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Re: Animals in the news
Published: Mar 18, 2009 12:00 AM Modified: Mar 18, 2009 10:12 AM
Augie made off with the loot.
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Dog leaves family's cash in his deposits
By Matt Ehlers, Staff Writer
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APEX - Kelley Davis and her family are in savings mode. The Apex mother works extra hours as a physical therapist, and she clipped coupons to save $70 during a recent trip to the grocery store.
So Davis was excited Friday to put $400 cash in her account. But when she reached into her pocket, the bills were missing; unbeknownst to her, the money was already inside a variety of Swiss bank account.
Specifically, it was inside Augie, the family's 2-year-old greater Swiss mountain dog.
Before her errands, Davis, 42, set the cash on her bedroom bureau. Augie apparently helped himself.
On Saturday, Davis took Augie for a long walk. Augie did not disappoint.
Davis saw in his leavings pieces of the three $100 bills and five twenties. She took up a garden hose.
"Kids, get the colander!," she said, remembering the moment. "I'm out there panning for gold."
The cash shouldn't endanger Augie, said Dr. Steve Marks, an associate professor of internal medicine and critical care at the N.C. State University Veterinary School.
"Dogs will ingest almost anything if given the chance," Marks said.
By Monday night, Davis had the remnants of $160. If she can find enough pieces, she hopes the government will exchange them.
Federal regulations say mutilated currency can be replaced if more than 50 percent of a bill is identifiable or if "the method of mutilation and supporting evidence demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Treasury" that the rest of the bill has been destroyed.
"Who knows if there's more coming or not," she said. "We're anxiously awaiting."
Tuesday morning came a miracle: Augie produced an intact $20 bill.
Just pray you're not the cashier who receives it. -
Re: Animals in the news
Boston pets in crisis
Abandonments on rise as economy sinks
By Laurel J. Sweet | Wednesday, March 18, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Coverage
Photo by Mark Garfinkel
Dogs, cats and even alligators are being abandoned to fend for themselves as the latest cruel collateral damage of a crippling economy tearing apart family budgets.
The discarded pets have left animal rescue workers scrambling to play catch-up.
“As the economy gets worse, we’re seeing more and more abandonments. On evictions, you never know what you’re going to find,” said state police Lt. Alan Borgal, director of animal welfare and protection at the Animal Rescue League of Boston.
“You’re dumping an animal to a possibly cruel fate,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be this way. I’m more than willing to talk to someone who’s in trouble. We’ll figure it out together.”
The first wave of foreclosure-related pet surrenders arrived on ARL’s South End doorstep early last year, but soon after owners began just kicking pets out of the house, or driving away from foreclosed homes and leaving them behind.
Most of the animals rescued have been cats, but Borgal said authorities have also come upon snakes, alligators and lizards.
Chickadee, a female pit bull mix the color of coffee ice cream and marshmallow syrup and believed to be 2 or 3 years old, is “evidence” in one such mind-boggling desertion. When she’s put up for adoption this month, Borgal hopes she’ll be newly classified as a family member somewhere.
“She’s just as sweet as can be,” Borgal said as the wriggling pooch sought out new hands to stroke and praise her.
Borgal saw more of Chickadee’s sore-covered bones than he can hope to forget when the new owner of a foreclosed-upon triple-decker on West Tremlett Street in Dorchester called him Feb. 19 about a possible dog on the premises.
Too weak to even yelp for help, Chickadee was in an empty apartment half dead in a urine-and feces-soiled cage with no food or water. The woman who owned her, who Borgal has been unable to find to charge with felony animal cruelty, may have been gone only a couple days. But how long Chickadee had been without basic sustenance is anyone’s guess.
“Everything was gone except the dog and the trash,” Borgal said. “It’s not like the bike you leave in the cellar. Animals can’t call 911. You can see what a wonderful dog this is. She’s so trusting of people.
“It’s so sad at any level to let animals suffer, but we know people are in trouble and we’re not blind to that,” he said. “If we can’t help you, we’ll direct you to someone who can.”
Borgal urges anyone who knows of a pet who’s been abandoned or may be in danger of being left behind to call ARL’s law enforcement hotline at 617-226-5610. Tips may be left anonymously.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/reg...icleid=1159352Comment
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Re: Animals in the news
Great idea for a thread Tanya! I am so sad to read about Chickadee. I hope she finds her forever home soon.
Wouldn't it suck to have a dog pull an Augie! Wow, whoda thunk.Comment
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Re: Animals in the news
For what it is worth, I have had a "Google Alert" set up for the words "dog saves" for a long time. Every day that search brings half a dozen stories of dogs saving people... now and then dogs are saved. Here is todays top story:
<span style="font-size: 14pt">Dog saves woman attacked at river walk</span>
Pima County deputies are searching for a man they say tried to abduct a woman near the Rillito River path. Luckily, the woman's dog was able to fight off the attacker.
Detectives say, the woman was so traumatized it took a week for them to piece together their investigation.
The victim says, she was walking her dog last Thursday near Fairview and the Rillito River, when a man, on a bike, grabbed her arms.
He tried to drag her but then, she says, her dog attacked him.
Pima County Sheriff's Sgt Terry Parish says, "She was able to call her dog, he came she said it was something like you see on TV the dog leaped into the air hit the man in the chest and knocked him down, and she took off running."
Sgt. Parish also says he believes the dog bit the suspect because the dog had blood around his mouth.
According to deputies, the woman was attacked on the opposite side of where people normaly jog, walk or bike.
There are mobile homes nearby but people we spoke with said they didn't hear or see anything. Tim Davis says, " I think its awful, all kinds of strange things happen along this trail. People walk by and throw rocks at my house, I don't know why."
Sgt. Parish says the woman did everything right. "She did exactly what I would want a member of my family to do. She made noise, she was resisting and on top of that she had a dog with her."
Sgt. Parish says its critical they find the suspect now because his next victim may not be as lucky.
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Re: Animals in the news
DENVER — A parrot whose cries of alarm alerted his owner when a little girl choked on her breakfast has been honoured as a hero.
Willie, a Quaker parrot, has been given the local Red Cross chapter’s Animal Lifesaver Award.
In November, Willie’s owner, Megan Howard, was baby-sitting for a toddler. Howard left the room and the little girl, Hannah, started to choke on her breakfast.
Willie repeatedly yelled “Mama, baby” and flapped his wings, and Howard returned in time to find the girl already turning blue.
Howard saved Hannah by performing the Heimlich manoeuvre but said Willie “is the real hero.”
“The part where she turned blue is always when my heart drops no matter how many times I’ve heard it,” Hannah’s mother, Samantha Kuusk, told KCNC-TV. “My heart drops in my stomach and I get all teary eyed.”
Willie got his award during a “Breakfast of Champions” event Friday attended by Gov. Bill Ritter and Mayor John Hickenlooper.Comment
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Re: Animals in the news
GOLDEN - When Walt Queen's home caught fire, neighbors saw it turn into a fireball that they couldn't imagine anything surviving.
The home was a complete loss, but when firefighters heard barking coming from the basement, they learned that not everything was lost.
"We heard a report that there were dogs in there and we were like, 'Oh no," Nathan Wilis said, a firefighter with the Pleasant View Fire Department.
When firefighters reached the basement of the home, the same area where it is believed the fire started, they found two adult Yorkshire terriers and 15 puppies.
"They were pretty scared," Wilis said. "They were cold, they were wet, so we wrapped them in blankets and towels. They actually didn't have enough, so they had to cut them in half to get them in blankets."
Queen and his family weren't home when the fire started, which is suspected to have started from an electrical short, but arrived to see his home engulfed in flames.
"The flames were shooting about a hundred feet high and it is just a miracle my puppies lived," Queen explained.
He and his family have raised Yorkshire terriers for several generations. The puppies in the basement were 12 weeks old. The firefighters worked together to get them all out.
"We started pulling them out and handing them, there was just a line of firefighters with dogs last night," Wilis said. "And we confirmed the count that we got them all out and we were quite happy."
"Lucky isn't the word for it," Queen said, describing the rescue. Looking at the firefighters he said, "The real heroes are standing right there."
On Friday evening, a small fire flared up in the attic of the home but crews say it caused no additional damage.
If you are interesting in adopting one of the Yorkshire terrier puppies, they are for sale. You can contact Queen Yorkie Palace at 303-618-5958 or visit their Web site at www.queenyorkies-palace.com.
(Copyright KUSA*TV. All rights reserved.)
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Re: Animals in the news
Knoxville, TN - Sure you've heard of cats getting stuck in trees, but what about a dog?
Buford, a 5-month-old hound mix, climbed a tree on Tuesday, and no one can figure out how he managed such a feat.
A KUB bucket truck crew rescued Buford from a tree in South Knox County that was more than 20 feet tall. No one saw it happen, but he had managed to find his way to the very top branch.
After doing a lot of coaxing, a KUB worker managed to get Buford into the bucket truck and back down into the waiting arms of his family.
Even in his excited state, Buford still remembered his manners. He walked around and personally thanked all the workers who played a role in his rescue.
The experience apparently was a first for others besides Buford.
"Never seen it in my life. Have you ever seen a dog climb a tree? I sure haven't. This is a first for me," said Tyler Wilson, Buford's owner.
As for the "how, when, and why" surrounding Buford's bizzare predicament? We may never know.Comment
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