News
All News
Why do people dress up their pets?
In the US and UK the market for clothing for pets is growing. But is it a sensible bit of indulgence or an inappropriate fad, asks Helen Soteriou.
Anyone going into a park during the recent cold weather might very well have seen dogs wearing winter coats.
Clothing for pets is a booming market with spending expected to break the £30m mark in 2012 in the UK, according to market research firm MTW Research.
In the US, the trend is even more pronounced. While in the UK a retailer like Argos might sell only functional winter jackets for dogs, at a US retailer like Target you can buy everything from a colourful polo shirt to stegosaurus-themed fancy dress costumes.
There is a long tradition of very specific functional clothing for animals. Ancient Greek armies would put leather boots on the feet of their horses to protect them against snow. Police animals can be dressed in fluorescent covers.
But now less functional clothing is becoming a boom industry, with boutiques offering all manner of exotic outfits.
Yes, this is an actual cat in a Red Riding Hood outfit
Louis is a dog. He is also the face of two pet boutiques in west London’s Notting Hill, run by his owner Andre Carless.
A fashion designer by trade, Carless initially used fabric off-cuts to make T-shirts for dogs. When he moved into co-ordinated ranges for men and dogs, the dog range took off and encouraged him to specialise.
“Louis is the inspiration for everything I do,” Carless states. “I kept making things for him and people kept asking me ‘where did you buy that?’ and I knew people were interested in that.”
The pet clothing market is broadly divided between “practical” and “indulgent” items.
The RSPCA’s position is that clothing is appropriate for animals in some circumstances. For old, bald, thin, tiny or ill dogs a layer to provide warmth or waterproofing in cold weather may be beneficial.
Greyhound and whippet owners have long used coats for them in very cold weather in much the same way a horse owner might use a blanket.
“There can be clear benefits from animals wearing some forms of clothing such as for warmth and waterproofing,” says the RSPCA. “However, functionality must always come before fashion and the clothing must have a clear welfare benefit when dressing animals.”
The market ranges from highly indulgent products to what is termed “functional pampering”, says David Lummis, senior pet market analyst at research firm Packaged Facts.
Source: The BBC
Animals saved from nuclear wasteland by volunteers who risked their own lives
For months they have been forced to wander a desolate landscape, lost, confused and alone. The thousands of dogs and cats abandoned in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear crisis have endured dangerously high radiation levels, a severe lack of food and now the freezing winter weather.
But thanks to a group of selfless volunteers, who have braved the 20km exclusion zone around the stricken plant, many of the animals are finally being reunited with their grateful owners.
While Japan focuses on containing the nuclear accident and protecting people from radiation, Yasunori Hoso, representative director of United Kennel Club Japan, has been trying to save as many dogs and cats from the no-go area as possible.
In December last year, animal welfare groups were given special permission by the government to enter the exclusion zone to rescue surviving pets before the worst of the winter weather set in.
Mr Hoso, who currently has around 350 dogs and cats at his rescue shelter, said many of the animals were saved just in time. He said: ‘When dogs are returned, many owners are really grateful although a limited few are not so grateful.
‘But when it comes to the dogs themselves, all of them, without exception, become really ecstatic when they get reunited with their owners’.
A 9.0-magnitude earthquake and massive tsunami on March 11 triggered the world’s worst nuclear accident in 25 years and forced residents around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to flee, with many of them having to leave behind their beloved pets.
More than 150,000 people from Fukushima prefecture still cannot return to their homes, with nearly half of them from the exclusion zone.
Source: Daily Mail
Winterize Your Pet With the Royal Treatment
Global warming may exist, but winter is still upon us, and our pets can feel the chill.
A pet on the lap is a simple and wonderful way to lower heating bills, but what can we do to reduce their risk of illness from the tolls of winter?
Even if your cat or dog is accustomed to spending time outdoors, don’t assume that he or she can withstand all harsh winter conditions. Even some large dog breeds that are adapted to extremely low temperatures are still susceptible to injury from cold.
Outdoor cats may warm themselves near car tires or even in a warm engine. Make sure you know where your outdoor cat is during cold weather before you start your engine.
More pets are lost in winter than in any other season. Dogs may lose their scent and even lose their way in extreme cold. Keep your dog on a leash if he or she is likely to wander during bitter cold snaps.
The Salt of the Earth
No matter what breed, an animal’s paws should be vigilantly cared for in urban areas where salt is omnipresent. Salt is caustic and painful to the feet.
Detrimental Effects Caused by Salt and Ice:
- Cracked, bleeding or ulcerated pads
- Uncomfortable ice balls between toes and pads
- Inflamed mouth or gastrointestinal tract from licking salt
Simple Tips for Happy Winter Feet
- Keep salt out of the wound and off the feet by using booties, socks, or topical wax (I use Musher’s Secret) on the paws for those who won’t wear boots.
- Wiping the foot off with fresh snow, or having the dog walk through clean snow can remove salt residue and improve limping from salt irritation during a walk.
- Leave a shallow tray with a wet towel in the bottom by the door — the pet can step in to remove most of the salt on paws. Or use a wet towel by hand to wipe the feet.
- Dry cracked skin and pads can benefit from topical coconut oil.
- Booties are best if they are light and not too bulky. Doggie socks sprayed with plastic sealant are a good option for light duty.
- An empty IV fluid bag, laced at the top can serve as an effective waterproof covering over bulky leg casts, foot bandages, or wraps — ask your vet for one.
Source: Huffington Post
Pubs encouraged to capitalise on dog walkers
A survey from best dog walks UK has found that 91% of dog owners visit pubs and two-thirds take their dogs along with them.
The survey asked dog walkers to reveal what factors influence their decisions to visit pubs with or without their pet pooch.
Customers who don’t take their dog to the pub said the overwhelming reason (67% of respondents) was that the pub in question does not accept dogs.
Significantly 70% of dog owners choose which pub to visit depending on whether the pub is dog friendly.
When asked what pubs can do to attract dog owners we had a variety of responses the most common of which was a clear sign from outside that a pub allows dogs; it seems many people are too embarrassed to ask and/or like to know beforehand.
Other recommendations include the provision of water bowls, dog treats to buy and designated dog friendly areas. Some more unusual requests include supplying dog beer, puppy crates and doggy dinners.
Karen Lloyd of Bestdogwalksuk.com commented on the findings: “The results of the survey show that Pubs who welcome dogs can take a few simple steps to capitalize on their Dog Friendly status including clear signage and registering on dog friendly websites.”
Source: Eat Out Magazine
Dog skills event lifts youngsters
The bond between dog and human was as strong as ever at Charlie’s Dog Training Centre on Friday.
A special children’s event was held at the centre, in Northfield Road, Soham, enabling youngsters to get up close with hounds of all shapes and sizes.
Ely-based charity Act4Kidz organised the event, which enabled youngsters with learning difficulties to learn more about dog handling and general animal responsibility.
Specially trained Pets as Therapy dogs were also on hand for participants to fuss over.
Act4Kidz, founded by Niki Pitt, is a charity dedicated to offering children aged 3 to 19 with learning difficulties access to events in the Ely area.
Source: Cambridge News
Pet owners scale back on the cost and size of Christmas gifts for animals
Domestic pets are having to take their share of the recessionary pain this Christmas as their owners scale down purchases to smaller items – such as Santa stockings especially for hamsters and advent calendars for dogs.
Scott Jefferson, marketing director for Pets at Home, said people are cutting back on their spending due to the squeeze on incomes and general economic uncertainty but family pets are not missing out on the festive fun completely: “Smaller gifts such as hamster beds are very popular and affordable and our advent calendars for dogs are in high demand. Customers are downsizing where necessary but don’t want to miss out on celebrating Christmas with their pets.”
Spending on furry friends is on the rise all over the developed world. The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association claims the market has now reached $41bn (£26bn) per annum in the US.
Flashing antlers and collars with bells tend to be popular in America, apparently, but in Britain it seems to be Santa hats for dogs (£2.49) or a “seasonal snuggle bed” for rabbits at £7.99 that are making the running. There are even cranberry suet blocks on sale to make sure wild birds don’t miss out this festive season.
But animals do share one thing with humans: the dangers of Christmas excess. Vets are warning that thousands of pets are brought into their surgeries every year because they have been poisoned by too much chocolate, which contains theobromine: highly toxic for dogs and other animals. That is before the number of pets needing surgery after swallowing ribbons and tinsel that get stuck in their intestine.
Source: The Guardian
‘Talking’ dog is top video of 2011
A “talking” dog has topped the list of the most-watched YouTube videos of the year in a top 10 that also includes a spoof of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, a Britain’s Got Talent audition and two babies talking gibberish to each other.
The dog clip, in which the animal appears to tell his owner “You’re kidding me!” after he is told his dinner has been fed to the cat, was the most watched YouTube clip in the UK in 2011.
It beat a viral ad by mobile phone operator T-Mobile, in which guests at a spoof royal wedding dance their way down the aisle, into second place, followed by a mash-up of interviews by Hollywood actor Charlie Sheen talking about his troubled departure from hit sitcom Two and a Half Men.
IT engineer Michael Collings’s memorable audition on ITV1′s Britain’s Got Talent in which he sang Tracey Chapman’s Fast Car, makes it to number five on the list.
Another TV programme, MasterChef, makes it into the top 10, with a musical compilation of comments by presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode which makes an unlikely chorus out of “I like buttery biscuit base”.
Also in the top 10 is a spoof of teenage singer Rebecca Black’s video for Friday, Nyan Cat, an animation of a cat flying through the air, and “Talking Twin Babies” in which 18-month-old twins do exactly that. But only they appear to know what they are saying to each other.
YouTube trends manager Kevin Allocca said: “The 10 most-watched YouTube videos of 2011 show that around the world, whatever language we speak, there are certain things that bring us all together around a computer screen or mobile phone – adorable babies, talented performers and clever advertising.”
Plus, he omitted to add, a universal desire to waste five minutes online when in all probability we really should be doing something else.
Source: The Guardian
Abattoir worker slit this puppy’s throat because he couldn’t afford vet’s bill!
A man who slit his puppy’s throat and left her to bleed to death was jailed for five months yesterday and banned from keeping animals for life.
Robert Humphries, 40, did not want to pay a £70 bill to have the family pet put down by a vet and did the job himself in his garden.
Magistrates were told the former abattoir butcher used two kitchen knives to kill the six-month-old lurcher before dumping her in a wheelie bin.
Interviewed by RSPCA officers, he said that when the dog, named Shadow, crawled away whimpering and bleeding after he cut her throat, he stabbed her ‘between the ribs’ to ‘finish her off’.
A vet said the dog would have taken between 10 and 30 minutes to die in ‘extreme pain’.
The RSPCA discovered the horrific scene at Humphries’s home in Taunton, Somerset, after being alerted by the vet’s receptionist.
Neil Scott, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told Taunton Deane Magistrates’ Court that Humphries had gone to a vet in June wanting the dog rehomed or put down, saying it had attacked his 19-month-old daughter.
He claimed he could not afford to put her down, but when told it could be done for free, he said he would return with his pet.
But when he tried to do this, he claimed, Shadow attacked him and he decided to kill her.
Humphries, who is on disability benefits, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the dog.
Magistrates were told that Humphries used two kitchen knives to slit Shadow’s throat.
Humphries claimed that when the dog crawled away whimpering and bleeding heavily he stabbed her repeatedly to speed up her death.
Source: Daily Mail
I’ve spent £100,000 on my dog Lola – and she’s worth every penny!
When Kate Middleton stepped out at her fairytale wedding to Prince William, millions around the world gasped at her beautiful outfit.
Among those watching in awe was 32-year-old Louise Harris. Not that Louise is huge fan of the royals – but the dog-mad businesswoman suddenly realised she had to have Kate’s stunning platinum and diamond-encrusted tiara. It would look perfect on her pet Yorkshire terrier, Lola.
“When I saw Kate Middleton I thought it was so nice that I needed one for Lola,” Louise explains. It cost me £500 to get a replica made in a size that would fit her, but it was 100% worth it.
“She looks beautiful in it. I’m a nurturing and caring person and when I got Lola, it was about giving her the best I could in life.”
The sparkling tiara is not all. In the seven years she’s had her diva dog, Louise has splashed out more than £100,000 on all sorts of extravagant treats.
Lola is the proud owner of a £5,000 hand-made designer bed and her own jewellery collection. She also has hundreds of hand-made dresses, costing up to £400 each.
In fact, the fashion-conscious dog now has so many clothes she needs her own adult-size walk-in wardrobe and her own chest of drawers at Louise’s home near Stansted, Essex.
Source: Mirror
£1,000 on the spot fines for people who fail to clean up dog mess
People who allow their dogs to foul public areas could soon face on-the-spot fines of £1,000, after a frustrated council asked the government to consider changing the law to increase their powers.
At the moment owners who fail to clean up after their pets are usually hit with penalties of just £75.
But one borough council in Lancashire believes the sanction is too low and wants the power to issue far more severe on-the-spot punishments in order to stamp out the anti-social activity.
Dog fouling is becoming an increasingly difficult problem in many urban areas as some owners simply ignore dog control orders which require them to clean up mess.
While breaching a dog control order can result in the courts imposing a fine of up to £1,000, few councils ever pursue offenders fully because of the time and cost involved in going through the whole legal process.
But Hyndburn Council in Lancashire now wants the government to change the law allowing local authorities to issue unlimited on-the-spot fines.
They believe issuing penalty notices of £1,000 would send a clear message to dog owners that allowing their pets to foul in public areas will no longer be tolerated.
Council leader Miles Parkinson said: “If a penalty is too low people just do not take it seriously and are more willing to take the risk. But the problem of dog mess on our streets is extremely anti-social as well as being very dangerous if children come into contact with it.
“While the majority of dog owners are responsible and clean up after their pets, sadly the minority cause a real problem and therefore we need to have the powers to tackle them effectively.”
Source: The Telegraph
Fetching a stick could have killed my pet dog
DOG owners are being warned not to let their pets chase sticks after an American bulldog suffered life-threatening injuries while playing in the park.
Olivia Parkinson, 14, was playing with her dog Maggie in Grimsby’s Weelsby Wood when a stick became impaled in the bulldog’s chest – just 2cm away from her heart.
Olivia, of Revigo Avenue, said: “I was just throwing a stick for Maggie like I normally do. I didn’t think anything would happen.
“The stick got stuck upright in the ground when I threw it to her and Maggie enthusiastically ran after it.
“She landed on the stick and I could see she was in pain because she yelped.
“I was shocked and worried when I saw it was stuck in her chest and I really panicked.”
When Olivia and her family put Maggie into the car to take her to the vets, their other dogs began trying to pull it out of her chest. Olivia’s dad carefully removed the stick himself to prevent further injury .
Olivia added: “It was awful, but my dad had to do something to stop the other dogs from trying to get the stick.
“We took her to The Blue Cross in Grimsby and they operated on her straight away.”
The animal charity flushed out Maggie’s wounds and took out splinters, which were embedded deep in her front leg.
She was discharged the following day and given antibiotics and painkillers to help the wound heal.
Three days later, she was taken back to the Blue Cross to have a second operation to extract more splinters and has now had 20 stitches.
Source: Grimsby Telegraph
Bristol pair fined after dogs bark 800 times in 40min
A NAILSEA couple have been fined £1,500 for allowing their dogs to bark more than 800 times in 40 minutes.
Carl and Kerry Bushe, of Goss Barton, were prosecuted by North Somerset Council in their absence after failing to comply with a noise abatement notice, breaching it on three separate occasions.
But the couple told the Evening Post they were unaware of any court summons and had not had any letters from the council about the problem for almost two years.
North Somerset magistrates were told the council received complaints about excessive barking from dogs coming from the Bushes’ home over a period of several months.
On February 9, the council said it served a noise abatement notice on the Bushes, which required them to provide “adequate supervision” of the dogs to prevent them barking.
But just months later, as a result of another complaint, an environmental protection officer went to the property on July 28 and recorded 885 barks in the space of just 40 minutes.
There was no reply at the home and later that day he said he wrote to Mr and Mrs Bushe telling them what had happened and warned them that they should take steps to prevent any further breaches of the notice. After another complaint on August 3, officers re-visited and recorded a total of 141 barks over seven minutes.
Five days later, they went again to a neighbour’s property where, in nine minutes, 376 barks were recorded.
Magistrates found Mr and Mrs Bushe guilty of all three breaches and fined them £1,500 – £500 for each breach. The couple must also pay £358.75 costs and a £15 surcharge.
But the Bushes said they had no idea they had been fined until The Post visited them last night.
The two dogs in question – a black labrador-cross and a white cross-breed – were both rescue dogs the family took in several years ago.
The couple said they had taken measures to try to stop them barking when left at home, including blocking up the letter box and diverting post to their local post office to prevent them from being disturbed during the day.
Source : This is Bristol
The dog that’s almost had its day
They look so cute it is almost impossible to believe these dogs have had their day.
But the Sealyham terrier, once beloved of Hollywood stars and royalty, is now ‘rarer than a tiger’ and on the verge of extinction.
The staggering decline in the popularity of the little white dogs is highlighted in the latest edition of Country Life magazine as it sends an ‘SOS’ – that’s ‘Save our Sealyhams’ – message to its well-heeled readers.
Describing the breed as ‘both cheerful companion and efficient pest controller’, the article urges: ‘If we can save the rhino or tiger, we can surely save this useful and charming breed of dog.’
The call to arms to rescue the British breed from oblivion comes as the Kennel Club revealed that just 49 Sealyham puppies were registered with it in the UK last year. Almost incredibly, that is actually a very slight improvement on three years ago.
In 2008, only 43 were registered – an all-time low which placed Sealyhams in the bottom three most endangered breeds on the Kennel Club’s Vulnerable Native Breeds list. It is all a very long way the days when more thousands were registered a year and everyone who was anyone seemed to have a Sealyham.
Owners then included Princess Margaret, Humphrey Bogart and Elizabeth Taylor. Sealyhams were originally bred to catch rats, rabbits and other vermin, but Country Life says: ‘People soon discovered that, although the Sealyham might have the wit and courage to hold a badger at bay, he was also a very charming fellow to have at dinner.
Tips on How to Keep Your Pets Safe on Halloween
Halloween season is here, which means the daily landscape of our lives has been covered in spooky decorations, creative costumes, tempting candy and … hazards to our pet’s health? That’s right – this exciting October holiday brings with it several surprising threats that can put our beloved pets at risk.
While most of us enjoy the spine-tingling festivities associated with the spirit of Halloween, this holiday could be a frightening or dangerous experience for your pet. Here are some helpful tips on how you can keep your pet safe, relaxed and healthy this Halloween:
Pet costumes: If you want to include your furry companion in the fun of dressing up for this holiday, be mindful of your pet’s comfort level when wearing a costume. Some pets won’t tolerate it at all, but if yours does be sure to avoid tight clothing or straps that might constrict their breathing.
Also, while your pet is being a good sport about having to wear a costume, make sure you supervise them the entire time. Regardless of how cute they may look, most pets aren’t thrilled about donning clothing or accessories and will attempt to shed them in some way. This could potentially lead to your pet getting tangled up or trying to chew at their costume – both of which are choking hazards.
Injured dog Milo is helped out by a canine friend
A KEEN canine helped another dog out of a hole when he lost a leg brace he depended on for his walk.
Milo, a short-haired pointer, parted company with his brace while out for a walk on Upton Heath, leaving him disabled and unable to enjoy his regular walks.
But he is now bounding around again after the brace was found by a Dorset Wildlife Trust warden and his dog.
Milo’s leg was badly broken when he was hit by a car in May, when he was only a nine-month- old pup.
With two metal plates in his leg and the specially-made brace, he had been able to enjoy walks across the DWT nature reserve.
Milo’s owner, Matthew Pond from Poole, contacted the trust the morning after the brace went missing, in the hope someone might hand it in.
Later the same day, warden Nigel Brooks and his dog Buba, discovered it on their lunchtime walk.
“I can’t praise the Dorset Wildlife Trust staff at Upton Heath highly enough,” said a grateful Matthew.
Danger dog alerts ‘were not reported’ to Bournemouth Council
BOURNEMOUTH council did not pass on residents’ complaints about two Staffordshire bull terriers before they launched a “horrific” attack on a 10-year-old boy, a meeting heard.
The news came at a public meeting on Wednesday when anxious residents quizzed police about the attack in Grants Close in Springbourne.
The boy was related to the owner of the dogs and suffered bites to his legs, chest, face and ears and needed major surgery at Salisbury Hospital. The attack took place in August.
Several residents including neighbour Doreen Anderson, who fought off the dogs with an umbrella, told the meeting they warned the council about the dogs over several years.
A dog legislation police officer, and a community sergeant, said they had not been told about any complaints.
Cllr Anne Filer told the meeting: “As a result of the horrific happenings in Grant’s Close, the procedures for reporting complaints have been much tightened up. Officers can’t keep it to themselves.
It’s not a war on dog owners
Calderdale Council has answered questions regarding its proposed changes over dogs in public places.
Among the plans are that dogs will be banned from sports pitches, pets must wear leads if causing a nuisance and owners must clear up their mess, no matter where.
Here are some of the questions asked.
Will you consider every written comment submitted during the consultation process?
Yes. The council welcomes residents and businesses in the area to submit their comments, in writing, as part of this consultation process.
You may wish to have one or more of the orders for an area of land which the council has not considered or you may know of a problem in your area which you feel could be resolved by the introduction of an order.
Conversely, you may wish to object to one or more of the Dog Control Orders for an area of land you go to.
Can I have a hard copy of what you are proposing?
Yes. These can be viewed at civic amenity buildings. For details please phone Customer First on 0845 245 6000 or e-mail dogcontrolorders@calderdale.gov.uk
I know someone who would like to participate but they do not have access to the Internet. How can they comment?
They may either go into their local library which has Internet facility, or they could phone Customer First on 0845 245 6000 for more information.
Has the council decided which orders will be introduced?
No. It all depends on the outcome and analysis of the results of the consultation period. The council will consider the outcome of this consultation exercise prior to making any decisions in relation to the introduction of any of the five orders.
Tiverton canine is Westminster Dog of the Year
THE canine friend of MP Neil Parish won the Westminster Dog of the Year competition on Monday.
Wilberforce took the title, organised by the Dogs Trust charity and the Kennel Club at the House of Commons despite fierce competition across the political spectrum.
Mr Parish raised a paw in support of a scheme the two organisations are backing which urge responsible dog ownership.
He said: “As a dog owner I’m aware of the great mental and physical health benefits dog ownership can bring.
“In promoting responsible dog ownership to old and young we can ensure that our communities are better places to live.
“One of the biggest dog-related complaints I hear is about dog fouling, and though it’s a small minority of irresponsible owners who don’t pick up it can tar the responsible majority.”
Mr Parish met both organisations to discuss the importance of microchipping, training and picking up after your dog.
Mr Parish said: “Microchipping helps ensure that many more stray dogs are reunited with their owners each year, thereby reducing the number of dogs destroyed and the costs for Local Authorities.
Pet subjects: Stray and abandoned dogs
Charities are finding new ways for people to help look after stray and abandoned dogs.
The subject of stray and abandoned dogs is emotive. Nobody likes to picture lonely, unwanted animals locked up in stark concrete-floored kennels at local authority pounds. Yet it’s a problem that has to be faced. Dogs cannot exist in our society without human companions; if they’re found without owners, they end up in the pound. And if new owners can’t be found, dogs may need to be put to sleep.
Every year, Dogs Trust carries out a survey of all UK local authorities to assess the state of the nation’s stray and abandoned dog problem. This year’s survey found that numbers are at an 11-year high, with more than 126,000 dogs being picked up by local authorities over the past 12 months, an increase of four per cent on the previous year.
This means that 345 stray dogs were picked up every day. Of these, 48 per cent were reunited with their owners and 31 per cent were rehoused either directly to the public or via an animal welfare group. Fifteen per cent of the dogs did not have their outcome specified. Around six per cent — 20 dogs every day — were put down.
There is broad agreement on the best way to deal with the problem: reduce the supply of dogs by encouraging spaying and neutering, and ask people to take on rescue animals rather than buy pedigree pets. However, it costs money to send out pro-spaying messages and to subsidise low-cost spay and neuter programmes. And it’s expensive to care for unwanted animals until they find a new home.
Nine stone fish and chip fed Coventry dog sheds half her body weight
A FEW years ago the only thing that nine-stone Coventry dog Cassie would fetch was a chocolate bar.
But after months of diet and exercise the pooch – once believed to be one of the world’s fattest – has shed half her body weight and is starting a new life in Ash Green, Coventry. Cassie had been fed on a diet of roast dinners, chocolate and fish and chips by her previous owner before ending up at Dogs Trust Kenilworth, in Honiley, in March.
Staff there put her on a rigorous regime of five walks a day combined with special dog diet food – but had to hand feed her at the start because she was too fat to stand at a food bowl.
With a bit of encouragement she made a splash in a hydrotherapy pool and took to the treadmill to shift those unsightly pounds before Ash Green mum Sarah Dickinson, 34, clapped eyes on her and asked if she was available for adoption.
Now the seven-year-old springer spaniel-collie cross spends her days playing with Sarah’s daughter Keira, four, and pounding the streets in an effort to work off the remaining weight.
Could we inherit the ability to understand dogs?
Researchers ask why 10-year-olds can ‘read’ barks better than adults.
It may sound barking, but 10-year-olds can understand dogs better than people of any other age.
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest found that humans understand a dog’s bark from an early age, but that after 10, are not able to decipher meanings so easily.
In tests, volunteers found it easiest to distinguish when a dog was angry – but 10-year-olds excelled at interpreting more subtle noises.
The study’s results came from playing recordings of various bark ‘modes’ – such as warning off a stranger, playing and feeling lonely – to children aged six, eight and 10, and adults, and asking them to pair the noises with corresponding human facial expressions.
The authors, Péter Pongrácz and Csaba Molnár, said: ‘This shows that the ability of understanding basic inner states of dogs on the basis of acoustic signals is present in humans from a very young age.
Missing dog couple face £75,000 fly-posting bill!
A SOUTH Yorkshire vet whose beloved pet dogs have gone missing has been ordered to take down all the posters she put up – or face a £75,000 fly-tipping bill.
Nicola and Richard Bayston said they are devastated after being told to remove their posters or risk a £75 fine for each one
They could be left with a bill for £75,500 because they have dotted around 1,000 posters in the streets surrounding their home.
The couple, from South Hiendley, near Barnsley, were contacted by a Wakefield Council worker who told them complaints had been received.
Nicola, an equine vet has doubled a reward on offer for information leading to the safe recovery of her dogs.
She is willing to pay £2,000 to anyone who can reunite her with the Patterdale Terriers, named Jess and Bramble.
Jess, five and Bramble, three, went missing on September 5 after they tunnelled their way under a fence.
“All we want to do is find our dogs – and yes we have put up posters everywhere,” she said. “But that’s because we are desperate to get them back.”
Britain desperately needs to tackle its dog control problems
Dangerous dogs are increasingly linked to worrying and persistent trends in antisocial behaviour, and so it’s no surprise that so many of us up and down the country are concerned about the problem.
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, together with the RSPCA and Blue Cross have called for an urgent and overdue review of the existing failing dog legislation. Maybe, just maybe, with the recent appointment of Lord Taylor of Holbeach as the new government minister there could be a glimmer of hope that we will see some effective action.
Lord Taylor has promised to make any future legislation effective and enforceable in tackling the dangerous dogs issues that are so concerning us all. But as the problems around irresponsible dog ownership, stray and dangerous dogs intensify, and budgets get tight or, in the case of some local authorities disappear altogether, it may not be long before there is another serious dog attack on a member of the public, or even a young child.
<a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/17/dangerous-stray-dogs?newsfeed=true”>Read more…</a>
World’s fattest dog slims to half her weight
A DOG whose weight ballooned to more than NINE STONE after being fed a human diet including fish and chips has got a new owner after shedding half her body weight.
Cassie, a seven-year-old Collie, had never eaten dog food and instead gorged herself on a daily diet of takeaways, chocolate, sweets, crisps – and Sunday roasts. Her lonely elderly owner treated her as her best friend and fed her the same meals she ate.
A Dogs Trust centre took her in when the old lady fell ill – and staff were horrified to see the state she was in. She was so heavy she had to be lifted by workers using a “sling” under her belly – and could only walk for three minutes at a time before tiring out.
But after a rigorous fitness and diet regime she has lost half her body weight in six months and is now fit enough to be rehomed. Delighted carer Emma Rex said: “She’s a completely different dog.”
Cassie’s owner was frail and lonely and the pooch was her only companion, so they would eat meals together. The lady would cook twice the amount she needed and give half to Cassie or would order double if she was having a takeaway, one for her and one for Cassie.
The pooch’s weight rocketed over the years to THREE TIMES what it should have been, sparking fears she was the fattest dog in the world.
<a href=”http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050346/Border-collie-Cassie-loses-half-weight-6-months-ballooning-9-stone.html”>Read more…</a>
Twickenham dog attack: Girl injured near playground
A six-year-old girl has needed surgery after a dog savaged her face near a playground in south-west London.
The girl was mauled by a Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog at Heathfield Recreation Ground, Powder Mill Lane, Twickenham, on Thursday afternoon.
She lost several teeth and suffered a one-inch (2.5cm) cut to the lip.
The owner, a man in his 30s with black hair, took the dog away after the attack and left the scene, police said.
Det Ch Insp Martin Ward of the Metropolitan Police said it was “an unprovoked attack on a very young child”.
“We are making extensive inquiries to trace the owner and are appealing for witnesses, or anyone who may know who the owner of this dangerous animal is, to please come forward.”
Police dog injured in Tottenham riots given bravery award
A police dog who was seriously injured by rioting thugs in Tottenham has been given an animal bravery award.
Three-year-old German Shepherd Obi was on frontline duty alongside his handler PC Phil Wells during the unrest in August when they came under attack from a mob hurling bottles, bricks and petrol bombs.
He was hit by a missile just above his left eye and suffered a fractured skull. But the hard-working dog continued to work for several hours before blood was spotted trickling from his nostril.
This week he is back on duty after making a full recovery.
And now the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is honouring his courage with an award.
PC Wells said: “It was quite humbling to hear that Obi was to receive this award, in the same way that the public responded in the aftermath of the riots and came out to thank us.
Piano playing pug is internet hit
THIS musical mutt’s playing top dog on YouTube with his canine composition and snazzy bow-tie.
“Chocoholic” is a black pug from Japan who has also mastered the art of playing the keyboard.
And he looks set to be the next biggest doggy viral, with over 24,000 YouTube users enjoying his unique melody.
The piano-performing pooch certainly looks the part.
Dressed in a sparkly bow tie and a red top, the mini mutt uses his paws to create a melody of sorts on a child’s keyboard.
But it seems that the adorable pup has had enough by the end of the 58-second clip.
Resting his head on the keyboard, his canine composition quite literally tails off …
Guide dogs’ celebration
Guide dog owners and their canine companions braved the weekend rain for a march marking the 80th birthday of the Guide Dogs organisation.
80 people and dogs walked from the Cliff, Wallasey, considered the first real home of Guide Dogs, to the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton on Saturday morning.
A bronze guide dog statue – known as Sid after the dog it was modelled on – stands outside the theatre, marking the origins of Guide Dogs.
The celebrations continued inside with a birthday party attended by guide dog owners and trainers past and present.
The first four guide dog partnerships, with German shepherds Flash, Meta, Judy and Folly, qualified in Wallasey on Oct 6, 1931.
Penny Williams, North West Information Officer for the Guide Dogs organisation, said: “It all started in Wallasey back in 1931 which is why we celebrated at the home of Guide Dogs.
“We had our party at the Floral Pavilion because right outside is the statue of the first guide dog.
“We’ve had a really good turnout. We had over 80 people taking part in the walk which is great.”
The day included information stalls and demonstrations of guide dog obedience training.
One of the guests, Joyce Dudley, from Wrexham, is believed to be the last surviving guide dog owner to be trained by Britain’s first-ever dog instructor Capt Nikolai Liakhoff.
Now 93, the retired physiotherapist lost her sight in her early 20s, after developing glaucoma as a child. She said: “He was
Dog owner fined £75 for littering after brushing his dog in a park
A dog-owner was hit with £75 litter fine for littering after brushing his German shepherd in a park.
Roy Wyre was handed the fine by a council official as he brushed two-year-old Spencer on Harvey Hadden Playing Fields, Notts.
The 66-year-old had been sitting with his pet on a blanket, brushing the dog’s hair, when he was approached by a council community protection officer.The retired security guard was wearing a high-visibility jacket when he was approached by the official, who accused him impersonating a police officer
Roy, from Bilborough, Notts, said: ‘I had been walking the dog and we’d sat down for a bit of a rest and I was giving him a brush.
‘This man walked over and told me to take my hi-vis jacket off because it looked like I was impersonating a police officer.
‘He asked me for my details and I said that I had done nothing wrong and I was not giving him my name and address.
‘Then he called for a police officer, who also told me to take my jacket off, and asked for my name and address before leaving.
‘As soon as he had gone, the community protection officer came back with a fine slip with a £75 charge on it.
‘He put on the slip ‘litter, large amounts’, but there was nowhere near large amounts at all.
‘You could brush Spencer all day and there wouldn’t be more than a handful of hair.
‘If there is a little bit of hair coming off, one of the birds will pick it up for a nest. It’s not like dropping paper or something.’
But after Roy complained to the council, red-faced officials were forced to drop the fine issued last Wednesday.
Why is animal cruelty on the rise?
While millions of pets enjoy living the high life with their doting owners there are some who are less fortunate.
From kittens being dumped at the side of the road or flung from moving cars to cats being shot in the head – cases of animal cruelty have been hitting the headlines in Dorset this year.
Just yesterday we reported about an elderly cat which was found distressed but alive after being dumped in a recycling bin in Capstone Road, Charminster. Veterinary nurse Sue Morris made the discovery after she heard a rattling noise coming from the bin.
And we also featured the story of a rabbit which had been thrown over a five-foot-high wall into the back garden of a house in Wimborne Road in Poole.
Other recent cases have included:
• A Jack Russell was thrown from a moving car in Liederbach Drive in Verwood last month;
• On May 3 nine-month-old tabby car Rosebud lost her right eye after being shot with an airgun in Ringwood;
• The same month one-year-old cat Laurel died after being attacked with ‘acid’. Owners Ian and Trish Huxstep from West Howe, Bournemouth, said a sticky fluid had burned the fur on his head and shoulders and burnt his oesophagus after he tried to lick himself clean;
• Black cat Ozzy, from Rossmore, was discovered cowering underneath a van, covered in blood, after losing an eye to a ball bearing; and
• Kitten Jasper, from Colehill, lost an eye after being shot with two split shot fishing weights.
Animals can predict everything from natural disasters to sports results
When the medium swirled into my veterinary consulting room, she had a black cat sitting on her shoulder. ‘He’s called Antac,’ she declared. ‘The reincarnation of an Inca Emperor.’
Madam Mountjoy went on to tell me the cat had extra sensory perception (ESP) and could contact the dead — a skill he utilised to enhance her own dealings with those who had passed over, human or otherwise.
She tilted her head towards the cat and asked him to repeat what he’d said. ‘OK, I’ll tell him,’ she murmured and turned to me. ‘Antac informs me that the spirits of many cats and dogs are circling above us.’
I felt quite affronted. I was still a young veterinary graduate at the time and certainly hadn’t killed off that many pets. But I kept quiet and concentrated on the earthly task required of me — trimming Antac’s claws. While Madam Mountjoy was certainly among my more eccentric clients, she is not alone in believing that her pet has some kind of ‘sixth sense’. Many people think that their beloved animals have a heightened awareness of ghosts, are actively in communication with the dead or have the ability to predict the future.
A sheep in New Zealand — called Sonny Wool, after the All Black centre, Sonny Bill Williams — is being lauded as ‘psychic’ for predicting a string of rugby World Cup results. Sonny was presented with two buckets of food, each marked with a flag of the teams playing — and repeatedly chose the right one.
Similarly, Paul, an octopus living in a German zoo became a star of the 2010 football World Cup when he correctly forecast the outcome of eight matches — by dipping a tentacle into boxes bearing national flags.
Battersea Dogs’ & Cats Home warning over Gumtree purchases
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home this week issued a warning to potential pet owners who are considering buying a pet from popular websites such as Gumtree.
The animal charity is bearing the brunt of inexperienced owners buying dogs and cats on the internet and then abandoning them soon afterwards. So they are calling for greater regulation of websites such as Gumtree, Facebook and free ad sites to stop them from providing an open market for people who want to make a quick buck by irresponsibly breeding or selling animals.
Liz McWalter, head of animal intake, said: “A quick search on the internet reveals just howb easy it is to buy a pet cheaply and quickly without giving any real thought to the life-changing decision you are making.
“Buying a pet is not like buying a new iPod and we need to see much stricter guidelines on the sale of pets online to prevent thousands more dogs and cats ending up mistreated or abandoned.” Another concern is the purchasing of banned breeds which advertisers disguise with erroneous names to avoid detection.
Potential pet owners should log onto battersea.org.uk to find a pet in need of a home. Just this week an eight-month-old Bull Mastiff cross called Chance was brought into Battersea by her owner who had bought her less than two weeks ago through the internet. The seller provided very little information about the dog’s behaviour, history or temperament.
Dogs ‘watch 50 minutes of TV per day’!
A study has revealed that the average British dog will tune into 50 minutes worth of TV each day.
New research may interest those looking for pet supplies after it was revealed that the average British dog watches almost one hour of TV per day.
A study conducted for Digital UK found that many pooches will happily tune in to their favourite programmes for 50 minutes, the Daily Mail reports.
EastEnders was named the most popular show, with Labradors the most likely to settle down and watch the soap.
Meanwhile, This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield was voted number one in the list of favourite TV personalities, with Jeremy Clarkson coming in second.
The poll was conducted ahead of Digital UK’s next big switchover in London, with experts suggesting the move from analogue may encourage more canines to tune in.
Veterinary director of the Dogs Trust said: “The way digital is delivered seems to make it easier for dogs to watch. We’ve thought for some time that dogs love watching telly to relax, either with their owners or by themselves.”
New dog welfare laws for Wales
The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, has confirmed that the Welsh Government will introduce new dog breeding legislation to enhance animal welfare and tackle bad practice among some dog breeding establishments, commonly known as puppy farms this autumn.
The First Minister confirmed the news on a visit to Dogs’ Trust re-homing centre in Bridgend earlier today, where he met another Carwyn – a puppy named in his honour. He used the visit to reiterate the Welsh Government’s commitment to improving standards of animal health and welfare in Wales.
Click here to find out more …
Get your walking shoes on!
NATIONAL charity Dogs Trust will be holding a Waggy Walk in Devon to raise money for rescue dogs.
Sign up now to take part in the walk on October 2 on Saunton Sands in Braunton.
Registration is £10 per group of up to six people. Participants will be sent fundraising packs so they can encourage friends and family to sponsor them.
Click here to find out more….
Joe’s tips for a healthy, happy dog
Change foods gradually- when you are changing your dog’s diet, do it gradually by mixing his new food in with his old for a few days. This way you’ll giv ehis digestive system time to adjust.
Watch out for chocolate - it can be poisonous to dogs, so make sure you keep the dog away from your treats!
Twice is nice- split your dogs food into two meals, one in the morning and one in the evening. It’ll keep her happier and is better for her digestion.
Avoid tit-bits- leftovers tend to be fatty and will make your dog put on weight- as well as encouraging begging at the dining table!
