Pet World - News and Views on Pets and only Pets

Canine Coach to keep Dieters on a Leash

2005-09-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

A ROBOT dog that monitors your daily food intake and exercise levels and warns you not to eat that cheesecake could encourage people to stick to their diets.

The health-conscious dog connects wirelessly to the dieter's pedometer and an electronic diary of their eating habits, to calculate their daily calorie intake and expenditure.

Its US developers from MIT Media Lab hope the robot, a souped-up version of Sony's dog Aibo, could ultimately help in the fight against the western world's obesity epidemic.

The system is being designed by Cynthia Breazeal at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who is famed for creating the emotional robot Kismet. It would use a pedometer, bathroom scales and a PDA connected by Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to gather information about weight, activity and eating habits that people generally have trouble calculating, remembering and reporting.

A computer will then accurately analyse the data and present the results to the person through the friendly face of a robot, says Breazeal's student Cory Kidd, who is working with her to develop the system, which is still at an early stage.

Past studies have shown that people who accurately record what they eat and how much they exercise are more likely to keep their weight down, and that a real 3D robot is more convincing than an on-screen character. A robot could also offer support that humans don't have the time, patience or desire to provide.

Aibo does not talk. Instead he has been programmed to exhibit four different behaviours, representing lethargy, energy and two stages in between, in response to a verbal cue such as "How am I?"
"A robot could offer support that humans don't have the time to provide"

The robot pet will choose his response to mirror how the person should be feeling. If you have stuck to your daily calories, he will jump up and down, wag his tail, play vibrant music and flash the brightly coloured LEDs that pepper his 50 centimetre-tall plastic body. But if you have already had too many, he will move slowly and lethargically and play low-energy music.

"It's promising to look at mobile robots for defining behavioural change," says Tim Bickmore, a computer scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine, who showed recently that an animated computer companion could encourage people to exercise more.

Kidd will present the idea at the UbiComp conference on 11 September in Tokyo, Japan, and will begin a study on 30 overweight Bostonians next spring.

Source: New Scientist

New Brunswick - Patients, doctors praise PET scanner

2005-06-15T02:24:00.000-07:00

"New Brunswick is about to become the first province in Atlantic Canada to use a PET CT scanner for detecting different forms of cancer.

PET, which stands for Positron Emission Tomography, is considered one of the best technologies for finding small tumours.

It allows a physician to examine cells in the entire body, making it easier to pinpoint the source of the cancer and to track treatment.

There are only 13 PET CT scanners currently in use across the country."

Link

Supreme Court to Decide Worth of Killed Pet

2005-06-15T02:22:00.000-07:00

"A Brooke County woman aruged that she should get more than the appraised value of her late dog, which died after a 2001 hit-and-run accident.

Story by The Associated Press

Since Groucho wasn't a working farm animal, the owner of the dog killed in a hit-and-run accident should be eligible to recover damages."

What next?

Link

Expanded exotic-pet ban advances in Kentucky

2005-06-15T02:20:00.000-07:00

"Monkeys don't make good pets forever, April Truitt told a state legislative committee yesterday.

'From birth to about age 5, they are cute, cuddly little animals,' said Truitt, founder of the Primate Rescue Center in Nicholasville.

'But I have dealt with capuchin monkeys that get to be 30 years old, and these owners who paid $5,000 for them don't want them anymore. They're worthless.'"

Link

Pet owners may face stricter rules in Gallatin

2005-06-15T02:18:00.000-07:00

"Roland Mumford sponsored the resolution to create the vicious dog committee, on the heels of a dog attack incident in Portland involving two girls. District 8 Commissioner Roland Mumford is the chairman of the vicious dog committee. Mumford will meet with Wike and others at 3 p.m. Friday at the county administration building to discuss these ideas.

Summer Hunt, 7, was seriously injured when she was attacked by her grandmother’s pit bull in Portland on May 8.

Summer’s 15-year-old sister, Angelia, was also injured while trying to get the dog away from her sister.

Toni Hunt, the girls’ mother, said she would support any law designed to prevent others from experiencing the trauma her family has endured since her two daughters were attacked.

“There needs to be strict rules on any dog that can hurt a human or (another dog), pit bulls, rotweillers, chows, even small dogs, but especially with larger dogs because of the damage they can do,” Hunt said.

Mumford said owner responsibility would be a big focus of the committee."

Link

Hard Lesson About Adopting Pet

2005-05-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

DART(Duplin Animal Shelter) says people who adopt have to sign a contract stating the person adopting the animal must take it to the vet within 48 hours and Candace acknowledges she didn't do that. "It needs it shots. It needs a puppy physical. It needs to be checked for worms. I mean it needs medical attention. They are told how important it is to get the dogs to the vets," says Kim Loyd.

Both Brinson and DART agree that before you give your heart to a pet, get that animal a thorough exam.

Lyme disease cases on rise; pet owners beware

2005-05-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

The summer months can be a great time to let your dog run free in the great outdoors, yet that situation can be hazardous to you and your pet's health if he picks up a tick carrying lyme disease.

"We have seen a significant increase in the lyme disease diagnoses," said Dr. Robert Pratt, of Brookside Veterinary in Auburn. "Since January of this year, the numbers have almost doubled. We recently had a client who lost her dog to the disease."

Humans can contract lyme disease as well, but an infected dog will not transmit the disease to humans.

Watch your pet when doing fixup projects

2005-05-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

Paints, solvents are dangerous

The Iowa Veterinary Medicine Association and the Animal Poison Control (ASPCA) Center have some warnings for homeowners tackling spring and summer projects that might put their pets in harm way.

Painting, construction projects and other touch-up jobs around the house are often on the “must do” list when warm weather returns. Here are some hazards for your pet to avoid when working around your home

Pet expenses don't stop with adoption

2005-05-14T20:16:00.000-07:00

In response to "Adopting a dog is expensive" (Letters, April 28.) If a person can't afford to adopt a dog from the shelter, how are they going to pay for annual vet exams and vaccinations? To spay or neuter their dog? For emergency treatments? Obedience classes, while extremely affordable, do cost. How about heartworm medicine and quality food? Oh, wait. I know. They won't take them for their yearly shots. They won't have them spayed or neutered. They won't bother with heartworm medicine or quality dog food.

Race flu may kill your pet

2005-05-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

The devastating and shadowy malady that is claiming the lives of greyhounds at Revere's Wonderland racetrack may have even deadlier.

The federal government's top scientists are exploring whether a deadly dog flu that has ripped through greyhound tracks across the country - and is suspected in Massachusetts - could leap to humans. The strain of canine influenza has already popped up in other dogs in animal shelters aroundthe country.

AIRBORNE PET DEATHS

2005-05-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

Starting in July, consumers will have access to information on how many pets traveling in the baggage holds of U.S. commercial aircraft are killed, lost or injured while in each airline's care. The new Department of Transportation policy requires U.S. carriers to start reporting such incidents by May 15, and reports will begin appearing in DOT's monthly Air Travel Consumer Report (http://air consumer.ost.dot.gov /reports/atcr05.htm)

The government will check the airlines' self- reported data against consumer complaints to verify accuracy, DOT spokesman Bill Mosely said.

Animal rights groups have been lobbying for better treatment of airborne pets for years. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) applauded the new rule but said more measures are needed to ensure safe air travel for pets. "The transparency will continue to nudge the system forward

Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Small Pets

2005-05-07T09:27:00.000-07:00

Furry "pocket pets" like hamsters, mice and rats have sickened up to 30 people in at least 10 states, including Illinois, with dangerous multidrug-resistant bacteria, health officials warn.

The multistate salmonella outbreak during 2004 was linked with exposure to rodents (e.g., hamsters, mice, and rats) purchased at pet stores, accoding to CDC report released on May 6. The report highlights methods for reducing Salmonella transmission from pet rodents to their owners.

Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Typhimurium Associated with Rodents Purchased at Retail Pet Stores --- United States, December 2003--October 2004

Cloned pet ban rejected

2005-05-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

State lawmakers Tuesday turned away a bill that could have brought a first-in-the-nation ban on pet cloning.

The 4-2 vote against the bill with four abstentions by members of Assembly Business and Professions Committee on AB1428 by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, came after a brief discussion that touched on everything from free enterprise to mad science -- all triggered largely by a pioneering Bay Area firm's willingness to replicate pet owners' favorite cat or dog.

Press told the committee, adding that neutering the pet proved a mistake. "Sometimes you make a decision and later regret it."

It appears to me that there are lots of plus and minus points regarding pet cloning; in this respect your valuable comments shall be highly appreciated.

The robo cat looks like a real pet

2005-04-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

By gosh, it does look like a cat, or some come-alive stuffed animal from a high-end horror movie. It is much more lifelike than Sony's Erector-Set-like robo-dog, AIBO.

Cleo the robo cat lounges on the dining table, stretches its paws, arches its back, twitches its tail, opens and shuts its eyes. When it turns its neck you can hear a creepy mechanical whirring sound.

The whole scene makes you a little nervous. As you delve into the future of pets on this planet, you discover at least three possibilities: robotic, cloned and biologically reprogrammed. It's a foggy, uncharted world of cuddly robots, copycat puppies, nonallergenic cats, glowing fish, gargantuan guinea pigs, miniature hippos and the re-establishment of endangered or extinct species that could put us all in danger.

Man's best friend has a new friend in Fairfield-the fire department.

2005-04-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Firefighters have 15 new oxygen masks for dogs and cats that can be used to treat animals overcome by smoke inhalation during a fire.

The masks come in three sizes, one for cats, one for small dogs and one for big dogs.

They're here to take care of families and their pets.

Dog lovers in Britain have taken 2.7 million working days off to care for their sick pets over the last two years, according to a survey.

2005-04-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

Dog lovers in Britain have taken 2.7 million working days off to care for their sick pets over the last two years, according to a survey released Thursday.

Ten percent of owners missed five days of work, with half of these taking up to two weeks off to look after their pets.

But the best part of the news is:

People in Britain are so concerned about their dogs’ well-being that 55 percent admitted they paid more attention to sick pets than an ill partner.

I wonder if in future they will consider...

Pet bandages 'led to amputation'

2005-04-27T05:01:00.000-07:00

A bungling vet bandaged cats' and dogs' legs so tightly they had to be amputated, a hearing has been told.

If found guilty the veterinary surgeon Mr Sanyal could be removed from the register of veterinary surgeons.

Mystery pet illness

2005-04-27T04:41:00.000-07:00

Whatever killed several pets in the St. Clair and Vaughan Road area, may also have briefly made a man ill .

Public health officials doubt it. They say its highly unusual for a sickness to be transfered from an animal to a human.

However the bodies of the pets are now being tested at the University of Guelph. Autopsy results could be known as early as today.

Stray dog classes held at schools

2005-04-26T04:10:00.000-07:00

The Dogs Trust, which takes in 1,000 strays in Wales alone, is holding classes in Welsh primary schools to teach children about responsible dog ownership.

"Hopefully these classes will help children to understand what it takes to look after a pet and they will take that message home with them."

The mother who suckles pet monkey

2005-04-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

Namita, a middle-aged woman who lives in India's north-eastern Tripura state and is a government worker, describes Buru, the pet monkey, as her third child.

"This is not a pet, this is my son. Please get that right," she insists.

Pet owners face emotional decision of euthanasia

2005-04-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

Euthanasia is an issue that no pet owners want to think about, yet it is one that many will invariably have to face. Since the majority of people consider their pets to be family members, it is understandably heartbreaking to think about the end of their lives and even more difficult to think about having to make the decision between life and death for their beloved pets.

So how will you know if it is time?

I do not like all animals but I love my pet

2005-04-23T23:45:00.000-07:00

"I do not like all animals but I love my pet kitten, Fluffy” — serves to underscore a truth that special animal can always be special ...

You can pick your pet from a wide range, whether it is an aquarium of fish, a pampered cat, a loyal dog or even black ants marching in a straight line along your kitten shelf, some people even like snakes.

The most important thing is that the animals that you think you love should be dealt with care, or you might run into problems.

Insurance is a pet owner's best friend

2005-04-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

ONE in three pets will make an unexpected visit to the vet each year. With such medical costs rising 10-12 per cent per year, insurance is vital.

Even more worrying is the potential cost of a third-party liability claim. Edinburgh-based Tesco Personal Finance paid out more than £40,000 when a dog knocked a driver off a motorbike, causing serious injury. In another case, it paid more than £20,000 to someone bitten by a dog.

What happens to your pet's body after euthanization?

2005-04-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

It's the question Laura Wallach prepares herself to answer anytime she must put to sleep someone's pet: What happens next?

It should be cremated or the animal's body might be sold for classroom dissection.

Rebecca Adler, of the Lake County-based group Spay and Stay, says people should be given a choice about whether they want to donate their animal's body to science.

Walk your dog 3 times a day or be fined

2005-04-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

Italian city of Turin passes strict new pet ordinance

ROME - Dog owners in Turin will be fined up to 500 euros ($650) if they don’t walk their pets at least three times a day, under a new law from the city’s council.

People will also be banned from dyeing their pets’ fur or “any form of animal mutilation” for merely aesthetic motives such as docking dogs’ tails, under the law about to be passed in the northern Italian city.

I think this is a fantastic development for the protection of pets.
So, let us follow the Italian city of Turin, at our earliest.

Owner spends life savings for pet dog's op

2005-04-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

A CHOCOLATE Labrador has become only the second dog in the country to be given an artificial elbow.

Owner, Dennis Day, 65, spent his life savings on the operation for Cocoa, who celebrated his seventh birthday on Monday.

He said "he is my best friend and he needed the money.
"I couldn't let him spend the rest of his life limping around in pain.

We are proud of you Dennis, you are a wonderful human being.

Pet Of The Week: Meet Spunky, Loveable Betty

2005-04-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

Betty (No. 27446) is the cat of the week from the Oregon Humane Society.

Betty is a very loveable young lady. She can be a little shy at first, so she will need some time to get to know you. But one can easily win her over by scratching her chin and at the base of her tail.

Visit OHS at 1067 N.E. Columbia Blvd., Portland, call (503)285-7722, or click HERE for more information.

This spunky 3-year-old is looking for someone that can give her the affection that she deserves. Visit with Betty today!

Granny risk her life to save her pet

2005-04-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

Mildred,90, grabbed the bobcat by it's head and tail, forcing the animal to release her 20-year-old pet, Smudge.

Oh! Yes, that,s it.
Granny dear I am really proud of you.

Hungry couple dined on pet cat

2005-04-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

A young man and woman who told police they cooked and ate a cat because they were hungry have been charged criminally with killing an animal.

"I'm glad," said Allan Hughes, whose family pet Prowler is believed to be the animal that was boiled whole in a pot.

It's unbelievable it's really unbelievable, somebody please wake me up, it got to be the nastiest dream I ever had.

The oldest pet is 99

2005-04-22T05:40:00.001-07:00

At 62, Mrs Gordon -- last year's Senior Australian of the Year -- is settled in the routine because her cockies aren't going anywhere in a hurry.

At her Jirrahlinga Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary, Mrs Gordon cares for 22 retired sulphur-crested cockatoos, and a few other types. Eleven have outlived their owners and three others have owners with terminal illness.

"They've all come through being unwanted, misplaced, when their owners have gone into care or passed away," Mrs Gordon says.

"The oldest one is 99."

We relly wish to have lots and lots of Mrs Gordon like human being to protect the homeless pets.

Pet of the Week

2005-04-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

Tanner is a 1- to 2-year-old neutered Labrador retriever and Rottweiler mix.

He is a clean and quiet dog that knows obedience commands and walks well on a leash. He does well with other animals and enjoys children of all ages.

To inquire about Tanner or other animals available for adoption, visit Clackamas County Dog Services, 2104 Kaen Road, Oregon City. Adoption hours are from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday.

For information, call the shelter at 503-655-8628 or visit www.co.clackamas.or.us/dc/adoptdog.jsp. -- Rebecca Strauser

Tanner is still looking for a family to share his love with. Won’t you find room in your home for this excellent dog?

Reaction of your child when pet dies

2005-04-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

For many children, their first exposure to death will be that of a pet.

Parents magazine offers tips on how to help children cope with the death of a pet.

I like to thank the Parents magazine, as it would be a real good help for parents, to help out their children from the first experience of death.

Heidi The Silly Dog, looking for a good home.

2005-04-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

PORTLAND -- Heidi, No. 28357, is the dog of the week from the Oregon Humane Society.

Heidi is one silly, happy 7-year-old girl who likes to chase her own tail.

She may be older in years, but she doesn't let it get her down. It just means she is more polite and wiser than the younger dogs. Heidi is waiting for the perfect "furever" home where she can be spoiled rotten. Visit with Heidi today!

Heidi’s adoption fee of $55 includes collar, ID tag, microchip, one month of pet health insurance, free vet exam, plenty of information and personal support from OHS. Heidi is also spayed and subject to prior adoption.

Visit OHS at 1067 N.E. Columbia Blvd., Portland, call (503)285-7722, or click HERE for more information.

Pet of the Week: Abby the tabby needs a home

2005-04-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

Abby has been at the Santa Cruz SPCA for one year! Although Abby is a fantastic cat, she has been overlooked by potential adopters.

Abby is still looking for a forever family to share her love with. Won’t you find room in your home for this beauty?

For more information call the Santa Cruz SPCA at 465-5000, or visit www.santacruzspca.org.

The SPCA is located at 2260 7th Ave. in Santa Cruz and is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

pet photo contest

2005-04-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

THE TROUBLE with picking winners in the Humane Society of Missouri's annual photo contest is that all the photos are winners. How can they not be? All have animals in them. Cute, funny, ahhh-inspiring critters with fur or feathers or sometimes scales. And when you believe that canaries are the cat's meow, and dogs make you happy as a clam, any picture with a critter in it is bound to be a winner.
That's why the Humane Society makes the public pick the winners by online balloting. It's also why the five photo categories have 10 finalists each. Not three. Not five. Ten.

Thanks a lot to 'Humane Society of Missouri' for conducting such a unique contest, it will hopefully create lot of interests and botheration towards our best friends, our pets.

Overlake Hospital gives pet therapy a try

2005-04-16T04:58:00.000-07:00

Fraser a doberman moves toward Kelly and lowers his head so she can pet him behind his ears. "What a sweet thing you are," she coos.
The 7-year-old canine became the first dog to make rounds at an Eastside hospital last month as part of Overlake's pilot pet-therapy program.

Interacting with animals helps speed up recovery times and lowers patient anxiety, said Dr. Robert Wohlman, a gastroenterologist at Overlake and coordinator of the pet-therapy program.

Dog rescued by a dog

2005-04-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

A DOG may be Man’s best friend, but a dog’s best friend is another dog. When Lacey the golden labrador fell 100ft down a cliff at Holyhead, North Wales, it was Sheena the black labrador that saved her.

Source: Timesonline

Labradors have a reputation for loyalty and quick wits, although Lassie was a long-coated sheepdog, created as a sideline by Eric Knight, who was considered one of Britain's and the United States' most promising novelists at the time of his death in an air crash in 1943.
Two years ago a golden Labrador called Orca saved the life of his student owner, Cheryl Smith, 22, by fetching help when her motorised wheelchair veered into a concealed drainage ditch in York.

Source: The Guardian

They are not only the best friends of us, but also the best friends of dogs, lets follow their trail and try be the best friend of the world... can't we?

Dog sacrificed his life for her

2005-04-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

He's really a hero, he's a hero.

Earlier in the day, the alligator was heading for Cindy Hernandez, who was swimming off her dock along the Hillsborough River.

Before the alligator reached her, her dog, Bob, swam in between them. Bob was killed, while Hernandez was able to safely swim to the dock.

Source: Florida Today

Once again due to our reluctance to wards killer alligator we have to loose one of our best friends....can't we stop this?

New Zealand farmers oppose mandatory implant of microchips in dogs from next year

2005-04-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

Farmers want their dogs to be exempt from what they see as ridiculous identification laws.

The measure is designed to prevent dog attacks, by making it easier to identify problem animals.

Source :MSN

It looks to me like a major effort for a minor gain. How many people are killed in New Zealand each year due to dog attacks?

The sad case of five year old girl married off to a dog

2005-04-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

Bhubaneshwar: A five-year-old girl has been married off to a dog in an elaborate ceremony in Mundasahi, a suburb of Bhubaneshwar.

Naveen Munda, the father of the young bride, gave away his daughter to the dog. Raghunath Munda served as the ‘groom’s’ father.

Naveen said that there is a belief among the tribe that as soon as a girl grows teeth, she should be married off to a dog to ward off tigers, wild animals and other evil.

City-based NGOs have decided to oppose such marriages in the future by creating awareness among the Munda tribe.

Source :Mid-Day.Com

This is very sad because few tribal people still have such strange customs. However it is not such a big deal as the title may suggest. They will be married later normally to humans and the dogs would not consummate the marriage. I think the NGO's should focus their energy in education and health and let the tribals be with their own customs, however strange that may seem to us. We do not want to lose them like Mayans or American Indian's. With their different ways and customs and rituals they are a very valuable part of India and part of what makes India.

Letting your dog run loose could land you in jail.

2005-04-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

LYNNWOOD — A woman who repeatedly has been cited for letting her dog run loose lost her appeal of a municipal-court conviction yesterday, as Lynnwood Municipal Court Judge Stephen Moore upheld her three-day jail sentence.

When Dakota ( the black labrador) was picked up a fifth time, Deborah Linnell 50, was called back to court. Earlier this year, she received the three-day sentence.

Source: The Seattle Times

I think the punishment is much too harsh despite the repeated nature of the crime. After all she had just let a dog run loose. What's the big deal?

Why it may not be a good idea to take your dogs to the park

2005-04-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

Adam G. Katz of dogproblems.com thinks it may create an ever lasting (adverse) effect on your dogs personality.

It's not natural for the dog. We're not talking about human children who need to be socialized with other kids throughout their infancy. Dogs learn dominant and submissive behavior and how to interact with other dogs from 6 to 8 weeks of age. This two week period is called a critical stage, and a small amount of exposure will have a lasting effect on your dog's personality.

When you throw your dog in with all kinds of other dogs (from other packs) the first thing they need to do is establish who's dominant and who's submissive. And yes, they'll tussle to do this, often. If you have two really dominant dogs, they may even fight to the death. Or if another dog gets flushed too quickly, he'll get defensive. And then you have a dog fight on your hands, with hundreds of dogs and owners yelling and running around screaming.... and none of the dogs are trained... and none of the dogs are on leash... and all of the owners don't know anything about dog handling (esp. a fight) but think they know everything. Trust me... it's a bad situation you need to avoid.

Source: DogProblems

How to have a meaningful chat with your dog

2005-04-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

Psychologist Stanley Coren says there is a way to understand what your dog says and thinks.

He claims any communication breakdown is not the fault of the dogs, but of the stupid humans who cannot decipher what they are being told.

Some interesting tidbits:

Professor Coren says a bark followed by a howl means: "I'm worried and alone. Why won't someone come to be with me?" If there is no response from the owner, dogs often sigh. This translates to: "I'm really depressed now. Nobody understands me."

So how do dogs think? Professor Coren said: "Dogs make no distinction between humans and other dogs. They think we are brilliant hunters when we come through the door clutching a large piece of meat and when we provide them with food the moment they are hungry. But they think we are stupid when we don't understand what they are telling us."

Source: How Dogs Think ($24.95) by Stanley Coren via SMH

Family pets stolen for bait or as killers by dogfighting ring in Texas

2005-04-10T02:16:00.000-07:00

Family pets were stolen by a dog fighting ring and trained them to be killers or were used as baits. Mr. A. Tyler from Texas has been arrested in this case so far.

In a nearby vacant lot, police discovered the remains of six dogs believed to have been killed or used as bait in the fights. One of the fatally mauled dogs had its mouth taped shut, likely so it could not defend itself, Tyler Animal Control field supervisor Gary Chambers said.

Police expect to make more arrests, but some of the people who have come forward to help have also said they were afraid for their safety.

Source: ABC News

"Pets can teach you compassion, patience ........

2005-04-10T02:01:00.000-07:00

Eli is a standard poodle registered with the Delta Society, who certifies animal-assisted therapy dogs.

At an hour a day, Eli gets special requests for visits and also tours hospital floors to ‘drop in’ on patients.

"It’s amazing when you go into a patient’s room,"Eli's owner said. "Sometimes they haven’t felt that good or been responsive to their families or treatment -- a dog visit makes them more relaxed."

source: Bristo Press

Help pets prepare for baby's arrival

2005-04-09T23:59:00.000-07:00

Wichita Eagle | 04/10/2005 | Help pets prepare for baby's arrival: "If you're expecting, let your dog or cat know what to expect a couple of months before the baby is born"