Research: Pet Dog may help Reduce Child's Asthma Risk

According to a Swedish research, young children who are raised with a pet dog in the households or farm animals are less likely to develop asthma.

The research suggest exposure to dog dander in infancy might actually be beneficial. Children who grew up living with a dog in their home were less likely to have asthma at the age of 7 than children without dogs. As for those who live on a farm with many animals seemed to have more protection, cutting the risk of asthma by about 50%.

(Animals groom themselves by licking. Skin cells covered in saliva are the animal dander.)

Professor Tove Fall (Lead scientist) of Uppsala University in Sweden, said: "Our results confirmed the farming effect and we also saw that children who grew up with dogs had about 15% less asthma than children without dogs."

She said this fits with the hygiene hypothesis which favors exposure to dust and dirt to improve our tolerance of common allergens. The findings should also provide some reassurance for parents.

"My take-home message from this study is that parents at this point do not need to worry about keeping their dog or getting a puppy when expecting a baby for fear of asthmatic disease," She added. "I do want to be clear that this recommendation is valid only for families without a child already having allergies. If they already have a furred-animal-allergic child, we do not recommend them to get a furred pet."

This is a really good news since a lot of family with pets and expecting a baby are worried about having a pet at home with a new born baby.

More about this story
http://www.livescience.com/52665-childrens-asthma-risk-dog-animals.html

A Ventura County Sheriff's Deputy Threaten to Kill a Pet Dog

I came a cross a story of a dog owner on gizmodo about how a Ventura County Sheriff's Deputy threaten to shoot and kills his 21 months old pet dog. He said while they were camping the cops approached them and shouted "Who's dogs are these? Get them under control or I'll shoot them!" which in my opinion is unprofessional for a police officer. One of the cop even had his gun pointed at his dogs.

Trigger happy SOBs! 

You can check out his story here: http://indefinitelywild.gizmodo.com/a-cop-tried-to-kill-my-dog-last-night-1651037794

US Soldier's Dog sold by Ex-Girlfriend on Craigslist

Robert Gabbert who is a soldier and stationed in Afghanistan was on his tour of duty last March leaving behind his lovely Shiba Inu which is 3 years old named Baxter. He left it with his girlfriend, thinking that she will take good care of him. But to his disappointment he learned while in duty that his girlfriend sold it on Craiglist.

Gabbert looked for the new owners of his dog Baxter he wrote on Craiglist:

"I am currently deployed and my ex sold my dog. I just found out and I am trying to find the people who bought him. I will pay anything to get him back. His name is Baxter and he is an Shiba Inu."

"I do not have my phone with me. You can email me. The phone number is my mom’s she is helping me locate him. If you have any information PLEASE give us a call or an email."

Luckily, he found the person who bought his dog and agreed to return Baxter to him but they were reluctant at first.

You can watch the news report about it on KOAA

A Family from Perth banned for life from owning pet

A family in Perth Australia has been banned from owning a pet after their dog Bindi was found severely emaciated, blind and flea-ridden and had to be put down.

Giovanni Bassi, 72, his wife Maria Bassi and daughter Julie Bassi were each fined $5000 by a magistrate for their treatment of the seven-year-old Shih Tzu.

A concern citizen tip off a RSPCA WA inspector in May and they found the dog suffering form acute pain and distress, severely emaciated and suffering from osteoarthritis.

The dog was also found to be blind with severely matted fur, an open wound on her right front leg, nails overgrown to the extent that some curled more than 360 degrees and with long-term flea infestation.

The dog was sedated then euthanased on humane grounds.

When questioned, the Bassi family claimed the vet was shut, the dog was too sick to be treated and they could not afford vet's bills.

At the Fremantle Magistrates Court on Tuesday the family was permanently prohibited from owning a domestic animal.

source: ninemsn.com.au