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At least 80 people were injured during a bullfight in Colombia when stands in an overcrowded stadium collapsed underneath the crowd. Some 500 spectators screamed in panic and scrambled for safety as, following the collapse, the bull charged towards crowds at the stadium in Planadas, in the south of the country. Two men dressed as clowns tried to distract the bull and tempt it away from the mass of people before others joined them in trying to pin it down. The dramatic events at the annual fiesta were caught live on television and an investigation into how it happened has...

Guidelines being drawn up by senior officers will tell dog handlers they should "avoid offending" people with phobias of animals when dogs are used in drug raids and other investigations. The rules have been produced amid fears that suspects with medical conditions triggered by the presence of dogs, such as asthma, may file costly compensation claims against the police if they suffer an allergy or panic attack during a police raid. Dog handlers have also been told to take "cultural sensitivities" into account, though reports that dogs would be required to wear specially-designed boots on their paws during searches of...

The SAS is training dogs to parachute into enemy territory on missions to sniff out insurgents and warn of ambushes. The German Shepherds are being taught to jump from planes at high altitude wearing their own oxygen masks and strapped to soldiers. Once on the ground they can be released into enemy territory with miniature cameras mounted to their heads. Live images of enemy positions and possible ambush sites can be relayed back to special forces teams in safe positions. The dogs will be earmarked for use in Iraq and Afghanistan.

DOGS will lead the way in SAS raids after being parachuted in to spy out rebels for troops, The Sun can reveal. Fearless German Shepherds are being trained to jump from aircraft at 25,000ft wearing their own oxygen masks and strapped to special forces assault teams. Once down in hostile terrain in Iraq or Afghanistan, the dogs will be sent in first to seek out insurgents’ hideouts with tiny cameras fixed to their heads. The cameras will beam live TV pictures back to the troops, warning of ambushes or showing enemy leaders’ locations. The amazing tactic – on which The...

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - A Florida woman armed with some puppy love is on her way to lift some soldier's spirits. Kathy Alexander and her 13 pooches hope to bring warm fuzzy feelings to wounded soldiers across the nation. The dogs have been providing pet therapy to nursing homes for over 10 years, but in the next month they will be traveling to military bases across the country. Their first stop is Fort Benning where they hope to bring smiles to the men and woman serving our country. -snip-

Police sniffer dogs will have to wear bootees when searching the homes of Muslims so as not to cause offence. Guidelines being drawn up by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) urge awareness of religious sensitivities when using dogs to search for drugs and explosives. The guidelines, to be published this year, were designed to cover mosques but have been extended to include other buildings. Where Muslims object, officers will be obliged to use sniffer dogs only in exceptional cases. Where dogs are used, they will have to wear bootees with rubber soles. “We are trying to ensure that...

The German shepherd, who lives with his owner, James Symington, in Los Angeles, was picked by BioArts International, a Californian cloning firm, as the most "clone-worthy" canine in a competition offering an owner a free chance to replicate their pet. Mr Symington said he and Trakr were among the first search and rescue teams to arrive at the New York site after the attacks, and were responsible for locating the last human survivor under about 30 feet of debris

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., June 27, 2008 – On Aug. 19, 2006, the life of Army Capt. James Barclay IV changed forever. Army Capt. James Barclay IV bonds with his hunting dog, Bryant. A Williamsburg, Va., trainer donated his services to train Bryant for Barclay, who was wounded in an Afghanistan roadside-bomb attack. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joe Laws   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. He was in the lead vehicle of a convoy in a remote area of Afghanistan when a roadside bomb tore through his vehicle. Barclay survived, but suffered burns over 40 percent of...

LONDON: Muslim passengers may not be touched by sniffer dogs of the British Transport Police after complaints that the practice is against Islam. According to the religion, dogs are deemed to be spiritually “unclean”. A Transport Department report has raised the prospect that animals should only touch passengers’ luggage because it is considered “more acceptable”, the Daily Express reported. The ban may restrict the efficiency of sniffer dog squads which have been trained to spot terrorists at railway stations. On Thursday night, British Transport Police insisted that it would still use sniffer dogs with any passengers regardless of faith, but...

Muslim train passengers' aversions to sniffer dogs and body scanners would not prevent them being subject to random security searches, British Transport Police (BTP) have indicated. Some Muslims objected to the use of explosive-detecting dogs in a rail security trial at Brighton station, the Government revealed.

I’ve heard of bomb sniffing dogs, cadaver dogs, and even hot dogs, but I’ve never heard of pub sniffer dogs. Where else but in Scotland would you find this rare canine breed? (A police operation has started in south west Scotland to send sniffer dogs into pubs to search for drugs. A total of 13 bars were visited by patrols in the Stranraer area as part of the initiative.) Going undercover requires the dog to assume the identity of the typical pub goer. Once it procures the confidence of the locals, it is free to search for drugs while the...

RABBIT HASH, Ky. -- The dog mayor of Rabbit Hash has passed away. The Rabbit Hash General Store confirmed Thursday that Junior Cochran died two days before his 13th birthday, Cincinnati television station WLWT reported. Junior Cochran was elected mayor with more than 3,000 votes in November 2004. A documentary aired on Animal Planet about the black Labrador in 2006. The store could not say what would happen next, but said that word on the street indicated that previous contenders Marty the mule and Charlie the chicken would have a runoff.

When her neighbor's roosters and chickens persisted in running through her yard, G. Stone took matters into her own hands. She marched next door and issued a warning: Do something about the uninvited guests or the birds "were going in my pot." The incursions stopped. But Stone, a retired Los Angeles County librarian who lives northwest of Watts, shook her head in exasperation as she recalled the incident. "I've lived here for 50 years," she said. "All of a sudden, there's an influx of chickens. You're not supposed to have chickens in the city." For many, the image of South...

SMITHTOWN, NY – Newly enlisted Sergeants First Class Boe and Budge are two black Labrador Retrievers about to embark on a historic mission. For the first time in the history of the United States Army, skilled therapy dogs, provided by America’s VetDogs, will be deployed to Iraq to help relieve combat stress of soldiers in the field. These two specially trained dogs will work with a multidisciplinary team of Army professionals to address mental health issues as they arise in theater. Staff Sergeants Mike Calaway stands with a Black Labrador Retriever in a VetDogs jacket. Photo credit Christopher Appoldt.Says Major...

Please note: this is NOT spam. It's just material I've gathered on my own to prepare for Saturday's Preakness (I'm a regular poster here). All of the tools below are absolutely free, including the PPs (Past Performances) and video. They often let you download stuff like this for free for the major stake races. Official Past Performances for 2008 Preakness Stakes (on pdf file):http://ntra.equibase.com/eqbNTRAGetFreeFF.cfm?trk=PIM&rd=05/17/2008&cty=USA&de=D&rn=12 Official website of the 2008 Preakness Stakes:http://www.preakness.com/ Videos of each of Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown's 4 prior starts, including this incredible first-time-out shocker on the grass at 14-1! (they must have somehow hid his workouts...

A Knoxville man shot and killed a Pittsburgh police dog Tuesday before the canine's handler returned fire, killing the man in what city police Chief Nate Harper called "an unfortunate" but justifiable action. The shooting outraged and angered the family of the 19-year-old man, Justin Jackson. He was pronounced dead by a passing paramedic almost immediately after the shooting that occurred at 6:53 p.m. in front of the UPMC facility on Arlington Avenue on the border of Knoxville and Mt. Oliver. Harper said the dog's handler ordered the canine -- a 6-year-old German shepherd named Aulf -- to attack after...

May 4, 5:53 AM ET NEW YORK - Police say a patrol horse found his own way back through Manhattan streets to his stable after throwing his rider.

The first morning at Churchill Downs brought sunny skies and warm temperatures, as the Kentucky Derby horses began their final stretch to racing’s biggest day. From here on, there is no room for error. We’ll give a brief rundown of the day’s activities and continue with the plusses and minuses of each contender. The majority of activity took place after the renovation break, with the only worker being the Nick Zito-trained Cool Coal Man, who worked a half-mile in company in :47 2/5. The two horses who really filled the eye from a physical standpoint were Colonel John and Adriano,...

Robert LaPenta’s War Pass, the champion 2-year-old of 2007 and winner of the $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, has suffered a leg injury that has knocked the colt out of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Trainer Nick Zito said Saturday that X-rays had revealed a small fracture in the sesamoid in the colt’s left front ankle. Veterinarian Dr. Rick Fischer discovered the fracture that Zito said would likely require War Pass to be on the sidelines for “a few months.” Zito said equine surgeon Dr. Larry...

With the final Derby preps approaching, there is no more room for error. It’s time to earn your way into the Run for the Roses or pack up and go home. The three graded stakes this weekend – the grade I Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial and grade II Illinois Derby – offer intriguing plot lines that will make or break aspiring Derby hopefuls. Those plot lines include some juicy questions: Can last year’s champion 2-year-old War Pass rebound in the Wood Memorial following a dreadful performance at odds of 1-20 in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III)? Will...

Z Humor, a gutsy dead-heat winner in the Dec. 7 Delta Jackpot (gr. III), and Smooth Air, who captured the Jan. 5 Hutcheson (gr. II) but will stretch out beyond seven furlongs for the first time, lead a field of nine in the $200,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes Feb. 16 at Tampa Bay Downs. The 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis is a test for 3-year-olds on the dirt. One of five Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) hopefuls trained by Bill Mott, Z Humor is a well-bred son of Distorted Humor--Offtheoldblock, by A.P. Indy. After breaking his maiden...

NAHA, Japan (AP) - At a Zen Buddhist temple in southern Japan, even the dog prays. Mimicking his master, priest Joei Yoshikuni, a 1 1/2-year-old black- and-white Chihuahua named Conan joins in the daily prayers at Naha's Shuri Kannondo temple, sitting up on his hind legs and putting his front paws together before the altar. It took him only a few days to learn the motions, and now he is the talk of the town. "Word has spread, and we are getting a lot more tourists," Yoshikuni said Monday. Yoshikuni said Conan generally goes through his prayer routine at the...

Marine First Lt. Nathan Nielson plays with his dog Gus on Saturday at the Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas with society volunteer Diane Johnson, left, and Susan McBride of Animal House Pet Care. Gus is one of a litter of 7 puppies that were transported from Iraq to the society where they were housed and cared for, including medical attention, for about a month until their Marine owners returned from deployment in Iraq Saturday morning. Marine Capt. Jamisen Fox plays with his 4-month-old Turkish sheepdog named Kirby on Saturday at the Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas. Kirby...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — "It's just like judging a beautiful girl," said Fowzan al-Madr, a camel breeder from the Kharj region southeast of Riyadh. "You look for big eyes, long lashes and a long neck — maybe 39 or 40 inches." As he spoke, Madr was surveying the offerings at Saudi Arabia's largest camel market, on the outskirts of Riyadh. The days are long past when camels were crucial to life, a chapter lost in increasing urbanization and technology. But there is still pleasure in raising them, sometimes for milk and meat, for racing and, yes, for their beauty. Camel...

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — A public high school has turned away a deaf student's service dog despite a state ruling saying the animal should be allowed. W. Tresper Clarke High School's principal intercepted 15-year-old John Cave outside the Westbury school's entrance Tuesday, a day after the state Human Rights Division told the school to let in the dog. Commissioner Kumiki Gibson wrote that state law "prohibits educational institutions from denying access to their facilities to people with disabilities." Cave left and did not go to classes Tuesday. East Meadow School District Superintendent Leon Campo said Tuesday the school would admit...

How wild asses became donkeys of the pharaohs 21:00 10 March 2008 NewScientist.com news service Andy Coghlan The ancient Egyptian state was built on the backs of tamed wild asses. Ten skeletons excavated from burial sites of the first Egyptian kings are the best evidence yet that modern-day donkeys emerged through domestication of African wild asses. The 5000-year-old bones also provide the earliest indications that asses were used for transport. The skeletons suggest that the smaller frames of today's donkeys hadn't yet evolved. Instead, the bones resemble those of modern-day Nubian and Somali wild asses, which are much larger than...

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait, March 10, 2008 – Like devoted fans, about 100 servicemembers anxiously awaited Clyde’s arrival here on March 7. And, like a true celebrity, Clyde was fashionably late. Army Sgt. Dale Carson with the 76th Brigade out of Indianapolis, Ind., gets a wild ride from Clyde the camel March 7, 2008, on Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Clyde comes to the base once a month as part of the Morale, Welfare and Recreation office’s efforts to give the troops a break from their day-to-day routines. Defense Dept. photo by Samantha L. Quigley  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “I...

SNIP . . The IAF provides flying support of the Last Great Race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. This years 1112 miles of race route through Alaska promises to hold much excitement, not only for the 97 mushing teams, but for all the race volunteers as well. This is what brings us back year after year

Dog Saved by Marine Coming to Calif. Published: 2/22/08, 9:05 AM EDT By Chelsea J Carter SAN DIEGO (AP) - It began with a simple act of kindness to save an abused, injured dog from becoming one more victim in the Iraq war. But what followed for Marine Maj. Brian Dennis and the mutt was a tale of friendship and loyalty that spanned miles and overcame long odds - one set to take a turn Friday with the anticipated arrival here of the Marine's best friend. "This dog who had been through a lifetime of fighting, war, abuse ... is...

CAMP TAJI, Iraq, Feb. 21, 2008 – Hearing a noise in the hallway, Dean gets out of his bed on the floor and trots to the door as he searches the cool February air for a clue. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Vaneta Vaughn, the top enlisted soldier with 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multinational Division Baghdad, scratches Dean, the battalion chaplain’s dog, behind his ear at Camp Taji, Iraq, Feb. 16, 2008. Dean deployed to Iraq with the soldiers as the battalion’s therapy dog. Photo by Pfc. April Campbell, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution...

Tired of all the dogs in politics? Here's a nice change.

Sgt. 1st Class Boe, a therapeutic dog being used in Iraq to help Soldiers relieve stress, sits in the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division Operations Center, Jan. 10. Photo by Spc. Richard Rzepka, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs. COB SPEICHER — Ever had a Sergeant 1st Class lick your face? For many Soldiers here, these are not freakish events, but regular occurrences.  Sgt. 1st Class Boe is the newest member of the 85th Medical Detachment Combat Stress Control unit at COB Speicher, and is one of two K-9 therapists being used by the...

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OCEANSIDE ---- A pursuit suspect from Oceanside stopped his vehicle midspan on the Coronado Bridge, exited the car and jumped off the bridge at about 7:25 p.m.Monday, along with an Oceanside police dog that tried to stop him, according to California Highway Patrol officer Larry Landeros. The man lived, but the dog died. The pursuit began in Oceanside at 6:44 p.m after police suspected the driver was intoxicated. During the pursuit, the man was involved in a hit-and-run crash, authorities said.Highway Patrol officers joined the pursuit southbound on Interstate 5 as the car approached the Coronado Bridge, Landeros said. The...

SAN DIEGO (CBS) ― A possibly drunk driver was critically injured in a 200-foot jump from the Coronado Bridge Monday following a high-speed chase that began in Oceanside, according to media reports. The incident began about 7 p.m. when an Oceanside police officer saw the man driving erratically on the San Diego (5) Freeway, according to KCAL 9. The suspect sped away when the officer attempted to stop him for suspicion of driving under the influence, prompting a vehicle pursuit, in which the man ran red lights and struck another vehicle, KCAL 9 reported. The chase ended at the San...

Udi, a United States military working dog stationed at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, poses for the camera after he completes his daily training, Dec. 25. Photo by Pfc. Amanda McBride. FOB KALSU — With their strong sense of smell and their immeasurable loyalty, the highly trained military working dogs (MWD) in the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, are proving to be essential in the fight against terrorism. Military working dogs first entered the United States armed services in March 1942. Today, the dogs are still providing support to the troops on the battlefield.A single dog can search more...

SYDNEY - An elephant toppled out of a truck and killed a circus worker in Australia on Thursday, police said. “The man was killed, crushed to death, while the elephant was being offloaded from a truck,” a spokeswoman for the New South Wales police department said. Police said they had no other details of the incident, which occurred on the grounds of a circus in the seaside community of Yamba, about 700 km (435 miles) north of Sydney. The victim had been the handler of the elephant, named Anna, for two years, local television reported.

One of the great concerns of those who are responsible for our military is morale -- how to keep it high. The most effective way to ensure high morale is efficiency and competence. That is, if soldiers know what's expected of them, have the support of their superiors, and are allowed to do their job effectively, their morale is usually good. In war, winning is a guaranteed morale builder. But these days, unlike WWII, "winning" often has a definition different from simply beating the enemy -- which our troops are doing pretty effectively in Afghanistan. Support of the government for...

"It's not going to bring back my brother, but it's something close to it," said Madison Lee as she played with Lex after the ceremony. Military officials initially told the family that Lex had another two years of service before he could be adopted. But the family lobbied for months — even enlisting the aid of a North Carolina congressman — and the adoption came exactly nine months after the 20-year-old Marine was killed and his dog wounded on March 21 in Iraq's Anbar Province. 2nd Lt. Caleb Eames, spokesman for the Albany base, said Lee and Lex were sitting...

Across the city, delis and bodegas are a familiar and vital part of the streetscape, modest places where customers can pick up necessities, a container of milk, a can of soup, a loaf of bread. Amid the goods found in the stores, there is one thing that many owners and employees say they cannot do without: their cats. And it goes beyond cuddly companionship. These cats are workers, tireless and enthusiastic hunters of unwanted vermin, and they typically do a far better job than exterminators and poisons. When a bodega cat is on the prowl, workers say, rats and mice...

Lex attended the funeral of his best friend in March, playing with the 20-year-old Marine's younger brother away from the crowd. He was beside Cpl. Dustin Lee when Lee was killed in a mortar attack in Falluja. -snip- "Since Dustin's death we've been trying to get his dog, Lex, from the Marine Corps, and needless to say we've had some difficulty there," said Lee, a former Mississippi Highway Patrol officer. "This thing went from colonels to generals all the way up to the commandant of the Marine Corps, and it almost went to the secretary of defense." -snip- Well before...

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. embassy in Iraq is investigating another deadly shooting incident involving its Blackwater bodyguards -- this time of the New York Times's dog. Staff at the newspaper's Baghdad bureau said Blackwater bodyguards shot Hentish dead last week before a visit by a U.S. diplomat to the Times compound. Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said the dog had attacked one of Blackwater's bomb-sniffer dogs while a security team was sweeping the compound for explosives. "The K-9 handler made several unsuccessful attempts to get the dog to retreat, including placing himself between the dogs. When those efforts failed, the...

NEW YORK (AP) - The horse-drawn carriages that clip clop around Central Park could be banned under City Council legislation to be introduced at the urging of animal advocates who say the horses are treated inhumanely. Councilman Tony Avella, who plans to introduce the bill next Wednesday, said the horses that have entertained tourists and New Yorkers for decades are exposed to cruel conditions and are at risk of injury or death as they weave through city traffic. In September, a horse died after it was spooked by street musicians with drums and bolted down Central Park South. It was...

Freedom Middle School Orlando school uses extra-sensitive dog as counselor for students Mr. Harv instinctively picks up on body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. Susan Jacobson Sentinel Staff Writer November 9, 2007 When Mr. Harv goes to school, he spends his time playing ball, sitting on students' laps and lying down on the job. It's all in a day's work for Harv, Freedom Middle School's unofficial mascot and Central Florida's only known full-time canine counselor. At Freedom, every day is a dog day. Students greet Harv with hearty "hellos" and a vigorous belly rub. If there's a crisis...

"Nepal is celebrating the festival of Tihar, its equivalent of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. In Nepal, on the second day of the feast, special honour is bestowed on dogs."

Sgt. Jaimi Diaz, a dog handler with Task Force Military Police, poses for a photograph with her dog, Darrah. Diaz is currently the kennel master in Al Qaim, Iraq, and is running patrols with 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. CAMP GANNON, Iraq (Nov. 05, 2007) -- CAMP GANNON, Iraq — Operation Iraqi Freedom has called on Marines from different military occupational specialties to serve on the frontlines with infantry units. One Long Island, N.Y., native is guiding them on patrols with her dog, Darrah. Sgt. Jaimi Diaz, the Al Qaim kennel master, Task Force Military Police, is currently working...

Nos. 1 and 2. Strelka and Belka's successful orbit -snip- No. 3. How Peritas saved civilization Without his dog, Peritas, Alexander the Great might have been Alexander the So-So. When the warrior was swarmed by the troops of Persia's Darius III, Peritas leapt and bit the lip of an elephant charging his master. Alexander lived to pursue his famed conquest, forging the empire underlying Western civilization as we know it. No. 4. Charlie, Kennedy's Cuban Missile Crisis companion -snip- No. 5. Jofi, the first therapy dog Sigmund Freud usually kept a chow named Jofi in his office during psychotherapy sessions,...

MOSCOW - Just a month after the Soviet Union stunned the world by putting the first artificial satellite into orbit, it boasted a new victory — a much bigger satellite carrying a mongrel dog called Laika. The mission, 50 years ago Saturday, ended sadly for Laika but helped pave the way for human flight. As with other episodes of the Soviet space program, Laika's mission was hidden under a veil of secrecy, and only after the collapse of the Soviet Union could the participants tell the real story behind it. The satellite that carried Laika into orbit was built in...

Sgt. Richard Miller, from Floresville, Texas, a military policeman with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Inf. Div., encourages his specialized search dog, Gabriel, before a search exercise at Forward Operating Base Hammer Oct. 24. Miller uses Gabriel in cordon and searches, cordon and knocks, raids, route sanitation and route clearance missions to sniff out explosives, munitions, weapons and ammunition. Photo by Spc. Ben Hutto, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs. FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER — The German shepherd trots from rock to rock, ears pricked upward and nose pointed towards the earth, intent on his mission....

10/22/2007 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- When warriors deploy together to fight the war on terrorism, one doesn't imagine coming home without his partner, but a Robins Air Force Base NCO had to. Staff Sgt. Marcus Reaves, a military working dog handler in the 78th Security Forces Squadron's military working dog section here, was deployed to Iraq with his canine partner, Arras, when his dog was killed Sept. 25 in the line of duty. Arras, a 5-year-old Dutch shepherd explosives detector and patrol dog temporarily assigned to the 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and Joint Operations at...