[KP95DAO]

Four-legged victims of Zimbabwe violence

April 18 2003 at 08:56PM




By Zelda Venter


Batty may just be a mutt and as blind as a bat, but this little dog has first-hand knowledge of the atrocities taking place in Zimbabwe: his eyes were gouged out by militants invading white-owned farms.

While the eight-month-old pup's tale may be tragic, he is one of the lucky ones who were rescued by Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre and brought to Pretoria this week.

In spite of a gruelling 17-hour journey from Harare, Wet Nose staff and volunteers were greeted by 72 wagging tails and 18 tired cats.

As they were taken from their crates each animal was greeted with a biscuit.

"It was a sight to see. The dogs could be heard long before the truck was in sight," Tracy Forte of Wet Nose said.

The 90 animals rescued from the farms were caged up for 22 hours as they had to be loaded hours before the journey started.

On Friday the animals were waiting anxiously to be re-united with family. Many had another gruelling trip ahead as they had to be flown to owners as far away as Cape Town.

But some are not so lucky. About 45 of the dogs and two cats are sitting in their cages waiting for a loving home.

Among them is Batty who has not given up on life and people. Although he has no sight, he wags his tail when he smells a human near his cage.

He has formed a bond with Fiona Manuals, who went to Harare to fetch the animals.

Among the Zimbabwean dogs desperately looking for homes, are Labradors, ridgebacks, Staffies, boerboels and German shepherds.

To give these dogs homes call Manuals at 082 431 1333

[CZ-75]

Not just dogs.

The Mugabe thugs have been raping children too.

[CZ-75]

Death-Defying Dog Recovering From Wounds

Wednesday, April 23, 2003

CLEARLAKE, Calif. ? An 8-month-old puppy is miraculously recovering Wednesday after being hit by a car, shot by a police officer and stuck in a freezer for two hours.

Officer Bob MacDonald shot Dosha, apparently to put her out of her pain, after being run over. She was then placed in an animal control freezer for two hours before someone realized she was still alive.

Veterinarians immediately snapped into action to save Dosha and warm her up after her ordeal.

The cute caramel-colored pup is now being treated with antibiotics for her injuries, and her doctors say she is expected to fully recover.

Bob Chalk, the police chief in Clearlake, Calif., is defending officer MacDonald saying he did nothing wrong when he shot Dosha because the four-legged friend was in pain after her accident.

Dosha's owner, Louetta Mallard, may be cited by police for allowing her dog to run free.

The case remains under investigation by police and Animal Control.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



____________________________

Too bad this guy didn't work for Cookeville.

[Mike Irwin]

I hug my dogs every day. They're my friends, members of my family, and worth more than most humans I know.

[Shalako]

Ditto

[OF]

I hear ya Mike.

As for Zimbabwe, raping children is on the low-end of the atrocity scale over there.

- Gabe

[Azrael256]

I don't have dogs anymore ( :( I miss my beagle), but I'll pass it along to my cats.

Mike, I know exactly what you mean.

[Pilgrim]

My good friends are whippets "Face" and "Dottie." They are brother and sister. They have bed, TV, and popcorn rights.

[Black Dragon]

The more I met people the better I like my Dogs!:D

My dogs have protected my house, my yard(from those nasty birds) and my family. They aren't just pets. They are members of the family and I agree, they have popcorn rights and nice warm beds right in front of the TV. They get hugs every day!:)

[Bulldozer]

I've had the pleaasure and honor to have been the companion/partner (I hate to say owner) of some of the finest dogs to have walked the Earth (of course I am biased). I remember Tequila (German Shepherd) with a great deal of fondness. She had a nose that was incredible! Some of the items she sniffed out were beyond belief.

Some of dad's hounds were incredibly talented hunters. At present, our (wife and me) very best friend is Monique. Monique is a 120-pound female Dogue de Bordeaux.

[BamBam-31]

What Mike said.

[mtnbkr]

My wife is pregnant with our first child. She's at the point where she can feel the baby move, but you can't feel it from the outside yet. Anyway, she was sitting on the couch and the dog had her head on my wife's belly when the baby must've moved. My wife felt it and so did, apparently, the dog (or heard, or sensed). The dog looks up at her as if to say "what the hell was that?", gets up, walks to the other end of the couch, and curls up again.

BTW, Scruffy (she was named that by her previous owners, we adopted her) seems to know what's going on. When we first got her, she bonded to me, but was not nearly as devoted to my wife (friendly and playful, but not as "bonded"). Ever since my wife got pregnant, the dog has been sticking close to my wife, even sleeping in front of the bathroom door when she takes a bath. If my wife gets up from the couch to do laundry, or get something to eat, etc, the dog is right with her. She also got a lot more protective of my wife. For a while there, I couldn't even bend over her to give her a kiss goodbye in the morning without the dog barking and running over to us. We ended that by scolder her when she did it and praising her when she didn't.

Chris

[Master Blaster]

My sheltie follows me everywhere, and greets me when I get out of bed every morning, and lies down next to me when I go to sleep at night.

My whole family hugs her every day.

Its also a real shame about what is happeneing in Zimbabwe for sure. Farms that are being taken over by the people will not be growing much food, and many more will starve there this year as a result.

[Dannyboy]

I've had to put both of my dogs to sleep in the last 2 weeks. I am currently searching for a new one.
People that hurt children and animals deserve to live horribly painful lives.

[Carlos Cabeza]

Yep, dog person here. He's currently enrolled in an L&P class at OU. His major will be interpretaton of the 2nd in the context of 18th century language and communication standards.

[CZ-75]

I've had to put both of my dogs to sleep in the last 2 weeks. I am currently searching for a new one.


Old age? Medical reasons?

I couldn't tell, but it sounded as if someone might have done something to them.

I gave my dog to my mother, since I'd rather he get some attention than live cooped up all day until I get home, since I work too far to go home for lunch anymore.

[Desert Dog]

...or the youngest child... :D

[Jim March]

There's more about the shot pup here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19539

He's actually doing amazingly well, from the video footage I've seen of him. He's an extremely friendly, harmless doggy, too :(.

[Mike Irwin]

My bestest buddy, the only Ruger that I have...

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=86448


And attached is a picture of my other bestest buddy, Nikki...

Bad picture, and she really blends with the carpet. :)

[StuporDave]

After a really hard day at work, it's great to get home and my dogs act like my arrival is the greatest thing ever to happen. Kind of rejuvenating (sp).

Dogs seem to know my house is a good place. They just show up. Our newest one arrived on a nice fall day. All the doors and windows were open to air out the house. I walked into the living room and she was sleeping on the floor. Never could find an owner. She's been here ever since.

I can't imagine my house without dogs around. People that hurt dogs should be......well......I can't think of a way to type it , but you kow what I mean.

Dave

[Jim March]

Dogs are cool and all, but I miss my...

http://www.ferretcentral.org/jpegs/pauly-ball.jpg

:(

[HBK]

Ferrets are cool. I miss my dog. I have a cat that gets all our love now.

[Dannyboy]

Old age? Medical reasons?
CZ-75, it was a combination of both. Nobody did anything to them. Trust me, if somebody had harmed my buddies they would have been a wolrld of hurt!
You know, my house is so strange these days. I'm still doing things that I would do if my dogs were here. The other day, I turned around to give the big dog a piece of pizza crust (his fave) like I always did. Strange, I tell ya.

[coonan357]

when I was married my two rotties (baron & lady ) where my kids , it broke my heart when I had to give them up in the divorce (they where better off with her anyways ) I really took it bad when I found out that the female (lady) died from cancer at 4 years old , but I was in my glory when I found out Baron (the male ) protected my Ex by grabbing and holding down her abusive boyfriend when He tried to hit her in the kitchen one night ( broke the guys arm )I miss the pups . I also miss my ex fiances dogs they where so observant , dogs are a good judge of people and always a good companion, they seem to sense when your having a bad day and come over to say Everything is going to be alright . Hey all of you give your furry fourlegged friend a hug for the coonan man