Another increditable Story- SHEP

- Shep was a border collie who followed his beloved master everywhere. When the man died in 1936, Shep followed the man's coffin to the train station in Fort Benton, Montana. When they refused to allow him on the train, Shep hung around the station yard and waited for his master to return. For the next six years, Shep checked every train that arrived at the station for his master. Tragically, Shep was killed by a passing train in 1942. His story was memorialized in a book titled Forever Faithful-the Story of Shep. He even has his own memorial with a large bronze sculpture of himself in a little park over looking the river. Source: Book- Forever Faithful

Author of Harry Potter Books GIves large Donation

JK Rowling has named the greyhound 'Sapphire'
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has provided a magical new home for a rescued dog in Fife.
Celia Fernie, who runs Greyhound Rescue near Kinghorn, said she had no idea who the customer was until she handed over a signed cheque.

The new family member, called Sapphire, is in addition to the author's Jack Russell terrier Butch.

Mrs Fernie said she had asked the whole family to come to the rescue centre to ensure they could provide a good home.

Generous offer

She asked Ms Rowling for a standard contribution of £30. However the author made out a cheque for £1,000.

"She was just a lovely person. We were chit-chatting and she was saying that other members of her family had dogs. They were just a very nice family," said Mrs Fernie.

The money has been used to provide veterinary help for some of the rescue centre's residents.

The pet rehoming service was established in 2005 and is celebrating providing a new family for its 100th dog. News

Kiss of Life

An officer handler who saved his dog by giving it the "kiss of life" is to be given an award.
Steve Tugwell saved the life of Frodo, a sniffer dog trained to find drugs at Long Lartin Prison, Worcestershire.

Mr Tugwell made a cone shape with his hands and blew into Frodo's mouth after the dog was strangled by his collar while playing with another dog.

Mr Tugwell will receive a special award at the Prison Service National Drug Trials near Rugby on Saturday.

Frodo, who is now back at work, was playing in the garden with Patch, another working dog owned by Mr Tugwell when the incident happened in May.

Mr Tugwell said: "My black dog Patch had got his jaw actually caught in the collar of Frodo and actually strangled him.

"I managed to cut the collar off, looked at the dog and he wasn't breathing. His eyes were white and by all intents and purposes he was dead. There was nothing coming from him."

He managed to get the dog's airway clear, before making a cone shape to blow air into Frodo's mouth

After massaging his ribcage, the handler rushed Frodo to the vet, where the dog was sedated for a few days until he recovered.

Mr Tugwell said he is looking forward to getting the award, but added the "best reward" was having Frodo back working with him.

Dogs Killing Dogs makes big Money

Star quarterback Michael Vick's guilty plea on dog fighting charges has shone a light on a vicious blood sport that appears to be thriving in the US.


Pit bulls can suffer serious injuries or die in the ring (image: Peta)

Evidence gathered by animal welfare groups suggests that, despite the fact dog fighting is illegal in all 50 US states, it is both widespread and growing.

An estimated 40,000 people in the US are thought to be involved in "professional" dog fighting, using some 250,000 dogs.

These dog fighters train their pit bull terriers for maximum aggression before putting them in the ring to fight matches, publicised by underground networks.

Crowds watch and often place bets as the dogs, their jaws trained to grip ferociously hard, seek to tear each other apart for an hour or more.

As much as $100,000 (£50,000) can be staked on a fight between champion dogs, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

The dog that wins will live to fight again. But the loser is likely either to die from blood loss, shock and injury, or be killed by its owner as no longer profitable.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands more people - often gang members - take part in so-called street fighting, where dogs are pitted against each other in impromptu bouts in alleys or empty buildings.

Dogs 'executed'

Court papers in Vick's case expose some of the brutality involved in a practice that seems to be concentrated in America's South and eastern states.


Michael Vick has agreed a plea deal on dog-fighting charges

The American footballer and three others, all of whom have agreed plea deals, are accused of running an organised dog fighting operation called Bad Newz Kennels over several years.

When Vick's property in Virginia was raided, 54 pit bull terriers were found, some with apparent dog fighting injuries, as well as training equipment like a treadmill and a stick used to pry open dogs' jaws.

The men took their prize dogs across state lines for matches on which thousands of dollars were wagered, court documents say. Vick has denied betting on the fights but admits bankrolling them.

Three of the men, including Vick, also "executed" several dogs that did not perform well in training, by hanging, drowning, electrocution and slamming them to the ground.

Animal welfare groups point out that the 54 dogs found by the authorities will almost certainly have to be put down too.

Although properly-raised pit bull terriers can make good pets, according to reputable Georgia breeder Tara Vickers, fighting dogs - having been trained to attack other animals - are impossible to re-house safely.

In the UK, the breeding, sale or exchange of pit bull terriers is banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and people who already own pit bulls must keep them muzzled and on a lead in public.

Gang culture

No-one knows what motivated 27-year-old Vick, with his multi-million dollar American football contract, to venture into the murky world of dog fighting.

Dog fighting has become popular in gang culture

John Goodwin
Humane Society of the United States

But there is evidence to suggest that its growth nationally is related to its adoption as a part of violent street culture.

John Goodwin, an expert on animal fighting for the Humane Society, says one way to track the prevalence of dog fighting is to monitor the number of pit bulls coming into animal rescue shelters.

Whereas 15 years ago 2-3% of the dogs brought in were pit bulls, the breed now makes up 30% of the total nationally and 50% in some areas, he said. One shelter in Mississippi reported taking in 300 pit bulls, of which 60% had scars indicating they had fought.

"Urban areas are where a lot of the growth has been and the shelters get inundated with the castaways from dog fighting," Mr Goodwin said. "Dog fighting has become popular in gang culture."

He cites a study by the Chicago Police Department, which found that of 332 people arrested over three years for dog fighting and animal cruelty, three-fifths had known gang affiliations.

Of course, many pit bulls, particularly in the rural South, do not make it into shelters, Mr Goodwin adds, because the owners simply kill them if they are no longer of use.

Pumped with steroids

Life as a fighting dog is neither pleasant nor long, according to investigations by animal welfare groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) and the Humane Society.


Professional dog fighters spend months training their dogs to fight

Pit bull puppies bred by an organised operation will be taunted to make them more vicious and kept chained and hungry.

They will be forced to run on treadmills with "bait" animals such as cats dangled in front of them - the reward usually being to maul them afterwards - and encouraged to hang by their jaws from chains to strengthen their bite.

Their strength built up, they then progress to "test" fights against older animals.

Only the young dogs that display sufficient aggression and "gameness" - the willingness to carry on fighting even when exhausted and bleeding - will be used in competitive matches. The others are usually culled.

The fights, staged in a small, square enclosed pit, can last an hour or more.

Some breeders cut off their dogs' ears so that rivals cannot bite onto them, file their teeth to make them sharper and pump them with steroids, said Dahpna Nachminovitch, of Peta.

While the dogs keep winning, they can earn their owners thousands of dollars in gambling profits and by producing puppies with a "desirable" bloodline.

But pit bulls that lose or give up in the ring will not normally live long, either dying from their injuries or being despatched by their owners.

'Power and control'

So how do dog fighters justify the suffering caused to their animals?


Causing an animal suffering is about power, experts say (image: Peta)

Dr Randall Lockwood, a psychologist and senior vice president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, says that historically dog fighters did not see the dogs as sentient, feeling creatures, but did profess to care for them.

However, he says, there seems to have been a shift recently towards more brutal and vengeful treatment of the animals as dog fighting has been increasingly adopted by gang culture.

"Part of the psychology of dog fighting is the same as other forms of animal cruelty - a lot of it is about power and control," he said.

Add to this the dog fighter's identification with his animal in the ring - and desire to win "bragging rights" - and the scope for violence is great.

"The dog fighter sees his dog's victory as having a direct reflection on his strength and manliness, which I think is one of the reasons that we see brutal treatment of animals that don't perform well," Dr Lockwood said.

"The failure of the animal is seen as a personal failure, an embarrassment, and something where you need to prove your strength and dominance by getting even."

Strong penalties

Those convicted of dog fighting in the US face up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

But the problem for the authorities is tracking down either the secretive organised networks or the individuals involved in street fights.

Law enforcement officials are cracking down on dog fighting, in part because of frequent links to drugs and other organised crime, said Mr Goodwin.

But the entertainment some find in its brutality - and more importantly the money involved - still make it irresistible to many people.

"If you have $100,000 bet on two grand champion dogs that are fighting, someone is going to win big and someone is going to lose big," Mr Goodwin said.

"But there is a potential for financial gain - that's why there have to be strong penalties there to discourage people."... News

Dog Walkers Linked to City Assault

A 62-year-old woman has been attacked and robbed by a man walking his dog in Aberdeen.
Grampian Police said the pensioner was overpowered by a man in his late 20s, who approached her as she walked along Bonnyview Drive on Friday evening.
He ran off towards Howes Crescent with his victim's shopping bag, containing her handbag and personal items.
He has been described as slim with dark short hair and prominent eyebrows. He also had a cream-coloured dog with him.
Police have appealed for witnesses to the attack to come forward.

Dog Basket, Cruelty man Jailed

A psychiatric report showed Paul Lidford had a personality disorder
A 31-year-old man who subjected his girlfriend to abuse, including forcing her to lie in the dog basket, has been jailed for two years and five months.
Paul Lidford, from Denbigh, was convicted of four specimen assault charges at a trial in February.

Sentencing him at Mold Crown Court, the judge said he had sought to control with violence and verbal abuse.

Lidford was handed an indefinite anti- social behaviour order (Asbo), stopping him from approaching the 27-year-old.

Recorder Philip Marshall said the victim was still suffering from the treatment she had received at Lidford's hands.

You sought to control her, to dominate her, through violence and verbal abuse

Recorder Philip Marshall

During the trial, it emerged that over the course of their five-year relationship he had subjected her to abuse.

The jury heard that on about five occasions Lidford, a heating engineer, had forced her to lie in a dog's bed, and threatened that if she looked from under the blanket she would be assaulted.

Once, Lidford had kicked her repeatedly after she looked out from under the blanket, the court was told.

Swelling and bruising

The victim suffered swelling and bruising across her back and could not move, but Lidford had refused to call an ambulance.

The victim wept as she told the jury that she had reported matters to the police in the past, including an incident when Lidford whipped her with a dog lead.

But she had always withdrawn the allegations, believing that he loved her and would change.

Delivering his sentence, the judge said Lidford's former partner still suffered flashbacks and nightmares.

A psychiatric report showed Lidford had a personality disorder going back years.

He said: "During that relationship, I am satisfied, you sought to control her, to dominate her, through violence and verbal abuse.

"She felt worthless and despite everything said she had feelings towards you. She said on numerous occasions that she loved you."

A Pet Can Change your Life

'Are you feeling a little stressed lately? Do you feel isolated from the outside world because it seems as though no one understands what you're going through? If so, you may want to try out a new therapeutic treatment: Owning a pet. It's no secret that some of us have voids in our lives that can't be filled by other people, at least not as often as we'd like. For many, our lifestyles may depend, whether we realize it or not, on a support system that helps balance out our physical, emotional and mental states. And believe it or not, the right pet can do this for you without asking for much in return -- just the basic necessities. Soon enough, you'll start to see the positive changes it can make in your life.'
Five good reasons to get a pet:
A pet will provide round the clock love and affection without asking for much in return...
A pet can serve to keep your mind off of the constant strain in your life...
It allows you to nurture and take pride in its growth and health...
It allows you to open up: 'A pet will not judge or disagree with you. It's only there to listen... '
It gives you a reason to work out: 'A dog enables you to walk and run considerably more, thus healing your mind and body at the same time...'

If it barks,its not always a dog?

Man's relationship to animals, has fostered some unusual bonuses. In becoming closer to certain species, and domesticating them, the animals themselves have turned the tables on their human counterparts. Take for instance, birds.

You may call them bird-brained, and for certain, they don't have the physical features that produce speech in a human, but these feathered friends are often as fond of calling you, as you are of them.

Parrots have been kept as pets for thousands of years, specifically for this talent of mimicking human speech. The African Grey parrot was highly popular in Greek and Roman times. Macaws, which are a parrot-like bird, can also be taught some speech if you have patience, but are not as chatty as a true parrot. Cockatoos, however, are real performers, often ruffling their beautiful head crest before repeating something you might not have wanted overheard by the kids. Even the common parakeet, or budgie as it's also known, can be taught by repetition to imitate specific things, including words and sentences. They will often pick up sounds on their own, such as a whistling kettle, or a dog barking.

Although if you want to really hear a bird bark, you need to take a trip to the Andes, in Ecuador. For it was there, in 1998, that ornithologist Robert S. Ridgely discovered a black and white duck-like bird with long legs,which startled the daylights out of them by barking like a dog. The bark is a natural sound, and not a learned imitation. The species, now named Antpitta avis canis Ridgely, is the largest bird species discovered in the last half century. There were 30 specimens in the area at the time, and it was suspected that they have remained concealed from Man, due to their remote location.

High as a Dog

Valium Given To Dogs Having Attacks
Veterinarians in Israel are giving dozens of dogs doses of valium to control their panic attacks. The dogs are given valium because of all the violence that is presently occurring in Jerusalem. The dogs are howling, shaking, having no bladder control and becoming very aggressive when the sound of a gunfire is heard. "Only today I treated an Alsatian who has stopped eating and refuses to leave his house," said Benny Sapir, a veterinarian in Jerusalem.

Animals ran away from animal shelter

RALEIGH, N.C. - Animal welfare officials are looking for pets that ran away this week after they were spooked by Independence Day fireworks displays.Since Wednesday, there have been 13 runaways reported in Wake County and more were expected, Mondy Lamb of the Wake County chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Thursday.Animals generally escape because they aren't properly confined."Animals don't know where big booms are coming from," said Lamb. "They just hear loud noises and need to run away from it."Reports of animals that ran because of fireworks also have come from Durham and Johnston counties. Last year, Johnston had a couple of hundred reports after July 4 and so far this year there have been about two dozens calls, said animal services Director Ernie Wilkinson.Officials at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Shelter said 12 dogs were brought in as of Thursday and three were reclaimed by owners who said they ran during fireworks, said Melissa Knicely-Berry.

An Actor gets into cage for animal rights

Indian Actor Gets Into Cage For Animal Rights
Indian actor R. Madhavan squeezed himself into a tiny cage as he appealed for compassion for chickens as part of a campaign by an international animal rights group. The same human rights group has already used Beatle Paul McCartney, singer Bryan Adams and Indian Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan to speak against "cruelty for meat."

The Funnies

TO EAT HERE OR TO GO?