Posts tagged "lost dog"

We've heard of dogs rescuing dogs and dolphins rescuing people (well, Dick Van Dyke, anyway), but this story is truly one to remember.

Turbo, an 11-year-old Doberman, has had enough doggie paddling to last a lifetime after a frightening night spent in a canal near his home in Marco Island, Fla. Fortunately for the waterlogged dog, the sea held some good Samaritans in a surprising form -- dolphins!

It was the persistent splashing of the dolphins that wouldn't leave Turbo's side that drew the attention of a neighbor, according to WBBH-TV, and may have saved the dog's life. The neighbor called 911, and then jumped in the shallow water to rescue the paddling pooch.

Gibson, a 4-year-old Sheltie mix, is back home safe and sound after spending the better part of a week freezing her tail off on a giant icy pond with steep, narrow sides, topped with a chain link fence.

Authorities were first made aware of Gibson's predicament on Sunday, when concerned dog lovers called to report that a dog appeared to be trapped on Cambridge's Fresh Pond, according to the Boston Globe. When a rescue team arrived on Sunday, they found a weary, elusive pup that workers were unable to corral.

"The dog kind of reverted to a semiwild, self-preservation state,'' Animal Rescue League manager Brian O'Connor told the Boston Globe. "They're not like people. You can't rationalize with them and tell them you're there to rescue them.''

Though many household hounds have incredible noses, the tracking abilities shown by one California shih tzu can be explained only by the existence of a canine sixth sense -- or a homing device.

Five years ago, Myrna Carrillo's beloved shih tzu, Prince, went missing from her parents' home in California. After an unsuccessful search, Carillo believed that she'd never see her pup again. But when Carillo returned home from work last Wednesday, she got the surprise of a lifetime: The long-lost Prince was sitting on her doorstep -- a doorstep he'd never seen before!

Hard to Believe
During the five years the dog was missing, according to KGET-TV 17 in Bakersfield, Calif., Carrillo got married, had kids, and moved four times. Still, the shih tzu somehow tracked her down.

And Carrillo was able to set aside her disbelief. "I was a bit scared, more than anything," Carrillo tells KGET. "Because I didn't know if I was seeing something or what. I'm just hoping nobody's pulling a prank on me."

A couple in Canada is offering a highly unconventional reward to whoever finds their lost Bernese mountain dog -- a reward that may help shape a person's identity. According to CNews, Dan and Sara Cannon have agreed to name their first-born child (due in three weeks) after the person who rescues their beloved pup Molly Jane.

A Possible Dognapping
The Cannons let Molly Jane out into their yard in Richmond, Ontario, on the evening of Jan. 4, and never saw her again. After learning of a failed abduction plot involving a male Bernese in a nearby town only hours before Molly's disappearance, the Cannons fear that Molly was the victim of a dognapping.

After going through all the usual steps to find their lost pup -- a police report, Facebook page, cash reward, and 3,000 lost dog fliers -- the Cannons have upped the ante. After carefully considering the potential ramifications, the Cannons announced a new and unusual reward offering: Bring Molly home safely and they'll name their new baby boy or girl (they've opted to let it be a surprise) after you!

Elle Decor: Think a pet-friendly home has to look like it was decorated by animals? ElleDecor.com features a slideshow of homes belonging to the likes of director Michael Bay and actress Ellen Pompeo and proves that you can have a puppy and a totally posh pad.

Zootoo: We just honored our service men and women last week, but now Zootoo is bestowing a bit of honor on service dogs and looking at how one veteran is living a whole new life thanks to his service dog, Addison.

Petside: It's nearing that time of year when excess reigns supreme, but Petside has a list of seven great ways to go green when it comes to your pet. What better time than now to reduce your paw print?

USA Today's Paw Print Post: In news that's sure to bring a smile to your face, an 80-year-old woman was reunited with her stolen Yorkie after the woman who purchased the pup saw a news story and realized she'd bought a hot dog.

People Pets: We might find it hard not to love Robert Downey, Jr. these days, but apparently, RDJ had a hard time not falling in love with one of his "Due Date" co-stars. Sunny, the French bulldog, had the actor interested in adoption, but the breeder turned him down.

Petfinder: Not only does Petfinder have a sneak peek at a chapter in Greg Kincaid's latest book, "Christmas With Tucker," but they're also giving away a signed copy of the novel, which is the prequel to "A Dog Named Christmas."

Petsugar: Does your dog dig playing with new people, or is he scared of strangers? There are several factors to look at that might help you know what to expect from your dog around new people.

GNN: Some children in South Korea were in for a real treat when an amusement park in Yongin released 12 penguins dressed as Santa and his reindeer. Happily for us, the whole thing was caught on tape.

Gadling: SeaWorld has announced that it will replace Shamu's "Believe" with a new show in its Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego parks. No word yet on whether trainers will remain out of the water, as they have since the February death of killer whale trainer Dawn Brancheau.

After being separated from her family for four years and by thousands of miles, a Lhasa apso named Topaz is home again thanks to social networking. And they say Facebook is good for nothing but wasting time at work!

According to Time magazine, good Samaritan Diane Stess-Kirschner met Topaz when she found the dog wandering alone outside her home in Tamarac, Fla. "I felt something sniffing at my leg, and there was this dog," Stess-Kirschner told the Sacramento Bee. "She was a little grungy. She looked up as if to say, 'Can you help me?'" Upon taking the animal to the vet for a check-up, Stess-Kirschner discovered that Topaz was microchipped, and that the dog's owners were named Glen and Casaundra Greenfelder.

Attempts to find the Greenfelders by phone and search engine proved to be dead ends. It was only when she tried Facebook that Stess-Kirschner found some promising leads. She came up with two hits for Casaundra Greenfelder. Not knowing if either was the woman for which she was looking, she posted a comment about "a little blond dog" on both of their Facebook profiles.

Dogs Really Do Make Life Better
You already know that your dog's sloppy kisses and soft ears make you happy, but according to USA Today's Paw Print Post, having a dog improves your life in five different ways. They help us be more active, create community, assist with healing, force us to relax, and give us companionship. You can vote for which one is most important to you over at USA Today's Paw Print Post.

Hartz Recalls Treats
Hartz has issued a voluntary recall on Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats due to a risk of salmonella. Hartz has not received reports of any sickness due to these treats but symptoms of salmonella poisoning in both dogs and humans includes fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea. Any person or animal experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention. If you have an 8-ounce bag of Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs, lot code BZ0969101E, UPC number 32700-11519, discard it immediately. You can call Hartz at 1-800-275-1414 with any questions or to receive information on how to be reimbursed for a purchased product.

Motorcycle-Riding Dog Learning to Water Ski
A dog in Redington Shores, Fla., has proven to have an adventurous side. Chibi, the dog, and her owner, David Williams, are already well-known in the area because she rides his motorcycle with him, straddling it like a human. But now, she's taken her wild side to the water and, according to United Press International, is in the process of learning to water ski!

Michigan Man Finds Long-Lost Dog in Kentucky Shelter
When Jake the Weimaraner disappeared from his Michigan home the day after Thanksgiving seven years ago, Brad Davis was afraid he'd never see his beloved pup again. However, the two were reunited yesterday after Jake turned up in a shelter in Kentucky and was identified by his microchip. Davis suspects the then 6-month-old Jake was stolen from their backyard by a family he'd helped pack for a move to Kentucky, but tells WTVQ-TV it doesn't matter now; he's just happy to take his dog home.

One out of three pets will get lost at some point in their lives. This statistic strikes fear in all pet owners, but there are services and strategies to boost your odds of finding your dog or cat. From simple to high tech, here are 10 things you can do to help bring a missing pet home safely.

1. Collar and ID Tags. Only 2 percent of cats and 15 percent of dogs without tags or microchips will be reunited with their owners, states the American Humane Association. So make sure your cat or dog is wearing a collar and identification tag that bears your current contact information, including phone number.

2. Microchips. Many different companies manufacture pet microchips, which are read with scanners provided to veterinarians, animal control agencies and shelters, etc. According to the American Microchip Advisory Council for Animals, it is best to pick a microchip that operates at the American standard of 125 kilohertz. Be sure to register your contact information and keep the information up to date. Many microchip companies will now accept registration information for another manufacturer's microchip, so consider cross-registering you and your pet with several different microchip databases.

Missing Zoo Animals Found Safe and Sound
A tiger and two camels made international news this weekend when the truck and trailer holding them were stolen while they were being transported to Nova Scotia. Concern was particularly high for Jonas, the 3-year-old tiger, because of the high likelihood of dehydration if he had been kept without water, reports CBC News. Today, however, zoo officials, animals lovers, and the animals themselves are breathing a sigh of relief. The Bowmanville Zoo animals were found in a rural area outside of Montreal, after the police received a tip about their location. Although authorities still don't know who took the animals, they had obviously been cared for as all three seem completely healthy, reports the Toronto Sun.

Singer Tracy Lawrence Reunited With Lost Dog
When Tank, the bulldog Tracy Lawrence got two years ago on Father's Day, disappeared from the country singer's parked truck last week, the entire family was devastated. Luckily, a good Samaritan found Tank a few miles from where he was last seen and returned him on Father's Day, reports PeoplePets. It's still unclear whether Tank took off on his own or if someone snagged him, but right now, everybody is just happy to have him back home.

Kelly Osbourne Buys a Puppy for Her Fiance
Kelly Osbourne has purchased a pooch for her fiance, Luke Worrall, but it wasn't a birthday or anniversary present. Osbourne shelled out for the little furball because she knew Worrall was jealous of the bond she shared with her dog, Sid, reports PlanetRadioCity.com. So how is that working out? Although Worrall is loving the little fella, it appears Osbourne is just as smitten, meaning Worrall has yet another adorable face to compete with. We don't think that's how Osbourne planned it, but it looks like she wins either way!

Just a week after Delta Airlines made news for putting two children on wrong flights, and a month after the airline lost a dog that a vacationing couple had rescued, Delta misplaced another passenger: An 8-week-old puppy. The pooch was sent to California instead of Maine, reports MyFoxMaine.com.

The puppy belongs to Cyndi O'Brien, who had purchased the dog from a kennel in South Carolina. The breeder put the little guy on a flight to Atlanta, and Delta was supposed to transfer him to a flight headed for Portland, Maine which landed around 11 that night. Instead, he ended up in San Jose, Calif., a fact O'Brien wasn't able to get from Delta until the next day. Once Delta was aware of the mistake, they put the dog on a red eye to Portland, but that didn't change the fact that he was stuck in his crate for nearly 24 hours, according to MyFoxMaine.com.

Upon arriving at his new home, the puppy cowered, then vomited and had diarrhea -- he was later diagnosed with dehydration and pneumonia by O'Brien's vet. O'Brien says Delta has been unable to answer whether he was fed, watered, walked or kept company for any portion of the ordeal. She has yet to receive an apology from the airline.

O'Brien says that Delta told her to fill out a complaint and fill out an email, and not to call them back -- something she felt was offensive and showed a serious disregard for her puppy's life. Regardless of how Delta responds, O'Brien is just glad to have her puppy at home with her.

Dog Whisperer and Wife Split
Cesar Millan and his wife, Ilusion, have decided to call it quits after 16 years of marriage, the trainer and TV host said on his website. While he states that they'll both remain committed to parenting their two-legged children, there was no mention of who will get custody of the dogs.

Dog Reunited With Family After Four Years
When Cooper, a coton de Tulear, disappeared in 2006, his family feared the worst. Now, four years later, he's been returned to his owners thanks to the microchip found by shelter workers, reports the Long Island Press. How did Cooper's four years of freedom treat him? Aside from his coat being matted, he's in good shape and, according to his owner, very happy to be home.

Humane Society Donates 12 Tons of Pet Food to Oil-Spill Affected Louisiana
The Gulf Coast has had a rough time as of late with the recent catastrophic oil spill, and many animals are bearing the brunt of the bad economy when their owners abandon them. The Humane Society is stepping up and delivering 12 tons of pet food to two of the hardest-hit parishes in Louisiana, reports Tonic. The food will go to shelters to be distributed to families in need so the pets can stay with their families.

Jorge Garcia Mourns Loss of Dog
Jorge Garcia, who played the character Hurley on the hit show "Lost," is having a rough couple of weeks. First, the series ended, and then his dog, Nunu, was killed, he writes on his blog. The Chihuahua-dachshund mix was hit by a car and died in Garcia's arms. She'll be buried in the Pet Garden at Valley of the Temples in Kaneohe, and in three months, visitors will find a plaque with her name on it. "If you'd like to leave a flower or a toy, I'm sure she'd love it," Garcia writes.

Brody Jenner is Bringing Bentley Back
Brody Jenner has taken back a puppy he once gave an ex-girlfriend. Jenner retrieved the French bulldog, named Bentley, because the ex "wasn't taking care of him the best," the reality star said on "The Bonnie Hunt Show." Jenner wouldn't name which of his exes the pup belonged to (he's been linked to Nicole Richie, Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavalerri), but said that the pup now resides with his mom, who is totally smitten according to Monsters and Critics.

Delta Loses Dog and Offers $200 Credit
An Ontario couple who dreamed of rescuing and adopting a stray dog in Mexico are now living a nightmare. After getting a dog they found on vacation all fixed up at the vet and arranging to bring him home, Delta Airlines lost the dog, reports CNN. The airline claims the dog, named Paco, escaped his carrier, which Josiah Allen, the man who rescued Paco, doesn't believe for a second. And while the airline states that it provided Allen "compensation and additionally we have offered to reimburse them for all of the expenses associated with the dog," Allen said he was just offered a $200 credit toward future travel on Delta. This makes us think twice about flying with pets, that's for sure.

Runaway Rhino Returns
A two-ton rhinoceros is safely back in his enclosure after escaping for about five hours overnight last week at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, reports WBBH News. This feeling of freedom wasn't new to Archie the rhino; he'd escaped years ago, but was lured back with food. The zoo workers didn't have such luck this time and had to sedate Archie before returning him to his enclosure. The zoo is quick to point out that at no point was Archie off of the zoo's property, or even in public parts of the zoo.

Sweet relief: Sugar is home!

A beloved Brooklyn mutt that had vanished into snowy Prospect Park was found Tuesday shivering and tied to a tree.

The French bulldog/basset hound mix named Sugar vanished last Wednesday. Soon after, a money-hungry man called the family demanding a ransom.

When a flustered Drucie Belman offered only $50 - a figure she just blurted out and later regretted as too low - the dognapper hung up . The tale of woe was originally featured by Daily News columnist Michael Daly on Sunday.

The family - including husband Albert, 42, and their sons, Henry, 10, and Leo, 7 - plastered Park Slope with posters and searched Prospect Park.

Calls came in, but many were hangups - and some were downright cruel. "Someone called up yesterday and said, 'Sugar's dead,'" Belman said.

Read the rest of the story by Barry Paddock and Katie Nelson at the New York Daily News!

Can the power of Twitter and Facebook help Jesse James find his lost dog, CinnaBun?

James -- best known as the owner of custom motorcycle shop West Coast Choppers, sometime reality-show star, and husband of actress Sandra Bullock -- has launched an all-out plea for help in finding his lost pit-bull puppy. "CinnaBun our shop dog & pet has been missing since 2pm yesterday. If you find her plz call 562-983-6666," James tweeted last Tuesday, Jan. 26.

A $5,000 reward is being offered for finding CinnaBun. "She's a light brown and white pit bull, 9 months old, cropped ears, full tail, hazel eyes," states James' Web site. CinnaBun was last seen wearing a large pink collar near the West Coast Choppers shop located in Long Beach, Calif.

CinnaBun was given to James as a puppy by a kindly stranger after hearing about the death of one of James' elderly pit bulls, Cisco. She is the newest pooch to join James' pack of dogs and is described as a "little charmer" with the "attitude of a charging rhino and bladder of a hummingbird." (View photos of CinnaBun playing with Mr. T, another pit-bull pet.)

Helping to look for CinnaBun is FindToto.com, the pet locator service that helped find Brooke Burns' lost dog and tried to locate Jessica Simpson's lost Maltipoo, who was never found.

There have been numerous alleged sightings of CinnaBun, including one report of a local teenager trying to sell a dog that matched CinnaBun's description, but the pit-bull puppy has not yet been recovered. Meanwhile, CinnaBun has a Facebook page where fans are posting updates.

One Utah dog and her family will have a much happier holiday now that the pooch is home, safe and sound.

Millie, an Australian shepherd, disappeared about three weeks ago from her home in Cottonwood Heights. Her owner, Sue Garr, presumed she'd jumped the six-foot fence in their back yard, and told KSL TV, "Our whole family was absolutely sick."

A woman walked by a storm drain about two miles from the Garrs' home and heard a dog barking from within. She called 911, and a scared, skinny, smelly Millie was coaxed out by the police.

When she saw her family, "She went nuts," Garr told KSL TV.

Before her rescue, the freezing temperatures had most people doubting that Millie could have survived, but fortunately, the storm drain was about 10 degrees warmer than the temperature on the street, reports KSL TV. It's assumed Millie survived on storm water and rats, though we're certain she'll be showered with some tastier treats now that she's home.

While Garr said they don't plan to increase the height of their already tall fence, she did tell KSL TF that one change would be made: "She's going to become an indoor dog."