Breeder guilty, 124 pugs and terriers seized GA A judge ordered a breeder to surrender her state license, when he learned that her 124 dogs were ill with worms, parvo virus, and other ailments, including lack of bowel movement from being isolated in cages most of the time. She protested, saying she 'intends to reapply for a breeder's license and begin breeding dogs again in Jackson County - where her sister owns a similar-size kennel - and move to Madison County, which doesn't have an animal control ordinance...'  Some dogs were euthanized and others need special homes, because they are extremely antisocial...

"Schuenemann found Warner guilty of operating a business without a license, violating zoning laws, holding animals in unsanitary conditions, creating a noise nuisance by allowing the dogs to bark, failing to put rabies tags on dogs' collars and failing to present proof of rabies vaccinations..." [Athens Banner-Herald]

Contraceptive vaccine temporarily sterilises dogs [New Scientist] Related: Contraceptive implant cools pooches' passion "An Australian biotechnology company has invented a contraceptive implant for male dogs that also calms them down." [VetClick]

Search and rescue dog stolen, thrown at high speed on road to die UK The 'perfect dog' as described her family, a border collie named Jess, was removed from her home by thieves and  then tossed at high speed on a road where she died. When her firefighter owner finally located her, there was nothing he could do. Both dog and man trained together in search and rescue skills...

' "Jess was not just a dog, she was a member of the family and her death has destroyed us. I cannot comprehend how a human being could treat another breathing creature in such a cruel way..". She would have acted as a sniffer dog [for Rapid Response Team UK] to trace people buried beneath rubble or trapped where humans would find it hard to find them... ' [Brighton & Hove]

Park police close forest preserve after feral dogs sighted IL The same wooded area which was the scene of a horrific dog maulings which killed one woman jogger on January 12 and maimed another jogger has been temporarily closed while police search for three dogs charging through the forest.

'Cook County officials said Friday they're closing Dan Ryan Woods for the weekend after spotting as many as three dogs running out of the South Side forest preserve where one woman was killed and another injured earlier this year by dogs roaming freely in the woods...' [Sun Times]

Horse works as 'guide dog', owner in doghouse with County OH Charity, a miniature horse, may be no bigger than a dog, but the County she lives in is enforcing regulations which may put her out to pasture and out of a job. She works as a kind of 'service dog' for a woman with debilitating arthritis. Other counties often exempt such service animals from zoning regulations, and it is not uncommon for miniature horses to work as service animals for the handicapped...

'This whole thing is ludicrous... It's like being in 'The Twilight Zone. This horse is the only hope I have... She's one of the most gentle animals I've ever been around...' Patricia Willis  [Plain Dealer Reporter]

A year in jail possible for dog rescuer TN A Nashville man faces jail and charges stemming from breaking through a police line to save his dog from an apartment building fire. Police defend the decision to jail and charge the man, despite growing public opinion that he acted heroically:

"I didn't know I was going to jail...I just thought, they're just trying to get me not to do it, and stay away from the fire. I didn't really think they was going to arrest someone for saving their dog-- you know-- I didn't... If I go to jail for one minute, we'll lose everything we have. Nobody's here to support my family but me..." [wsmv.com] Related: Interview with dog rescuer

Bone of contention in divorce: who gets the dog? OR The emotional bond dogs have forged with families is so strong that most divorcing couples find it easier to split the house than the dog. Pet custody laws are beginning to reflect the paradigm shift of pets as property to pets as surrogate children...

' ...the law is beginning to view pets as sentient beings who form deep bonds and have emotional needs of their own. About 25 law schools, including Harvard, Yale, UCLA and Duke, have added such animal law classes in the past 20 years. Legislators are also looking more closely at pet issues...' [The Oregonian] Related: Profession grapples with evolving pet status [DVM Magazine]

Springer spaniel bounces back from clifftop plunge UK 'A rescued springer spaniel from Belfast has proved that some dogs also have nine lives, after surviving a 120-foot fall from a cliff top and a four hour sea rescue drama by the Coast Guard....' [Belfast Telegraph]

Dog ban to save Koalas AU When a study by the Park Service found that uncontrolled dogs caused the majority of Koala deaths; Koalas have been removed from over 75% of their native habitat, the National Parks and Wildlife Service recommended banning all animals known to be aggressive toward Koalas. 'The National Parks and Wildlife Service wants a blanket ban on domestic dogs in suburbs built close to koala colonies.'  [Daily Telegraph]