Panto

the poor parents!! and dogs too. How does someone get to that kind of state to do those things???

Hi Is this still needed? I have a friend who's keen. Loves dogs, works as an ambo and lives up that way.

Oh wow... the poor dog and the poor family. If I was told that not only was my girl sick with something cureable or not, but that she wouldnt be treated, she was going to be put down, it was the law and I wasn't given an option to provide her with anything within my means for her to get better (and keep her from infecting any other being), I am not sure i could recover from that. I had to google Hendra to see what it was, a few links for anyone who would rather just click: from QLD health: http://access.health.qld.gov.au/hid/InfectionsandParasites/ViralInfections/hendraVirusInfection_fs.asp CSIRO: (pretty comprehensive) http://www.csiro.au/science/Hendra-Virus.html QLD Dept Primary Industry and Fisheries: http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/4790_11127.htm

www.betterworldbooks.com there is a flat delivery charge, but often the total amount is comparible to those with free shipping, and I find they're fantastic if you don't mind a second hand book that's a bit hard to find. I love them because profits go to world literacy causes and they save books from going to landfill (ie from libraries etc). They are US based and I receive books usually within the 1 week mark.

What on earth was in those convoluted submissions saying he was trying to put the dog out of it's misery?! There was most definitely intent there, he had enough forethought to tell the vet to take the meds off the account, "won't need them" before taking Gracie home and committing this heinous act. Did he also leave other treatments unpaid?!

love it!!! - but i have to be cheeky and ask... husbands? ;) I tried to allude to this in my first post but couldnt think of a way to put it without thinking I might offend someone. Superficially, it says to me how much general effort has been put in to the kids (fur/skin), although you do have to factor for the times when the parents really have gone to the ends of the earth and have well and truly run out of 'give a sh1t'. Here here! definitely well put. And I have a silly mental image of the 'quick reward' of sweets being shoved quick smart into a kid's mouth for doing the right thing...

Hoping there aren't any idiotic copycats, it won't end well.

Wow this story just keeps on evolving / changing. I can't see sandgrubber's link, but from the comments that are following, I just think, poor dog that ended up in that situation. Also very horrible that all this resulted in the death of a human being too.

I suppose I've never seen a dog throw a tantrum quite like those supermarket ones you see on tv! Can you imagine?! haha.. I have mental images of doggie tantrums... Well done Sid on your good manners! Hope the surgery went well and you're all better now!

damp rubber gloves or a damp chux is good too... you could even add a few drops of eucalyptus oil (if it wont damage your specific upholstery) and bicarb soda to help with any lingering smells non-dog people tend to detect!

baaahahahahaha.... I was hoping the answers would more be somewhere along the lines of 'yes it can be quite similar and just as easy'... I suppose I've had it easy with my furkid and pretty much have these expectations for the human kind... 'uh-oh' comes to mind. maybe I'll just stick to the fur-variety! haha...

some good insight here, and food for thought I hadn't considered before! keep em coming I agree with the bolded part I have two dogs and two kids. All are behaved well enough to take out in public. My children have their fair share of *ahem* moments, but they are generally well adjusted little guys. There are similarities between how I 'train' my kids and my dogs (consistency, NILF, complete and utter stubborness etc). One of the big differences is that you can't crate your kids though, bugger it. huga - would you say your family/peers think you have exemplary kids/dogs? (or, I suppose not leaving you much room to be humble, do they allude to that?) A little from column A and a little from column B. My two children have been brought up the same way but i quite different. what works for one doesn't work another. But that said some parents believe their children are just being children, but really they're being right royal brats who don't know what a consequence is. My kids aren't great but they know there are rules and they test the rules. The difference is that kids really do adapt and try new things while in my experience kind of says that once a dog is trained and you keep up with your rules with them, then they're good to go. Kids have 17 years of switching, changing, evolving and testing. its a lot for a parent to adapt to. good point actually... I think there are more likely to be kids that will test the waters more than a dog would. Of course, exceptions to every rule, but I'll conceid to the fact that the human variety would excel in stubborness better than the furbaby kind! (No doubt there could be some good examples out there to prove me wrong! haha)

Horrific situation for all concerned... but does raise a lot of questions. http://www.smh.com.au/world/wife-kills-husband-while-trying-to-shoot-puppy-20110717-1hjod.html

I'm curious... for those of you with kids and dogs, was one easier to raise than the other? And to train / teach them good manners? I've just the one child of the canine variety, but often wonder if it's lazy parenting resulting in kids with bad manners just like a lazy/irresponsible dog owner leaves you with a dog with bad manners. Does anyone else ponder this comparison or have I just gone to the dogs... ;)

I agree that violation of civil rights is an issue, and a signalling dog may be the instrument, but where the determination to execute a search exists, doesnt the problem lie in the fact that the handlers/officers in question are acting in this manner? The issue would then be a matter of readdressing the behaviour of the handlers/officers and the supervisory and governance around these units?? Top stuff on writing in and getting a response. But, if the journalist in the original article for this topic has quoted Mr. Shoebridge, it looks like his response was a redirection of what his original topic was, reference to civil claims was only fleeting... <BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

awww... that's so lovely..! Thanks for sharing

That is so cute:) How do you make a dog cake? I used the top recipe here. http://www.dog-treat...ay-cake-recipes but forgotthe baking soda which I think is why mine was flat, it smelt awesome though. Thanks for sharing! We haven't had doggie-cake before, will have to try that this year!

Did someone say birthday? ;) Panto gets wrapped pressies, sometimes her own party or we have a joint one (her birthday is the day after mine). If the weather is good she gets definitely gets a trip to her favourite dog park+beach. And she usually gets pressies from her humans and people-relatives for birthday/christmas too!

Wow... what an amazing journey... well done K9Angel..! I thought i would read the first couple posts to get an idea for the beginnings... and all 12 pages later... all I can say is wow... some very lucky huskies to have crossed your path! Thank you

Nice one! Couldnt help but think that they were scraping the barrell for issues to bring up, or seemed like it was an immature speech written the night before it had to be presented with very little thought put into it. Dear Greens. Back to the drawing board and think tank please.

It also says that this legal action was taken " under new Australian Consumer Laws ", which says to me, if reported correctly, that previous laws did not allow for such legal action to be taken (successfully?). I do agree with Steve that this does seem like a joke, the punishment does not fit the crime, enforceable consumer law (in such a circumstance as this) still has a ways to go. Alas it is a consumer law rather which takes into account buyer/purchaser rights rather than a consideration for the product in question (as much as I hate to put it that way) which is a living breathing animal.

No doubt that may be the case on some farms, but there isn't enough in the article to gauge how the killing is taking place. Of course, being dog lovers on this forum, it is something we prefer wasn't happening at all.

Not enough. and the 'consequences' (fines/court orders) just aren't harsh enough nor are they enforced enough.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/aussiess-guide-dog-attacked-in-nz-20110708-1h5gl.html Aussies's guide dog attacked in NZ July 8, 2011 - 8:49AM NZPA New Zealand police say they will lay charges against the owner of a Staffordshire-cross bull terrier which attacked a visiting Australian's guide dog. The eight year-old golden labrador was set upon by the bull terrier in Hamilton on Thursday while it was walking with his blind owner, Anne Ferguson, an Australian PHD student visiting the country on an academic trip. Police said it appeared the bull terrier leaped from a parked car's open door after noticing the guide dog. The bull terrier's owner and Ms Ferguson's husband were also both attacked after trying to pull the dog off the labrador, police said. Ms Ferguson and the wounded guide dog eventually managed to take refuge in a nearby store. The guide dog was taken to a vet for treatment, while the bull terrier cross was taken away by dog control officers. Police are considering what charges would be laid. "We will be meeting with the council later today to identify the most appropriate charges to be laid," a police spokesman said. © 2011 NZPA

I think it's a good thing - it is a landmark ruling, which is showing a precedence now for consequences for not adhering to consumer laws. I think it should make those that aren't sit up and think a bit more on the consequences, because although the laws were already existing, they weren't really being enforced until this case. The reality of whether this brings about positive change in others behaving the same way Ms Armstrong was might just be a different matter.