Waggy Tails Dog Rescue News.
Dog Presentation.
On the first Saturday of each month we hold our Dog Presentation, starting at 10am at West Parley Memorial Hall, BH22 8SQ. The dogs in our care are brought along by their Foster parents so that prospective adopters can see them and learn a little more about their lives so far. The presentation is followed by time to view the dogs on the field behind the hall and then the Induction Meeting at 11.15am which all prospective Adopters are required to attend. We would advise you to arrive by 9.45am as car parking is at a premium. We start promptly and ask you to be punctual as latecomers disrupt the presentation. We look forward to seeing you and volunteers will be on hand to answer your questions. Please ensure that you have suitable footwear for the field.
Wounded Military Dog Gets Highest War Medal.
A military dog who lost her leg on duty in Afghanistan is to receive the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.
Lucca lost one of her front legs during a search for improvised explosive devices in 2012.
The 12-year-old German Shepherd completed more than 400 missions with the US Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan – helping protect thousands of troops.
Now retired, she has been flown from California to be presented with the Dickin Medal at Wellington Barracks in London.
Lucca’s handler, Gunnery Sergeant Christopher Willingham told Sky News is was an “incredible honour” to receive the award.
“It is very humbling to be part of this entire process. I think more importantly is that Lucca’s accomplishments are going to help bring awareness and recognition too all our military working dogs and their handlers.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for the dog handlers who have served before me and allowed me to do my job today.
“I have had the privilege of serving with some of the finest, both in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
The award was founded in 1943 and is bestowed by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA).
Jan McLoughlin, from the charity, said: “Lucca’s conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty makes her a hugely deserving recipient of the PDSA Dickin Medal.
“Her ability and determination to seek out arms and explosives preserved human life amid some of the world’s fiercest military conflicts.”
The award has previously been given to 29 dogs, 32 World War Two messenger pigeons, three horses and one cat.
Four Paws Dog Archie looking a super handsome puppy after his visit to his Dog Groomer’s earlier this week.
Gorgeous Archie!
Four Paws Dog Max has found the perfect place to rest his head after our dog walk today.
Our walk this morning in Wimborne took us via Redcotts Recreation Ground, along the River Allen (which is now passable) and then around Waitrose Green and back home.
It was lovely with the sun out and Max had a wonderful time with all the fresh new smells!
We said ‘Hello’ to all the other doggies out walking too!
Max has since been to ‘The Original Posh Paws Dog Groomers and is now modelling his Summer Coat!
Going overseas with your dog can seem like a nerve-racking experience. Our top 10 tips will help ease the journey.
No 1.
Plan ahead
Although it is now possible to travel abroad with your dog without him enduring months of quarantine you can’t just book a last-minute holiday and set off. The rules vary from country to country, so ask your vet for advice on what is needed to ensure your dog can safely leave the country and, importantly, has all the documentation to allow him back in again.
No 2.
Microchip
All dogs travelling abroad must have a microchip for identification purposes. This should be done before the dog has a rabies vaccination so that your vet can record the unique microchip number on your dog’s pet passport.
N0 3.
Rabies vaccination
All dogs must be vaccinated against the deadly disease rabies prior to travelling to another EU country or returning to the UK. The rules have eased slightly but you must wait 21 days after the vaccination before your dog can travel, or return, to the UK from another EU or non-EU listed country. However, if your dog is travelling into the UK from a country that is not listed on the Pet Travel Scheme he will require a blood sample 30 days after the rabies vaccination, and you must then wait three calendar months before travelling.
No 4.
Passports please…
Once your dog has fulfilled all the necessary criteria for travelling — been microchipped and had a rabies vaccination — your vet can issue you with a pet passport. The passport remains valid as long as your dog continues to meet the UK’s entry requirements.
No 5.
Carry on
Under the UK’s Pet Travel Scheme only certain approved transport companies and routes can be used to bring pet dogs into the country. Some companies will request a veterinary statement to confirm that your dog is fit to travel before they allow him to board, so check beforehand to ensure you comply with all their requirements. You may also need to buy an authorised pet travel carrier so that your dog can travel safely and securely.
No 6.
Extra protection
The Pet Travel Scheme safeguards against the risk of rabies entering the UK, but your dog could be at risk of other potentially fatal diseases, so ask your vet for advice on how to protect him. Tick treatments are no longer compulsory, but you may wish to provide this or invest in a protective band such as a Scalibor collar to help control ticks, mosquitoes, and flies.
No 7.
Comfort breaks
If your dog is in a carrier it must be large enough for him to stand up and turn around in, and he will appreciate a blanket or cool mat for extra comfort. Allow plenty of time in your schedule so that your dog can relieve himself before he travels. Check with your travel company about available exercise areas.
No 8.
Hot dogs
The temperatures abroad may be much warmer than in the UK, which could mean your dog will be more vulnerable to heatstroke. Avoid exercising your dog during the hottest periods of the day and make sure he has access to cool shade and plenty of water. Investing in a heat-reflecting cool coat will help to keep him comfortable.
No 9.
Food and drink
A day or two prior to travelling, start to reduce your dog’s food intake slightly and on the day of travel feed him as early as possible. Make sure that he has constant access to water throughout the journey. Remember that you may not be able to buy your dog’s usual brand of food on holiday, so pack sufficient supplies for the time you are away.
No 10.
Homeward bound
One to five days before you return to the UK you must visit a local vet for your dog to be checked, scanned, and given a tapeworm treatment. The vet will also sign and date your dog’s passport. On the day you return home the travel company will scan your dog’s microchip and check the pet passport and other documents. If your pet doesn’t meet the necessary requirements he may face quarantine or be sent back to the country you have travelled from, so check, check, and check again, to ensure everything is in order.
Dog picture for Monday Morning to make you Smile!
So, Monday …
We meet again!
Don’t get your small dogs microchipped – the procedure can be deadly, warn vets who urge owners to flout new law.
New law requires all dogs in UK that are eight weeks or older to be chipped.
Procedure involves inserting sterile chip between a dog’s shoulder blades.
But senior vet warned animal could suffer ‘adverse reaction’ to procedure.
Encouraged those with puppies to ignore law and ‘sit tight and do nothing.’
Those who flout law face £500 fine as Government continues crackdown.
Dog owners should ignore new microchipping laws as the procedure can cause serious health problems for puppies and small dogs, even leading to death, a leading vet has warned.
Senior vet Richard Allport believes puppies are ‘far too young’ to be chipped at eight weeks, and says they could have ‘serious adverse reactions’ when having the sterile chip inserted between the shoulder blades.
New laws, which come into force on April 6, require all dogs in the UK aged eight weeks and over to be microchipped. Dogs must already wear a collar and tag with the owner’s details when in public.
But, Mr Allport, who is also owns the Natural Medicine Centre, Hertfordshire, has urged dog owners to avoid having their pets chipped so young, instead encouraging them to ‘sit tight and do nothing’.
Senior vet Richard Allport, from Hertfordshire, believes puppies are ‘far too young’ to be chipped at eight weeks, and says they could have ‘serious adverse reactions’ when having the sterile chip inserted
Senior vet Richard Allport, from Hertfordshire, believes puppies are ‘far too young’ to be chipped at eight weeks, and says they could have ‘serious adverse reactions’ when having the sterile chip inserted (file photo)
Those who follow his advice risk facing fines of £500 from Wednesday, as the Government continues to crack down on the country’s 8.5million dogs which are still not registered.
Outlining how he believes the government’s law is putting pets at risk, Mr Allport told specialist magazine Dogs Today: ‘I think the age by which puppies must be microchipped – eight weeks – is far too young.
‘Most of the serious adverse reactions (including death) have been in puppies and small breeds.
‘My advice to people who don’t want their dog’s microchipped is to sit tight and do nothing.’
The microchipping procedure involves a sterile chip, the size of a grain of rice, being injected between the shoulder blades. The chips have a unique 15-digit code that can be read by a scanner.
It is a more permanent way of recording the animal’s ownership – as collars and tags can be removed or fall off.
While 83 per cent of dog owners have so far complied, around one in five – 1.45million – have not done so, according to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
Pete Wedderburn, a veterinary surgeon, said the benefits of reducing the numbers of stray dogs and illegal puppy farms ‘massively outweigh the risks’ of animals going through the microchip procedure.
He said: ‘It’s a big needle and big injection so naturally there’s going to be a reaction.
‘But what you have to bear in mind is that this is looking at just one side – this is going to help with stray dogs and lives will be saved.’
New laws, which come into force on April 6, require all dogs in the UK aged eight weeks and over to be microchipped. Dogs must already wear a collar and tag with the owner’s details when in public.
There have been a number of cases where animals have died after being microchipped.
In 2009, a Yorkshire terrier named Scotty developed epitheliotropic lymphoma at the site of his microchip implant, and died at just six years old.
In the same year, a Chihuahua named Charlie Brown died within hours of being chipped. Charlie died from ‘an extreme amount of bleeding’ from the ‘little hole in the skin where the (microchip implant) needle went in,’ according to D. Reid Loken, the vet who performed the procedure.
Lori Ginsberg, Charlie’s owner, said at the time: ‘I wasn’t in favour of getting Charlie chipped, but it was the law. This technology is supposedly so great until it’s your animal that dies.’
My advice to people who don’t want their dog’s microchipped is to sit tight and do nothing
Senior vet Richard Allport.
And in October 2010, a lawsuit was filed in the U.S. by Andrea Rutherford against Merck Sharp & Dohme and Digital Angel Inc. because her cat, Bulkin, developed cancer at the site of his microchip.
There are currently more than 102,000 stray or stolen dogs found in Britain every year. The law will help local authorities and charities that look after lost dogs, whose care currently costs £33m a year.
Owners whose dogs have been found by police or local authorities, if they are identified, will be given a short time to comply with the law. If they do not, they could be fined up to £500 on conviction.
Paula Boyden, veterinary director of the Dogs Trust, said: ‘Losing a dog is an extremely upsetting time for both dog and dog owner and microchipping increases the likelihood that a dog will be reunited with its owner… making it an essential part of animal welfare law in England.
‘It is vital that the microchip details are kept up to date. Last year 47,596 unclaimed and unwanted dogs were left in council kennels across the UK as these dogs could not be reunited with their owners.’
The dog welfare charity is currently looking after 1,546 stray, unwanted and abandoned dogs who need a home.
Microchipping a dog costs between £10 and £30, but many charities and animal shelters offer the service for free.
Dr Huw Stacey, director of clinical services at Vets4Pets, said: ‘Pet owners shouldn’t worry. It is a simple procedure. A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is injected under the skin at the scruff of a dog’s neck.’
He added: ‘By adding a traceable element to all dogs it will help lost or stolen pets be reunited with their owner.
‘It is also vital that all owners keep their contact details up to date on a microchip database.’
Owners may have to pay a fee to update their details with organisations offering the microchip service.
The move to introduce compulsory microchipping fills the gap left after dog licences were abolished in the United Kingdom in 1988.
It was mandatory to have one as a dog owner up until this time and cost only 37.5p. But they were phased out because they were widely ignored and regarded as ineffective.
If your Dog has been hit by a vehicle …
Even if the dog appears unharmed, it must be checked out by a Vet.
It could have internal injuries.
Knoll Beach, Studland Bay. Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Category: Activities, Nature
Start Date: 25/03/2016 10:00
End Date: 10/04/2016 15:00
Location: Studland Knoll Beach
Booking Essential: No
Description: Join us this Easter at Studland with our Easter Egg Hunt to help Bunny find his hidden eggs. Our hunt will take you along the beach and through the nature reserve and if you find Bunny’s eggs you can collect a chocolate prize at the end. £2.50 per trail, subject to egg availability.
Certain events attract an entrance charge and may need to be pre-booked. We strongly recommend that you confirm the details with the organiser, venue or Tourist Information Centre before you make your plans.
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the details within this guide, dates, times and venues may change or events be cancelled altogether. The publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any such changes or for any errors or omissions which may have occurred.
We welcome dogs all year round, but to make sure everyone enjoys themselves, please keep your dog on a lead of less than 2m anywhere on the beach between 1 May and 30 September.
From 1 October to 30 April dogs can be walked on the beach off the lead but please respect others – see doggie do’s, below.
Knoll Beach Café
Well behaved dogs are welcome in the outside seating area at the café where there are shelters, water bowls, dog ties and shade. Please make sure your dog does not disturb other customers.
Doggie do’s
Do keep to the paths: heathland is home to ticks and adders and your dog will be safer on the path. If your dog is bitten by an adder, visit the vet immediately or call the beach rangers on 07970 595963.
Do respect other visitors and keep your dog in sight: not everyone loves dogs, so before letting your best friend approach other people, please check with them first.
Do bag it and bin it: there are dog bins with free bags on the beach and surrounding area. Please use them.
Do protect nesting birds on heathland: rare birds nest on or near the ground so please keep your dog on a short lead when on the heath between March and July.
Do keep your dog on a lead near cliffs: every year dogs fall from the cliffs and some are fatally injured. Please don’t let your dog become a casualty.
Do keep your dog safe in hot weather: never leave your dog in the car when temperatures rise. There are water bowls available at Knoll Beach, Middle Beach and South Beach.
National Trust.
We welcome dogs all year round, but to make sure everyone enjoys themselves, please keep your dog on a lead of less than 2m anywhere on the beach between 1 May and 30 September.
From 1 October to 30 April dogs can be walked on the beach off the lead but please respect others – see doggie do’s, below.
Knoll Beach Café
Well behaved dogs are welcome in the outside seating area at the café where there are shelters, water bowls, dog ties and shade. Please make sure your dog does not disturb other customers.
Doggie do’s
Do keep to the paths: heathland is home to ticks and adders and your dog will be safer on the path. If your dog is bitten by an adder, visit the vet immediately or call the beach rangers on 07970 595963.
Do respect other visitors and keep your dog in sight: not everyone loves dogs, so before letting your best friend approach other people, please check with them first.
Do bag it and bin it: there are dog bins with free bags on the beach and surrounding area. Please use them.
Do protect nesting birds on heathland: rare birds nest on or near the ground so please keep your dog on a short lead when on the heath between March and July.
Do keep your dog on a lead near cliffs: every year dogs fall from the cliffs and some are fatally injured. Please don’t let your dog become a casualty.
Do keep your dog safe in hot weather: never leave your dog in the car when temperatures rise. There are water bowls available at Knoll Beach, Middle Beach and South Beach.
