Companion Dog Show & Pet Pamper Day

Don't forget that our postponed Companion Dog Show and Pet Pamper day take place at the Sanctuary at Trelogan from 11am this Sunday 23rd September 2012.  



There will be craft stalls, pet pampering, Village Vets who will be able to give advice as well as Pet Plan Insurance specialists that can help.

Plus of course the dog show which has a class for every dog so, bring your best friend(s) along and have a great day out!!

North Wales Council follows trend on dog mess

Denbighshire hires Xfor over litter 

and dog mess

Denbighshire council said offenders could be issued with a £75 fixed penalty notice

A private security firm has been hired by a third Welsh council to enforce fines against dog owners who fail to pick up their pets and people who litter.

Denbighshire council said Xfor enforcement staff would be kitted out with video cameras, to patrol hotspot areas.

It said offenders could be issued with a £75 fixed penalty notice.

Blaenau Gwent and Vale of Glamorgan council already use Xfor.

Between October last year and July the firm handed out more than 1,000 fines in Blaenau Gwent.

It was the first authority in Wales to use a private contractor to back up its policy of fining people who drop litter, or dog walkers who fail to pick up their pet's mess.

Denbighshire council's cabinet member for environment, David Smith, said dog fouling and littering were two of the most common complaints in the county.

 "Not only is dog fouling a health hazard, it blights the environment in communities across the authority and now is the time to tackle the issue robustly”

David SmithDenbighshire council

"It was highlighted in our latest residents survey as one of the most pressing issues in communities," he said.

"Not only is dog fouling a health hazard, it blights the environment in communities across the authority and now is the time to tackle the issue robustly.

"We will be looking to engage with communities, educate people on the need to clear up after their dogs and make it much easier for people to report through a free phone number and social media as well as the more traditional methods of making a complaint."

'Anti-social behaviour'

The council said using Xfor would cost the authority nothing, but the firm would take a percentage of what it received from issuing fixed penalty notices.

In the coming weeks, Denbighshire will be distributing flyers, guides, posters and postcards to inform people about the new scheme.

Councillor Smith added: "We hope residents will get fully behind this campaign and help reduce this anti-social behaviour once and for all, ensuring Denbighshire is one of the cleanest greenest counties in Wales."

Dog stands guard over deceased owner’s grave for six years

An extremely dedicated dog has continued to show its loyalty, keeping watch on its owner's grave six years after he passed away.

Capitan, a German shepherd, reportedly ran away from home after its owner, Miguel Guzman, died in 2006. A week later, the Guzman family found the dog sitting by his grave in central Argentina.

Miguel Guzman adopted Capitan in 2005 as a gift for his teenage son, Damian. And for the past six years, Capitan has continued to stand guard at Miguel's grave. The family says the dog rarely leaves the site.

"We searched for him, but he had vanished," widow Veronica Guzman told LaVoz.com. "We thought he must have got run over and died.

'The following Sunday we went to the cemetery, and Damian recognized his pet. Capitan came up to us, barking and wailing as if he were crying."

Adding to the unusual circumstances, Veronica says the family never brought Capitan to the cemetery before he was discovered there.

"It is a mystery how he managed to find the place," she said.

Cemetery director Hector Baccega says he and his staff have begun feeding and taking care of Capitan.

"He turned up here one day, all on his own, and started wandering all around the cemetery until he eventually found the tomb of his master," Baccega said.

"During the day he sometimes has a walk around the cemetery, but always rushes back to the grave. And every day, at six o'clock sharp, he lies down on top of the grave, stays there all night."

But the Guzman family hasn't abandoned Capitan. Damian says the family has tried to bring Capitan home several times but that he always returns to the cemetery on his own.

"I think he's going to be there until he dies, too. He's looking after my dad," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/dog-stands-guard-over-deceased-owner-grave-six-190556479.html

Hero Dog Theo Honoured With 'Victoria Cross'

Hero Dog Theo Honoured With 'Victoria Cross'

An Army explosives sniffer dog who died hours after his handler was killed in Afghanistan is to be given a posthumous award.

Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, 26, from The Royal Army Veterinary Corps, 1st Military Working Dog Regiment, was shot by insurgents on March 1 last year while on patrol in Helmand Province with his dog Theo, who died of a seizure shortly afterwards.

The pair, who were said to have been inseparable, detected a record 14 Taliban roadside bombs and weapons caches in five months and are believed to have saved countless lives.

Their role was to provide search and clearance support, uncovering hidden weapons, improvised explosive devices and bomb-making equipment.

Springer spaniel Theo is to be awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal, known as the animals' Victoria Cross, for his "heroic actions".

The award is said to be the highest accolade any animal can receive in recognition of devotion to duty in saving human life while serving in military conflict.

It was first instituted by the veterinary charity's founder, Maria Dickin, in 1943.

L/Cpl Tasker, from Tayport in Fife, was posthumously honoured with an MBE in September last year.

Theo made the most confirmed operational finds by any arms and explosives search dog in Afghanistan to date.

On one occasion, he is said to have discovered an underground tunnel leading to a room in which insurgents were suspected of making bombs and hiding from coalition forces.

Speaking after an inquest in Trowbridge, Wiltshire last year, L/Cpl Tasker's mother, Jane Duffy, said the fact her son and Theo had "worked together and died together" brought her some comfort from knowing they were "somewhere together now".

PDSA director general Jan McLoughlin said: "We are very proud to posthumously award Theo the PDSA Dickin Medal, the highest award any animal can receive for life-saving bravery in conflict.

"Theo's exceptional devotion to duty as a military working dog in Afghanistan saved countless human lives.

"The award of this medal, recognised worldwide as the animals' Victoria Cross, honours his service in life and his sacrifice in death.

"It serves as a very poignant reminder of the loyal companionship and dedication of man's best friend."