alternative.
"I'm not compelled to have them, I just find it difficult when there's no place you can take old dogs where they'll have a chance," Margarete Higham said.
"For them to not be killed, we had to take them away."
Joseph, 66, and Margarete, 73, were last month convicted in their absence of mistreating dogs at a property near Eudunda.
The RSPCA seized 120 dogs – 70 more were left behind, 70 were destroyed, 15 were re-homed and three remain under observation.
In December, the couple were ordered to dispose of all but four of their dogs as part of their bail conditions.
At trial, witnesses said one dog's breed was unrecognisable because it was bald and covered in black, mangy skin.
They said the dog had "suffered every day of its life" and "never received proper nourishment".
Following a multi-state manhunt, the couple were arrested last week.
Margarete Higham was found in possession of another 127 dogs and six pigs.
Yesterday, the couple admitted previous convictions for animal cruelty in NSW.
Joseph Higham said their dogs had not been mistreated.
"We had a 400 acre property which was absolutely full of wombats, which transmit mange and disease to another animals," he said.
He said they had used two types of chemicals – one of which had poisoned him – to fight the infections.
"The only thing we're probably guilty of is having more animals than we could really look after," he said.
"But out of 120 dogs, we've only been found guilty of (mistreating) 11 – that percentage is not too bad."
Magistrate Cathy Deland adjourned the matter for four weeks to obtain psychiatric reports.

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Barking mad over dogs' nip and tuck

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Liposuction is available for the first time outside Germany at the University of Sydney's new $2.3 million Canine Teaching Hospital, which opened last week.

The university's associate professor in small animal surgery, Geraldine Hunt, introduced the technology here two years ago, and has so far performed the procedure, which can cost about $2000, on 15 dogs.

Most were for the removal of lypomas, or benign fatty tumours, which traditionally require invasive surgery. But Dr Hunt said she would consider liposuction on dogs who were overweight.

"If there were good medical reasons for doing it, then, of course, we would look at doing it," she said.

"The main one is if the dog has any tendency towards arthritis. The fact that it is overweight puts a lot more weight on their joints."

Excess weight around the abdomen could also affect the dog's respiratory system, and put stress on its heart and kidneys, she said.

However, Dr Hunt urged owners to review their pets' exercise and diet regime before considering any surgical procedures."I would have to be very careful about whether to recommend it for cosmetic reasons," she said. "It is much more responsible to look at what is in the best interests of the dog."

She fielded at least one inquiry a week from as far away as the US.

Bizarrely, owners were asking for testicular implants for their pooches, most often so they could compete in dog shows, be exported for sale overseas or to negate a prostate problem.

But, occasionally, people requested the $400 procedure — which excludes the cost of the implants in small, medium and large — for the sake of appearances.

"They might want to enhance the look of the dog's testicles, have large ones on a chihuahua," Randwick Veterinary Hospital's Andrew Herron said.

"I would definitely be counselling these people that this is a cosmetic procedure and they'd have to give me a pretty good reason to do it.

"If it was to show off down the park, I'd probably suggest I take them from him and put his in the dog."

A more common procedure is dentistry. Dr Herron said dogs were having stainless steel caps and porcelain veneers on their teeth, with owners shelling out as much as $2000.

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Stanley after his rescueSTANLEY, a four year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, probably didn’t mean to go pot-holing or to clock up a ‘big number’ for the Cave Rescue Organisation, but that’s what he did as he unwittingly became the 400th animal rescued by the Yorkshire Dales based group.

He was walking north from Horton-in-Ribblesdale on the Pennine Way, giving moral support to some of his owner’s friends who were walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats when suddenly Stanley found himself 9 metres (30 feet) down in one of the Sell Gill Holes.
As he howled to be lifted out, his owner, Frank Mitchell, rang for help, not realising that this was to be the Cave Rescue Organisation’s 400th animal rescue. Having been assured that Stanley was ‘soft’ (as well as heavy), Kevin Chadwick, of Clapham, abseiled down to rescue him unharmed.
Although this is CRO’s 400th animal rescue, the team has, over the years, gone to the aid of 412 sheep or lambs, 69 dogs, 24 head of cattle, 9 ducks, a cat and a rabbit and has been awarded two certificates by the RSPCA. Since 1934, CRO members have also gone to the aid of over 3,000 people, above and below ground, in the Yorkshire Dales.
Dave Gallivan, of Horton in Ribblesdale, duty controller for the incident, said “CRO members are always conscious of the fact that the people they turn out to help are on working farmers’ land, so are happy to rescue livestock, too. On this occasion, we recovered a walker’s dog, next week it could be someone’s sheep or lambs.”

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DOG CLONING
USA
May 24, 2008

You want to do what with my DNA?: A California company is auctioning off the rights to make clones of the dogs of the five highest online bidders.



A man’s best friend could become a permanent best friend under a proposal being floated by a California company. BioArts International is offering to clone the dogs of the five highest bidders, guaranteeing that they’ll always have some version of their favorite pet throughout their life.



But before you get too excited, it won’t be cheap. Opening bid prices are $100,000. And the chief cloner is scientist from South Korea who was discredited by having faked research in an earlier cloning project. The research team has already made three cloned dogs from the DNA of dog from BioArts’ CEO. The original dog, Missy, died in 2002.

There are plenty of issues to chew on this ethical bone. The fervent anti-cloners fear that this could be the first step in human cloning. If people are willing to pony up the dough to duplicate a favorite pet, wouldn’t that stoke the fires for creating a duplicate of a favorite baby or child?

On the flip side, pro-cloners say why not continue to give people the joy and pleasures they receive from a favorite pet even after its lifetime ends.

The BioArts CEO vouches for the effectiveness of dog cloning. Missy’s clones exhibit much of the same behavioral characteristics he saw in Missy. You've got some time to round up the cash if you want to do this to your dog.

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COMPUTER HELPS JAILORS UNDERSTAND DOGS
ISRAEL
May 23, 2008

JERUSALEM - Israeli jails are using a custom-built computer program to interpret the barks of guard dogs and distinguish warnings of a breakout from everyday woofs, a prisons official said Monday.

Noam Tavor, head of the Israel Prisons Service canine unit, said the program is designed to overcome mistakes in which guards have either not heard dogs sounding an alarm or failed to speedily identify its significance.
“It collects the dogs’ barks through microphones…and sorts and grades them,” Tavor told Army Radio. “It relays only the barks that are significant in terms of security — barks that reveal stress or aggression in the dog.”
The radio said prison staff monitor the system through loudspeakers and TV cameras that automatically zoom in on suspected hot spots.
Because of their heightened sense of smell and hearing, dogs can identify suspicious people well before they trip an alarm wire, Tavor told The Associated Press Monday.
The Prison Service has long used dogs to patrol its fences, but found the system had flaws. “The dogs would bark, and staff of the prison wouldn’t hear it, or would hear it and would not take action fast enough.” Tavor said.
He said prison staff would also sometimes ignore dogs’ barks if they thought it was nothing serious, what he called the “boy who cried wolf” phenomenon.
Six years ago, the Prisons Service joined with Bio-Sense, a high-tech company headquartered near Tel Aviv, to create a system that would notify them when dogs were barking because of something suspicious.
Bio-Sense recorded the patrol dogs barking in different situations, from playtime to cat encounters to real emergencies. They loaded thousands of these recordings into a computer program to determine “what makes the emergency bark different than the other barks,” said Bio-Sense project manager Orit Netz.

One of the keys turned out to be the dog’s stress level.

Bio-Sense developed a sensor that can determine a dog’s stress based on the sound of its bark. The sensor can be placed within a 15 yard radius of the dog to detect the “emergency barks” and sound an alarm in the prison’s control room.
According to Bio-Sense, they are the only ones to have developed this technology. “We don’t have any competitors at the moment,” Netz said.
The first system was put in place in 2005, and since then three more have been installed in Israeli prisons. Bio-Sense now has more than 100 clients in Israel, including farmers who need protection against theft, Netz said.

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Teach children to be safe around dogs

I don’t have my own kids (just a needy mutt and a very prissy cat), but I bring up the issue of children and dogs because there are so many preschool and grade school aged kids in my apartment complex. They have no fear or respect for animals. They obviously have dogs of their own and run up to any dog, sticking their faces in the dog’s face.

According to dogbitelaw.com, 77 percent of dog-bite injuries to children are to the face. The most frequent attacks in the United States are to boys between the ages of 6 and 9, with the odds of a child being the bite victim at 3.2 to 1.
Kids need to know how to act around dogs. They need to know all dogs are not friendly and some will bite. They also need to know even their own dogs can bite. When a child under age 4 is bitten, the family dog is the attacker 47% of the time, according to dogbitelaw.com. Ninety percent of these attacks occur in the family’s home.
Here are eight things children should know about how to act around dogs:

1. Remain calm.
Children should be taught not to yell or scream around a dog and to move slowly. Excitement could scare a dog. And all that extra energy will put the dog in a highly energetic state, too. This is when problems happen. Either the dog will get excited, jump on the child, unintentionally push the child over or bite if the dog is aggressive or playing too roughly. Have you ever had a group of children running towards you and your dog screaming, “Look! A dog!” I know I have.

2. Always ask the owner before touching a dog.
Some dogs just aren’t friendly, and children should be taught never to assume otherwise.

3. Do not put your face near a dog.
This is a hard one for kids because they are closer to eye level with dogs, especially big dogs. More children are bitten in the face than adults for this reason. Fortunately, most dogs are more likely to give a child kisses than a bite, but sometimes even playful licking can turn into a nip.

4. Don’t make eye contact with a dog.
Animals sometimes interpret eye contact as a challenge, making them more likely to act out with either dominant or fearful aggression.

5. Leave a dog alone while it is eating.
Many times it is the child’s responsibility to feed the family pets. This might be OK, as long as the child understands not to bother the dog after she has her food.

6. Leave a dog alone if she is sleeping.
A dog can easily become startled if she is suddenly woken up. The initial reaction is sometimes to nip.

7. Little dogs can bite, too.
In my experience, little dogs are actually more likely to bite than a big dog. It’s just that the injury will not be as severe. Children should be aware that little dogs may be cute, but they are often aggressive.

8. Don’t run away from a dog.
Running from a dog will only bring out its instincts to chase. Instead, children should know it’s better to slowly back away from a dog.

Can you think of anything else children should be aware of? Do you have any bad experiences with children and dogs?

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Computer helps jailers
understand dogs
JERUSALEM - Israeli jails are using a custom-built computer program to interpret the barks of guard dogs and distinguish warnings of a breakout from everyday woofs, a prisons official said Monday.

Noam Tavor, head of the Israel Prisons Service canine unit, said the program is designed to overcome mistakes in which guards have either not heard dogs sounding an alarm or failed to speedily identify its significance.
“It collects the dogs’ barks through microphones…and sorts and grades them,” Tavor told Army Radio. “It relays only the barks that are significant in terms of security — barks that reveal stress or aggression in the dog.”
The radio said prison staff monitor the system through loudspeakers and TV cameras that automatically zoom in on suspected hot spots.
Because of their heightened sense of smell and hearing, dogs can identify suspicious people well before they trip an alarm wire, Tavor told The Associated Press Monday.
The Prison Service has long used dogs to patrol its fences, but found the system had flaws. “The dogs would bark, and staff of the prison wouldn’t hear it, or would hear it and would not take action fast enough.” Tavor said.
He said prison staff would also sometimes ignore dogs’ barks if they thought it was nothing serious, what he called the “boy who cried wolf” phenomenon.
Six years ago, the Prisons Service joined with Bio-Sense, a high-tech company headquartered near Tel Aviv, to create a system that would notify them when dogs were barking because of something suspicious.
Bio-Sense recorded the patrol dogs barking in different situations, from playtime to cat encounters to real emergencies. They loaded thousands of these recordings into a computer program to determine “what makes the emergency bark different than the other barks,” said Bio-Sense project manager Orit Netz.
One of the keys turned out to be the dog’s stress level.
Bio-Sense developed a sensor that can determine a dog’s stress based on the sound of its bark. The sensor can be placed within a 15 yard radius of the dog to detect the “emergency barks” and sound an alarm in the prison’s control room.
According to Bio-Sense, they are the only ones to have developed this technology. “We don’t have any competitors at the moment,” Netz said.
The first system was put in place in 2005, and since then three more have been installed in Israeli prisons. Bio-Sense now has more than 100 clients in Israel, including farmers who need protection against theft, Netz said.


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Uplifiting stories of animal heroics

In a world entrenched in hardship and strife these stories are uplifting.

It seems an 11-year-old boy was playing in the garden when suddenly the family American pit bull terrier ran across the yard and knocked the boy out of the way of a striking rattlesnake. The dog took the bite to the face and saved the boy from that fate. The dog recovered fully.

A woman was attacked by four armed gunmen demanding her car keys and purse. After giving them what they demanded one man grabbed the woman and started dragging her toward the car.The woman's mother, hearing the commotion from in the house, ran outside where she was confronted by one of the men who had a knife. The family's Staffordshire bull terrier bit the man several times before being shot in the head. In spite of the gunshot, the dog continued to fight off the attackers until they panicked and fled the scene. Once the attackers were gone, the dog laid down and died.

There were two stories that involved dog owners being dragged to safety following a car crash. The first one involved a woman who was paralyzed from the waist down. Her dog, a Rottweiler, grabbed her by the leg and dragged her out of the vehicle seconds before it exploded.

The second one told of a crash that propelled a woman through the back window of her car where she laid cut and bleeding on the trunk. Her German shepherd grabbed her by the collar and pulled her off the trunk and up an embankment to the road where a passing motorist stopped and helped her.

Then there was the story that told of how a Rottweiler foiled an attempted kidnapping. A man arrived at a home where a baby sitter was watching a 6-month-old girl. The man claimed that the baby's father had been taken to the hospital and that the mother had sent him to retrieve the child. While the baby sitter was making a phone call to verify the story, the man snatched the baby and made a dash for his vehicle. The Rottweiler chased the man down and bit his arm forcing him to drop the child. The man hopped in his vehicle and escaped but without the baby.

Lest you think that all pet heroes are dogs -- it seems a man who had fallen out of his wheelchair was saved by his pet cat who dialed 911 to summon help. The police received a 911 call and when they responded to the call they found the man laying on the floor of his apartment. After falling from his wheelchair the man could not get back up due to his medical condition. The officer who responded said that he could not think of any other logical explanation. The cat was found on the floor next to the phone, which was still off the hook. When questioned, the man reported that he had previously tried to teach his cat to dial 911 but was unsure if the cat had learned anything. The phone contained a button to speed-dial 911. Apparently the cat learned enough.

I found it very refreshing to read these heroic and heartwarming stories and I hope they were uplifting for you as well.

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Dogs drive neighbours barking mad

The council received 132 complaints about barking dogs last year
Barking dogs are the biggest cause of noise nuisance in Clackmannanshire, according to new figures.

Over 130 complaints were made in 2007, making up 90% of the total received.
The issue has prompted the local authority to offer a list of practical tips for dog owners on how to avoid having a problem pet.
The figures are published ahead of the start of Noise Action Week on Monday, which aims to raise awareness of noise pollution and its impact on daily life.
The council said it wanted to promote practical solutions to everyday noise problems and educate noise makers and noise sufferers.

'Formal proceedings'

While many of the 132 complaints about dogs were resolved amicably, some complaints had to be formally investigated.
The council's environmental health officer Lynn Crothers said: "In some of the complaints we've received people have stated that they have had to move to other parts of their house to get away from the noise and in some extreme cases people have even considered moving house altogether because they cannot tolerate the noise any longer.
"By law, a barking dog can be a noise nuisance and environmental health officers can take legal action against constant barking.
"However, it is hoped that officers can reduce the number of people affected by dog barking through advice and awareness-raising rather than formal proceedings."
One of the solutions the council suggests to reduce barking is to leave a radio on at low volume if a dog is to be left alone in a property for long periods of time.

TERRIER RACES
USA
May 18, 2008

Terrier races under way at Horse Park
Canine competitions become a popular staple of the High Hope Steeplechase



Terriers leaped over obstacles during one of the dog races at a previous year's High Hope Steeplechase. All dogs in the terrier races have to muzzled so no dog is harmed if a fight breaks out.

To be precise, canine events are gaining a higher profile at the Kentucky Horse Park's annual equestrian competition.
One of the big attractions is terrier races on a course adjacent to the track for ­steeplechase races.
”Horse people tend to be Jack ­Russell terrier people, too,“ says Elizabeth Collier, spokeswoman for the High Hope ­Steeplechase, which takes place Sunday.
Adds Mary Anne Hauck, secretary-treasurer of the Bluegrass Working Terrier Association, ”Most horse owners usually have dogs around the barn, and they're ­usually terriers.“
And because the horses race, the terriers tend to follow suit. The dog races emerged as part of events such as the steeplechase.
”We've been at the High Hope at least 10 years, if not longer,“ Hauck said of the ­terrier race's history.
Anyone can enter a terrier — or a ­dachshund, for a separate non-terrier race — for $15, and the dog will get to run on the flat course and over hurdles. For an additional $15, a dog owner can enter the ”go to ground“ competition, in which a dog is judged on how well it runs through a ­tunnel and barks at the end to alert the owner that it has cornered something.
”We divide them up by size and sex, so they'll be racing against something close to what they are, physically,“ Hauck says.
The dog events usually attract 50 to 75 participants, and on a nice warm, sunny day can draw as many as 100. Hauck says they usually run about 24 races in two to three hours.
Over the years, she says, the terrier event has evolved; for instance, the starting box is much nicer now. One big rule for the races is that all of the dogs, except dachshunds, must be muzzled.
”There will always be dogs more ­interested in going after each other than ­racing,“ Hauck says. ”But we have never had a dachshund fight.“
The terrier events are at a course near the steeplechase, but Collier says another dog event will be taking place on the horse track. About 4:30 p.m., there will be a lurcher race. Lurchers are a cross between greyhounds and deerhounds; they have become popular in European hunt clubs, ­Collier says. The lurcher race probably will be between the fourth and fifth steeplechase races, Collier says.

Meet Molly.
She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana, USA?. She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.

But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.
Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.
"This was the right horse and the right owner," Moore insists.
Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.
Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana . The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.
The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports.
And she asks for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too." And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. "It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse", she laughs.
Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she had a good time doing it.
"It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life", Moore said,?? "She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others."
"She's not back to normal," Barca concluded, "but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself."
This is Molly's most recent prosthesis. The bottom photo shows the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind!

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Ludhiana, May 13 Stray dogs ate up a newborn who had been abandoned in a vacant plot on Tibba road under Basti Jodhewal Police Station. The body was spotted by some residents of the area on Tuesday.
Today morning, some people taking a walk spotted an infant in a vacant plot in GK Estate Colony on Tibba road. The infant was a newborn girl around a day or two old. The infant had been put in a small gunny bag. By the time, the baby was spotted, stray dogs had killed it.
Residents informed the police. The body was later sent to the Civil Hospital where a postmortem examination was conducted.
According to sources, it is yet to be determined whether the baby was living or dead when it was left in the plot.
Said Tibba Road police post in-charge Surinder Kumar: “We have registered a case under Section 318 which is concealing birth by secret disposal of dead body, against unidentified people and have started investigating the matter. We are trying to locate the biological parents of the infant. We are also trying to find the person who threw the infant here.”
Sources said the police are conducting investigations in nearby nursing homes to find out whether the child was delivered there.

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In the Cerrado region of Brazil, four dogs trained to detect animal faeces by scent are helping researchers monitor rare and threatened wildlife such as jaguar, tapir, giant anteater and maned wolf in and around Emas National Park, a protected area with the largest concentration of threatened species in Brazil.
The researchers analyze faeces found by the dogs to learn about where and how the threatened mammals live. Data such as numbers, range, diet, hormonal stress, parasites and even genetic identity contribute to a study of how the mammals use environments inside and outside the park, especially on privately owned lands of the region.
The information helps develop conservation and development strategies that meet the needs of both the animals and local farmers. The dogs are rewarded for their good work with tennis balls to chase and chomp.
The project is led by Carly Vynne of the Center for Conservation Biology at the University of Washington as part of her doctoral thesis, in partnership with Conservation International (CI) Brazil.
After a brief pilot study in 2004, research began in 2006 in a 3,000-square-kilometer (equivalent to 300,000 soccer fields) area in the western portion of Emas National Park and surrounding farms in Mato Grosso do Sul state and Goiás state.
Now nearing conclusion, the project's analysis of faeces samples shows that all the species studied use the area surrounding the park, but that farms with less than 30 percent of natural vegetation cover have fewer endangered mammals. Jaguar, however, rarely moved outside the protected park into the more deforested surrounding farmland, as they require the healthy ecosystems of conserved environments. According to Vynne, preservation of open grasslands should be a priority for maned wolf, giant anteater and giant armadillo since these species prefer open areas of park but there is very little open area under protection outside the park.
"The data and results serve as a warning to develop conservation strategies for the restoration of degraded areas in the region, both to conserve healthy ecosystems and biodiversity," Vynne said.
Brazil's Cerrado region, a wooded grassland that is one of the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots, already has lost 60 percent of its original area to deforestation and continues to disappear at twice the rate of the neighboring Amazon forest. Such deforestation leaves protected national parks as savanna islands surrounded by agricultural fields, noted Ricardo Machado, director of the Cerrado-Pantanal Program of CI-Brazil. Using the sniffing dogs to locate trails of endangered species is instrumental in identifying and establishing key areas as corridors to connect isolated areas of native vegetation. That means working with rural landowners to help threatened species survive.
"If we wish to speak of sustainable development, we have to establish incentives and strategies for farmers to maintain native species in agricultural landscapes," Machado said.
In addition to CI-Brazil, the project is supported by the University of Brasilia, the Jaguar Conservation Fund, and the Chico Mendes Institute for Conservation of Biodiversity, the entity responsible for management of the Emas National Park.
The dogs are trained in the same manner as those trained to sniff out drugs. When the dogs find the feces, the accompanying researcher marks the location with a GPS (Global Positioning System) and collects the samples. With the aid of satellite images, the sample data are correlated with the environments where the samples were found.
Prof. Jader Marinho Filho of the University of Brasilia, a sponsor of the project, said sniffing dogs can collect data that otherwise would only be available through radio telemetry and other expensive and labor-intensive techniques. Tracking dogs also are non-intrusive, collecting biological material without capturing or sedating animals, and the information they help gather is essential.
"The levels of stress hormones in the animals' faeces are important indicators in the evaluation of their capacity to reproduce in a given environment," Marinho Filho said. "These data allow us to estimate which mammals would be able to reproduce or if they would be destined to disappear from the region."

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Flintshire schoolgirl campaigns
to ban Mars from school

Gaby Trotter, 11, who is concerned about animal welfare,
with her dog Cookie.

A LEADING confectionery company has denied a Flintshire schoolgirl's claims that it is involved in animal testing.
Gaby Trotter, 11, a pupil at Mold's Alun School, has asked her school to ban Mars products, and has set up her own website amid fears over animal welfare.
Gaby has found some research on the internet which suggests animals are harmed in the production of some Mars products, but a company spokesman told the Leader that the youngster did not have the full picture.
The spokesman said: "We care passionately about animals and their well-being.
"In developing our food, pet care, snack and drinks products, we do not conduct, support or sponsor research involving euthanasia, vivisection or the suffering of any animal."
Gaby said she was determined to get Mars products banned at the school, and said: "I was talking to my friend and she told me about this website about Mars testing on animals and I didn't like what they're doing.
"I looked into it and decided not to have any more Mars products.
"I would quite like my school to ban Mars products and have sent an email to them about it."
Animal lover Gaby has a Staffordshire bull terrier puppy called Cookie and two tropical fish.
Controversy has surrounded Mars over animal testing allegations for some years, with former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson among the high profile campaigners who have raised the issue.
The star wrote an open letter to the company's president expressing her concerns.

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EMACIATED DOGS RESCUED
ALASKA
May 13, 2008


Valley officials rescue 25
emaciated dogs

The animals lived in dire conditions.

Officials have been closely
monitoring the animals



PALMER, Alaska -- Mat-Su Animal Control officials say they have uncovered one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they have ever seen.
Officials found 25 dogs, many of them nearly starved to death and some chained to a short wire, left in a remote location with no food or water. Investigators seized the animals over the last two days.
Dr. Katrina Zwolinski is still disturbed by the condition of the dogs taken from a kennel on Lazy Mountain over the last two days.One dog did not survive.
"It was evident it had died in the previous day or so," she said.
Animal Care Chief Dave Allison says all were emaciated, dehydrated and clearly neglected.
"If you put your hands on them you can feel pretty much every bone in their body," he said.
Allison says the dogs' teeth are broken from trying to eat rocks too.
Doug Bartko owns the dogs. He says it's been a rough spring.
"My system broke down and I was just in the process of getting it back up again," he said.
That system is clearly flawed, even for Bartko. His food supply has been rotted salmon heads.
It appears Bartko let things go too far and it's not the first time. Court records show he was cited for animal cruelty back in 2006.
Iditarod officials say back in 1983, Bartko was disqualified for not adequately caring for his team.
Bartko claims Animal Control overreacted and he will try to get his dogs back.
But it could be too late if some of his dogs even survive.
Bartko was cited for five counts of interference with an investigation, ten counts of failure to provide humane animal care and his kennel license has been revoked.
Additional charges are pending.
The borough plans to retain the seized animals.

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ENGLAND
May 12, 2008


Cooked chicken used to lure dogs

TWO children are devastated after thieves stole their pets by luring them with cooked chicken.
Debo, a two-year-old rottweiler, and Burt, a 14-month-old terrier, were stolen from Valley View Stables, Trimdon Village, County Durham, where they stayed while their owners were at school and work.
Owner Andrea Scott, a dog groomer, said she found chicken legs at the end of each dog's lead when she went to collect them on Tuesday.
She said the dogs were loved by the whole family, but daughters Siobhan, nine, and Meghanne, 14, were very upset.
"Siobhan has been crying all night, but I don't know what to say to either of them. I don't know if the dogs are going to come back and, if they don't, I suppose we can only hope they are being looked after," said Mrs Scott, of Coxhoe, County Durham.
"They are family pets, not guard dogs. They don't have a bad bone in their bodies. We have a holding where we keep horses, which is the best place for them if everyone is away out all day.
"I have been doing some detective work and they have to have been taken in daylight. There is a river not far away with water rats, which would have eaten the chicken that was left for the dogs if it had been dark."
Debo is a rescue dog with distinctive lumps on the back of its front legs.
Both dogs are black and tan, healthy, but only the rottweiler is fitted with an identity microchip.
Mrs Scott, and husband Tony, a fitter, hope that the dogs are being kept together because Debo's chip could lead to the return of both dogs.
PC John Seymour, beat officer for Trimdon, said whoever had taken the animals had planned the theft well and appealed to the public for help in tracking the thieves.

A Humane Society veterinarian checks a dog seized from a February raid of a suspected fight-dog breeding operation. Pima County Animal Care workers put down 94 of the dogs last week.
94 animals taken from alleged fighting operation euthanized
Pima County Animal Care officials announced last week that scores of dogs culled from a high-profile animal breeding and fighting investigation had been cleared for termination.
Even as the cases wind a path through the justice system, last Thursday marked the end of the road for 94 pit bulls seized in a series of west-side busts in February. Sheriff’s officials say the raids shut down two fight-dog breeding and training operations.
But while animal care officials can celebrate the closure of the suspected dog-fighting ventures, there’s no joy for the county workers tasked to euthanize the dogs.
“It’s a sad day for us here,” said Vicky Duraine with Pima County Animal Care Center.
The county made attempts to find suitable homes for the dogs with pit bull rescue organizations and other groups with expertise in rehabilitating dogs bred for fighting, but in the end homes were found for just 15 of the more than 100 seized dogs.
Bad Rap, a California-based pit bull rescue group, took six of the dogs. Another five the Humane Society of Southern Arizona took. Diane Jessup took the remaining four pit bulls.
Jessup heads an Olympia, Wash., group called Law Dogs. A known expert in the breed, Jessup takes pit bulls rescued from breeding and fighting operations and finds homes for them with law enforcement agencies.
According to Jessup, the breed is well-suited for drug, bomb, arson and cadaver sniffing work.
Housing the animals has cost the county more than $1,000 a day since February, when sheriff’s deputies raided the two suspected breeding operations.
In addition to the 94 dogs put down last week, Duraine said seven animals had been previously euthanized because of illness and overly aggressive behavior toward other dogs.
“A greater tragedy in our community is the tragedy that we’re putting down 120 or so dogs a week,” Duraine said.
Because the county does not have crematory facilities or animal burial grounds, the destroyed animals are put to rest in city dumps.

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More Designer Dogs


Some other popular designer dogs are the:

Porkie (a cross between a Pomeranian and a Yorkie)
Cockapoo (a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle)
Schnoodle (a Schnauzer and a Poodle)
Puggle (a Pug and a Beagle)
Dorgi (a Corgi and a Dachshund)
Caring for Your Dog
While designer dogs can be ideal (especially for apartment dwellers), it’s important to remember that these dogs still need the care and attention that any other dog needs. A dog can be a demanding responsibility, and if you don’t have time to care for one, then bringing one home to be cooped up alone for hours on end would not be a great idea at this point in your life. Dogs are not simply for show but need to be considered part of the family and taken care of as such.
If you’re in the market to purchase a designer dog to make your new apartment feel homier, consider doing some research. When you find the perfect mix for your family, talk to a certified breeder and find out what dominate characteristics your dog will have. Knowing what you’re coming home with will help you best prepare for your new family member.

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ABERDEEN
SCOTLAND
May 10, 2008

Cops in hunt for OAP
sex attacker
with Scottish Terrier
Man, 75, targets woman

The woman was attacked while she was soaking up the sun at the River Dee.
A WOMAN sunbathing on the banks of an Aberdeen river was the victim of a sex attack.
A man believed to be around 75 indecently assaulted the 30-year-old woman who was sitting on the grass, soaking up the sun at the River Dee.
Today the area’s councillor reacted with shock to the sex attack which happened around 1.45pm.
The pensioner was walking a dog on the bank of the river beside Riverside Drive when the attack happened.
The shaken victim left the area after yesterday’s attack to contact police.
Councillor Alan Donnelly, who covers the Torry and Ferryhill area, said: “I am shocked to hear of someone relaxing in the sunshine being subjected to that kind of thing.
“I am very surprised to hear someone of that age being involved in this attack. I wouldn’t be so shocked if it had been a young person under the influence of alcohol.
“I would have thought that at that time of day there would have been plenty of witnesses about and I am confident that he will be apprehended soon.”
Investigating Officer Pc Colin Smith said: “In broad daylight, with any number of other walkers and motorists nearby it is likely that the person responsible will have been seen by others.”
The pensioner was 5ft 6ins and slim. He was wearing an olive green waist length jacket, a brown flat cap and was walking a black Scottish Terrier.

The show was organized by 'Happiness ', a new line of grooming products from Hearty. Guess what? The four-legged wonders had the audience drooling as the audience remarked on the canines' coat, looks, carriage, cuteness, and just about everything. But the models were content letting the dogs steal the show and not once did they mind playing second fiddle to these furry delights.
The breeds that did honors to the ramp were Japanese Chin, Lowchen, Lhasa Apso Miniature Poodles, Miniature Pinscher, Australian terrier, Bichon Frise and few others.
The event was graced by the dog lover community in Chennai, which grows by the day. Sharanya Bhagiaraj was positively thrilled at the prospect of new products soon to enter the market.
Saritha, actor Maddy's wife, was seen with some friends. She too was happy about the entire doggy pamper stuff about to hit the shelves. Her pet Chow Chow has been named after Simba of the adorable Lion King fame. Actress Vashinavi was there with her family. Hers is a family of dog lovers, who earlier had a Doberman, and are now looking to expand their canine family. The evening had a fantastic light show, with dancers in beautiful sequences entertaining the crowd between ramp displays.
The evening as usual ended with food and an awesome display of fireworks that painted the night sky in a kaleidoscope of colours.

Dog Shot, Gunman on the Loose


An Idaho Falls family is disgusted after their ten year old rat terrier is shot in their neighborhood.

The dog survived but he has clear wounds where the bullet went into his body and where it left.
The shooting happened somewhere in the area of the dog's home on North Boulevard, near McDermott Field in Idaho Falls.
On Saturday evening Annie Polson and her husband went out to dinner with the dogs, when they got home their rat terrier ran off to go to the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later he was hobbling down the street, bloody.
Polson recalls, "I saw he was limping. I brought him in the house and then I looked underneath his belly and stuff was hanging out."
A bullet traveled straight through Boggies thigh and out the other side. "As big of a hole it left, they think it was a 22," says Polson.
According to Polson, her dog is the neighborhood dog. "He's a sweet dog everybody loves him. He's just a good well mannered dog."
Boggie's personality has changed, instead of his friendly self he's subdued and nervous. "He's scared, he won't go outside unless I walk him. He's terrified."
The Polson's are glad their aging terrier survived and they have strong words for whoever did it. "It's very messed up that anyone would shoot a gun in town and shoot anything. That is just not right."
The Polson family says the scariest part of the whole ordeal is that someone fired a gun in their neighborhood. Annie Polson says she couldn't help but think what if the bullet ricocheted and hit her son.
Idaho Falls Police scoured the area Saturday night but didn't find the gunman. Idaho Falls Police are still investigating.

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Guide dogs for the blind will be allowed into public places such as subway stations and buses starting July, under a new law amendment passed Thursday.

Dalian Guide Dog Training Base staff demonstrate the use of guide dogs in the city's downtown in December. [China Daily] Guide dogs attend the opening ceremony of the Dalian International Marathon Tournament in June. [China Daily] Lawmakers said the change, in the amendment to the Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons, aims to better protect the rights and interests of the blind in the run-up to the Beijing 2008 Paralympics in September, during which many athletes will bring their canine helpers to the capital.
Currently, ownership of large dogs in Beijing is restricted and large dogs are barred from public places. Since guide dogs are said to be a new phenomenon in the country, no exceptions were made.
This has caused inconvenience to a number of blind people. Ping Yali, the country's first Paralympic champion, complained to the media last year that her guide dog "Lucky", a golden retriever, was always barred from public places.
Explaining the law amendment to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), Minister of Civil Affairs Li Xueju said it was necessary to make a change to allow the guide dogs into public places as many other countries do.
"In bidding for the hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games, our country has also made a commitment to foreign athletes for them to bring guide dogs to China," he said.
However, although the law amendment grants the blind the right to take guide dogs to public places, detailed rules are needed to facilitate its implementation, Ma Yu'e, deputy director of the legal department of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, said.
Ma said that the federation is now working with public security departments in Beijing and "it's very likely that a detailed rule on guide dogs will be made before the Paralympics". Ma said such a change marks great progress in safeguarding the rights and interests of the blind.
"The misunderstanding that guide dogs are pets must be corrected," she said. "They are working dogs just as police dogs are. And guide dogs are intelligent and friendly. They won't cause any safety issues."
Official figures show about 12.3 million people in the country suffer from visual impairments and there is an increasing demand for guide dogs.
Apart from the rule that allows guide dogs into public places, the law amendment also takes a closer look at the rights and interests of the disabled in regards to education, employment and medical care. It also stipulates that disabled people who run private businesses can enjoy favorable tax policies and be exempted from administrative charges.
Similarly, the amendment has a special chapter on promoting a barrier-free environment for the disabled.
Sun Shujun, a disabled NPC deputy from Liaoning province who was invited to the NPC Standing Committee session yesterday, said: "Not only should the environment be barrier-free. People's mindsets and attitudes towards us disabled people should be barrier-free as well ... Equal and fair treatment is what we want most."

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Pets At Weddings…Good or Bad Idea?

Can your pet sit or stay in one place for an extended period of time?
This may seem obvious, but remember that most dogs have not been required to sit in one place for 30 minutes or more. You may want to practice with well trained dogs.
Are they housetrained?
No one wants any “accidents” or “marking of territory” during your wedding. I was considering having my Scottish terrier as a ring bearer, until I realized that he would lift his leg on every pew going down the aisle.
What will happen to the pet during the reception?
Is there a place for them to play? Or will you have to crate them? Many times pets are not allowed in reception venues due to the health code. As always ask before you assume.
Has your pet ever been aggressive towards other pets or people?
You don’t have to be Cesar Milan to know that dogs feed off the surrounding human’s energy…and let’s face it ladies, odds are you are going to be a bit stressed out on your wedding day. So if you dog has ever shown any type of aggression, leave them at home. It doesn’t matter how cute your Yorkie is, if he bites the Best Man.
How old is the dog?
Puppies are generally not a good idea for weddings. Their energy level is still really high, and many haven’t grasp all the rules of good behavior. Very old dogs can present their own challenges. You would hate for your 15 year old lab to have to be woken up during the recessional, because he fell asleep during the wedding.
In the end there are no set rules as to whether or not a dog would be a good fit for your wedding.

RESCUE CENTER FEELS CREDIT CRUNCH
ENGLAND
May 6, 2008

Stray dogs' kennel feeling credit crunch

Sarah Wilkinson with one of
the stray dogs.

A STRAY dog shelter has a problem – it is overrun with man's best friend.
Cleadon Kennels is looking after nearly twice as many pooches as it was at the same time last year.
Kennel manager Sarah Wilkinson said: "There are puppies, lurchers, older dogs, collies, anything you can think of, and they're all just waiting for a home.
"I don't know if people are feeling the pinch with this supposed credit crunch and the dogs are the first to go, but we had 84 dogs last month compared with about 50 for the same time last year.
"It doesn't cost that much to feed a medium dog. A 15kg bag of dried dog food for £7 will feed a medium-sized dog for six to eight weeks.
"There are vet bills, but anyone on benefits can use the PDSA for a donation."
The kennel wants anyone willing to provide a dog with a good home to pop along and help it with its numbers problem.
Ms Wilkinson said: "People can come and look at the dogs. We charge a £40 donation and they take the dog home on a trial.
"If it isn't suitable they can bring the dog back and we will give them their money back.
"They get a free health check and a voucher to be neutered free of charge.
"If they bring the dog back to us we will microchip them for £5. Members of the public can also bring their dogs in and I will microchip them for £10.
"That means if the dog gets lost it is the only guaranteed way of getting it back.
"We scan the dogs and that brings up a chip number which links to a national database, which gives the owner's details.
"We get in touch with the owner and tell them the dog's here."
Ms Wilkinson thinks people feeling the pinch is the reason for the increase in numbers, but she said other people had suggested an alternative reason.
"A lot say it's because of the new dog regulations.
"The police no longer pick up stray dogs so it's the council's responsibility. So for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, somebody's got to be able to take these dogs.
"The dog wardens work normal hours Monday to Friday, so on a weekend, and after 5pm, they have to take the dog to a holding kennel.
"The next day they bring them to me.
"It's easier for people to dispose of the dog by dropping if off at the holding kennel, but personally I think it's because money is tight for everybody and the dog is the first thing to go."

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He has been holed up in the taproom with his pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier Ruby since March 31 in a row over £8,000 he claims he is owed by pub chainbosses.
The pub, on Brackenwood Drive, has been closed since Mr Williams took advantage of squatters' rights.
Mr Williams had planned to leave the pub trade after eight years and travel the world. But he has had to cancel a trip to Canada because of the stand-off with Punch Taverns.
Instead, Mr Williams and Ruby spend their days in front of the pub's giant TV screens or listening to the jukebox.
Mr Williams, now on £60 a week benefits, has set up a bed on the pub floor and cooks meals in the pub kitchen.
He said he is determined to stay for as long as it takes to get what he is owed.
He told the YEP: "I am making a stand for the little man against these huge companies.
"They will have to go to court for an eviction order. I would love my day in court to tell a judge how I have been treated.
"It's becoming impossible for people to make a decent living out of running a pub. I sold my house to invest money in this business and now I am homeless because of it."
Mr Williams said he spent about £20,000 on fittings and equipment for the pub and claims Punch gave him a verbal agreement he would get £8,000 before he left.
When the money was not handed over he kept hold of the keys – and has kept them ever since.
He added: "In the meantime there are unhappy regulars with nowhere to drink. I am getting a lot of support from people locally and they are encouraging me to stick to my guns
"Until I get my £8,000 I'm not moving."
A spokesman for Punch Taverns said: "The issue is being dealt with by our solicitors.
"My understanding is that we have made an offer to the gentleman and we are trying to resolve the issue as soon as we can as it's in all our best interests.
"We want to get The Highwood back open and serving the community."
Punch Taverns of Burton on Trent owns 8,500 pubs across the country.

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Beijing vaccinates 700,000 dogs against rabies

BEIJING, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Beijing is vaccinating about 700,000dogs registered in the city in a bid to prevent rabies.
The annual anti-rabies inoculation, which started Thursday and will last till June 30, is free of charge, said Yu Hongyuan, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Public Security.
To control the rising number of dogs, especially stray dogs, local authorities encouraged dog owners to have their animals sterilized, Yu said, adding that they will get 200 yuan (28.6 U.S. dollars) in reward if they are willing to do so.
Rabies is an acute viral infection that is nearly always fatal if left untreated. It can be transmitted by the bite of an infected animal, usually a dog. It kills about 50,000 globally each year.
Beijing has reported few incidents of rabies. From 1994 to 2004,no cases of rabies had occurred in the Chinese capital. Since August 2005, there have been six deaths from the disease, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau.
In early March, the bureau announced the first human death from rabies this year in Beijing. The victim, a 48-year-old man surnamed Liu, was from northern Hebei Province and worked as a stoker at a company in southern Beijing's Daxing District.
Two months ago, a stray dog bit his left hand, but he was not vaccinated against the rabies virus, nor did he go to a clinic for treatment. He just cleaned the wound with water himself.
Symptoms of the disease appeared on Feb. 24 and Liu died four days later.

A HEARTLESS trickster has stolen money donated to pay medical bills for a puppy brutally beaten by young children.

Meg, an 11-week-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, may lose a leg after she was 'repeatedly battered' with sticks by a group of `four and five-year-olds'.
The horrific attack caused outrage and prompted donations from across the country.
Volunteers have been collecting money at Heywood's Morrisons store to pay for vet bills, which have already passed £1,000.
But police are investigating an incident in which a man, carrying a collection bucket and picture of Meg, went to the store after the volunteers had left. He then kept the money donated by staff and customers.
Jean Spencer, Rochdale RSPCA centre manager, adopted Meg after she was brought in following the attack. She said: "People's generosity makes you want to cry.
"I've had old women handing over money from their pensions and an unemployed woman from Birmingham who sent me £5 because it was all she could afford.
"I can't really say much about the robbery, but you can imagine how we feel."
Animal welfare officers have described the attack on fields close to Heywood's Darnhill estate as 'the worst they had ever seen'.
The puppy underwent emergency surgery and had a pin inserted in one leg. An x-ray will reveal if she will be able to recover the use of the leg.
Jean said: "Meg will have the x-ray and they will remove the pin. She'll then have two weeks to try and put weight on it but if she doesn't, the leg will have to come off."
She admitted that early indications were not looking good.
"She's not really putting any weight on it and flinching a bit which is not a good sign. The vet thinks the pin may have moved."
But Jean said that the pup's spirits are high.
"She's a little monster," she said. "She's still in a cage but I let her out a couple of times a day. She's eaten one of my coasters and destroyed the cat's favourite toy which didn't go down to well.

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CHINA'S DOG AND CAT FUR TRADE
CHINA
May 3, 2008


China's Shocking Dog and Cat Fur Trade

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) conducted an undercover investigation into the Chinese dog and cat fur trade to show you what the industry is so desperate to hide. Even our veteran investigators were horrified at what they found: Millions of dogs and cats in China are being bludgeoned, hanged, bled to death, and strangled with wire nooses so that their fur can be turned into trim and trinkets. This fur is often deliberately mislabeled as fur from other species and is exported to countries throughout the world to be sold to unsuspecting customers in retail stores. China supplies more than half of the finished fur garments imported for sale in the United States, so the bottom line is that because dog and cat fur is so often mislabeled, if you're buying fur, there's no way to tell whose skin you're wearing.
PETA went into an animal market in Southern China and found cats and dogs languishing in tiny cages, visibly exhausted. Some had been on the road for days, transported in flimsy wire-mesh cages with no food or water. Twenty cats were forced into a single cage. Because of the cross-country transport in such deplorable conditions, our investigators saw dead cats on top of the cages, dying cats and dogs inside the cages, and dogs and cats with open wounds. Some animals were lethargic or frightened, and others were fighting with each other, driven insane from confinement and exposure.
Up to 8,000 animals are loaded onto each truck, with cages stacked on top of each other. Cages containing live animals are commonly tossed from the top of the trucks onto the ground 10 feet below, shattering the legs of the animals inside them. Many of the animals we saw still had collars on, a sign that they were once someone's beloved companions, stolen to be made into fur coats.

Salesian pupil a victim of youth violence
Documenti Correlati


(Battersea) – There was a sad case of youth violence at the Salesian College in London, in the Battersea area.

At the end of lessons a group of 6 unknown young men 17 years of age and under entered the school premises, setting loose a dog, a pit bull terrier. A student of the school reacted against this danger but was stabbed by one of the unknown youths.
The young student was quickly air-lifted to hospital where he made a good recovery and was soon released.
The police intervened and made some arrests, including the seventeen year old assailant was charged with grievous bodily harm. Two other youths of 17 years of age were also detained in custody, two 15 years olds and a 14 year old were cautioned and released.

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Let sleeping dogs lie

(in another room)

Fred Landeg, who is stepping down as the senior government veterinary officer, said that people should not let dogs sleep in their bed, or even in the bedroom, because of the risk of disease transmission, according to the London Times.
Landeg also said that pet owners should be vigilant about having pets in the kitchen.
The comments come on the heels of research commissioned by the Britain's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs identifying potential health risks from the daily interaction with dogs. There are 6.5 million dogs kept as pets in Britain.
Research by a team at Liverpool University Veterinary School showed that many dog owners appeared unaware of, or unconcerned about, any health risks from their pet. About 42 percent of dogs slept in the kitchen and 79 percent were fed in the kitchen, the research found.
Besides the risk of unknown exotic diseases, dogs also carry common food poisoning bugs, such as campylobacter and salmonella, the study noted.
What are your rules when it comes to sleeping with dogs? Ace usually starts out in bed with me, then takes a spot on the floor, or heads to the futon in the next room. (That's where he is in the photo above.)
I don't think he has given me any diseases. Whether I've given him any of mine, I'm not so sure. Maybe somebody should study that -- whether, in addition to all the toxins we create for our pets to take in, sleeping next to us isn't good for them.

The Dublin Dubbin Company

The legless man’s great-great granddad worked for the Chapelizod distillery (Séipéal Iosóid) in the village of Chapelizod which sits on the Liffey south of Baile Formaid and northwest of Baile Phámar. Before that he loaded boxcars for the Minas Gerais Peach Cobbler Co. in Belo Horizonte Brazil, then as a stevedore for the Bethel Betel Nut confectionary in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. He worked for a short time as a tanner for the Dublin Dubbin company, the following year taking a position with Saint Andrews Drum Makers in Fife, journeying under the renowned tympana maker Walter Beers of The University of St. Andrews. In 1967 he worked for the Papal Minion Albert of Lazio in Rome. Between 1968-70 he worked as a driver for the Isle Limousine corp. renting a small bed-sit in Guret. In Marseille he took a part-time job as a truffle barker for the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Truffle and Bête Noir corporation. In Ventspils Latvia he taught children how to tumble and play checkers, for which he was paid 27½ Francs a week. And before moving back home he worked for the Tehran Burkha and headdress company, where he was employed in the laundry.
The legless man’s great-great grandfather preferred dogfights and amateur wrestling to cockfights. If he had a choice it would have been amateur dog wrestling, Pekingese and foxhounds, Scottish terriers and wiener dogs, Schnauzers and Heinz 57’s, large dogs and small dogs, dogs with long hair and dogs with short hair, dogs with gimpy legs and dogs with two good legs, long snouted dogs and blunt snouted dogs, barking dogs and quiet dogs, Affenpinschers and Afghan Hounds, Airedales and Alaskan Huskies, American Bull Molossers and Cocker Spaniels, Hairless Terriers and Bearded Collies, Belgian Groenendaels and Bergamasco Sheepdogs, Canary Dogs and Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Dakotah Shepherds and Danish Broholmers, Drevers and Dutch Smoushonds, Springer Spaniels and German Sheeppoodles, Mastiffs and Wirehaired Pointers, Hairless Khalas and Haired Khalas, Hovawarts and Icelandic Sheepdogs, Irish Setters and Italian Greyhounds, Jack Russell Terriers and Jim Russell Terriers, Jindos and Karelian Bear Dogs, Karst Shepherds and Kerry Blue Terriers, Lakeland Terriers and Lowland Terriers, Lancashire Heelers and Lhasa Apsos, Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dogs and Lundehunds, Maremma Sheepdogs and Miniature Pinschers, New Guinea Singing Dogs and Norwegian Buhunds, Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retrievers and Otterhounds, Patterdale Terriers and Peruvian Inca Orchids, Portuguese Water Dogs and Pugs, Rat Terriers and Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Russian Spaniels and Scottish Deerhounds, Shih Tzus and Skye Terriers, Tibetan Spaniels and Toy Poodles, Victorian Bulldogs and Elizabethan Vizslas, Welsh Springer Spaniels and Whippets, Wirehaired Vizslas and Xoloitzcuintlies, Yorkshire Terriers and Alpine Dachsbrackes. But as he was hard pressed to find anything more exotic than a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, he settled for amateur wrestling and checkers.

Pals rally round for family after double tragedy
A DUDLEY family have been left devastated after their puppy went missing - just 11 days after they adopted it from the RSPCA.
Donna Timmins rescued 12 week old Staffordshire bull terrier puppy, Ben, from the RSPCA rehoming centre in Birmingham, but less than two weeks after taking him into their loving home, he disappeared from their Russells Hall estate back garden.
The family fear he may have been stolen.
Thirty-seven-year-old Donna said: "We just don't know what has happened to him. There is a six foot fence in our garden and a four foot fence at the bottom, so we just don't know how he got through them on his own or if he has been taken."
The family from Bushey Fields Road, including children Sian and Marcus have been left "gutted" over Ben's disappearance and have "hunted high and low" for their tiny puppy.
The family's other dog, 11-year-old Taz, is also missing his new best friend after being inseparable since Ben's arrival.
Donna said: "He's pining something chronic for Ben, they really settled in well together.
"We have put up posters around the estate and have been ringing local dogs homes as well as posting his details on the website Dog Lost.' "He didn't have a very good start to life. He is only three months and was in a rescue centre because he had swallowed a baby's dummy and had to have an operation. But he had settled in great here and we just want him home safe and well."
The minute puppy who is brown and white, is microchipped and has a little scar on his stomach.

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DOG EMPLOYEE
ALBERTA
CANADA
May 31, 2008

This long-serving employee never asks for time off, or a raise
Bisbee first pet to receive award for years spent comforting rehabilitation centre patients
After 84 years of service, it's about time she got some recognition. Even if they are dog years.
Bisbee the dog, a 14-year-old in human terms, received a long-term service award on Tuesday from the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital for providing comfort to patients for more than 12 years.

"She's just there, just like a dog in your own home," said Dianne Willisko, a mental health therapist at Glenrose and owner of Bisbee.

Amy Gray, 16, gets a visit from Bisbee on Tuesday at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Centre. The dog has been working at the centre for 12 years.
While the hospital has a number of animals providing pet therapy, Bisbee has stayed the longest and is the first to receive an award.
The mixed breed, part terrier and part mutt, accepted her award with a yawn and proceeded to lie down on the stage. The audience responded with loud applause and gushed over the shaggy white animal.
She's had a welcome reception from hospital staff since she first arrived as a stray in 1994. Willisko took her home at the end of the day and Bisbee soon started her new job.
Since then, Bisbee has slowed down, but still starts most days by jumping out of bed when Willisko calls out, "Let's go to work."
"Her ears go up and she's raring to go," said Cameron Malcolm, Bisbee's other owner and Willisko's husband.
The eagerness and affection she brings to the hospital is particularly welcome in the adolescent mental health unit where she works.
"She makes people smile," said Willisko.
Amy Gray, a 16-year-old resident of the unit, said Bisbee and the other dogs make her feel at home.
Gray regularly seeks them out when she's not feeling well, she said.
"It's comforting to have an animal around when you're down or depressed," she said.
Some patients say the dogs are the best part of the place, said Willisko.
Bisbee also does room checks and trains other dogs, including her colleague Frisco, who has been at the hospital for two years.
While Frisco jumps around constantly, Bisbee saunters down the hallways. She remains active despite having arthritic hips, said Malcolm.
Isabel Henderson, senior operating officer at the hospital, recommended Bisbee for the award.
"She's quite amazing" and helps promote responsibility, motivation and fun for patients, she said.
The hospital has a number of pet therapy programs, some visiting on a regular basis and others working as guide dogs or assisting in therapy. A pony also visits the hospital on some occasions. All animals undergo stringent training before they work at the hospital, said Henderson.
However, the hospital only has three resident pets, including Bisbee.


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A dog walks into a bar

Katie Archambault gave her pit bull Samson a smooch at the K9-Connection event at the Nomad.

Talk about party animals -- a rowdy crowd of sloppy-faced, touchy-feely revelers regularly takes over the Nomad World Pub.
Guaranteed: You've never seen this much butt-sniffing in a bar in your entire life.

But what else would you expect? Every month or so, the Nomad World Pub literally goes to the dogs, with more than 50 canines and their owners invading the Minneapolis bar for a night unlike any other.
The parties are put on by K9-Connection, a company that brings dog lovers together through fun events such as speed-dating and singles mixers -- with their dogs, of course.
Last Thursday, the company hosted a social party at the Nomad called "Beer With Your Buddy," where dog owners sat back and sipped brews while their pooches ran around in the bar's gated patio. Off-leash, the dogs were free to greet each other in the best way they know how: the aforementioned all-out private-parts sniff fest. Just try doing that to someone at the club tonight.
No doggie bouncer was needed, however, as the pooches -- from giant Great Danes to little wiener dogs -- spent two hours running, jumping and wrestling as if their lives depended on it.
Dog owner Sarah Miller and her two friends stood in awe as they took in this chaotic scene. It was their first K9-Connection event.

The small ball of brown fur standing at Miller's feet, a Yorkshire terrier named Lacey Lou, looked equally in awe.
"I'm glad I got her hair done before I brought her to the party," said Miller, 25, of Shoreview. K9-Connection's owner, Angie Gwiazdon, said she created the event to bring dog lovers together. By day, she is a licensed marriage and family therapist.
"Dog people tend to be kind, caring, compassionate and fun," Gwiazdon said. "Just like their canine counterparts."
Leslie Gross, of Minneapolis, said K9-Connection helped her meet new friends after she moved here from Atlanta last year.
"Being at the bar with your dog -- that rocks," she said, as her big, chocolate Labradoodle bounced around the bar's patio.
Normally city officials would frown on pooches in the pub, but in this case the event is essentially a private party, with attendees paying an entry fee to K9-Connection, said the Nomad's owner, Todd Smith. Plus, the dogs mostly stay outside on the patio.
One thing you'll quickly wonder: Where are the dudes? Gwiazdon isn't shy about wishing that her events attracted more men. She's a little baffled that single guys haven't picked up on this gold mine.
Adam Huskey, a tall, soft-spoken 32-year-old professional from Richfield, was one of the few men in the crowd last week. He and his golden retriever, Annabelle, had already gone to one of K9-Connection's speed-dating events and were just hanging out Thursday. He surveyed the crowd as I remarked that there sure were a lot of women. "There are, indeed," he said.

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The CSI death dogs: Sniffing out the truth behind the crime-scene canines

No one knows how they do it, but they are the police's secret weapon

At the former children's home at Haut de la Garenne in Jersey, a sensational discovery was made in February; a fragment of what might have been human bone. It was unearthed by a dog trained to detect human remains.
Forensic experts have pored over it, but the fragment is very small, and with no DNA to go on, it has been difficult to establish whether it is animal or vegetable. On its identity rests not only the question of whether an abuse inquiry is now a murder inquiry, but also the credibility of the policeman's best friend, the sniffer dog.
Dogs' sense of smell is far more acute than that of humans – the nose of a German shepherd contains about 200 million olfactory cells, while a human nose has about 20 million. This superior canine sense has been put to use in criminal investigations for centuries. Dogs used in law enforcement today have an impressive range of skills, from sniffing out explosives to locating earthquake survivors – as in recent weeks in China – and matching criminal suspects to their scent trails – but the speciality in the spotlight in Jersey is the human cadaver dog.
The case has led to some criticism of the faith that police place in these dogs. Nobody really knows how they do it. The dogs don't always get it right, yet the police regard them as a valuable search-tool, to be used alongside other, more scientific techniques such as ground-penetrating radar and aerial photography.
One of the questions surrounding human cadaver dogs is how soon after death they can recognise a corpse, and how long a "fresh" corpse must remain in one place for a dog to detect that it has been there. In a study published last year, the forensic pathologist Lars Oesterhelweg, then at the University of Bern in Switzerland, and colleagues tested the ability of three Hamburg State Police cadaver dogs to pick out – of a line-up of six new carpet squares – the one that had been exposed for no more than 10 minutes to a recently deceased person.
Several squares had been placed beneath a clothed corpse within three hours of death, when some organs and many cells of the human body are still functioning. Over the next month, the dogs did hundreds of trials in which they signalled the contaminated square with 98 per cent accuracy, falling to 94 per cent when the square had been in contact with the corpse for only two minutes. The research concluded that cadaver dogs were an "outstanding tool" for crime-scene investigation.
But how good are dogs at detecting a skeleton from which all the flesh has fallen away? The anthropologist Keith Jacobi of the University of Alabama has investigated this at a police-dog training facility, where human remains ranging from fresh to skeletonised have been buried (the remains were bequeathed by donors).
In one study involving four dogs and their handlers, Jacobi says the dogs were able to detect remains at all stages of decomposition. Performance varied between dogs, but some could locate skeletonised remains buried in an area of 300ft by 150ft. "The few single human vertebrae I used in the study were well over 25 years old, and dry bone," Jacobi says. "This made the discovery of one of these vertebrae, which we buried in dense woods 2ft deep, by a cadaver dog pretty remarkable."
A trained human cadaver dog will not signal a living person or an animal (except pigs), but it will signal a recently deceased, putrefying or skeletonised human corpse. That suggests that the "bouquet of death" is discernible, but attempts to identify it have so far failed. Two of the by-products of decomposition, putrescine and cadaverine, have been bottled and are commercially available as dog training aids. But they are also present in all decaying organic material, and in human saliva.
A human cadaver dog's detection skills depend greatly on its training, and the problem is that human remains are hard to come by. Trainers often use a combination of available "pseudoscents", and pigs. The problem with pseudoscents, says Mick Swindells, a retired police handler who works as a freelance trainer and handler in Blackpool, is that they represent a "snapshot" of death. As decomposition proceeds, the chemistry of the corpse evolves, causing its odour to change. "I'm trying to train a dog to find the whole video, not just a snapshot," he says. Pigs decompose in similarly to humans, and when buried they disturb the ground in a similar way.
A number of research groups are searching for a more precise chemical signature of death. One approach is the "head space" technique perfumers use to identify the components of a scent in order to recreate it in the lab. In this case, small amounts of gas are collected from samples of dead flesh, or from soil in which remains have been buried. The volatile organic compounds given off by the dead flesh are analysed, using a method called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, to identify their components.
At Cranfield University in Shrivenham, Wiltshire, the forensic anthropologist Anna Williams and student Helena Rogers are involved in one such project, using pig carcasses. Their goal is to determine if there is an association between the stage of decomposition, the odour profile and the accuracy of the cadaver dogs' detection. Synthetic versions of the different odours could also be used in training.
Belgian researchers have gone further. Using the same "head space" technique, the chemist Bart Smedts of the Royal Military Academy in Brussels and Joan de Winne of the Federal Police identified one compound, dimethyl sulphide, that is a general marker of putrefaction across a range of species, including human. Dogs trained to detect human remains will signal to dimethyl sulphide. The researchers claim to have identified other, species-specific combinations of chemicals.
De Winne says a portable "head space" device could be used instead of, or as well as, a cadaver dog to detect dimethyl sulphide. The researchers are also investigating other "biosensors", including turkey vultures and parasitic wasps. "Each biosensor has its advantages and disadvantages," de Winne says. "Vultures can cover a large area. Parasitic wasps can be trained in half an hour, but they live for only a few days."
Mark Harrison, national search adviser for the UK National Policing Improvement Agency in Wyboston, Bedfordshire, is all for developing new search tools. He has advised police and rescue services on search strategy in major incidents, including the Asian tsunami of 2004. In the aftermath of that disaster, he used computers to model wave action to help guide the dogs and their handlers towards the "capture points" where victims were likely to have been washed up. But, he says: "If you ask me, 'Will a machine replace dogs?' I would say no."
Swindells says: "The best thing about using a dog to detect cadavers, as opposed to machines, is that dogs have the ability to think. But that's also the worst thing about using dogs." This means that cadaver dogs appear to have sufficient intelligence to recognise a corpse across a range of environmental conditions. However, they can also be distracted, for example by methane produced naturally in a peat bog (corpses also produce methane).
One indisputable advantage dogs have over machines is that they can quickly narrow down a search when a large area has to be covered. Adee Schoon of Leiden University, a scientific adviser to the canine department of the Netherlands National Police Agency, sums up the attitude of many who work with human cadaver dogs: "We use dogs as intelligent samplers, to tell us where to look further."
So, although death dogs may not always get it right, their discoveries can make the difference between solving a crime and leaving dark secrets buried for ever.

Dog nose best

In 2000, freelance dog handler Mick Swindells and his Border collie Shep, a trained human cadaver dog, were called to a 15-acre field near Nottingham to help locate the suspected grave of a murder victim. Shep signalled in one spot and the surrounding area was quickly dug, but nothing was found. Later that day, police returned with an informant, who identified the grave. Shep had been out by a metre.It transpired that, in digging the grave, the murderer had put his spade through a field drain, causing volatile compounds from the decomposing cadaver to enter the drain. About a metre downhill of the cadaver, the drain was broken, preventing those compounds from dispersing further. The drain had, in effect, separated the body from its scent, and Shep had signalled the dislodged source of that scent – the breakage in the drain
On another occasion, Swindells and one of his dogs were searching a house when the dog signalled. A cache of bones was found beneath the floorboards at the spot – but they were later identified as pig. Pig carcasses are used in training cadaver dogs. But why would anybody hide a dead pig? The dating of the bones gave a clue: they had probably been buried during the Second World War, when pork was rationed and penalties for dabbling in the black market were severe.

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BackWar Dog Memorials are built to commemorate the outstanding contribution of dogs and their handlers in the service of the United States’ military forces. The memorials represent the courage and sacrifice of our fallen heroes of all wars.
More than 7,000 dogs served faithfully with American forces during WWI. Following the war, there was an outpouring of public sympathy which led to widespread support for the establishment of a memorial for these devoted canine soldiers. In 1923, the first War Dog Memorial in the United States was built in Hartsdale Pet Cemetery, located in Hartsdale, New York. The figure of a dog on the alert, with a helmet and canteen at his feet, is cast in bronze and surmounts a rustic granite boulder. The monument was erected by public donation from dog lovers, signifying the deep gratitude for their faithful friends.
The US Marine Corps War Dog Cemetery in Guam contains a memorial which is dedicated to the memory of twenty-five dogs who gave their lives in the service of the Corps. Erected in 1994, it consists of a bronze statue of a Doberman Pinscher resting on a granite base inscribed with the names of all twenty-five fallen canine comrades. The noble statue was sculpted by Susan Bahary, and dedicated by Dr. William W. Putney, WWII Veterinarian and Marine War Dog Platoon Leader. The memorial is duly named “Always Faithful”, the English translation of the Corps motto, “Semper Fidelis”.
In 2000 at March Air Force Base, Riverside, California, and 2004 at Fort Benning, Georgia, War Dog Memorials were dedicated to the memory of dogs who assisted United States armed forces in their duties all over the world. Designed and sculpted by artist A. Thomas Schomberg, these identical monuments depict the solemn pose of a dog-and-handler team watching over our eternal rest.
About 4,000 dogs accompanied American forces in Vietnam and their duties included using their strong senses of smell and hearing to scout out enemy soldiers, locate mines and explosives, and to find tunnels and weapons. Dogs made very effective sentries. These canine troops helped save thousands of American lives. Many dogs were wounded or suffered other disabilities because of the stress of warfare and the climate conditions in Vietnam. Sadly, almost all of the animals in Vietnam were destroyed or abandoned when the troops came home.
On Memorial Day, 2001, a statue named “Guardians” was unveiled in the Veterans Memorial Park in Streamwood, Illinois. It consists of a bronze German Shepherd on the alert with the handler beside him pointing into the distance. This figure, created by Anthony Quickle, is stylized and the handler’s uniform has no markings to identify a unit or formation. The dog-and-handler team is intended to represent the time of the Vietnam War.
Another monument honoring war dogs in Vietnam, Korea as well as WWII was unveiled on the grounds of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Holmdel, New Jersey in June 2006. The life-size bronze statue was created by Bruce Lindsay and depicts a soldier in Army fatigues kneeling beside his German Shepherd.
War dogs continue to use their unique abilities to complement the skills of human soldiers in carrying out the difficult tasks involved in places all over the world. However, much of their work is overlooked. The establishment of these canine memorials ensures that future generations will recognize all that they have done for the American forces and the sacrifices they have made.
The mission of the National War Dogs Monument Organization is to do just that, “to build and dedicate a National War Dog Monument in Washington D.C. to honor the service and sacrifice of all military working dog teams of all U.S. Armed Services of all Wars and Peacekeeping Missions since WWI.”
John Burnam, Vietnam Veteran War Dog Handler, Executive Director of the organization, wrote with regards to War Dogs: “As a free nation, we owe them this monument, mandated by Congress, and erected in our nation’s capitol of Washington D.C. for the entire world to know and see that they are NOT America’s forgotten heroes”.
On Memorial Day and every day, be sure to take a moment to remember our fallen heroes.

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Dogs follow smell of death in China quake rubble

HANWANG, China — Rifka bounded into the rubble of the Hanwang Town People's Hospital panting and barking. She had picked up the scent of death.
Rifka, a Belgian shepherd, was one of four dogs from Netherlands-based Signi Search Dogs hunting for the body of Qing Hong, an X-ray technician.More than 23,000 people are still missing after the massive earthquake in southwestern China's Sihuan province two weeks ago.After being guided by local residents in this devastated town, Saad Attia and his two colleagues from Signi believed Qing Hong was one of them.
There was nothing left of Hanwang's hospital except a dangerous mound of orange-brown bricks, twisted metal, broken wood and soggy medical texts. Some of the debris was more than three metres (10 feet) high. With her bark, Rifka had signalled that a body might lie underneath but the searchers wanted confirmation.
"We're going to check it again with another dog," said Attia. The job went to Finder, a three-year-old on her first overseas mission. A nail punctured her lower left leg earlier in the quake zone but after several stitches and a dose of painkillers, Finder was still on the job, with a bandage above her paw. The dog slid down what might have been a slab of wall, then climbed back over the debris. She gave the tell-tale bark and got her reward, a green tennis ball. "I think the person is there," said handler Esther van Neerbus, 37, moving closer to the ragged edge of what was a stairwell. "Our job here is finished," Attia said. But another awaited them in the drizzle at the foot of misty mountains.
"I think we have a lot of work to do today," said Attia, 44, a moustachioed man who fled Saddam Hussein's Iraq 27 years ago. "It will be only dead bodies, I think. There are no survivors." In six days of searching, they had not found anyone alive.
Van Neerbus said the team may have identified about 50 corpses but did not know for certain since they were usually not present for the long process of digging.
The veterinarian said she founded Signi 17 years ago because she wanted to do something to help people using the animals she loves.
The dogs, trained to find both the living and the dead, have worked in disasters around the world.
The team explained that dogs' noses are far more sensitive than those of humans.
Attia took time off his job in a metal factory to travel to the quake zone in Sichuan province to work with Signi. "This is my holiday," he quipped.
But Attia's light touch accompanied a recognition that this is serious work, partly because it helps ease the families' uncertainty.
"Then you know for sure that he is gone," Attia said. "And second, I think most important is to prevent disease. It's already a disaster but if you leave it... you've got a serious problem for the public health."
Attia recalled the tears of a woman whose husband the dogs located a day earlier. Discoveries like that validate their mission, he said, but the job takes an emotional toll. "I can cry just like a child. And I don't care," he said.
A backhoe slowly rattled past on its way to the spot where Qing, the hospital worker, was believed buried.