Puppy Owns German Shepherd: Funny Video
March 29, 2011 in Fun Videos, News
This is one rambunctious puppy! Glad the German Shepherd has patience. I think he’s going to need it.
You are browsing the archive for 2011 March.
by Kenn Bell
by Kenn Bell
Judge Rules Belfast Dog, Lennox Put Down For Looking Like Pit Bill
March 29, 2011 in Breed-Specific Legislation, Dog Safety, Endangerment, Government, News, Pit Bull, World
Lennox during happier times.
Just got word from Belfast that the Judge in Lennox case, which went to court today, has ruled that he be put down. And appeal is being filed. The fight is not over.
Also, in the, “how to kick you when you are down” segment, the Belfast Council wants payment for all the inhumane care and kenneling provided over last 11 months for Lennox.
As I get more info, I will update this page.
Breed Specific Legislation is an antiquated law full of falsehoods and breedism. If ever there was a time to rally the forces to strike down these laws, it is now. If we don’t, they will just get worse and maybe one day you’ll get a knock on your door by Animal Control. And they will tell you that your dog looks wrong, or is too big, or has a wide face, or maybe bares a resemblance to a dog they have deemed dangerous.
If that happens, like it did to Lennox, it won’t matter what you say. It won’t matter how much you cry. It won’t matter that your pup has never done anything wrong. They will take your dog, your best friend, your family member.
And you’ll wonder why you did nothing when they brought BSL to your town.
– Kenn Bell
#SaveLennox
The Dog Files pledges our support to Lennox and all the other dogs and their families that are under attack because of how they look.
You can start helping by reading Lennox’s story below and then checking out their site at www.savelennox.co.uk
And for folks saying that you don’t have to worry because Lennox’s story is from Northern Ireland and not where you live in America, you are wrong. It’s happening all over the USA (and Canada).
Watch the video below to learn about Pit Bulls and BSL.
LENNOX’S STORY
Hi I’m a 5 year old American Bull dog Labrador cross and Belfast City Council want to put me to death because of how I look, I have never done any wrong. Please can you help me? I want to go home!
On May 19, 2010, Lennox, a five year old American Bull Dog Labrador mix was wrongfully seized by Belfast City Council Dog Wardens from his loving family home where he lives with his owners. Lennox committed no crime nor did any member of the public complain about him. Three Belfast City Council Dog Wardens came with the Police Service of Northern Ireland to his home unannounced. The Dog Wardens then told the Police to leave as there was no need for them at the location. The Belfast City Council Dog Wardens then had tea with his owners, smoked cigarettes, chatted, played with the other family dogs after which the Dog Wardens then measured Lennox’s muzzle and rear legs with a dress maker’s tape measure and decided on those measurements without seeking any professional advice that he was a possible “Pit Bull Type Breed” and so he was led from his home to be put to death by the Council. Northern Ireland has yet to fully implement the same dog legislation as mainland UK; if Northern Ireland were to complete the dog legislation here then Lennox could now be at home with his family and they would not now be facing legal prosecution. The USPCA said the law in Northern Ireland could be changed simply and rather quickly by an order in Council.
Lennox’s family have done more than required by the law as responsible dog owners who also foster dogs for various Northern Ireland dog shelters. When Lennox was a puppy his owners had him neutered, licensed, insured, DNA registered, Pet Safe registered and micro chipped and although the Belfast City Council have issued a dog licence for Lennox for the last five years and continue to do so today, the Council now find the need to class him as a Pit Bull type dog and murder him. On the day Lennox was ripped from his family home the Belfast City Council issued his owner with a warrant of seizure which was incorrectly addressed and was for another location, furthermore the Council used the ADBA Inc (American Dog Breeders Association Incorporated) breed standards guide to help identify Lennox as possible Pit Bull type. It has now become clear that the Council used this ADBA breed standards guide illegally breaking international and Berne copyright laws as Belfast City Council have never been authorised by the ADBA to use the copyrighted breed standards guide in full or derived version. Since Lennox’s seizure the ADBA have issued the Belfast City Council with ‘Cease & Desist’ orders due to the Council’s unauthorised continued use of ADBA material.
Lennox’s owners have only been contacted once by the Belfast City Council and this was two hours after Lennox had been taken. One of the Dog Wardens who seized Lennox telephoned Lennox’s owner to say “If you do not sign him over to us to be destroyed then you will most certainly lose your job as we will force a prosecution upon you through the courts.” On many attempts the family have telephoned the Council’s Dog Control Manager but to date the Manager has never taken the families call or returned any calls. Lennox’s family have never been told where he is being kept, what condition he is in, what type of care, feeding or regular exercise he receives, if any. Lennox’s family have repeatedly requested visitation to see what condition he is in however the Dog Control Manager for Belfast City Council Dog Wardens Department has continually refused all requests through the families Solicitor. Photographs of Lennox have emerged recently and have been passed to the family which clearly show Lennox in a cold inhumane concrete kennel which is visibly too small, there are no visible signs of a constant fresh water supply, heating, toys for stimulation and the photographs show Lennox sitting upright in a box type bed surrounded by his own faeces with only saw dust for bedding which many dog experts have agreed is harmful to dogs and unsuitable for bedding, yet Belfast City Council Dog Wardens Department have stated they practice humane animal welfare as set out by the DARD (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development). After studying the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is clear that none of Lennox’s welfare needs are being met at this undisclosed Council contracted kennel.
Local leading MP’s joined in support of Lennox stating in the Belfast Telegraph and other media they were “Appalled” by the seizure and treatment of Lennox and his family. A global campaign which boasts hundreds of thousands of supporters and petition signatures has begun in support of Lennox’s freedom. The ADBA Inc, various Animal Rights groups, Animal Welfare organisations, Veterinarians, Dog Breed and Behaviourist Experts have all gave their support for Lennox’s freedom and many supporters who are regular tourists to Northern Ireland have went further to state they will not return to Northern Ireland until Lennox is returned to his home. The most heartfelt plea of all was heard from Brooke, the owners eleven year old Daughter who is registered disabled. Lennox grew up around Brooke and the two became inseparable. Due to Brooke’s illness she is unable to play each day with other children and so found Lennox to always be there as a playmate and someone to be of comfort to her. Since her best friend was taken Brooke has missed much School due to suffering health and unneeded stress caused by missing her dog. Brooke’s specialist Doctor at Belfast Royal Hospital for Sick Children has also expressed growing concern for the child’s separation from her pet.
We ask for your help to Save Lennox, stop his incarceration and stop him from being put to death by Belfast City Council who wrongfully took him. If you have any compassion you will clearly see that far too many wrongs and errors have been made by the Council in the seizure of this much loved family pet and you will help correct a wrong. Please help this little girl become reunited with her best friend.
Latest photo of Lennox snuck out by anonymous source shows him still being caged in filthy surroundings, surrounded with his own feces.
by Kenn Bell
In British Columbia, Debate Rages Over Sled Dogs
March 29, 2011 in Dog Safety, Government, Legal News, News, Sports, Working Dogs, World
It’s an industry unto itself that has fostered many differing points of view.
It’s dog sledding in British Columbia, and as the provincial government’s Sled Dog Task Force prepares to release its review of the sled dog industry, a debate is raging over what its recommendations should be.
And in this debate there are actually three points of view:
Those who believe the killing of 100 sled dogs in Whistler, British Columbia was an isolated incident and simply want someone punished for the act, with no further action taken.
Others who think the industry needs some form of regulation (including some who think self-regulation is sufficient).
The third position, one held by the Vancouver Humane Society, is that sled dog tours and races should be banned.
The head of the task force, veterinarian Dr. Terry Lake, (who is a Member of Legislative Assembly, for Kamloops-North Thompson, British Columbia where dog sledding is a heavily promoted tourist attraction), has already indicated though, that a ban is not on the cards. Lake has stated that he believes the Whistler incident “is not reflective of the industry” and reportedly favors “best practices” guidelines for sled dog operations, along with revised animal cruelty laws.
While regulations appear to be a more “reasonable” course than an outright ban, those who favor a total ban say that regulations will never get to the heart of the real problem with commercial dog sledding: the commodification of the dogs. They feel that when animals are regarded as sources of revenue, their welfare can never be ensured. As one who is in favor of a total ban of the industry, Marcie Moriarty, head of BC SPCA cruelty investigations, states, “I’m glad a light is finally being shed on this industry. I just shudder whenever I see the ads for sled dog tours because I know how the majority of dogs are living.”
The industry meanwhile, argues that sled dogs are different from other, non-working dogs, that they are bred for endurance and to withstand cold. Dr. Lake, has said: “These are not pet dogs we are dealing with, and so the method of euthanasia in a veterinary office is not the only humane method of euthanasia.”
Whatever the outcome is on this issue, we will keep you posted.
by Kenn Bell
Is A Border Collie The Right Breed For You?
March 29, 2011 in Adoption News, Agility, Breed, News
This is a Border Collie. Would you like to adopt one? Watch this video first.
Are you thinking of adopting a Border Collie? Then this video is for you.
Katie from 3LostDogs.com made this informative video to help people in your position make a decision as to whether you should get a Border Collie or not.
And if you’re not thinking of getting a Border Collie? Well, watch the video anyway. You’ll learn a lot!
by Kenn Bell
Dog Files Likes: Emily And Einstein Book Giveaway!
March 27, 2011 in DF Likes, Dog Files News, News
Hi Dog Filers, welcome to the first of many Dog Files Likes!
What exactly is a Dog Files Like? Glad you asked. As the Dog Files gets bigger and bigger we are getting a lot of companies that would love to get their products in front of you. This led to a question. How could I do this so Dog Filers could not only learn about some cool products but could benefit from the posts? The last thing I want is for you to think I’m huckstering you or lying to you. The Dog Files is my life (aside from my pups) and I would never do anything to hurt the Dog Files or turn you off to the Dog Files.
So I came up with Dog Files Likes. Companies send me doggie products and either I, or a few other choice people in the Dog Files Family will try them out. If we don’t like the product it will never show up on the pages of the Dog Files. If we do like it, we will put it up on the site as a Dog Files Like, so it is separated from the regular editorial content on Dog Files.
But here’s the best thing! Every company whose product we highlight will supply us with giveaways for you guys! That’s cool, free stuff that you’ll have a chance to win. Not bad, right?
Our first Dog Files Like is a book by Linda Francis Lee entitled, Emily And Einstein.
We have three copies of Emily And Einstein to giveaway. To have a chance at winning, just click on this Dog Files Daily Email Dispatch link and fill it out. You’ll then receive an verification email. Click through on that and you are now entered into the contest! Verification is very important! If you don’t do it, you won’t be enrolled for this or future giveaways.
As a plus, by signing up you’ll also get a daily email with all the day’s stories in it.
We will pick three winners randomly on Sunday, April 3rd. Good luck!
– Kenn
Dog Files Like: Emily And Einstein by Linda Francis Lee
A review by Paticia J. Bell
This is a book about second chances, a woman named Emily and a scruffy dog named Einstein, who isn’t what he appears to be.
Early in the story, Emily’s husband, Sandy dies in a accident, only to find himself reincarnated as a little dog that Emily adopts.
I love dogs, but I really don’t like wacky fantasy stories and was a bit worried that the book just wasn’t for me, but instead, what I found was a delightful, multi-faceted story.
Each chapter is narrated by one of the characters of the book, in the first person, which I found very refreshing.
The story is woven around Emily, Sandy and Einstein. It’s very touching and sometimes very funny, like when Emily and Einstein (Sandy) go to the dog park. Einstein does not appreciate all the other dogs sniffing his butt and he thinks chasing a ball is beneath him. But on the other hand, he feels a strange urge to do just that.
All in all, Emily and Einstein is a great easy read for a lazy Sunday afternoon. A wonderful story of love, relationships and plenty of doggie goodness.
Emily And Einstein
Linda Francis Lee
St. Martin’s Press
by Kenn Bell
Woman Charged In Case Of Brutalized, New Jersey Miracle Dog, Patrick
March 27, 2011 in Animal Control, Dog Safety, Endangerment, Inhumane Practices, News, Pit Bull
Justice. It’s something that there’s not enough of, especially when it comes to animal abuse cases.
But thanks to the diligence of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals among others, the one-year-old pit bull found starved and barely alive inside an apartment building garbage chute now might get justice.
Kisha Curtis, 28, of Newark, New Jersey was charged Friday with two counts of abandonment and two counts of failure to provide proper sustenance to the animal, according to Matthew Stanton, a spokesman for the NJSPCA.
The pit bull, hailed by animal care workers as a “miracle dog,” was discovered March 16 by maintenance workers inside a garbage chute at the Garden Spires apartment building — a 550-unit complex in Newark, New Jersey notorious for drug trade and other crimes.
The dog was found so brutalized that his bones protruded from his fur and he had no body temperature. Animal care workers with the Associated Humane Societies/Popcorn Park called it one of the worst cases of cruelty they’ve ever seen.
Newark Animal Control rushed the dog to the 24-hour Garden State Veterinary Specialists in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, where he was given a blood transfusion, pumped with fluids and covered with heating blankets.
The dog was later named “Patrick” because he made it through the night and into St. Patrick’s Day. Veterinarians said he would have died within 6 to 12 hours if he hadn’t received medical care.
Curtis, who denied throwing the dog into the chute at the 22-story apartment building, faces two criminal counts and two civil counts, which could result in up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine and community service if convicted.
“It all depends on the judge,” Stanton said. “She [Curtis], caused the animal to be in that condition. She indicated that she couldn’t take care of him anymore.”
Stanton added that the investigation into the crime is ongoing and that the NJSPCA is working to determine whether anyone else was involved in the abuse and disposal of the animal. Authorities are urging anyone with information on the crime to call the NJSPCA tip line at 1-800-582-5979.
Patrick, meanwhile, is making a slow but steady recovery at the animal hospital. Veterinary staff said the dog is now standing and eating small amounts of food several times a day.
by Kenn Bell
Dog Poop Sparks Mississippi Shootout
March 27, 2011 in Law Enforcement, News
Talk about a story full of sh*t!
Two Mississippi men drew weapons and fired at each other as an argument over a defecating dog got out of control.
Jerry Blasingame, 60, has been charged with assault for shooting Terry Tehnet, 52, with a shotgun.
Mr. Tehnet was angry because he thought Mr. Blasingame’s dog had defecated on his lawn, in a rural part of the state.
Mr. Tehnet, whose injuries are not life-threatening, may also be charged.
When talking to the police, meanwhile, the two men gave different versions of what happened.
Mr. Tehnet said he visited his neighbor to complain about dog “poop” on his property.
Mr. Blasingame blamed him for shooting his dog the week before, Mr. Tehnet said, and told him: “Just meet me at the levee and I’ll shoot you down.”
Mr. Blasingame said he got his gun and drove off but Mr. Tehnet did not follow so he returned to the neighborhood.
The two men confronted one another again and each claimed the other produced a weapon first.
“He shot twice, I returned fire,” said Mr. Blasingame.
Mr. Tehnet said Mr. Blasingame opened fire first with his shotgun so he took his pistol from his car and fired back.
He said he was hit in both hands, the shoulder, chest and side by shotgun pellets.
Washington County Chief Deputy Sheriff Billy Barber said: “Homeowners and property owners need to respect each other’s property… If a dog did that in your yard, call the law. Don’t take matters into your own hands.”
by Kenn Bell
Dog Files Creator Kenn Bell Interviewed On Radio Show!
March 27, 2011 in Audio Podcast, Dog Files News, News
Hi guys, check out my guest radio appearance on What Would Jeff Do? on AM Radio 790. Thanks to the Jeff and the gang for having me on!
The Dog Files’ mission of showing the world that dogs deserve our love, care and respect continues, onwards and upwards!
Radio Interview With Dog Files Creator Kenn Bell 03-26-11 by Dog Files
Dog Files Creator, Kenn Bell with Max, the Dog Files Mascot
