Bush walk a nightmare after dog attacks

A quiet Sunday bush walk turned into a life-or-death fight when Dianne Watt and her two german shepherds were ambushed by six unleashed dogs at Murphy’s Bush in Flat Bush.

The Conifer Grove woman’s 10-month-old pet Kaiya and Kaiya’s sister Reika were set upon by a rottweiler, three bull-mastiff or pitbull-type dogs and two smaller dogs on February 1.

Kaiya and Reika were "sitting ducks" when the six attackers sprang from nowhere, pinned them down and began biting them on the legs, shoulders and neck.

"They came from behind us, they grabbed one of them by her back legs, pinned her down and just started mauling her," Ms Watt says. MORE>>

Hollywood whistles up artist's dog caper

Move over Rin Tin Tin, Lassie, and Benji, Hollywood is about to get a new canine hero.

Warner Bros has snapped up the film rights for an unusual picture book, Alveridgea and the Legend of the Lonely Dog, developed by Queenstown artist Ivan Clarke.

The story, and the whimsical world in which the lead character lives, evolved from Clarke's painting of his dog, Arthur Snout, looking dismayed as the family drove off on a holiday several years ago. The painting, Bon Voyage, depicted Arthur dressed in a suit, standing on a wharf waving at a ship steaming away.

Clarke said the parallel world of Lonely Dog developed from that "spontaneous" painting.

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Every dog has its way of greeting a stranger

WASHINGTON - "Is your dog friendly?" you ask as we draw closer to each other on the path, our respective dogs' leashes in hand.

How am I supposed to answer that? Yes, Charlie is friendly -- really, he's a very sweet dog -- but how can I know your interpretation of the word "friendly"? Some people might construe energetic humping as extremely friendly. Others might be horrified. Charlie is a dog who likes pushing his butt into your knees in the hopes that you'll scratch it. Is that unfriendly?

What you really want to know is this: Is my dog going to rip your dog's throat out?

No, of course not. At least, I don't think so. I mean, can we ever really predict what an animal -- even a domesticated one -- will do?

And, you know, when we get right down to it, what if your dog does something that ticks my dog off? I don't speak canine, but Charlie is fluent, and your dog might be one of those dogs that just rubs other dogs the wrong way. MORE>>

People more likely to quit smoking for their dogs than their children

It seems that one in three would quit smoking if they thought their pet would be adversely affected. This is interesting because in other studies, fewer than 2% would quit smoking if they knew their children would suffer harmful effects and 3.2% would consider quitting under family pressure. Clearly the pets win hands down.. MORE>>

Discarded fish-hook injures dog

A three-year-old dog who nearly died after a three-centimetre steel, barbed fish-hook became lodged in his throat has made a full recovery.

Jac, a border collie, underwent a 90-minute, $860 operation on Wednesday after swallowing the hook while walking with owners Kathryn and Wayne Nicholls on the beach at Rarangi side.

Mrs Nicholls said the incident happened within minutes of arriving at the beach.

"I turned around and Jac was picking up things and seemed to be really irritated."

She said she found a fishing line with a sinker and hook hanging out of his mouth, and suspected he had swallowed something. MORE>>

Now that was an expensive fishing trip !! Hope he caught a fish!

Barking: Sam Neill's new pet project

At first, Toa Fraser thought the idea for his new film was a little strange. There he was, looking for a follow-up to the heart-warming, sad, and often hilarious No. 2, and the Kiwi director gets presented with a movie script about a priest who thinks he was a dog in a past life.

A welsh springer spaniel, with lovely floppy ears who goes by the name of Wag, to be exact.

I tell Fraser, on the phone from London, that I liked Dean Spanley, which stars Sam Neill as the eccentric Spanley. MORE>>

Anger over lack of warning as algae kills dog

One dog died and two became sick days after experts declared a section of the Selwyn River safe.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) yesterday elevated a warning over a toxic river algae that killed at least two dogs and made two more sick.

"I checked ECan's website before we took the dogs out ... And it said it was fine at Chamberlain's Ford," dog owner Owen Johnstone said.

His six-month-old beagle Charlie became sick and started convulsing on Sunday after lapping up some of the algae in the Selwyn River.

"I got really annoyed today [Monday] because the website was still saying that the Ashley Gorge and Chamberlain's Ford are fine for swimming; they've still got it as good quality water. It's not good enough that they can't even change a website." MORE>>

I'm so glad that my dog hates swimming ! ... What an aweful feeling to have gone for a walk with your dog, only to have him die.

Dogs join NZ bushfire team

New Zealand's assistance to Australia in the wake of the country's most devastating bushfires has been boosted by four victim recovery dogs.

The dogs and their handlers will fly to Melbourne tomorrow with a team of 52 rural firefighters on a Defence Force Boeing 757 from Auckland.

The german shepherds are trained to locate victims above and below ground and amongst wreckage.

Police said their role was particularly suited to situations where significant loss of life might have occurred over a wide area. MORE>>

The perfect family day out on the farm

Urbanites will get the chance to explore parts of the rural farming community when two farms in Marlborough open their gates to the public early next month.
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"This is not a sanitised farm experience, but a chance to meet real farmers and talk about farming practices."Mr Newton has been farming sheep and beef on his 800-hectare property for 10 years and is also involved in dog trialling.

He said the public would get the chance to see how farmers handled their sheep, watch shearing demonstrations and dogs working sheep.There would also be an opportunity to handle sheep and have an up-close inspection of the sheep operation. MORE>>

I worked on dairy farms back in Canada, and did a bit here in New Zealand. I also worked on a sheep farm in Australia and New Zealand.

I must admit that I love just watching the shearers. It looks so graceful on how they handle the sheep and how quick the 'hair cut' is. Great experience, and I'm glad to hear that people will be able to experience this as well..

Dof Trial Results

Results for rounds one and two of the Marlborough-Nelson dog trial season. MORE>>

Dove and blind dog find love

Doris the dove and Tekau-Fota the alsatian-labrador cross make unlikely companions but owner Gordon Blair says the pair have been inseparable for nearly two months.

Tekau-Fota is 11 and starred in a Qantas advertisement as a young pup. He has cancer which has led to recent blindness.

As the canine learns to feel his way his feathered friend stays right beside him.

Mr Blair guides Tekau-Fota around his Dairy Flat property to help the dog to avoid crashing into things, and Doris is never far away as she flies to various points along the route.

"The sound of her guides him to where he is going," Mr Blair says. MORE>>

Attack dogs to be destroyed

Two pitbull cross dogs which viciously attacked a golden labrador that was being walked by its owner on Monday will be destroyed. The labrador sustained serious injuries in the attack after the two dogs allegedly escaped from a property situated in the Allenton area.

The injured dog was yesterday being cared for by veterinarians. It required extensive treatment and the prognosis was not known. MORE>>

Some news videos about dogs

Animal fire victims in desperate need of care-- Truckloads of hay are being delivered to affected areas and vet hospital’s like the one at the University of Melbourne are offering free care to animals.

Meet the newest police sniffer dog
Improvements in DNA technology have seen the police crack decades old cold cases in recent years.But from next month there's going to be another way for law enforcement to track down crims who think they've got away with it.

It's cute, friendly and has a wet nose.

New breed to join banned dogs list

The perro de presa canario dog breed should be banned from New Zealand, a parliamentary committee says.

The dogs, known as presa canario, would join american pit bulls, dogos argentinos, brazilian filas and japanese tosas on the list banning imports of the breeds.

Those already here would have to be muzzled while loose - although none were believed to be in the country, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Man whose dogs attacked partygoers further remanded

A man accused of setting his dogs on west Auckland partygoers has been further remanded in custody following another appearance in Waitakere Distict Court yesterday.

Wade Black, 24, is accused of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

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Bound puppy found dead in bag at beach

The discovery of a dead puppy, tied up in a rubbish bag and thrown into the sea, has horrified SPCA staff. (...)

The black-and-tan pup, believed to be a german shepherd or rottweiler cross, had its front and hind legs bound by cable ties. There was also damage to its rectum. MORE>>

Couple can't own dog

A Northland couple have been fined more than $20,000 and forbidden from owning a dog for at least 10 years after being convicted for an "unbelievable" case of animal ill treatment.

Job and Valmai Bailey pleaded guilty to four charges of the ill treatment of eight dogs and the failure to provide for the dogs' needs at the Whangarei District Court on Tuesday.

Pair hurt after pitbull joins family argument

A pitbull made the mistake of stepping into a family argument in Stratford yesterday.

The dog paid for it with his life and two people were taken to Taranaki Base Hospital with bites to their arms, hands and bodies. Inspector Frank Grant said the man, 39, and the 42-year-old woman were having a disagreement at their Percy Ave address about 3.40pm.

"The dog has jumped in and bitten her, the male has then run in to assist her to get the dog off and it has bitten him as well," Mr Grant said.

"There were noticeable puncture wounds to the flesh," Mr Grant said. "It certainly was a nasty attack." MORE>>

Like they say... never argue in front of your dog or children!

Pit bull cross savages owner

A pit bull terrier-cross is on death row after partially scalping a woman in Palmerston North.

Police said the 22-year-old woman -- the dog's co-owner -- was savaged at about midnight on Saturday, receiving severe lacerations to her head and legs.

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"These dogs are dangerous," Mr Jameson said."They are dogs that have been bred through the ages as fighting dogs."

It was not known why the dog attacked the woman. The dog was likely to be destroyed.

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Woman partially scalped in dog attack

A pit bull terrier-cross will likely be destroyed after it mauled a Palmerston North woman in one of the city's worst animal attacks in years.

The 22-year-old woman was partially scalped, and received numerous bites, including one to her calf, the Manawatu Standard understands.

Police and animal control were called to the Exeter Cres address at 12.10am on Sunday when the unregistered family pet, named Muzza, allegedly turned on the woman, who was the co- owner of the dog. MORE>>

It's a dog's life as pets strut their stuff

The wild and the wonderful, the great and the small, at Taylor River they were there one and all.

About 100 of Marlborough's furriest, friendliest and most loveable residents gathered at the amphitheatre at Taylor River, Blenheim, on Saturday morning for the Riverside Concert and Pet's Day Out.

The Rev Graham O'Brien, of Picton's Holy Trinity Church, started the day with a blessing of the animals."Animals give us a sense of wonder and are a blessing from God to us," Rev O'Brien said.

"Today we celebrate God's gift to us of animals and especially our pets. We remember that these are God's creatures, these are God's blessings to us. We also remember that we have been given the responsibility to care for them and provide for them." MORE>>

If this is so... tell me why New Zealand has some of the harshess dog laws in the world. Chch City Council, now that they have control of OKains Bay (near Akaroa, but a very deep peninsula) doesn't allow dogs in their campground, or on the beaches... Now tell me that God's creations are treated fairly?!

Rescue dog held together with nylon and steel

When Jack the search-and-rescue dog was found bloody and lifeless after a hit-and-run, it was touch and go whether he would survive.

Nearly two years and $12,500 later, Jack is back at work, now helping rescue people lost on the West Coast.

Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR) member Malcolm York and Jack had worked together for four years when the blue heeler was involved in a hit-and-run outside York's home in Coatesville, Auckland.

After suffering multiple breaks to his pelvis, hips and back left leg, the only options for Jack were to be put down, or undergo extensive surgery at Auckland's Veterinary Specialist Group.

York borrowed the money to pay for the surgery, determined to try to get Jack, now six, back into action. MORE>>