Some Questions For The Ministry Of Defence And The RAF

Photo: Pat Pilon

Recently, Prince William decided to retire from the military so he could devote himself to his wife and his new child. It was a simple choice and a nice change of pace for the prince, who had focused on being a search and rescue helicopter operator for the RAF.

One would think this would be a decision without controversy. However, approximately two days after the prince left the military, two of the guard dogs assigned to protect him, Brus and Blade, were put down. The dogs had been serving in the role since Prince William joined the military in 2010. Brus, a Belgian shepherd was 7 and a half years old and Blade, a German Shepherd was 9 and a half years old. Brus, was known for having behavioral issues and Blade had issues with his spine and hips. Still, that's no reason for euthanization.

Now, the Ministry of Defence says that it's a "coincidence" and that they both had behavioral issues. It has been said that the military tried to rehome them, but it failed.

Harrowing Questions

Which makes me wonder, did they really do everything they could or was it the easy way out? First of all, the dogs were hired to guard the whole military base, not just Prince William. Why couldn't they have been kept on the base till they were ready to retire?

Many dogs are given to one of the soldiers when their military job comes to an end. Did the decision makers at the RAF even consider this?

It has been said that the dogs were stressed out. Well, when I'm stressed out, I take some time and retreat to a peaceful and quiet place to de-stress. Why couldn't that be done for Brus and Blade?

There are so many specially trained dog experts out there. Why couldn't the dogs have been sent to them?

What about approaching animal advocates? Victoria Stilwell is one of the biggest proponents for protecting animals and she is from Great Britain. Why couldn't they ask her for any help?

If that didn't work, then why not put the dogs in a special dog sanctuary, so they could live out their last years in peace? There was a dog retrieved in the Michael Vick debacle named Mabel. Mabel was deemed too dangerous by a court judge to ever live in a household. She was given a pass to live in the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and has come a long way since 2007. Am I supposed to believe that two highly trainable dogs who were trained to guard, couldn't do the same thing?

This story reeks of laziness and that's why dog lovers around the world are livid. The only thing that the RAF and the Ministry of Defence has proven is that how they have hid behind excuses instead of facing the problem head on and finding a solution. Maybe there's nothing that can be done know but at least, there is something to be learned from this travesty for the future.

Read More About It

Vanity Fair
Daily Mail

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How do you feel about this story? Please share below.

What The Heck Is Happening In Idaho?

Hi Everyone! Last week, I had competed in the web design competition I was had mentioned previously. It was a tough competition this year, as we had to do a website that was over 130 pages in size and had a team that dwindled from five people to two people. Still, we received an honorable mention and considering that there was a very tight race, we were very pleased with how we did. Now, I can blog more consistently than before.

 Also, thanks to have all who have commented during my time blogging. Just to let you know, I read each and every comment but will not publish spam comments. It's not fair to the readers and hurts the blog with Google.

The Mysterious Land Of Idaho

 Growing up in the Midwest, I never had visited Idaho. In fact, I only can tell you a few things about Idaho of the top of my head:

• That it has very low pollution and beautiful land out there.
• It's known for excellent potatoes.
• Demi Moore and Bruce Willis called Hailey, Idaho home.
• Boise State has had quite a successful football team.

Warning: Not for the faint of heart.

A Case That Makes No Sense

So imagine my surprise when I read about the earlier discoveries of four German Shepherd mixes who were bludgeoned and shot in the head. One was found last month in what seemed to be a ritualistic execution, where the dog's eyes seemed to have bulged out. This has been happening since November of last year as officials have discovered 30 dogs in this fashion. The area of Idaho is in the Twin Falls(see map below)and the Magic Valley Region.

 
View Larger Map

 The whole thing is disconcerting, perplexing and bizarre. So much so, that the Humane Society is offering a $5000 USD reward leading to the capture of these heartless killers. As for the residents of the area that may be targeted, keep an eye on your dog and a bigger eye out for any signs of stalking behavior.

Let's Discuss!

Please share your thoughts about the case below. I'd especially interested in hearing from those of you who live in Idaho. Thaks everyone! :)

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.

This Dog Was Given Up Because His Owner Thought He Was Gay

Photo: Facebook

On January 29th, an owner in Jackson, Tennessee got fed up with his dog. Because this owner saw his dog humping another dog, he immediately thought the dog was gay. Nevermind that this is typical behavior for most dogs. In most cases, it shows the dog is trying to establish dominance. Whether or not the dog may have been gay or not, it shouldn't matter. Dogs love no matter what.

Nevertheless, the dog owner then proceeded to drop the dog out at a kill shelter, in Jackson, TN. It was assumed that he would be euthanized today at 1pm. Luckily, it turned out to be not the case. However, because of overcrowding there are 10 other dogs scheduled to be euthanized.

The Jackson Tennessee Animal Control has no website but if you happen to live near that town and are interested in this dog or any other dog, you can call 731-668-4211 to get more information about this dog or any dog that may get euthanasia. As for the fearful dog owner that gave this sweet white dog up, maybe in the long run it's a good thing. No dog should be with an owner that doesn't want it, no matter what the reason.

Let's Discuss!

What thoughts would you like to share regarding this?

A Fine Mess In Monroe County Michigan

Photo: Facebook

In April of this year, a young 15-year-old girl was attacked by one of Timothy Iocoangeli's boxers. She was bitten over 100 times because she was standing outside in the backyard. Most would feel that the dog who bit her deserved to die. Yet there is more to this story.

It turns out that there was a boy who went into the house when the owner was not home. He happened to be a friend of the son of Mr. Iocoangeli. The son and another friend were not at the house, and these two were looking for them by him entering the house.

As a result of this incident, the dog owner has suffered serious consequences. He has lost his job, his four dogs were confiscated by animal control and euthanized, and the puppies which he had in his possession were removed and placed in an animal shelter for adoption. Worse yet, Tim Iocangeli will be prosecuted for four felony charges of owning a dangerous dog.

While I feel for the girl, I think the government is punishing the wrong person. The owner's dogs were safely secure in their house until this young man entered and let them out accidentally. Why didn't the kid ring the doorbell instead of going inside? Sadly, the boy responsible for opening the door is not around to address this issue. He died in a car accident after this debacle happened.

It seems that instead of getting to the bottom of this, the Monroe County

Photo: Monroe News

government wanted to use these boxer dogs as an example to enforce their weakly written dangerous dogs law. Yes, the girl will have a rough road of healing in the days ahead. What happened to her is truly tragic. If she's ever able to be around another dog, it will be a miracle. However, punishing the owner for something that wasn't his fault isn't going to change what happened.

The dogs were safe and secure in the house. It's not like they busted through a window to attack the teenager. They were released by a person who wasn't a member of their family. If that door was not opened, the dogs would have stayed in the house.

When a mother has a litter of puppies, they will tend to be protective of their litter. That may have played into part of the reason this happened as well. It's obvious that the dog owner had these dogs for protection. It's also a shame that you can't live in a world where your door is unlocked and people will respect the fact that you're not at home. The lawmakers are basically saying we now live in a world where having locked doors is the norm and opening an unlocked door is a person's right even if they don't live there.

To blame the owner of the dogs for this travesty isn't right. These dogs were doing their job which was protecting their territory. What's worse is that all this happened with no temperament testing. They didn't even give the owner the decency of saying goodbye to his dogs. It's easy to blame the dogs, but the fact remains that this case is too one-sided to be fair. It reflects poorly on the government of Monroe County and perpetuates fear and ignorance instead of finding the right solution.

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts on this story?

It's All Related!

Remembering Lennox When BSL Laws Fail

Coping With PTSD In The Military

Photo: Stanislav Komogorov

We've all had our bouts with stress. Some days it can be so bad you just want to curl up in bed and shut the world out. Soldiers who serve abroad have things much worse. They see horrible things up close that most civilians can barely watch on tv.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Animal assisted therapy began as early as 1945 when we supported therapy dogs programs to provide comfort and motivation to injured World War II soldiers. 1 of 8 soldiers will get post-traumatic stress disorder syndrome. In some areas of the military, it can be as high as 20%.

What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychological condition triggered by a major traumatic event, or a catastrophic accident. It is marked by upsetting memories or thoughts of the ordeal, "blunting" of emotions, increased arousal, and sometimes severe personality changes.

Source: www.freedictionary.com

It affects soldiers in different ways. Some have to cope with physical injuries in addition to their anxiety and/or depression. Now, it seems that the VA is cutting back on aid to help the soldiers receive these dogs. Part of the reason is the fact that they want to keep higher standards between what types of dogs are being trained. Also, if the program is not properly monitored, many soldiers can go in and adopt a dog and say they have this dog for PTSD, when they really don't need it. However, the likelihood of that is rare.

The cost of fighting overseas is not cheap. Each soldier costs the United States roughly $815,000 USD to go overseas. A small fraction of that (around $30,000 for a sargent) goes to a soldier's paycheck.

The top reason for soldiers being hospitalized after their tour of duty in the post-9/11 era is mental illness. Post-traumatic stress disorder does not just affect the soldier but their loved ones as well.

When a soldier has PTSD, the cost to the military is $10,000 USD per year at minimum. When you factor in the number of soldiers together, that amounts to over $5 billion USD per year. Many drugs have been prescribed such as benzodiazepine. Drugs like these have a tendency to be addictive after a certain period of time. Roughly $2 million was included in the 2010 Omnibus Appropriations Act for programs related to veterans’ service dogs. The amount allocated to this type of natural therapy pales by comparison to the amount used for prescription drugs.

It roughly takes anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 USD to train a service dog. These dogs will be about 1 to 2 years when they enter a soldier's life. They stay with that soldier for roughly 10 years. So, in about 2 to 3 years, the cost of a service dog will pay for itself.

Benefits of Service Dogs For PTSD

Many soldiers suffering from PTSD that have received therapeutic service dogs have noticed an immediate difference. Also, soldiers who have service dogs reported lower stress levels, decreased depression, better impulse control and improved sleep. Even more significant is that many of these soldiers have indicated that they finally feel like themselves again. Also, programs like Puppies Behind Bars helps prisoners achieve a lower recidivism rate because the inmates have interaction and emotional bonding with these animals that they are training.

After seeing and experiencing the horrors of combat abroad, the effects of war are huge. The best result of having these these dogs is the ability to make a soldier an active participant and not a passive observer. They give the soldiers the safe haven that drugs and current work situation can't. For the ones, who aren't lucky enough to receive PTSD service dogs, they struggle and are lucky to get by on $600 per month. All in all, the benefits of PTSD greatly outweigh the disadvantages.

If we as a country are to spend billions of dollars to send soldiers to protect us by risking their lives, then we should be willing to spend an equal amount of money to help them come back so they can feel protected, safe and live their lives they way they did before they left. With the upcoming elections coming up, this is something we all should keep in mind, so it doesn't get swept aside as being insignificant.

Organizations For Therapeutical Service Dogs

• American Humane Association
• Warrior Canine Connection, Brookfield, MD
• Patriot Paws Service Dogs, Rockwall, TX
• This Able Veteran, Carbondale, IL

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts on this PTSD?

The Ultimate In Animal Cruelty

When I was a kid, I would always gasp when I would see a man tying up a women and leaving her on the railroad tracks. This would often be the case in silent movies or cartoons, but I knew that she would be saved in a nick of time. I couldn't imagine another outcome.

Well, some heartless dog abuser has proven me wrong. On Friday, August 9, this nameless mystery of a being took 3 dogs and tied them to the tracks. There was an oncoming train coming. It was bad enough that the person left them to die. But this sick individual took things one step further; he recorded it through either by taking pictures or recording it.

The lone dog who survived was a female who is mixed breed who is 22 pounds and 14 inches high. She was wearing a pink collar which means that she was part of someone's family. She has benn named Chessie. There is a $5,000 USD reward from PETA.

What are your thoughts on this story?

Read More About It

Washington Post Story

The WOOF Program

Photo: Miguel Saavedra

San Francisco has one of the highest homeless populations in the United States. It has the fourth largest population in California as well as the 13th largest population in the country. The city proper has a population of over 812,000 people. With a homeless population of 6,455 in 2011, it's no wonder that they are working to find alternatives to fight homelessness.

This is where I have to thank PETA. If they didn't make such a stink about the WOOF program in San Francisco, I would have never known about it. Last year, the San Francisco Animal Care and Control took in 500 more dogs than last year totaling 2,424.

What Is The Woof Program?

The WOOF Program is set to start in August of this year. WOOF stands for Wonderful Opportunities for Occupants and Fidos. Inspired by the story of Charlie Traywick, a homeless man who had bouts with severe depression. Eighteen months ago, he was dragged by a friend to a local animal shelter and came across Charlie, a bichon mix who was skin and bones. Charlie was so weak, he could barely climb a flight of stairs. Yet, in Traywick's care, he flourished and is now a regular dog. Traywick has been off the streets since and holds his head higher. This was done without the help of a program like WOOF.

This program screens homeless applicants who are mentally ill, have a history of violence or are hoarders. Any person participating in the program will be ejected if they are using the dog to help with panhandling. The dogs used for this program are either:

1. Puppies who are too young to be spayed or neutered.
2. Rowdy dogs who need to have their social skills polished.
3. Fearful dogs who would benefit from having one on one time to make them more adoptable.

Most importantly, dogs with an aggressive streak or dog fighting history are not allowed into the program.

The program housing is supplied by Community Housing Partnership or other similar community housing organizations. Even more significant is the fact that the funding was provided from a donor named Venessa Getty who donated $10,000 USD as a grant for Animal Care and Control.


This program goes into effect starting August 1st. This looks like it may have great promise. Anything that may cut down on both homelessness and euthanization is definitely worth a shot. While I admire PETA's advocacy for animals, I think they have jumped to a premature conclusion without understanding the program fully.

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with Animal Care and Control or PETA

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Read More About It!

Los Angeles Times Article
San Francisco Chronicle Website

Who Gets The Dog?

Photo from: Free Knuckles

Relationships aren't easy. They take quite a lot of work from both individuals to make them succeed. Even more difficult is when a relationship breaks up. We all react differently.

I was utterly surprised when I heard about the man who is spending $60,000 to get his dog Knuckles back. Knuckles can't be more than a couple of years old. He's a puggle comprised of 3/4 beagle and 1/4 pug. Obviously, both Craig and his girlfriend were both attached to this boy.

While we haven't heard much from the girlfriend's side about the case, by reading the other articles and seeing the video on his fundraising website, it's obvious that this dog is really special to his owner.

We don't know how long this is going on but it's evident that this guy has taken a huge risk by putting his story on the internet. He has paid around $60,000 USD out of pocket and is working three jobs to earn the money to try to bring his "Knux" back home with him.

I don't know what went wrong in the relationship, but taking a dog all the way across the country to California without consulting the other person about it, just doesn't seem right. This guy lives in New York City and seems to be of limited means where he can't jump on a plane at a moment's notice to see his dog. It has been said the girlfriend's reasoning is that this guy didn't want the dog anymore. I think he's shown her 60,000 reasons that he does. I'm inclined to believe this guy, because he's found creative ways to raise money for his cause as opposed to just asking for it.

A Growing Trend

Many times in the past and even in present day, pets are perceived by the courts as being just property. As more and more people are raising their dogs as part of their family and not just a pet, there are going to be more lawsuits like this one. Many lawsuits have arisen out of love, but there is a significant percentage that have resulted from spite and/or retaliation. One thing for sure, there has been a huge increase of pet custody cases since 2001.

Let's Discuss!

What's your take on this? Is it happening because they both love the dog or because the girlfriend is striking back? I don't know the answer to that, but I have to wonder why this man would go to this trouble if his motives weren't true?

Learn More About Knuckles

Here's the fundraising website for more information.

Free Knuckles

A Tradition That Needed To End

People love traditions. They love to celebrate a special event. These celebrations can go on for hundreds of years. Such is the case of a longtime festival held in Qianxi.

Known for the origin of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), folklore said that Zhu Yuanzhang and his troops killed the dogs of their opponents so that their barks would not warn them. As part of the victory, they feasted on the meat of the dogs that were slaughtered.

Each year, residents of this area celebrate by eating dog meat. However, after some people questioned if the dog meat was safe to eat, dogs were butchered out in public to show they were safe. Dogs had been killed and then skinned on site.

Online outcry called upon the government to stop this cruelty towards dogs. Many people and After overwhelming pressure, the government gave in and this is the first year dog eating has been banned from the festival. This is a great illustration of how powerful online communication has become.

Read More About It

China Bans Dog-Eating "Carnival" After Uproar - Reuters
Dog Eating Carnival Banned In China - AFP

Let's Discuss

Please share your thoughts about this below. I never could imagine dogs as cuisine and hope this trend ends in Asian countries.

Woman Saves Dog By Punching Bear On The Nose

Photo: Michael Penn/Juneau Empire

It isn't every day that one finds their dog in the clutches of a black bear. Yet that's exactly what happened to 22-year-old Brooke Collins. This woman from Juneau, Alaska had her dogs outside in the yard, when a black bear came in and took her dachshund Fudge by her neck and was carrying her like a piece of salmon.

Without having much time to think, she remembered hearing that if you punch some animals on the nose, it can deter some animals and make them run off. Sure enough, after doing that, the bear became stunned and walked down the driveway.

The dog wasn't seriously injured aside from having some scratches and bite marks. She will be watching the wounds closely to ensure that there's no infection that arises from the incident.

While she wouldn't do something like that again, she felt that she had to act quickly to save her dog. Her other dog, a Pomeranian was unharmed.

Not A Rare Occurrence

It seems that bears are becoming more commonplace and less fearful of humans up in Alaska. To date, there have been at least five bears wandering the neighborhoods scavenging through trash cans for food. It is a growing problem that dog owners have to face.

Collins said the whole experience of a physical encounter shook her up, calling the whole thing an eye-opener. She said she’ll be taking a lot more caution from now on and definitely won’t be approaching neighborhood bears.

Let's Discuss!

Have you ever witnessed such an incident up close?

Read More About It!

Woman Punches Bear To Save Her Dog - Juneau Empire

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When A Pooch Goes Poof!

It seems these days that more and more dogs are being kidnapped. One of the main reasons this is happening is the bad economy. Thieves who grab dogs can't afford to buy one of their own, so they will steal one so their kids can have a pet.

Many will kidnap breeds like Yorkshire Terriers or Pomeranians because their smaller size make it easier to pull off. They can sell them for a higher price and make a profit. Others will hold on to the dog until an owner puts out a reward sign and then wait until the reward goes up in price.

In the first seven months of 2010, there were 150 pets stolen from homes. This year there has been 224 thefts. That's an increase of 49M% from last year. Nothing is more precious than life and those who snatch family pets have little regard for that fact. They're opportunists who profit off another person's misery.

Tips On How To Avoid This

There are some steps dog owners can take to keep their pets safe.

• If your dog is a pedigree, don't discuss the details about how much was spent. A savvy thief will latch on to that key piece of information and could target that person
• Be wary of classified or internet ads. Many thieves will try to unload stolen pets that way. It's better to find them through a shelter or rescue group.
• Keep your dog on the leash when walking it. If you do walk your dog off-leash, be sure that your dog remains in close proximity and very responsive to your commands.
• When at the dog park, always keep an eye on your dog. It's easy to get caught up in conversation with other owners and lose track of your dog.
• Make sure your dog is microchipped and has proper identification. With a microchip, if a dog gets away from its kidnapper, it will be easier to find his home. Likewise if your dog wears an id tag.
  
• 
  

Even though stolen dogs are becoming more of a problem these days, with a little extra care and cautiousness, you'll be able to safeguard your pet.

Read More About It!

San Francisco Chronicle More Dogs Get Kidnapped For Money - USA Today

Let's Discuss!

What are some ways you keep your pet safe?

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An Incredible Dog That Set The World Record

Lisa Strum and Vhoebe, her three-year-old Belgian Malinois

During the weekend of June 10th & 11th, the Incredible Dog Western Regionals were held by Purina at the San Diego County Fair. One of the biggest highlights of the event was the fact that Vhoebe, broke the world record for dock diving. She set a distance of 31 feet 5 inches (9.6 meters).

Major, a five year old Parson Russell Terrier, competes in the 30-weave up-and-back event

The National Incredible Dog Challenge will take place in Gray Summit, Missouri on
the weekend of September 30th. Each year this event features the best of the best in dock diving, freestyle flying disc (frisbee catching), head to head weave poles, dog surfing, agility and other events.

Below are some photos from the competition this past weekend. (All photos are courtesy of Purina).

Prino, a four-year-old Papillon, competes in the small dog agility event.

Nani, a Bernese Mountain Dog, bails off her board in the surfing competition.

Owner Jeremy Duenas of Yorba Linda, looks on as Deagen, a 5-year-old French Bulldog, competes during the surfing competition.

Bring On Summer!

Let's Discuss!

What's your favorite event in the Incredible Dog Challenge?

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Unbelieveable! Shot and Buried Alive Yet She Still Survives

Star with animal welfare coordinator Janice Chetcuti. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

In Malta just like many European countries, it's common to see strays roaming freely. Someone obviously didn't like a cute black and white dog named Star. Not only did that person shoot her 40 times in the head with a pellet gun, but also buried her alive in the sand. People discovered her nose poking through the sand.

Many people in Malta are incensed about this. In addition to stiffening the penalty for animal cruelty, a Facebook page has been created to find the individual responsible for the pain this dog as suffered.

As for Star? Luckily, a Maltese family will be adopting her but will not be able her to get her right away, since she needs extra time to recover from the trauma. At least she will have a happy ending.

Let's Discuss!

Share your thoughts here.

The Dog Who Helped Find Osama

Photo of Cairo: From K-9 Storm

About a month ago, one of the most wanted men —Osama Bin Laden— after eluding the United States for almost 10 years. Justice prevailed because of the teamwork of the U.S Navy Seals. One of those Navy Seals was a dog named Cairo.

Cairo was a Belgian Malinois who was trained as a Navy Seal. While regular military dogs are trained to sniff bombs, that is only part of what these dogs do.

How Navy Seal Dogs Are Different

In addition to bomb detection, they parachute out of airplanes with their handlers. Most of the time, it will be tandem but occasionally, the dog will jump solo. Since dogs are unable to perceive the height difference, jumping out of a plane isn't as nearly terrifying to them as it would be the average human.

They also rapell down the sides of mountains, finding enemies, swim through water, and sniff out roadside bombs (like their military counterparts) and drugs. While the dog didn't shoot Osama, he served as a distraction. With that extra time, the Seals were able to succeed. Over 600 dogs have been sent to Afghanistan and Iraq. It has been proven, that even with all the modern-day technology, a dog's sense of smell always is the most accurate method of detection.

Tools Of The Trade

The dogs are outfitted for this type of work too. K-9 Storm is a company that creates special vests for them. Part of this includes a night-vision camera which can transmit images from 1,000 yards (914 meters). Or one can say it's the length of 10 football fields. The vest also has special harness for rapelling down mountains or crawling through swamps. The Navy bought four of these vests for $86,000 USD. It's proven to be a worthy investment.

Photo: K-9 Storm

Post-War Life

It used to be that dogs were euthanized after their tour. In 2000, President Bill Clinton passed a law for military dogs to be adopted. Now, they are more popular than ever.

Usually, there is a six-month wait. The cost is roughly $1000 to $2000 USD because dogs fly back from the country commercially. However, it's a small price to pay considering most of these dogs have had training upwards of $40,000 USD.

Normally, 300 dogs are put up for adoption. Because of the Bin Laden raid, there has been a surge of 400 applications for adoption. Since Cairo has done his job, he will be retiring from the Navy Seals. It will be interesting to see where he winds up.

Read More About It

To learn more about these talented animals, please visit these links:
Foreign Policy, War Dogs Part I
Foreign Policy, War Dogs Part II
CNN Article About K-9 Storm

Let's Discuss!

Have you ever met one of these incredible dogs?

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Countries Unite To Help Japan

Photo: Fairfax County International Task Force

On March 11 —just a few weeks after the Christchurch earthquake— Japan had experienced one of the worst earthquakes ever, registering at a 9.0 on the Richter Scale. An earthquake with that magnitude happens only once in 5 to 10 years. Shortly afterward, a devastating tsunami followed. This earthquake was so severe that it has been said that Japan shifted 8 feet (2.4 meters). Aftershocks have been as high as 6.0 on the Richter scale. The earth's axis moved 10 inches that day.

Not since World War II has Japan experienced such destruction. More than 2,000,000 households
are without electrical power and water. Over 10,000 have perished. The biggest hurdle this country will face is stopping the nuclear reactors from having a meltdown. Thousands of people as well as their pets have been displaced from their homes.

Photo Source: News Observer

Countries Band Together

Countries from all over the world are uniting to help Japan in the midst of disaster. Many of the countries had landed on March 13 and will be deploying on March 14 at first dawn. These next hours are critical if there are any survivors to be found.

Some of the countries assisting Japan include:

• The United States has already sent a joint team of 144 rescue workers out there with 12 rescue dogs who will bark alert at the sight of any persons. One rescue team is from Fairfax County, Virginia, and the other is from Los Angeles County, California. Over 85 tons of equipment have been provided for this mission.
• Great Britain has sent a search and rescue team of 59 rescue workers, 4 doctors, 2 rescue dogs and 11 tons of equipment.
• Germany has sent 40 rescue workers and 2 rescue dogs through the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief. This agency is composed mainly of volunteers.
• France has over 100 from their country assisting Japan and an additional 11 from Monaco helping the country through their plight.
• Italy is standing by on word from the Japanese government on how they can help.
• China arrived with its rescue workers on Sunday morning.
• Australiahas deployed 72 rescue workers to Japan. It also has offered its field hospitals and victim identification personnel to Japan. Additionally, dogs will be en route as well.
  
• Singaporesent 5 rescue workers and two search and rescue dogs each. Many more rescue workers are on standby.
• South Korea sent 5 rescue dogs.
• New Zealand will be contributing 48 rescue workers to the search.

This is just the tip of the iceberg with many more countries currently on standby waiting to offer help to Japan when requested. In the social arena, the Annenberg Foundation will be providing $200,000 USD toward sending rescue dogs to aid in the Japan response efforts because over 100,000 people hit "Like" on The the Dogs Bless USA page on Facebook by Sunday evening. (110,356 and counting) Originally, they were going to offer $100,000 yet because of the actions of those on Facebook, the amount was doubled. Countless donations have rolled in from around the world. If you would like to help, you can find a variety of agencies through this link.

 I am truly saddened and dismayed at what has happened to Japan and send them my sympathy, hopes and prayers during this tragic time.

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts on this historic event?

Family Adopts Dog Of Fallen Soldier

Photo of Eli from the Department of Defense

On December 5th of last year, Marine Pfc Colton Rusk was killed by Taliban sniper fire in Afghanistan. When he was shot, his explosive detection dog, Eli, climbed onto his body and lay on him to protect him.

His family only met Eli once before while Colton was in training. During the time Colton was in the Marines, he formed a very strong bond with Eli. Eli is the second working dog in the Marine's program to be adopted to a family. Colton always said that "Whatever mine is his." In this case, Eli will enjoy his retirement by living with his parents, older brother Cody (22) and younger brother Brady (12).

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What are your thoughts on this news story?

Read More About It

If you would like to read more about Eli and his new family, check out this link.

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Not Just Fashion After All

Photo: Lauren M. Anderson

It happened in the middle of the night. Owner George Kalomiris of Crystal Lake, Illinois was taking his four-pound (8.8kg) chihuahua Chico out for a late night walk. All of a sudden, a great horned owl swooped down and tried to grab the little dog. Luckily, due to the fact he was wearing a dog vest, the owl could not grab the dog because its talons could not get traction.

The incident lasted all about four seconds. The owner was yelling and lunging at the owl and the owl flew away. He immediately took Chico to the veterinarian and aside from a superficial puncture wound on his side. If it wasn't for the vest, the owl's talon could have punctured his lung or even his heart.

He is extremely lucky and the only lingering effects is that he's afraid of the dark. All is can say is this little Chihuahua is a brave trooper.

Let's Discuss!

Do you know a dog like Chico that survived a similar situation?

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A Tax That Is Deadly

Photo: ascappaatura

Just when you thought that the lawmakers couldn't come up with more ridiculous laws, a town in Switzerland takes the cake. In Reconvilier, Switzerland, which islocated 100 miles (161 km) from Geneva, to fix the town's tax situation, they've imposed a $48.50 dog tax. Ok fine, impose a tax.

The Jawdropper

What happens if the tax isn't paid? The town will kill your dog. Can you say unconstitutional? If I were living there, I wouldn't stay there, that's for sure. Even more shocking is that this law was actually enacted from a 1904 law that actually did kill dogs. This town has 2,245 people and 280 dogs. Even though it's a last resort, the idea of this is awful.

The lawmakers are receiving numerous complaints and threats. In this case, with the world getting through a tough recession, the tax money isn't worth it.

Let's Discuss

What are your thoughts on this? Does your town have a crazy law that's similar?

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Reunited And It Feels So Good

Remember the story about the dog who was senselessly tossed out the window of a moving car? There's a happy ending for him after all.

Originally known as Ralphie by the staff at the Dupage County Animal Shelter, his real name is Bentley. Adopted as a puppy by Guillermo Roman(pictured right), this dog happened to slip through the slats on the fence one day when he was in the yard. His owner searched everywhere and had no luck.

Photo: Dupage Animal Shelter

Later, he had seen the news one day and realized that this puppy was Bentley. He called the shelter to let them know he was the rightful owner. It turned out that he and the man responsible for dropping the dog out the window lived on the same street in Chicago. After the waiting period was over, Guillermo was reunited with his nine month-old dog.

Photo: Terrence James - Chicago Tribune

He paid for the animal's neutering, something he was planning to do but hadn't done yet before Bentley escaped. This dog had a unique blood disorder where he needed a transfusion which Guillermo had done first. Happily, Bentley has also been microchipped so if the little guy ever gets lost again, he'll be easily found.

Justice Has Been Served

What happened to the person who dropped Bentley out the window? Sergiu Muresan, a 26 year-old man has been charged with cruel treatment of an animal. This misdemeanor charge can result in a $2,500 fine and up to a year of jail time, for him.

Let's Discuss!

Have you heard of great reunion stories like this one?

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