Tips For Awesome Looking Pet Portraits

"We love our pets. They do such cute, adorable, and funny things. They are more often than not, an integral part of our family. As such, you probably want to capture your beloved friend with great pet pictures. What if, when you go to take those perfect pet portraits, they run and hide, or simply won't cooperate? In this article we give some great tips to help you next time you go for that dog photo or pet picture of your best friend..."
Source: Advisor.com, 5/30/2006

Dogs to be allowed in Florida restaurants' outdoor areas

Tallahassee, FL — People might say some restaurants are going to the dogs. But one thing's for sure. Dogs will be going to some of the restaurants soon.
Governor Jeb Bush says he intends to sign a bill into law later this week that would allow local governments let restaurants permit dogs to eat with their owners in outdoor dining areas..."
Source: TampaBays10.com, 5/30/2006

9/11 Rescue Dogs in Critical Health Study

"For 11 straight days, Mizu crawled along precarious 'I' beams and threaded her way through smoldering debris, looking for the bodies of people who did not survive the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. A veteran of rescue efforts following earthquakes in Turkey and Armenia, as well as the Columbia space shuttle explosion, Mizu, an 10-year-old German shepherd search-and-rescue dog, had never experienced anything like the fires, the gases and noxious debris cloud that threatened to consume all rescue workers -- human and canine alike..."
Source: Forbes.com, 5/30/2006

National Trust may allow deer hunting with dogs

UK - "The National Trust is considering allowing the hunting of deer with dogs on its land to deal with the problem of sick and injured deer. The move, which would allow the use of dogs only to flush out deer so they can be shot, is in line with the ban on fox and deer hunting with hounds which came in two years ago..."
Source: Telegraph.co.uk, 5/30/2006

16 dogs rescued from dog fighting facility in Indiana

Gary, IN - "More than a dozen injured and emaciated pit bulls have been rescued from a home near Gary. Investigators also discovered dog fighting and training equipment in the home. So far, no charges have been filed in the case but investigators are hoping this could be a breakthrough for stopping other dog fighting operations...."
Source: ABCLocal.go.com, 5/30/2006

Proposal Would Deal With Dangerous Dogs, Owners

Chicago, IL - "Some alternate proposals on how to deal with dangerous dogs and their owners are being considered by Chicago City Council members. One animal expert says a proposal to ban pit bulls in the city would do nothing to limit other dangerous dogs or the people who breed them..."
Source: WBBM780.com, 5/29/2006

Getting service dogs hard-wired into society

Japan - "With a scant 30 service dogs for the disabled nationwide, knowledge among the general public about what the dogs do and the training involved is understandably low. To overcome this, blogs and books on the subject are being produced in a way accessible to both adults and children. The National Support Dog Association, a Hachioji, Tokyo-based social welfare corporation runs a blog at http://dogblog.magnet.ne.jp, where members of the general public can get a glimpse into the training the dogs go through--all written from the point of view of a 9-month-old pup called Ekubo..."
Source: Yomiuri.co.jp, 5/30/2006

Memorial pays tribute to top dogs

Contra Cost, CA - "Ron Rackley attests that a fearless, furry companion saved his life many times during the Vietnam War. Puppy patrolled the Air Force base with Rackley, sniffing out enemies and explosives. 'Our motto was: The first line of defense,' Rackley said. 'The only thing that stood between us and the enemy was a few rows of Concertina wire.' The city today will pay tribute to the countless dogs and their handlers who have served in wars and peacekeeping missions..."
Source: ContraCostaTimes.com, 5/29/2006

Shelter welcomes rabid dogs, bans activist

Portland, OR - "Multnomah County has barred an animal right activist from entering its animal shelter, three months after an Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division report suggested the county fix a hostile work environment that workers attributed to the activist's frequent visits..."
Source: OregonLive.com, 5/29/2006

She leaves corporate world for shot at canine caretaker

Detroit, MI - "These days, Liz Blondy is her own dog. What's more, after leaving the corporate world, she's also leader of the pack. "People always ask, 'Who's the alpha dog?'-" says Blondy, who now runs her own dog day-care, boarding and grooming business in Detroit. "I always tell them me and my employees are the alpha. If a dog comes in here and thinks he's the alpha, we've lost control." Control is something Blondy savors in running her own business, after seven frustrating years as a saleswoman in the corporate world..."
Source: DetNews.com, 5/29/2006

Dog day afternoons

Dallas, TX - "Lux wasn't a happy dog. The hound in her had gotten the upper hand, and she was looking mournful indeed. Watching, I wished I could have been her -- she was stretched out on what amounted to a giant air-conditioned dog bed in the back of the rented Chevy Trailblazer. I was riding shotgun and trying to drink enough Diet Cokes to make up for not being able to smoke in the car on a three-day road trip to Port Aransas from Fort Worth..."
Source: DFW.com, 5/28/2006