Bubbles the Elephant and Bela the Dog Have a Beautiful Friendship

The pair live and play at Myrtle Beach Safari, delighting visitors.

You know how when you go outside and half-heartedly throw a ball to your dog a few times while reading TMZ on your smartphone?

Yeah, that wouldn't work with Bela. Bela has an elephant to play with, and the elephant loves playing with Bela. Take a look: 

The elephant's name is Bubbles, because of course it is, and they regularly play together in the water at their home at Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina, because playing in water is fantastic. 

"They just love to romp around together," says Bhagavan Antle, director of the wildlife park in California, according to the Daily Mail. 

Bubbles came to the park in 1983 after she was rescued in Africa, an orphan whose parents had been killed for their tusks. She was a baby, just 340 pounds. Bubbles is now more than nine feet tall and weighs more than four tons. She is 32 years old. 

Bela came to the park in 2007, when a contractor hired to build a swimming pool for Bubbles abandoned the dog at the park's preserve, according to the Huffington Post. Antle says the meeting between the two was "love at first sight." 

Snapshots via the Daily Mail

Read more stories about odd couples and interspecies love: 

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Today We Mourn the Death of Dunkin and Celebrate His Life and Legacy

Dunkin has departed this world for the Rainbow Bridge, but the once-brutally abused dog leaves behind a message of love and kindness.

It is with a heavy heart we announce the death of rescue dog Dunkin the Rhodesian Ridgeback. Suffering from neurological damage, he had probably been used as a bait dog. He had to have a bunch of metal nails removed from his belly, as well as surgery to fix his eyes. He needed a wheelchair for mobility and a strict diet to keep his megaesophagus in check.

The odds were heavily stacked against him, and yet Dunkin embraced the world with a certain kindness in his eyes and his human friends spared no expense in making his life as comfortable as possible for however long it would be.

According to his Facebook page, Dunkin passed away surrounded by friends and family in the comfort of his home when his lungs failed.

While it is always sad to watch our animal friends go to the Rainbow Bridge, Dunkin's final message leaves us with a call to action to continue to be kind and gentle to each other.

Please don’t be sad…while my body may be gone, my legacy is just beginning. All of you have lots of work to do to protect and care for other animals in need…just like you did for me. Please continue to work together to be kind, to be compassionate, and to educate those around you. It would mean the world to me if you could help my mom continue to give those in need, another chance.

My heart swells with love, pride and appreciation for all that each of you have done for me and for each other. Your cards, letters, pictures, prayers and encouragement gave me the strength to live each of my days to the fullest and while my life was short in time, it was rich with your friendship. I love you all.

You can read the rest of Dunkin's touching message here, but make sure to have a tissue handy.

We offer Dunkin's family our deepest condolences, and while these are difficult times, they are also a reminder of the power of compassion. Dunkin died in a warm circle of love -- a far cry from the fate that could have been his had someone not stepped in.

Photos via Dunkin's Facebook page

Read about other Monday Miracles on Dogster:

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Outrageous: England's Royal Air Forces Euthanize Prince William's Guard Dogs

The prince retired, and the dogs were euthanized. The RAF is saying it's a "coincidence."

During his seven years as a search-and-rescue pilot for the Royal Air Force, British heir to the throne Prince William had two dogs protecting him: Brus, a seven-year-old Belgian Shepherd, and Blade, a nine-year-old German Shepherd. They patrolled the North Wales base “in a two-dog section set up specifically to protect William,” according to the Sun. 

As you may know, William retired from service last week. Three days after he did so, the two dogs were euthanized. 

The Ministry of Defense thinks it did nothing wrong. 

“The department’s policy is to rehome all military working dogs at the end of their service life wherever practicable,” a MoD spokesman told the Daily Mail. “Regrettably, however, there are occasions when they have to be put down.” 

What occasions are those? 

"Unfortunately, in this case the dogs were unsuitable for rehoming or alternative duties and so sadly, for the animal’s welfare, they had to be put down."

What does that mean? Well, a source told the Daily Mail that the dogs "were too aggressive to be kept at home" and that they couldn't be reassigned to other duties because the dogs "had a record of veterinary and behavioral issues." 

We don't have a full accounting of that reason, but on the face of it: ridiculous. A military base couldn't train a dog? It's not like it's a place dedicated to training. And what "veterinary issues" couldn't a military base handle, really, with the government footing the bill? More information about this needs to come out.

The RAF is claiming that the euthanasias were in no way related to the Prince leaving, and that the Prince did not work with the dogs. 

"To be clear, they were RAF Valley security patrol dogs, not sole protection for Prince William," the source said. "The timing of their sad demise is purely coincidental." 

That source was quick to reassure the Daily Mail reporter that at least someone loved the dogs. 

"These dogs had played an invaluable role offering security to our personnel over many years and were much loved by their handlers, who had an extremely strong bond with them."

Prince Williams has made no comment. At home, he and Kate spend their lives with Lupo, a black Cocker Spaniel.

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A Luxury Vacation for Two – plus your dog — in L.A.

Our friends at http://www.DogVacay.com are giving one lucky winner a luxury vacation for two – plus the dog – in Los Angeles to meet the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan.

You and your dog will attend a meet-and-greet with Cesar Millan at his Dog Psychology Center. Then, your dog will stay for up to three nights for a fun-filled vacay with the Dog Psychology Center staff and guests while you a guest enjoy up to three nights at a luxury resort in nearby Santa Monica. The giveaway includes airfare for two and your dog, accommodations, rental car and a $400 VISA gift card for meals and incidentals.

Enter here by August 31, 2013 for your chance to win.

And hey, while you’e on the site, check out the great service that www.DogVacay.com offers.

Next time you need to board your dog, try boarding with a pre-screened, selected and insured host home instead of a boarding kennel.

Your dog will have individualized attention, play time with other dogs, and the care of a responsible dog owner like you (not a 13-year-old neighbor kid).You get 24-hour customer service, boarding insurance, daily photos from the host family, and rates start at $15 per night. Hosts are motivated to take good care of your dog because they want to earn extra money with additional doggies guests (great accountability). You can email the host before taking your dog over, if you have any questions. Your dog loves it because it’s personalized, in-home, cage-free boarding. You might even meet some new friends!

I’m going to check it out and try this next time I leave town. (Maybe I can find a host family with a pool.)

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A Dog Owner’s Guide to Hiring a Nanny

My friend Sara works full-time from home. It allows her to spend more time with her children and husband. But she still needs help. So she got a nanny to come over on weekday mornings, and it’s been working great for the past six years. She also has two terriers. Her nanny gets along well with everyone, but it’s not always like that.

We dog owners think that everyone is as enamored of our dogs as we are. It’s one thing to enjoy a dog at the park; it’s another thing to spend every weekday with the dog, especially if you’ve never had a dog. So before you hire a nanny, here are some things to think about.

Not everyone likes dogs. Be up-front about the fact that you have dogs, and the kind of dogs you have. Don’t take it personally if some applicants are not interested in a position in a home with pets.Some people are allergic to dogs. Allergies can develop — or go away — with age, so if an applicant says she’s not allergic and then shows signs that she is, she may have an allergy she doesn’t know about. It’s a good idea to invite the applicant over to spend some time with your children and pets to find out if there are any allergies (as well as to see if everyone gets along).Not everyone who likes dogs knows how to care for them. If caring for your dog will be part of your nanny’s responsibilities, clarify that at the beginning. Training will be required, especially if the applicant has never owned a dog. Diligence on your part will help her to become comfortable with keeping the door closed, not leaving food on the kitchen counters, etc. She should go through the daily pet routine with you several times before being asked to do it herself.Be clear about responsibilities. If you’re advertising for a nanny, spell out which pet duties your nanny is expected to take care of, then honor the list. Review it periodically to assure that the list of pet duties hasn’t expanded over time from walking and feeding the dog to training it or cleaning up messes.

Check out this website for finding a nanny. They also have a good article for nannies whose employers have pets; it’s a good read.

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Yarr, Dogsters! It's Bark Like a Pirate Day!

We're celebrating with eyepatches and peg legs and a FREE gift in the Dogster gift shop!

Ahoy, me hearties! Thursday, September 19, is National Talk Like a Pirate Day, where scurvy-ridden landlubbers put on hats and eyepatches and say "Arrrr!" a lot.

Dogster's piratical pups are invited to get in on the fun with Bark Like a Pirate Day, the canine version. And to celebrate, we are offering a free Jolly Roger gift in the Dogster Gift Store -- but only for today.

So swab the poop deck and make one of your mutineering mutt friends happy by sending them some treasure. And don't furget to tag your photos with "pirate" to join the Bark Like a Pirate stroll!

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Sheltering Pets from Domestic Violence

More than 40% of domestic violence victims stay in abusive situations out of fear of what would happen if they left their pets behind. Not only that, but more than 70% of pet owners entering shelters to escape domestic violence report that the abuser has threatened, injured or killed family pets.Yet most shelters do not admit pets. Finding family or friends who will take in the victims of abuse AND their pets can be difficult.

Now, shelters are beginning to address this problem.

Ahimsa House has been providing safe housing for pets belonging to those fleeing domestic abuse since 2004. They maintain a network of homes willing to offer safe, short-term housing for pets as their owners enter shelters to escape domestic abuse. Their website has a nationwide directory of safe havens for pets in domestic violence situations.

New York City’s first co-sheltering program was opened to enable domestic violence survivors and their pets to reside together. The project, called PALS—People and Animals Living Safely—is running as a six-month pilot that started June 1.

Although PALS only accepts cats and smaller animals such as hamsters, birds and fish into shelter now, the goal is to raise money to put the PALS program in three other domestic violence shelters and welcome dogs as well. 

Muriel Raggi, a domestic violence survivor who was in shelter four years ago, said she’s thankful to URI and the Alliance for recognizing how important pets are in people’s lives. “I remember lying in bed at night, with so many fears and worries swirling in my head, wishing I could have my dog Jasmine next to me to provide raw affection, comfort and support,” said Raggi. “ PALS will ensure that other survivors with pets won’t face the heartbreaking choices I did.”

Because pets are often used by abusers to maintain control over their victims, to torment them emotionally, or to get revenge, 25 states now offer court-ordered protection for pets. Such protection orders limit the contact an alleged abuser can have with the person seeking protection, ordering the abuser to stay away or allowing the victim safe access if they need to return to a home. In the case of an animal, it would allow victims to take a pet with them if they left home and prohibit the alleged abuser from harming the pet.

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Product Review: ThunderLeash

ThunderLeash is a leash that can be used as either a regular leash or modified as a no-pull harness. Using its unique buckle, you can wrap part of the leash around your dog’s ribcage so that if he pulls, gentle pressure is applied around his body. This pressure calms and reassures the dog, and encourages him not to pull.

I tested this leash on a 10-year-old Irish Setter. We did not hand-raise this dog; we adopted him at approximately age 5 and it appears from his habits and behavior that he spent most of his life until that time living in a back yard with little or no interaction. He really pulls on the leash, so badly that I couldn’t let my children walk him; I had to do it. He’s eager to go, and ever since he’s been on a raw meat diet, he’s bulked up a bit so that he’s stronger now than when he was an itchy, flaky bag of ribs.

We went for a walk and my oldest, age 7 (and petite for her age) asked if she could walk Finnegan. I know that Finnegan doesn’t go in the road, and he’s easily distracted by sniffing places where other dogs have marked. So, knowing that if he got away from her, I could catch him again, I said, “yes.” I fastened the ThunderLeash around Finney’s ribs and gave her the leash.

The dog was still eager and strong but he did not pull the leash away from my daughter, nor did he pull her around. Most of the time, the leash had a little slack in it. The picture you see at left was taken by me, from across the street, so I was not able to control the dog for her. And you can see that she’s not walking very fast. He’s behaving like a perfect gentleman. We even went past some yards with barking dogs in them (see picture below). He’s not normally aggressive about other dogs, but he’s always interested. But with the ThunderLeash, my daughter was able to keep him on the sidewalk.

Now, my five-, six- and seven-year-olds can walk an energetic dog who outweighs them.

Our Irish Setter is 70-75 pounds, and there was plenty of room in the leash for a bigger dog, so if your dog is 100 lbs. or more, you should be able to use the leash with no problem.

The leash is blue and black, and the heavy-duty, nickel-plated hardware is well-made. The leash itself is soft, thick nylon, and the handle is doubled for padding and durability. After nearly four months of use, it shows no signs of fraying or breaking.

I really like that you can switch back and forth between a regular leash and a no-pull leash so quickly with the ThunderLeash. Harnesses can be a hassle to put on, and once you’ve got it on, that’s what you’re using for the duration of your outing or walk, unless you unfasten your leash from the harness and fasten it to the collar. But then, you’ve got a few seconds where your dog is not on a leash. With the ThunderLeash, you can switch back and forth without ever taking your dog off-leash.

If your dog begins to walk properly on a normal collar and leash configuration, you can use it as a leash. If he needs a reminder, you can switch to no-pull mode.

Sizes: Small (12-25 lbs.) and Large (25 pounds plus)

Price: $29.95

Available at: Thundershirt.com

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Good Job, Internet: Walmart Pulls Offensive Dead Dog Halloween Prop

After people became outraged that Walmart and others were selling a dead dog prop, it began to disappear from the Web.

Yesterday, before the Internet caught wind of it, you could buy a prop of a dead dog at Walmart. A dog who was apparently hit by a car -- "bloody roadkill," according to the description. The manufacturer did a pretty honest job, including lots of blood and a "large tire track squished through its mid torso." Oh, and it included a chain "for dragging purposes." 

All in all, a good, completely insane and horrifying addition to the Walmart line, which was pulled down as Internet outrage grew, as it should have been. Actually, it should have been taken down before it was even put up, before it was even made, before it was even an idea. Dead dogs shouldn't be a part of Halloween fun, especially at Walmart. Someone should have known that.  

The prop was distributed by Morris Costumes and made by Distortions Unlimited. Though it has gone from Walmart's site, it's still searchable on Unbeatable Sale, though you cannot purchase it. And it appears to have been sold and pulled from Amazon, Sears, and many other retailers, too, though you'd be hard-pressed to find it there anymore. However, we found it on Nightmare Factory: 

Here's a screencap of the page on Unbeatable Sale:

Ugly stuff. As if the photo isn't bad enough, here's the text that appeared on the Walmart site, according to a post on the Randy Report. It's perhaps the most insane Walmart description ever:

You have seen bloody road kill, this is bloody road kill. Foam filled latex prop of a skinned dog with a large tire track squished through its mid torso. Chain attached for dragging purposes.

After people caught wind of it on the Walmart site, outrage grew. Facebook posts went up; people left comments on Walmart, Sears, and Amazon; Leslye Brown quickly put up a Change.org petition to get the item removed.

And you know what? It worked. Yesterday, Distortions Unlimited apologized for the product and discontinued it immediately. Here's a message the company released, according to Culture Map Dallas:

"We make products for primarily for haunted houses so we have to walk that thin line between horror yet OK and over the top. This is a tricky thing to do at times and it appears like we crossed the line with the dog. We were not trying to be insensitive of offend anyone although it appears like we did. We are sorry and the product has been discontinued immediately."

Good work, Internet.

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Dr. Doug Kramer, Pot Advocate for Dogs, Dies at 36

He was dedicated to determining safe dosage guidelines for pets, after living through the death of his own dog, Nikita.

We have sad news to deliver: Dr. Doug Kramer, whose mission was to improve pets' quality of life by outlining safe and effective dosing guidelines for marijuana, has died, according to KTLA 5. He was 36. The cause of death has not been released. 

When we wrote about him back in February, he said his goal was "to provide palliative care and prevent accidental overdoses resulting from owners' well-meaning attempts to relieve their pets' pain and suffering."

The doctor got his start when researching ways to ease the pain of his dying Husky, Nikita. After studying research on cannabis, he developed a homemade tincture. He saw firsthand how it restored Nikita's appetite and allowed her to enjoy her final months to the fullest.

As we wrote back in February, after Nikita's death Kramer dedicated his life to harnessing medical marijuana, aka MM or MMJ, to benefit other animals with incurable and terminal diseases; he became an outspoken, tireless advocate of pain control for animals.

His veterinary practice, Enlightened Veterinary Therapeutics, specialized in palliative and hospice care. He was the first vet in the country to offer cannabis consultations as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for pet patients.

“The decision was an easy one for me to make," he said to us in February. "I refuse to condemn my patients to a miserable existence for self preservation or concerns about what may or may not happen to me as a consequence of my actions. My freedom of speech is clearly protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. This is an issue of animal welfare, plain and simple. Remaining silent would represent a clear violation of the veterinarian’s oath I took when I was admitted into this profession."

With this leadership on the issue, some think that the cause of medical marijuana for pets might lose steam.   

"I think it's going to be hard to find another veterinarian who's going to take up that slack and feel the same way," Dr. Annie Harvilicz of Animal Wellness Centers told KTLA 5. 

We hope that's not the case. Dr. Kramer championed safe pain management for pets, and that's a cause everyone should get behind.  

Via KTLA 5

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This Israeli Calendar Pairing Pinups with Pit Bulls Is Hot Stuff

The “Chicks for Pits” project is raising money for Dino's House, a rescue that takes in Pits and dogs like them in Israel.

Dino’s House, a rescue shelter in Israel that focuses on Pit Bulls and similar dogs, has created a calendar featuring Pit Bulls and models -- tattooed models, according to a story in the Blaze. We've seen this idea before. We're behind this idea.  

Adi Tzioni started the “Chicks for Pits” project hoping to change people's opinion of the dogs. She has an AmStaff and a Doberman, and she told Haaretz, "When they see me on the street with my dogs people get scared and move to the other side.”

“Everything depends on how they are raised, because even a Poodle or a Pinscher can be be aggressive if educated to be. It all depends on what kind of people they land with,” Tzioni told Ynet. "They return love." 

Dudu Martziano founded Dino’s House in 2012, and it currently houses 25 dogs. After rescuing dogs from fighting operations or abusive conditions, the group rehabilitates the dogs and then adopts them out. It can be a difficult process.

“Rehabilitation has many layers. A dog can arrive that is frightened and aggressive primarily toward animals and in seldom cases toward humans. If we place him as he is into a home, he could simply rip it apart due to his great frustration and fear, so we need to expose him from anew in a positive way to the environment,” he said, according to the Blaze. “That means we need to introduce him to a place where he will feel secure, where he has a normal routine including walking, food, and contact with people and animals.”

Martziano works "two-and-a-half jobs" to fund the rescue, and choses to help breeds like Pit Bulls because “nobody else wanted to do it.”

Here's some more photos from the calendar, which will be available soon through the Chicks for Pits' Facebook page. 

Via the Blaze; images via Chicks for Pits' Facebook page

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