Mom swaps baby for a Chihuaha Arkansas. Mother being charged with child-trafficking. She says she didn't do it.

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Insurance underwriters bite back by banning specific breeds. They seem to have statistics behind their claims that some breeds shouldn't be insured and are "telling the pet owners to choose between their dog and their insurance policy."

"According to the Insurance Information Institute, dog bites cost insurance companies more than $1 billion in 1999. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta: 4.7 million Americans - mostly children - are bitten each year. Ten to 20 Americans die each year as a result of dog bites, mostly children. From January 1997 through December 1998, 27 people died after being bitten by a dog. Nineteen were children younger than 12. Of the eight adult victims, most were elderly. 65.8 percent of dog bite-related deaths are attributed to pit-bull terriers, Rottweilers and German shepherds..."

Hold the dog owner acountable, Trainer demands "Every dog can bite, given an individual situation," according to dog trainer Gina Hayes. Dog owners who let their animals run loose every day or who do not get them vaccinated as required by law "are not responsible owners," she said. "Owners who let their dogs run loose have no idea of what their dog’s behavior is like when it is faced with too much unrestrained freedom." Dogs who run loose often develop a number of problems, such as territorial or dominant aggression issues." and so we have laws passed for specific breeds when it is actually the owner who is most at fault...

Officer goes to wrong house, shoots dog dead Well, it could have been worse. The officer got suspended and the home owner is hopping mad. Several officers offered to buy him another pet, but "I told the officers that when I got divorced, I didn't rush out and replace my wife with someone else," Potter said. "And I'm not about to do that with my dog," Potter said. He'd had his springer spaniel for seven years...

Dog Psychology: submissive urination not a discipline problem

Handing out free leash instead of citation: a winning move Utah. A new tack by animal control -- handing out free leashes -- gets barks of approval...

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Vetinarians need resources to report animal abuse Rhode Island. Veterinarians face significant obstacles in reporting abuse and identifying it. "86 percent of veterinarians see one or more cases of animal abuse per year." Veterinarians responding to a voluntary survey identified lack of care and abuse and felt they did not have the resources to significantly curb abuse...

Eighty year old woman sees her dog ripped to shreds by pitbulls Edna Houlihan screamed for help as the two 9 month pitbulls knocked her down and killed her pet; her rescuer was also knocked to the ground. She survived with bitemarks on her face and hands. Animal control decided 'dog to dog aggression' is normal for any dog and released the dogs. Edna's getting a lawyer...

Inhumane: when animals are abused Witnesses testify to people turning dogs into blazing fireballs to breaking dog's teeth with bowling balls. "The real challenge now, according to Goldman and other animal-protection experts and advocates, is to establish consistent, aggressive statewide enforcement that makes use of all the tools available..."

Marketed dog treats a booming business $2.99 for Yip Yaps,  $1.99 for Sniffers and other human lookalikes mean sweet success for Trenton, NJ, company...

Animal cruelty tied to violence against people "Joseph T. Austin, 26 years old and unemployed, wasn't satisfied with torturing and killing animals. He wanted a person. Austin found his victim when he lured a 20-year-old Belmar woman to her death in a Jackson wildlife area in 1999..."

How to be petsmart and avoid abandoning a pet later Consider the family's needs, allergy histories, the cost of pet care, the commitment to brushing, grooming, feeding and socializing. "About 60 percent of American households have at least one dog, cat, bird, or other companion animal. Yet each year, millions of unwanted pets have to be put to death..."

Can a dog get a lawyer? " 'Any animal — at least one with a sense of self — should become eligible for legal rights,' says Wise, a lecturer of animal law at Vermont Law School and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and author of the new book Drawing the Line..." Probably not, but "animals have the right to legal protection against unjustified suffering..."

You can't will your estate to a pet "You can't leave your estate to animals, but you can provide for their care after you die, says Jeff Thompson, member of the Memphis law firm of Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston, PC." Setting up a trust for the animals and finding a responsible caretaker will ensure your animals future without you...

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