Posted: June 4, 2008, 5 a.m. EDT
Huge Rise in Dogfights Reported
The number of dogfights being reported in Britain has risen 15-fold in four years, according to figures from the RSPCA. There were 24 reported to the animal charity in 2004, but the number rose to 358 last year, BBC News reports.
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Dog Growls Reveal Size to Human Listeners
Few animal listeners, including humans, miss the basic "back off" message of a dog growl, but new research shows such sounds also tell us how large and heavy the growler is. A study published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America presents the world's first evidence for interspecies size assessment based solely on vocal signals, Discovery News reports.
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Dog Tethering Issue Ties Up Hearing
Proposed rules to limit the outdoor tethering of dogs have become controversial in a North Carolina community. Orange County's considered measures would limit dog tethering to three hours in a 24-hour period, require certain equipment for tethering, and set minimum sizes for outdoor pens, United Press International reports.
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Sniffer Dogs Signal More Security for Beijing Olympics
Beijing officials are reinforcing the city with more sniffer dogs, yet another sign of the stringent security expected to greet the Olympics. The explosive-sniffing dogs are expected to work around Beijing's 31 Olympic venues, the airport, subways, railway stations and shopping malls, The Associated Press reports.
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Nine Lives, With the Bills to Match
Healthcare expenses are rising, not only for humans but also for their pets. Many of the pet owners affected are baby boomers no longer burdened with the cost of raising children who are willing to use whatever disposable income they have to increase the quality of life of their furry companions, The Washington Post reports.
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