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All that's left of Doodles are his ashes, a clay impression of his paws and a whole lot of questions owner Patricia Cassidy has about his mysterious death.

Federal health officials are warning pet owners to be cautious about feeding their dogs jerky treats as they continue to investigate a treat-related illnesses that has left nearly 600 dogs dead and sickened more than 3,000 others. The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday issued an alert to consumers about the illnesses and deaths tied to jerky treats from China. Officials say the exact cause of the illnesses remains unknown. "This is one of the most elusive and mysterious outbreaks we've encountered," Bernadette Dunham, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, said in a statement. "Our beloved four-legged companions...

Cats are the world’s most popular pets, outnumbering dogs by as many as three to one. This popularity is undoubtedly helped by the fact that cats are simultaneously affectionate and self-reliant... Even so, cats remain aloof and inscrutable. Dogs tend to be open, honest and biddable. Cats, on the other hand, demand we accept them on their terms but never quite reveal what those terms might be. Studies of dogs in the 1950s established the notion of a “primary socialization period,” when puppies are especially sensitive to learning how to interact with people. For dogs, this is between 7 and...

Looking for a furry friend for your kids? Or maybe a slimy one? Before you bring a pet into your family find out which animals makes the best... and worst pets for little ones. (You might be surprised at which animals fail the test!)

Scientist Says New Research Proves 'Dogs Are People Too' By Kelli Bender Oct 7th 2013 Do you ever think that your dog knows exactly how you feel? It probably does. According to the Daily Mail U.K., Gregory Berns, a professor of neuroeconomics at Emory University, has discovered that dogs have emotions just like humans. Through the use of MRI scans, Berns discovered that dogs and humans use the same part of their brains to feel. The professor started his research hoping to find out how a dog's brain works and what the animals think of humans. In veterinary practices, dogs...

Starved and flea-covered German shepherd is rescued after being chained to a tree for FOUR YEARS... as heartless owner gets just a $25 fine An Ohio pet owner has been arrested and slapped with a $25 fine after police rescued a starving, flea-invested and abused German shepherd that had been chained to a tree for four years. Jeremy Shane Temple was taken into custody last Friday from his Middletown home after officers and Butler County Dog Wardens responded to a report that pets were being mistreated at the residence. Officials discovered a mangy-looking and severely emaciated German shepherd dubbed by...

Princess P is the latest recipient of help from Cutie’s Fund at the Lucas County Dog Warden’s Office. The medium-sized mixed breed dog has a severely embedded collar. Dog Warden Julie Lyle is considering getting treatment for her at Ohio State University’s college of veterinary medicine because the wound is so deep. It is 3 inches across and 5 inches deep. “We are consulting with OSU and have sent them photos of the wound,” Ms. Lyle said. “We expect to hear back from them tomorrow on whether they can help her there or will just advise us on her care...

They Ate WHAT? The end of summer is here and we are once again proud sponsors of the annual They Ate What? Pet X Ray Contest in the September issue of Veterinary Practice News. This year veterinary x rays came in from veterinarians across the country with highlights including a Mastiff who swallowed an eight inch long wrench, a Terrier who had eaten a Nerf arrow. and a short-haired cat who had a lamp cord twisted up in his esophagus, stomach and small intestines! Veterinary Practice News team members judged this year's contest and selected Dr. Gary Sloniker, DVM,...

PETALUMA, Calif. — Do all animals go to heaven? The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi wants them well-positioned for the possibility by creating San Francisco's first pet columbarium, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. Church leaders are currently raising funds for the 850-square-foot pet memorial space, the city's first "final resting place for the furry and feathered," as the Chronicle cutely put it. The new columbarium, which organizers hope will be up and running by spring, will be able to hold the ashes of up to 1,000 animals, according to the Associated Press. Cremation costs have not yet...

The man who allegedly threw a puppy off the porch, injuring him, was arrested without incident Tuesday night and arraigned on Wednesday. Luis-Alberto Serrano was picked up at the home on Begole Road that he’d been residing in, Gratiot County Sheriff Doug Wright said. Serrano, 33, is charged with torturing or maiming an animal, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison. He is alleged to have thrown the puppy off the porch after the 3 month-old Australian shepherd named “Fatboy” ate his hamburger. Serrano is alleged to have done this in front of three children...

The wife and I just brought home a German Shepherd pup yesterday. He seemed "shy" but later I realized he was lethargic. He ate a bit but not like what you would expect from a two month old Shepherd. We took him to the Vet today to have him checked out and he tested positive for Parvo. He hadn't started puking yet and they put him on IVs so with a little luck he should recover. Our other dog is up to date on his shots and the cats are supposed to be immune. I went around and disinfected everything...

The Summer of 2013 officially began only last Friday, but already it has a good shot at achieving a dubious distinction in the annals of parental indulgence. This could be the summer that ice cream trucks for dogs go mainstream. Ever since the K99 ice cream truck set up shop in the parks of London during the summer of 2010–to the tune of the Scooby Doo theme song, no less–the trend of cruising trucks full of specially-made canine ice cream treats and cookies has been spreading and appears to be hitting its jaunty stride. Last summer, they started dropping by...

The Problem There are people sentenced to capital punishment, awaiting their fate on death row, who have not committed any crime, not been accused of anything, not stood any trial, not been found guilty by judge or jury. If these people, biologically, were members of the human species, the outrage at this earth-shattering injustice would reach the sky and beyond, leaping into the stratosphere. But because the biological status of these persons, who feel and think like you and me, or at least like you and me when we were little children, happens to be a different one from Homo...

Two cases of plague in dogs have been confirmed in the East Mountains area of Bernalillo County. The cases occurred between late May and mid-June and were confirmed by Albuquerque’s Urban Biology Division. Both dogs have recovered from the illness. An environmental investigation will be held at the site where the infection is believed to have occurred, according to an Albuquerque Environmental Health Department news release.

The New York State Senate has passed a bill that will require convicted animal abusers to register their name and address with criminal justice services. Additionally, they will undergo undergo a psychiatric evaluation and be banned from owning a pet again, Senator Greg Ball (R,C,I-Patterson) announced Tuesday. The bill seeks to amend the current Buster's Law, which passed in 1999 and made animal cruelty in New York state a felony. The law was named after a cat that was doused in kerosene and lit on fire in 1997. The animal abusers registry will contain the names and addresses of persons...

Oh, no big deal, it’s just a monkey buying himself a juice from a vending machine and remembering to return the change. Aki the Capuchin monkey from Nihonmatsu, Japan inserts his coins into the vending machine, then bangs on it until a beverage is released. The monkey returns the change from the coin slot, and goes on to enjoy his drink. I also would like to note that he opens the bottle himself. Capuchin monkeys are known for being the most intelligent of the New World monkeys and live in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America, and...

To cleanse the palate. I was going to do another post on the disappointment that is Rubio and how the “American workers can’t cut it” quote from his aide looks even worse in context, but neither of those topics depressed me enough. I needed something more eeyorish, something to make me despair about the judgment of the electorate at large, not just a bunch of Beltway RINOs who aren’t even smart enough to pander to the right constituency. And then, thanks to PPP, I found it.I can accept defeat on this question but I can’t accept a landslide. Every day,...

The Oklahoma County Sheriff's office posted this photo of the pooch, which has since gone around the web, with the description, “Scared, but this little pup survived.” The rescuers did some more digging in the area and came upon the sad realization that this loyal "friend to the end" had been keeping watch over a body.

ATLANTA,- U.S. cable new outlet CNN marked National Pet Week by saying, among other pet-related statistics, an estimated $55.5 billion will be spent on U.S. pets in 2013. CNN said 82.5 million U.S. households had pets in 2012 and $55.53 billion is expected to be spent on pets by U.S. residents in 2013. A 2011 survey suggested 63.2 percent of pet owners in 2011 considered their pets to be members of the family. The network said 70 percent of respondents in a 2006 Gallup poll identified themselves as "dog people." Twenty percent said they prefer cats. However, there were 70...

(Reuters) - Anyone wanting to live longer and cut their risk of suffering from heart disease might want to consider getting a pet.