Paris fights the good fight... making war on dog poop Paris gets new artillary in the war on dog feces... better automated pooper scoopers and tougher laws. Authorities estimate than only 16 tons/day get scooped up, a mere 20% of the dog cr*p deposited daily... 'Visitors to Paris have long remarked the minefield under their feet: the dog poop that litters the streets despite the efforts of a small brigade of municipal motorbike riders using special vacuum hoses to clean the canine crud...' [Discovery Travel Channel]  (hmm... these statistics imply that Paris was buried in poop long ago... )

Therapy dogs comfort end-stage Alzheimer patients  'Life for Alzheimer's and dementia patients suffering through the end stages of their disease is brightened by visits from [therapy dogs]... For those who are mentally and physically trapped in dementia, visits from the dogs trigger the final expressions and gestures they will offer before they die... [Gainsville Press]

Can robotic pets replace therapy dogs? Researchers test robotic-pet assisted therapy... IN In the not too distant future, robotic pets may replace the real therapy dog or cat .... Japanese researchers have already tested 'Paro', a robotic baby seal knockoff, in hospital settings and found it improved patients' moods and well-being. Even the AIBO (Sony's robotic dog) has improved communication skills in research participants. The advantages of robotic pets outweigh real dogs in some areas: robotic pets don't require care (except for battery recharging); robotic therapy pets may also one day record temperature, pulse and blood pressure during therapy sessions; robotic therapy pets can enter cancer wards and intensive care units (real dogs and cats are usually forbidden). Robots are also predictable, in contrast to their warm-blooded counterparts.... 'Computerized 'pets,' such as those coming from Japanese electronics makers, could approach their flesh-and-blood counterparts in providing people with social interaction stimuli...'  [UPI]