Police Dog Dies In Patrol Car Overnight

"A Perry County, Mississippi, police dog was left in a patrol car overnight and died. Three-year-old Napo was found dead in the Perry County sheriff’s vehicle, after spending the night locked inside"

Yes, I'm sure it was an accident. Yes, I support the police. No, there is no excuse. The officer should be fired.

Car Accidents With Elderly Drivers And Pets

OK, here we go... I'm going to make someone angry...

"As reported by NBC News, drivers over the age of 70, traveling with a pet in the car, double their risk of an accident. People who travel with their pets can easily become distracted, which may be dangerous or fatal"

Look, I'm a darned good driver. I drive a LOT. If you don't like driving, and aren't good at it, don't become a dog trainer. That being said, I see a lot of craziness on the roads every day.

I see two types of elderly drivers, the first type are the ones who are still good. The second type are the ones that are so bad they should be off the road permanently. In the Phoenix area, we have a few over 55 communities where it is dangerous. I don't like driving those streets, and I have to be very careful.

I've watched elderly drivers
a.) run right through stoplights,
b.) go way too slow and get other drivers angry with them,
c.) merge over into your lane without even looking,
d.) pull out into traffic without even looking,
e.) had them back right into my car in a parking lot, and then drive off without even  noticing or stopping, and
e.) I had one encounter in a grocery store parking lot where I had to run on foot to get out of the way of the driver as he went straight at me to get into a parking space.

Here's the deal. At some point, you have to accept that your abilities are not what the used to be, and you need to take yourself out of the driver's seat. In some cases, this creeps up on some folks, and the families have to take the keys away from their elderly parents. I have a friend that had to do that with her mom, who began to drive 80 mph in 35 mph zones, and after a police chase, she forced her mom to never drive a car again. Dementia had set in.

Regardless of your age, however, dogs can be a dangerous distraction in a vehicle. You have to know your abilities and your dog's propensities. If you aren't a very good driver, then take back streets, go the speed limit, and be careful. If a dog is in the car, it should be fastened into the back seat with a belt buckle and harness (you can buy them at pet stores). Or, you use a proper crate setup in the back of your vehicle. I also think it is stupid to have a dog in your lap while you drive. You are endangering yourself and others... and for what? Look, if your dog needs some adventure, go for a walk. They don't need to be in your lap while you are driving.

I believe the stats in the article above. The risks are much higher with the elderly, with diminished capacities, and an unrestrained dog in the car. Be wise. And if it's your parent, then maybe it's time to have that talk.

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Puppy Severely Injured... Prison Doesn't Turn Most People Around

Here's a guy that's been arrested for severely hurting a young pit bull puppy. The pup was found bleeding with a huge tear to it's lip. Deneoval Joel Derrick "had just been released after serving 15 years in the state penitentiary for child abuse"

I used to think that when people went to prison, it was a wake up call, and that most would turn their lives around. I don't think that any more. I think only a handful are regretful, remorseful, and will come out a better person and do what they can to make right what they did wrong.

Prison's main benefit is to remove losers from the public for a while so we can be safer. That being the case, for some of these losers, they are broken in the head, and I think we'd be better off just implementing the death penalty and getting it over with.

Who knows what this guy did with this puppy and why. If he's convicted of this charge, then tell me why he should ever be in public ever again. And why should we be paying tax dollars to feed and house these losers at all?

We've all done things wrong in life. Some worse than others. But where it goes from there is up to you. When I do wrong, I agonize over it, and I diligently work to puzzle out a way to make things right, and then I do what has to be done and I face the consequences. I discipline myself so others don't have to. I think that's the right way to go. I don't pretend to be a saint, but I'm using myself as an example. Therefore, I don't understand why others don't do the same. I've dealt with people like this guy, however. They don't turn around. Like a dog, they'll return to their vomit and eat it again.

I'm fed up. Try him. Convict him if guilty. And then kill him.

Dog Thefts More Than Double

"With the economy the way it is, a lot of people are in a bad way, and we're seeing more dogs get stolen for all kinds of reasons"

I've watched the "dog news" for many years, and I've seen a nationwide increase in dog thefts across the US. The increase is HUGE.

You have be some kind of low life to steal from anyone, and especially if you steal their dog.

And you are taking a huge risk if you leave certain types of dogs alone in a yard or vehicle, such as little cute dogs, certain valuable pure bred dogs, or pit bulls. You're just putting your dogs at risk. Further, I'm now of the opinion that every dog owner, especially if you have one of these types of dogs... and even for rescue volunteers doing dog foster work in their own homes... that you should install a good security system. With video surveillance.

What Is Pit Bull Trunking?

"Some of the dogs might have been victims of “trunking”: locking two dogs in the trunk of a car that is driven around with music blasting and letting them fight to the death in the confined space."

I can't fathom the brutality of some people. What kind of sick mind would do this to a couple of dogs? This should be a very serious felony, with a penalty of at least 20 years in prison with no possibility of early release. This is really sick.

It is also sick that pit bulls are banned in Miami-Dade county. That is also a form of cruelty, resulting in the seizure and death of innocent dogs. The difference is that those who do this kind of thing are not put in prison, yet the dogs end up traumatized and dead in the end. I also think that is sick.

Hopefully the dogs are given to a rescue group, rehabilitated and re-homed..

Is Your Non Profit Dog Rescue Operating In An Unprofessional Manner?

"The San Diego Humane Society will have to pay its former president more than $1.1 million after an arbitrator ruled that the organization illegally fired him because of his medical conditions"

Wow, that's a lot of money.

In my experience, I've seen a number of non-profit entities that are not as diligent regarding the risks of being "in business" as most for profit companies tend to be. At least, that's been my observation over the years. In fact, I'm betting most companies, non and for profit, are not even aware of the risks they face with employment liability laws, especially in California.

This should be a warning to all non profits... you need to examine your operations and policies, including getting professional legal advice regarding employee issues, and also having liability insurance in place to protect you in case of a major claim. In this case, it appears that this organization had consulted with council... yet, the arbitration result was a finding that they were at fault. Who knows what really happened, we can only see what is reported in the news. My main point here isn't about this particular case. I have no idea who any of these people are.

My main concern is that I've seen rescue organizations can become a big entity at some point, and when things get bigger, many organizations still run as if they are small operations. You just can't do things that way because eventually you will be involved in situations like this, and you need to be operating at a high level. A million dollar judgment can destroy some entities.

My other concern is for those working at these non profits. It can falsely be assumed when working for some non profit organizations that you'll sacrifice anything to work there. It can also be assumed that non profit also means less than professional. And for some reason, I think that non profit organizations can tend to become internally very political and petty, and it is better to not work at a place if you see that kind of environment. Otherwise, you might one day be someone who is damaged by your non profit employer, and you'll be forced into a fight.

The San Diego Humane Society may be a fine organization, and may have done everything I would have done in the same circumstances. Or they might be creeps. I have no idea. I also don't know any of the people involved, whether they are good or bad. Whatever happened isn't my business. But this article did concern me...

I am concerned about you: what about your organization? Is your non profit operating to the highest levels possible? Do you understand employment laws? Do you consult with legal council in making your policies? What is your dispute handling procedure? Do you have sufficient liability insurance? And if you work at a non profit, is this a place where you want to make a career? Do you see red flags that you should address before something blows up? Are they going to treat you well?

I don't see many non profits and their employees considering these issues as seriously as they should. You have to wonder how this particular situation will affect the reputations of the organization and people from this point forward.

Start reviewing what you are doing immediately, and hire professionals to sort out the details. A million dollars is a lot of money.

Dog Bowl Starts A Fire?

"The couple didn’t realize the dog bowl had started the fire on their deck until an engineer with the fire department took a look at the situation. He explained that sunlight had refracted off the bowl and ignited the fire on the side of their house."

I like watching survival shows. I like Les Stroud in Survivorman, for example. In one episode, he used a polished soda pop can bottom in the sun to focus light onto some tinder, and he started a fire. In Dual Survival, they used a plastic bag of urine to start a fire, making a type of lens. So, I completely understand how a dog bowl could reflect and focus sunlight to start a fire. They are lucky the dog alerted them.

My bigger question is why was the dog bowl left in the direct sunlight? I have seen numerous dog bowls left in the sunlight, making the water so hot that the dog couldn't drink it... and in the meantime the dog was overheating.

Now I have a new thing to teach people about managing their dogs.

Passersby Filmed Dog Attack On Their Phones Instead Of Helping Victim

"A MAN mauled by a pack of savage dogs has lashed out at passers-by who filmed the attack rather than help him."

I see two major issues in this article:

First, why were there four loose American Staffordshire Terriers roaming the streets of this town? I'm getting sick and tired of hearing about dogs getting loose from their property and attacking people. Day after day, week after week, there are stories of loose dogs mauling people.

Second, what kind of sick world do we live in where people will film a person being attacked by a dog, to post on Facebook or some other social media site, but not get in and help someone who is being attacked by a pack of dogs? We live in some kind of Lindsay Lohan type of world, where people are wanting to be famous for being famous, and want to be part of the media part of a story. It's sick. It reminds me of the Eloy in The Time Machine. In that supposed future, some people were predators, and the other were the helpless prey. In one scene, a predator is attacking one of the prey, and the prey don't do anything. The hero of the story asks them what's wrong with them.

I'm asking the same thing: what's wrong with you people?!!

This Is Not A Vicious Dog

"A rescue dog bit off part of an Ohio prison inmate’s nose after the prisoner tripped while chasing a ball during recreation and fell on the dog... Thor was taken back to a shelter after the incident, the report said. The dog’s status and the inmate’s current condition weren’t immediately available today"

Years ago, back when I lived in Seattle, there was a dog bite incident at a kid's ballgame. A family had brought their Labrador Retriever watch the game. Near the dog, some young kids were goofing around. One of the boys tripped and fell on top of the dog, and the dog mauled the kid. This was an otherwise friendly dog.

The dog owner was sued, the dog was put to death, and the story was used by the media to whip up the legislators to pass a stricter dog bite law.

This was a travesty. This was an innocent dog that was provoked to bite. Any animal will defend itself, and this was clearly a provoked bite. The kids were acting stupidly, no parent apparently intervened, and an accident happened. This dog defended itself. It wasn't vicious.

I wonder now what has happened to the dog in the story above. Hopefully, someone who understands dog behavior won't condemn this dog to death for the accident of this prisoner. In this case, the dog was the victim.

What Kind Of Mental Case Kills A Dog?

"A family is demanding answers after their ten pound dog was shot dead in their backyard. The Garlands want the person responsible to know how much pain they have caused"

I really want to understand what kind of a mental case kills a helpless dog like this? Because... I don't understand. I will not understand. I want people like this found and sent to prison for a very long time.

I do know this... something is seriously wrong with our society. We are suffering from a moral and spiritual sickness. Our worst fears are here, and most of us don't really even know it yet. This stuff is just a sign of things to come. The barbarians aren't at the gate anymore... we've become the barbarians. The problem is us.

Society is breaking down right before our very eyes, and I don't think most people even see it. Did the Roman Empire, the Greeks, the Egyptians know the point at which they were about to collapse? I wonder.

Woman Smuggled Australian Dingoes Into US?

"A SELF-STYLED saviour of Australia's native dingoes smuggled six pups into the US disguised as look-alike Japanese pooches, a court has been told."

I'm not sure how I feel about this. First, a dingo is not a dog. Not a wolf, not a domesticated dog. In the article, they say that if the dingoes were crossed with dogs, they would be considered dogs, which should tell you something. Second, any dog with a lot of wild traits doesn't make a very good pet in most cases.

The only reason I can see for breeding a Dingo to a dog would be to isolate traits that might be useful in a dog. It is rumored that the Australian Cattle Dog is part Dingo, same with the Kelpie, so it can handle heat better than the average herding dog. I tend to believe the folklore on this. I have experience with Kelpies, able to tolerate the hottest Arizona weather and not needing much water to stay cool. Really amazing animals.

We definitely don't need another wild invasive predator let loose in our wild habitats. Look what has happened with the feral hogs around the world. The US already has wolves and coyotes to do the job. Who knows what the effect would be if Dingoes were released.

I'm really not opposed to someone owning a wolf or coyote as a pet. I've read numerous stories of people successfully owning them, and most dog trainers eventually will work with a wolf hybrid. I would NOT recommend going out and getting one, however, when there are so many good dogs you can otherwise get, such as dogs in shelters or from reputable hobby breeders.

Should the exportation be illegal. Not sure. Should this person be prosecuted? Well, you should obey the laws, and if you have trouble with the laws, then work to change them instead of violating them. Let's see how this court case plays out. This article says the accused is a Dingo savior, implying that the Dingo is threatened with extinction. I'm hoping that isn't the case, because that might affect my opinion on this if Australia isn't taking steps to protect the Dingo. Not that I'd advocate breaking the law, but I do want to hear her side of the story, and then take a position regarding conservation laws in Australia.

Is This The Kind Of Boyfriend You Want If You Have A Dog?

"A brutal coward threw his girlfriend's six-month-old dachshund's out of their sixth story window -- to its death -- after an argument in their West 129th Street apartment, officials said today. "I don't care about the dog," Keith Rogers, a 27-year-old violent felon, told cops according to a criminal complaint charging him with aggravated cruelty to animals. "It's $1,300. I'll buy a new one," he allegedly told cops. "I don't give a f--- about the dog."'

Again and again, we read about boyfriends killing their girlfriend's dog or kid. I'm shocked at how stupid women are when picking a boyfriend. Everyone knows you should look for a responsible, decent, nice guy... but nice guys finish last for a lot of women. And I get tired of hearing about women complaining about their nasty boyfriends when they knew he was a jerk all along.

Being a nice, single guy, I have watched this phenomenon again and again over the years. I've practically given up on finding someone decent, with good judgment. Pretty women are a dime a dozen, but who can find a virtuous woman? I just don't know these days. It's starting to seem better to just remain single. And many of my guy friends are saying the same thing. We're tired of all the BS.

If this guy is convicted, then I hope he gets at least 10 years in prison. And I hope this woman gets some counseling to figure out why she was attracted to such a loser.

Poor dog. It deserved better. A lot better.

Overgrown Hair On Neglected Dog

"The male poodle mix was recently found in north Scottsdale. He was so matted and full of debris that he was hardly recognizable as a dog. "His hair was so long, matted and full of burrs, thorns, dirt and debris that you couldn't see where his legs or ears or face were," said Betty Drake, one of the good Samaritans who rescued him. "The only clue was his nose, which you could see if you knew where to look."'


Several years ago, I watched a dog groomer working with a dog that hadn't been properly groomed for years. This dog was completely matted all over, feces stuck to its bottom so that it could barely defecate, the dog was filthy and smelled horrible. It took nearly all day for the groomer to remove the dog's hair. What was left was a completely shaved dog, and a pile of hair and dirt that was bigger than the dog.

This dog was brought to the groomer by the owner's family. The owner was a senile elderly woman who couldn't really care for the dog any more.

Here is the story of a similar case. I urge you, if you know of someone with such a dog... please intervene, for the sake of the person and the dog. And if this person is no longer capable of taking care of the dog, then please find the dog a new home through a reputable rescue non-profit group.

Pit Bull Taken Off Death Row

"Brooklyn’s caretakers discovered last week that the dog was deaf, and that this could have contributed to why the dog bit the girl last year"

I have said over and over again, that shelter temperament evaluations are often NOT VALID. And here is another case. This dog was impounded for biting a child. It took the shelter A YEAR for anyone to figure out this dog was deaf, and that the bite was a result of a medical condition, not a faulty temperament.

It is shameful how many dogs are put down in shelters every year. It is even worse when those tasked with evaluating the dogs, and the situations that got the dogs in trouble, aren't competent enough to get a determination within the first day of bringing the dog in. I evaluate dogs on a daily basis, and with experience, it isn't rocket science.

Thankfully, this dog is getting a second chance, but millions of dogs are being put to death in government run shelters all over the US, and a good many are a result of incompetence and a lack of passion for animal welfare.

K9 Dies Of Heat Stroke In Police Car

"A K-9 dog with the Edmond Police Department died Monday afternoon after authorities say he became overheated in the back of a police SUV"

It's that time again where we will hear of summer deaths of dogs and kids left in hot cars. In this case, the police are trying to determine the cause of death. Was it mechanical or human caused?

Take this as your Spring Warning of 2013... don't let this happen to your dog.

Owners Set Dogs On Alley Rats

"Recently, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority agreed to let an Arizona-based company test a form of rat birth control by setting out bait in some subway stations this summer.... While dog owners may see it as time-honored pursuit, rat-hunting riles animal-rights advocates. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which opposes hunting in general, expressed outrage after video of a dog snatching rats in a New York City park surfaced online two years ago. PETA Spokesman Martin Mersereau calls the alley rat quests "a twisted blood sport masquerading as rodent control."'

So, do we have an ethical dilemma here?

First, rats are a disease vector for humans, meaning they carry diseases that can be harmful or fatal to humans. A restaurant with a rat problem will be shut down by the authorities. All restaurants are required by law to be free of such rodents.

Second, the use of poison on rats can also indiscriminately kill other desirable animals. A new form of rat poison was approved recently that is more lethal to dogs than ever before. Do we want more poisons put out in public to kill wild animals, including birds, dogs, cats and such? People ARE going to be killing rats, the question is how.

Third, is using a dog to kill rats a blood sport? What if you got a cat to do it? What if all the neighbors in a block got cats and let them roam the town? Are cats any less lethal or painful than a dog when killing a rat? Obviously, no.

I'm never for the indiscriminate killing of any animal. On the other hand, we have a right to protect our health.

My Three Rules: This is why I support hunting and fishing, if a.) you aren't destroying a species; b.) you aren't wasting the meat and byproducts; and c.) the kill is made quickly as reasonably possible. Some animals are killed, but are unsafe to eat, such as rats, so I append that to My Three Rules as an exception. Animals kill and eat other animals in nature every second, minute, hour, day, year, decade, and century. If you believe we are descendants of primitive primates, then we are also animals. I am therefore not opposed to hunting and fishing. I am also not opposed to killing living things, plant or animal, according to My Three Rules. Tell me which of you wouldn't kill cockroaches that infested your kitchen, rats in your restaurant (and which restaurant you'd eat at if it was infested with rodents), or eat a fish or other animal to save yourself or to feed your children. Believe me, no animal rights nut would eat at a place where the kitchen was overrun by rats. These guys are full of bull. And if controlling the population of one species causes the survival of another, so that both survive, how is that wrong?

I hate the way we manage species and habitats. I think it is done all wrong. I hate the way we kill wolves, for example. I also hate poaching, which destroys a species, such as what is happening to the African Elephant.

So, is it OK for dogs to be trained, bred and used, instead of cats or poison, to control rats? I have no problem with it.

Pet cruelty alert as Preston’s RSPCA shelter crisis grows

Dog rescue groups are always struggling for money, and if you love dogs, then you should budget some donations to help them out. Most rescues lack the professionalism necessary to sustain the costs necessary to do their missions. There are plenty of business savvy people out there that could help, but oftentimes rescues are in their own bubble and they don't obtain the advice they need. And the dogs can suffer or die as a result.

Dog decapitated, head found in Pickering park over the weekend

There are some crazy people out there. What kind of mental case decapitates a dog? It sickens me to hear these stories, over and over again. If this person is caught, why shouldn't it result in the death penalty? Seriously. Why not? Anyone crazy enough to do this is crazy enough that society should remove them from the gene pool.

Veterinarian Malpractice?

"Their lawyer, Andrew Siben, said Herndon prescribed the anti-inflammatory drug Rimadyl, which carries a warning of potentially deadly side effects. The couple alleged they were never told of the risk."

If you take your dog to the vet, and the dog dies,
1. Is that a case of malpractice;
2.) should you sue; and
3.) How much should the damages be?

I'm not someone who trusts the court system, nor do I think it wise to go to court. Courts aren't where right and wrong are determined, they are just a place to settle disputes, to end a fight. Not always do the good guys win and bad guys lose.

Further, dog law is still in its infancy. What might seem logical for a human isn't so logical when it comes to a dog.

In this case, I have no idea who is right or wrong because I haven't heard the evidence and I'm no lawyer. I'm guessing this vet will be found not guilty in this case. I'm not sure that a vet can be sued for all the potential side effects of every drug they prescribe. I just don't know. I do know of dogs that have died at the vet office, and what I heard made me believe the vet was at fault. But, what do you do? The financial awards in these cases, if you do win, will never cover the cost of the trial. So, it becomes about either revenge, justice, or both, because now, not only is your dog dead, you're going to be out tens of thousands of dollars.

Maybe your best defense is social media, because that can do more damage than your lawsuit ever will. You'll never get your dog back, either way.

Is that fair? No. But who said life was fair?

How a Top Training Facility Turns Rescued Dogs into Rescue Dogs

I donate my time for rescue dogs. One of the biggest issues is the debate between telling people to adopt vs buying a dog. This is especially an issue when it comes to people who want to use a dog for professional purposes. The dog you adopt has to be carefully screened. The purebred was (hopefully) chosen to be bred, which is demonstrated by many generations of healthy working dogs.

Many dogs that could do work are put to death at shelters because of their extreme abilities. For example, dogs that show normal aggression that would be appropriate to be a police dog would be killed. High drive, high energy dogs are overlooked or rejected by people who just want a couch potato dog. The shelter system, nationwide, needs to be revamped, so that more rescued dogs can be adopted by professionals. But, for now, they are mostly concentration camps, where half of the dogs are killed every week.

Many purebred dogs aren't suitable for work any more, however. Genetic faults have been created, both health and temperament, which now exclude them from doing professional work. The German Shepherd Dog has mostly been wrecked as a breed, and it is going to take a couple of decades for the breed to recover, if it ever does.

This article shows that rescued dogs can be used for service work, and that's a good thing. For now, this group had to screen thousands of dogs to find 40 dogs to put into service. The shelter / rescue temperament evaluation and adoption process isn't helping professionals do this kind of research. For now, it is still much easier to get a purebred dog for the work. Can rescue dogs do professional work? Yes? In this case, these dogs have been turned into search and rescue dogs. Can purebreds do the work? Obviously, yes.