Emily and Homie

EMILY and HOMIE wanted to know why they haven't been on the blog. I didn't have an answer so here they are. EMILY says sometimes she likes to pretend she is a Giraffe or a Monkey. HOMIE says he is crazy about EMILY but she won't pay any attention to him. So he asked me if I though it would help if he pretends to be sad and wistful. I told him games aren't usually the best way to get things done. It's better just to tell the truth. So he said he would think about that. And maybe tell her what is in his heart tomorrow. Sphere: Related Content

Jeff and Lola

The picture is Jeff Jenkins and J, one of the dogs he works with in the End Dogfighting Chicago campaign. Lola had a speaking engagement at the UN today so she was not available for a photo shoot.

Jeff Jenkins and his dog LOLA are making a difference one day at a time. For a sneak peak check out the Chicago Bulls Halftime with Jeff and Lola.

"Lola’s incredible journey from a rag-tag stray to a bona fide circus star is a truly remarkable story. From her humble beginnings on the streets of Chicago Lola has gone on to entertain, educate, and inspire audiences of all ages the world over."

"Lola started life as a throw away like so many other unfortunate dogs. But she possessed a remarkable spirit and was destined for greater things. When she met her future owner and trainer Jeff Jenkins she let him know right away what he was in for. She ran up to him and nearly tackled him hurling her entire tiny body at him. Jeff sensed there was something special about her, and knew if he could harness this ball of muscle and energy great things could happen. He pulled out a ball and threw it. Lola took off after it and brought it back as fast as she could. As Jeff reached down to get the ball from her, pleased that she showed such a terrific willingness to please and would likely train great, Lola spit out the ball and chomped on to Jeff’s finger with her little tiny puppy teeth. This would be the start of a great comedy team."

"Lola and Jeff managed to work out their creative differences and have gone on to travel the world over. From Jazz Festivals in Germany to Circus’s and Theaters all over the United States Lola has performed just about everywhere you can fit a flying circus dog. Most recently Lola has been added to the Chicago Bulls Entertainment Family where she can be seen delighting 20,000 people a game center court of the United Center."

"Lola has not forgotten her roots though. It is her mission to entertain, educate, and inspire as many people as she can. Jeff and Lola volunteer their services regularly for various causes that are related to animal and people welfare. Lola has brought her act to schools, park districts, retirement homes, correctional facilities, and animal adoption events all over the country."

"Lola is particularly proud of her ongoing program with The Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago. Lola and Jeff take their act to the St. Charles Youth Correctional Facility and perform, talk, and interact with the young men who are incarcerated there. The response has been overwhelmingly positive from the young men at St. Charles. Opening their eyes and engaging their minds sparking dialogue about the treatment of dogs like her and its effects on society."

"Lola is much more than just an entertainer, she is an educator and an inspiration, not bad for a throw away!"

To see the beginning of Lola's story choose Circus Smirkus.

Lola is the only dog in The Midnight Circus. Which is one of the coolest things I've seen in a very long time.

And because of Lola Jeff Jenkins came to be the trainer for Pit Bull Training team in Chicago, part of the Humane Society of the United States End Dogfighting Chicago campaign. Sphere: Related Content

What the Hector?

Oh, Hector. When things are tough and - we are - many of us - still reeling from the events of this week here in North Carolina - you come in and give us hope and laughter and pride and the determination to keep on keeping on. We are so proud of you. A therapy dog, a Vick survivor AND just a great guy all around. So I went to YouTube and found the video your human made the very first time he met you. Wow. We love you, Hector. Sphere: Related Content

Regional Briefs: 145 pit bulls put to death in Wilkes

JOURNAL STAFF AND WIRE REPORT

WILKESBORO, NC -- Wilkes County Animal Control destroyed 146 pit bulls yesterday, following a judge's order.

The dogs were associated with Wildside Kennels, whose owner, Ed Faron, 61, was convicted last week of 14 felony counts of dog fighting.

Authorities seized 127 of the dogs in a raid on Faron's property on Dec. 10, 2008. The rest of the dogs were born after the raid. The county had acknowledged that some litters had been born, but yesterday was the first time that the county released the actual number of dogs involved.

According to a ruling Monday by Judge Ed Wilson Jr. of Superior Court, state law defines dogs as dangerous if they are involved in a dog-fighting operation, and a county ordinance requires that dangerous dogs be destroyed.

The raid was the result of a three-year investigation by the Humane Society of the United States, in cooperation with Wilkes County Animal Control and the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office. Representatives of the Humane Society told the judge that the dogs should be destroyed, because they had been bred for generations to be aggressive.

A number of animal-rescue groups had offered to place the dogs, but none of their representatives were at Monday's hearing when the judge was considering what should happen to the dogs. Sphere: Related Content

Operation Baghdad Pups

A great day in Minnesota.



An Iraqi puppy called Ratchet was re-united with a US soldier who adopted him in Iraq, after an international petition.

More than 65,000 people signed the online form urging the US Army to let the puppy go to the United States.

An animal rescue group picked up the dog, which was adopted by Army Specialist Gwen Beberg of Minneapolis in a case that highlighted military rules barring troops from caring for pets while in Iraq.

The US military said the dog was free to leave but American troops would not be responsible for its transportation.

It was the third try by Operation Baghdad Pups to get Ratchet out of the country on behalf of Beberg - the operation has cost an estimated $5,000.

Beberg and another soldier say they rescued the puppy from a burning pile of rubbish in May.

Operation Baghdad Pups. Sphere: Related Content

Ernie and Hector

If you don't know about HECTOR and ERNIE you're missing a very cool story. ERNIE was a Vick dog but now he is rehabilitated. He has his very own blog. HECTOR - well, I told you about him on Thursday February 5th. HECTOR is one amazing dog. His friend ERNIE reminds me of PETE on The Little Rascals. For lots of neat info and pictures For the Love of Pit Bulls hops (I hop, you hop, he, she, it hops; we hop, you hop, they hop.). You can meet these guys and their friends on the Vick Dog Blog. AUDIE, GRACE, ZIPPY, JHUMPA JONES, UBA, JONNY JUSTICE, FRODO and TEDDLES. Well, that's about it for now. Sometimes you hop and sometimes you roll. That's how I roll. Sphere: Related Content

Elephants | Testimony

Tom Rider

Courtenay Tosti
Warning: 2nd paragraph under pictures of ALTA contains graphic description.



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If you want to learn more about Elephants: Sphere: Related Content

Hector — Mad about the Boy

HECTOR was a Michael Vick dog. Now he is a Bad Rap Dog. Well, um, actually he is just HECTOR. And he has his own blog. Some days life does seem fair.

["Mad About the Boy" is a song. Words and music by Noel Coward. Dinah Washington sings here.]

Sphere: Related Content