Bo the Obama families pet dog celebrates his first birthday.
One Year Old Bo
It has been an amazing journey for the Portuguese water dog. A nation held in suspense for weeks waiting to see which dog would fulfil the Presidents first promise watched in great anticipation as “Bo” was revealed.
Some say that President Obama did not live up to his to promise, but not taking in a rescue dog, but that has generally been accepted in light of Malia’s allergies.
The Telegraph reports that:
“We had a really sweet celebration,” admitted Mrs Obama. “He got a doghouse cake made out of veal stuff and he had his brother Cappy come over and we had party hats.”
“We did this in the Rose Garden. It was so much fun. Cappy actually stole the rest of the cake off the table but Bo did not seem to mind.”
So obviously Bo is as gracious as his Presidential mentor.
All that we can do now is watch and wait to see if the next 12 months of Bo’s life are as happy as the past 12.
Sam is not your average dog. The artistic talents of this dog have been recognised across the USA. His art has been sold for up to $1700 and has featured in swanky New York galleries such as Denise Dibro’s studio.
Mary Stadelbacher, rescued Sam from a shelter six years ago. The sheep dog, bloodhound cross, had been transferred between shelters and was not looking at much of a future before Mary rescued him.
After taking him in, Mary trained Sam to paint using a regular brush in a specially designed holder. Sam not only took to the art, he excelled. If allowed he will paint for hours.
Sam’s technique is pretty sound too, starting with darker colours and layering on lighter colours.
Mary describes Sam as “quite a unique abstract artist.”
A South American over-stayer uses the cat (whose identity has been protected) as an excuse to avoid deportation.
To separate the man from his cat would be a breach of human rights. And were the man not in the country 4 years longer than his visa allowed one might agree.
Home Office officials, however, failed to see the funny side of the judge allowing the cat to step in and save the over-stayer. They mounted an appeal, which was over-ruled, and name suppression was granted to both the man and his cat.
So a victory for the cat and cat lovers around the world.
Kimberly Otey wants her 86 year old neighbourhood cat-napper locked up. She says that Fauniel Kliemt stole her cat and should pay.
Mrs Kliemt, on the other hand, pleads not guilty. She says that her neighbour brought over a stray cat that was an unwanted pest next door, and it stayed. So Mrs Kliemt had “Shatzie” spayed and given her shots.
For almost 12 months Shatzie slept on Mrs Kliemt’s bed at night, and wandered in out of the house freely during the day. The cat has been a great comfort to the recently widowed Mrs Kliemt.
86 Year Old Cat-Napper
Neighbourhood Otey family turned up out of the blue claiming the cat was theirs and tried pressing charges. The police refused to incarcerate the 86 year old on the grounds she showed up for a hearing.
The whole mess has been dragging on for the past 2 years and has already cost Kliemt $1500 on a lawyer.
This bizarre case begs the question: who owns a cat?
The feline breed is notorious for its lack of loyalty. If a cat chooses to leave home, probably at the torment of a young family, do we have the right to stop it? After all, this one could have returned home any day it chose.
If you feed a stray cat and allow it to stay in your home should you be liable to face criminal charges?
The latest innovation from Nintendo Wii includes a dog fitness tracking program. Wii Fit Plus, as the sequel to Wii Fit is known, gives you the ability to enter your dog’s weight and create an avatar for your dog.
Although Nintendo say there are no specific dog exercise programs, it could be fun tracking your dogs fitness along side your own. After all, walking your dog is good for both fitness and relationship bonding.
is will pan out, and Nintendo says there aren’t really any canine training exercises. But you can make an avatar of your dog, which is kind of cool, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Will this latest innovation combined with the price drop be enough to boost flagging sales for the Nintendo team? Over the last year Nintendo lost market share to the Sony and Microsoft consoles. Perhaps to do with them already having dropped their prices.
Is this the key to tipping you getting a Wii console?
Will X-box come out in reply with a complete dog fitness range of games?
Sumo strikes fear into former French President Chirac.
“I was very scared”
Says former French President Jacques Chirac’s wife after announcing that she has sent Sumo to exhile.
The beloved Maltese terrier attacked Chirac for a third time. Sumo’s small drawing blood after a bite to the stomach.
A previous attack saw the president in hospital with bite wounds to an unnamed portion of the anatomy.
What was the cause of this once loved animal’s aggression? It appears that he did not leaving the spacious grounds of the Elysee Palace for an apartment in Paris.
Mrs Chirac, Bernadette, says Sumo was being treated for depression. Former President Chirac was not the only one finding it difficult to adapt to civilian life.
He was going wild. He wanted to jump up and bite again
~ Bernadette Chirac
Three strikes and you are out. Despite Mrs Chirac never being on the receiving end of the terrier’s rage, she made the decision to have him removed for the safety of the former President. Sumo was given to a new home in the French countryside where he is said to be very happy.
The farm in Seine-et-Marne seems to be more to Sumo’s liking as he has not felt the need to savage his new hosts.
The odds are 3 to 1 in favour of dogs in Ireland. The University College Dublin (UCD) released the results of a survey indicating that 36 percent of households in Ireland own a dog, but only 10 percent own up to having a pet cat.
The majority of other countries have a fairly even split between cats and dogs. Britain comes in at a narrow differentiation of 22 percent for dogs, and 18 for cats. While the U.S only has a slightly larger split with 37 percent in favor of dogs, and 32 for cats.
What makes the Irish so dog biased?
Some research points to the rural heritage of the Irish as the cause. A long connection with the land and farming has generated a strong bond with “man’s best friend.”
It could also be the large houses that the Irish tend to favour that make dog ownership a more natural choice. But there is also an inherent fondness of dogs that elevates them to the status of pet whereas cats tend to be viewed as mere strays.
Perhaps the media are partly to blame. Tony Forshaw of the Siamese and All Breeds Cat Club of Ireland blames the fact that dogs get more air time on TV and movies for the favouritism.
Forshaw blames the Irish dog bias on the fact that man’s best friend gets more screen time in movies and TV. “When people see cats in a popular context, they do go looking for them,” he says.
Only elderly ladies break the mould as the only demographic favouring cats according to the UCD survey. This is undoubtedly due to the less robust requirements of cats. They don’t need long walks on leashes, are less rambunctious, and still provide comfort and companionship.
Which do you prefer?
Are you Irish and can shed more light on the study?
If it wasn’t for Murphy, the 9 year old dog next door, an 80 year old man would have perished in his own septic tank.
Although the reason for Mr. Paff being in the 15 foot deep tank was unknown, Murphy knew there was no time to be lost in getting him out. Stacey Walsh from Delhi, Ohio, reports that her dog Murphy barked like never before. She believed he was being attacked and came running.
After finding Murphy pointing in the direction of the septic tank, Stacey then heard Paff’s voice calling for help from its unpleasant depths.
It took rescuers a couple of hours to drain the waste from the tank so that Paff could be rescued. They managed to remove him using a rope and pulley system and rushed him to hospital after a quick decontamination. Last report states that Paff is in a stable condition.
No small miracle for an 80 year old man who spent up to 6 hours trapped in a septic tank. The fire brigade report Paff was a pretty tough old guy, and friendly. Perhaps that is why Murphy was so keen to see him rescued.
Cats suffer from arthritis just like humans. The sad fact is that unlike in humans, only 7% of cats receive any kind of treatment for their arthritis.
Signs to look for that may suggest your cat has arthritis:
Slower than normal movements and an unwillingness to jump or climb.
More time spent sleeping and lying about.
Unwillingness to be handled, or increasingly grumpy behavior.
A shabby coat that shows signs of reduced grooming.
Defecation/urination in the house and not using a litter box.
Decreasing appetite.
Generally poorly in health and well-being.
Oriental and Burmese cats have a greater incidence of treatment suggesting that they may be more susceptible to arthritis. As are Scottish fold cats – because of a genetic defect affecting the cartilage.
With early diagnosis and treatment it is possible to greatly improve the quality of life and longevity of your cat.
Another great work by authors Allen and Linda Anderson. This husband and wife writing team have put together such classics as the popular Angel Animals anthology series published by New World Library including Angel Dogs, Angel Cats, Angel Horses, and many more.
The Andersons use their literary works to draw attention to the miraculous benefits of the human-animal relationship. A portion of their book sales goes to supporting animal shelters.
Horses With A Mission is the dramatic true stories of twenty-one courageous, loyal, and loving horses who found their life’s purpose. These amazing tales share the wonders of humans and horses bonding in extraordinary ways.
These horses have changed human lives in a very real and dramatic way. Whether it is Molly the three-legged survivor of Hurricane Katrina who has inspired a city, or Butch the retired gelding that inspired a mentally retarded girl, these stories will leave you teary eyed.
Even Diana, lead mare of a herd of wild horses in Arizona, has a lesson for us all when it comes to faith and forgiveness. So pick up a copy today and support animal shelters while you find the inner strength to reach out to others in times of trial just as these magnificent horses have.
Pilots N Paws is a new movement to save the lives of animals on death row. The website PilotsNPaws is an online forum where pilots and other volunteers who wish to help transport rescue animals by air can meet up with people who wish adopt pets interstate.
This is a NO CHARGE service – people do not have to pay to have the pet of their choice flown from the shelter to their home city.
The foster animals are teamed up with pilots and plane owners willing to assist with the transportation of these animals. Volunteer pilots are not the only people involved – so don’t think you have to fly a plane to be a part of the mission. The Pilots N Paws program also provides overnight foster care or shelter, transfer shuttles and all other related activities with getting these animals from shelter to new home.
The program has a 5000 pets relocated in a week mission scheduled for September 12-20, 2009. So if you can help in any way – even financially – get aboard today.
Pilots n Paws has the endorsement of such celebrities as top aerobatic pilot Patty Wagstaff and author Ted Kerasote. Will you also join the list to save 5000 potential pets on death row this September?
In Westmont on Sunday morning a man drowned trying to rescue his dog from a lake. The Palos Park lake – Horsetail Lake – was the scene of a tragic death as a man tried to rescue his dog.
The 59 year old man was walking his two dogs along side his wife. Vasily threw a ball into the water for his dog to retrieve. The dog became ensnared by the vegetation in the lake while retrieving the ball.
Without a second thought Vasily Fedorouk lept in to save his dog. The dog was able to swim to safety after being set free, but Vasily was unable to free himself from the weeds.
Although the lake is only 5 to 8 feet deep, the weeds were able to get the upper hand with Vasily.
We often hear stories of dogs coming to the rescue of their owners, so it is refreshing to hear a story of a man dying to save his dog. It is just tragic that the end of the story was not a happy one.
A Tongan family living in New Zealand killed a pet dog and prepared it for roasting. The nation is horrified.
Mr Taufa inherited a pitbull cross dog from a relation. It was skinny and unruly. After the dog attempted to bite family members on more than one occasion the decision was made to put the dog down.
Tongan culture is such that eating a dog is normal. Mr Taufa humanely killed the pitbull cross and was preparing it for a traditional roasting when the fire brigade burst in because of a report of heavy smoke (a result of the traditional Umu). Then SPCA were called and confiscated the dogs remains much to Mr Taufa’s surprise.
In Tonga it is common place for families, especially poor families, to eat dog meat. In New Zealand it is not illegal to humanely kill a dog and there is no law against eating it. But the nation was horrified – especially the SPCA.
A few days later there is another news report. This time it is of a council killing six “harmless” rottweiler puppies yesterday because of their breed, while the dogs’ aggressive mother was returned to its owners for a fee.
The puppies were housed in the kennels of The Southland Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals. The society were angry that they had been used a death row for the puppies.
The only crime the six week old puppies committed was being born rottweiler. Their mother threatened some children which attracted the attention of animal control officers.The dog’s owners paid the fine for the mother but did not wish for the return of the puppies.
The execution of the puppies went ahead despite the SPCA offering to re-home them.
The Guinness Book Of World Records tallest dog in the world passed away recently.
Gibson the Harlequin Great Dane measured in at a massive 7 ft 1 (215.9 cm) standing on his hind legs, or 42.6 inches (108.2 cm) from the ground to the top of his shoulder standing on all fours.
Gibson suffered from bone cancer and was unable to recover despite chemotherapy and a leg amputation. At 7 years of age Gibson might not have been the oldest dog, but his fame was wide spread.
Gibson had his own website (www.gibsondog.com), and was co-author of a children’s book. He became an outspoken supporter of a canine cancer charity and you can donate to the charity through his website. Sandy Hall, Gibson’s owner, will continue the good works that Gibson had begun.
Gibson’s son, Brewster, is already eyeing up his father’s crown, and at 38 inches from the ground to his shoulder, is likely to be a contender for the tallest dog in the world.
A 2 year-old girl was found crushed to death by a pet python in Florida. The Burmese python was found wrapped around the child’s body and had bitten the girl several times on the upper arms and forehead.
According to the report in the St. Petersburg Times, the family was known to the police for drug related offences, and did not have a registration to keep a pet python as required by the State law. The snake was not kept in a locked terrarium as required by law either.
It seems that this is a case of gross negligence by the snake owners and prosecution is being considered by the officials, but even if the courts do punish Darnell and Hare for their negligence it is too late for little Shaiunna.
DCF have moved to have the pair’s other two children removed from the home after the attack.
But none of this helps a young girl who was the victim of the snake attack. Nor does it help the image of snakes. Prior to this there had never been a confirmed death-by-Python in the State of Florida.
There are several other incidents of pet Pythons killing family members in the U.S.A. A one year-old boy was killed 1982 by an eight foot python in Nevada. In Colorado a fifteen year-old boy was killed by an 11 foot python in 1993. 1999 saw a three year-old girl killed by a pet 7 foot python in Illinois. And in 2001 an eight year-old girl was tragically strangled by the family pet python in PA.
Snakes are not to be treated with complacency – they incredibly powerful and have no sense of loyalty that is characteristic of animals such as cats and dogs.
An increasingly popular trend in weddings is to walk down the isle with your pet in tow. Of course your pet will need their own pet costume.
It is natural that you would want all you family at your wedding, and with animals playing such an important role in families today they deserve their invite to the big occasion. After all, they are going to a part of the newly blended family and what better way to be made to feel welcome and at home?
Perhaps this is also an increasing because the age that couples are wedding today has on average increased. So pets have been the major part of each individuals life for a longer period of time and are expected to feature more in the major life events.
The winner appears to be pets. Once just props in country wedding backdrops, pets are now dressed in the doggie version of Versace, Gucci, or Klein. Dressed to the nines and standing front and centre.
This new trend of pets at weddings is wonderful when all is going well. It is the job of the wedding planner to make sure that all goes well. The wedding planner has a lot of new responsibilities – like pet pottys.
I am sure they charge accordingly, and everyone is happy. So how about your big day – are you making room for the pets?
The latest AP/Petside poll reveals just how passionate we are becoming about our pets – and just how close pets are to dominating family life.
Of the more than 1100 respondents, 49% said they have used human names for their pet, while 30% say their pet shares the bed with them. Continue Reading »
Man Killing His Dog With Kindness Banned From Pet Ownership
Brighton Magistrates’ Court ruled that Ronald West, the 63-year-old owner of Taz was not fit to be in charge of a dog.
The crime that West committed was “failing to ensure the welfare of an animal,” or in layman’s talk – he overfed his dog. The five-year-old border collie was ruled dangerously over-weight after tipping the scales at 88lb (twice the weight considered normal).
To be fair, this was not a first offence punishment. West had ignored repeated orders to improve the dog’s diet. The initial complaint was registered in December of last year.
The conviction will cost West £1,477 and the right to own animals for the next 12 months. He will also loose Taz. The border collie has already shed 30lb since being removed, and can now run for an hour – rather than the laboured 10 minutes at its heaviest.
What do you think of the new craze sweeping the pet world – soft and cuddly pet urns?
With up to 70% of all pets being cremated many people are looking for better ways of interring their beloved pet. After all, having your pet in cold hard metal monument seems a little removed.
Patricia Moore lost Samatha the dog and decided to recreate the way we view pet urns.
No longer are they cold, hard, and often ugly urns. Now they are cute, soft and practical.
The idea proved so popular with Patricia’s friends that they managed to persuade her to put her “Soft-Hearted” pillows into production.And now you too have the option of keeping your pets close to your heart with the huggable urns.
Sleeping with your pets ashes has taken off with the “Soft-Hearted” brand of pillow. The pillows are made from soft microfibre which are guaranteed to keep the ashes locked safely inside.
The pillows are able to accommodate the ashes of a pet of up to 150 pounds. However, with larger animals some pet-lovers opt to just keep a portion of the pets remains in the pillow in order to minimize the Soft-Hearted pillow’s weight.
You can expect the pillow to feel soft, although it will have a firm “heart” that you may or may not feel depending on the size of your pet. The pillow itself is about 4 inches thick and 14 inches square.
So what do you think of the cuddly pet urns?
Are you in favour of keeping your pet much closer to your heart after it passes, or do you think this is just another crazy fad (one that the majority of pet lovers seem to be opting for) ?
What do you do when your dog fetches a live hand grenade?
This is exactly what a women in Berlin had to figure out when her dog brought back a trophy from WWII. The grenade, a US relic, was retrieved while the woman was out walking her dog.
The happy dog trotted to its 40 year-old owner with the grenade in its mouth. Unfortunately, the woman was not as pleased with the dogs treasure as perhaps the dog was expecting. She regonized that the object was most likely a hand grenade.
What was her reaction?
She ordered the dog to take the grenade back by the stream and drop it. Fortunately for all concerned the dog obediently obliged.
Local authorities were able to diffuse the live grenade without casualty.
It pays to have an obedient dog when you live in an old war zone!
Hurricane Katrina Survivors Jessie Pullins And J.J. The Dog Reunited
A remarkable story about a man and his dog, who were separated when the New Orleans town was officially closed ahead of the hurricane, has been captured on film.
Pullins says J.J. recognised him immediately at the airport despite a 4 year separation. The dog had been rescued during the hurricane aftermath and flown to California for adoption.
The film follows the desperation of a man who lost his wife to cancer and recovered from a drug addiction whose beloved companion was named after his wife. Then to lose his dog in tragic circumstances and have to go through the courts to have his dog returned.
Film director Geralyn Pezanoski wanted to show the complicated nature of what happened to pets and their families and their adoptive families. The film “Mine” is due to be released by PBS next year and shows the mercy mission that animal lovers organised to save hurricane stranded pets. And it shows the pain of animal lovers whose pets were kidnapped.
A similar case happened locally where a man died while out jogging with his dog. The dog was adopted out before the family of the deceased man found out. Not only did they lose a son and brother, but they also lost the dog that was a family companion when the new owners refused to give him up.
Cases like these have no winners, only losers. They are tragic beyond measure. But I can’t help but think the new owners have lost sight of something when they refuse to hand back animals that have been a loved member of another family for years. Surely?
Although I consider myself reasonably brave, the thought of trying to get one of our cats anywhere near a bath has next to no appeal whatsoever!
So when I came across a blog titled:
How to bathe your cat
I just had to pop along and see exactly how the person suggests you go about bathing a cat. Do they suggest a suite of armour? Or perhaps a tranquilliser gun?
Not so.
Chris Carson of the Phoenix Examiner suggests two methods.
The first method is to use Baking Powder. And it requires that you rub liberal amounts of Baking Powder on your kitty and pop them in the oven … no .. wait! She actually suggest you cover them in Baking Powder and then just comb it out.
I am not sure how much your cat will like Baking Powder showers, but I am picking I have more of a chance with that method than getting ours anywhere near water.
Method two – speaking of water.
Chris actually suggests a 9 step method of bathing your cat with water. It all sounds perfectly harmless – at least it does until you get to step 9.
Step 9:
Use the hydrogen peroxide to treat the cat scratch and bite wounds you received during the bathing process.
Ok .. so I guess she is really pushing for the earlier mentioned Baking Powder showers rather than actually suggesting a regular dose of hydrogen peroxide for loving cat owners?
Well you be the judge .. you will find her instructions on how to bathe a cat here
Nitro Takes Forced Retirement From The Police Force.
The four legged Aberdeen crime fighter was blind sided by budget cuts. A K9 officer who had a life dedicated to the service was deemed expendable when cost cutting measures were made.
Sky-rocketing unemployment levels hit 14% which means the tax revenue has taken a hit. At a sprightly 6 years old, Nitro is not ready for retirement and you can imagine the feeling of rejection he suffers as his partner goes off to work each day alone.
Once the story of Nitro got out donations started pouring in. At a cost of almost $6,000 to fund Nitro’s job it is no small sentiment that the public are committing to. But they seem to be up to the challenge.
Police chief Bob Torgerson says the reaction of the public has been so overwhelming that the chances are good that K9 officer Nitro will be back on the beat in the near future.
This is good news given the shorted sightedness of firing a police dog. No doubt it cost less to fire a dog than anyone else on staff, and there was undoubtedly no management looking to take a pay cut . . . but the cost of training a K9 officer must be significant. To lay one off for no good reason seems absurd. Buy at AllPosters.com
With a Nebraska family mourning the loss of its pet ferret and an Iowa family nursing its cat back to health, one can’t help but wonder — is any creature safe from H1N1?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing this health alert to warn consumers not to use Pet Carousel Pig Ears and Beef Hooves Pet Treats because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. [...]
Firefighters evacuated birds and other animals from a fire in a pet shop, and police and firefighters rushed several of the animals to a nearby animal clinic. Not all of the animals survived.
Cancer is not only a disease that affects humans; it impacts our four-legged friends as well. According to the Animal Cancer Foundation, about 60% of all companion animals develop some form of cancer during their lifetime.
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