Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Woman in China roasts puppy alive
Screen grab from www.Chinasmack.com
By Faris Mokhtar | SingaporeScene – Thu, Jun 16, 2011
How gruesome it is to torture an animal, much else roast it alive? While this horrifying act did not take place in Singapore, but in the Kengkou district of Guangzhou, China.
Content-aggregation website chinaSmack posted a news article showing a Chinese woman roasting a puppy alive.
The gruesome incident was said to have taken place near the entrance of Kengkou market. The woman is seen grabbing the puppy using a throng and grilling it over what looks like a portable stove. After a while, the dog's body appeared stiff and its skin slightly charred.
Understandably, users who posted their comments on the website were vilified by the action.
One user known as VIP posted a comment, "Are you still human? Think for a moment, how would you feel if you were roasted alive/barbecued alive?"
Another who wanted to be known as Love, said, "What's wrong with people these days? They don't even seem like people/human anymore."
This abuse comes hot on the heels of another animal cruelty concerns in Indonesia where live cattle exports were subjected to mistreatment.
On 31 May, it was reported that the Australian government suspended live cattle exports to Indonesian abattoirs after a television program showed videos of cattles being unnecessarily whipped and left to bleed to death after their throats were cut using blunt knives.
The videos were recorded by Lyn White, a former police officer and campaign director of the animal welfare group Animals Australia. It is understood that the said abattoirs are located in Jakarta, Bogor, Bandar Lampung and Medan.
It is understood that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered an investigation of slaughterhouses in the country, saying, "We have to highly respect animal welfare
By Faris Mokhtar | SingaporeScene – Thu, Jun 16, 2011
How gruesome it is to torture an animal, much else roast it alive? While this horrifying act did not take place in Singapore, but in the Kengkou district of Guangzhou, China.
Content-aggregation website chinaSmack posted a news article showing a Chinese woman roasting a puppy alive.
The gruesome incident was said to have taken place near the entrance of Kengkou market. The woman is seen grabbing the puppy using a throng and grilling it over what looks like a portable stove. After a while, the dog's body appeared stiff and its skin slightly charred.
Understandably, users who posted their comments on the website were vilified by the action.
One user known as VIP posted a comment, "Are you still human? Think for a moment, how would you feel if you were roasted alive/barbecued alive?"
Another who wanted to be known as Love, said, "What's wrong with people these days? They don't even seem like people/human anymore."
This abuse comes hot on the heels of another animal cruelty concerns in Indonesia where live cattle exports were subjected to mistreatment.
On 31 May, it was reported that the Australian government suspended live cattle exports to Indonesian abattoirs after a television program showed videos of cattles being unnecessarily whipped and left to bleed to death after their throats were cut using blunt knives.
The videos were recorded by Lyn White, a former police officer and campaign director of the animal welfare group Animals Australia. It is understood that the said abattoirs are located in Jakarta, Bogor, Bandar Lampung and Medan.
It is understood that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered an investigation of slaughterhouses in the country, saying, "We have to highly respect animal welfare
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
To be discarded
Tessie is definitely cured. We still have all these syringes that we need to bring to the vet to be discarded. After spending $1500 medical bills we will not let her have the acupunture therapy recomended by the vet. It might cost another $1000!!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
A Day in the Life of Oscar the Cat
David M. Dosa, M.D., M.P.H.
N Engl J Med 2007; 357:328-329July 26, 2007
Oscar the Cat awakens from his nap, opening a single eye to survey his kingdom. From atop the desk in the doctor's charting area, the cat peers down the two wings of the nursing home's advanced dementia unit. All quiet on the western and eastern fronts. Slowly, he rises and extravagantly stretches his 2-year-old frame, first backward and then forward. He sits up and considers his next move.
In the distance, a resident approaches. It is Mrs. P., who has been living on the dementia unit's third floor for 3 years now. She has long forgotten her family, even though they visit her almost daily. Moderately disheveled after eating her lunch, half of which she now wears on her shirt, Mrs. P. is taking one of her many aimless strolls to nowhere. She glides toward Oscar, pushing her walker and muttering to herself with complete disregard for her surroundings. Perturbed, Oscar watches her carefully and, as she walks by, lets out a gentle hiss, a rattlesnake-like warning that says “leave me alone.” She passes him without a glance and continues down the hallway. Oscar is relieved. It is not yet Mrs. P.'s time, and he wants nothing to do with her.
Oscar jumps down off the desk, relieved to be once more alone and in control of his domain. He takes a few moments to drink from his water bowl and grab a quick bite. Satisfied, he enjoys another stretch and sets out on his rounds. Oscar decides to head down the west wing first, along the way sidestepping Mr. S., who is slumped over on a couch in the hallway. With lips slightly pursed, he snores peacefully — perhaps blissfully unaware of where he is now living. Oscar continues down the hallway until he reaches its end and Room 310. The door is closed, so Oscar sits and waits. He has important business here.
Twenty-five minutes later, the door finally opens, and out walks a nurse's aide carrying dirty linens. “Hello, Oscar,” she says. “Are you going inside?” Oscar lets her pass, then makes his way into the room, where there are two people. Lying in a corner bed and facing the wall, Mrs. T. is asleep in a fetal position. Her body is thin and wasted from the breast cancer that has been eating away at her organs. She is mildly jaundiced and has not spoken in several days. Sitting next to her is her daughter, who glances up from her novel to warmly greet the visitor. “Hello, Oscar. How are you today?”
Oscar takes no notice of the woman and leaps up onto the bed. He surveys Mrs. T. She is clearly in the terminal phase of illness, and her breathing is labored. Oscar's examination is interrupted by a nurse, who walks in to ask the daughter whether Mrs. T. is uncomfortable and needs more morphine. The daughter shakes her head, and the nurse retreats. Oscar returns to his work. He sniffs the air, gives Mrs. T. one final look, then jumps off the bed and quickly leaves the room. Not today.
Making his way back up the hallway, Oscar arrives at Room 313. The door is open, and he proceeds inside. Mrs. K. is resting peacefully in her bed, her breathing steady but shallow. She is surrounded by photographs of her grandchildren and one from her wedding day. Despite these keepsakes, she is alone. Oscar jumps onto her bed and again sniffs the air. He pauses to consider the situation, and then turns around twice before curling up beside Mrs. K.
One hour passes. Oscar waits. A nurse walks into the room to check on her patient. She pauses to note Oscar's presence. Concerned, she hurriedly leaves the room and returns to her desk. She grabs Mrs. K.'s chart off the medical-records rack and begins to make phone calls.
Within a half hour the family starts to arrive. Chairs are brought into the room, where the relatives begin their vigil. The priest is called to deliver last rites. And still, Oscar has not budged, instead purring and gently nuzzling Mrs. K. A young grandson asks his mother, “What is the cat doing here?” The mother, fighting back tears, tells him, “He is here to help Grandma get to heaven.” Thirty minutes later, Mrs. K. takes her last earthly breath. With this, Oscar sits up, looks around, then departs the room so quietly that the grieving family barely notices.
On his way back to the charting area, Oscar passes a plaque mounted on the wall. On it is engraved a commendation from a local hospice agency: “For his compassionate hospice care, this plaque is awarded to Oscar the Cat.” Oscar takes a quick drink of water and returns to his desk to curl up for a long rest. His day's work is done. There will be no more deaths today, not in Room 310 or in any other room for that matter. After all, no one dies on the third floor unless Oscar pays a visit and stays awhile.
Note: Since he was adopted by staff members as a kitten, Oscar the Cat has had an uncanny ability to predict when residents are about to die. Thus far, he has presided over the deaths of more than 25 residents on the third floor of Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island. His mere presence at the bedside is viewed by physicians and nursing home staff as an almost absolute indicator of impending death, allowing staff members to adequately notify families. Oscar has also provided companionship to those who would otherwise have died alone. For his work, he is highly regarded by the physicians and staff at Steere House and by the families of the residents whom he serves.
Source Information
Dr. Dosa is a geriatrician at Rhode Island Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University — both in Providence.
N Engl J Med 2007; 357:328-329July 26, 2007
Oscar the Cat awakens from his nap, opening a single eye to survey his kingdom. From atop the desk in the doctor's charting area, the cat peers down the two wings of the nursing home's advanced dementia unit. All quiet on the western and eastern fronts. Slowly, he rises and extravagantly stretches his 2-year-old frame, first backward and then forward. He sits up and considers his next move.
In the distance, a resident approaches. It is Mrs. P., who has been living on the dementia unit's third floor for 3 years now. She has long forgotten her family, even though they visit her almost daily. Moderately disheveled after eating her lunch, half of which she now wears on her shirt, Mrs. P. is taking one of her many aimless strolls to nowhere. She glides toward Oscar, pushing her walker and muttering to herself with complete disregard for her surroundings. Perturbed, Oscar watches her carefully and, as she walks by, lets out a gentle hiss, a rattlesnake-like warning that says “leave me alone.” She passes him without a glance and continues down the hallway. Oscar is relieved. It is not yet Mrs. P.'s time, and he wants nothing to do with her.
Oscar jumps down off the desk, relieved to be once more alone and in control of his domain. He takes a few moments to drink from his water bowl and grab a quick bite. Satisfied, he enjoys another stretch and sets out on his rounds. Oscar decides to head down the west wing first, along the way sidestepping Mr. S., who is slumped over on a couch in the hallway. With lips slightly pursed, he snores peacefully — perhaps blissfully unaware of where he is now living. Oscar continues down the hallway until he reaches its end and Room 310. The door is closed, so Oscar sits and waits. He has important business here.
Twenty-five minutes later, the door finally opens, and out walks a nurse's aide carrying dirty linens. “Hello, Oscar,” she says. “Are you going inside?” Oscar lets her pass, then makes his way into the room, where there are two people. Lying in a corner bed and facing the wall, Mrs. T. is asleep in a fetal position. Her body is thin and wasted from the breast cancer that has been eating away at her organs. She is mildly jaundiced and has not spoken in several days. Sitting next to her is her daughter, who glances up from her novel to warmly greet the visitor. “Hello, Oscar. How are you today?”
Oscar takes no notice of the woman and leaps up onto the bed. He surveys Mrs. T. She is clearly in the terminal phase of illness, and her breathing is labored. Oscar's examination is interrupted by a nurse, who walks in to ask the daughter whether Mrs. T. is uncomfortable and needs more morphine. The daughter shakes her head, and the nurse retreats. Oscar returns to his work. He sniffs the air, gives Mrs. T. one final look, then jumps off the bed and quickly leaves the room. Not today.
Making his way back up the hallway, Oscar arrives at Room 313. The door is open, and he proceeds inside. Mrs. K. is resting peacefully in her bed, her breathing steady but shallow. She is surrounded by photographs of her grandchildren and one from her wedding day. Despite these keepsakes, she is alone. Oscar jumps onto her bed and again sniffs the air. He pauses to consider the situation, and then turns around twice before curling up beside Mrs. K.
One hour passes. Oscar waits. A nurse walks into the room to check on her patient. She pauses to note Oscar's presence. Concerned, she hurriedly leaves the room and returns to her desk. She grabs Mrs. K.'s chart off the medical-records rack and begins to make phone calls.
Within a half hour the family starts to arrive. Chairs are brought into the room, where the relatives begin their vigil. The priest is called to deliver last rites. And still, Oscar has not budged, instead purring and gently nuzzling Mrs. K. A young grandson asks his mother, “What is the cat doing here?” The mother, fighting back tears, tells him, “He is here to help Grandma get to heaven.” Thirty minutes later, Mrs. K. takes her last earthly breath. With this, Oscar sits up, looks around, then departs the room so quietly that the grieving family barely notices.
On his way back to the charting area, Oscar passes a plaque mounted on the wall. On it is engraved a commendation from a local hospice agency: “For his compassionate hospice care, this plaque is awarded to Oscar the Cat.” Oscar takes a quick drink of water and returns to his desk to curl up for a long rest. His day's work is done. There will be no more deaths today, not in Room 310 or in any other room for that matter. After all, no one dies on the third floor unless Oscar pays a visit and stays awhile.
Note: Since he was adopted by staff members as a kitten, Oscar the Cat has had an uncanny ability to predict when residents are about to die. Thus far, he has presided over the deaths of more than 25 residents on the third floor of Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island. His mere presence at the bedside is viewed by physicians and nursing home staff as an almost absolute indicator of impending death, allowing staff members to adequately notify families. Oscar has also provided companionship to those who would otherwise have died alone. For his work, he is highly regarded by the physicians and staff at Steere House and by the families of the residents whom he serves.
Source Information
Dr. Dosa is a geriatrician at Rhode Island Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University — both in Providence.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Myanmar Cat
Myanmar cat
Just came back from a trip to Myanmar, for more photos go to www.jadedtravels.blogspot.com
Just came back from a trip to Myanmar, for more photos go to www.jadedtravels.blogspot.com
Sunday, April 10, 2011
A day at Pet U Megamart
We brought Tessie to Pet Megamart to use the pool there for her therapy. By 12 noon it started to get crowded as more dogs arrived
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Trying to walk
Tessie is able to satnd and walk a bit. But the vet told us she will needd to rest. It will take another month for her to get back in shape. We should try to bring her to swim so that her back muscles can be strengthened.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Update on Tessie
Although the vet told us to keep Tessie in the cage, we would try to let her out so that she can lie on her bed.This will prevent bed sores
Monday, March 28, 2011
Phuket trip
Some photos of dogs in Phuket
It was a wrong time to go on a holiday but the trip was planned 6 months ago.We left them at our dogsitter Cynthia's place. For more on our trip please go to
http://jadedtravels.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tessie has a slipped disc
Two nights ago I could hear Tessie rumbling and moaning lighly thru the night. In the morning she was limping. Jo brought her to the vet and she was diagnosed with a slipped disc. She will need to rest for a month.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Expressing Roky's anal glands
We suspected that Rocky had swollen anal glands when he kept trying to drag his butt on the floor.Jo squeezed out some discharge. It has a musky smell. This is why dogs like to smnell each other's butt
Saturday, March 12, 2011
UK soldier, loyal dog, make final journey together
By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Jill Lawless, Associated Press – Thu Mar 10, 4:20 pm ET
LONDON – Liam and Theo were a team, fast friends doing a dangerous job — searching out roadside bombs laid by insurgents in Afghanistan.
The jovial British soldier and his irrepressible dog worked and played together for months, and died on the same day. On Thursday they came home, flown back to Britain in a somber repatriation ceremony for the soldier remembered for his empathy with animals and the companion he loved.
Lance Cpl. Liam Tasker, a dog handler with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, was killed in a firefight with insurgents in Helmand Province on March 1 as he searched for explosives with Theo, a bomb-sniffing springer spaniel mix. The dog suffered a fatal seizure hours later at a British army base, likely brought about by stress.
Military officials won't go so far as to say Theo died of a broken heart — but that may not be far from the truth.
"I think we often underestimate the grieving process in dogs," said Elaine Pendlebury, a senior veterinarian with animal charity PDSA. "Some dogs react very severely to their partner's loss."
She said it was not uncommon for pets to respond to an owner's death by refusing food and becoming sick — and the bond between working dogs and their handlers is especially close.
"The bonding that I have seen between soldiers or police and their dogs is fantastic. When you see them working together, it's really one unit."
A military Hercules plane carrying Tasker's body and Theo's ashes touched down Thursday at a Royal Air Force base in southwest England. As the funeral cortege of black vehicles drove slowly away, it was saluted by a long line of military dog handlers, their dogs at their sides. A black Labrador retriever sat quietly beside its handler as the hearse carrying the flag-draped coffin disappeared from view.
At the nearby town of Wootton Bassett, where people line the streets in a mark of respect each time a dead soldier is repatriated, dozens stood silently — some with dogs at their feet — as Tasker's friends and family laid roses atop the hearse.
The Ministry of Defense said Theo's ashes would be presented to Tasker's family later at a private ceremony.
Tasker, 26, from Kirkcaldy in Scotland, spent six years as an army mechanic before joining the military working dog unit in 2007. He felt he had found his calling.
"I love my job and working together with Theo," Tasker said in a profile of the pair released by the Ministry of Defense before his death. "He has a great character and never tires. He can't wait to get out and do his job and will stop at nothing."
The soldier and the 22-month-old dog had been in Afghanistan for almost six months, uncovering roadside bombs and weapons in a dangerous daily routine.
Theo became a bit of a military celebrity last month after the defense ministry released photos and video of him and Tasker to highlight the lifesaving work of military dogs. The footage, now deeply poignant, shows Theo — energetic, ears cocked, tail wagging — alongside Tasker searching a compound for explosives.
In it, Theo is seen feverishly circling the dusty area, his nose pressed to the ground. At one point he stops, tail wagging furiously, and begins digging the rocky earth before turning eagerly toward Tasker, who calls out "good boy!" and lets out a chortle of delight before tossing him a treat.
The ministry said then that Theo had been so successful — finding 14 hidden bombs and weapons caches, a record for a team in Afghanistan — that the dog's tour of duty had been extended by a month.
Tasker was the 358th British soldier to die in Afghanistan since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion. Theo was the sixth British military dog killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001.
There are calls for Theo to receive the Dickin medal, which since 1943 has recognized wartime bravery by animals, from carrier pigeons to a World War II commando collie.
The loyalty of some dogs is legendary, from Greyfriars Bobby, a 19th-century Skye terrier who guarded his master's Edinburgh grave for 14 years, to Hachiko, a Japanese dog who awaited his owner's return at a train station every day for years after the man's death. Both are commemorated with statues.
Tasker's father, Ian, said Theo would have been devastated by Liam's death.
"I truly believe when Theo went back to the kennel, that that would have a big, big impact because Liam wasn't there to comfort him," he told ITV news.
Tasker's mother, Jane Duffy agreed. "I'm not nurse or a vet (but) I would like to believe (Theo) died of a broken heart to be with Liam," she told the broadcaster.
Tasker's colleague's recalled the soldier's bond with his dog and zealous attention to duty in tributes released by the defense ministry.
"A natural with animals, he had an affection for his dog that truly was a window to his soul," said Maj. Alexander Turner, a commander of Tasker's unit.
He "was here to save life, finding explosive devices that kill more farmers than combatants in our area," Turner said. "His fortitude and zeal for that perilous task was humbling; it imbued us all with confidence. He used to joke that Theo was impossible to restrain but I would say the same about Lance Corporal Tasker."
Tasker's uncle, Billy McCord, said the soldier had been due to leave Afghanistan soon and worried about being separated from Theo.
"He actually said at one point that when he finished his tour he was not sure what would happen to his dog and that he could be separated from his dog," McCord told the local Courier newspaper in Scotland. "That was preying on his mind, but they are not separated now."
LONDON – Liam and Theo were a team, fast friends doing a dangerous job — searching out roadside bombs laid by insurgents in Afghanistan.
The jovial British soldier and his irrepressible dog worked and played together for months, and died on the same day. On Thursday they came home, flown back to Britain in a somber repatriation ceremony for the soldier remembered for his empathy with animals and the companion he loved.
Lance Cpl. Liam Tasker, a dog handler with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, was killed in a firefight with insurgents in Helmand Province on March 1 as he searched for explosives with Theo, a bomb-sniffing springer spaniel mix. The dog suffered a fatal seizure hours later at a British army base, likely brought about by stress.
Military officials won't go so far as to say Theo died of a broken heart — but that may not be far from the truth.
"I think we often underestimate the grieving process in dogs," said Elaine Pendlebury, a senior veterinarian with animal charity PDSA. "Some dogs react very severely to their partner's loss."
She said it was not uncommon for pets to respond to an owner's death by refusing food and becoming sick — and the bond between working dogs and their handlers is especially close.
"The bonding that I have seen between soldiers or police and their dogs is fantastic. When you see them working together, it's really one unit."
A military Hercules plane carrying Tasker's body and Theo's ashes touched down Thursday at a Royal Air Force base in southwest England. As the funeral cortege of black vehicles drove slowly away, it was saluted by a long line of military dog handlers, their dogs at their sides. A black Labrador retriever sat quietly beside its handler as the hearse carrying the flag-draped coffin disappeared from view.
At the nearby town of Wootton Bassett, where people line the streets in a mark of respect each time a dead soldier is repatriated, dozens stood silently — some with dogs at their feet — as Tasker's friends and family laid roses atop the hearse.
The Ministry of Defense said Theo's ashes would be presented to Tasker's family later at a private ceremony.
Tasker, 26, from Kirkcaldy in Scotland, spent six years as an army mechanic before joining the military working dog unit in 2007. He felt he had found his calling.
"I love my job and working together with Theo," Tasker said in a profile of the pair released by the Ministry of Defense before his death. "He has a great character and never tires. He can't wait to get out and do his job and will stop at nothing."
The soldier and the 22-month-old dog had been in Afghanistan for almost six months, uncovering roadside bombs and weapons in a dangerous daily routine.
Theo became a bit of a military celebrity last month after the defense ministry released photos and video of him and Tasker to highlight the lifesaving work of military dogs. The footage, now deeply poignant, shows Theo — energetic, ears cocked, tail wagging — alongside Tasker searching a compound for explosives.
In it, Theo is seen feverishly circling the dusty area, his nose pressed to the ground. At one point he stops, tail wagging furiously, and begins digging the rocky earth before turning eagerly toward Tasker, who calls out "good boy!" and lets out a chortle of delight before tossing him a treat.
The ministry said then that Theo had been so successful — finding 14 hidden bombs and weapons caches, a record for a team in Afghanistan — that the dog's tour of duty had been extended by a month.
Tasker was the 358th British soldier to die in Afghanistan since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion. Theo was the sixth British military dog killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001.
There are calls for Theo to receive the Dickin medal, which since 1943 has recognized wartime bravery by animals, from carrier pigeons to a World War II commando collie.
The loyalty of some dogs is legendary, from Greyfriars Bobby, a 19th-century Skye terrier who guarded his master's Edinburgh grave for 14 years, to Hachiko, a Japanese dog who awaited his owner's return at a train station every day for years after the man's death. Both are commemorated with statues.
Tasker's father, Ian, said Theo would have been devastated by Liam's death.
"I truly believe when Theo went back to the kennel, that that would have a big, big impact because Liam wasn't there to comfort him," he told ITV news.
Tasker's mother, Jane Duffy agreed. "I'm not nurse or a vet (but) I would like to believe (Theo) died of a broken heart to be with Liam," she told the broadcaster.
Tasker's colleague's recalled the soldier's bond with his dog and zealous attention to duty in tributes released by the defense ministry.
"A natural with animals, he had an affection for his dog that truly was a window to his soul," said Maj. Alexander Turner, a commander of Tasker's unit.
He "was here to save life, finding explosive devices that kill more farmers than combatants in our area," Turner said. "His fortitude and zeal for that perilous task was humbling; it imbued us all with confidence. He used to joke that Theo was impossible to restrain but I would say the same about Lance Corporal Tasker."
Tasker's uncle, Billy McCord, said the soldier had been due to leave Afghanistan soon and worried about being separated from Theo.
"He actually said at one point that when he finished his tour he was not sure what would happen to his dog and that he could be separated from his dog," McCord told the local Courier newspaper in Scotland. "That was preying on his mind, but they are not separated now."
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Man fined S$10,000 for unlicensed puppy
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 23 February 2011 1451 hrs
SINGAPORE: A scuba diving instructor was fined the maximum S$10,000 for bringing in a puppy from Malaysia without a licence.
29-year-old Eugene Yeo Jiedong visited a dog breeder in Kuala Lumpur on November 15 last year, to purchase a Golden Retriever puppy.
He paid about RM3,500 (S$1,500) for it before driving back to Singapore via the Tuas Checkpoint.
The court heard that Yeo was aware of the strict import control measures laid down by Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).
But he decided to take the risk and placed the puppy inside a black bag before passing through the checkpoint undetected at around 5.30am the next day.
He was exposed when he brought the four-month-old puppy to Mount Pleasant Veterinary Clinic December 7 last year.
Yeo told Dr Boon Chia Yun that he had brought the puppy into the country without a licence and he wanted it to be vaccinated against rabies in case it had the disease.
Dr Boon highlighted to him the seriousness of his offence as it could cause a rabies outbreak in Singapore.
She also advised him to own up to the AVA within a week's time, adding that she would report the matter to the authorities should he fail to do so.
Yeo did not heed the advice and this prompted Dr Boon to blow the whistle on him.
AVA's prosecuting officer, Yap Teck Chuan, who had pressed for the maximum fine, said that the courts should adopt a strong stance against such offences.
He stressed that rabies was a fatal disease transmitted through the bite of an infected animal.
Singapore has been free from rabies since 1953 and an outbreak here would spread panic amongst the public, said Mr Yap.
- CNA/fa
SINGAPORE: A scuba diving instructor was fined the maximum S$10,000 for bringing in a puppy from Malaysia without a licence.
29-year-old Eugene Yeo Jiedong visited a dog breeder in Kuala Lumpur on November 15 last year, to purchase a Golden Retriever puppy.
He paid about RM3,500 (S$1,500) for it before driving back to Singapore via the Tuas Checkpoint.
The court heard that Yeo was aware of the strict import control measures laid down by Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).
But he decided to take the risk and placed the puppy inside a black bag before passing through the checkpoint undetected at around 5.30am the next day.
He was exposed when he brought the four-month-old puppy to Mount Pleasant Veterinary Clinic December 7 last year.
Yeo told Dr Boon Chia Yun that he had brought the puppy into the country without a licence and he wanted it to be vaccinated against rabies in case it had the disease.
Dr Boon highlighted to him the seriousness of his offence as it could cause a rabies outbreak in Singapore.
She also advised him to own up to the AVA within a week's time, adding that she would report the matter to the authorities should he fail to do so.
Yeo did not heed the advice and this prompted Dr Boon to blow the whistle on him.
AVA's prosecuting officer, Yap Teck Chuan, who had pressed for the maximum fine, said that the courts should adopt a strong stance against such offences.
He stressed that rabies was a fatal disease transmitted through the bite of an infected animal.
Singapore has been free from rabies since 1953 and an outbreak here would spread panic amongst the public, said Mr Yap.
- CNA/fa
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Scottish deerhound is best in show at Westminster
By BEN WALKER, AP Sports Writer Ben Walker, Ap Sports Writer
NEW YORK – Hickory just might like the big-city life.
A Scottish deerhound that loves to chase deer and rabbits on a 50-acre farm in Virginia did more than fine at Madison Square Garden this week, winning best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club on Tuesday night and the title of America's top dog.
"She's not used to lights, camera and noise," handler Angela Lloyd said.
Whatever, Hickory will get a couple of Manhattan treats on Wednesday — steak at famed Sardi's restaurant and a trip to the top of the Empire State Building.
The 5-year-old Hickory became the first of her breed to capture the purple-and-gold ribbon and shiny silver bowl.
By dog world standards, it was an upset. OK, maybe not quite as big as the Hickory Huskers winning the Indiana high school state basketball championship in the film "Hoosiers," but quite a surprise nonetheless.
"I think Hickory could feel my lead that I was excited and went with it," Lloyd said.
Judge Paolo Dondina of Italy thanked every person and dog inside the arena, then picked Hickory from a best-of-seven final show ring that truly sounded international — along with a Scottish deerhound, there was a Pekingese, Portuguese water dog, Chinese shar-pei, smooth fox terrier, bearded collie and black cocker spaniel.
A couple of those pooches on the green carpet ring with Hickory were among the country's top-rated show dogs. The 85-pound Hickory wasn't on that list, though she wagged her long tail the most at the end after beating out a total of nearly 2,600 entries. No doubt, owners Sally Sweatt and Cecilia Dove and Dr. Scott Dove were equally thrilled after her 16th best-in-show overall.
"The quality of all of the dogs were outstanding," Dondina said. "This animal is like in the heavens. It's not of this world."
The 135th Westminster was considered a wide-open field from the start. A smooth fox terrier that was the No. 1 show dog of 2010 recently retired and an Australian shepherd that won the big AKC/Eukanuba event did not enter.
Hickory won the hound group Monday night, then had to wait around all day for her big chance. That was a lot to ask for a kind of dog that feels most comfortable in the woods, but she clearly managed to do just fine.
The 31-year-old Lloyd had won at Westminster before — in 1998, she was honored for her handling in the junior showmanship for youngsters who hope to work in the dog world.
"People who own, breed, show dogs dream of this day," she said.
Among the owners who showed earlier in the day: Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum, an Army surgeon who was shot down from a helicopter during the Persian Gulf War and briefly held as a prisoner of war. She was at the Garden showing a Gordon setter.
Cornum was clear on which was more difficult, ascending in the show ring or in the military.
"No question, it is dogs," she said.
Sitting high up in section 118, Linda Melvin kept her eyes fixed on those Gordon setters competing on the floor. A seat away, her daughter fixated on her cell phone.
Krista Piller was busy posting on Facebook: "Wants a big dog to win the WKC dog show this year."
"I'll being putting up more, too," Piller wrote.
From the stands, to the rings to backstage, people were a-twitter — iPads, Blackberries, Droids and then some at an event that started in 1877. Signs of social media were everywhere at the Westminster Kennel Club show.
Proving, in fact, that it is indeed possible to teach an old dog show new tech tricks.
"It is now uploaded!" exclaimed Lorraine Shore of Sequim, Wash.
In town with a pair of German pinschers, her peeps worldwide could see on YouTube how her favorite pooches fared.
"From Germany to Australia to California, people are waiting for my postings," she said. "People who have never been here, now they've experienced Westminster."
Westminster had 49,000 friends on Facebook by late Tuesday afternoon, said Susi Szeremy of the kennel club's social media team, and the number quickly zoomed to more than 60,000. There are about 2,400 followers Tweeting along — litters of twitters.
Ken Roux of Dixon, Ill., made it easy for anyone to keep track of his Boston terrier at the 135th Westminster event. Hoss won a best of breed award Monday.
Roux put a tag with a QR code, a sophisticated set of small squares randomly appearing in a larger square, on top of his dog's crate. The pattern is more than an inch square, and anyone pointing a smartphone at the pattern is automatically taken to Hoss' website.
Brook Berth, an assistant to Hoss' handler, said she'd heard only one other dog at Westminster had the QR tag, which stands for "quick response." The new technology allows people to instantly access the dog's history and contacts.
"I noticed a lot of people taking pictures," Berth said. "It's just so convenient. You don't have to worry about people writing down information or passing out cards. They have it all right away."
The fancy bar codes could become Westminster's trendy bark codes.
"This is the test area," Berth said. "So far, it seems to be a big hit."
NEW YORK – Hickory just might like the big-city life.
A Scottish deerhound that loves to chase deer and rabbits on a 50-acre farm in Virginia did more than fine at Madison Square Garden this week, winning best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club on Tuesday night and the title of America's top dog.
"She's not used to lights, camera and noise," handler Angela Lloyd said.
Whatever, Hickory will get a couple of Manhattan treats on Wednesday — steak at famed Sardi's restaurant and a trip to the top of the Empire State Building.
The 5-year-old Hickory became the first of her breed to capture the purple-and-gold ribbon and shiny silver bowl.
By dog world standards, it was an upset. OK, maybe not quite as big as the Hickory Huskers winning the Indiana high school state basketball championship in the film "Hoosiers," but quite a surprise nonetheless.
"I think Hickory could feel my lead that I was excited and went with it," Lloyd said.
Judge Paolo Dondina of Italy thanked every person and dog inside the arena, then picked Hickory from a best-of-seven final show ring that truly sounded international — along with a Scottish deerhound, there was a Pekingese, Portuguese water dog, Chinese shar-pei, smooth fox terrier, bearded collie and black cocker spaniel.
A couple of those pooches on the green carpet ring with Hickory were among the country's top-rated show dogs. The 85-pound Hickory wasn't on that list, though she wagged her long tail the most at the end after beating out a total of nearly 2,600 entries. No doubt, owners Sally Sweatt and Cecilia Dove and Dr. Scott Dove were equally thrilled after her 16th best-in-show overall.
"The quality of all of the dogs were outstanding," Dondina said. "This animal is like in the heavens. It's not of this world."
The 135th Westminster was considered a wide-open field from the start. A smooth fox terrier that was the No. 1 show dog of 2010 recently retired and an Australian shepherd that won the big AKC/Eukanuba event did not enter.
Hickory won the hound group Monday night, then had to wait around all day for her big chance. That was a lot to ask for a kind of dog that feels most comfortable in the woods, but she clearly managed to do just fine.
The 31-year-old Lloyd had won at Westminster before — in 1998, she was honored for her handling in the junior showmanship for youngsters who hope to work in the dog world.
"People who own, breed, show dogs dream of this day," she said.
Among the owners who showed earlier in the day: Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum, an Army surgeon who was shot down from a helicopter during the Persian Gulf War and briefly held as a prisoner of war. She was at the Garden showing a Gordon setter.
Cornum was clear on which was more difficult, ascending in the show ring or in the military.
"No question, it is dogs," she said.
Sitting high up in section 118, Linda Melvin kept her eyes fixed on those Gordon setters competing on the floor. A seat away, her daughter fixated on her cell phone.
Krista Piller was busy posting on Facebook: "Wants a big dog to win the WKC dog show this year."
"I'll being putting up more, too," Piller wrote.
From the stands, to the rings to backstage, people were a-twitter — iPads, Blackberries, Droids and then some at an event that started in 1877. Signs of social media were everywhere at the Westminster Kennel Club show.
Proving, in fact, that it is indeed possible to teach an old dog show new tech tricks.
"It is now uploaded!" exclaimed Lorraine Shore of Sequim, Wash.
In town with a pair of German pinschers, her peeps worldwide could see on YouTube how her favorite pooches fared.
"From Germany to Australia to California, people are waiting for my postings," she said. "People who have never been here, now they've experienced Westminster."
Westminster had 49,000 friends on Facebook by late Tuesday afternoon, said Susi Szeremy of the kennel club's social media team, and the number quickly zoomed to more than 60,000. There are about 2,400 followers Tweeting along — litters of twitters.
Ken Roux of Dixon, Ill., made it easy for anyone to keep track of his Boston terrier at the 135th Westminster event. Hoss won a best of breed award Monday.
Roux put a tag with a QR code, a sophisticated set of small squares randomly appearing in a larger square, on top of his dog's crate. The pattern is more than an inch square, and anyone pointing a smartphone at the pattern is automatically taken to Hoss' website.
Brook Berth, an assistant to Hoss' handler, said she'd heard only one other dog at Westminster had the QR tag, which stands for "quick response." The new technology allows people to instantly access the dog's history and contacts.
"I noticed a lot of people taking pictures," Berth said. "It's just so convenient. You don't have to worry about people writing down information or passing out cards. They have it all right away."
The fancy bar codes could become Westminster's trendy bark codes.
"This is the test area," Berth said. "So far, it seems to be a big hit."
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Airlift rescues abandoned LA chihuahuas
AFP - Sunday, February 13
LONG BEACH, California (AFP) - – Blame it on Paris Hilton: the craze for owning small dogs as fashion accessories has led to an explosion in the number of abandoned chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where tiny canines are everywhere.
But now an animal-friendly philanthropist has come to their rescue, organizing an airlift of diminutive pooches abandoned by impatient owners in California -- jetting them off by private plane to Canada, of all places.
"In Los Angeles, in particular, we have an overpopulation of small dogs, many of them Chihuahuas because people think that having a small dog is easy to maintain in a home," said organizer Madeline Bernstein.
The phenomenon has increased after films like "Legally Blonde," and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" adds Bernstein of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA).
To make it worse, "a significant number of young celebrities like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, they started to get out with these little dogs like accessories," she told AFP.
"The problem is, they are not accessories, they are dogs. They poop, pee and you should take care of them, .. and young people want them as if they were a nice bag, then they get tired ..and leave the dogs in the streets or shelters."
There are estimated to be more than 60,000 Chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where newcomers are often shocked at the luxuries afforded to the miniature hounds, often petted over like babies in the street or in cafes and bars.
Owners can choose from a seemingly endless range of dog spas, boutiques and even schools of canine yoga for their tiny charges -- although the costs involved may possibly help explain why so many are being abandoned.
Whatever the reasons, animal lovers are determined to rescue those that they can from a sad and lonely life in a shelter in California.
That's why on Friday Bernstein and a group of other dog-lovers took action, strapping some 60 dogs in for a three-hour "Air Chihuahua" flight from Long Beach, California, to Edmonton, Canada.
Candy, Kobe, Sadie, Winnie, Taylor and Troudy were among those heading for a new life further north, a long way from the heat of California, and even further from the northern Mexican province from which they get their name.
The spcaLA has been organizing Air Chihuahua flights since December 2009, to destinations including Colorado, Houston and Florida. But Friday's 40,000 dollar operation was the first international airlift.
Jan Folk, a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist who owns the plane, said that in southern California animal rescue centers deal with large volume of strays admitted every day.
"They feel that they would have no other choice but to eventually euthanize the dogs if they were not transferred," she lamented to AFP on the tarmac in Long Beach, just south of Los Angeles.
In Edmonton, "more people are willing to wait for the California dogs because they know that many .. may come from puppy mills or brokers where they often live in horrible conditions," she added.
"The small breed dogs are in such demand that most were adopted within two or three weeks of arriving in Edmonton. In fact, there was a line of potential adopters at the Edmonton shelter waiting for the dogs to arrive!" she said.
LONG BEACH, California (AFP) - – Blame it on Paris Hilton: the craze for owning small dogs as fashion accessories has led to an explosion in the number of abandoned chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where tiny canines are everywhere.
But now an animal-friendly philanthropist has come to their rescue, organizing an airlift of diminutive pooches abandoned by impatient owners in California -- jetting them off by private plane to Canada, of all places.
"In Los Angeles, in particular, we have an overpopulation of small dogs, many of them Chihuahuas because people think that having a small dog is easy to maintain in a home," said organizer Madeline Bernstein.
The phenomenon has increased after films like "Legally Blonde," and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" adds Bernstein of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA).
To make it worse, "a significant number of young celebrities like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, they started to get out with these little dogs like accessories," she told AFP.
"The problem is, they are not accessories, they are dogs. They poop, pee and you should take care of them, .. and young people want them as if they were a nice bag, then they get tired ..and leave the dogs in the streets or shelters."
There are estimated to be more than 60,000 Chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where newcomers are often shocked at the luxuries afforded to the miniature hounds, often petted over like babies in the street or in cafes and bars.
Owners can choose from a seemingly endless range of dog spas, boutiques and even schools of canine yoga for their tiny charges -- although the costs involved may possibly help explain why so many are being abandoned.
Whatever the reasons, animal lovers are determined to rescue those that they can from a sad and lonely life in a shelter in California.
That's why on Friday Bernstein and a group of other dog-lovers took action, strapping some 60 dogs in for a three-hour "Air Chihuahua" flight from Long Beach, California, to Edmonton, Canada.
Candy, Kobe, Sadie, Winnie, Taylor and Troudy were among those heading for a new life further north, a long way from the heat of California, and even further from the northern Mexican province from which they get their name.
The spcaLA has been organizing Air Chihuahua flights since December 2009, to destinations including Colorado, Houston and Florida. But Friday's 40,000 dollar operation was the first international airlift.
Jan Folk, a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist who owns the plane, said that in southern California animal rescue centers deal with large volume of strays admitted every day.
"They feel that they would have no other choice but to eventually euthanize the dogs if they were not transferred," she lamented to AFP on the tarmac in Long Beach, just south of Los Angeles.
In Edmonton, "more people are willing to wait for the California dogs because they know that many .. may come from puppy mills or brokers where they often live in horrible conditions," she added.
"The small breed dogs are in such demand that most were adopted within two or three weeks of arriving in Edmonton. In fact, there was a line of potential adopters at the Edmonton shelter waiting for the dogs to arrive!" she said.
Airlift rescues abandoned LA chihuahuas
AFP - Sunday, February 13
LONG BEACH, California (AFP) - – Blame it on Paris Hilton: the craze for owning small dogs as fashion accessories has led to an explosion in the number of abandoned chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where tiny canines are everywhere.
But now an animal-friendly philanthropist has come to their rescue, organizing an airlift of diminutive pooches abandoned by impatient owners in California -- jetting them off by private plane to Canada, of all places.
"In Los Angeles, in particular, we have an overpopulation of small dogs, many of them Chihuahuas because people think that having a small dog is easy to maintain in a home," said organizer Madeline Bernstein.
The phenomenon has increased after films like "Legally Blonde," and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" adds Bernstein of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA).
To make it worse, "a significant number of young celebrities like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, they started to get out with these little dogs like accessories," she told AFP.
"The problem is, they are not accessories, they are dogs. They poop, pee and you should take care of them, .. and young people want them as if they were a nice bag, then they get tired ..and leave the dogs in the streets or shelters."
There are estimated to be more than 60,000 Chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where newcomers are often shocked at the luxuries afforded to the miniature hounds, often petted over like babies in the street or in cafes and bars.
Owners can choose from a seemingly endless range of dog spas, boutiques and even schools of canine yoga for their tiny charges -- although the costs involved may possibly help explain why so many are being abandoned.
Whatever the reasons, animal lovers are determined to rescue those that they can from a sad and lonely life in a shelter in California.
That's why on Friday Bernstein and a group of other dog-lovers took action, strapping some 60 dogs in for a three-hour "Air Chihuahua" flight from Long Beach, California, to Edmonton, Canada.
Candy, Kobe, Sadie, Winnie, Taylor and Troudy were among those heading for a new life further north, a long way from the heat of California, and even further from the northern Mexican province from which they get their name.
The spcaLA has been organizing Air Chihuahua flights since December 2009, to destinations including Colorado, Houston and Florida. But Friday's 40,000 dollar operation was the first international airlift.
Jan Folk, a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist who owns the plane, said that in southern California animal rescue centers deal with large volume of strays admitted every day.
"They feel that they would have no other choice but to eventually euthanize the dogs if they were not transferred," she lamented to AFP on the tarmac in Long Beach, just south of Los Angeles.
In Edmonton, "more people are willing to wait for the California dogs because they know that many .. may come from puppy mills or brokers where they often live in horrible conditions," she added.
"The small breed dogs are in such demand that most were adopted within two or three weeks of arriving in Edmonton. In fact, there was a line of potential adopters at the Edmonton shelter waiting for the dogs to arrive!" she said.
LONG BEACH, California (AFP) - – Blame it on Paris Hilton: the craze for owning small dogs as fashion accessories has led to an explosion in the number of abandoned chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where tiny canines are everywhere.
But now an animal-friendly philanthropist has come to their rescue, organizing an airlift of diminutive pooches abandoned by impatient owners in California -- jetting them off by private plane to Canada, of all places.
"In Los Angeles, in particular, we have an overpopulation of small dogs, many of them Chihuahuas because people think that having a small dog is easy to maintain in a home," said organizer Madeline Bernstein.
The phenomenon has increased after films like "Legally Blonde," and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" adds Bernstein of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA).
To make it worse, "a significant number of young celebrities like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, they started to get out with these little dogs like accessories," she told AFP.
"The problem is, they are not accessories, they are dogs. They poop, pee and you should take care of them, .. and young people want them as if they were a nice bag, then they get tired ..and leave the dogs in the streets or shelters."
There are estimated to be more than 60,000 Chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where newcomers are often shocked at the luxuries afforded to the miniature hounds, often petted over like babies in the street or in cafes and bars.
Owners can choose from a seemingly endless range of dog spas, boutiques and even schools of canine yoga for their tiny charges -- although the costs involved may possibly help explain why so many are being abandoned.
Whatever the reasons, animal lovers are determined to rescue those that they can from a sad and lonely life in a shelter in California.
That's why on Friday Bernstein and a group of other dog-lovers took action, strapping some 60 dogs in for a three-hour "Air Chihuahua" flight from Long Beach, California, to Edmonton, Canada.
Candy, Kobe, Sadie, Winnie, Taylor and Troudy were among those heading for a new life further north, a long way from the heat of California, and even further from the northern Mexican province from which they get their name.
The spcaLA has been organizing Air Chihuahua flights since December 2009, to destinations including Colorado, Houston and Florida. But Friday's 40,000 dollar operation was the first international airlift.
Jan Folk, a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist who owns the plane, said that in southern California animal rescue centers deal with large volume of strays admitted every day.
"They feel that they would have no other choice but to eventually euthanize the dogs if they were not transferred," she lamented to AFP on the tarmac in Long Beach, just south of Los Angeles.
In Edmonton, "more people are willing to wait for the California dogs because they know that many .. may come from puppy mills or brokers where they often live in horrible conditions," she added.
"The small breed dogs are in such demand that most were adopted within two or three weeks of arriving in Edmonton. In fact, there was a line of potential adopters at the Edmonton shelter waiting for the dogs to arrive!" she said.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Canada investigates mass sled dog slaughter
AFP - Tuesday, February 1
VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) - – Police are investigating the slaughter of 100 husky dogs used during the 2010 Winter Olympics to pull tourist sleds in the Canadian ski resort of Whistler, authorities said.
The grisly killings were reportedly carried out by one worker over two days in April 2010 with a shotgun and a knife, with reports of injured dogs crawling out of a mass grave.
Local media said the dogs were killed because business slumped in the two months following the Games and they were no longer needed by tourism companies Outdoor Adventures and Howling Dogs, which sell dog-sled rides to tourists.
"We've opened a police file and assigned an investigator," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Staff Sergeant Steve LeClair told AFP.
The case came to light on Monday after the unnamed worker claimed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of killing the dogs, and was reportedly awarded compensation from British Columbia worker's board.
Marcie Moriarty of the Society for Prevention of Animal Cruelty, the lead agency in the investigation, told the Vancouver Sun, "The way he describes (in the board's report) multiple shots and faces blown off and coming back on a second day is gruesome."
"The way this employee describes it, it's a massacre absolutely, a criminal code offence. These dogs were killed in front of the other dogs that were all tethered up."
The man's personal injury lawyer Cory Steinberg told news radio station CKNW, "It wasn't always a clean, one-shot kill. Inevitably he ended up seeing and having to put the end to some horrific scenes."
A spokeswoman for the law firm refused to comment on the criminal investigation and Outdoor Adventures did not return repeated calls from AFP.
The company's website, with photos of huskies and sleds, however, continues to advertise a dog sled ride for CAN$169 per person, "as a once in a lifetime experience (with) your team of energetic and loveable Alaskan Racing Huskies."
The maximum penalty in Canada for injuring or endangering an animal is five years in jail, while animal cruelty is punishable by a fine and 18 months in jail.
VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) - – Police are investigating the slaughter of 100 husky dogs used during the 2010 Winter Olympics to pull tourist sleds in the Canadian ski resort of Whistler, authorities said.
The grisly killings were reportedly carried out by one worker over two days in April 2010 with a shotgun and a knife, with reports of injured dogs crawling out of a mass grave.
Local media said the dogs were killed because business slumped in the two months following the Games and they were no longer needed by tourism companies Outdoor Adventures and Howling Dogs, which sell dog-sled rides to tourists.
"We've opened a police file and assigned an investigator," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Staff Sergeant Steve LeClair told AFP.
The case came to light on Monday after the unnamed worker claimed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of killing the dogs, and was reportedly awarded compensation from British Columbia worker's board.
Marcie Moriarty of the Society for Prevention of Animal Cruelty, the lead agency in the investigation, told the Vancouver Sun, "The way he describes (in the board's report) multiple shots and faces blown off and coming back on a second day is gruesome."
"The way this employee describes it, it's a massacre absolutely, a criminal code offence. These dogs were killed in front of the other dogs that were all tethered up."
The man's personal injury lawyer Cory Steinberg told news radio station CKNW, "It wasn't always a clean, one-shot kill. Inevitably he ended up seeing and having to put the end to some horrific scenes."
A spokeswoman for the law firm refused to comment on the criminal investigation and Outdoor Adventures did not return repeated calls from AFP.
The company's website, with photos of huskies and sleds, however, continues to advertise a dog sled ride for CAN$169 per person, "as a once in a lifetime experience (with) your team of energetic and loveable Alaskan Racing Huskies."
The maximum penalty in Canada for injuring or endangering an animal is five years in jail, while animal cruelty is punishable by a fine and 18 months in jail.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Family Reunion
Cookie and Ozzy
From left- Tessie, Rockie, Cookie and OzzyIt was a surprise reunion at the dog run last weekend when we bumped into Cookie.He is much taller and heavier than his father Ozzy
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Dog allegedly hit with metal chain repeatedly
The skin on Wander’s snout has rotted away, leaving its flesh open to infection. (Photo: Madam Wong’s Shelter)
In the latest reported case of animal abuse, a stray female dog was apparently hit on the face repeatedly with a metal chain, leaving its snout disfigured, oozing pus and blood.
Pictures of the abused dog, Wander, was posted on citizen journalism website Stomp on Monday, drawing outrage from netizens.
Mr Ray Yeh, who is in charge of animal shelter Mdm Wong’s Shelter (MWS), said Wander was brought to MWS on Sunday, with injuries it sustained over a month ago.
He told Yahoo! Singapore, it is believed Wander was living in an industrial park, under a lorry. When an unfamiliar foreign worker encroached its “territory”, Wander started barking and subsequently got “bashed up” by the worker.
Another foreign worker, who heard the commotion, ran out and shouted at the abuser. The culprit then cycled away.
A salesman, Mr Ng, who used to feed Wander, told The New Paper (TNP) he tried to treat the dog’s wounds with antiseptic cream but to no avail. The infection later spread to its left eye.
Mr Ng, 48, then took Wander to the vet, where he spent some $300 on medication and boarding fees. On Sunday, he brought Wander to MWS.
“When Wander came in on Sunday, her wound dripped blood when she lowered her head,” described MWS volunteer Lyn Loh, who posted the pictures of Wander’s abuse on Stomp.
Animal abuse cases appear to be on the rise.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (SPCA) initial figures show over 900 cases investigated in 2010, said executive director Deirdre Moss. In 2009, the SPCA investigated 864 reports of alleged cruelty, 13 per cent more than the year before.
Currently, the SPCA is also appealing for information on a dog that was found dead on Dec 26, at the void deck of Blk 415 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 under “suspicious circumstances”. It had blood on its paw and mouth.
The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) saw a startling 24 cases of animal abuse from January to late October last year, compared to nine in 2009, 11 in 2008 and seven in 2007. AVA attributes the increase to growing public awareness, reported TNP.
Mr Yeh said, Wander is now undergoing surgery to remove dead tissue, blood and pus from its wound. Medical fees could run up to over a thousand dollars.
“Wander is still very trusting and friendly. She started eating yesterday, which is a good sign,” added Mr Yeh.
Pictures of the abused dog were also posted on MWS’ Facebook page on Sunday, in an attempt to highlight the abuse of dogs in Singapore. Various people have since offered to contribute money for Wander’s treatment.
MWS urged for harsher penalties to be imposed on animal abusers and for people to report any case of animal abuse.
SPCA said, “The injuries on the dog are horrific and action needs to be taken if the dog was abused as reported.”
The society urged anyone with knowledge of the incident to make a police report — as the SPCA does not have legal powers to investigate and take action — and inform the SPCA, as soon as possible. For further assistance, the public can call the SPCA at 62875355 ext 9.
The SPCA will also be liaising with the AVA on this matter, said Ms Moss.
AVA has confirmed it is investigating the case.
Ms Moss pointed out, “As the reports in the press say that the dog was found two months ago, it may be hard to establish how the dog was injured unless the stray feeder who found the dog goes back to the scene (of where the crime was allegedly committed) to speak to the worker (who reportedly saw the act being committed).”
The maximum punishment for animal abuse is a fine of S$10,000 and jail term of 12 months.
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