Above left, a South Carolina woman has been charged after hanging and burning a dog for chewing on the Bible.  Arrested, and in jail, she called it a “Devil Dog.”  She said “God told me to do it” when she wrapped an extension cord around the dog’s neck, hung it from a tree, and set it on fire.

Above right, in a story that couldn’t contrast more to that one, a bomb sniffing dog has been allowed adoption by a fallen Marine’s family.  The Marine, Colton Rusk, was the dog’s handler and was killed by a sniper.  The adoption had special approval of the Sec. of the Navy as the dog was considered still operational and in service.  We’ve added the story to our Dogs in War page.

A Minnesota woman who tried to mail a puppy in a box to Atlanta wants her puppy and postage back.  She has been charged with animal cruelty.  No word yet if she will be charged with stupidity.

Almost 100 dogs were rescued from a “squalid” puppy mill in Tennessee, known as the Zippity Do Da Tiny Pet Kennel.  Conditions were described as “deplorable” in a building that appeared to have once been a chicken coop, it contrasted to the website claim “We Specialize in Healthy loving Family Pets. We take pride in the Babies we raise.”  This is the 12th deployment of HSUS to Tennessee in the last three years, more than any other state.  A video showing some of the bust contrasts with the glowing terms on the website, which has since been taken down.

There are reports 10,000 stray dogs are to be shot in Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan due to impoverishment of the Central Asian nation, and Baghdad is on a similar mission slaughtering some 10,000 since December.  Closer to home, Fox News reports St. Louis has over 10,000 strays on the loose and the problem has become epidemic.

Above – dozens of sick and injured animals were found inside a condemned Long Island home Feb. 21.  Officers and veterinarians were on the scene earlier examining the animals.  They found at least 70 animals alive, including ducks, rabbits, mice, pigeons, chinchillas, dogs, cats, goats, a pig, and a cow, authorities said.  The animals were malnourished and filthy.  They also found at least a dozen animals dead.  There were reports a woman lived inside the home with the animals.

This follows another incident on Jan. 13 about a “house of horrors” in the Long Island area where a woman was found barricaded in her home with five dead pets and 17 severely neglected ones.  The disorientated 62-year-old was hospitalized.  The 17 dogs, which included 14 cocker spaniels, a papillion, a black Labrador mix and a golden retriever, were taken to an animal shelter.  The five dead animals included four dogs and a cat.  Above right, in July of last year, Long Island officials were looking for the owner of a home with dead animals.

You will be thrilled and relieved to know that monkeys have self doubt just like humans.

Here in Canada, a Niagara Falls woman has been charged after 61 dogs were removed from her feces ridden home.  Family and Children’s Services also removed four children and the house has been condemned (no specific photo due to children’s privacy).  Above right, in total contrast to that story Diane Cooper of the Barrie area and Sharron Purdy of the Moosonee Dog Rescue of Bracebridge are coping with an unprecedented number of abandoned animals from people in financial distress.  Purdy has rescued over 800 dogs in Ontario’s north.

Above, almost 200 dogs were removed from a Tampa Bay area home on March 4th owned by Elizabeth and Bradley Roden.  You can’t say it was a surprise – the Roden’s were charged in 2003, 2oo5, 2oo6, and 2oo8 with various animal neglect offences.  Below, this follows another bust Feb. 27 in the same area where 37 animals were rescued from a motor home and a van which also included at least 12 dead animals.  When police arrived they found dogs, cats, goats, and two donkeys in the filthy motor home and van.

Below – Missouri Prop B rises from the dead in March of 2011.

The Missouri State Senate passed a bill to repeal (or make changes to) Prop B, know as the Missouri Puppy Mill Act.  Despite being passed by a majority of voters, pressure from various special interests obviously became too much to bear.  Depending on whom you want to believe, the Bill is being watered down or changes are necessary to protect legitimate breeders.  Among changes:  removing the language prohibiting stacked cages, minimum and maximum temperatures for housing, redefining the “regular exercise” requirement, and the type and frequency of vet inspections.  The Bill will now go to the House for a vote, and the debate will probably rage on.  More on Jim’s Notebook.

Above – A different kind of lab test.  This trained Labrador can sniff out certain kinds of cancer, say Japanese researchers, and the field holds great promise for early detection.  Businessweek has reported on this, as well as CTVand other sources.

Above – In a tragic fallout from Spain’s economic crisis, the aftermath of a horse-buying spree during Spain’s construction boom is that many animals are now starving.  ”It was the classic move by the newly rich,” said the man in charge of Spain’s only horse sanctuary. “They bought a Mercedes car and a horse, just to show off. Now that they have no money, it is the horse who suffers first.”  The problem is reminiscent of people walking away from homes in the US and leaving the pets to fend for themselves.  To get more of the whole picture of Spain, “ghost towns” are now springing up of half constructed houses no one can afford to finish.

Above left – In this video posted March 3, the ASPCA rescued hundreds of dogs from a Ohio hoarder.  Right – “Living 2 feet deep in garbage, feces, and urine” and on a diet of kale, rice, and vegetables, over 100 dogs were rescued in a home outside Cleveland.  A mother and her daughter have been charged in what rescuers said was “the worst we’ve ever seen.”  The SPCA video of some of the animals is here.

Above – HSUS liberated over 250 animals from a “ranch” in Arizona.  The woman, who has been charged, had a long history of animal hoarding.  After being given a cease-and-desist order in Colorado for the same problem, she had moved to Arizona and started up again.

Below – Port Dover Friday the 13th, 2011

Besides the bikes, dogs were a big hit in Port Dover during Friday the 13th weekend. Great weather brought out a record crowd for the only Friday the 13th this year.

Above – A Jane’s Walk in Ottawa focuses on dog poop.  Jane’s Walk, named after American urbanist and thinker Jane Jacobs, happened all over cities in Canada this weekend including Toronto, Ottawa, and Guelph .  The free neighbourhood walking tours given by locals is a pedestrian-focused event.  One of the Ottawa walks (top left) focused on unpicked up dog poop.  More general information is on janeswalk.net.  Jane Jacobs wrote The Death and Life of Great American Cities and asked many questions, including “Do we build cities for people or for cars?”  She was also an important influence on New Urbanism, an urban design movement, which promotes walkable neighbourhoods.

Above – an interesting perspective on Pit Bulls.  ”For over one hundred Years Americans knew Pit Bulls for what they did best:  Babysitting” runs the headline.  Great photos.  So far, this is only on Facebook.

Above – Dog Park Wars:  ”Not in my front yard.”  A battle is brewing in Toronto over the relocation of an existing dog park to a new location.  Nobody’s happy.  Below - Deaf dog adopted by deaf kids after the dog was trained by inmates at a Missouri prison.  The inmates trained a deaf Dachshund and then asked the Missouri School for the Deaf in Fulton, Missouri to take him in.

The Poodle Who Fell To Earth:  Above is shown a Poodle in B.C. who survived after being picked up by an eagle and then dropped from the sky after the 18 lbs. was apparently too much for the eagle to carry.  The dog, which suffered broken ribs and deep talon marks, had been malnourished and apparently living as a stray.  The story is here.

Disasters squeeze animal shelters

Animal rescue groups and shelters are straining from the large number of pets displaced by tornadoes and flooding in the US.

Above– In a bizarre story out of Zanesville, Ohio,  a reported 48 exotic animals have escaped from the Muskingum County Animal Farm, the owner found dead, cages opened and fences unsecured.  So far 31 have been killed, and 8 animals are still unaccounted for.  Lions, tigers, cheetahs, wolves, giraffes, camels and bears of “mature and very aggressive” size had escaped and were roaming the countryside.  Schools are closed, motorists are warned to stay in their cars, flashing signs have been set up on roads, deputies and hunters are out with assault rifles. It is now being reported the owner committed suicide after releasing the animals.

The initial story has been somewhat updated as more information has come out. It is now learned that the owner was deep in debt and had marital problems, the animals were said to be living in “horrific conditions” and as a bizarre twist five people have been charged with the theft of a lion carcass.