On Dec. 4, the dog was discovered at the dumpster located on Knox Avenue shortly before 9 a.m.

An animal crate was also found among the trash, and the dog was wandering by itself in the waste and scrap.

Our news partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report Jwanna Martin is charged with animal cruelty and neglect.

Officials say she is the one who dumped her partner’s dog.

The dog is at Humane Animal Rescue.

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A Utah family is coping with losing their dog after a vet reportedly euthanized him by mistake.

Andrea Martinez took to Facebook to share the devastating story on Monday, writing that the family took their pet dachshund Ziggy to the emergency room after “his breathing got weird.”

The emergency vet recommended surgery for Ziggy, which the family agreed to, Martinez said.

While the pup was undergoing the invasive procedure, the vet realized it was going to be “a lot more work and money than they expected” and called to get permission from the family to continue with the surgery or “go ahead and lay him down.”

However, Martinez claims she never received that call.

“But they didn’t call me,” Martinez shared in the post. “[T]hey called another [dog’s] mom thinking it was me, and she said no to go ahead and lay him down.”

Martinez did not find out her dog had been euthanized until someone from the vet’s office called later to tell her Ziggy had been put down. She said that when she “freaked out,” the vet realized “they called the wrong person the first time.”

“Then he got back on [the phone] and he apologized and said, ‘I’m so sorry that this happened, we got confused and ended up calling another dog’s mom,’” Martinez told KUTV. According to the vet, there was another dog named Ziggy, and the vet initially contacted that Ziggy’s family.

According to Martinez, she said she would have never agreed to let her dog go “without trying more” and blames the vet for “rob[bing] me the choice of saying ‘at least we tried.’”

Since finding out the heartbreaking news, Martinez has said she “can’t stop crying” and doesn’t know how to break it to her 6-year-old that “her best friend died.”

“Ziggy followed me EVERYWHERE and cuddled me every single night. He made my anxiety bearable. I feel so sick that this happened,” she wrote on Facebook.

The name of the vet in Davis County was not shared, but according to KUTV, they apologized for the unfortunate incident and waived the bill, as well as gifted the family an urn, plaque and Christmas ornament with Ziggy’s paw print.

Though with Ziggy’s condition during the surgery, there is no guarantee he would have made it through if they continued trying, per KUTV. However, that does little to help Martinez cope.

“This whole thing seriously makes me so sick to my stomach,” she said.

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A 24-year-old Ypsilanti woman was arrested with her emotional support therapy dog by her side after she allegedly tried to steal about $1,000 in merchandise from a department store and was found with tools to defeat anti-theft devices.

The incident occurred at about 3 p.m. Nov. 25 at Walmart, 23800 Allen Road, in Woodhaven.

According to a police report, the woman was seen inside the store with the dog as she selected an all-in-one computer and numerous phone sockets.

She put them in her shopping cart with numerous other items.

While at the garden center she picked up a Santa hat from a display and allegedly concealed it in her backpack.

The report said a loss prevention officer kept an eye on her because many of the items she selected were “high theft items.”

She then, according to the report, attempted to leave the store, but was stopped by the loss prevention officer.

The officer recovered nearly $800 in merchandise from the cart and more than $170 from the backpack.

Also inside the backpack were pliers and magnets, allegedly used on store merchandise to enable the theft devices.

An animal control officer was called to the store and took custody of the service dog.

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Have you heard of Kissing Bug Disease? Known officially as Chagas Disease it’s transmitted through nocturnal insects known as Kissing Bugs.

Chagas disease has infected millions of people in Central America, Mexico, and South America has made it’s way to Texas, but now it’s becoming prevalent amongst dogs in Texas.

How Chagas Disease is Transmitted

The parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) is the causative agent of Chagas disease. It’s a tropical disease that effects 8 million people across Mexico and Central and South America.

Most cases of Chagas are transmitted to humans from direct contact with the feces of an infected bug. Kissing bugs bite humans, suck their blood and then leave feces behind that may penetrate the skin.

Other ways people can get Chagas include:

• Organ transplantation
• Blood transfusion
• Congenital transmission (mother to baby)
• Consumption of uncooked contaminated food

So while it’s quite alarming that the disease has been spreading in the southern U.S. keep in mind the chances of you getting it directly from your dog are very slim.

Infection Rate in the United States

In the United States the infection rate is estimated to be between 300,000 and 1 million. Most human infections are likely due to exposure in Latin America. Both humans and dogs are succeptible to the disease.

Symptoms of Chagas Disease

Symptoms of Chagas disease in humans and dogs range from completely asymptomatic to acute myocarditis and sudden death to chronic progressive cardiac disease. There is no vaccine available for humans or dogs. Currently there are no Food and Drug Administration approved drugs available to U.S. citizens to treat Chagas. Many of the treatments available are only effective if the disease is caught in its early stages though the medications are generally not well tolerated.

Since the Texas Department of State Health began tracking the disease in 2013 only 19 human cases have been found.

Evidence That Disease Has Been Spreading, Especially Among Dogs

Researchers have found evidence that the disease has been spreading in Texas and New Orleans. The research team based at Texas A&M tested 205 shelter dogs in Texas, 9% of the dogs in every part of the state tested positive. The study only tested shelter dogs but it’s common amongst all dogs across the state. Shelter dogs had widespread exposure to T. cruzi across 7 ecologic regions in Texas, with a conservative statewide average of 8.8% seroprevalence. -CDC

Chances of Catching It From Your Are Dog Extremely Low

The chances of a dog passing the parasite onto his owner is very low. For the parasite to pass from a dog to a person it needs to go through the kissing bug. The only way a human can become infected through there dog is if the kissing bug bites the dog and then quickly moves onto bite the owner after the dog has been infected.

“The last thing we want to do is put a bad taste in people’s mouths about shelter dogs,” she says. “Shelter dogs are not posing a direct risk to humans.” – Dogs Carry Kissing Bug Disease in Texas & Latin America

If dogs in Texas are bitten by a kissing bug the chances of the bug carrying the parasite that causes Chagas are quite high. Seven species of these kissing bugs known as Triatoma have been found across the state. Keeping your dog indoors or in an outdoor enclosed kennel can reduce the risk of your dog coming into contact with kissing bugs.

Dogs Susceptible to Catching the Kissing Bug

Dogs arriving at shelters, particularly stray dogs, are susceptible due to their prolonged exposure to the outdoors which leads to a much higher exposure rate to vectorborne pathogens.

Since the kissing bug itself isn’t common outside of southern & central Texas the disease is still considered quite rare in the United States

So while it’s perfectly fine to be aware that there’s a potential new health risk spreading we don’t need to worry about catching it from our dogs. So go ahead and give your dog a kiss – you won’t catch the kissing bug from him.

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Virginia-based veterinarian Dr. Katy Nelson has three words of advice for dog owners thinking about breeding their dogs: Don’t do it. “Just because your dog is cute and your neighbor’s dog is cute does not mean they should get together to make puppies,” says Nelson. “You need experience and know-how to breed. It’s not something to be taken lightly.”

Nelson suggests spaying and neutering to avoid unplanned pregnancies. If you do find yourself tasked with the care of a pregnant dog, there are important steps you can take to ensure a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Below, Nelson weighs in on how to provide the best prenatal and postnatal care for your pet.

Veterinary Visits
When you first suspect your dog is expecting, it’s important that her veterinarian examine her in order to confirm the diagnosis. “Infections to the uterus can mimic pregnancy, with an enlarged midsection and discharge,” says Nelson. “These infections can be life-threatening, so it’s important to rule this out.”

Once your vet establishes your dog is indeed pregnant, her vaccination schedule should be checked to make sure she is up-to-date. “Maternal antibodies last 12 weeks in puppies,” explains Nelson, adding that the puppies “benefit from having a fully vaccinated mother.”

Dogs gestate their babies for nine weeks. Your dog will see her doctor two or three times during this period. The veterinarian can help you to anticipate what to expect during labor, especially if your breed has notoriously difficult deliveries. “Dogs with large heads and small butts often have labor complications,” says Nelson. “For example, bulldogs almost always need C-sections.”

Nutrition and Exercise
Because her most pressing need during pregnancy is for more calories, a pregnant dog should be fed a nutrient-dense puppy formula beginning immediately after her status as a mother-to-be is confirmed. Make sure, however, that the formula you choose is for small- to medium-sized pups, as large-breed puppy food contains fewer calories in order to slow growth.

Like a pregnant human, a pregnant dog can benefit from regular exercise. Stick with low-impact exercise, such as walking and chasing. If her muscles stay toned, she’ll have a safer labor and delivery.”

Labor Day
In advance, prepare a private, quiet place for the birth to occur. “Like human females, a female dog doesn’t want 10 people in the room when she’s in labor,” says Nelson. She suggests providing your pet with a birthing area — a comfortable bed or box. Nelson also suggests a room with a tiled floor to make cleanup easier.

Your veterinarian should speak with you about the signs that your dog is going into labor. “She may become very aloof, or on the flip side, very clingy,” says Nelson. Follow your dog’s lead: If she doesn’t want company, don’t force it on her. “Her hormones are raging. She’s very protective of these arriving babies. Read her body language and take it seriously.”

Postpartum
As with your pregnant dog, the most important consideration for your new mother is nutrition, specifically a higher caloric intake. She should continue to eat puppy food until her puppies have weaned (about eight weeks after birth). “Especially if the litter is big — more than three puppies — intense nutritional support is in order,” says Nelson. Consult your dog’s veterinarian about how much food she’ll need.

You should also be tuned in to the mother’s overall health. Postpartum dogs can develop eclampsia, which results from a calcium imbalance and can be life-threatening. It usually happens within a week of delivery, and signs include shaking, seizures and lethargy. If your dog exhibits these, get her to the vet immediately.

With the right medical and nutritional support, every dog can have a healthy pregnancy and a happy Mother’s Day — every day.

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Caroline County Sheriff Tony Lippa said deputies were called to Chilesburg just after 5:10 p.m. after a man reported his hunting dog had been shot and killed.

“The dog, equipped with a GPS tracking collar, was participating in an active hunt when the signal stopped suddenly on the property owned by Adam Beck,” Lippa said.

“Deputies arrived on scene and approached the house, at which time Mr. Beck refused to answer or come to the door,” Lippa said. “There was apparent evidence discovered and the deputies remained on scene to prevent the destruction of this evidence.”

While several deputies remained at the house, a lieutenant and sergeant obtained an arrest and search warrant, according to Lippa.

After the warrant for his arrest was issued, officials said Beck came out of the house and was “arrested without incident.”

Officials said animal control deputies recovered the animal’s body.

Additionally, officials seized two AR-15 rifles as evidence and the dog’s damaged tracking collar was discovered inside Beck’s home, Lippa said.

Beck was booked and released on a $2500 unsecured bond from the Pamunkey Regional Jail, officials said.

However, Lippa said additional charges are pending.

“This is a reminder to all that it is illegal to remove a dog’s GPS collar and identification tags, and it is a felony to harm or kill a hunting dog,” Lippa said. “On behalf of the CCSO, we offer our sincere condolences to the dog’s owner and family.”

Officials said their investigation into the case is ongoing.

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A New York woman is seeking retribution after a dog walker she hired from a popular dog-walking app was captured on video stealing from her home.

The homeowner, Shayna Bryan, posted a series of tweets on Thursday that contained security footage of an unidentified dog walker seen filling her bag with items from around the house as the woman’s dogs watched whelplessly.

The bandit, whom she hired from the pet care company Wag!, even attempted to snag a large winter coat allegedly worth thousands of dollars before Bryan — who had been watching live on her video camera — remotely sounded the alarm.

“I immediately sounded my alarm and demanded she take my handbag out of her bag, which she ignored and quickly left the apartment,” Bryan wrote on Twitter.

Following the incident, Bryan said she tried to contact Wag! three times before turning to the police, adding that no one from the company acted on the theft until her Facebook post went viral, according to the news outlet.

Wag! publicizes its walker vetting process on its website, which they told People magazine includes a criminal background check, Social Security number trace and facial recognition analysis.

The company said it is working with police during the investigation and they deactivated the walker’s account, according to CBS.

Bryan was refunded for the walk, but she said the walker also failed to buckle her dog’s harnesses, which she says, along with everything else, left her “utterly violated.”

“To add fuel to the fire, I subsequently discovered that the dog walker neglected to buckle the harnesses around my dogs’ necks, leaving them vulnerable to running off, getting hurt or worse,” Bryan wrote on Facebook. “She completely compromised their safety. I cannot stop thinking about all of the worst-case scenarios that may have manifested.”

While Wag! does have an intensive vetting process, she hopes others will be careful when hiring people from the app.

“What concerns me is the thought that other families and dogs will experience what I have due to negligence on your part. In fact, my fears have been corroborated by several articles written as recently as last month regarding incidents of dog abuse and/or death as a result of poorly executed background checks,” Bryan said.

“I hope that you can appreciate my deep frustration and expect that you will respond expeditiously to further this investigation,” she added.

Wag!’s Vice President of Trust and Safety and Corporate Affairs, Heather Rothenberg, issued a statement to People and said: “Every service on the Wag! platform is insured and backed by the full support of our Trust and Safety team, which means in the rare case of an incident, we work directly with the pet parent and the appropriate authorities to address the situation.”

“In this case, our Trust and Safety team reached out to the pet parent to offer support as soon as Wag! was informed of the incident,” she said. “We continue to work directly with the local authorities on the investigation. Additionally, the walk has been refunded and the walker, an independent contractor, has been removed from the Wag! platform.”

“Every walker must pass a vetting process and a background check before being allowed to join the Wag platform,” she added. “Every applicant must pass an online test covering dog safety, equipment and handling knowledge before we allow them on the Wag! platform to care for your dog.”

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We’ve all been there. You go to visit your friend, your neighbor, your co-worker, etc., and then before you even walk in the door you hear it. Barking. Growling. Lots of anxious movement.

Dealing with an anxious and aggressive dog is scary and, for the owners, can be a bit embarrassing. Barring the invention of a time machine that would allow you to go back in time to when your dog was 6-12 weeks old to focus on behavioral training (which is what Oscar E. Chavez, DVM, MBA, Member of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition, says he likes to first suggest), there are a few specific things you can do to try to help curb your pooch’s bad (and oftentimes dangerous) behavior.

“Aggressive dogs, if truly aggressive, usually require professional behavior modification, and the attention of a trainer or professional,” says Dr. Chavez. “This doesn’t mean you need to work with them at all times, but it does mean that they need to be a part of the behavior modification program.”

The key when dealing with aggressive dogs is to identify which type of aggression your dog is exhibiting, and then develop an appropriate strategy to reverse it. “This process can take days, weeks, months or even years,” says Dr. Chavez. “But if done right, it can be effective over 90 percent of the time. Truly ‘evil’ dogs are rare, and most of the time it’s poor socialization or training during puppyhood that leads to problems.”

When it comes to training, the key is to ignore bad behavior (provided it’s not immediately threatening), and reward good behavior with attention. “Negative attention is still attention, so yelling and shouting your dog’s name when it’s lunging and growling may only fuel the problem,” says Dr. Chavez.

One common technique that helps in the initial stages is what Dr. Chavez called the ‘invisible dog’ technique. “This is where you literally are instructed to ignore the dog completely, except for only feeding and potty walks for two weeks,” he said. “Even during these allowable interactions, you are instructed to avoid eye contact and be very cold to the dog.”

Dogs who are being given the ‘invisible dog’ technique typically go through a mourning phase, where they miss the attention and affection of their pet parent so much that they become open to training and to being very cooperative. After this period, the dog’s behavior is usually better modified. “Invisible dog is tough, because the last thing we want to do is ignore a pet we love,” says Dr. Chavez. “But it must be adhered to very consistently for it to work, and when it fails, it’s usually our fault for giving in.”If your dog’s aggressive behavior worries you, Dr. Chavez suggests checking out The Animal Behavior Network as a great place to start for advice.

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ATLANTA (AP) — An Atlanta-area animal shelter that closed to suppress an infection resulting in at least four dog deaths could reopen as early as Friday.

Cobb County spokesman Ross Cavitt has said tests on dogs at the county shelter showed they had the highly contagious illness streptococcus zooepidemicus. The often fatal bacterial infection affects animals’ respiratory systems.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the shelter closed two weeks ago and stopped accepting new animals. In a county message on Twitter Monday, cleaners could be seen in full body suits scrubbing cages.

Cavitt said on Tuesday that remaining animals were being vaccinated and the facility is preparing to reopen by the end of the week.

The newspaper says animals adopted days before the closure didn’t exhibit symptoms after leaving.

Remaining animals have been held off-site.

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The Mississippi State Department of Health has created a new policy allowing pet dogs to be present at restaurants and other food facilities under specific conditions.

MSDH has examined policies in other states and believes with the proper hygienic conditions public health can be protected, and local businesses wanting to accommodate their clientele can be supported.

OWNERS: This policy takes effect Friday, November 1, 2019. Check local and county ordinances to ensure that dog-friendly restaurants are not otherwise prohibited.

Conditions to Ensure Public Health

• No pet dogs will be allowed inside a food facility (with the exceptions of service animals).
• A separate outside entrance to the designated outdoor dog-friendly area must be established.
• All tableware in the area must be disposable.
• Pet dogs will not be allowed to come in contact with serving dishes, utensils, tableware, linens or any other items involved in food service operations.
• Pet dogs must be kept on a leash at all times, and employees may not touch or handle the animal.
• Employees who do come into contact with a pet dog should immediately wash their hands.
• Any accident involving dog waste must be cleaned up immediately and the area sanitized with appropriate products provided by the restaurant.

Permits and Inspections

All restaurants that wish to establish a dining area where dogs are permitted must first submit an application to the Mississippi State Department of Health. Once MSDH receives the application and relevant fee, an inspection of the facility will take place to ensure that dog-friendly requirements are met.

Restaurants with dog-friendly dining areas will be inspected at least twice a year.

Liability

• The restaurant or food facility can deny service if the pet owner fails to exercise reasonable control over the pet dog, or if it behaves in a manner that compromises the health or safety of any person in the restaurant. Failure to comply with the policy could result in a lower inspection grade for the facility or revocation of its permit variance for dog-friendly areas.
• These restaurants must have proper signage defining areas where dogs are permitted.

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