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Monday, February 23, 2009

Monday Morning Wag

"Throw me a home mister!" Pennsylvania SPCA animals are celebrating “Mardi Paws” and “Fat Cat Tuesday” by riding their party float (aka, The PSPCA RV) to Doggie Style pet boutique in Olde City. Adoptable dogs and cats will be on parade outside the store at 315 Market St. on Tuesday, Feb. 24 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. – but they're not looking for Mardi Gras beads, they’ll be looking for new homes. Two special pooches will be crowned “Mardi Paws King and Queen” and take a spot in the “Smooch-a-Pooch” kissing booth, parked outside the store.

A new study from University of Pennsylvania that surveyed dog owners who use confrontational or aversive methods to train aggressive pets, found that most of these animals will continue to be aggressive unless training techniques are modified. The study, published in the latest issue of Applied Animal Behavior Science, also showed that using non-aversive or neutral training methods such as additional exercise or rewards elicited very few aggressive responses.

Pet crime of the week - Police have charged a Gettysburg man with disorderly conduct after they say he reacted belligerently to a person who told him to stop beating a seeing-eye dog. The charges against 66-year-old William E. Bowers were filed after police say he "went off the deep end" when someone tried to intervene on behalf of the dog. Police referred a cruelty complaint to the Adams County SPCA.

Puppy mill raid of the week - More than 200 dogs and a Bengal tiger were rescued from a kennel in southwest Missouri. Humane officers who entered the problem-plagued kennel in the town of Seneca found dogs covered in feces with no food and frozen water bowls. The malnourished tiger, who weighed only 175 pounds, was housed in a 12 by 15 foot pen which also contained dog corpses, authorities said. The raid came 18 months after the owner, Jewel Bond, surrendered 150 dogs and agreed to shut down the kennel.

Gov. Rendell was honored for his efforts to curb puppy mills at the Pennsylvania SPCA's third annual Good Dog Gala held Saturday night. Also honored for their work on behalf of animals was Main Line Animal Rescue, PSPCA board member Jennifer Utley (also the wife of Phillies second baseman Chet Utley), Yaron Properties and Philadelphia assistant district attorney Barbara Paul. Some 400 animal lovers - some with their costumed best friends in tow - attended the fundraiser at the pet-friendly Loews Hotel.
 
Posted by Amy Worden @ 1:31 AM  Permalink | 2 comments
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:18 AM, 02/23/2009
    I can't wait for the Mardi Paws/Fat Cat Tuesday celebration at Doggie Style! Should be quite a funny scene :)
    — doggiemama
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:22 AM, 02/23/2009
    I can't wait for the Mardi Paws/Fat Cat Tuesday celebration at Doggie Style! Should be quite a funny scene :)
    — doggiemama


2 comments
About Amy Worden
Amy Worden is a politics and government reporter for the Inquirer. In that capacity she has explored a range of animal issues from dog kennel law improvements and horse slaughter to the comeback of peregrine falcons and pigeon hunts. From hamsters to horses, animals have always been part of her life. To pass along a tip or contact Amy, click here.
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