Army Sniffer Dog gets posthumous award

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

Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, 26, 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, found a record 14 Taliban roadside bombs and weapons caches in five months.
Their role was to provide search and clearance support, uncovering hidden weapons, improvised explosive devices and bomb-making equipment.
Springer spaniel Theo was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal , known as the animals' Victoria Cross, at Wellington Barracks, London.
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 established 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. He served in The Royal Army Veterinary Corps, 1st Military Working Dog Regiment.
His mother, Jane Duffy, described Theo as her son's "best mate" and said they were together "24/7" in Afghanistan.
She went on: "Liam got his mention in dispatches, so it's lovely that Theo is getting his PDSA Dickin Medal and he's being recognised for his bravery as well.
"They'll be watching us and they'll be so proud. I just wish they were here to get it themselves. Theo and Liam saved so many lives out there."
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.

TV outcry with his unconventional techniques to 'rehabilitate' ill-disciplined dogs.

• Alan Titchmarsh grilled his guest Cesar Millan on the 'totally unacceptable' way that he trains dogs. 
• Members of the public had earlier called for the show to be cancelled because of 
• Millan's 'barbaric' methods.But after the show opinion was split over whether Titchmarsh was too 'abusive' to his guest
• 
  

By PAUL SIMS Daily Mail

As television’s mild-mannered horticulturalist turned daytime chat-show host, Alan Titchmarsh rarely courts controversy.

But when he invited ‘dog whisperer’ Cesar Millan to appear as a guest it was never going to please everyone.

US-based Millan’s unconventional training methods to ‘rehabilitate’ ill-disciplined dogs, including physically attacking

them, using electric shocks and spikes on collars, have split public opinion worldwide and led many to brand him ‘barbaric’.

Scroll down for video

Alan Titchmarsh and Dog whisperer Cesar Millan during the heated interview on the 'The Alan Titchmarsh Show' yesterday

Controversy: Millan's methods with training dogs have split opinion

A wave of protests was unleashed even before The Alan Titchmarsh Show went out on ITV yesterday afternoon. 

More than 1,000 people joined a Twitter campaign demanding Millan’s appearance be cancelled. Production staff were inundated with calls and Titchmarsh was bombarded with hundreds of emails, while a Facebook page set up by protesters attracted 1,600 followers.

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And when animal welfare campaigners threatened to disrupt the live show, extra security staff were drafted in. 

Alan Titchmarsh, left, gave his guest, dog whisperer Cesar Millan, right, a tough grilling on his show

Although Titchmarsh, 63, refused to cancel the interview, he took on his guest in an uncharacteristically confrontational style.

TWEETERS HAMMER TITCHMARSH

‏

@iChristianMark: Alan titchmarsh clearly has no idea what he's talking about. Cesar Milan has so much respect and affection for dogs.

‏@JenLant: Shocked to see how Alan Titchmarsh treated @cesarmillan on his tv show. Cesar is nothing but professional and works well with dogs. 

‏@floatygoat: Alan Titchmarsh interviewing Cesar Milan was so frustrating. Less of an interview, more of a series of stupid accusations. 

‏@kjvjude113: Titchmarsh was a complete a***

‏@bigGstacey: very frustrating, the guys has clearly never watched dog whisperer.... I wana punch titchmarsh now. #mynanwillhateme 

@ShelleyWolfson: Appalling treatment by Alan Titchmarsh on @ITV of @cesarmillan. Where is your evidence? I have seen nothing but good from Cesar. 

Titchmarsh told Millan: ‘You punish dogs, you hit them. I’ve seen you punch a dog in the throat to get it to behave and to most people, like myself, I would say that is totally unacceptable as a way of training a dog.’

An unsettled Millan replied: ‘Well obviously I would respectfully disagree with that. It’s not a punch, it’s a touch.’

Titchmarsh countered: ‘I watched the video of it and if somebody touched me like that I would be hurt. You went for the throat and you punched the dog back and the dog bit you and held on to your hand.

‘Having watched a lot of boxing matches it looked like something Henry Cooper would deliver.’

Millan again insisted that it was nothing more than a touch. ‘But you also work with electric shocks and collars and spikes on collars that really hurt them,’ continued Titchmarsh.

‘You know, this is pretty barbaric treatment. What’s your reasoning for treating dogs like this?’
Millan insisted that his methods were simply used to ‘snap the (dog’s) brain out of it’.

After the interview opinion on Twitter and other social media was divided, with some backing Titchmarsh, while others rounded on him for being ‘abusive’. 

In a statement read out on air, the RSPCA said: ‘Adverse training techniques which have been seen to be used by Cesar Millan can cause pain and fear for dogs and may worsen their behavioural problems.

‘The RSPCA believes that using such techniques is unacceptable, nor are they necessary to change dog behaviour for the better when other dog trainers use reward-based methods to train dogs very effectively.’

VIDEO: Titchmarsh savages 'dog whisperer' Cesar Millan on the chat show

Controversy: Mexocan-born Millan with one of the animals he has trained

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Puppy Smuggling Foiled in Dublin

A second attempt within a week to traffic a large number of puppies bred in illegal Irish puppy farms to the UK has been foiled.

Some 56 dogs were discovered in a van at Dublin Port.

The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) said this brought the total number of pups seized to 92 in just three days.

Chief executive Brian Gillen warned people buying a puppy to be vigilant against trafficking.

"This second seizure in a week has to make people aware of the problems of buying from an unreliable source," said Mr Gillen.

"Do not buy from the boot of a car or a van and always arrange to meet the puppy with its parents at the breeders home - the conditions the mother is living in is a good indication of the health and welfare of the animals."

The dogs, which are now being cared for by the DSPCA, were discovered in a transit van on Thursday.

In a separate case earlier this week, Gardai uncovered 36 animals in two cars in the Coolock area of Dublin.

Two men involved were arrested in connection with animal cruelty. They were subsequently released.

The latest seizure of dogs includes mainly small breeds, aged between six and 10 weeks. All the animals are being examined by DSPCA vets but a spokesman said most appeared to be in good condition.

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