Animal House

The Vivi search raised whippet awareness all over the country -- indeed, the world. So, in the spirit of that:

Recently, scientists announced that they had identified the genetic mutation responsible for "bully" whippets -- dogs that are unnaturally well muscled. If you've never seen an example of one, click here for a photo of Wendy the Whippet. Ahnold has nothing on her.

When is a stinky, empty dog-food can worth seven figures?

Apparently, when its contents have been fed to the pampered pupsters of newly freed jailbird Paris Hilton.

Auctioned off on eBay by Hollywood StarTrash (their motto: "If it's not StarTrash, it's just Trash!"), the 13.2-ounce can of Party Animal Organic Gourmet Dog Food has been bid up to $1,500, 501 -- with three days left to go on the electronic auction.

You decide whether the online action -- which involved 49 bidders so far -- is legit.

"We guarantee that the items we are selling were taken from garbage in front of the celebrity's house," the listing assures, "but we cannot guarantee that the items were used or thrown out by the celebrity himself/herself."

The heiress' other detritus apparently has far less cachet -- a red toothbrush has reached only $285 so far.

The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is looking for a few good animals -- and their humans.

It's time again for the humane organization's annual Humane Awards. Among the categories open for nominees:

- ASPCA Dog of the Year: For a dog who has performed a heroic act in the past year.

- ASPCA Cat of the Year: For a cat who has performed a heroic act in the past year.

- ASPCA Kid of the Year: For a child under 14 who has rescued an animal or helps make the world a kinder place for animals.

-  ASPCA Law Enforcement Officer of the Year: For a member of the municipal police force (or other public service officer) who has made a heroic effort to save an animal in the past year)

ASPCA Fireman of the Year: For a municipal firefighter who has made a heroic effort to save an animal in the past year.

Winners will be invited to attend the Humane Awards Luncheon in New York City on Thursday, November 1, at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center, where the awards will be presented.

You can submit nominations at www.aspca.org/nominate). Deadline for entries is Wednesday, August 15, at noon EST.

You might remember Striker, and his sad story. The 7-month-old golden retriever puppy had to be euthanized last year after he licked his owner's plugged-in paper shredder, with tragic results.

His owner, Ellen Lutz of Aquebogue, made it her personal mission to tell Striker's story so that other dog and cat owners could prevent such avoidable accidents in their own homes.

And, finally, Ellen has a new arrival. "Yesterday we brought Rhumbline's Bodie Island Light home," she wrote in an email to family and friends today. Although he will never replace Striker, he will help to heal our broken hearts. "

Bodie, an  impossibly cute bundle of blondness, is pictured here.

People complain all the time about how terrible puppymilling is. But The Humane Society of the United States has decided to do something about it.

HSUS has announced that it has filed a class-action lawsuit against The Wizard of Claws, a Florida pet store that also does business online. The HSUS has called the establishment "a notorious

Broward

The suit alleges that Wizard of Claws has defrauded customers by misrepresenting the origin of puppies, and by selling puppymill dogs who suffer from severe health problems and genetic defects, all in violation of Florida state law. It also contends that the company refused to reimburse customers for the purchase price of sick dogs, or veterinary treatment that sometimes cost thousands.

Describing its puppies as "children in dog's outfits," the Wizard of Claws web site calls itself a "Doggie Ritz Hotel," and says that puppies are vet-checked before going to their new homes.

Wizard of Claws specializes in toy breeds, including "teacups." Reputable breeders note that "teacup" is just a potent marking term for "runt," and that such dogs are often medically compromised and should not intentionally be bred for.

Forget those cuestick-wielding bulldogs on black velvet.

Tomorrow, Christie's puts a collection of dog art on the block that is expected to be the largest canine-centric sale over, with an anticipated net of more than $3 million.

Center stage at the Manhattan auction house is an 1824 painting, "Neptune," by British artist Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, expected to bring between $800,000 and $ 1.2 million. Landseer was one of the most famous animal portraitists of his time.

Dog buffs know that the type of black-and-white dog in this painting takes its name from the artist, who made them a favorite subject: Landseers  are actually a color variant of the Newfoundland, which most people think of as being all black. And the setting is no coincidence: Whatever its color, this breed was -- and still is -- famous for its daring rescues at sea.

Fittingly, the painting's frame is  made from the beams of the warship Téméraire, which saw action in the Battle of Trafalgar.

I get a ton of emails about animals that need life-restoring surgery, but their owners are hard-pressed to pay. If I wrote about every one, it could be my full-time job.

But there is something about "Hercules" that tugs at my heart.

This 12-year-old shepherd mix has served the Charles family of Queens in good stead, fending off burglars -- and holding one in his grip until police arrived -- and even saving a young family member from an unprovoked attack by schoolyard bullies. That young man is now 23 and a 2-year member of the New York City Park Police.

Now it is Hercules' turn to be helped. After he started circling round and round and his rear legs began giving out, specialists at Long Island Veterinary Specialists in Plainview performed an MRI and diagnosed a brain tumor.

The tumor is operable, and after surgery Hercules could live a few more years with a good quality of life.

The total fee for the MRI, surgery and hospitalization would normally be $4,500 to $5,500. Dr. Dominic J. Marino, chief of surgery at LIVS, discounted the MRI cost and is foregoing the fee for the surgery, which is schedule for next week. But the family still cannot afford the hospital fees of several thousand dollars.

A fund has been established to help the family, " VSS of LI-Hercules fund." To donate, call LIVS at 516 501-1700.

If you read my column on Monday about how to break up a dog fight, there's one rather indelicate tip that didn't make it in there.

But, thanks to the blogosphere, here it is:

Jeff Kolbjornsen, founder of Elite Animal Trainers of America in Islip Terrace, says the tried-and-true way to break up a dog fight is to stick your thumb into the dog's rectum. Apparently, the surprise factor makes the dog stop and release his victim -- at least momentarily.

A day-brightening email from Bonnie Folz:

<<To the Vivi Team Volunteers,

Last night I attended the annual awards dinner for one of the many clubs I am very proud to be a member of, for quite a few years: the Nassau / Suffolk Owner Handlers Association.

Seated at our table for the evening were a few of my very close friends and students that attend the awards dinner with me each year, as well as my dear friend, Denise Flaim.

The food was delish and raffles were being won left and right at our table, as is the case each year, and we were having a very nice time whooping and hollering as our winning ticket numbers were called.

Each year, awards are given out to those members who have competed and achieved titles with their dogs. These awards are very special as they convey the commitment each owner has to the training and teamwork associated with competing in various events. I am proud to say I’ve been the recipient of these awards throughout the years as I competed with my furkids.

The top award is presented to the chapter’s Owner Handler of The Year. As I was bragging to those at my table about being close friends with two former Owner Handler of The Year award winners, one being Denise, our chapter’s club president, Susan Meluzin, began talking about this year’s recipient, and the wonderful commitment of time dedicated this past year. Bonnie Folz, were the next words I heard as Susan turned to me with a smile on her face. OMG!!!! ME??? I could not believe it (and still can’t)!! I was almost in tears as got up to accept the award for all of the work I’d done to help with Vivi’s search and continuing to do with the Vivi Crusade.

The beautiful, etched award reads "For Outstanding Contribution To The Sport Of Dogs 2006 Bonnie Folz." I cannot tell you how very proud and honored I am to receive this award!

I was (and still am) so excited, once the presentation was complete, I snuck outside to jump up and down, call Honi, and share the award and the news. I told Honi that she too should be included on this award as Honi has been my sounding board, my (sometimes) voice of reason (o: and pretty much my go-to-gal and right arm throughout these past 16 months. With all that we’ve gone through, and continue to strive for, Honi has become one of my very dear and close friends.

As I started to come down from cloud twelve, I came to realize that this award should include the names of ALL OF YOU, Team Vivi Volunteers, who have helped in Vivi’s search and saved so many animals this past year. Though it is only my name on the award, I and we, could never have done all that we did and continue to do were it not for each other’s support.

Like they say, there is no "I" in "TEAM." So to all of the Team Vivi Volunteers, I am very proud to say, congratulations to you for your Outstanding Contribution to The Sport of Dogs!

If anyone is looking for me, I’ll be on cloud nine.

Keeping the faith and making a difference.

Bonnie>>

His name is Dancer. Weight: 18 ounces. Height: 5 inches at the shoulder.

Now that this Chihuahua from Lake County, Fla., has turned a year old, his owner has  sent those stats into the Guiness Book of World Records to be officially named The World's Smallest Dog. He looks like a shoe-in --literally!

Congrats, little big man!

Newsday is reporting today about a gruesome-sounding dog fight that took place in Dix Hills today.

Apparently, two Rottweilers ran over to a leashed pitbull. A bystander who tried to break up the fight suffered cuts on his head, and had his ear nearly severed.

I don’t know the specifics of the incident, but I do know that there is a right way to break up a dog fight, and a wrong way.

The wrong way is to get in the middle. Don’t bother yelling — it doesn’t go any good.

The right way is to have a person grab each dog by the hind legs, and then back them away from each other, moving in a circle so the dog cannot whip around and bite you. Even in this scenario, the risk of a bite can and does exist.

Shelter workers and dog trainers know to have protective Kevlar gloves -- the longer the better -- on hand.

For an excellent tutorial on how to break up a dog fight when you are alone, visit leerburg.com/dogfight.htm.

AB 1634 -- the  "California Healthy Pets Act" opposed by many hobby breeders, working-dog groups and rare-breed fanciers because it would require mandatory spay/neuter of all cats and dogs by four months of age -- squeaked by in the California State Assembly this week.

Now it goes on to the state senate.

As a protest against the controversial bill, a new campaign called Biscuits for AB 1634 encourages opponents  to send boxes of dog biscuits to California legislators. (The inspiration, apparently, were the fans of the TV show "Jericho," whose shipments of tons of peanuts to CBS caused the network to rethink its cancellation -- and plead for a mortatorium on nut shipments.)

Also on the hot seat: State assemblywomen Betty Karnette and Laura Richardson, who had assured the American Kennel Club and the city of Long Beach -- where the AKC's Invitational dog show is estimated to bring in $65 million in tourism through 2014 -- that they would abstain from voting on the bill. Apparently, at the last minute, the two had a change of heart and provided the swing votes needed for the bill to squeak through the assembly.

Drumbeaters are  urging all of the AKC's 160-odd breed clubs to send letters demanding that the show be moved out of California, and, barring that, urging its members not to participate.

Milk-Bone, anyone?

What's the most recent item you purchased your for one of your household menagerie? In my case, it was a lunge whip for my puppy/Energizer Bunny  impersonator Lola. Tie a white plastic bag to the end (all the better to lure-course with, my dear), or any squeaky toy, and let your pooch chase to her heart -- and legs' -- content.

Now, apparently, even your mollies and tetras aren't safe from the long tentacles of the melamine-contamination scandal that has rocked the pet-food industry.

Sergeant's Pet Care Products announced a voluntarily recall of some lots of Atlantis Goldfish Flake Food and Atlantis Tropical Fish Flake Food because they were found to contain melamine.

The company said the effect of melamine on ornamental fish is unknown, though it suggests that overfeeding likely poses a greater threat than the trace amounts of melamine in the food.

From a company press release:

<<Manassas, Virginia -- June 6, 2007 -- Doane Pet Care is announcing today a voluntary recall on a specific single lot of 55 pound bonus bags of Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition dry dog food. This product was produced at one facility in Manassas, VA and was distributed exclusively by some Wal-Mart Stores. Please note that no other Ol' Roy products are affected, and that this recall is not related to the Menu Foods recall (and other recent recalls) of pet food due to tainted Chinese vegetable proteins.

This product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. People handling this pet food can become exposed to Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with this pet food or any surfaces exposed to this product. Consumers who have the dry dog food bearing the code "04 0735 1" with a "Best By Apr 13 08" should not feed it to their pets.

This voluntary recall has been issued because FDA detected Salmonella in the product. Doane Pet Care has not confirmed the presence of Salmonella, despite extensive independent testing of duplicate samples. Nonetheless, the company is issuing this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution. The company regrets any inconvenience to pet owners. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this product, or any product produced at this facility.

Product: Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition dry dog food
Size: 55 pound bonus bag
UPC Code: 6 05388 72076 4
Lot Number: 04 0735 1
Best Buy Date: Apr 13 '08
Best Buy Date Location: Back of bag

Affected Stores: Only 69 Wal-Mart Stores potentially received this product from 2 distribution warehouses in Virginia. The 69 stores are located in Maryland (4 stores), North Carolina (10), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (3), Virginia (40) and West Virginia (11). A full listing of the affected stores is available at www.doanepetcare.com. This product UPC has been blocked from retail sale at these 69 locations.

Any remaining product should not be fed to pets. Dispose of product in a safe manner (example, a securely covered trash receptacle) and return the empty bag to the store where purchased for a full refund.

Pet owners who have questions about the voluntary recall of this 55 lb bonus bag of Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition dry dog food products should call 800-624-7387, or visit the web site listed above. >>

June 4, 2007

By Denise Flaim/Newsday

I'll be honest. I don't want to care about what's going on in California. I have limited CPUs in this aging head of mine, and I'm hard-pressed to keep up with my new puppy's housebreaking, much less obsess over legislation being passed in a state on the opposite coast.

But if you are on any dog-related e-mail lists, chances are you, too, are being inundated with posts about AB 1634, also known as the California Healthy Pets Act. And perhaps, as with me, the hue and cry has become too much to ignore.

Despite its upbeat name, what this legislation aims to do is mandate that any puppy or kitten be spayed or neutered by 4 months of age. Owners who wanted to keep their animals' reproductive organs would be required to pay an "intact permit fee," the cost of which would be determined by their municipality, or face a $500 fine.

Commercial breeders - better known as puppymillers, who stock pet stores, all the better to facilitate your furry impulse buy - will gladly pay the price.

Not so "hobby breeders," of which, in the interest of full disclosure, I am one. Hobby breeders are just that - they breed primarily for the love of a breed, not for its cash value. If they are in any business, it is to leave their breed in better condition than they found it. They perform appropriate health tests on their dogs, sell all their pet-quality dogs on spay-neuter contracts, and promise to take back any dog of their breeding in the event the owner no longer wants it.

Most hobby breeders are acutely aware of the animal- overpopulation issue that prompted AB 1634 in the first place. But they also recognize that the problem stems not from overachieving ovaries or unsnipped testicles, but rather from irresponsible owners. Which is why reputable breeders vigorously screen buyers and turn down inappropriate ones, and why waiting lists can be months - even years - long.

Laws like AB 1634 only create disincentive for the most honorable breeders to breed. Filling the void will be puppymillers. And you can look forward to a spike in imported puppies, like the unpapered, disease-ridden perros smuggled across the Mexican border into cities like San Diego by the thousands.

It's not just hoity-toity show-dog people who are up in arms over the bill. Breeders of working canines - those that lead the blind, accompany police officers, retrieve waterfowl and herd sheep - are absolutely ballistic, starting Web sites such as saveourdogs.net.

Then there's the touchy subject of spaying and neutering, which in recent decades has become all but synonymous with Mom and apple pie. Dare I suggest that there are well-documented, rational reasons for delaying these surgical procedures in dogs, even in those that should never reproduce.

Early spay-neuter has been associated with increased risk of osteosarcoma, or bone cancer, and some veterinary experts have suggested that performing this surgery very early, before the sex organs have time to mature, might be attributable to increased urinary incontinence in females.

As for behavioral problems, a study out of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine showed that neutering didn't reduce aggression in dogs, and, in the case of spayed females, actually increased it. Go figure.

Personally, I advise my puppy people to wait until one year of age, if possible, before they spay or neuter their pet-quality dogs. (Yes, letting a heat cycle pass slightly raises the risk of mammary cancer, but I consider it worth the gamble.) But then again, I know my owners are responsible enough to contain their dogs, or I wouldn't have given them one in the first place.

The bad thing about AB 1634, other than an innate intrusiveness that should send most any Civil Libertarian into convulsions, is that, as with most animal legislation - including breed bans - it puts the onus on the wrong end of the leash. Animal overpopulation isn't the result of oversexed studs and come-hither queens. It's the byproduct of the cavalier attitude we have toward what should be the lifelong responsibility of caring for and loving an animal. It's a reflection of our disposable, fickle, flavor-of-the-week society. That's why dogs and cats end up at shelters - because they were acquired in haste, loved conditionally, and given up when new circumstances, whether a new apartment or a new love, rendered them inconvenient.

As with breed bans, AB 1634 is targeted at those who are least likely to comply, because they simply don't care. And in the case of feral cats that have no one responsible for them, population explosions will continue unabated.

Now, if someone could legislate against stupidity, that's a law I could get behind.

Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.

From today's email. Attention agility folk in the New England area:

<<A fellow club member is one of the "heads" of the Nashua Humane Society.
Picked up in Mason NH, and now located at the shelter in Nashua is a VERY
well trained Border Collie, who shows that he is quite an agility star.
Someone clearly spent MUCH time training this dog. He is super and
enthusiastic and eager to perform what else he knows...besides agility and
obedience, he loves a frisbee!!! He was picked up sporting a gorgeous coat
and well groomed nails. Somebody must be missing this dog!!!??? Or.....he is
quite a gem for someone looking for an agility partner. The staff is so
convinced that he must be desperately missed, they are holding onto him
longer than usual before placing him up for adoption. Sadly, no microchip.

Feel free to cross post.>>