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Saturday, March 28, 2015

Puppy Mill Rescue Teams Are Finding More, and More Designer Dogs in, Farms Where Dogs Are Kept In Misery: Labradoodles


A couple and their four children, wanted a dog in the worst way. Not just any dog, but the type more popular today than any of the dazzling breeds at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.

They wanted a labradoodle.

With luck and money, they found one not far from where they live in Connecticut. The breeder claimed the dog came from several generations of labradoodles, who in turn were carefully bred from miniature poodles and Labrador retrievers in Australia, where labradoodles were popularized 25 years ago. A ball of chocolate fluff, the puppy cost $2,800. That's more than it would have cost the family to adopt every single dog at their local shelter. But it was not outlandishly priced for a labradoodle.

The family installed an electric fence inside the house to keep the pup contained, paid for obedience classes from a trainer, and were set.

Only they weren't. Theirs is a cautionary tale, an increasingly common one, of what can happen when a dog becomes too popular for its own good.

 The Heartbreaking Truth About Those Cute Doodle Dogs
The puppy did not have the docile temperament of a lab, as advertised. He was high-strung, as poodles can be sometimes, especially miniature poodles. He was not good with children; he competed with them as if they were littermates—scolding, wrestling, biting them. He was not, as labradoodles are marketed, low-maintenance. Like both a poodle and a labrador, the puppy craved constant company. Being confined to two rooms by an absurd, zapping, invisible "fence" drove him crazy. So did the children and the nanny, who were inconsistent with their attention and discipline.

Like more and more labradoodles, and their cousins, the golden doodles, a golden retriever-poodle mix—this pup was dumped. He ended up at the Doodle Rescue Collective, Inc., based in Dumont, New Jersey, which fields calls from doodle owners all over the country desperate to dump their dogs.

Since the Doodle Rescue Collective began rescuing doodles in 2006, it has helped over 1,200 dogs and counting. And it is not alone. There are dozens of other poodle-mix rescues, including rescues for cockapoos, or cocker spaniel-poodle mixes; schnoodles, for schnauzer-poodles; chi-poos, for chihuahua poodles; maltipoos, for maltese-poodle mixes; and so on. The rescues often spend thousands of dollars in healthcare and rehabilitation for these so-called designer dogs, mutts actually, whose owners spent months on breeder waiting lists to get them, and thousands of dollars to buy them, only to abandon them within a year or two.

Of course, not all labradoodle breeders run puppy mills. Gail Widman, president of the Australian Labradoodle Club of America, said that all members of the club must adhere to strict breeding standards, using DNA tests as proof, register with the source group in Australia, and guarantee the health and temperament of their dogs.

Given all those qualifications, Widman said, for people who might not be able to have a dog otherwise because of allergies, the true labradoodle, she claimed, "is the perfect dog."

"You'll be hard-pressed to find a real Australian labradoodle in a shelter," Widman said. "They have wonderful temperaments, no smell, no shedding—they're brilliant dogs and they simply do not get given up."

But it is true, Widman added, "That a lot of breeders call their dogs Australian labradoodles and they aren't."

These dogs have become victims of their hype, rescuers say. It's a phenomenon that happens to many breeds of dog. Every time a type of dog captures the public's imagination, the clamor surrounding it creates new backyard breeders, a new product for puppy mills, and new owners swept up by the hype. Dalmatians were all the rage after Disney's 101 Dalmations was released. Cocker spaniels had their day after Disney's Lady and the Tramp. Paris Hilton made teacup Chihuahuas dressed up in tutus a fleeting fad.

Each time a breed becomes too popular, it gets inbred and overbred, causing severe health problems or behavioral issues they dogs' guardians don't want to pay for or live with. Labradoodles and other poodle mixes are marketed as hypo-allergenic, non-shedding and odor-free, attracting some people who have never lived with a dog before, but like the idea of one that sounds low-maintenance.

Labradoodles attract some people, in short, who probably shouldn't own dogs.

Meanwhile, dogs,or cats that might be a better fit languish in shelters, or are euthanized for lack of space. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that out of the six to eight million dogs and cats animal shelters care for each year, three to four million healthy, adoptable animals are euthanized.

Puppy mill rescue teams are finding more and more designer dogs in farms where dogs are kept in misery— in cages, usually in filthy conditions, in every state in the country. Such dogs are often in poor health. Breeding females are treated like puppy factories, pregnant at every heat for years on end. A breeder may use the same miniature poodle—or cockapoo, which looks like a miniature poodle—to breed labradoodles, maltipoos, schnoodles, affenpoos (affenpinscher-poodles) or jackipoos (Jack Russell terrier-poodles).

The HSUS announced it had investigated a large suspected puppy mill in Arkansas, and posted a picture of one of the 121 dogs it rescued, a severely matted goldendoodle.

Kathleen Summers, director of outreach and research for the Humane Society’s Stop Puppy Mills Campaign, said the HSUS is finding designer dogs in half of all the puppy mills it investigates.

“The hybrid breeds are very attractive for the puppy mills to produce,” Summers said. “They really cash in on the whole ‘hypoallergenic’ sales pitch that there are some dogs that don’t shed and that won’t aggravate some people’s allergies. Puppy mill breeders try to sell the notion that anything mixed with poodle is going to be hypoallergenic.”

While people research their breeders on the Internet, what they don't know, Summers said, is the amount of false advertising presented in the marketing of the dogs.

"Most of the websites for puppy mills that we've shut down for horrific conditions," Summers said, "say things on their site like 'We don't support puppy mills.'"

No one has lamented the popularity of the doodles more urgently than Wally Conron, who created the first labradoodle. As the puppy-breeding manager at the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia, Conron was trying to fulfill the need for a guide dog from a woman in Hawaii whose husband was allergic to dogs. He bred a standard poodle with a Labrador retriever for this couple. But there was more than one puppy in the litter, and no one on his three- to six-month waiting list for guide dogs wanted a crossbreed. So, "We came up with the name labradoodle," Conron said in a recent interview with the Associated Press. "We told people we had a new dog and all of a sudden, people wanted this wonder dog."

With all the breeds and crossbreeds in the world, Conron says, he is horrified at the proliferation of labradoodles and the other poodle mixes. He blames himself for "creating a Frankenstein.” Instead of breeding out problems, he said, clueless and unscrupulous breeders are breeding them in.

"For every perfect one," he says, "you're going to find a lot of crazy ones."

The gold standard for labradoodles remains the Rutland Manor Labradoodle Breeding and Research Center in Australia, which now calls its dogs "cobberdogs." Rutland Manor claims the true Australian labradoodle has developed over two decades of careful breeding into a breed in its own right. Its hallmarks, the Rutland Manor website says, "are a highly developed intuitive nature, a love of training and a yearning for eye contact. It has a 98 percent record for allergy friendliness, a reliably non-shedding coat and is sociable and non-aggressive."

But at the Carolina Poodle Rescue, outside Spartanberg, S.C., Donna Ezell, who has been rescuing poodles for 15 years, said that labradoodles and other poodle mixes she sees are not only unpredictable in size, shape and looks, but also in temperament.

"If you have a purebred poodle or a purebred boxer from a reputable breeder," she said, "you know what you're going to get. You know what it's going to look like. You have a pretty good idea of its temperament. With the doodles and maltipoos and all these others, they don't breed true. You can't predict what they'll be. They all look different. They have different temperaments. And some are non-shedding, some are not."

Jacqueline Yorke of the Doodle Rescue Collective, said poodle-mix owners are often surprised to find that they are still allergic to their "hypoallergenic" dogs. "They may be allergic to the dog's saliva, or the skin it sheds or the fur it does shed," she said. "And they've also found out that non-shedding does not mean no work. If the fur doesn't shed, it grows and grows. They need to be mowed down and groomed every six to eight weeks."

Yorke said the rescue has taken in dogs with fur so matted the dogs were unable to relieve themselves; their feces were stuck in their fur.

Time and again, the rescue has fostered dogs with the same health conditions, including hip dysplasia, cataracts, torn anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, injuries which require expensive surgery, and megaesophagus, a potentially life-threatening disease which causes the dog to choke on its food.

But the primary reason doodles end up in the rescue, Yorke said, are issues with children."We just got three more," she said. "Every one listed 'aggressive with children.'"

The poor dog featured at the beginning of this article ended up being euthanized after he attacked and bit Yorke and was evaluated by veterinarians and trainers who deemed him dangerous. But that kind of extreme situation, Yorke said, is rare.

One bit of good news, Yorke said, is that doodles and other designer dogs are so popular rescues have long waiting lists of potential adopters.

 "We have hundreds on our list," Yorke said. Most will not make the cut when vetted by the group. The rescue will not adopt out doodles to families with small children, for example. The goal is to provide the dogs a permanent home, Yorke said, and not see them back at the rescue.

"We get hate mail all the time from people mad at us for not handing them a dog. They'll say, 'Well, I'm going to a breeder.'"

Her response? Buyer beware.

Labradoodles and other poodle mixes are very trendy, but is it ethical to get one?

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A Tacoma, Washington, Police Dog Has Died After Ingesting Methamphetamine During A Narcotics Investigation


A police dog named Barney, has died after ingesting methamphetamine during a narcotics investigation, the Pierce County prosecutor's office said Thursday.

The 11-year-old Lab mix was with his handler, Officer Henry Betts, as he was serving a search warrant when he became sick. Barney had a body temperature of 109 and was having seizures when they took him to the BluePearl Veterinary Hospital on Tuesday night.

By Wednesday morning, he was becoming more alert and responsive, but passed away on Thursday.

Narcotics dogs usually signal when drugs are present, by placing their noses on the substance. But in this case, the drugs were unwrapped and Barney came in direct contact with the meth.

The search warrant did lead to the discovery of 44 pounds of meth and $225,000 in cash, prosecutors said. Three people have been charged with drug possession with two of them additionally charged with intent to sell.

Prosecutors haven't decided yet whether to amend the charges to include the death of the police dog.

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Ever Wonder Why Your Dog Eats His Food Away From His Bowl?


After you put food in your dog’s bowl, he takes a mouthful, walks across the room, drops it onto your carpet and then munches away. And he repeats this curious ritual until his chow is all gone.

It doesn’t seem like an efficient way to eat, not to mention that he's getting crumbs on your rug.

So what gives?

Possible Reasons Behind the Curious Mealtime Behavior
The answer to this propensity lies in two words: pack mentality.

When dogs in the wild make a kill, the outranked animals drag pieces of food away so they don’t have to fight the leader or a more dominant canine for it, says Dr. Julie Albright-Keck, DVM, MA, DACVB, an assistant professor of veterinary behavior at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine https://vetmed.tennessee.edu/Pages/utcvm_home.aspx.

“Fighting is obviously very risky, so most animals, especially subordinate ones, will go to great lengths to avoid an altercation,” says Dr. Albright.

Although the competition in your house may not even be real, particularly if you only have one dog, it’s his evolutionary instinct taking over.

Another possibility: If you use a metal bowl, the noise of the food moving around in the dish or even his collar tags hitting the side can be frightening or annoying, notes Dr. Albright, so he may be taking the kibble away from the trigger of the sound.

How to Put the Kibosh on This Kibble Ritual
If you want to curb this unusual eating behavior, Dr. Albright suggests swapping metal bowls for plastic versions or paper plates to rule out issues with noise.

“If the dog still takes the food away, find a more secluded or confined area for him to eat,” she says. “And if there are other dogs in the house, separate them at feeding time to allow for privacy, so there’s no threat of competition, either real or imagined.”

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Friday, March 27, 2015

Banks County, Georgia - Family Searching For Lost Dog After Car Crash: Have You Seen This Dog?


Eric Love told FOX 5 News that his parents got into accident in Banks County on their way to Lake Hartwell around 5:00 p.m.. Monday. They say a driver hit them causing their Expedition to roll multiple times on Interstate 85. They were able to walk away safe, but their puppy Georgia went missing.

He said the dog has a chip and hopes that if anyone in north Georgia finds Georgia that they will get the chip read.

A post on Eric's Facebook page stated that a friend might have seen the dog Tuesday night underneath the Neal lane Bridge over Interstate 85.


Eric Love shared this photo on facebook:


Evening all! We have continued to spread the flyers and word around exit 160. I'll be heading up midday tomorrow to start moving farther north, back towards my family's lakehouse. Anyone who wants to come out, drive the country roads, take a walk in the woods, spread the word, and hopefully put some eyes on Georgia is always appreciated! As a reminder, never drink and drive!










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New Show From Houston, Texas - Operation Houston: Stray Dog City - Using Drones to Track Stray Dogs


Houston, Texas - Are those drones buzzing over a Sunnyside neighborhood, in south Houston?

"It's another amazing tool," said Tom McPhee, executive director of World Animal Awareness Society.

It's a tool to track stray dogs. WA2S is shooting a new TV show, Operation Houston: Stray Dog City. It's an up-close look at Houston's serious stray dog problem and the men and women who try to save the dogs before it's too late.

Momma is a pit bull found by Emal's group. She was found in an abandoned
Tom McPhee
house. She hadn't moved for days and was rotting to death.

"If we hadn't found her, she would have died," said Erika Emal, the founder of Southside Street Dogs.

"It's touch and go," said Emal.

She was rushed to a local emergency vet clinic. It's just one of several stories McPhee wants to highlight in Houston.

"There's obviously issues and problems here," said McPhee.

But to solve those issues you need to first know how big the problem is. It's why McPhee plans to launch his drones across Houston.

"The drone allows us to draw a big circle in the air as we're filming in 4K. It's beautiful footage," said McPhee.

He'll use GPS technology and volunteers on the ground. Together they plan to find and count just how many strays are in the Houston area. Estimates indicate it could be more than a million.

"It's a first step to try and tackle a humongous problem," said Emal.

 

Drones, as low-cost flying machines, make great rescue tools. They can look and go places people can’t--or at least can’t go safely--and with infrared cameras, they can sometimes see beyond what human eyes can. In Houston, the World Animal Awareness Society plans to use them to track stray dogs, combining a drone's utility as a mapping device with its rescue abilities.

However, the project, titled Operation Houston: Stray Dog City,” plans to film not just a stray dog map, but the pilot for a new show. The show started filming on March 20th and will continue filming through the 30th. World Animal Awareness Society is a media nonprofit that's made shows for National Geographic, Animal Planet, and others, though there's no announced broadcast information for Operation Houston yet. As for how the show will be structured, it's billed as a “cross between Pit Bulls & Parolees, Deadliest Catch, and Survivor,” which does not bode terribly well for the pups.

Watch a video of them testing the drone in Detroit below:






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With Thousands of Pet Foods on the Market: How Do You Make the Optimal Choice?


With thousands of pet foods on the market, how do you make the optimal choice? Pet food labels are a good place to start. Understanding the label information can help you make informed decisions about what you are feeding your pets.

Which Parts of the Label Help Assess Food Quality?

The following key components of a pet food label can help you evaluate nutritional information:
  • A list of ingredients (in descending order by weight)
  • A guaranteed analysis

What Does the Nutritional Adequacy Statement Reveal?
The AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement declares if the product or treat is complete and balanced, and whether it should be fed under veterinary supervision. The following types of nutritional adequacy statements can appear on a pet food label:
  • Animal feeding trials using AAFCO procedures show that the product provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages or a particular stage.
  • The product is formulated to meet the nutrient levels established by AAFCO for a particular life stage or for all life stages.
  • The product is intended for intermittent or supplemental use only.
The presence of either of the first two statements means that a food can be used as the sole source of nutrition. “Complete and balanced” means that a food has all the recognized, required nutrients in the proper proportions, when fed appropriately.

In a feeding trial, a product is fed to a certain number of dogs or cats for a specified period of time to determine whether it provides adequate nutrition. By conducting feeding trials, pet food companies ensure that animals in a particular life stage (i.e., pregnant, nursing, growing, adult maintenance) will obtain proper nutrition from a food. Feeding trials also provide some assurance of palatability (how good the food tastes to pets) and the availability of nutrients.

When a food is formulated by calculation or chemical analysis, the nutrients may meet the maximum or minimum levels established by AAFCO, but because the finished product is not fed to animals, availability of nutrients and palatability are not assessed.

The nutritional adequacy statement regarding intermittent or supplemental feeding applies to treats, or to special diets that require a veterinarian to monitor the pet.

What Should I Know About the Ingredients?

Here are some important facts about pet food ingredients:
  • The ingredient list is of little practical use when determining nutritional value.
  • Each ingredient, including additives, must be listed in the ingredients statement.
  • Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. However, this does not reveal the amounts of the ingredients. For example, wheat germ meal, wheat bran, and wheat flour are all components of wheat, but they may provide different nutrients. The ingredient list can be valuable when a pet has a confirmed food allergy and must avoid certain ingredients.
  • AAFCO defines how ingredients are named. For example, according to AAFCO, corn gluten is defined as the part of the commercial, shelled corn after removal of the larger portion of the corn’s starch and germ.
What Do the Percentages on the Label Mean?
AAFCO regulations require pet food manufacturers in the United States to include a guaranteed analysis that lists percentages of certain nutrients on pet food labels. These percentages (i.e., minimum protein and fat; maximum fiber and water) are listed on an “as-fed” basis. That simply means the percentage of each nutrient, including water or moisture, contained in the final product consumed by the pet. 

To compare products on a level playing field, it is necessary to convert the information listed in the guaranteed analysis to a “caloric basis”. When not measured on a caloric basis, canned food appears to have a lower concentration of nutrients than dry food because dry food contains approximately 10 percent water, but canned food contains approximately 75 percent water. Even the comparison of the information in the guaranteed analysis of two products that contain the same amount of moisture can be inaccurate if the products differ in caloric density.

What Are the Chemicals in the Ingredients?
Pet owners may be concerned to see “phylloquinone,” “α-tocopherol,” “cobalamin” and “ascorbic acid” listed on their pets’ food until they learn that these are the technical names for vitamins K 1, E, B 12 and C, respectively. α-Tocopherol is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants are added to foods to balance the nutrient profile and preserve fats. Preservatives are not universally bad for pets and, in fact, help prevent foods from becoming rancid.

What Are the By-Products on the Label?
Many questions about pet food result from a misunderstanding of particular ingredients. Pet owners may incorrectly think that by-products are solely the undesirable parts of animals, such as hooves, feathers and beaks. However, as defined by the pet food industry, meat by-products are clean parts other than meat, such as lungs, kidneys and spleens. Therefore, by-products can be an excellent source of amino acids, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Who Ensures the Quality of Pet Foods?
Several governing agencies have a role in regulating pet food. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authority over pet foods. The FDA establishes certain labeling regulations for animal food and enforces regulations about contamination. Feed control officials from the state departments of agriculture work with the FDA to inspect facilities and enforce regulations within each state. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) defines ingredients and has an agreement to work with FDA scientists to ensure the safety of ingredients. Consumers can voluntarily submit reports using the FDA Safety Reporting Portal: www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov.

Are Organic or Natural Ingredients Better?
Pet food labels are factual, but they are also used to attract consumers. Terms such as organic and natural, and unregulated terms such as human grade, premium and holistic are of little use when determining nutritional value. As more pet foods are manufactured to meet the demand for organic and natural ingredients, pet owners need to understand these terms. 

AAFCO defines natural as “originating from animals or plants.” AAFCO has no regulatory definition for organic, which refers to the procedure by which organic ingredients are grown, harvested and processed. 

There is no evidence that organic food is more beneficial to animals than nonorganic food. Pet foods that meet the human standard for organic (at least 95 percent of the content by weight, excluding salt and water, must be organic) may display the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic seal on their packaging. The FDA uses natural to describe food, and organic to describe both the food and the way in which it was processed.

Are the Feeding Guidelines Right for My Pet?
Complete and balanced pet foods must include feeding directions on their labels. However, one set of feeding guidelines cannot account for the great variation in metabolic rates and nutritional needs among individual pets. In addition, breed, temperament, environment and many other factors can influence food intake. Feeding guidelines provide a good starting point but may overestimate the needs of some pets, leading to weight gain. Therefore, pet owners (with guidance from a veterinary professional) may have to adjust the feeding guidelines on a case-by-case basis to achieve a healthy, lean body condition for their pets.

Why Aren’t Calories Listed on All Pet Food Labels?
Caloric content is not included on most pet food labels, but that may be changing. The format of pet food labels was derived from large animal feed packaging, which does not legally require the inclusion of caloric content. AAFCO has voted to mandate the inclusion of caloric content on pet food labels. In January 2013, the rule was approved, and the transition to revised labeling will occur from 2016 to 2017, for full enforcement.

For more information on pet food labels, visit the FDA website:  www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/resourcesforyou/ucm047113.htm. FOLLOW US!
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Thursday, March 26, 2015

Stray Dogs Show Up at Funeral Home: Attend Funeral of the Woman That Always Fed Them


Margarita Suárez, a humble woman from Mérida, Mexico, did not run a shelter or work with a registered animal organization.  She was not rich and only earned enough money to get by, however, she never hesitated to help animals in need. Suarez fed over 20 stray cats that came to her door every morning, and whenever she went out, she carried food to feed the stray dogs she met on the streets.

At the beginning of March, Suarez relocated to Cuernavaca, Mexico, for health reasons. There, she continued to feed and look after the homeless animals in her community. Sadly, Suarez’s health took a turn for the worse and she passed away. Family, friends and stray dogs attended her funeral.

Patricia Urrutia, Suarez’s daughter, said that on March 15, 2015, stray dogs started arriving at the funeral home early in the morning. At first she thought they were area dogs welcomed at the funeral home, but then she noticed the animals were entering the room where her mother’s body was resting. Urrutia asked workers if they knew the dogs and everyone said they had never seen them before.

When Suarez’s body was moved to the church, the dogs followed behind the funeral car, and when the body returned to the funeral home, so did the dogs.

Urrutia believes the stray dogs were some of the pets her mother fed and they came to show their respect. The dogs were respectful and some even played with funeral attendees. The pets only left once Suarez’s body was prepared for cremation.

Family members cannot explain how the dogs knew where they could find Suarez, but they were happy to see the dogs Suarez cared so much for, also loved her.


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Washington, DC - Meet Mayni and Muniri, The Two Andean Bear Cubs at the National Zoo


On Thursday morning as zoo officials announced the bears’ names, they played in their yard. The zoo said in a Twitter message that they “just heard their first helicopter fly overhead and headed to Mom for comfort.”

After the public voted, the two Andean bear cubs were named, Mayni and Muniri

Mayni is a moniker that means “unique” in the Aymara language. Muniri means “loving” in the Quechua language. The names are meant to reflect the cultural significance of the indigenous peoples of the Andes region, to which the bears are native.

The 19-week-old cubs will go on display to the public, at 10:00 a.m.,  Saturday, Marcg 28th, weather permitting. The brother bears were much celebrated when they were born in November.

Telling the two black balls of fur apart is a bit tough, but zoo officials said the two cubs have distinctive facial markings. Muniri has a slightly longer light brown line in between his eyes; Mayni does not have such a pronounced line.

They definitely have different personalities. Zoo officials have said Mayni is a bit more rambunctious and “seems to need Mom’s attention a bit more than his brother.” His brother, Muniri, is described as playful and “likes to wrestle but is more laid back.”

Zoo officials said that now that the bears have been named, it will help staff members as they teach them certain behaviors like opening their mouth, showing their paws, getting up on a bench and lying down. These learned behaviors are necessary, zoo officials said, to help staff give them vaccinations and care for their health.

The cubs are trained one-on-one, and zoo keepers will call the cubs by their respective names into different enclosures, officials said. Every time a bear does one of its new, learned behaviors, the keepers will use positive reinforcement and call them by name. And they’ll get a treat — either grapes or peanuts, which are their favorites.




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