NBC’s Columbus affiliate Channel 4 is reporting tonight on Zeke, a dog stuck in a drainpipe since last Saturday. The dog apparently chased a critter into the pipe and got stuck. This afternoon, a crew from Dreier and Maller, a Reynoldsburg sewage company, ran a cable and robotic camera down the pipe. The dog has been sighted and is still alive, but has not yet been rescued. Raw footage from the robotic camera can be seen here.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
To follow up on a couple of previous posts:
1. Regarding ballot question 3 in Massachusetts: greyhound racing in the state will be phased out by 2010. 56% of the state’s voters agreed that keeping dogs in such close quarters and subjecting them to racing injuries purely for human enjoyment was not a good thing. Although arguments were made that passage of the ban would lead to job loss, voters were smart enough to see that dog racing is a dying industry and should be phased out quickly.
2. Regarding Ratchet, the dog who was having trouble getting home after being adopted by a soldier in Iraq: after three flights stretching over two days, Ratchet landed in Washington, beating her guardian to US soil. Specialist Gwen Beberg, who was due to return home to Minnesota in November, adopted Ratchet in May after she saved him from a burning pile of rubbish in Baghdad. The dog spent two days in a kennel before flying to Minneapolis to stay with Specialist Beberg’s parents until she gets home. I haven’t found any newsclips saying the good Specialist is home yet – I’ll let you know.
3. Gus, winner of the 20th Annual World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, has died of skin cancer. He was nine years old.
4. Finally, don’t forget to vote in our survey to name the Obama’s dog here.
I’m not sure how many readers we’ve got in Stark County, but I got this e-mail from a friend today & wanted to pass it on.
MSNBC reported yesterday that the Humane Society of the United States has found puppies for sale at Petland stores that were purchased from puppy mills.
Speaking at a press conference, Michael Markarian, an executive vice president with the Humane Society, described the treatment of dogs at puppy mills. “They’re treated like a cash crop, where mother dogs live in wire cages, sometimes stacked on top of each other in filthy, dirty, cramped conditions, where they receive little socialization or human interaction or exercise.”
The Humane Society charges that while puppy mills are legal and are regulated by the USDA, Petland should not be telling customers that their puppies are from “good breeders.” Puppies are routinely sold in pet stores for as much as $3,500 for some purebreds.
According to Chillicothe, Ohio-based retailer, “Petland stores are independently operated by qualified franchisees. Each is responsible for choosing healthy pets offered to Petland customers. Petland, Inc. provides each Petland store with humane care guidelines to assist in this important task.”
Scary!
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
What more can I say?
From MSNBC blogger Helen A. S. Popkin: More on the Obama’s dog choice
OK, the economy is tanking and we have two wars going on, but it seems everyone is more interested in which dog the Obamas will take to the White House. The news today includes an article from allergists, asserting that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. And, different breeders are offering potential dogs to the First Family-elect.
Top Ten Tuesday is pre-empted this week so we can bring you this special Veteran’s Day post.
We all know that many dogs serve with our military forces, sniffing out bombs and walking guard posts, among other important tasks. But what happens when a dog is forced into retirement? Statistics from 2006 show that 281 retired war dogs were adopted, 74 were waiting to be adopted, and 116 were euthanized.
51 years ago today Russia launched Sputnik II, with a very special ‘pilot’. Laika was the first mammal to ever orbit our planet. Sadly, she passed away upon re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere in 1958. Cruelty or Hero? There isn’t a wrong opinion. This was 1958, a different way of life, a different set of values.
What’s important is now, in 2008 we remember Laika. This flight changed the world and paved the way to a new age of exploration and discovery thanks to a special four-legged hero.
Michelle Obama recently announced that the family plans on adopting a rescue dog once their lives settle down after the election. We have previously blogged about the fact that the McCains live with a houseful of pets, while the Obamas have none. They had considered getting a Golden Doodle because one of their daughters suffers from allergies.