Indy the Pit Bull -- Hurt by a Sadistic Act Involving Fireworks -- Finds a Happy Ending

A vet tech who helped him recover from injuries sustained on July 4 offers him a new home.

Happy endings sometimes seem in short supply, especially in cases of animal abuse, so this one is very welcome. After months of treatment and recovery, a Pit Bull who made the news last year after someone strapped fireworks to his body and lit them, has found a new forever home.

Indy (short for Independence) was part of a particularly sadistic kind of Fourth of July  celebration last year. He was discovered in an alley in Van Nuys, California, on July 5, 2013, with more than half his body covered with third-degree burns. To this day, no one knows where Indy came from, or who tied fireworks to his body and legs. It's possible that we never will.

But we do know that this week, he went to a new home, adopted by one of the veterinary technicians who looked after him at the Westlake Village Animal Hospital. Jenny Mandel, who officially adopted Indy, wasn't working at the hospital when he first came in, but for months she has made a habit of coming to see him every morning when she came in. In November, she decided to adopt him.

"You can't not love a dog like that, so every day it was just more love, more love, and then finally he became a momma's boy. I became a doggy's girl," she told NBC.

It has been a very long and painful journey for Indy to get to his new home. NBC reports that his treatment involved "at least four skin grafts and surgeries."

The volunteers and staff who have cared for Indy during that time understand that journey better than anyone. Just after his recovery was announced in November, volunteer Allison Polumbus said, "It's really hard to see an animal in this kind of pain. We saw him without the bandages. It's horrific, it's gory, and you can't even imagine the pain he's in."

The scars from Indy's trauma are going to last for a long time, but everyone says that he has remained loving and affectionate the whole time. At his new home, at least he'll be assured of getting some of that love back.

I have to admit to a certain sentimental attachment to this story. I grew up in Westlake Village, where Indy has been recovering. It's an affluent suburb about 40 miles north of Los Angeles. I went to two high schools in the area and hated almost every minute I lived there. I was glad when I finally escaped to go to college in the 1990s, because I knew from an early age that I wouldn't get any happy endings there. I'm glad that I got out when I did, but I'm also glad that Indy, at least, found his happy ending in Westlake.

Via Life With Dogs and NBC

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A Pink Chihuahua Puppy Grabs Hearts and Finds a New Home

You'd think that someone who lost a pink dog would look for her, but you'd be wrong.

When the Powers That Be sent out this story from their secret lair at Dogster HQ, I have to admit that my first thought was, "How do you lose a pink puppy?" Even in the Bay Area, where formal attire for an evening might consist of leather shorts, boots, and strategically placed electrical tape, a puppy that's been dyed hot pink will attract attention. There just aren't so many of them around here that one will blend in easily.

The dog in question is a two-month-old Chihuahua, which was found in East Palo Alto last week. She wasn't tagged or chipped, and an X-ray showed that her right back leg had a hairline fracture. The Peninsula Humane Society in San Mateo said that the fracture could easily have happened jumping down from a large couch or someone accidentally stepping on her, and that it wasn't necessarily a sign of abuse. The staff named her Candy, and, despite having her hair washed, she stayed pink.

"This is a little more unusual than your usual stray dog because the dog had an injury and the dog was dyed," Director Scott Delucchi said. "It shows some level of care and attachment that someone went to the trouble to do that. You would think that someone who would show that level of attachment would look for their dog."

But based on the story of Candy, more dogs might want to think pink in order to get rehomed. The press release about Candy went out yesterday morning, and by the evening, she had a new home. According to the society's website, the response was overwhelming. "We were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for and interest in Candy, receiving more than 100 voicemail messages before her story aired on all stations or appeared in print media," they wrote. "We've selected a home for her, a fantastic home. We apologize that we may not be able to return all calls. We trust that people will understand and -- even though they weren't chosen -- take some comfort in knowing Candy will have a wonderful, permanent home."

But in the meantime, the Peninsula Humane Society has 30 more non-pink Chihuahuas still waiting for homes.

"They aren't two-month-old puppies dyed pink," the site says, "but we consider these regular adoptions to be every bit as special as Candy's adoption."

To back that up, for a limited time, the PHS is waiving all adoption fees for Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes. Thanks to a punked-out pup, if you're in the area and have been wanting a Chihuahua, this is the time to do it.

Via Patch, SFGate and Peninsula Humane Society

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A Stray Dog in Kansas Finds a Home After Eight Years

Many people tried to rescue her, but one determined woman finally took "Ditch Dog" in.

For more than eight years, a dog roamed on the edge of civilization, in a field in Buhler, KS, unwilling to come in from the cold.  

"It was a mysterious dog that sat in the field, and everyone pointed her out," said the mayor of Buhler, Daniel Friesen, according to the Kansas City Star. 

And many people tried to help her, mostly by leaving food, after they realized that the dog, a blond, wire-haired dog affectionately named D.D., for Ditch Dog, would not let any humans get near her.

"Everyone adopted her," said Buhler Police Chief Bill Tracy. "She was the best-fed dog in town. She never bothered a thing, and that's why she was allowed to stay out there."

"She was a very intelligent dog," he went on. "I could tell if someone was trying to catch her; she would go out in the middle of the wheat field and curl up in a ball."

Her life out there was not without hardship. Early on, when she was first noticed, her paw was caught in her collar, and she could only run on three legs. And she did run; attempts to catch her proved fruitless. Eventually the collar "weathered, rotted, and fell off" -- yet still she ran on three legs for a time, because of pain or habit, no one can say.

The dog was also smart: D.D. stayed on the county side of the road, which prevented her from being picked up by authorities under Buhler's leash law. 

Rachelle Cavanaugh was one person who kept an eye on D.D., feeding her and caring for her from afar. Cavanaugh had three rescues already at home, and she was determined to make D.D. her fourth. After suspecting that D.D. was suffering from arthritis, she began leaving treats with medicine, to help with the pain. She also put flea medicine in the food she left for D.D. 

Finally, after eight years, D.D. had enough of the outdoor life. When Cavanaugh was at the food dish, D.D. approached and let the woman touch her. 

"She was starving for attention," Cavanaugh said. "That forced my hand."

It took some days before the dog was ready to stay with Cavanaugh, and Cavanaugh moved slowly, so the dog would not be spooked. One cold day, Cavanaugh spotted D.D. and opened her car door. The dog jumped in. She took D.D. home and let her mix with her other dogs. Then she took her back to the field. 

"It's been a process," Cavanaugh said of gaining the trust of the dog. "I didn't want my dogs at risk or to jeopardize her. If I was taking her home, it had to work."

It finally did. D.D. is now a member of her family, and she has her forever home after eight long years in a field. Her anxiety is still an issue, but the dog knows how to soothe herself.

"She goes to her pillow," Cavanaugh said. "She knows she's safe there."

As for all the people who fed and wondered about the dog they'd see in the field, Cavanaugh put up a sign in the area. It reads: "Buhler: Thank you for all the years of care and concern. I have found a home and I am adjusting. God bless you, Ditch Dog."

Via the Kansas City Star 

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Study Finds Dog Yawning Is Contagious -- Because Dogs Love Us

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden rigorously studied the behavior -- when they could have just asked us.

Scientists recently discovered that dogs can catch yawns from their humans, a finding that many dog owners knew already. 

The findings are important to scientists because it means dogs feel empathy toward humans, a finding that many dog owners knew alre -- wait, scientists didn't know this already? 

What the heck have scientists been doing all this time? 

Many of you, of course, know full well that dogs have empathy and can catch your yawns -- often you catch each other's yawns and collapse into a heap and sleep through the afternoon. 

The study, conducted by Lund University in Sweden, exposed 35 dogs -- puppies and adults alike -- to various people yawning over a period of time, according to ABC News. (What we wouldn't have given to be a part of that study!)

“We showed that the dogs were yawning contagiously," says Elainie Madsen, a doctor of psychology at Lund University, who co-wrote the study. "Not just yawning; they also took on the emotion that yawning usually signifies, which is usually sleepiness and tiredness.”

“For those of us who have dogs, we often feel this very close connection with them, and we feel that they must understand or sympathize with our emotions and our emotional states,” says Madsen, surprising not a single dog owner. 

One new thing to us that the study did reveal was that puppies do not catch yawns -- just like infants and young toddlers don't catch yawns. Empathy is a learned trait, and puppies are as cruel and unyielding as babies.

"Oh, you've got to wake up at 7 a.m.?" your puppy says to you at 2, 3, and 4 a.m., licking your face with full-tongue kisses. "And that concerns me ... how?"

“[Dogs] go through what seems to be an empathy development that somehow mirrors humans’ empathy development," the study concluded, "so it’s just obviously on a very different time scale.”

The study found that puppies start to display empathetic yawns at 7 months, while children don't start until they reach an age of 4 years. Hahaha, parents. 

Oh, and cats? They don't contagiously yawn, but we knew that already.  

Via ABC News

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Dog Bearing Heartbreaking Note From Child Finds a Home

Mr B, who found a new home thanks to the unselfish love of a child (Credit for all photos in this post: king5.com):

When a King Charles Cavalier spaniel wandered into Paul Wu’s driveway and wouldn’t leave, the Kirkland, Wash., resident got out of his car to inspect the little dog more closely.

He found a red, bone-shaped container attached to the dog’s collar. On the container was the hand-scrawled word, “OPEN.” So he did.

Inside he found a note and some money. The note, hand-written on lined yellow paper, read:

Please take care of Mr. B. He is a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. Six years old. My parents got divorced and Mr. B was supposed to go to the pound. I think he has a better chance with you.  This is my birthday money for any of his care. He is used to kids, not other dogs.  He’s a good boy.  I know God will take care of Mr. B – Everyone loves him…especially me. Thank you.”

Wu was very touched by the note, and didn’t want to leave the dog on his own, so he brought him to work with him. There, coworker Robert Kuchcinski, who has three children, decided to lend a hand. He brought Mr. B home after work, and took him to the vet’s. The tagless dog had no microchip, but got a relatively clean bill of health. (He looks well fed.)

Kuchcinski’s family fell fast for Mr. B. They’ll be keeping him.

“I’d hate to be a kid making that choice,” Kuchcinski said. “It didn’t seem right that it would go to the pound.” (Yes, he’s calling him ‘it,’ but he’s a new dog owner, so that should improve with time.)

It’s been a few days now, and Mr. B is settling in beautifully. With three kids and two adults, there are sometimes 10 hands wanting to pet him at once. And he looks oh so comfy on the chaise lounge.

Wu appeared on a local news station in order to get word to the child/teen who dropped off Mr. B. ”
“All I want to do is let this person know that we found him a good home. That’s the whole message,” said Wu.

What a bunch of good people were involved here. It could have gone the other direction if the wrong people found the dog. I hope the child faring OK, and will soon find out that Mr B is doing well, too.

Sources: King 5 News, Digital Journal

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The aftermath: Xena finds her ‘new normal’

I caught Xena dodging cars in a parking lot when she was about six weeks old. Because I had dogs in the van, I carried her home under my shirt. Although I saved her life, she has never been my cat; she has always been Paul’s. So now, at almost 10 years old, she’s without Paul.

Every night now, when I climb into bed, Xena plasters herself up against my feet. She’s there when I fall asleep and she’s there when I wake up.  During the day if I’m sitting in the living room, I will find her on the back of the sofa –  not touching me –  but close. Twice in the past few days she has jumped up on my desk.

Although all of these things may seem normal for most cats — and for many of our previous cats they were — these are not normal for Xena and me. She slept touching Paul, sat behind him on the sofa, and would hang out on his desk.

In her own way, Xena is telling me that she misses Paul, too. She’s not crying, not hiding, and not being overly affectionate, but she is placing herself closer to me and that’s good. I have always enjoyed her company even though she was often disdainful of mine.

Today she allowed me to rub her chin and rub behind her ears. No full-body pets have been allowed yet, though. I hope that won’t take too long.

Interestingly enough, when people were in the house these past two weeks, she would come out and visit. Normally she disappears when anyone else comes inside. She’s let my friend Kate pet her– cautiously of course — and rested on the sofa next to my 11-year-old nephew. That was totally out of character.

I’m not worried about Xena, as I am Archer. She’s eating and drinking well, hasn’t had any house-training accidents, and seems to be transitioning to me even though I wasn’t her first choice. It’s going to be interesting watching the changes, though. She’s still a feral cat in many ways so I have no idea how affectionate she may become towards me. I’ll keep you all posted.

Photo: Xena. Photo by Liz Palika

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Study Finds Reasons for Surprising Annual Decline in Vet Visits

Dogs can get in trouble if they don't keep up with regular vet visits, researchers conclude

While the population of dogs and cats in the U.S. increased to 170 million in 2009, the majority of veterinarians reported fewer companion animal visits from 2009 to 2010. It’s just the most recent of nine straight years where veterinary visits have been in decline.

This phenomenon has many vets scratching their heads. Is it the economy? Could advice from the internet be taking the place of one-on-one vet visits? Is it something about their practices? What’s going on?

The answer turns out to be multifaceted, according to results from the newly released Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study. Among the reasons for the decline:

• The economic impact of the recession
• Fragmentation of veterinary services
• Consumers substituting internet research for office visits
• Feline resistance (LOL — haven’t felines always been resistant to this sort of thing?)
• Perception among pet owners that regular medical check-ups are unnecessary
• Cost of care

"Feline resistance" (in other words, cats who throw hissy fits) is just one reason people aren't bringing their pets to the vet

“By far the most important finding, from a pet health perspective, is the misperception by many pet owners that regular medical check-ups for pets are unnecessary,” said Ian Spinks, president and general manager of Bayer Animal Health North America.  “This could be driven by the absence of professional patient care guidelines that recommend annual physicals. The unintended consequence is that many pets aren’t getting the care they need for healthy, long lives.”

Some related interesting findings from the study:

• 53% of pet owners think costs are usually much higher than expected
• 39% of pet owners look online before consulting their veterinarian if the pet gets sick or injured
• 63% of dog owners and 68% of cat owners question the need for regular veterinary care
• 33% of dog owners and 41% of cat owners would not take their pet to the vet if vaccines were  not needed
• One-third of cats have not been to the veterinarian in the last year
• Pet owners take their older pets to the veterinarian less often than younger pets

You can read more about the reasons — and why vets say people are making big a mistake when they don’t get their pets adequate veterinary care — in this press release.

This seems like a good topic for discussion, Dogsters. Have you decreased your dog’s visits to the vet of late? If so, why? If not, why not?

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