The Emotional Moment Dog was Returned to Owners 7 Years After Being Stolen

RSPCA inspector Kim Walters (left), pictured with colleague Andy Cook – credit: RSPCA, supplied

An English family has been reunited with their beloved Labrador Daisy who was stolen from their front lawn 7 years ago.

Their tireless search and advocacy for their lost family member attracted the attention of British celebrity and even helped steer a law through Parliament, but the ultimate reward for the devotion to their lost dog was the chance to see her again, elderly and slightly battered, but alive and loving.

In 2017, a truck arrived in front of Rita and Philip Potter’s Norfolk house. Two men hurriedly lept out, grabbed Daisy, and stuffed her into the back—a despicable act seen by neighbors.

Ruling out the possibility that Daisy got lost in the woods somewhere, the Potters contacted the police and urged a response. An RSPCA search in Somerset—200 miles and 7 years later—has recovered a 13-year-old Daisy, who was likely the victim of an illegal pet breeding operation.

A quick microchip scan, and Daisy was on her way home.

“We kept a photograph on the mantlepiece and would look at it every day thinking of her, and where she might be,” Mrs. Potter told the BBC. “It is an absolute dream come true that the RSPCA found her and returned her to us—where she belongs—we are so, so grateful,” said Mrs Potter.

Following Daisy’s abduction, the Potters were active in the press and social media trying to ensure anyone who might have seen the dog understood where she had come from. Tom Hardy, the A-list action star from Dark Knight Rises and Inception, shared their post on his X account.

The Potters then collected 100,000 signatures on a petition for greater government action to fight pet crime. The Pet Abduction Act changed the UK sentencing guidelines, making it a criminal offense with a prison sentence of up to 5 years. Previously, pets were considered property, and abducting them was punished under the UK’s 1986 Theft Act.

During the RSPCA’s investigation, the owner agreed to turn Daisy over to the organization, explaining they had only had her for a few years and didn’t know she could have been stolen. At their facility, a microchip scan revealed Daisy’s provenance and the call to the Potters was an emotional one.

“They were obviously shocked—but elated at the same time,” said RSPCA inspector Kim Walters. “I was a bit choked from listening to them, and clearly how much they loved her, so it was great telling them that we could get her back home soon.”Now in her golden years, and with several health issues from a half-decade of maltreatment, the Potters look forward to loving, spoiling, and caring for her. The Emotional Moment Dog was Returned to Owners 7 Years After Being Stolen

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The new member in Saif-Kareena’s life!

By Gahoi Ad Online Media: Guess who has joined Saif and Kareena?? Enters Elvis, a Jack Russell terrier that Kareena has been dreaming of, from quite sometime now. The actress has become quite fond of the pet. Even Saif Ali Khan loves spending time with his dog and takes him out where ever he goes.We are very sure, the little doggie is having a great time. Source: GaramGossips

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Dog 'saves life' of missing three-year-old girl

A small dog saved the life of a three-year-old girl who went missing in Poland and spent the night in freezing cold temperatures.

The girl, Julia, disappeared with her pet dog from the village of Pierzwin in the Lubusz province in western Poland on Friday. She was found lying in nearby marshland on Saturday morning with the dog by her side. Firefighters who found the girl said the dog kept the child warm enough throughout the night, with temperatures plunging to minus 5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit). More than 250 firefighters, police officers, rescue workers and local residents searched for the child throughout the night. They also employed a police helicopter with infrared cameras and six search dogs looking for the girl. Julia was taken to hospital in Zielona Gora where she is recovering. She appears to have suffered some frostbite but her health condition is not life-threatening, the hospital’s staff said. Voice of Russia, RIA, Vesti FM, BBC, Source: Voice of Russia

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New Zealand dogs learning to drive

The dog Monty is seen in the driver’s seat behind the wheel while training. AFP photo
Rather than chasing cars, dogs in New Zealand are being taught to drive them, steering, pedals and all, in a heartwarming project aimed at increasing pet adoptions from animal shelters. Animal trainer Mark Vette has spent two months training three cross-breed rescue dogs from the Auckland SPCA to drive a modified Mini as a way of proving that even unwanted canines can be taught to perform complex tasks. The motorized mutts named Porter, Monty and Ginny sit in the driver’s seat, belted in with a safety harness, using their paws to operate specially designed dashboard-height pedals for the accelerator and brakes at Vette’s command. The car’s steering wheel has been fitted with handles, allowing the dogs to turn it, while the “starter key” is a dashboard-mounted button that the dogs press to get the motor running. “There is about 10 different behaviors involved, so we had to break them down into each behavior using the accelerator, feet on the wheel, turn the key on, feet on the brake, the gear (stick) and so on,” Vette said. ‘Doggie driving test’ The dogs began their driving lessons on a mock-up rig, learning basic commands through clicker training, before graduating to the Mini. So far, their experience in the modified car has been limited but they will undergo a “doggie driving test” live on New Zealand television on Dec. 10. Footage of the old dogs being taught new tricks has attracted more than 300,000 views on YouTube and also proved a trending hit on Twitter. The dogs all had difficult backgrounds; Ginny was neglected, Monty dumped at the shelter because he was “a handful” and Porter a nervous stray, according to the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. - AFP, Source: SAM Daily Times

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Great Dane from Michigan is world's tallest dog

The Guinness World Records 2013 book published Thursday recognizes Zeus, a Great Dane from the US state of Michigan, as the world s Tallest Dog. The 3-year-old measures 44 inches (1.1 meters) from foot to shoulder. Standing on his hind legs, Zeus stretches to 7-foot-4 (2.23 meters) and towers over his owner, Denise Doorlag. Zeus is just an inch (2.54 centimeters) taller than the previous record-holder, Giant George. Zeus weighs 155 pounds (70 kilograms) and eats a 30-pound (14-kilogram) bag of food every two weeks. Doorlag says she had to get a van to be able to transport Zeus, Source: Sam Daily Times

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Now, a ‘robo-dog’ that guides the blind

Japanese inventors have created a ‘robo-dog’ that can make life a lot easier for blind people. The robotic dog designed by Japanese developer NSK, along with the University of Electro-Communications, uses a Microsoft Kinect image and distance sensor to create a 3-D visualisation of obstacles ahead, the Daily Mail reported.On flat surfaces, the robot can speed up by rolling along on wheels but navigates uneven ground and stairs with its hinged legs. The ‘paws’ contain bumper sensors to also help it avoid obstacles. Source: Indian Express

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A Letter to My Dog

If you needed proof that New Zealanders are a nation of dog lovers you only have to spend a minute on new blog ‘A Letter to My Dog’ (www.alettertomydog.co.nz).The response to the blog has been overwhelming. New Zealanders have opened their hearts and the letters have come flooding in. From the heartbreaking to the heartwarming, it’s impossible not to get sucked into the many tales of extraordinary four-legged friends. We don’t know how we’d live without these animals, and for many of us who have lost them the pain is immense and long lasting. Even years later we grieve for our special pets. There is still time for owners across the country to submit a letter to their pooch, along with their favourite photo of the dog. Exceptional letter writers and their canine recipients will be contacted for inclusion in a book of the same title, which will be sold exclusively through Whitcoulls stores later this year. The book and blog are part of an international undertaking and the book will include letters from the US version of the project, which was developed by renowned photographer Robin Layton. The American letters include a range of everyday people alongside celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Hilary Duff. A contribution from the proceeds of the book will go to Paw Justice to help the charitable organisation continue its work against animal cruelty. A small selection of excerpts from the letters are below, see the blog for more…Dear Harry: “Harry, I owe you so much. People say ‘they’re just dog’, but those people must never have known the simple joy a dog can bring into your life, and the way they teach you to see value in the small things in life… Whatever we do for you in your all too short life can never repay you for what you have given to us so freely, your trust and your love. Thank you for believing in us. We won’t let you down.” Full letter: http://www.alettertomydog.co.nz/2012/05/17/dear-harry/, Dear Abbie Dog: “You came into my life when we both needed rescuing. You from a previous abuser, me, recovering a bad accident… We may have saved you years ago, but, you have repaid us over and over, with love and loyalty.” Full letter here: http://www.alettertomydog.co.nz/2012/05/16/dear-abbie-dog/, To my Diggy Dog: It’s been over two years since I lost you, and the pain of that loss still bubbles up inside of me today, vicious and unexpected…. A week before my twenty-second birthday, we said our goodbyes. I wear a talisman to remind me of you – a stone from our driveway you once gave me in a singing moment of joy. That is how I try to remember you, but I’d rather not have to remember you. I wish you were still here.Full letter here: http://www.alettertomydog.co.nz/2012/05/15/to-my-diggy-dog/, About Paw Justice: Paw Justice is a charitable organisation that was formed in 2009 to help deal with the sickening problem of animal abuse and neglect against pets in New Zealand. Such abuse has grown at alarming rates, both in frequency and severity. Paw Justice is standing up for the 1.6 million cats and dogs that live as part of a family in New Zealand. The organisation believes in uniting good pet owners and animal lovers together and sending a loud message that harming animals is wrong. www.pawjustice.co.nzBeattie's Source: Beatties Book Blog

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A TV channel In US launched for dogs

The Ultimate Update: Worried over your pooch getting bored? Well, don't worry because TV bosses have come up with an ingenious solution - Dog TV. Dog TV, launched in the US in an eight-hour block of TV programming, is designed to keep your dog relaxed, stimulated and entertained while you are at work, the express.co.uk reported. The TV channel shows a number of programmes with mute colours, alter sound and music specifically written for your dog. Unlike television for humans, the dog channel has no commercials and no reruns. One programme features a slug crawling across the screen, another shows other dogs relaxing in the sunshine. One million subscribers have already opted to have access to Dog TV in theUS. Source: The Ultimate Update

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First high-frequency ad for dogs on British TV

Dogs were the main audience of a commercial shown Monday night on British national television. The ad for dog food brand “Bakers” featured high-frequency sounds aimed specifically at dogs, with whistles, barking, squeaking and pings that serve to grab the pets’ attention, Tags: News, TV, Oddly enough, dog, World, Читать далее, Source: Voice of Russia

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Dogs are men’s ‘best bet’ of bagging a date: study

London: One in eight men have taken their pet’s help to find themselves a date, a new research has found. According to a survey of 2,000 Britons, one in three men thinks women are more likely to approach them and strike up a conversation if they are walking a dog, reports the Daily express.And one in seven says it makes them appear more attractive and gives them a better chance of getting a date, the report said. A quarter of men believe owning a pet shows the opposite sex they understand the meaning of responsibility and commitment. The research, carried out by the makers of new video game The Sims 3 Pets, revealed a staggering 81 per cent of men think dogs are the best route to asking a woman out. The research also revealed that seventy per cent of single women think petting an adorable dog is a good way to start talking to an attractive stranger, with 52 per cent admitting they find it less embarrassing than approaching the owner directly. It is found that women are most attracted to men who own Golden Retrievers, followed by those with Border Collies and Labradoodles. Other breeds women find attractive were, in order of popularity, Beagles, English springer spaniels, Jack Russells, Chow Chows and Dalmatians. Source: Indian Express, Image: flickr.com

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Computer game teaches kids how to behave with dogs in real-life

  Image Link Flickr                              .                            My Healthy Dog

News Track India: Washington, Jan 8 (ANI): A software program designed to teach kids how to interact safely with dogs does teach valuable lessons, a new study has claimed. However, children have trouble translating their computer learning into real-world situations with a live dog.According to David Schwebel from the University of Alabama, part of the problem is that kids are active and unpredictable, and can stress out dogs. But another dog-bite risk is an issue of child development. Before the age of 4 or so, children don't understand that other people and animals have thoughts and desires different from their own. So when a child sees a sleeping dog and wants to pull its ears, that kid can't comprehend that the dog might not be in the mood for ear-pulling. To try to teach kids how to properly interact with their pets, the nonprofit organization The Blue Dog Trust developed an interactive computer game called 'The Blue Dog'.

   Image Link Flickr Click                      .              Click Here To Play The Game

The game sets up animated scenarios where kids can choose whether to play with a dog that is napping, eating or otherwise indisposed. If the kids make the unsafe choice, sneaking up on a dog during dinnertime, for example, the dog will growl and bark. Schwebel and his colleagues wanted to find out if the program really worked. They recruited 76 3- to 5-year-old kids from Birmingham, Ala., and Guelph, Ontario, alerting parents to their study via churches and schools. All of the children had petdogs, as the software is designed to teach kids how to play with their own family pets.

   Image Link Flickr.                                                           My Healthy Dog

Each kid came to the psychology lab and completed three dog-related tasks. In the first, researchers showed the children pictures of dogs in different situations and asked if the child would go pet the dog in each. In the next tasks, they acted out make-believe scenes with the children using a dollhouse and dolls. The children were then  asked  to  play  out  what  they

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think should happen next.  Finally, the kids went into a room with a real dog, where they were rated on their safe and unsafe behaviours. All the dogs were trained therapy dogs. Those three tasks gave the researchers a score for how much each child already knew about dog safety and how well they put their knowledge into practice.  After the tasks, the kids and their parents went home with a copy of one of two education software discs - 'The Blue Dog' or 'The Great Escape', a fire-safety program. Both groups were told to
   Image Link Flickr                                                           Blue Dog In School
use the software frequently. After three weeks, the kids returned to the lab to complete the same three dog-safety tasks again. The research turned up "mixed news" for kids who played the dog-safety computer game, Schwebel said. "What we found is that children did learn. ... They did better on the pictures," he said. "They actually recognized when you should pet a dog and when you should not pet a dog," he said.  But when put into a room with a real dog, those lessons went out the window. In fact, all the kids got bolder in interacting with the dog, regardless of which computer game they'd played, possibly because nothing bad had happened the first time they played with a dog in the psychology lab. The study has been published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. (ANI) Computer game teaches kids how to behave with dogs in real-life

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Now, dogs to sniff out cancer?

London: They are called the man's best friend, but dogs are more than just a faithful companion as they can be trained to detect lung cancer much before symptoms develop, scientists say. Researchers from Schillerhoehe Hospital in Germany found that dogs, known for their ability to detect smells that escape the human nose, can identify a tumour in 71 per cent of patients if trained properly. They believe dogs could become even better at picking up cancer cases with more practice, the Daily Mail reported. But the ultimate goal is to identify the cancer-specific chemical compounds the dogs can smell and develop a device that could be used to help diagnose lung cancer victims at an earlier stage, they said. For their study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, the researchers trained four dogs -- two German shepherds, an Australian shepherd and a Labrador -- to detect in the breath of patients a volatile organic compound (VOC) which is linked to the presence of cancer. The team worked with 220 volunteers, including patients with lung cancer at early and advanced stages, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and healthy volunteers. The dogs took part in a number of tests to see if they could reliably distinguish compounds in the breath of lung cancer patients -- even if they smoked. It's found that the dogs correctly identified 71 samples with lung cancer out of a possible 100. They also detected 372 samples that did not have lung cancer out of a possible 400. Dr Thorsten Walles, who led the research, said: "In the breath of patients with lung cancer Read Full: Source: Hindustan Times, Image: flickr.com

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7 hungry dogs eat owner

Manado: Seven dogs starved of food and water for two weeks are suspected of eating their Indonesian owner after he returned to his hometown in Manado from a holiday, local media reported on Tuesday.A neighbourhood guard was curious when he saw luggage lined up at the front of Andre Lumboga's house, days after the 50-year old arrived back home. He approached the house, smelled something foul and called the police, according to a report. "His skull was found in the kitchen, and his body was found in the front of his house," Eriyana, a local police chief in Batam, an island off Sumatra, told VIVAnews website. Lumboga arrived home last Wednesday, but his body was just discovered on Monday. "We suspect that the dogs were hungry, so they attacked Andre, because they had not been fed for 14 days," he said. Police also found bones of two other dogs, believed to have also been eaten by the hungry canines. Lumboga was from northern Sulawesi island, a predominantly Christian area, where the local spicy diet is famous in Indonesia for including dogs, bats and forest rats. --Agencies. Source: Siasat

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Dog learns to drive bus after observing owner

A two-year-old dog was caught driving a double-decker bus after learning how to drive by watching his master. (Reuters)

London : A two-year-old dog was caught driving a double-decker bus after learning how to drive by watching his master. Woodley, a German Koolie, was spotted hunched over the wheel as the mobile home sped down the street.According to the dog’s owner Richard McCormack, the clever mutt had learned to drive by observing him at the controls and it wasn’t the first time that Woodley had driven. “He sits next to me when I’m driving and in the driver’s seat when I’m not. The handbrake is on the dashboard and he’s seen me release it many times,” McCormack said. “He was just copying me. He’s tried it on before,” he said. Source: Indian Express, Source: Image

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Big B reveals his pet dog’s envy for Beti B

GaramGossips: Superstar Amitabh Bachchan's pet dog is feeling left out as the family's attention is diverted to his granddaughter, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai's first child. 'Shanouk, my Piranna Great Dane feeling  left  out

and sulking ever since the baby has arrived... spending time with him now more often,' Amitabh wrote on microblogging site Twitter. 'Pets are so sensitive... !! They complain in their own way and so cutely... Shanouk needs great pampering to get him back in mood!' he posted.Source: GaramGossips

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14,000 cats and dogs vaccinated in Sikkim

Gangtok,  December   7,  2011,  Sikkim  Anti  -  Rabies  and  Animal   Health (SARAH) under its recent mass vaccination program which was held from 29th of August till 30th September vaccinated about 14,000 cats and dogs across state. SARAH had a target of covering about 20-22,000 dogs and cats this year but due to the jolting of the earthquake on 18/9 the shortfall of about 7-8,000 was recorded. While speaking to Dr. Thinley N Bhutia  of   SARAH  informed  that   the  mass  vaccinating  this  year  was   a success but due to earthquake the target set was not achieved. The program conducted covered all the districts across state and was also able to cover about 70% of the villages. Adding more Dr. Thinley stated that apart from carrying out the vaccination program in the camps set by SARAH even organized awareness camps for the general public on topics like animal welfare, public health, rabies control, responsible pet ownership and many more. Dr. Thinley mentioned that during the vaccination program this year SARAH in the camp even carried out treatment of the pets brought on anti flea and anti tick as well and added that by doing such treatment they can prevent many diseases like zoonatic diseases like worm infestation, protozal and other viral diseases in the dogs and cats which holds the potential of public health hazard as preventive measures. Informing about the mass vaccination so far since establishment of SARAH in state said that a total of 70,000 vaccinations on dogs and cats in state have been covered so far since 2009-10 when the mass vaccination program started in state. Source: iSikkim,

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Dog saves elderly woman from kangaroo!

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Sydney, July 20 (ANI): An elderly woman was attacked by a large kangaroo on her central western New South Wales (NSW) farm and was lucky to be alive - after a pet dog leapt to her aid.  The male kangaroo, estimated to be up to two meters tall and weighing 100 kilograms, attacked Rosemary Neal as she crossed a field to check her horses. Rosemary Neal was rushed to Mudgee Hospital after her 65-year-old suffered facial lacerations and other injuries.  Her son Darren said his mother was lucky  to  be  alive  after being 

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attacked by the animal.  "There would be a couple of hundred kangaroos within a hundred metres of the house, and last night she was just walking down the paddock to check on the horses before it was dark,'' Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.  "A lot of kangaroos have just bolted, but the males don't care, they just stay laying down, they're  not  scared. "The

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kangaroo has just jumped up and launched straight at her. He hit her once and she just dropped and rolled. My dogheard her screaming and bolted down and chased him off.  "It it wasn't for the dog she'd probably be dead,''he added.Darren said his mother was in a 'bad way', but had been discharged from hospital.Read Full: Dog saves elderly woman from kangaroo!, 

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Looking for a fitness buddy? Get a dog

When it comes to getting fit a person's best friend just might be a four-legged one. (Reuters) 

New York: When it comes to getting fit a person's best friend just might be a four-legged one.Experts say studies show dog owners walk more, walk faster, and are more likely to enjoy an active lifestyle because of their companion animal. “I'm fascinated by what a great motivator dogs can be,” said Dr. Sandra McCune, co-editor of the book, The Health Benefits of Dog Walking for People and Pets. McCune, an animal  behaviorist based in Leicestershire, England, said studies show if you're a dog walker, you're more likely to meet the guidelines for daily activities. Dogs are the reason behind two-thirds, 66 percent, of the walks their owners take each week, according to a recent survey of more than 1,011 adults commissioned by pet food company Mars Petcare. One-quarter of people with children and pets regularly visit parks and other outdoor spaces because of their dog.  Source: Indian Express, Image: flickr.com

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World's first dog with all bionic legs

Naki'o, a red heeler pup in the USA, has become the world’s first dog to be fitted with a complete set of four prosthetic paws. Naki'o was barely 5 weeks old when he and his brothers and sisters were abandoned by a family moving out of Nebraska. Having barely survived the winter, all four of the dog's paws were deformed into rounded stumps after being stuck in an icy puddle. Tags: Society, veterinarians, News, US, dog, World, Читать далее, Source: Voice of Russia. 

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