Maddy

I think a lot of what is posted by groups like Animals Australia tends to be the worst of the worst, things intended to shock and horrify people, without really offering any practical solutions besides an entirely vegan lifestyle (which is not possible or practical for many people, something which adds to the feeling of helplessness for many). The other thing worth bearing in mind is that some of these groups have agendas and they will only present information that supports that agenda. Seeing footage of a cow being mishandled is certainly horrible but you have to ask if it is indicative of how the entire industry functions or if it is something that is generally considered unacceptable practice for that industry. In some cases (like Chinese fur farming), you don't have to look too far to see that serious welfare problems are accepted as normal but on the other hand, raising sheep for human consumption (in somewhere like Australia) is managed very differently and with welfare standards to protect the animals. This isn't to say that sometimes individuals (or even companies) ignore those standards but these are usually exceptions and they can have serious consequences. Same goes for dogs, really. I've been rescuing for a while and although I've seen things that have upset me, I cope fairly well. Having said that, coping mechanisms are going to vary a lot between individuals so I could completely understand if someone else couldn't do it- it's definitely not easy.

My greyhounds are psychic They always seem to know when steak is being eaten, even if they were sound asleep in another room.

They actually featured Tyson on an episode of The Dog Rescuers (season 2, episode 3) and they were talking about how perfect he was for the role. I actually watched it only a few weeks ago and there was absolutely no mention of him being a pit bull. I think he was being called a staffy cross (and that's what he looked like, too).

I have to admit, I was wondering about that myself. Last year, after an especially nasty seizure, the GooberDog latched onto my leg. In the 30 seconds it took me to get a gate between him and myself, this was one of the bites.. Also worth mentioning that I was wearing jeans at the time (which is why it left mostly bruises rather than punctures) and that the Goober is not exactly known for his bite force- it takes him 20 minutes to chew a chicken neck enough to swallow. If a staffy had a full five minutes to really go at someone.. I guess I'd expect to see some damage, besides what looks to be a bruise from her falling over.

I hear that one a lot too, usually from people walking tubby barrels-on-legs sorts of dogs I never understood why people felt the need to exaggerate physical traits. All of my dogs are within normal height/weight ranges (and no one has any doggy superpowers) and that, to me, is a good thing. One of them is epileptic/half blind but that's not something I'd brag about, that's a "Oh god, I'm so sorry my dog just ran into you and then circled crazily away like a Special Ed. shark with you and your dog and that tree tangled up behind him, he's not quite right". Yeeeah, more a source of embarassment, really.

This. From what I recall, expiration dates on wormers are worked out by product efficacy following date of manufacture. For example, at 2 years, product X would be still 100% effective so expiration date is two years from DoM, even though at 3 years, product might still be 85% effective or 50% effectice in years years and so on. In the case of wormers, I'd be iffy about using them too far out of date (any longer than 3 months) because in my situation (foster dogs and five of my own dogs), I can't risk new dogs bringing worms in and spreading them around. Anywho.. just had a look at a few packets I have here (all purchased in 2013) and all expiration dates are 2014, including one shipped directly to me from Bayer. Brands were Paratak, Drontal, Canimax and Heartgard. So, I'd guess 12 months or 18 months from DoM. If you want to buy in bulk, perhaps it'd be a good idea to get together a few friends and buy a larger amount together?

For dogs over 6 months, it's required by law here. Howver, vets aren't required to check chips before treating a dog so for tracking stolen pets, they're basically useless.

Is there one missing from a breeder that fits this description? Emma Haswell is known down here for "liberating" dogs from registered breeders.

Wayne is a champ. On time, every time; no dramas, no hissy fits; no problems and I suspect the rate is a little better too. Experience counts. Rate is definitely better. In our case, by about $50.

Hopefully this whippet wasn't also stolen from a breeder

I've used them in the past and didn't think much of their customer service. The last time I tried to get a quote from them, they told me they'd call me back about the quote/booking and after several calls back to them when that didn't happen (and being transferred from one person to the next) that resulted in another promise of being called back, I called Wayne from Moorholme instead and got a quote and booking in one phone call with no messing around. They did eventually call me back, a few days after my initial call. It's not like it was a complicated booking or anything, either- greyhound, crate hire, worming already done, Melbourne to Launceston, date/time flexible. Anyone'd think I was wanting to transport my pregnant elephant from Darwin to Antarctica on canoe paddled by Richard Branson himself or something.

I don't know about where you are but in Tasmania, "American bulldogs" are the latest fad for idiot owners and backyard breeders. A casual glance through the local pet buy/sell pages turns up several current litters and they're everywhere. They're generally advertised as being "good guard dogs" and "good family pets" but in truth, given how carelessly they're bred, I'd guess most of those dogs would just as soon as rip their owner a new orifice as they would an intruder. And yes, most look almost identical to that dog, right down to the horrid, wonky shape. Ik what you mean about those buy/sell groups. I joined one to sell a bird cage and they are just inundated with stuffy pups and ppl crossing AST with "English" staffs. You trying telling these idiots there is no such breed as an English staffs I try not to look because they give me a terrible case of the rages. "Herpderpy, i r looken 4 a maltease-shitzo to bread wit my pomerarmium staffy. must b able to deliver. pay $50"

Photos of pink ones please or it just does not happen. :D

Conversely, here's my clothes-wearing big dog. And I didn't have to be blonde or from the Gold Coast to manage it. Excuse the blue pajamas, normally he wears his pink ones.

I'm just going to leave this riiiiiiight here.. http://www.asseenontv.com/bedazzler/detail.php?p=296300

I don't know about where you are but in Tasmania, "American bulldogs" are the latest fad for idiot owners and backyard breeders. A casual glance through the local pet buy/sell pages turns up several current litters and they're everywhere. They're generally advertised as being "good guard dogs" and "good family pets" but in truth, given how carelessly they're bred, I'd guess most of those dogs would just as soon as rip their owner a new orifice as they would an intruder. And yes, most look almost identical to that dog, right down to the horrid, wonky shape.

Outcrossing to a breed that is the exact opposite of what you want definitely seems like a stretch to me. Greyhounds are generally terrible (but hilarious) swimmers, they don't cope well with the cold or with sustained activity and teaching them to retrieve is painful. If you wanted longer legs on your labrador, there are more obvious breeds to choose from. Having alonger legs and a defined tuck doesn't make something a greyhound cross.

No I don't, there's plenty of meat eaters out there that are nutbags. There is an anti greyhound racing group that push the "you are supporting the killing of greyhounds and the racing industry" if you are not vegan. Mind you no one actually knows these people and they could be munching on a crumbed cutlet behind that keyboard for all anyone knows but hey...people blindly follow. Have to wonder why some of these people want to save an animal that would gladly snarf down a delicious baby lamb or adorable calf or fluffy little chick if given half the chance. Why are animals allowed to be predators but humans are "evil" if they do the same? This question bothers me a lot because generally speaking, humans kill their food in a far more humane way than many other animals. Orcas are a great example of that. Really pretty animals, very intelligent, spend 6 hours brutally wounding and then drowning a whale calf, in front of its distraught mother. But that's okay because they're a whale. On the other hand.. walk a cow up a race, hold a captive-bolt pistol to the cow's head and pull the trigger (resulting in almost instant death) and OH NOEZ, TEH CRUELTY! Provided the animal to be eaten is cared for properly (both physical and mental health) and slaughtered humanely, how is that cruelty?

^ This. The name of the type of product (rather than brand names) is cohesive bandage.

The GooberDog.. And his dad, Cosmic Chief.. And that's about where the resemblance ends. Bosley can run but it's mostly in small circles and often into walls

My comment had absolutely nothing to do with vegans. Most of my friends are vegan or vego, I have no problem with that lifestyle choice, provided there's no hypocrisy involved (like the vegos who eat chicken or fish, as if these aren't animals). But anyway. What I do think is crazy is being for the killing of animals (as PETA are when it comes to many animals) but against the eating of them, as if an animals cares about what happens to its carcass once it's dead.

But not eaten, which is where it departs from legitimate welfare concerns and ventures into general craziness.

So sorry, Airedaler

Thanks for that. From reading his replies, it doesn't sound like he's accepting any blame. I was curious so did a bit of googling and it seems the vet he's talking but (but whose name he got wrong) is quoted on a quacky homeopathy site as saying seizures post-vaccination (not epilepsy) were a rare to uncommon side effect of vaccination. Besides that, it seems they're focusing more on the rabies vaccine, which is not given as standard in Australia anyway. Seems statistically unlikely that many of his dogs would just happen to have a rare or uncommon vaccine reaction. And a vaccine reaction is not the same thing as having epilepsy anyway. I have absolutely zero sympathy for someone who would continue to knowing breed epileptic dogs. It's a horrible condition to live with

What was the FB page called? I looked but couldn't find it.