Panhandler Begs For Lost Pooch, his 'Best Friend'

Chicago police dog ran off 4 days ago

(NEWSER) - A Chicago police dog is back home after disappearing four days ago amid a thunderstorm, the Chicago Tribune reports. A man spotted Bear, dirty but unharmed, near a cemetery yesterday. The 2-year-old German shepherd was likely hunting small animals in nearby woods, said his relieved partner, who has been chasing leads since Bear jumped a 5-foot fence and vanished after being startled by thunder. More»

If vacation isn't vacation without Rover, consider one of these ten pet-friendly towns or your next trip

(NEWSER) - Man's best friend has become a member of the family, so why shouldn't he get a break, too? Make it fun and easy to travel with your pet by visiting one of these hound-hangout towns MSNBC recommends:

1. San Diego, CA
2. Long Beach, CA
3. Carmel, CA

Concerned public helps give distraught owner new leash on life

(NEWSER) - A now famous Chicago panhandler said he was "speechless" yesterday during his ecstatic reunion with his 12-year-old mutt, Reba. A sympathetic public mobilized into action last week after learning that Tom Finley had lost Reba and was too upset to eat or sleep, the Chicago Tribune reports. A reward was offered, streets were plastered with flyers, and an anonymous women turned up with the pooch. 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»

'Bear' somehow made it from Sacramento to Tacoma in two days

(NEWSER) - Sounds like something out of a movie: A dog was reunited with his Sacramento, California, owner yesterday after he disappeared and was found two days later … in Tacoma, Washington. Bear, a 2-year-old Patterdale terrier, is only 20 pounds and 15 inches tall, and it’s unclear how he made the 740-mile journey—his family, on the other hand, had to make the trip by car to pick him up. He was last seen at the family construction business where his owner works before turning up in a Tacoma neighborhood, the Los Angeles Times reports; a microchip allowed the Humane Society to confirm the dog’s identity. More»