Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
He's the star quarter bark! Terrier comes out on top at Puppy Bowl VIII
Last updated at 8:10 AM on 6th February 2012
Nine-week-old Fumble, a Chihuahua/Terrier mix, was named Most Valuable Player of this year's Puppy Bowl VIII - the annual mock super bowl show catering to animal lovers and pet adoption.
In an action-packed match left without controversy, Meep the bird, the season's latest addition, took to Twitter minutes after to report some critics saying Aberdeen, the Australian Shepherd Mix as robbed of the title.
Aberdeen completed four 'touchdowns' throughout the program earning him a new Puppy Bowl record according to Meep, having successfully carried any one of the scattered chew toys to a corner of the field four times.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Grandfather who plunged 40ft down ravine into river is rescued by his DOG who helped him to safety before running to pub and barking for help
- Pensioner lay unconscious in water for 'around 15 minutes' after ground gave way
- Grandfather-of-eight suffered six broken ribs and a head injury
- Monty the labradoodle barked until regular at nearby pub followed him back to where his owner lay in agony
By Rob Cooper
Last updated at 1:35 PM on 26th January 2012
From The Daily Mail Today
A pensioner who plunged 40ft down a ravine into a river owes his life to his faithful dog who led him to safety before running to a nearby pub and barking until he raised the alarm.
Maurice Holder, 73, says he was knocked unconscious when the ground gave way beneath him as he walked along a steep river bank with his labradoodle Monty.
When he regained consciousness 15 minutes later he was lying in water up to his chest with a serious head wound and six broken ribs.
But Mr Holder said 11-year-old Monty had stayed loyally by his side and helped him struggle up the ravine from the River Camel in Bodmin, Cornwall.
'My dog saved my life': Maurice Holder, 73, said his dog Monty led him to safety after he fell 40ft down a ravine into the River Camel in Bodmin, Cornwall
When they got to level ground Monty left his owner and ran to the nearby Borough Arms where he barked until he attracted the attention of a regular, who followed him back to where Mr Holder lay in agony.
Mr Holder, a grandfather of eight who lives in Newquay, said: 'We were walking along the river. I was literally standing still with my hands in my pockets listening to the silence and the sound of the river, when suddenly the earth moved.
'There was a tremendous rumble and the whole lot came down with no warning, nothing.
'I just went down - it felt like going down in a lift really fast. I fell about 40ft and landed on a great slab. I don’t know how long I was out for, it could have been around ten to 15 minutes.
Plunge: Mr Holder fell around 40ft down this embankment. When he came round 11-year-old Monty was still by his side and helped him struggle back up the ravine
'I woke up and the tidal water had come up to my chest and I was aware that I was bleeding from my head. I looked around and saw Monty sitting next to me.
'I knew I was in a situation, there was only one way out and that was the way I came in.
'It was very steep. Because all the ground had fallen it was loose, but Monty found a way back up on to firm ground.'
Mr Holder, a retired sales director, said he knew it was critical he got help quickly because he had suffered a head injury.
He added: 'I find it a nice area as you don’t get hordes of people there. But after the fall I had six broken ribs and I thought I could be here for hours or days.
'Monty got me to level ground and then I just lay down to get my breath back and as I did Monty ran away.
Help: A regular at the Borough Arms called an ambulance after Monty ran to the pub, barked until he raised the alarm and led the rescuer back to his owner
'He came back around 15 minutes later with a nice gentleman who helped me back to the car and an ambulance came.'
Mr Holder was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital where he stayed for two days and was treated for head injuries, broken ribs and cuts and bruises to his back.
He added: 'I was a bit of a fright with blood from my head down to my waist. I think the broken ribs were more painful than anything else.
'I have been back a couple of times and when I saw where it happened and how far I fell I couldn’t believe it.
'Monty is absolutely the perfect pet. I wouldn’t say he is always the best behaved but he is loyal and that is what matters - man’s best friend.'
Monday, January 23, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
4H January 21st Bunny show is canceled
ALERT: The Bunny trial has been CANCELED due to flooding, road closures, and a power outage!!
Show will be rescheduled
Trial Canceled
Extreme Agility Team
NADAC Sanctioned Agility Trial
January 20th, 21st, 22nd
Argus Ranch in Auburn, WA
ALERT: The trial has been CANCELED due to flooding, road closures, and a power outage!!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Meet your therapist
Last year Billy the terrier was saved by the kindness of strangers. Now he is repaying the debt by bringing joy to the desperately ill
By Philippa Tomson
Last updated at 8:32 AM on 28th December 2011
Billy Boy in his uniform , all set for his first day 'at work'
Fastening his smart little jacket — slightly baggy at the sides but comfortable — I stand back and beam at Billy with pride. This is his first day at ‘work’ and I’m willing him to do well. As he walks into the room, he is greeted with cries of delight. There are so many smiling faces ready to greet him, he doesn’t know who to approach first. This new boy obviously is a big hit.
Billy, my two-year-old Tibetan Terrier, is on his first official day of duty at St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham as a Pets As Therapy dog. He is there to provide people with terminal or life-limiting illnesses, such as multiple sclerosis, cancer and motor neurone disease with a much deserved and longed-for cuddle.
He is one of more than 5,000 dogs, and a select few cats, working throughout the UK, visiting hospices, hospitals, care homes and special-needs units, providing love and comfort to more than 150,000 desperately ill people, many of whom are missing dearly loved pets back home.
Yet according to Pets As Therapy founder and chief executive Maureen Hennis, these visits provide more than a bit of light relief and can actually help improve the health of patients.
‘The act of stroking a dog reduces both blood pressure and stress levels and brings a little bit of comfort and normality to a life which might be spent mainly in a hospital or hospice,’ she explains.
Maureen launched the charity along with a group of friends in 1983 after becoming convinced of the therapeutic benefits that stroking a pet could bring to patients.
And it’s a role that my dog Billy, I am proud to observe, is embracing with relish. He scampers over to the chair of retired civil servant Beryl Colquhoun, 76.
‘Aren’t you gorgeous!’ she cries. ‘The best looking lad in here, I can tell you.’
Beryl is here to give her husband, Stan, a break from being her full-time carer. Having lost her own dog, Bracken, three years ago, she’s delighted to have a pooch back in her life, albeit briefly.
And she’s not the only one: ‘Didn’t you see the change in people’s faces when he came in? They lit up,’ she remarks, looking about the room. ‘It relaxes you, it takes you out of yourself and it’s something a bit different, something wonderful.’
Soon I feel like we are on a royal visit: so many people are eager to meet Billy, it’s hard to ration out our time. Next in line is Joan Gallent, 72. Like everyone else here, it’s obviously a relief for her to have something else on which to focus and talk about other than illness. ‘I’m a retired nurse so I already know dogs love contact with people,’ she says.
Miracle: Billy after his accident. He escaped from the garden and ran across a dual carriageway, where he was hit by a car with such force that its number plate split
‘He gives you those lovely looks and my heart melts. He makes me feel wanted.’
Such is Billy’s impact that soon members of staff from other departments are popping their heads round the door to see what’s going on. ‘They’ll be talking about this for the rest of the week,’ says day hospice lead nurse Michelle Paris. Many patients are unable to keep a dog themselves, she explains, and miss the interaction.
So how did Billy land this role? As is often the case, it’s all down to me, his proud and pushy parent. I decided to get him approved as a Pets As Therapy dog quite simply because last year, on Christmas Eve, I nearly lost him.
As I’ve already described in this paper earlier in the year, Billy had escaped from the garden of our home and run across a dual carriageway, where he hit a car with such force that the driver’s registration plate snapped in half.
Having suffered two leg fractures, a broken tail, a nasty gash on his forehead and, most worryingly, a near-collapsed lung, no one knew if he would make it. I spent Christmas Eve bolt upright on the sofa dreading the ‘I’m terribly sorry’ phone call from the emergency vet. But that call never came.
In what I can only describe as a Christmas miracle, Billy survived the night and the night after that. We brought him home in a very sorry state on Boxing Day and he remained on full bed rest for six weeks while his fractures healed.
Many dogs fail to make the grade, however good-natured they may be, due to their boisterous behaviour and hyperactive tendencies
Come the spring, he was almost back to his normal self. Soon, his excitement returned whenever I came home and he’d jump up and down like a pogo-stick.
His daily play fights with his big brother, my other Tibetan Terrier, named BG, began again as did his ability to leap eagerly into the car boot for his walks. His tail, which I feared might have to be docked, was now proudly carried high on his back again.
Billy’s amazing recovery and our unbridled relief got me thinking. The fact that he was still here was down to the members of the public who tended him at the roadside in the aftermath of the accident, and the wonderful veterinary staff who nursed him back to health.
So wouldn’t it be appropriate if he gave something back? Plus, his temperament is so gentle and loving that it made sense to share him with others.
I had already done some charity work for our local hospice in my role as an ITV television presenter so it would be an ideal place to visit. I checked out the Pets As Therapy website, filled in the forms and booked an assessment.
No pet can join the register unless they’re assessed, so Billy had some work to do. Many dogs fail to make the grade, however good-natured they may be, due to their boisterous behaviour and hyperactive tendencies. I don’t think my other dog would pass for those very reasons. He would lap up the attention of patients but he would also lap up every crumb on every surface.
Billy, in contrast, is much less naughty so I thought him ideal for this volunteering role.
Philippa with Billy Boy on his first day, left, and Christine McGowan, right, gets a cuddle from the Tibetan Terrier
His assessor was a vet and the test would take place in our local veterinary surgery. Now I know that dogs don’t possess the memory banks of humans, but I know they learn through association. And this was the very place where Billy had been poked and prodded and wired up to all sorts of paraphernalia just eight months previously. No wonder he shivered in my arms as we sat in the waiting room and, for a fleeting moment, my confidence in him wavered.
This assessment was all about temperament and attitude. A nervous, anxious dog could never be trusted in a place like a hospice, with busy corridors and unexpected noises. What’s more, they would never sit still long enough to be patted and stroked by patients.
More...
However, once the assessment began and the vet spoke to him in soothing tones, backed up with titbits, Billy’s nerves evaporated.
Response to being handled? Loved it — tick. Response to a food treat? Gently accepted without mouthing or snatching — tick. Response to a tray being thrown on a floor? Ignored — tick. Behaviour on lead? — minimal command required.
This dog, whose life had hung in the balance not so long ago, ticked every box. Even better, the experience taught him that the veterinary surgery isn’t an intimidating place after all, especially when a few treats are on offer.
Placid: A dog has to go through a variety of tests to see if it has the right temperament to deal with people in a hospice environment
Six weeks later and here we are, or rather, here is Billy. It’s not about me. To all intents and purposes I’m just the driver who spends an hour a week or a fortnight ferrying him from A to B.
I’m not suggesting Billy, or indeed any other dog, can heal people, but he can help them forget their life-limiting condition if only for a few moments while they run their fingers though his soft, sweetly-smelling coat.
Christine McGowan, 42, who has visited the hospice for three years, agrees. She has a rare genetic condition which leaves her confined to a wheelchair so she comes along for a few hours every week and stays for a few days’ respite care every four months.
‘Everyone makes a fuss of a person in a wheelchair,’ she says. ‘It’s nice that I can reciprocate it by making a fuss of dogs like Billy.
‘He keeps people like me calm because he is calm. What he must think of us lot smiling and watching him, though, I’ll never know.’
But it’s Maureen, chief executive of Pets As Therapy, who sums up the valuable work these dogs do.
‘I once visited the same nursing home for 17 years,’ she says. ‘One lady always used to sit by the door every week waiting for my dog to arrive. All she ever said was: “She’s my ray of sunshine, she’s my reason for staying alive”. You don’t forget things like that.’
I only hope these ladies won’t forget their precious moments with Billy. A year ago, I nearly lost him. A year on, I couldn’t be more proud of him.
For more information, contact the Pets As Therapy website by clicking here.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079121/Meet-therapist-Last-year-Billy-terrier-saved-kindness-strangers-Now-repaying-debt-bringing-joy-desperately-ill.html#ixzz1hqJz0SvC
By Philippa Tomson
Last updated at 8:32 AM on 28th December 2011
Billy Boy in his uniform , all set for his first day 'at work'
Fastening his smart little jacket — slightly baggy at the sides but comfortable — I stand back and beam at Billy with pride. This is his first day at ‘work’ and I’m willing him to do well. As he walks into the room, he is greeted with cries of delight. There are so many smiling faces ready to greet him, he doesn’t know who to approach first. This new boy obviously is a big hit.
Billy, my two-year-old Tibetan Terrier, is on his first official day of duty at St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham as a Pets As Therapy dog. He is there to provide people with terminal or life-limiting illnesses, such as multiple sclerosis, cancer and motor neurone disease with a much deserved and longed-for cuddle.
He is one of more than 5,000 dogs, and a select few cats, working throughout the UK, visiting hospices, hospitals, care homes and special-needs units, providing love and comfort to more than 150,000 desperately ill people, many of whom are missing dearly loved pets back home.
Yet according to Pets As Therapy founder and chief executive Maureen Hennis, these visits provide more than a bit of light relief and can actually help improve the health of patients.
‘The act of stroking a dog reduces both blood pressure and stress levels and brings a little bit of comfort and normality to a life which might be spent mainly in a hospital or hospice,’ she explains.
Maureen launched the charity along with a group of friends in 1983 after becoming convinced of the therapeutic benefits that stroking a pet could bring to patients.
And it’s a role that my dog Billy, I am proud to observe, is embracing with relish. He scampers over to the chair of retired civil servant Beryl Colquhoun, 76.
‘Aren’t you gorgeous!’ she cries. ‘The best looking lad in here, I can tell you.’
Beryl is here to give her husband, Stan, a break from being her full-time carer. Having lost her own dog, Bracken, three years ago, she’s delighted to have a pooch back in her life, albeit briefly.
And she’s not the only one: ‘Didn’t you see the change in people’s faces when he came in? They lit up,’ she remarks, looking about the room. ‘It relaxes you, it takes you out of yourself and it’s something a bit different, something wonderful.’
Soon I feel like we are on a royal visit: so many people are eager to meet Billy, it’s hard to ration out our time. Next in line is Joan Gallent, 72. Like everyone else here, it’s obviously a relief for her to have something else on which to focus and talk about other than illness. ‘I’m a retired nurse so I already know dogs love contact with people,’ she says.
Miracle: Billy after his accident. He escaped from the garden and ran across a dual carriageway, where he was hit by a car with such force that its number plate split
‘He gives you those lovely looks and my heart melts. He makes me feel wanted.’
Such is Billy’s impact that soon members of staff from other departments are popping their heads round the door to see what’s going on. ‘They’ll be talking about this for the rest of the week,’ says day hospice lead nurse Michelle Paris. Many patients are unable to keep a dog themselves, she explains, and miss the interaction.
So how did Billy land this role? As is often the case, it’s all down to me, his proud and pushy parent. I decided to get him approved as a Pets As Therapy dog quite simply because last year, on Christmas Eve, I nearly lost him.
As I’ve already described in this paper earlier in the year, Billy had escaped from the garden of our home and run across a dual carriageway, where he hit a car with such force that the driver’s registration plate snapped in half.
Having suffered two leg fractures, a broken tail, a nasty gash on his forehead and, most worryingly, a near-collapsed lung, no one knew if he would make it. I spent Christmas Eve bolt upright on the sofa dreading the ‘I’m terribly sorry’ phone call from the emergency vet. But that call never came.
In what I can only describe as a Christmas miracle, Billy survived the night and the night after that. We brought him home in a very sorry state on Boxing Day and he remained on full bed rest for six weeks while his fractures healed.
Many dogs fail to make the grade, however good-natured they may be, due to their boisterous behaviour and hyperactive tendencies
Come the spring, he was almost back to his normal self. Soon, his excitement returned whenever I came home and he’d jump up and down like a pogo-stick.
His daily play fights with his big brother, my other Tibetan Terrier, named BG, began again as did his ability to leap eagerly into the car boot for his walks. His tail, which I feared might have to be docked, was now proudly carried high on his back again.
Billy’s amazing recovery and our unbridled relief got me thinking. The fact that he was still here was down to the members of the public who tended him at the roadside in the aftermath of the accident, and the wonderful veterinary staff who nursed him back to health.
So wouldn’t it be appropriate if he gave something back? Plus, his temperament is so gentle and loving that it made sense to share him with others.
I had already done some charity work for our local hospice in my role as an ITV television presenter so it would be an ideal place to visit. I checked out the Pets As Therapy website, filled in the forms and booked an assessment.
No pet can join the register unless they’re assessed, so Billy had some work to do. Many dogs fail to make the grade, however good-natured they may be, due to their boisterous behaviour and hyperactive tendencies. I don’t think my other dog would pass for those very reasons. He would lap up the attention of patients but he would also lap up every crumb on every surface.
Billy, in contrast, is much less naughty so I thought him ideal for this volunteering role.
Philippa with Billy Boy on his first day, left, and Christine McGowan, right, gets a cuddle from the Tibetan Terrier
His assessor was a vet and the test would take place in our local veterinary surgery. Now I know that dogs don’t possess the memory banks of humans, but I know they learn through association. And this was the very place where Billy had been poked and prodded and wired up to all sorts of paraphernalia just eight months previously. No wonder he shivered in my arms as we sat in the waiting room and, for a fleeting moment, my confidence in him wavered.
This assessment was all about temperament and attitude. A nervous, anxious dog could never be trusted in a place like a hospice, with busy corridors and unexpected noises. What’s more, they would never sit still long enough to be patted and stroked by patients.
More...
- Oh deer! Utah family get surprise Christmas visit from one of Santa's runaways
- On a canned food drive: Gang of Siberian Tigers ambush keepers' truck as they prepare for feeding time
However, once the assessment began and the vet spoke to him in soothing tones, backed up with titbits, Billy’s nerves evaporated.
Response to being handled? Loved it — tick. Response to a food treat? Gently accepted without mouthing or snatching — tick. Response to a tray being thrown on a floor? Ignored — tick. Behaviour on lead? — minimal command required.
This dog, whose life had hung in the balance not so long ago, ticked every box. Even better, the experience taught him that the veterinary surgery isn’t an intimidating place after all, especially when a few treats are on offer.
Placid: A dog has to go through a variety of tests to see if it has the right temperament to deal with people in a hospice environment
Six weeks later and here we are, or rather, here is Billy. It’s not about me. To all intents and purposes I’m just the driver who spends an hour a week or a fortnight ferrying him from A to B.
I’m not suggesting Billy, or indeed any other dog, can heal people, but he can help them forget their life-limiting condition if only for a few moments while they run their fingers though his soft, sweetly-smelling coat.
Christine McGowan, 42, who has visited the hospice for three years, agrees. She has a rare genetic condition which leaves her confined to a wheelchair so she comes along for a few hours every week and stays for a few days’ respite care every four months.
‘Everyone makes a fuss of a person in a wheelchair,’ she says. ‘It’s nice that I can reciprocate it by making a fuss of dogs like Billy.
‘He keeps people like me calm because he is calm. What he must think of us lot smiling and watching him, though, I’ll never know.’
But it’s Maureen, chief executive of Pets As Therapy, who sums up the valuable work these dogs do.
‘I once visited the same nursing home for 17 years,’ she says. ‘One lady always used to sit by the door every week waiting for my dog to arrive. All she ever said was: “She’s my ray of sunshine, she’s my reason for staying alive”. You don’t forget things like that.’
I only hope these ladies won’t forget their precious moments with Billy. A year ago, I nearly lost him. A year on, I couldn’t be more proud of him.
For more information, contact the Pets As Therapy website by clicking here.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079121/Meet-therapist-Last-year-Billy-terrier-saved-kindness-strangers-Now-repaying-debt-bringing-joy-desperately-ill.html#ixzz1hqJz0SvC
Friday, December 23, 2011
It's a dog's Life
The golden retriever in a world of bliss at bath time
By Charles Walford
Last updated at 2:25 PM on 23rd December 2011
Most dogs see bathtime as something to be endured rather than enjoyed
But Casper the golden retriever loves nothing better than a nice warm bath - with a massage from a loved one thrown in for good measure.
And where other dogs would be inclined to leap from the water and leave a trail of bubbles over the carpet, Casper simply submerges himself in the soapy waters and lets his owner get on the task of making him shine.
And just like his human counterparts relaxing after a tough day at the office, Casper even lies with his head underwater, letting his troubles wash away.
Scroll down for video
Casper appears to be in a state of total bliss as his owner gives him a bath
Perhaps a day of chasing his tail, fetching sticks and generally acting adorably has taken its toll, or he needs to unwind from the pressure of being man's best friend.
Either way he appears to be in a state of total bliss as his willing owner washes his hair and strokes his tummy.
More...
The video was posted on Youtube by a user who said they got Casper from Y Rock Ranch in Arizona.
And to allay the fears of those who said that using human shampoo could hurt Casper, his loving owners reveal they use a specialist ‘oatmeal baking soda’ shampoo.
At one point Casper submerges his head, with his eyes fully underwater
The pampered golden retriever gazes up lovingly at his owner as he enjoys his luxurious bath
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2077942/Its-dogs-life-The-golden-retriever-world-bliss-bath-time.html#ixzz1hN2gX5sc
By Charles Walford
Last updated at 2:25 PM on 23rd December 2011
Most dogs see bathtime as something to be endured rather than enjoyed
But Casper the golden retriever loves nothing better than a nice warm bath - with a massage from a loved one thrown in for good measure.
And where other dogs would be inclined to leap from the water and leave a trail of bubbles over the carpet, Casper simply submerges himself in the soapy waters and lets his owner get on the task of making him shine.
And just like his human counterparts relaxing after a tough day at the office, Casper even lies with his head underwater, letting his troubles wash away.
Scroll down for video
Casper appears to be in a state of total bliss as his owner gives him a bath
Perhaps a day of chasing his tail, fetching sticks and generally acting adorably has taken its toll, or he needs to unwind from the pressure of being man's best friend.
Either way he appears to be in a state of total bliss as his willing owner washes his hair and strokes his tummy.
More...
- Santa's little yelpers: Eight pups pining for new home for Christmas
- The cub who simply can't bear waking up: Super-cute polar bear rejected by mother his mother is the new Knut
The video was posted on Youtube by a user who said they got Casper from Y Rock Ranch in Arizona.
And to allay the fears of those who said that using human shampoo could hurt Casper, his loving owners reveal they use a specialist ‘oatmeal baking soda’ shampoo.
At one point Casper submerges his head, with his eyes fully underwater
The pampered golden retriever gazes up lovingly at his owner as he enjoys his luxurious bath
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2077942/Its-dogs-life-The-golden-retriever-world-bliss-bath-time.html#ixzz1hN2gX5sc
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Sorry, the airport's dogbound! Flights delayed as staff try to catch whippet on runway
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:12 AM on 20th December 2011
A whippet who had escaped its owners forced a major airport runway to be closed, delaying flights while staff chased it across the tarmac.
Twelve flights were delayed and one passenger jet diverted 100 miles to find a landing spot after the dog strayed on to Manchester Airport's airfield.
The whippet escaped its owners while out for walkies nearby. Bolting past a guarded entrance, it fled into a cargo area at the international airport - the largest outside London.
Fast: With a top speed of 35mph, a whippet led Manchester Airport staff on a chase that left 12 flights delayed and one diverted 100 miles. (Library photo)
Frantic staff spent 40 minutes chasing the nimble hound across the the airfield, which has approximately the same area as Manchester City Centre.
Whippets boast a top speed of up to 35mph.
During the chase, airport chiefs took the decision to shut the runway for safety reasons, forcing 12 take-offs to be delayed and a Turkish Airlines jet to be diverted to Birmingham.
More...
- Going Viral: Fenton gets a festive makeover....
- Handbag dogs who are bred for their looks are 'born to suffer', says RSPCA
- A dog for Christmas is a recipe for stolen puddings, strained friendships... and glorious love and laughter
- Woman blames family's misfortune on Princess the Poodle who was 'possessed by the devil'
A spokesman for the airport told MailOnline that the dog's owner had let it off the leash to put it into the car to go home when the animal bolted.
Gary Brown, the airport's duty manager, told the Manchester Evening News: 'It took some time to catch it. The airfield is obviously quite a big area.
'Because of the delay there was a build up of flights and we had to suspend a Turkish Airways flight from Istanbul. It was diverted to Birmingham, refuelled and has now made its way up here.
'Basically, if there is any lost animal on the runway, we have to stop all flights straight away.'
Shut down: The dog took 40 minutes to capture after it ran loose on the airfield at Manchester Airport - the busiest airport outside London
The whippet was eventually caught and returned to its owners.
It's the second time this year an escaped animal has sparked chaos at the airport.
A flamingo forced a runway to close in July after evading capture for five hours before flying off.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076446/Beware-dog-Flights-delayed-airport-staff-try-catch-whippet-runway.html#ixzz1h5qIkRqV
Friday, December 16, 2011
Look who's all grown up!
Puppies found abandoned in the snow last Christmas Eve reunited after surviving against the odds
By Richard Hartley-parkinson
Last updated at 1:22 PM on 16th December 2011
They were found after being abandoned in the snow last Christmas Eve. Lost, starving and alone, the tiny puppies had been left for dead during one of the coldest winters on record.
But a year on, the MailOnline has caught up with Brandy and Pudding, now fully grown and leading happy lives with their new owners.
The puppies were both aged around 12 weeks when they were rescued last winter and taken to the Dogs Trust in Newbury, Berkshire.
What a difference a year makes: Brandy (left) and Pudding (right) look a lot healthier after being rescued and adopted by caring owners
Cold, hungry and left to die: Brandy and Pudding were cruelly dumped by their owners and left to fend for themselves in the snow
Dedicated staff gave them round-the-clock care over the festive period and they were re-homed early this year.
Now Pudding and Brandy have been brought together for a Christmas reunion at the Dogs Trust.
Manager Maureen Iggleden said: 'Pudding and Brandy survived against all odds and they now lead happy and healthy lives with their new owners.
More...
'Not all puppies are so lucky and we urge anyone thinking of buying a puppy for Christmas to consider the responsibility as they require a lot of time and commitment and can live for up to 16 years.
'Puppies should never be given as gifts and Pudding and Brandy highlight the dangers of impulse puppy purchases.'
Brandy, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, was severely underweight when he was rescued in Reading, Berkshire, while Pudding, a Boxer cross, was found in woodland with a distended stomach.
After being nursed back to health the puppies were found new homes - Brandy now lives with Mark Wright in Berkshire while Pudding is in the care of Kat Eighteen.
Dog carer Jess Ockwell with Brandy and Pudding before they were found new owners
Miss Iggleden said staff had been shocked at the way the puppies had been abandoned.
She said when they were found last year: 'We suspect Brandy and Pudding may have been bought as Christmas presents and dumped when their owners realised the work involved in looking after a puppy.
'Our centre looks after hundreds of abandoned and unwanted dogs every year but it still shocks us to think that someone could so callously abandon a puppy, especially in these weather conditions.'
Dogs Trust chief executive Clarissa Baldwin, who coined the slogan 'A dog is for life not just for Christmas', added: 'Sadly there are still people out there who think pets are as disposable as Christmas wrapping paper.'
Click here to visit the Dogs Trust
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2074926/Puppies-abandoned-freezing-snow-Christmas-Eve-reunited-surviving-odds.html#ixzz1gi3JbedC
By Richard Hartley-parkinson
Last updated at 1:22 PM on 16th December 2011
They were found after being abandoned in the snow last Christmas Eve. Lost, starving and alone, the tiny puppies had been left for dead during one of the coldest winters on record.
But a year on, the MailOnline has caught up with Brandy and Pudding, now fully grown and leading happy lives with their new owners.
The puppies were both aged around 12 weeks when they were rescued last winter and taken to the Dogs Trust in Newbury, Berkshire.
What a difference a year makes: Brandy (left) and Pudding (right) look a lot healthier after being rescued and adopted by caring owners
Cold, hungry and left to die: Brandy and Pudding were cruelly dumped by their owners and left to fend for themselves in the snow
Dedicated staff gave them round-the-clock care over the festive period and they were re-homed early this year.
Now Pudding and Brandy have been brought together for a Christmas reunion at the Dogs Trust.
Manager Maureen Iggleden said: 'Pudding and Brandy survived against all odds and they now lead happy and healthy lives with their new owners.
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'Not all puppies are so lucky and we urge anyone thinking of buying a puppy for Christmas to consider the responsibility as they require a lot of time and commitment and can live for up to 16 years.
'Puppies should never be given as gifts and Pudding and Brandy highlight the dangers of impulse puppy purchases.'
Brandy, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, was severely underweight when he was rescued in Reading, Berkshire, while Pudding, a Boxer cross, was found in woodland with a distended stomach.
After being nursed back to health the puppies were found new homes - Brandy now lives with Mark Wright in Berkshire while Pudding is in the care of Kat Eighteen.
Dog carer Jess Ockwell with Brandy and Pudding before they were found new owners
Miss Iggleden said staff had been shocked at the way the puppies had been abandoned.
She said when they were found last year: 'We suspect Brandy and Pudding may have been bought as Christmas presents and dumped when their owners realised the work involved in looking after a puppy.
'Our centre looks after hundreds of abandoned and unwanted dogs every year but it still shocks us to think that someone could so callously abandon a puppy, especially in these weather conditions.'
Dogs Trust chief executive Clarissa Baldwin, who coined the slogan 'A dog is for life not just for Christmas', added: 'Sadly there are still people out there who think pets are as disposable as Christmas wrapping paper.'
Click here to visit the Dogs Trust
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2074926/Puppies-abandoned-freezing-snow-Christmas-Eve-reunited-surviving-odds.html#ixzz1gi3JbedC
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