Friday, July 1, 2016
SweePee Rambo, a Blind Chihuahua-Chinese Crested Mix Took Home the Win for the World's Ugliest Dog
Jason Wurtz's dog named SweePee Rambo won the competition that aims to show the inner beauty of dogs that aren't aesthetically attractive for 2016 on Friday at the Sonoma-Marin County Fair in Petaluma.
SweePee, who has a blonde Mohawk, is blind in both eyes, and her right is blue.
The four-pound female dog has lived with her owner Jason for the past 17 years in Encino, California.
As a prize for taking home the title, the pooch who wears doggie depends because of old age, received a trophy and $1,500.
Wurtz told ABC News that SweePee was a gift to his ex-wife, but he took full ownership of her after they divorced because she though the canine was ugly.
This isn't the first time she competed in the competition. Wurtz said she has been in it three times in the past, but this is her first time winning top honors.
The runner-up and third-place winner of the competition also receive cash awards and special titles.
Each year since its inception, the contest looks to celebrate the 'homely hounds and the humans who love them.'
“We're proud to celebrate all dogs and pets by showing that no matter their imperfections, they are adoptable, lovable and a great add to any family,” said Erin Post, CEO of the Sonoma-Marin Fair, in a statement prior to the contest.
The event this year included a ‘Fashion Faux Paws Fashion Show' and a 'Beauty and the Beast Walk' that featured Miss Sonoma County court walking rescue dogs that were available for adoption down the catwalk.
Prior to the contest, Himisaboo became Internet famous after many, including his owners, compared the unique mop on his head to Republican Donald Trump's infamous hair.
Karen Spencer, marketing director for the event, said: “The dogs love it, they get so much attention, get petted, treats and are told how cute they are.
Some have unusual teeth, unusual hair, sometimes they are bulldogs who always look silly due to their bottom teeth, there's always a real variety.
Despite being in an ugly dog competition so many people tell them “you're so ugly you're cute”, it's all about their inner beauty.
We really work hard to show the world that dogs who have deformities or unusual characteristics are still very lovable and adoptable.”
They're still beautiful inside and often they are the dogs who struggle to find homes from dog shelters.
The judges look at the dogs, they look at their appearance but also at how the dog interacts with others and what kind of personality they have.
'Most owners of our contestants tell us they picked a dog that have been left in a shelter for a long period of time and because nobody wanted to adopt them.”
Last year, Quasi Modo, a short-spined dog from Loxahatcheee, Florida took home the coveted title.
The dog who looks like a hyena beat out 26 other dogs to win the contest.
SweePee Rambo, a Blind Chihuahua-Chinese Crested Mix Took Home the Win for the World's Ugliest Dog
Jason Wurtz's dog named SweePee Rambo won the competition that aims to show the inner beauty of dogs that aren't aesthetically attractive for 2016 on Friday at the Sonoma-Marin County Fair in Petaluma.
SweePee, who has a blonde Mohawk, is blind in both eyes, and her right is blue.
The four-pound female dog has lived with her owner Jason for the past 17 years in Encino, California.
As a prize for taking home the title, the pooch who wears doggie depends because of old age, received a trophy and $1,500.
Wurtz told ABC News that SweePee was a gift to his ex-wife, but he took full ownership of her after they divorced because she though the canine was ugly.
This isn't the first time she competed in the competition. Wurtz said she has been in it three times in the past, but this is her first time winning top honors.
The runner-up and third-place winner of the competition also receive cash awards and special titles.
Each year since its inception, the contest looks to celebrate the 'homely hounds and the humans who love them.'
“We're proud to celebrate all dogs and pets by showing that no matter their imperfections, they are adoptable, lovable and a great add to any family,” said Erin Post, CEO of the Sonoma-Marin Fair, in a statement prior to the contest.
The event this year included a ‘Fashion Faux Paws Fashion Show' and a 'Beauty and the Beast Walk' that featured Miss Sonoma County court walking rescue dogs that were available for adoption down the catwalk.
Prior to the contest, Himisaboo became Internet famous after many, including his owners, compared the unique mop on his head to Republican Donald Trump's infamous hair.
Karen Spencer, marketing director for the event, said: “The dogs love it, they get so much attention, get petted, treats and are told how cute they are.
Some have unusual teeth, unusual hair, sometimes they are bulldogs who always look silly due to their bottom teeth, there's always a real variety.
Despite being in an ugly dog competition so many people tell them “you're so ugly you're cute”, it's all about their inner beauty.
We really work hard to show the world that dogs who have deformities or unusual characteristics are still very lovable and adoptable.”
They're still beautiful inside and often they are the dogs who struggle to find homes from dog shelters.
The judges look at the dogs, they look at their appearance but also at how the dog interacts with others and what kind of personality they have.
'Most owners of our contestants tell us they picked a dog that have been left in a shelter for a long period of time and because nobody wanted to adopt them.”
Last year, Quasi Modo, a short-spined dog from Loxahatcheee, Florida took home the coveted title.
The dog who looks like a hyena beat out 26 other dogs to win the contest.
Town of Collecchio, Italy: Made a Law that Fireworks Must be Silent
There’s no doubt that a stunning fireworks show can be the highlight of anyone’s night. The bright lights and explosions are mesmerizing, causing us to forget the negative effects of the fireworks themselves. Many pet parents understand the anxiety and stress loud fireworks have on animals, but these details are usually overlooked by event planners. However, one little town in Italy is finally putting a stop to the noise.
Collecchio, a small town of 14,000 people located in the province of Parma, is making headlines in the pet parent community. Recently, a bill has been passed to make the use of loud fireworks illegal, in hopes of reducing stress on household animals and livestock. The people of Collecchio were recognizing some of the more severe side effects of fireworks on animals, such as anxiety, disorientation, and in extreme cases, burns or eye damage. Chickens are also less likely to produce eggs after the stress of a fireworks, causing issues in the farming community.
Legislation in Collecchio now states that silent fireworks must be used for events, in replacement of noise making ones. The government is hopeful that this will reduce “acoustic stress” on the animals, without eliminating fireworks from events completely.
Pet Fireworks Safety Tips
Animal shelters will take in more pets this weekend than any other time. Keep pets safe with these tips!
New Legislation Passed Recently Makes Ohio One of the First States to Protect First Responders Who Administer Lifesaving Aid to Pets
The legislation passed recently makes Ohio one of the first states to protect first responders who administer lifesaving aid to pets, companion animals or police dogs in crisis. Animal advocates say they hope the statute, which they liken to laws protecting good Samaritans who come to the aid of injured humans, removes hesitation for first responders who might have concerns about tending to injured pets.
The law will allow first responders to, without fear of liability, provide oxygen, perform mouth-to-snout resuscitation, try to stem bleeding, bandage and even administer the overdose antidote naloxone to dogs or cats that have ingested opiates. Liability has been a concern because owners of pets have sued first responders who treated animals that ended up dying.
"It's another layer of protection for the good guys," said Cory Smith, director of public policy for companion animals at The Humane Society of the United States.
Ohio's law, which follows a similar action by Colorado in 2014, came about after Bob Swickard, the director of an EMS service in a small town in northeastern Ohio, contacted state Republican Rep. Tim Ginter with concerns about a recent rash of on-duty injuries to police dogs. In seeking guidance from a veterinarian on first aid for dogs, Swickard said he found "a missed loophole" — it was clearly illegal for EMTs to treat animals. He and Ginter were especially concerned that paramedics couldn't administer naloxone to police dogs that came in contact with prescription pain pills or heroin.
"There is the possibility that a dog could get a snout full of something and go down," Ginter said. "The best that they could do before this law was to call either a veterinarian to come to the scene or call for transport."
Dr. Ed Cooper, head of emergency and critical care at Ohio State University's Veterinary Medical Center, said that as a result of the law, which takes effect Aug. 31, some veterinarians are reaching out to first responders to provide basic training, and first responders are beginning to seek it out.
"The hope in having this law passed is really just to give first responders the opportunity and extend the option without the potential for recourse to assist pets as well as people in these kinds of crisis situations," Cooper said. "So (veterinarians) certainly see it as a positive thing."
What the law doesn't do is require first responders to treat animals, nor does it now make it OK for people to call 911 when their pets get injured or sick. People should still call emergency animal hospitals in these situations.
Smith noted that with two-thirds of American households having at least one pet, it stands to reason that first responders are going to encounter injured animals on the job.
"Really, it's just about building humane communities," she said. "I think when first-response agencies and local governments and especially state governments plan around the fact that animals are such a huge part of our lives, it can only lead to good things."
Monday, May 30, 2016
Weekend Outing at Cincinnati's Zoo Turned Tragic When a 4-Year-Old Boy Was Hospitalized After Falling into a Gorilla Enclosure
Cincinnati police and emergency crews responded to a report of a child falling into the exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden at about 4 p.m. Saturday. Police confirmed the child was taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center near the zoo, and was treated for serious injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.
Cincinnati Zoo President Thane Maynard said the boy crawled through a barrier and fell an estimated 10 to 12 feet into the moat surrounding the habitat. He said the boy was not seriously injured by the fall.
The Cincinnati Fire Department reported in a press release that first responders "witnessed a gorilla who was violently dragging and throwing the child."
Maynard said the zoo's 17-year-old male western lowland gorilla, Harambe, grabbed the boy and dragged him around. Two female gorillas were also in the enclosure.
The boy was with the 400-pound animal for about 10 minutes before the zoo's Dangerous Animal Response Team deemed the situation "life-threatening," Maynard said.
"The choice was made to put down, or shoot, Harambe, so he's gone," Maynard said. "We've never had a situation like this at the Cincinnati Zoo where a dangerous animal needed to be dispatched in an emergency situation."
The fire department release said the boy was in between the gorilla's legs at the time of the shot.
Maynard said the Dangerous Animal Response Team followed procedures, which they practice in drills. He said in the 38-year history of the zoo's gorilla exhibit that they've never had anyone get into the enclosure.
After the gorilla was shot, zoo employees unlocked the gate and two firefighters quickly retrieved the child, according to the fire department.
"It's a sad day all the way around," Maynard said. "They made a tough choice. They made the right choice because they saved that little boy's life. It could have been very bad."
Brittany Nicely of Dayton was visiting the zoo with her two children and four other children on Saturday. They were at Gorilla World when the incident took place.
"Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the little boy in the bushes past the little fence area. I tried to grab for him. I started yelling at him to come back," Nicely said.
"Everybody started screaming and going crazy," she said. "It happened so fast."
Nicely said the gorilla rushed toward the boy and led him by the arm through the water in the enclosure. She said initially the gorilla seemed protective and only alarmed by all the screaming.
The area was then evacuated by zoo staff. Nicely stood with her group outside the exhibit.
"About four or five minutes later we heard the gunshot," she said. "We were pretty distraught. All the kids were crying."
Nicely said she spent the whole trip home explaining why they are told to stay close and not run at the zoo.
"That could have been them," she said. "Something like that could have happened. It's a very traumatizing experience for anybody involved. The kids, the zookeepers, the other gorillas that now don't have him there any more."
News of the incident triggered huge social media response. A video posted by the Enquirer had been viewed about 71,000 times at 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
Many commenters criticized the parents of the boy for not watching him more closely. A Facebook group called Justice for Harambe was created and gathered more than 100 "likes" in less than two hours.
"This page was created to raise awareness of Harambe's murder on 5/28/16," the page states. "We wish to see charges brought against those responsible!"
Lt. Steve Saunders, the spokesman for the Cincinnati Police Department, said no charges were being pursued against the child's parents.
The decision to shoot Harambe instead of tranquilizing was made in the interest of the boy's safety, Maynard said.
"In an agitated situation, it may take quite a while for the tranquilizer to take effect," he explained, "At the instant he would be hit, he would have a dramatic response. You don't hit him and he falls over."
Maynard also explained that while Harambe didn't attack the child, the animal's size and strength posed a great danger.
"All sort of things could have happened in a situation like that. He certainly was at risk," Maynard said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and little boy.”
He said that zoo officials have not yet spoken with the family of the child who fell into the habitat. Zoo officials will be reviewing the security of the enclosure and their procedures, but said they have no plans to stop the gorilla program.
Harambe was born at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas before he was moved to Cincinnati in September 2014. Another gorilla, Gladys, named for her home zoo, also come to Cincinnati from Brownville.
Western lowland gorillas are one of the four gorilla subspecies. According to the World Wildlife Foundation, populations of the critically endangered animal are hard to estimate due to the dense, remote rainforests where they make their home, but experts say between 175,000 to 225,000 could live in mostly in Congo, but also in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.
In 2009, the International Species Information System counted 158 male western lowland gorillas and 183 females in captivity in the United States.
"Harambe was good guy. He was a youngest who started to grow up. There were hopes to breed him," Maynard said. "It will be a loss to the gene pool of lowland gorillas."
The zoo is open Sunday, but Gorilla World will remain closed until further notice.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)