I guess Buttercup needs a haircut!

Yesterday when Buttercup and I were out shopping a lady approached us and asked me if Buttercup was a labradoodle. Can you imagine? I said - no, she's a bichon/poodle cross, and she's full grown. So I guess that may be a tip-off that Buttercup may need a hair cut. She's looking a bit messy I guess. haha! I got quite a hoot out of that! When we are out shopping we get stopped all the time because Buttercup just lays in my arms perfectly still and perfectly perfect the whole time - she loves to shop is what I always tell people - but that was a first, I must say. Buttercup is only about 16 pounds. Below are a couple pictures I took this morning with my new camera. I unfortunately need to spend another $700 or so more dollar in order to get an image stabilizer lens and then these action shots will come out perfect. Until then, I'll have to build up my picture taking acumen. The dogs do love to wrestle.

E-How has really thought of EVERYTHING Now

This is just a sort-of comical aside on a rainy, snowy - shit, is it Friday or Saturday? Vacation has made me forget what day it is! Isn't that fabulous! I don't know what day it is. I think it's Saturday..... anyway - it is definitely raining outside tonight. After having snowed out all day.

I came across this article on E-How - How to Bring Your Dog Along on a Date - this is actually a "how to" article on how to do this. I believe this website has finally deconstructed how to do EVERYTHING now....

Introduction
If you have a well behaved, people-friendly dog, why not take her along with you on a date? Dogs are a perfect icebreaker and conversation piece, plus they can divert attention away from the awkwardness of a first date or new relationship. You can both bring your dogs, or if your date doesn't have one, just bring yours. In any case, dogs can enhance the date by making it fun and casual. Here are some ways to bring Fido along for the date.

Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Steps

1
Step One
Run the idea of bringing your dog along by your date and make sure it's okay. If he (she) responds enthusiastically, it's already a good sign.

2
Step Two
Plan a pet-friendly setting for the date (Getting kicked out of somewhere is not considered starting off on the right foot). There are outdoor festivals that allow dogs, dog parks, dog friendly beaches and cafes. Some even have "yappy hour" for people to mingle with their pooches.

3
Step Three
Bring treats along so that your date can make friends with your dog right off the bat, plus it'll help to ensure that he minds his P's and Q's (your dog that is).

4
Step Four
When introducing your dog to your date, hold back on the leash and use the command for "stay," if necessary, to prevent crotch sniffing and jumping. Not everyone is aware that crotch sniffing and jumping are canine for "hello."

5
Step Five
Ask your date questions rather than direct all of the focus on the dog(s). For instance, find out how his (her) day or week has been going. If he doesn't currently have a pet, ask if he's had pets before and encourage him to share stories about them.

6
Step Six
Observe how your date interacts with your dog. This can reveal various personality traits such as a fatherly (motherly) instinct, how giving they are, and whether they are in tune with their surroundings or tend to be more self-absorbed.

Tips & Warnings
Bathe your dog before the date and make sure her coat is free of parasites.

Make sure your dog is current on vaccines and has an updated license before taking him out to a public place.

If it's not shaping up to be a love connection, having Rover along is an excuse to end the date a little earlier.

There are online dating services specifically for meeting dog lovers. Through the website DateMyPet you can set up dates that include your dog.

Only bring a dog along that is obedient and well trained, and is used to being out in public around people and other dogs.

Look at what we got for Christmas!

I have always suffered serious camera envy whenever I saw someone with a Canon Rebel camera. I don't know why, because I've never known very much about cameras - but now I'm going to have to start learning about it - because I've finally taken the plunge and bought one! I got a Canon Rebel E0S D40 10 megapixel digital camera with money I got for Christmas and I'm heavily in love with it. I have no idea how to use it yet, but hopefully I'll learn. Since I've started using digital cameras I've just been upgrading the same type about every year and a half - I started out with a Sony Cybershot, then I got a Canon A80, a Canon A240, and then a Canon A640. But I thought intead of spending $500 every 2 years - why not spend a big chunk of money all at once that's going to last me many years - so that's what I've done. By the look of the photos that I took today below - the dogs seem pretty happy about it. Now I just have to figure out how to take pictures that actually look good! haha!

Tammy Grimes, BSL, and talking out the side of your mouth

I've been avoiding my blog lately. I've been doing a lot of thinking. Thinking about language and the way things are written, and the state of the world today and all the garbage that's going on, all the pain and horror that's going on and how nothing seems to be improving - wars keep going on and people are dying - human life seems to be so cheap - so a dogs life is worth infinitesimally less by comparison - especially when you consider them property, and treat them as such.

There has to be a place where you say - stop - I'm not going to contribute to this madness anymore. In the past, when I've read other people's dog politics blogs, I've become so infuriated by their misrepresentations of the truth, or their outright lies - I've come back to my own blog, lashed back used the same violent language as they have - which has done nothing but add to the out of control anger in the world. And I think it's time for someone to say - stop. I don't know why the world of dog politics has to be so angry. So hateful. And I'm not going to do it anymore. I think that I am intelligent enough, and my vocabulary is large enough - that I don't need to use words like "disgusted" or phrases like "makes me sick" - to describe someone's ill-thought out ideas.

So I've decided that 2008 is going to become a year of compassionate thinking. I've said before here on this blog that Buddhism teaches you to treat every person like your mother - because with reincarnation - every sentient being HAS been your mother. But somedays - that is a very DIFFICULT teaching!

Luckily though - it's not 2008 yet. so I'm going to write a post about Barb Haywoods post about Tammy Grimes conviction on her dogpolitics.com blog for removing Doogie from his owner's property, and the fallout from that.

I'm not even sure where to begin it's so awful and full of lies and misrepresentations from Tammy uploading video to the Animal Liberation Front's website to her working with PETA - 2 bald faced lies. Just because the ALF posts a news release does NOT mean that the ALF has anything to do with the organization! The ALF ALSO has photos of "Bambi and Thumper" - a popular photo montage that maade it into just about everybody's email inbox in the last year - does that mean that they TOO are members of the Animal Liberation front? I don't think so!! So that knocks down the ALF conspiracy I hope!!!! You might want to check out their archives to make sure you're not there in case you're also accused of being in cahoots with the dreaded ALF.

And as for Dogs Deserve Better having anything to do with PETA - it's well known that our organization has put out MULTIPLE press releases against PETA. PETA isn't interested in releasing dogs from chains - PETA BUILDS dog houses - I talk about it in a post from January 18, 2006 - so Barb Haywood isn't interested at all in telling the truth when she writes her own posts on her blog - she's only interested in inserting certain buzz words to make her pieces sound as salacious as possible.


As well - Barb Haywood tries to crucify Tammy because she is seemingly only trying to make money off of Doogie's back - Doogie being the dog that she saved and gave an extra 5 1/2 month's life to. Dogs Deserve Better have a "Cafe Press" site where they sell t-shirts and mugs to raise money for the organization and there are different products that you can insert different logos onto - and one of the items are thong panties - and the prosecution in Tammy's case chose to bring that into the trial for some reason. Barb used it as an example of how all Tammy wanted was to make money from Doogie. My problem with that is - Barb Haywoods websites exist because - she is a for profit t-shirt company!


And for clarity's sake - I should say that I too have a Cafe Press site where I sell t-shirts and baseball hats - but any money that comes from it - goes directly to local rescue - I don't keep any money.

She also goes on to talk about how anti-tethering laws "are NOT about animal cruelty protecting innocent dogs. And to anyone who opposes BSL - breed-specifc legislation but supports anti-tethering laws, I say this: You've been duped. You've been had. You've been date raped. You are a pawn, a John, an easy mark."

For the life of me - I do NOT know why people who love their pit bulls want to be able to chain them up if they want to. They have this crazy idea that when anti-tethering laws are passed - they lose a piece of their property rights - so they are dead set against anti-tethering laws. For some reason they only want THEIR kinds of legislation - but any other kind of dog legislation is BAD.

And that's a thing about Dogs Deserve Better that almost all dog politics people don't understand - anti-tethering legislation is only a miniscule part of our mandate - 99% of it is about saving, rescuing, and rehabilitating dogs. I have been heavily involved with the orgnanization since 2003 and have never had anything to do with any kind of legislation efforts yet - except for working towards anti-bsl as it relates to anti-tethering. The person who writes the KC Blog even referred to Dogs Deserve Better as "an anti-tethering organization" - and that is completely inaccurate and wrong - we are a rescue organzation.

So people who are into anti-bsl think that anti-tethering laws are just about the worst thing that's happened to legislation since slavery. It violates property rights, privacy rights - because police can come onto your property and remove your property - your "dog", and any other pieces of "property" that they want - like leashes and chains - and then while they're there they could see anything else that's illegal maybe - and nab you for that. There is even a post on this blog that compares anti-tethering legislation to somebody being falsely accused of murder. How dog people have become so paranoid and ugly I have no idea. Maybe it's only the dog people who are writing blogs that are paranoid and ugly, maybe. All the normal dog owners are out actually spending time with their animals and having normal lives. Yeah, maybe that's it.

Because one of the people who actually writes this blog - http://www.nopitbullbans.com/ - tried to have one of the Dogs Deserve Better Petfinder sites shut down last year after Doogie was saved - saying that all the dogs on the site had been stolen - simply because of Doogie! Can you believe that! That someone would actually do something like that? Now that is someone with a bunch of balls. I have got to give them that. That is someone with a big set of gonads. Luckily their charade was quickly shown for what it was - a lie - all the dogs on Dogs Deserve Better Petfinder site are legally surrendered and rescued dogs that are very thankful and lucky to be off their chains for good and headed to the best homes in the world.

Anyway - I think I've said enough about the garbage in Barb's post - I'm going to post some links to other posts I've made about the dogpolitics.com blog in the past and stuff she's said that has made my blood boil. In the future I won't be saying things quite so meanly, but hopefully I'll still try to be just as truthful - because the truth still needs to be said - because she's definitely not saying it, that's for sure. And Selma Mulvey at Caveat doesn't say it either - she doesn't say anything - if you notice in her posts - all she basically says is innuendo. I don't get that. And the nopitbulllbans site? Shit. This is the last mean thing I'm going to say - I think they may be crazy.


http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2007/02/peta-sentient-beings-right-wing-blogs.html

http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2006/09/dogpoliticscom-got-better-of-me.html

http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2006/11/is-best-friends-animal-society-cult.html

http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2006/09/follow-up-to-my-tammy-grimes-post.html

http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2006/09/what-would-you-do-with-your-lifetime.html

http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2007/04/why-i-dislike-dlcc.html

To finish off this post, I'm going to copy a letter that Tammy sent off and posted on the DDB website at - - states very eloquently, and sums up beautifully what we should all strive for in rescue. I consider myself to be a person involved in "rescue" - I HELP dogs in need. I'm not here just to prostelytyze. I am here because I've looked into the eyes of dogs who've needed help and I HAVEN'T WALKED AWAY. I can't. And neither could Tammy. In the moment, I can only hope that Barb Haywood, Selma Mulvey, and others like wouldn't either - even when anecdotal evidence doesn't support the fact that being chained your whole life has made you a very unhappy dog and now you're dying because of it. (Selma has stated that she's not sure chaining dogs is bad because she hasn't seen any good quantitative studies to support the fact that it's bad - she's only seen anecdotal evidence - and in her mind - that's not good enough - I suggest trying to live next door to a dog that's chained 24 hours a day, Selma - you'll become convinced by THAT anecdotal evidence soon enough!)

Here is Tammy's letter:

On September 11, 2006, I rescued a dog that was dying at the end of a chain in a muddy yard in a small Pennsylvania town. I was subsequently arrested. A little over a year later, on December 14, 2007, I was convicted of theft and receiving stolen property.

The last year has been the most traumatic and the most inspirational of my life. I have been labeled a “terrorist" a "vigilante", "publicity hound" and an "anarchist.” I have been called a hero. I have been humbled by encouragement and well wishes from people all over the world. I have been attacked in person and in print in my small town, where the prevailing view is that it is fine and dandy to tie a dog to a tree or a dog house and leave it to pace back and forth for year after agonizing year, in skull-cracking cold or 100-degree weather, with nothing but parasites for company.

I don’t regret what I did. Not for one second. And when it comes to rescuing dogs and changing minds and laws, I’m just getting started. Here’s why.


The dog at the center of all this, a dog we would eventually name Doogie, had been lying in the mud and rain for three days, chained to the dog house he had been attached to for years. He was unable to stand and was pawing the air in desperation. His owners chose to go four-wheeling all weekend and to work on Monday instead of getting him the vet help he needed and deserved, but most importantly was entitled to by law. A distraught neighbor had called animal control repeatedly over the course of the three days. But as so often happens, no “humane” officer called back. No one ever showed up. (Surprised? Trust me, it happens all the time, and not just in my town.) The frantic neighbor eventually reached out to me and to Dogs Deserve Better.

What I did next set in motion a chain of events that would eventually garner national attention, the wrath of some, the support of others, and an agonizing trial during which I had to listen to lies and mischaracterizations for three days: I removed that dog’s chain and I took him to the veterinarian. It was all very clear to me as I lifted the emaciated, wet dog into my van. I had been in animal rescue long enough to know that I would probably be labeled the villain while the dog’s caretakers wouldn’t even be questioned for leaving a suffering dog on the ground for three days, not to mention all the years they tied him to a shabby box in the yard; letting his toenails to grow so long they were curling back toward his pads, denying him vet care when he most needed it.

But I also knew that what I was doing was morally correct. It was the compassionate thing to do. It was the only thing I could do. Time was of the essence. A dog was suffering. I felt he was dying.

In court, it became increasingly clear that our 'humane officer' left me "holding the bag", which in this case was a bag of bones. He had been offered the dog by me as part of what should have been a cruelty case against the caretakers 2 times on September 11th, but ignored me both times. On the witness stand the officer, in an attempt to cover his own hide, stated he told me and the vet assistants not to remove Doogie from the vets. This is absolutely untrue, and if he had done so I would not have been put in the position of choosing between Doogie's skin and my own.

So, now I’m guilty. Ah yes, guilty of caring about a dog that had been left to die. Guilty of putting myself and my reputation on the line because I can’t stand to see suffering. Yes, call me guilty.

At Dogs Deserve Better, we see dogs in horrific situations every day. Sometimes these sad animals are neurotic or aggressive from years at the end of a chain. Sometimes, they are half-starved or have collars embedded in their necks. Sometimes they are dead. So, why go out on a limb for one old dog? Why take a moral stand in this one instance? Why challenge a law, when Dogs Deserve Better has stuck to the letter of the law in almost 1,000 rescues to date?

The answer is simple: because it was the right thing to do. Because our laws regarding personal property and animal welfare are contradictory and archaic. Because Michael Vick can't kill his dogs, but the Arnolds can. Because, at the end of the day, I knew I simply couldn’t live with myself if I walked away from that dog and left him to suffer there in the mud.

Doogie blossomed after we got him medical care and showed him a warm bed and a little love. He not only walked again, but actually ambled around with a spring in his step. Imagine. A dog that for many years could not take more than a few steps before being yanked back by a chain, was trotting around a yard and enjoying soft hands and a warm home!

I have no illusions about my life’s work. I know some people will never get it. I know some people think “it is just a dog.” I know some people consider me the representation of all that is evil because I have compassion for animals and because in one isolated incident, where the clock was ticking and life was ebbing, I took someone’s “property” -- property that the owners had for all intents and purposes abandoned on the ground like a used-up piece of junk. But I don’t care what my detractors think because I now know that I have more support, more friends, more allies, than I ever dreamed possible.

The support I have received during the last year has made me stronger in my convictions and more steadfast in my work. I know that the vast majority of reasonable, educated, compassionate people believe that it is barbaric beyond imagining to chain a dog for its life. I know that anti-tethering laws will continue to be passed in states, cities and counties across this country. (“No-brainers” a recent news article called these laws.) And I’m going to work harder than ever to make sure that happens.

Five years ago, when I started Dogs Deserve Better, people laughed in my face when I talked about laws against chaining. Today, three states have passed laws that severely limit the practice, as have hundreds of cities and counties, some banning chaining altogether. I know that I will see the day when our society sees tying a dog to a doghouse for 15 years as abhorrent as eating a dog.

Oh yes, make no mistake: times change and morality and compassion eventually triumph over ignorance and stupid, blind habit. Slavery ended. Women got the right to vote. Wife beating is no long accepted. You don’t see a lot of kids working in mines or sweat shops anymore. Even dog fighting was made a crime.

I can’t help but think about Rosa Parks. We can be sure she never regretted refusing to budge from that Montgomery bus seat. And though I may never be as brave as she was, I’ll never regret taking a half-dead dog from someone’s yard.


In memory of Doogie. May he rest in peace.

Tammy S. Grimes, December 17, 2007

New Bed for Charlie and New Magazine for the City

Yesterday I went to the Metro Dog Wash looking for a new dog bed for Charlie, having a couple blankets on the floor just don't seem to be doing the trick for him anymore, so I wanted to buy something really soft and cushy for him. I had previously tried one of those huge donut beds for him that had the high sides on it that cost like $180 and he wouldn't get in it for some reason so I had to give it away because it took up half the living room floor - but while I was on my search I noticed that a new magazine that was supposed to be coming out anytime has arrived in stores.

It's called "Furry's Halifax" and it's free and it's local. I'm not sure how often it's going to be pubished - but it's available at all the local pet stores and is the initiative of one lady - Lynne Mackay - who has moved here in the last couple years.

There's an article in there by my good friend Adina MacKay who has a dog walking business and an inhome obedience business called "Adina's K-9 Coaching" - so that's a very good sign as far as I'm concerned!

I finally found the perfect bed out at Global Pets in Bayer's Lake - it was originally $99.99 and it was marked down to $79.99 - they had thinner ones for $39.99 and I was going to buy 2 of them and put one on top of the other - but luckily Caitlin who works there found this one.
Charlie laid down on it immediately after I got home - he's so good about stuff like that - he always would rather lay down on a blanket rather than laying down on just the carpet or bare floor. He's such a good boy - here Daisy is waiting her turn to lay on the bed.
I thought this was a cute close-up - it's like Charlie is saying - get that camera out of my face!

Pictures of Buttercup running towards me

I've been taking pictures of Buttercup running towards me since the day she came to me - and my collection is starting to get pretty extensive - I'm up to almost 100 pictures now. I took a couple cute ones today and added them to my photo album on my Picasa photo albums - and have embedded a slide show here for everyone's enjoyment. I think she's beautiful. What an awesome thing to have running towards you, don't you think?

A good day for taking pictures

When we went for our walk today the dogs were feeling very photogenic - they even had a good wrestling match that the camera agreed with. A good time was had by all, I think. Buttercup got a lot of good rolls in and the snow was just low enough that it wasn't too high for her to run around - another couple centimetres and it would've been too high for her to walk. So it was a good dog Friday.

Snookums is in the news again

There was a story this week on CBC Television about Snookums Pets over in PEI - one of the Maritime's most notorious puppy mill brokers. They've been in the news several times in the last few years because they sell so many puppies that for some reason DIE right after the people who purchase them bring them home. I don't know why that would happen if the pet store is selling such a high quality product. I've talked about Snookums in several places before on this blog - at


http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2004/07/my-letter-to-chronicle-herald-about.html
and
http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2004/07/my-letter-to-editor-is-in-todays.html
and
http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2004/07/snookums-in-pei-is-just-like-any-other.html
and
http://dogkisser.blogspot.com/2004/08/thoughts-on-puppy-mills-and-factory.html

Supposedly this time though - Snookums says they're closing down for good - their website even says they're having a "close out sale" - and the puppies that are there are going for very low prices and the store is only staying open as long as they can sell as many puppies as possible and then the rest of the puppies will go back to the breeder for credit. I wonder when that will be? And I feel very sorry for any of those puppies that go back to the breeders - because they are going to be subjected to a life of hell and subservience if they're used as breeding stock - treated worse than any cow or pig is before they're sent for slaughter. Any dog that is used for breeding stock at a puppy mill WISHES that they could be sent for slaughter so that their horrible existence could end.

But I digress. The CBC news article is also in print on the CBC's website - here - "Pet Shop Puppies die soon after purchase"


The owners of puppies that died within days of their purchase from a Charlottetown pet shop are calling for stricter regulations covering the sale of pets.

Stacey Edgar doesn't believe anything she did led to the death of her puppy.

It is the second case this fall of animals purchased from Charlottetown pet stores dying shortly after being taken home. In November two kittens purchased at Critters Pet Shop died days after they were purchased.

Mike Boies and Stacey Edgar had a similar experience with a puppy they bought from Snookums in October. Just days after they brought home their dog, which they called Bailey, he got very sick.

"Things went downhill that night, with diarrhea and the vomiting, which was every 15 minutes," Edgar told CBC News.

Their vet said Bailey had parvovirus, an intestinal infection that affects puppies. The medicine they gave Bailey didn't work and he died the next morning. Edgar said they have heard from others who had a similar experience.

"This isn't just a fluke. It didn't just happen to one family," said Edgar.

"It happened to four since Oct. 2 that we know of."

All four puppies were purchased from Snookums. One died the same day as Bailey, another a week later and the fourth in late October. Post mortems on all four conducted at the Atlantic Veterinary College concluded they died from parvovirus.

Violet Hunter purchased the last dog that died, two weeks after the illness killed Bailey. Getting the dog was the fulfilment of a promise she made to her husband Ross, just before he died.

"My husband said, 'Well, you must promise me, when I'm no longer here, you will go out and get my Labrador and you must call it Heather. Every time you look at Heather remember I'll be watching too,'" said Hunter.

Hunter believes once Snookums got the first complaint, well before she got her dog, the store should have checked the other puppies for parvovirus and warned potential buyers about the illness.

CBC News contacted Snookums owner Bud Wheatley, but he said he wasn't available for an interview. He did say all the puppies he sells are healthy when they leave the store, adding that if they develop problems it's because the owners don't care for them properly.

None of the four pet owners involved is convinced of that. They want the province to adopt tougher legislation covering pet stores. One family has filed a small claims suit against Snookums for their expenses.

Dogkisser's Christmas Card

I put together some Christmas cards and set them to music and made a video for this year's Christmas video - you can click below to watch it. I think it's pretty cute -

Dog Friendly Shopping this Christmas Season

Rick Conrad had an article in his Petpourri column today in the Chronicle Herald about shopping for Christmas and it made me think about dog friendly shopping this Christmas - what if you wanted to take your dog shopping with you when you did your Christmas shopping this year? Wouldn't that be neat? So I thought I'd write a post talking about the different stores that I know are dog friendly if you were out and about and had your dog with you and were needing to do some last minute shopping.

That is of course if your dog can handle the crowds and stuff - I know Buttercup can handle it because she's up in my arms the whole time and all she cares about is me - but if you have a larger dog and they get freaked out by too many people milling around them - then maybe this isn't the time of year to be taking them shopping - but if your dog is the type that all they care about is you - and them being with you, then take them along with you when you go to these places, and tell the store owners how much you appreciate being able to spend this extra time with your canine life companions - and that you're spending extra money in their store BECAUSE you've been able to bring your dog with you.

So on to where you can go locally with your dog this Christmas season that you can get some good presents that aren't necessarily presents for dogs....

Well there are the old standards Atlantic News on Morris Street in Halifax and Book Mark book store in Spring Garden Road - you should buy all your magazines and books there for your stockings and Christmas presents because those 2 stores are super dog friendly - and Atlantic News actually has a new dog magazine called "Wag" which is a dog magazine for "well heeled dog lovers" which I bought a couple weeks ago that is pretty neat. They also have all the other standard magazines that will make good stocking stuffers and the ubiqitous bide-a-wile calendar. And Book Mark has a frequent buyers card which is a very good deal.

The Book Room on Barrington Street is also dog friendly - so if you can't get to Spring Garden Road - head to Barrington to buy some books there - also in that area is Biscuit Clothing store up on Argyle - which is also dog friendly - they sell funky and neat stuff which should knock off a few more people from your list.

While we're on the subject of clothing stores - did you know that Mill's Brothers on Spring Garden Road is dog friendly? Although I don't know if I'd try to go in there with a mixed breed dog. The email I got was from a lady who "regularly takes in my poodles and they always have treats behind the counter" - so it all sounds very shi shi to me. I'd be scared to take in Buttercup when she's looking too crunchy and in need of a bath, that's for sure!

But the Trail Shop on Quinpool Road is definitely dog friendly - and they have lots of great stuff that would be great for Christmas presents - you could spend a pile of money there and still have your dog with you. And then the Canadian Tire right across the street is also dog friendly if you also need to pick up some christmas decorations or some LED christmas lights.

If you are in need of some liquor - and who doesn't need beer at Christmas - Garrison Brewery is dog friendly! They also make cream soda - which is more my speed - and I think not too far from them is Little Mysteries and Venus Envy on Barrington Street - both of which sell Christmas presents of a different type (!!) - but equally as valuable to those of whom would enjoy them - and those stores are dog friendly too! haha!

Computer equipment is something that people spend a lot of money on at Christmas time - so I wanted to mention a couple local businesses that are dog friendly - Greenlyph on Queen Street and Robtnik out in Bayer's Lake - you're also supporting local businesses if you spend money there, which is also an important thing.

And I of course HAVE to mention the pet stores/boutiques that are dog friendly - because you know that there are some pet stores that AREN'T! There's Bark & Fitz on Doyle Street, Metro Dog Wash on Cunard Street, Glamour Puss and Naughty Dog on South Park Street, Pawsitively Pet Supplies (new store!) on the Herring Cove Road, House of Dogs on Quinpool Road, Brenda Dog Dudz in Lower Sackville, Petcetera in Dartmouth, Global Pets in Bayer's Lake and Dartmouth, Ted's Tack Shop on Oxford Street, Tack it Up out in Bayer's Lake, Aqua Creations on Quinpool Road, and Walkers Feed in Dartmouth.

And really - these are just the tip of the iceberg - there's a ton of more stores listed on my shopping and resources pages - it's amazing the amount of stores listed now on my website. It's taken 5 years to build them up - and there's been a few disappear over the years - but there's more everyday. The world of dog friendliness is getting better in our city, not worse - as some people would have you believe - and it is SO sad that it's mostly dog owners who like to piss and say that dog friendliness is an unnecessary part of everyday life. I say that life is unlivable without it.

Have fun shopping.

Gail Benoit - puppy miller - in court today

Gail Benoit was in court today - and the public finally got to see a photograph of her - which is posted here, as it was in the newspaper. So we've finally got something to tag her with, which is fabulous. We can say - "was it a woman who looked like this who sold you the sick puppy that died?" She's a lot younger than I thought she was. I thought she'd be in her 50's anyway, because some of her stories are about her poor health. It goes you show you shouldn't have pre-conceived notions about anyone.

The Chronicle Herald is really not holding anything back in their reporting of the story it seems - or maybe they are and it's really a lot more gross than what they are actually saying - it seems to be really salacious and very dirty down there in Dibgy, that's for sure.

Puppy seller faces slew of charges
Woman allegedly attacked SPCA officer during raid at Digby County home
By BRIAN MEDEL Yarmouth Bureau
Tue. Dec 11 - 5:53 AM

Gail Ruth Benoit is now charged with assaulting an SPCA officer, obstructing police and damaging government property. She also faces animal cruelty charges. (BRIAN MEDEL / Yarmouth Bureau)

DIGBY — A Digby County woman accused of failing to care for several puppies at her home is now also charged with assaulting an SPCA officer, obstructing police and damaging government property.

Court documents allege Gail Ruth Benoit, 38, assaulted SPCA special constable Nancy Noel on Oct. 24.

Ms. Benoit and her common-law husband, Dana Bailey, were in court Monday to get their case adjourned until February so their lawyer can have more time to examine the Crown’s evidence. The couple also face a number of animal cruelty charges stemming from raids on their Roxville home in October, when SPCA staff armed with a search warrant seized a total of 10 puppies over two days.

SPCA officials confirmed in October that tests done on the animals revealed they had an intestinal virus that could be linked to unsanitary living conditions.

RCMP officers ended up arresting Ms. Benoit on the second day of the seizures, Oct. 26, and removed her from her bungalow. They placed her in the back of a police car where she rocked back and forth and shouted obscenities while the puppies were collected. Mr. Bailey was not home.

On Monday, the couple left Digby provincial court by a side door.

Ms. Benoit walked to her mini-van behind her husband, making occasional rude gestures.

"The truth will be known in the end," she said before jumping into the van.

Several people have contacted the Nova Scotia SPCA to say they’ve purchased puppies from Ms. Benoit, and some complaints have been lodged, said SPCA special constable Sean Kelly, who was in court Monday.


Previous articles relating to this story:

Gail Benoit's Lawyer in the news today


Province's Most Notorious Puppy Miller/Stealer/Broker Arrested

Some Photos from the week

I was sick this week - I don't know if it was the flu or a super bad migraine, but I was throwing up like there was no tomorrow. It was bad. Luckily the dogs didn't seem to mind spending a couple days in bed and it let Charlie mend his sore shoulder - although within one day of starting his Metacam he had stopped limping - that stuff really is a miracle liquid it seems. I wish they had something like that for humans.

A friend of mine sent me this pin from Cafe Press - he said that he got it from the "Animal Haven" charity - it's cute, don't you think? haha! Everyone should have one!




I took these photos of Charlie and Daisy a little more than 24 hours after he had started taking Metacam - can you believe that? He went from not being able to walk - to starting to wrestle again. That is one cantankerous old dog.











Daisy being her typical beautiful self in between wrestling matches or stuffing a toy in my face.



These are some pictures I took in the woods this afternoon - it was a nice sunny afternoon - the dogs had a good time running around with a coat of ice on top of the snow.