Dog Rescue

Fostering a Dog

2009-07-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

What do you know about fostering dogs program? And what do foster home need to do? A foster home needs to house dog/s for a temporary basis for dog rescue and shelter. The foster home will have to take care of the basic house training, health care for the placed dog.

What are the expenses involved? It all depends on the program you are in. Some program will cover the veterinary cost only. Food, grooming, toys and all other the foster home will have to take care.

Most program will not allow you to choose the dog you would like to foster. How long you have to foster the dog will depend on when the dog will be adopted. Sometimes it will take as long as a year or two. Sometimes you will get to foster for two to three weeks only.

What it takes to be a foster carer? First you must be a dog lover. Experience in looking after a dog is also a must. Inexperience in dog handling will have difficulties in dog behaviour. You will certainly need to have patient and be totally committed than only fostering a dog will be very enjoyable and rewarding.

Photo from A Dogs Life Fostering Network

Million Paw March

2009-05-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

RSPCA Million Paws walk is an annual event and all breed of dog lovers was there to show their support for this annual national fund-raising day. This event aims to raise money to help care for 144,000 animals that find shelter with the RSPCA every year.

Guided Dogs

2009-03-01T07:11:00.000-08:00

There is this guided dogs that guides a person with vision impairment. With the assistant of a guided dog the people with vision impairment is able to move about safetly and confidently. They serve as the eyes for their owner getting them through traffic, holes, sidewalks, stairs and avoiding danger and obstacles that could cause injuries.

These dogs are trained from pupies. Some are donated whereas some are from sheltered homes.

As a guided dog owner puts it "it make going places so much fun! Everywhere you go is an adventure." To most vision impaired person, they always dream of travelling independently.

To another guided dog owner "Guide Dogs are even more than dear pets. Guide Dogs are our ultimate partners. When you and your beloved dog rely on each other for nearly everything, your love is multiplied to epic proportions. Your life is different. Better. Freer. Getting around safely is only the beginning."

Hearing dogs and Service Dogs click here

Man seen in the Cold Icy Lake

2009-01-07T04:58:00.000-08:00

What is this man doing on New Year's Day? Going for a swim on the cold icy pond? Or trying to catch a duck for New Year's Day dinner?

Well this man is Marc Greenhalgh and he is wadding in the icy cold lake to saves his pal Jarvis a cocker spaniel (his pet dog) who has fell into the freezing water trying to chase after the ducks.

He certainly is a devoted dog owner. Wadding in the icy lake when you do not know how deep is the lake is extremely dangerously. Not to mentioned the cold weather on a New Year's Day.

At last, the rescued dog and the devoted dog owner is fine. The rescued dog gets more sympathy than the dog owner.

Shelter asks Obama to adopt a poi dog

2008-11-18T18:17:00.000-08:00

A local pet shelter is lobbying President-elect Barack Obama to adopt a pooch from Hawaii when he visits the Islands in December.

In a letter to Obama, the Hawaii Island Humane Society penned a message from a dog looking for a home.

"I am a pound puppy, a pretty pooch, a poi dog extraordinaire.

"So maybe when you're in Hawaii in December, you could come by and visit me?" said the letter from a dog named Makana.

April Erenberg, the owner of a dog rescue program called Pug Rescue of Hawaii, said pugs are loyal and protective.

"Call me," she said. "I have a million."

— Robert Shikina
source: starbulletin.com

Dog racing: Is it cruel?

2008-11-01T00:31:00.000-07:00

Among the central arguments made by the group opposing dog racing has been that greyhound racing is “cruel and inhumane,” even though, according to state animal-cruelty laws, it isn’t.

Massachusetts Voters Weigh Ban On Dog Racing
Voters in Massachusetts are considering a ban on greyhound racing that would shut down the state's two tracks. Supporters of the ban say the industry abuses dogs.

These are some of the comments:-

"While racing greyhounds incur a different daily routine than most people's pets, such doesn't mean they are being mistreated."

"Dog racing is a dying sport. Stop and think why it is ILLEGAL in 34 states."

"Animal Rights activists continue to distort the facts in a shameless appeal to people's emotion. The irony is that the Animal Rights folks are the heartless ones. Trainers care for their dogs and treat them well, while Animal Rights activists have nothing but utter contempt for their fellow human beings. The Animal Rights crowd is made up of arrogant, cold individuals (many of whom appear to be highly medicated). They profess to love dogs, which in and of itself is questionable."

What is your opinion?

Citizens cry over high dog population

2008-10-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

The District Environmental Health Officer for Tain, Mr. R.E. Appiah Sam, has raised concerns over the growing number of dogs at Nsawkaw, the district capital, describing it as a threat to good environmental sanitation.

In an interview with The Mirror at Nsawkaw, Mr Appiah-Sam expressed concern about how these dogs defecate on the streets, thereby causing an unhealthy scene for the inhabitants.

"Our staff who sweep the streets every morning suffer so much because the dogs always defecate at clean and dry places," he stated.

He, therefore, appealed to the Tain District Assembly to enact bye-laws to limit the number of dogs expected to be kept per household.

When contacted, the District Veterinary Officer, Mr. Alfred Dery also shared similar sentiments and called for legislation against the control of the population of dogs in the district.

Mr. Dery expressed concern about the reluctance of dog owners to avail their dogs for anti-rabbis vaccination.

“Out of over 200 dogs at Nsawkaw, only 30 have been brought for vaccination," he lamented.

When The Mirror tried to find out why people kept large numbers of dogs at Nsawkaw and the Banda areas, it was revealed that various households kept them for economic reasons.

Apart from offering security, dogs kept in the district are highly demanded during the dry season for hunting purposes.

Similarly, the growing number of settlers from northern Ghana in the district has also accounted for the demand for dog meat.

The Source: The Mirror

Campaign opposing eating dog meat by South Koreans

2008-08-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

A South Korean animal rights activist and a dog perform in a caldron during a campaign opposing eating dog meat by South Koreans near a Dog Meat market in Seongnam, south of Seoul, Sunday, July 27, 2008. Traditionally, July 29 is a day for some South Koreans to eat healthy foods to survive summer heat. Dog meat is considered one of the healthy foods for those South Koreans

315-animal rescue sets agency record

2008-08-17T01:24:00.000-07:00

By Leah Thorsen ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

A massive animal rescue Tuesday in Polk County is the largest in the history of the Humane Society of Missouri, the group said.

The group removed 315 animals from an 80-acre property near the southwest Missouri town of Pleasant Hope, where the animals lived in filthy conditions without adequate food, water and shelter, according to the Humane Society.

Most were underweight and suffered from various skin or coat conditions. Several dead animals were found.

The rescued animals include more than 70 dogs and three dozen cats, 51 rabbits, 40 exotic birds and 60 fish, along with horses, ducks, chickens, donkeys, goats and mice.

The property owner's name was not released, and it wasn't known whether charges will be filed.

The horses and farm animals are being treated at the Humane Society's Longfellow Rescue Ranch near Union. The exotic fish, mostly large koi and goldfish that were kept in above-ground swimming pools, are being cared for by a fish hatchery, said Jeane Jae, a Humane Society spokeswoman.

Most of the animals will be cared for at the Humane Society in St. Louis, where the first group arrived early Tuesday evening. About 110 animals came in two vans, including a trembling Chihuahua so thin his bones showed through his dirty coat.

A crew of at least 30 was ready to help.

"Oh, he's a nice one," said Cyndi Nason, the adoption center director, as she took the Chihuahua from his carrier.

He got his picture taken with his green medical card. He suffered from fleas, muscle loss and dental disease, said Claire Beckmeyer, a fourth-year veterinary student.

The dog had trouble standing on his own while she gently examined him.

He endured vaccination shots, a needle that drew blood for a heartworm test, a dose of dewormer, and a round of medicine for his fleas and ticks. He squirmed when his nails were clipped. The ear-cleaning didn't please him either.

But the Chihuahua finished his day in a kennel filled with blankets and toys, and plenty of food and water. He and the other animals will not be available for adoption for several weeks.

Staff writer Heather Ratcliffe and The Associated Press contributed to this
report.

Government urged to give animal ambulances road priority

2008-07-26T03:30:00.000-07:00

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The government should allow animal ambulances to install flashing yellow warning lights and enjoy road priority to facilitate their work saving injured animals, Taipei city councilors and an animal protection group said yesterday.

In response, Hsu Hsiu-lung, a section chief of the city's Motor Vehicles Office, said the Taipei city government had already discussed the matter with the Council of Agriculture and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications last week.

The council will formulate related measures within one month and send them to the ministry for approval, Hsu said, predicting that the measures will take effect by the end of this year.

As an advanced city, the Taipei city government should take the lead in awarding priority road rights to animal-saving vehicles, Taipei City Councilor Lee Ching-feng said at a press conference outside the council hall. ......more click here

Source: The China Post

Dog meat suspended from Beijing menus for Olympics

2008-07-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

The city of Beijing has called on its restaurants and hotels to stop serving dog meat during the Olympic Games next month.

The move is part of a broad drive by the Chinese capital to show itself in the best possible light as senior officials are concerned that dog meat on menus could offend visitors from western countries.

In a low-profile order issued recently in the name of the municipal food safety office, Beijing’s catering industry association was told to “advocate” to its members that they “suspend use of dog meat dishes during the Olympic period”.

Beijing is not the first Olympic host to introduce a ban on dog meat. South Korea banned it during the 1988 Seoul Olympics by invoking a law prohibiting the sale of “foods deemed unsightly”.

For Full Article click here
Source: CatererSearch

Goldston: 'Ugliest dog' contest has freak-show feel this year

2008-06-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

HONOR DISABLED DOG FOR COURAGE INSTEAD
By Linda Goldston
Mercury News

I had a terrible reaction to the World's Ugliest Dog Contest this year, an annual event at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma.

Like many people, I smiled at the photos of past winners, usually hairless Chinese crested dogs. One of those dogs won the Mercury News' first Dog-Person Look-A-Like Contest.

But when I heard about the ugly dog winner this year, I knew the contest had gone too far. There's something wrong with naming a disabled dog - in this case, a dog named Gus from Florida - as the winner of such a competition.

Gus is a Chinese crested who has no hair. One of his legs was amputated because of cancer and he lost an eye in a fight with a tomcat. His owners brought him all the way from Florida for the contest and took home the top prize of $500.

The little guy apparently was rescued from a bad home and his current owners are devoted to him, but I think there are better ways of showing it.

We humans came up with freak shows years ago to display people who looked different through no fault of their own. We stopped having those and maybe it's time to take disabilities out of the equation for winners of ugly dog contests. I know the owners love their dogs; I'm not as sure of the crowd on hand when they're judged.

Getting Your Newly Adopted Dog off on the Right Paw

2008-06-17T07:03:00.000-07:00

Dogs constantly try new behaviors to see what will pay off for them. This is how they learn to fit in with their new family. Dogs carefully note the results of their behavior, and repeat what works to their benefit. That’s why it’s essential to control their first weeks in your home, and teach them to behave on your terms.

If you feed scraps from the table, you will have a dog that begs. If you allow him to roam free through the house, you will have a dog that is not housebroken. First, supervise your new dog. You can prevent a mistake, and not have to punish it: thus creating a more loving bond. Do not let your new dog roam freely.

Watch him, and let him know what’s okay and what’s not. Let him know where he can relieve him self (by giving praise for going outside), and correction for an error (if he lifts his leg, say “no” firmly, and walk him outside). If you can’t watch your dog, limit his area to a small bathroom or laundryroom, placing a potty area on one end, and a comfy bed and toys and chewies on the other end. It’s easier to teach good behaviors than to correct bad ones. Never hit your dog. Teach him that your hands are never a threat. Yes, it’s work to supervise your new dog, but the effort you make will pay off with a lifetime of good behavior.

Donate Your Fur To Wildlife

2008-04-18T22:43:00.000-07:00

If you have old fur coat stored away in your closet or attic, why not donate them to wildlife. In that way you will be able to get rid of your fur coat, clear a space in your closet/attic and at the same time you are helping the wildlife.

How Do the Furs Help Wildlife?

The furs are cut into an appropriate size for the animal, whether it be a bobcat, fox, raccoon, squirrel, or rabbit, and placed inside the animal's enclosure. The furry blanket becomes a surrogate mother to orphaned animals, reducing stress and giving comfort. One rehabilitator related a story about a restless orphaned river otter who chirped constantly. Once she was given a fur blanket, she settled right down. Turning the sleeve of a fur coat inside out, a rehabilitator can also create a warm nest for a burrowing animal such as an opossum. Some animals adopt a piece of fur as a playmate, jumping on it and wrestling with it.

More info read here: http://www.hsus.org/furfree/campaigns/c4c/

How Do I Donate?

Donating is easy: Place your fur in a sturdy box (a large padded envelope is fine for small items) and mail it to The HSUS at the following address:

The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Attn: Coats for Cubs

Shocking Dog's Fur

2007-12-24T05:24:00.000-08:00

Millions of dogs and cats are being bludgeoned, hanged, bled to death, and strangled with wire nooses so that their fur can be turned into trim and trinkets.

The dogs fur is used in a variety of products, including coats, fur trimmed garments, hoods, hats, gloves, stuffed animals, blankets, toys, fur pom poms on sweaters and trim on jeans etc, childrens dyed hair bows and items such as novelty key rings and hair accessories.

This slaughter is so unconscionable that the industry has tried to obscure the truth with purposely misleading labels. Dog and cat products are rarely labeled as such. Many companies and individuals involved in the trade of dog and cat fur use fraudulent terms and deliberate mislabeling, or use made up names of creatures that don't exist. Even dyed in bright colours to appear to be "fox fur" or fur from other species to disguise the true identity of their products.

Let's Stop Dog Abuse

2007-11-11T01:02:00.000-08:00

There are different opinions as to whether it is considered abuse when it comes to using dogs and animals for furs, medical research and testing. Many people consider this a moral issue.

There are different types of cruelty, there is abuse that is done willingly and knowingly, a deliberate act. Then there is neglect, where the animal is not deliberately hurt or abused but because of lack of care, considered a form of abuse.

In some cases people who are cruel to animals will also practice the same types of cruelty on other people.

In some countries dogs are used for food and sacrifices, there are different morals that can come into play here when it comes to determining what is cruel and what is not.

Cruelty of Chaining

2007-10-16T05:41:00.001-07:00

This dog was rescued from a dogfighting ring. Dogs used in fighting are typically chained or kept in small crates for their entire lives.

"Any breed of dog can be conditioned to fight. Once that behavior is instilled in an animal, it faces a bleak future, even if it is rescued."

How they Live and Die

2007-09-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

As with other animals in the fur industry, dogs and cats are bred in dank facilities with inadequate food and water, under conditions that optimize the thickness and length of their fur, but weaken and sicken them in time for slaughter.

To kill a dog, the butcher ties a metal wire around its necks, then stabs the dog in the groin area. The butcher then skins the dog, sometimes while the dog still lives.

Often, cats and dogs are sold in open air markets. Breeders sell dog flesh to restaurants or food operations. Locals then use the cat and dog fur themselves, or sell to dealers in Europe. There, middlemen sell fur in auction houses, or incorporate cat and dog fur into European products. European dealers also use cat and dog skin.

Pit bull dogs discovered in raids

2007-09-24T04:02:00.001-07:00

Two illegal pit bull dogs have been seized in an operation by police and animal welfare officers in Edinburgh.

About 14 police officers and Scottish SPCA officers raided two addresses in the Inch area of the city.

One dog was found at each address and examinations confirmed that they were pit bulls - a breed which has been branded illegal in the UK.

The dogs are currently being looked after by the SSPCA and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Officers said the report will contain information regarding offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

The Lothian and Borders Police force said it was carrying out enquiries to find out if the animals had been involved in illegal dog fighting in the area.

Constable Charles Everitt, a police wildlife and environmental crime officer, urged anyone with information about dog fighting to contact the police.

He said: "Dog fighting is a cruel activity which should have died out long ago.

"Any measure that can be taken to stamp it out and to relieve the suffering caused to participating animals is most welcome."

Although not common, dog fighting still occurs throughout the central belt in Scotland.

Welfare officers said the location of these fights can vary and can include isolated woods, farm buildings, warehouses or emptied rooms within houses.

The participating dogs are agitated by their handlers and released to attack each other, inflicting injuries which are often life-threatening.

'Horrific injuries'

Ch Supt Mike Flynn of the SSPCA said: "The dogs used in these illegal fights are worth a lot of money to their owners and their training in aggression starts when they start to mature.

"All the dogs are victims of cruelty that starts long before their first fight and during their fighting 'career' they will inflict and suffer horrific injuries."

The dogs rarely receive professional veterinary treatment as a vet would recognise the wounds as being consistent with dog fighting.

The Scottish Executive recently passed the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, making it an offence for a person to take part in an animal fight, not to care for their animal's needs and to possess equipment for training dogs to fight.

The discovery of the dogs came as the BBC revealed that it had uncovered a network of criminal gangs who supply illegal pit bull terriers for fighting.

An undercover Panorama team found that the dogs were brought into the country using false documents.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6970865.stm

Published: 2007/08/30 15:48:52 GMT

2007-09-23T01:49:00.000-07:00

The plight of homeless and displaced animals is astronomical. Shelters today are overcrowded. Domestic animals are left on the roadside to fend for themselves. It is up to all of us to make this world a better place for domestic animals. Let us all make others aware of these homeless animals.

Hugs For Homeless Animals - They have a worldwide shelter directory
Dog Rescue Pages - All breed dog-rescue centres and organisation throughout the UK
and Ireland.
Adopt a pet - Find a Animal Shelter in US