The Orangutan And The Hound
September 26, 2009 in Fun Videos, News
Thanks to Katybeth!
You are browsing the archive for 2009 September.
by Kenn Bell
by Kenn Bell
“Rescue Ink Unleashed” Premieres Tonight On NatGeo
September 25, 2009 in Adoption News, Dog Safety, Entertainment, News
Don’t forget to check out The National Geographic Channel’s newest animal show! It’s called Rescue Ink Unleashed and it’s on at 10PM.
The Dog Files Crew had the pleasure to meet these guys and I can truly say they are larger than life and truly the real deal! The show should be great!
Here’s what their site had to say about it.
“If you don’t like us from the way we look, we can’t help that. But if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem, so stay out of the way.â€Â — Joe Panz, Leader, Rescue Ink
In New York’s war on animal abuse, some of the worst offenders are pursued by a group of tattooed motorcycle-riding tough guys on a mission to save animals in danger. They call themselves Rescue Ink, and these are their stories.
In a metropolitan area with more than 20 million residents, thousands of animals — dogs, cats, and even chickens and piranhas — are neglected, abused, hoarded or housed illegally. A few years ago, eight tough guys from the mean streets, who frequented hot rod shows and tattoo parlors, discovered their strongest bond was actually a passion for animals — and they formed a rescue organization like no other.
Some have violent and turbulent pasts, complete with run-ins with the law, but all are seeking redemption and solace in their mission to save animals from human abuse.
This new weekly series that documents this unlikely group of animal activists on their crusade to save helpless, abandoned and abused animals. The eclectic band of brothers — composed of club bouncers, security guards and even a retired New York Police Department (NYPD) detective — is on call 24/7 to take on cases no one else will. They’re not cops, animal experts or even animal control. They’re just big guys with even bigger hearts and a desire to save animals from deplorable living conditions and abusive or simply misguided owners.
by Kenn Bell
Dog Groomers Use CPR to Rescue Pooch
September 25, 2009 in Dog Safety, Lifestyle News, News
By ANDREW GREINER for NBC Chicago
Benny looked like a goner.
The 8-year-old boxer collapsed at the Biscuits and Bows pet grooming facility in Palatine. He had no pulse and he wasn’t breathing.
But thanks to a quick thinking pet massage therapist the pooch will be just fine, according to the Daily Herald.
Laurie Kay administered dog CPR and resuscitated the animal. If you think that’s odd, you may be surprised to hear that Kay actually has canine-CPR training.
“Even though I’ve been trained in CPR for people and for dogs,†Kay told the Daily Herald. “I never thought I’d have to use it.”
“It was an out-of-body thing. I just did it,” Kay says. “Only it was different than in class. In class, we practiced on dog dummies. This was almost like doing it on a person. It was much more intense. I felt like each compression was important.”
Kay’s partner at the salon, Donna Stepanek, said performing mouth-to-mouth on a slobbery dog is no easy task.
“I had to grab all his jowls and cup my hands completely around his mouth and nose in order for the air to go in,” Stepanek said.
Kay and Stepanek kept up the regimen of mouth-to-mouth and 15-chest compression cycles for five minutes before Benny came to.
Benny’s owners are ecstatic, but they still have cause for concern. The dog was diagnosed with Boxer cardiomyopathy, a weakened heart, after the incident. His treatment cost $2,000.
by Kenn Bell
Walking the Dog To Draw Attention To A Cause
September 25, 2009 in Adoption News, Charity, Lifestyle News, News
By Jennifer 8. Lee for The New York Times
If you missed Craft Beer Week’s pub crawl (also known as the Path of Yeast Resistance), you can still make it to Saturday’s Pup Crawl — a pet-accompanied march across the Brooklyn Bridge intended to bring attention to the dogs and cats at risk of losing their homes because of the economy.
An estimated 500,000 to one million pets may lose their homes because of foreclosures, according to an estimate put out by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
An evening news report about that figure inspired Joseph Hassan, a 29-year-old Williamsburg resident, to organize a march. “That was the impetus,†he said. He was walking across the Brooklyn Bridge one afternoon when he imagined the attention pets would get simply by marching across the New York landmark. “If we could get people to pay attention nationally, we could reach a lot of those pets.â€
Of course, other marches have drawn attention to causes, notably the 1963 March on Washington, though not all in a good way. A 1929 march down Fifth Avenue was a breakthrough for encouraging women to smoke.
Mr. Hassan said his ideal outcome for this event would be to help a family who were forced to give up their pet readopt it when they weathered the storm. In the middle, the pet could stay in a no-kill shelter or with a “foster owner.†But to do that, the pet shelters need additional funds. Shelters are being overwhelmed by the surge in pets at the same time their sources of money are drying up. “They are hit doubly hard,†Mr. Hassan said.
As for money, so far $1,000 has already been donated to three shelters — in New York, Los Angeles and Florida — through the Pup Crawl Web site.
He originally envisioned 30 to 50 dogs taking part in the march. Now he said there were at least 150 dogs registered — and counting. Pet-related sponsors have hopped on the animal crusade, including the Iams pet food company, The Bark magazine, and Lulu Leash, which sells leashes with LEDs.
He currently has 80 boxes of pet food in his apartment that arrived by delivery truck last week. His roommate was taken by surprise, he said: “The look on her face was just priceless. She looked a little bit shell-shocked.â€
The walk will take place Saturday, with pets and owners gathering at City Hall Park around 5:30 p.m. The walk, which officially begins at 7 p.m., will be a round trip across the bridge and back.
City Room asked Mr. Hassan what kind of dog he owned that he would be taking to the walk. He admitted he did not have one. His landlord prohibits pets.
“We really want a dog,†he said. “I am really hopeful that after this, that he will understand how important it is to us and he will change his tune.†Meanwhile, he will be walking with a chocolate Labrador puppy that his roommate’s sister just adopted from a shelter. The dog, who is from Albany, is secretly staying over Friday night, he said.
“He hasn’t been named yet,†he said. “So if anyone has any suggestions, we’re open.â€
by Kenn Bell
Honey The Great Dane’s First Swimming Lesson!
September 25, 2009 in Fun Videos, Health & Science News, News
What a great way to spend a fun afternoon with your dog! Check out the video!
by Kenn Bell
Dog Files Fact: Basenji
September 24, 2009 in Breed, Dog Files Fact, History
The Basenji, the famous bark-less dog, comes from Africa and is a sight hound. This dog is also known as a Zande dog, Congo dog or Congo terrier. The Basenji was bred to drive game up trees. They were also used to also chase prey such as small antelopes into hunting nets or out into the open where their quarry could be shot with a gun or a bow and arrow. It’s origins can be dated back at least 5000 years.
The Pharaohs of Egypt kept Basenji Hounds and references to the Basenji’s ancestors appear as hieroglyphics and are also found engraved in cuneiform ( written in wedge-shaped characters) on ancient pillars and tablets. The breed was discovered, however, by the Western civilisation on the African Congo with the Pygmy tribe of hunters in the Zande area of Africa. This explains the other names of Zande dog, Congo dog or Congo terrier that the Basenji was known by. The name Basenji, or “bush thing,†was eventually chosen reflecting their African heritage. The pygmies and other African natives used the Basenji as a pack dog. As the dogs were ‘ bark-less’ they often wore large bells around their necks which assisted in the task of driving quarry into nets.
Famous for being barkless but this does not mean that the African Basenji has no voice! These dogs are definitely not mute and make an amazing variety of noises which can sound like a mixture between a chortle, howl, shriek and yodel! Just to dispel the illusion even further the Basenji will occasionally bark – similar to a fox bark but just one or two at a time.
by Kenn Bell
Wisconsin Would Regulate Dog Breeders Under Bill
September 24, 2009 in Government, Law Enforcement, Legal News, News
Good news coming as Wisconsin steps up and looks like they are about to do the the right thing!
– Kenn
MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin would join the majority of states that regulate dog breeders under a compromise bill endorsed by groups that fought state oversight for more than a decade.
For years, animal rights advocates and others have pushed for regulations making it easier to close puppy mills and ensuring animals are healthy when sold. But they were blocked by breeders and others concerned about costs and how they would be affected by the regulations.
Meanwhile, other nearby states tightened regulations, and large-scale breeders moved to states like Wisconsin, where there’s virtually no oversight. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection gets hundreds of complaints a year but has no idea how many breeders are out there and is powerless to investigate or take action, spokeswoman Donna Gilson said.
“We really have become kind of a magnet for these dog breeding operations because of our lack of regulations,” Gilson said.
The bill considered Wednesday by Senate and Assembly committees in a joint hearing would change that. Hundreds of people supporting dog breeding regulations packed the hearing room.
Breeders who sell more than 25 dogs a year would have to be licensed. Animal shelters with at least 25 dogs and auctions that sell at least 50 dogs a year also would be licensed.
The state would investigate the breeder before issuing a license and could suspend or revoke the license if there were violations.
Breeders would have to meet standards of care, such as providing each dog with enough food, shelter and opportunity for exercise.
The penalty for operating without a license would be up to a $10,000 fine and nine months in jail. Violating standards of care would be penalized with a fine up to $1,000 for the first offense and up to $2,000 for a second offense within five years.
There are 25 other states that regulate or require licensing of dog breeders, according to the U.S. Humane Society. The proposal, should it pass the Legislature and be signed by the governor, would take effect in 18 months.
To reach a compromise, the proposal is much more narrow than previous versions.
It applies only to dogs and not other animals. And while the state would be allowed inspect dog breeding facilities and suspend or revoke licenses, it could not seize mistreated dogs. Instead, the agency would have to report that information to local law enforcement.
Breeders also would have to provide buyers with a certificate from a veterinarian saying the dog had been examined and showed no signs of infectious or contagious disease. Under previous proposals, those purchasing the dogs could have exchanged sick dogs, get refunds and collect reimbursement for vet fees.
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation executive director George Meyer said the group removed its opposition to the bill after an exemption was created to allow for up to three litters of dogs to be sold a year, even if they exceed 25 animals. The federation represents 168 hunting, fishing and trapping groups, including many that breed dogs for hunting.
The Dog Federation of Wisconsin, which previously opposed the bill, also now supports it.
Advocates were pleased with the compromise, even though they agreed it wasn’t perfect.
“This bill is a very common sense, moderate one,” said Alyson Bodai, Wisconsin state director of the Humane Society of the United States. “We feel like this is an effective bill to crack down on puppy mills in Wisconsin.”
Eilene Ribbens, head of the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project, an advocacy group that formed 11 years ago to fight for tougher regulations, also said the bill was fair.
“I think it will help to stop the flow of bottom feeder breeders into Wisconsin,” Ribbens said. “We have really attracted an unsavory group of people who were able to turn this into a cottage industry.”
There have been numerous examples in recent months where charges have been brought against animal breeders in the state.
One of the largest was in May, when more than 300 dogs and about 20 other animals were impounded at a Richland County shelter. The owner was charged with 30 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and faces a February trial.
by Kenn Bell
Smithtown, Long island Schools Eye Link With Drug-Sniffing-Dogs Unit
September 24, 2009 in Law Enforcement, News
Who knew heroin use was a major problem in high schools today? But as always, leave it to our furry friends to come to the rescue!
– Kenn
By Stacey Altherr for Newsday.com
Concerns about heroin use among high school students in Smithtown have prompted school district administrators there to talk to Suffolk County police about letting its canine unit train their drug-sniffing dogs at the district’s two high schools.
If an agreement is finalized, county police will train their dogs inside the buildings after school hours when students are no longer present.
The Smithtown school district has been working with other agencies, such as the police, to deal with the growing problem of heroin use among its students, said Smithtown schools superintendent Edward Ehmann, and he sees the prospective agreement as another component of its comprehensive anti-heroin program.
“It’s just another aspect of trying to be as proactive as we can be,” he said.
The head of the canine unit, Lt. Brian Coltellino, confirmed that police were in talks with Smithtown schools, and stressed the dogs’ presence would be strictly as a training exercise.
“We’ve discussed doing some training at their schools. Nothing more than training.” However, if drugs are found on school property, the officers will take “appropriate police action,” he said, as in any situation.
Coltellino added that the dogs have trained before in school settings as well as other buildings.
A Newsday story earlier this year found that at least 15 Long Island districts have added dogs to their security forces; most, if not all, of the districts contracted with private companies.
The idea of allowing dogs to train in Smithtown’s schools was brought up at Tuesday night’s school board meeting, and PTA president Maureen O’Connor said no one objected. One parent, O’Connor said, wanted to know why the dogs wouldn’t be brought in to train during the school day.
Unfortunately, she said, heroin use is a reality schools have to deal with even though it starts as a community and family issue.
“Most kids will be comforted by the fact that someone is looking out for them,” O’Connor said. “They need to be in a safe place to learn.”
The Smithtown district also will be the site Thursday of the unveiling of the county’s new police initiative, PoliceSmart, aimed at getting heroin out of schools and off the streets.
It replaces the old D.A.R.E. program, an initiative for fifth-graders that County Executive Steve Levy said wasn’t “flexible” enough. Levy and Police Commissioner Richard Dormer will hold a news conference this morning at Accompsett Middle School in Smithtown to kick off the program.
“We’re looking to tackle the increase in heroin use from an educational and law enforcement perspective,” Levy said in an interview. “We are incorporating a 45-minute educational [segment] into the program to highlight the addictive dangers of this drug to students.”
The PoliceSmart program will be aimed at middle school students, but can be tailored for younger students. Suffolk will detach 10 officers for the program, Levy said.
Smithtown was chosen because it is on the forefront of dealing with the explosion of heroin in suburban communities, Levy said.
