Dogs in weddings? You bet! CO Weddings used to be considered a people only event. These days, "dogs are joining in the ceremony." It's not uncommon to see a dog used as a ring bearer or "as an attendant. Some wear tuxes or beautiful gowns. Animals are such a big part of people's families now that couples don't want to leave them out of their weddings." And, of course, when things don't work out,  dogs end up in "custody" battles... [The Gazette]

Pets live longer thanks to high tech care PA  "Zachery, a Yorkshire terrier, has endured chemotherapy, five hip and knee operations and gall bladder surgery. He takes a daily diet of prescription drugs to combat nausea and other maladies and gets intravenous fluids at night because of kidney failure."  With high tech care available, pet owners are seeking pet insurance as a way to offset the often astronomical costs. The founder of Veterinary Pet Insurance started the company in response to what he saw: many owners had to put down their pets when the cost exceeded their budgets even though the animals could be saved and enjoy a good quality of life. "After losing $18m over 20 years, VPI turned its first profit last year, earning $1.3m on $47m in revenues. The company has 85% of the US market."

Arthur Caplan, chairman of Penn University's Department of Medical Ethics, finds the trend to spend huge sums on pets troubling: "It's sort of odd to think that a pet could get certain treatments in the United States that certain people could not afford." More troubling is the agony that some pets endure with care that keeps them alive, but suffering. Whatever the cost, the trend is here to stay as more and more people fall in love with their pets and bestow a status on them as family members...  [The Irish Examiner]

Cruelty to animals and dogs this week : Puppy owner shut down by SPCA (this is the reason not to buy from a puppy/pet mill: so they go out of business when they lose customers).  Man who punched police dog off to jail (It's a 4th degree felony to assault a police dog; a police dog is also an officer of the police department.)

Two brothers kill child's dog in 'religious' ritual OH "Authorities received a call Tuesday night from a crying young girl, who said her uncle was in the backyard of his West Toledo home killing her dog...   the men [said] they killed the dog and were planning to eat it as part of a purification ritual that would bring them good luck on an upcoming trip..." Florida code is willing to recognize ritual killing with certain criteria: specifically the animal cannot suffer; in this case, authorities "think the dog remained conscious and suffered for some time." "However, state law says "in order to protect freedom of religion, ritual slaughter, and the handling or preparation of livestock for ritual slaughter are exempted" from the requirements for humane methods." [Toledo Blade]

Related: In June, Dog News reported  Nepal king offers animal sacrifice at Assam temple. Although many protested, the king continued to sacrifice more animals "to bring peace and prosperity."  

A man faces charges for slicing his puppies ears off New Zealand Animal SPCA officers used the word  "butchery" to describe it.  Man killed his neighbor's golden retriever New England A man used a bow and arrow to execute his neighbor's dog. Trial is set for November. [Sentinel and Enterprise]

Heightened awareness of cruelty to animals galvanizes some people to act: to change laws, to donate time and money to causes which help both animals and people.  Dog's fate often violent agony demonstrates how two women singlehandedly created a Humane Society and reformed Animal Control as a direct response to the revelation that dogs were being executed inhumanly in their County.

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Dogs can lounge at the beach too

traveldog.com  Click on "resources" and then "beaches" for links to beaches around the U.S. that allow dogs.
dogfriendly.com State-by-state listing of lodging and beaches that allow dogs.
www.petswelcome.com Provides a searchable state-by-state listing of accommodations that allow pets.