The Week: Most Recent animals

The genetic mystery behind dog DNA

The Week — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:59:00 -0400

Dogs may be man's best friend, but science understands very little about their origin. The central question of where domesticated dogs came from "might not be as important as the origin of the universe," says James Gorman at the New York Times, but it "almost seems harder to answer." And a new study has only left evolutionary experts with even more questions. Here, a brief look at the great canine mystery:

What do we know?
The consensus is that dogs likely descended from wolves and were the first animals that humans domesticated. The first canine pets probably appeared in Asia or Africa (or both...

The $60,000 custody battle... over a dog

The Week — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:39:00 -0400

Breaking up is hard to do. And for Craig Dershowitz, it's getting awfully expensive. The 34-year-old New Yorker's ex-girlfriend, Sarah Brega, took their dog, Knuckles, when she moved to California after their split, and he's suing to get the puggle — half pug, half beagle — back. So far, he has spent $60,000 on the cross-country legal fight. Here, a brief guide to this canine custody battle, and the increasing number of cases just like it:

Why is this guy so desperate to get his dog back?
Dershowitz says Knuckles is more than a pet to him... the animal is his "son," his "baby boy," his...

Should animal abusers be treated like sex offenders?

The Week — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:08:00 -0400

Suffolk County, N.Y., has become the first local government in the nation to launch an animal abuser registry, and New York state itself is considering a bill that would require sheriffs in every county to notify anyone living within a half mile of a convicted animal abuser. Should such a system be implemented nationwide, or have animal-rights activists gone overboard? Here, a brief guide:

How do animal abuse registries work?
They're similar to registries for sex offenders, although not identical. Suffolk County plans to post convicted animal abusers' names, addresses, and photographs online...

Tattoos... for your dog?

The Week — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:03:00 -0400

Getting your dog a salon wash and haircut, pedicure, or even a fruit facial isn't considered pampering anymore, at least according to the National Association of Professional Creative Groomers (NAPCG), a group that advocates brightly colored dye jobs for the discriminating poodle, lab, or golden retriever — or even a dog tattoo. Not a real tattoo — imagine getting a dog to sit still through a long session of ink-dipped needling. These intricate canine designs are airbrushed on your pooch (ideally one with pale fur) using a stencil and special pet-friendly dye. Here's a brief guide:...

Uggie the dog's pop-culture takeover: A timeline

The Week — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:33:00 -0400

Nearly a year ago, a 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier named Uggie scampered into the spotlight when silent film The Artist had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. In the months since, the scene-stealing canine has enjoyed a guerilla Oscar campaign and a gig as Nintendo's pitchdog, and, now, is the benefactor of a brand new book deal. Here, a look back at the year in Uggie:

April 21, 2011
Water for Elephants hits theaters. Based on the novel by Sara Gruen, the film stars Reese Witherspoon and Twilight's Robert Pattinson as two love-crossed members of a Depression-era traveling circus...

Driving with a dog on your lap: As dangerous as texting?

The Week — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:50:00 -0400

Texting behind the wheel may be the new drunk driving, but it appears we have a furry front in the war on unsafe motoring, too: Keeping dogs off drivers' laps. Driving with an unrestrained pet in the front seat is apparently widespread enough, and dangerous enough, that at least two states — Rhode Island and Tennessee — are considering bans on the practice. Here, a look at the issue of driving while under a dog, and why people are trying to stop it:

How widespread is this problem?
A 2010 survey from AAA has some pretty jarring numbers: 21 percent of drivers who transported their...

'Pet Fit Club': The Biggest Loser for fat pets?

The Week — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:45:00 -0400

Fifi has a snacking problem. Jack can barely walk. Bobby's double chin prevents her from cleaning herself properly. And these are just three of the 18 contestants with serious weight problems in Britain's "Pet Fit Club" competition. Taking a page from the popular American weight-loss reality TV show The Biggest Loser, a U.K. veterinary charity is putting morbidly obese dogs, cats, and rabbits on a strict diet and exercise regimen to get them back to a healthy weight. (See a video below.) Here's what you should know:

How big of a problem is pet obesity?
Very big. Excess pounds may make our...

8 dogs who saved their owner's lives

The Week — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 07:10:00 -0400

Dog lovers like to point out that their four-legged friends are the most loyal companions a person could ever need. That loyalty can sometimes mean the difference between life and death, like in the instance of Staten Island, N.Y., pit bull Kilo, who recently put his own life on the line to save his owner from an armed attacker. Kilo isn't the first canine companion to save his owner from danger. Here, a list of eight dogs that earned extra doggie treats the hard way:

1. Kilo, the crime-fighter
On March 31, a robber disguised as a FedEx deliveryman showed up at the apartment of Staten Island resident...

The amazing dog that saved its own life by calling the police

The Week — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:46:00 -0400

One reason dogs are called man's best friend: They often save human lives. But George, a 2-year-old basset hound in West Yorkshire, England, has reworked that well-worn script a bit, literally calling for help to save himself. Home alone, the playful pup managed to wrap the phone cord tightly around his neck, then somehow dialed 999 — the British equivalent of 911 — to set up his own rescue. Here's the story of this "amazing dog," and his "insanely heart-exploding" adventure:

What happened?
George had knocked the phone to the floor and was strangling himself with the handset's...

Frank Lloyd Wright's 'first and only' doghouse

The Week — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:40:00 -0400

Renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed wonderous structures such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City and the Fallingwater home in southwestern Pennsylvania. But, as California resident Jim Berger tells the Associated Press, Wright also once designed a doghouse — the "first and only" time he was known to have done so. Here, a brief guide:

Why did Wright design a doghouse?
In the 1950s, Wright designed a home for Berger's family in San Anselmo, Calif. When that was complete, 12-year-old Jim wrote a letter in June 1956 to the architect asking if he would design a doghouse...

The dog who's registered to vote as a Democrat

The Week — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:36:00 -0500

It's official: the 2012 election has gone to the dogs. A New Mexico man has registered his 3-year-old black Labrador, Buddy, to vote. Here, five burning questions:

How, exactly, did Buddy register to vote?
It was easy. Buddy's owner told KOB Eyewitness News 4 in Albuquerque that he was walking past a booth registering voters at the University of New Mexico, and decided to see how hard it would be to use phony information to register. "I made up a birth date [for Buddy], and I made up a social security number," the man, who requested anonymity, told the TV station, "and I had a voter registration...

Hank: The tie-wearing cat running for U.S. Senate

The Week — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:15:00 -0500

The video: Former Virginia governors Tim Kaine (D) and George Allen (R) are used to the bloodsport of politics, ruthlessly bruising each other as they vie to fill the Senate seat being vacated by Jim Webb (D). But has either ever faced an opponent with nine lives? Enter Hank, a tie-wearing cat that is taking the state by storm with a promise to create jobs and put "milk in every bowl." Describing himself as a "proud Independent," Hank promises to bring "real world experience, a unique point of view, and limitless energy" to the position. Hank's owner says the cat's candidacy began as an "...

DOGTV: The cable network for 'home alone' dogs

The Week — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:19:00 -0500

"Television is going to the dogs," says Ben Forer at ABC News. That's thanks to DOGTV, a "whole new breed" of cable channel making its debut in San Diego. Developed exclusively for a canine audience, DOGTV advertises itself as the "ideal babysitter" for dogs who have to stay home alone. (Watch an introductory video below.) In addition to keeping your dog company, DOGTV claims to help "prevent mental fatigue, depression, and boredom." Here, a guide to this new network:

What sort of shows are on DOGTV?
DOGTV has three kinds of programs, writes Terry Gardner at the Los Angeles Times: "Stimulation...

The best of the Westminster Dog Show: A slideshow

The Week — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:18:00 -0500

The canine elite trotted into New York City early this week for the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. After two days of fur-friendly events, a Pekingese named Malachy (pictured) snagged the coveted Best in Show title. Here's a look at the stiff competition and what goes on behind the scenes when dog divas congregate.

Can cats make their owners schizophrenic?

The Week — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:00:00 -0500

A temperamental feline can seem maddening. But a growing body of research suggests that a brain parasite idling in some litter boxes could really be leading unknowing cat owners to mental disorders, including bouts with schizophrenia. Kathleen McAuliffe says in this month's issue of The Atlantic that Toxoplasma gondii, commonly found in cat feces, could be infecting as many as a million people a year. Here, a brief guide:

Wait — a parasite in cat feces?
Yes. It's long been known that T. gondii is a "major threat" to people with weak immune systems, including the elderly and pregnant women...

Should Toto be Kansas' official state dog?

The Week — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:45:00 -0500

More than 70 years after the filming of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy's faithful canine companion, Toto, may finally get the ultimate homage. A local Kennel Club chairwoman has convinced her state representative to introduce a bill that designates the cairn terrier, Toto's breed, as the official dog of Kansas, Dorothy's home state. While the bill has hurdles to clear before it can become a law, it seems that the terrier's state honor isn't out of reach. Here, a guide to the state's "symbolic" effort:

Why Toto?
Kansas dog lovers figured that their state, which already has a state animal (the buffalo...