Lost pup turns out to be a rare purebred dingo

SYDNEY, Australia—He's furry, playful and has puppy eyes. It's little wonder Wandi was mistaken for a dog when he was found in an Australian backyard—but DNA testing has confirmed he's a rare 100 percent dingo.

The pup was discovered whimpering and alone in a country town in Victoria in August with talon marks on his back, leading to speculation it could have been dropped by a large bird of prey.

Rescuers at first thought Wandi was either a dog or a fox, but months later DNA samples have revealed that he is in fact a purebred dingo.

Most of the creatures seen in the wild are usually, to some degree, dingo-dog hybrids.

Australian Dingo Foundation director Lyn Watson said that when Wandi "fell out of the sky" it was an "answer to a prayer"—he can now join 40 other dingoes in a breeding program at the charity's sanctuary.

"When we sent his DNA off we were hoping that he would be of high content, but we were pleasantly surprised to find he was as much dingo as you could get," she told AFP.

Watson hopes Wandi—whose unusual origins story and endearing looks have attracted global attention—will help recast the narrative surrounding dingoes and change government policies toward the much-maligned animal.

There is currently much debate in the scientific community over the classification of dingoes, believed to have come to Australia from Asia about 4,000 years ago. 

While some consider the dingo to be a wild dog, many researchers now believe it is a separate species with a range of characteristics that differentiate it from domestic and feral canines.

Often thought of as a threat to domestic animals and livestock, some also argue the apex predator is helpful in controlling pests such feral cats and foxes, as well as numbers of native herbivores such as kangaroos.

This uncertainty has major consequences for the conservation of dingoes. 

The species is protected in areas where it is considered a threatened species vulnerable to extinction, but elsewhere listed as a pest that can be controlled through measures such as shooting and baiting.

Though rare, there have also been a number of recorded attacks on humans—mostly at the popular tourist destination of Fraser Island.

Wandi, who was named after the town of Wandiligong where he was rescued, is now settling in to his new home at the Dingo Discovery Sanctuary near Melbourne.

"He’s very bright and he seems to be very friendly with all of our volunteers—of course they all dote on him," Watson said.

But with legal restrictions on releasing dingoes into the wild, the pup may have to live out his days in captivity—though Watson is optimistic that attitudes will eventually shift to allow him to roam free.

"We know the day will come when we come to our senses and fully understand the situation in the wild and that there should be dingoes there," she said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Dog, owner detained for election campaigning in India

MUMBAI, India - A pet pooch was detained for flouting India's election rules after it was spotted parading slogans supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside polling stations -- but "let off with a warning," authorities said Tuesday.

Police seized the dog and its owner in the western state of Maharashtra on Monday just as voting was under way on the fourth voting day of India's mammoth election that runs to May 19. 

"We detained the dog and its owner as it was a polling day and they were walking around promoting Modi and violating election campaigning rules," police official Ganpat Phil told AFP.

Campaigning is banned on voting days in areas that are casting ballots.

A complaint was filed under India's penal code against owner Eknath Chaudhary for the sticker and placards stating "Modi Lao, Desh Bachchao" ("Bring Modi back, save the country"), Phil said.

The dog and the owner were released in the town of Nandurbar on Monday evening and "let off with a warning," the official added.

Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party are favorites to retain power following the election, results of which are due May 23.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Wire fox terrier wins top prize at Westminster dog show in New York

NEW YORK -- A wire fox terrier won "Best in Show" at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York on Tuesday, emerging as the top dog among nearly 3,000 barking, tail-wagging competitors.

The animal, named King, captured the most coveted prize at the two-day event at Madison Square Garden, besting challengers from all 50 U.S. states and 14 countries. The competition drew 2,800 dogs from 203 breeds and varieties.

"Tonight is ... I can't even describe it," said an emotional Gabriel Rangel, King's handler, on the floor of Madison Square Garden.

"After you win this magnificent show there's really nothing else to win. He should be running around in a field of grass," Rangel said moments after King won the terrier group and claimed the top trophy over finalists from five other groups.

King became the 15th wire fox terrier to win the prestigious title with his handler, Gabriel Rangel of California, scoring his third win for Best in Show.

There were six finalist pedigree dogs competing instead of the usual seven because the winner of the non-sporting canine group, a schipperke, was ruled ineligible before the "Best in Show" competition began.

Colton, a six-year-old member of the Belgian breed, was "excused" because of ownership eligibility requirements set by the American Kennel Club, competition officials said.

"These types of things happen at dog shows and the rules are such to maintain the integrity of the sport," they said in a statement.

That left six winners of the hounds, toys, herding, working, sporting and terrier categories to compete for "Best in Show."

Besides Colton, the four selected on Monday were a longhaired dachshund named Burns who won the hound group; a Havanese named Bono who topped the toy group and a bouvier des Flandres named Baby Lars who led the herding group.

Judges picked the remaining three finalists on Tuesday before the main event. A Sussex spaniel named Bean won the sporting group, a boxer called Wilma clinched the working group and a wire named King won the terrier group.

The Westminster Kennel Club's show, in its 143rd year, is the second oldest U.S. sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby horse race.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Dogs help children read in Lithuania library

Mona, a black flat-coated retriever, listens intently to eight-year-old Urte as she reads aloud from a children's book while they sit on a red pillow in Lithuania's grand national library in Vilnius.

Mona and her side-kick, a golden retriever named Gongas, are therapy dogs trained to give struggling young readers the positive attention and confidence boost that teachers sometimes fail to provide.

"While reading to a dog a kid isn't stressed; he's relaxed because nobody will point out his mistakes or tell him to re-read a passage," programme coordinator Viktorija Pukenaite told AFP.

Unlike traditional lessons in schools where teachers are in charge, children are in full control of the 15-minute reading therapy sessions with the dogs, which are carefully selected using special tests.

Several dozen children aged four to 12 attend dog reading therapy courses each week in Lithuania.

The eurozone state of 2.8 million people launched the courses last year as a novel way of maintaining its 100-percent literacy rate for citizens over 15 years of age.

"For kids, the most important thing is that they get encouragement rather than evaluation," said Rasa Kardaite Velyviene, a psychologist who is in charge of Mona.

"Kids develop a relationship with a dog -- they can greet a dog, pat or cuddle him if they begin to struggle while reading," she added.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Uggie, canine star of Oscar-winning movie 'The Artist,' dies in Los Angeles

Uggie, the energetic Jack Russell terrier who captured hearts when he appeared in the Oscar-winning silent movie "The Artist," has died in Los Angeles at the age of 13, his owner said on Wednesday.

The white and tan dog, who charmed audiences and the media in red carpet appearances to promote the movie, had a prostate tumor and died last week.

"We regret to inform to all our friends, family and Uggie's fans that our beloved boy has passed away," Uggie's owner and trainer Omar Von Muller said in a Facebook posting.

"Uggie had a cancerous tumor in the prostate and is now in a better place not feeling pain. Thank you for your support, I will not be reading any comments for a while as it is too painful at the moment," he added.

Uggie starred as "The Dog" alongside French actor Jean Dujardin in the 2011 movie which won five Oscars, including best picture. Fans of Uggie conducted an unsuccessful campaign to have him nominated for an Oscar in his own right.

His stunts and tricks led to numerous television appearances and in 2012 he became the first dog to have his prints cemented outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, alongside acting legends such as Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne and Judy Garland.

Uggie, who also appeared in the movies "Water for Elephants" and "The Campaign," retired in 2012.

(Corrects dog's age in first paragraph to 13)

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Review: History comes alive in 'Mr. Peabody and Sherman'

At first I was not interested to watch this film since the poster looked absolutely juvenile. The characters and the title did not appeal, looking and sounding so old-fashioned. My kids did not really want to watch it as well. However, good initial reviews got me intrigued to see it.

Mr. Peabody is special little white dog who wore round-rimmed glasses and a red bow tie. He can talk, read tomes, graduate from Harvard, and earn a Nobel Prize -- a veritable Jack-of-all-trades who can do anything under the sun. He adopts an abandoned baby boy named Sherman due to his desire to give the boy what he never had growing up, a home.




Mr. Peabody and Sherman share a secret activity together, traipsing around history with an amazing time machine. This invention by Mr. Peabody can take them to any time in history he likes, allowing them to meet and be friends with all the great figures in history.

On Sherman's first day at school, a sassy little blond girl named Penny bullies him, and he retaliates by biting. This altercation leads to a series of events which may cost Mr. Peabody not only his custody of his beloved Sherman, but may alter the whole fabric of human history as we know it.

The whole absurd concept of a genius dog adopting a boy really did not ring well with me. Thankfully, the execution of the story about them travelling through history did sustain my interest. As a history buff, I enjoyed seeing the various periods in history and the characters come alive and interact with our protagonists.

Kids who have no interest in history will have a good time laughing at the crazy visual comedy as the unlikely pair go to Ancient Egypt, to Troy, to Florence during the Renaissance, to Versailles during the French Revolution, etc., and probably learn some things along the way.

The animation is okay, a bit on the old-fashioned style. Dreamworks characters do not really grab you at first sight. "Shrek," "How to Train Your Dragon" and "The Croods," I almost did not watch because of the unconventional artwork for the characters. Luckily I was convinced to see them anyway because of good word of mouth, and I ended up loving them. This one I liked, not really love. 7/10

This review was originally published in the author's blog, "Fred Said."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Hero dog 'Kabang' has STD

MANILA, Philippines – The surgery of hero dog “Kabang” in the United States was put off after she was diagnosed with a sexually-transmitted disease (STD).

The dog, which suffered wounds and lost its snout after leaping in front of a motorcycle to save 2 girls, was set to undergo facial and dental surgeries.

However, veterinarians said the dog may have to undergo life-saving chemotherapy first before she can be subjected to surgery.

They said Kabang was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor and heartworm disease.



Clinical pathology reports have confirmed that the dog’s vaginal tumor appears to be in a relatively early stage and may have a good prognosis for treatment and even cure.

“Typically, these tumors are treated with chemotherapy and have a 90% survivability rate,” said Dr. Jane Sykes, an infectious disease specialist in the University of California’s small animal clinic.

Sykes added that the dog’s blood test also revealed that worms were seen in the dog’s pulmonary arteries.

She said the heartworm is not a disease seen too often in the dry climate of California, but is fairly common in more tropical areas like the Philippines.

Kabang’s treatment plan is being finalized as both of these issues must be addressed before the dog is healthy enough to undergo surgery. -- Report from Nadia Trinidad, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau Chief

article source: abs-cbnnews.com

No plans to fit Kabang with prosthetic snout

CALIFORNIA - Doctors are confident that Kabang will have a good chance of an improved condition.

Veterinary specialists at the University of California, Davis, have concluded their preliminary examination on the hero dog that lost her snout when she leapt in front of a motorcycle to save two girls in the Philippines.

During the hour-long preliminary exam, veterinary surgeons Boaz Arzi and Frank Verstraete assessed Kabang’s overall condition and conducted blood and urine tests.

“We are pleased with what we discovered today,” Verstraete said. “We are confident we can improve her condition going forward.”

Added Arzi, “Kabang has suffered catastrophic injuries to her face. While we had consulted over photos and video, we were not able to make a proper determination of the care we would be able to offer Kabang until we examined her in person.”

Based on preliminary discussions, Arzi and Verstraete anticipate that Kabang will need at least two surgeries. The first likely would focus on dental work. The second would attempt to close the gaping wound on the dog’s face, protecting her from infection and improving her quality of life.

Kabang is expected to be at UC Davis for at least six weeks.

Contrary to some rumors in the media, there are no plans to fit Kabang with a “prosthetic snout” or to replace her jaw.

Verstraete and Arzi are members of the dentistry and oral surgery service faculty at UC Davis’ William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. The hospital has the most comprehensive dental and oral surgery service of any veterinary teaching hospital in the world, providing surgery for dogs, cats and other animal species.

Arzi and Verstraete are now consulting with Anton Mari H. Lim, Kabang’s veterinarian from the Philippines, to develop a treatment plan for Kabang.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

‘Hero’ dog Kabang to undergo stem cell treatment in Manila

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Kabang, the female Aspin or Filipino dog who lost the upper portion of her snout when she was hit by a motorcycle while saving the lives of two girls, will be staying in Manila for two weeks for a stem cell treatment before further surgery in the US.

Veterinarian Anton Lim said the stem cell treatment would boost the dog’s immunity before her flight to United States within September.

Kabang was flown to Manila on Sunday morning.

Lim said they were able to raise at least $10,000 from donations to shoulder expenses for Kabang’s surgery on a protruding bone on her face.

“We are half way there. As I have said, we need around $20,000,” he said.

“The Team Kabang is really grateful for the global effort as we received donations from almost a dozen different countries,” he added.

The Animal Welfare Coalition of the Philippines (AWC) has also been helping provide medicines for Kabang.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Dog tied to SUV causes outrage online; animal rights group tracks down car's owner

MANILA, Philippines - (UPDATE - 5:30 p.m.) A photograph of a dog in a sack and tied to the rear of an SUV spread virally on the Internet Monday, spurring an animal rights group to track down the owner of the vehicle.

Anna Cabrera, executive director of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, said they had arrived at 27 Dalahican St., Damar Village in Quezon City, the listed address of Apollo International Cagayan Trading, registered owner of the black 1988 Nissan Patrol Safari with license plate BDK 617.

However, Cabrera said the office address was in fact the residence of a certain "Atty. Jose Yap" who arrived from Baguio with his family yesterday.

Cabrera, with the help of some media people, was able to get information from the Land Transportation Office about the SUV.

Earlier, she said they were headed to the address of the car owner because "we want to talk to the driver and find out what happened to the dog."

At first, Cabrera said security guards of the subdivision refused to allow them from entering to serve a letter asking the owner of the SUV to explain the incident.

Soon after, the guards relented.

Based on InterAksyon’s research, Apollo International Cagayan Trading is engaged in the import of used vehicles.

In 2008, the company was involved in an alleged smuggling activity, which its officials have vehemently denied.

Cabrera said the photo was taken on Sunday by a person who saw it at around 4 p.m. It has since spread like wildfire through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. with reports from Lira Dalangin-Fernandez

source: interaksyon.com