Killer Ga. Dogs to Be Put Down

(NEWSER) - A retired professor and his wife whose bodies were found this weekend were mauled to death by a neighbor's dogs, an autopsy concluded. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that several of the dogs—the neighbor had 14, all mongrels—were guarding their prey when a pair of Jehovah's Witnesses found the bodies. Locals say the dogs remained on the property after their owner moved away due to medical problems, but showed no signs of malnourishment. More»

Appeals court ruling a legal boost for victims of attacks

(NEWSER) - If you've been attacked by a pit bull and want to sue, you'll have a leg up if you happen to live in Maryland. The Maryland Court of Appeals has ruled that pit bulls are an "inherently dangerous" breed, a ruling that deems Maryland owners completely accountable for their dogs' actions. The SPCA is not pleased, reports MSNBC , and asserts its belief that an animal's behavior, not breed, should be the deciding factor. It also worries that the ruling could lead to a rash of abandoned pit bulls. 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»