Saturday, February 23, 2013

Justice For Argus and Fiona Has Finally Arrived

Photo of Fiona and Argus: Delco Times

On February 12, two Bernese Mountain dogs were shot to death after wandering out of their yard and into a neighbor's in the West Vincent Township of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. Their names were Argus who was two-years old and Fiona who was a one-year old.

The reason this happened was that a large tree branch had fallen and damaged the fence by creating a hole that allowed the dogs to escape. They were gone only about 15 minutes, when the Bock family found out that their neighbor, Gabriel Pilotti shot the dogs on sight in fear that they were going to harm his sheep. They were devastated but Mr. Pilloti was the type to "shoot first and ask questions later."

Gabe called his neighbor, who was bothered that he was bragging about what he did. It didn't help that he referred about the situation in a cold and callous manner when speaking to Bill Bock, about the incident. Considering that in Pennsylvania, there is a law that states that an owner can shoot dogs to protect their livestock, he was not charged at the time. Outraged by this law loophole, the Bocks started a Facebook Group called Justice for Argus and Fiona.


View Larger Map

Now, an interesting development has happened in this story. The man who shot the dogs is charged with two counts animal cruelty. Initially, Pilotti had said that the dogs were chasing after his sheep and he shot them in defense. However, as police conducted a follow-up investigation, it turned out that Argus was approaching him in a slow manner, with no malice intended and shot directly in the head. Fiona, the other dog retreated and was shot as she was running away to safety.

District Attorney Tom Hogan, had determined that their was no justification for this to occur. The type of the weapon made a difference. Pilotti had used a buckshot rifle. This type of rifle required each bullet to be loaded individually. Therefore, it was determined he had shot these dogs with intent to kill instead of merely protecting his sheep. The DA brought him up on two charges of animal cruelty and one charge of reckless endangerment of a human being due to the fact a neighbor was passing by the property and was in the line of fire when the incident happened. Earlier this morning, Gabriel Pilotti issued a statement of mea culpa, stating that he overreacted from a previous incident that happened a year ago in which he killed two pit bulls who were attacking a herd of sheep.

About Bernese Mountain Dogs

Fiona and Argus were the beloved family pets of the Bock family. They had five children from ages 5 to 11 who adored them. Bernese Mountain dogs are known for their calm, gentle and loving nature and make excellent dogs for families. Their origin is from the mountains of Switzerland. They are known as gentle giants because they grow to be at least 70 pounds (39 kg) in size. They average about 25 inches in height (63.5cm).They are known for their lustrous coat and regal beauty. They are considered working dogs since they were primarily bred to herd. Bernese Mountain dogs are ranked 33rd of the 175 breeds listed for the AKC. Because of their size, they tend to mature later than many of their counterpart breeds and maintain their puppyhood longer.

What Lies Ahead

While most are sympathetic to the plight of the family, there is a strong contingent of farmers who feel that Pilotti was justified in what he did. This story has intensified the relations between rural farmers and suburban families in the Chester County area. The only consolation is that the family will know that their dogs received justice for the loss of their pets.

Let's Discuss!

The one thing that's apparent about this is that the farmer enjoyed shooting his gun. Maybe he has regrets, but he took joy in the fact that he was a good shot. I think the prosecutor in this case did the right thing because the dogs were innocent. He knows that and knows that he was wrong. His apology was only to get a lesser sentence.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Dog Tested On Facebook


No dog likes the car like Cookie. If she had to choose, I think she'd choose taking a ride over having a treat. That's why I was thrilled when I found the Dog Tested app on Facebook. It's made by Subaru and is geared towards all dog owners with cool stuff for your dogs. The first thing I did was make a driver's license for Cookie. All you do is take your favorite picture of your dog, put in their doggie address, and create their license. The app then creates a photo license of your dog and adds it to their photo gallery on Facebook. I did this with the picture of Cookie seen above.

Not only does it showcase their car line, it contains some other cool features on the app include Ask An Expert, where you can ask a dog a question. The app works in a chat format with a dog sitting at a desk, getting ready to punch an answer into a laptop. I asked Lars what his favorite treat was and he typed in "Eat Shoe". Not bad for a dog that can type. It's very amusing to watch. The other two chatting dogs are Gypsy and Sasha.

Being a writer for the Dog Tested campaign has been enlightening. I've met some cool bloggers and learned a lot about how companies are changing from being just one that tells a message to one that shares experiences with their customers. That's the magic of social media.I just love the intro video because it shows dogs at their most awesome. It also has a sense of irreverent humor about it too. Here's the link to the intro video.

Oh yeah, I forgot the best part, there's also a contest. Enter on the rafflecopter below to win fantastic prizes like a $300 Visa Gift Card. Another of of you will win a $150 Visa Gift Card. The Contest ends on Saturday. It's easy! All you got to do is like them on Facebook to be entered. Good luck to you all.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well folks, I have to get to work. Like before, this post is sponsored by Subaru. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the Dog Tested. Dog Approved.™ campaign, but Too Kool Doggies only shares news for things we support. Once I finish my photography deadline, which will be cutting it close, I hope to be writing more cool posts for you.

Let's Discuss!

Have you seen the new Facebook App? What's your favorite part?

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Love and Friendship On Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day has become a huge celebration in recent times. Over $17 billion dollars is estimated to be spent on Valentine's Day alone and it's estimated that Americans will spend $815 million on their pets. Yet America is not alone. In Australia, they're also predicting that pet owners will be spending $39 million dollars on their pets as well.

While the statistics on money are impressive, the true meaning of this day is love. Here at Too Kool Doggies, we're celebrating that fact. Below are some pictures from a group board I belong to on Pinterest that illustrate that fact.

Source: pixdaus.com via amanda on Pinterest
Happy Valentine's Day folks!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Dog Tested

As you know, Subaru has been a huge supporter of dogs and their owners over the years. Joining in on the fun of the Puppy Bowl last week, their ads were a huge hit. The teaser ad from above was my favorite. It always makes me bust up into laughter when I hear that dog grunting as he pushes back the calculator.

Another outstanding teaser I enjoyed was On The Lot. It uses both cats and dogs and understands the balance of both.
On The Lot Teaser

Building on the success of the teaser ads, Subaru has release full commercials centering around everyone's favorite salesman to dogs, Grant Weber. The actor who plays him, does a nice job in the intro commercial. I think it's one of their strongest ads, which you can see from the link below.

Subaru Intro Ad

Another one of their ads that make me smile is their KIDS commercial. Whenever I see puppies, I can't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside. This is a company that doesn't just sell cars, but really make strides to interact with their dog friendly community. My next post in this series will tell you more about their new Facebook app.

Note: This post is sponsored by Subaru. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the Dog Tested. Dog Approved.™ campaign, but Too Kool Doggies only shares news for things we support.

Let's Discuss!

What do you like best about these Subaru dog ads?

It's All Related!

Get Ready For The Puppy Bowl

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Get Ready For The Puppy Bowl

Photo: Courtesy of Subaru

It started in 2005. The Puppy Bowl started as a simple low-key option to the Superbowl where there was a referee around to make sure that no bathroom mishaps by the pups happened on the field. Since then, it's grown to a huge event where it provides a viable viewing alternative to pet lovers and non-football fans alike.

Who can resist adorable puppies romping around and playing with each other? In fact, the event has become so popular, it now has a kitten halftime and will be featuring hedgehog cheerleaders this year. What makes this one unique is this year, all of the dogs participating are from shelters. This year, devoted fans can catch it on Animal Planet airing at 3pm EST/2PMCST.

Even iPhone and Android users will get a chance to interact and engage with special content during the puppy bowl. By downloading the special Puppy Plus App, you'll get exclusive content now that can't be found anywhere else. Not only does it work during the original airing but will work during the encore showings too. It can be found for iPhones through this link.


More About Subaru

They are one of the main sponsors of the puppy bowl this year. A car company that sells vehicles that are dog-friendly, this year, they will be featuring a special ad campaign featuring Grant Weber, a salesman who works exclusively with dogs. They have some really cute ones. My two favorites are below.

Let's Talk Financing and Tailgating.

Check out all the Puppy Bowl teaser ads from Subaru on their Facebook page.

For the record, this post is sponsored by Subaru. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the Dog Tested. Dog Approved.™ campaign, but Too Kool Doggies only shares news for things we support.

Let's Discuss!

How do you plan to spend Superbowl Sunday?

BlogCatalog

Dog Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory