Animal House

Dog folk are abuzz over Friday's upcoming Oprah episode, "Lisa Ling Investigates the Hidden World of Puppy Mills." If you can't watch, TiVo it!

Emails have been making the rounds complaining about "breedist" requirements at PetSmart "doggie day care" facilities.

Indeed, the company says outright that its PetsHotel and Dog Day Camp programs do not welcome any dogs with a “bully breed” classification, which is defines as "American Pit Bull Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bull Dogs, Bull Terriers or mixed breeds that have the appearance or characteristics of one of these breeds."

It also retains the right to reject individual dogs of any breed.

"I will no longer patronize them in any way -- and have written them to tell them so," wrote one irate cross-poster. "On the website, there is a 'contact us' capability to send an email. I thought a good name for them would be PetStupid, and told them that was what I would call them from now on ... "

Makes good sense to me -- judge each dog individually, as opposed to making sweeping generalizations about breeds. After all, there are some well-socialized, dog-loving pits and pit mixes out there -- just as there are killer Chihuahuas!

Also troubling to me, as someone who is very careful to avoid overvaccination, is that PetSmart requires dogs in these programs to be vaccined for parainfluenza -- a vaccine that the American Animal Hospital Association calls "noncore" (read: unnecessary), in its 2006 canine vaccination guidelines.

Here's a little gem of a web page: A state-by-state compilation of all the continuing-education requirements for veterinarians. New York vets, for example, must complete 45 hours of continuing ed over three years -- not as strict as Iowa (60 hours over three years), but nowhere near as loosey-goosey as Michigan (zero!).

The chart also shows continuing-education requirements for licensed vet techs, as well as human doctors.

Read it, and, in some cases, weep!

I've been writing my column about companion animals for eight years now, and some topics get way more attention than others.

Last week's installment, about Nathan Winograd's book, "Redemption," is generating tons of commentary. It explored the idea that instead of focusing on owners and draconion rules, we should set our sights on more effective shelter management and supportive programs like free spay-neuter.

So, what do you think -- who's to blame? Irresponsible owners, poorly staffed and run shelters, so-called humane associations whose advocacy of euthanasia would seem counterinuitive to their very purpose?

Is there life after "Queer Eye"? For Jai Rodriquez, there is.

Rodriquez turns his attention from clueless straight guys to tousled pooches in a new reality show, "Groomer Has It," which debuts April 12 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).

Twelve contestants put their grooming skills to the test by attempting such Herculean feats as identifying a dog's breed while blindfolded to grooming farm animals. (Do Bantam hens care about "product"?)

The winner takes home the vaunted title of Groomer of the Year -- and a prize package worth $125,000. That's a whole lotta creme rinse.

For those who wondered how Vivi could survive in New York's City's chilly, but garbage-rich environs, consider this story of a once-nameless blue heeler mix who survived in the desert on the Utah/Nevada border for four months. She had chewed her left foot off to escape a trap, and her other foot was badly damaged, likely from a coyote snare.

Her internal injuries -- likely from being hit by a car -- were just as severe: a torn anterior cruciate ligament, broken pelvis, dislocated hip, torn colon, a collapsed lung, a couple loose teeth and an intestine full of worms.

Estimated to be about 8 years old, she was named Hogan for the tunnel where she was found and rescued.

Yesterday's Newsday obituary of Long Island real-estate developer Roger Rechler made a throw-away reference to him as a "dog breeder."

But for those in the fancy, he was much more than that.

Rechler inherited the famous Afghan-hound kennel of Sunny Shay (who died of a heart attack in the ring at a dog show in 1978), and Grandeur Afghans made their mark on the breed with dogs as famous as Shirkan and Tryst, the kennel's swan song.

In recent years, Rechler owned and backed very successful show dogs in other breeds, most recently the English-imported Akita, Macey, who won the Working group at Westminster this year and last.

Long Island, once bustling with famous, well-run kennels, is now more bereft of them than ever.

Propelled by his "every dog" status, Uno the Westminster-winning beagle continues to grab the limelight, three weeks after his record-making win at Madison Square Garden.

His biggest photo op? A paw-shaking with President Bush (who's a Scottie man, himself), in the Oval Office, no less, scheduled for April 9.

Three three governors -- of Illinois, Missour and Texas, where three of Uno's four co-owners live -- have requested audience with the canine celebrity.

Look for tricolor little hound on March 16, opening the Macy's Flower Show, hopefully not leg-lifting on any azaleas.

And, of course, there are the endorsements: The Hotel Pennsylvania has promised to put Uno up any time he's in the city on Westminster biz. And Midwest Airlines is flying him gratis from his South Carolina home with handler Aaron Wilkerson, though most times that requires a plane change in Milwaukee.

Sniffles is a mixed-breed dog who went missing the same day Vivi, the Westminster whippet pulled her disappearing act.

His story, at least, has a happy ending. Read on for a Team Vivi update:

"Incredibly, following 2 years of posting, mailing and faxing his flyer, TeamVivi has located Sniffles after endless internet searches of the animal shelters in NYC. We found a perfect match in Charlie at S.A.V.E Animal Rescue (Silent Animal Voices Echo), a week shy of the two year anniversary date. Sniffles was rescued as a stray just 14 miles from the original location he was lost.

Although we do not have Sniffles' blood to test and he was not micro chipped, a photo comparison of Sniffles (a neutered older shepherd greyhound mix) undoubtedly and perfectly matches Charlie (also a neutered older shepherd hound mix). The comparison of coloring and body shape and markings were done in person by our own NYC searcher Debbie. She went to meet Charlie, took some pictures for us and is excited and very happy and pleased to report: SNIFFLES IS FOUND!!!

Sniffles is safe at last and housed by a very caring rescue group called S.A.V.E Animal Rescue (Silent Animal Voices Echo). A kindly person had kept the stray Sniffles in their garage after he had wandered in to seek shelter. Fortunately for Sniffles, S.A.V.E was contacted for rescue and not the city pound.

Sadly, the 2 years on the streets has left Sniffles in physical and emotional distress. Already a timid dog when he was lost, life must have been horrific for him. While he is now mending physically with good food, warmth, love and vet attention, it will take time for him to learn to trust again. He is a very sweet tempered fellow, but extremely nervous and shy. Because of the emotional toll that travel would cause Sniffles, S.A.V.E will only allow a local adoption – absolutely no exceptions. Sniffles will be going into foster soon to heal. His health must and will come first.

His rescue is truly breathtaking. And so is he.
With absolute and heartfelt thanks to all involved,
Mila Bennett 2/29/08"

As studies go, it's a wacky one: Researchers at Saint Louis University found that nursing-home residents who spent time with a Sony-built robotic dog named AIBO felt just as less lonely as those who hung around with a therapy dog named Sparky.

It took residents about a week longer to bond with the man-made hound.

Ironically, Sony pulled the plug on the $2,000 robo-dogs in 2006 because of tepid demand.

Hitting the email lists this week:

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Mar. 1, 2008

14-month old intact female Mastiff taken from car at Homestead Suites in Secaucus, N.J. She was in town for the dog show.

Last seen at 7:15 a.m., crated in the back of the breeder's SUV. Was left in truck while breeder went into the room to attend to some last-minute details. She came out at 7:20 a.m. and the dog was missing. The leash and water bowl were also taken.

A police report has been filed and all shelters and vets are being notified.

The dog's name is Pounder (Bellawood No Doubt About It) and she is approximately 160 lbs. She is microchipped, and a reward is being offered for her safe return, no questions asked.

Please keep Pounder and her breeders and owners in your thoughts and crosspost this message to get the word out.

Any information please contact Pounder's breeder:

Shelby Johnsen
page4mstf@aol.com
(302) 387-1593
(201) 638-0130

There is a reward fund being set up. Anyone interested in becoming involved should call Pounder's co-owner Sharon at 908-454-8100.>>