USA: Bill for Nationwide Puppy Mill Reform Needs You!

Dear Animal Advocates, As you may already know, there is a large loophole in the federal law concerning USDA oversight of large-scale commercial dog breeders (known as “puppy mills”). Currently, breeders who sell to brokers and pet stores have to be licensed by the USDA, while those who sell puppies directly to the public do not. Introduced in Congress in late May, a bill called the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act will bring all commercial dog breeders in the United States under federal oversight by requiring any breeder who sells or offers to sell more than 50 dogs annually to the public—including over the Internet—to be licensed and inspected. The bill will also require all licensed breeders to exercise every dog daily. The PUPS Act is extremely important humane legislation that will improve the lives of thousands of dogs across the country. We hope we can count on your support to help us get it passed. What You Can Do Now more than ever, it is vital that members of Congress hear that puppy mill reform is important to their constituents. Please visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to email your senators and representative to urge them to support and cosponsor the PUPS Act. Thank you for your continued support of the ASPCA and our nation’s animals! Posted:  Just One More Pet

Woman Kills Her Own Dogs

PITTSBURGH —

A woman from Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood who police say is accused of killing her two dogs by injecting one with antifreeze and stabbing another turned herself in Friday morning.

Pittsburgh police Officer Christine Luffey said that a psychological evaluation is being requested for the suspect, Deborah Kyles.

Neighbors told Channel 4 Action News reporter Tara Edwards that the dogs belonging to Kyles were found in the back yard of her Fusion Street home.

Click Here for Video:

Police said Kyles first suffocated a Chihuahua named Soulja Boy with a plastic garbage bag before injecting the dog with antifreeze.

Police said they suspect Kyles tried to frame her son and her daughter’s boyfriend.

The dog was found in a truck belonging to her daughter’s boyfriend in April, police said.

“She didn’t think I was moving fast enough for her because, four days later, Zone 6 police responded to another call for a dog dead,” said Luffey.

The second time, it was Kyles’ Pomeranian, Daisy, that was found stabbed outside her home.

“If someone was going to kill your dog, why would they go through and break in your home, taking your dog, without the other dogs barking?” said Luffey.

Kyles faces two misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor charge of filing false police reports.

“I think it’s sick,” said a neighbor who did not want to be identified. “Two dogs completely trusted her and she’s the one who did such horrible things to them, and just the manner that it was done, I don’t know how she could do that to someone.”

The biggest lesson we must learn from this is to be vigilant and speak up if you suspect anything strange or abusive is going on…  It is also time for all of us to stand up and demand that the sentences for this kind of cruelty are increased drastically!!

Hey, Animal Lovers: Win Tickets to Lilith Fair!

This summer, the ASPCA is thrilled to be partnering with Lilith Fair, the one-of-a-kind, touring festival featuring music megastars including Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, Rihanna, Emmylou Harris and tour co-founder and ASPCA supporter Sarah McLachlan. In the spirit of the tour’s generosity—the festival donates a large portion of its proceeds to various national and international women’s charities—the ASPCA is treating 30 supporters to two free tickets to attend the show in their town. And one lucky grand prize winner will receive a guitar signed by the touring artists!

If you know a courageous woman who has made great strides in improving the lives of animals, we want to hear from you! We’re looking for female animal activists who are especially dedicated to combating cruelty and pet homelessness. In 300 words or less, please tell us why you are nominating this admirable heroine—and don’t forget to include a photo.

We’re accepting submissions on a rolling basis through early August, so don’t miss out! To learn more about the contest or to submit a nomination, please visit our Lilith Fair Contest page.

Posted: Just One More Pet

Temperatures Are Rising: Be a Dog Defender: Help Save Animals This Summer! Cool Ideas for Hot Dogs

Summer is a season for celebrations—the Fourth of July, beach trips, picnics in the park, and (vegan) barbecues! However, it can be a very dangerous time for dogs. Every year, countless dogs die after overheating inside parked cars. We need you to be a dog defender by looking out for dogs who are locked in hot cars.

On a relatively mild 70-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can reach 120 degrees in minutes, even with the windows slightly open. Leaving your dog in the car while you run errands could lead to tragedy. You can be the difference between life and death for dogs this summer.

A Naples, Florida, man was convicted of cruelty when his dog died after being locked in a car for four hours on a warm day. The dead dog’s temperature was still almost 110ºF a full two hours after police removed him from the car. The man was sentenced to six months in jail and slapped with a $1,000 fine for “animal cruelty by abandonment.”

“I always try to have sympathy for defendants before making a decision,” the sentencing judge told the man. “I don’t have any sympathy for you.”

Why was the judge so unsympathetic? Because he believed that the man, a doctor, should have known better than to leave a dog in a car for hours with one window cracked open just an inch. Indeed, all of us should know better, especially when temperatures climb into the 80s and 90s. But even a mild day can be dangerous. Recently, a dog died after being locked in a parked car on a sunny, 67°F day in Albany, New York, even though the car windows had allegedly been left open a crack.

During the “dog days” of summer, the temperature inside a parked car can climb to well above 100ºF in just a matter of minutes. Beating the heat is extra tough for dogs because they can only cool themselves by panting and sweating through their paw pads.

Heatstroke can come on quickly and result in brain damage or death. Watch for symptoms such as restlessness, excessive thirst, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid heartbeat, fever, vomiting, or lack of coordination. If your dog shows any of these symptoms, get her or him into the shade immediately and call your veterinarian. Lower the animal’s body temperature gradually by providing water to drink, applying a cold towel or ice pack to the head, neck, and chest, or immersing the dog in lukewarm (not cold) water.

“Every summer, we hear about tragedies that could have been prevented,” says PETA casework division manager Martin Mersereau. “Many people don’t realize how quickly animals left in a hot car or outside without shade or water can succumb to the heat.”

Prevent Heatstroke by Taking These Precautions:

Never leave a dog in a parked car. On a mild 73ºF day, the temperature inside a car can reach 120ºF in 30 minutes. On a 90ºF day, the interior of a vehicle can reach 160ºF in minutes.

If you see a dog in a car and in distress, take down the car’s color, model, make, and license-plate number, have the owner paged inside nearby stores, and call local humane authorities or police. Have someone keep an eye on the dog. If police are unresponsive or too slow and the dog’s life appears to be in imminent danger, find a witness (or several) who will back your assessment, take steps to remove the suffering animal, and then wait for authorities to arrive. Contact PETA for a supply of fliers on the dangers of heatstroke to leave on windshields.

Don’t carry your dog in the bed of a pickup truck. This is always dangerous, but the heat brings the added danger of burning the dog’s feet on the hot metal.

Don’t take your dog jogging—except on cool mornings or evenings—and don’t force exercise. On long walks, rest often and take plenty of water. Hot pavement can burn dogs’ paws; choose shady, grassy routes.

Trim heavy-coated dogs’ fur, but leave an inch for protection against insects and sunburn. Keep an eye on areas where hair is thin, like eyelids, ears, and nose as they can get sunburned.

Keep your dog indoors. If he or she must stay outside for long, avoid the hottest part of the day. Provide shade, water, and a kiddie pool. Keep drinking water in an anchored bucket or a heavy bowl that won’t tip over.

Be a watchdog for chained dogs. Make sure that they have food, water, and shelter. If you see a dog in distress, contact humane authorities. Give the dog immediate relief by providing water.

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You can improve the lives of dogs and cats suffering from cruelty and neglect.

With summer right around the corner, please sign up to receive your “Too Hot for Spot” online action kit! You will receive a printable version of the “Too Hot for Spot” leaflet. Leave the leaflets on windshields of parked cars to remind people about the dangers of leaving unattended animals inside hot vehicles. The online action kit will also include various online resources to help you spread the word to your friends and family.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

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Thousands of dogs die in hot cars each year. Don’t let it happen to yours ( or any pet you see)

 

Photo: Rebecca Poling

Friday in Southern California a woman left 18 dogs in a parked van intending to be gone only a few minutes.  But apparently her errand took longer than expected.  When animal control authorities were called an hour later, the temperature in the van was 100 degrees.  The dogs were alive, but many were in obvious distress.  The temperature that day was only 76 degrees.

Saturday in Texas we hit 100 degrees for the first time this year.  When it is this hot, it takes less than ten minutes for the inside of a car to reach 120 degrees, even with the windows cracked.  A dog can suffer brain damage at 107 and die at 120.  Even in the morning when it’s cooler, the temperature in your car can increase 20 degrees in just 10 minutes.  No matter how much your dog loves to go along when you run errands, please don’t take a chance.  Leave him home where he is safe.

If you are out shopping and you see a dog locked in a hot car, tell the manager of the store immediately.  Don’t be shy. A smart store manager will know how much his business will suffer if a dog dies in a car in his parking lot and will act quickly.  If that doesn’t work, don’t wait – call 911 immediately and ask the Fire/Rescue be sent.  If the dispatcher hesitates, make sure they understand that your next call will be the media.

It’s a simple message: If you care about your dog, never leave him unattended in a hot car even for a minute.

For more info: United Animal Nation’s My Dog Is Cool website has information to help you spread the word about the dangers of leaving pets in cars.

UAN’s My Dog is Cool Campaign is designed to,

• Get the word out to individuals and communities about the dangers of hot cars through our life-saving Don’t Leave Me in Here — It’s Hot! Fliers, posters, and other educational materials.
• Educate the media and the general public, as well as police, emergency workers, and city officials, about steps to take to prevent dogs from dying in hot cars.
• Remind others not to leave their dogs in parked cars with materials like our “A hot oven or a hot car” poster and our “Hot Temperature” warning sign.

Follow the links at the top of this page to learn how you can help save lives this summer. Or contact us at info@uan.org for more information.

Posted:  Just One More Pet – It is not okay to do nothing, whether it is your pet or not!

A Dog’s Life… Can Be Longer Than You Think…

The oldest dog in the world … unofficially anyway

And there seems to be some competition…

Uno walks over to his water bowl, sniffs, and decides the contents are not up to his standards. He turns and walks away.

“It doesn’t make any difference how thirsty he is. If the water isn’t fresh, he’s not drinking it,” Sherman Oaks optometrist Norm Steinberg says.

“Same with his food. Uno’s very picky. He’s a real ‘alta cocker.’ It’s a Jewish term for old man,’ ” he laughs.

The moniker fits on a couple of levels. Uno’s a cocker spaniel and, according to Steinberg, just turned 22 New Year’s Day.

That puts him around 110 in human years. Hell, I’d be picky, too. And cranky.

“Uno’s an amazing dog,” says Robert Clipsham, veterinarian at the Sherman Oaks Veterinary Group.

“I would not have predicted him doing this well this long. He has his share of geriatric age problems, but for a guy pushing 110, he’s phenomenal.”

Steinberg adopted Uno in 1990 from two women in Valencia who were opening a day care center and could only keep a few dogs. They told him Uno had been born on Jan. 1, 1988.

Which is why when Steinberg, and his girlfriend Cherie Gigliotti saw on the “Today” show last year a Dachshund mix dog named Chanel going into the 2010 Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living dog in the world at 21, they did a double take.

They had the oldest living dog in the world lying at their feet right now dining on a chicken breast and some fresh ground turkey.

But since he wasn’t AKC registered, formal records of his birth didn’t exist. Uno will just have to be the unofficial oldest dog in the world.

“So he eats what you guys eat?” I asked Cherie, who owns Biju Pet Spa in Sherman Oaks, where Uno hangs out most of the day.

“We don’t eat any of this,” she says.

“What do you eat,” I ask her.

“We eat out,” she says. “When we get home we give him the leftovers. We puree all his food so he can swallow it easier.”

Steinberg’s two other cocker spaniels, Toots and Buddy, lived to be 17 and 18 respectively, but Uno shows no signs of checking out any time soon, veterinarian Clipsham says.

Norm and Cherie live in a tri-level townhouse with 40 steps. Uno usually makes it up 30 before they have to pick him up and carry him the rest of the way.

“He sees but he can’t hear,” Cheri says.

Norm smiles. He’s not buying it. Uno has selective hearing.

“When I open a box of treats, he can hear that,” Norm says, laughing. “He comes running.”

By Dennis McCarthy, Columnist

Posted: 01/10/2010 12:58:28 AM PST

Meet Chanel: Almost 21, the world’s oldest dog

She has cataracts and gets cold easily — but there’s life in the old dog yet

They say every dog has its day, but this one has had more than most: Chanel, a dachshund mix, is going to be celebrating her 21st birthday (that’s 120 in human years, according to Chanel’s veterinarian). And though she wears “doggles” for cataracts and gets cold easily, there’s life in the old dog yet.

The birthday girl, looking sporty in a pink sweater and the trademark red goggles she wears because of her cataracts, visited the TODAY show set in New York Wednesday with her owner, Denice Shaughnessy.

“She’s doing fine,” Shaughnessy said of Chanel. “The vet says he’s never seen a dog her age do so much.”

Actually, he’s probably never seen a dog her age period, at least not one whose age has been certified as the oldest living pooch on the planet by Guinness World Records.

Legal to drink
The TODAY crew had some fun with Shaughnessy and Chanel, whose wire hair is entirely white with age.

Meredith Vieira joked that now that Chanel’s turning 21, “She can drink whiskey out of a toilet.”

Matt Lauer took advantage of the fact that Chanel is a “wiener dog” to tease Vieira. At the equivalent of 120 years old, he told his co-host, “that makes [Chanel] the oldest hot dog I’ve seen since that barbecue at your place.”

Chanel might not have gotten her place in Guinness World Records had it not been for Denice’s husband, Karl Shaughnessy, who was paging through the record book one day and realized he didn’t see a category for the oldest dog. He called Guinness and sent in Chanel’s birth certificate showing her birth date: May 6, 1988.

On Wednesday on TODAY, one of Chanel’s early 21st birthday presents was her official certificate as the world’s oldest living pooch. She’ll be listed in the 2010 edition of Guinness World Records, scheduled for publication this October.

Dog food company Dogswell is throwing a private birthday bash at the New York Dog Spa and Hotel for Chanel and her family and friends, complete with a giant doggie birthday cake.

Although Chanel is unfazed by her celebrity, the Shaughnessys’ three grandsons are excited to have a world-record holder in the family.

A dog’s (long) life
Impressive as her accomplishment is, Chanel has a way to go to catch the all-time record for canine longevity. The oldest dog ever whose age could be verified was Bluey, an Australian cattle dog that died at the ripe old age of 29 years, 5 months in 1939.

Still, Chanel is undeniably remarkable. At almost 21, she’s in fine fettle, still likes to play, and has just a few physical issues that can be expected at an age that translates to 120 for a human. (Veterinarians say that the first year of a dog’s life is equivalent to 15 years of a human’s. The second year is equal to 10 human years. After that, every year is five human years.)

TODAY

Chanel’s owner, Denice Shaughnessy, was a single mom and a soldier when she adopted the dog from a Virgina shelter more than 20 years ago.

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She always wears a sweater or T-shirt when she goes out, even in summer, because she tends to get chilled easily. Chanel also has cataracts and has to wear goggles with tinted lenses to protect her eyes when she goes out. She’s got a bit of a benign tumor on one hind leg, and wears booties to protect the limb.

She also keeps odd hours and gets up in the middle of the night to get a drink, then has to search for her bed. Chanel actually has two doggie beds and alternates nights sleeping in them.

Chanel is a finicky eater who loves chicken and multigrain pasta — regular pasta just won’t do — mixed in with her dog food.

Shelter dog

Denice Shaughnessy was a single mother and a soldier in the U.S. Army 21 years ago when she went to a shelter in Virginia looking for a dog for her daughter, LaToya. She fell in love with two dachshund-mix pups and wanted them both, but couldn’t afford to pay $50 in adoption fees. So she took one of the pups, paid $25, and named the dog Chanel.

Life threw some curveballs at Shaughnessy. Some months after Chanel joined the family, her house burned down; fortunately, everyone got out safely. Later, she was having financial problems and had to sell her car because she couldn’t afford to pay for the insurance. She and LaToya were reduced to living on macaroni and cheese, which they shared with Chanel.

While she was in the Army, she was stationed in Germany and then at West Point in upstate New York. Later, she moved to California to care for her ailing grandparents. No matter where she went or what her circumstances, Chanel was always there.

Finally, Denice met Karl Shaughnessy, fell in love and got married. They settled on Long Island and Denice got a job as a secretary at the Rocky Point Middle School. She has had three other dachshunds over the years.

Chanel has outlived them all.

By Mike Celizic – TODAYshow.com contributor

updated7:13 a.m. PT,Wed., May 6, 2009

World’s oldest dog Bella died on September 9th 2008 at the age of 203 (in canine years)

Bella was bought by David Richardson from the RSPCA 26 years ago when she was three years old.

Since then, the Labrador cross enjoyed a comfy life at the Derbyshire home of 76-year-old Mr Richardson and his partner Daisy Cooper, 81.

It’s a dog’s life: Bella with her owner David Richardson. The Labrador cross lived to the grand old age of 203 years

Although Mr Richardson, from Clay Cross, has no official documentation to prove Bella’s age, he insists the aged pooch was 29.

Bella died of a heart attack on Saturday in Lincolnshire where the couple had gone on holiday.

‘We had just come up to Mablethorpe – we always go to the same place on holiday because we can take the dogs,’ said Mr. Richardson.

‘We had barely been here for an hour when Bella started panting and yelping and collapsed in front of the sofa.

‘We took Bella to the vet but she was so ill she had to be put to sleep. It was very upsetting. We will miss her a lot.

‘Lots of people came to see us and to wish Bella goodbye. Our friends and neighbors were very fond of her,’ he added.

The Guinness World Records say the most recent record for the oldest dog was held by Butch, a 28-year-old from America who died in 2003. The oldest ever dog was Bluey, a sheepdog from Australia, who also lived to 29.

Mr. Richardson’s claim could never be proved because the RSPCA don’t hold detailed records stretching back to when he bought Bella and the Guinness World Records say Bella could not have been included because their was no documentation.

Source: Oldest Dog on Record… Died at Age 29

Vegetable-Eating Dog Lives to Ripe Old Age of 27

SOMERSET (UK) — Remember 1977?  I think I spent most of the year waiting in line to see Star Wars.  Meanwhile, a two-year-old Collie was narrowly escaping a disastrous flood at a shelter in West Wales.  That dog, “Bramble”, not only lived to see the release ofStar Wars but is still around to see the 4th sequel Attack of the Clones (that is, if she can handle another dose of that Jar Jar Binks character).

“Is it snack time, or are we going to playing fetch?”

Scoop staff Chocolate Labrador (recently adopted from an Atlanta shelter) demonstrates the latest canine diet which has been known to extend the life of dogs far beyond expectations.  An exclusively vegetarian diet of “rice, lentils and organic vegetables every evening,” coupled with good exercise, has propelled “Bramble” the Collie into her 28th year.  Guinness World Records is currently considering whether that makes her the oldest living dog in the world.  (Photo: DogsInTheNews.com)

According to the Sunday Telegraph, Bramble, living in Bridgewater, Somerset, has just celebrated her 27th birthday, possibly making her Britain’s oldest living dog and a contender for the oldest dog in the world.

Luck of the Dog

How exactly does a pooch live to be 189 (in dog years)?  Anne Heritage, 43, describes how Bramble survived at least one near-death-experience right at the outset in February 1977:

“The day after we brought her home, the [New Quay rescue centre] kennels flooded and the other dogs drowned,” says Ms. Heritage.

“So she’s been incredibly lucky.”

No Bones About It

Aside from luck, Bramble’s secret to longevity is a vegetarian diet.  Ms. Heritage is a vegan and has brought up her pooch on the same diet regime she herself follows (although Bramble does wear a fur coat—but don’t go pouring buckets of red paint on her for that little violation).

“She has a big bowl of rice, lentils and organic vegetables every evening,” says Ms. Heritage.

Otto

Just like their humans… as our pets eat better and receive better care, they are living longer and longer… and considering they won’t be put on socialized medicine in England or ObamaCare in the US where all these dogs have lived… their longevity is in less danger than that of their human parents’.

Posted: Just One More Pet