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Dog News: weird, inspiring dog tales
Can a Child Love a Robot Dog? And can nursing home residents have the same benefits from robot dogs as real ones? These are the questions psychologists and scientists research as society moves towards virtual reality as part of every day life...
Poodle a registered Republican voter Well, the man who registered his poodle to vote in California may go to jail for it and face a stiff fine...
Criminalizing animal cruelty Toronto, Canada. Laws are being reformed to take animal cruelty cases out of property law because 'animals are "beings with the capacity to feel pain," and so should be protected from intentional cruelty, regardless of whether they are property or not'... Dogs at play while you work all day: everyone wins You love your dog, of course. So treat your pet to doggy day care. It's inexpensive, especially if you arrange to prepay a month or so in advance. (You can work out a discount that way). And even one day a week will make a big difference in your dog's outlook on life. A bored dog is not a happy dog.
In the DC area, there are an abundance of doggie day care facilities. Clever Dog Day Care, in Silver Spring, Maryland, specializes in learning games for dogs and they can accommodate dogs of all sizes. We treated our dog to day care frequently, until we learned he had arthritis and needed a hip replacement. While you're at work, your dog can learn socialization skills and practice his good dog training. A good dog is a tired dog... FY 2001 Total Recordable Dog Bite Accidents by Postal Service
Total dog bite accidents: 3,138
Dog Bite Prevention Background
The Victims The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) reports that small children, the elderly, and letter carriers, in that order, are the most frequent victims. Dog attacks are the most commonly reported childhood public health problem in the United States. The HSUS also reports that the number of dog attacks exceeds the reported instances of measles, whooping cough, and mumps, combined. Dog bite victims account for up to 5 percent of emergency room visits. Many of the bites that were reported by 3,138 letter carriers last year came from dogs whose owners said would not bite.
How to Avoid Being Bitten Don't run past a dog. The dog's natural instinct is to chase and catch prey. If a dog threatens you, don't scream. Avoid eye contact. Try to remain motionless until the dog leaves, then back away slowly until the dog is out of sight. Don't approach a strange dog, especially one that's tethered or confined. While letter carriers are discouraged from petting animals, people who choose to pet dogs should always let a dog see and sniff them before petting the animal.
How to Be a Responsible Dog Owner Obedience training can teach dogs proper behavior and help owners control their dog in any situation. When the letter carrier comes to your home, keep your dog inside, away from the door, in another room, or on a leash. Dn't let your child take mail from the letter carrier in the presence of your dog. Your dog's instinct is to protect the family. Spay or neuter your dog. Neutered dogs are less likely to bite. HSUS statistics reflect that dogs that have not been spayed or neutered are up to three times more likely to be involved in a biting incident than neutered or spayed dogs. Dogs that haven't been properly socialized, receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time frequently turn into biters.
(The Humane Society of the United States web site http://www.nodogbites.org provides more information on the prevention of dog bites) Half of America's cats, dogs overweight; putting your pet on a diet Diabetes, joint disease and heart disease are sometimes byproducts of overfeeding pets...
Dogs sniff out drugs in bra Queensland. Yes, it's true, dogs can find drugs under just about anything, including a bra...
Kansas Pet owners seek state-of-the-art care for ill animals Increasingly, in the US, most pets have become an essential part of the family, so much so that their health care is no longer confined to shots and euthanasia. When a dog can be given a longer, comfortable life, most people are happy to shell out the big bucks...
State-of-the-Art Medical Care From Nose to Tail. Pets are becoming like family and people are more willing to spend more on their medical care...
Boy watched as pet was devoured Attacks by pit bull left victims' owners stunned and shocked. Eleven-year-old Isaiah Madden watched a neighbor's pit bull terrier devour his small Shih Tzu, Simba, in his own back yard... Mom swaps baby for a Chihuaha Arkansas. Mother being charged with child-trafficking. She says she didn't do it. Insurance underwriters bite back by banning specific breeds. They seem to have statistics behind their claims that some breeds shouldn't be insured and are "telling the pet owners to choose between their dog and their insurance policy."
"According to the Insurance Information Institute, dog bites cost insurance companies more than $1 billion in 1999. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta: 4.7 million Americans - mostly children - are bitten each year. Ten to 20 Americans die each year as a result of dog bites, mostly children. From January 1997 through December 1998, 27 people died after being bitten by a dog. Nineteen were children younger than 12. Of the eight adult victims, most were elderly. 65.8 percent of dog bite-related deaths are attributed to pit-bull terriers, Rottweilers and German shepherds..."
Hold the dog owner acountable, Trainer demands "Every dog can bite, given an individual situation," according to dog trainer Gina Hayes. Dog owners who let their animals run loose every day or who do not get them vaccinated as required by law "are not responsible owners," she said. "Owners who let their dogs run loose have no idea of what their dog’s behavior is like when it is faced with too much unrestrained freedom." Dogs who run loose often develop a number of problems, such as territorial or dominant aggression issues." and so we have laws passed for specific breeds when it is actually the owner who is most at fault...
Officer goes to wrong house, shoots dog dead Well, it could have been worse. The officer got suspended and the home owner is hopping mad. Several officers offered to buy him another pet, but "I told the officers that when I got divorced, I didn't rush out and replace my wife with someone else," Potter said. "And I'm not about to do that with my dog," Potter said. He'd had his springer spaniel for seven years...
Dog Psychology: submissive urination not a discipline problem
Handing out free leash instead of citation: a winning move Utah. A new tack by animal control -- handing out free leashes -- gets barks of approval... Vetinarians need resources to report animal abuse Rhode Island. Veterinarians face significant obstacles in reporting abuse and identifying it. "86 percent of veterinarians see one or more cases of animal abuse per year." Veterinarians responding to a voluntary survey identified lack of care and abuse and felt they did not have the resources to significantly curb abuse...
Eighty year old woman sees her dog ripped to shreds by pitbulls Edna Houlihan screamed for help as the two 9 month pitbulls knocked her down and killed her pet; her rescuer was also knocked to the ground. She survived with bitemarks on her face and hands. Animal control decided 'dog to dog aggression' is normal for any dog and released the dogs. Edna's getting a lawyer...
Inhumane: when animals are abused Witnesses testify to people turning dogs into blazing fireballs to breaking dog's teeth with bowling balls. "The real challenge now, according to Goldman and other animal-protection experts and advocates, is to establish consistent, aggressive statewide enforcement that makes use of all the tools available..."
Marketed dog treats a booming business $2.99 for Yip Yaps, $1.99 for Sniffers and other human lookalikes mean sweet success for Trenton, NJ, company...
Animal cruelty tied to violence against people "Joseph T. Austin, 26 years old and unemployed, wasn't satisfied with torturing and killing animals. He wanted a person. Austin found his victim when he lured a 20-year-old Belmar woman to her death in a Jackson wildlife area in 1999..."
How to be petsmart and avoid abandoning a pet later Consider the family's needs, allergy histories, the cost of pet care, the commitment to brushing, grooming, feeding and socializing. "About 60 percent of American households have at least one dog, cat, bird, or other companion animal. Yet each year, millions of unwanted pets have to be put to death..."
Can a dog get a lawyer? " 'Any animal — at least one with a sense of self — should become eligible for legal rights,' says Wise, a lecturer of animal law at Vermont Law School and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and author of the new book Drawing the Line..." Probably not, but "animals have the right to legal protection against unjustified suffering..."
You can't will your estate to a pet "You can't leave your estate to animals, but you can provide for their care after you die, says Jeff Thompson, member of the Memphis law firm of Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston, PC." Setting up a trust for the animals and finding a responsible caretaker will ensure your animals future without you...
© Copyright 2002 Dog News.
Last update: 10/21/02; 9:16:03 PM.
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