Dogs no longer banned as 'unclean' Iran "The days of terror, late-night abductions and streetside executions are over now. And Kayvan Azad no longer has to keep his best friend in hiding. "Arf," says Zhopo, Azad's eight-year-old brownish-white terrier-poodle mix, officially banned as unclean as pigs and pork under Islamic rulings." ... Chrisitan Science Monitor

From homeless castoff to bomb sniffing detective New York Many of the dogs performing the important work of detecting bombs and explosive materials were plucked from death row at animal shelters. "With a 98% success rate in finding explosives, the dogs are faster, less costly and more mobile than any high-tech detection machine"...

Dog People vs Cat People What a silly issue. What is really interesting is the difference between dog people and cat people... Our dog is a blend of both cat and dog:  he's  a chow chow. You don't tell a chow chow what to do ... you cajole him into it (with a constant sense of humor). Our dog is very obedient, yet he thinks it's his decision to do what he does. Our dog does not deign to bark -- he's just not interested in that kind of doggy behavior. And he has a certain catlike dignity and self-reliance. Hmm... so branding a person who owns a cat as the contemplative, open-minded type and the person who owns a dog as the action-oriented, decisive type doesn't always make sense...

'Underground kitten/puppy railroad' exposed Virginia "At least five employees of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, which has a contract to run the county's animal shelter, left their jobs in April after administrators found out that they had been taking home kittens [and at least one puppy] that were to be euthanized, caring for them, and then bringing them back to be put up for adoption, according to past and present shelter employees." Washington Post 

Dogs find pain relief from acupuncture When a dog goes lame, acupuncture may help relieve pain and even restore function. When used in conjunction with traditional veterinary medicines, acupuncture has benefits for dogs and other animals... Macon Telegraph [Moreover - Animal news]