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A collie that disappeared from his suburban Chicago owners more than five years ago has been located 85 miles away in the town of Rockford, Ill. Bo was reunited with the Moeller family of Arlington Heights, Ill., thanks to a microchip that allowed authorities to identify his owners, the Daily Herald newspaper in Arlington Heights reported Wednesday. I honestly hadn't thought about Bo in so long, said Melissa Moeller, 23. It seems so far-fetched that he would be found. Kelly Swanson of the Winnebago County Animal Services says a resident discovered Bo running loose and called the shelter. This is...

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - A Florida woman armed with some puppy love is on her way to lift some soldier's spirits. Kathy Alexander and her 13 pooches hope to bring warm fuzzy feelings to wounded soldiers across the nation. The dogs have been providing pet therapy to nursing homes for over 10 years, but in the next month they will be traveling to military bases across the country. Their first stop is Fort Benning where they hope to bring smiles to the men and woman serving our country. -snip-

Shortly after losing her nearly 9-year-old standard poodle to cancer, Jana Kohl decided she wanted her next dog to be small and portable. Like many others, she turned to the Internet in search of a purebred toy poodle. One especially cute puppy from a breeder in Texas caught her eye. Kohl called the breeder and mailed a deposit. A friend warned her of the horrors of puppy mills, but Kohl admits she only "half-listened." Still, Kohl, who was already active in the fight against factory farming, decided to fly to Texas herself so she could dispel her friend's concerns. The...

Enlarge ImageDoggie diversity. Researchers have linked pointing, herding, and other canine traits to specific gene variations.Credit: Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition The adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks may have some basis in truth, or at least in DNA. It turns out that a pointer's point, a border collie's herding instinct, and several other canine characteristics may be hard-wired in dogs' genes, according to a new study. The advance could help breeders weed out diseases in man's best friend and shed light on the genetic basis of certain human disorders. Since humans first domesticated dogs...

Deputies Find Missing 3-Year-Old Protected By Family's Pet Dogs Published: 1:43 AM, 06/28/2008 Deeply Grateful Mom Is Quickly Reunited With Son, Thanks To Officers, Neighbors By BILL JONES Staff Writer The mother of a three-year-old boy who was found safe Friday morning after wandering away from his northern Greene County home called The Greeneville Sun Friday afternoon to express heartfelt thanks for the fast response of neighbors and sheriff's deputies when she discovered her son was missing. Kristen (Mrs. Jimmy) Thach, of Roaring Fork Road, told the Sun late Friday afternoon that her son, David, 3, "just took off" from...

Enlightened animal lovers across the United States face a quandary: how to pamper beloved pets without adding to global warming or creating an outsized carbon paw print? Answers for the ecologically-aware pet owner were on offer at the "Going Green With Pets" conference at Manhattan's tony Metropolitan Dog Club, with pointers on everything from whipping up biodegradable cat litter to choosing the best organic shampoo for one's Lhasa Apso. "This is a doggy salon," said Charlotte Reed, the store's proprietor, as well as the doting owner of a small menagerie that includes three toy spaniels, three Himalayan cats and two...

The World’s Most Expensive Dog Collar: British jewelery designer Stephen Webster’s $1.2 Million dollar creation.Even with the cost of Pet Fashion, spiraling out of control, much like the price of gas, owners still love their pets and want the best for them, no matter what the expense. So, why hesitate at all to plunk down $1.2 Million to purchase trendy British jewelery designer Steven Webster’s gold and diamond dog collar or a $5,000 dollar Vivienne Westwood Couture Coat for Dogs.

You ever notice the annoying voices that owners use to speak to us? I can live with that but here’s a trend I’m happy they stopped dead in its tracks. (Jayna Hutchinson, a 33-year-old Vermont woman, was charged with cruelty to animals and resisting arrest after a police officer caught her staring at his dog in a “taunting/harassing manner.”) Dogs on the scene have reported to...

Keeping Fido with you in the driver's seat is dangerous and should be against the law. ...It's surprising that a bill to ban drivers from holding pets in their laps has been the target of ridicule. AB 2233, introduced by Assemblyman Bill Maze (R-Visalia), has been called a nanny-state bill. That would be true if the intent were to protect the pet. Much as we love dogs, we'll leave that job up to their owners. But if legislators thought hanging on to a cellphone was a driving hazard -- and it is -- what about an animal blocking the driver's...

For those of you that can walk and chew gum at the same time, here’s an article you must read. (WILMINGTON -- An artificial sweetener can be deadly for dogs, and a local dog owner learned that the hard way. Anna Frazelle rushed her dog, Scout, to the Dineen Animal Hospital when she noticed her King Charles Spaniel acting strange. "He was using the wall to hold himself up," said Frazelle. She was shocked by the diagnosis of sugar free gum poisoning. Sugar free gum contains Zylatol, a sugar substitute found in almost any sugar free food, which can be...

Bo (woof) In Commentary: For all you old timers out there, do you remember how excited you used to get when it was time for a car ride? Check out this pup as he gets the question, “Wanna go for a ride? ” Note the sounds of a jealous, car door opening challenged cat in the background.....http://boknowsonline.com/2008/04/18/wanna-go-for-a-ride/

It's that time of year when all people who have been thinking about getting a new kitten and even some who haven't, are suddenly faced with a lot of choices! Well, if you want a lot of smiles and fun, I say adopt not just one, but two. :~) We think they are best in pairs. We have two we adopted two years ago. But we also have two wild cats who have taken refuge in our barn... I've fed them and given them that safe haven, though I can't get near them. They hunt and kill mice and at...

In the last week, people all over the United States and even some in the U.K. have joined together and donated over $5,300 to help cover the medical costs to save this puppy. Below is a letter from the man who rescued her. I know someone who lives nearby and has verified these facts to be true. We made a mistake, Our family that is. Okay, it is probably more exact to say I made a mistake and now I’m not sure how to get out of it. Let me explain. Monday May 12, 2008 I had an early morning...

Bo (woof) In Commentary: If you dropped off your owner at spring break, would you have difficulty picking him out when he returned? Of course not. So how can an owner not know his own canine when he returns from a week of fried seafood and fried skin? I don’t know but here’s the story. (LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. - Ken Griggs likes his new dog, but he preferred the old one. Then again, it might be the same dog. In a possible case of mistaken identity, Griggs said the black Labrador named Callie that he left at a Dundee kennel...

A student teacher who uses a service dog for his epilepsy has had to leave his position early after a Muslim student harassed the animal, and worse. Tyler Hurd needs the dog for his protection and for emergency supplies for first-aid responders, but apparently Technical High School in St Cloud believes that Hurd’s needs are secondary to providing a dog-free zone for its Muslim students. Hurd says he feels threatened by the action, as well he should — because the student threatened to kill the dog: A St. Cloud State University student in a teacher-training program at Technical High School...

I have a 3 year old Pug with skin allergies. I have removed all plants from the yard, tried all of the antihistamines, Atopica, bathing her, and special foods. I don't want to use steroids all the time because of all the damage it can do internally. Daphne(my pug) and I would welcome any helpful information. Thank you.

For dog owners who are in the market to buy a car that fits well with their dog, the Honda Element has earned the Best of Show honor. Dogcars.com recently announced the Top 10 "Dog Cars" of 2007. The selected vehicles were rated on how well they accommodate four-legged friends in terms of safety, space and ease of entry and exit. In addition to the Honda Element, the Suzuki Forenza and Land Rover Range Rover round out the top 3 picks of the litter. Eric Reese, general sales manager of Schaller Auto of New Britain, said many car buyers consider...

The CBS "Early Show" ran a story this week about dogs and their intelligence, or lack thereof. In the story, they shared their list of the top 10 smartest and top 10 dumbest dog breeds. These were their picks. #10 Dumbest: The Basset Hound may be so sad-eyed because it was ranked the tenth least intelligent dog breed. 2 of 20 : #10 Smartest: The immensely trainable Australian Cattle Dog was called the tenth smartest breed. 3 of 20 : #9 Dumbest: Don't tell the Westminster Kennel Club, but Uno, the beagle who won their 131st annual dog show, belongs...

Scuba Diving Dog Wins Fashion Show! Mondex, a 5-year-old Chihuahua, poses as he walks the aisle dressed as a scuba diver during a dog show at a mall in suburban Manila on Sunday April 27, 2008. Mondex bagged first place during the fashion show category. ,,,

ELY, Nev. -- A dog that ran off during a road-trip rest stop in north-central Nevada apparently made its way nearly 80 miles across Nevada's high desert and two mountain ranges to return home to Ely a week later. Moon, a Siberian husky, was reunited on April 14 with owner Doug Dashiell, who had last seen her April 6 near Railroad Valley, a distance he later clocked at 77 miles. Moon, who is nearly two years old, was no worse for the wear, with the exception of stinking like a skunk that apparently sprayed her somewhere along the journey. "I've...

Ever since Sam was a puppy, he rarely left his owner's side. When owner Teddy Crockarell lost his battle with cancer last Monday, his wife Marcene believes Sam must have sensed something was wrong...

<p>My beloved dog, Daisy, is critically ill. She has Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia, a disorder that causes her body to attack and kill healthy red blood cells. Her blood levels are well below the normal/low range and her vet now has her in 'critical'. She will have surgery in the next 48 to remove a foreign object she ate- not sure its related to the IMHA at this point.</p>

Boy Falls Through Ice; Dog Gets HelpPOSTED: 3:29 pm EDT March 23, 2008 UPDATED: 5:56 pm EDT March 23, 2008 NOVI, Mich. -- A 13-year-old boy has his dog to thank for his rescue after falling through thin ice into the frigid waters of a pond in Novi. According to Novi police, the boy and his dog were walking in the area of Haggerty Road and Nine Mile Road when both fell into the water. The dog was able to escape, police said, and make its way back to the house and alert adults. A dive team from the Marine...

F-18 pilot returns home to canine friend from Iraqi war zone They spent months in an Iraqi war zone cementing a special bond. Marine Major Brian Dennis greets Nubs early Saturday morning at Camp Pendleton. But after more than a month of being apart, Marine Maj. Brian Dennis began to worry if Nubs the dog would still remember him, especially in a new place like San Diego. Their reunion early Saturday at Camp Pendleton clearly showed otherwise. The 2-year-old old dog, named for his two nubby ears, drenched Dennis' face with doggie kisses and said hello with excited whimpers. “You...

Should I Get a Dog? Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the world. They have enjoyed this status for a very long time, probably from the time 10,000 to 15,000 years ago when Stone Age cave dwellers lived and hunted with dogs. If you think you want a dog, you're following a well-established tradition. Why You Might Want a Dog There are a number of reasons that people think they might want a dog for a pet. The most universal is the desire for the companionship of an animal who will be a loyal friend for many...

Life jackets are made for people, not dogs. So, when Randy Earl's small boat capsized while he was fishing with his dog Lacy, a black spaniel mix, he stayed in the water with his life jacket while making sure Lacy was OK. "When the boat flipped over, I put the dog on top of the boat," Earl told The Dominion Post of Morgantown. While waiting for someone to rescue them on Mason Lake in northern West Virginia, Earl clung to the 12-foot boat's hull. The water temperature was about 50 degrees, said J.M. Crawley, a senior conservation officer for the...

Does anyone have a pet that is diabetic??

Islam’s Animal Gulag   By Jamie GlazovFrontPageMagazine.com | Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Frontpage Interview's guest today is Robert Spencer, a scholar of Islamic history, theology, and law and the director of Jihad Watch. He is the author of seven books, eight monographs, and hundreds of articles about jihad and Islamic terrorism, including the New York Times Bestsellers The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The Truth About Muhammad. His latest book is Religion of Peace? FP: Robert Spencer, welcome to Frontpage Interview. Spencer: Thank you, Jamie. Always a pleasure. FP: An Iranian man was recently sentenced...

One week apart last summer, Bob Zimmerly and his dog, Sunny, were diagnosed with cancer. They died the same day, Jan. 10, Bob in the morning and Sunny that night. Bob's wife, Norma, joined them in eternity a month later on Feb. 9. "She kept saying it's too much," their son David said. "She put on a brave face, but I know it was really hard." David and the couple's two other grown children, Michael Zimmerly and Cheryl Donohue, talked about their folks this week as they cleaned out their Mequon home. The void in their lives is deep and...

AZUSA, California - Doggone it, my truck's gone! Police said Charles McCowan parked his pickup in front of a mini-mart Wednesday, leaving his 80-pound Boxer Max in the passenger seat. When he came out, the truck and Max were gone. McCowan called police, assuming the truck had been stolen. When officers arrived, they found the pickup across the street in a fast-food parking lot but had no idea how it got there. In security video shown Thursday on KCAL-TV, the truck can be seen rolling backward out of the store lot and across the street, threading its way through traffic...

SAN DIEGO - It began with a simple act of kindness to save an abused, injured dog from becoming one more victim in the Iraq war. But what followed for Marine Maj. Brian Dennis and the mutt was a tale of friendship and loyalty that spanned miles and overcame long odds — one set to take a turn Friday with the anticipated arrival here of the Marine's best friend. "This dog who had been through a lifetime of fighting, war, abuse ... is going to live the good life," Dennis told his family in an e-mail from Iraq. The tale...

We just got a puppy, he's an American Bulldog. We're having a hard time coming up with a good name for him, so I'm asking for your help. We've picked this list of names:PinkyCashBlizzardSakeKiloZeroLet us know what you think! Here's some info on the breed.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq, Feb. 21, 2008 – Hearing a noise in the hallway, Dean gets out of his bed on the floor and trots to the door as he searches the cool February air for a clue. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Vaneta Vaughn, the top enlisted soldier with 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multinational Division Baghdad, scratches Dean, the battalion chaplain’s dog, behind his ear at Camp Taji, Iraq, Feb. 16, 2008. Dean deployed to Iraq with the soldiers as the battalion’s therapy dog. Photo by Pfc. April Campbell, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution...

Nubs, a wiry German-shepherd-border collie mix named for nubby ears that were sliced off as a puppy, will stay in Chicago with the family of one of his Marine colleagues until a final hop to San Diego, where a Marine fighter pilot stationed at Camp Pendleton has been given permission to care for the dog until Maj. Brian Dennis arrives home from his second combat tour. More Photos "Touchdown" was the first celebratory word in an e-mail Marsha Cargo received from her son Maj. Brian Dennis, after a dog who survived a 70-mile Hail Mary trek through war-torn Iraqi...

When Maj. Brian Dennis first spotted a scruffy German Shepard-Border collie mix at a fort in Iraq, the dog wasn't interested in making friends. The dog, who lived in the wild with a pack of canine companions, had already been through a lifetime's worth of pain and neglect. His ears had been cut off as a puppy, and he had been trained as a fighting dog. Now that he was finally free of his tormentors, the dog just wanted to be left alone. But Dennis saw something special in the dog, whom he nicknamed "Nubs," because of his missing ears....

HELENA, Mont. — Tom Pick was backcountry skiing with his 3-year-old black Labrador Lizzie in southwestern Montana when a small avalanche carried the dog down the side of the mountain. She disappeared from his reach and into the swirling snow. Pick searched for two days with no sign of Lizzie — haunted by the sight of the dog's eyes gazing up at him as she fell. "I'll probably always see her eyes just looking up at me as she slid down into that thing," Pick said in an interview this week. "You could tell that she was scared."

A small-town Texas mayor accused of secretly keeping her neighbour's dog after telling them the pet died has resigned. Grace Saenz-Lopez apologized Friday to Alice residents and said she believed her actions were in the dog's best interest. A custody hearing Monday is expected to decide who gets "Puddles", who Saenz-Lopez renamed "Panchito" after taking the dog last summer. A neighbouring family accuses Saenz-Lopez of refusing to return the dog after leaving it in her care while they went on vacation. A day after her neighbours left, Saenz-Lopez called to tell them Puddles had died. Three months later, a relative...

Jo Hanna Schaffer's dog is more than a best friend. The 67-year-old Vietnam veteran, a former Army medic, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and three years ago, she decided to get a service dog, a Chihuahua named Cody. Cody barks if someone is approaching from behind and cuddles with her when she is depressed. -snip- Schaffer is one of a growing number of veterans with PTSD who are turning to an alternative therapy: psychiatric service dogs. Like guide dogs for the blind, psychiatric service dogs aid people with mental illnesses, from anxiety disorder to bipolar disorder to PTSD. The...

When Bob Daugherty pulled into the driveway of his La Pine home Tuesday morning, he saw something he won’t soon forget. A 7-foot, 115-pound cougar had jumped the fence into his backyard. As he watched from the driveway, the big cat swiped at his female Staffordshire terrier, Sage. His other dog, a male American bulldog named Riley, raced to Sage’s defense, Daugherty said. Riley faced down the cougar, driving it back a few steps before the big cat turned tail and climbed a tree in the yard. Daugherty said he then went into the yard, grabbed both of his dogs...

A German man wanted to show a dog who was boss, so he began eating out of the dog's dish. The man is now in the hospital. A 47-year-old man in the northwestern German city had apparently had one too many on Tuesday night when he decided to show his friend's dog who was boss. He got down on all fours in his friend's apartment and, with the large mutt presumably watching in disbelief, began to munch out of the dog dish. As the man had hoped, the question as to which of the two should be considered alpha male...

PINEVILLE, Ky. - Two teenagers were charged with murder today after they led police on a high-speed chase in southeastern Kentucky and hit a parked sheriff's cruiser, killing the deputy and K-9 dog inside, authorities said. "That happens so often. The bad guys walk away ... too many times," said Bell County Sheriff Bruce Bennett, pausing to brush back tears. "Of course, these are young people. But still, they are murderers now." The driver drove away from an Exxon station in Baxter without paying for $38 worth of gas at 12:35 a.m., authorities said. Police followed the car at least...

PORTAGE, Ind. -- A black Labrador that bit a 13-year-old boy's foot repeatedly, waking him up, is being credited with saving the boy and two of his friends from a house fire. Christopher Peebles said he woke up Friday morning to feel his dog Laney biting his foot repeatedly in the basement of his family's home, where he and two friends had spent the night. "I thought she had to go to the bathroom, but she never bites me," Peebles said Friday. He and his friends walked upstairs with Laney and noticed smoke everywhere in the home. "We came up...

Officials Say They Found Paw Prints On Gun HOUSTON -- A Texas hunter has died after his dog apparently stepped on a loaded shotgun and it went off. Perry Price III died over the weekend from severe blood loss after being shot while he hunted geese about 60 miles east of Houston. He placed the weapon in the back of his truck and was about to open the tailgate to release his chocolate Labrador retriever named Arthur when the gun fired. The dog's paw prints were later found on the gun. Price's hunting partner tried to give his friend first...

Lost "Mohammed" Dog Poster Left in Front of Muslim This happened in Lewiston, Maine, the same place where a ham steak left on a lunch bag was investigated as a hate crime. Check out the phone number on the poster, Tommy Tutone now wanted for questioning.... LEWISTON (NEWS CENTER) -- Members of the Somali community in Lewiston say a poster put up in front of a local Somali owned store is an insult to their religion The poster depicts a vicious "lost" dog named Mohammed. That's the name of the Muslim prophet. It says that the dog is not good...

This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a kind soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service. Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:...

SCOTIA -- Nathan Grier had problems in math, problems in science, problems socializing -- problems that, as bad as they were, seemed to disappear the minute he went home to his 2-year-old pit bull, Booger. They were inseparable friends living in Ocala, Fla. Booger accompanied 13-year-old Nathan to the bathroom and shower. They even slept in the same bed, Nathan nestled under the covers, Booger flat on his back, nose pointed, all four legs extended toward the ceiling.It was a perfect relationship.Then it was over.In September, Nathan's mother, Bonnie, who grew up in Schenectady, talked her husband, Steve, into moving...

Fallen Soldier's Family Wants His Dogs Sent HomePOSTED: 7:06 am EST January 4, 2008 UPDATED: 8:45 am EST January 4, 2008 GROSSE POINT FARMS, Mich. -- The Neesley family of Grosse Pointe Farms is hoping to turn heartache into healing. Their 28-year-old son, U.S. Army Sgt. Peter Neesley died suddenly and mysteriously on Christmas Day while serving in Iraq. Before his death, he told his family he wanted two stray dogs he found and cared for in Baghdad to come home with him to Michigan. "It was so like Peter. I can't tell you how many times he came home...

A pit bull stopped five people from robbing a home and may have saved his owners life. Christopher Payne told Bibb County sheriff's deputies when a group of people tried to rob him his dog Dino attacked and scared off intruders. But Christopher said his 120 pound pit bull Dino is a friendly playful dog. However Tuesday night Dino jumped into action when two men trying to rob him knocked on the door. "I answered the door," Payne said. "When I answered the door a guy put a

<p>Where, oh where, are the humaniacs when our companion animals need them?</p> <p>This has not been a good winter to be a dog in Alaska.</p> <p>Aside from the frighteningly "normal'' dangers for domestic canines ...</p> <p>Dogs attacked and eaten by wolves.</p>

Day of tobogganing almost ends in tragedy as wolves stalk children. In the dusky northern light three days before Christmas, two Fort Nelson families came dangerously close to two hungry wolves, until the family dog, Shadow, narrowly averted disaster. The wolves appeared quietly at about 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 22, as darkness was creeping in on the winter wonderland 100 kilometres east of Fort Nelson, where the families were tobogganing. About 30 metres away, a sleighful of three children -- one aged four and the others aged three -- were being happily towed along the base of a hill by...