Bitten By A Police K9

"'The dog came up on him pretty suddenly, and he did attack the dog," said Sergeant Tim Lewandowski of the Tulsa Police Department. Monroy kicked the dog in the head multiple times, and the dog bit him in the leg. "The dog was doing what the dog is trained to do, to grab hold of him and hold him," Lewandowski told News On 6."

You're an idiot if you try to fight with the police and a K9... you aren't going to win. Just give up. The place to fight the police is in court. If you feel wronged, that's the venue. Otherwise, suffer the consequences.

Los Angeles worst city for dog attacks on mail carriers

"Los Angeles was the worst with 69 attacks, followed by Seattle and San Antonio with 42 each and Chicago with 41. The city with the least attacks was Wichita, Kan., with 20. Tacoma, Wash., had just 21."

Look, I don't want anyone to get bitten by a dog... but 69 dogs in LA, which is one of the biggest cities in the world, with all the problems including gangs and such... isn't that big of a number. I know they are trying to promote National Dog Bite Prevention Week, but this statistic tells the reader just the opposite, that it isn't a problem to worry about.

Dog bites are a problem, and there are better ways of addressing it... supervision, containment, proper medical care, not leaving dogs unsupervised with kids under 10 years of age, socialization, happy and active life for the dog, and completing basic obedience.

Kids up to no good? Drug-sniffing dog now for hire

"If parents ever wondered if their children were using or selling drugs, a local man is starting an unusual business by renting a drug dog."

I have no problem with this. In fact, I think that employers would be the bigger client of this dog owner. Every smart business wants to be drug free.

I like this... a lot.

Can You Identify A Breed Or Mix?

"In a new study that was just released, researcher Victoria Voith once again exposes the challenges of identifying dominant breeds of mixed breed dogs, even by "experts" in the field"

The folly of pit bull breed bans is that there is no reliable way to identify a breed of dog. All you can get are probabilities, and even then, experts can disagree. That is even true of pure bred dogs. Many pure bred dogs are not really pure bred. First off, many breeds have gone extinct and have been recreated in the past 100 years. Second, it isn't unusual for a breeder to slip in a related breed, to bring in some characteristic, and then sell them as pure bred dogs. It happens more frequently than you might imagine.

Can you make a guess? Sure. Should dog bite laws be designed around those guesses? No.

Hat Tip: KC Dog Blog

Either Contain Your Dogs, Or Lose Your Dogs

"A prize one ton bull had to be put down after it was savaged by two American bulldogs"

Look, you know I love dogs. Love all of them. But, with dog ownership comes a lot of responsibility, which includes making sure your dogs don't get loose and harm someone else, some other animal, or someone else's things. This means using proper containment.

Most of my dog training students need to be educated... and reminded... about how to properly supervise and contain their dogs. We go over proper doors, fencing, gates, crates, kennels, procedures, and such. The law is intolerant of escaped dogs, as it should be.

Obey the law, or your dog might end up dead, and you'll be at fault... and possibly also get a big fine, a huge financial judgment, and even time in prison.

Royal Oak To Require $1 Million ‘Dangerous Dog’ Insurance

"Royal Oak is about to unleash new regulations on dog owners. The new rules, which go into effect Thursday, require owners of “dangerous dogs” to carry $1 million in liability insurance, post signs, complete an obedience class with the dog, and keep the dog in a locked, fenced-in area. Owners must also comply with seven pages worth of other requirements to keep their pets in the city."

We have a Constitution. We have the right to own private property, which includes a dog (which is why I oppose current legal efforts to change ownership into guardianship, since that affects what you can and can't do with your dog). Thus, the government can't just put restrictions on the ownership of things without a reasonableness test... and I don't think this is reasonable... and therefore it can be challenged on Constitutional grounds and probably beaten. It is the same as requiring someone to have $1,000,000 in liability insurance to exercise their free speech, to vote, to own a gun, or in case you might decide to own slaves. This fight will cost the city a lot of money. It is effectively a ban on private ownership of dogs, based on a messy, long dog bite law that will have to support this requirement for each and every sentence and clause.

For example, a nip is different than a bite. A provoked bite is different than an accidental bite. A bite from a Chihuahua is different than a bite from a St Bernard. Do all of these require $1 million in insurance and all 7 pages of these other requirements? No way.

See: When Should It Be OK For A Dog To Bite?

How severe is Anchorage's pet poop problem?

"Anchorage has a lot of dogs -- an estimated 74,000 of them, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. And they poop a lot, producing 8 million pounds per year, according to the city department that monitors such things, Anchorage's Animal Care and Control Center"

Isn't it interesting that Alaska is also home to the most wild animals per square mile, but no one is asking to control their poop? Yes, people should be considerate and pick up. But, a lot of this is also usually driven by the squeaky 1% of dog haters out there. Everything in moderation, folks

Don't Abandon Your Dog, It Is A Crime

"Ms. Malliotakis, who's sponsored a number of pet-friendly bills, said folks who can no longer care for pets, for whatever reason, shouldn't leave them to fend for themselves, as Charlie was. They can bring the animals to a veterinarian, no-kill shelter, police or groups such as Anarchy Animal Rescue"

It's shocking the number of dogs that are abandoned by their owners... in the desert, left behind when people move, put in dumpsters, thrown out of cars, and on and on. Laws need to be stiffened for such abuse and cruelty. There are places that will take a dog if you can't keep it.

Otherwise, suffer the consequences. They are committing a crime.

You have to figure those that abandon dogs need some serious prison time. If they are this callous about a helpless dog, then they need some serious punishment.

Animal Rescue Takes Over Former Pet Store Location At Superstition Springs Center

"The idea of a mall location came in the fall when Elek read a story about Superstition Springs Center’s parent company, Macerich, looking to put animal rescue facilities in former pet store spots. It took months of contact and work, Elek said, but in March, Pawtique had its “soft” opening. Since then, the facility has averaged about one adoption a day. The Pawtique only carries cats and small dogs, but Panacea takes in dogs and cats of all sizes."

I think this will be a new trend in animal welfare. Think about it. If a pet store can sell puppy mill dogs for $3000, why can't a rescue "sell" dogs for $300? Of course they can, and people will buy. And they will also buy supplies to support their efforts, which will bring in even more revenue for the rescue operation. Shopping mall operators could also use these stores to generate additional traffic to help support their other tenants. So, it is a win for everyone. This is one idea that you should be studying if you are into animal rescue.

Pit Bull Abuse In Australia

"The attack on this staffordshire terrier, whose owner allegedly cut his throat with a boning knife, has been described as one of the worst animal cruelty cases seen in the country"

Once again, some loser gets a pit bull and abuses it. I'm still asking why losers are attracted to pit bull types of dogs. I've trained lots of pit bulls, and they are great dogs in the right hands.

I hope this guy gets a long prison term, and gets a good does of his medicine by the other prisoners while there... but considering it is Australia... he'll probably get a slap on the wrist and a fine... typical socialist country.

4 Pit Bulls Blamed for Southern California Jogger's Death

"Authorities in rural Los Angeles County were warning people to be on the lookout for four pit bulls suspected of killing a 63-year-old jogger Thursday"

I don't understand why so many losers are attracted to owning pit bull type dogs. I really don't get it. You take a perfectly good dog, wreck it by not socializing, supervising, giving appropriate health care, caring for, or training it... and what else do you expect the end result to be?

I know of a situation happening right now in the Phoenix area, where a neighbor is allowing his two pit bulls to wander from his home. The dogs have bitten a horse twice, animal control has been consulted... and now the police have been called. These dogs are now on the path to being killed, and most likely, the owner will get away with it all. And pit bulls will be blamed for the actions of another loser.

In the above tragedy, please explain to me why four pit bull dogs are roaming loose. Do you let your dogs roam loose? I'm sure you don't. No normal person does.

Doesn't this infuriate you?

Owning A Dog Can Make You Healthier

"Dog owners have healthier hearts than people who don’t have pets"

I do believe this.

When I graduated from college, my mom wanted to give me a graduation present. I remember the day she asked me if I would like a dog. I told her I thought that was an interesting idea, but I'd have to think about it. A while later, I came back and told her that I thought it was a great idea... and that was the beginning of my dog, Kate, the Bouvier.

One reason I decided to get a dog was because of my dad. My dad never took care of himself, always had health problems, always overweight... and I just didn't want to turn out like he did in so many ways. I figured if I got a dog, it would force me to walk many miles a week for at least a decade... and of course, that became true.

Even today, I look way younger, feel younger, act younger, and think younger than my peers because I decided to get a dog instead of a car or some other silly object.

It was the right decision then, and it is probably the right decision for you, too.

Puppy Found In Locked Car Nearly Month After It Was Towed

"A puppy survived for nearly a month locked inside an impounded vehicle at a Kansas City tow lot by foraging on leftovers in fast-food bags and, apparently, cigars. The scared dog is scrawny, but is expected to survive. The 12-week-old puppy was found inside a Buick, but has been named Kia."

In my experience, tow truck drivers and tow truck yard operators aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. Their mentality is more like that of a predator. So, it doesn't surprise me that they didn't even take notice if what was inside the vehicle that they towed. What if it had been an abandoned baby?

Thank goodness this dog is safe. Hopefully someone socializes it and finds it a good home.

Karma? Police Officer Kills Dog And Accidentally Shoots Fellow Cop, Too

"A Chicago police officer was shot in the leg by a fellow officer who had fired at a charging dog in the Englewood neighborhood"

Cops shooting dogs is becoming a very big story. Animal welfare advocates are getting mighty angry, and so are many dog lovers, over stories like this.

Those of us that know dog behavior, or do dog rescue, know how to deal with loose dogs. We work with them every day, and most of these dogs are just overly stressed, poorly managed dogs that would be fine in the hands of responsible dog owners. We want to be called by the cops, or we want animal control called, when a dog is loose. That's what animal control is for, that's what we are paying our tax dollars for.

We know a lot of innocent, poorly managed dogs are being murdered (yes, I'm using that language) by overzealous, poorly managed, unprofessional cops. Yes, we also know there might be instances where there is no choice... but that's not majority of these cases. If the police don't clean up their own act, then we'll clean it up for them.

We want legal reform, and we want owners to be able to claim five figure damages. And we want harsh legal penalties for cops who violate these laws. This has got to stop.

Dog Owners Could Be Forced To Tie Up Dogs In Case They Bite A Burglar

"Dog owners might have to tie up their pets to stop them attacking burglars, police have warned – amid growing controversy over a clampdown on dangerous animals. The Association of Chief Police Officers say planned amendments to the Dangerous Dogs Act could leave householders 'liable to prosecution' if their dog bites a burglar while they are out"

This is the most ignorant, stupid, appalling, proposed dog law I've seen in years. All to protect the rights of the criminals over the victims. What rational person would support such a law? This is what happens when you cede too much power to government. Government should be limited, not unlimited.

I have had it with the do gooders in government and elsewhere, haven't you?

I have a fundamental natural right to protect myself, my family, my friends, the helpless, and my property against criminals. I don't care what the law says, I have that God given right.

This is too far. This is inhumane to the dogs and to the victims. This is too much.

Don't you agree? And if so, what are you willing to do about it?

Woman Books Dog Into Boarding And Leaves Kids Home Alone

"Round Rock woman abandons two children but books dog into pet hotel, according to arrest warrant"

This is one of those "man bites dog" stories. According to the article, this woman booked her dog into a PetSmart pet hotel, but left her kids alone so she could travel from a town in Texas to St. Louis.

It's jaw dropping, really. Who would do such a thing? I just don't get it. I really don't.

Dog Runs Away One Too Many Times, Owner Faces Jail

"A Fairbanks man has paid almost $1,800 in recent months to repeatedly bail his runaway dog Toby out of the doggy jail. Then he shot a moose, ostensibly to protect the Siberian husky, and now Toby's owner could face jail time himself."

Here's the deal, this sounds like a typical, fun Husky... and if they get a chance to run and roam, they will. But, after 4 escapes, this owner should have gotten a clue there was a problem and hired a professional dog trainer to help him.

Now he is facing jail, because the dog got loose, tangled with a moose, the owner shot the moose dead to protect the dog, the dog was off leash... and so the owner might be without a defense.

I feel bad for the dog, because it is being allowed to learn how to escape, and the dog's life has now been endangered. This dog owner isn't doing him any favors, and hopefully has learned his lesson.

Good dog ownership means proper supervision and containment. I can't call this guy a good owner based on what I've read in this article.

Dog Saves Family From Fire

"Dog alerts east Macon family to burning house, one person suffered burns"

I have read numerous stories of dogs alerting their owners to a fire. I find it fascinating that dogs do this kind of thing. I have never seen an article on a wild animal doing such a thing, such as a wolf, but it wouldn't surprise me. Animals are much more complex than most people realize, thinking and feeling, and doing behaviors that promote their survival and the survival of those to whom they are bonded.

Dogs Save Lives

"Sasha is very obedient — he never jumps, whines or barks, and he’s adorable with children — but at some point in Arbelovsky’s nap, Sasha heard something, she said. He jumped on the bed and woke her. She pushed him off and pulled the covers over her head. But he jumped back up. “Sasha, go to bed,” Arbelovsky said she told her dog. But Sasha wouldn’t. He grabbed Arbelovsky by the shirt sleeve and pulled her out of bed and to their back door. What Sasha heard, Sullivan later said, was his cries for help, as he knelt bleeding in Arbelovsky’s neighbor’s yard. “I think that’s an incredible animal,” Sullivan said."

Many of us grew up watching episodes of Lassie on TV. And even though it was a fictional story, we knew, just knew, that our dogs would be there for us when we needed them.

Dogs are more than just pets. They play a crucial role in our lives, and can't be replaced, even with all our modern technology.

Pit Bull Saves Woman From Being Trapped In Burning House

"A pit bull saved a woman whose home had caught fire, barking to alert her as flames threatened to engulf the entire house. The incident took place in Long Island, New York, on Friday. Jackie Bonasera was at home drying her hair in an upstairs bathroom of her home when suddenly she heard the pit bull barking. Bonasera ran downstairs to see flames coming from the other side of the garage. The protective nature of the pit bull saved the woman, who was able to escape the house in time."

Wait a doggone minute. I thought pit bulls were supposed to kill people, not save them. Maybe the dog will kill her next week.

Man's Best Friend

"A loyal dog waited by its owner for 12 hours after she became stuck in a sinkhole in the woods of Haliburton in Ontario."

How many true life stories have we read of dogs that have comforted, and even rescued, people in emergencies? Dogs play a major role in human society.

Had this woman been trapped even longer, it's possible that this dog would have been the main reason she survived.

Take that, all you dog haters.