Rameses XVII, the eight-year-old, blue-horned ram that led the University of North Carolina football team onto the field, died last Thursday of complications from an injury he suffered in an encounter with his own son.

His son Pablo, 3, will now become the new university mascot, Rameses XVIII.

Rameses -- both father and son -- lived on a farm outside Carrboro, N.C., where, according to keeper Rob Hogan they butted heads on April 13.

It's common ram behavior, but this collision was so hard that it snapped off one of the older ram's horns.

"I've never had that happen out here," said Hogan, according to an article in the Raleigh News & Observer. "I think they were just tussling, and they must have somehow hit it in just the wrong place."

Hogan's family has been caring for UNC's ram mascots since 1924 when the tradition was started by a cheerleader who came up with the idea of naming a mascot after a popular football player of the time, Jack Merritt, nicknamed "The Battering Ram."

"It goes back four generations to my great-granddad," Hogan said. After his great-grandfather, was killed by a bull two years later, Hogan's grandfather stepped up to carry on the tradition.

Hogan treated Rameses XVII -- who accompanied the team onto the field for five years -- with antibiotics after the injury.

"On Thursday I got up before daybreak and went out to check on him, and he was doing worse," Hogan said. "It was obvious he wasn't going to make it." Hogan summoned a vet to put the animal down, but before the vet could arrive Rameses died.

"With livestock, it's purely business," said Hogan, who raises beef cattle. "But with the rams, it's different. It's just like losing a dog you've had for 10 years."

(Photo courtesy of Hogan's Magnolia View Farm)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 2:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

We interrupt this soap opera to bring you a special bulletin: A City Council hearing scheduled for tomorrow on "The Future of Dog Parks in Baltimore" has been canceled.

Council member Jim Kraft requested the meeting in hopes that it would lead to the Department of Recreation and Parks beginning work on a master plan for additional dog parks in the city. The city currently has only one place where dogs can legally roam off leash -- Canton Dog Park.

Kraft said the meeting was postponed at the request of Mayor Sheila Dixon. Asked why, he declined to elaborate.

Kraft, council member for the 1st District, which includes Canton, said he scheduled the meeting so that the city could begin work on an plan to add dog parks in an organized manner and provide some relief to Canton Dog Park, which he says is overburdened.

"The Canton Dog Park is overrun, so to speak, and there is a group of people interested in opening another one in Patterson Park. That put before us the question of why aren’t there more dog parks in the city," he said. (There is also a group working to establish a dog park in Latrobe Park in Locust Point.)

As it is now, groups can petition to establish a dog park, provided they pay for its construction and maintenance and get the necessary city and neighborhood approvals.

"We need to have a discussion about how many dog parks we should have around the city," Kraft said. "We have some huge parks where people could easily put a dog park on an acre two and it would barely be noticed."

Kraft said the hearing will likely be rescheduled for late June or July.

City hall sources say the cancellation of the hearing is related to possible personnel changes in the city's Department of Recreation and Parks and Dixon's desire to have those transitions complete before tackling a master plan for dog parks in Baltimore.

The department is now headed by Portia Harris, acting director, who has held the post since the department's previous acting director, Connie A. Brown, resigned in 2005.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 2:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Within the city of Baltimore, the Canton Dog Park is the only official dog park -- the only public place where, legally, dogs can run unleashed.

Among those regularly doing so are Cash, a shepherd mix whose Frisbee skills are admired by many; Bryan, a deaf bulldog whose master communicates with him through hand signals; and Cinder, a black lab mix who has solved the mystery of the double latching gates.

Then there are the humans -- some of them just as legendary.

Some are overprotective; some are rules sticklers. Some like to see their dogs dressed up -- one canine once arrived wearing pearls -- and others talk on their cell phones the whole time. There are those known for not seeing, or cleaning up, their dogs messes, and those known for bringing dog treats. There are those who like some space between themselves and the dogs and others who almost seem to love being slobbered on, pawed and even trampled.

The dog park, on Toone Street, is operated and maintained by the Friends of Canton Dog Park, which is the organization that worked to open it five years ago. 

The city's Department of Recreation and Parks created and enforces the rules for dog parks -- foremost of which is, if you want one, it's up to you to make it happen. A community group must get approvals, do the planning, build and maintain the park. The Friends of Canton Dog Park have to raise about $2,500 a year just to maintain the park -- not including all the volunteer man-hours that go into it.

As the only official dog park in the city -- though efforts to create at least two more  are underway -- it is used both by people from the neighborhood and those who drive miles to get there.

That creates a strain on the park, but there doesn't seem to be tension between outsiders and insiders -- at least I didn't notice any during my handful of trips there.

For a closer look at the Canton Dog Park's cast of characters, we asked an inside source -- a regular park-goer, for the scoop. Her report follows. Your's could be next. Just click on the comment section below this entry.

As far as the dogs there are many that are legendary. First, there is Cash. Cash is a shepherd mix who LOVES his Frisbee and jumps to all heights to get it. Sometimes his owner puts the Frisbee in the big tree and he jumps about 5-6 feet to reach it. Always a show for the newcomers. He also puts the Frisbee in the water bucket when he drinks, so that no other dogs can get it.

Then there is Cinder, a black lab mix. Cinder can open the gate between the little dog park and big dog park by hitting the latch with her paws. Her owner, wiser than she, brings a bungee cord everyday to attach to the fence so that the gate stays shut. After playing for a while, Cinder gets bored and sits at the gate. She is waiting for an unsuspecting human to walk through and not re-attach the bungee cord. We have decided she likes the little dog side more than the big dog side.

Tux is a black and white boxer whose best trick involves his owner. When Tux gets a little too rambunctious, his owner picks him up (sometimes upside down) and carries him off. Tux always just has this look like "I know, I know, I did it again."

Tux's friend Max is a Chihuahua that stays inside his owner's coat and tries to attack the big dogs through said coat. Must see to appreciate.

Molly is the mom of the park and she is also know as the "Giant Pug". She is a Bullmastiff and I believe she got the nickname because someone wasn't sure what breed she was and asked if she was a giant pug. When Molly arrives, all of the female dogs go over to lick her face...all at the same time. She looks like a queen with her people. She also patrols the park to make sure there aren't any problems.

Bimini is known for being social with everyone and stretching out on the bench, no matter who is sitting on it. He has no problem laying on top of people or moving them out of the way. He believes the benches are there strictly for the dogs.

Izzy is a pit mix, and she and Cinder love to kiss. Literally. One will have a toy and they put their mouths inside each others, both playing with the toy inside each others mouths. Quite interesting to watch.

Tag is a little black and white mutt that has a well-known issue. He loves to hump all dogs. He is indiscreet, non-discriminate, and unrelenting. The regulars know him and don't care, but when a new dog comes in, his poor owner is running after him and apologizing constantly.

Sidney and Jax are shepherd mixes that live together. Sidney loves to play with everyone. Jax is a little older and once yelled at me for accidently stepping on his tail. He told me off for 5 straight minutes as I kept apologizing. We have since made up and are good friends.

Apollo and Brody, black lab mixes with different owners, both have atomic energy that the most hardcore aerobics instructor would envy. These guys could play all day and never get tired.

Jersey, a small mixed breed, is one of the many vocalists. Get her excited and it's tough to quiet her down. Jersey's little friend, Patten, is a mutt that is known as "Mini-Bimini". They look exactly alike, although Patten was actually born from a German Shepherd. Everyone thinks Bimini and Patten are father/son.

Bryan is a deaf American Bulldog. His owners have learned to communicate through hand signals. Sweetest dog ever.

John is the big-dog human of the park, loved by all dogs. He would risk his life for a dog. If there is ever a scuffle, John is the first one there. We joke that when there is a scuffle, there is never any dog blood, just John's. He likes to sit on the ground and let all of the dogs lay on him, jump on him, and kiss him. He truly loves dogs. And they love him. I don't know that anything portrays a dog's love for John as well as Izzy leaping into his arms (while he's standing) and climbing onto his shoulders in order to lavish his ears/nose/cheeks w/ kisses. Mind you, Izzy weighs about 40 pounds.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

During the War of 1812, what's now Riverside Park served as Fort Lookout. Its panoramic views -- well, at least they were then -- provided a vantage point from which U.S. forces could keep an eye out for any invading Brits.

Today, the skyline has filled up some, with I-95 and Domino Sugar and high-rise condos. Members of the doggie crowd still keep an eye out -- only now it's for invading animal control officers and undercover cops.

As at several other city parks, dozens of dog-walkers -- yours truly included -- have been swept up in periodic crackdowns on those who let their dogs off leash. The signs clearly states doing so is illegal, but we take our chances --- feeling (A) our dogs are free spirits and, if well behaved, deserve a chance to act like such, and (B) there are plenty of worse things that go on in Baltimore, some of them right there under Riverside Park's gazebo.

So, daily, after looking around, we unhook our dogs and let them frolic here in the park named after a popular, crap-shooting City Councilman who was gunned down in City Hall 31 years ago.

Leone-Riverside Park, named for Dominic Leone, was one of the city's first parks, and is known for its tremendous swimming pool (where kids can still swim for $1 a day). When the pool opens -- June 21 this year -- there's an influx of children and families, who sometimes have to walk through a phalanx of frolicking dogs and don't always appreciate it.

Among the dog-walkers, there are divisions as well. Most congregate near the gazebo and let their dogs off the leash to play en masse. It's not unusual to see 20 loose dogs or more weaving about. Others, fearing that's asking for trouble, keep to the perimeter, away from the big group. Some stick to the the athletic fields on the south end. Some just jog with their dogs.

Of those in the big group, some humans, like some dogs, see it as a chance to be social; some keep to themselves. With me, it depends on the day.

Some find their paths crossing again outside the dog park, as was the case with the humans of Argus and Buckley.

Recent developments? Probably the biggest has been the absence of Stan the Biscuit Man and his fat black dog, Louie. Stan, famous for bringing a gigantic bag of dog biscuits and tossing them to the crowd of dogs that inevitably formed around his bench, underwent back surgery a few weeks ago and hasn't been to the park since. (Stan was featured in my movie, "Hey, Mister, What Kind of Dog is That?")

Riverside Park -- even with all the gentrification of its surrounding neighborhoods -- still attracts folks of all kinds, black and white, homeless and homed, blind and sighted (the National Center for the Blind is right across the street), white collar and blue, upscale and old school.

It's a mutty kind of place, and Ace and I dig the mix. You can hear well-heeled Riversiders discussing next year's vacation plans one minute, blue collar South Baltimoreans pondering that night's dinner the next. "You want to get something to eat?" a woman said to the child whose stroller she was pushing the other night, a block from the park. "OK, but I'm not walking all the way to the shopping center. Let's just get some f---ing chicken tenders."

Seen something interesting at Riverside Park? Got a gripe? A compliment? An observation? Some gossip? Your own personal run-in with an odd character, or the long arm of the law?

As for my off-leash offense, on Sept. 10, 2007, a hearing was held before the city's Environmental Control Board (and leave it to a "board" to think it can control the environment.) For the results of that hearing, click here.

OK. Now it's your turn. Click the comment button below and send your tale, your thoughts, your experiences, your observations, along. Yours could be the next episode of ... Dogs of Our Lives - Riverside

(Tomorrow: Dogs of Our Lives: Canton)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 5:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

It occurs to me (well, actually it occurred to a friend, and I've stolen the idea), that our local dog parks -- official and unofficial -- are teeming with, among other things, drama.

As places where we city dwellers (often lacking our own backyards) regularly congregate with our dogs -- conversing, connecting, bonding, bitching -- they are the perfect setting, if not for a sitcom, at least for a soap opera.

So let the soap operas begin.

In the coming weeks, we will be introducing, in the form of blog entries, our new spring lineup -- think CSI meets One Life to Live -- of dog-park soap operas, conceived by me (with help from Steve, whose dog is named Joey), produced by the Mutts blog, and written by ... YOU.

We'll start with Dogs of Our Lives -- Riverside, it being the park with which Ace and I are most familiar, and move on to DOL-Canton, DOL-Patterson Park, DOL-Locust Point, and DOL-Federal Hill.

Each version (and feel free to propose a new one) will be introduced on the main blog here with a scene-setter, and they will be findable later by going to our categories section and clicking on "Dogs of Our Lives."

The various versions will then show up in the form of blog entries. And the comments section of each will be where the dramas -- large and small -- play out.

What's the latest park gossip? Who's (dogs or humans) involved in a budding dog park romance? Who's not picking up their dog's poop? Which dogs might benefit from some therapy? What dog owners might benefit from some therapy? And what of the ongoing discord between dog people and non-dog people?

What we're really after -- as opposed to name calling and replaying tired arguments -- is insight into the intricacies and dynamics of dog park behavior, and by that we mean not just that of the dogs, but their humans as well.

Look at it as an ongoing, exploratory dialogue for dog park denizens -- one for each park.

Why is it we (or at least I) can remember dog names, but not human ones? Is talking about the weather the human equivalent of butt sniffing? Are owners of big dogs compensating for something? Is it appropriate for yuppies to be shouting "Five-Oh" when they see police or animal control officers arriving at the park?

(It should be noted here that the Canton Dog Park is the only one in Baltimore where dogs are  allowed to run off leash -- the only official dog park. At the rest, many of us are regularly -- brazenly -- breaking the law. How's that for added drama?)

Anonymous comments are allowed (since they're usually the best ones) and maybe even advisable (since these are people you hang out with everyday), but let's try and stay civil and use clean language so I don't have to edit it out.

Otherwise, where this goes is pretty much up to you. So click on the comment button and spill.

And, by all means, tune in tomorrow for the next episode ...

(Graphic by Emily Morrow/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

In the rowhouse next to mine live two guys named Matt.

Under the deck of Matt and Matt, a robin started building her nest about a month ago, using mostly straw that covered up the dirt in my back yard, probably some of the dog hair I've brushed out of my dog Ace and one piece of gift wrap ribbon, which dangles down the side and flutters in the wind.

Then she laid her eggs.

About a week ago, her babies were born, and ever since she's been bringing them worms that are under the dirt that is under the straw in my back yard.

We recently raked up the yard and planted grass seed, so, for the mama bird -- and I think possibly papa might be helping out, too -- it is easy pickings.

Hundreds of worms have been plucked from my yard, flown to the nest on the underside of the deck of Matt and Matt -- who I don't think even know the nest is there -- and dropped into the outstretched, wide-open beaks of the scrawny little babies.

So here is my ode to spring, in video form -- a look at the joy of new life the season brings.

Unless you're a worm.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Mutts is quickly approaching the 1,000-comment mark, and few topics have drawn as many of them as pit bulls and breed-specific legislation.

Here is the latest, No. 968, posted by a guy named Brian in response to an entry about a pit bull ban under consideration in Michigan:

"We also live in a democratic society and if the majority in any community think that any property (yes dogs are property and have no rights) should be banned due to danger or high potential of danger then the majority rules through the democratic process.

"I would like to see a state ban on this breed as well as several other breeds. I support these near 80 people in their effort."

I'm hoping that Brian is wrong -- that (A) The majority does not support banning pit bulls, and (B) If so, more than a simple majority vote is needed to rid earth of an entire life form.

I'm also guessing that at least 32 people will comment on Brian's comment, sending Mutts over the 1,000-mark. There is a high potential the 1,000th Mutts commenter will receive a high definition flat screen TV. (There is an even higher one they will receive absolutely nothing. Hey, times are tough.)

For more entries and comments about pit bull type dogs, visit our category "Pit Stop: Tales of Pit Bulls."

You might notice a new category today -- our categories are listed down the righthand side rail of this page -- entitled "Dogs of Our Lives." If you're wondering what that's all about, tune in Monday.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)
        

A custody fight over a dog that led to the end of a small-town mayor's political career was resolved Thursday when the ex-mayor was ordered to return the contested Shih Tzu to her neighbors.

Grace Saenz-Lopez, the former mayor of Alice, Texas, had agreed to dog-sit "Puddles" last year. Believing her owners weren't properly caring for the dog, the ex-mayor told them upon their return that Puddles had died, then kept the dog.

Three months later, a relative of the neighbors saw the dog, renamed Panchito, at a grooming business.

In court, Saenz-Lopez insisted that Rudy Gutierrez and Shelly Cavazos had neglected the animal, but District Judge Richard Terrell in McAllen ordered her to give the dog back to the couple, the Associated Press reports.

Saenz-Lopez resigned as mayor once a recall petition began circulating. She had held the office since 2003. She still faces two felony counts of tampering with evidence and concealing evidence. A preliminary hearing on those charges is scheduled for Tuesday.

You can read the full AP story here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

"Trigger happy in Toledo" was the headline of a Toledo Blade editorial today that criticized a police officer's fatal shooting -- three shots in all -- of a one-year-old boxer named Capone.

Capone was shot Monday by Toledo police Officer Mike Murphy after he arrived at a home on Mulberry Street in response to a complaint about a "roaming" and "possibly vicious" dog.

According to a police incident report, the dog charged the officer and was "barking and acting in a vicious manner." As it turned out, the Blade reported, neighbors did not consider the dog to be dangerous. It was owned by a Andrea Coleman, a Hudson Street woman who trusted the animal with her three children.

In addition to killing Capone, authorities confiscated Coleman's second dog -- a nine-month-old Rottweiler named Momba, pictured above.

"The incident goes to the heart of police-community relations in one of Toledo's poorer neighborhoods," the editorial said. "We cannot imagine a similar situation being handled in such a callous manner in other parts of the city ... Residents of crowded neighborhoods such as the one in question have enough to fear from gang-bangers and other criminals. They shouldn't also be put in danger of police bullets fired in haste at an escaped family pet."

The Blade, in an article yesterday, reported that Coleman had two knocks on her door after the incident was reported in the newspaper. The first was a woman who gave her $90 to help get Momba out of the pound. The second was another woman wanting to help. A few hours later, Coleman and her sister went to to pick up Momba.

"[Are] you ready to go home?" Ms. Coleman asked bending down to his level. "He's so ready. Momba has never barked so much in his life," the newspaper quoted her as saying.

After getting the license and paying the $90 fine, Ms. Coleman and her sister left the dog warden's office, loaded Momba into their car, and headed home.

Police said the shooting will be reviewed by police commanders and submitted to the Firearms Review Board.

You can read the Blade's full editorial here.

You can find its latest news story here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The 2008 Maryland SPCA March for the Animals raked in $375,000 -- $7,693.15 of it raised by Tracy Santos and her pack of walkers known as the "Baltimore Bark Brigade."

Santos, a breast cancer patient who organized her friends and made raising $10,000 for the dogs her personal goal, was among those who walked for miles -- many of them in the rain -- this past Sunday.

SPCA director Aileen Gabbey said that the total amount raised was a record for the march, which is the organization's chief fundraising effort of the year. The SPCA receives no government funding.

Neither, really, does Tracy Santos, who works at a local animal hospital and has a husband in the military.

Here's an update from Tracy:

I finally found out the results of the March. We did not win the top pack prize......nor did we reach our goal of $10,000, However, we did a great job! We raised $7693.15 for the MDSPCA! Wow!

While it is a little disappointing that we lost and didn't make our goal, it is so rewarding to know that we raised nearly $7700. My team did a great job and I am proud of that. I know that we really worked hard. We are all really motivated to go even bigger next year.....our new goal for 2009: $20,000. And you know, I think we'll make it.

I do know this, we were the first pack to sign up and we set our goal high at $10,000. I feel like that motivated the other packs to do better, it was sort of a challenge to them. So no matter how you look at it we really did win in the end ...

It was a great day, even with the rain. And I just have this to say: Look out packs, The Baltimore Bark Brigade will be back next year!

What Tracy barely mentions is that there will be a fundraiser for her next month to help with her mounting medical bills.

The Tracy Santos Cancer Benefit will be Friday May 16 from 7- 11 p.m. at Patapsco Arena, 3301 Annapolis Road in Baltimore. It will feature food, an open bar, raffles, prizes, auctions and a karaoke challenge. The $30 admission goes to the fund for Tracy and the Young Survivor Coalition. Checks can be made payable to: The Fund for Tracy Santos and send to: 1913 Griffis Ave. Baltimore, Md 21230.

More information about Tracy is available on the Caring Bridge website, where you can find Tracy's web page.

(Photo of Tracy's "Baltimore Bark Brigade" courtesy of Maryland SPCA)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

These five cloned dogs, all named Toppy, are following the bouncing ball as part of their training to be drug and explosive detecting dogs in South Korea.

The country that created the world's first cloned canine plans to put duplicated dogs on patrol to sniff out drugs and explosives, the Associated Press reports.

"Toppy" is a combination of the words "tomorrow" and "puppy",

The Korean Customs Service unveiled Thursday seven cloned Labrador retrievers -- the other two are also Toppys -- being trained near Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. The dogs were born five to six months ago after being separately cloned from a skilled drug-sniffing canine in active service.

Officials say using clone dogs for the tasks could help reduce costs.

The cloning work was conducted by a team of Seoul National University scientists who in 2005 successfully created the world's first known dog clone, an Afghan hound named Snuppy.

"They have a superior nature. They are active and excel in accepting the training," said Kim Nak-seung, a trainer at the Customs Service-affiliated dog training center. In February, all seven dogs passed a behavior test aimed at finding whether they are genetically qualified to work as sniffing dogs. Only 10 percent to 15 percent of naturally born dogs typically pass the test.

If the cloned dogs succeed in other tests for physical strength, concentration and sniffing ability, they will be put to work by July next year at airports and harbors across South Korea, according to the training center.

Read the full story here.

(AP Photo by Lee Jin-man) 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Loews Annapolis Hotel and Paws Pet Boutique will host “Canines and Cocktails for a Cause,” a summer-long series of fund-raisers in Annapolis to benefit area animal shelters and other causes.

Each dog-friendly Friday night event will have its own theme (not to mention "cocktails, appetizers, mocktails and Snoopy snacks.") and will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the hotel's Weather Rail's patio.

Loews is famous both for its dog-friendliness and its friendly dog (Luke, a Labrador Retriever who was adopted from the SPCA of Anne Arundel County). Paws Pet Boutique, which opened in 1999, raised over $13,000 in 2007 for pet-related causes.

Here's the lineup, so that you may mark your calendars:

Friday, April 25 -- "Bark and rejoice.” Prizes will be given for unique barks. With nearly 60 beagles seeking homes, representatives will be on hand to answer questions about Westminster’s top dog. Proceeds go to Beagle Rescue of Southern Maryland.

Friday, May 30 -- "Black is beautiful." Black dogs are the focal point, but dogs of all colors are invited to attend. Pam Townsend, a board member of SPCA and Humane Society of Prince George’s County, has published Black is Beautiful: A Celebration of Dark Dogs, a book that touts the beauties and desirable traits of black dogs, which statistically tend to be the least likely to be adopted. Proceeds go to SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County.

Friday, June 27 -- "Canines for a cause." Luke, resident dog at the Loews Annapolis, invites fall his fellow working dogs in downtown Annapolis to join him as money will be raised for his favorite local charity – the SPCA of Anne Arundel County, several of whose adoptable pets are expected to attend as well.

Friday, July 25 -- "Wagging contest." Dogs will partake in a tail-wagging contest. Prizes will be given and guests enter raffle drawings. Proceeds go to Fidos for Freedom, which provides companionship to residents of the Baltimore-Washington area through specially trained service, hearing or therapy dogs.

Friday, Aug. 22 -- "Ice cream social." A doggie ice cream-eating contest will be part of this event, proceeds from which go to Mid-Atlantic Westie Rescue.

Friday, Sept. 26 -- "Fashion show." Dogs will take to the catwalk to model the latest fall styles from Paws Pet Boutique. Donations will be made to Modest Needs, the Loews Hotels corporate charity, whose mission is to help those local residents who have run into unexpected financial difficulty, fund grants that directly go to helping prevent a person from entering poverty and to restore self-sufficiency to individuals who are willing to work.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The Friends of Patterson Dog Park will be sponsoring a "Yappy Hour" tonight  from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Gecko's, 2318 Fleet St.

The group is raising money to establish a fenced area in Patterson Park where dogs can play off leash. To sign the Patterson Park group's petition, click here.

To see a description of the project, visit the Neighborhood Design Center's website here.

Efforts to establish a dog park at Latrobe Park in Locust Point are also progressing, and got a big boost recently with a $5,000 grant from the Abell Foundation.

The Locust Point group has raised more than $13,000 so far, and has two more "Yappy Hour" fund-raisers planned.

One will be from 6 to 9 p.m. at Little Havana on May 15. The other will be June 19 at Hull Street Blues.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

British tabloids are reporting (and that phrase doesn't exactly mean you can bank on it) that Paris Hilton will star in a new reality show in which she will manage a grooming salon for dogs.

The Sunday Star, the online celebrity site Showbiz Spy, and countless celebrity blogs are claiming that Paris has reportedly signed a deal with Britain's Living TV  to star in Paris' Pooches. The 27-year-old socialite will manage a beauty parlor for dogs on Bond Street in London, the paper reported.

The Star quoted an anonymous source as saying, "The shop is perfect for Paris. It's a subject she's passionate about."

If true, the show would mark the second dog grooming reality show to recently hit the airwaves. Groomer Has It premiered earlier this month on Animal Planet.

Hilton, you'll recall, was recently investigated by Los Angeles authorities after claiming (on the Ellen show) to have 17 dogs -- 14 more than city laws allow. And she's been roundly criticized by animal rights groups for using her pets as fashion accessories.

She once claimed to have 600 pets in her various homes including a Rottweiler dog, a bobcat and a Lhasa Aspo.

(AP Photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Britain's top veterinary officer has warned the populace that he who lies down with dogs stands a chance of getting up with "new and emerging zootic diseases."

Fred Landeg, who is stepping down as the senior government veterinary officer, said that people should not let dogs sleep in their bed, or even in the bedroom, because of the risk of disease transmission, according to the London Times.

Landeg also said that pet owners should be vigilant about having pets in the kitchen.

The comments come on the heels of research commissioned by the Britain's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs identifying potential health risks from the daily interaction with dogs. There are 6.5 million dogs kept as pets in Britain.

Research by a team at Liverpool University Veterinary School showed that many dog owners appeared unaware of, or unconcerned about, any health risks from their pet. About 42 percent of dogs slept in the kitchen and 79 percent were fed in the kitchen, the research found.

Besides the risk of unknown exotic diseases, dogs also carry common food poisoning bugs, such as campylobacter and salmonella, the study noted.

The full story can be found here.

What are your rules when it comes to sleeping with dogs? Ace usually starts out in bed with me, then takes a spot on the floor, or heads to the futon in the next room. (That's where he is in the photo above.)

I don't think he has given me any diseases. Whether I've given him any of mine, I'm not so sure. Maybe somebody should study that -- whether, in addition to all the toxins we create for our pets to take in, sleeping next to us isn't good for them.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

If you love Basset hounds -- and how could you not? -- you might want to head north to the other Ocean City (New Jersey) for the annual BoardWaddle this weekend.

Hundreds of Basset Hounds and their owners will be walking through Ocean City and along the boardwalk to raise money for homeless bassets in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

The BoardWaddle, modeled after a similar even in Michigan, was started by Tri State Basset Hound Rescue in 1999. Since then there have been eight successful BoardWaddles, and thousands of bassets from 35 states, Canada and Europe have taken part.

The weekend features Basset Hound olympics and an auction on Friday, and the "Doo Dah Pawrade" on Saturday. For more information, click here.

(AP Photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 2:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

It's an email that is raising the ire of animal lovers around the world: A Costa Rican artist picked a starving dog off the streets of Managua, Nicaragua, then used him as part of an art exhibit that allowed him to continue starving.

 According to the email, the dog -- chained in the shadow of the words "You are what you read," spelled out in dog food -- died a day into the exhibit.

The artist, Guillermo Vargas, also known as Habacuc, said the purpose of the exhibit, in part, was to bring attention to the fact that, in some countries, tens of thousands of stray dogs die in the streets, with no one paying them a second thought.

"Now, if you publicly display one of these starving creatures, such as the case with Nativity, it creates a backlash that brings out a big of hypocrisy in all of us," one blog quoted him as saying. "Nativity was a very sick creature and would have died in the streets anyway."

While the incident is all over the internet, actual news coverage of the event is sparse.

Nativity, or Natividad, depending on the blog or email you're reading, was the name Vargas gave the dog -- pictured above in a photo appearing on petitiononline.com -- that was used in the exhibit. It is also unclear whether the dog actually died.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, which has received numerous inquiries about the stories, the dog spent one day in the exhibit and later escaped the gallery.

"We do not condone the actions of this so-called 'artist,'" the organization says.

Vargas was chosen to represent his country in an upcoming art exhibit, the “Bienal Centroamericana Honduras 2008," and online petitions are circulating seeking to ban him from the event.

HSUS says it is seeking more information about the exhibit in Nicaragua, and said animal welfare agencies in Honduras have assured them the artist will not be permitted to duplicate the exhibit there.

The story made the Huffington Post over the weekend, with blogger Belisa Vranich, a psychologist, author and public speaker, going so far -- based only on blog innuendo and internet rumors  -- as to issue a diagnosis, saying Vargas has "traits of antisocial personality disorder, grandiose and narcissistic personality disorder, and a peppering of delusions."

A brief article aslo appeared in The Times in South Africa.

Snopes.com, a website that investigates urban legends, classifies the veracity of starving dog artist story as "undetermined." There was an exhibit involving a starving dog, but it's not known if the dog perished during the exhibit, or at all, or whether it was fed or allowed to continue starving.

Despite the lack of facts, emotions about the case are high, and petitions like this one are being widely circulated.

Meanwhile, well-meaning animal lovers are creating videos in support of the petition, such as the one below.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (33)
        

A lot of cars in Baltimore will be sporting the odor of wet dog this morning.

Despite ominous skies, thousands of people and their dogs showed up Sunday for the Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals at Druid Hill Park.

And except for those who got an early start, few went home dry -- not even those outfitted in rain gear, like the two in the photo above. (It's not blurry, it's artistic.)

Ace and I did about half the walk, then sought shelter in the booth of Baltimore Dog Magazine, a fine publication, which, when opened and placed atop the head, also makes a dandy rain cap.

As soon as we find out, we'll let you know how much the event -- the Maryland SPCA's chief fund-raiser for the year -- took in, and whether cancer patient Tracy Santos and her pack reached their goal of raising $10,000.

For now, hats off -- or perhaps hats on -- to those dripping souls, human and dog, who trudged around the reservoir on a soggy Sunday to raise money for homeless dogs and cats.

And as for that wet dog stench in your car, try baking soda.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found that cats and dogs are polluted with even higher levels of many of the same synthetic industrial chemicals that researchers have recently found in people, including newborns.

An EWG study found dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemicals tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people. The study tested blood and urine from 20 dogs and 40 cats.

Compared to the average levels found in humans in national studies, dogs had 2.4 times the amounts of stain-and grease-proof coatings (perfluorochemicals). Cats had 23 times more fire retardants (PBDEs), and more than 5 times the amounts of mercury.

"The presence of chemicals in dogs and cats sounds a cautionary warning for the present and future health of children as well," said Jane Houlihan, VP for Research at EWG. "This study demonstrating the chemical body burden of dogs and cats is a wake-up call for stronger safety standards from industrial chemical exposures that will protect all members of our families, including our pets."

Just as children ingest pollutants in tap water, play on lawns with pesticide residues, or breathe in an array of indoor air contaminants, so do their pets, the report noted. But, since they seven times faster, pets also develop health problems much more rapidly.

"This study shows that our pets are susceptible to the absorption of potentially harmful chemicals from our environment just as we are," said Dr. John Billeter, DVM, the veterinarian who conducted the blood and urine tests. "Perhaps even more troubling is that these chemicals have been found in higher levels in pets than in humans implying potential harmful consequences for their health and well being and the need for further study."

EWG is a nonprofit activist research organization based in Washington. The group's press release can be found here. More information on its research available here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

Ace has another road trip under his collar – this one to North Carolina, where he attended a barbecue party, dallied in a dog park in Carrboro, met a hairless little dog at a retirement community in Winston-Salem, and stayed at two different La Quinta hotels.

(La Quinta being Spanish for “we allow dogs and aren’t so greedy as to charge you extra for them.”)

Our first stop was Chapel Hill, so we stayed at a La Quinta across the line in Durham. We were given room 607, which Ace remembered every time we came back inside, walking directly up to it and sticking his nose in the crack.

After two days, we moved on to Winston-Salem, where Ace made several visits to Arbor Acres, the retirement community in which his (human) grandmother resides. (He always remembers her room, too.)

There, he renewed some old acquaintances, and made some new ones, including a Chinese crested hairless named Truman (above), who had been recently taken in by a woman who lives down the hall from my mother. At first, I think Ace, judging from how excited he got, thought it was a cat. After a little sniffing he realized Truman – though hairless and only about 1/20th of his size -- was a fellow dog.

In Winston-Salem, we stayed in another La Quinta, cut from the exact same mold, but this time in room 604.

During our two days there, Ace would get off the elevator and go first to room 607, stand there for a few seconds, sniff the crack, then walk across the hall and stick his nose in 604, then look up at me as if to confirm the selection: Yes, I’m quite sure now, it’s this one.

It’s a trick that comes in handy since hotel room keys rarely have the hotel room number on them anymore.

There may be some inconveniences when traveling with your dog. To me, though, the benefits far outweigh them. You're more likely to meet and connect with people. You have constant companionship and protection. And if, like me, you have trouble keeping a room number lodged in your password-cluttered brain, it's good to have someone who, via the scent of La Quinta, can lead you to your room.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Say hello to my dog Ace -- and, if you'd like, to the human he's tugging behind him -- at the Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals, which begins at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Druid Hill Park.

The 1 1/2-mile march is the SPCA's chief fund-raising event of the year, and it will be held rain or shine. Parking is free.

Those whose pledges and donations total $30 receive a doggie bandana, bottle of water and goody bag. Those with $40 or more receive a March for the Animals T-shirt.

In addition to the march, activities will include a demonstration by Mid-Atlantic Disc Dogs, pet/owner look-a-like and pet costume contests, a canine agility course, a pet communicator, $25 microchipping and dog training tips.

For more information, check the Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals website.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

At an official ceremony in Lawrenceville, Georgia yesterday, Bo, a two year-old Lab, was retired from the military and given to the family of his one-time handler, Staff Sgt. Donald Tabb, 29, who was killed in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan last year.

After the brief ceremony, the dog was turned over to Willie Smith, Tabb's brother.The family adopted the dog in honor of Tabb's memory.

Tabb died Feb. 5, 2007 while serving his fourth deployment with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force when his vehicle was hit by the roadside bomb. Bo, who was trained to clear roadways, find explosives and bomb-making materials, was injured but survived.

You can watch Bo's retirement ceremony here. For CNN's story on Bo, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The black Lab mystery has been solved, and Ken Griggs of Oregon has his rightful dog back.

More than two weeks after the Lake Oswego man claimed a boarding kennel returned the wrong dog after spring break, he and his family were reunited with their black Labrador, Callie.

As it turned out, Callie had shared a kennel with a lookalike named Dixie.

When Griggs went to retrieve Callie on March 30, he somehow ended up with Dixie. Dixie's owner, meanwhile, ended up with Callie.

Griggs knew something wasn't right when Callie wouldn't heel and the family cat hissed at the dog.

Griggs returned the dog to the kennel, whose owner got all the Labs who had stayed there to come back in with their families. At the time, one of the dog owners said her dog's personality had changed, but that she was sure she had the right dog.

Griggs again left with Dixie, and lots of doubts about whether he had his dog.

The kennel owner visited Dixie's owner Tuesday and examined the dog she had taken home, realizing it was Callie. Meaning "Callie" must be Dixie.

The real Callie finally returned home Wednesday, and spent the evening playing with Griggs' four younger children. "I'm happy and relieved and just want things to get back to normal," Griggs said after the exchange.

To read the full AP story, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Any dog owner knows the feelings that come with leaving their pet behind for the first time -- that combination of worry, guilt and loss of control.

Can I trust it to someone else’s care? Will it be properly fed? Will it think I've abandoned it?

All those feelings were running through my head last week when I left for a short vacation -- but not in connection with my dog. Ace, as you can see above, came along, as he always does, getting an early sniff of azaleas down south.

But while Ace was at my side, it was the was the first time ever that I’d left the blog behind.

And I'm disturbed to report it was a similar kind of feeling.

Will it be OK without me? Who's going to feed it? I've left plenty of kibble, but who will make sure it gets the right food at the right time? Will it get enough attention? Should I write up some special instructions, then call and check on it from time to time? Or just leave a number I can be reached at in case of emergency?

It was my first time away without a company laptop -- no way to transmit breaking dog news, or check my "numbers," or see who was commenting on what.

I was having separation anxiety. Non-dog-lovers think it’s a little sick to worry about one's dog as much as one would one's child, but we do it anyway -- because we don’t care what non-dog-lovers think. But worrying about one’s blog as if it were a child?

That's just not right.

Serious bloggers, you see, if they weren't obsessive already, quickly become that way -- it's a sickness, an addiction, an unhealthy ego-based disorder that starts with one small sip and ends with you becoming a full-fledged blogaholic.

Someday, I fully suspect, just as there are for alcohol and drugs and video games and religious cults, there will be specialists who can help pry the blog-obsessed away from their blogs.

The first thing I checked on upon returning to Baltimore – well, right after making sure my house hadn’t been burglarized – was the blog.

It was right where I left it.

The blog hadn’t gotten all antsy and followed me from room to room when I started packing my suitcase. The blog didn't lie down in front of the door to ensure it wouldn’t get left behind. Nor did the blog get all bouncy and excited upon my return.

My blog can't fetch. My blog can't shake. I'm not even sure my blog even missed me.

Come to think of it, a blog is more like a cat.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Animal Control officers in Frederick County are investigating more than 70 dog and cat carcasses that were found in a wooded area off state Route 28 near Point of Rocks.

A man looking for mushrooms and a place to hunt Tuesday found the bodies, according to a report on TV station WJLA's website.

Frederick County Animal Control Division Director Harold Domer says it's not clear if the 70 to 72 dogs and two or three cats had been euthanized.

Investigators believe the bodies could have been placed in the area for about two months and might have accumulated over a period of time.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Martha Stewart's dog Paw Paw has died of renal failure.

The 60-pound chow, a familiar face on her television show and in her magazine, was almost 13.

Paw Paw -- so named because of his large paws -- "was a spectacular chow and an even more spectacular dog," Stewart wrote in a blog post about his death Saturday. "He was always my loyal companion, displaying the most agreeable temperament."

The dog's full name was Kublai Khan Paw Paw Chow Chow Chow. Stewart had owned him since he was born, according to an Associated Press report.

"Even in his final days, Paw Paw just stopped eating and drifted off to deep sleeps, where he now rests peacefully, and, I’m most confident, quite happily," Stewart wrote. "I will miss him, always."

For Stewart's blog entry and more photos of Paw Paw, including his final resting place, click here.

(AP Photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Do all black Labs look alike?

Of course not.

Do some black Labs look alike? Well, maybe so.

A man in Oregon says the dog he picked up from the kennel where he had left it over spring break is apparently not the dog he dropped off.

Ken Griggs is fairly certain he was given the wrong dog, and his veterinarian agrees, but the owner of the kennel in Dundee says the eight black Labs lodging there during that period were all returned to their rightful owners, and that Griggs is mistaken.

Griggs said he immediately noticed differences in the dog he picked up from the kennel. The family cat, who was normally friends with his dog Callie, hissed at the dog he brought home. The dog, unlike Callie, wouldn't heel.

Griggs, according to an Associated Press story (read it here) returned the dog to the kennel whose owner checked with the owners of all the other black Labs, all of whom said they believed they had the right dog, but all of whom agreed to come in with their dogs to clear up the matter.

When Griggs and his children arrived, one of the Labs got excited and jumped in their car, and they took it home -- only to realize it was the same one he left with the first time, and not Callie, at least according to Griggs and his vet.

Callie's vet, upon inspecting the dog, said it showed no sign of having surgery to her left elbow, as Callie had, and no steel sutures from being spayed, which Callie was. The dog also weighed less than Callie. Griggs has hired a lawyer.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

With the surge in foreclosures resulting in more homeless dogs, the Humane Society of the United States has created a new grant program for shelters and rescue groups.

Pets have been among the voiceless victims of the current economic downturn, with some families struggling to keep and feed pets, and others forced to leave them behind when foreclosed on, according to HSUS.

To ease the hardships, HSUS is offering grants to animal shelters, rescue groups and animal  control agencies to help establish, expand, or publicize services or programs that assist families in caring for their pets. Grants range from $500 to $2,000 per organization.

"Dealing with a financial crisis is scary enough," said Stephanie Shain, director of outreach for Companion Animals at the Humane Society of the United States. "We hope to ease the burden in some way for families by helping their local shelter help them keep their pet home and part of the family."

Examples of the types of programs that would be eligible for funding from The HSUS fund include organizations that are partnering with local food banks to donate and distribute pet food and supplies, and working with veterinarians to develop service vouchers to be distributed to people who need assistance with veterinary care.

HSUS officials urged families in crisis not to abandon pets. "No one likes to think of leaving their pet at a shelter, but if you can't take him with you, it is by far more humane than leaving them in an apartment or a house alone," said Shain. "

To see the press release about the new grants, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

An advertisement that featured a terrier who trembled wimpishly -- except when he was in his Volkswagen Polo -- will no longer be on television, but a VW spokesman said it's not because of complaints from viewers.

The ad had drawn criticism from people who suspected the dog's quivering was the result of cruel treatment.

Spokesman Angus Fitton told Sky.com that the ad, which first appeared last month, had simply run for its duration. "It had come to the end of its campaign time onscreen, but it will continue to be played online."

Fitton told Sky.com News that the dogs in question (actually, two were used in the making of the ad) both could quiver on demand, and that neither had been ill-treated.

"The dog is a terrier of the type that is known for its shaking - it shakes when it's excited, about to be fed or any number of reasons - and that's why it was chosen.
.
You can read full article in Sky.com News here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Our first cat joke has arrived, courtesy of Mary Schmidt.

Remember, we are trying to gather 100 or more dog and cat jokes and riddles for a worthy cause -- that worthy cause being laughing. (The rest of our plan can be read here.)

Feel free to send them via the comment button, or in an email to mutts@baltsun.com. We aren't requiring they be original -- no pedigree is necessary -- so any of those that float around the Internet, in our view, are cut- and paste- and send-able.

Here's Mary's cat tale:

Once there was a really good cat who died and went to heaven. When he got to the pearly gates, St. Peter met him and told him that because he had been a good cat on Earth he could have anything he wanted.

To which the cat replied, "The pillow is wonderful and those meals on wheels are terrific!"

(To check the rest of our joke collection, click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

(AP Photo)

An Idaho veterinarian who was one of 40 dog specialists who volunteered their services for the Iditarod says, despite injuries and deaths, dogs in the race are well-loved and well-treated.

Nampa, Idaho, veterinarian John Calhoun spent three weeks in the Alaskan wilds, being shuttled by plane to the race's various checkpoints, each staffed by four to six doctors and other race officials.

Dogs in the grueling 1,150-mile race mostly fall victim to the same kind of injuries as marathon runners, he said -- fatigue, pulled muscles and sore joints. On occasion, some injuries were more serious. Calhoun said one dog broke a leg stepping into a large hole left in the snow-packed trail by a passing moose.

But considering the number of dogs competing, Calhoun said there were few major injuries.

‘‘Everyone loves the dogs,’’ he said. ‘‘It was an amazing thing to watch.’’

An Associated Press story about his experience can be found here.

To see our reader comments about the Iditarod, click here. 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Adding to our dog humor collection, reader Anne Madison, after pondering its lack of political correctness and deciding what the heck, sent in the following:

Did you hear about the dyslexic, agnostic insomniac?

He lies awake all night wondering if there's a dog.

(To check the rest our joke collection, click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

 The Friends of Patterson Dog Park, for more than three years now, have been working to establish  a fenced area in Patterson Park where dogs can play off leash.

Establishing a dog park anywhere in Baltimore is a complicated task, but the Patterson Park group has had even tougher road because of the many different communities that surround the massive park in east Baltimore -- among them Canton, Highlandtown, Patterson Park, Butchers Hill, and Upper Fells Point.

The organization now has a web site (www.pattersondogpark.org), a logo (right) and a proposed design and location (above).

To help raise funds for the effort, the group, It will be sponsoring a "Yappy Hour" on Thursday, April 24, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Gecko's, 2318 Fleet St.

They are also conducting a clean-up at the park on Saturday, April 26. Meet at the pagoda at 10 a.m. to take part.

The group describes their planned dog park as a place where "well-behaved canine citizens can exercise in a clean, safe environment without endangering or annoying people, property or wildlife ... We will develop a beautiful, well-maintained space open to all dog lovers and friends who are willing to uphold the park's rules and restrictions."

Under city rules, the organization is responsible not just for getting the necessary city and neighborhood approvals, but for funding, building and maintaining the dog.

Baltimore currently has only one such area, the Canton Dog Park. Another group is trying to start a Locust Point Dog Park at Latrobe Park.

To sign the Patterson Park group's petition, click here.

To send a letter to the mayor, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The first to chime in regarding our search for dog (and cat) humor was devoted Mutts reader and commenter Mary Schmidt, who passes along this joke.

(Remember, they don't have to be original -- just funny. Besides, one of the benefits of growing older -- and I refer here to myself, by no means you, or Mary -- is that not only does one get to re-read excellent books, but one can enjoy anew jokes one heard months ago and movies and TV shows that one saw last year, assuming one remembers where the remote is. One can also say "one" and get away with it.)

Here's Mary's offering:

A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables, and when he picked up a CD player to place in his pack, a strange, disembodied voice echoed from the dark saying, "Jesus is watching you."

"The same kind of people that would name a Rottweiller Jesus."

(To check the rest of our joke collection click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Well of course it couldn't.

But here's a funny take on the topic of dog sheddings from Jeffrey Shaffer that appeared in the Christian Science Monitor.

Assuming your vacuum cleaner fills up as quickly as mine does (well, when I use it, anyway), assuming you, too, have wondered how dog hair ends up in places the dog has never been; assuming you, like Shaffer, wonder if the shed hairs take on a life of their own and self-replicate, you'll probably get a kick out of it.

Just brush that dog hair off your computer terminal, and click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Amy Murphy, the teller of dog tales -- like the one we featured yesterday -- became a volunteer at North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue after stumbling upon the organization and its dogs at a North Carolina Petsmart.

She started taking her own dog -- Oscar, a rescued pit bull mix -- to the store on days that the rescue organization was holding adoption days so that he could meet the puppies.

"He absolutely adores puppies, and would be so disappointed if we went on a day when the rescue wasn't there," she said.

An occupational therapist, Murphy signed up as a volunteer at the rescue organization about seven months ago, specifically to work with pit bulls.

"Since getting ...  Oscar, I have become a complete and total pit bull fan, and feel I understand them to a degree that makes them very easy for me to train," she said.

Oscar, not yet three, is a registered Delta Society Therapy Dog that visits hospitals and nursing homes.

She routinely takes rescue organization dogs home to bond with Oscar.

"Oscar is so good with puppies and small dogs that he hosts lots of playdates with pups from the rescue that need socialization in new, potentially scary places. Our large fenced yard is too good not to share, so every time you turn around, there is a new dog in my car, coming to meet Oscar and learn to play ball."

Wanting to see more of the rescued dogs find homes, Murphy asked Beth Phillips, the rescue organization's director, what more she can do -- and that's when Murphy took over composing notices of dogs available for adoption.

They're not your standard announcements, though. Murphy takes on the persona of the pup in her stories and aims for readers' hearts when putting together the biographies.

"I love to write ...  So, I started writing the dogs' biographies, putting them on the rescue's site, Craigslist and Petfinders, and the rest is history. It seems that they have acquired quite a following, and Beth gets emails daily just to tell us how much they love the stories or to say that they think I should do this for rescues around the nation."

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Down in North Carolina, there's a woman seeking love on Craigslist -- not for herself, but for the dogs that come into the rescue organization where she volunteers.

Amy Murphy, a volunteer at North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue, near Charlotte, asked the organization's director, Beth Phillips, what more she could do to help find homes for the dogs -- most of them either abandoned or surrendered by families that have moved.

Phillips suggested Murphy post information about available dogs on Craigslist. Phillips had done that sporadically, when she had time.

Murphy, who loves to write, jumped into the task with both feet, and ever since her Craigslist dispatches have not just helped find homes for the dogs, but developed a bit of a following.

We'll introduce you to Murphy properly tomorrow, but here's an example of her most recent work:

Lonely Boy Still Lookin for LOVE....

Hello, my name is Brewster. One of the volunteers decided to write down my story, as she felt there had to be a loving human out there who would be willing to help. I'm the kind of pup who flies under the radar, and this lady said "enough of that, let's get the world to know about this sweet guy and see what happens!" So, here is my story, as dictated to said human...

I came to the rescue about a year ago. Since that time, no one, yes you read that right, NO ONE has shown any interest in me. Not one call, not one application, not one visit, nothing. I try not to take it too hard, I have heard that sometimes nice guys finish last, but to be honest, it doesn't seem fair. I mean NO ONE? Some of my friends have 10 people at a time applying to take them home in a matter of DAYS. Hearing those stories can be hard on a guy's self esteem you know. As nice as the people at the rescue are, and as much as they love me, a year is a long time.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

You know the formula -- it's the one used by half of the shows on TV nowadays, it sometimes seems: a group of professionals compete at their craft in weekly competitions; one gets eliminated every week; they live together (for that enhances the manufactured drama); there's lots of pregnant pauses and ominous music and three judges, one of whom is often a bit of a jerk.

They've done it with models, clothing designers, room designers, chefs, hairdressers -- and now, from the Animal Planet, comes a reality show on dog groomers.

Groomer Has It premieres Saturday night (9 p.m. ET), with 12 dog groomers going into the first round of competition.

The dog stylists include Jorge, a trendy and tattooed Argentinian; Kathleen, the confident, cheeky and often intimidating 48-year old; Will, flamboyant, outspoken and "too colorful for some people to handle;" Jon, the pooper scooper turned entrepeneur and pet boutique and spa owner.

The show, hosted by former "Queer Eye" guy Jai Rodriguez, depicts 12 of the country's most creative groomers as they de-mat, muck, clip, hand-strip and slicker brush (don't worry, those terms will be explained) their way to the title of top groomer.

The competition lasts 13 weeks -- during which all contestants are shacked up in what's called "The Doghouse" -- and the winner receives $50,000 and the title "Groomer of the Year."

For more information about the program, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Her breast cancer has spread, gone into what's called stage four. Her prognosis is not rosy. Her medical debts are rising far beyond what a kennel manager at a veterinary hospital could ever hope to pay. And Tracy Santos is trying to raise some money.

For dogs.

At a time when many people might wallowing in self-pity, angry at the world or preoccupied with their own problems, Santos is rallying friends, strangers, colleagues and pretty much anyone she can find in an attempt to raise $10,000 for the Maryland SPCA.

And on April 20, Santos, who at 27 has little guarantee of a future, will walk 1.5 miles -- leading a "pack" of 25 humans and even more dogs -- to ensure that Baltimore dogs might have more of one.

"Tracy's story is one of incredible courage and love for everything related to dogs and Baltimore," said Anne George, a dog behavioral therapist and trainer for Barkbusters who has worked with Santos' dogs and is helping drum up support for her pack.

The SPCA's upcoming March for the Animals at Druid Hill Park on April 20 will be the third for Santos, who this year has formed a "pack" that, pooling their pledges and miles, hopes to out-fund-raise all competitors.

"I've always been an animal person," said Santos, who grew up in Canton. "It's just sort of an instinct with me. If I see a cat on the street, I pick it up. I'm the person everyone calls and says, 'I've found this cat, what should I do?'"

Santos grew up with cats, and didn't get her first dog until she was an adult. She was visiting a vet with her brother's cat in 2005 when someone came in with a puppy -- a pit bull mix whose owner couldn't keep it.

Santos took the dog home, and "Layla" kept her company when her husband, Romeo, who is in the Army Reserves, was deployed to Kuwait for 13 months.

In 2006, they adopted another pit bull mix, Evie, from Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) to keep Layla company. Since then she and her husband have been advocates for the misunderstood breed. Baltimore natives and friends since high school, Tracy and Romeo were married "officially" in 2007 -- complete with a cake with crabs and the city's skyline on it.

Santos has volunteered at the SPCA and worked at BARCS. A few weeks into that job, a litter of motherless newborn pups was dropped off. Santos, upon hearing the alternative, took them all home and bottle fed them for eight weeks. She ended up keeping one, who she and her husband named Wolverine. The rest were taken back to BARCS and were all adopted.

"Working at BARCS was very difficult, seeing all the homeless animals, especially the ones being put down. It broke my heart," Santos said. "I decided I wanted to get more experience in the medical field, so I left BARCS and began working at Eastern Animal Hospital."

That's where Santo works now. The owners are letting her keep a donation jar in the lobby to raise money for her March for the Animals pack.

Santos marched on her own the first year. Last year, she was part of a pack that raised $1,000. This year, she's heading a pack, called "Baltimore Bark Brigade," and has set a goal of raising $10,000.

"Getting people motivated is diifficult especially if it's for animals. It takes a lot of persistent nagging," she said.

Santos said her cancer, though it has progressed, is not causing her pain, and her monthly hormone therapy treatments -- while less than pleasant -- don't leave her with the debilitating effects of chemotherapy.

"The doctors don't like to give you an outlook ... It's not like a few years ago when they would say you have this much time. Normally, at this stage, their goal is to get you through five more years, which is ridiculously not enough."

To make a pledge to the SPCA through Santo's pack, click here.

Pre-registration for the march takes place at the SPCA Headquarters, 3300 Falls Road, Saturday, April 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesday, April 15 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The march takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday April 20. 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sent its praise to Oprah Winfrey for her recent show on puppy mills – but warned the talk show host that the American Kennel Club (which is also praising Oprah for the show) should not be viewed as an ally in the fight against puppy mills, but an enemy.

“Please beware: Legislation to stop puppy mills is fought tooth and nail by the American Kennel Club (AKC), which will defend breeders no matter what. The AKC has done everything it can to thwart regulation that would help pound pups and shelter dogs,” PETA president Ingrid E. Newkirk wrote Winfrey.

“More than 10,000 dogs and cats die in gas chambers and by injection in someone's arms every day in the U.S. because the AKC promotes breeding, registers and provides ‘papers’ to countless puppy-mill pups every year, and euphemistically calls these puppy factories ‘high-volume breeders,’” she added.

The letter (you can read it in its entirety here) goes on to say that the AKC deserves “the lion's share of the blame for the deaths of more than 3 million dogs and cats every year in animal shelters, all of whom deserve good homes. Those homes, however, are being taken by specially bred dogs that come into an already-overpopulated world solely because of breeders' greed.”

The AKC’s letter to Oprah was sent the day the show aired. In it, the organization called itself a "strong proponent of responsible breeding" and said the puppy mill problem is a result of non-AKC registered breeders who operate free of regulation.

PETA's senior communications coordinator, David W. Perle, called Oprah's segment a "landmark" one, and said one viewer, as a result of the program, donated 100 spay surgeries to PETA's low cost spay/neuter program, called SNIP ("Spay and Neuter Immediately, Please").

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)