by Natsuko Fukue Agence France Presse TAKASAKI, Japan (AFP) — Hollywood actor Richard Gere, French film star Alain Delon and Russia’s figure skating sensation Alina Zagitova have one thing in common: They adore Japan’s Akita dogs. And they’re not alone. In recent years, foreign ownership of one of Japan’s most famous indigenous breeds has skyrocketed, outstripping domestic demand for the fluffy, perky-eared pooches. Earlier this year, the trend hit the headlines when Zagitova proclaimed her […]
Tag: Dog
Don’t feed your dog raw meat, study says
PARIS, France (AFP) — Raw meat, touted by some as an easily-digestible, nutrient-filled superfood for domestic dogs and cats, may put not only your pet at risk, but your own health too, researchers warned Friday. A survey of frozen, raw meat products sold at pet stores and supermarkets in the Netherlands, where more than half of dog owners buy such items, revealed worrying levels of bacteria and parasites, a Dutch team reported in the journal […]
Korea dog meat campaigners accused of barking up wrong tree
by Jung Ha-Won Agence France-Presse NAMYANGJU, South Korea (AFP) — Barking at their rescuers, labradors, beagles and mongrels desperately scrambled out of rusty cages in South Korea: saved from the dinner plate by a deal with dog-meat farmer Kim Young-Hwan. In the face of falling demand, Kim agreed to close his establishment in exchange for compensation from US-based Humane Society International (HSI). The dogs are bound for a new life in adoptive homes in the […]
‘Blade runner’ legs give maimed Thai dog new lease on life
PHUKET, Thailand (AFP) — Just over a year after he was maimed for gnawing on someone’s shoes, Cola is romping across a beach on new sleek paws: curved “blade runner” prosthetics modeled on those used by Paralympian sprinters. The former street pup nearly lost his life last year after a Bangkok man hacked off his front legs with a sword in revenge for chewing up his boots. A quick trip to the vet saved Cola […]
What makes a dog man’s best friend? It’s in the genes
by Kerry Sheridan Agence France-Presse MIAMI, United States (AFP) – Dogs that are extra friendly share certain genetic similarities with people who are born with a developmental disorder sometimes called the “opposite of autism,” which makes them hyper social, researchers said Wednesday. The report in the journal Science Advances pinpointed changes in two genes that are related to extreme social behavior in dogs, and also in people who are born with Williams-Beuren Syndrome. People with this […]
Depp may face perjury charges in Australia over ‘dog gate’
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Johnny Depp could face perjury charges in Australia after the deputy prime minister threatened Tuesday to unleash a new chapter in a pet dog case dubbed the “war on terrier.” The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star and his then-wife Amber Heard fell foul of Australia’s strict quarantine laws when they failed to declare her canines Pistol and Boo on arrival in the country on a private jet in 2015. Heard escaped […]
Neapolitan Mastiff is surprise winner in annual ugliest dog contest
CALIFORNIA, United States (Reuters) — The winner of the 2017 annual Ugliest Dog Contest in Petaluma, California, was a far cry from its previous predecessors. Martha, a three-year-old 125-pound (57-kilo) black Neapolitan Mastiff, won the judge’s hearts on Friday (June 23) with her drooping face, out-competing over a dozen fellow contestants including the mostly hairless Chinese Crested breed that normally dominates the annual contest. The Mastiff wins a $1,500 prize, a trophy and a trip […]
For some Californians, it’s bring your dog to work day every day
CALIFORNIA, United States (Reuters) — Many California tech companies are encouraging employees to bring their dogs to the office, saying their presence can boost productivity, relieve stress and improve the work environment. In Los Angeles’ seaside tech hub, an area that encompasses parts of Santa Monica and Venice Beach and is dubbed “Silicon Beach,” the majority of companies are dog-friendly. At GumGum, a Santa Monica internet tech firm specializing in artificial intelligence, for instance, dogs […]
Rabies Month
Michelle Obama takes dogs on last stroll through White House
WASHINGTON, United States (Reuters) — U.S. first lady Michelle Obama took a final stroll through the White House with the family’s two Portuguese Water Dogs in a video she shared on twitter on Thursday (January 19). Mrs. Obama can be seen calling Sunny and Bo over to her, and then walking with them through the presidential mansion she has called home for the past eight years. Four-year-old Sunny made headlines last week after she bit […]
Dogs accompany owner to emergency room
CHIMBOTE, Peru (Reuters) — They really are man’s best friend. After a resident of the central Peruvian coastal city of Chimbote got drunk and hit his head, he needed an ambulance to take him to the area hospital. But a funny thing happened on the way to the trauma room; his two dogs decided to accompany and help their owner. The man, who according to security footage, appeared to be slipping in and out of […]
Dog at German zoo helps rear tiger cub twins abandoned by their mother
STUCKENBROCK, Germany (Reuters) —A dog at a German zoo is helping to rear Bengal tiger cub twins which were abandoned by their mother soon after birth, Safaripark Stukenbrock in northern Germany said on Monday (November 28). One-month-old Peach and Pearl, born over the course of about an hour, were immediately rejected by their mother, said keeper Jeannette Wurms. “The first-born was in critical condition. She was so cold that we couldn’t take her temperature. Her […]





