Ga. Couple Killed by Dogs

(NEWSER) - A court has ordered the pack of wild dogs that killed a retired Georgia professor and his wife put to sleep, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. Authorities have already rounded up most of the 14 involved in the attack. The couple’s neighbor had fed the dogs before moving away for medical reasons, and nearby residents can’t believe they turned violent. “We’ve never had a problem with them,” said one. More»

At least 5K dogs would have been killed, cooked

(NEWSER) - Puppy lovers, rejoice. Officials in eastern China last week canceled the Jinhua Hutou Dog Meat Festival. If that name makes you a little queasy—well, there's good reason for that. The 600-year-old tradition saw at least 5,000 of dogs slaughtered on the spot, and served up as the main dish. As the story goes, the festival stemmed from a tradition begun in the 14th century, when the barking dogs that revealed an army's position were fed to the soldiers on the general's angry orders, reports the New York Times . More»

It could soon be illegal to keep 'impure' animals as pets

(NEWSER) - Dogs are unclean in the eyes of Islam, but man's best friend in Iran has until now avoided being outlawed. That could all change if a new bill recently proposed in parliament passes: It would make "the walking and keeping" of "impure and dangerous animals" illegal, subjecting owners to fines and rendering the fate of the confiscated animal uncertain. Iran's government has long seen dog ownership as a depraved practice, Time notes, and the proposed bill warns against the public health dangers as well as the cultural implications. More»

That's one way to get residents to pay...

(NEWSER) - Don’t want to pay your dog tax? Then your dog will be executed—at least, that’s how one Swiss village is handling the problem. A Reconvilier official says the town—population 2,245 humans, 280 canines—can legally kill a dog if its owner doesn’t cough up the $50 annual tax, thanks to a 1904 law. "This isn't about a mass execution of dogs," he tells the AP . "It's meant to put pressure on people who don't cooperate." More»

Man not seriously injured

(NEWSER) - A Florida man was taken to the hospital yesterday after his dog ran him over with the man's own pickup truck. Christopher Bishop, 43, made the mistake of putting his Ford F-150 in neutral as he got out to check for oil leaks, the St. Petersburg Times reports. As he checked under the front, Tassey leapt into the front seat and knocked the truck into gear. More»