Posts Tagged ‘Reference’

My mom called me about this story in her local paper this morning. Just another example of people who shouldn’t own dogs, who don’t know how to handle a breed, mix breeding and just a sad happening. If you follow my blog close enough, you already know that my father was the owner of the sweetest pit ever and this is a topic that really hit home for me. It makes me absolutely livid.

By Andrew Scott
Pocono Record Writer
August 26, 2010

The veterinary technician who examined two dogs shot Tuesday by police in Stroudsburg found many old scars on the animals.

Police believe the dogs had killed cats and other animals and attacked an officer over the last several days while running loose in the Brodhead Creek area.

Stroud Area Regional Police took the wounded dogs to Creature Comforts in Saylorsburg. There, veterinary technician Liz Acevedo examined the dogs and determined the gunshot wounds were too severe for the dogs to be saved, after which they were euthanized.

“We found scars all over both dogs,” Acevedo said Wednesday. “Those scars are older than the bullet wounds. It’s possible those scars could have come from the dogs fighting, but it’s also possible they’re from something else. We don’t want to speculate.”

SARP Lt. Brian Kimmins said there have been recent reports of dogs being bred and trained to fight, but said it remains to be seen if police will find any evidence of that in this case. Kimmins said further investigation, which involves a meeting in the near future with Monroe County dog warden George Nixon, will help police determine exactly what charges to file against the dogs’ owner, Tiffany Staples, 22, of First Street, Stroudsburg.

Police notified the public over the weekend that two vicious dogs had been running loose in Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg. The dogs had killed five cats, fatally mauled a deer and charged at a police officer.

The dogs, a male and his mother, were described as brown with black facial marks, possibly pit bull/boxer mixes, having no collars or tags and appearing to have been living outdoors for some time. (So glad the idiots wrote POSSIBLY. TO bad most people will skil that word when reading and go right to PIT BULL)

Police learned Tuesday morning that two dogs fitting the description had been spotted in Stroud Township, near the Brodhead Creek’s western dike, and tracked the dogs south into Stroudsburg. Police saw the dogs in the area between First Street and the western dike and shot both.

The bleeding dogs made their way to the Staples residence, where Tiffany Staples identified herself as the owner.

Staples told police her dogs couldn’t have been the ones that had been causing all the trouble. The family said they let the dogs go over the dike into the creek, but that the dogs always returned to the house. (NOPE! Couldn’t have been her dogs. the ones she just opened the door and let run loose. They clearly came home and were on their best doggie behavior while they were allowed to run wild)

And then there’s the question of what breed Staples’ dogs were. Kimmins said Staples told police they were pit bull mixes.

“They could have been,” Acevedo said. “All pit bulls are mixed with something else, but you can’t tell what that something else is without a DNA test. These dogs could have had some German shepherd in them as well.” (Again, lets name another breed when we have NO idea for sure!)

News about this case has called attention to the pit bull breed being stereotyped as vicious and aggressive.

“People are ready to crucify the breed, and that’s not fair,” said pit bull owner Kevin Scheirer of Stroudsburg. “Pit bulls can be the most gentle, loving, amazing dogs if you train them the right way. If a pit bull turns out to be vicious, it’s the owner’s fault, not the dog’s.“(HERE HERE KEVIN! Someone buy this man a drink!)

Source

Related Blog Posts about Pit Bulls:

Why don’t people take 5 minutes to educate themselves?

Part 2: Why don’t people take 5 minutes to educate themselves?

More than ever, American parents are looking for unique baby names. Every year, the release of the most popular baby names list from Social Security reveals a growing trend in the U.S. toward more creative baby naming. While some of the new baby names are a result of parents recycling old classics (Emma, Sophia, Noah, etc.), many of the latest names are spinoffs from existing names.

On playgrounds across America, you can hear extreme examples of baby names.  Names like Brayden, Marleigh, Karley, Jaydan, Taniyah, and Charlee, far from being unusual, are becoming part of the norm. These are not just examples of a few “way-out” names. They can all be found on the newest list of the top 1000 hottest names in the U.S.

Why are parents picking names like this, which are likely to saddle a child with a lifetime of explaining how to spell a name? Most experts, including Laura Wattenberg, author of “The Baby Name Wizard,” believe the trend has its roots in society’s obsession with individualism, which took root somewhere in the 1960s. Parents seem to think that giving their offspring an unusual name will bestow individuality on the child. But what is the reality?

Most adults with highly unusual names seem to wish they had not been given something so strange to carry around. Based on comments in blogs and forums, people with names like Kash and Paityn frequently complain about having to spell their name every time they give it out. There are even instances where extremely unusual names, such as Jagger or Unique (both names on the top 1000 list for 2009) are said to create negative impressions with prospective employers.

As a parent, where do you turn if you want a distinctive, individual name for your child, but you don’t want to give them something like Mickenzee (another real one) to deal with?

The fact is, there are thousands of beautiful names, many that have existed for centuries that are available to parents who do a little digging. A good baby names website or baby names book is a great place to start. You will find lists covering every type of name imaginable: biblical names; traditional names; Victorian names; movie star names; floral names; baby names inspired by nature. The sources of inspiration are almost endless.

Another great source of baby names, often overlooked in this age of individuality, is family history. There was a time when names were usually chosen to honor an older family member. Sadly, that practice is largely gone. It is a shame, because there are many beautiful old names in our family trees, just waiting to be recycled. Classic names such as Rose, Louise, Eleanor, Kenneth, Dennis, and many others would sound classy and unusual today. And best of all, everyone knows how to spell them.

Guest post by Neil Street, co-publisher of  Baby Names Garden

Guest post by Neil Street, marketing consultant for Sara Glove Company

We’ve all experienced something like this. Just when you least expect it, the lights go off, the heat goes out, the stove shuts off, the computer screen goes blank. It’s happened again. The power has gone out. And the worst part? You have no idea when it will come back on.

I don’t know how many power outages occur every year in the United States, but it must be in the tens of thousands. Here in my New England town, we have lost power 3 or 4 times already this year, and it’s only July. During the worst outage, resulting from a storm in March, some people were without power for 5 days. This is not fun. This is a serious inconvenience, and depending on the situation, sometimes downright dangerous.

It seems that natural disasters are occurring more frequently. Every year, thousands of families are impacted by weather-related events, ranging from wintery blizzards that trap people in their cars or homes, to spring flooding that can fill basements and living areas, to summer thunderstorms and tornadoes that bring down power lines and sometimes wipe out entire communities. When you have small children at home, the problems associated with natural disasters can be even more inconvenient or dangerous.

There are several steps you can take to protect yourself and your family in the event of a power outage or worse. One of the most basic steps is to put together an Emergency Preparedness Kit.

The kit can be modified to fit your own situation. You may also want to keep smaller versions of the kit at your workplace and in your auto.

- Food and water. FEMA recommends storing enough for 3 days for each person. The water can be kept in store-bought containers. Store non-perishable foods. Good choices include canned goods with high liquid content, whole grain cereals, and salf-free crackers. Do not store salty food that can make you thirsty.

- First aid kit. Be familiar with the contents, and how to use them.
- Paper plates and plastic cutlery. Water for washing dishes may be scarce.
- Several flashlights, with extra batteries.
- Battery-operated radio.
- Several days supply of any necessary medications.
- Sanitation and personal hygiene items
- Cell phone with car charger
- Small amount of extra cash
- List of emergency and family contact numbers
- Emergency blankets
- Back up eyeglasses if used
- Manual can opener
- A whistle
- Towels
- Sleeping bags
- Stuff for the kids. Feeding supplies for babies, and some games and books to keep small children occupied
- Extreme weather gear. Hats, scarves, gloves,  rain ponchos, boots, jackets. Store clothing consistent with your climate.
- Any other items specific to your family needs.

Check and maintain your emergency preparedness kit every year, removing food items that are past their sell-by date, and making sure to have age-appropriate food for growing kids.

My sons and I are taking our first vacation together soon and I am looking for some guest bloggers who have something to say during that time! If you would like to be a guest poster for me, please read the few simple requirements below and fill out the form! Thanks!

• Must be Original Content
• You may include a link to your blog or site in the post
• No Referral or affiliate linking
• Must be relevant to the site (Parenting, Shopping, Frugal Stuff, Home projects w/ pics etc)

Yesterday I wrote a post about a Pit Bull that had been shot by one of our local law enforcement. I am truly disgusted to say that the owner had the dog euthanized yesterday AT HIS OWN REQUEST. He wasn’t ordered to do so. So this poor dog paid for the mistakes of it’s owner? Would you put your child down if they didn’t act the way “they were supposed to” because you did an awful job of showing them the correct way to behave? My dog was part of my family. “Pets” should be treated as family and not like an animal who just lives with you. *steps down off her soapbox* I am truly sad for this pup.

Source: The Toledo Blade

A Toledo police officer Saturday shot and wounded a dog that, the officer said, was attacking. The dog, identified by police as a brown adult male “pit bull,” was reported at large about 7:40 a.m. in the 1800 block of Brussels Street and Matlack Avenue between Brussels and Brame Place. The dog warden responded and followed the dog into a yard in the 1800 block of Brame. She was unable to capture the dog and asked Officer Lawrence Demski to cut off its escape route, according to a police report. The dog was shot once as it attacked, Officer Demski wrote in the report. The pitbull was euthanized Saturday night at its owners’ request.

The dog’s condition had stabilized at the veterinary clinic but it would have needed an amputation or extensive surgery if not put down, Lucas County Dog Warden Julie Lyle said.

This was not the first time the dog had been reported. Ms. Lyle said she received a call a few days ago about two dogs running loose at that address.