XYLITOL DEADLY FOR DOGS!!!

What's safe for humans can be toxic for dogs. A recent study warns about the dangers of xylitol, a commonly used sugar substitute found in some sugar-free candy, gum and baked goods. "Dogs are the primary victims of xylitol because dogs are the type of animal that will jump up on the counter and steal a cupcake or steal their owner's pack of gum out of their purse," said Dr. Louise Murray of the ASPCA. Cases of xylitol poisoning are on the rise. The ASPCA's poison control center managed 170 cases of xylitol poisoning in 2005, twice the number of cases in 2004. This years' number suggests the upward trend continues. Even small amounts of xylitol can be lethal. "You can see symptoms when a dog eats xylitol in as soon as 30 minutes," said Dr. Murray. "They'll begin to vomit, have tremors, some of the dogs will have seizures and actually their liver will begin to fail."

This is especially critical considering today is Halloween. How many dogs will die today from either eating chocolate or treats sweetened with Xylitol? This is why I recommend boarding your dog overnight on Halloween, to keep them away from these kinds of dangers.

Oxygen Masks For Pets?

The Seattle Fire Department has purchased five sets of respirator masks designed to help revive pets after house fires. "I've been to a lot of house fires where people are really begging you to save their pets," said Jen Bessler, a Seattle firefighter who got the idea from a fire station in San Mateo, CA.

It is about time. There is no reason to not try to save pets from smoke inhalation. In fact, many pets do all they can to save the lives of their owners when they detect a fire in the home. We owe them to make sure they live, too. Does your local fire department have such masks?

Boater Saves Drowning Dog

Tigger was apparently thrown from Diane and Richard Beckman's boat on their way from Key Largo to Marathon, Fla. They said once they realized Tigger was missing from their boat, they searched for him for more than two hours. "We went back and forth, back and forth," Diane told the paper. "Finally we just gave up, because we thought he couldn't have survived in the water for that long. I was just heartbroken. "

Another boater found Tigger and dropped him off at a local pet shelter. Because he had name tags on his collar, the shelter was able to contact the owners.

Diane was elated when she got home and listened to her messages. She went quickly to pick up Tigger. "He was so terrified. As soon as he realized it was me, he jumped in my arms and wouldn't let go," Diane told the paper. "Please tell dog owners not to take their dog out on a boat without a life jacket," Diane said. "Mine had a happy ending, but most don't."

The dog was found so far out that land wasn't even visible.

You can bet this isn't the first time something like this has happened. If you have a dog and a boat, you MUST teach the dog to not get off the boat without permission, have a supervision plan, and make sure the dog can't get off the boat when left unsupervised. And, yes, I think a life jacket is a good idea.

I Received This From SAOVA

Dear SAOVA Friends,

With only two weeks before the November 7, 2006 election, Democratic control of the House of Representatives in 2007 appears assured. Astute political observers may argue over individual House race outcomes, but most have turned to the Senate contests. Six Senate seats must change hands for the Democratic Party to gain control there. GOP losses in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Montana are expected and widely predicted. If the Democrats can win one of three very close races in the Upper South states of Missouri, Tennessee or Virginia, a 50-50 tie will result. Power could be shared, as it was for five months in 2001, until Senator James Jeffords (I-VT) left the GOP to break that 50-50 deadlock. Two wins will leave Democrats in control of both chambers.

What would this mean for sportsmen and animal owners?

We’ll absolutely have to refight old battles that we won in the past. The PACs of the largest animal rightist (AR), anti-hunting organization, Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) and its allies (see http://saova.org/ARPACS.html) have endorsed over 600 supportive politicians at the federal and state levels. If many of these endorsed candidates are true AR believers and they take office, the anti zealots will unquestionably reintroduce anti-hunting, pet, livestock and medical research bills that previously failed to become federal law. AR activity in many states continues to intensify. Half of the endorsements are local ones.

The Sportsmen's and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance’s (SAOVA) website at http://saova.org has been updated to include many new AR endorsements. Significant changes were made to the AZ, CA, CO, IL, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA and WI state pages since our last message to you. Additional resource links to supportive animal owner groups have also been added.

While every vote counts, both in polling places and on the legislative floor, there are sixteen races where *SAOVA endorsees* are in head-to-head contests with animal rightist endorsees,

MO Senate *Talent (R)* v. McCaskill (D)

CA11 *Pombo (R)* v. McNerney (D)

CT2 Simmons (R) v. *Courtney (D)*

IA5 *King (R)* v. Shulte (D)

IL17 *Zinga (R)* v. Hare (D)

KY4 Davis (R) v. *Lucas (D)*

MI7 *Walberg (R)* v. Reiner (D)

MI9 *Knollenberg (R)* v. Skinner (D)

MI15 *Dingell (D)* v. Smith (I)

OH6 *Blasdel (R)* v. Wilson (D)

NC11 *Taylor (R)* v. Shuler (D)

NJ5 *Garrett (R)* v. Aronsohn (D)

NM1 *Wilson (R)* v. Madrid (D)

TN5 *Cooper (D)* v. Welsch (I)

VA6 *Goodlatte (R)* v. Pryor (I)

WI5 *Sensenbrenner (R)* v. Kennedy (D)

If your vote, or that someone you know, can be cast to support a SAOVA endorsed candidate against the anti zealots that wish to impose their distorted beliefs on the rest of America, please be sure to vote and encourage others to do so. Take your friends and neighbors to the polls on November 7th. The stakes are huge.

Voters need to read the ballot measures very carefully this year. There are important pro and con issues to be decided. Vote for the best candidates, but also take the time to study the entire ballot and make good decisions throughout.

Arizona Voters- Vote NO on Proposition 204.This is an animal rightist effort to force changes in livestock farming that no reputable agriculture or veterinary group supports.

Colorado Voters- Vote NO on Amendment 38. Amendment 38 strips current fraud and misrepresentation safeguards from ballot measures.

Florida Voters- Vote YES on Amendment 3. Amendment 3 will increase voter requirements for laws by petition that bypass the legislature.

Georgia Voters- Vote YES on Constitutional Amendment 2. Amendment 2 will protect Georgia citizens right to hunt and fish.

Michigan Voters- Vote YES on Proposal 3. Proposal 3 will permit Michigan’s dove hunting season to continue.

SAOVA's reviews are single interest efforts. We make no pretense of evaluating candidates' positions on taxes, education, social security, medical care, national security, gun control or social issues. To the degree that hunting, fishing, livestock farming and pet ownership are important to you, we offer these election candidate analyses to be combined with other, personal considerations to determine your vote. Please register and VOTE! Thank you.

Sincerely,

Bob Kane
Sportsmen's and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance -
Working to identify and elect supportive legislators
Visit our new website at http://saova.org

OK, so what do all of you think about this? I am clearly concerned about animal rights supporters or sympathizers being elected to office. What do you recommend?

Not Well

Investigators said 26-year-old, Michael Patrick McPhail may be the first person to face prosecution in Washington State under a new law protecting animals from sexual abuse.McPhail is being held on $300,000 bail and has been kept under suicide watch since his arrest late Wednesday.

Then, there is this story...

A Serbian man needed emergency surgery after he had sex with a hedgehog on a witchdoctor's advice.

Wonderful. His witchdoctor said so.

Can you believe that there are people who fight against making this kind of thing illegal?

This has to be a sign of mental illness, eh?

Neglect

A Janesville couple is charged with neglecting their 44 Siberian husky dogs. A criminal complaint says Jerry Talley told a Rock County sheriff's deputy that conditions in his home had gotten so filthy that he slept outside in a tent when the weather was good. Talley, 46, and his 42-year-old ex-wife, Michelle Talley, are charged with obstructing and failing to provide proper shelter, food and water for the dogs. They have a court appearance scheduled for Oct. 25.

I would suspect that more is going on here than just animal neglect. I know of someone who is a "hoarder", and this person needs help. I don't know if that is what is going on here in this news story. But, if it is, hoarding is a major problem and the people involved need help from their families and the community.

For All You Dog Haters Out There

After a disabled woman's cat started a house fire, her specially trained dog came to the rescue, then died trying to help the cat still in the house. Jamie Hanson said the 13-year-old dog named Jesse brought the phone so she could call 911 and also brought her artificial leg. "She got me outside and then she heard the cat upstairs and she went up there to get the cat and she wouldn't come back to me," Hanson, 49, said at a news conference Monday at Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center where she was being treated for her injuries.

THAT is why I love dogs.

War Dog Is Honored

A statue of a hero dog that became mascot to the Free Norwegian Forces during World War II has been unveiled. British and Norwegian naval officers have gathered in the coastal Angus town of Montrose to immortalise the story of Bamse the St Bernard. The dog, who died more than 60 years ago, has already been honoured with the animal equivalent of the George Cross. The £50,000 bronze memorial was unveiled by Prince Andrew in front of hundreds of spectators. Bamse, a crew member on board the Norwegian minesweeper Thorudd, became a hero when the vessel was stationed in Montrose and Dundee during the war. His legendary exploits included saving a young lieutenant who was set upon by a knifeman and rescuing a sailor who fell overboard.

Truly a hero. Yet, there are animal rights wackos who don't believe dogs should be used for any kind of service work at all. We just can't let their types determine the fate of dog ownership.

Another Dog Dragged Behind Vehicle

Ellis County investigators are searching for a woman they said tortured a dog Saturday, NBC 5 reported. A witness reported seeing the woman drag the dog behind her pickup before leaving it in a ditch.

This happens a lot more frequently than you might realize. I have reported on this quite a few times.

Just Surrender, OK?

A Gilford police dog fell from a second-story window while searching for a robbery suspect during the weekend, but still got its man. They say Agbar fell from a second-story window while on the hunt, but was not hurt, and led officers to Mount, who was arrested outside his apartment.

Another reason why dogs are used by the police... amazing athleticism.

Sick

A trail of blood led police to two suspects who allegedly bound and dragged the family dog behind a vehicle in Didsbury, Alta., over the weekend. The dog's injuries were so severe, a veterinarian called by the RCMP had to euthanize the dog on the spot. Investigators said the dog's legs were bound together with duct tape and there was a tow rope around its neck. The dogwas severely bleeding from several parts of its body. Police officers followed a trail of blood to a local home. Charges have been laid against two teenagers. Daniel Charles Haskett, 19, of Didsbury, has been charged with injuring/endangering an animal and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. He is also charged with obstructing police. A 17-year-old male, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is charged with injuring/endangering an animal and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

What is an appropriate punishment for this kind of abuse? And can you consider anyone who would do this to be mentally stable and safe to be in public? I'd like some answers.

Yeah, Right...

Go over to DoggieNews.com and read their post about certified animal behaviorists... and you can read my comments, too.

Don't waste your money or time on these so-called experts. I've been generally underwhelmed by their expertise.

So, Someone Doesn't Like Your Dog

A Muslim minicab driver refused to take a blind passenger because her guide dog was "unclean". Abdul Rasheed Majekodumni told Jane Vernon she could not get into his car with the dog because of his religion. Islamic tradition warns Muslims against contact with dogs because they are seen as impure.

I guess I figure if someone is offended at my dog, then I should let them be. I'm not here to make people believe the way I do. That is what is wrong with this world these days, people trying to impose their world view on others. Persuasion... different thing. That is legitimate discourse. But, forcing someone to accept what I believe? Totally wrong. I feel this woman should have let this man go on and flagged another cab. Why give offense? Be an example to others. Do unto others, eh? I try to make sure my dog is not offensive to other people, with training, supervision, containment, and socialization. Then, I get comments like: I don't like dogs... BUT I LIKE YOUR DOG. That builds bridges.

What A Morning...

I woke up this morning with a dog drinking water out of the toilet. I hate that. And I put a stop to it immediately. I don't let my dogs do that kind of thing. I think it is unsanitary. I really don't want a dog dripping toilet water from its muzzle coming up to greet me. I'm surprised how many people think nothing of that.

Then, I read how North Korea has detonated a nuke. And then I wonder if what I do every day matters. What is responsible dog ownership in relation to the dangers of nuclear war? I am very curious as to what the world response will be, especially China, Japan, and the US. Forget about Europe. Like usual, they won't do a thing. All this world turmoil is so similar to what I have read about the 1930's. I have no doubt we are heading for a major world war. Something horrible is coming.

If I am right, then people won't think much about dogs. They will be thinking of their own survival.

A Dangerous Dog? No Way!

A RETIRED nurse was left covered in blood after she had a finger bitten to the bone by a dog while doing a neighbourly deed. Vera Hall, 61, of Wheatcroft, Cheshunt, was posting a note through the door of a nearby house when a hound inside sank its teeth into her right index finger, which was poking through the letterbox. "It was pouring with blood everywhere. I'm an epileptic and I nearly had a fit." She added: "The dog made no noise before or after. It's a Staffordshire bull terrier." A Hertfordshire police spokeswoman said that, although officers initially attended, the case had been referred to Broxbourne Council's dangerous dogs co-ordinator.

So, this _____ (choose your word) puts her finger in a door and gets bitten by a dog. The case is then being referred as a dangerous dog issue. Unbelievable. Do something stupid like this, and expect to be bitten. This dog is NOT dangerous and this woman took risks she should have known were foolish. The dog is not at fault here, nor is the owner of the dog. It is also irrelevant what breed was involved in this biting incident. And I resent the sympathy ploy, claiming this dog caused her to risk a seizure... she caused her own problems. This is a clear case of a dog defending its property. This dog felt this woman was trespassing on its master's property, and did what any good dog would do: Defend its master. This was a justified bite, regardless of what the law says.

Explain This To Me...

A PET dog was killed after falling 400ft over a cliff... at the base of Huntcliff near Saltburn. The incident began earlier in the afternoon when a couple were walking their labrador, Jake, along the cliff top. The dog fell nearly 400ft down and the owners contacted Cleveland Police who in turn contacted Humber Coastguard.

Was this dog off leash? And if so, what kind of idiot walks a dog off leash near a 400 foot cliff?!

I saw a lady walking her yellow Lab the other day, off leash, along a busy road. I don't care how well your dog is trained. That is just stupid.

So, What Do All These Stories Have In Common?

1.) A Rottweiler dug his way out of a pen and mauled a toddler before the dog was shot to death by sheriff's deputies. Two-year-old Julius Graham wandered into the yard next to his grandparents' house Tuesday when he was met by the dog. "He got excited and the dog reacted," said Nina Estrada, a cousin of the boy's mother. The boy later died

2.) A six-year-old girl was recovering in hospital yesterday after being tossed around "like a rag doll" by a pit bull terrier in a savage attack. The dog turned on Tyla Cole as she arrived with her father, Marcus, at a friend's house on the way to a christening on Sunday. Initially, the American pit bull looked pleased to see them and was wagging its tail. But moments later, the dog attacked.

3.) A CONCERNED mum is calling for the law to be changed after her young daughter was savaged by a rottweiler. Six-year-old Alicia Duff and her mum Lisa are now waiting for the wounds to heal before hearing from surgeons about possible plastic surgery to the youngster's severely injured arm. The frightened child, who attends St Joseph's First School in Ombersley Way, Droitwich, was rushed to the accident and emergency department of Worcestershire Royal Hospital after the dog bit her arm on Sunday, September 17. According to her mum, Alicia had been told that the dog was safe to stroke before it lashed out. The incident happened when she went to a nearby house to call for another youngster of the same age.

While these are all tragic incidents…. I see no indication that anyone knew that these dogs would bite.

Not all dog bite incidents are the result of the fault of the owner. Dogs are animals, without morals and without human judgment. They do what they do sometimes, and you don’t always know why. AND THERE IS NO LAW YOU CAN PASS THAT CAN PREVENT THESE TYPES OF INCIDENTS.

You Oughta Be In Pictures!

Stage mothers for a Rottweiler and other dogs have sued a company called Hollywood Paws for failing to turn their pooches into stars. More than a dozen pet owners contend the company collected tens of thousands of dollars but never delivered on promises to get film and television auditions for their pets.

"I lost a lot of money," said Rachel Armstrong, owner of Goliath the Rottweiler.

Armstrong said she believed her dog had the "cool" factor that would get him into music videos and paid nearly $2,000 to Hollywood Paws LLC for training.

All she got was a rejection from "The Tyra Banks Show."

Hollywood Paws offers training in such media skills as getting a pooch or cat to crawl, freeze or scratch on command. On its Web site, the company warns: "Completing these courses won't guarantee that your house pet will become a screen pet." The business also has a talent agency and bills itself as "a way to effectively link animal actors and studio trainers with professionals in the entertainment industry looking for new talent."

Well, there has to be a lot more to becoming a famous media star than just doing a few pet tricks and signing with a talent agency, right? At least, I'd want some evidence that a.) there was a demand for my kind of pet; b.) my dog was suitable as a TV personality; and c.) the agency I was working with had a track record for getting work for these pooches. Maybe all this is legit, or maybe not. Anyone out there know?

Police Officer Kills Dog

A dog died after Omaha police responded to an intrusion alarm near 31st and Larimore streets around 1:30 Sunday morning. While officers were at the home a dog charged one of the officers and the officer in turn shot and killed the dog, said Officer Andrew Passo. "I heard gun shots, I look outside my window and saw cop cars 15 to 20 deep. What I think was a person in my yard that was shot.. Actually was my dog in a fenced-in gate, which I paid $9,000 for my dog to be able to run around legally" said Kerwin Andersen, the dog's owner.

These are tough cases. The police need to be allowed to catch criminals. So, we allow them to engage in high speed chases, which sometimes cause horrific accidents, killing innocent people. And likewise, we allow the police to chase criminals, and if a dog gets in the way, the police are allowed to kill the dog in self defense.

I am hoping this police department, and all police departments, have clear rules for when the killing of a dog is allowed. I'm betting most police departments don't have a written policy on such things, allowing them to kill dogs in situations that wouldn't be considered justified. In this case, however, if they were responding to an intrusion alarm, and went to the appropriate address, then I'd side with the police. But, the owner should be compensated for the loss and given a new dog, or cash settlement. If the alarm was faulty, then the alarm company should be the one to give the owner a new dog, or cash settlement.

By the way, this is another good example why dogs should NOT be left unsupervised in your yard. They can't protect you from anything out there, they are vulnerable to being killed, or they can harm someone or another animal. Dogs should be in the home at night, with their owners. Dogs should not be left outside in the yard unattended for long periods of time. If that is impossible (and there are only a handful of good reasons for keeping pet dogs outside unsupervised for long periods of time), then they need to be housed in a properly constructed home kennel, or left with a professional boarding / daycare facility. The role of the guard dog is obsolete.

Pit Bull Saves Girl's Life

This one won't make the headlines anytime soon...

A pit bull has been credited for saving the life of a 17-year-old girl, Jerrica Seals, from house fire. "She called me screaming," said Leticia Vega, 36, the sister of Seals' boyfriend Javier Garcia, 23, who is the owner of the house. "She said the dog woke her up barking, jumped on the bed and bit her on the leg," she added.

Now, if this pit bull dog had attacked this girl... Of course, the incident would have made national, and possibly international, news.