Possibly, if Ohio State Representative Tyrone Yates gets his way. Yates has introduced legislation that would make it illegal to even own a pitbull type breed of dog in the state. And if the legislation, H.B. 568, passes, Ohio pitbull owners would have 90 days to surrender their dogs and the dogs would be euthanized, read “killed”, within ten days of being surrendered. Not only that, this bill would actually give a dog warden or other officer that has probable cause to believe a person has a dog that is a pit bull dog, the ability to apply search warrant. With the search warrant the officer will have the authority to seize the pit bull dog and surrender it to the dog warden to be killed.

Currently in Ohio, pitbull are defined as ‘vicious’ dogs regardless of their temperament but their is no ban on owning them and this law has been upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Another bill currently under consideration, H.B. 366, would change the wording of Ohio’s current ‘dangerous’ or ‘vicious’ dog designation, taking pitbulls out unless they actually were dangerous or vicious rather then just because of the breed. It could reduce the spread of BSL throughout Ohio if state law does not define a pit bull as automatically “vicious” because of its breed. As with most legislation, it’s not perfect but a step in the right direction.

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Puppies are super cute and so much fun to have around. They are filled with energy and curious about everything around them. It is your job as a responsible pet owner to puppy proof your house to make it safe from them and to protect your belongings.

The first thing you should do when puppy proofing your house is to go room to room on your hands and knees. Look at the things in your home from your puppy’s perspective. Think about what is at that level that may be interesting to him. You may be surprised to find many things that are potentially dangerous that you never even thought of before.

One thing you should be aware of in your household is the location of electrical cords. Make sure to limit your puppy’s access to these areas. Puppies can chew through cords and get electrocuted causing serious injury or even death. Wrap cords up and store them away or lay down rubber or plastic runners that can be purchased at most home supply stores.

Another potentially dangerous thing for puppies is your stairs. Small puppies have a hard time navigating up and down stairs and could fall down them and injure themselves. Stairs also lead to areas in your house that may be off limits. The best way to ensure that your puppy stays away from the stairs is to purchase baby gates, available at most department and pet supply stores.

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Aw, thank goodness for a happy ending for a little boy!

The Horror of Puppy Mills

Puppy Mill-these are words that chill my heart and turn my stomach. Dateline, 20/20, NBC, Good Morning America, and The Today Show have highlighted problems at puppy mills, but some people still don’t know the horrors of a puppy mill or what they can do to end this national disgrace. If you can’t bring yourself to read about puppy mills, at least read the last paragraph! Everyone needs to be aware of what they can do to shut them down.

Puppy mills are found all over the U.S., but are concentrated in high numbers in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. It’s a multi-million dollar industry supporting 5,000 puppy mills found across the country.

A puppy mill is a business that mass-produces dogs for a profit with minimal regard for the quality and welfare of the animals. Thousands of dogs are bred for profit, valued not for their companionship or for improving the breed, but for the cold hard cash they bring.

The adult dogs spend their entire lives in tiny cages in deplorable filthy conditions that promote viruses and disease. These cages are often stacked on top of one another so that the waste from one cage falls into the cage below. Often the dogs go without food or water for days and are likely to be underfed and in poor health. Dogs’ lay and sleep in their own excrement on wire bottomed cages that cut into their feet. The most basic grooming care is non existent and their hair grows matted and is often infested with fleas. Skin infections, open wounds, ear and eye infections are common and usually not treated. There have been many reports of dogs rescued from puppy mills with toenails grown around in a full circle because they have never been trimmed. These dogs can barely walk.

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Dear Pups,

When I say to move, it means go someplace else, not switch positions with each other so there are still two dogs in the way.

The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food.

Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help, because I fall faster than you can run. Read more… »