Paulding County animal shelter was closed after the sudden death of six dogs. They are putting the blame of deaths to a rare but deadly disease.

According to the facility directory Tracy Thompson, the shelter has been closed early last week after a mandatory quarantine issued by the State Department of Agriculture. This means that the animal shelter are not allowed to take in or release any animals.

Thompson said that the first dog died on January 7 despite the fact that the dog had been fine 20 minutes earlier.

Days after four other healthy dogs passed away.

According to the necropsy done at the University of Georgia, one of the dogs died of “strep zoo.” This illness usually occurs in horses.

After many, many years of eating dog and cat meat, China has finally decided to end their practice and remove the animals from the menu.

China has launched their first draft proposal that will protect animlas against the ancient practice of animals being made into delicacies in China.The draft consists of nine chapters which covers major regulations such as animal medical treatment, transportation, and butchery regulations.

The Animal Rights Protection draft is proposing that those who are caught eating dor or cat meat will be jailed for 15 days and will be fined up to 5,000 yuan (730 USD).

If this becomes a law, any unit found in violation of the new rules will have to face fines of between 10,000 yuan (1,464 USD) to 500,000 yuan (73,239 USD).

This plan aims to protect the animals from misuse or harm and defines maltreatment as hurting or killing the animals in a cruel manner.

“It won’t impact people’s lives because only a few people eat the meat of dogs and cats,” said Chang Jiwen, a principal author of the draft.

A year after a morbidly obese dog was found frozen at a Wisconsin sidewalk, the dog has lost 40 pounds. The border collie is slowly returning to an active lifestyle. Although Jiffy is still quite big, his owner said that he is now moving like a normal dog.

Jiffy weighed about 120 pounds when he was frozen at the sidewalk in December 2008. However, it was probably his fats that helped him survive. After the incident, a court order was issued to Jiffy’s owner to give him up.

Patty and Peter Geise of Sheyboygan Falls said that before, Jiffy cannot step over a 4-inch-high pipe and he had to rest after that. Patty said that it is very rewarding to see the improvements on Jiffy.

Opee is only eight and yet he is popular in the dirty sport of motocross.

He can pull six Gs. Opee has been the centerfold for Cycle News and he alsp poses often for fan photos. He was able to survive Baja 500 and has racked up more than 10,000 hours on a dirt bike.

This 32-kg blue merle Australian shepherd can barely bee seen through the dust on his goggles and his custom helmet, complete with cam.

Opee’s owner Mike Schelin said that he is Opee’s biggest fan, and race partner. Schelin got Opee in 2001 after his divorce. He raises Opee with other dogs and 2 horses at what he calls Miracle Flats. Known as “The Dogfather” to some in the sport, Schelin always takes a back seat to Opee.

“He was my instant best friend,” Schelin said. “He slept in my tool bag. There was something about him. He’s had charisma since Day 1. I knew I had a dog who could make a difference.”

Schelin realized that Opee was a motocross fan we he started riding in the desert while Opee chased him.

“I felt bad for him, he would run so long.” Because of this Schelin bought a four-wheeler and he and Opee went desert riding. Since the dog does not like the dust in his eyes, Schelin got him goggles. Then one day, Opee hopped on the motorcycle tank and that had been his place ever since.

If the bike is not moving, the dog will fall asleep on the tank. Schelin never found a covering that’s comfortable for the dog.

Because of this, finding sponsors was not difficult. Soon enough Opee had his own custom gear, including a neck brace, inflatable vest, backpack, water supply and several jerseys. He got his American Motorcycle Association card and his SCORE International card.

Aside from motocross, Opee has been a search and rescuer, CA assistance dog, and he also visits kids in the hospital with Schelin.

(photo credits: Chris Carlson)Opee – The Motocross Dog

Most dogs simply love to play and frolic in the snow. But this can cause fine cracks in the paw pads and between the toes die to the ice, salt, and grit. “Paw injuries can become very painful for the animals”, says Martina Schnell, pet expert at FOUR PAWS. “Dogs often lick their paws clean after a walk and salt can reach the stomach where it can lead to stomach injuries.”

Here are tips on how to protect the paws of your beloved pet:

1. Stay clear of paths that have not yet been cleared.

2. Before you take your dog out for a walk, apply some vaseline or a protective ointment to the paw pads of your dog. This will help in preventing cracks.

3. Remove the long fur between the toes so that there will be no ice lumps formed.

4. Soak the paws in lukewarm water after your walk to remove little stones, salt, and ice.

If ever the paws of your dog are already damaged, regular use of ointment or disinfectant can clean the wounds. Give your pet something to chew on so that they will not lick off the treatments.

Never walk your dogs over frozen lakes or ponds.

Technorati Tags: dog care, Dog Walking, protect dog paws