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Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is launching an urgent appeal for cosy bedding to help keep its dogs warm as the temperature plummets.

The dogs are also being wrapped up in hand knitted sweaters crafted by supporters. One puppy grateful for her new jumper is Cilla, the three month old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, who was found abandoned in a box in a park two weeks ago. (see pic.)

Claire Porteous, Operations Manager at Battersea explains: “Here at Battersea our staff and volunteers are doing everything we can to keep our dogs and cats warm as the temperatures drop. We’ll be using thick bedding, knitted blankets and coats to keep the dogs and cats snug, but we are always incredibly grateful for donations of bedding and dog coats at this time of year.”

The Home would be grateful for dog or fleece blankets, warm bedding or fleece dog coats. Anyone wishing to donate can bring their items to one of Battersea’s three sites in London, Old Windsor or Brands Hatch, or post them to:

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
4 Battersea Park Road
London
SW8 4AA

http://vinthunden.se/

I saw these being raved about - knitted doggy hats. They are not a designer item but meant to be incredibly practical.
The lady who knits each individual hat to order is based in Sweden and she is total inundated.

There is an exhibition in London displaying art by elephants and apes from around the world. One highlight is a painting of a flowerpot by the elephant Boon Me. Other pieces have been created by orang-utans, gorillas and chimps. Their handiwork is on show alongside animal specimens and historical documentation. The exhibition raises the question of whether animals can make art, and why some animal creations are considered valuable, while others are dismissed as meaningless.

Jack Ashby, Manager of the Grant Museum of Zoology, says, “Whether this is actually art is the big question. While individual elephants are trained to always paint the same thing, art produced by apes is a lot more creative and is almost undistinguishable from abstract art by humans that use similar techniques.”

Co-curator Will Tuck says, “Although it is fairly clear that any notion of art by animals is essentially anthropomorphic it starts to raise very interesting questions about the nature of human art.” Indeed, interest in animal art occurred at the same time as the Abstract Expressionist movement in human art in the 1950s.

Artworks by a chimp called Congo sold for $26,000 in a New York auction room in 2005 and zoo shops the world over regularly sell artworks (albeit at rather more modest rates) by a menagerie of animals ranging from elephants to komodo dragons.

Art by Animals is part of the excellent Humanimals Season at the UCL Grant Museum of Zoology, Rockefeller Building, University College London, University Street, London, WC1 and runs until 9 March: Monday to Fridays between 1 and 5pm.


Can your pet paint?
Guess what animal painted the picture here!

More celeb news!!

A homeless cat will certainly be taking centre stage in her new home after she was adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home by actors Timothy West and Prunella Scales. The acting duo visited the London site of the world-famous animal charity to find a new companion. They fell in love with a one and a half year old crossbreed named Hannah who arrived at the Home after her owner fell ill and was no longer able to care for her.

Prunella Scales, best known for playing Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers said: “We have had cats for a very long time and they’ve always been rescues. Our last two cats sadly passed away and left such a void in our lives. We’ve had cats from Battersea in the past and when we visited to find another kitty we were absolutely smitten with Hannah. It was a tough choice as there are so many adorable cats at Battersea – they all deserve to find wonderful new homes.”

Last year Battersea took in almost 3000 cats. Ros Davies works as a rehomer at Battersea finding perfect homes for the cats that come into the charity’s care. She added: “Hannah has really landed on her paws and has found a fantastic home with Prunella and Timothy. They’ve both got lots of cat experience between them and I’m sure Hannah will be very content living with her new family.”

Yesterday at City Hall in London the World the Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and the London Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit (WCU) announced that they are joining forces in a unique partnership – the first time a charity has directly funded a Met unit.

The deal has helped save the threatened Metropolitan Police´s Wildlife Crime Unit from cuts in an £100,000 arrangement. The unit has warned that animal trafficking is a ´major source of revenue´ for criminals.

As part of the exhibition that accompanied the announcement, was a tragic stuffed tiger cub. Also on display was £200,000 worth of rhino horn and a three metre long polar bear skin.

It is the first time a charity has directly funded a Met Police unit and it is hoped it will lead to more staff being recruited and trained in how to tackle wildlife crime. Police say international crime gangs are attracted to bear bile and tiger parts which are used in some traditional Asian medicines.

They say due to the numbers of rich Asians living in the London, the capital has a market for smuggled animal products.
And, one of the biggest wildlife crimes threats is the demand for rhino horn which some people mistakenly believe can cure cancer. ´This is not some niche, illicit trade carried out by petty part-time villains. ´It is a major source of revenue for a global network of hardened criminals, gangs and drug lords - all growing rich from the trafficking of wildlife and none about to have a crisis of conscience and stop what they are doing.´

Wildlife crime is sickening and only exists because ignorant and selfish people place a huge value on these "products" - a huge part of the demand is based entirely on superstition.

BBC 94.9FM Radio London presenter Paul Ross and his wife Jackie have opened up their home to gorgeous one year old Dogue de Bordeaux Honey from Dogs Trust Harefield. They had been looking for a companion for their dog Gracie, also a Dogue de Bordeaux, and fell for Honey as soon as they met.

Honey came to Dogs Trust from Ireland where she had been neglected by her former owner, leaving her underweight. Luckily, the Ross’ understand the breed and are prepared to give her all the love and attention she needs to get fully healthy. She also gets on well with Gracie, which was extremely important.

Paul said:- “It was love at first sight with Honey bun - as we’ve already started to call her – and she’s the perfect addition to our family. She is just adorable and we are thrilled that we can offer her a new life filled with affection and fun.

We’re very grateful to Dogs Trust for helping us find her and vice versa. We can’t wait to see her settling into our home alongside Gracie.”

It seems that every day the pressure on rescues in the UK is getting worse. Whilst there seems to be no curbs on the unscrupulous breeders who still believe puppies will generate cash, the rescues who have to pick up the pieces are bursting.

The result is huge euthanasia statistics.

In the US a story recently emerged of what happens when a rescue/boarding kennel and possibly a puppy farm too, goes bust and the owners decide to disappear.

Acting on a tip, police raided an abandoned kennel in Summerdale, Alabama last week. They were horrified to find hundreds of starved, dead or neglected animals left to die in their cages.

The owners of Purple Hearted Puppies simply left town and walked away from all the animals relying on them. They were left for over 10 days with no food or water. As news of the abandonment spread, concerned clients returned to retrieve their pets. Some were too late.

“I’ve never seen anything this bad,” said one pet owner, sobbing. “I’m going to have to say may God never forgive them for the tragedy they have created.”

Baldwin County Humane Society executive director Sonja Presley agreed noting that some dog carcasses had been consumed by other starving dogs. “It was survival,” she said. “They cannibalised the other dogs.”

Veterinarians, shelter workers, and police began feeding, cleaning and treating more than 200 neglected dogs, cats, horses and poultry when officials, acting on another tip, found another two dozen neglected animals at the owners’ home in Robertsdale. The owners of Purple Hearted Puppies, Roberta Dueitt and her daughter, Sharon Dueitt, were arrested Thursday night and charged with multiple counts of cruelty to animals.

An appeal has been issued imploring anyone considering adoption to contact the humane society as soon as possible. Foster homes will also be needed in the near future, and supplies are running low: police are asking for pet food donations, blankets, and kennels.

Could this happen here? I wonder.

I mentioned the demise of some well known breeds last week, including the English Setter.

Manchester Terriers, one of Britain’s vulnerable native dog breeds, are to have an art exhibition solely dedicated to them from next month.

‘A Terrier’s Tale, the Manchester Terrier through History’ is coming to the Kennel Club Art Gallery from 6th February to 29th June 2012. It is the Art Gallery’s 21st temporary exhibition and coincides with the British Manchester Terrier Club’s 75th anniversary in 2012.

The Manchester Terrier was bred specifically in the 19th century for rat catching and was employed as the Royal rat catcher and awarded a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria. Unfortunately in recent years the breed has fallen off the public’s radar and last year only 152 Manchester Terrier puppies were registered with the Kennel Club, in contrast to 39,964 Labrador puppies (the UK’s most popular breed).

The Kennel Club Art Gallery is bringing the breed back into the limelight with this special exhibition which will feature historical oil paintings, hand coloured prints, sculptures, vintage photographs, cabinet cards, medals and trophies.

On loan from the Sir John Soane Museum will be a portrait of Mrs Soane and her Manchester Terrier, ‘Fanny’ posthumously painted by John Jackson in 1831. The exhibition is made complete by the rat catching scene at the Blue Anchor Tavern 1850-1852 from the Museum of London - this historically significant oil painting features the Manchester Terrier, ‘Tiny the Wonder’.

Ciara Farrell, Library and Collections Manager at the Kennel Club said: “The Manchester Terrier has a unique and wonderful history in the UK and this exhibition will help to celebrate our charming yet vulnerable breed.

“We will be welcoming a number of fascinating exhibits and are delighted to have received some personal artefacts from Agatha Christie’s family. Agatha Christie was a huge fan of the Manchester Terrier, owning two herself, and in her book ‘Postern of Fate´ she wrote about a Manchester Terrier based on the characteristics of her own dogs. The exhibition will be a must see for any dog lover, art lover or history enthusiast.”

A Terrier’s Tale runs from 6th February until 29th June 2012. The Kennel Club Art Gallery is open Monday – Friday, 9.30am – 4.30pm, by appointment. To book an appointment or for further information please contact the Art Gallery on 020 7518 1064 or e-mail artgallery@thekennelclub.org.uk.

if you´re a dog lover the Kennel Club library is a fascinating place to visit.

Roger Mugford, a well know dog behavourist and campaigner against BSL has contacted everyone he knows regarding the BBC film Death Row Dogs. He says:-

Hi all,
If you hated this programme as much as me, here are the people to make your views known:

Executive producer (BBC): Maxine.watson@bbc.co.uk
Executive producer (Wild pictures production company): paul@wildpictures.co.uk
Producer and Director: Jon@wildpictures.co.uk / john@wildpictures.co.uk

My fear is that we are sleep- walking into yet more restrictions being placed upon ordinary dogs that are a threat to no one – just on the basis of how they look. Staffordshires are the obvious next target.

Best wishes and fight hard for the historic right to have a dog . . .

Roger has also sent out a press release that begins:-

On Tuesday the 24th of January BBC1 aired a programme called “Death Row Dogs”. It was billed as asking “whether the laws work? Why dangerous dogs like the fearsome pit bulls are such an issue? And what can be done to stop the problem getting worse?” (as taken from the BBC1 website).
The film was intended, perhaps, to show the danger of bull breeds in general and of the Pit Bull terrier in particular, as well as to illustrate the bravery of the West Midlands Police in the handling of such potentially difficult operations. It was also used to portray the currently flawed legislation and defend the police for to their seeming inability to protect the public from so-called dangerous dogs.
Dr Mugford and his Company of Animals feel that this film did none of the above. Rather, it misrepresented the pitfalls of the current legislation and showed the Police at their most brutal and their most incompetent when dealing with dogs and their owners. . . .

____________________________________


What were your thoughts about the film - I wont be able to view it till tomorrow.

The Kennel Club have warned that the English Setter risks extinction for the first time, as people shun Native Vulnerable Breeds for fashionable and exotic dogs.

The breed only numbered 234 registrations last year, according to Kennel Club registration statistics released today, a 33 percent decline on 2010. There has been a decline of almost two thirds in the number of English Setters today, compared to ten years ago.

The English Setter joins another 24 breeds on the Kennel Club’s Native Vulnerable Breeds list. A breed is deemed to be at risk of extinction when it numbers less than 300 puppy registrations in a year. The Irish Terrier returned to the list after just tipping 300 registrations in 2010, but the breed declined by 22 percent this year.

As Crufts approaches, the Kennel Club warns against shunning our historic native breeds in favour of more exotic dogs that we fail to understand and for which we are unable to offer the right lifestyle. Last year, around 3,000 dogs were registered, across all 25 Vulnerable Breeds, compared to 1,940 Siberian Huskies.

People are also favouring celebrity dog breeds such as the Chihuahua owned by the likes of Paris Hilton, over old British favourites. More than 6,000 long and short coated Chihuahuas were registered by the Kennel Club in 2011, up by more than a quarter on 2010.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “Celebrities, popular culture and fashion play a big part in today’s society and unfortunately, dogs are not immune from our fickle tastes. The latest victim is the English Setter, a wonderful and loyal breed, while the number of Siberian Huskies have more than trebled in this county in the last 10 years. This unfortunately is reflected in the growing number of exotic breeds seen coming in to our breed rescue societies, as people realise that they can’t give them the exercise, grooming or other care that they need.

The most endangered breed of all is the Otterhound, a large rough-coated dog with a loud, baying call. There were just 38 Otterhound registrations last year (a decline of 33% on 2010).

Pam Marston-Pollock, chair of the UK Otterhound Club, said there were now just three breeders in the UK. An estimated 600 of the dogs remain worldwide, but only a fraction are suitable for breeding.

"As far as the show world is concerned, we don´t have many younger people [involved with] the breed. The established breeders who have been around for 30 years are either dying off or aren´t keeping as many hounds," Ms Marston-Pollock told BBC News. "It´s a sign of the times generally that keeping substantially sized hounds is quite expensive."

She added: "We´re obviously conscious that we´ve got a narrow gene pool... we´ve had a meeting to discuss the possibility of bringing in an outcross with [another breed] to broaden our gene pool."

Such approaches have been successful in the case of Dalmatians, which can be prone to kidney or bladder stones. By outbreeding with a German Pointer, one Dalmatian breeder was able to remove the trait responsible for this health problem.

But people dont hunt otters any more and many pedigree dogs were bred for a purpose - to do a job. Maybe there is nothing for Otterhounds to do anymore. Its sad but maybe thats the way it is?

Other vulnerable native dogs include the Dandie Dinmont terrier (98 registrations, down 35% on 2010) and the Skye terrier (44 registrations in 2011, up 19% on the previous year). Greyfriars Bobby, a 19th Century Edinburgh dog famous for guarding the grave of its former owner, whose story was turned into a novel and two films, was a Skye Terrier.

Ms Kisko said the needs of exotic breeds were poorly understood by many owners. As a result, she said, the Kennel Club had seen an increase in the number of exotic dogs coming in to breed rescue societies when owners realise they are unable to give them the exercise, grooming or other care that they need.

---------------------------------

However the impact of celebrity may have had a positive effect on at least one native vulnerable breed, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, whose registrations shot up by 134 percent in 2011. It is thought that the ‘Royal Wedding effect’ and the breed’s close relation to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, owned by the Queen, may have had an impact.