If I hadn’t read this, and seen the pictures, I probably wouldn’t have believed it.

A 21 lb. tumor was removed from Warren the Labrador retriever, saving the life of the 13-year-old dog.

Warren was operated on at Boston’s Angell Animal Medical Center five months ago and has made wonderful progress since then.

Here are the details from WCVB TV from Boston.

BOSTON — Surgeons at Boston’s Angell Animal Medical Center removed a 21-pound tumor from a Labrador retriever, the largest tumor veterinarians there had ever seen.

Warren, 13, fully recovered from the surgery last spring to remove the tumor that had grown to one-sixth his body weight. Read the rest of this entry »

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Canine Crusaders sent a message about poor Torro, he’s been in the pound since March 23, his time is up. Some rescues have asked about him but Torro did not dog test very well. Thanks to a loving volunteer dog walker Torro is coming around quite nicely.

Isn’t there anyone out there that can take the time and give him a chance?

CROSSPOSTING PERMITTED & GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Mahoning County Dog Pound, Youngstown, OH

FIRST: Please call the pound to place your name on the dog (ID# of dog REQUIRED). Phone #330.740.2205, it will be prompt 1 or 2.

SECOND:
Please email both contacts below:
CanineCrusader@yahoo.com
CanineCrusader@aol.com

SEE ALL PICS HERE: Petfinder.com ID#13327441

You can check out all the wonderful dogs up for adoption at the Mahoning County Dog Pound on their  Petfinder.com page.

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American Idol castoff Scott MacIntyre has a new idol, Paula Abdul. MacIntyre may not have made it into the final three but he’s about to receive something  even better than being named the next American Idol.

The singer who got booted from the show five weeks ago is visually challenged, although not completely blind.Thanks to the generosity of Abdul he is going to receive a guide dog.

Scott walked-or “test drove” as he joked-two of the organization’s Labrador retrievers on Friday, but he won’t get his dog until after the American Idol tour ends on Sept. 15. At that time, he’ll get matched up with the right pooch for him and go through a 28-day training process. “We have to find a dog that really likes loud music,” joked Paula.

Scott, who was lured to the event under the false pretense that he was there to sing, was quite surprised to learn the truth…

“Are you serious? Thank you so much,” Scott told Paula at the event, which was in honor of May being National Guide Dog Month and cosponsored by Natural Balance Pet Foods and Petco.

Watch the clip of Paula and Scott now–

What a great gesture on the part of Paula Abdul.

* Couldn’t you see yourself adopting Gus? He’s a gorgeous 2-year-old in need of a forever home.

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Washington had no statewide laws to crack down on puppy mills, things are about to change. The impetus behind a new bill was the discovery of horrific conditions in local puppy mills that were raided in January.

State lawmakers corrected this oversight with a strong bill passed by the Legislature this week. The bill prohibits breeders from possessing more than 50 non-neutered dogs older than 6 months at one time. It sets standards for kennel size, exercise and sanitary conditions.

The bill’s language is a clarion call for basic humane treatment of dogs. Breeders will have to provide clean food and water, keep cages clean and allow dogs to leave their cages for at least an hour a day. Violators could be charged with a gross misdemeanor.

Commercial dog breeding requires standards and state oversight to monitor against unsanitary conditions and to protect consumers from the sale of sick and dying animals. There are environmental and public-health reasons to regulate these businesses, including the potential for soil and groundwater contamination and the spread of infectious diseases by poorly cared-for animals.

This is great news, but it’s sad there need to be laws so that these animals are humanely treated, you would hope that’s a given. The legislation now goes to the desk of Gov. Chris Gregoire, where it should be quickly signed into law.

*ADOPTABLE: Beautiful Lilly needs a home, she’s currently be fostered near Glen Ellyn, IL

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In December I did a post on artist Kathryn Beals who painted Dogster member Sabrina’s portrait. The painting came out great, I was really impressed.  As it turns out, Sabrina is just one of many Dogster members she has painted.

Kathryn recently contacted me with an offer I couldn’t refuse, a chance for a Dogster member to win a head portrait of their dog. The winner gets a free 14 x 18 head shot portrait, shipping and tax included.

The winner’s portrait progress will be featured on Kathryn’s How I Paint blog. It’s a really cool site where you can follow the progress of her latest, and greatest, paintings. It’s so interesting to see how she takes an image from a photograph and turns it into an amazing painting.

To enter just leave a comment in the comment section sharing why your pup is picture perfect.  Just the fact that your dog is adorable is reason enough. The contest runs today through Monday, April 27th when I will choose one lucky winner.

Kathryn’s portraits are a great gift to give yourself or one of your dog loving friends. It’s also a wonderful way to memorialize your dog,  something special you’ll have long after your best friend is gone. One of the best things about Kathryn’s work is that she guarantees it. If for any reason you are not happy you can get your money back. How many artists offer that deal?  I can tell you, not many.

Right now Dogsters have an opportunity to get a portrait at a discounted price. If you order a painting now through the end of May you will receive $50 off. All you need to do is email Kathryn at kathryn[AT]bealsstudios.com and let her know you are a Dogster member prior to placing your order. If you have any questions regarding the special or to do with a commissioned painting just send her an email.

* Dogster member Sam pictured on top,  Fig Newton shown below.

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Since this is a dog blog, a couple times a month our boy Bo thought it would be nice to get the news through a dog’s eyes. When Bo decides to share his thoughts you’ll always see the tag Bo Knows. Okay Bo, take it from here…..

I think it’s in every dog’s nature to feel bad for those less fortunate than us. Take for instance humans.

They’ve lost the ability to live in the moment, to sniff each other (without reproach) in public and to smell a dropped piece of bacon from two cities away.

I look at them and it makes me want to weep. But then I remember where my dice used to be and I lick myself instead.

However, the following story had me in a fetal position, with a box of Kleenex after reading the beginning.

A blind pensioner with no sense of smell who knocked her gas on says she was saved by her guide dog.

Being blind isn’t a problem, but not having a sense of smell is tragic! She’d never be able to smell a hearty stew, a pile of cat poo or her closest friends! Sad indeed.

Ivy Needham, 83, accidentally knocked the gas tap on her cooker after making lunch and left it on for more than six hours.

But Mrs Needham, who is also deaf, knew nothing about the problem.

She’s deaf too?

She was lying collapsed in her arm chair at home in Belle Isle from the gas fumes, when loyal guide dog Carmen, a black curly coat retriever, woke her by tugging and eventually tearing her sleeve.

“Carmen was dragging me off the chair, trying to get me to the door, but I was so sleepy I couldn’t wake up. The dog was sick and in a panic. She definitely saved me. She’s my hero.”

Then her home helps arrived on the scene and were overwhelmed by the strong smell of gas and immediately rang 999.

“We got Ivy out straight away and turned the gas tap off, then called 999. We were really worried that something would spark an explosion as the smell of gas was so strong.”

They opened all the windows and doors to her bungalow and brought Ivy round before gas emergency services arrived.

“I want to warn other people, especially older people, to be very careful around their cooker and not to knock anything on.”

I’m always very careful around my cooker. If I’m not, she won’t feed me. Woof!

The funniest dog blog, written by a dog, on the internet. Commentary on the latest animal news stories of the day. You and your pets are sure to love it!

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Thanks to Cristy for barking this heartwarming story to me.  Randy Dely, from Georgia, just got reunited with his Labrador Retriever Ace after five long years.

Ace’ recently showed up at Michelle Golden’s Beauregard home without a collar and Golden took him to Auburn University’s School of Veterinary Medicine where she works in the pharmacy.

Staff members scanned him and found he had a computer chip with his owner’s information.

Dely is from Americus, Ga. where he serves as Webster County’s Sheriff. His dog somehow ended up more than a hundred miles away.

There is something to be said about microchipping your dog.  It seems every time there is a reunion story it was thanks to being able to track down the owner via microchip.

Glad to hear Ace is back where he belongs.

* Midnight posing as Ace, what a beautiful girl.

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Marley & Me has been at the box office number one spot for two weeks in a row, proving who the top dog is.

According to Box Office Mojo, it’s “the third-highest grossing dog movie on record,” a coveted position, as we all know. It falls behind only Scooby-Doo (really? That movie?) and 101 Dalmatians, and is fast approaching the top of that list.

Remember the success of Beverly Hill Chihuahua in 2008? Even with mixed reviews it proved to be a commercial success, hitting the number one spot a few weekends in a row.  With the recent release of Beethoven’s Big Break (made for DVD) and the upcoming film Hotel for Dogs it shows that dog movies aren’t a phase, they’re here to stay.

The movie industry has finally picked up on what dog lovers knew all along, there is a big market out there.  As long as the movies are a commercial success, even if panned by the critics, there will be more to come.

Marley & Me has had its share of mixed reviews.  Have any Dogsters seen it?  Give me a bark and let me know what you thought, did it get a paws up or down?

* That oh so cute puppy above is Sophia.

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Drake, a Labrador Retriever, didn’t want to go duck hunting on Saturday.  He would much rather been playing fetch at the local park.

To put a stop to this unwanted activity he shot his owner in the buttocks. It worked, duck hunting was canceled.

Marcum was standing in the bay Saturday morning, about to tie up an 11-foot open aluminum boat, when his 3-year-old Labrador, Drake, jumped into the boat and set off the gun, his Father, Henry Marcum, said Sunday. The blast blew a hole in the boat before hitting Marcum.

His son was concerned about the dog, Henry Marcum said. “He’s a good dog. It’s just one of those things. It’s an accident.”

Matthew Marcum is in Portland’s Legacy Emanuel Hospital & Health Center, recovering from injuries to his legs and buttocks. Not much more I can add to this story.

* I didn’t have a picture of so I posted Dogster member River, who I’m pretty sure never shot his owner.

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Lots of very funny entries this week, Dogsters! You all are getting very, very good at this and it’s getting more difficult each weak to pick the winner. However, in the end there can be only one and this week that honor goes to Scout. Enjoy the 25 Zealies and everyone else be prepared for a truly amusing photo contest tomorrow.

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