You were probably hoping they lost the key to the cell when Michael Vick was locked up. Not so.
Vick, the onetime NFL quarterback, is going home sooner than expected after being imprisoned 13 months ago for his role in a dogfighting operation. He was expected to be released to a halfway house in Newport News, Va., but because there's no bed space available, it's likely he'll be released to home confinement as soon as May 21. His attorneys refused to comment.
Darn. It would have been appropriate for Vick to serve his entire 23-month in a federal prison in Leavenworth, Kan., but things don't always work out that way when it comes to jail sentences.
He's not clear yet, however. According to the Associated Press, a prison official said Vick will be on electronic monitoring while at home in Hampton, Va., and will only be allowed to leave home for activities that are approved by his probation officer.
Oh, and he still needs to publicly apologize for killing dogs.
If you smoke and need a reason to stop, how about this: It could save your pet's life.
You might not know it, but second-hand smoke can severely affect your dog or cat. They're susceptible to everything from lymphoma and oral cancer in cats to lung cancer in dogs, studies have shown. If you own a pet bird, it's also at risk from eye, skin and heart problems in addition to lung cancer.
More and more, people are acknowledging that love for their pets is reason enough to kick the habit. According to a recent study published by the journal Tobacco Control, one in three people who were surveyed said they would quit smoking if they believed it would protect their pet's health.
Is this surprising? In a way, yes. Other studies have shown that fewer than two percent of smokers would stop if they thought their children would suffer the second-hand effects of smoking.
Do we love our pets more than our kids? Of course not, but it clearly points up how much pet owners cherish their dogs and cats. So if it means finally quitting an awful habit, it's worth it.
The nerve.
A jewelry salesman from Kansas told police in Denver this week that he was robbed at gunpoint outside a Starbucks. The bad guys got away with $300,000 worth of dog jewelry.
Who steals dog jewelry? A thieving Chihuahua? A felonious French Poodle?
Actually, police say they don't really know if a crime occurred. They're taking the salesman, who said he was in town for the Rocky Mountain Cluster Dog Show, at his word.
"We can't just say that it seems kind of far-fetched," Parker, Colo., Police Captain Jim Tsurapas told the Rocky Mountain News. "We're treating it as an armed robbery. We are going to pursue it to see if we can prove it or disprove it."
The salesman said three tubs of jewelry, including bejeweled dog collars, were taken from him. He had stopped to buy a cup of coffee.
I say they should check Paris Hilton's dogs first. If they have guilty looks, put them in a lineup.
Some sad news to report: Actor Mickey Rourke, a dog lover who made sure to thank his pets after winning the best actor award at the Golden Globes in January, has lost his beloved Loki, a 17-year-old Chihuahua who died in his arms Monday night.
Judy Woloshen, the actor's representative, issued a statement from Rourke that said: "Loki is deeply missed but with me in spirit. I feel very blessed that she fell asleep peacefully in my arms."
Rourke is nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in the film "The Wrestler." After winning the Golden Globe, he told the audience, "Sometimes when a man is alone, that's all you've got is your dog."
Having recently lost my own dog to illness, I know how deeply Rourke must be hurting. "Loki is the love of my life," he told the New York Times recently. All of us can feel his pain.
Two months ago, I wrote about the stray dog problem in Baghdad, where officials have been using poisoned meat and shotguns to solve a problem that has become quite serious. Efforts to find a better solution have failed, so the killing goes on.
It's not that outside groups haven't attempted to help. Humane Society International has appealed to Baghdad officials to look for a better solution, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International has offered its help - but to no avail.
The SPCA has suggested mobile spay and neuter clinics and vaccination programs, but spokeswoman Terri Crisp told CNN the response has been slow.
"We've seen this work in other countries that have very similar stray animal problems," Crisp said. Killing stray dogs is little more than a bandage.
Thousands of dogs roam the streets, and authorities - usually two vets, a council officials and a police officer armed with a shotgun - do their best to bring down their numbers. The vets toss bits of meat poisoned with strychnine, and if that doesn't work, the officers shoot the dogs.
Khalil Abdullah, a Baghdad veterinarian, said, "I do have mercy for all animals. But we can't vaccinate the wild animals in the street, and we don't have the means or ability to bring them all to the hospital."
The dogs are a problem because their numbers have increased, and the packs threaten humans. Many Iraqis believe the dogs have become aggressive because they have tasted human flesh following sectarian violence that has resulted in bodies lining the streets.
The dog-culling program has been going on since November. It's uncertain when it will end, but you'd hope they find a better solution - and soon.
