Animals 24-7

News on dogs, cats, horses, wildlife, zoonoses, & nature

Hitler’s pit bull, Sergeant Stubby the Boston terrier, & other dogs of war

By

Many dogs worth remembering on Veteran’s Day “Cry, ‘Havoc!’, and let slip the dogs of war,” wrote William Shakespeare in Julius Caesar (1599), but the most famous dogs of war remain those of World War I––ironically a war in which dogs were not officially used by the militaries of any of the victorious Allied nations. […]

Dogs replace SOB in White House. Pro-animal legislative candidates fared well too!

By

More than 400 legislators endorsed by animal groups were elected or re-elected on November 3,  2020  WASHINGTON D.C.––President-elect and new First Lady Joe and Jill Biden,  to be inaugurated on January 20,  2021,  will bring to the White House with them their two German shepherds,  Champ and Major,  ending the only four-year dog-less stretch in […]

Pit bulls, wolves win in Colorado; horse racing wins in Nebraska; Hsiung loses

By

Colorado goes to the dogs             DENVER, Colorado; LINCOLN, Nebraska;  BERKELEY, California––Democratic challenger Joe Biden narrowly led Republican incumbent Donald Trump at 1:45,  Pacific time,  on November 4,  2020. The three major ballot issues and one mayoral race directly involving animals appeared to have ended,  however,  with a win for pit bulls in Denver,  a […]

DNA & vets agree: pit bull Curtis, not hunting hounds, killed Elisa Pilarski

By

Findings could lead to prosecution of fiancé of pregnant victim, who found her body, has denied both that Curtis did it and that he is a pit bull             PARIS, France––DNA test results released on November 3,  2020 by Eric Boussuge,  prosecutor for the district of Amiens,  support the finding of two court-appointed veterinarians that […]

Animal advocates have races to watch in NYC, Denver, & Berkeley, too

By

Voters for Animal rights bids for New York statewide breakout, Denver weighs repealing pit bull ban,  & Direct Action Everywhere founder Wayne Hsiung runs for Berkeley mayor             BERKELEY,  DENVER,  NEW YORK CITY––While the races for the U.S. Presidency,  control of the Senate and House of Representatives grip the nation on Election Day 2020,  animal […]

Denver votes on pit bull ban that has prevented fatal attacks since 1989

By

Wolves are also on the ballot             DENVER, Colorado––Just a week before Denver voters cast ballots on whether to repeal the city’s 31-year-old ban on pit bulls and on whether to restore wolves to Colorado,  the dog attack getting most local media attention involves neither a pit bull, nor a wolf dog,  nor even a […]

Horsemeat, dog meat, & how “angel” Marc Ching fell from grace

By

Donors ignored years of warnings about convict turned “rescue” celebrity LOS ANGELES––Marc Ching,  who in November 2018 offered to sell the city of Los Angeles vegan food for impounded dogs at a substantial discount,  is reportedly to be arraigned in December 2020 on one misdemeanor count each of practicing veterinary medicine without a license,  false advertising,  […]

Hawaii infant death shows why pit bulls are banned from military housing

By

Schofield Barracks attack comes as Congress considers ending breed-specific base housing policies HONOLULU, Hawaii––Strapped into her car seat,  and too young to try to escape or fight back,  a four-month-old baby girl died from canine head bites at her home on Hall Street, Schofield Barracks,  at about five p.m. on October 14,  2020. Though the […]

Queen Elizabeth II honors Thai street dog rescuer John Dalley

By

Global recognition for Soi Dog Foundation             PHUKET,  Thailand––John Dalley,  co-founder and president of Soi Dog Foundation International,  was on October 10,  2020,  the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for service to animal welfare in Southeast Asia. The term “Soi […]

NYC pet store fined $3.9 million; probe finds “rescues” are the new “puppy millers”

By

Nebraska deputy ombudsman reports extensive non-enforcement of anti-“puppy mill” law             NEW YORK, N.Y.;  LINCOLN, Nebraska––A $3.9 million fine levied against the owners of the long closed Chelsea Kennel Club pet store in New York City grabbed the headlines on October 16,  2020,  but a more meaningful action against abusive dog suppliers came quietly on […]