The convenience killing of 5 pups at the Surry Co pound in NC, whom rescuers were given less than an hour to save, prompted one rescuer to address the county commissioners and demand the firing of the pound’s director. (Thanks Teresa for the link.)
A video (which I have not watched) reportedly shows an Indiana police officer abusing a police dog. The officer, who has not been named, was placed on administrative leave while the police department investigates itself. (Thanks Clarice for the link.)
A Louisiana police officer reportedly handcuffed a dog owner on a trespassing charge in a parking lot and as the man lay on the ground, shot his dog to death. The friendly dog had been tied to a fence in the parking lot and there was at least one additional witness to the killing. The police department is investigating itself. (Thanks Clarice.)
Jerky treats, imported from China, have reportedly sickened or killed more than 5600 pets to date, mostly dogs. Now 3 humans have gotten sick from the treats. The FDA continues to allow the treats to be sold. My advice: Do not feed jerky treats to your pets. Don’t touch them. Don’t leave them where someone else might touch them. Don’t even look at them. (Thanks Arlene for the link.)
A stray pitbull in DeKalb Co, GA waited with high school kids at a bus stop and when the school bus arrived, boarded the bus and took a seat, refusing to leave. His story made it on the local news and someone adopted him. (Thanks Valerie for the link.)
Delightfully drawn sloth (non)facts
The Hammond Indiana officer is back on the job after it was determined by Vohne Liche Kennels ,Denver Indiana,that it was not abuse.Needless to say,many do not agree.
Police sought the opinion of a kennel owner as to whether it was abuse? Is this the place where they buy or train their police dogs? Do you have a link?
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Hammond-Police-Determine-K-9-Officer-Didnt-Abuse-Dog-259828851.html
The kennel trains dogs for military and police work, though I’m not sure if the dog in question came from them.
I checked with a retired K9 handler about the treatment of this dog and he said without knowing what the dogs actions were PRIOR to the video he couldn’t speculate; HOWEVER, he said that that action (hanging dog by collar, smacking with leash) is a STANDARD technique for ‘calming the dog down when he gets too aggressive”.
I looked at him like he’d grown a second head, determined there was more than one reason he is now my EX husband and said “If you’ve got so little ‘control’ over an animal that YOU amp up to chase down a suspect should either of you be on the streets?” Needless to say, at that moment, he’s probably glad he can attach “ex” to me. All that aside it appears that the technique is acceptable for police dogs and handlers and it makes me want to throw up. We really suck as a species sometimes.
I have a family member who is a K-9 officer, and this type of thing is absolutely par for the course. They are in fact trained to ‘hoist’ the dogs (notice even in the article, the only thing they think the handler did wrong was whipping the dog with the leash, not hoisting him by the collar.) There have been other incidents of this ‘training’ being caught on camera and the officer not being charged.
Petco has announced it is pulling all Chinese-made treats, even if the FDA isn’t.
Finally! I hope Petco inspires more national chains to follow suit.
Though the problem is that it isn’t always possible to tell where a treat was made. If the ingredients were purchased in China but packaged in the US, the treat isn’t required to have a label. So Petco may just be giving people false security…they’d do better to pull all jerky treats off the shelf, regardless of where the package says they originated.
I don’t know if Petco sells either brand, but Tyson True Chews and almost all of the Primal brand treats are made from US-sourced meats (the primal venison treats are from New Zealand raised meat.) There may be others, but those are the only ones I know of.
Petsmart is pulling jerky treats too, btw
I’m disqusted that they’d let that officer back on the job….very saddened by this..
Of course I am unable to find the link that said that Dan Parker of Vohne Liche Kennels was the one that said it was not abuse,I will keep searching.My computer would pick now to have a mind of its own.
Feel free to remove my post until I can find the link again.I did go to the page of the Kennel listed above after reading the article.There is mention of it by a few others,but I saw no response by the page to any of the queries/remarks.
It appears that the Surrey County Commission is standing behind the current director. since the pups were Owner Surrenders it’s okay to kill those pups!
Oh sure, that makes it okay to kill 5 very adoptable, healthy puppies . . . asshats!