To All My Followers

First off I would like to Thank all the readers of my blog and say that I will be taking a little time off from posting as we have just loss our son Brian due to his illness. So I hope to be back soon after I deal with my families needs at this time.

Thanks and I hope to see you soon... Dogman2

Why Would Anybody Freeze A Dog In A Block Of Ice

A home owner from Dawson, British Columbia walked outside his house and found a block of ice with a dog inside of it.

Marcie Moriarty from the British Columbia animal protection society said: Inside the block of ice, which looks to have been made from a large rubber bin, was the frozen corpse of a medium-sized black dog.

Hopefully the authorities will find the person that did this to the dog and they will be charged to the fullest for animal abuse.

To read the article and see the photo go here.

Today's Guest Post Called: What Does it Take to Be a Vet?

It’s a demanding, yet satisfying career - everyone knows that the vets are who you go to when you need medical care for pets, farm animals and all other creatures, yet very few know what it takes to become and be a vet. If you’re considering the veterinary field for a career, read on to know what a vet’s life is all about.

• You’ll have to start preparations early – it’s best to know if you enjoy being around and working with animals by volunteering at animal shelters, farms or even veterinary practices. If you feel comfortable, then that’s the first hurdle crossed.

• Find a college that offers pre-veterinary courses, or complete a Bachelor’s degree with science, biology or similar subjects as your major. Check the prerequisites for vet school before you choose a major.

• Prepare for the standardized tests that vet schools require, and complete them once you’re done with college.

• The competition for vet school is fierce – with just 28 accredited veterinarian colleges in the US, you have to earn top grades in your bachelor’s degree and score well on the standardized tests to be even considered for admission. Once you get in, it takes four years to earn a DVM (Doctor of Veterinarian Medicine) degree.

• After you’re done with vet school, you must appear for the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam to earn your veterinarian’s license.

• Once this hurdle has been crossed, you must sit for a state exam to test your knowledge of state rules and regulations governing veterinary science and medicine. If you’re moving to another state, you may have to take another exam if they don’t accept the credits you’ve earned at your previous state.

• You must be good with both people and animals – pets and farm animals go hand in hand with their owners, so it’s important to have people and animal skills.

• You must also be able to work in tandem with and supervise veterinary technicians and assistants who help you with minor aspects of the job.

• You must be able to deal with issues like euthanasia when you’re required to put animals in pain to sleep – it is stressful, but it’s a necessary part of being a vet.

• You would earn a comfortable living – according to the BLS, the average median salary for veterinarians is around $79,000. But depending on your specialization or field of work, you could earn more or less.

• Vets can choose to specialize in a particular field of medicine – household pets and farm animals, aquatic animals, avian veterinary medicine, zoo medicine, exotic animals, wild animals, and so on.

• Some vets choose to branch into fields like teaching, government service, public health, military service, research and private industry.

Being a vet is at times more demanding than being a doctor because it involves taking on multiple roles – you have to be a surgeon, pharmacist, diagnostician, radiologist, behaviorist and dentist all rolled into one. It takes dedication and hard work to make a success out of being a veterinarian.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Tina Marconi, she writes on the topic of online vet tech . She welcomes your comments at her email id: tinamarconi85[@]gmail[.]com.


I would personally like to Thank Tina Marconi for being kind enough to share to those who just might like to become a Vet in the future what it takes to become one.

Sometimes We Only Read About Animal Hoarding

These two video's about animal hoarding that was taken by Animal Planet reality shows the truth about the sickness of the owners and the abuse that is really being done to these animals.





After seeing these two video's you can see how upsetting it really is inside a home of an animal hoader.

Read the article by Mikey O'Connell here.

Do You Know How To Give Artificial Respiration And CPR On Your Dog

If your dog becomes unconscious, respiratory arrest may occur, and usually occurs before cardiac arrest. The heart may continue to beat for several minutes after the breathing stops. Artificial respiration, or rescue breathing, must begin immediately to save your dog's life. If the heart stops, chest compressions must be given right away to keep the blood pumping. Artificial respiration and chest compressions given together are called cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR.

Artificial Respiration

If your dog has gone into respiratory arrest, begin artificial respiration immediately.

1. Lay your dog on his side on a flat surface.

2. Be sure your dog has stopped breathing: watch for the rise and fall of the chest, feel for breath on your hand, look at the gums - they will turn blue from lack of oxygen.

3. Check the airway - it must be clear. Extend the head and neck. Open the mouth and look for a foreign object. If an object is blocking the airway, grab the tongue and pull it outward. If this does not dislodge the object, use your fingers, pliers, or tongs to grasp it. If the object cannot be reached or pulled out, use the Heimlich maneuver. Do not mistake the small bones in the throat for a foreign object.

4. Once the airway is clear, begin rescue breathing.

5. With your dog on his side, lift the chin to straighten out his throat.

6. Use one hand to grasp the muzzle and hold the mouth shut.

7. Put your mouth completely over the nose and blow gently; the chest should expand. Blow just enough to move his chest (blow harder for large dogs, gently for cats and small dogs).

8. Wait for the air to leave the lungs before breathing again.

9. Continue this, giving 20 breaths per minute (one breath every three seconds), until your dog breathes on his own or as long as the heart beats.

10. Continue to monitor the heartbeat.

CPR

If your dog's heart has stopped beating, CPR must begin immediately. It is best to have two people performing CPR - one continuing artificial respiration while the other does chest compressions. Follow the instructions for artificial respiration, alternating with chest compressions. For two people performing CPR, alternate one breath with three compressions. For one person performing CPR, alternate one breath with five compressions.

For Small Dogs (under 30 pounds)

1. Lay your dog on her side on a flat surface.

2. Place the palm of your hand on the rib cage over the heart. Place your other hand on top of the first. (For puppies and kittens, put your thumb on one side of the chest and the rest of your fingers on the other side.)

3. Compress the chest about one inch. Squeeze and release rhythmically at a rate of 80 to 100 compressions per minute.

For Medium & Large Dogs (over 30 pounds)

1. Lay your dog on her side on a flat surface.

2. Place one hand on top of the other over the widest portion of the rib cage, not over the heart.

3. Keeping your arms straight, push down on the rib cage. Compress the chest ¼ of its width. Squeeze and release rhythmically at a rate of 80 compressions per minute.

4. Continue CPR until your dog breathes on his own and has a steady heartbeat.


Article from peteducation.com

Pet Owners Who Have No Regards For Their Pets

A dog killer from Florida by the name of Joseph Grady Barker has been charged with animal cruelty for beating and stabbing his dog twenty six times.

This is one sick person to do something like that to his dog.

Read the article here.


Up in Granite Falls, Washington you have to wonder why a mother and her son haven’t been arrested and charged with animal cruelty for leaving their pets in a vacant home. When the police arrived they found fifteen dead cats and two dead dogs after a locksmith notified the police.

Granite Falls Police Chief Dennis Taylor said: Does the world indescribable mean anything to you, these were deplorable conditions, feces three inches deep over every surface of the house and six months of garbage everywhere. The animals were dead, laying down on a shelf or laying under furniture or in a box, some were skeletonized.

How sick can you be to just leave your pets and move out with no regards for them.

Read the article by Christine Willmsen here.

UK Dangerous Dogs Bill Hopefully To Changed

The People's Dog Control Bill Pushes On To Committee Stage To Improve 'Dangerous Dog' Legislation For Good, UK

Over 10,000 people signed up to support it; animal welfare organisations and charities are backing it; and now Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill is moving a step closer towards changing dangerous dog legislation for good when it reaches Committee Stage today afternoon (21st January).

The Dog Control Bill would replace the widely criticised Dangerous Dogs Act (1991), targeting the behaviour of any dog, and more importantly their owners, to genuinely reduce the occurrence of serious dog incidents rather than continuing to demonise specific breeds or types.

Defra's recent public consultation on dangerous dogs showed further support for this approach with 71% of respondents calling for breed specific legislation to be repealed.

Since the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 was introduced, millions of pounds of public money and resources have been wasted by already overstretched police authorities in seizing dogs simply for being of a particular breed. 10 million pounds has been spent by the Metropolitan Police alone in the past 3 years simply to implement the Dangerous Dogs Act, relating to the seizure, kennelling and euthanasia of banned breeds.

Preventing dog attacks is the key aim for future legislation. The Dog Control Notices proposed by the Dog Control Bill, are designed to identify potentially dangerous dogs, regardless of breed, before a serious attack happens. Lord Redesdale believes these will play a large part in ensuring better public protection and greater owner responsibility with regards to dog behaviour.

He said "People deserve to feel safe around all dogs, yet existing legislation has failed to reduce the number of dog bite incidents, which have risen by 79% in the past five years in London and 43% nationally. This Bill goes a long way towards protecting the public through tougher, earlier action against irresponsible dog owners.

"It is generally accepted that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is the most discredited piece of legislation on the Statute Book. The current law has done nothing but make banned breeds and their lookalikes more appealing and created the issue of 'status' dogs because they are seen as status symbols."

The Committee Stage of the Dog Control Bill will take place in the House of Lords tomorrow afternoon.

Members of the Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG), which include animal welfare organisations, veterinary professionals and local authorities, have been united in considering how better legislation could be formulated since 2003. The DDASG believes that the Dog Control Bill introduced by Lord Redesdale is the best way forward to deal with dogs that are dangerously out of control and to ensure their owners bear the responsibility of their actions.

This will serve to better protect the public by introducing a new dog control regime that emphasises responsible dog ownership, for the benefit of both dog owners and non dog owners alike.

In support of the Bill, DDASG launched a petition which has received over 10,000 signatures. Click here for more information on DDASG, Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill and current legislation.

Notes

1. "It's about the owner, not the dog" - Lord Redesdale highlights the importance of looking at the other end of the lead in his hard hitting Dog Control Bill which moves to Committee Stage today (Friday 21st January).

3. Figures on dog bite incidents in Lord Redesdale's quote are from research paper 'LDDF Evidence Base 'Dangerous Dogs in London' 2009'.

4. The Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG) is a wide-ranging group representing animal welfare, local authorities and veterinary professional organisations and includes representation from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Blue Cross, British Veterinary Association, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Dogs Trust, Kennel Club, Mayhew Animal Home, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Wandsworth Borough Council, and Wood Green Animal Shelters.

5. Defra's 'Summary of Responses to the Consultation on Dangerous Dogs from 9th March 2010 to 1st June 2010'

6. The Dog Control Bill [HL] would:

- Repeal all existing 'dangerous dogs' legislation including breed specific legislation The police expend significant resources on enforcement of the Dangerous Dogs Act, with large amounts of money being spent on the seizure and kennelling of dogs simply because of their breed type - many of which are returned to their owners once proved to be of good temperament. Removing breed specific legislation would allow those resources to be used more effectively elsewhere, and preferably to concentrate on those dogs showing unprovoked aggression.

- Introduce Dog Control Notices
The vast majority of dog attacks are as a result of the irresponsible actions of dog owners, who have either not taken the time and trouble to train their dog correctly, or have indeed trained them to behave aggressively. Dog Control Notices will apply to all types of dog that have acted dangerously without provocation, caused an injury to another protected animal (as defined by the Animal Welfare Act 2006), caused harm, or caused a person to reasonably believe it will cause harm, and works to prevent serious incidents of aggression occurring by allowing preventative action.

- Apply to both public and private places
A large proportion of dog attacks occur in the home and involve a dog that is known to the victim. The Dog Control Bill will make attacks on private property a criminal offence. Greater responsibility is therefore placed on owners to ensure that their dogs are not out of control in any place. It is not acceptable for an owner to allow their dog to behave aggressively either in the home or in a public place. The Bill does however include exemptions to cover circumstances such as an attack or aggression as a result of an attack by another animal, or on a person whilst that person is committing an offence.

Source:
British Veterinary Association

Two Sets Of Recued Dogs And A Saved Dog

A want a be dog breeder from Houston, TX had over one hundred and fifty dogs removed by the Houston Humane Society RAIDER team.

The article said that the woman was breeding and selling her dogs and just gave up and left the dogs breeding on their own. Looking at this video is like watching a free for all with all these dogs running around.

Now this just goes to show that these want a be breeders don’t really care about the dogs because they are in it for the money.

Read the article here.

If you would like to give to help these dogs go here.
houstonhumane.org



A dog owner from Bent County, Colorado had most of his forty plus dogs removed by the Colorado Humane Society because the dogs were living in unsanitary conditions and inadequate shelter.

Read the article by Taylor Dolven here.




So who tied the pit bull up and left her for dead? Luckily a guy named Ernest Moss from Lansing, Michigan was out walking his dog when they came across the poor dog tied up and left for dead on the side of the road.

Ernest Moss said: My big dog tried to pull me down the hill and I didn't know what was going on so I looked down the hill and I saw a female pit bull all tied up and shaking. Her paws were taped, her back legs were taped. It took me half an hour to take the tape off and around her mouth was taped, it was pretty sad; all that mattered to me was to save her.

Yes this poor dog can be grateful that Ernest and his two dogs were out for a walk and safe her life. Now to find out who did this to the poor dog is the next question.

Read the article here.

Iams Survey Reveals How Pet Owners Pick Their Food

ONLY ONE IN 10 AMERICANS CONSIDER THEIR CAT OR DOG’S AGE WHEN SELECTING FOOD



Pet Parenthood Survey from Iams Reveals Opportunity

to Help Consumers Understand Their Pet’s Nutritional Needs at Various Stages of Their Lives

Results from a national survey[1] commissioned by Iams® and released today reveal that only 11 percent of U.S. pet owners take the age of a cat or dog as the most important factor when determining which formula to feed their pet. Propelled by this statistic, leading pet food maker Iams is reminding Americans to keep their resolutions to start 2011 off on the right paw by feeding pets a life stage specific diet.

“The new year is a time when we make resolutions to get healthier and improve ourselves, so why not extend that approach to our cat or dog’s overall well-being?” said Dr. Katy Nelson, DVM, emergency veterinarian, in Alexandria, VA and a member of the Iams Pet Wellness Council. “I always tell my patients that healthy checkups start on the inside. Feeding a high-quality diet specific to an animal’s age, like Iams Premium Protection, which offers specially formulated life-stage specific diets, is one of the most important ways to ensure four-legged family members lead healthy, happy lives.”

In 2011, Iams is making it easier for pet parents to keep their new year’s resolutions by bringing its most advanced nutrition ever – Iams Premium Protection – to mass retailers nationwide.

“When choosing a food for your cat or dog it is important to select a diet that has the right ingredients for that stage of your pet’s life,” continued Dr. Nelson. “Diet requirements – including protein levels, calories and vitamins and minerals – vary over the life of a pet and, in turn, an animal's needs change as he grows from a puppy or kitten, to an adult into a senior," said Nelson.


Oftentimes pet owners are not sure which life stage their cat or dog falls into. As a result, pets might not be receiving the nutrients or nutrients at the right levels critical for optimal health for their age. While life stage can vary between species and breeds, general guidelines include:

· One to 12 months: Kitten and Puppy formula includes DHA for brain and vision development;

· One to seven years: Adult formula includes HMP to keep teeth clean during and after meals, as well as balanced omega 6:3 ratio for healthy skin and coat;

· Seven years and older: Senior formula with L-carnitine helps burn fat and keep muscles lean.


“Iams is deeply committed to enhancing the well-being of dogs and cats throughout their entire life,” said Neelam Modi, brand manager, Iams North America. “It is this commitment that inspired our nutritionists to work closely with veterinarians to develop Iams Premium Protection for each life stage.”


Other factors the survey revealed that pet parents consider when purchasing food for their cat or dog include:

· Read Labels – Only one of out of three respondents (30 percent) rank ingredients as the most important criteria for which food to feed their cat or dog. Reading pet food labels is essential to ensure cats and dogs receive optimal nutrition.

· Listen to the Experts – Nearly four out of ten (27 percent) pet owners cite personal recommendations from trusted resources such as veterinarians, as the most important factor of diet selection. Pet parents should consider looking to their veterinarian for nutrition recommendations.

· Invest in Your Pet – Nearly one in four surveyed rank price as a deciding factor when choosing their pet's food. Feeding pets a proper diet based on age is a lifelong investment in a cat and dog’s health.



Iams Premium Protection comes in three formulas for each species (dog and cat), which include: Kitten or Puppy, Adult and Senior. For more information about Iams and its pet food formulas, visit www.iams.com.


Survey Methodology

The above sourced findings are from an Ipsos poll conducted October 22 – 25, 2010. For the survey, a nationally representative sample of 1,006 randomly-selected adults aged 18 and over residing in the U.S. were interviewed online via Ipsos’ U.S. Online Express Omnibus. With this sample size, results are considered accurate within ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled.


About P&G Pet Care

For more than 60 years, P&G Pet Care (NYSE:PG), the maker of Iams and Eukanuba, has enhanced the well-being of dogs and cats by providing world-class quality foods and pet care products. To learn more about Eukanuba® and Iams® Dog & Cat Foods or general pet care and nutrition information, call the Iams Consumer Care Center at (800) 446-3075. You can also visit us on the Web at www.iams.com or www.eukanuba.com.


About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

At Least One Judge Got Some Of It Right For This Animal Abuser

Just looking at this video will be enough to make you sick if you are an animal lover. Well justice has won on this one when a judge sentence Arthur Kent to eight weeks in the slammer and barred him from owning any kind of animal for five years. I only wish it was more.

Kent told the reporter: I'm ashamed and disgusted with myself and want to apologized. I would never hurt any animal.

So why would you do what you did to your dog if you love animals so much.

Kent also said: I've had dogs and cats my whole life. If I saw someone doing that to a dog I'd want to punch them in the face.

Well let’s see what’s happens to you while your locked up for what you did to this poor dog.

Read the article here.

Today's Animal Shelter Awareness Video

This video is called Hoping for Another Morning

Sometimes Your Neighbors Don’t Like You Being A Dog Rescuer

Just ask a guy named Steve Minardo from Indianapolis who runs the Circle City Animal Rescue that rescues pit bulls. Apparently Steve’s neighbors didn’t like all the noise and smell from the one hundred and sixty five dogs that were at his home.

Now the town is making Steve get rid of over one hundred of his dogs by Wednesday before they take from Steve. We all know what will happen to these dogs if they are sent to the local shelter.

After reading some of the comments you can see how different people’s opinions are running with this article.

Posted by lars6682
Dear defenders of animal hoarding,

I look forward to meeting everyone in the coming week. Thank you for volunteering your time to help ACC as they make room for the ninety plus animals seized from a rescue. Just to prepare you for the activities, I have included a list of suits your personality.

1. Bathing, dematting of dogs that haven't received a bath.. Ever. For those sensitive to the smell of matted hair caked with feces and urine, please consider our other activity offerings. Oh, and many might be infested with fleas soprepare to have those tiny suckersjumping all overyou.
2. Each of the animals will be temperament tested (an educational experience). Due to the overwhelming number of animals our guy Steve acquired, its unlikely he was able to socialize each one. Sorry to sound like a broken record, but as all of you know, unsocialize puppies can result in behavior problems. Some signs are shaking due to fear, food aggressive traits if they are starvingor emaciated. Please be prepared to leave at the end of the day with puncture wounds.
3. If a dog passes his or her test they get to live In a big with lots of other dogs. And maybe, just maybe.. Someone will see their unique personality and heart full of love. Until then, the kennel will remain home.
4. For those that fail, the decision to euthanize is discussed. When an animal is deemed aggressive or not suitable for adopting, we consciously have to put the safety of the public. Assisting the faculty in this operation tbraining draining.. But I am sure you're strong enough.
5. Obviously there are dogs that have been at the shelter before these 90+ dogs were taken in so room will be a little tight. For those with excellent communication skills, your job will be to find rescues and/or foster homes for 100+ dogs.
This only stratches the surface of activities! Don't worry, with people like Steve around, the work never ends!
Good thing you'll be here tomorrow, the next day, the day after that..right??

Posted by IndyVoice2011
If you look up Circle City Animal Rescue & or Steven Minardo Jr on the IRS website you will find that he has been a registered non profit animal rescue.
I find it hard to believe that the Animal Control Administrator of Indianapolis has the authority to determine if this mans animal rescue is or isn't a rescue. I believe that should be left up to a court of law with a judge and lawyers.
How is it that this man has been in operation for this long in the city and Animal Control is just now getting to this?
I question if Animal Control or the Humane Society of Indianapolis has worked with this man in that past and it is now just becoming an issue due to neighborhood complaints, something neither agency can control.
It seems to me that if this operation is so horrible why just has it been addressed now? Could it be to save the face of both agencies who have worked with this man in the past?
Why now all of a sudden do they see him as a hoarder? If he is, should an operation this big have been something that they should have known about years ago? or even 1 year ago? and have taken steps to prevent this?
I see this as just another cover up of the corruption that is plaguing Indianapolis Animal Care & Control.
Why is it that something is good enough for them when they need it to be however the moment it looks like the finger will be pointed at them it turns into it being a citizens fault? I point out again, If this mans operation of animals was out of control and a huge issue why then did they not take action before?
Please, spare us the same lame excuse you have given us before on any issues ,"that it was the past administrations fault"
The public is tired of hearing that Mrs Kendrick.
It is a sad day that many animals will be put to death because of your "emergency need for space" when this could have been prevented had your agency taken steps to intervene at an earlier date.
Do not lie to the public, you knew this was happening long ago.


So what’s a guy to do when he is running a legit business trying to save the dogs that most people don’t like or abuse.

Read the article by John Tuohy here.

I Wonder Why This Breeder Failed Their Inspection

When you look and listen to this video you can tell that the little dogs sure had a rough life living with this breeder from Carthage, MO. It’s kind of funny that the so called breeder voluntarily gives up the dogs to the Humane Society of Missouri.

It just shows that some people don’t ever belong breeding dogs at all. There is no excuse for what they did to these dogs.

Read the article here.

Sometime Modern Medicine Just Doesn't Work, Especially For This Dog

I'll let the video do the talking on this one.

Sometimes You Just Don’t Startle Your Dog, Just Ask Martha Stewart

Photo by the marthablog


A lot of people will get bite by a dog when they surprise a dog. But as the article said that Martha Steward was reaching down to kiss her French Bulldog Franny good by when her dog's reaction cause her head to butt into Martha’s lip.

Nine stitches later I don’t think anybody will be getting a kiss from Martha for a while.

Read the article here.

Dog Foods that May Lead to Cancer?

To find out what the ten names of the dog foods are you need to go over to Vet Tech there is a great article about the ten dog foods that may lead to cancer in your pet. Through a study that was taken by Colorado State University that is full of info to help keep your pet safe.

Check it out@ Vet Tech

One Feeds Cat To Dog While Two Shot A Dog In Bayou Blue, La.

What a sick week down in Bayou Blue, La., when a lowlife named Joshua Glasper threw a cat to a chained pit bull. Then you have two more lowlifes named Joey Plaisance and Justin Breaux that shot a dog on the side of the road. All three of them are now facing animal cruelty charges for what they did.

Read the article here.

Alaskan Dog Breeder Arrested And Charged With Animal Cruelty

Video by KTVA

The video shows some of the dogs that were rescued from a so called dog breeder named Frank J. Rick from Montana Creek, AK. After being charged with fifty counts of animal cruelty this bum has pleaded not guilty, can you imagine that.

The Matanuska Susitna Borough animal shelter have been putting in a lot of hours rescuing these poor dogs. There were supposedly one hundred and fifty seven dogs that were recovered and sixteen dogs that were dead at the breeder’s home.

Why does this have to happen when there are so many places out there that will help take care of your dogs. This guy could have even given some of his dogs away knowing that he couldn’t afford to feed them.

Read the article by Kyle Hopkins here.

Kyle Hopkins has posted a lot of ways to donate to the Matanuska Susitna Borough animal shelter if you care to help.

Have An Old Dog, Here Are Some Tips

Top Ten Tips For Caring For An Old Dog

Dog owners know to put a coat on their dog when they take her out in cold weather, but what about at night, when thermostats are lowered to save money? The issue becomes especially important for older dogs who, just like older people, do not adapt easily to abrupt changes in temperature. Make sure the canine remains comfortable by putting her in a fuzzy dog bed, perhaps with a blanket over her. Hot air rises toward the ceiling while cold air sinks to the floor where the dog sleeps.

That's just one of the many tips found in GOOD OLD DOG: Expert Advice for Keeping Your Aging Dog Happy, Healthy, and Comfortable, just out from the Faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and edited by world-renowned animal behaviorist Nicholas Dodman, BVMS (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Ten other tips for dog owners from GOOD OLD DOG:

1. If you fly with Fido, consider buying a climate-controlled pet carrier. The belly of the plane might be temperature-controlled, but not the tarmac in frigid or blazing hot weather.

2. Don't be seduced by the word "Senior" on packages of dog food. That's a marketing tool with no definition other than what the manufacturer wants it to mean. Instead, look for fine print that says the food went through animal feeding tests approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO.

3. Don't despair if your aging friend is experiencing urinary incontinence. There is now an arsenal of drugs - and even surgeries - to correct the problem.

4. Check to see if your dog waddles or shuffles when she walks. It could be a sign of arthritis. Limping is not the only clue.

5. Consider buying health care insurance for your older pet. For about $50 a month, and sometimes much less, you can considerably diminish the cost of an expensive surgery or other procedure your older friend may need.

6. If your canine companion stands at the hinge side of a door to go through or gets "stuck" in corners or behind furniture, take her to the vet for a workup. She may have the canine version of Alzheimer's, and the sooner you tend to it, the better your chances of slowing its progression.

7. Put runners down on smooth surfaces like highly polished floors. They may not look good, but aging dogs often have a harder time gaining traction on a smooth surface or getting up from a reclining position.

8. Think your dog may be sick? Take his temperature. Normal is a range - 100 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. Don't smoke. Second-hand smoke is thought to raise the cancer risk for dogs (and other animals), just like it does for people. Even third-hand smoke - the tobacco toxin leftovers that stick on skin, hair, drapes, and so on - can make its way to your dog's lungs.

10. Don't fret if your dog needs abdominal surgery. For people, it can take 6 weeks after an abdominal operation to walk without pain. But people have to use their abdominal muscles to keep themselves upright when they walk, since they only have two legs. Because a dog has four legs, however, all her abdominal muscles have to do is hold in her organs, not expand and contract every time she takes a step. She can generally walk the day of the surgery.

The Faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University treat more than twenty-six thousand cases annually, and the school's emergency program is the largest residency program in the United States. They are the authors of Puppy's First Steps.

Nicholas Dodman is a world-renowned animal behaviorist and the best-selling author of the immensely popular The Dog Who Loved Too Much, The Cat Who Cried for Help, and The Well-Adjusted Dog. He has appeared on Oprah, the Today show, Good Morning America, 20/20, and CNN, among many other television and radio programs. He is available for interview about Good Old Dog.

Lawrence Lindner is a New York Times best-selling writer who has penned regular columns for the Washington Post and the Boston Globe and has written for numerous other publications.

Source:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

1.1 Million Homeless Animals Adopted In Just 96 Days

1.1 MILLION HOMELESS ANIMALS ADOPTED IN JUST 96 DAYS THROUGH 2010 IAMS HOME 4 THE HOLIDAYS PET ADOPTION DRIVE



Annual Adoption Program Also Donates 5 Million Meals to Participating Shelters

One of the world’s largest pet adoption campaigns, Iams Home 4 the Holidays (IH4TH) announced today that 1,125,667 animals were adopted between Oct. 1 and Jan. 4. Iams and longtime partner Helen Woodward Animal Center, along with more than 3,500 animal organizations from around the world once again joined forces to help reduce pet homelessness.

Forever homes were found for:

593,146 dogs
509,470 cats
23,051 other animals (including rabbits, reptiles, horses, birds and more)
“With all the hard work that animal organizations do every day, we’re thrilled to be able to support those efforts and shine an even brighter light on the issues and the importance of pet adoption each year with this program,” said Mike Arms, founder of Iams Home 4 the Holidays and president of Helen Woodward Animal Center. “We’re all very proud of the successes we’ve had over the years and will continue to work together in the hopes that one day every homeless pet will be in a loving home for all their holidays.”

Understanding that not everyone is in the position to adopt a pet, Iams wanted to make it easy for more people to get involved and help make a difference by creating the Bags 4 Bowls food drive. Consumers could either purchase specially-marked bags of pet food or interact on the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/iams) to help donate bowls of pet food to participating organizations. An incredible success, the food drive reached its goal and Iams is donating 5,000,000 meals to participating animal organizations.*



“We’re proud that we’ve been a part of this program since it began in 1999 and we’ve helped more than 5 million pets find loving homes," said Maria Beatriz Rodriguez, Iams general manager. "We’re dedicated to continuing our mission with our partner animal organizations to ensure more and more pets find their forever homes.”

The 2011 program will begin in October. To learn how to get involved and make a difference in the life of an orphaned pet, visit http://www.facebook.com/iams for ways to adopt, donate or volunteer.



About Iams Home 4 the Holidays (IH4TH)

As one of the most successful pet adoption programs in the world, IH4TH partners with thousands of animal organizations dedicated to finding forever homes for orphaned pets. Founded by Helen Woodward Animal Center and supported by Iams, IH4TH began in 1999 with just 14 participating animal shelters in San Diego County. Since it began 12 years ago, IH4TH – along with more than 3,500 pet adoption centers – has helped 5.8 million families experience the joy of pet adoption, including more than 1.2 million pet adoptions from 2010. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/iams.



About Helen Woodward Animal Center

Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where “people help animals and animals help people.” Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 57,000 people and thousands of animals annually. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the international Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive and the Animal Center Education Services program, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world.



About P&G Pet Care

For more than 60 years, P&G Pet Care (NYSE:PG), the maker of Iams and Eukanuba, has enhanced the well-being of dogs and cats by providing world-class quality foods and pet care products. To learn more about Eukanuba® and Iams® Dog & Cat Foods or general pet care and nutrition information, call the Consumer Care Center at (800) 446-3075. You can also visit us on the Web at www.iams.com or www.eukanuba.com.



About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

USA TODAY'S "MOST HEROIC DOG OF 2010"

NOMINEES OF USA TODAY'S "MOST HEROIC DOG OF 2010" TURN THEIR VOTES INTO VOICES FOR FELLOW NOMINEE, TARGET.

TARGET WAS ERRONEOUSLY EUTHANIZED AFTER SAVING LIVES IN AFGHANISTAN

USA Today has narrowed the field down to five dogs in the running for Most Heroic Dog of 2010. Surf Dog Ricochet, the SURFice dog, and Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog have made the top five, along with Target, the Afghanistan dog who saved many soldiers lives, only to lose hers to an erroneous euthanization. Ricochet & Sparkles have turned their votes into voices for Target, and are now raising funds and awareness for her.

Voting for the five nominees in USA Today's Most Heroic Dog of 2010 started on Friday, January 7th. Ricochet and Sparkles were honored to be among the five nominees. They began asking their supporters for votes, but quickly joined together, and turned their energy toward fellow nominee, Target. They are asking people to turn their votes for them into voices by helping with their fundraiser for Target's cause, Target's Bunker, a no kill shelter founded by Target's family.

On the night of February 11, 2010, Target saved the lives of many soldiers in Afghanistan when a suicide bomber walked into a Border Patrol compound. Target, along with two other stray dogs, sensed something was wrong, and attacked the bomber. Despite the bombing... she survived. SGT Terry Young adopted Target, and brought her back to live with him in Arizona. One Friday afternoon, Target got out of the yard, and ended up in a shelter. Tragically, by Monday morning, she was erroneously euthanized. "Target's Bunker" has been formed with the hope of keeping another tragedy like Target's from happening ever again.

Ricochet and Sparkles agree... not only is Target USA Today's Most Heroic Dog of 2010, but she is THEIR hero! After contacting Target's family, they began reaching out to their voters, supporters, donors, and the world to help them raise awareness. Since "Target's Bunker" is still in it's infancy stages of development, the fundraising campaign is being held through Puppy Prodigies/Surf Dog Ricochet, a 501(c)3 non profit organization. Tax deductible donations are being accepted on behalf of "Target's Bunker". Please visit http://www.SurfDogRicochet.com/Target for more information, to make a donation, and to help Ricochet and Sparkles raise awareness of their hero, Target.

Ricochet and Sparkles thank USA Today for giving them such an amazing honor, but more importantly for pointing them in the direction of Target!

For more information, contact Judy Fridono/SurfDog Ricochet at pawinspired@aol.com, 707-228-0679, or Dayna Hilton at dayna@sparklesthefiresafetydog.com 479-979-7328.


http://www.Targetsbunker.org
http://www.sparklesthefiresafetydog.com/
http://www.SurfDogRicochet.com

How Many Object Names Can A Border Collie Comprehend

Some Dogs May Understand That Our Sounds Refer To Particular Objects: Border Collie Comprehends Over 1,000 Object Names

Researchers at Wofford College discovered that a Border Collie comprehends the names of over 1000 objects, differentiating between names of objects and orders to fetch them. This research deepens the findings of researchers in Germany, who had discovered a dog that knew the names of a couple of hundred objects. Important questions were left open as to how far a dog could go, and whether the dog really understood that the object names were nouns and not commands to retrieve the object.

John Pilley and Alliston Reid answered two central questions with their research: How large can a dog's vocabulary become if given extensive training? What do dogs actually understand when we use human language to communicate with them? These findings are published in the Elsevier journal Behavioural Processes.

The authors demonstrated that their dog, Chaser, learned the names of 1022 objects - no upper limit is apparent - they stopped training the dog after three years due to their time constraints, not because the dog could not learn more names. This study demonstrates Chaser's ability to learn the names of proper nouns, and her extensive vocabulary was tested repeatedly under carefully controlled conditions. The authors admitted that she remembered the names of each of her 1022 toys better than they could. Chaser's ability to learn and remember more than 1000 proper nouns, each mapped to a unique object, revealed clear evidence of several capacities necessary for learning receptive human language: the ability to discriminate between 1022 different sounds representing names of objects, the ability to discriminate many objects visually, an extensive vocabulary, and a substantial memory system that allowed the mapping of many auditory stimuli to many visual stimuli.

Their second experiment demonstrated that Chaser really understands that these are names, and not commands to fetch the object. In order to test independence of meaning of nouns and commands, the authors randomly combined nouns with commands to see if Chaser would produce the correct behavior toward the correct object in each trial. Without special training, Chaser responded to each combination correctly, even on the first trial, demonstrating that Chaser understood that the commands and proper-noun names had independent meanings. The dog understands that names refer to particular objects, independent of the action requested involving that object.

Their third experiment demonstrated that the dog also understands names for categories of objects or common nouns, and not just individual names or proper nouns. For instance, she learned that name "toy" referred to the 1022 objects she was allowed to play with, each with a proper-noun name. By forming categories represented by common nouns, Chaser mapped one label onto many objects. Chaser also demonstrated that she could map up to three labels onto the same object without error. For example, Chaser knew the proper-noun names of all objects used in the research. Chaser also mapped the common noun "toy" onto these same objects. Her additional success with the two common nouns "ball" and "frisbee" demonstrates that she mapped a third label onto these objects. Her demonstrations of one-to-many and many-to-one noun/object mappings reveal flexibility in the referential nature of words in border collies.

Each of these experiments showed that the dog could learn names using procedures involving associative learning. Their fourth experiment demonstrated that Chaser could also learn names by exclusion - inferred the name of a novel object by exclusion of familiar already-named objects. Retention of these names using this procedure was limited to short periods, however, just as usually observed with children.

According to Alliston Reid, "This research is important because it demonstrates that dogs, like children, can develop extensive vocabularies and understand that certain words represent individual objects and other words represent categories of objects, independent in meaning of what one is asked to do with those objects."

Additional research is needed to determine whether these impressive language abilities are shared by other breeds of dogs. This work encourages research into how the historical relationships between humans and dogs may have influenced the abilities of dogs to communicate with humans, and whether this influence is unique to dogs.

Notes:

"Border collie comprehends object names as verbal referents" by John Pilley and Alliston Reid. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2010.11.007

About the authors

John W. Pilley, Ph.D. is a retired professor of psychology at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, where this study was completed.

Alliston K. Reid, Ph.D. is Reeves Family Professor of Psychology at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, and currently serves as president of the Society for the Quantitative Analyses of Behavior.

Source:
Francesca Webb
Elsevier

So Who Dumped The Dogs With Nails In Their Heads

That’s what the police from Quebec Provincial police would like to know when a teenage girl named Elyane Mackenzie who on her way home with her friends found a mother dog with her puppies on the side of the road. Apparently the mother and two of the puppies had been shot in their heads with a nail gun.

How could anyone do something like this to their dogs, what a sick piece of _ _ _ _ of a so called person. Just dump off eight puppies and the mother after you shot them with a nail gun when all you had to do was to bring them to a shelter before all this happened.

The whole area of local people are now looking for the lowlife and I hope they find the person before the police.

Micheline Robitaille from an animal rights activist in Quebec City said: We can't, as a society, just let this go. Whoever did this is dangerous because they would attack the weak and defenceless; if they would do this to dogs, imagine what they would do to a child or an old person.

Read the article by Michelle Lalonde here.

Promising Outlook For Canine Lipomas

BioSpecifics Announces Positive Results From Clinical Trial in Canine Lipomas

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq: BSTC; the "Company" or "BioSpecifics"), a biopharmaceutical company developing first in class collagenase-based products, today announced promising results from its study Chien-802 showing dramatic reductions in canine lipoma following injections with purified injectable collagenase. These results build upon an earlier dose escalation study from which the Company selected the dose for Chien-802. The Company also announced today the initiation of a larger clinical trial, Chien-803, for the same indication.

Canine lipomas represent a potentially large market with the current cost of treating canine lipomas on an annual basis of approximately $635 million in the United States. BioSpecifics previously announced results from a human clinical trial that demonstrated an average of 93% post treatment decrease in the size of a lipoma with a single collagenase injection in human lipoma.

"We are excited about the promising study results in lipoma and are enthusiastic about the use of injectable collagenase both in humans and in canines," commented Thomas L. Wegman, President of BioSpecifics. "BioSpecifics is deeply committed to conducting additional clinical trials that demonstrate the potential of injectable collagenase in a range of indications. We believe that new indications have the potential to have a major impact on the market for injectable collagenase."

About Chien-801 and Chien-802 Clinical Trials

Chien-801 was a pilot study conducted for the purpose of evaluating the use of purified collagenase for the non-surgical treatment of lipoma in six dogs. The study evaluated the appropriate dosage and frequency of injections necessary to significantly reduce the size of the lipoma. The dose administered ranged from 0.012 to 0.021 mg/ cm2 which was approximately 1/2 to 3/4 of the dose used in previous human clinical trials. Based on this dose escalation study the Company selected the dose for Chien-802.

Chien-802 was designed to evaluate the efficacy of injectable collagenase in canine lipoma in four healthy dogs with subcutaneous lipomas. Inclusion criteria required the lipoma to be benign, superficial and easily measureable. All dogs had a second lipoma that was untreated and used as a control. At 90 days post injection, in the three evaluable dogs, the lipoma size was 0%, 0% or 7% of the original size as measured by a CT scan. By contrast, the untreated lipomas were 129%, 113% and 128% of the original size at day 90. Thus, the treated lipomas showed a 97% reduction in the size of the lipoma and an increase in the size of the untreated controls of 23%. Based on the positive results from Chien-802, BioSpecifics has begun enrollment in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the efficacy of purified collagenase for injection for the treatment of canine lipomas.

The Company's preliminary results from an ongoing marketing survey indicate that veterinarians perform lipoma excision surgery on an average of 25 dogs per year, costing approximately $635 million annually.

The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 47,000 veterinarians practice on small animals. Based on the data from BioSpecifics' survey of veterinarians, the veterinarians estimate that they would use injectable collagenase on an average of 22 dogs per year. BioSpecifics believes that the total potential market for purified collagenase for the treatment of canine lipomas could be 1 million injections in the Unites States annually.

BioSpecifics' strategic partner, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Auxilium), has the option to license development and marketing rights to this indication, which would trigger an opt-in payment and potential future milestone payments from Auxilium to BioSpecifics. If Auxilium chooses not to exercise this option, BioSpecifics plans to proceed with the development of its injectable collagenase for veterinary indications on its own.

About Chien-803 Clinical Trial

The trial will enroll 25 canines, each having two or more lipomas. To meet the primary endpoint an animal must achieve at least a 50% decrease in the drug-treated lipoma volume relative to baseline as measured by CT scan at 3 months post injection. The Company expects to announce top-line results from this trial in the second half of 2011.

Human Lipoma Study Results

BioSpecifics previously conducted an open label study evaluating the safety and efficacy of injectable collagenase in the treatment of human lipoma. Eleven of the twelve subjects completed the follow up scheduled for the trial. Patients in the study received a single injection of collagenase consisting of 1,000 units (0.058 mg) per centimeter diameter of the lipoma. Subjects were evaluated at baseline prior to the administration of study treatment and at one, three, seven and fourteen days, and one, three and six months post treatment to evaluate the overlying skin as well as the general area for untoward effects. Results showed that there was an average reduction of lipoma size of 93% post treatment at six months.

About Canine Lipomas

Lipomas are encapsulated fat deposits that occur under the skin. Lipomas that restrict motion in older dogs are a serious problem; the only proven therapy for this condition is surgical excision of the lipoma, which necessarily involves the use of general anesthesia; it has been estimated that up to 2% of sick dogs die as a complication of general anesthesia.(1) Lipomas occur in 2.3% of the dog population,(2) or in approximately 1.7 million dogs in the U.S.(3)

(1) Brodbelt Vet J 2009 Dec; 182 (3): 375-6


(2) Lund JAVMA Vol. 214, No. 9, May 1, 1999


(3) U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (2007 Edition)



About BioSpecifics Technologies Corp.

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp. is a biopharmaceutical company that has developed injectable collagenase for twelve clinical indications, three of which include: Dupuytren's contracture, Peyronie's disease, and frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). Its strategic partner Auxilium markets XIAFLEX® in the U.S. for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture. Pfizer, Inc. is responsible for marketing XIAPEX® in Europe. More information about BioSpecifics may be found on its website at www.biospecifics.com.

Free Help With The Loss Of Your Pet From Petrib

Beyond the Backyard Burial: Now the Memory of Your Beloved Pet Lives on with Petrib.com™.
Former Monster.com exec launches Petrib.com™ – an online pet memorial site to help families deal with loss of animal companions.

Sam Tharp, former VP at Monster.com, officially launched the beta version of Petrib.com™ (http://www.petrib.com) today, a new social network for pet owners, designed to help them deal with the death of their dog, cat, bird, fish or other animal companions - offering free tribute pages, community support forums and local pet funeral company listings.

“There are over 71 million households with pets in the U.S. Pets are literally part of our families, either playing with the kids, or playing the role of kids in homes without children,” said Sam Tharp, Founder and CEO of Petrib.com. “We created Petrib.com as a dignified place to gather, mourn and pay tribute when a beloved pet has died. It’s free, it’s user-friendly and it helps people through an emotionally challenging time.”

Market trends confirm that “pet parents” want to treat the furry, feathered and finned members of their family with the same care as their human counterparts, as evidenced by the growth in premium pet food and supplies, medical insurance, and now, even in end-of-life services. While the overall $45.5 billion pet industry grew 5% in 2009, despite recessionary pressures, the demand for pet funeral services is “skyrocketing”, according to the report State of the Industry: Funeral and Cremation Services and Supplies, U.S., from Sundale Research, an independent market research firm.

To help fill this growing need, Petrib.com’s mission is to be the one-stop resource for grieving pet owners, where you can:

Create a Free Tribute
Post a free tribute page honoring your pet in less than three clicks, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tell your pet’s story with words, photos, even videos. Forward the tribute as notification to family and friends of your pet’s passing. Invite them to sign the guestbook and add their recollections as well.

Connect
Visit the supportive Community Forum, where you can find comfort, and exchange experiences with others who are similarly grieving. Engage in end-of-life discussions, such as Cremation vs. Burial, When to Euthanize, Filling the Void with a New/Replacement Pet.

Find Services
Use the company directory to locate pet funeral service providers in your area, with consumer rated feedback.

Get Advice
Check out Petrib’s library of helpful articles and tips, such as Coping With The Loss of a Pet, or How to Tell Your Child When a Pet Has Died.

While Petrib.com is mainly aimed at an adult audience, Tharp added that the site was tested with children throughout the development process to help parents work with children to overcome the grief of losing a beloved family pet.

“The hope is that Petrib.com gives parents an extra tool to help children mourn the loss of a pet, offering a virtual farm/green field/fishbowl in the sky,” Tharp concluded.

About Petrib.com

Petrib.com is the only free, pet funeral planning, notification and memorial service dedicated to the fast, efficient and dignified planning and posting of funeral details and tributes. Sam Tharp, Founder and CEO, created Petrib.com to help people through the pet funeral planning, notification and tribute processes that impacts every pet owner at one point or another. Sam formerly held senior management positions with global industry leaders, such as Monster.com, America Online, Inc., Dell Computer Corporation and Time Warner, Inc. Sam holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and English from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. For more information, visit http://www.Petrib.com.

North Carolina Woman Is Recognized For Helping Rescue 1000 Animals

Thee local news has helped share all the work that a woman named Garland Graham has done to help rescue animals on her farm. Since two thousand and six Garland and Gary Graham have be fostering golden retrievers and now they are fostering all kinds of animals on their farm which is called Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network.

Their one thousandth rescue is a dog called Mickey on which they call an All American Mutt. Buy looking at this photo you have to wonder why anybody would have given up this dog which is now ready for adoption.

Photo from Red Dog Farm

Read the article by Leigh Brock here.

Two Guinness World Records For This Dog

A Great Dane named Giant George from Tucson, Az has won two world records in the Guinness for being the tallest living dog and tallest dog ever.

Giant George’s owner Dave Nasser said: We kept hearing over and over again, that's the biggest dog I've ever seen. Over and over and over.He's good with other dogs he's good with children. Really good with children. They come to the dog park and hang on him all the time pulling his ears and tail and he doesn't mind at all. We have a huge facebook presence. Over 20,000 fans. And Giant George is not just a pretty face. He also is and will be doing charity events.

Read the article here.

South Bend, IN Group Donating Dog Houses

Photo by WSBT-TV


How cool is that for a group called the Michiana Animal Alliance Group from Indiana has taken their time to offer free dog houses to those who are unable to afford them.

Bill Sykes from the Michiana Animal Alliance Group said: His organization recently kicked off a new program called “Homes for Hounds.” They are using leftover building materials to make and provide free dogs houses for those with limited incomes. They also refurbish old dog houses. What we are trying to do is provide shelter for animals that maybe spend more time than they should outside, for some reason or another. The dog’s welfare is the bottom line, top priority here.

What a great idea to help out the dog owners who are in need for the welfare of their dog.

Read the article by Ed Ernstes here.

This Chihuahua Is Sure Grateful For The New Year

Photo by Tina M. Gohr/Kewaunee County Star-News


Can you only imagine being stuck underground for two and a half days? Well this little Chihuahua named Emma had gotten stuck along Lake Michigan back on Wednesday night while chasing something and climbed into the side of the embankment where he was unable to get back out.

Emma’s owner’s Debbie and Tom Skubal are grateful for all the help that the local residents did to help save their dog. I can only say that they were very lucky that the weather held out and it wasn’t cold and snowing because that might have changed the outcome.

A Big Thanks goes out to Dave Rohr, Larry Sipe, Dan Ninedorf, Jordan Ledvina, John Ledvina, Wayne Fischer, Lee Ledvina and Greg Suess for all their help in rescuing Emma.

Read the article by Tina M. Gohr here.