VA: Culpepper's top 10 stories of 2009
Pit bulls turn violent, kill 1
Four unexpected pit bull attacks escalated into two mauling cases, a local officer killing a reported aggressive dog and the death of a toddler — all in the Piedmont region this year.
It all started in February when Culpeper Town Police responded to an aggressive pit bull call in the 400 block of Hill Street in Culpeper. When police arrived, the dog reportedly charged an officer, forcing him to shoot and kill it. No residents were hurt in that incident.
Two months later in April, an 11-year-old Rappahannock County girl was airlifted to the University of Virginia Medial Center with severe bite wounds to the face, neck, arms and legs after being attacked by a 1-year-old pit bull. That dog was euthanized.
In May, a Culpeper woman was credited with saving her 3-year-old grandson’s life when they were attacked by two raging pit bulls. Tammy Powers, 47, and her grandson Hunter Ryder were walking in the 21000 block of Mount Pony Road when the animals attacked. A few days later, dog owner Jamie Whitmer claimed the two male dogs and signed over custody to the county. After a 10-day quarantine, those dogs were euthanized.
The most tragic dog attack in this region occurred in September when a 23-month-old girl was mauled to death by a pit bull in Orange. According to reports, Jasmine Deane wandered outside her home during the evening and was found with multiple wounds all over her body. The dog owners voluntarily surrendered the dog to animal control officers and it was also euthanized.
Source: http://www2.starexponent.com/cse/news/local/article/culpepers_top_10_stories_of_2009/49293/
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
NATL: Michael Vick wins Baltimore Courage award
NATL: Michael Vick wins Baltimore Courage award
Philadelphia Eagles have chosen Michael Vick to win a prestigious award given to the player with the best "commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage."Vick was recently released from jail where he served time for his role in a dog-fighting ring.
The Baltimore-based Ed Block Courage Award is given to a player on all 32 teams. It is named for a former Baltimore Colts trainer who was an advocate for abused children. Vick will be honored with other recipients of the award at a ceremony in Baltimore in March.
Pictured is one of the scarred dogs rescued from Vick's Virginia dog-fighting kennel.===============
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More on this story from ProFootballTalk
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The Victory Dogs at Best Friends - read their stories HERE
Thursday, December 10, 2009
CA: Chihuahuas crowding California shelters
CA: Chihuahuas crowding California shelters
State’s centers overrun by the little yappers; experts blame pop culture
Dec. 11: Animal shelters in California are reporting a glut of abandoned Chihuahuas, leaving officials scrambling to find homes for all the tiny dogs. NBC’s George Lewis reports.
updated 4:58 p.m. PT, Thurs., Dec . 10, 2009
LOS ANGELES - California has more Chihuahuas than it can handle, and it has Hollywood to blame.
There are so many Chihuahuas at shelters in Oakland, they have started shipping the dogs out of state, said Megan Webb, director of Oakland Animal Services. They have sent about 100 to Washington, Oregon and Arizona, she said, “and as soon as they get them, they are ready for new ones.”
Chihuahuas make up 30 percent or more of the dog populations at many California shelters. And experts say pop culture is to blame, with fans imitating Chihuahua-toting celebrities like Paris Hilton and Miley Cyrus, then abandoning the dogs.
The problem appears to be specific to California — shelters elsewhere would love to share the wealth, said Gail Buchwald, senior vice president overseeing the ASPCA adoption center in New York City. “We never have enough supply for the huge consumer demand for small dogs,” she said.
One of Webb’s biggest problems is a lack of money to fly the dogs to other states. Buchwald said she would be happy to help. “Nothing is outside the realm of possibility here. We have a supply-demand issue,” she said.
Chihuahuas are the most popular breed of dog in Los Angeles, so it makes sense it is the most abandoned breed, said Madeline Bernstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles. In Oakland, some days, they get 10 of the 5-pound dogs a day, Webb said.
The problem is so bad that shelters all over California that were built for big dogs had to remodel to accommodate the little guys.
Among the reasons for the glut is the breed’s popularity in movies like “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and as celebrity pets, said Dave Frangipane, senior coordinator for Chihuahua Rescue of Beverly Hills. A cute puppy can grow up to have adult health problems or become protective and aggressive.
We asked some pet experts to give us the lowdown on what’s true and what’s not when it comes to dog and cat behavior and care.
There are less glamorous reasons, too, like the high vet bills Chihuahuas can bring. And the biggest spikes in California Chihuahua populations are probably due to puppy mills and backyard breeders, Buchwald and Frangipane said.
Chihuahuas are cute, but vulnerable, Frangipane said. “People think nothing of kicking a small, yappy dog. And they can be abused by people of all sizes. A toddler can snap a Chihuahua’s leg in a second,” he said.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34352750/ns/health-pet_health/
State’s centers overrun by the little yappers; experts blame pop culture
Dec. 11: Animal shelters in California are reporting a glut of abandoned Chihuahuas, leaving officials scrambling to find homes for all the tiny dogs. NBC’s George Lewis reports.
updated 4:58 p.m. PT, Thurs., Dec . 10, 2009
LOS ANGELES - California has more Chihuahuas than it can handle, and it has Hollywood to blame.
There are so many Chihuahuas at shelters in Oakland, they have started shipping the dogs out of state, said Megan Webb, director of Oakland Animal Services. They have sent about 100 to Washington, Oregon and Arizona, she said, “and as soon as they get them, they are ready for new ones.”
Chihuahuas make up 30 percent or more of the dog populations at many California shelters. And experts say pop culture is to blame, with fans imitating Chihuahua-toting celebrities like Paris Hilton and Miley Cyrus, then abandoning the dogs.
The problem appears to be specific to California — shelters elsewhere would love to share the wealth, said Gail Buchwald, senior vice president overseeing the ASPCA adoption center in New York City. “We never have enough supply for the huge consumer demand for small dogs,” she said.
One of Webb’s biggest problems is a lack of money to fly the dogs to other states. Buchwald said she would be happy to help. “Nothing is outside the realm of possibility here. We have a supply-demand issue,” she said.
Chihuahuas are the most popular breed of dog in Los Angeles, so it makes sense it is the most abandoned breed, said Madeline Bernstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles. In Oakland, some days, they get 10 of the 5-pound dogs a day, Webb said.
The problem is so bad that shelters all over California that were built for big dogs had to remodel to accommodate the little guys.
Among the reasons for the glut is the breed’s popularity in movies like “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and as celebrity pets, said Dave Frangipane, senior coordinator for Chihuahua Rescue of Beverly Hills. A cute puppy can grow up to have adult health problems or become protective and aggressive.
We asked some pet experts to give us the lowdown on what’s true and what’s not when it comes to dog and cat behavior and care.
There are less glamorous reasons, too, like the high vet bills Chihuahuas can bring. And the biggest spikes in California Chihuahua populations are probably due to puppy mills and backyard breeders, Buchwald and Frangipane said.
Chihuahuas are cute, but vulnerable, Frangipane said. “People think nothing of kicking a small, yappy dog. And they can be abused by people of all sizes. A toddler can snap a Chihuahua’s leg in a second,” he said.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34352750/ns/health-pet_health/
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