Maternal dog raises kitten litters

For the past three years chihuahua-foxy-cross Shyla has been a foster mum – to litters of kittens.

Owner Angela McFall, a vet, said Shyla had her first "false pregnancy" three years ago. Shyla has never been pregnant, but once a year at about the same time she produces milk.

The first time it happened Miss McFall, of Brydone, had rescued a kitten and Shyla took it upon herself to clean and feed it, and treated it like her own offspring.

The next year Shyla had another "false pregnancy", and mothered a litter of seven abandoned kittens that Miss McFall rescued while living in Christchurch.

"We drove to Ashburton as I had heard there were some kittens that were going to be put down. We stuck our feelers out because we knew she was producing milk," she said.

MORE>>

Dog's injury hampers predator search

A specialist stoat-sniffing dog sent to Kapiti Island has broken its leg in a fall, hampering efforts to track down the predator in the bird sanctuary.
Crete, a border terrier/fox terrier cross, was sent to Kapiti Island to find a stoat spotted by Department of Conservation (DOC) workers more than two weeks ago. MORE>>

Pet palace hopes alive by whisker

The Wellington SPCA is believed to be $900,000 in the red and a new report is expected to condemn plans to pursue a multimillion-dollar "pet palace" on Mt Victoria.

The yet-to-be-completed report will recommend shelving the plan, amid infighting, debt and resignations.
Just four members remain on the former board of 10 after six elected members – including chairman Simon Meikle – walked away in the past few months.

David Wright has been appointed executive chairman as the board limps towards an annual meeting next month, otherwise the board would not have had a quorum.

Despite slashing the animal hospital project to $5.4m, Mr Wright has conceded the project is now untenable.MORE>>

Salute to a brave dog called Blade

Blade – the police dog who beat cancer, a pitchfork attack and more than 1000 criminals – has died in his owner's arms.

Since 2007 Blade has been retired, living as a family pet with his handler, Senior Constable Matt Fage from the Wellington police dog section.

Mr Fage said 12-year-old Blade died in his arms early on Tuesday morning. The death, from old age, was "devastating".

"He was a super-loved working partner. He gave 100 per cent at everything and just kept on going." MORE>>

Big walk: every dog can have day

It's a dog's day out.

Not often do the city's pooches get invited to a party just for them, but Paws in the Park next Saturday is an exception.

Hundreds of the city's playful hounds will be gathering at the off-lead area of Innes Common at 1pm in an event aimed at the city's responsible dog owners and their four-legged friends. MORE>>

Solution to lost quake pets

Hundreds of pets still missing after the Canterbury earthquake could have been reunited with their owners had they been microchipped, says an SPCA manager.

About 600 animals have been reported missing to SPCA Canterbury since the September 4 earthquake, but only 260 had since returned home. For the same period last year only 150 animals were reported lost.
SPCA Canterbury centre manager Geoff Sutton said people who were still missing pets could have had them back by now if their animals had been microchipped.

"Every single one of the animals who came here and had a microchip with data that was current had been reunited with their owner," he said.

Which leads me to wonder why do dogs then need a green tag on them!  I would have thought that the tag was for reunification, but it's becoming clear to me it's another money venture. In other parts of the world, the price of registration is nil, or very very low. 

"It's a once in a lifetime cost, not like a vaccination that's once a year."
(...)  "You'll be reunited very quickly, especially if an animal has been sick or injured and it turns up on the vet's doorstep ... one of the first things they do is scan for a microchip."

And for some people, they might not want to be reunited especially if the vet bill is quite high. I'm not encouraging this behaviour, only trying to see some other's people points of view. 
"Irresponsible owners" might just be poor owners, but again, microchipping isn't the most expensive thing that you can do for your dog.

Microchips were just as important for cats as dogs.
"Cats, of course, are very much free-ranging animals."

Of course, I don't understand why cats shouldn't have to be registered as well. Their 'free-ranging' lifestyle is the reason for a lot of bird deaths..

Shot dog gets new crack at rural life

CHOPPER the bull mastiff dog used as a slug gun target and left to die in a culvert last month, has a new home.

When the three-year-old dog was found at Matawai, he had been repeatedly shot, and was malnourished and underweight.

“There were pellets right through him . . . in his head, mouth, throat, all over,” says Gisborne SPCA animal welfare inspector Bernice David-Goodwin.

“He was terrified. He was not moving, was really wary and in a lot of discomfort.”

Ms David-Goodwin says he would have been in the culvert for five to seven days .MORE>>

Get on the side of angels

It will be hard to say no to this bunch.

Students from Howick Intermediate are pounding the pavements for SPCA Angels for Animals annual street appeal this weekend and they want your support.

Collectors will be out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in all the main centres including Botany Downs, Howick, Pakuranga, Highland Park, East Tamaki, Meadowlands, Beachlands, Maraetai, Clevedon, and Whitford.

Animal Nightmares is a group of six students who are researching animal abuse for their school project.

One of their goals is to make a difference, so they are dedicated to raising awareness of the appeal week. MORE>>

Disability dogs to help brain damaged

New Zealand's first disability dogs for people with neurological disorders have almost arrived, thanks to the work of a woman who believes she owes her life to a German Shepherd following a horrific car accident.

Melanie Donne sustained brain damage in the accident 13 years ago, which saw her car tumble over a cliff and her dog, Nikki, come to her rescue.

"She just leapt out, rushed around to my door and pulled me out of the car.

"There's no doubt in my mind I owe my life to her. If she hadn't been there with me, I wouldn't be here talking to you," Melanie said. MORE>>

Lingering Effects from a Dog Attack - How to Help Your Child

Resistance, both conscious and unconscious, may provide a useful, protective defense from psychological pain. Yet, it is often destructively attached to a false attitude or belief, impeding us in important endeavors. Such appears to be the case with the reluctance of many parents to seriously consider the enduring emotional impact of a dog bite on their child
MORE>>

Cat attack halts passenger train

A Wellington-bound train was delayed after a cat snuck onboard and scratched the driver so badly a replacement had to be brought in.

(...)KiwiRail marketing and communications manager Nigel Parry said the train manager tried to catch the cat but he was scratched so severely he required medical attention and a replacement driver was brought in.
(...)
The cat was thought to have boarded the train in the Wairarapa, and was found in Wellington.
"We have no intention to charge a fare and we are obviously appealing for the owner to contact the Wellington SPCA for its return. We can also assure we won't be charging the owner a fare."

Although this is supposed to be funny, what would have happened if a dog attacked the driver?

He'd or She would have been put down, and fine the owners.... so is this attack supposed to be less serious? The driver could have lost an eye!

But I hear all those people out there saying "ease up, it's only a cat!" But the point is... why is this any less serious than a dog attack?