http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20081006/NEWS01/810060354/1001

On Sunday, a female mixed breed attacked a 2-month old baby and other family members in Waianae. The baby was killed. The mother and another family member are in stable condition.

Neighbors report this family’s dogs were kept in a kennel 90% of the time and would bark and snarl at them when they walked by.

The Hawaiian Humane Society is holding the dog until a decision is made on its future. At this time, the dog’s breed is undetermined although some have stated it was part pitbull.

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This is sad for everyone.   

Leaving a dog in a kennel for most of the time is not the way a dog was meant to live. Dogs have a lot of energy that needs to be released through exercise and mental stimultation. A well-adjusted dog is not one that is stuck in a kennel all day long.

We can speculate what triggered the attack. It could have been the dog felt threatened or territorial, thought the baby was a toy, who knows….

Being a responsible pet owner means that we need to not just feed a pet, but to make sure it has enough exercise, proper veterinary care and mental stimulation to keep the pet from becoming depressed or bored.

Parents should never leave young children unattended with pets.

We should not jump to conclusions that this happened because the dog was said to be a pitbull-mix.  In 2005, a Rottweiler caused two separate attacks against children in Kahala. 

H0pefully everyone can learn prevention against dog bites and proper dog care so this doesn’t happen again.

This orange tabby came along to enjoy the festivities at the 2007 PetWalk. Photo by the Hawaiian Humane Society.

On Sunday, Oct12, people and pets will join together at Magic Island for the Hawaiian Humane Society’s annual PetWalk.

This event is a celebration of the human-animal bond. The HHS acknowledges that animals make our lives better in every way and with our help, they will  continue to provide these services: cruelty investigations, sterilizations, reuniting lost pets with their owners, caring for animals waiting adoption and providing humane education at schools.

Did you know over half  of our state’s households have some kind of pet? Now that’s certainly something to celebrate!

For details about the walk and to download a pledge form, please go to: http://hawaiianhumane.org/news/displayevent.asp?id=345&date=10/12/2008

Here a brief overview of events:

7 a.m.        Registration (Turn in pledges, meet with others in your “pack.”)

7:45 a.m. HHS alumni photo

8 a.m.        Walk begins around Magic Island

9:15 a.m.  Best tricks contest and costume contest.

I can honestly say that I’ve never ever been disappointed at the PetWalk. The wide array of pets, the people and the fun makes it the best event of the year!

I’ll be there. I’m the one that will be making a fool of myself “oohing and aahing” at all the cute pets. 

HonoluluAdvertiser.com:http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20081003/BREAKING/81003045

Everyone knows chicken soup is good for humans, but pandas too??

At the Wuhan Zoo in Central China, two pandas, Xiwang and Wei Wei,  were given chicken soup to help them get over the shock of a busy visitor season and to prepare for the upcoming cold winter season. 

Officials noticed that due to the high visitor traffic to the panda enclosure, the pandas were showing signs of stress such as pacing and not sleeping.

Besides eating bamboo, pandas in the wild have been known to at small birds and insects. At the zoo, they are fed bamboo, milk and buns.

Zoo officials fed them the chicken broth in large bowls to help reduce fatigue and overcome shock.  Officials are delighted that the pandas loved drinking the soup!  

Xiwang and Weiwei are new to the  Wuhan Zoo. They arrived in May when the earthquake damaged the Wolong Nature Preserve.  

I’m glad these two are enjoying the cuisine in their new home!

Hurricane Ike took plenty of victims. One of them was Bob Emery from Florida. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6035391.html

Emery was in Texas assisting in the hurricane relief. He was killed, not during the storm, but afterwards trying to save 3 stranded dogs who were huddled in the middle of a freeway near a median strip. He dashed out to get them and was struck by a motorcycle.

Police officers took the 3 dogs to a shelter and they were reunited with their family.

Emery, 54, lived  in a trailer in Florida, estranged from his family. Authorities are trying to locate them to notify them of his death. If no one is found, Emery will be buried as a pauper.

Local animal organizations are calling Emery a hero and are looking for ways to  honor him. 

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Dear Mr. Emery:   

Thank you so much for saving those dogs.  

Many people wouldn’t think twice about saving an animal. What you did is beyond words.  Thank you for being an example of selflessness and kindness.

The dogs are now back with their family which I’m sure makes you happy.   

God bless you. 

 Leslie 

This past Sunday at 5:30 p.m., I visited the Hawaii Kai Dog Park for the first time. I’m was thrilled to find plenty of happy dogs and very friendly owners.   

There’s something spiritual about being in a place with so much love and contentment. I felt totally at peace. Dogs ran about, owners chatted about their furkids and life just seemed good. I was sorry that the sun went down so quickly. I wish I could have stayed longer.

Here’s some photos of that blissful afternoon:

Posing like a meerkat. Little Girl, a daschund, sits patiently begging for treats. She lives with owners Yoko and Marshall.

Puppy playtime.  Clayton brought his 5 month old pup Taylor to play with new friends.

Mohawk. Kayla’s a terrier mix owned by Doreen and Milton. I couldn’t help admire her unusual hairstyle.

Schipperke fun. This bunch of Schipperkes had a blast at the park with their loving owners.

Roxy and her Tibetan Spaniel, Pema. Pema loves to sit and relax after a full session of playing.

Coby. This 5-month old Jack Russell Terrier-Chihuahua mix looks mostly white from the front but he’s got beautiful golden spots on his back. His mom Pam had to hold him since I couldn’t get this rambunctious puppy to slow down for a photo.

Miniature brothers. Maki and Tatsu are like wind-up toys because they never seem to slow down. Even though they are full-grown, they are really tiny.  Maki weighs 7 lbs and Tatsu weighs only 5 lbs. Here, they pose with dad, Marty and mom, Sibyl.