NetPets helps rehome soldier's dogs North Carolina "For every G.I. Joe deployed overseas, there is often a Fluffy or Fido left behind to fend for itself stateside. Cumberland County Animal Control officials say the transient military community contributes to the approximately 10,000 stray dogs and cats picked up by the county's animal shelter each year. Most of those animals are euthanized. Now a battalion of Fort Bragg officials and volunteers want to develop a directory to help deployed soldiers find new homes for their pets." NetPets.org

A bone for T-bone, the English Pointer Virginia When T-bone, an English Pointer dog, met an untimely death from a shooting, his owners were dismayed to learn that the laws considered such an act of cruelty a misdemeanor. T-bone's death inspired new legislation designed to ensure a kinder world for dogs and cats. The two laws passed last year and will go into effect on July 1, 2002.  "One (law) makes it a felony to commit any act of cruelty to a cat or dog that ends in the animal's death. The crime has been a misdemeanor for a first offense. The second (law) allows for better coordination of the state's loose system of private and public animal shelters and expands the state's ability to monitor private shelters."

The second law is more controversial, because some animal shelters in Virginia have shut down, rather than allow inspectors on their premises without notice. Chow Rescue of Northern Virginia shut down in response to the act.

Dozens of animals abandoned South Carolina Officers found over 40 animals (four of them dead) abandoned without food or water in a double mobile home. The 'four-bedroom litter box' was infested with fleas and the stench of sick and dying animals (dogs, cats and rats).  The owners are being charged with animal mistreatment. The State Jun 18 2002 3:36AM ET [Moreover - Animal news]

Hot weather deadly to dogs As summer wears on, more pets and especially dogs fall victim to hot weather.

From Tennessee Humane Society: "Doghouses should be insulated and kept in the shade... Other shelters that should not be used include metal houses, barrels or tarpaper covered houses..." There were many calls this week about animals and dogs in distress due to their owner(s)' neglect in planning for care during the weather.

From The Daily Post-Athenian - Tennessee Jack Hamby: “One thing that most people don’t realize is that dogs do get heat exhaustion, just like we do,” Hamby said. “It’s really startling how many dogs you see in the summer who end up dying of heat exhaustion, and it’s something that owners really need to be careful about – especially with the heat wave we’ve had lately.” 

In the DC area, today is the coolest day of the next five days. Naturally, we took our dog out for a ride in the air conditioned car. We stopped often for shady spots and ice water for him, which he lapped up with great delight. Even so, he was hot when we returned home and only too happy to go inside his air conditioned house. His double coat gives him great discomfort in the summer, especially in hot, humid weather. By July, we'll only be able to take him out when the sun is down and when the early morning air is still crisp. It's hard to imagine leaving a dog outside in this weather, let alone leaving a dog in a car. In the summer, our policy is to never leave our dog alone in the car (even with the windows rolled down). A car acts like an oven and can cause heat stroke in a dog very quickly.  Dog houses with tar roofs and cement parking lots are very dangerous too; hot pavement can burn a pet's feet.

Pit bull locked in car dies of heat  Delaware SUMMER DOG-CARE TIPS Heat can be a killer for your dog if precautions are not taken. A dog should never be left unattended in a car. Even with the windows cracked a closed vehicle can quickly heat up to 120-150 degrees killing a dog in as little as 10 minutes. June 18, 2002