If you own an iPhone or iTouch, there's a very cool application that's worth downloading to your device. It's called Pet First Aid, by Jive Media LLC, and it covers virtually every emergency situation you and your pet may encounter.
I discovered the app last week, although it was added to Apple's iPhone lineup about a month ago. It's not going to replace a visit to your vet, but it will help if you find your dog or cat in a medical emergency such as choking, drowning or poisoning. I haven't gone through the entire application yet (there's a ton of information, including images and videos), but I've found some interesting basic information such as taking your pet's vital signs when he's healthy (pulse, temperature, breathing rate) so that you can determine if he's ill or in need of immediate health if you notice a change in his disposition.
The app costs $4.99, which is somewhat expensive compared to most others in Apple's iTunes Store, but it's well worth it if you ever worry what to do in an emergency. I've found myself looking up possible situations that I've already faced with my dogs such as bites and bee stings. You can also record important medical information on your pet, including vaccinations and vet contact information.
Unfortunately, you can't legislate against stupidity.
If you could, people like Brett Kolarik of Pittsburgh wouldn't be allowed anywhere near dogs. Ever.
Kolarik surrendered to police last week after admitting he fed meatballs laced with nails and glass to a neighbor's two dogs. He faces up to two years in jail on each count of animal cruelty, plus a fine and restitution totaling $4,000.
Kolarik told police it was the second time he had tried to kill the dogs, who he said had "tortured" him with their incessant barking. On a previous attempt, he said he fed rat poison to the dogs.
The owner of the dogs, Debbie Rogers, claimed the dogs only barked when someone approached her property. But Kolarik told police the dogs, a Beagle named Pepper and a Siberian Husky named Shadow, barked up to 15 hours a day.
Rogers said Shadow swallowed an inch-long piece of glass, necessitating surgery that cost $4,000. The dog had 80 staples sewn into her body from chest to groin. Pepper was not seriously injured.
It's impossible to comprehend the reason a person would take such horrendous measures, but it's certainly not the first time someone has tried to kill a neighbor's dogs because they barked too loudly or exhibited behavior they disliked.
If you find yourself in a similar situation with an angry neighbor, try to work it out. If you dog barks non-stop, work to curb that behavior. Dogtime.com has a number of articles about the subject written by experts. Start with this one, which explains why some dogs bark.
