ANALYSIS
The '7-year' rule is too simplistic, veterinarians say
Wall Street Journal Aug 29, 08 4:20 PM CDT
(Newser)
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A human year is 7 dog years, right? That ubiquitous formula has been driving veterinarians and dog enthusiasts nuts for decades. If it were accurate, some pooches would live to the equivalent of age 150 or so, Carl Bialik writes in the Wall Street Journal . For those who must convert, he suggests scrapping the one-size-fits-all approach in favor of a more nuanced formula.
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Associated Press Aug 26, 08 5:51 PM CDT
(AP)
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The longtime owner of a West Virginia kennel has surrendered her approximately 1,000 dogs to humane officials amid allegations that the animals were never let out of their cages and were rarely, if ever, touched by a human being. Authorities raided the facility over the weekend. To avoid arrest, the owner has agreed never to operate a kennel again.
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Tampa eatery receives city's first canine permit
Tampa Tribune Aug 21, 08 9:07 CDT
(Newser)
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Puppy-lovers can now legally chow down in the company of their canine companions at Tampa's Java & Cream cafe, the first eatery in the city to boast a dog-dining permit. Permits for pups have been required in Tampa since 2006, though restaurateurs have apparently been unaware of the law: The city received its first application just last month, reports the Tampa Tribune .
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Critics say there may be many failures for every high-profile success
Wired Aug 20, 08 2:50 CDT
(Newser)
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Canine cloning looks set to become big business but critics warn that deformed and diseased failures could outnumber the tail-wagging successes, Wired reports. Cloning fails far more often than it succeeds, and dogs are notoriously hard to clone. A Humane Society report earlier this year charged that "serious animal suffering and disreputable activities" lurk behind pet cloning.
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California couple uses Michael Vick's dogs to prove their point
Los Angeles Times Aug 16, 08 4:08 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The pit bull has long been considered a breed prone to violence—a generalization the Michael Vick case did nothing to help. But a California couple is working to show people that the dogs have become victims of stereotype and, more importantly, widespread abuse. And they're using some of the dogs rescued from Vick's home to prove the point. The Los Angeles Times profiles the couple and their mission.
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Cops kill Labs 'for sport,' handcuff
mayor in boxers
Baltimore Sun Aug 8, 08 5:01 CDT
(Newser)
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A Maryland mayor is demanding an investigation after police burst into his home and shot his two dogs dead, reports the Baltimore Sun . Cheye Calvo, the mayor of Baltimore suburb Berwyn Heights, and his wife were apparently victims of a smuggling ring that sent packages of marijuana to unsuspecting victims, according to authorities. He slammed the heavy-handed police tactics and says he has yet to receive an apology.
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Pooches and their owners meet through Doggyspace.com
Associated Press Aug 7, 08 6:15 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Dog owners are using a crossbreed of MySpace and YouTube to network—all on behalf and because of their four-legged friends, the AP reports. Since launching last month, Doggyspace.com has attracted more than 700 users, mostly female, who share photos, videos, advice, and stories, as well as supply their pups' "voice."
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Practice, for pay or between neighbors, catching on; Boston bans renting pooches
Wall Street Journal Aug 5, 08 10:20 CDT
(Newser)
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Faced with a desire for a dog but lacking the ability to care for one full-time, some are turning to dog-sharing programs—though others say the idea is unhealthy for man’s best friend, the Wall Street Journal reports. “From a social standpoint,” programs like Flexpetz, which arranges the renting of dogs in several cities, are “very hard on the animal,” said a veterinary expert.
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World's first commercial clones
Times (UK) Aug 5, 08 9:38 CDT
(Newser)
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South Korean scientists have made the world’s first commercial clones, creating five copies of a heroic pit bull named Booger, the Times of London reports. The little Boogers were ordered and paid for—at an introductory rate of $50,000—by Hollywood screenwriter Bernann McKinney, owner of the now-departed original. McKinney says the first Booger saved her life after she was horribly mauled by her pet mastiff.
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'Lucky' the most common name
Los Angeles Times Aug 2, 08 5:00 CDT
(Newser)
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At least 1,262 Chihuahuas named “Princess” live in Los Angeles. That priceless pearl of wisdom comes from “LA’s Top Dogs,” a new searchable LA Times database of every registered canine. Only half the city’s dogs are legally registered, but of that population, Chihuahuas are the most numerous (59,684), followed closely by Labradors (58,071). Pit bulls are a distant third (20,851).
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Golden retriever cleans and feeds rare white cubs abandoned by mom
Associated Press Jul 31, 08 12:21 PM CDT
(Newser)
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A golden retriever has adopted three white tiger cubs abandoned by their mother at a southeast Kansas zoo, the AP reports. The Safari Zoological Park's owner says the dog, who recently weaned her own puppies, licks, cleans, and feeds the days-old cubs as if they were her own.
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Recent laws, bans making pay-as-you-play pets unavailable
Newsweek Jul 30, 08 12:48 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Massachusetts lawmakers have put the kibosh on a lucrative pet rental business, which caters to busy urbanites who want to spend time with dogs without the full-time commitment. The state senate passed a bill yesterday prohibiting the renting or leasing of dogs and cats; like previous bans in Boston and London, the action was prompted by ethical considerations, reports Newsweek .
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If you can't lick 'em,
join 'em, muses Willie
al.com (Ala.) Jul 29, 08 2:59 CDT
(Newser)
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A new candidate has bounded into the running in the mayoral race in Fairhope, Alabama, reports the Press-Register . Townspeople sick of the endless politicking are backing 7-year-old Labrador retriever Willie Bean Roscoe P. Coltrane for mayor. Supporters note that Willie Bean is the only candidate to have American Kennel Club certification—and any skeletons in his closet have long since been eaten.
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Dog ownership turned out a lot pricier than writer bargained for
Wall Street Journal Jul 25, 08 9:29 CDT
(Newser)
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At first, $150 for a beagle puppy and $20 a week for food sounded like a good deal, but it didn't take long to realize dogs are "deceptively expensive," Neal Templin writes in the Wall Street Journal . Vet bills soon added up to thousands after a mystery illness and a car bump—enough to feed the pooch for several lifetimes.
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Vigorous chase leads to heart-melting
Philadelphia Inquirer Jul 18, 08 12:41 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Two Philly cops engaged in an intense chase yesterday, using their cruisers and their feet as they took to the streets in pursuit of a fugitive, Inquirer columnist Jill Porter reports. The hour-long hunt ended with the apprehension of a terrified youngster and moved one of the arresting officers to say, "We've got to find her a home." The runaway is … a puppy.
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