In an unimaginable horror to anyone with a heart – let alone a dog at home – 100 sled dogs were allegedly shot and knifed by an employee of the companies ‘Outdoor Adventures Whistler’ and ‘Howling Dogs’, both sled-tour providers.

While the details are still uncertain, what is known is that the killings came to light after the employee in question claimed compensation for post-traumatic stress syndrome because of the nature of the killings.

According to documents in the possession of the SPCA of British Columbia, dogs were tethered and had to witness hours of brutality before the gun was turned on them, with scenes of unmentionable horror being described.

Peter Fricker from the Vancouver Humane society said, ‘We think as the public finds out more of the details of this case that they are going to be completely outraged.’

The killings allegedly took place in April, after the business and tourism boom produced by the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics died down.

While the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the SPCA are investigating the case, experts have warned that cruelty cases are often difficult to prosecute.

The case has shocked dog-lovers and animal rights groups around the world, and shone the spotlight on the sledding tourism industry itself.

‘We’d like to see the entire sled dog industry shut down,’ said Fricker. ‘Something like this can never happen again.’

Image sourced from: pups-seeking-homes.com and urbanitebaltimore.com

In a recent interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Wally Conron, the man who created the Labradoodle breed, has admitted he has his regrets about creating the dog that has since become wildly popular.

It all started, according to the interview, when Conron (who was then working as breeding manager for the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia) was asked to breed a hypo-allergenic guide dog for a woman in Hawaii whose husband was allergic to dogs that shed.

After a series of failed attempts, Conron finally succeeded by orchestrating the now-famous cross between a standard Poodle and a Labrador. At first, he says, no-one was interested in buying the cross-breeds, but with a clever marketing campaign that saw the breed affixed with the quirky moniker ‘Labradoodle’, it quickly became the designer dog to purchase and spurred an apparently endless list of other crosses with equally bizarre names.

Not proud

Despite the popularity of the Labradoodle and the way it has helped people through the Guide Dog Association, Conron insists he isn’t proud of his contribution.

‘All these backyard breeders have jumped on the bandwagon and they’re crossing any kind of dog with a poodle,’ says the now 81-year old. ‘They’re selling them for more than a pure-bred is worth and they’re not going into the backgrounds of the parents of the dogs. There are so many poodle crosses having fits, problems with their eyes, hips and elbows; a lot have epilepsy. There are a few ethical breeders, but very, very few.’

It seems that best laid plans and good intentions are no match for irresponsible people who will seek to compromise the health and integrity of a breed to make a quick buck.

‘I released a Frankenstein,’ Conron claims. ‘People say, “Aren’t you proud of yourself?” and I say, “Not in the slightest. I’ve done so much harm to pure breeding.”’

• What do you think? Which breeds do you think were a mistake in hindsight? Should humans stay out of designing new breeds?

Image Sourced from: Ask Spike Online

In a move that even Cruella De Ville would shudder at, the Chinese fur industry (which, according to animal rights organisation PETA, supplies over half the world’s fur, both faux and genuine) has been passing off the fur of these poor animals as ‘faux’ fur exports. Undercover investigators from a variety of organisations, including PETA and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), uncovered the unspeakable treatment of these domestic animals and estimate that up to two million animals are abused and killed for this purpose each year.

Horrific conditions
‘Foxes, minks, rabbits, dogs, cats, and other animals pace and shiver in outdoor wire cages, with no shelter from driving rain, freezing nights or the scorching sun,’ says PETA, going on to describe how the animals respond to these horrific conditions – often through self-inflicted injuries or attacking their own offspring.
Because there are no regulations on the Chinese fur industry, there is no way to tell the origins of the fur we purchase, and there have been calls to boycott the industry all together.
•    What are your thoughts? Should both real and fake fur be banned in light of these revelations? Use the Comment facility below to let us know.

Image sourced from: Bestfriends.org

This video shows how she ended up using her talents, and is a reminder to focus on the gifts our dogs bring to our lives!

Click here to view the embedded video.

At Dog Diaries we love bringing you stories about the love and fun dogs can bring into our lives, but occasionally we have the much sadder task of reminding our readers that we humans don’t always treat our furry companions with the same respect.

In the past few weeks, the media seems to have been particularly laden with stories about puppies being abandoned, mistreated or left for dead because their human owners could not be bothered treating them with the respect deserved by any living creature.

Just last week in New Zealand a litter of six cross-breed puppies were found dumped and left for dead under a bridge, the third such case this month, according to disgusted Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) workers.

In New York there has been outrage as a man accused of killing his four-week-old puppy by stomping on its head has been released on bail. The puppy had been a gift when, unprovoked, 58-year-old John Lendino allegedly attacked the poor mite, killing it instantly.

And in Bosnia, a teenage girl has been arrested after a video of her throwing three puppies into a river surfaced on YouTube.

The recent influx of stories about cruelty to animals should serve as a valuable lesson to us about the responsibility we have to ensure as many animals as possible are saved from this kind of needless torture. De-sex your animals. Give them as much love as you can. And if you want to join in the fight against animal cruelty in this country, find out how you can help by visiting the RSPCA Website.

Images by: NW Dog Whisperer and RSPCA

At the end of a long, hard day, sometimes all you need is someone to vent to. You drop your bag in the hallway, kick off your shoes, pour yourself a glass of red and unleash all the day’s worries to your dearly beloved… who, for his part, sits still, listens dutifully – and when you’re finished, showers you in affection.

Then he licks your face and scratches himself.

That’s right, we’re talking about the family pooch, who, it would seem, is quickly taking his place in the family as resident therapist and sympathetic ear.

A new poll conducted in the US by pet-loving website Petside has discovered that one third of married, pet-owning American women and 18 per cent of their male counterparts admit that their pet is a better listener than their spouse.

With more and more pet owners discovering the therapeutic value of a furry friend around the house, and the amazing connection that develops between people and their pets, this comes as no surprise to us at Dog Diaries. Pets have long been used as natural healers and helpers, with guide dogs, aged-cared therapy pets, cancer-detecting dogs, seizure-detecting dogs and now even dogs that can help your child learn to read becoming a standard part of our healthcare system.

So even though this may be a slightly dismal advertisement for married life, we say it’s yet another endorsement of the joy a pet can bring!

Images by: Grazie, davvero and Ars technica

In a post-GFC world, especially at a time when post-election governmental uncertainty is gripping the nation, anything that bolsters the economy is great news. But a big growth area has been under our feet (quite literally, in some cases) the whole time! According to a new report compiled by the Australian Companion Animal Council (ACAC), Australia’s pets and pet-care industry are proof that our national love of our furry companions is boosting a lot more than our mood – it’s helping to boost the economy!

The report shows that there are now 3.41 million pet dogs who call Australia home (which means 36 per cent of Aussie households own a dog), along with and 2.35 million cats (or 23 per cent of households). These figures give Australia one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, although we are still significantly behind the US, where 40 per cent of households own a dog and 33 per cent own a cat.

Dogs - saving the economy

Economic boosters
Dr Kersti Seksel, president of the Australian Companion Animal Council, suggests that growth in the pet industry is good news for the economy:
‘It is also interesting to note that although the population of cats and dogs is relatively static, the amount of money we choose to spend on our pets is increasing.  In 2009, Australians spent $6.02 billion on pets, pet care products and services; up from $4.62 billion in 2005.’

Obviously, this increased expenditure is good for jobs, with Dr Seksel pointing out that ‘employment across the pet care industry is increasing to reflect our love of pets – up from 44,700 people in 2005 to 47,627 people in 2009.’

The interesting thing is that despite the increased expenditure, the report found that it was still relatively inexpensive to own a pet.

‘In 2009, dog owners spent $1,056 per year on their pet, including food, products and services and veterinary care. This is just under $3 a day. Cats require even less of a financial commitment.  The average annual expenditure per cat is $602, which is just over $1.50 a day,’ says Dr Seksel.

With it looking increasingly likely that the next federal election will be sooner rather than later, perhaps pollies will be out kissing puppies rather than babies as the campaign heats up!

Images by: etgeek (Eric) and Andrew Morrell Photography

We’ve already brought you news about our favourite parliamentary pets, Jasper the cat and Abby the dog. But sad to report, the Rudd family’s resident four-legged friends seem to have borne the brunt of the former PM’s ousting from office, with a recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald reporting that the pair have not only been booted from the Lodge, but from the Rudd family itself – for now, at least.

‘For those who have written to us extensively about Jasper and Abby, they… temporarily have gone to be with friends here in Canberra,’ Mr Rudd told the Herald back in June.

If you ask us, this seems like pretty harsh treatment for the pets made famous by Rudd’s foray into children’s books, starring in his debut story Jasper and Abby and the Great Australia Day Kerfuffle.

Pet pioneers
The article goes on to describe the contribution made by Jasper and Abby during their time in Canberra: ‘Jasper and Abby have been pioneers, fundamental to the rise in media presence of Australian first pets, and have given their roles a more presidential air. The US presidents have always celebrated their pets and embraced them as important parts of the first family. On a few occasions they have even saved their masters from media peril. I mean who doesn’t look more human and amenable whilst cuddling a puppy?’

We’d have to agree.
Surely the cat and dog who’ve served alongside Kevin 07, making none of the policy decisions but remaining loyal and deserving darlings of the Australian media, deserve more respect in their retirement from office than a stint as couch-surfers in the house of a prime ministerial friend?

Perhaps Mr Rudd was hoping for a recall to the cabinet after the election. Well, since that is looking increasingly unlikely we can only hope he’ll soon be summoning them to join him in his Queensland home. Apart from the TLC they’ll give Kevin (who, let’s face it, has precious few friends left in the Australian Labor Party), they could provide further inspiration should he decide to chuck in the cut-throat business of politics and become a full-time children’s author.

We smell a sequel coming…

Images: watoday.com.au, readingupsidedown.com and smh.com.au

Maybe this is their way to ease the harshness of the conditions they face in these regions.  And US soldiers are rescuing animals despite the fact that military regulation forbids soldiers to befriend an animal in a war zone!

Given these military rules, how did “Operation Baghdad Pups” ever happen? Well, get your tissues out because you are going to need them.

Firstly, meet Charlie – who really started it all:
“Charlie was discovered by members of Sergeant Watson’s regiment while on patrol in a high-risk neighbourhood on the outskirts of Baghdad. The malnourished and flea-covered puppy, no bigger than a baked potato, wandered into their life unexpectedly.  Scooped up and hidden in a tattered blanket by a soldier who felt sorry for the pitiful orphan, the puppy was snuck onto a coalition forces outpost. Although the soldiers faced serious consequences if caught, each took turns secretly caring for their new wartime buddy. The growing bond between the men and their dog justified the risk.”

But when some of the soldiers had to go home they could not face leaving their beloved new best friend behind.

A desperate email to SPCAI (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International) pleading for help to bring a rescued animal home with a soldier started the ball rolling and the end result the Operation Baghdad Pups program.

Through this program, the SPCAI is able to provide veterinary care to the rescued animals and also provides the logistic support needed so that these much loved pets can be reunited with their service men and women rescuers back in the U.S.

Some readers will have heard of this international pet rescue operation. After all it began back in 2008.  So you will love this recently released video from the SPCAI showing some of the rescued animals and the soldiers that came to love them.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Could you watch the video without a tissue box in reach? You can find out more about this program on the Operation Baghdad Pups website here.

If you’ve been involved in dog rescues, please tell us your story using the Comment facility below.

Images 1 and 2 by The U.S Army

It’s a strange and fascinating concept when we think about it, this pet-ownership. One species taking an entirely different species into its living quarters and discovering that they’re not all that different from each other after all.

The remarkable thing is the bond that can form and adapt between a human and their pet. The emotional capabilities and capacities of animals are deep and probably far more extensive than anyone fully understands. The ability of a dog to sense danger or a cat to sense when you need some closeness is often far superior to that even of those humans closest to us.

Much has been made of the relative intelligence of cats and dogs, but what is truly outstanding is their capacity for love. Call it projection, call it transferral of emotions, but whatever you call it there’s something unexplainable that lives deep within a good animal-human bond.

It’s proof that there is goodness in the world. That we’re meant to be close to other beings and help each other to thrive. One look at a child’s face when they see their puppy after a long day at school, or the experience of returning home after a day at work to see the irrepressible physical joy your dog shows just because his favourite person is back to play will show you that however often we hear that people are getting disconnected through computers and blackberries, our need for emotional connections always remains. And so do the needs of our pets, who ask nothing in return but love.

Check out these inspiring stories about the human/animal connection. Grab a tissue first!

Why we love cats and dogs

Why do people love cats?

Interview: René Agredano Tells Jerry’s Full Story

Images bye³°°° and The U.S Army