Doggie Daycare

Dogs need interactions with other dogs to be mentally healthy. But, traditional dog kennels don't offer the necessary services. This causes problems...

Dog owners have had to fork out £47 million in vets' bills for injuries and illnesses picked up by their pooches while inside kennels, a survey shows.

Shocking conditions in Britain's kennels have left one in eight dogs needing treatment after their stay, resulting in an average bill of £156.56, according to the poll.

A fifth of dog owners (19 per cent) said their pets' kennels were dirty; another fifth (20 per cent) felt their hounds had not been exercised enough; and a quarter (26 per cent) said staff had not shown the mutts enough attention.

The poll by Direct Line Pet Insurance revealed that 46 per cent of Britain's 5.4 million dogs have had a stay in a boarding kennel - and 12 per cent of these had to be taken to the vet afterwards.

More than one in ten (12 per cent) contracted an illness and 4 per cent suffered an injury while inside.

Most owners who used kennels did so when they went on holiday (93 per cent), with 72 per cent saying they could not leave the pet with friends or family and 47 per cent saying they wanted their pet to be looked after by professionals.

When I was a kid, I remember going to the zoo to see the big cats. They were all in a room, pacing on a concrete slab surrounded by metal bars. I learned many years later, as an adult, that this kind of environment made the wild animals go insane. They couldn't breed, they had emotional problems, and they died young. Today, when we go to the zoo, we see habitats for the animals, they are given activities, and they are given outlets for their natural hunting and social needs. The old style zoo is mostly a thing of the past in modern, Western nations.

Similarly, I think the day of the traditional boarding kennel is coming to an end. Newer style boarding, which is run more like a doggie daycare, is going to become the norm. In doggie daycares the dogs interact and play, are supervised 100% of the time, and planned activities and training are offered. The dogs don’t spend as many hours locked in a pen, unless they are unruly or unsafe with the other dogs or staff.

On the other hand, some of the problems listed in the linked article above aren't preventable. If dogs play, they will get sports injuries just like we will. Some of these injuries are surely a result of couch potato dogs being given the exercise they lack at home. The cleanliness of the kennels is also something that has to be examined. To me, that means relatively disease free open areas, and regularly cleaned indoor areas. But, if the dogs are running around on dirt or grass, then they will get “dirty”, but that isn’t unhealthy for a dog. In addition, more play with dogs is good for them, not less play. The interactions with other dogs rubs off some of the rough spots in the dog’s playing and greeting behaviors, and it helps to prevent dysfunctional, stress related behavioral problems at home. Infections and diseases? Dogs will get sick if they have never been exposed to other dogs in a normal environment. The immune system is stronger if it is challenged from time to time, according to many of the new studies coming out about infectious diseases (do a study on the "hygeine theory" of disease). Lastly, doggie daycares are safer alternatives to off leash parks. You can’t control the mix of dogs that show up at an off leash park, whereas a professionally managed doggie daycare has staff to do just that.

I am the Head Trainer, doing group and private lessons at a doggie daycare called Paws To Play, in Scottsdale, AZ. You can see the benefits to the dogs when they get to work around other dogs. I even tell my private lesson customers to enroll their dogs at the doggie daycare there to supplement the training their dogs are getting at home. At the doggie daycare, dogs get human supervision, play time, training is offered to the customers if they want their dogs worked while they are away, feeding, exercise, and rest time. The dogs get to mix with a wide variety of other dogs, and you can learn quite a bit about your dog if you spend time watching your dog interact with other dogs. That kind of information can then be used to help deal with behavioral problems you are encountering at home. Soon, I will also be offering Agility and Rally classes, too, just to give the dogs additional activities and ways to exercise their pack needs.

There is no substitute for dogs interacting, exercising, eating and doing group tasks naturally with other dogs. It helps “balance” them, as Cesar Milan, the “Dog Whisperer” would say. And I agree. Yes, there are risks, but there are also compensating balances. On the other hand, it isn’t good for dogs to be locked up in cages or buildings for days on end, which is how most professional kennels manage the dogs they board there, and also how most people house their dogs when they are away at work. A properly run doggie daycare program will be good for your dog, and good for your relationship with your dog.

Dog Licensing Laws Are A Waste Of Effort

Fresno city dog owners will have to decide whether to spay or pay. That's just one of three ordinances passed by the city council. The first affects all city dog owners — either have your dog fixed or pay higher licensing fees.

Do you really think people are going to pay these stupid fees? No way. Most will just not license their dogs. Dog licensing is a stupid idea and the practice should be outlawed. It doesn’t make any of us safer. It is just a way to fund a useless bureaucracy. Do you disagree? Then tell me how it makes dogs safer. Tell me how it makes breeders breed better dogs. Tell me how it makes dog owners spend more money and time socializing, training, supervising and containing their dogs. It doesn't. It is just a jobs program for animal control personnel.

Dog Haters Have Gone Too Far In New Zealand

Farmers are likely to boycott compulsory microchipping of dogs.

The Government announced on Monday it would not exempt farm dogs from rules that dogs first registered from July must be micro-chipped.

Opponents of the rules say they will not prevent dog attacks and will probably be ignored by many people.

There is a major Dog Hater campaign going on in New Zealand. Draconian dog laws are being passed all the time, none of which will prevent dog bites, as we have all seen. New Zealand is a mess, and this new regulation shows how silly and how far these wackos will go.

Homeowner's Insurance Legislation Needed

Some homeowners may be surprised to learn they have to choose between their house and their dog.

More and more homeowners are shocked when they discover their insurance carriers aren't renewing their policies simply because of the type of dog they own.

This is a major problem. We need laws to prevent this. I have written on this before. If we lived in a “free market” system, then I wouldn’t oppose this kind of thing. But, we don’t. When regulations force abominable levels of insurance coverage and unfair liability on dog owners, then we need counterbalancing legislation that prevents insurers from not insuring dogs.

Coyotes Kill Dogs

"I found him at the edge of our yard," Glencoe's Keller said Tuesday. "It was about as gruesome a sight as you can imagine. It was the remains of our eaten pet."

The 7-year-old beagle may be one of several North Shore pets killed or injured by coyotes in recent weeks, as the predators may get more aggressive during litter season

It is foolish to leave your dog unattended in your yard, even if it is fenced, in many communities. Coyotes will kill most pet dogs if they get a chance.

You Need More

A Spotsylvania County woman was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter a year after her three pit bulls mauled her 82-year-old neighbor to death.

These are not the days when you could just let your dog roam free, or get loose from you. If your dog hurts someone, you might just go to jail. A good reason for more dog training and more supervision.

More Dog Flu

A serious strain of dog flu is starting to turn up in North Texas.

As I mentioned a few days ago, the dog flu is here. And there is nothing you can do to prevent your dog from getting it. I have spoken to many parents with kids, nurses in hospitals, teachers in schools, and doctors about the human flu. They say they are exposed to it every day, and they just figure that they will get the flu or some other cold each year. They figure their immune systems have to deal with it. One doctor I know said he's trying to not be so "clean", and he is trying to accept more dirt in his lifestyle... because exposure to these things helps exercise your immune system and keep it stronger. Maybe we need to take the same kind of approach to the dog flu, figure our dogs are already being exposed to it, and just accept that as a part of life. There is no dog flu vaccine, so what else are you to do than to trust your dog will come out OK in the end?

Consider The Larger Picture

A man who admitted his dog starved to death in a closet while he took his 7-year-old daughter on a Disney World vacation was sentenced Tuesday to 1 year in jail, the maximum for aggravated cruelty to animals.

And do you think this guy should retain his parental rights to his 7 year old daughter without supervision after he is let out of jail?

You know the old saying: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”

Help Needed For 34 Young Dobermans

There were several emails this morning in regard to 34 Dobes confiscated in Alabama. This is true and the situation is grave. These Dobes were confiscated from a deplorable person claiming to be Dobe Rescue, who was breeding these Dobes. The facility they are being brought to are processing these Dobes, five a day. Two were put to sleep yesterday. Right now, there are 4 females and 3 males, with five more coming in tomorrow, etc.

These Dobes are young. The oldest being around 1 1/2 so far. They are malnourished, probably have demodedic mange and may have Heartworms. They have sweet temperaments and are just looking for a human to love. This volume is far too much for any one group to absorb and the facility is not that big where they are being brought to, so they cannot hold them for a long period of time. We need any and all available rescue groups or individuals that can handle at least of these Dobes to help out. Transport can be arranged, or we will put out a plea for that. I know the Dobe community has been begged to death for help, however, this is a heartbreaking situation where so many young Dobes are going to die, who will probably make great companion Dobes and will be forever grateful to whoever helps them.

Please contact:

Marcia Cowen - okdobie@olp.net or Pamela Gray - redlandrescue@aol.com (918) 366-4554 (786)243-1890 We are preparing a spread sheet of these Dobes and who can help where.

http://www.militarymascots.org/states.html

Kid Attacks Dog, Dog Bites Kid

An 11-year-old Stevenson Ranch boy suffered lacerations to his face, nose and head Sunday afternoon after he was attacked by the family dog, officials with the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

Paramedics responded to a call that was received at about 3:30 p.m. after the dog, a Great Dane, attacked the boy after he “was making growling noises at the dog and roughhousing,” said dispatch supervisor Brendon Peart.

Assuming this story is accurate and complete…

First thing… If you play attack games with a dog, even if it is your own dog, expect to be bitten or mauled by the dog. I tell this to families all the time. The dog doesn’t see it as a game, but a challenge. What was this dog supposed to think? Another “animal” was growling and roughhousing with it… challenging it to a fight. What do you think the dog is supposed to do? It is an ANIMAL, not a person. They don’t understand humor, or jokes, or irony, or your good intentions. They just read body language and translate it into “dog” language. This was a challenge to a fight, period. A fight was provoked, and a fight was what happened. The kid was lucky he wasn’t killed by a full blown attack. This bite was just a warning bite. This wasn't even a full blown attack, but a defensive bite. A mauling is a completely different type of biting incident. Imagine if it had escalated even further before the dog finally was provoked to the point of biting this kid?

Second thing. WHERE WERE THE PARENTS? It isn’t clear what was happening from this article, but you can theorize that it fits the pattern of other similar attacks. These types of incidents aren’t usually the first time the kid has done this to the dog. I have received numerous inquiries from parents after their kids had been bitten after doing this very same thing. They tell me how the kid had tormented the dog from the very first day it got home, and how they had told the child to stop over and over again, but the child wouldn’t listen. Hey, Parents! You don’t just tell them to stop, you MAKE them stop! If I lived on a hog farm and had a small child that wanted to climb into the hog pens and harass the pigs… I’d do whatever I had to do to stop that kid from bothering the animals and being attacked. If I lived in a dangerous neighborhood, and there was a gunfight among gangs outside, yet my kid wanted to go outside to get involved, I’d stop them any way I could to prevent them from being shot and killed. I’d tan their hides real good if that’s what it took. I’d do WHATEVER it took to make sure my child was safe! This was an 11 YEAR OLD BOY, old enough to know better and to listen to his parents. This kid was also old enough to know that what he was doing was harassment to the dog, so he got what he deserved, unfortunately. And if the parents were negligent over the years with this kid and dog, then I’d blame them, too, for this incident.

I wouldn’t put this dog to death for being vicious, either. This is normal dog behavior, considering the circumstances.

Look, I don’t want to see any kid ever get hurt by a dog. But, you have to exercise some common sense when dealing with dogs! You can’t just do whatever you want in life and expect it all to turn out OK. You can’t drive a car at 110 mph in a residential neighborhood and not expect to get in a car wreck; can’t drink 2 gallons of Vodka in 5 minutes and expect to live; can’t jump off a 20 story building head first and expect to not die; can’t have sex with 1,000 strangers and not expect to get HIV; can’t stare at a laser beam and not expect to go blind; can’t jump into a boiling volcano and expect not to be vaporized; and you can’t expect that you can threaten a dog and not be bitten. Sorry, life doesn’t work that way.

Some lessons just have to be dished out by life. Unfortunate, but that’s just the way things are, and now this kid, this family, and yes, this dog, are now all going to suffer for it.

Fight Against Breed Specific Insurance Policies

A proposed law, backed by the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners, would make it illegal for insurance companies in the state to refuse homeowners coverage based on specific breeds of dogs, or from charging higher premiums to people who own certain breeds. Ten other states have pending legislation that would prohibit breed-specific policies, according to the American Kennel Club.

Normally, I’d be against such legislation. I believe in the free markets. But, we are NOT dealing with free markets. Onerous legislation and court decisions have made insurance mandatory, and in some situations, the insurance requirements are so high as to be the equivalent of banning certain types of dogs. So, to counterbalance what has happened in the law, you need legislation making it impossible for insurers to discriminate against specific breeds. Otherwise, you will see lots of insurance policies written that exclude dog bite cases, and if someone is hurt, there won’t be any funds to cover the costs of the injuries.

Therefore, I support this kind of legislation EVERYWHERE. Fight for it. You CAN get it passed in your community.

More Dog Flu...

The dog flu has officially reached Northern California.

In one of the first cases in the region, a purebred puppy purchased from an Iowa breeder by a dog owner in the San Francisco area tested positive for canine influenza, Christian Leutenegger, a University of California, Davis, veterinarian, said Friday.

Leutenegger recently developed a speedy, DNA-based diagnostic test for the bug. He and his colleagues have tested more than 100 samples in recent months; most have been negative.

Symptoms are similar to the flu in people: The dogs get runny noses and congestion, cough, fever and apparent achiness.

Needed: CSI For Dogs

We need Crime Scene Investigators to solve dog abuse crimes. In some cities, they take it very seriously. In others, they are incompetent or don't care. Compare the following three stories.

In the first story, we see the death of a puppy, and the police are investigating what happened...

Authorities in Attleboro are investigating the apparent beating death of a 14-month-old English setter.

And then there is this. We have a potential serial dog killer on the loose, and authorities are looking for a killer.

Another decapitated dog was found in Superior Township on Wednesday

Then we see another case of a dog that died as a result of pit fighting, and the authorities there are investigating what happened...

The dog was found Saturday with her legs bound with duct tape near railroad tracks behind 317 LaGrange Avenue in Rochester. A necropsy performed by vets at the Humane Society determined that the dog died from wounds inflicted by another dog. The dog was dead before being bound with duct tape.

And lastly, we see the continuing bungling of animal control in the Seattle area… they cremated the body of a dog that died of chemical burns before a necropsy had been performed. (Note that in the previous case above, they DID perform a necropsy of the dog bound in duct tape... this is the normal procedure.) I have said, for many years, that there are Dog Haters among some of the top animal control administrators in our major cities, and these plush jobs are handed to political favorites instead of competent officials. In addition, I have seen them hire incompetent people to do animal control work. Many innocent dogs have died at their hands, and the bureaucratic leadership fights harder for their jobs than for the animals they are supposed to protect. And here, once again, is more evidence that this opinion of mine is correct...

King County Animal Control came under fire by a number of people for cremating Mooie, three days after they picked him up without performing a necropsy. Critics said the necropsy would have provided valuable evidence for later prosecution.

What kind of sicko could do these crimes to a dog? But, in the end, we need the authorities to do a competent job of tracking down the perpetrators. Unfortunately, we don't have good animal control programs in many of our major cities. In King County, the authorities have the gall to say that a necropsy wasn't necessary... just to cover themselves. They have blown it. The folks involved should resign in disgrace... but, no. They will go on with their jobs and another dog abuse case will probably remain unsolved. They will spend more time pursuing a barking dog case, or prosecuting someone for a dog killing a neighbor's cat in its own yard, or for a dog being a dog, or fighting against fair dog laws, than they will fixing what is wrong with their processes, procedures and personnel. It is time we pushed for reform in animal control. Animal control is out of control.

There They Go Again...

There is always something interesting about the tricks of the animal rights wackos…

Here are some interesting links for today.

First, there is this disturbing report from www.AnimalScam.com : “One witness interviewed by the FBI (whom other sources have indicated was a former long-term PETA employee) made “statements suggesting that PETA was formed as a cover for the Animal Liberation Front (ALF)." ALF is a terrorist organization. Would YOU want to be associated with a terrorist group?

Second, we see that eventually, people are going to fight back against extremist propaganda: “the Advertising Standards Authority upheld five complaints against the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The Research Defence Society also published a dossier detailing "15 years of lies, distortions and half-truths attacking the scientific basis of animal research" by animal rights groups. ”

And third, extremists will say or do anything to promote their wacky causes: “Students from PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, drew an angry crowd on Sproul after displaying images that compared animal treatment to the lynching and enslavement of black Americans. About a dozen Berkeley students furiously engaged the PETA members, accusing the animal rights group of racism.”

Isn’t it obvious what we are dealing with here? First lesson: follow the money. How do these extremists fund their causes? Often times by setting up so-called legitimate front groups, which then funnel support to their extremist backers. If the allegations made by the above witness are true, then this would explain how a relatively small group could inflict so much carnage. Isn't this the same thing we saw the communist front groups of the 1960's and 70's here in the US? And now with the Islamofascist front groups operating in the West? Second lesson: Eventually the people will fight back against the extremists. At some point, the extremists do their own version of 9/11, and the general public wakes up and decides to stomp them. Third lesson: If you get wacky enough, you can even get Berkeley Leftists to fight against their own Leftists! They will turn on each other.

Animal welfare is a noble pursuit. Animal rights is a wacko, extremist movement. It is going to die out because it is extremist.

Toxic People

Walters, 35, of Newmarket, was sentenced to six months in jail after she was convicted of theft and cruelty to animal. The charges stem from the dognapping of Dewey from the Eliot home of Patrick Collins in May, 2004.

The charges stem from an incident that began in Eliot. Wylie, who was dating Collins, was jealous of his attention to the dog. Authorities said Wylie, with help from Walters, stole Dewey, wrapped the animal in a tightly closed bag, and brought it to Wylie’s Portsmouth apartment, where they drowned it in a bathtub.

Just goes to show you… it matters what kind of person you let into your life. Some people are toxic, and will harm your dog. This doggie was a cute little Dachshund... and it died a horrible death... breaks your heart, doesn't it?

Dog Flu Not Preventable

Doggy daycare centers, boarders and groomers are feeling a financial bite since an outbreak of canine influenza first appeared in Denver in January. Some have lost thousands of dollars after having had to shut down for days or weeks at a time to disinfect their facilities and prevent further spread of the virus.

Vets say there's little people can do to prevent the spread of the canine flu. It's a new strain that originated among greyhounds at racetracks. Most dogs lack immunity, but once they come in contact with the flu, vets claim the dogs will build up an immunity that will last about two years. Several drug companies are working on a vaccine.

So… you are telling me that those in the pet business are losing money because of dog flu… but there isn’t anything we can do about the spread of the disease? Meaning, therefore, that washing of hands, using bleach and other cleaners, etc. are a waste of time? Then, we might as well ride this one out. If you have a dog with a good immune system, it will survive. If not, then your dog will perish. Harsh, but that is what seems to be the situation.

Breed Specific Legislation A Hot Topic

The Trempealeau Board of Supervisors will vote tonight on whether nurture — or lack thereof — is more important than nature when it comes to dogs.

A county committee last month recommended removing breed-specific language from the county’s dangerous-dog ordinance that passed last year, which characterizes several breeds of dogs — including Dobermans, Rottweilers and some terriers — as dangerous.

The committee agreed to revisit the ordinance after it was presented with information suggesting that a dog’s environment and upbringing is more important than the aggressiveness associated with its breed.

CONTROVERSY: Puppy Scalded By Acid

Animal advocates from around the world have expressed their outrage over the treatment of a pit-bull puppy in Federal Way that had to be euthanized after it was burned with acid over most of its body.

Pasado's Safe Haven, a nonprofit animal rescue and rehabilitation center in Sultan, said it continues to receive angry calls and e-mails from around the United States, Canada and Europe about the 4-month-old puppy whose body, face, mouth and paws were so severely scalded that veterinarians could not save it.

The controversy here is more than just a horribly abused dog. The controversy is also in how the body was disposed of after the crime. By cremating the body, a good deal of evidence might have been destroyed, making activists wonder if this will thwart the apprehension and conviction of the criminal who mercilessly killed this poor pit bull dog.

Sam... HELP!!!

Dear Sam,

PLEASE HELP!!

My husband and I were looking forward to getting a new family pet. We previously owned two large dogs; a Viszla and a white German Shepherd Dog. (Both dogs had died of old age). Both were trained by us. Both were great family dogs. The Viszla went hunting often with my husband. The German Shepherd played wonderfully with our children and was "sweet" to visitors after a proper introduction. My husband and I and our three children were very sad about our two dogs passing away. We also know that is just a part of life. And we all looked forward to experiencing the joy of making a new dog a part of our family.

We did our research and were very excited about bringing home a German Shorthair Pointer! Our new puppy’s name is "Sid" and he is now 9 months old.

My husband and I felt confident and positive about choosing this breed. We had good experiences with our other dogs and felt that we could provide this new puppy what it needed. We have three children, ages 15, 8 and 6. Before bringing the puppy home we talked with the kids about proper behavior around a new puppy. We had a 'plan' for everything! And we included our children in on each part of the plan. Everyone in our family was looking forward to the day that Sid would come join our family. Everyone was excited about being a part of the training process of our new puppy.

That was 7 months ago. And we have some real concerns. Our kids are not bonding with Sid. Part of the problem is the "biting/mouthing" that puppies do. Our girls understood that this is a natural part of puppies - but now Sid is nearly full grown (probably close to 60 lbs). He still jumps up on all of us, but especially the kids. He knocks them down and bites at their head and faces. There isn't any growling involved. It appears to me that Sid thinks this is appropriate playful behavior. But my kids come away pretty beaten up at times. When their friends come over we have to keep Sid away from the kids because he tends to jump up at the friends faces and bite! No blood has been drawn - but huge welts are left where his teeth met their flesh! I have to be honest, if I were a stranger and happened to witness this large dog jump at a child's face and "bite or mouth" the way Sid does, I would think this dog needed to be shot. I DO NOT think my dog really needs to be shot --- but I think we need to do something soon!

The kids DO NOT yell and scream in high pitch voices around Sid. They DO NOT run and flail their arms around wildly. I cannot figure out why Sid wants to chew on the kids like he would a chew toy.

How can we get Sid to stop jumping on the kids? And how can we get him to understand that using his mouth to play is not acceptable when it comes to humans? We have a few other concerns with Sid as well:

1. He doesn't respond to "Come"

2. We're not able to engage him in a good game of "fetch"

3. He seems more interested in birds, squirrels, other dogs, etc....than in bonding with our family.

We are committed to this dog. Even though our relationship with him is not how we envisioned it would be - we want to work with him and understand what he is thinking. But, I don't think it is smart to keep a dog if we must keep him separated from our children. I don't think that would be fair to our children to own a dog that is a threat to them - I don't think it would be fair to the dog either. It's really sad when our young girls come in from playing in the backyard in tears and tell us "I hate that dog!" because he just got through knocking them down and chewing on their head. I know it is not fun for them to be "mouthed" as aggressively as Sid does. And I know it hurts too.

I really don't think Sid is a vicious dog. I've seen vicious dogs - Sid does not seem like one of them. But the problem is still here and I don't know what to do.

Elizabeth


Hi Elizabeth,

You need to start from scratch and get all the way through a good basic obedience training program. Private lessons would be best, since it would go faster. You are just dealing with an untrained, not a dangerous, dog.

Sam Basso
www.samthedogtrainer.com

Stay Away From Dog Brokers

People placing "free to good home" advertisements in newspapers for their unwanted dogs are being urged to be wary of unscrupulous dog brokers.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) is appealing to people not to give their unwanted pets to strangers and to rather work with their local SPCA.

This comes after several "dog broking" cases were reported to the NSPCA where hundreds of "free to good homes" dogs were being transported to Malawi to work as security dogs.

If you have to give up your dog, be sure to contact your local animal shelter or breed rescue organizations. Stay away from dog brokers.

Mouth Masks?

Local dog owners have been rushing to buy mouth masks and harnesses for their pets, despite the steep prices, to ensure the animals don't scare other people while being taken out.

This is being done to comply with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Security Administration Punishment, which came into effect on March 1.

According to the law, owners will be given an administrative warning if their pets, mostly dogs, adversely affect the daily lives of other residents.

If the dogs intimidate residents, the owners will be fined between 200 yuan (US$25) and 500 yuan.

The law makes it mandatory for dog owners to buy mouth masks even if their price is much higher than the ones used by human beings.

Mouth Masks? This is completely idiotic overregulation. Read the entire article. This is what happens when you pass laws to appease the irrational fears of a few. This is no different than the so-called “menacing” laws in force in many cities. In these cities, if your neighbor is afraid of dogs, they can make a complaint that your dog “scared” them… even if your dog was 2 miles away… and you’ll get a notice that your dog is now a “potentially dangerous dog”. Such a designation can cause you to be fined, your homeowner’s insurance to be cancelled, and your dog impounded by animal control. Even if you never saw this idiot neighbor of yours, and even if your dog never interacted with them.

I think these politicians and dog phobic nuts need the masks and harnesses, instead. Don’t you agree?

Dog Infected With Bird Flu

A dog has been found infected with the bird flu in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani officials said on Thursday.

You have to wonder if a breakout of bird flu affected our dogs, if the government would round them up en masse and exterminate them. I think it is a serious possibility. Governments around the world are doing that very thing with other species, so I figure government planners are thinking: why not dogs?

Doubletalk

“We butcher dogs as part of our culture but we never use our customs to justify the passage of any law that would make the dog meat trade lawful”

Doubletalk at its finest.

Uh huh. Sure. Great explanation. It is against the law to kill a dog and eat its meat in the Philippines, but it is still done for religious practices and considered legal.

Who Are These People Anyway?

A man accused of taping a dog's mouth shut and leaving it to die inside a trash bin surrendered on animal cruelty charges.

Police said 26-year-old Samuel Bernard Sanders was freed on bond Friday. He turned himself in Thursday after a Morgan County grand jury indicted him on a felony animal cruelty charge and a misdemeanor perjury charge.

Police allege that Sanders owned the dog that came to be called "Lucky" after it was found in a trash bin on February 22 with duct tape wrapped around its snout and a leg that was wounded so badly it had to be amputated.

Dr. Steve Osborne, a veterinarian who treated Lucky for free, believed the dog was injured while being used to train fighting dogs.

These wackos who fight dogs aren’t normal dog owners, in my humble opinion. There is something seriously sick about engaging in a blood sport like pit dog fighting.

Sigh

A man who killed his neighbor's pit bull after it started beating his own dog in a fight has been sentenced to two years in jail.

Prosecutors say 22-year-old Kevin Knott was sentenced Friday on his January guilty plea to felony animal cruelty charges.

They say Knott lured the dog and its owners into the basement of his Northwest Washington home on the pretext of having the pit bulls mate.

Does this need any comment? Well, maybe it does... ONLY TWO YEARS IN JAIL? What kind of a person does this kind of thing? And should they be let out in 2 years?

Another Case Of Animal Abuse

A Shreveport man faces a charge of animal cruelty, accused of performing a sex act with a neighbor's dog.

David Bruce Powell, 57, was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center on Friday afternoon on a misdemeanor charge of simple animal cruelty. He was released Saturday night on a $5,140 bond.

Witnesses told police they saw Powell being "unusually affectionate" with the dog and saw pictures on Powell's computer of him having sex with the animal.

At least this is illegal in Louisiana. It isn’t illegal in all places in this country. This stuff is animal abuse, and these sickos need to be locked up in a prison for the criminally insane.

Courthouse Therapy Dog

An Ohio juvenile court judge has come up with a way to help ease the concerns of upset youngsters who come into his chambers.

It's his big, yellow Labrador retriever named Buckeye.

She makes the Delaware County courthouse and the judge a little less intimidating for kids who have to talk about grown-up things such as custody battles or child abuse.

I’m amazed at all the uses of therapy dogs. For many of us, life just isn’t the same without a dog in our lives.

I'm Back!

Hi, Everybody

Sorry for not posting for a while. Been sick, but now I’m feeling 100% better and I'll be posting again. Hope all has been well with you.

Sam

Man Sets Dog On Fire For Barking

A 21 year-old resident of Nes Tziona, south of Tel Aviv, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of setting his neighbor's dog on fire because her barking disturbed him.

The dog was seriously injured and evacuated to the veterinary hospital in Beit Dagan for treatment.

The suspect, who confessed to the charges against him and expressed regret over the act, will be brought before a judge for extension of his remand Thursday.

The shocking incident took place Wednesday afternoon. The suspect told police he was sitting at his house studying for a university exam when the dog started barking relentlessly.

"It drove me crazy," the suspect said.

I have warned about this before. There is a small percentage of people who will go absolutely nuts if they hear a dog barking, to the point of getting violent and committing a crime to stop it. These folks will endanger your life and the life of your dog. As a matter of responsible dog ownership, you need to control your dog's barking, but with these folks, it really won't matter what you do so long as they think they might hear a peep out of your dog.

These folks need to be taken seriously, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I figure they aren't right in the head, and should be locked up in a mental institution. A barking dog, though a nuisance, doesn't deserve the death penalty.

Educate Yourself! Your Dog Ownership Rights Are Threatened!

I received this notice via a dog forum I subscribe to. It is worth studying what is happening in the dog legislation world. Read this carefully and see what is going on. There are many dog haters out there, and politicians will ride the coattails of any movement, no matter how immoral, if it will further their careers. So, get active and learn all you can. It could make the difference whether your dog is targeted one day.

Check this out…

Subject: Need Veto Help on First in the Nation Statewide Dog Owner Database Requirement

(From VHDOA)

Dear Fellow Virginian Pet Owners,

HB339 passed the Richmond General Assembly last week and awaits Governor Tim Kaine's approval or veto. The bill's patron acknowledges that its primary goal is to provide "inducements" for pet sterilization. Don't let HB339 become Virginia law.

Public pressure stripped HB339 provisions which set a single higher licensing cost throughout most of Virginia, required universal intact v sterilized tag differential costs, special fines for intact dog owner leash law violations coupled with forced sterilization and the use of public monies for non-audited private spay-neuter programs. Despite these original elements, the bill is on the verge of becoming law and will serve as the cornerstone for future animal rightist lobbying.

HB339 still contains the requirement that veterinarian in the state who gives a rabies vaccination supply detailed pet owner and animal information to city and country treasurers for incorporation in a billing database. Such data "shall include at a minimum the signature of the veterinarian, the animal owner's name and address, the species of the animal, the sex, the age, the color, the primary breed, the secondary breed, whether or not the animal is spayed or neutered, the vaccination number, and expiration date." Species of animal is a residual from the introduced bill version's scope which included cats as well as dogs. Virginia requires cats be given rabies vaccinations and eleven jurisdiction license felines. Cats were removed from HB339's database late in the legislative process, but are very likely to be included next year, if the bill becomes law. The other very likely next step is mandatory microchipping of every dog receiving a rabies vaccination to "facilitate the identification of dog owners and the return of lost (sic) dogs."

What's the big problem with HB339?

HB339 provides a detailed pet owner electronic database for manipulation and scrutiny by anyone and everyone. Virginia's code explicitly requires this information be publicly available and is reinforced by the state's Freedom of Information Act. ** Pet licensing and rabies vaccinations will decline, without question. ** Pet owners who don't want their privacy invaded will stop get pets vaccinated against rabies, if their veterinarians report every detail about them. HB339's invasion of citizen privacy is bad public policy that will endanger the public's health. The latest human rabies death in Virginia was in March 2003; the one before that was in 1999. Such deaths and treatment requirements will increase if HB339 becomes law and fewer pets are vaccinated.

Where do the Virginia veterinarians stand on HB339?

How does revealing client information square with professional codes of conduct? The Texas and Florida Veterinary Medical Associations vigorously opposed similar bills, which were defeated. In contrast, the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association (VVMA) supported HB339. VVMA was so desperate to get its members exempted from HB339's provision that every veterinarian be required to sell animal tags that it grabbed at the alternative of just supplying treasurers with owner-dog data and letting them do the billing, as well as maintaining the database. As a further inducement to support the revised bill, what would have normally been Class 4 misdemeanor penalties for a veterinarian's failure to comply with the information-furnishing requirement was reduced to $10 per incident fines.

What VVMA appears to have missed is the fact that the new database is the perfect mechanism for one DVM to solicit another's clients. Sort by zip code, breed type, spayed, or unspayed and a ready solicitation list will drop out.

How valid are pet owners' privacy concerns?

The fact that animal rightist zealots (AR) and neighborhood do- gooders will harass citizens over having too many dogs or not sterilizing them can't be brushed aside. This is a priority bill for the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/state_legislation/state- legislat ion-list.html?state=virginia See how certain AR groups already use available federal data on commercial breeders http://www.aesop- project.org/Maps/overview.htm#breeders or review media harassment reports of selected dog owners, animal thefts and hunting dog "liberations."

Owners of pit bulls, Rotweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds and their crosses have a special concern. No insurance company doing business in this state, or in most others, will sell homeowner coverage to anyone that it knows owns certain "blacklisted" dogs. Those blacklisted dogs vary by company, but normally include, at a minimum, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans and their mixes. HB339 requires, under the threat of fine, veterinary reporting of every dog rabies vaccinated, including the animal owner's name and address, the species of the animal, .... the primary breed, the secondary breed, whether or not the animal is spayed or neutered, [emphasis added]. Insurance companies have a significant financial incentive to identify owners of blacklisted dogs in their policy pools. Such owners are universally considered higher risks, regardless of the dog's true nature, and such coverage will be terminated at policy renewal, if not before. Identifying such current or applicant policyholders from the information contained in HB339's database would be a very simple matter.

Please help kill Virginia HB339!! It's in your interest.

We need hundreds of emails, letters and phone calls to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, asking him to veto HB339. Ask your relatives, friends and neighbors to help. The message is simple. **VETO HB339** HB339 will increase the risk of rabies in Virginia and violate pet owner privacy. Pet owners outside of Virginia should tell the Governor that they won't visit a state with such a dangerous, anti-pet owner law. Encourage them to tell the governor that Jamestown2007, Virginia dog events and every other state tourist attraction are off their lists.

To email the governor, use the form at http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm

Ask for a subject-specific response.

Letters and faxes should request the same, subject-specific response.

Governor Timothy M. Kaine Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor 1111 East Broad Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 Fax: (804) 371-6351 Telephone the governor's office at (804) 786-2211 between 8:30 AM -5:30 PM EST on weekdays. Interrupt the recorded message by pressing zero (0) and tell the operator you want Governor Kaine to **Veto HB339** and why.

If you have the time, do all three, email, write and telephone.

Also write the Washington Post letters@washpost.com and Richmond Times Dispatch newspapers, stating your opposition to HB339.

Please forward and cross post widely.

HB339 has the potential to adversely effect every U.S. dog and cat owner.

Thank you.

Sincerely, Bob Kane, President Virginia Hunting Dog Owners' Association http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/

Sportsmen's and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance –

Working to identify and elect supportive legislators

** NO PAWS **

Silly Solution For Preventing Dog Bites

To curb kids’ risk of dog bites, a new study recommends that parents delay getting dogs until kids are old enough to go to school.

”Any dog may attack,” write the researchers. They included Johannes Schalamon, MD, of the pediatric surgery department at the Medical University of Graz in Graz, Austria.

Schalamon’s team studied all children -- 341 kids -- treated at their hospital for dog bites from 1994 to 2003. Data included the kids’ ages and the dogs’ breeds.

The study shows that young kids are most likely to get bitten, and that the risk of dog bites varied among certain dog breeds. The report appears in Pediatrics’ online edition.

Tell these pointy heads that this is a ridiculous solution to prevent dog bites. How about better parental supervision, better dog training, and not letting young kids and dogs to play unsupervised? This ain't rocket science, folks.

PIT BULL BANS ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!!

Pit bull bans and restrictions are illegal. The problem is that you have to fight them in court. But, here is some good news for US residents... (Colorado... are you listening? Since these bans are illegal, then your state will be sued for tens of millions of dollars in damages for all those pit bulls you illegally seized and killed!!!)

A Toledo law singling out pit bulls has been struck down by a state appeals court.

The city ordinance said residents could own just one "vicious" dog, and defined that as one that has bitten or killed a human, has killed another dog -- or is a pit bull.

On a 2-1 vote, the appeals court judges called the law unreasonable and discriminatory.

Here is more of the ruling in detail…

"Since we conclude that there is no evidence that pit bulls are inherently dangerous or vicious, then the city ordinance limitation on ownership is also arbitrary, unreasonable, and discriminatory," Judge Skow wrote. "If a citizen may own more than one nonvicious dog of a particular breed, then ownership of more than one nonvicious pit bull has no rational, real, or substantial relationship to a legitimate government interest."

Glen Bui, the vice president of American Canine Foundation, said his organization supported Mr. Tellings and his attorney, Sol Zyndorf. He said his organization has long advocated for stricter laws against dogs that have proven themselves vicious but has fought laws throughout the country that point to all pit bulls as dangerous.

Mr. Bui called yesterday's ruling "monumental." He said attempts to create breed-specific legislation have "gotten out of control" across the country.

"This is the first time ever in the United States that a published opinion has ruled that breed-specific legislation is unconstitutional," he said.

This proves what we’ve been saying all along. You can't just pass a law to do anything to anyone in this country. We have the US Constitution. USE IT, FIGHT BACK AND YOU WILL WIN!!!

Puppy Mill Horror Story

Here is a disturbing exposé on puppy mills. Read it and weep. This is why you should NEVER buy a dog from a pet store...

Across Minnesota, 127 commercial kennels are licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to breed and sell dogs that turn up in pet shops across the country. Three of those kennels are among the nation's largest, often housing more than 1,000 dogs apiece.

But Minnesota is not a hub of the industry; the state's extreme climate makes breeding more complicated and expensive. Missouri, for example, has about 1,500 commercial breeders licensed by the USDA, the most in the nation.