News Archives - Page 60 of 73 - i Still Love Dogs

NYPD Officers Rescue Injured Pit Bull on Grand Central Parkway

When NYPD officers Melissa Mezzoiuso and George Morina-Blocker responded to a 911 call Monday morning about a “vicious” dog on Grand Central Parkway during rush hour, what they found was a brindle Pit Bull sitting in the middle of a westbound lane on the busy thoroughfare.

Morina-Blocker blocked traffic with their patrol car, and Mezzoiuso got out and approached the dog.

She realized he “was not ‘vicious’ but rather frightened and injured,” the NYPD News reports.

Mezzoiuso gently lifted the dog and carried him to the side of the busy parkway, then she and her partner decided to drive the 6-month-old pup, who they named “Rocky,” to a local ASPCA office.

Rocky was then transferred to the ASPCA hospital in Manhattan, where veterinarians determined his left front leg had been broken.

Morina-Blocker and Mezzoiuso stopped by for a visit yesterday, before the lucky pooch had surgery on his leg. Rocky “will continue to receive around-the-clock care as he recovers from his injury,” an ASPCA spokeswoman told the Queens Courier.

According to the New York Daily News today, Rocky has been renamed Huxley to avoid confusion with another dog in the hospital who has the same name. He is recovering from his surgery.

The ASPCA is trying to locate his owner, and asking anyone with information about Rocky to call 212-876-7700. In the meantime, adoption offers are flowing in.

“We urge anyone with information about Rocky to please come forward,” the ASPCA spokeswoman said. “Thank you to the officers of the 110th Precinct who rescued a dog in need and brought him to safety at the ASPCA.”

Photos via Twitter, Twitter

‘In Dog We Trust’ Rug Auctioned off for $9,650

It’s said we learn from our mistakes. A dog rescue group has earned from one well-publicized error.

It took two months (!) for anyone to notice, but the typo “In Dog We Trust” was printed on a new rug in the lobby of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Largo, Fla.

(That’s the rug in the photo, with K-9 officers Axel and Riggs.)

A sheriff’s office spokesperson told WFTS the error was made by the rug’s manufacturer, American Floor Mats, which promised to make a replacement.

Instead of simply disposing of the $500 “In Dog We Trust” rug, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri decided to auction it off and donate all the proceeds to Canine Estates Inc., a non-profit adoption and sanctuary facility in Palm Harbor, Fla.

“The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office will not ‘sweep anything under the rug,'” notes the auction page. “Due to extensive interest regarding our plans for the ‘doggone’ rug, you can bid on it here.”

The auction ended at 4 p.m. Eastern Time today. Thanks to someone at American Floor Mats accidentally transposing a “g” and “d” (although I kind of hope it was intentional), Canine Estates Inc. will get a check for … drumroll, please … $9,650, the winning bid.

Dog bless the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the generous winner (who hasn’t yet been identified) and all 83 bidders.

Photo via Facebook

Florida Dog ‘Wins’ $3 Million Lottery Jackpot

For stocking stuffers last month, Bill Kelly of Ococee, Fla., bought three scratch-off lottery tickets for his family, including their dog.

Turns out the ticket in the dog’s stocking was a winner, to the tune of $3 million.

“Giving Florida Lottery Scratch-Off tickets as Christmas gifts is one of my holiday traditions,” Kelly said in a press release.

“I always hope to at least win my money back and I play to win, but I never expected this.”

Kelly opted to receive the winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $2,351,433.02. He didn’t say how much of that windfall would be going toward treats for his lucky dog.

Last month, when Bryce Vucekovich of Dallas won $500 from a scratch-off ticket, he spent all of it on food and supplies for Dallas Animal Services.

Just sayin’, Mr. Kelly.

Photo via Facebook

Milwaukee Brewers’ Mascot Hank Wins Top Honor at World Dog Awards

Hank the Dog — the formerly scruffy stray who became an internet sensation after he wandered into the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring training facility in Phoenix last February, was rescued by the team and then became its unofficial mascot (he’s named after the legendary Hank Aaron, who’s posing with him in this photo) — won the top honor at the first-ever World Dog Awards, which aired on The CW Thursday.

“Hank has been working his magic over the past few months, and has touched people in ways you can’t imagine, and other dogs he has single-handedly — single pawedly? — helped find homes for,” said Marti Wronski, Hank’s dog mom and the Brewers’ vice president and general counsel, in her acceptance speech. “We promise to keep taking good care of him so he can keep everyone smiling. Please remember to keep looking into dog rescue and adoption.”

The other nominees for Dog of the Year included Duke, the canine mayor of a village in Minnesota; Peanut, a burn survivor who was crowned the 2014 World’s Ugliest Dog; Sky, winner of Best in Show at the 2014 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show; and Wacha, a hound mix rescued by Bravo TV’s Andy Cohen.

For a show that promoted dog rescue and adoption, it was disheartening that the Dog of the Year award was presented by Paris Hilton, who recently paid $25,000 for two teacup Pomeranian puppies. Really, World Dog Awards?!

Pet parents who, unlike Hilton, opted to adopt instead of shop were asked to share their own rescue stories on social media using the hashtag #dogtales. Some of the posts will be featured on The CW’s Dog Tales web page.

Nearly 2 million viewers watched the World Dog Awards last night, according to Deadspin Hollywood. The show was produced in conjunction with and for the benefit of the ASPCA and the PEDIGREE Foundation.

Photo via Twitter

‘In Dog We Trust’ Mistakenly Printed on Florida Sheriff’s Office Rugs

JAN. 21, 2015 UPDATE: Great news — the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office auctioned off the rug and will donate all the proceeds to Canine Estates Inc., a local non-profit adoption and sanctuary facility. The winning bid? A whopping $9,650!

Oh, my dog! Not that I think there’s anything particularly wrong with it, but…

“In Dog We Trust” was erroneously printed on two new rugs in the lobby of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Largo, Fla.

What’s even more amusing is that it took several weeks for anyone to notice the mistake, according to WFTS.

After a sheriff’s deputy spotted it yesterday, the rugs were rolled up and put away, doggone it.

A sheriff’s office spokesperson blamed the error on the rugs’ manufacturer, American Floor Mats, which has promised to replace them.

The spokesperson didn’t say what would happen to the rugs. On its Facebook page, ABC Action News – WFTS/TV suggests putting them in the K-9 unit office. Not a bad idea, but I think it would be great if they were auctioned off to benefit a local animal shelter or rescue.

Photo via OnlineAuction.com