Posted: September 17, 2008, 5 a.m. EDT
Dogs Aid in Searching for Metrolink Crash Victims
Viewers watching live coverage of the fatal Metrolink crash in Chatsworth, Calif., this weekend may have seen rescue dogs amid the firefighters and investigators searching for victims. Three of the Canine Disaster Search Teams on the scene were trained by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, a California nonprofit, non-government organization that has partnered rescue dogs with firefighters to respond to disasters such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and other train derailments in the Los Angeles area.
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Mass. Gov. Has Bill to Toughen Animal-Fighting Laws
Anyone caught attending illegal animal-fighting events — or selling copies of the fights online — would face new penalties under a bill on Gov. Deval Patrick’s desk. The bill expands the state’s laws against animal-fighting to target not just those sponsoring the events, but those attending as well, the Boston Herald reports.
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Canines Dispense Comfort, Love
Gita and Gianna have the best job that any dogs could ask for. The sisters, black Labrador Retrievers, provide love to cancer patients at Sharp Grossmont Hospital. Patients and employees at the La Mesa, Calif., hospital hug and pet them, and the dogs give wet, sloppy kisses, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
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Center of Attention: Dog Ready for QB’s Call
Could someone warn Olin Kreutz? Tonka, a 7-year-old Pembroke Corgi from Tinley Park, just might be gaining on the Chicago Bears center. Tonka can hike a football – or any ball for that matter – on demand and, some would argue, with great technique, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
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Sweet But Deadly: A Common Sweetener Can Kill Your Dog
Xylitol: You may not know what it is, or even how to pronounce it, but it’s in a growing number of products from toothpaste to Jell-O. And while it’s perfectly safe for humans, even a tiny amount can kill a dog, and it may be dangerous to other pets, too, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
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