Archive for the ‘Its a dogs life’ Category

Dog breeders slam puppy farms

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Dog breeders in Northern Ireland have called for proper regulation of their industry and for the Department of Agriculture to ban people convicted of cruelty from keeping animals.

Canine Breeders of Ireland, which represents 600 breeders, said government vets should be made responsible for animal welfare and given powers to deal with unscrupulous puppy farms.

Giving evidence to the assembly’s agriculture committee, the canine group said ‘puppy farm’ was a derogatory term which the public associated with unregulated breeders who treated dogs cruelly.

The group said its members were proud of the pups they produced and that their premises were open to inspection by councils.

Committee members were invited to inspect a breeding establishment in County Fermanagh where pups are reared for the market in Britain.

Dog welfare

Owner David Hamilton said it was time government recognised the financial contribution made by the dog breeding industry to the local economy.

“This is a licensed breeding establishment and I think people need to understand that a puppy farm is somewhere where animals are treated badly, where there are welfare issues and where they are exploited.

“That is certainly not the case here, and I’d say that is not the case in the vast majority of licensed breeding establishments.”

The breeders group said the introduction of new animal welfare legislation provided an opportunity to place the responsibility for dog welfare with Department of Agriculture vets.

The committee asked whether breeders were contributing to welfare problems by producing so many pups and thereby adding to the number of strays councils have to deal with.

More than a third of all the UK’s stray dogs are in Northern Ireland, where 7,400 animals were recovered by wardens last year.

The breeders group said pups produced by its members were high-value animals which were mostly exported to Britain and that few, if any, end up in dog shelters.

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Pet crowned world’s ‘oldest dog’

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

A dog from Shropshire has been crowned the world’s oldest canine, which his owners have put down to a “wholesome diet of Sunday dinners and vegetables”.

Otto Jones, a Dachshund terrier cross from Reabrook, Shrewsbury, is 20 years and eight months old.

He has been recognised as the oldest living dog by Guinness World Records and despite his age still enjoys playing ball with neighbours’ children.

His owners Lynn and Peter Jones said he was a “loveable, affectionate rogue”.

The couple have had him since he was a puppy.

He is a bit deaf, but apart from a few grey whiskers and a touch of arthritis they said he was fit and healthy.

“The only thing I can put it down to is plenty of good wholesome food. He loves his Sunday dinners and his vegetables,” Mrs Jones said.

His owners said the children in his street regularly call for him to play.

“Nothing seems to faze him,” Mrs Jones added.

Otto, who is a single bachelor, is due to be feature on the Paul O’Grady Show on Channel 4 next month and has also been invited to open a dog show.

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Finding your match: how to choose the right dog

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Oh, no! You were only coming “to look” at the puppies, but now his little paws are pressed against the cage bars, and his sweet brown eyes are pleading with you. He poked his little wet nose into your palm, and – well, you can’t just walk away. He’s so cute, and he needs you… right? It all depends.

The decision you make will affect you and the pooch for the next ten to twenty years, so it’s important that if you find yourself in this situation (like we all have), you know how to make the right choice. The first and most important step is to figure out whether you are really ready to care for a dog.

It can be incredibly hard to resist bringing home a new dog when you’re face to face with an adorable fluff ball that’s looking for a home. But consider this information from New Jersey’s Office of Animal Welfare: over 12 million dogs and cats are euthanized in pounds and shelters every year, and that’s not counting pets that are simply abandoned to fend for themselves.

It’s easy to think that those pet owners are cruel and insensitive, and that you’d never do that to a pet. But believe me, many are people just like you and me – and they’ve made a big, fat mistake by a) not taking a rational look at whether they have the ability to care for a dog, b) not doing the research to find the right dog to match their lifestyles, and c) not remembering that dogs, like kids, need to be taught proper behavior.

So take some time to think over these questions:

1. Can you afford the expenses that come along with dog care? This includes the basics, such as quality food, veterinary care, grooming costs, county registration, and the normal list of supplies. Also, consider possible additional expenses, such as emergency medical care, obedience training courses, and boarding costs during vacations.

2. Do you have enough time to play with, exercise, train, and otherwise care for your dog? Fifteen minutes a day is not enough. Expect to spend at least an hour with him every day. And if you get a puppy, you’ll need to spend even more time with him to raise him properly.

3. Do you have enough room for a dog? You’ll need a decent yard or a nearby park for play and exercise. You’ll also need room in your house for his crate.

4. If you move, will you be able to bring the dog with you? You should plan on keeping the dog throughout his lifespan, regardless of any life changes.

5. Are you able to train your dog to avoid behavior problems? Even beginning dog owners should know the basic potty training and obedience training techniques ahead of time to help guide their new buddy down the right path.
6. Are you prepared to deal with the mistakes your new pet will make? Our dogs just want to please us, but they don’t always get it right. They might drink from the toilet, dig a hole in the yard, chew up a shoe, or accidentally piddle on the carpet. This is part of being a pet owner, so be ready for it.

7. If you have other pets, will they mesh well with a new dog? If you’ve already got a difficult pet that doesn’t play well with others, adding another dog to the mix may just make things worse.

8. Do your allergies allow you comfortably have a dog in your home? There’s no such thing as a 100% hypoallergenic and dander-free breed of dog, so you may want to consider another type of pet if you are moderately to severely allergic.

If you answered no to even one of these questions, you are probably not ready for a dog. The last thing you want to do is to adopt a dog or puppy that you’ll be tempted to take back to the shelter in a few months. Do the right thing! Get yourself and your home prepared before you take that little fuzz-bucket home.

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Wee want our dog back: Family squirt trails of their own urine around town to lure home missing pet

Friday, July 10th, 2009

A family have thought of a novel way to find their dog by trying to lure him home with their urine.

Louise and Jonathan Baltesz are squirting their own smells over trees and lampposts in the hope Simon will smell it and follow the trial home.

Mr Baltesz, 44, an Interior designer, admitted they would do ‘anything’ to get their beloved black Labrador back.

The desperate couple consulted a canine behavioural expert who advised them to ‘mark’ neighbouring territory with their own wee.

The pair and their children Henry, 15, and Clara, 13, have begun filling bottles with their diluted urine before sprinkling it in the streets to lay a trail back home.

And Incredibly, a small army of friends and volunteers have helped them spread the scent around the upmarket suburbs of Redland, Clifton and Cotham in Bristol.

Teacher Louise, 43, said: ‘He’s been a little bit of a rogue just lately and we think the reason he’s gone missing is that he’s started to get greedy around bins and picnics and barbecues.

‘The whole family is really worried about him and it might seem bizarre and a bit embarrassing but we’ve started laying a scent trail on lampposts and trees.

‘That’s worked for other people in the past we are so desperate to find Simon that we are willing to try anything to help him come back home.

‘We have laid out a map of our local area and marked every sighting of him on it. Then we lay a scent trail back home from each point.

‘Our urine is diluted because dogs have an incredibly powerful sense of smell but he hasn’t come back yet and we miss him so much.’

The Baltesz family have had Simon, who went missing on Saturday, since 2001 when he was rehomed with them after being abused as a puppy.

The dog, who has never gone missing before and is microchipped, has been spotted in the Clifton, Cotham and Henleaze areas of Bristol.

Mrs Baltesz, who has two other pet dogs, reported the sightings to missing pet website www.doglost.co.uk who suggested using their urine to help him find his way home.

Louise, added: ‘The house is so quiet without him. He’s a bit of a special dog because he was a rescue animal and it took us ages to rehabilitate him.

‘He’s unusual for a Labrador because most are friendly and approachable but he was so badly treated he doesn’t trust anyone except us. We are really attached to him.’

Jane Hayes, founder of www.doglost.co.uk, today recommended mixing water and urine in equal parts to create the perfect scent trail.

She said: ‘A dog’s sense of smell is 3,000 times more potent than ours and where we recognise each other visually they do it by smell.

‘That’s why when dogs meet one another they start by smelling behinds and even though we aren’t aware of it they recognise humans in the same way.

‘Even though people are often shocked when they first hear about it laying a urine trail really works because if a dog is lost they rely on their nose to get home.

‘As soon as Simon picks up the smell of his owner’s scent he will know he is not far away from home.’

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset police today revealed they have not yet received any complaints about the unusual search for Simon.

‘Urinating in the street is obviously an offence but a major part of that is the whole act of exposing yourself in public – it’s not just the spraying of urine.’

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Volunteers wanted to read to dogs

Monday, March 9th, 2009

Volunteers are being sought by a Nottinghamshire animal shelter – to read to the dogs.

As well as keeping them relaxed and calm reading also helps to get the animals used to human company, making it easier to find them homes.

The RSPCA shelter in Radcliffe-on-Trent believes it could be one of the first in the UK to use the technique.

The dogs’ senses are also stimulated by the use of diluted aromatherapy oils during the sessions.

‘Quite bizarre’

Volunteers will be given training on reading to the dogs, ensuring they use a soothing tone of voice.

There are no restrictions on what they can read, “within reason”.

Assistant manager Ella Herring said: “People will think it’s quite bizarre and quite unusual but I think obviously once they understand why we’re doing it and the benefits the dogs are getting out of it, then people will come forward and want to do it.”

The shelter hopes all 50 of its dogs will benefit from the “Read and Relax” sessions.

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The controversy ends as Charmin dog wins the Crufts crown

Monday, March 9th, 2009

With thousands of keen competitors, this was a victory that required dogged determination.

And that must have made it all the more sweet for this champion, called Charmin, and his American owner.

The Sealyham Terrier won the Cruft’s crown last night, ending months of controversy for the world famous show.

With his owner, Marjery Good of Pennsylvania, USA, he fought his way from the Terrier category to victory in last night’s Best in Show final.

He beat off competition from six others, including a Hungarian vizsla, and a papillon and a pharaoh hound, to take the title.

His delighted owner said she was very excited to have won Crufts: ‘I’m feeling very excited and very pleased’, she said. It’s been a very exciting evening.”

Speaking about Charmin, she added: ‘He’s such a special dog. He is my best buddy. He proved himself tonight and made every step just right.’

The Sealyham Terrier is a Welsh breed named after Captain John Edwardes of the Sealyham Estate in Pembrokeshire, who created the breed in the 19th century.

It was initially popular in dog shows but has declined in recent decades and has been added to the Kennel Club’s list of vulnerable native breeds. Only 60 Sealyham puppies were registered in 2004.

A poodle called Donny took the reserve prize in the show at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre.

Despite months of controversy surrounding the dog show and allegations of cruel dog-breeding practices, a record 28,000 animals took part in this year’s extravaganza according to organisers The Kennel Club.

Thousands of spectators also attended the four-day event despite the RSPCA and major sponsor Pedigree Chum pulling out and the decision to drop long-standing BBC coverage of the show which has in previous years attracted 14 million viewers worldwide.

Visitor figures were down on last year, as 145,000 came through the doors compared to around 160,000 in 2008.

A cloud of controversy hung over this year’s Cruft’s after a damning documentary last year claimed the show allowed damaging breeding practices that caused disease and deformities.

At the time, the Kennel Club condemned many of the programme’s assertions as ‘far from accurate’.

But two months later it announced it would review each of the 209 pedigree breeds in the UK and introduce revised standards for the breeds.

Animal charities the RSPCA and the Dogs Trust had already severed links with the show in the aftermath of the August 2008 documentary, called Pedigree Dogs Exposed.

A spokeswoman from the Kennel Club said the club was pleased with the numbers who attended.

Thousands of dog-lovers cheered as Charmin was crowned Best in Show by judge Peter Green.

Mr Green then named five-year-old poodle Donny, owned by Jason Lynn from Preston, Lancashire, as reserve prize winner to rapturous applause.

Other dogs competing for the title were a Pharaoh Hound, Papillon, Hungarian Vizsla, boxer and an old English sheepdog.

The show was broadcast live on the internet for the first time this year. Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club secretary, said: “This has been the most wonderful event and we are so proud of all of the happy, healthy dogs that have taken part.

“We have become the most popular channel on You Tube for our Crufts coverage this year and we are so pleased that dog lovers have been tuning in all around the world to watch this wonderful event.

“Anyone watching this year’s show would have seen the wonderful diversity of dogs, the fact that they truly are fit for function and how dogs and people enrich each other’s lives.”

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Cash-Strapped Families Dump Pets

Monday, January 5th, 2009

An increasing number of pets are being abandoned because of the credit crunch, animal welfare charities say.

As owners count the cost of the day-to-day upkeep and see insurance premiums and vet’s bills rise, thousands of families are saying goodbye to their four-legged family members.

The Dog’s Trust is the largest dog welfare charity in the UK. They have twice as many pets on their waiting list to be rehomed than this time last year.

“The dogs unfortunately are the first to suffer when financially people can’t afford to pay the bills, or feed themselves,” said one rehoming centre manager.

“It’s very sad that a family member, like a dog is the first victim of the credit crunch, but this is clearly what we’re seeing,” he explained.

The average vets’ bill for a dog is thought to cost some several hundred pounds, while the cost of treating more serious conditions can run into the thousands.

It is not only dogs which are affected by the crisis. Animal charities are seeing a similar trend with cats, and even horses as owners feel the financial pinch.

Staff at the Blue Cross animal welfare charity are seeing a three fold increase in the numbers of abandoned pets this year, with many owners citing economic problems, job losses and house moves.

They say there are certain factors struggling owners should consider.

Christian Bamber, the charity’s director of veterinary services, said: “I would urge all pet owners to think about neutering their animals if they haven’t.

“The other key thing is that people really should consider is insurance before they get a pet, because it can certainly mean the difference between life and death in the case of an emergency.”

Life and death may seem a bleak prospect, but it is one that is facing an increasing number of abandoned pets.

With no end to the credit crunch in sight homeless animals across the UK are facing a very long winter.

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Rise in abandoned dogs blamed on credit crunch

Monday, November 10th, 2008

CALLOUS dog owners are abandoning their pets in parks and on the street, and the credit crunch is getting the blame.

The borough, which has the highest dog ownership in the UK, is seeing a soaring number of animals abandoned as the financial crisis deepens, according to Kirsty O’Sullivan, a volunteer with animal welfare groups, Scruffy Angels and Animal Action.

But she believes families are using the economic downturn as an excuse to ditch their pets.

Barking and Dagenham Council says it finds one dog a day, on average.

But Miss O’Sullivan says people are also finding dogs and taking them to other agencies.

She says three Staffordshire bull terriers were found in Dagenham in one hour on Monday – one outside Old Dagenham Park, Siviter Way, one outside the Cross Keys pub, Crown Street, and one tied to a tree.

It later turned out one had been lost for several days before it was discovered tied to railings. It has now been reunited with its owner.

She said three other dogs were found the same day.

Miss O’Sullivan, 28, told the Recorder: “I don’t believe it’s the credit crunch. I think they’re using it as an excuse.”

She says keeping a dog costs just £5 a week.

Animal Action is picking up a number of Staffs. Because they are a very popular breed and can be sold for between £250-750, depending on the age and colour, many residents have decided to breed them.

Litters are typically between six and 10 puppies.

Miss O’Sullivan said: “I think, with Staffs, everybody has a go at breeding them. There’s so many of them.

“But people need to realise the work that goes into looking after them. Once they’ve gone past the cute puppy stage is when they dump them.”

Puppy adverts have been placed near the Bull roundabout in Rainham Road South, Dagenham.

Data collection company Experian released a survey last year showing one in 10 households – 11.42 per cent – owned a dog in Barking and Dagenham, the highest in the UK.

A council spokesman said many of the dogs it picks up have not been abandoned, but are lost and are later collected by their owners.

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Guide dog puppy walkers needed in Bolton

Monday, October 20th, 2008

THE Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is appealing for puppy walkers in Bolton.

Volunteers are needed for the full-time care and education of the guide pups from six weeks old until they are about 12 to 14 months old, when they will be returned to the charity to begin guide dog training.

Jane Rawlinson, Guide Dogs’ puppy walking supervisor, said: “We’re looking for enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers who can care for the pups full-time because if we don’t have puppy walkers we don’t have guide dogs.

“Puppy walking is challenging and it is a real commitment to take a puppy into your home for a year. But with the support of Guide Dogs staff, our volunteers find it extremely rewarding and worthwhile.”

Anyone who would like to volunteer should call 0845 3717771, email volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk or visit guidedogs.org.uk/puppywalking.

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Joy as ‘Spud the dog’ is found safe

Wednesday, October 8th, 2008

A RELIEVED Big Issue seller has been reunited with his beloved dog – three weeks after the pet was snatched.

Matt Dawson said: “I can’t believe Spud has come back. I’ll never let him out of my sight again.”

The pet was found by a customer in Ibrox and returned to Matt, who was heartbroken after Spud vanished from his pitch outside Somerfield, in Gordon Street in Glasgow city centre.

He had entrusted him to a man while he went to fetch water but when he returned, the dog had gone.
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News of Spud’s disappearance spread around the city – thanks partly to the Evening Times -and also on the internet.

After our article, dog-lovers set up a Bring Spud Back’ group on Facebook and the Dogs Trust and website www.doglost.co.uk set up appeals to trace him.

In addition, seven Big Issue readers offered rewards totalling £675 for Spud’s safe return.

Paul McNamee, editor of the Big Issue in Scotland, said: “The response to Matt and Spud’s story has been incredible. The reward was a tremendous gesture from people which shows how big-hearted they can be even when we’re told everyone is watching the pennies.”

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