Dog News

I sometimes get accused of sensationalism and ‘going over the top’ in some of the blog posts I make here.
See, for example, the recent ‘Is the Kennel Club an Underground Cult?’ post I made. I got a few emails about that one.
‘You’re not helping’, they’d say. ‘What does that achieve?’, read another. ‘You should write more responsibly’, claimed one more.

Well I’ve had a think about it and have decided, it being a new year and all, that I need to either take heed the words of these worriers or else I could end up with more abusive emails from angry people accusing me of ‘going over the top’.
So here, Jan 2nd 2009, my new year message to ‘Concerned of Milton Keynes’.
Ready?
-clears throat-
Shut up!
My right to write is the same as yours. In this day in age with blogs and forums available to anyone with access to a computer capable of [...]

Link to full story Ryan O’Meara and Content aggregated by Dog News

The International Society Against the Exploitations of Racing Animals – ISAERA - have produced an excellent video entitled Greyhound Racing in Modern Britain? (Part One).
The video features Debra Rothery founder of Tia Greyhound and Lurcher Rescue giving an insight to both the independent re-homing charities and the industry’s own Retired Greyhound Trust.

Debra also highlights how the welfare situation has worsened for greyhounds since the Animal Welfare Act. came into force in January 2007, stating ‘As far as greyhounds are concerned, it’s a waste of the paper its written on’ and ‘they don’t care about the dogs and nobody will prosecute them’ – a sentiment shared by Greyt Exploitations.
Five trainers this year have been fined and reprimanded for cruelty and causing unnecessary suffering to their greyhounds under NGRC rules but not one trainer has been charged and therefore prosecuted in a criminal court under the Animal Welfare Act. More alarmingly, administering [...]

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The upcoming feature film for animal lovers, 20th Century Fox’s Marley & Me, hits theaters on Christmas Day. Recent history indicates the popularity of “Marley” will lead to an increase in Labrador retrievers being acquired. Unfortunately, many of them might soon be surrendered to shelters and breed-rescue groups nationwide as families find out this particular breed just wasn’t the right fit for their lifestyle. Similar upticks in animal acquisitions happened after films such as Beethoven, 101 Dalmatians and even the more recent Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

The American Humane Association and 20th Century Fox have launched a public-awareness campaign about the increased relinquishment of specific breeds of animals after they have been featured in blockbuster movies. Too many dogs are given up after reality sets in about how much responsibility or care they require, or that their needs are diametrically different than the person or families who acquired them.
American Humane and 20th [...]

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To all of our readers, supporters (and detractors) of this blog and K9 Magazine, we wish you a merry Christmas and hope you enjoy a truly propseperous 2009.
There will be a limited posting service over the festive period although some guest posters have agreed to contribute some articles for those of you who just can’t keep away from this place!

Link to full story Ryan O’Meara and Content aggregated by Dog News

Leading veterinary charity, PDSA, is urging pet owners to do a ‘pet safety audit’ of their homes this Christmas to identify and remove any dangers, so the whole family - including the four-legged members - can enjoy the festive season safely.

During the hustle and bustle of Christmas, with extra visitors, music and drinks, there may be ‘pet hazards’ lurking around every corner! And its owner’s responsibility to make sure their pets are kept safe.
Chemicals
Swallowing even small amounts of many common household products can be harmful or even fatal to pets. Pets can also be poisoned if they lick their fur or paws after they’ve come into contact with a dangerous substance.
Detergents, disinfectants, cleaning products, bleach, ammonia, turpentine and white spirit are all hazardous and should be kept in a secure cupboard well away from curious pets.
Most pet owners don’t realise that de-icer, anti-freeze and screen wash are extremely poisonous [...]

Link to full story PDSA and Content aggregated by Dog News

It seems a lot of people have knocked off work early for 2008.
But for those of you who are stuck in the office, bored out of your mind, not wanting to do ‘proper’ work but needing to look busy in front of your computer - how about wasting an entire 3 minutes of your life by creating a custom K9 Magazine cover featuring YOUR dog!

It’s dead easy (and free, of course) - just visit www.k9magazine/coverstars - and away you jolly well go!

Link to full story No Author and Content aggregated by Dog News

Woman and two daughters plead guilty of cruelty and receive fine over four thousand pounds
Brent Magistrates court, London – The Mayhew Animal Welfare Officer’s attended court to witness the legal conclusions to one of their animal welfare cases. The family pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and was given a substantial fine and hours of community service and banned from keeping animals.

The woman, from Queen’s Park, and her two daughters came to the attention of The Mayhew Animal Welfare Officer’s (AWOs) after they were called to remove two guard dogs from the garden of a house. On arrival at the property in January this year the Officer’s discovered a Rottweiler and German Shepherd, both dreadfully emaciated and suffering from infected wounds and dehydration.
The Mayhew AWO’s removed the Rottweiler and took him back to The Home, where he received veterinary treatment but had to be euthanized due to his condition. The RSPCA [...]

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A 19-year-old Birmingham man has been banned from keeping animals for life after he admitted breeding and supplying dog fighters with pit bull-types, in a case brought by the RSPCA.

Romy Khunti, of Knowle Road, Sparkhill, ran a sophisticated website where he advertised illegal pit bull-type dogs for sale. He was given a four month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, when he appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court yesterday (15 December). Khunti was also given a two-year supervision order, a 200-hour community punishment order and instructed to pay £5,000 costs after he admitted six charges relating to dog fighting.
The district judge told Khunti he was passing a severe sentence to reflect the commercial aspect of the defendant’s activities.
Hundreds of photographs of the banned breed were discovered on Khunti’s mobile phone and his home computer following an RSPCA investigation in September 2007.
The teenager was also found to been keeping three pit bull-type [...]

Link to full story The RSPCA and Content aggregated by Dog News

Although Alfie is just 9 months old, his story is already a long and amazing one.
Alfie is a Golden Retriever, born on 15th March 2008, one of a litter of 13 puppies. He reached 8 weeks and went off to a new family just like his littermates.
But Alfie was different.

He was small and sickly. A trip to the vets discovered that Alfie had a heart condition, and he was referred to the University of Liverpool’s Small Animal Cardiology Department. Here it was found that Alfie had a very complicated condition, one that require further investigation and maybe even surgery.
The estimated cost to treat Alfie was around £3000. His new owner and breeder tried to think of a way to find the necessary money, but it looked hopeless. His owner decided to advertise Alfie on the Internet, and that’s where I came in.
I first saw Alfie is a blurry photo on [...]

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