Dog owners 'are healthier than people without pets'

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Walk on the wild side: Dog owners were found to be more active overall


Man's best friend may be more than just a faithful companion.

A new study has revealed dog owners are more likely to reach recommended fitness levels than people without a pet.

Researchers say people who own and walk their dogs regularly are 34 per cent more likely to hit exercise targets.

The results, said study co-author Mathew Reeves, from Michigan State University, show that promoting dog ownership and dog walking could help many people become healthier.

Using data from the Michigan Department of Community Health, researchers found that not only did owning and walking a dog affect the amount of walking a person does but also that dog walkers were more active overall.

The study showed people who walked their dogs generally walked about an hour longer per week than people who owned dogs but did not walk them.

Dr Reeves said: 'Obviously you would expect dog walkers to walk more, but we found people who walked their dog also had higher overall levels of both moderate and vigorous physical activities.

'There appears to be a strong link between owning and walking a dog and achieving higher levels of physical activity, even after accounting for the actual dog walking.'

The study analysed the amount of leisure-time physical activity a person gets, including playing sports, exercise conditioning and recreation such as walking, dancing and gardening.

It is recommended that people get at least 150 minutes of such activity a week.


source: dailymail

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Two legs good, six legs better! Chihuahua triplets adapt to life without front paws

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Kensi, Hetti and G are Chihuahua triplets who were born without their front legs but are adapting to life on two legs


They may be the cutest things on six legs.

And these 10-week-old Chihuahua triplets are ready for a good home.

Foster careworkers are currently working with the Methuen, Massachusetts MSPCA who are looking after the puppies that were born without front legs.


Adapting: The puppies were said to be showing tremendous resilience and enthusiasm despite their disability and may be candidates for wheeled carts


Kensi, Hetty and G were not only born disabled, but soon after their birth their owner died, leaving them homeless.

Staff have confirmed that the puppies are adapting to life without front legs and are potential candidates for wheeled carts.

The Boston Herald reported that keeping up with the other dogs has been no easy feat for the tiny pups as they work to strengthen their abs and graduate to the use of wheeled carts.


The adoption centre staff quickly assessed that the Chihuahuas were adapting to life without front legs and could be potential candidates for wheeled carts


The puppies astounded MSPCA workers with their resilient nature and how well they were coping with only two legs


MSPCA spokesman Brian Adams said: 'This is a condition that we rarely see. Even more rare is to see it occur in so many puppies from the same litter.

'These animals have amazed us with how much they can accomplish on their own.

'They don’t know they’re missing those front legs, so they have adapted and overcome the hurdles in front of them.

'They learn behaviours but also to interact and socialize with other young animals of the same mindset.

'Many animals do fantastic with front or rear wheel carts. They have fantastic outlooks, remain consistently upbeat, and basically we are ensuring they’ll have a bright future ahead of them, but they’re the ones doing all the work.

'The puppies astounded us with their upbeat and resilient nature. They immediately showed us that they could overcome their physical obstacle as they hopped and ran after each other.'

The three Chihuahuas are currently in the care of experienced foster parents, Linda and Marty Jones, who have provided care to the MSPCA's homeless animals.


source: dailymail

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On the pull: The Crufts dog with an eye for the ladies (who don't mind a bit of dribble)

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Looking for attention: A Dogue de Bordeaux keeps a keen eye out for da lady dogs at Crufts in Birmingham. Is that bib an atttempt to catch the enormous amount of saliva he produces?


Thousands of dogs and their owners have turned out for the first day of the annual Crufts dog show, which is celebrating its 120th anniversary.

Around 28,000 dogs are set to compete in various categories during the four-day show, held at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre.

Dogs which helped save lives in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake and the 7/7 London bombings are among those competing for the prestigious Friends for Life award.


Ow, easy does it mate: A Dogue de Bordeaux has his teeth cleaned during a demonstration by a vet. But what brand of toothpaste does he use?


Television presenters Ant and Dec - Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly - briefly stole the limelight from the animals as they filmed a segment for their ITV1 show Push the Button in the main arena.

The 'secret challenge' involved members of two competing families testing their dog handling skills in a timed agility exercise.

The competitors each led a dog around an obstacle course which included a number of jumps, a tunnel and a seesaw.


Limelight: Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly filmed a segment for their ITV1 show Push the Button in the main arena


The presenters, who back competing families in the programme, will not find out the results of the challenge until it is aired on Saturday evening.

Cheering his team on from the side of the arena, Ant joked: 'I am proper nervous, I am going to start running around (the course) myself.'

Dec told the crowd he was impressed with the good behaviour of the dogs he had seen at the show, adding:

'My girlfriend has got a dog, she's got a little dachshund. It's a cheeky little thing... very very disobedient.'

Crufts, which is sponsored by furniture retailer dfs, will be screened on More4, with Clare Balding at the helm. The channel is extending its coverage of the event to two hours each night, from March 10-13.


You looking at me? The Crufts annual dog show at the NEC, is celebrating its 120th year


Big doggy eyes: Oriel the Weimaraner waits for his turn in the parade ring, where nearly 22,000 dogs and their owners will vie for a variety of accolades


A fully-updated version of the documentary Good Dog! Bad Dog! from Mentorn Media will air at the same time, examining the issues and concerns surrounding dog welfare, responsible dog ownership and best practice in dog breeding.

The BBC pulled out of covering the event in 2009 following a documentary which alleged that dogs on show often suffer from genetic diseases following years of inbreeding.



Up, up and away! This one-eyed dog may not be pawfect but he's qualified to compete at Crufts despite his disability. Dudley the rescue mutt developed an infection before he was born and vets had to remove one eye


And they call it puppy love: Two dogs are held by their owner before they take to the ring


But Caroline Kisko, Secretary of the Kennel Club which organises the event, says Crufts is a celebration of the special relationship between man and dog.

'It offers people the opportunity to explore the issues surrounding how to buy, breed, train and care for a dog responsibly, so that everybody involved in dogs can help them to lead healthy, happy lives.'

As well as a one-eyed rescue dog called Dudley competing this year, the show also features the first deaf canine, Zippy. The dog is just 20 months old and was born deaf. His trainer Vicky says,

'As Zippy can’t hear me, it is important that we have eye contact, so he can see the hand signals for the commands. Generally, I touch his nose first and then touch my nose to make sure he is looking at me before I give him the hand signal. Zippy is a clever dog and very quick to learn. He is a real inspiration.'


Paws for thought: A Pointer gazes into the distance as he dreams of some choice cuts in his food bowl later


Furry best wishes: A dog surrounded by good luck cards from well wishers...and some fluffy toys thrown in for good measure


Dog tired: English Setter 'Sparsett Hembury Explorer' looks like he's had enough already



You must be barking: A long line of Weimaraners stand poised for the scrutiny of judges in the parade ring


source: dailymail

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This is a shaggy dog story: Norman the hound likes to scooter round town

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Norman gets his foot up on the scooter and prepares himself for the off


As shaggy dog stories go, the one about Norman the very bright Briard who is a wizz riding his scooter ranks high on the list.

The clever canine, who lives with the Cobb family in Canton, Georgia, competes in many obedience competitions and received his Companion Dog Title at just 15 months of age after four first place finishes.

But it's his razor scooter that has remained the pooch's passion since he was a mere pup when his owner, Karen Cobb, took him out for his first spin.

'He began playing with the kid's scooter in the backyard and we thought it would be fun to give him a ride on it,' says Karen. 'Then we decided to teach him to push it, and now he loves riding his scooter.'

His scooting antics have already made him popular on the Internet, and his Facebook page has quite a following.


Let's get this show on the road: Norman puts his back into it


Off we go: Norman gets both feet on the platform and starts to build up a bit of speed


Norman, now 20 months old, has even attracted the attention of television show host and comedian David Letterman and last month made an appearance on Stupid Pet Tricks on The Late Show.

Briards originate from France and their recognised talents include search and rescue, police work, military work, herding, watchdogging and guarding, but they also also make excellent companions, finding favour with Napoleon and Thomas Jefferson.




source: dailymail

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The best-fed pets in Britain (Part 1)

By LORRAINE FISHER

Pampered: Susan Richardson feeds her three Yorkshire Terriers only the best ingredients and hand makes the meals in her kitchen


My husband sells dried dog food and says it’s all they need, but I don’t believe him. I think dogs have to have fresh food, too. But I won’t feed them just anything — supermarket dog food may be only 50p a tin, but what’s in it?

Not just meat, but ground up bones, feathers as well as sugar, which makes dogs fat and damages their teeth. I’d never feed that to my little Yorkies.


I go to the butchers and buy proper meat — tonight it’s organic minced steak with pasta, all hand-cooked. I also make them eat peas, cauliflower and carrots, bones to gnaw on and half a teaspoon of yumega oil on their evening meal to make their coats shiny.

And I serve it all up on white china plates trimmed with gold, sitting with them while they’re eating to make sure they eat only their own.

And because dogs need a bit of crunch, they get Healthy Option dried food for breakfast and natural chew sticks to help their teeth, not to mention bacon ribs to clean their teeth — although I am careful to boil them first to get rid of the salt.

While I haven’t consulted dog experts about their diet, it’s obviously working — they’re very healthy and their teeth are incredibly white. And why shouldn’t it? I believe if it’s good for us, it’s good for them. Thankfully, because they’re so small, they cost us only £10 a week in meat.


Abi Pope feeds her two Burmese cats organic pet food and doesn't mind that is costs double the price of supermarket pet food


If we’d fed Coco and Milo on normal supermarket pet food, I think they’d be dead by now. It nearly killed them.

They were perfectly healthy when we bought them from a breeder aged just 12 weeks for £500 each.

We fed them on boiled fish and chicken for the first six weeks. But the problems started when we tried to wean them on to adult cat food. They went downhill quickly, being sick and having diarrhoea all the time. They became shadows of their former selves.

The vet said they’d either picked up a bug or eaten something bad in the garden, but they continued being sick for weeks. I suspected their food and tried lots of different varieties, but with no luck.

But it got so bad Coco ended up on a drip in the vets for four days because she was so dehydrated. I thought we were going to lose her. The vet recommended Royal Canin dry food and it worked immediately. We were so relieved.

But soon after, Coco and Milo got bored with it — they’d never really liked it and wanted wet food, too, but there was nothing we could give them.

In desperation, I tried tuna — it’s not something I eat because it’s not sustainable — but it worked for them. Despite this, I didn’t like having to abandon my principles even for my cats. Surely there was an alternative?

Then last Christmas, I walked past a ‘pop up shop’ for Lily’s Kitchen which sells only organic pet food. By this time, I was scared of trying anything different — the cats were so allergic to most things, they became ill immediately.

But miraculously, the new food worked — they loved it and, as it’s ethical, I’m happy, too. It costs just over a pound a sachet compared to the 30-40p of supermarket pet foods but, as far as I’m concerned, it’s worth every penny.


source: dailymail

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Thug who tried to slice off ear of girlfriend's puppy after row is jailed

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

The three-week-old Staffordshire bull-terrier, pictured here at RSPCA's Halifax, Huddersfield and District branch animal centre after the attack, was left screaming in agony as its right ear hung by a thread


A thug who tried to slice a puppy's ear off following a row with his girlfriend has been jailed.

Shamrez Ali Wasim, 27, used a knife or scissors to attack the three-week-old Staffordshire bull-terrier cross in Newsome, Huddersfield.

The animal was left screaming in agony as its right ear hung by a thread.

Wasim was jailed for 20 weeks after he was found guilty by Huddersfield magistrates yesterday after a trial.

He had pleaded not guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Sentencing him, chairman of the bench John Scott branded Wasim's actions despicable.
'This was a very serious offence and could easily have resulted in the death of the dog,' Scott said.

'You caused it extreme pain and suffering. It was a deliberate act and we find it despicable. No right-thinking person would have done this.'


The court heard police were called by Wasim's partner, Charlene Marshall, to her home in Newsome on the evening of June 24 last year.

Pc Susan Knowles told the magistrates Miss Marshall, who has a five-year-old child with Wasim, was visibly upset when she arrived, saying Wasim had injured the puppy.
Pc Knowles said: She was very distressed, crying and visibly shaking.

'She was obviously very upset and didn't want to go back in the house because the sight of the puppy was far too upsetting for her.

'I could hear the sound of the dog screaming and yelping inside.'

Officers went in and found a dog basket covered in blood, with the puppy lying inside it.

Pc Knowles added: 'It looked to me as though its ear had been cut off entirely.
At a previous hearing, the court had heard Wasim had given his Staffordshire bitch and her eight puppies to Miss Marshall to look after.

Two days later, the couple argued over his alleged drinking and Wasim threatened to cut off a puppy's ear.

Miss Marshall was out when Wasim attacked the dog.

The vet's bill for treating the injured animal came to more than £400. It has now been given to new owners, along with the other eight dogs.

Miss Marshall had been due to give evidence as a witness in Wasim's trial, but failed to turn up at an initial hearing.

She was brought into court under a warrant at a later date, but claimed she did not remember the incident and could have been drunk at the time.

Wasim, whose family owns two dogs, did not answer police questions in interview and offered no explanation for what had happened in court.

His solicitor, Marnat Ali, told magistrates there was not enough evidence to convict him. But the bench took less than half-an-hour to deliver their verdict and found Wasim guilty.

As well as the prison sentence, they banned him from keeping a dog for five years.
There was no separate penalty for a separate offence of being drunk and disorderly.
Wasim is due to lodge an appeal against his conviction and sentence at Bradford Crown Court.

source: dailymail

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The dog that wouldn't die: How Wall-e the puppy survived despite being put down, declared dead and thrown in a dumpster

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Wall-e looks bright-eyed today as he prepares for life in a new home having survived being put to sleep


Meet Wall-e, the three-month-old puppy who miraculously survived being put to sleep and now has a new leash on life.

He was one of a litter of pups found abandoned outside the animal shelter in Sulphur, Oklahoma. A veterinary surgeon decided they were too sick to survive and put them down.

But although Wall-e was declared dead by the vet, the puppy had other ideas and the following morning Animal Control Officer Scott Prall heard whimpering coming from the dumpster where his body had been placed.


The puppy is happy to see another sunny day after his brush with death


When he looked inside, he found the puppy wandering around.

'He was just as healthy as could be,' Prall told News9.com. explaining that Wall-e was named after the earth's only survivor, a waste-collecting robot, in the 2008 animated film of the same name.

Local vet Amanda Kloski, from the Arbuckle Veterinary Clinic, took him in, and when his great escape story found its way onto Facebook, the clinic was inundated with calls from people wanting to adopt him.

'He needs a really special home because he's really special,' said Kloski who was today deciding on which home would best suit Wall-e.

Campaigners claim there would have been no need to put to sleep any of the the puppies if Murray County had a better animal shelter, and are trying to raise enough money to build a bigger facility.


Animal Control Officer Scott Prall investigated a whimpering sound and found Wall-e alive and well


Wall-e's body was left in this dumpster but he was found wandering around 'as healthy as could be' the following morning

source: dailymail

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Having a ruff ride? Dogs could be forced to wear seatbelts if bill makes drivers restrain pets

By MARK DUELL

Not allowed: The owner of Marmaduke, pictured in the 2010 film, would probably be violating the proposed bill forcing pets to travel restrained in Tennessee


It could be time for Max, Buster and Molly to get belted up.

Tennessee Representative Jim Cobb is sponsoring a bill that would make it illegal for dogs and other animals to ride unrestrained inside a moving vehicle.

The Republican lawmaker's proposals are over concerns it can be distracting and potentially dangerous for drivers to have a pet roaming around a car.

Animals would have to be ‘secured in a harness or vehicle seat, confined in a box, or hard or soft sided travel crate, or held by a person' in a front or back passenger seat.

This would therefore include the use of seatbelts to stop pets moving around.


Proposals: Tennessee Rep Jim Cobb is sponsoring a bill to make it illegal for pets to ride unrestrained inside cars


Breaking the law would be a ‘Class C Misdemeanour' offence, which could result in up to 30 days in jail, a $50 fine or both.

Mr Cobb wants to ban drivers from having dogs sit on their lap while the car is moving.

‘He basically said you're meant to not have an animal in the driver’s lap,' a spokesman for Mr Cobb told MailOnline.

‘It’s meant to make sure they don’t have it in the lap as it can impair your driving ability.’

The bill, which has already been going through the state’s system for about a month, was passed through the Tennessee transport sub-committee on Tuesday.
It will now go to the full transport committee next week and then onto finance.


Good idea: Jessie Medina, of the PETCO store, praised the proposals as he said animals can often get anxious in cars and any harnesses will 'save a dog's life'


Jessie Medina, general manager of the PETCO store in Bellevue, told ABC2: 'I understand where they're coming from because they want their animal to feel secure.

'Dogs can get anxious and want to come up front and look out of the window. Pet parents underestimate the fact that these harnesses are going to save their dog's life.

‘It's no different than their child or an adult who gets into an accident. They really need to have that dog in the seat strapped down. It's an accident waiting to happen.'

source: dailymail

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Napcatcher rather than ratcatcher: Larry the Downing Street cat shows 'no interest' in going after the rodents

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Napcatcher: Photographers had to wait 45 minutes to meet the new recruit when he arrived - because he was asleep


Larry the Downing Street cat may have been brought in to catch the rats but he has spent his days curled up asleep, it has been claimed.

The tabby was expected to go chasing after the rodents who have been seen scuttling down the street during television reports - but he's shown no interest in going after them.

Within hours of arriving at No 10 he had courted controversy by taking a swipe at ITV News reporter Lucy Manning when they tried to get him to pose for an item.

And he kept waiting reporters and photographers waiting for 45 when he was unveiled as the new pet because he was asleep.

The cat has also apparently covered the Prime Minister's suits with fur and has dug his claws in when sat on members of staff.

He's got a long way to go until he has the fierce reputation of Harry - Downing Street's first official moggy who arrived when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister.

The animal - who also served under Thatcher and Blair - acquired a fearsome reputation after being falsely accused of killing a family of robins in the garden.
He was known to energetically catch the rats.

Despite Larry's failure to deal with the pest problem, Downing Street's newest resident has quickly become popular among the staff.

A source told the Independent on Sunday: 'He has shown no interest in the many mice in Downing Street. There's a distinct lack of a killer instinct.'


Taking over the cabinet: Larry wanders across the table in the Cabinet Room at No 10


Rat catcher: Larry was brought in to get the Downing Street rat which appeared in Lucy Manning's report


The four-year-old cat arrived from Battersea Dogs and Cats home three weeks ago has apparently made several bids for freedom.

His former keepers at the rescue centre have recommended that he is not let out for at least three weeks until he becomes fully acclimatised to his new surroundings.
But as David Cameron posed on the steps outside with Kevin Spacey, Larry made a bid for freedom.

In between his frequent naps, the cat dines out not on taxpayer-funded meals - but dishes paid for by the Prime Minister's own staff.
With George Osborne clamping down on public spending, there is no room for a pet paid for by the public in No 10.

He arrived on February 15 - just days after a spokesman said on January 24 that there were 'no plans' for a cat to move in.


Arrival: Larry is carried in to No 10 for the first time earlier this month


The four-year-old tabby has apparently shown no interest in going after the rodents in Downing Street

source: dailymail

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Foster mutt: Rottweiler plays mother to orphaned bunnies, birds... and even kittens

By JAMES TOZER

Dave the rottweiler has helped bring up four ducks, three geese, five rabbits, 13 kittens and five puppies - plus countless new-born chicks


You probably wouldn’t pick a ten-stone rottweiler to nursemaid orphaned bunnies and birds. But even kittens are in no danger from Dave the Dog. All he wants to do is look after them.

Owner Amanda Collins discovered her six-year-old pet’s maternal nature when she brought home an unwanted French giant rabbit.

‘Dave just walked over to him and started licking him to clean him,’ said the 25-year-old, who runs a pet shop in Blackpool.

‘They bonded straight away. Now they sleep together, and I’ve even seen them sharing each other’s food.’

Miss Collins, who has looked after a menagerie of abandoned animals, soon found this wasn’t a one-off.

'When I brought home the ducklings, I thought he might not be the same as with the rabbits, but he just went over to them and licked them on the head,' she said..

'I filled a paddling pool with water so they could learn to swim in it, and Dave went and laid down in the water so they could clamber over him. He even lifted them out if they got into trouble.'

So far, Dave has helped bring up four ducks, three geese, five rabbits, 13 kittens and five puppies - not to mention countless new-born chicks.

Dave had a traumatic upbringing – his first owner docked his tail with a cleaver – but has remained amazingly good-natured and has now been voted Britain’s most inspirational dog in a contest sponsored by worming specialists Drontal.

The online contest attracted over 6,000 entries and 265,515 votes were cast.

And six-year-old Dave's owner hopes his success will help improve the breed's image.

'People see him coming and cross the road to the other side - it's so sad,' said Miss Collins.

'Most rottweilers aren't big vicious things - they can be very gentle and obedient if they're looked after and trained properly, and Dave is the perfect example of that.'

source: dailymail

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A little fishy: World's smallest aquarium creates a (tiny) splash

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Small fry: The tiny fish tank was made by a Russian artist who specialises in miniatures


Here is the perfect home for small fry: the world's smallest aquarium.

Created by Russian artist Anatoly Konenko, who specialises in miniatures, the tiny tank is made of glass, contains tiny stones and plants and is home to a group of tiny fish.

It is just 30mm wide, 24mm high and 14 mm deep - enough to hold just 10ml of water, or about two tablespoons' worth.

The water has to be applied using a syringe so as not to disturb the landscape the Siberia-artist lovingly created.

Konenko, who calls his art 'micro-miniatures', even made a minuscule fishing net which he used to place the fish, baby Danios.

The adults are usually a favourite with more normal sized tanks but the tiny fish look at home in Konenko's construction for which he has since added a specially built air pump.


In the net: Anatoly Konenko made a small net to match, and tiny Danios fish swam around in the tank, which takes only two teaspoons of water to fill


Something fishy: The tank is just 30mm wide, 24mm high and 14 mm deep


Konenko is also a painter and is in the Guinness World Records book for making the world's smallest book.

He said: 'I've been doing microart for 30 years, doing the smallest things in the world.

'This tank was made out of curiosity.'

He works using a microscope for most of his work and has won awards in his home country and round the world.







source: dailymail

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I've lost my psychic, life-saving dog: Pregnant mother-to-be distraught at losing pet who senses when she will have a fit

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Remarkable: Max has not had any formal training but can predict when Andree Trotter is going to have a fit

A pregnant mother-to-be has lost her 'superdog' which can predict when she is about to have an epileptic fit.

Andree Trotter's missing greyhound-Weimaraner cross Max rushes to her side when she is about to have a seizure and she gets into a safe position.

The remarkable animal has not been specially trained to help her - although he was a rescue dog.

The 31-year-old is due to give birth to her first child in two months time and is scared of hurting herself and her unborn baby without the dog at her side.

Miss Trotter, from Oxted, Surrey, has up to five seizures a week when her condition is at its worst - and does not know when they are about to happen.

The dog disappeared from her back garden two weeks ago while she and fiance Alan Whitlock were away and friends were dog sitting.

She said: 'Obviously our friends feel terrible but it's nobody's fault, we just want him back. He is a beloved pet but he's so much more than that.

'He was a rescue dog and we started to notice that he would always be by my side, guarding me protectively, just before I had a seizure, then he would lie right by me until I recovered.

'He would growl at Alan, even though he's really Alan's dog. It was uncanny. We started giving him treats when he did it to encourage him and now I don't know how I got by without him.

'I can have four or five seizures a week when I am bad and I never know when they are coming on. I have hurt myself in the past and even fallen in the road.

'I am terrified I will have one at the top of the stairs and lose my baby without Max here. He is a lifesaver.'


Expectant mother: Andree Trotter, pictured, is concerned she will injure herself and her unborn child without missing dog Max


Max even runs upstairs - normally out of bounds to him - if she is about to have a seizure in the bedroom or bathroom.

She said: 'It gives me just enough time to lie down somewhere safe. He lies next to me cushions me and it is comforting to have him watching over me when I come round.

'I just hope he has wandered off and someone has taken him in as a stray. I would beg them to call us so we can bring him home.'

Alan, a 45-year-old graphic designer, said: 'We got him from the dog's home after he was found tied up next to a motorway.

'He is incredibly jumpy and gets spooked easily, by a vacuum cleaner or any loud noise.

'I think someone must have taken him in because he doesn't particularly like being outside.

'We're offering a substantial reward for anyone who finds him.'

They have put up hundreds of flyers, visited local rescue homes and even been to a pet psychic in a desperate bid to find him and bring him home.


source: dailymail

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If you need to come to Britain, you might as well do it in style: Illegal immigrants caught hiding in Rolls Royce body shells

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Sniffer dog Jake, a four year old labrador helped make the discovery at the Calais port


Illegal immigrants tried to smuggle themselves into the country by hiding in the body shells of £275,000 Rolls Royces, it was revealed today.

The nine men were discovered by a sniffer dog at Calais Port, France, in a German lorry heading for the luxury car maker in Goodwood, West Sussex.

The stowaways, from the African country of Eritrea, were handed to the French border police and the lorry was allowed to continue on its way.

Rolls Royce Motor Cars today confirmed the lorries usually carry four car body shells and they would have been for either their Rolls Royce Ghost or Phantom.

The Ghost costs around £200,000 and the Phantom £275,000. Stephen Fabman-Beker, from the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club, said: 'The immigrants have certainly got good taste. It does make you wonder how they got in.


Caught: Two illegal immigrants cover their faces after being caught trying to smuggle themselves into the country in the shells of luxury Rolls Royce cars


'The only thing the Germans make is the shell, the skeleton. There's no interior or panels. I very much hope they haven't been messing about and damaged anything.'

The aluminium shells are supplied to Rolls Royce technicians from German BMW factories because the car giant owns the famous British brand.

Andrew Ball, from Rolls Royce, said: 'A group of people were found in a truck from one of our suppliers and it was heading for our Goodwood factory.

'They were not complete vehicles but body shells for either our Phantom or Ghost models. The French authorities dealt with the matter and I do not believe there was any damage.'


One of the nine stowaways covers his head and face while he hides inside one of the cars. The German lorry was transporting the luxury vehicles to the car makers in Goodwood, West Sussex


The German driver and haulage company each face a potential fine of up to £2,000 per stowaway if they are unable to prove they took steps to secure the vehicle properly.

The immigrants were found at 7.20am on February 15, but the details have only just been released. The sniffer dog was a four-year-old Labrador cross collie called Jake.

Mandy Jones, UK Border Agency deputy director for south and Europe, said: 'This incident shows why we base UK Border Agency staff in France - to stop would-be illegal immigrants before they can reach the UK.

'Our strong presence in French ports like Calais helps protect the whole of the UK from people attempting to enter the country illegally.

'As well as using sniffer dogs, officers also use heartbeat detectors and carbon dioxide probes and physical searches to find people hiding in vehicles.'

The UK Border Agency said they had no details of the ages of the men because it was the responsibility of the French authorities to record such information.


source: dailymail

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Doggone it: Eddie the Jack Russell is saved by truck driver owner after 19 HOURS trapped underground

By OLIVER PICKUP

Happy ending: Eddie the Jack Russell sticks his nose out of the steel pipe, where he was stuck for hours


This is the heart-warming moment when Eddie the Jack Russell was saved, after 19 hours of being trapped underground.

The one-and-a-half year-old had come loose from his lead, scurried underneath a fence and accidentally fell into a nearby irrigation distribution box, before squeezing into a narrow steel pipe under the asphalt.

Owner Glen Farrell, a truck driver, thought that he had lost his best friend when he returned to the yard in Boise, Idaho, but when he heard backing underneath where he was standing, he and his colleagues quickly set about saving the dog.


Dig for victory: Eddie's owner and his friends dig into the asphalt and dirt to save the dog


Half a dozen men sprung into action and used their diggers and heavy duty equipment to left the earth and cut Eddie out - he had scrambled 30ft up the pipe from its entrance, and could not backtrack.

But as Eddie has wiggled his way up the pipe, he was only a matter of feet under the ground and owner Farrell, who had left Eddie tied in the yard before he went on his job the day before, told KTVB.com: 'I could see him down in there, way down in there.'

An anxious dig, though the asphalt, dirt and, after cutting the steel pipe, Eddie excitedly popped his nose out and saw daylight for the first time in 19 hours.


Heave! Farrell's pals lend a hand in saving one-and-a-half year-old Eddie


Daylight! The Jack Russell squeezes hi nose out of the steel pipe as his owner Glen Farrell cuts the metal


Mucky pup: The rescuers look on as Farrell pulls his dog free from the ground


Shortly afterwards the rest of the dog emerged, and he jumped into Farrell's arms.
'He's shaking a little bit,' said the relieved owner, looking at his shivering black-and-white dog caked in mud.

'He just wants to go home now, and have a bath and sit by the fire, probably. You hear these stories, and you think, well, you know... but here we are. We're one of them now.'

Farrell said that Eddie is always getting into scrapes, but this was the first - and hopefully last - time he has managed to do something like this.


Freed: Eddie jumps out of the hole that has been dig to save him - and after 19 hours underground, boy is he happy


Happy dog: Eddie is delighted to be free - and can't wait for a hot bath and to lie by a roaring fire



source: dailymail

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