Dogs at work give employers more productivity

Would you work a longer day if you could bring your dog to work? Recent survey says yes... workers would put in more hours if their best friends were sleeping under their desks at the office.

Insurance for stolen or missing pets

Dog theft is on the rise in England according to the Missing Pets Bureau of Surrey, England.

Started 6 years by Rupert Honeywood, this organization allows people to insure their pets against theft and loss. A unique idea that could be very popular in the states if a large percentage of people didn't have that inherent belief that dogs are expendable.

Frasier's K-9 star, Eddie, dies

Eddie, the Jack Russell terrier star of TV's "Fransier", has died. This little Jack Russell brought laughs to many fans of the show and popularized the breed in the states. The 16-year-old terrier, whose real name was Moose, passed away of old age Thursday at the Los Angeles home of trainer Mathilde Halberg.

Digby the Dog - a video diary

I guess everybody deserves to have their own blog... and that includes dogs. Digby the dog has his own blog. This British pooch not only has a role in a West End London play - The furry star of 'See How They Run' has a video diary.

My Dog Votes!

You gotta love it!

I think they got it... My Dog Votes!

What a simple concept, what an impact this could make.


This campaign started up in Canada with people who are tired of politicians taking away our rights to own pets and punishing the good owners instead of the careless and bad owners. We don't have to vote for a politician that does not represent our concerns ... but we need to let them know why we aren't voting for them.

This site will also link you to a list of 2006 upcoming elections in Canada and the United States.

Anti-dog legislation begins on a local level. If you don't get control there, you never will.

Canned Dog Food Recall

Another pet food company, Simmons Pet Food, Inc., has just issued a voluntary recall on thousands of cans of wet dog food manufactured under the names:

• Ol'Roy
• Pot Luck
• Fit and Active
• Twin Pet
• American Fare
• Strongheart

The affected cans show "use by" dates between March 16, 2008, and June 6, 2008. Simmons officials said the company discovered an issue regarding random flaking of the inside coating of the can. The company said the incidence rate is less than 0.1 percent.

The company has recalled the following products:

• 22oz. Pot Luck Canned Pet Food UPC 72562326232
• 22oz. Fit and Active Hearty Loaf with Beef UPC 072562328229
• 22oz. Fit and Active Hearty Loaf with Chicken UPC 072562378224
• 22oz. Fred's Canine Cuisine Dog Food Prime Entr?e Cuts with Beef UPC 084579100163 (Use By Date 05/08/08 only)
• 22oz. Twin Pet with Beef Dog and Puppy Food UPC 071682241234
• 22oz. Twin Pet with Beef - Liver Flavor Dog and Puppy Food UPC 071682241333
• 22oz. American Fare Dinner with Turkey and Bacon UPC 07200019342 (Use By Date 04/05/08 only)
• 22oz. American Fare Chunky Dinner with Beef and Bacon UPC 07200019344 (Use By Date 04/05/08 only)
• 22oz. American Fare Chunky Dinner with Beef UPC 07200019341 (Use By Date 04/05/08 only)
• 22oz. American Fare Country Stew with Beef UPC 07200019343 (Use By Date 04/05/08 only)
• 22oz. Strongheart Beef Flavor Dog Food UPC 071682641232
• 22oz. Ol'Roy Beef Flavor UPC 0068113189763 and UPC 072562350237
• 22oz. Ol'Roy Chicken Flavor UPC 0068113189762 and UPC 072562349231
• 22oz. Ol'Roy Hearty Loaf with Chopped Beef UPC 0068113189770
• 22oz. Ol'Roy Hearty Loaf Chopped Meaty Combo UPC 0068113189771

Consumers may return the items to the place where they were purchased for a refund or replacement.

Vaccine maker recalls rabies doses

Veterinarians to notify pet owners about shots
story by
STELLA M. HOPKINS

shopkins@charlotteobserver.com

A leading rabies vaccine manufacturer has voluntarily recalled about 330,000 doses sold nationwide after a vaccinated dog contracted the deadly disease.

"They don't know why ... the animal contracted rabies," said Kelly Goss, a spokeswoman for Fort Dodge Animal Health, based in Overland Park, Kan., and a division of health care giant Wyeth. "In the best interest of pet owners and animals, we made a decision to voluntarily recall that product."

The company mailed notices to veterinarians on May 25, and will reimburse them for revaccination, Goss said. Doctors are notifying pet owners to bring in animals for free shots.
Fort Dodge began selling the recalled batch in January 2005. Goss didn't know how many vets bought the problem lot. Fort Dodge tested batches of vaccine with serial numbers issued around that of the affected lot and found no problems, she said.

Animals at greatest risk are outdoor pets and those such as puppies and kittens, who received the recalled medication as their first and only vaccination, said Dr. Steve Marks of the N.C. State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh.

"If that initial vaccination did not work, then they're ... at risk for rabies," he said.
Notified pet owners should act quickly to have their animal revaccinated, Marks said, but he cautioned against panic.

"Just call your veterinarian if you're in doubt," he said.

What This Means to Pet Owners

Fort Dodge Animal Health recalled rabies vaccine
Rabvac 3 TF, serial number 873113A

Your vet should notify you if your pet was vaccinated with the problem batch. You can also check the rabies certificate that you should have received, which lists the manufacturer and serial number.

NC dog owners, please read -HB 2098 being read tomorrow in the Agriculture Committee

I am not sure how this proposed legislation snuck in the back door, but it is very dangerous legislation.

HB 2098 was scheduled for to be read on the floor today after passing through the Agriculture Committee. However, it is back on tomorrow's calendar.

HB 2098 - Protection of Animals
http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2005/Bills/House/HTML/H2098v2.htm l
The NC Federation of Dog Clubs urge all who are concerned to email Representatives Ross, Hill, and Insko as well as your County Rep before the bill is read tomorrow.

This is the companion piece toS669 in the 2003-2004 Session which allows a third party to file suit to remove animals for cruelty. please note that they only have to consult with the animals owners if the animal needs to be euthanized.

You stand to lose any rights you have, once accused of animal cruelty-whetheror not you are guilty! (S669 allows 3rd parties to file suit to remove foranimal cruelty). Anyone can accuse you of animal cruelty. Anyone!
Anyone can get “custody” of your animals and then, with the court’s permission, charge you for ALL of the upkeep and medical care of the custody of your dogs - whatever your accuser deems as necessary.

Your accuser may take your animals, force you to pay for their upkeeppending trial, and vet them as they see fit--the bill says "consult with or attempt to consult with--you do not have to be notified unless your animals need to be euthanized. This wording can be construed to mean spayed/neutered, as removal of reproductive organs is "necessary medical care".This legislation is combined with much needed dog fighting legislation - two totally different areas of dog ownership. Below is a url listing the things wrong with this legislation and who to contact about this bill.


http://www.moordair.com/Information_for_NC/NC%20Proposed%20Bills%20Fight%20Or%20Save.htm

Disaster Preparedness

In the June AKC Chairman's report, it mentions that the Department of Homeland Security has created a brochure to help owners prepare themselves and their pets in the event of a disaster.

After Katrina, it became very evident that the American public is very devoted to their pets and do not want to leave them behind. From the AKC website....

"AKC has teamed up with DHS to create a tri-fold brochure titled, “Ready Pets” to educate owners on disaster preparedness. Unveiled last month by DHS Under Secretary for Preparedness George W. Foresman, the brochure highlights the key steps pet owners should take to prepare themselves and their animals. A printable version is available on our website as part of our new disaster preparedness page at www.akc.org."

I know I plan to print out a copy and make sure the vets I use get a copy. If we share this plan with as many dog oriented groups as possible, we would be doing a great service to people and pets that might be affected by any type of disaster.

Hurricane season officially started June 1st.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR ANIMAL OWNERS - August 26th

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR ANIMAL OWNERS
Saturday, August 26, 2006

North Carolinians face potential weather-related disaster scenarios throughout the year - thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and winter storms to name a few. You may be required to leave your home at moment's notice as a hurricane approaches - or perhaps be confined to your home for an extended period of time after a devastating winter storm. Is your whole family, including your animals, prepared?

Attend this one-day course at the North Carolina School of Veterinary Medicine and learn how to include your animals in your family's disaster planning. Be prepared to take action to protect and care for your animals before, during, and after an emergency situation occurs.

Registration
Registration for this course is $30. Registration includes a proceedings manual and lunch. The course is limited to 100 attendees. A registration form is available here.

Location
This course will be held at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine at 4700 Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, NC.

Continuing Education
Because this course is intended to be for laypeople, veterinarians and veterinary technicians may not earn CVME.

ADA Statement
If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in the activity, please contact Samantha Hartford to discuss your needs at least 30 days prior to the event.

Bird Flu

If you read the news or watch TV, you are aware of the Doomsday warnings about the Bird Flu. Or are you?

We think we live in a modern country that will surely take care of us in the case of a disaster. But did our government spring to the aid of Gulf Shore residents last year during Katrina?

We have vaccines for the flu. We have some of the most cutting edge medical research centers in the world. Or do we?.

I watched Oprah the other night and it scared me.

The government has put up a web site for us to read and learn about the next pandemic flu.

What is being stressed everywhere is not IF there will be a pandemic flu, but WHEN. It may not be the bird flu, but it will be some type of flu. It will kill millions. We - and other countries - are unprepared for this. Our government has done nothing but stress to the public that we will be on our own.

Wow. That is my tax dollar at work. I bet congress will get a sufficient supply of vaccines. I just hope that hospital workers will be included in the list of necessary personnel.

What I am getting to in a round about way is, it is up to you to make sure your family has a disaster plan. And your family includes your four-legged companions.

The last pandemic flu that we had in the US was one we were not prepared for either. That flu skipped a species and went directly from bird to man.

On March 21, 2006 HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and Governor Mike Easley signed a Planning Resolution detailing HHS' and North Carolina's shared and independent responsibilities for pandemic planning.

Remember, when planning emergency food, water, medication, and supplies - include your pet's needs as well.

Death pardon for a Golden mix

If this had been any breed except a Golden Retriever mix....

A 3 year old boy from Portsmouth, VA was bitten in the face by his father's roommate's dog yesterday (you following this?). The boy will require extensive plastic surgery. The dog is in quarantine, but was not taken into cutstody because they did not feel he was a threat to anyone else.

So, we either have a wild child who harrassed a dog, or the reputation of a Golden Retriever to thank for the death pardon on this dog.

Patricia Cornwell Donates $1 Million to Cornell Vet School Hospital

The Patricia Cornwell Intensive Care Unit for the Cornell Companion Animal Hospital is Dedicated

A Gift of $1 Million From the Author Is Celebrated to Support Animals in Need

ITHACA, N.Y., June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Cornell University Hospital for Animals at the College of Veterinary Medicine has announced the dedication of The Patricia Cornwell Intensive Care Unit for Companion Animals. A gift of$1 million by Patricia Cornwell, the award-winning author and former crime reporter, will be honored with the installation of a naming plaque on June 9, Cornwell's 50th birthday.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060607/NYW091 )

Cornwell's affinity for animals in need as well as her commitment and advocacy for causes such as forensic research, victims' support and animal rescue, have been well recognized through her contribution to several institutions, including Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine.

The gift to Cornell was pledged after Cornwell brought her beloved English bulldog Booboo to the Cornell Companion Animal Hospital where he received excellent care and compassion from Cornell veterinary internist Dr. Richard Goldstein and the hospital's clinicians. Cornwell returned with another English bulldog Okey, and was again impressed with the level of excellence at the Cornell Companion Animal Hospital. Okey was rescued with one eye blinded and totally deaf due to neglect, but his treatment at Cornell helped improve the quality of his life.

"Cornell is the place to go, without a doubt, if there's something wrong with one of your animals," said Cornwell. When people ask her why go to all that trouble for one dog, she responds, "I believe you look at the life in front of you, and do what you can. That's what they do at Cornell."

Thanks to Cornwell's generous gift, a wireless server was installed that beams magnetic resonance images, computed tomography(CT) scans, ultrasounds and radiographic images throughout the Companion Animal Hospital. This critical technology upgrade allows the medical team to quickly view and share images, which in turn speeds up the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

More than 17,000 animals are treated at the Companion Animal Hospital every year, and in an emergency or when the patient is critical, every second counts. Cornwell's support has improved patient care and provided an incredible teaching tool for Cornell's veterinary students.

"We are honored to have the Intensive Care Unit for Companion Animals named for Patricia Cornwell," said Dr. Donald F. Smith, Cornell's Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine. "Her generous support ensures the Companion Animal Hospital will continue to lead the way in integrating scientific research and clinical applications to advance the health of animals and people."

Patricia Cornwell is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of fiction and nonfiction. She has achieved international acclaim for such bestsellers as Predator, Trace and Portrait of a Killer: Jack The Ripper - Case Closed. Her latest No. 1 New York Times bestseller, At Risk, was published by G. P. Putnam's Sons on May 23.

For more information about Patricia Cornwell, visit http://www.patriciacornwell.com/.

SOURCE Cornell University Hospital for Animals at the College of Veterinary
Medicine-0- 06/07/2006
/CONTACT: Cornell: Sabina Lee, +1-607-255-3024
Cell:+1-607-227-3341, ssl37@cornell.edu;
or Contact for Patricia Cornwell:
Mih-Ho Cha,
+1-781-862-9833, Mih-Ho.Cha@us.penguingroup.com,
for CornellUniversity Hospital for Animals at the College of Veterinary Medicine/
/Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060607/NYW091
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN2
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com /
/Web site: http://www.patriciacornwell.com /

AKC comes out in support of "Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006"

AKC Endorses and Supports S. 2548, The "Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006" (PETS)

With predictions for another above-average hurricane season in 2006, and AKC survey results showing that an overwhelming majority of pet owners will refuse evacuation orders unless they can take their pets with them, the AKC is pleased to endorse and support the recently introduced S. 2548, the "Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006", known as "PETS".

PETS amends the federal Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to require provisions for rescue, care, shelter and essential needs of pets and service animals and their families in emergency and disaster relief, and to require that such provisions be included in federal, state and local emergency and disaster preparedness plans.

PETS was introduced in the Senate April 5, 2006 by Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and already has 12 additional co-sponsors. The legislation was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which has not yet taken action on the bill. However, both Sen. Stevens and Lautenberg are members of the Committee, and action is expected this session. The AKC has written members of the Committee urging quick action on the legislation.

A similarly named, but significantly weaker, bill was enacted by the House of Representatives on May 22, 2006.

However, if the Senate passes its version of PETS, the stronger Senate bill is likely to be adopted by the conference committee. While the House bill merely requires governmental entities to "take into account" pets and household with pets in preparing disaster plans, the Senate bill mandates that they be included, and includes authorization for funding for pets and people with pets in emergency shelter facilities planning, leasing and construction as well as planning.

The AKC urges all fanciers to contact the offices of your U.S. Senators and ask them to co-sponsor S. 2548 if they have not already done so, and promptly enact the bill. It is important to contact all Senators, but it is especially important if he or she is a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which has jurisdiction over the bill.

A list of Committee Members and a list of co-sponsors of S. 2548 as of June 1, 2006 follows:

Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs

Please click on the Senator's name to send an email in support of PETS.
Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Chair
Ted Stevens (R-AK)
George V. Voinovich (R-OH)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Lincoln D. Chafee (R-RI)
Robert Bennett (R-UT)
Pete V. Domenici (R-MN)
John W. Warner (R-VA)
Joseph I. Lieberman (D-CT) Ranking Mem.
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)
Thomas R. Carper (D-DE)
Mark Dayton (D-MN)
Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Mark Pryor (D-AR)

Co-Sponsors of S. 2548 (as of June 1, 2006)
Ted Stevens (R-AK) Sponsor
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT)
John Ensign (R-NV)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
James M. Jeffords (I-VT)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)F
rank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Joseph I. Lieberman (D-CT)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Let's get this bill to pass! Do your part.

Dog Flu Impacting Dog Raicing Tracks

The dog flu, labeled Kennel Cough in this South Florida Business Journal article, indicates that the dog tracks are being hit hard already this year with more outbreaks of the dog flu. The dog flu hit the tracks last year from Miami to Oregon.

Police learn a new language!

Just read an article about a Police Department in Bristol, UK that purchased (or as they said, recruited) three dogs from Holland. The dogs were 2 Dutch Shepherds and 1 Belgian Malinois. So the officers had to learn a "new language".

Sigh... and who signed the Purchase Order?

Canine Mutiny: Dog Owners Fight Insurers

From the Wall Street Journal...

Canine Mutiny: Dog Owners Fight Insurers
By M. P. MCQUEEN
June 1, 2006; Page D1

Dog owners are biting back at the insurance industry.

There is a push by lawmakers and animal-welfare groups to ban the growing insurance-industry practice of refusing to write homeowners' policies for people who own dogs of certain breeds. Some big insurers, including Allstate Corp. and Farmers Insurance Group, won't cover homes in some states if certain breeds are present.

Others exclude the breeds from liability coverage or charge extra for it. The so-called vicious-breed lists include such popular pooches as German shepherds, Akitas and Siberian huskies, along with Alaskan Malamutes, Chow Chows, Doberman Pinschers, American pit bull terriers and their cousins.

The practice is spurring rising complaints by dog owners that their homeowners' and renters' policies have been dropped, or they have been denied coverage, because their dog is on the list. They say the rules unfairly link well-behaved family pets with aggressive miscreants responsible for high-profile attacks.

At least nine states, including Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Vermont, and Wisconsin, now have bills pending that would prevent insurance companies from dropping or refusing customers because of their dog's breed. In Massachusetts, a proposed bill has been set aside for further study. (Insurance rules and rates are state-regulated.)

In 2003, the Michigan insurance commissioner issued an administrative ruling banning the practice in that state. The legislation is supported by animal-welfare organizations including the Humane Society of the United States, the American Kennel Club, and local pet and breeders' advocacy groups.

Insurers, who mostly oppose legislative efforts to alter their dog- breed policies, argue that government public-health studies and their own claims histories indicate that some breeds are more dangerous than others, and therefore pose higher risk of claims for injury and loss. Limiting insurers' exposure to those risks helps keep premiums more affordable for everyone, insurance officials say.

For owners of these breeds, the insurers' rules seem infuriatingly arbitrary. Terri Becker of Lake Arrowhead, Calif., said she has been turned down for coverage by several insurers recently. Ms. Becker, who owns three mixed-breed dogs, says The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., refused her application last year because one of the dogs was part-Chow.
"I can have a gun, but I can't have a Chow. That's kind of crazy," she said.

A spokesman for The Hartford, Joe Loparco, said that the company won't provide new coverage in most states to owners of Presa Canarios, Rottweilers and pit bulls, but that Chows aren't excluded. He also said that without knowing the specifics of the case, he couldn't address Ms. Becker's complaint.

The insurance battle comes as debate is erupting in cities, states, and courtrooms over whether to target certain breeds. More than 100 counties and cities have passed ordinances since 1991 banning or restricting ownership of specific breeds -- especially pit bulls -- or requiring that owners carry large amounts of liability insurance.

This year through March alone, 65 such measures were proposed, far outpacing the number for the same period last year, according to the AKC. Dog owners and animal-rights groups have challenged many of these laws in court, and some laws have been struck down. In March, an appeals court in Ohio ruled that local and state laws banning or restricting ownership of pit-bull dogs were unconstitutionally vague.

Some pet advocates and insurance officials say companies started blacklisting breeds shortly after a series of highly publicized dog attacks, such as the Diane Whipple case. Ms. Whipple, 33, was mauled to death in 2001 by a neighbor couple's Presa Canario, a fighting breed that is often snubbed by insurers. The case is regarded as a landmark because the dog owners were convicted of manslaughter in connection with the vicious attack.

Dogs bite an estimated 4.7 million people in the United States annually, 800,000 seriously enough to require medical attention.

About 40% of victims are children. Dog bites were responsible for $317.2 million in claims in 2005, an average of more than $21,000 each. They comprise 15% of liability claims, which in turn are about 4% of total claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute, a nonprofit industry research and information group.

Homeowner and rental policies typically provide between $100,000 and $300,000 of liability coverage for dog bites.

Some insurers cite a 2000 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of 20 years of fatal attacks by dogs on humans. It found that pit-bull-related breeds and Rottweilers were involved in more than half of the 238 dog-attack deaths between 1979 and 1998.

But the study's authors, including Julie Gilchrist, say that public and private policymakers have drawn flawed conclusions from it. Dr. Gilchrist said the study wasn't designed to determine which are the most dangerous dog breeds and didn't establish bite-fatality rates for the breeds it named. "You can't say that one breed is more likely to bite (than another)," she said.

Dr. Gilchrist, a pediatrician, said the involvement of some breeds in more attacks may reflect the sheer prevalence of those breeds.

Other factors, such as training and neutering, are more relevant than breed, she said, noting that owners choose and train some dogs for aggression. The CDC has posted a notice on its Web site trying to discourage lawmakers and others from using the study to ban specific breeds.

Adam Goldfarb, issues specialist for the Humane Society of the United States, agrees. "According to the CDC, more than 70% of the dogs involved in attacks are unneutered males," he said. "No other statistic is as big as that." Mr. Goldfarb said the Humane Society might support insurability criteria that looked at whether a dog has been spayed or neutered, has been obedience-trained, or is chained outside (a factor in many attacks.)

Some longtime dog owners said they had owned controversial breeds for years without incident when insurance companies suddenly decided to cut them loose. Veterinarian Gary Lainer of Canton, Mass., said six of his clients had been dropped by insurers recently, including a Rottweiler owner in a crime-ridden section of Brockton who had bought the dog to help make his home safer. Most eventually found coverage but they had to pay "much, much more," Mr. Lainer said.

Not every insurer limits coverage for owners of certain breeds. State Farm Insurance Cos., the largest issuer of homeowner policies in the U.S., and Fireman's Fund Insurance Co., a subsidiary of Allianz AG, don't consider the breed of dog when issuing policies.

Meanwhile, Farmers Insurance Group, the third-largest home insurer by market share, excludes several dog breeds from coverage in five of the 41 states in which it does business. The company has had "above average losses" connected with dogs of those breeds in those states, said spokeswoman Mary Flynn. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., the fourth-largest insurer, also has a list of banned breeds, but owners can be exempted by having their dog pass an American Kennel Club-approved "Canine Good Citizenship" test.

Specialty insurers known as "excess and surplus lines" carriers, which tend to charge more for coverage, seldom exclude dogs from coverage by breed, said Dave Evans, senior vice president of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers Association of the United States, a trade group. With many companies offering homeowners insurance, consumers should shop around, perhaps with the help of an independent insurance agent, who can compare policies from various companies.

Write to M. P. McQueen at mari.mcqeen@wsj.com