We got us another big, bad man here! Timothy Ray Loftis, 21, of Bessemer City, NC, stomped a tiny 8 week old Chihuahua puppy to death after it urinated in the house. Oh yeah, he’s a tough guy alright!

Loftis’ girlfriend, Crystal Williams had gotten the puppy for her 1 1/2 year old daughter, they named it Tequilla. It was so tiny it could fit in the palm of a person’s hand

On Thursday, Williams went running to her mother saying that Loftis had killed the tiny puppy. Williams’ mother, Sherry Thomas confronted Loftis.

“I said ‘Timmy, why would you do something like that? You knew she loved that dog,’” Thomas said.

“Its eyeball was hanging from its head,” Thomas said. “That was just really cruel.”

Gaston County Police charged Loftis, 21, of the 600 block of South 12th Street, with felony cruelty to animals Thursday.

“Upon arrival, I spoke to the defendant, who said, ‘Is this about that dog. Yeah, I killed the SOB,’” wrote officer J.T. Lubert in his warrant affidavit.

Loftis did not use the abbreviation in talking with Lubert, according to the arrest warrant.

“While en route to the jail, the defendant stated, ‘Goin to jail, and I didn’t even kill no dog.’”

After this the defendant reportedly stated, “‘Ain’t this some s—. I been to jail three times for assault on a female and now I’m goin for killing a dog,’” according to Lubert’s warrant affidavit.

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Junior Horton, owner of Horton’s Pups, faced 14 counts of animal cruelty and 25 counts of neglect stemming from an investigation from last November when more than 1000 dogs were found at his property. The charges accused Horton of depriving dogs of necessary food, drink, shelter or emergency veterinary treatment, and of failing to adequately house, feed, water, exercise or care for animals in his possession. He was also charged with one count of not having a proper license. Over 700 dogs were eventually seized and adopted into new homes.

The good news is that he was found guilty of all the charges. The bad news, on the other hand, is that he will not be facing any jail time and most of the fines were actually suspended and worst of all, he is allowed to continue to run his commercial breeding business, ie. puppy mill!! More ’slap on the wrist’ justice!!

After more than three hours of testimony, General District Court Judge Edward Turner made his ruling on the 40 charges Horton faced: 14 for animal cruelty, 25 for animal neglect and one for failure to obtain a dog license.

“I find Mr. Horton guilty of all counts,” Turner said. “The question is, ‘What do we do with it?’ “

Turner suspended 12 years of jail time for the misdemeanors and suspended much of the fines associated with the criminal charges. For the 14 counts of cruelty, he suspended $2,250 of each of the $2,500 fines. For the 25 counts of neglect, he suspended $450 of each of the $500 fines. He imposed the mandated $25 fine for the charge of failing to obtain a dog license. The total for all fines amounted to $4,750. The judge also directed the court to determine a cost of veterinary services provided when hundreds of Horton’s dogs were taken from his business following the sting. He said Horton will be responsible for making restitution.

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In the movie The Fisher King there is a rather humorous scene in which Robin Williams’ character is scooting himself along the ground by digging his heels in and dragging his bare bottom across the grass. In a jubilant voice he calls out, “Do you know why dogs do this? It feels GREAT!!”Actually, that’s not the only reason. Dogs will exhibit this behavior if the anus or hind quarters are itchy, but it can be a sign of an impacted anal gland which can be a problem for some dogs. Read more »

Teaching children the do’s and don’ts regarding animals is among one of the most important lessons you’ll ever teach them. Animals are everywhere and though many are domesticated, this does not automatically make them safe. For example, in the U.S. alone, 1-2 million dog bites occur annually.Today many homes are raising children along with the family dog. Naturally kids delight in hugging, petting, and playing with their pets. But unfortunately, many children grow up believing that all dogs are gentle and friendly like their pets, and commonly fall victim to a dog attack, simply because they’d never been taught when it’s not okay to approach a dog.

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The day you bring home a little puppy for the first time is a memorable one. It’s exciting to add a new four-legged member to the family. And in these first days, it is critical to begin laying the groundwork for how you will care for your precious puppy’s health and medial needs. Here are a few of the basic essentials to get you started.Finding a Veterinarian
Just like you, your new puppy needs high-quality health care. Ask a friend or your local humane society to recommend a veterinarian. Be sure to give consideration to the location of the clinic. A drive across town during a medical emergency could delay urgently needed treatment. Read more »

Bath:
This is a process by which the humans drench the floor, walls and themselves. You can help by shaking vigorously and frequently.

Bicycles:
Two-wheeled exercise machines, invented for dogs to control body fat. To get maximum aerobic benefit, you must hide behind a bush and dash out, bark loudly and run alongside for a few yards; the person then swerves, and falls into the bushes, and you prance away.

Bump:
The best way to get your human’s attention when they are drinking a fresh cup of coffee or tea.

Deafness:
This is a malady which affects dogs when their person wants them in and they want to stay out. Symptoms include staring blankly at the person, then running in the opposite direction, or lying down.

Dog Bed:
Any soft, dean surface, such as the white bedspread in the guest room or the newly upholstered couch in the living room.

Drool:
Is what you do when your persons have food and you don’t. To do this properly, you must sit as close as you can and look sad and let the drool fall to the floor, or better yet, on their laps.

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The crackdown on animal abuse continues with South Carolina hitting the public right in the face with 10 billboards that will feature an image of a dog with a scarred face and missing an eye and a hotline number for people to call; (888) CRIME-SC.

“The message is, if you see something, say something,” Attorney General Henry McMaster said.

Dogfighting can be associated with crimes including gang violence, drug trafficking, serial killings and child molestation, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said.

“If someone will abuse an animal,” Lott said, “they will abuse a human.”

Anyone providing information leading to an arrest and conviction in an animal-fighting case can receive a reward up to $5,000 from the Humane Society of the United States and distributed by CrimeStoppers.

McMaster established a statewide Dogfighting Task Force in 2004, which has made more than 50 arrests, authorities said. More than 300 dogs have been seized.

Dogfighting comes with some severe penalties.

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If your dog could talk, these are some of most important things she would like to tell you…

1. My life will probably only last 7 to 14 years. It will hurt me more than you know if I have to be away from you for longer than a day or two.

2. If you have patience with me and give me time to learn what you would like from me, I can promise you, you will never be disappointed.

3. Trust me with your life and have faith in our future together. If I don’t feel that you honestly believe in me, I will suffer great emotional stress. My sense of self-worth is totally dependent upon your confidence in me.

4. Don’t stay mad at me for long or confine me to a cage to punish me. You have your friends, your job, and your recreation. I HAVE ONLY YOU!

5. Talk to me about anything you want as frequently as possible. Even if I can’t comprehend your precise words, I can understand the meaning of what you’re telling me by the tone of your voice.

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Heartworms in Dogs - What They Are & What to Do

Heartworms (Latin name Dirofilaria immitis) are parasitic worms that are common in both dogs and cats. Like their name suggests, they live in the dog’s heart, normally free-floating in the right ventricle and nearby blood vessels. The worms are transmitted from dog to dog by mosquitoes which pass the worm larvae through their saliva. The presence of heartworms can be very dangerous to the dog’s health. Although the dog will not display signs of infection until it has progressed considerably, heartworms can be life threatening and are sometimes difficult to detect and diagnose. Read more »

Now I have to admit this is not something that I would have ever considered had I not come across this article. It defiantly gives you something to think about!

Using Dog Slang Hurts Dogs

Your words have power, and every day you influence your friends and family more than you know. Be responsible and careful about every word that you use and every thought that you express, especially words or thoughts that refer to one of your best friends, your dog.

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Angulation
Degree to which dog handlers will bend over backwards to impress judges.

Balance
(a) How to arrange the checkbook so your husband won’t know how much money you spent on dog shows last month. Usually done in the bathroom with the door locked;
(b) Ability to hold coffee, danish, leash, treats and entry form all at once.

Bitch
(a) Name for a lady dog;
(b) Name often heard at dog shows, not always to describe a lady dog.

Blind Retrieve
When you can’t see the toy under the furniture.

CGC
Canine Gastrointestinal Catastrophe {aka GAS}

Coat
The hairy covering of a dog that usually falls out about one week before the Specialty show.

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Carried and transmitted by dogs, parvovirus has a 20% mortality rate in dog treated in time, an 80% mortality rate for those who are not. Much more common in puppies than older dogs, parvo grows best in the rapidly dividing cells of the dog’s intestines. As the virus attacks and kills these cells it causes massive diarrhea and halts or slows the creation of white blood cells. In young puppies it can often directly infect the heart, leading to death.

So what can you do to give your puppy’s immune system a boost to help enable them to protect their selves?

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