Animal Lovers

On Tuesday, the B.C. SPCA issued a release about the rescue of 66 dogs and puppies from a puppy mill operation in Langley - according to the shelter, the rescue effort is believed to be one of the largest puppy mill seizures in B.C. history. A total of 32 adult dogs and 34 puppies were rescued from the breeder on February 4. According to the shelter, the dogs, including Old English sheepdogs, Bernese mountain dogs, standard poodles, soft-coated Wheaton terriers, and Portuguese water dogs, were suffering from a variety of maladies. Some of the dogs seized from the breeder were missing ears and eyes - others had broken limbs, infections, abscesses and were suffering from matted and filthy fur, overgrown nails - many were malnourished. Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer for the BC SPCA, says the dogs and puppies were kept in deplorable conditions, with multiple dogs living in small, stacked crates and cages, in dark, unheated buildings with dangerous ammonia lev...

This bulldog puppy is only 2 months old and he's completely incapable of standing, let alone walking. Bueller came to the Sacramento Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals  (SSPCA) late last week. He was given up by a breeder who never took him to see a vet. It's been a whirlwind for Bueller ever since, as the SSPCA staff now works on getting his groove back. In this case, that means regaining his ability to do what dogs do best — run around and play freely to their hearts' content. Bueller was born with what is known as " swimmer's syndrome ." "Basically, it is a defect that causes a flat chest, and the legs and paws to 'splay' out like a swimmer or a frog. In Bueller's case, he is affected on all four limbs and is unable to stand, walk or lift up anything other than his head," Sarah Varanini, foster care coordinator at the SSPCA, told The Dodo. "It is a genetic defect and a good example of why breeding dogs ...

How Certain Dog Breeds Looked in 1915 vs. 2016 The images on the left are from a 1915 book titled  Dogs of All Nations .  The pictures on the right are today’s poorly bred version of the dog on the left. By:  Science and Dogs On the left is a well-conditioned, athletic Bull Terrier. The dog on the right has an altered skull and thick abdomen. Today’s Bull Terriers are prone to a long list of disorders, including extra teeth and compulsive tail-chasing. By:  Science and Dogs Look at how low to the ground today’s Basset Hound is. His shorter stature is the result of changes to the rear leg structure. He also has surplus skin, and needlessly long ears. Today’s Basset Hound’s droopy eyes are prone to eyelid abnormalities, and he also often suffers from problems related to his vertebra. By:  Science and Dogs See how much shorter the Boxer’s face on the right is? Boxers are brachycephalic dogs, meaning they have pushed-in faces. Like many brachy ...