Dog shelter helps in rehabilitating 21 dogs in line for euthanesia

Its nice to know that there are still groups or people who are willing to extend their help in rescuing animals that are deemed "unadoptable". Here's an update about Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary offer to take in 21 dogs that were seized from a fighting ring in Tilbury.

Even though OSPCA didnt allow the sanctuary to house the 21 dogs because the dog breed is banned under Ontario's Breed Specific Legislation. Anyway, they are still doing their best to be able to help the dogs.

Hopefully, different institution involve here will see that those dogs deserves a second chance to have a peaceful loving home and to experience how to be taken care of. They should allow the shelter to rehabilitate those dogs and find them a home that will love and take care of them.

Dog shelter helps in rehabilitating 21 dogs in line for euthanesia

Many of you have been asking for an update on our offer to take in 21 dogs seized from a fighting ring in Tilbury by the OSPCA this fall who are now at risk of being euthanized.

We had initially reached out offering to take the dogs in November, and last week we made our offer public. As a direct result of everyone who shared, commented and reached out to the OSPCA about our offer, we received a call from Inspector Brad Dewar. In our conversation we were unable to gain too much information about how the dogs had been evaluated and how the decision to recommend euthanasia had been made, but we made it clear that we felt strongly that these dogs deserve the opportunity to be rehabilitated, and that we have the resources to make this happen. We do not believe that this will be a quick or easy process. It will take time, patience, and the proper technique - all of which we are ready and willing to provide.

At Dog Tales we are known for taking in dogs that have been deemed "unadoptable", rehabilitating them, and sending them off to incredible homes where they are living beautiful lives. For such a large undertaking, we intend to bring in experts from overseas to assist our team with the rehabilitation. All of this, in addition to vetting, food, and lodging at our world-class facility, will come at no cost to the OSPCA.

The OSPCA is not able to grant permission for us to house the 21 dogs, as they are a breed banned under Ontario's Breed Specific Legislation. Permission to house the dogs must come from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. We are currently working with a lawyer and the local government to obtain this permission, and are working around the clock to achieve this.

These dogs were rescued from a life of horror and abuse that they did not ask for. Any behavioural issues are a direct result of this abuse. We are grateful to the OSPCA for all that they have done for these dogs to date, and are grateful to all of you who stand behind us in our fight to give them the second chance that they deserve.

Lost dog returned because of pet microchip

This dog was lost for 3 years and was found 120 miles away from home. This is good example why you need your pet microchipped. A microchip implant is an identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of a dog, cat, horse, parrot or other animal.

A similar story were also in the news when a lost cat was returned to its original owner after 9 years because the cat was also microchipped.

If you are a pet owner have your pet microchipped just in case this situation happen to you as well.

Pet stores without puppy mills

The L.A. City Council will vote soon on barring pet stores from selling dogs from large-scale breeders. It's the right thing to do.

The Los Angeles City Council is expected to vote within a month on an ordinance to ban pet stores from selling dogs (as well as cats and rabbits) obtained from any supplier other than a shelter or rescue group. Though we are usually reluctant to support government-imposed constraints on what businesses can buy or sell — and we would ordinarily prefer to see the issue dealt with by tougher regulation — in this case we think the ordinance is justified.

Most dogs sold at commercial pet stores across the country come from large-scale commercial breeders, many or most of which are so-called puppy mills that put profit over the well-being of their dogs, according to animal welfare advocates. Such facilities are legal and must be licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but studies show that many meet only the minimally allowable levels of care, housing, exercise, veterinary attention and record-keeping set by the federal Animal Welfare Act, if that. Some of the most egregious of these operations — where dogs are injured or found dead or conditions are highly unsanitary — are closed down or cited by authorities. But many bad operators continue to exist, overbreeding females in back-to-back heat cycles to the point that their bones break and their teeth fall out. Dogs and puppies alike end up crammed into filthy cages with little opportunity for exercise or socialization. Even the USDA urges breeders to exceed the law's standards.

What's more, the federal law is woefully under-enforced, according to a 2010 audit by the USDA's Office of Inspector General. Animal care inspectors failed to sanction appropriately, or quickly, breeders holding dogs variously infested with ticks or sores, suffering injured limbs, living in fetid cages, unsheltered from cold or hot weather, or using water and food dishes covered in vermin. During the three-year period of the audit, USDA officials made 8,289 inspections and found that 5,261 licensed dealers were in violation of the act. Since the audit, the USDA says the inspection program has been improved.

In the best of all worlds, federal and state laws governing breeding facilities would be overhauled to mandate better conditions for animals. But laws tightening up rules face powerful opposition from the pet industry and legislative allies of breeding businesses. Neither California nor Los Angeles, both of which have been early adopters of animal welfare laws and policies, have the ability to regulate out-of-state businesses.

Until better laws can be passed, the only way for a city to thwart these operations is to stop the flow of their animals into local pet stores. Most stores list the provenance of the animals for sale on cards attached to the kennels — but without actually visiting those breeding facilities, it's almost impossible to know what conditions are like there. Pet store industry representatives argue that some L.A. pet stores get their animals from small, relatively local breeders the retailers trust. Again, there's no way to know for sure what kind of breeding operation it is without visiting it — something that responsible breeders welcome and even request. Reputable breeders rarely sell to pet stores.

Los Angeles' measure is a drastic one, but it would expire in three years, giving officials an opportunity to monitor its effect and decide whether to extend the law, revise it or drop it altogether. If it passes, individuals would still be allowed to buy directly from breeders, and pet stores would be allowed to sell dogs, cats and rabbits that come from shelters, humane societies and registered rescue groups.

Each year the city's shelters euthanize thousands of cats and dogs that might have made wonderful pets. Best Friends Animal Society, a national organization, has already helped some conventional pet stores transition to a humane model and is offering the same assistance to any L.A. stores if the ordinance goes into effect.

Photographer Raises Awareness for Doomed Shelter Dog

A photographer in Taiwan named Tou Ghih-kang has be recording the last moments for some dogs at the Taoyuan Animal Shelter over the last two years. Once the photo shoot is over the dog or even puppy is taken away and put down. Tou Ghih-kang has photographed over 400 dogs of which most of them were abandoned by their owners. To him the work is very distressing and is trying to spread the message to owners about taking responsibility for their pets.

“I believe something should not be told but should be felt,” says Tou, a thick-bodied 37-year-old with an air of quiet confidence. “And I hope these images will arouse the viewers to contemplate and feel for these unfortunate lives, and understand the inhumanity we the society are putting them through.”

Many pet owners in Taiwan fawn over their pets and even lavish them in stylish dog clothing and other accessories. “Animals are seen just as playthings, not to be taken seriously,” says Grace Gabriel, Asia regional director of the Massachusetts-based International Fund for Animal Welfare. For the unfortunate, they are abandoned to the streets once the initial thrill of ownership wares off.

Taiwanese authorities estimate that this year over 80,000 stray dogs will be euthanized. According to animal rights activists, 70 percent of dogs in shelters are killed after a 12 day waiting period despite efforts to find them homes and millions of cats will continue to be put down each year as well.

Tou has tried to capture the dignity and prestige of his photographed subjects. Many of his dogs are placed in poses so they almost look human. Tou uses the professional name Tou Yun-fei, and says the Taiwanese media were not paying enough attention to the dogs‘ plight. He doesn’t believe in having pets, but the problem had long plagued his conscience.

A handful of the over 40,000 dog pictures will be on exhibit in August at the Fine Arts Museum in the southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung.  “I am a medium that through my photography, more people will be aware of this issue,” he says. “I think that’s my role.”

source: allpetnews.com

Yoda 2011 World's ugliest dog dies

I already featured an article before about Worlds ugliest dog before and I think they are not really ugly and I find most of them cute and very fragile. Its sad to know that the current holder of Worlds ugliest dog title died. You can read the whole news below.

Here's a picture of Yoda 2011 Worlds Ugliest Dog Winner

World's ugliest dog dies, replacement to be crowned in Petaluma

PETALUMA -- The reigning World's Ugliest Dog died this week, leaving the title up for grabs in today's 24th annual competition at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma.

Last year's World's Ugliest Dog winner, Yoda, a 1.8-pound mutt from the Central Valley city of Hanford, died in her sleep Wednesday at the age of 15, according to contest organizers.

"This last year has been amazing, it allowed Yoda to be the star I always knew she was," said owner Terry Schumacher. "The whole world thought she was a blessing and one of a kind. I knew this from the moment when I realized, 'Yes it was a dog!'" said Schumacher, who had initially thought Yoda was a rat when her daughter first found her in a field.

"I really encourage people to enter the contest because of the attention it brings to rescue dogs like Yoda," Schumacher said.
Contestants will take part in a red carpet walk at 5:30 p.m. today at the Sonoma-Marin Fair, with the World's Ugliest Dog Contest and Rescue Dog Parade to follow at 6 p.m.

The winner will take home $1,000 in prize money and a trophy. If Yoda had made it to today's event, she would have been pitted against the finalists in the Ring of Champions round featuring previous years' winners.
Contestant photos and descriptions can be viewed and ugly dog lovers can cast their votes at www.sonoma-marinfair.org.

Contest admission is included in the cost of admission to the fair, which runs through Sunday. For more information, go to the fair's website or call (707) 283-3247.

source: mercurynews.com

Pet registration proposed

Pet registration, spaying of tethered female dogs part of proposed changes to York County animal control ordinance


Proposed changes to York County’s animal ordinance would require pet owners to spay tethered female dogs and register with animal control if they have five or more cats or dogs.

The York County Council will consider the proposed changes for the first time at its Monday meeting in York.

County animal control and public works staff members have been working with several council members to revise the animal law following talks last year about whether to require pet owners to license their animals for a fee. The theory was the change would have promoted spaying and neutering of pets.

Licensing for a fee was opposed by many and the council members decided against, saying it would create an unnecessary tax on responsible pet owners while irresponsible pet owners – the target of any animal law changes – would likely ignore the new law.

The council agreed that the existing law could be tightened up.

The proposed changes would:

• Require owners of five or more cats or dogs to register their pets with animal control at no charge.

• Require that female dogs tethered outside be spayed.

• Clarify what constitutes a public nuisance, dangerous animal, and adequate shelter.

• Allow officers to return loose dogs to owners instead of impounding them at the shelter, if the dogs aren’t dangerous and the owners don’t have a history of similar issues.

• Exempt working does from the county’s leash law.

• Allow York County to enforce state laws pertaining to animals.

While animal control officers would have the option of writing citations for violations, Dave Harmon, the county’s public works director, said the department has always, and will continue, to take an “educational approach” with the community.

A grace period would ensure that a pet owner who violate the ordinance would have time to correct the error, Harmon said.

Councilman Bump Roddey, who chairs the committee working on the revisions, said he is open to some of the changes.

“I'm supportive of it, but it has to be a good fit,” he said.

Roddey said he approves of the registration requirement because it would alert county officials where large animal populations are being kept, he said.

He also said he agrees with the spaying requirement for tethered female dogs which, he says, will “curtail” strays coming into the pound.

“What we're putting in is not limiting anyone from having any amount of animals. We just want to know where they are and put in measures to prevent unwanted litters,” he said.

The committee’s two other members did not support the changes at a committee meeting earlier in May.

The question was whether changing the ordinance would diminish unwanted animals or locate potentially harmful groups of animals.

Councilman Curwood Chappell approved sending the proposal to the full council, but said he wasn’t endorsing it and had problems with creating any new requirements or restrictions on taxpayers.

Councilman David Bowman also agreed to forward the changes to the council without showing support for it.

County budget final reading postponed

The York County Council will consider final reading of the county’s $86 million budget at its June 18 meeting, not Monday as previously scheduled.

source: heraldonline.com

Do you agree in the proposed Pet registration? Share your thoughts and vote in our poll.

Tri-County Humane Society rescues dozens of dogs

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Dozens of dogs are rescued from a puppy mill by the Boca Raton Tri-County Humane Society with hopes of giving them a loving home and a second chance at life.

About 250 dogs were rescued by Sarasota County Animal Services, pulled from a home in Venice last week. Some of the animals are not in good condition, according to investigators.

Investigators say the homeowners are being cooperative.

The animals are being treated, evaluated and sent to multiple animal shelters and Tri-County is one of them.

Pending medical evaluation and clearance, the animals will be put up for adoption.

"It's just going to be a long road to recovery for these guys because they are so scared, they don't know what a human touch is, and that's what breaks my heart," explained Director of Operations, Kim Spencer.

Many have worms, ticks, fleas, infections and eye problems.  Two of the dogs rescued by Tri-County were rushed to emergency veterinary care.

"The most horrific conditions I think I've ever seen in my rescue," explained Director Suzi Goldsmith.  "They have had the worst quality of life and I would say they've had no quality of life."

The Tri-County Humane Society has assisted with large rescue efforts in the past.

The dogs should be ready for adoption in about two weeks.

To donate or adopt, call 561-482-8110 or visit www.tricountyhumane.org.

source: wptv.com

Chihuahua invasion

Chihuahua invasion! Little dogs make a big scene in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hundreds of tiny tacos, ballerinas and other costumed dogs fell short of a world record Saturday morning in Kansas City, but organizers said they were encouraged by the turnout for the inaugural Cinco de Mayo Chihuahua parade.

Mark Valentine, the president of the group that organized the parade, said 500 dogs showed up in costume — about 200 fewer than what was needed to break the Guinness Book world record. The event, organized by United Entertainment to benefit a local animal shelter, was open to any breed.

Valentine estimated that 80 percent of the costumed canines were Chihuahuas, more than the 50 percent he anticipated.

“We are going to keep doing this until we run out of dogs in Kansas City and have to start shipping them in,” Valentine said. “For a first try, we did OK.”

Valentine said he was told Chihuahuas were among the most common breeds in animal shelters. Saturday's event raised about $2,500 for The Pet Connection, a local no-kill shelter.

“Chihuahuas get killed in animal shelters almost as much as pitbulls,” he said.

Anne Fisher, a food stylist from Stilwell, Kan., about a half-hour south of Kansas City, said her male Chihuahua, Willie, seemed relieved when she slipped off his ballerina outfit after the parade.

“We figured he was going to be the smallest Chihuahua here, but he's not,” she said of the 3-pound dog. “We're having more fun than he is. It's hysterical.”

Just after 11 a.m., everyone in the crowd with a Chihuahua raised their pets over their heads. The result was a sea of tiny heads adorned with sombreros, cowboy hats, bows and even a Green Bay Packers football helmet.

Afterward, participants lined up and participated in a slow-moving procession along a sidewalk, as dozens of people in lawn chains watched the colorful animals strut past.

Valentine thought it was a little extreme that Guinness required a veterinarian to be on hand to make sure every dog registered for the event was alive. No dead dogs showed, he said, but someone did bring a potbellied pig.

“Apparently, they've had trouble with people sneaking pigs in,” Valentine said.

Source: dallasnews.com

He hung a puppy, now he's facing charges

Here's a case that will remind you how you should treat animals and how you should be wary with what you post on Facebook.

Jerzon Senador, who was condemned after pinning his puppy to a clothesline and posting pictures of it online, is now facing charges for animal cruelty.

After almost a year, the Municipal Trial Court of Calamba, Laguna issued a warrant of arrest against Senador for violation of Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act, according to a Facebook post of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) on Friday.

However, PAWS said when the police arrived at his home, the teenager was nowhere to be found.

“PAWS was in Calamba, Laguna yesterday for Jerzon Senador's long-delayed arrest, but when police arrived at his Looc address, the accused parents' said that Jerzon Senador has left home and that his present whereabouts are unknown to them,” the Facebook post read.

The animal rights organization is now seeking help to find information leading to his arrest.

Senador uploaded the photos of his helpless puppy in June last year, sparking outrage from netizens.

After being swamped with angry messages, he took the images down and issued a public apology posted on his page, saying, “To all animal lovers and to people all over the world please read this. I would like to ask for forgiveness for the wrong I've done against my dog. I hope you could forgive me and I promise it will never happen again.”

Apparently, his apology was not enough as he must now face the case filed against him by PAWS.

RA 8485 states that upon conviction, Senador will be punished by imprisonment of six months to two years or a fine of P1,000 to P5,000 or both.

In a similar incident, a student from the University of the Philippines, Joseph Carlo Candare, killed a cat inside the campus and bragged about it on his blog in 2009.

Two years after, Candare pleaded guilty and his case was the first successful conviction of someone accused of animal cruelty in the Philippines.

Source (ph.news.yahoo.com)

My point: People especially the young ones should now be aware that our actions have consequences. Especially hurting animals who cant defend themselves. Saying sorry will not change the fact that you have violated the law and should face the consequences of your actions.

iPad game: You vs Cat, pits YOU against your cat

Make room in your iPad because there’s a new kitty game in town that you and your feline friend will surely enjoy. Here’s a game that you can play together with your cat. Soon, Friskies (popular cat food maker) will release a free iPad game called You vs. Cat. The game will pit you against your favorite feline friend.

The current reigning king of gamercats, Buddy, demonstrated at the SXSW festival how to play the game and destroyed every player who played against him. You vs. Cat's gameplay is really simple — all you have to do is flick a virtual cat food toward your opponent kitty, and hopefully it will head straight into the goal before the paw of your new nemesis cat stops it in its tracks.

So do not be surprised when one day theres a surge of pet videos and eventually our feline nemesis decided that they can dominate us...

Animal Crush Videos

I dont get it why there are people who get off by watching such videos. I think they are sick and should consult a doctor to find out whats going on in their minds. I will not post any crush videos here so if you happen to visit this blog just to find some animal crush videos then you will not find those kinds of videos here. It makes me sick when I accidentally stumbled on one animal crush video, I cant even finish watching it.

If you do not know what animal crush videos is then consider yourself lucky. It is videos of animal abuse which should be considered as a form of cruelty against animals. These animal abuse videos feature small live animals, like kittens, puppies, mice and bunnies that are being slowly tortured in the most horrific ways imaginable. Sometimes you will see women or children doing such animals abuse. In return for some money those people will do every thing that their client wants them to do. From burning those animals alive, cut with pruning sheers, nailed to the floor, skinned alive, beaten, stabbed and/or have their limbs broken.

According to the animal abuse news that I saw these past days, one common thing that these animal crushing video has a common thing that the animals are being crushed by a woman in high heels. People who pay for those crush animal videos are usually for their sexual gratification but that's not the only case, lately it is becoming popular just for their shock value also. Those people who are into animal crush videos usually gets sexual arousal toward the the horrific torture and distress of another life in this case those poor animals.

The animal crush industry is getting popular all over the world that's why our Government should something to stop those sadistic killers and the spread of those videos.

With that said I would like to ask people especially animal lovers to support www.stopcrush.org. 

Therapy dogs bring smiles to people in need

Hospitalized for severe depression, Gayle F. looked forward to spending time with her "therapists," who coaxed her back to health with non-judgmental support, frisky good humor and occasional wet kisses.

For Rocket, bringing smiles to people in need is her job as a therapy dog.

Owned by Patricia DeMeo of Wellesley, the bright-eyed mini-pinscher is one of 37 dogs providing "therapy on a leash" in MetroWest Medical Center's pet therapy program.

Discharged from the hospital a week ago, Gayle F., a 30-ish MetroWest resident who asked not to be identified, described those several-times-a-week, half-hour sessions with Rocket, Katie Bear and a giant Great Dane nicknamed Libby as "bright spots that provided light during a really tough time."

"I was very sick. I felt I was fighting for my life. Just sitting on the floor playing with Rocket and the others was the highlight of my week. I can't describe how valuable it was to getting back on my feet. Spending time with therapy dogs was instrumental in my ability to pull through," she said.

About three years ago, DeMeo enrolled Rocket as as a therapy dog at the hospital as a way to return the kindness and support her late parents received at a cancer hospice.
She said therapy dogs must learn at least a dozen task-specific commands, such as leaving treats or potentially dangerous objects they might encounter in a hospital, and moving carefully around patients using walkers or wheelchairs without being startled by sharp noises like dropping bedpans.

Throughout about 200 visits to the hospital and area nursing homes, DeMeo said Rocket has demonstrated an intuitive understanding of patients' varied needs.

"Dogs sense things humans don't. One patient might want Rocket to sit in her lap. Someone else might want kisses. Someone else might just want to touch her or talk about the dogs they used to own. Everyone wants something different. But Rocket just seems to know what they need," she said.

Sherri Hebert, administrative assistant in the behavioral medicine department who coordinates the pet therapy program, said the hospital has been using therapy dogs since 2002 to boost patients' spirits, encourage interaction and reduce stress.

Accompanied by an owner, therapy dogs visit the hospital's child development unit and behavioral medicine department, which includes geriatric and adult units. A dog owner who's enrolled her Pembroke Welsh corgi, Katie Bear, in the program, Hebert said individual dogs might make 30-minute visits to different units four to eight times a week, including weekends and evenings.

Director of Behavioral Medicine Mary Mullany said anecdotal evidence suggests spending time with therapy dogs can elevate patients' moods, lower blood pressure and relieve stress among patients and staff.

"We've seen patients with dementia calm down, and a man, almost immobilized by depression for several years, begin to communicate. With geriatric patients, I think spending time with therapy dogs can promote verbal skills. When therapy dogs come into a hospital setting, it's a time patients can laugh and enjoy themselves," she said.

That's no surprise to Susan Piraino, whose 135-pound Great Dane Liberty - nicknamed Libby - visits several hospital units, cheering up children as well as older patients who have diminishing communication skills.

The Ashland resident is convinced Libby "absolutely senses" the different needs of children, elderly and emotionally troubled patients.

And while Libby reaches her waist, Piraino said her personality is so placid she never snaps with roughhousing children or gets startled by unexpected noises.

Like several other owners, she said Libby becomes excited by the prospect of a hospital visit, signified when a special bandanna is wrapped around her neck. "She's ecstatic when she gets in the car to come here," said Piraino.

For several years, Pat Gipp has been bringing Penny, an alert Australian shepherd, to the hospital and hospice where patients nearing the ends of their lives seem comforted by stroking her coat.

The Holliston resident said Penny has entertained young patients by accepting high-fives and playing soccer with them.

Her voice turning serious, she recalled being asked to bring Penny to an area hospice where a dying patient had slipped into a coma. Without prompting, Penny laid next to him.

Three other dog owners nodded.

Stroking her Great Dane, Piraino said, "Love is the best medicine you can give."

Accountant follows her passion for animals

Like many people who love animals, Sue James' childhood dream was to become a veterinarian.

"I looked into going to vet school but my parents, they wanted me to pursue a more traditional career," said James, a Danville resident who grew up in a house in New York state where the family pets included dogs, rabbits -- even a monkey.

After a long stint in the corporate world at accounting giant Ernst & Young, working with some of Silicon Valley's leading high-tech companies, James found an outlet for her lifelong love of animals at Tri-Valley Animal Rescue, an all-volunteer group founded in 1992 whose mission is to prevent the unnecessary euthanasia of shelter animals.

The group finds foster homes for adoptable dogs and cats at the East County Animal Shelter in Dublin and other area shelters until permanent homes can be found at adoption events. Last year, the group found homes for 980 cats and dogs through its foster programs.

Besides her love for animals, James found she had a penchant for numbers. After teaching math and science in New York, she decided to make a career change and moved to California in 1969.

"Accounting is a natural adjunct to math, so I went back to school and got my degree in accounting, and then I went into public accounting," she said.
She started volunteering in 2005 as she was winding down a long and successful career as a partner at Ernst & Young.

Working at the firm, she learned the importance of teamwork to meet the needs of clients. That focus also carries over to her volunteer work. "It's about the cats and dogs," she said. "But also, for me, it's how can we work effectively as a team."

Tony Owens, animal control supervisor at the East County shelter, which is run by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, praised James. "She's here all the time, almost every day, doing anything from helping to facilitate adoptions to coordinating fostering. She's definitely an instrumental volunteer and a great coordinator between us and Tri-Valley Animal Rescue."

Aside from her volunteer work, she also serves on the boards of Yahoo (YHOO), Applied Materials and Coherent.

"For a corporate board, our goal obviously is to represent the shareholders and to get the returns for the shareholders. With a nonprofit board, it's to further the mission, which in our case is rescuing adoptable animals," she said. "Most of the people on the TVAR board are actively involved in managing TVAR operations. On a corporate board, that's not the case, you are not managing, you're there for oversight."

While some nonprofit boards are more advisory in nature, TVAR is a hands-on board, she said.

James' first assignment as a volunteer with the rescue group was to walk dogs at the East County shelter.

While a few volunteers such as herself were providing a needed service to get the restless shelter dogs out for walks, James decided she wanted to do more. So, she started the shelter dog program. The idea was to encourage more adoptions of shelter dogs by providing incentives such as free dog training lessons and pet supplies with each paid adoption fee.

"The dog walkers were dedicated people, but it was not an organized endeavor," she said.

After the program was launched, the rescue group began hosting occasional adoption fairs for the dogs at the shelter and brought in dog trainers to work with volunteers.

"We thought if we hook a trainer up with the new adopters, it would help the dogs and help the adopters. We found that adoption returns went way down," James said. "So the dogs learned, and the volunteers learned to be better handlers. I used to tell volunteers that while correcting them or trying to get them to behave sounds like tough love, euthanasia is a lot tougher."

Of course, not all of the animals can be saved, she said.

"One of the things about volunteering that is critical is that you need to be realistic. There are some you will save, and without that effort none would be saved," said James, who became president of the group's board of directors this year. "Without the volunteers, we can't save any animals. It's just that simple."

It's always hard to find enough people who will provide foster homes.

"It is a big commitment," said James, who has taken in several foster dogs. "That dog or cat is in your home 24 hours a day, and we ask the fosterer to show the dog or cat at adoption events. We supply everything a fosterer needs, including telephone help, but it is still opening your house to a new animal. But it's how we save lives."

Cindy Churchill is a fellow volunteer and rescue board member who runs the shelter dog program that James helped launch.

"Sue does not ask any volunteer to do anything she wouldn't do. She takes the time to let them know how much their work helps the animals," Churchill said.
While James is fond of cats, she is allergic to them. When she met the man she later married, he happened to have a cat. So James ended up getting allergy shots.

The couple now have a dog named Ozzie, an 18-month-old Spaniel-pit bull mix adopted from the East County Animal Shelter last year.

"He's very, very cute but he's a handful," she said.

By Eve Mitchell
Contra Costa Times

Dogged Determination

"Dogs are man's best friend," Porter said to the Herald Sun. "We felt we owed it to her. The easiest thing to say was the dog would die or we could say let's give her a good hard go. And we did. We rallied together and we said 'We can do this."Where there's hope, there is life." Jessie, their a 4-year-old Jack Russell terrier was trapped for seven days under nearly 50 tons of rock and was successfully freed. Steve Porter, Jessie's owner, never gave up and spent more than $2,000 just to rescue Jessie.

Jessie chased a feral cat and became trapped beneath two boulders. Jessie and Porter were rabbit hunting when the accident happen. Porter, his son and two neighbors tried to free Jessie from getting stuck in the hole. When their efforts was unsuccessful they asked State Emergency Service to lend a hand.

After a week's efforts of trying to help Jessie they decided to hire a rock-breaking truck from Melbourne which finally freed Jessie from captivity. She immediately run into Porters arms and gave him "a big lick." According to the vet Jessie is in good health despite being stuck in the hole for days.

video from Herald Sun

Dog finds owner after storm

I really find this news i stumbled from yahoo news. Yes, we sometimes read news like this but what makes this story interesting is the miracle how the dog survived from the storm and crawled back to his home days after even though two of its legs were broken.

A scruffy Alabama terrier mix named Mason was whisked away by fierce twisters last month, prompting his owners, who lost their home in the storm, to fear the worst. But the redoubtable mutt apparently crawled back to his home days later with two broken legs in a remarkable tale of survival.

Local news outlet WBRC reports that Mason was blown away by the storm from the garage in Birmingham where he was hiding on April 27. His owners looked for him everywhere but couldn't find him. Two and a half weeks later, though, they found Mason waiting for them on their front porch when they returned to the house to look through the debris.

Workers at the Birmingham Jefferson County Animal Control shelter are now caring for Mason, since his owners say they can't take care of him while they piece their lives back together after the storm. "This is probably the most dramatic we've seen as far as an injury in an animal that's survived this long. It's kind of tapering off, the amount of animals we're seeing because of the storm. For an animal just to show up on someone's porch after this time was pretty remarkable, especially with the condition he's in," shelter worker Phil Doster told the news station.

Mason is "doing fantasic" after his May 20 surgery where metal plates were attached to his bones so they could heal, Doster told The Lookout in an email. "We are excited that he will be going back to his family and to the home where he finally returned after 3 weeks," he wrote. Mason is expected to be able to walk completely normally after he recovers in about six weeks, though his front legs will be a bit shorter than his back legs. Mason's family has requested to not be named in the media, Doster added, but they are "very excited" for Mason to come home when their house is again habitable in about five weeks.

Pets are often forgotten victims of natural disasters such as the fierce storms and tornadoes that have battered the Midwest the past few months. The Human Society of the United States has sent rescue teams to find pets in Joplin, Missouri, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and other hard-hit areas.

source: yahoo news

Ashera Cat

The Ashera Cat is crossbreed cat sold by Lifestyle Pets. This cat is a hybrid between the African serval, the Asian leopard cat, and a domestic housecat. There have been questions about the authenticity of this cat breed. A Pennsylvania cat breeder told the San Diego Union-Tribune that some of the cats sold by Allerca and labeled "Ashera" were actually raised by him as another hybrid named "Savannah F1."

According to wikipedia:

The results of official DNA tests confirmed that 3 "Ashera" kittens confiscated at Schiphol Airport in Feb 2008 are F1 Savannahs bred by Chris Shirk of Cutting Edge Savannahs.[6] The F1 Savannahs were sold to/through A1Savannahs to a Lifestyles Pets representative. It is commonly believed that Cutting Edge Savannahs did not know that the cats were to be re-sold as Ashera Cats. It is not clear what the connection is between A1Savannahs and Lifestyle Pets. US Fish and Wildlife supervised the taking of blood samples from Shirk's cats in Pennsylvania. The samples were shipped directly from the vet surgery to the Dutch government. The forensic labs that compared the seized "Ashera" cats' DNA to that of the cats alleged to be their parents all confirmed that the "Ashera" kittens were F1 Savannahs bred by Shirk (Cutting Edge Cats) from his serval and an Egyptian Mau and could not be Ashera cats bred by Lifestyle Pets. The results were released in June 2008 and shortly afterwards, Brodie adopted the identity Simon Cadarran and set up a new company.[7]
These cats can weigh up to 40 lbs (according to Lifestyle Pets) and cost US$22,000 which meant the Savannah cats bred by Shirk were each resold as Asheras for around 4 times their original price. "Hypoallergenic" versions sell for $37,000 and versions with rare markings sell for up to $125,000.

Southern right whale literally crashes sailing party

South African sailing instructors Paloma Werner and Ralph Mothes got a whale-sized shock Sunday -- a 33-foot, 40-ton shock, to be specific -- when a southern right whale crash-landed on their sailboat in the waters off Cape Town.

Werner and Mothes first saw the whale about 110 yards from their boat; before they knew it, they said, it was only 11 yards or so from them, and lack of wind prevented them from taking evasive action to avoid it. The whale leapt and crashed into the vessel, breaking its mast but causing no other major damage.

The whale probably suffered no ill effects other than bruising and the loss of a bit of skin and blubber, a marine mammal expert said. But officials from the local Department of Environmental Affairs are investigating allegations that the couple may have approached the whale illegally.

Right whales are believed to have been named by whalers who considered them the right -- as in, correct -- type of whale to hunt. Those whalers decimated their populations, leading them to the brink of extinction before protections began to help them bounce back.

news from latimes.com

right whale photo

10 Reasons Why It's Great to Be a Dog

1. If it itches, you can reach it. And no matter where it itches, no one will be offended if you scratch it in public.

2. No one notices if you have hair growing in weird places as you get older.

3. Personal hygiene is a blast: No one expects you to take a bath every day, and you don't even have to comb your own hair.

4. Having a wet nose is considered a sign of good health.

5. No one thinks less of you for passing gas. Some people might actually think you're cute.

6. Who needs a big home entertainment system? A bone or an old shoe can entertain you for hours.

7. You can spend hours just smelling stuff.

8. No one ever expects you to pay for lunch or dinner. You never have to worry about table manners, and if you gain weight, it's someone else's fault.

9. It doesn't take much to make you happy. You're always excited to see the same old people. All they have to do is leave the room for five minutes and come back.

10. Every garbage can looks like a cold buffet to you.

10 Animals Facing Extinction by TIME

The TIME cited 10 animals that are currently facing extinction If we dont do something to stop their diminishing numbers.

Greater Bamboo Lemur
Found only in a small area of southeastern Madagascar, the greater bamboo lemur eats not only bamboo shoots — despite the cyanide found in the plant. The most endangered lemur in Madagascar, less than 200 are believed to still exist.

Celebes Crested Macaque
This black macaque is found only in northwestern parts of Indonesia, mostly on the island of Sulawesi — also known as Celebes. It is often hunted as a pest — it can devastate farms — and for bushmeat.

Lowland Gorilla
Found in central Africa, the lowland gorilla has been all but wiped out in recent years, thanks to widespread hunting — the meat is an expensive delicacy — and disease, including from the Ebola virus. Rapid deforestation is also destroying their habitat.

Madagascar Fish Eagle
Madagascar is known as the hottest hotspot, both because of its rich biodiversity, and because deforestation and other threats are destroying wildlife on the island. The Fish Eagle, found in highly limited numbers along the west coast, is no exception.

Vancouver Island Marmot
The rodent is one of the most endangered mammals in North America, with less than 40 individuals found in an area less than 10 sq. km. Logging is most likely the cause of its diminishing numbers.

Black Rhino
The population of the black rhino declined by 90% over the last six decades, thanks chiefly to poaching. But since the mid 1990s — when fewer than 3,000 of the African rhino existed — the population has increased steadily, and now there are over 4,000

Iberian Lynx
Believed to be the most endangered mammal in Europe, the Iberian lynx, found mostly in Spain, has fewer than 150 individuals in the wild. It's dying out because its main source of food — a rabbit — is also declining rapidly.

Mindoro Dwarf Water Buffalo
Found on the Philippine island of Mindoro, the dwarf water buffalo was once widespread, but now is found in less than 300 sq. km. The chief threat is expanding farmland, which is cutting into the water buffalo's habitat.

Baiji Dolphin
Also known as the Yangtze dolphin, and found in the river in China, the Baiji is the most endangered cetacean in the world. It may already be extinct.

Siberian Crane
The gorgeous bird breeds in arctic Russia and western Siberia, but thanks to severe wetland loss, it is declining rapidly.

source: TIME

So... what was the last thing that you did to help Mother Nature?

Technology helping pet lovers to become better pet owners

It's amazing what technology can do nowadays. More and more pet lovers today are looking for ways on how they can make their responsibilities easier and to have more quality time with their pets. With the help of technology they find ways to do achieve this. Here's a good article from cbc.ca that shows how technology is slowly helping other pet lovers and revolutionize how we take care of our pets.

It's no secret that we are all way too busy. We commute an hour or more to work, get home late and barely have time to eat dinner before the 11 o'clock news starts. Little wonder, then, that we simply do not have the time to refill Sparky's water dish or change Mrs. Kitty's litter box.

To deal with growing time pressures, pet owners are increasingly seeking out gadgets and other technologies to ease the burden of their pet-related chores. As Julia Hsueh, owner of San Francisco's Furry Tales pet store says, why clean out litter boxes if you don't have to?

Pet owners, however, aren't looking to hire a robotic maid or adopt mechanical playmates like Pleo or Sony's line of mechanical Aibo dogs. They're looking for practical solutions: automatic feeders and water fountains, indoor potty surfaces, self-cleaning litter boxes and warming pads. Owners are also picking up battery-operated toys for entertaining their furry friends when they're away from home.

"People like the companionship [of pets], but they don't have the time or want to take the responsibility for taking care of them," says Hsueh. And owners are always looking to ease their chore-wheel burden. "Let the machines do the dirty work so you can just have fun with your dog," is the owners' mantra, Hsueh says.

In the U.S., you can find a pet in 71 million homes, according to data from the American Pet Products Association. Between dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, fish and everything in between, Americans own a combined 382 million pets, and owners spent $41 billion US on their charges in 2007. Almost $10 billion of that was spent on supplies and over-the-counter medicines alone.

John Simmons, publisher of Pets magazine, says people are getting interested in pet tech as part of a general growing interest in their pets and a desire to take good care of them. "More and more, they are a household member [rather] than just a pet," he says.
Play safe

Beyond convenience devices like "bark collars," which use everything from shocks to squirts of water to teach a dog to stop barking, owners are using technology to ensure their pets' safety.

Invisible fences and microchipping have been around for years, but both products are becoming increasingly sophisticated, Simmons says. Owners are also equipping pets with devices that will alert them to pets dipping into the family pool, for example. Some even treat their pets as surrogate children and have resorted to spying on their animals during the day with webcams to make sure they're safe and happy.

You can always turn to social networks to set up play dates for your pet with other pets. Dogster and Catster, sites that started out as a way to share photos of beloved animal companions, are now repositories of information on everything from grooming to finding veterinarians in foreign countries.

Now nearing a combined 1 million members, the sites have even become places to plan real-world meet-ups. On Dogster, about 100 West Thailand Terriers united recently in South Carolina — with some pets and owners traveling from as far as six states away.

Indeed, pets are no longer creatures you just keep in the backyard and rarely see.

"It used to be [that] the dog was kind of around and someone would often forget to feed it," says Dogster chief executive Ted Rheingold. "Now they have a family-member relationship. When you make plans, you are thinking about what you're going to do about Sparky."

And that's where technology can step in and lend a helping hand.

source: www.cbc.ca