Say what you want about Pam Anderson, but the buxom bombshell loves animals.
The former "Baywatch" star jumped in and appealed to the Indian Supreme Court recently to prevent the killing of stray dogs in Mumbai.
Anderson, a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, supported PETA's opposition to a recent ruling by the Bombay High Court that nuisance strays could be killed. She appealed to the court, calling for sterilization programs.
"Dogs cannot use condoms, but with the municipality's help, they can be 'fixed' -- painlessly, quickly and permanently," she wrote in a letter to Mumbai city council leaders.
Last week, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that a dog can be put down only if it's rabid, mortally wounded or incurably ill.
"A dog cannot be exterminated because it barks," a lawyer told the court.
Makes us want to watch old re-runs of "Baywatch."
This is a story about two women who saved a dog's life. And how someone can help.
It was first told by a Cleveland TV station, then broadcast on ABC's "Good Morning America," and clearly shows how difficult it is for people during these tough economic times. But it could have a happy ending for someone looking for a companion pet.
One night, Cecilia Miller's grandson found a young dog curled up outside the basement window of her home in Alliance, Ohio. It was bitterly cold outside, but no amount of coaxing could persuade the puppy to come indoors.
Miller called her neighbor, Wanda Martin, a longtime dog lover. Martin carefully placed a pillow and comforter outside for the dog. The next day, she fed him some cheese.
"From then on, we were buddies," the 79-year-old Martin (pictured above) told a Cleveland TV station.
They bonded. When she finally got a chance to pet him, Martin found a note tucked under the dog's collar that read, "Hi, my name it Kujo. I am a nice dog. My owner can't feed me. Please help me. I'm great with kids too." There was a smiley face at the bottom of the note.
With almost 8 million pets given to shelters each year, this was nothing new. Pets can be expensive to feed and care for, especially now. But Kujo, who is possibly a mix of Boxer and a German Shepherd Dog, seems like a special dog.
"He walked right in the family room and made himself right at home with my grandson," said Miller, who is 77. "He's real gentle with the kids and my grandson. He can be real contented and minds well."
Trouble is, Kujo is a bit too big and playful for the two seniors, who share feeding and caretaking duties. They want to find him a good home.
ABC has asked that anyone who's interested helping or adopting Kujo to send an email. We're betting they get plenty of responses.
Dogs are more than just companions. They can be guide dogs, guard dogs, police dogs and therapy dogs. Now they are helping with important scientific research.
A genetic link between Lou Gehrig's Disease (formal name: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS) and a similar disease in dogs was recently discovered by researchers, leading to the possibility that their finding could result in therapies for humans and dogs.
ALS affects the central and peripheral nervous systems, causing muscle atrophy and weakness and eventually leading to death. Similarly, dogs suffer from a disease called degenerative myelopathy (DM), a spinal-cord disorder commonly found in German Shepherd Dogs but also found in several other breeds. There is no cure or treatment that can slow or stop either disease.
Researchers from the University of Missouri and the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Mass., say a genetic mutation that causes ALS in humans is the same one that causes DM in dogs. Dog owners typically opt for euthanasia from six months to one year after their pets are diagnosed.
In a news release, Joan Coates, a veterinary neurologist and associate professor of veterinary medicine and surgery at the Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, said, "Dogs with DM are likely to provide scientists with a more reliable animal model for ALS. Also, this discovery will pave the way for DNA tests that will aid dog breeders in avoiding DM in the future."
The research was published last week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
It's good news that could help people and the pets we love.
Michael Vick is still in prison for his role in a dogfighting scandal, but it's clear he and his lawyers have been planning a quick escape from the negative spotlight.
The disgraced former quarterback reached an agreement with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to tape an anti-dogfighting public service announcement - until PETA suddenly pulled the plug on its offer.
It turns out that Vick's lawyers were hoping to parlay the televised spot into a quick return to football by getting PETA to agree to publicly support Vick's attempt to resume his career. PETA said no way.
"Saying sorry and getting his ball back after being caught enjoying killing dogs in hideously cruel ways for many years doesn't cut it," PETA president Ingrid Newkirk said.
In fact, Newkirk suggested the National Football League should look carefully at Vick's mental state before allowing him back in the league, saying that Vick must prove he is "mentally capable of remorse before he can touch, let alone wear, an NFL uniform again."
PETA says Vick, whose release date from federal prison is scheduled for July 29, should undergo a brain scan and a full psychiatric evaluation. If you agree, there's a petition on their site you can sign.
If you buy your dog treats from PetSmart, read this: The national chain is voluntarily recalling seven of its Grreat Choice Dog Biscuit products that include peanut paste made by a Georgia company at the center of an investigation into salmonella contamination.
In a news release issued this week, PetSmart said it was not aware of any reported illnesses related to the Grreat Choice products, but it has pulled the biscuits from its store shelves and Web site as a precautionary measure.
The products, sold between Aug. 21, 2008 and Jan. 19, 2009, include:
Small Assorted 32 oz., UPC 73725702900
Small/Medium Assorted 4 lb., UPC 73725700601
Small/Medium Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700605
Small/Medium Assorted 10 lb., UPC 73725702755
Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700638
Extra Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700779
Peanut Butter 4 lb., UPC 73725700766
If you bought any of these biscuits, PetSmart advises you to stop giving them to your pets and return them to any PetSmart store for a full refund or exchange. Or call customer service at (888) 839-9638.
At least 486 people have become sick, and six have died, as a result of the salmonella outbreak, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
