"Their beloved Lab had died of cancer; ‘we have gotten negative feedback’
The miracle of life made an encore for Edgar and Nina Otto. A year after their beloved yellow Labrador retriever, Lancelot, died of cancer, the Florida couple welcomed a cloned copy into their home Tuesday. They’ve dubbed their doggie double “Lancelot Encore.”" - Michael Inbar
According to the article, Encore (the clone of Lancelot) cost the Otto family 155,000 dollars from a cloning auction from the California Biotech in BioArts International. The Otto family say it only took Encore a few hours to take his rightful place as the leader of the pack of of nine dogs, at only ten weeks old. The dog was a spitting image of Lancelot.
The family of course received negative criticism about the price. Critics say that the 155,000 should have better been donated and used at spay and neuter clinics. In my opinion, the Otto family has every right to do with what they please. There is an obvious love for the dog, and though I'm against cloning of anything, the compassion that one has for their family pets makes me glad to be a pet owner myself.
You can read the entire article by Michael Inbar. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28892792/
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Saturday, December 13, 2008
to Tell or Not to Tell ;; That is the question
There is a lot of controversy in the United States about whether or not someone should put a sign on their door or fence that says "Beware of Dog" ; "Dog May Bite" ; "Security Dog On Duty". These signs may make the intelligent criminal think 'oh, they have a dog, maybe going there isn't a good idea'. This is where controversy comes in. Lets say a thief walks onto your property and gets bit by your dog, and sues. (Yes, it really does happen). There are two points that lawyers/attorneys can make:
Defendant/Defense Attorney - "There was a sign, warning an individual that there is a dog on the premises, and the dog will most likely bite an intruder. Therefore, the thief should not have walked onto the premises without permission from the owner, the dog had every right to protect its territory."
On the other hand:
Plaintiff/Prosecuting Attorney - "The owner put the sign out there because they knew that their dog bites, and the warning states it clearly that the outcome of any approach is inevitable. The owner made it clear that the dog is aggressive, and should have been placed in a more controlled environment."
Now, no matter what you're thinking, both sides have a good point. Many times, the case has been ruled in favor of the plaintiff/prosecutor because a sign does say a lot about a dog and their owner. Many home insurance companies will ask what type of dog the owner has, and will ask you not to put warning signs on your house. However, that doesn't mean you cannot put a sign out there that states that a dog is a resident of that property. They have signs that say "German Shepherd Xing", obviously not just for the German Shepherd but all major dog breeds, and these are fully respected.
Don't get yourself in trouble by posting a warning that your dog may sound in any way vicious or that individuals should be aware that a dog could lunge at them for intruding. Whether someone is a thief in your house or not, with the way that justice and court cases are ruled (civil and criminal) there is a good chance that you could loose your case, and your dog could be placed in isolation so they can be evaluated for the possible Rabies Virus.
Then again, my personal opinion, I think you should have a right to post that you have a security dog, watch dog, etc on the premises. If a criminal steps onto my property, I expect my dogs to act aggressively, obviously I don't want them saying "Hi, how are you doing? Nice weather we're having. You smell funny. Go ahead, take whatever you want." No, that isn't going to happen.
Defendant/Defense Attorney - "There was a sign, warning an individual that there is a dog on the premises, and the dog will most likely bite an intruder. Therefore, the thief should not have walked onto the premises without permission from the owner, the dog had every right to protect its territory."
On the other hand:
Plaintiff/Prosecuting Attorney - "The owner put the sign out there because they knew that their dog bites, and the warning states it clearly that the outcome of any approach is inevitable. The owner made it clear that the dog is aggressive, and should have been placed in a more controlled environment."
Now, no matter what you're thinking, both sides have a good point. Many times, the case has been ruled in favor of the plaintiff/prosecutor because a sign does say a lot about a dog and their owner. Many home insurance companies will ask what type of dog the owner has, and will ask you not to put warning signs on your house. However, that doesn't mean you cannot put a sign out there that states that a dog is a resident of that property. They have signs that say "German Shepherd Xing", obviously not just for the German Shepherd but all major dog breeds, and these are fully respected.
Don't get yourself in trouble by posting a warning that your dog may sound in any way vicious or that individuals should be aware that a dog could lunge at them for intruding. Whether someone is a thief in your house or not, with the way that justice and court cases are ruled (civil and criminal) there is a good chance that you could loose your case, and your dog could be placed in isolation so they can be evaluated for the possible Rabies Virus.
Then again, my personal opinion, I think you should have a right to post that you have a security dog, watch dog, etc on the premises. If a criminal steps onto my property, I expect my dogs to act aggressively, obviously I don't want them saying "Hi, how are you doing? Nice weather we're having. You smell funny. Go ahead, take whatever you want." No, that isn't going to happen.
Friday, December 12, 2008
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Jacksonville Humane Society - Review
Today, I made a visit to the Jacksonville Humane Society. It was my first time being there, and there is a lot that I can say about the place. First of all, the overall layout of the of the HS was quite nice, different buildings to signify different locations of the HS (adoption, admission...etc). As for the cleanliness of these buildings, I would have to say that there was a lot of mud and dirt around on the large dog/puppy adoption floor, mud that people had tracked in. I can take an understanding to the fact that it was early, and we went when they first opened. What I did take a liking to about the cleanliness was the fact that the staff requested pardon of the mess laying around.
As for the staff, each member seemed to care about the dogs and cats at the facility. They were friendly, and always available to help out when they were needed.
The dogs, I have a couple of concerns. In my own suggestion, I would have placed dogs that had not been assessed on a pre-adoption floor, instead of putting them with everyone else. We were growled at by several dogs, some showed aggression towards my husband. There were no warnings on the cages that say "I Bite" or anything of the sort, the only warning that remotely related to such a thing was "Have not been assessed for canine-ality." Now, I have to ask, how will a 5 year old who walks away from their mother or father understand that the dog is new, and the staff really don't know the dog too well, and have no idea if they would bite? Or one of those more aggressive, growling dogs, who's to say that a child won't say "Aw, how cute" and stick a finger in there? I have seen it happen, so don't tell me that it's impossible. Dogs need to be in a safe environment. They had brand new dogs with the dogs who had been there long enough to get use to the kennels. This sickened me. Assess the dogs BEFORE putting them where someone might feel the need to stick their fingers in the cages, no matter how many warnings you have up. I don't care if you have a sign that says "I will Bite", someone will still be foolish enough to try, at least ONE person every day will try something.
Dogs are very unpredictable animals. They cannot speak to humans, they cannot tell you that something is wrong. The only way that they can communicate the idea of "Hey, get away from me" is by barking and growling. Dogs who may seem friendly at first impression may turn out to have a deep disliking for a certain smell that someone brings in, or children. I am curious as to what kind of assessment they put these dogs through.
I have seen several signs on cages that say "I am in the guarding food program". Yes, and this is what? A program that teaches dogs not to be food aggressive? We approached a kennel where it had this sign on the dog's cage. Almost imediately, we were growled at, and told to step back from the cage by this poor dog. What other choice did he have but to show anger and aggression, warning us not to touch his food. Now, again, imagine a child saying "Oh, it's OK puppy!" And reach in to pet the dog. I am certain that child would be bitten. Any questionable dogs like this need to be taken off of that floor and put in a seperate location. I can rant on for hours, exploding your brain on the ideas of taking risks with dogs that are of a questionable nature. I know that I will not let any child of mine (when I get them :P) approach these dogs unless they have been fully assessed and I have SEEN them be approached. Never let a child move towards a food-aggressive dog.
The small dog/puppy facility was just across from the cattery. This building/kennel location was clean and well taken care of. The staff told us (as well as a sign) to not put our fingers in the cages not touch any dogs, unless we plan on using their sanitizer in between EACH dog. Now, I did not see that sign, or have anyone tell me, when going into the larger dog kennel (which is in a totally different building) - So diseases are not easily spread between the small dogs, but between the large dogs? Maybe they should have this sign out there.
Through my observations, I would have to say that overall, the dogs looked healthy and well taken care of. The facilities, were for the most part clean and orderly, and the staff were friendly and well-educated, even if there were a lot of concerns with the way the dogs were housed. I do recommend visiting this facility, as I know I will be returning, I just ask that you exercise extreme caution, some of these dogs should go through behavioral classes before being reachable by the public.
As for the staff, each member seemed to care about the dogs and cats at the facility. They were friendly, and always available to help out when they were needed.
The dogs, I have a couple of concerns. In my own suggestion, I would have placed dogs that had not been assessed on a pre-adoption floor, instead of putting them with everyone else. We were growled at by several dogs, some showed aggression towards my husband. There were no warnings on the cages that say "I Bite" or anything of the sort, the only warning that remotely related to such a thing was "Have not been assessed for canine-ality." Now, I have to ask, how will a 5 year old who walks away from their mother or father understand that the dog is new, and the staff really don't know the dog too well, and have no idea if they would bite? Or one of those more aggressive, growling dogs, who's to say that a child won't say "Aw, how cute" and stick a finger in there? I have seen it happen, so don't tell me that it's impossible. Dogs need to be in a safe environment. They had brand new dogs with the dogs who had been there long enough to get use to the kennels. This sickened me. Assess the dogs BEFORE putting them where someone might feel the need to stick their fingers in the cages, no matter how many warnings you have up. I don't care if you have a sign that says "I will Bite", someone will still be foolish enough to try, at least ONE person every day will try something.
Dogs are very unpredictable animals. They cannot speak to humans, they cannot tell you that something is wrong. The only way that they can communicate the idea of "Hey, get away from me" is by barking and growling. Dogs who may seem friendly at first impression may turn out to have a deep disliking for a certain smell that someone brings in, or children. I am curious as to what kind of assessment they put these dogs through.
I have seen several signs on cages that say "I am in the guarding food program". Yes, and this is what? A program that teaches dogs not to be food aggressive? We approached a kennel where it had this sign on the dog's cage. Almost imediately, we were growled at, and told to step back from the cage by this poor dog. What other choice did he have but to show anger and aggression, warning us not to touch his food. Now, again, imagine a child saying "Oh, it's OK puppy!" And reach in to pet the dog. I am certain that child would be bitten. Any questionable dogs like this need to be taken off of that floor and put in a seperate location. I can rant on for hours, exploding your brain on the ideas of taking risks with dogs that are of a questionable nature. I know that I will not let any child of mine (when I get them :P) approach these dogs unless they have been fully assessed and I have SEEN them be approached. Never let a child move towards a food-aggressive dog.
The small dog/puppy facility was just across from the cattery. This building/kennel location was clean and well taken care of. The staff told us (as well as a sign) to not put our fingers in the cages not touch any dogs, unless we plan on using their sanitizer in between EACH dog. Now, I did not see that sign, or have anyone tell me, when going into the larger dog kennel (which is in a totally different building) - So diseases are not easily spread between the small dogs, but between the large dogs? Maybe they should have this sign out there.
Through my observations, I would have to say that overall, the dogs looked healthy and well taken care of. The facilities, were for the most part clean and orderly, and the staff were friendly and well-educated, even if there were a lot of concerns with the way the dogs were housed. I do recommend visiting this facility, as I know I will be returning, I just ask that you exercise extreme caution, some of these dogs should go through behavioral classes before being reachable by the public.
Special Dog Training
So, you've finally decided that you want your dog to listen to you? Or you've finally realized that it's just too difficult right now to understand why your dog acts the way that s/he does? This website is very helpful for any breeder, trainer, or just simple owner of a dog, whether you're having behavioral problems or not. Get your freedom now. Become a Dog Whisperer.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Play Dog Simulation Games
So, you enjoy playing games where you take care of your own dog? Well, what if you ARE the dog? Here you'll find a list of the games that I play. Updates may be found soon. If you join any of these, and have questions, slip me a message in the game, or even here or my email, and I'll get your questions answered if you do not want to bother the staff.
http://www.furry-paws.com/ - My Referral #: (please when signing up, put this referral # in the box provided - 638497) - Has to be my favorite game out there. There is no real worries about matching up to anyones' standards, you can own, train and breed dogs of nearly every breed. The staff are very friendly and respond to inquiry emails daily. This game is very easy and very fun. And a great way to 'kill' time for those who have nothing to do. Dogs are on a 'need to be taken care of daily' basis. But when you have to go on vacation or something, don't let someone log into your account to take care of your dogs, simply lock your account. Your dogs will not age or go hungry, nothing will happen on your account until you return and unlock them.
http://www.canis-equus.com/ - My Referral #: (please when signing up, put this referral # in the box provided - 3613) - This is not one of my favorites. The staff can be a little rude at times, (actually, every time that I've tried to contact them, I've always gotten either no response, or a very rude response), so it isn't the greatest if you get upset easily, but it's a great game if you like small games where you simply want to train and breed dogs and horses. (Yes, this game lets you have horses on it too).
http://www.horseland.com/ - My Referral #: (please when signing up, put this referral # in the box provided - 3964062) - This site has really gone downhill for the most part, but I have lines that I have been working on for years of being with Horseland. They often times do not answer emails, and when you try calling their phone number they never answer, and never call you back, whether you leave a message on their answering machine or not. They have been getting some horrible reviews over the changes, simply because that now make a lie (technically) on the fact that this game is "Free to Play". Yes, the game is free to sign up, free to own horses and dogs, etc. Very free, 100% free in fact. But, they have set up horseland to where you are FORCED to buy their currency with RL money (making it not free). They have reduced everyone's currency amount, and and raised prices for nearly everything. They are calling it the 'Great Horseland Depression'. Kind of amusing to some people though, to sit back and watch others fight. If you're looking for a website that is not flooded with people who enjoy trolling the lives of others, this site is DEFINETLY not for you. Like I said, I'm staying because I have lines that I care about.
http://www.furry-paws.com/ - My Referral #: (please when signing up, put this referral # in the box provided - 638497) - Has to be my favorite game out there. There is no real worries about matching up to anyones' standards, you can own, train and breed dogs of nearly every breed. The staff are very friendly and respond to inquiry emails daily. This game is very easy and very fun. And a great way to 'kill' time for those who have nothing to do. Dogs are on a 'need to be taken care of daily' basis. But when you have to go on vacation or something, don't let someone log into your account to take care of your dogs, simply lock your account. Your dogs will not age or go hungry, nothing will happen on your account until you return and unlock them.
http://www.canis-equus.com/ - My Referral #: (please when signing up, put this referral # in the box provided - 3613) - This is not one of my favorites. The staff can be a little rude at times, (actually, every time that I've tried to contact them, I've always gotten either no response, or a very rude response), so it isn't the greatest if you get upset easily, but it's a great game if you like small games where you simply want to train and breed dogs and horses. (Yes, this game lets you have horses on it too).
http://www.horseland.com/ - My Referral #: (please when signing up, put this referral # in the box provided - 3964062) - This site has really gone downhill for the most part, but I have lines that I have been working on for years of being with Horseland. They often times do not answer emails, and when you try calling their phone number they never answer, and never call you back, whether you leave a message on their answering machine or not. They have been getting some horrible reviews over the changes, simply because that now make a lie (technically) on the fact that this game is "Free to Play". Yes, the game is free to sign up, free to own horses and dogs, etc. Very free, 100% free in fact. But, they have set up horseland to where you are FORCED to buy their currency with RL money (making it not free). They have reduced everyone's currency amount, and and raised prices for nearly everything. They are calling it the 'Great Horseland Depression'. Kind of amusing to some people though, to sit back and watch others fight. If you're looking for a website that is not flooded with people who enjoy trolling the lives of others, this site is DEFINETLY not for you. Like I said, I'm staying because I have lines that I care about.
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