Veterinary hospital closes without warning Canada "Clients of a St. Catharines veterinarian showed up at his office on Monday to find the door of the Dalhousie Animal Hospital locked and the inside totally bare, except for some posters, a few pamphlets and a lonely bin of dog biscuits sitting on the counter..." The trusted vet who owned the practice had clients booked into October. Things seemed a "little fishy" to one client who wondered why the office started looking bare... [The Standard] (hey, the same happened to me here a few years ago in the US... my vet's offices literally disappeared and I had to find another vet because the  phone was disconnected too... We have a great vet now... )

Blind woman's dog banned from hotel: woman sues GA "A Ramada Limited desk clerk refused to give the couple a room even after speaking to the owner by phone, Shaw said...  Despite a police officer's warning that service dogs should be allowed [the law allows them], the hotel would not budge, the lawsuit alleges..." Such illegal discrimination to guide dogs and their owners occurs frequently according to the Georgia ADA exchange...  [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Pet Sitters International in a hissy catfight Pet Sitters International (PSI) may have started the "Take your dog to work day" to promote dogs in everyday life, but the claws came out when they learned of another group trying to do the same thing for cats:

"The group [PSI] filed a federal copyright infringement suit yesterday against Port Washington-based North Shore Animal League America over its "Take Your Cat to Work Day." Pet Sitters says North Shore's idea is a rip-off of its "Take Your Dog to Work Day." The group is seeking unspecified damages..." [Newsday] (If somebody adopts a cat as a result of the "Take your cat to work day" and uses Pet Sitters International services, doesn't that benefit PSI?)

Stray dogs abused as billboards Russia Shop owners in Penza are spray painting stray dogs with their store-logos. It isn't illegal yet... [Ananova Quirkies]

Dog, once doused with gas and set ablaze, recovers TX "Daisy, the dog that had been doused with gasoline and set on fire by a Fort Worth man, was released to a foster home Wednesday after almost three months in a local animal hospital." The Chow-Shar-Pei mix is back to frisky and mending well, thanks to the Humane Society, great veterinary care and a loving foster home. "There are no scars on her personality, she's a sweet dog." The man who tortured her is in a mental ward... [Star Telegram] (Our rescue dog (fostered by the SPCA) is a chow-chow and a sweet dog too...   )

Family plans plane search to find lost dog UK Due to a brain seizure, a family's pet dog doesn't recognize its owners anymore and has taken off across the countryside villages of Tutbury, Anslow and Fauld. The family has hired a plane to pinpoint the fastmoving dog. The RSPCA may have to use a tranquilizer gun to catch him... [Ananova Quirkies]

Turkish guard paid to permit sexual abuse of dogs Turkey Disgusting -- a guard allowed misinformed chlamydia sufferers to rape dogs for a fee (thinking the rape would somehow cure them of the disease). "2500 signatures have been collected by animal rights activists for the closure of the safe house and has been forwarded to the local council. 90 of the dogs from the safe house have been transferred to the Buyuksehir Council Animal Safe House..." .. [Kurdish Media News]

Low-flying jet disrupts First World Sheepdog Trials Wales 130 Participants from 13 countries at the World's First Sheep Dog trials are upset that the Ministry of Defense broke its promise to not use airspace where the event took place. A dog's qualifying run was ruined when the plane zoomed through event fields; the disoriented dog received a second chance from judges...  [Ananova Quirkies]