samoyedman

No Rebanne. I am saying these people do not always have the means to provide the best health options for their dogs. Many homeless people, some of whom may have mental or health issues and who rely on strangers to throw them coins, are hardly ideal candidates for looking after pets. I am sure there are some exceptions though who do a great job. Obviously the preferred scenario for a dog is a loving stable home. I do of course see the therapeutic value in the homeless having a pet. I just hope those who do look after them well.

I think your view is completely WRONG. My wife works with homeless people and these dogs are treated very well, there owners will go without food themselves to ensure the dogs eat and eat well. The dogs always look well and well fed. They are very well behaved, and seem happy and settled pups. I was in the CBD this morning and talked to a homeless gent with 2 dogs and they were in impeccable condition and were so well behaved, i went and got him $50 worth of dog treats for the dogs. And letting the rangers take them they will end up euthanized and thats a great outcome. Not the ones I saw Dave. Matted fur, splotches on underbelly and visible ribs. But maybe most are well looked after. Having said that, I find it difficult to believe most homeless people can access premium foods for their pets as well as quality worm and flea treatments.

To go OT - This is disconcerting. My dog has a warm home, gets fed regularly and yes in some ways treated like a child. Additionally I walk him twice a day. I certainly hope he isn't stressed! You've got me thinking about this now.

Sure, but it was in the concrete jungle of the CBD and I don't carry doggy items on me. I wasn't expecting to see this.

Like all big cities Sydney has its share of homeless people usually sitting on street corners asking for money. I walked past one today who had two dogs tethered to him. I found this mildly distressing because the dogs didn't look healthy and needed a good feed and a wash. I would have happily given the guy some money for the dogs but by the looks of the guy I am not convinced he wouldn't spend it on booze (or worse). In my opinion homeless people cannot look after dogs properly and council rangers should remove them. However, dogs can be very therepeutical for people in distress so I can understand why a homeless person has them. Just wanted to share because i really felt for those mutts.

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/the-16m-pooch-pudsey-set-for-world-fame-after-winning-tv-talent-show-20120516-1ypzk.html

Thoughts on using a Furminator comb on a samoyed? I had one years ago and got rid of it because I was told it cut the hair and wasn't suitable for samoyeds. Is this true? The reason I ask is a pet shop assistant was telling me her friend owns a samoyed and swears by them.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/its-black-dog-weather-for-pets-aftre-nsws-big-wet/story-e6freuzi-1226305682118

Hi, my current dog washer has become unreliable so I'm on the lookout for a new one. I have a samoyed which always needs some extra care and attention (ie. a good brush to remove as much loose hair as possible) because of his thick fur so I am seeking someone who understands double-coated breeds. I had a bad experience in the past with one washer who would leave damp spots on his coat which led to mild infections. Can anyone recommend a suitable person, either a trailer-type who can come to me or a place I can go to, preferably in Sydney's Sutherland Shire? Thanks in advance.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/pet-industry-settings-the-rule-over-puppt-farms/story-e6freuzi-1226289900245

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/not-a-black-dog-but-hes-on-prozac-20120225-1tv4u.html

argh the white fluff everywhere. :laugh:

I don't think sharing a bed with a dog is very hygenic. We've all seen the sorts of nooks and crannies their noses and tongues can get into.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/doggy-beds-are-fit-for-a-king-pets-getting-the-run-of-the-house/story-e6freuzi-1226273246195

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/petas-xxx-porn-site/story-e6freuy9-1226268410235

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/terror-on-marina-man-severs-dogs-head-stabs-man/story-e6freuy9-1226268496307 RESIDENTS barricaded themselves inside their homes on the Gold Coast this morning as a man decapitated a dog, stabbed another man and screamed that he was 'the dark angel'. The man, believed to be the owner and resident of a houseboat berthed at the Hope Island marina, killed the dog some time before 8am today, before stabbing the marina's harbour master in the abdomen. Police received an emergency call around 7.55am and when they arrived the assailant, who was carrying a blood-soaked carving knife and screaming that he was the 'dark angel' and 'the sun god', jumped into the water. Police pulled him out and he is now in custody.

Fair enough. I wasn't defending the abbatoir or playing devils advocate with that question. I am genuinely curious about how widespread this sort of behaviour is in Australia.

In the news tonight they said this particular abbatoir was audited 4 times last year and no irregularities were found. It could be a case of one rogue employee doing the wrong thing in that video. Is there evidence animal cruelty is commonplace in Australian slaughterhouses?

Good luck. I've tried and can't. I feel so empty and hungry unless I eat some sort of animal flesh and I'm afraid subsitutes like tofu etc. just don't cut it. That just the eating habits you have slipped into. If you put as much effort into buying and preparing quality vegetables and other ingredients as you do meat, you would find them satisfying. Instead you eat a big lump of meat , and then garnish it with a small amount of boiled-up frozen veges. (that's what you describe here) If you ate a good vege dish, like a well-made vege lasagne, you wouldn't miss the meat as much. If you ate more vegetables and better vegetables, you would get used to that way of eating and wouldn't have to rely on meat so much. I confess you've described me to a T. The thing is I crave meat (or is it the fat?). And chicken and fish. I really enjoy eating animal flesh. I don't find veges and all the protein substitutes for meat anywhere near as tasty or fulfilling and they're so much more work to prepare compared to (example) chucking a steak in the pan.

Good luck. I've tried and can't. I feel so empty and hungry unless I eat some sort of animal flesh and I'm afraid subsitutes like tofu etc. just don't cut it.

I asked myself the same thing, Kirislin. He gets more of an audience here to start a controversial topic because hardly anyone goes into the cruelty news subforum. Good point. I should have but it didn't occur to me. I was still in bed half-asleep when I read it (ie. 5.50am).

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/covert-evidence-of-cruelty-halts-abattoir-20120209-1rx7w.html Video link below.The RSPCA have started an investigation into this company. It's hard to believe this could happen in our own back yard after last years events. While it isn't as bad as what we saw in Indonesia, it is sad to see animals bludgeoned like this. It makes you wonder how widespread practices like this are in our own country. Hopefully this is an aberration. From what I have seen and read since last year it seems like there is no practical painless and humane way to slaughter animals. http://video.dailytelegraph.com.au/2194540034/Animal-cruelty-closes-Sydney-abattoir

Tonight I saw a centipede as thick as my finger and about 7 inches long crawl under my neighbours fence. I could well imagine my dog being inquisitive enough to investigate one of these. Is it the kind of insect they'd sniff then ignore, or would an annoyed centipede be dangerous to a dog?

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/braised-koala-gets-traveller-stewing-20111031-1mr6u.html

This is doing the rounds in the news. You have to wonder how someone like this, who was clearly unstable and neighbours had been complaining about for years, was permitted to own all these animals? http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/shoottokill-hunt-as-beasts-run-wild-20111020-1m8no.html