A young dog has become one of the early victims of Halloween savagery, after its jaw was blown off when thugs apparently stuck a lit firework into its mouth.

Following worldwide condempnation over the wheelie bin scandal, Mary Bale has been signed off work on full pay for at least three weeks for stress related reasons.  

So you have all probably heard and seen of the video where a woman throws her neighbours cat in a wheelie bin which was then left there for 15 hours. Luckily Lola the cat was eventually found and is being well looked after by her owner.

Police in southern Russia are looking for employees of a leisure firm which forced a donkey to parasail over the sea. Footage showing the terrified animal being launched into the sky spread around the world, after RT first broadcast it. Should the people responsible be arrest and sent into jail, what do you think?

In the past few weeks, three animals have died in Kiev Zoo including a 39-year old Indian elephant, a white camel and more recently a bison. Reports suggest someone may actually be poisoning the animals and investigations are currently taking place. Click here to read this shocking story in full. 

German shepherd 'Courage' was found near death after 5 weeks of starvation inflicted by his owner. Good news is that Courage has gained nearly 10 pounds since April 7th when he was found. It is not known yet if the brave 3 year olds internal organs will recover fully but his mental ability is incredible and hopefully this will see him through. What's even more shocking about this story is the fact the dog's owner is a veterinary technician. Staff at Southern California Veterinary Referral Group in Irvine where Nizato worked are said to be shocked and didn't even know she had a dog.

Kimberly Nizato, 26 has been arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty and is being held on $20,000 bail. The Animal Control Authority has requested this be increased to $50,000. So why did something so horrific like this happen? She said it was a misunderstanding. Stay tuned for more updates on Courage's recovery.



Photo: German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County

Tiger, an elderly 19 year-old black and white cat has left postmen in fear after attacking on three separate occasions in Leeds, west Yorkshire. Royal mail have told owner Tracy Brayshaw that mail will no longer be delivered to her house because her cat is too aggressive.

The incident happened on Monday at lunchtime when the dog suddenly turned on the girl, aged 2. Police believe the male Bullmastiff may have gotten aggressive as the family's female dog was in season at the time. Her frantic father saved his daughter's life by killing the dog after stabbing it with a knife. To read this story in full click here.

Paul Railton, 23 of Annfield Plain, Co Durham has been banned from the road after he was caught walking his dog whilst driving his car and holding the lead out of the window. A passing cyclist alerted the police and Railton was fined £124 and given three penalty points. He already had nine points on his licence so it meant he had reached the disqualification threshold.

Paul Donoghue, defending, said: "He accepts it was a silly thing to do, borne out with an element of laziness." Needless to say, please don't try this at home!

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The scale of the trade in endangered species in Ireland has been uncovered by the Sunday Times, after an investigation in which a reporter posed as an animal collector seeking dangerous and rare wildlife. The problem is that no legislation is required by owners of dangerous or protected species to register with an authority. Until this changes the problem remains. To read this story in full go to timesonline website.

Cesar Millan, also known as the TV sensation 'The Dog Whisper' will be taking his live tour to both Belfast and Dublin this March. The Dog Whisperer franchise has gained huge popularity but now controversy over his training methods is dividing dog lovers all over the world. Many canine experts have suggested that his use of choke, electronic shock collars and physical/mental force leaves the animal with no other choice but to submit. In some cases this type of training can actually increase a dog's nervousness and fears making them even more aggressive.

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1064999 - Interesting programme that takes a look at Ireland's puppy farming industry - Ear to the ground, RTE one

A poor little westie, named Lexie was left shivering in the freezing cold after his $25 coat with leather trim and belt was stolen right off his back, the New York Post reports. Lexie's owner had stopped in a supermarket for ''two minutes'' to buy milk and when she came back outside to find a traumatized Lexie without his coat. "How could anyone steal a coat off someone's back in the freezing cold?" the woman told The Post. "I asked him, 'Where's your coat?' like he could answer me. I looked all over and could not find it." Luckily, she added, Lexie wasn't wearing the pricier, designer Burberry jacket. 

A New Zealand teenager faced legal action after he stole his own puppy from a clinic to save it from euthanasia because his family could not afford the expensive surgery it needed after it was hit by a car. Click here to read this story in full.

Do you have three dogs or four cats? Depending on where you live in the Miami Valley, you may be in violation of your community’s zoning ordinance, which is usually a minor misdemeanor offense.

Bellbrook and Piqua do not allow “kennels” in any residential area, and they define a kennel as any premise where more than two dogs, two cats or one of each is kept. Bellbrook once allowed four dogs or cats, but the policy was changed to two in 1986, when, according to old meeting minutes, city officials cited an increase in animal complaints.

A pet tawny owl is in trouble after receiving complaints from neighbours about his loud mating calls with his female friend.  Wendy Whitfield has owned the owl named 'Twixx' for over 20 years and now faces a £5000 fine by her council in Hampshire if she does not move the owl from the bottom of her garden. “Twixx calls to see if there are any other owls in the area and there is one female who talks to him quite a bit,” Mrs Whitfield said. The council explained that it is their statutory obligation to investigate all noise complaints and that they are working with Mrs Whitfield to bring this matter to conclusion. To read more on this story go to the times online website.

A Cat by name of 'Sal Esposito' living in Boston has been summoned for jury duty. Sal's owners Guy and Anna Esposito said the mistake might have been made when the cat's name was pulled from census records, where he is listed as a pet. The jury commissioner has since denied the request from his owners to have Sal's service disqualified. Anna said she will simply have to bring the cat to his scheduled court date on the March 23 if the jury commissioner hasn't cleared up the mix up by then.   

Dogs Trust UK has launched a campaign highlighting the increasing problem of puppy farms which is also a huge problem here in Ireland. Dogs Trust have used the term 'battery farming of dogs' to associate the practice with the battery farming of chickens. Celebrity supporters include funny man and Irish native Graham Norton and TV presenter Jenni Falconer.

The latest pet trend - African Pygmy Hedgehogs, kept as handbag accessories – is as predictable as it is ridiculous.  At the start of 2009, I wrote my predictions for the year and the top of my list has certainly come true: '' Bizarre pets will become more popular''. We’ve had micro-pigs in October, and micro-hedgehogs in December.  Anyone for micro-ostriches in January?




The phenomenon of bizarre pets is complex. There are three factors involved.

1) Cuteness. Yes, small, strange-looking creatures are adorable, in an ET kind of bug-eyed, charming way.

2) Kudos for the owner. If you have an unusual, eye-catching pet in your possession, you immediately score lots of social brownie points. Strangers flock to you, clustering around you, and uttering cries of delight. People’s fascination may not be directly with you, but it’s certainly pleasant to bask in the reflected glory of your new possession.

3) Follow the money. New and interesting exotic pets are never cheap, and there’s always someone profiting from their popularity in the background.  Their high costs also adds to the kudos for their owners, which is why they’re sometimes also referred to as “trophy pets”. Those involved in producing the pets always deny the profit element, and whilst there may not be a conscious act of exploiting the market, I doubt if they’d be in the animal production business if they were giving them away for nothing.

The problem with these weird pets is simple: they’re not inanimate objects that can be put back into the cupboard once they’ve lost their appeal. They’re living, sentient beings, with continual needs for their entire lives. They must be fed, watered and toiletted. They need to be kept in an environment that allows them to express the natural behaviours that keep them sane.  Do you think a social butterfly, who enjoys having followers flocking to see little Prickles, is going to be the type of person who’ll enjoy mixing hedgehog mash three times daily, as well as cleaning up hedgehog piddle and poo? Do you think that Prickles will be allowed to carry out the social and physical activities that are an important part of the normal routines in his natural environment?

Unfortunately, the media has a fascination with these pets: the three factors that make them popular also mean that they attract attention whenever they’re mentioned in the media, and this adds to the upwards spiral of popularity.

You think this is bad? Just wait for the era of genetically engineered pets. I’ll tell you more about those in my predictions for the twenty-teens…. Peter Wedderburn is a veterinary surgeon and freelance journalist who's mission is to use the media to act as an advocate on behalf of animals.

The Saudi police have issued a decree banning the sale of pets to include both dogs and cats. The Prophet Muhammad loved cats with the Islamic tradition also holding the cats in great esteem causing great confusion for muslims. To read more on this story click here.