One could say that the owners are surely getting more fun out of this than their pets.
Dogs are having ‘temporary tattoos’ such as paws, snowflakes and love hearts cut into their fur, with the designs taking about an hour to shave using clippers and lasting around 14 weeks.
Groomers Jessica Allegri, 26, and Amanda Marshall, 29, of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, came up with the idea for 'pooch patches' after trying it on their own boxer Ky, and have since been inundated with customers.
‘It was a quiet day and we thought it would be fun to shave a paw print on my dog, who comes to work with me,’ Ms Allegri said.
‘Our customers were really impressed and asked where he had had it done. Since then we have had lots of people asking for pooch patches and we've done snowflakes, flowers and hearts.
Temporary tattoos take an hour to shave into dog's fur and last 14 weeks
Dog groomers Jessica Allegri and Amanda Marshall came up with the idea
Pair run Groomers on the Green in Hatfield and are trademarking treatment
New look: Dogs are having 'temporary tattoos' such as paws, snowflakes and love hearts cut into their fur
Close shave: Jessica Allegri said that it was 'just like having a hair-cut' for the animals and 'doesn't hurt'
Paws for thought: The pair, who run Groomers on the Green in Hatfield, are now trademarking the treatment
Business: Dog groomers Jessica Allegri (right), 26, and Amanda Marshall (left), 29, of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, came up with the idea after trying it on their own boxer Ky, and have since been inundated with customers.
Personal mark: The designs normally take an hour to shave using clippers and last for around 14 weeks
A Chinese man has sued a Beijing animal hospital over the death of his dog during plastic surgery. Chinese animal welfare advocates have been appalled at the surgery, a facelift that was performed specifically to meet “the aesthetic desire” of the man, as Qin Xiaona, director of the Capital Animal Association, says to the Global Times.
Mr. Yu (as the media are referring to him) owns a Beijing dog farm. He wanted the dog to have a “facelift” to improve his appearance and thereby increase profits, as he says in the Global Times: ”The skin of my dog’s head was very flabby, so I wanted to cut part of his forehead and straighten the skin….. If my dog looks better, female dog owners will pay a higher price when they want to mate their dog with mine.”
Yu is demanding 880,000 yuan ($141,240) in compensation for the dog’s death; he claims that he bought the dog, a Tibetan Mastiff, from another owner for that price in March of 2012. He had previously had other dogs undergo surgery to make their ears more erect. The Global Times says that Yu owns 30 dogs and has been breeding them with dogs from other farms for fifteen years, for a price of 30,000 to 300,000 yuan. He also keeps female dogs whose puppies can sell from several thousand yuan to several million yuan.
The Tibetan Mastiff has become a canine status symbol for China’s nouveaux riche. One sold for 20 million yuan last year; a coal magnate in northern China bought a mastiff, Hong Dong for 10 million yuan in 2011. “If you are rich, you can easily buy a big house or a Lamborghini. But owning a pure-bred mastiff is quite another thing. It’s solid evidence of your wealth, power and taste,” millionaire dog breeder Li Yongfu is quoted as saying in the Telegraph.
Not only have Chinese animal welfare advocates expressed outrage at the use of plastic surgery to make the deceased mastiff look “better” according to the eyes of Yu. It is presumptuous for us to think that what humans consider “attractive” is the same as what animals do.
Advocates also point out that it is abusive for Tibetan mastiffs, which are native to the grassland plateaus of Central Asia and were originally bred as guard dogs, to be raised in lowland cities including Beijing and in urban areas, period.
In the Global Times, Zhang Mingming, who owns two cats, shuddered at the use of plastic surgery on a pet as such treats him or her “like a toy instead of a living being.” As Care2 blogger Judy Molland writes about the current rage for dog tattoos in the U.K.
Isn’t tattooing, or any other kind of adorning, taking away your pet’s dignity? How would humans like it if they had to submit to such embellishments against their will?
In the case of the deceased mastiff, the facelift was intended for the profit of the dog’s owner, in blatant disregard for the “rights and interests of the dog,” says Qin of the Capital Animal Association. It is horrendous that Yu is still seeking to make money from the now deceased dog who more than deserves to be left in peace.
The 9-week-old English bulldog set to become the new mascot for the U.S. Marine Corps has arrived at the Marine Barracks in Washington.
Chesty arrived in the nation’s capital Thursday, at which point the young pup was unveiled to the world.
Chesty is set to become Pfc. Chesty XIV on March 29, replacing Sgt. Chesty XIII. Until then, young Chesty will undergo obedience training.
After his arrival in Washington, Chesty met Bonnie Amos, wife of Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, according to the U.S. Marines. The pup is in the care of Staff Sgt. Jason Mosser, a member of the U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, and his wife Christine.
As the Marines’ official mascot, Chesty’s responsibilities will include marching in the Friday Evening Parades, as well as supporting events around the nation’s capital.
Chesty comes from five generations of championship bulldogs, which are bred by mother-daughter team Sara Gomez and Abigail Callahan of Stephens City, Va., according to the Marines.
Marine mascots are named for the late Lt. Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller, one of the most decorated officers in the history of the Marine Corps.
Chesty, future Marine Corps mascot, sits on the red carpet in front of the Home of the Commandants waiting to meet Bonnie Amos, wife of Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps during a visit to Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2013. (Sgt. Dengrier M. Baez/U.S. Marine Corps)
Chesty takes a nap before his departure to his future home Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2013. (U.S. Marine Corps)
Lt. Gen. William M. Faulkner, deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics, plays with Chesty, the future Marine Corps mascot, during the puppy's visit to the Home of the Commandants, Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 14 2013. (U.S. Marine Corps )
Bonnie Amos, wife of Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, holds Chesty, the future Marine Corps mascot, during the puppy's visit to the Home of the Commandants, Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2013. Chesty, a 9-week-old pedigree English bulldog is soon to become the future Marine Corps mascot after the completion of an obedience training and ceremony set for March 29. (U.S. Marine Corps )
Old Dominion, left, and Chesty, his son, right, look at each other one last time before the future Marine Corps mascot heads to his new home Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 13 2013. Chesty, a 9-week-old pedigree English bulldog is soon to become the future Marine Corps mascot after the completion of an obedience and recruit training with a ceremony scheduled for March 29. (U.S. Marine Corps)
Chesty, the future Marine Corps mascot, stands on the door step Home of the Commandants during the puppy's visit to Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2013. (U.S. Marine Corps)
Take a look at the videos below:
Chesty Puller -- Marine Legend -- His Life In Pictures
Did you ever wonder why so many of the Subaru vehicles that visit your service bays are full of pet hair? Quite simply, Subaru owners love pets like they love their Subarus. Nearly seven out of ten Subaru owners have a pet, and Subaru customers are 1.3 times more likely to own a pet than are the customers of Subaru’s competitors.
As part of its efforts to support the interests of Subaru owners, Subaru is proud to partner with the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®).
As a Subaru owner and a animal lover, I want to share some of what I think are the cutest commercials! Remember: They are professional stunt dogs! Please do NOT try any of their stunts at home!
This healthy male American Bulldog mix was scheduled to be put down at the Rabies Control shelter in Jackson, Tennesee.
"Not because he is mean or tears things up," says a Facebook user who calls herself the "Jackson Madison Rabies Control Stalker."
No: "Because his owner says he's gay."
According to the 39-year-old mother-of-four who pays regular visits to the kill shelter looking for dogs to rescue, this unloved pooch was rejected because he was found "hunched [over]" another male dog.
"His owner threw him away because he refuses to have a 'gay' dog!" she writes. "Don't let this gorgeous dog die because his owner is ignorant of normal dog behavior! He's in kennel and he WILL be put down because there is no room!"
Facebook users from across the country jumped at the opportunity to rescue the doomed dog.
Multiple people and at least one canine rescue group volunteered to show up at the shelter as soon as the doors open and have him pulled from death row.
"I am adopting this big boy first thing in the morning," wrote Facebook user Stephanie Fryns of WOOF Connections. "He will be neutered/ htwm tested/ and vetted. He will be temperament tested and then places in a rescue verified and approved home."
UPDATE:
Rescued! According to The Tennessean, Gawker's coverage of the "gay dog" story had resulted in a flood of calls to the Jackson shelter where he was being kept. "I have had about 10 million calls this morning. It has been adopted already. It is gone," said an unnamed shelter employee. "He's in good hands."
The Jackson, Tenn., shelter was flooded with phone calls after a story went viral, a man who answered the phone there said.
The story cited a Facebook post that claimed the dog’s former owner dropped it off at the shelter because it humped another male dog.
“His owner says he’s gay,” the post read.
The post also claimed the dog was set to be euthanized.
“I can’t understand it,” said the shelter worker, who declined to give his name. “You know those dogs get on top of each other sometimes.”
“I have had about 10 million calls this morning. It has been adopted already. It is gone,” he said. “He’s in good hands.”
To anyone who is disappointed with the news that he has already been adopted, please contact your local animal shelter and consider giving a homeless animal a forever home!
Wellston, Ok - A 10-year-old pit bull terrier in Lincoln County, Oklahoma is being praised for her heroic actions. She saved two sisters from their burning home.
You'd never know "Baby" is an old dog. Her owners can barely keep up. And, apparently, "Baby's" mind is just as fast as her feet. Early Tuesday smoke and flames filled the family's Wellston home. Rhonda Westenberger and her sister were sound asleep, unaware of the danger until "Baby" sprang to action.
Baby, the pit bull, she went and nudged her and kept touching her. The dog would not stop barking and pouncing until the women woke up. And, when they did, they had just seconds to escape.
"I went back and there were flames shooting down the hallway," said Rhonda. "If baby hadn't woken Evelyn up, I don't think either one of us would have come out of this."
The women ran out but their other five dogs were stuck inside. So, once again, "Baby" came to the rescue.
"And then there was one hiding under the bed, wouldn't come out," aid family member Charles Land. "Baby actually went under there, grabbed it by the neck and dragged him outside."
The family's home of 17 years and everything in it is gone, but the family says their hope is not lost.
"She's always come across to us as one of the family and this just proves it."
As long as they have their family, their Baby, by their side.
"I'm so proud of her," said Rhonda. "She is my hero. She's the hero for all of us."
Denver, Colorado - Bunnies are usually pretty docile creatures, so when you see a news story that begins with “Bunnies Are Attacking”, it either brings to mind cheesy horror movies or a terrifying image of cute animals rising up to take over.
But the bunnies at Denver International Airport are just trying to stay warm, apparently, and keep their teeth sharp while they’re at it. Officials say they’re dealing with a massive rabbit problem in the parking lot there now that the animals have discovered warm spots beneath the vehicles. Extended stays in their little hideouts lead to them chewing on the wiring beneath the cars, causing anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars worth of damage.
“I see at least dozens every morning. They go hide under the cars and the cars are warm,” said airport shuttle driver Michelle Anderson.
Airport authorities have taken to some unconventional means to get rid of the bunnies, including sending motorists to local mechanics to have the wiring coated in coyote urine. They say the smell of a predator will keep the little furry guys away. For those keeping their cars in the lot, it’s on their own heads if a rabbit destroys the wiring in their car; most insurance companies won’t cover it, and officials at the airport say that parking permits clearly state they aren’t responsible for damage done to the cars while they’re parked there.
Meet the pooches with patches:
