Dog in Golf Cart Runs Over Little Girl (She’s OK!)

Here’s a news story you don’t read about very often: During a festival in Michigan last Friday night, an arson dog named Bella jumped down from the seat of a golf cart and laid across the accelerator.

The vehicle took off and a front tire ran over the leg of a 4-year-old girl, who fortunately was not injured.

Firefighters with the Westland Fire Department had jumped in the golf cart and were trying to steer it away from people attending the Blues, Brews and BBQ event in a Detroit suburb when the accident happened.

That little girl was very lucky. Due to the growing popularity of these vehicles, there were over 63,000 golf cart-related injuries from 2010 to 2019, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). About half of the injuries happened to children up to 12 years of age.

The Westland Fire Department had this good news to share in a press release: “Fortunately, the child was back to eating her popcorn within minutes of the incident and within 10 minutes of the incident was back to jumping in the fire department bounce house.”

As for Bella, the fire department says the 7-year-old black Lab was “definitely devastated” and will only be allowed back in the golf cart “with extra precautions in place,” NBC New York reports.

Photo: westland_arson_dog on Instagram

Amstaff Makes History at Westminster Dog Show

For the first time in the 147-year history of the Westminster Kennel Club (WKC) Dog Show, an American Staffordshire Terrier, aka Amstaff, won the Terrier group. Hooray! “Trouble” is a very handsome 4-year-old whose pedigree name is GCHP CH Lbk’s Rebel And Proud Party Crasher.

Although Trouble the Amstaff was in the running for the coveted Best in Show title, that honor went to yet another historic first: A cute Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen named Buddy Holly. A dust mop — er, Pekingese — won the Reserve Best in Show title, meaning he/she/it is the second runner-up.

Trouble’s handler summed it up perfectly when asked what people should know about this breed. “They’re just the best family pet that anyone could ever have,” she replied, and I bet anyone who’s had one as a pet would wholeheartedly agree.

While it’s exciting that an Amstaff was awarded this honor, I have mixed feelings overall. Amstaffs are usually lumped in with American Pit Bull Terriers and subject to the same breed bans and undeserved reputations as “dangerous” dogs due to negative media stories and a very misleading bite reporting website. Because of unfortunate factors like overbreeding and landlords (and most home insurance companies) who prohibit them, shelters across the country are full of these “pit bull type” dogs.

My concern is that people may decide to buy a purebred Amstaff instead of adopting one of the many dogs who also very deserving of a loving forever home. Here’s hoping that won’t be the case, and instead Trouble will encourage more people to adopt this breed.

If you’re like me, while watching the WKC Dog Show you probably spent some time assuring your dog that they, in fact, were the actual Best in Show. This is true of my Ella and true of your dog(s), too.

Photo: FOX Sports/YouTube

Dog and Goat BFFs Are Homeless No More

A young Pit Bull mix named Felix and a young goat named Cinnamon grew up together in Raleigh, N.C., and became inseparable. Unfortunately, when their owner was no longer able to care for the BFFs, they were surrendered last month to the Wake County Animal Shelter.

“People often mischaracterize shelters as dog pounds, but the Wake County Animal Center takes in a huge variety of dogs, cats, mice and other critters,” said Wake County Commissioner Cheryl Stallings in a press release. “Still, to see such a strong bond between a goat and a dog is really special.”

Since goats and dogs are social animals, “it makes sense they would find friendship,” Wake County Animal Center Director Dr. Jennifer Federico said in the press release. “In many cases of interspecies friendship, the species are not normally seen together, and sometimes, one is of a species that ordinarily preys on the other in nature — whatever the reason for these two bonding, it’s clear what would be best for their well-being is to keep them together.”

(Speaking of interspecies friendships, back in 2015 a pot-bellied pig named Pickles and her two Chihuahua/Pomeranian BFFS were facing a similar situation at a Pennsylvania animal shelter. The trio was adopted by Blue Hound Farm in Lewisberry, Pa., and are hopefully living happily ever after together.)

While Felix might be lucky enough to be adopted, chances were pretty slim that someone would want to adopt Cinnamon along with him. To increase those chances, the Wake County Animal Shelter reached out to its rescue partners. “We’re so thankful that our center has established such great partnerships with local rescues so we can send out a plea for this sweet pair,” Stallings said.

Chris and Mariesa Hughes of the Mr. Mo Project, a New York-based rescue focused on senior pets, happened to know of the perfect forever home for the buddies. And that home just happened to be in North Carolina — and the Wake County Animal Shelter just happened to know the adopters, who have been fostering dogs for the past 10 years. Even cooler is that the Mr. Mo Project will pay Felix and Cinnamon’s veterinary bills for the rest of the pair’s lives.

Felix and Cinnamon’s new forever home has plenty of space, and, best of all, a herd of goats that will likely soon become BFFs with both Felix and Cinnamon. 

“I’m so excited they will be living their dream life in Johnston County with their new family,”  Shinica Thomas, chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, said in a press release. “The Wake County Animal Center has a fantastic rescue network and they focused on the best solution for this pair after getting custody of them. This was the best outcome we could hope for!”

You might say their rescue is … wait for it … the GOAT, at least as far as these lucky pals are concerned!

To make a donation to the Mr. Mo Project, click here.

Photos: Wake County; Wake County

Erin Go Bark: The Most Popular Irish Dog Breeds and Names

In celebration of St. Pawtrick’s — er, Patrick’s — Day, here are the most popular Irish dog breeds and names in the United States.

No matter what breed or mix of breeds your dog happens to be, have a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day. And let’s hope every homeless dog has the luck of the Irish and finds a forever family!

Top 5 Irish Dog Breeds

According to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2022, these are the Irish breeds that made the list:

  1. Irish Setter (71 on the list)
  2. Irish Wolfhound (89; 85 in 2021)
  3. Irish Terrier (131; 124 in 2021)
  4. Irish Red and White Setter (168; 154 in 2021)
  5. Irish Water Spaniel (183; 165 in 2021)

Top 5 St. Patrick’s Day-Inspired Dog Names

Back in 2015, the pet insurance provider VPI (now Nationwide) listed the most popular Irish-inspired pet names, based on its database of more than 525,000 insured pets.

These were the top 5 names:

  1. Lucky
  2. Seamus
  3. Clover
  4. Patrick
  5. Shamrock

The most popular name for Irish Wolfhounds was Finnegan, VPI noted. Dublin, after the capital of Ireland, and Jameson, a famous Irish whiskey, were also popular names.

And if you want to give your new four-legged family member an Irish name, the AKC offers these suggestions, among others:

  • Patrick
  • Clover or Shamrock
  • Madigan (Gaelic for “little dog”)
  • Shandy (which is beer mixed with a soft drink, ick)
  • Finn or Finnegan (Gaelic for “fair one,” aww)

Top 5 Irish Beer-Inspired Dog Names

These were the most popular beer-inspired names, according to VPI:

  1. Murphy
  2. Guinness
  3. Harp
  4. Smithwick
  5. O’Hara

Although it’s not on the list, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bailey, after the famous cream liqueur, is also a very popular name, sure and begorrah.

Photos: peggycadigan; frame.fusion; Kathleen Tyler Conklin; Pleple2000

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