Does Your Dog Have What It Takes To Win

America's Best Dog Trick" Contest Celebrates Positive Dog Training

The Zoom Room Dog Agility Training Center and exclusive sponsor West Paw Design announce the "America's Best Dog Trick" Contest, the first nationwide dog trick contest to feature only positive-reinforcement dog training methods. Entrants will submit their best dog trick videos before the Jan. 15 deadline, and the winner will receive $1,000 plus a collection of Zogoflex toys.

The Zoom Room Dog Agility Training Center and exclusive sponsor West Paw Design announce the "America's Best Dog Trick" Contest - the first nationwide dog trick contest to celebrate positive-reinforcement dog training methods. Dog owners are invited to submit their videos before the January 15 deadline. The winner will receive $1,000 plus a collection of Zogoflex toys.

Positive dog training methods include positive praise, clicker training and the use of treats. Positive-reinforcement dog training is now widely-regarded as the most effective and scientifically-researched training method. Contest entrants must affirm that they used only positive training to craft their dog tricks, and that no coercive, punitive, restraint, or other forms of dominance training were used in shaping the trick.

Open to any American resident, dog owners will submit a short video of their best dog trick via the Zoom Room Fan Page on Facebook. Initially, anyone may vote for the Best Dog Trick. The top five dog tricks will then face a panel of judges from the Zoom Room and West Paw to determine the winner.

The first place winner will receive $1,000 plus a collection of Zogoflex toys, including a Hurley, a Huck, a Bumi, a Zisc and a Tux. Second place will receive $250 plus the collection of Zogoflex toys from West Paw. The other three finalists will each receive Honorable Mention, as well as a Bumi, a Hurley and a Zisc.

Only freshly-recorded dog trick videos are eligible; in other words, nothing rehashed from YouTube or elsewhere. In order to demonstrate that the video is fresh, all entrants are required to begin the video by addressing the camera and saying something to the effect of, "Hello, Zoom Room, my name is _______, this is my dog _________, and we made this trick using only positive training."

The contest begins on November 20, 2009. The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2010. Voting for favorite dog tricks will close on January 31, 2010. The winners will be announced on February 8, 2010.

Details can be found on the America's Best Dog Trick page of the Zoom Room web site.

About the Zoom Room

The Zoom Room Dog Agility Training Center & Canine Social Club is an eco-friendly, active lifestyle dog training center that practices only positive-reinforcement dog training methods. The Zoom Room is the only brick-and-mortar dog training franchise in America and the first dog agility franchise in the world.

In addition to dog agility, the Zoom Room offers obedience, puppy preschool, dog tricks training, therapy dog classes, and much more. As a Canine Social Club, the Zoom Room is the perfect place to host an unforgettable dog birthday party, Bark Mitzvah, Doggy Disco Night, or a charity fund-raiser. The Zoom Room carries only the finest and most Earth-friendly stuff for dogs, including many of West Paw's great products.

About West Paw Design

West Paw Design believes in providing the best for pets while balancing what is right for the environment. They search high and low for the best, most sustainable material there is to offer and use recyclable and organic material in their bedding and toys.

Their commitment to the environment has guided them to continually strive to reduce the already minimized waste in the manufacturing process, and to offer more environmentally-friendly organic and sustainable products. Using recyclable material in the Zogoflex® line of dog toys permits the incorporation of old products back into new ones, without sacrificing any quality. Discover their unique, world-class pet products at westpawdesign.com.

Anderson County Seizes 177 Dogs From An Animal Control Officers Estranged Spouse

How could anybody have let this go on for so long, you just don't acquire that many animals over night. And to top it off Faith Patterson is married to an animal control officer that must have looked the other way, because they found dog carcasses on the property and some of the dogs were malnourished.

The dogs were taken to the Anderson County Animal Shelter and they will be needing all the help they can get with this amount of dogs they will be taken care of.

Read the article by Elizabeth Owens here.

Dog Breeders In N Ireland Are Looking For Responsibility

Six hundred dog breeders from N Ireland are banning together to help get the department of Agriculture to become more responsible in dealing with the puppy mills.

One dog breed owner named David Hamilton said: This is a licensed breeding establishment and I think people need to understand that a puppy farm is somewhere where animals are treated badly, where there are welfare issues and where they are exploited. That is certainly not the case here, and I'd say that is not the case in the vast majority of licensed breeding establishments.

We all know what the puppy mills though out the world had done to the over population of dogs that are sometimes sick and mistreated. Over the years as we followed Pennsylvania deal with all the puppy mills though out their state and other states that has followed behind them. It’s nice to read that the whole group of breeders are sticking together in trying to establish some guild lines in their business.

Read the article by Martin Cassidy here.

Someone Posted On Craigslist An Ad Wanting Dog For Dog Meat

I feel sorry for this person in Oregon if anyone finds out who they are, because what they posted wasn’t too funny. Being a dog lover myself I think that this ad was posted by a sick person who either did this as a bad joke or is just crazy.

Why would you post on Craigslist an ad saying: I'm starting a new business. Dog meat. Incredibly nutritious. I'm canning dog meat at home and there's always dogs out there that aren't needed as pets.

Read the article here.

Oreo A Victim Of Animal Cruelty Sadly Has To Be Put Down

ASPCA Issues Statement on Euthanasia of Oreo

The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) issues a statement from President and CEO Ed Sayres prompted by today’s euthanasia of Oreo, a victim of animal cruelty.
The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) issued a statement from President and CEO Ed Sayres prompted by today’s euthanasia of Oreo, a victim of animal cruelty:

On June 18th, a one-year old Pit Bull Mix named Oreo was thrown off a 6th floor Brooklyn roof top by 19-year old Fabian Henderson. Oreo sustained two broken legs and a fractured rib in the horrific incident. Amidst a flurry of media coverage and public outcry, Oreo was taken to the ASPCA hospital to be treated for her injuries, and Mr. Henderson was placed under arrest by ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents.

The circumstances that led to this most difficult and heartbreaking of decisions are not widely known. In fact, details such as these are usually closely guarded. And yet, what is even more tragic about this story’s ending is that it is an all-too-familiar outcome in shelters across the country.

It is the true face of the fight against animal cruelty.

Oreo was a victim of cruelty at the hands of Mr. Henderson. The details surrounding these incidents are largely unknown. However, after Mr. Henderson’s arrest in July, it was learned that several of his neighbors reported hearing the sounds of the dog being beaten for at least 20-30 minutes—and the dog whimpering as a consequence.

After arriving at the ASPCA’s facility, Oreo began to recuperate from her injuries, only to begin showing signs of extreme aggression—with little provocation or warning. As is customary at the ASPCA, the dog underwent a series of comprehensive behavior evaluations. This evaluation system has been used to assess many other dogs and is used to determine the rehabilitation programs needed to prepare them for foster care or placement. In the case of Oreo, we also sought the assessment of an outside veterinary behaviorist. The outcomes of these evaluations were all the same: the dog was not able to be placed in a home. Despite extensive behavior rehabilitation efforts undertaken by ASPCA staff, Oreo continued to lunge, growl, snap and attempt to bite. She would lunge at a behaviorist, only to spontaneously and unpredictably redirect her aggression toward her handler. She could not be socialized with other dogs for fear of an attack—her aggression toward other dogs was clearly evident during her evaluations. For the safety of the individuals at the ASPCA, the other animals, and Oreo herself, she had to be kept in relative isolation, and daily contact with her was kept to a minimum of essential, and highly-trained, personnel. In fact, employees were even directed to refrain from making sustained eye contact with Oreo so as to not incite aggression.

Because adoption was not an option, the ASPCA looked at placing Oreo in a long-term resident facility. However, because of the aggressive behavior displayed, it is almost certain that Oreo would have lived out her entire life in seclusion from other dogs and people. Her contact with the outside world would have been minimal at best. Her quality of life would have been reduced to virtually nothing. Thus, we arrived at the painful yet clear decision to humanely euthanize Oreo.

While Oreo’s plight has garnered a plethora of media attention due to the sensational nature of her injuries, the decision to euthanize her is not a novel one. These are decisions that we have had to make before—and will undoubtedly have to make again. And as painful as these choices are, they are the same ones that face dedicated shelter workers throughout the country each and every day. However, these outcomes are made all the more tragic because they are often preventable.

Animals that suffer cruelty at the hands of their owners often face tragedy beyond that which they have already endured. Animals like Oreo are abused every day. These cases often don’t make headlines; in fact, most people don’t even know this abuse is quietly occurring in their backyard. But this abuse is all too frequent, and despite more rigorous efforts by law enforcement across the country, shows little sign of completely abating.

Sometimes these animals are fortunate enough to escape the confines of their abuse and are placed in loving homes. Sometimes, they die as a result of the abuse. And sometimes they retaliate from their abuse in the only way they know how: aggression. It is this last unfortunate circumstance that places shelters in the precarious position in which we find ourselves now. We have done everything humanly possible to save Oreo’s life; yet, as a result of the abuse she suffered at the hands of Mr. Henderson, or for other reasons we may never know, she has come to a place where she can no longer be around people or other animals. We make this decision—and others like it-- with a heavy heart and a complete understanding that had she been treated with love and respect, Oreo’s fate would be much different.

People know that the ASPCA is in the business of saving animals’ lives-- it serves as the very core of our 143 year-old mission. Yet, the moment this statement is picked up, we will feel the repercussions of the difficult decision we know had to be made. We will receive angry phone calls… profanity-laced e-mails... and we will likely be vilified by tweeters and bloggers across the country. And the rallying cry of these missives will all be the same: the ASPCA failed this animal. If the ASPCA has failed at anything, it is shielding America from the true face of animal cruelty for far too long. Animal cruelty isn’t pretty and doesn’t always have a happy ending—it is ugly and sad and, ultimately, tragic. As a community of individuals committed to the welfare of animals, we have to be more proactive and insistent in raising our voices against cruelty—and hope that the nation is ready to listen.

Media Contact: Andy Izquierdo
T: 212/876-7700, ext. 4588; C: 917-484-0240; E: AndyI (at) aspca (dot) org


About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501 [c [3 not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.

A Womens Crusade To Help The Dogs

Rescue Dogs Benefit from Odd Dog Toy

A one-woman, four-dog company in Kansas has raised over $130,000 for dog charities by selling a unique dog toy scented with "eau de bovine."
Most days, you can find 52 year old Mikel Miller at work in her shop with her four dogs napping or playing nearby. That may not seem unusual, until you consider that this little one-woman, four-dog company has raised over $130,000 for dog charities over the last 5 years.

It all started when Miller started making and selling an unusual dog toy to help with the expense involved in traveling to dog agility competitions with her Boston Terrier. Dog agility is a sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. “We gave 25% of the sales to the local Humane Society. People liked that and loved our toys.

Miller calls her popular dog toys Udder Tugs and her company Helping Udders. Udder Tugs are made from recycled rubber liners used in machines to milk real cows. Miller explained that contact with the cows leaves a faint odor behind that dogs seem to love. “Dogs immediately recognize the difference between Udder Tugs and their ordinary dog toys.” Mikel, who was raised on a dairy farm in Kansas, admits that “eau de bovine” is an odd smell, but says it isn’t offensive to dog owners.

Helping Udders’ website is linked to by hundreds of dog rescue websites across the country and gives 10-50% of every online sale to those rescues. In addition to the Udder Tugs, Helping Udders sells an eclectic array of uncommon dog related products and offers hundreds of original t-shirt designs in their Big Pile of Dog Shirts.

“The first year we only raised a little over $2,000 for the rescues and shelters, but in 2008, we were up to over $40,000.” Now over $130,000 has been generated from sales and from donations to send high tech cooling vests to Military Working Dogs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It’s just me and my four dogs. I work a lot more for a lot less now,” laughs Miller, a former U. S. Marine and MBA who quit her well-paying executive job in 2007 to pay herself less than $1,500 a month. “But, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Udder Tugs are not only good for the environment because they are recycled but 25% of all sales goes to the animal rescue organization of your choice. They come in models for little dogs, big dogs, fetching dogs, dogs that like to shake and dogs that like to tug. Rescues and shelters are invited to sign up for donations at www.helpingudders.com

Best Friends Animal Society's Challenge

Best Friends Animal Society's Network Charities: Raising Funds for Local Animal Rescue Organizations

Best Friends Animal Society is celebrating its 25th anniversary by launching a charitable arm to help fund local rescue groups dedicated to solving the national homeless pet problem. Tying into this silver anniversary is a drive to raise $25,000 in donations to be matched by $25,000 from Best Friends for a total of $50,000 to be distributed to these groups.

Best Friends Animal Society is celebrating its 25th anniversary by launching a charitable arm to help fund local rescue groups dedicated to solving the national homeless pet problem. Tying into this silver anniversary is a drive to raise $25,000 in donations to be matched by $25,000 from Best Friends for a total of $50,000 to be distributed to these groups.

The concept of Best Friends Network Charities fits with Best Friends' mission according to Gregory Castle, interim chief executive officer. The mission known as "No More Homeless Pets®" is aimed at ending the killing of animals in shelters and increasing adoptions of rescued homeless pets.

Castle said: "We recognize that it's difficult for many local rescue organizations who are engaged in vital work in the field to get enough funding, let alone build and maintain an online marketing and fundraising campaign. We hope to help with the launch of Best Friends Network Charities, something we think will be an exciting fund-raising aid for organizations in communities across the country who are 'fighting the good fight' on behalf of homeless pets."

The Utah-based organization will provide a special web site (Best Friends Network Charities) where people can donate to their local community animal organization, as long as it has been registered as a member of the Best Friends Network Charities group, working on the collaborative goal of No More Homeless Pets. While the goal is to help raise $25,000 between Nov. 9 and Dec. 4, 2009, Best Friends' "Double your Impact" challenge provides for matching every dollar contributed in this time frame up to a total of $25,000. There will be an online, real-time calculator on the Network Charities landing page where the progress of donations can be seen during the 25 days.

"Since Best Friends was founded in 1984, we have always put a premium on helping local animal rescue groups succeed, whether providing logistical aid to animal rescue organizations, or helping to fund community animal welfare projects, such as Safe Humane Chicago or feral cat spay/neuter efforts in Jacksonville, Fla., and Los Angeles FixNation," Castle added.

The benefits to the local animal rescue groups that participate include:


* A free and easy-to-maintain mini website, through which the groups are able to receive online donations
* Using the mini website for recruiting volunteers and publicity
* Tying into Best Friends Network website traffic, promotions and partnerships


To participate in the Best Friends Network Charities program, shelters and rescue organizations must:

* Be a registered 501 (c)(3) organization
* Work toward solving America's pet overpopulation problem

Beginning Nov. 9, local community shelters and rescue groups that meet the above criteria and get their group approved can participate in the program. Best Friends will match every dollar donated to participating Network Charities through December 4, up to a total of $25,000. Individual donations will be matched up to $500.

About Best Friends Animal Society:
Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit, membership organization building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More Homeless Pets®. The society's leading initiatives in animal care and community programs are coordinated from its Kanab, Utah, headquarters, the country's largest no-kill sanctuary. This work is made possible by the personal and financial support of a grassroots network of members and community partners across the nation. In 2009, Best Friends celebrates its 25th anniversary.

For more information contact:
Barbara Williamson (435) 644-2001 ext. 4408, (435) 689-0200 (cell) or barbara(at)bestfriends.org
John Polis (435) 644-2001 ext. 4858 or johnp(at)bestfriends.org
Temma Martin (801) 953-8876 (cell) or temmam(at)bestfriends.org