Chihuahua save children from dog attack.

RICHMOND, Calif. — A Northern California woman says her Chihuahua died protecting her children from two pit bulls that got into her apartment.

Mayda Estrella, of Richmond, says the family's Chihuahua, named Manchas, jumped in between the canine invaders and her 4-year-old son Sunday. A pit bull grabbed Manchas with its jaws and carried the Chihuahua away.

Contra Costa County animal services officials say the Chihuahua was killed, and the pit bulls are now in custody.

The pit bulls' owner says they had escaped their yard by chewing through a fence. Estrella says her front door was open when the dogs came in.

She says when she saw the dogs come in, she ran into a bedroom with her other child, a newborn baby.
County officials say the owner won't face criminal charges.

Vet tech negligence allows for loss of dog and friend

DENVER, CO - Cate Clark dropped her dog, Ruby, off at the 29th Avenue Animal Clinic last Thursday so she could be treated for dehydration.Two hours later, Ruby was dead -- not because the veterinarian made a mistake in treating the dog but because her staff allowed Ruby to escape her kennel and then the clinic altogether.

She wandered 18 blocks from the Stapleton clinic north toward Interstate 70 where she was hit by a car and killed.

"The negligence, the carelessness, it's just infuriating," said Clark. "I'm so sad, but I'm so angry at the same time."

Dr. Michele Smith, the veterinarian at 29th Avenue Animal Clinic, is taking responsibility for Ruby's death and has already fired the employee who left the clinic's back door propped open, allowing Ruby to escape.But that escape wouldn't have been possible had Ruby been in a kennel with a working latch.

"The kennel was broken," said Clark. "When we took Ruby in on Monday, the tech kept joking that Ruby keeps getting out of her kennel. And maybe that was funny at the time, but why wasn't she in a secure kennel? And when we went back to look at it, they'd already put another dog in the same kennel even though they could have gotten out just as easily."

Smith has refunded Clark's bill, paid for Ruby's cremation and even sent her flowers. But, it's little solace to Clark, her partner, Kelly and Harley, the couple's other dog who has been mourning the loss of his "best buddy" ever since Ruby failed to come home from the vet.

"Ruby was a great dog, she was a protector, she was a guardian, she was a great companion, she was a very gentle dog," Clark said. "We all miss her and you can't replace her. Nothing in this world will replace her."

Dog flies 20 miles by gust of wind. Is okay.

June 22 (THAINDIAN NEWS) A dog is said to be in good health and happy to be returned to its owner after flying for twenty miles in a strong wind gust which swept the dog away during a storm.

Agnes Tamas, a 57 year old man from the Hungarian village of Gesztered renamed his dog ‘Lucky’ after he survived being swept away in the storm, according to ‘Photonews Agencia Noticiosa’. In a very surreal moment, the dog flew away during the storm, and was carried 20 miles before landing safely.

According to the account by Tamas, “I saw the roofs of the local houses being ripped off one by one, and I ran into my garden to try and get to the cellar. I couldn’t believe it when the dog house flew up into the air - complete with my dog cowering inside. It was like something out of the ‘Wizard Of Oz.’”

The dog was found after a local radio station made an appeal to citizens to be watching for the animal. Concerned citizen Kalman Csutor called the Red Cross and reported finding the dog after hearing the radio plea. “He was pretty shaken. I have no idea what happened to the dog house or whether the wind carried him all that way - but when I found him he was 20 miles from home.”

What's in a name?

Sometimes a dog just looks like what he is, and for owners Jason and Siobhan Engdahl, their 1-year-old mixed breed looked like a "Pickle." "We like to pickle and brew things in our home," Jason Engdahl said. "We happen to have a lot of pickle cookbooks as well. One day Siobhan came home with the little woofer, and I had just looked at a cookbook called 'Pickled' and I said 'Pickle.' And Siobhan said 'Pickle,' and Pickle wagged his tail. It just seemed right."

The addition of "Von Corndog" came a few days later when the Engdahls decided that name was a good one as well but they didn't want to wait to add another dog to their home before using it. Thus, "Pickle Von Corndog" was born. Pickle's interests include resting in laps, hoarding tennis balls, tagging along during bicycle rides and, interestingly enough, foreign languages. "We recently found out that Pickle speaks French," Engdahl said. "After returning from a recent bike trip in France, we said, 'Cornichon! Allons-y!' ('Pickle! Let's go!'), and he responded the same way as when we spoke English. We really had no idea that he was so continental."

Cesar Milan and Illusion file for divorce.

News drops from the Dog Whisper website that our favorite canine coach and his wife of sixteen years are seperating.

"We are sad to announce that after 16 years of marriage we have decided to file for divorce," reads a statement on posted Cesar's Web site Friday. "The decision was made after much consideration and time. We remain caring friends, and are fully committed to the co-parenting of our two boys."

Ilusion Millan filed for divorce at Los Angeles court Friday, citing irreconcilable differences, legal documents show. She is seeking primary physical custody of the kids with visitation for Cesar, 40, as well as spousal support.

Millan is the longtime host of the National Geographic Channel's Dog Whisperer. He famously came to the U.S. as a young man from his native Mexico with $100 in his pocket and a dream of becoming a famous dog trainer. He succeeded – with the help of some famous clients such as Jada Pinkett Smith. In addition to hosting his television show, Millan has authored several best-selling books.

World's ugliest dog passes

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn -- Miss Ellie, a small, bug-eyed Chinese Crested Hairless dog whose pimples and lolling tongue helped her win Animal Planet's "World's Ugliest Dog" contest in 2009, has died at age 17 after a career in resort show business in the Smoky Mountains.

The Mountain Press reported Thursday that Ellie starred in shows at the Comedy Barn in Pigeon Forge.

She also appeared on The Animal Planet cable show "Dogs 101" and was on billboards and in a commercial.

Pigeon Forge Mayor Keith Whaley proclaimed Nov. 12 as "Miss Ellie Day" for her owner's efforts to raise money for the local humane society. Over the years, Ellie helped raise more than $100,000 for the Sevier County Humane Society.

She will be cremated.