Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…Marina Kennels, a rehoming charity based in Huddersfield, has been saved from closure following hundreds of donations and offers of help from local people. The kennel, faced with a £25,000 bill to fit a much needed drainage system, was just days away from closing its doors for the final time. Work is expected to take around one month to complete. The 10 dogs currently housed will be relocated and the owners David and Janet Worrell hope to able to find homes for any strays found while the drainage work is underway. The Worrells have taken in thousands of animals over the last five years and have a strict policy of not destroying any in their care.
Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…Springer spaniel Max, an ex-police sniffer dog, may be the victim of a work related illness. Max’s super sensitive nose, which led to the arrest of scores of drug dealers, was the site of a fatal cancer that may have been cocaine induced. After a glorious career with the Avon and Somerset Police, this crime-fighting canine was forced to retire with a hip complaint after seven years of sterling service. Max overcame crippling arthritis in middle age and found fame late in life following the fitting of chariot-style wheels to his back legs.
Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…the National Police Dog Trials, held in April, will be hosted by Kent Police for the first time in the event’s 49 year history. Leeds Castle will form the picturesque backdrop to the four-day extravaganza, as police dogs from around the country test their skills in competition with top dogs representing all the major forces. The public will be invited to watch various skills tests including obedience, agility and the ever popular chasing and bringing down offenders. The dogs on show are already winners, having successfully graduated through regional heats. The host force will be looking forward to adding more titles, to add to the six successes achieved over the last four years.
Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…following months of relentless pressure on the world of show dogs, the spotlight has most recently been turned on Miniature Dachshunds. In the run up to Crufts, a new ‘size zero controversy’ rages, as certain media outlets run stories on owners who allegedly starve their dogs to meet strict weight limits. While some shows still choose to weigh dogs as part of the show process, the Kennel Club has already ruled that the practice is no longer mandatory and has banned it at Crufts.
Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…ten months after being taken into police custody, Tyson a Staffordshire bull terrier cross, is finally back home. The saga began in April last year, when Tyson escaped from his home and bit a neighbour’s arm. The police were called and obtained permission from the owner’s son to destroy the dog. He subsequently withdrew this permission following advice from Dorset Stafford Rescue and the Fury Defence Fund.
Represented in court by barrister Pamela Rose, Tyson’s owners faced a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Favourable reports by vet Kendal Shepherd recommended that Tyson should not be destroyed, but required a muzzle when out in public and professional training.
The court ruled, that as recommended, Tyson should be muzzled, kept on a lead and be supervised by someone aged 21 or over.
Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…Mrs Dorothy May Hoover with her Chow Chow, one of the great dog portraits, will be offered for sale this month by auctioneers Dreweatts. Measuring an impressive 128cm x 102cm, this masterpiece by internationally renowned artist Harold Knight RA ROI RP (1874-1961), is expected to fetch up to £15,000. The Chow Chow, Ch Choonam Brilliantine bred by Mrs Mannooch, was born in March 1924.
Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…Lottie, an eight year old German shorthaired pointer, required new batteries for her pacemaker just six years after having the original device fitted. Lottie was brought to Davies Veterinary Specialists when her owner noticed she had started to slow down and become more subdued. An echocardiograph and chest x-ray revealed a secondary enlargement of the heart. More work uncovered the fact that Lottie’s pacemaker had simply run out of power. Surgeon Clive Elwood replaced the old generator with a new one and expressed the hope that this one will outlast her needs.
Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…US company Launder Pet has announced the launch of a gadget it calls the Pet Spa. It claims that the enclosed cabin structure can wash, de-flea and blow dry dogs, cats and similar sized furries in less than 15 minutes. A team of vets, animal behaviourists and engineers is apparently behind this ingenious machine. Eric Hatch, president of Launder Pet, proudly states that he has been put through a rinse cycle and found the experience harmless.
Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…a team of Siberian Huskies has set a new Guinness World Record of 10.65 seconds for the 100 meters. Set on Norfolk’s Holkham beach, the record-breaking dog team driven by Suzannah Sorrell, earned charities £3,000. Bookmakers William Hill donated the money. Charities benefiting from the donation include Sled Dog Welfare and the Great Dane Adoption Society.
Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team….Prozac-style drugs, designed to treat behavioural problems in dogs, could soon be available in the UK. Regulatory testing is expected to start soon, following successful sales in the US. Experts estimate that the US market for drugs designed to treat a whole range of mental disorders including amnesia, depression and separation anxiety is worth £35 billion. British drug company Acura Pharma has acquired the licensing rights to the product aimed at owners of aggressive pets. It also owns the rights to another drug targeting dogs with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
