The full article is below, but basically the dog wasn't cooperating with the vet, and he decided to punch the dog in the head 3 times, dislodging the dog's eye. In another incident, he was supposed to vaccinate the dog, but instead shot the vacine in the air and charged the owner 80 bucks.
Don't people become vets because they love animals?? How could you hit a dog so much that his eye pops out and call yourself a vet? That's like a human patient being beaten up by his doctor because he was a difficult patient.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/westvalley/articles/0710abrk-vetindicted0710-ON.html
Becky Bartkowski and Michael Kiefer
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 10, 2007 12:52 PM
A Sun City West veterinarian accused of animal abuse and theft has been indicted.
A grand jury issued Dr. Joshua Winston's criminal indictment on June 29. Winston was charged with one count of animal abuse, a felony, and one count of misdemeanor theft.
"These allegations are very disturbing, especially against a veterinarian," said Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas. "People who entrust their pets to veterinarians have every right to expect good medical care, not vicious abuse."
Winston was arrested June 11 after being accused of punching Bella, a five-pound Chihuahua five times in the head. Winston allegedly struck the Chihuahua's head three to five times and dislodged the dog's eye on June 4.
Winston was unable to repair the eye damage and sewed it shut, Thomas said. Bella needed corrective surgery after the incident.
Two veterinary technicians witnessed the abuse and said that the uncooperative dog angered Winston. One of the witnesses reported that Winston struck Bella three times, Thomas said.
Winston had a history with the Chihuahua, named Bella, since he performed a cesarean section for Bella's birth last year.
The theft charges come from a separate incident in earlier this year, when Winston was to vaccinate a Neapolitan Mastiff and instead of vaccinating the dog, Winston shot the vaccination into the air and charged the dog's owner, Jeff Orth, $80.
"We will aggressively prosecute this case," Thomas said at the conference.
Jean Steenbock, a customer of Winston's, said, "I'm very disappointed."
"I had hoped that if he could tell his side of the story things would have turned out differently," Steenbock said.
Steenbock has a 14-year-old Bichon she needs euthanized and said she was planning to have Winston perform the procedure.
“As long as Joshua Winston is a vet practicing out here, I will continue to use him,” Steenbock said.
Winston is the owner of Sun City West Animal Hospital and is the sole doctor at the hospital.
The Arizona State Veterinary Examining Board and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office investigated the case. The County Attorney's Office filed a complaint with the Arizona State Veterinary Examining Board, and Thomas thanked Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his officials for their continued fight against animal abuse.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Why cats hiss
Animal behaviour has been studied for years, yet there isn't always a consensus on why animals do certain things. There are many thoughts about why cats hiss, something that their owners have tried to explain time and again.
Most cats growl or hiss when angered or in danger, which serves to warn the offending party. If the warning is not heeded, a more or less serious attack may follow. Some may engage in nipping behavior or batting with their paws, either with claws extended or retracted. With cats who are improperly socialised and do not know their own strength, this can result in inadvertent damage to human skin. Like any injury, cat scratches can become infected.
Cats are also known to make chirping or chattering noises when observing prey, or as a means of expressing interest in an object to nearby humans. When directed at out-of-reach prey, it is unknown whether this is a threatening sound, an expression of frustration, or an attempt to replicate a bird-call (or replicate the call of a bird's prey).
Whereas this conduct was originally viewed as the feline equivalent of song, recent animal behaviorists have come to believe this noise is a "rehearsal behavior" in which it anticipates or practices the killing of prey, because the sound usually accompanies a biting movement similar to the one they use to kill their prey (the "killing bite" which saws through the victim's neck vertebrae).
Cats in close contact with humans use vocalization more frequently than cats who live in the wild. Adult cats in the wild rarely vocalize; they use mostly body language and scent to communicate.
Although research continues, like humans, different cats with different personalities do things for different reason.
(Resources: www.wikipedia.com)
cat hiss, animal communication,
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Pirate's Cove, The Amboy Times, The Random Yak, Big Dog's Weblog, and High Desert Wanderer, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
M&M's Bad for Fish
As many of us pet owners know, chocolate is never good for your dog. As fellow blogger Pet Campbell http://www.petsgardenblog.com/, found out the hard way, they're not very good for fish either. Thanks to Pet for sharing this story with me via email.....
We had a 500 gallon salt water tank when our kids were small..
Our Daughter who must have been 6 or 7 used to hand feed our amazon parrot m
and m's
Curly.. the parrot loved them.. he would coo and plead with her.. she always
shared..I think she is the only person he liked.. well she shared cookies
and sunflower seeds also..
lol
(She was killed 7 yrs ago by a drunk driver)
one day, coming in from the feedlot ( we were ranchers in Montana then) she
had dragged a stool over to the tank and had fed the salt tank fish m&m's...
several hundred dollars of fish died.. and our babysitter got fired..
gee..
I can laugh now.. but I remember sitting on the floor bawling...
Jesse our son now has the tank and was smarter than his mama
he has a hood that latches, and small fingers cannot open..
And Curly has adopted his daughter as best friend/ supplier of good
treats...
oh those clowns (fish) and anemones...
Monday, July 9, 2007
Betta Picture
Here is a pic of my betta fish in the community tank. Bettas can live with other fish (as mentioned in some of my other articles) without any problems.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Cat Survives 3 Weeks Across Pacific
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - A cat that spent nearly three weeks crossing the Pacific inside a shipping container with no food or water appears to be just fine.
Pamela Escamilla lost sight of her 3-year-old calico, Spice, while packing a large container with household goods in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. The container was shipped June 15 to Southern California.
Escamilla, 39, and her husband could not find the cat before taking their flight and asked neighbors in Hawaii to call if Spice returned.
As it turns out, Spice spent 18 days in the pitch-black container without food or water before arriving at the San Bernardino home of Escamilla’s parents on Tuesday.
“We really thought that cat was going to be dead,” said Edward Gardner, Escamilla’s father.
When Escamilla opened the container, she and family members noticed fluffs of cat hair on the floor. They started removing items, and Escamilla climbed into the container to search.
She said she saw Spice poke her head out from behind some bicycles.
“I started to scream,” she said.
Escamilla gently picked up the cat and took her to a veterinarian who said the feline’s prognosis was good. Spice’s kidneys had shrunk and her bowels were backed up, but she managed to get some food and water down at the vet, Escamilla said.
Escamilla said the veterinarian told her that calicos have a strong survival instinct.
“It’s always a good day when the cat’s alive,” said Escamilla. “We didn’t know what we would find.”
www.msnbc.msn.com
Pamela Escamilla lost sight of her 3-year-old calico, Spice, while packing a large container with household goods in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. The container was shipped June 15 to Southern California.
Escamilla, 39, and her husband could not find the cat before taking their flight and asked neighbors in Hawaii to call if Spice returned.
As it turns out, Spice spent 18 days in the pitch-black container without food or water before arriving at the San Bernardino home of Escamilla’s parents on Tuesday.
“We really thought that cat was going to be dead,” said Edward Gardner, Escamilla’s father.
When Escamilla opened the container, she and family members noticed fluffs of cat hair on the floor. They started removing items, and Escamilla climbed into the container to search.
She said she saw Spice poke her head out from behind some bicycles.
“I started to scream,” she said.
Escamilla gently picked up the cat and took her to a veterinarian who said the feline’s prognosis was good. Spice’s kidneys had shrunk and her bowels were backed up, but she managed to get some food and water down at the vet, Escamilla said.
Escamilla said the veterinarian told her that calicos have a strong survival instinct.
“It’s always a good day when the cat’s alive,” said Escamilla. “We didn’t know what we would find.”
www.msnbc.msn.com
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Mini Bulldog
With all the "designer" dogs being bred, I'm never amazed when I learn of a new type of cross breed. I was recently introduced to an "exotic" breed referred to as a mini bulldog. In actuality, the dog is a cross between a Pug an an English Bulldog.
Generally, the dog looks mostly like a bulldog, but grows only to the size of a pug. In fact, mini Bulldogs offer all of the great features and attitude as its larger friends.
Although this is the first time I've seen this dog, and while most people I spoke to haven't seen one, according to some google searches, Miniature Bulldogs were developed in the 1980's. The goal was to improve the health and reduce the size of the full sized English Bulldog.
According to some of the sites, Miniature Bulldogs are an improved dog whose behavior, looks, and health are ideal for the Bulldog lover. They have the features of full size English Bulldogs. As in the full size, there are variations in Miniature features.
The Miniatures are very active and are loving, obedient, protective companions. They are loyal, people oriented and like to do things with you. Grooming is necessary once a week and they will do fine in a small yard.
However, this breed is not without controversy. According to http://www.minibulldogs.com/ , there is confusion in the industry whether the breed "is it just a smaller Bulldog, or is a “mix” English Bulldog/Pug, English Bulldog/French Bulldog. There is not a real answer to this question. Many breeders do both. But any breeder that says they will not tell what they are is not very reputable."
Add this to the list of dogs I'd like to own someday.
mini bulldog, designer dogs, pets
Trackposted to Blue Star Chronicles, Outside the Beltway, Webloggin, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, The Amboy Times, and Big Dog's Weblog, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Monday, July 2, 2007
More Pet Quotes
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~ Immanual Kant
"A cat is a puzzle for which there is no solution." ~ Hazel Nicholson
"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals" ~ Anonymous
"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." ~ Roger Caras
"A dog is the only thing on earth that will love you more than you love yourself." ~ Josh Billings
"Dogs have owners, cats have staff." ~ Anonymous
"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans" ~ James Herriot
"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." ~ Ben Williams
"You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'My God, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'" ~ Dave Barry
"There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before." ~ Robert Lynd
"The Trouble with a kitten is that eventually it becomes a Cat"~ Ogden Nash
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Webloggin, Planck's Constant, The Amboy Times, The Random Yak, and Big Dog's Weblog, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
Pet Quotes
"A cat is a puzzle for which there is no solution." ~ Hazel Nicholson
"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals" ~ Anonymous
"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." ~ Roger Caras
"A dog is the only thing on earth that will love you more than you love yourself." ~ Josh Billings
"Dogs have owners, cats have staff." ~ Anonymous
"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans" ~ James Herriot
"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." ~ Ben Williams
"You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'My God, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'" ~ Dave Barry
"There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before." ~ Robert Lynd
"The Trouble with a kitten is that eventually it becomes a Cat"~ Ogden Nash
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Webloggin, Planck's Constant, The Amboy Times, The Random Yak, and Big Dog's Weblog, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
Pet Quotes
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Bindi Irwin Following in Dad's Footsteps
((I was always a huge fan of the croc hunter and was saddened like everyone else about his passsing. This article is about how his daughter is following her dad's passion for wildlife.))
LOS ANGELES - At an age when many girls are still playing with their Barbie dolls, Bindi Irwin has moved on to something a bit more challenging.
"I have Blackie my black-headed python. I also have Corny the corn snake. He sleeps with me at night," the 8-year-old-daughter of the late crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin, says proudly as she rattles off the names of the menagerie she keeps back home in Queensland, Australia.
It's a group she hopes to introduce to the rest of the world through her new television show, "Bindi the Jungle Girl," airing Saturdays on the Discovery Kids Channel (5 p.m. ET).
"I also have Jaffa my koala and Ocker, my favorite cockatoo. And I have other birds that stay with me. And Candy, my pet rat, sometimes stays with me," the blonde-haired, pigtailed bundle of energy continues until her enthusiasm gets the better of her and her words begin to run together, finally tripping over one another in a heap.
"Sorry," she offers with a giggle as she comes up for air.
Then, a moment later, she's on a roll again, passionately recounting the horror stories her father would come home with about the way he saw exotic animals mistreated in shows around the world. He witnessed cobras in India, he told her, that had their teeth yanked out before they were put in baskets for snake charmers with flutes to coax them out of. He saw monkeys that had their young taken away as an incentive to perform.
"They take their babies away until the monkey does the trick, and then they give the baby back," he told her.
"It's terrible what people are doing," she says, her voice rising. "And they're just doing it for a living because they don't know any better. They've just grown up like that. I think we really need to teach all people, big or little, they should all know the message of conservation."
Her effort to teach them is "Bindi The Jungle Girl," which takes viewers around the world to see animals in their natural habitat while Bindi discusses things like the status of those in danger of extinction.
"There are only a few thousand left in the wild and they could all be gone by the time I'm old enough to drive," she says of tigers and cheetahs.
As her father did, she also frequently makes pitches not to use products that result in the needless deaths of animals.
Each show also returns home to Bindi's two-story tree house in Queensland, Australia, where the little girl with the soft Aussie accent interacts naturally with her exotic animals and where, Bindi says, she is always happiest.
"I love it in my tree house. It's the best place to be, pretty much," she says by phone. "I just go there to sleep over sometimes. My brother comes to visit me for a little sleepover as well. He has his own little snake, Basil. Basil is actually a girl. I know, that's a strange name for a girl," she says, letting loose with another giggle.
She also keeps a supply of videos of her father there.
"I'm ever so lucky because I have so much footage of my dad in the tree house with me," she says. Then she adds softly, "Which is very nice to have because some people only have like one or two pictures of their father or the one who died."
She was barely 8 when her father was killed by a stingray while filming an underwater documentary at Australia's Great Barrier Reef last September.
The two already had begun working together on what would become "Bindi The Jungle Girl," and Irwin is featured prominently in early episodes doing things like climbing trees to visit the nests of endangered orangutans. In one comical moment, a nest's startled resident briefly shakes a fist in Irwin's face before deciding he's all right.
Almost from the day Bindi was born, says her mother, Terri Irwin, she has embraced exotic animals with the same passion her father had.
"Steve was so excited," she recalls. "He kept saying, `I'm really looking forward to the day when Bindi takes over for me and I can just kick back.'"
Still, in many ways, she adds, her daughter is just a typical kid, one who keeps busy with school and pesters her family from time to time for a pony to go with Peru the iguana and the other exotic animals.
As for taking up her famous father's legacy at such a tender age, Bindi doesn't see it as a big deal. She began accompanying him on film shoots when she was just 6 days old and learned early on, she says, what her life's work would be.
"I've always wanted to teach people about animal conservation," she said. "I want to follow in my father's footsteps. I loved him so very, very much."
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2007-06/28/content_904830.htm
LOS ANGELES - At an age when many girls are still playing with their Barbie dolls, Bindi Irwin has moved on to something a bit more challenging.
"I have Blackie my black-headed python. I also have Corny the corn snake. He sleeps with me at night," the 8-year-old-daughter of the late crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin, says proudly as she rattles off the names of the menagerie she keeps back home in Queensland, Australia.
It's a group she hopes to introduce to the rest of the world through her new television show, "Bindi the Jungle Girl," airing Saturdays on the Discovery Kids Channel (5 p.m. ET).
"I also have Jaffa my koala and Ocker, my favorite cockatoo. And I have other birds that stay with me. And Candy, my pet rat, sometimes stays with me," the blonde-haired, pigtailed bundle of energy continues until her enthusiasm gets the better of her and her words begin to run together, finally tripping over one another in a heap.
"Sorry," she offers with a giggle as she comes up for air.
Then, a moment later, she's on a roll again, passionately recounting the horror stories her father would come home with about the way he saw exotic animals mistreated in shows around the world. He witnessed cobras in India, he told her, that had their teeth yanked out before they were put in baskets for snake charmers with flutes to coax them out of. He saw monkeys that had their young taken away as an incentive to perform.
"They take their babies away until the monkey does the trick, and then they give the baby back," he told her.
"It's terrible what people are doing," she says, her voice rising. "And they're just doing it for a living because they don't know any better. They've just grown up like that. I think we really need to teach all people, big or little, they should all know the message of conservation."
Her effort to teach them is "Bindi The Jungle Girl," which takes viewers around the world to see animals in their natural habitat while Bindi discusses things like the status of those in danger of extinction.
"There are only a few thousand left in the wild and they could all be gone by the time I'm old enough to drive," she says of tigers and cheetahs.
As her father did, she also frequently makes pitches not to use products that result in the needless deaths of animals.
Each show also returns home to Bindi's two-story tree house in Queensland, Australia, where the little girl with the soft Aussie accent interacts naturally with her exotic animals and where, Bindi says, she is always happiest.
"I love it in my tree house. It's the best place to be, pretty much," she says by phone. "I just go there to sleep over sometimes. My brother comes to visit me for a little sleepover as well. He has his own little snake, Basil. Basil is actually a girl. I know, that's a strange name for a girl," she says, letting loose with another giggle.
She also keeps a supply of videos of her father there.
"I'm ever so lucky because I have so much footage of my dad in the tree house with me," she says. Then she adds softly, "Which is very nice to have because some people only have like one or two pictures of their father or the one who died."
She was barely 8 when her father was killed by a stingray while filming an underwater documentary at Australia's Great Barrier Reef last September.
The two already had begun working together on what would become "Bindi The Jungle Girl," and Irwin is featured prominently in early episodes doing things like climbing trees to visit the nests of endangered orangutans. In one comical moment, a nest's startled resident briefly shakes a fist in Irwin's face before deciding he's all right.
Almost from the day Bindi was born, says her mother, Terri Irwin, she has embraced exotic animals with the same passion her father had.
"Steve was so excited," she recalls. "He kept saying, `I'm really looking forward to the day when Bindi takes over for me and I can just kick back.'"
Still, in many ways, she adds, her daughter is just a typical kid, one who keeps busy with school and pesters her family from time to time for a pony to go with Peru the iguana and the other exotic animals.
As for taking up her famous father's legacy at such a tender age, Bindi doesn't see it as a big deal. She began accompanying him on film shoots when she was just 6 days old and learned early on, she says, what her life's work would be.
"I've always wanted to teach people about animal conservation," she said. "I want to follow in my father's footsteps. I loved him so very, very much."
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2007-06/28/content_904830.htm
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