Blog posts Categorized under ‘Amazing Pet News’

What started as a horrific story that captured the nation in 2007 has finally turned into a message of healing. After football star Michael Vick was indicted for his part in a dog fighting organization, many were left wondering what happened to the dogs rescued from the operation.

Today, Hector, one of Vick’s former fighting dogs, is at peace and in good dog health with a new family. The pit bull is now a licensed therapy dog, spending his time at nursing homes, schools and hospitals, according to Peoplepets.com.

Clara Yori, Hector’s new owner, tells the news provider that more people are sympathetic to the pit bull after hearing about his past.

"I always thought that people might back away when I tell them what he is or what he comes from," Clara says. "But it’s been the opposite. They see the dogs as victims, and they feel sorry for him."

According to CNN, the investigation on Vick began in April 2007, when authorities found 54 pit bulls on the football player’s property. The football star received a 23-month sentence for his part in the illegal operation.

One cat recently experienced a trip most people can only dream of, a trip from Hampshire, England, to Spain.

The orange cat, named Sandi, went missing after it was let outside to roam around by its owners. Sandi ended up on a ferry and was discovered when crewmembers spotted him wandering the car deck.

When they took the feline to the vet to ensure it was in good cat health, a microchip revealed that Sandi was registered in the United Kingdom. Taking special care of the cat on the journey home, crew members set Sandi up in his own cabin with a sea view and fed him a special menu of salmon, chicken and milk, according to the news source.

Sandi’s owner Tim Austin explained he and his wife were starting to give up hope when the cat didn’t return the next morning.

"When we didn’t hear anything for a few days we thought he may have been caught by a fox or runover," Austin told the Mail. "We were heartbroken and started to give up hope."

Sandi’s story shows the importance of having a microchip installed in your pet. If the animal is found, veterinarians can scan their barcodes to see who the owners are.

Dr Papidies, a nine pound Chihuahua, was proclaimed top dog of the Cutest Dog Competition that resulted in a $1 million prize. The prize will be distributed over the next 30 years to Dr Papidies and his owner, Leslie Capin, a dermatologist, according to USA Today.

Capin announced that they plan to give the money to two local Denver animal shelters, as a tribute to the hard life the Chihuahua had suffered before claiming the coveted title.

Dr Papidies was introduced to Capin when he was purchased by a friend of hers at a local mall pet store and suddenly fell ill. Capin, who had experiences with rescuing horses and a deaf and blind dog, knew that Papidies was not in good dog health.

According to the news source, the puppy suffered from severe dehydration and had conjunctivitis, chest congestion and a bacterial infection- a result of growing up in a puppy mill. Capin eventually took over as owner of the dog from her friend and nursed it back to health.

Now in perfect dog health, Dr Papidies explores Capin’s office wearing a miniature lab coat, which prompted coworkers to suggest entering the contest. Now a winner, Dr Papidies is preventing a similar health scare from happening to other dogs by sharing his prize money.

The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship dog show in Long Beach, California has named their new champion – a Scottish Terrier whose full name is Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot, or Sadie for short, according to the Los Angeles Times.

This isn’t Sadie’s first time being top dog. She also won in the Terrier group at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show and was named Best in Show at the National Dog Show.

Sadie beat out nearly 5,000 dogs for the coveted title. While Sadie got the bragging rights, her owner Amelia Musser received the $50,000 prize.

The show also features performance categories that dogs can win. Count Tyler Show Me the Money, or Tyler, was crowned the show’s top obedience dog. The Labrador Retriever took the prize for a second year in a row.

While dog health is very important to be crowned Best in Show, Sadie’s breed may have worked in her favor as the Westminster Kennel Club revealed that Scottish terriers are the second most common dog crowned Best in Show, only behind Fox Terriers.