June 26, 2008

It's Been A While Since I've Done So...

... so let's post a puppy photo.

Photo by Indiana Adams, Creative Commons license

Posted by D-Mac at 11:46 AM | Comments (2)

May 15, 2008

Aww, Cutest Protest Ever!

Yesterday, about 100 dog lovers -- along with their yawning four-legged friends -- protested in Harrisburg yesterday in favor of new legislation against puppy mills. As you may know, the Amish -- who I can write anything about because they don't have the Internet -- and other unsavory types run a ton of puppy mills in Pennsylvania. I believe we're the "Puppy Mill Capital of the East Coast." (We're #1! We're #1!)

"If you're a breeder that doesn't give a dog adequate water every day, doesn't give it food free from toxins, and doesn't take the dog out of the cage to clean the cage," said Rep. James Casorio Jr., D-Westmoreland, the bill's prime sponsor. "We're coming after you today."

Meanwhile, inmates in Philadelphia have roughly the same conditions as puppy mills and this protest was covered and the marijuana march much closer to home wasn't and blah blah blah. Aww, doggies!

Dog Lovers Push For Pa. Puppy Mill Laws [CBS 3]

Posted by D-Mac at 12:44 PM | Comments (0)

March 04, 2008

CBS 3 Reports On Inspirational Puppy

Uh, so here's CBS 3's story about an inspirational local dog. No, really: on the site, the video is titled Abandoned Dog Becomes Inspiration To Many. Buddy, a cute Maltese mix, was found at a Macy's at a mall. He is now an inspiration to many, apparently. I must say: I am pretty inspired.

This took up 2 minutes, 13 seconds of the newscast at 6 p.m. yesterday. That's a lot to spend on a half-hour news program. But, like the guy says on the report, p... p... puppy!! Aww, he's a fuzzy little guy.

Posted by D-Mac at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2008

Puppy News Roundup!

A reader slapped some sense into me this morning and let me know I had been neglecting important puppy news. So here's a roundup!

• The little cutie at right is was one of two dogs stolen. Two female golden retrievers were stolen from a litter of 16 (sixteen?) and are presumed missing, cute and loved. The dogs probably weren't targeted -- non-dog items were stolen as well -- and there is more adorable video at the link. [NBC 10]

• Meanwhile, packs of wild dogs are roaming the street in Moscow. Residents have a higher chance of being attacked by a wild dog than being mugged. Fortunately, the problem is under control for one man: "I now carry some sausage and a repellent just in case." [ABC News via Gawker]

• Headline: Report: Hungry Korean Man Tries to Cook Landlord's Dog. Ha ha, Fox News, sorry, I'm not falling for that fake news story. [Fox News]

Posted by D-Mac at 01:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

February 07, 2008

Puppy!

beagle [Flickr]

Posted by D-Mac at 11:07 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

January 29, 2008

Inquirer Narcs On Temple Puppy Auction

During Saturday's game against St. Joseph's, Temple held an auction for its sports programs. One of the items up for bid was a nine-week old golden retriever puppy. (Since the school can't auction sex, it clearly knows "puppies" is about the best it can do.)

And guess who won the auction? Temple women's basketball coach Dawn Staley, hardly a Michael Vick of the sports world. She's going to give it to her mother, and something tells me Dawn Staley's mom might have enough time and money to care for the dog and give it a good home. Clearly, this is a win-win for all people.

But wait! The Inquirer was having none of this, and seemingly notified the authorities (or at least Temple) about the puppy auction. Even though the state is the puppy mill capital of the United States, auctioning off a dog is apparently illegal in Pennsylvania.

Anyway, the story has quotes worrying about how a college student could care for a dog, even though it was adopted by a multi-millionaire athlete. Yes, one shouldn't purchase a pet on a whim, but winning one at an auction and buying one in a pet store are pretty much the same thing, only the legal pet store option is much, much worse.

Temple could get fined for auctioning off said nine-week old adorable puppy. The Inquirer will get fined for using a record number of puns (345) in one news story. The puppy will probably get a bone or something.

Puppy auction buys Temple a little spot of trouble [Inquirer]

Posted by D-Mac at 11:45 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

January 22, 2008

OMG BAT DOG PUPPIES !!!

Chase, the adorable bat dog for the minor league Trenton Thunder (with Hideki Matsui at right) is now going to be a father. The water-bringing, bat-retrieving dog has been matched up with a dog from from Cynazar Golden Retrievers. A litter is expected at the end of the month.

Wacky promotions have been a part of baseball ever since men like Bill Veeck realized the teams play like 450 games a season and there are like 30 leagues and so the teams need to send a dwarf to the plate every once in a while. Chase is just another part of that tradition of hilarity, along with 10-Cent Beer Night, the 1994 players' strike and the opening day starting lineup of the 1997 Philadelphia Phillies.

You can actually contact the breeder if you are interested in one of the puppies. Be sure to ask if they have models that can retrieve other sporting equipment. (Jock straps?)

The Thunder's press release is here. There's video of Chase picking up the bat here.

Posted by D-Mac at 09:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

December 28, 2007

Puppy Comes To Rescue Of Blog Editor

Okay, I haven't posted a puppy photo in a while, unless you count yesterday, and I don't. There is absolutely nothing in the world going on today unless you care about Pakistan. Not only do I not really care about that story, it doesn't really fit on this blog so I get to ignore it. Hooray!

[photo via Flickr]

Posted by D-Mac at 12:10 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

December 27, 2007

Slowest Day Ever Interrupted By Cute Puppy

Chinook the Mini Goldendoodle [Daily Puppy]

Posted by D-Mac at 02:32 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

December 18, 2007

Serial Puppy Thieves On Loose In Delaware

Three women -- see, it wasn't me -- stole a West Highland White Terrier puppy from a pet shop, which is a place you shouldn't pay to get a dog from, let alone steal. The Pet Place is Hockessin, Del, is now missing a $600 female pup, the second Westie taken from the store in just over a month.

According to The Early Show, though, police departments are now using CSI-type tools and, uh, special effects to solve animal crimes. Animal CSI, they're calling it.

"I have to be the voice. I have to be the voice of the animal... It is very much just like 'CSI,' except our victims cannot testify," says the forensic vet of the New York ASPCA. Of course, prosecutors have decried the CSI effect, which makes it harder to get convictions since jurors are expecting slam dunk cases. It's best to just help the animals, though.

[Image licensed via Creative Commons]

Posted by D-Mac at 02:18 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

December 11, 2007

CBS 3 Hot On The Cute Dead Dog Beat

This Only on 3! -- Larry repeats this twice, it must be a new slogan -- report details a Yorkie who was killed by a pit bull. "Buddy never stood a chance," the report says. Okay. Will the pit bull be put down?

They don't know where the dog is, actually, and CBS 3 knocks on the owner's door and gets to show really dark footage you can't really see.

[Image via, Creative Commons license]

Posted by D-Mac at 01:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

November 29, 2007

Barack Obama Taking Ideas From Jack Kelly

Looks like Jack Kelly isn't the only one attempting to use the love of four-legged friends. A friend forwarded me a piece of the latest Obama email, which details Puppies 4 Obama, the latest presidential campaign website which is the latest in cutting-edge non-blimp campaiging.

We are trying to develop a web page to involve kids, and people generally young at heart, in the election process. We plan to have a mock election for dogs in December. Voting begins December 3, 2007 so hurry if you want to participate. It should be fun.

Ahh, yes. It should be fun. Also, what would a good presidential campaign site be without an Ann Coulter screed to inspire you to back Obama. As if puppies weren't enough. Also on that page, there's a link that says "I Have No Cash," which seems to explain the (poorly-designed) website a bit better.

WWW.PUPPIES4OBAMA.COM
Oct. 19: Puppies 4 Jack Kelly!
[Cuteness via Flickr user vzabalza]

Posted by D-Mac at 11:58 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

November 21, 2007

Read Error: News. Abort, Retry, Fail?

Ahh, yes, with that cutting edge reference from 1994 in the title, I'm telling you the news has apparently shut down in advance of the holiday. It left two of it's prongs on autopilot: travel and shopping. Those two stories will be the only news taking place until Monday or so (Sunday if we're lucky!) and so I figured it was time for me to call it a day.

Posts on Friday? Almost certainly, just so those in cubicles don't rise up in bloody revolt. (I'm doing my effort on the homefront for the war. Are you?)

Have a happy Football/Food Day tomorrow.

Posted by D-Mac at 01:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

November 01, 2007

Dog With Four Legs Stolen By 'Thugs'

Thugs steal puppy from woman, reads the headline, for that is what happened.

Yes, in Souderton, Bucks County, a woman had the schnoodle (one of those hybrid mutts) she'd gotten just 12 hours earlier taken by two men. "Nice-looking puppy," the one man said "snidely," the paper reported, before snatching it from the 62-year-old woman.

And in case you happen to see a dog you think is the kidnapee (not pictured above, but aww):

Authorities are still determining what motivated the men to steal the dog, which is recognized for its loyalty, intellect and love of a game of fetch.

So, you know, a dog that likes to play fetch. Shouldn't be too hard to find.

Posted by D-Mac at 01:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

October 19, 2007

Puppies 4 Jack Kelly!

Just when you think Jack Kelly can't work this "I'm the candidate who likes puppies the most!" shtick any harder, he goes and films a campaign video contained almost entirely of cute puppies and kittens.

And Jon Saidel -- also holding a puppydog -- thinks you should use one of your five City Council At-Large votes to the candidate that hates foy grass and loves four-legged and two-legged creatures. But what about spiders, Jack? How do you feel about eight-legged freaks?

Campaign Commercial 1 [YouTube]
Yesterday: Jack Kelly Unsure Of How Many Legs Ducks Have

Posted by D-Mac at 11:16 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

September 28, 2007

People Continue To Like Animals More Than People

“In many ways, rats and mice get greater protection as research subjects in the United States than do humans,” said Arthur L. Caplan, chairman of the department of medical ethics at the University of Pennsylvania.

And those are animals people don't like. When it's an animal people like, such as horses or dogs, people really get into it. Mike Vick and the dogfighting ring? If you held the same thing, but with humans -- say, "humanfighting" -- people would cheer it on as people battled in rings and cages.

Still, I think horsefighting would be pretty popular.

Report Assails F.D.A. Oversight of Clinical Trials [NYT]

Posted by D-Mac at 11:53 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

September 27, 2007

Cute Doggies To Invade Pennsylvania In Nov.

I've seen media hordes around star athletes. I've seen media hordes around politicians holding hamburger buns in a reference to a 20-year-old catchphrase. (It was the LOLcat of its day.) I've even seen media hordes crowded around an anonymous guy in a giant shark mascot costume.

Before today, though, I had never stood behind a media horde attempting to photograph a group of dogs. Yes, that's right, the above photo of photographers laying on the ground is because they're taking photos of doggies who are drinking from martini glasses. (They're drinking water.)

Today was a press conference for the National Dog Show, which is returning to the Pennsylvania Convention Center from November 15-18. I learned a bunch of facts about dogs and the dog show and the Philadelphia Kennel Club -- did you know it predates the American Kennel Club? -- today, but mainly I just looked at the doggies and went, "Aww."

Continue reading "Cute Doggies To Invade Pennsylvania In Nov."

Posted by D-Mac at 02:39 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

August 31, 2007

Good Night.

Posted by D-Mac at 07:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Good Afternoon.

Posted by D-Mac at 01:33 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)

Good Morning.

Posted by D-Mac at 08:50 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

May 15, 2007

The Dead Vote, Why Can't Dogs?

According to KYW, Tom Knox brought his dog to the polliing place with him and handed out this card. Okay, maybe not that second part.

Awww.... [The Next Mayor Blog]

Posted by D-Mac at 10:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

April 03, 2007

Pet Food Recall Finally Affects Cute Wittle Puppies

Gaaaaw. Who's a cute little seven puppies? Now these are some dogs in the pet food recall I can get sad about. Not like those ugly effing pugs and their defenders who want me to die!

Salmonella Scare Prompts Another Pet Food Recall [KYW 1060]
March 19: Local Angles To National Story

Posted by D-Mac at 10:19 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

March 07, 2007

Puppydogs Of Local Media: Dan Gross

Time for a new feature: Puppydogs of local media! Yes, if you're wondering, this is probably the only time this feature will appear. But Daily News gossip Dan Gross sent me photos of his new puppy, Clark W. Griswold. (Cute, though I think I would have gone with "The Gross Puppy.")

Aww! Even cuter! The pup is a black lab mix that's about 10 weeks old. Gross and his wife, Holly Maher, adopted him from PACCA. Fearing a revolt from his other doggy, though, Gross later sent me photos of the other pup, which are after the jump.

Continue reading "Puppydogs Of Local Media: Dan Gross"

Posted by D-Mac at 01:12 PM | Comments (625) | TrackBack (0)

February 15, 2007

Philadelphia Will Do Goes To The Dogs

As you may know, I have a thing for puppies. This extends to dogs as well, and so the Westminster Kennel Club dog show is always a favorite of mine. Cute dogs, Bill Cosby, predictions of doom and so forth.

I wasn't able to attend Westminster due to laziness issues, but Philadelphia Will Do Bucks County correspondent Christina Palsky was there, and filed the excellent report after the jump.

Continue reading "Philadelphia Will Do Goes To The Dogs"

Posted by D-Mac at 11:52 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day

Ahh, it's Valentine's Day, which is usually the day in my life when ex-girlfriends get engaged and I personally celebrate the anniversary of the first trainload of oranges leaving Los Angeles via the transcontinental railroad. (The year was 1886. Grover Cleveland was president for the first of two non-consecutive occasions. Modern field hockey had just been invented the previous month.)

I don't think I'm bitter about Valentine's Day. (This is in part due to being bitter 100 percent of the time about other things, natch.) I really only have happy memories from it, such as the time I got a card that read: "50 percent of people get laid on Valentine's Day. The other 50 percent get a greeting card." Now that's my idea of a good day.

Here are some fun facts about Valentine's Day:

• Not even the Catholic Church knows who St. Valentine is. There are three St. Valentines mentioned in early church writings, all with the feast day of Feb. 14.
• The actual Valentine's Day was made up by Geoffrey Chaucer under the guise of an "ancient tradition" in a poem he wrote for Richard II.
• The church removed the feast day of St. Valentine in 1969 in order to get rid of saints considered to be more legend than fact.
• Since 2001, the Greeting Card Association has given an annual Esther Howland Award for Greeting Card Visionaries. This award was named after the smart woman who first came up with the idea in America to make a ton of money selling Valentine's Day cards.

Despite all that, I'm still wearing red today. Hey, I still eat on Thanksgiving and I've been to the Betsy Ross House.

May your Valentine's Day be full of love.

Puppy love [Flickr]

Posted by D-Mac at 12:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)