Pets
Concerns about the New World screwworm have put Texas pet adoptions on hold
Adoptions are on hold for thousands of dogs and cats in Texas, potentially putting the animals at risk of being euthanized, because of efforts to stop the spread of the New World screwworm, an insect that has crossed the border from Mexico into the United States for the first time in 60 years. The flesh-eating […]
Hundreds of guinea pigs fill Massachusetts sanctuary with squeals, purrs and lots of love
SALISBURY, Mass. | Kimie Smothermon begins each day greeted by the squeals, chirps and purrs of nearly 400 guinea pigs. Depending on who you ask, tending to the daily barrage of guinea pig needs can be either a fairy tale or a horror show. For Smothermon, it’s often a mix of both. “If I could […]
Corgis run, bark and sniff their way to glory at a growing international race
VILNIUS, Lithuania | It’s not all about short-legged speed when 150 corgis gather for an international race celebrating the little dogs. There’s a costume parade, the “smartest nose,” and — of course — the loudest bark. The fifth Corgi Race Vilnius drew dogs and their owners to the Lithuanian capital’s Vingis park on Saturday for […]
Photos show the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest in California
SANTA ROSA, Calif. | The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Friday. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. Read more Hayden Panettiere, who starred in ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville,’ dies at 36
Gene-edited beagles may offer a future option for people with dog allergies
NEW YORK | Matt Walker couldn’t pet a dog without sneezing — until he and other scientists used a gene editing technique to produce a hypoallergenic beagle named Bailey. Now, he can feed Bailey spoons of peanut butter while she lies on his lap and play fetch with her in Central Park. His allergies didn’t […]
Leave it: Dog trainers help pets avoid venomous snakes
TUCSON, Ariz. | Ripley, a medium-sized dog with a strong prey drive, curiously approached Brian, a large western diamondback rattlesnake, until she got a quick zap on the neck meant to simulate a venomous viper’s bite. Suddenly, the 2-year-old blue heeler mix wanted nothing to do with Brian’s textured brown skin or furiously rattling tail. […]
Grateful dog owner describes mountain rescue after canine apparently ingests cannabis
LONDON | Christina Bluhme was high on the flanks of Britain’s tallest mountain with her dogs and one of the hounds was a lot higher — and not in a good way. Tokyo, a 5-year-old black Labrador retriever, had apparently ingested cannabis along the trail and had to be rescued after she began to sway […]
Hong Kong eateries welcome dogs as city relaxes ban
HONG KONG | Hong Kong dog owners and their four-legged friends have gained new freedoms after the city relaxed a decades-old rule, allowing the pets to join them at eateries. Since 1994, only guide dogs and those performing statutory duties were allowed in restaurants under the city’s food business regulation. But the policy change aimed […]
What to know about protecting pets from the New World screwworm fly
Two New World screwworm cases in dogs are among more than 30 confirmed instances in Texas and New Mexico, prompting warnings Wednesday from veterinarians and humane societies that pet owners need to remain vigilant to protect their animals. The parasite reappeared in cattle in the U.S. in June, more than 50 years after it had […]
St. Bernard dogs still roam the Swiss Alps as part of this ‘living museum’ and its breeding program
BOURG-SAINT-PIERRE, Switzerland | At the Great St. Bernard Pass high in the Swiss Alps, the eponymous dogs still walk the same mountain paths their ancestors patrolled for hundreds of years to find travelers buried beneath the snow. Down in the valley, a living museum honoring the Swiss national dog’s history — and its future — […]