Animal ATTRACTION

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December 2005 Archives


Toxic Dog Food

10:33 PM Fri, Dec 30, 2005 |

Just caught this on the Associate Press Wires:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration says contaminated dog food sold in 23 states has killed nearly two dozen dogs and sickened 18 more.

The F-D-A says it responded with an investigation into the pet food made by the Diamond Pet Food Company at its plant in Gaston, South Carolina. The company issued a recall of 19 varieties of dog and cat food on December 21st.

The recalled pet food was sold under the brand names Diamond, Country Value and Professional, and bears the date codes of March 1, 2007, through June 11, 2007. Con...



Dog found after being "on the lam" for six months

4:48 PM Fri, Dec 30, 2005 |

This is an update about Zach, a Border Collie. Back in June, he was being transported by Continental Airlines, and boarded overnight at a Kingwood Pet facility. Zach got out and ran off. Despite a huge search by his worried owners (I blogged about it here) he was nowhere to be found.. until now.


Best Friends opens new center in Metarie

4:42 PM Fri, Dec 30, 2005 |

Check it out! Best Friends has opened its brand new animal rescue triage center in Metarie, christening it "Celebration Station." Read more about it here.

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New Year's Resolutions.. for your pets!

9:18 PM Wed, Dec 28, 2005 |

From the Houston SPCA:

New Years resolutions have gone to the dogs and cats at the Houston SPCA. This January, don’t forget your favorite four-legged friends as you make your resolutions for the New Year. Here are some ideas from the Houston SPCA to get you started:

I will spend thirty minutes a day playing silly games with my dog.

Play music and dance in front of your dog. Encourage him to be silly and move a lot, it will burn the dog's energy and he will be calmer in the house

I will spend fifteen minutes a day pla...



Can you help reunite this Air Force working dog with his human?

9:06 PM Wed, Dec 28, 2005 |
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana and her Working Military Dog Rex were inseparable companions. For three years they have lived together, worked together, and relied upon each other. Jamie and Rex work together to patrol checkpoints a...



Tragedy at Victoria Humane Society

5:45 PM Wed, Dec 28, 2005 |

Several animals were killed after police say someone playing a prank let dogs and cats out of a humane society facility in victoria.

Police say late Monday night or early Tuesday morning someone jumped a fence and opened about one hundred cages.

14 cats and two small dogs were killed by other dogs.

Authorities say they will charge the suspect or suspects - if they're found - with a felony.

Officials at the Six Flags Humane Society say they will add more security to make sure something like this does not happen again.

Watch the video from our 5PM newscast on Tuesday evening <...



Digging to save the Prairie Dogs

4:30 PM Wed, Dec 28, 2005 |

Now YOUR dog can have one 'o them cool "jelly bracelets"

9:39 PM Mon, Dec 26, 2005 |
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You've seen the Lance Armstrong Livestrong bracelets.. now you can have one for your dog! Schmitty¹s DOGS WHO CARE collar has a unique quick release design that allows the collar to be sized to fit nearly any size pet and is made from rubberized silicone. Visit the "Dogs Who Care" website to find out...



Can you help move hurricane animals to no-kill shelters?

4:04 PM Mon, Dec 26, 2005 |

I received this last week from animal friend Elizabeth Asher, who says Best Friends Animal Rescue needs some help moving hurricane animals to no-kill shelters across the country:

My contact at Best Friends, Jason Watt, has asked for help recruiting for paid and volunteer staff for animal transport over the next 2 months. The program involves support for continuing rescue efforts in the New Orleans and Mississippi Gulf Coast region. ...



Updated pictures from the Conroe Pit Bull shot with an arrow

3:49 PM Mon, Dec 26, 2005 |

We have been blogging about that Pit Bull that was found in Conroe earlier this month, wandering around after some mean hearted person shot him through with an arrow. Good Samaritans took him in and vets took the arrow out. Being a Pit Bull, however, meant he would likely not be taken in by many humane groups. But - Leah Purcell and Spindletop Rescue came to the rescue!

Here's a picture of the newly renamed Cupid (nice name, huh?) at Spindletop Refuge...



Hopes fading for missing baby penguin

3:47 PM Thu, Dec 22, 2005 |
Michelle Homer

Zookeepers said hope was fading Thursday for a stolen baby penguin whose plight has captured the hearts of British animal lovers.

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Baby panda ventures outside

3:38 PM Thu, Dec 22, 2005 |
Michelle Homer

At the tender age of five months, the National Zoo's panda cub on Thursday ventured into the outside world for the first time.

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Kirby's hospital visit brings Christmas cheer

3:13 PM Thu, Dec 22, 2005 |
Michelle Homer

This is the time of year when family can be even more important than usual, and separation can be especially difficult.

But one group makes the holidays a little easier for those who are separated from four-legged family members.

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Desperate need for litter

3:09 PM Thu, Dec 22, 2005 |
Michelle Homer

The Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) shelter has put out an urgent call for kitty litter.

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Baby penguin stolen from British Zoo

1:12 PM Wed, Dec 21, 2005 |
Michelle Homer

A baby penguin stolen from a British zoo, possibly as a quirky holiday gift, is unlikely to survive until Christmas Day.

babypenguin.jpg

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Pet photographer to the stars

11:08 AM Tue, Dec 20, 2005 |
Michelle Homer

Pet owners often collect snapshots of their animals as they would any member of their family. Some go even further and commission a professional portrait photographer.

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HFD gets props from PETA

11:02 AM Tue, Dec 20, 2005 |
Michelle Homer

The Houston Fire Department is getting an award from PETA for a controversial cat rescue.

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A good match for Cupid

10:54 AM Tue, Dec 20, 2005 |
Michelle Homer

A pit bull mix that survived being shot through the chest with an arrow has lucked out again with a new home.

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Runnin' dog

2:46 PM Sat, Dec 17, 2005 |

And while we're on the subject of exercise, here's a pooch after my own heart. This little Jack Russell Terrier used to watch his Mama run on a treadmill, so he decided to get in on the act. Now he runs alongside her while they both watch the news on TV (good boy!)

Watch the video here

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Plump penguins need to lose some weight

2:34 PM Sat, Dec 17, 2005 |

The holidays can be a nightmare for people trying to watch their weight (more sugar cookies, please!) but the winter months can also be a problem for potentially pudgy penguins in Japan. The King Penguins at the Asahiyama Zoo go for walks twice a day on the grounds, during the months between December until April.

The penguins have tender webbed feet and can only walk significant distances on snow, so they only hotfoot it during the colder months.

Be inspired by their walking workout here.

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Happy Pawlidays...

10:27 PM Fri, Dec 16, 2005 |

Posting will be sporadic over the next week. I will be busy celebrating the holiday with friends and family. I'll be checking in periodically and attempting to catch up on the blog posts I still haven't had time to get posted!

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Getting a puppy/cat for Christmas? Here are my two cents...

10:00 PM Fri, Dec 16, 2005 |

I know, I know it's popular. I know at least one mother whose little girl has been begging for a puppy for the past year - and she's finally getting one for Christmas. I know how adorable those little suckers are when they're wrapped in a bow and presented as a holiday gift.

All of this makes me worried.

I'll be the first to stand in line to praise the efforts of shelters and the willingness of potential adopters to save a homeless animal from a shelter. However, it's those same adopters who, once they've brought their animal home and realized it's a)growing into a bigger dog/cat that is eating...



I hate hoaxes!

3:08 PM Fri, Dec 16, 2005 |

I do my best to put the kibosh on email hoaxes/rumors that come my way, but I was "had" by this one: an email with this...



Designer dogs?

3:01 PM Fri, Dec 16, 2005 |

No, they're not your typical mutts. These designer dogs are specially created mutts. Breeders are now creating "designer dogs" by crossing standard breeds to make dogs like Labradoodles, Cockapoos, and Schnoodles. They're definitely cute and in demand. The breeder our reporter spoke with says some of her puppies run as high as $1500 apiece. You can watch the story here. It ran in our 5 o'clock news Thursday afternoon.

Not long afterward, I received two emails from animal rescue workers who were outra...



Dog snatching caught on tape!

2:57 PM Fri, Dec 16, 2005 |

Florida police solved a canine caper with the help of surveillance video. It shows a girl stuffing a puppy inside her purse and walking out of the pet store. Two other girls were also seen helping her. Someone identifed the pet pincher and the Chihuahua was returned. This isn't the first time something like this has happened. Last month, a man stuffed a miniature pinscher in his pants and walked out. He too was caught. Watch the video here.

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I'd like some deer with that orange smoothie, please..

9:33 PM Thu, Dec 15, 2005 |

And then there's the deer who shocked everyone in a Florida smoothie shop when it bounded through the front window. It was caught on the store's security tape. No people were hurt. The deer was tranqulized and released to the wild. You can watch that video here.

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Do monkeys REALLY belong in human homes?

9:30 PM Thu, Dec 15, 2005 |

Go behind the scenes of Oregon Primate Rescue.... where caring volunteers look after primates - some with mental health issues. Many of the animals here are rejects - turned over by owners who got tired of looking after them. Watch the video here

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Not your typical Christmas Carol

9:05 PM Tue, Dec 13, 2005 |

No, these holiday singers aren't the usual chorus of joyous voices ushering in the holiday season. Watch them here.

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Houston City audit of BARC

9:34 PM Mon, Dec 12, 2005 |

Houston City Controller Annise Parker ordered an audit of BARC, the city's Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care. More specifically, it looks at the communications center: from the hardware and software used, to the communication between dispatchers and Animal Control Officeres (ACOs). Among the results:


  • a majority of telecommunications employees and ACOs are dissatisfied with their compensation and lack of training

  • any employee logged into the system has access to a...



Locate your lost Katrina pet event in New Orleans

9:22 PM Mon, Dec 12, 2005 |

Best Friends is hosting a "Locate Your Lost Katrina Pet" event in New Orleans from December 16-18.

We know it has been difficult, or even impossible, for families who are missing their pets to navigate all of the available resources. This event will allow you to search in one place for your missing pets. We will set up banks of computers and give families the opportunity to work with reunion specialists to search for their pets - first come-first served basis.


VOLUNTEERS / RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS: What to Bring:

- Your Katrina Pet databases & hardcopy records that supplement the ...



How important are pets to their people? Read on...

9:17 PM Mon, Dec 12, 2005 |

This is a heartbreaking post from Eric's Dog Blog about a distraught pet owner who was separated from his dog during the Katrina evacuations...

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Poll: Joss Stone is world's best celebrity dog owner

9:12 PM Mon, Dec 12, 2005 |

1212jossstone.jpegNEW YORK - When it comes to celebrity dog-parenting skills, Joss Stone is tops and Paris Hilton is the worst, according to an online poll of readers of two dog magazines.

Stone, who has a poodle named Dusty Springfield, volunteered for the North Shore Animal League America after seeing images of pets stranded in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, said The New York Dog and The Hollywood Dog magazines, which conducte...



Dallas man faces year in jail for kitten abuse

9:09 PM Mon, Dec 12, 2005 |

1212pinales.jpegA 33-year-old man who abused kittens in the front yard of his Old East Dallas home was sentenced to one year in jail Monday.

Witnesses said Edward Pinales was throwing the approximately 10-week-old kittens against a concrete drainage ditch in the 4600 block of Manet Street before he was arrested in April 2005.

Read more about it here.



Sound of Dog's 'Laugh' Calms Other Pooches

9:07 PM Mon, Dec 12, 2005 |

Researchers at the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service in Washington state say sometimes a bark is just a bark — but a long, loud panting sound has real meaning.

They say the long, loud pant is the sound of a dog laughing, and it has a direct impact on the behavior of other dogs.

Read the rest of the article here.

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Family evicted after letter to editor about dogs

8:50 PM Mon, Dec 12, 2005 |

CONROE, Texas (AP) -- A letter to the editor has resulted in a
family being evicted from their Lake Conroe home because of their
nearly 15 hunting dogs.

Robustiano Hernandez and his two daughters have to move out by
January first.

A neighbor wrote a letter to The Courier in Conroe --
complaining about the family's dogs, saying they were pit bulls
that kept getting loose.

But Rosvaldo Hernandez says neighbor Diane Moore was mistaken
because his family's dogs are not pit bull...



Git along, little doggies! Cockers head to South Carolina from Texas

9:32 PM Wed, Dec 07, 2005 |

Barney Cam

9:09 PM Wed, Dec 07, 2005 |

Barney and Miss Beazley, the resident dogs at the White House, are out with their latest holiday video. Keep an eye out for cameos...



Eric is updating again from Louisiana

4:16 PM Wed, Dec 07, 2005 |

Hurricane season is officially over but the storms continue for many of the pet victims. One bright spot: remember this pup?

He's been found! Read more on Eric's blog..

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Help us find Mila

4:14 PM Wed, Dec 07, 2005 |

Something funky is going on with my lost and found pets page, so I'm posting reports of lost pets here.

This is a flyer from a family looking for their dog Mila. Click on it to enlarge the picture for easier reading..

>> Continue reading: Help us find Mila



Then there's this cat who used up eight of his nine lives...

3:56 PM Wed, Dec 07, 2005 |

Because he - Louis - was trapped in a refrigerator for four weeks without food and water. The family's four year old up in Oklahoma put him in a fridge to "keep him safe." From what, we don't know. Louis was 10 pounds but lost seven during his ordeal. Still, vets are saying he'll be just fine. Here's that story..

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Dog in Conroe found with arrow through him

3:53 PM Wed, Dec 07, 2005 |

This just made me sick. This is video of a poor pit bull mix up who was found wandering around Conroe, shot through with an arrow. Fortunately, animal control officers were able to safely retreive him, and a vet removed the arrow. No one knows who on earth would do this to this poor dog. We've been told if his owner doesn't come forward, they'll try to place him with a sanctuary..

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"Greenies" manuracturer sued

8:55 PM Tue, Dec 06, 2005 |

The following is from a press release about a lawsuit filed against the manufacturer of the popular "Greenies" dog treats...

The popular dog treat sold under the name "Greenies" is the subject of a lawsuit filed November 30, 2005, with the Supreme Court of the State of New York. The complaint contends that the product, manufactured by Missouri-based S&M NuTec, is unsafe, inadequately labeled, and ultimately caused the death of the plaintiff's 4-year old dog, named Burt.

S&M NuTec has made claims that Greenies are "highly digestible," and the product comes with packaging statements such as "1...



Zeke Fund's Weekly pet!

8:30 PM Tue, Dec 06, 2005 |

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Sorry about the blog posting drought..

8:11 PM Tue, Dec 06, 2005 |

I've been out of the office but am back now, trying to get back to emails and updating animal stories. Thank you for your patience!

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Keep your pets warm during the Houston winter!

8:09 PM Tue, Dec 06, 2005 |

From the Houston SPCA:

With the dog days of summer a distant memory, now is the time to bone up on how to make winter safe and comfortable for your pet.

Housing - It is important to provide your pet with proper shelter. If your dog or cat lives in the house, place his bed or crate in a warm, safe place, away from drafts. Make sure outdoor pets have a well-insulated house that is both water and windproof. The house should be elevated off the ground so moisture cannot seep inside. Install a door flap to protect against blustery drafts and gusts of wind. Extra blanke...