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“What a legend”: Brave Aussie pensioner saves puppy from a snake

<p dir="ltr">An Aussie pensioner has gone the extra mile to save her terrified puppy from a carpet snake. </p> <p dir="ltr">Anne Murphy, a woman from NSW’s Lennox Head, captured the moment her 80-year-old mother went toe-to-toe with the slippery intruder who was terrorising her dog and shared the interaction on a Facebook page called Australian Country Memes. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to Anne, her mother bolted out the door one Monday evening when she heard her dog “screaming”, when she was confronted with the carpet snake. </p> <p dir="ltr">The non-venomous snake had wrapped around the small dog and bitten it on the chin, when the 80-year-old intervened. </p> <p dir="ltr">The woman was “bitten three times” by the snake, before she “caught the snake so it could be taken out to the bush and hopefully not make its way back to her place”. </p> <p dir="ltr">She then took her puppy to the vet, and got home three hours after the incident first happened.</p> <p dir="ltr">The post has since received over 2,000 likes and hundreds comments, hailing the 80-year-old as a “legend“, “gutsy” and a “wonderful woman.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“She is a true blue here. My hat is off to you, amazing lady,” one person wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another added, “Way to go! That’s just what country people do. God love her, they don’t make them like that anymore.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Woman rejects $200k offer for her puppy

<p>A woman has divided social media viewers after she claiming that she declined a stranger's $200k ($303,000 AUD) offer for her Doberman pinscher puppy. </p> <p>In the viral video, which has since racked up over 970,000 views, Alexis Elliott said: “someone offered us $200k for our puppy, and I told my husband, ‘absolutely f**king not’.”</p> <p>“Would you guys sell your dogs for $200k? Like, that is my baby!" the LA-based woman asked her followers. </p> <p>Many couldn't believe that she declined the offer. </p> <p>“It’s a crime to not accept 200k,” one wrote. </p> <p>“In this economy? Yes,” another commented. </p> <p>“Would run upstairs so fast and pack his bag,” a third joked. </p> <p>While some people were eager enough to give up their own dogs for $200,000, others  agreed with Elliot and said that they would never give up their fur babies. </p> <p>“ABSOLUTELY NOT. The people saying yes should not have a dog tbh,” one viewer commented, adding: “That boy is my life.” </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 580px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7308537421770116395&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40itsalexiselliott%2Fvideo%2F7308537421770116395%3Flang%3Den&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2Ff7435052bbf14b62a0c22bb295962a0f_1701651485%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-useast5-i-0068-tx%2FoMfzRS5SbCDFYrMIAQZA7AAlb2PgflRLDERaED.image%3Fx-expires%3D1702508400%26x-signature%3Di2tT0G7gwHGCVFhMDi4EPSvcPUI%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>“A lot of you in these comments don’t deserve a dog,” another slammed. </p> <p>“Omg never. The thought of my dog being confused and feeling abandoned breaks my heart,” a third commented, while another user added that they wouldn't sell their dog even if they were offered one million dollars. </p> <p>One sceptic added: “Nobody offered you 200k for a dog, people with that kind of money are mostly financially smart. And you did not birth it." </p> <p>A few others came to Elliot's defence and said that it had happened to them in the past. </p> <p>“Someone offered me 100k for my dog. He was a pretty well-off athlete. Not everyone is smart with their money,” one commented. </p> <p>“I had a lady offer us $1M for our dog, and when we laughed she said, ‘No seriously, make me an offer, I’ll pay it’,” another claimed.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Iconic Dulux dog gives birth to adorable puppies

<p>The iconic Dulux dog has given birth to seven adorable Old English Sheepdog puppies. </p> <p>The heart-warming news was shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, by the global paint brand to celebrate International Dog Day. </p> <p>The pups can be seen running around on wobbly legs and playing with each other before resting on their mother, Olivia. </p> <p>Olivia, who lives in Lincolnshire in England, is the current the face of the Dulux ads, with the brand using Old English Sheepdogs in their advertisements for more than 60 years. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This International Dog Day, we're introducing the next generation of Dulux puppies.... Say hello to our fluffy friends 🐶 <a href="https://t.co/NApCnZUHT3">pic.twitter.com/NApCnZUHT3</a></p> <p>— Dulux UK | Colour &amp; Inspiration (@duluxuk) <a href="https://twitter.com/duluxuk/status/1695346808568861170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Olivia's pups may already have their future in showbiz sorted, with Dulux calling the six-week-old puppies "stars in their own right", hinting they may appear in ads as they get older. </p> <p>Dulux Creative Director and Colour Expert Marianne Shillingford said, “As proud sponsors of the Old English Sheepdog Rescue &amp; Welfare Fund, we’re delighted to be able to finally share the exciting news of the irresistible puppy additions to the Dulux family.”</p> <p>“The pups are stars in their own right, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of them in the years to come.”</p> <p>The beloved breed of dog has been synonymous with the Dulux brand since first appearing in a Dulux ad in 1961 when the director’s Old English Sheepdog, Dash, crashed one of the adverts. </p> <p>The camera and cast loved Dash so much that he made it into the ad after the final edit. </p> <p>After Dash, pup Digby took the reins - and was perhaps the most famous Dulux dog after picking up a Hollywood film credit. </p> <p>Between 1995 and 2002, the position was held by Mash, followed by Willow and, most recently, two Old English Sheepdogs, Madison and Olivia.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Dulux</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Russell Crowe opens up about tragic loss of puppy

<p>Russell Crowe has opened up about the grief he’s endured from the <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/russell-crowe-loses-best-friend-in-tragic-accident" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death of his beloved puppy</a> Louis the Papillion.</p> <p>In an appearance on the <em>Kyle &amp; Jackie O Show</em>, the actor introduced his new furry friend Ezekiel to the hosts, which was quickly met with the radio titans asking how he dealt with the loss of his other dog.</p> <p>"At first we were both like well he's irreplaceable, we can't get another puppy," Crowe said. "That was just a really difficult hole to fill.”</p> <p>"We put so much emotion into that little dog and then he died as tragically as he did," he continued.</p> <p>"The only way we could really stop that from being so harsh was to get another puppy.”</p> <p>Later in the interview, the star revealed that he had the dog flown over from South Australia to Sydney in a private jet.</p> <p>"I'm dealing with Britney whose level of grief was so deep that yeah I put her on a little jet and sent her to go see the dog, then she picked up the dog and came home," Crowe admitted of his girlfriend's pain.</p> <p>"I know it makes me look like a bit of a tosser but you know it's about 'what do I need to do right now to help Britney’."</p> <p>His tragic confession comes just two months after Louis the Papillion’s death.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram / TikTok</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Dog lovers rejoice after "greedy" serial puppy farmer handed life ban

<p dir="ltr">A serial puppy offender has faced sentencing over 17 charges of animal cruelty, with both a lifetime ban and thousands of dollars in fees included in her punishment. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 51-year-old woman from Bullsbrook, a northern suburb in Perth, had been breeding sick dogs in squalid conditions while charging their potential new owners thousands of dollars, and has now been banned from owning or breeding any more dogs for the rest of her life. </p> <p dir="ltr">For her cruel actions, the Perth Magistrates Court handed her a “10-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, $25,000 in fines and an 18-month Intensive Supervision Order.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Additionally, the repeat offender - who has been in custody since April 14 after breaching the conditions of her bail - was also ordered to pay $24,279.11 in legal costs, as well as care and treatment costs totalling $18,241.01.</p> <p dir="ltr">The charges were in relation to 23 dogs who were seized from her property in June 2020 - with sought-after breeds including the likes of Maltese, shih-tzus, poodles, and cavalier King Charles spaniels among them.</p> <p dir="ltr">It wasn’t her first offence - instead her fourth - but her most recent was in 2014 when the RSPCA found 50 dogs at her former home, with 12 of the animals “hidden in a bunker three metres underground”. </p> <p dir="ltr">This time around, she had been trying to conceal her crimes. As the court heard in December, she has been moving the dogs between three different Bullbrook addresses in a bid to avoid detection.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was a display of “callous disregard or at least wilful blindness,” Magistrate Janie Gibbs said. </p> <p dir="ltr">RSPCA WA had launched their investigation into her after a member of the public reported their concerns - they had been trying to purchase a puppy through Gumtree, and had grown suspicious when they were informed they couldn’t visit the dog at home. </p> <p dir="ltr">From there, RSPCA WA seized 32 dogs from the woman’s property - of which there were four adult males, 19 adult females, and nine puppies - with the majority of them showing signs of being “underweight, unkempt, or unwell”, and nearly all of them suffering from “ear infections and/or dental disease and … matted, overgrown hair”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two did not survive, and five of them were pregnant, giving birth to 22 more puppies in the weeks to follow. All have been in the foster care of RSPCA WA while the case went on. </p> <p dir="ltr">As RSPCA WA Executive Manager Animal and Enforcement Operations Hannah Dreaver explained, the woman responsible had been operating a profit-driven business, and had been placing her income well above the welfare of the dogs in her care.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This included using several locations to hide this operation from both authorities and potential puppy buyers,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All were popular breeds selling for thousands of dollars. These dogs were making her a fortune and she was treating them as nothing more than money-making machines, having litter after litter without proper care.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Please, if you want to get a dog, consider adoption from the RSPCA or another reputable rescue organisation first. If you do decide to buy a puppy, never buy online and never buy sight unseen. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Always meet your new puppy and its mum in the home where it’s being raised.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: RSPCA WA</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Not so innocent: Detail in cute puppy pic reveals Melissa Caddick’s huge profits

<p dir="ltr">A previously unnoticed detail in an innocent photograph has revealed the eye-watering amount accused fraudster Melissa Caddick was making from her alleged crimes per day.</p> <p dir="ltr">Caddick sent the photo of her pet dog posing in her home office to one of her victims, according to the podcast <em>Liar Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions</em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1f31aa36-7fff-bb16-cf57-e370267c42d5"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After zooming in on the notepad on Caddick’s desk, it can be seen that “$46K per day” was written under the heading “Average Profits” between April 27 and May 27.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/smh-cadddick.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Zooming in on the photograph reveals the record sums Melissa Caddick was making. Image: The Sydney Morning Herald</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Kate McClymont, the <em>Sydney Morning Herald</em> and <em>The Age</em> journalist who hosts the podcast, <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/melissa-caddick-podcast-how-a-cute-dog-photo-provided-a-clue-to-her-staggering-profits/4474e72b-e7f2-4472-902a-fa3ee10029bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told <em>Today</em></a><em> </em>that these kinds of discoveries showed how clues could be “hiding in plain sight”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The person that provided me with that photo is one of, not only Melissa’s victims, but she worked one day a week for Melissa,” McClymont said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So she is sitting there day after day seeing all of these things, but it wasn’t until after Melissa disappeared and the Herald broke the story saying she was running a Ponzi scheme, they didn’t realise they were all victims.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In May 2020 alone, Caddick made a whopping $1.426 million profit - and her case has since captured the nation’s attention.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her home in Sydney’s east was raided by federal police on behalf of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in November 2020, and it was suspected she had fleeced millions of dollars from her victims - mostly friends and family - to fund her lifestyle.</p> <p dir="ltr">Caddick then disappeared a day after the raid.</p> <p dir="ltr">Months later, the remains of her foot inside a running shoe washed up on a beach on the NSW South Coast.</p> <p dir="ltr">An inquest into her death will commence in September, and McClymont told <em>Today </em>it could dispel some mysteries surrounding how she died.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Already I have heard that some of her victims have been interviewed by the police to provide alibis,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The journalist added that a forensic pathologist would hopefully be able to determine if Caddick’s foot was cut off or had deteriorated in the ocean.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Until we hear from a forensic pathologist, that is still one of the big mysteries in this case.”</p> <p dir="ltr">To read the full story and hear the <em>Liar Liar</em> episode, click <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-a-puppy-picture-revealed-melissa-caddick-s-stunning-46-000-per-day-profit-20220429-p5ahbm.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f7014543-7fff-dec0-63fe-12c9612cc9a9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

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John Travolta's son adopts puppy from the Oscars ceremony

<p>Mac n Cheese, the adorable rescue pup who stole hearts worldwide during an Oscars tribute segment for actress Betty White, has been rescued by none other than John Travolta’s son, Ben.</p> <p>The adorable little man was cradled by actress Jamie Lee Curtis in the 'In Memoriam' segment on Monday's ceremony when she spoke lovingly about the late Golden Girl star's love for animals.</p> <p>In her speech, Curtis said White's fans can honour her legacy by adopting a rescue dog like Mac N Cheese.</p> <p>Curtis didn't have to tell the Travolta family twice, as their home was already open to the little pooch, who they rescued from Paw Works: a nonprofit rescue organisation in Thousand Oaks, California.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqosEVpIGj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqosEVpIGj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by John Travolta (@johntravolta)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Ben adopted this dog from last night's Oscar tribute to Betty White. Thank you @curtisleejamie &amp; @pawworks," the actor captioned a happy snap of 11-year-old Ben cuddling their new family member.</p> <p>Travolta and Curtis are long time friends.They starred alongside each other in the 1984 romantic comedy Perfect, and on Monday they reconnected backstage.</p> <p>"A MAGICAL ending to the story from last night," Curtis posted on Instagram as she shared Travolta's photo. "At the Oscars I reconnected with my friend, John Travolta. @johntravolta We starred together in the movie PERFECT back in 1984. I had already left the Dolby theater last night after honoring Betty White and was on my way home when someone texted me a photo of John holding little mac &amp; cheese in the green room before his presentation of the best actor Oscar."</p> <p>"I thought it was so beautiful to see him with her and then today I found out that he and his son, Ben have adopted beautiful little mac &amp; cheese and are taking her home today," Curtis concluded. "It is an emotional end and a perfect tribute to Betty White."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Prince William and Kate's new puppy reveal

<p>James Middletown has shared an adorable snap featuring Prince William and Kate’s new puppy.</p> <p>The Duchess of Cambridge's younger brother gifted the royals their new furry friend, which came from a litter birthed by his own dog Luna.</p> <p>James shared the sweet pictures from when his dog Luna gave birth to a litter of six cocker spaniels in 2020. One of the six pups photographed was Kate and Prince William's, whom they received before their dog Lupo died in November 2020.</p> <p>The photos were posted alongside a caption in which James spoke about welcoming a dog into the family.</p> <p>It is believed that the royals' new pet, whose name is not publicly known, is a black puppy – the same colour as Lupo.</p> <p>In 2012, the year before Prince George's birth, James gifted Kate with Lupo, who is the brother of Luna – the mother of the duo's current pet.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/Royal-dogs.jpg" alt="" width="778" height="429" /></p> <p>James, a dog lover and owner of six canines, touched on helping his sister welcome their new dog.</p> <p>"Over the years I've helped many friends, family and followers come to the right decision on adding a four-legged addition to the family," he wrote.</p> <p>In a related post, he reflected on his childhood with Kate saying, "I was 11 when we got our first family dog, Tilly, and I remember all of the feelings of excitement and nervousness like it was yesterday!"</p> <p>While not many details have been released about the Duke and Duchess' new dog, they did reveal that she's a girl during a January visit to a community hospital where they met a cockapoo puppy named Alfie.</p> <p>While holding Alfie, Kate joked, "Our dog is going to be very upset. She's going to be like, 'Where have you been?'"</p> <p><em>Images: Getty &amp; Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Special Forces veteran delivers heartfelt plea over stolen puppy

<p>Special Forces veteran Luke Evans has launched an emotional appeal after his seven-week old puppy was stolen from his doggy daycare farm on Monday morning</p><p>The father-of-three set up the farm on NSW's Central Coast three years ago with the help of his wife following 11 years of service in the navy to help him cope with his PTSD. </p><p>The farm offers daycare for pets and also works to rehabilitate and find forever homes for rescue dogs. </p><p>The dogs, who were all secret inside at the time of the theft, began barking around 4am to alert the couple that something was wrong. </p><p>The navy veteran got up to check out the commotion, but didn't find out of the ordinary. </p><p>It wasn't the next morning that Luke realised one of their beautiful blue-eyed Australian Shepherd-husky cross litter pups was missing. </p><p>The puppy was taken from a seperate room where the litter was being kept away from the larger dogs during the night. </p><p></p><p>"This little male pup that has been taken is just 7 weeks old, incredibly cute, two bright blue eyes and perfect Blue Merle and White markings," the family wrote online.</p><p>"The little one is microchipped and the number has been reported as stolen."</p><p>"We sincerely hope that someone might make the right decision to hand him in somewhere. Or perhaps someone might recognise him and let the police know."</p><p>"We are heartbroken. Numb. Terribly deflated. So many emotions right now. Disappointed. Disbelief. Concerned. Upset. Angry. Lost," the post read. </p><p>The 37-year-old navy veteran suspects the thief had been watching his daycare's YouTube channel, where he shares updates on his animals and an insight into their life on the farm, in order to plan the daring heist.</p><p>Following the theft, the farm has been set up with extra security measures including multiple cameras and alarms to keep their animals safe.</p><p><em>Image credits: Facebook - Doggy Daycare Farm Trips </em></p>

Family & Pets

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Restaurant in strife for accepting puppy pics instead of vaccination proof 

<p>A restaurant in Canada was ordered to temporarily cease its indoor dining services after it was discovered that customers were being allowed a seat after presenting cute dog photos instead of proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or negative test results, health officials said.</p><p>Alberta Health Services issued the closure order Friday after it investigated complaints about the Granary Kitchen in Red Deer.</p><p>Two investigators posing as customers visited the restaurant at different times after providing photos and personal identification to restaurant staff, the agency said in the order.</p><p>“In both instances, facility staff used a tablet to make it appear as if they were scanning a QR code, when in fact the staff member was presented with a photograph of a dog,” the agency said.</p><p>“The staff member then proceeded to ask the test shopper for personal identification and offered dine-in services.”<br />The restaurant was ordered to close its indoor dining area and submit a written COVID-19 compliance plan that follows the province’s indoor dining rules.</p><p>In a Facebook post Friday, the restaurant called the incident “an unfortunate circumstance at our front door which involved one of our underage hostesses”.</p><p>“We are taking the weekend to retrain and regroup,” the restaurant said.</p><p>“We look forward to serving you again as soon as we are ready to reopen.</p><p>"In closing we would like to remind everyone of the tremendous pressure being placed on front staff, and please remember to be kind.”</p><p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Adorable puppy melts hearts of William and Kate

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>Prince William and Kate Middleton were seen smiling, laughing and joking as they visited Lancashire on Thursday. This was their second joint engagement over the course of a few days.</p> <p>Despite their royal status, it was therapy dog Alfie who stole the show and melted their hearts.</p> <p>The apricot cockapoo was funded through hospital charity ELHT&amp;me using a grant from NHS Charities Together, which the Duke and Duchess are Royal Patrons of.</p> <p>The couple visited Clitheroe Community Hospital, where they met with NHS staff and patients to learn about the challenges faced by rural health providers and to understand how NHS Charities Together is supporting the mental health of the frontline workforce.</p> <p>So far, the charity has helped fund a staff well-being room as well as two therapy dogs — six-year-old Jasper and Alfie, who is brand new to the team.</p> <p>They also visited Church on the Street, a charity run by Pastor Mick Fleming. The organisation was set up in 2019 to help the homeless and people living in poverty in Burnley and the surrounding areas. Speaking to a number of volunteers and staff, the couple heard about their motivations for working with Church on the Street.</p> <p>Charity owner Pastor Mick is now in discussions with local authorities, external support agencies and the NHS with the aim of providing further support for people who are struggling with their mental health.</p>

Family & Pets

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Puppies born ready to communicate with people

<div> <div class="copy"> <p>In a result that won’t come as a surprise to dog lovers, US researchers have found that puppies are born with an innate ability to interact with humans.</p> <p>The team studied eight-week-old puppies to see how they responded to human gestures without much (if any) training by giving 375 dogs the exact same tasks. They found that up to 40% of a puppy’s capacity to interact comes down to its genes.</p> <p>“We show that puppies will reciprocate human social gaze and successfully use information given by a human in a social context from a very young age and prior to extensive experience with humans,” says Emily E. Bray, an animal behaviour researcher at the University of Arizona.</p> <p>“For example, even before puppies have left their littermates to live one-on-one with their volunteer raisers, most of them are able to find hidden food by following a human point to the indicated location.”</p> <p>But this communication only seemed to work when a human initiated it; otherwise, puppies didn’t naturally look to humans to indicate how to find the food.</p> <p>The study, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.055" target="_blank">published</a> in the journal <em>Current Biology</em>, found that based on their genetics some puppies have a better innate ability than others to interact with humans, with 40% of the variation in following human gestures explained by inherited genes.</p> <p>“All these findings suggest that dogs are biologically prepared for communication with humans,” Bray says.</p> <p>Bray and team have been studying dog behaviour for a decade, in collaboration with a US service dog organisation called Canine Companions. All of the dogs in the study were budding service dogs with a similar rearing history and known pedigrees, allowing the researchers to build a statistical model that could assess genetic factors in comparison to environmental factors.</p> <p>These findings not only add to our understanding of how dogs develop their abilities to think and problem solve, but also have implications for determining what makes a successful service dog.</p> <p>The next step is to identify specific genes contributing to the displayed behaviours – and to keep tabs on these puppies to see whether success on these early tests can predict their successful graduation into service dogs.</p> <p>Bray says that their findings may also “point to an important piece of the domestication story, in that animals with a propensity for communication with our own species might have been selected for in the wolf populations that gave rise to dogs”.</p> <p> </p> <div style="position: relative; display: block; max-width: 100%;"> <div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://players.brightcove.net/5483960636001/HJH3i8Guf_default/index.html?videoId=6257155470001" allowfullscreen="" allow="encrypted-media" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%;"></iframe></div> </div> <p class="caption">An 8-week-old yellow retriever puppy participating in a trial of the pointing task. Credit: Arizona Canine Cognition Center</p> <!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --> <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=154279&amp;title=Puppies+born+ready+to+communicate+with+people" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> <!-- End of tracking content syndication --></div> <div id="contributors"> <p><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/puppies-born-ready-to-communicate-with-people/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/lauren-fuge">Lauren Fuge</a>. Lauren Fuge is a science journalist at Cosmos. She holds a BSc in physics from the University of Adelaide and a BA in English and creative writing from Flinders University.</p> <p><em>Image: Canine Companions for Independence</em></p> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

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Queen Elizabeth gifted with a new puppy to celebrate Prince Philip’s 100th

<p>She began by celebrating her 95th birthday in a scaled-down Trooping the Colour event.</p> <p>Thursday marked the day the Queen’s husband would have celebrated his 100th birthday.</p> <p>Prince Philip died in April, and while Her Majesty is still understandably reeling from the loss – her family has gone to painstaking lengths to put a smile on her face.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841799/queen-elizabeth-corgi-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0775dc0b507241b9a54f7187e15b09d3" /></p> <p>Reports say both Princess Beatrice and Eugenie and their father Prince Andrew gave the royal a six-week-old puppy as a gift ahead of her 'official' birthday.</p> <p>The sweet gesture followed after one of two new puppies the Queen was given this year earlier, died unexpectedly due to heart problems.</p> <p>She named them Fergus, as a tribute to her uncle Fergus Bowes-Lyon, who died in WWI, and Muick, after a landmark on the royals' Balmoral estate in Scotland.</p> <p>Fergus, the dorgi, died in May at just five months of age, which was an extra blow for the Queen following the death of Prince Philip on April 9.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841800/queen-elizabeth-corgi.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/261d5347b27343d5b52911e6273129a6" /></p> <p>Windsor Castle source is quoted to have said, "The Queen has had a rough time and she is absolutely delighted to have a new corgi."</p> <p>The name of the royal’s latest fur baby is not yet known.</p> <p>Queen Elizabeth is known for her love of Pembroke Welsh corgis, and has been surrounded by the breed her entire life.</p> <p>She was just 18 when she had her first, Susan, which was given her parents.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Crushed with guilt": Decision to put down "pandemic puppy" causes heated debate

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A journalist has sparked debates online over her decision to euthanise her dog she adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Madeline Bills published a piece on </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Slate </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">sharing the story of her adoption of Bennie, “a six-year old beagle whose photo melted my heart”, just before Christmas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Like many others last year, I was thrilled to adopt a dog,” she wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The so called pandemic puppy boom made for what felt like stiff competition at the time.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, the journalist said the New Jersey animal shelter she adopted Bonnie from likely failed to inform her of the dog’s history of aggressive behaviour.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After six months of behavioural training and “daily dog anxiety meds” seemed to make no difference to Bonnie’s biting, Bilis made the decision to try and rehome the pooch.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But I soon learned the shelter where Bonnie came from wouldn’t help me. A volunteer explained that Bonnie was too dangerous to adopt out again, and their affiliated sanctuaries - including several beagle-specific rescues - declined to take her,” she wrote. “Another dog rescue organisation in New York City told me that her bite history - seven bites at the time, though that number would grow - was too extensive for her to even qualify for a special rehabilitation program.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bilis said both conversations ended with the same conclusion: “behavioural euthanasia”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“She was adorable - and violent,” Bilis wrote. “I found a resolution many choose but few acknowledge.” </span></p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/madelinebilis/status/1402611855252668417"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://twitter.com/madelinebilis/status/1402611855252668417</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The article drew praise from some readers for addressing a difficult topic, which described how Bonnie was involved in several biting incidents.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Last Christmas morning, I patted my bed, invitingly my newly adopted beagle, Bonnie, to jump and cuddle,” she began in the piece.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My boyfriend, still under the covers, reached out to pet her soft little head, which was now wedged between us. I turned away to grab my phone, and it happened: a guttural bark, followed by a human scream. I whipped around to see my boyfriend’s hand covered in blood. It was Bonnie’s second bite in the week since I’d adopted her.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bilis recounted another incident where Bonnie bit a man walking past them on the footpath, though she was surprised “the man brushed off the incident”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the number of incidents continued to grow, Bilis said her “desire to stop living with a dangerous animal” grew too.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As the weeks went by and no new options appeared, I realised I had a choice: I could send her off with a stranger one day - someone she would certainly injure, and who would perhaps end up euthanising her anyway - or I could allow her to leave this terrifying world peacefully with someone she loves.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She stressed the choice to pursue behavioural euthanasia was “not a decision made out of convenience”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Crushed with guilt, I wondered if there was more I could have done to help my sweet beagle,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unsurprisingly, the article drew criticism online, with other owners of adopted dogs claiming the decision was motivated by inconvenience.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One user said that in her “30-year-plus career as a veterinarian who works on dogs with anxieties and behavioural issues, I’ve only had to euthanise two dogs for child safety reason.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many also defended Bilis, agreeing she had no choice in the matter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A lot of people angry about this article but obviously the correct thing to do with a violent and dangerous domesticated animal is put it down,” wrote </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Daily Wire</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> host Matt Walsh.</span></p>

Family & Pets

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Investigation launched after 38 dead puppies found on plane

<p><span>Workers were confronted with a tragic scene after a Ukrainian International Airlines plane arrived in Toronto after what is usually a routine 10-hour flight.</span></p> <p><span>Inside were 500 crated puppies, according to Canadian authorities. Many were dehydrated, weak and vomiting. 38 of them were found dead.</span></p> <p><span>The horrifying discovery on June 13 began an investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. And it shed light on a growing international market for dogs, which lawmakers say needs more restrictions.</span></p> <p><span>“The number of dogs imported into the U.S. has skyrocketed in the past few years, and we are screening less than one percent of them,” Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-La.), a veterinarian who last month co-sponsored a bipartisan bill called the Healthy Dog Importation Act, said in an email. “We need to do more to protect these animals and those already in the country.“</span></p> <p><span>Details about the flight remain relatively unknown, including whether Canadian authorities were aware of the large number of puppies arriving into the city. The government, which claims to have “rigorous standards” when it comes to importing animals, has released very little information. </span></p> <p><span>Ukraine International Airlines said in a statement on Friday that it regretted the “tragic loss of animal life” and is working with local authorities to make “any changes necessary to prevent such a situation from occurring again.”</span></p> <p><span>Animal advocates said flying 500 dogs on a single plane is unusual, if not unprecedented. Dogs require water and other care when being crated on tarmac and during flights, said Rebecca Aldworth, executive director of the Humane Society International in Canada.</span></p> <p><span>“You’re relying on the staff of the airport and the airline to do that care,” she said. “If those animals are transported in those numbers, it would be physically impossible to provide that kind of care.”</span></p> <p><span>The puppies flown from Ukraine were French bulldogs, according to Canadian news reports. The breed is one of several brachycephalic, or snub-nosed dogs, which are known to be so vulnerable to respiratory problems that some US airlines refuse to transport them.</span></p>

Travel Trouble

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Nicole Kidman posts rare photo of adorable cavoodle puppy

<p>Reading the daily news can be overwhelming, especially as the world currently faces a pandemic. So, what better way to give yourself a mental break than looking at adorable photos of celebrities holding puppies, specifically, Nicole Kidman.</p> <p>Taking to Instagram to share a snap of her fluffy friend Julian, Kidman wrote: “He might be the youngest member of the family but he’s a wise old soul.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-kTd-6pc29/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-kTd-6pc29/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">He might be the youngest member of the family but he’s a wise old soul. 💕🐾</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/nicolekidman/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Nicole Kidman</a> (@nicolekidman) on Apr 4, 2020 at 10:25am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Fans couldn’t help but gush over the toy poodle, with one person commenting “You and Julian! It doesn’t get much cuter than this.”</p> <p>The<span> </span><em>Big Little Lies</em><span> </span>star is not one to overshare on social media, as she barely posts photos of her daughters Sunday Rose and Faith, whom she shares with her country-rocker husband Keith Urban. Even photos of her puppy are infrequent, in fact, this is just the fourth photo of the toy poodle puppy her followers have seen since the family welcomed the pup.</p> <p>Here is one she posted back in February:</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8rw9YDJTKq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8rw9YDJTKq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Small dog, big heart ❤️🐾</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/nicolekidman/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Nicole Kidman</a> (@nicolekidman) on Feb 17, 2020 at 1:55pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>And this adorable side-mirror view, which Kidman appropriately captioned “My #MondayMotivation”.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2w95pvJwY2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2w95pvJwY2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">My #MondayMotivation 💕</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/nicolekidman/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Nicole Kidman</a> (@nicolekidman) on Sep 23, 2019 at 12:15pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>And let’s not forget Julian’s social media debut, where Kidman became a self-proclaimed dog mama.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzwHA--JKmH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzwHA--JKmH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">My first puppy... actually my first dog. Been waiting my whole life for this! 🐶</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/nicolekidman/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Nicole Kidman</a> (@nicolekidman) on Jul 10, 2019 at 2:42pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>And while we would love to see more photos of Kidman’s girls and her dog, some celebrities choose to keep their private lives away from the spotlight, and that’s okay.</p>

Family & Pets

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Can YOU spot the puppy hidden in the dog park?

<p>A seek-and-find puzzle is challenging you to spot the puppy hiding in a crowded dog park.</p> <p>The puzzle was created to celebrate national dog day which took place yesterday, and shows a single puppy hidden amongst multiple dogs at a park.</p> <p>It may seem straightforward, but it’s harder than it looks – with the fastest player taking 15 seconds to find the puppy.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7830075/2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/45baf0011c3e4bb99acd0ffe84a94dbc" /></p> <p>Can you spot the pup amongst the crowd of dogs?</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see if you were correct!</p> <p>According to creators, pet food company Natures Menu, it takes close to 21.2 seconds for the average person to complete the challenge.</p>

Family & Pets

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NSW breeder sets new world record with 19 Dalmatian puppies born in one litter

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A NSW dalmatian breeder has set a new world record with 19 puppies being born in one litter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Melissa O’Brien was relieved that all 19 puppies survived.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She told </span><a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6297245/dalmatian-litter-breaks-world-record/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Canberra Times</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> about the ordeal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Records aside it is pretty incredible all of them are alive, we had to supplement and bottle feed a few for a while to help mum out," she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"But they are six weeks old now and getting their own little personalities."</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">An Albury breeder has broken the world record for the largest Dalmatian litter - 19 puppies! 🐶🐶🐶🐶 <a href="https://twitter.com/bordermail?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bordermail</a> <a href="https://t.co/V9t4DhcJEW">pic.twitter.com/V9t4DhcJEW</a></p> — Vivienne Jones (@_VivienneJones) <a href="https://twitter.com/_VivienneJones/status/1155325046547595264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">28 July 2019</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">O’Brien said that despite her dalmatians normally breeding big litters, this was by far the largest.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I normally have big litters, they run in bloodlines, but this is easily the biggest," Ms O'Brien said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"They were born by C-section which I had already elected simply because of the amount of weight she had put on - she gained 15 kilograms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Her water broke and we had to pretty much take her straight in because if we had waited a few more hours we would have had dead puppies."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the amount of puppies, you’d forgive O’Brien for getting them mixed up sometimes, but she says she can almost tell them all apart. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"They are all named after Disney movies and they all have distinctive marks and colourings so we do keep track of them," she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Livers, or the brown coloured puppies, seem to be harder to sell because everyone sees the movie and wants a black and white one but I prefer the liver ones as I find them softer in nature.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I have had Dalmatians for about 13 years but have been breeding and showing them for just about 10 years."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">ABC Goulburn Murray reported about the incident via their Facebook page.</span></p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FABCGoulburnMurray%2Fposts%2F2368044573230758&amp;width=500" width="500" height="738" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There were reportedly eight people there to help the vet deliver the puppies.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, O’Brien says that this is the last of the litters for both mum and dad.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Melody is three and a half and Lukas is seven so this will be both their last litters," she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It is definitely the first and last for Melody, I had already decided to get her desexed before she had the puppies.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The temperaments are bomb-proof. They have to deal with my two-year-old so they are very used to small children and human interaction.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I am going to keep one boy but I haven't decided on which one yet."</span></p>

Family & Pets

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Master of manipulation: The evolution of “puppy dog eyes”

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to a new study published in the </span><a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2019/06/11/1820653116"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the “puppy dog eyes” is a real thing that dogs developed over time to better communicate with humans.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The study involved dissecting the cadavers of domestic dogs and comparing them to wild wolves, who are the ancestors of dogs, according to </span><a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/pets/dogs-developed-humanlike-eyebrow-muscles-to-enable-them-to-bettter-connect-with-us-their-best-friends/news-story/f933b4fec943edb65e0cf621e83abe15"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news.com.au</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A separate part of the study had scientists videotaping two-minute interactions between dogs and a human stranger then repeating the same experiment with wolves.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This was done to closely track how much they use a specific muscle around the eye that produces an inner eyebrow raise.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The researchers found that two muscles around the eyes were routinely present and well formed in domestic dogs but were not present in wolves. The dogs also only produced high intensity eyebrow movements as they looked at the humans.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It makes the eye look larger, which is similar to human infants,” Professor Anne Burrows of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, who was one of the co-authors, told AFP. “It triggers a nurturing response in people.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the movement is present in dogs and not wolves, “that tells us that that muscle and its function are selected,” she added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The paper also puts forward two explanations for why dogs are trying to capture our attention.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first explanation is that the eyebrow movement is significant for human-dog bonding “not just because it might elicit a caring response, but also because it might play a role during dog-human communicative interactions.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The second explanation is that the exaggerated eyebrow movements expose the whites of the dogs eyes, which humans find appealing in other animals.</span></p>

Family & Pets

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The tropical puppy island to add to your bucket list

<p><span>The combination of sparkling sea waters, hot bright sand and adorable puppies might sound too good to be true, but it’s what you can expect when you visit this dreamy destination.</span></p> <p><span>Perched on the Turks and Caicos Islands near the Bahamas, Potcake Place is a dog rescue charity that allows tourists to walk local puppies and dogs along Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales.</span></p> <p><span>The pups are called Potcakes, named after the food that locals give them. According to the founder and director of the charity Jane Parker-Rauw, Potcakes are predominantly German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and fox terriers.</span></p> <p><span>The charity helps 500 strays get adopted every year. However, according to <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/terripous/theres-an-island-where-you-can-play-with-rescue-puppies-and?utm_term=.fn5XvGRAl&amp;bffbanimals#.ia2DJP4Qj"><em>Buzzfeed</em></a>, Parker-Rauw noticed that the puppies were quite wary around people. To solve the problem, in 2010 she started allowing locals and tourists to come and play with the canines for a few hours every day on “puppy socialisation walks”, in order to let them get used to being around humans before they find a new home.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrgIXAvH8_6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrgIXAvH8_6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Mathilda Hermodsson🌍 (@mathildahermodssonn)</a> on Dec 17, 2018 at 12:34pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuEf3hhBWmg/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuEf3hhBWmg/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">Hi, my name is DiVina and I like long, romantic walks on the beach with #shelterdogs. 🐾 #adoptdontshop #turksandcaicos #gracebay #animalshelter #crazydoglady</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/divinaface/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> DiVina Gurrola</a> (@divinaface) on Feb 19, 2019 at 8:35am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtkqlsbFDxT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtkqlsbFDxT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jessica Demaris (@booboojessy)</a> on Feb 6, 2019 at 11:53pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtdzGtqBe_B/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtdzGtqBe_B/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">We can’t adopt an island dog, we can’t adopt an island dog...</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/unstoppabledogs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Meg McCarthy-Cataldo</a> (@unstoppabledogs) on Feb 4, 2019 at 7:53am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span>While there is no charge to walk a puppy, the queues could be long and the number of dogs available for trips varies day to day.</span></p> <p><span>Parker-Rauw said these short excursions could do wonders for the young dogs’ development. “These short interactions with nice people both in and out of the adoption center really help to give them confidence that yes, most people really are good,” said Parker-Rauw. </span></p> <p><span>“We have seen hundreds of times a very shy puppy just excel and develop over a short time this way. It's lovely.”</span></p> <p><span>Parker-Rauw said she and her rescue organisation, which is 100 per cent run by volunteers, are hoping to reduce the number of dogs on the street without resorting to euthanising. She said her efforts on educating, neutering and spaying the canines in her shelter seemed to have paid off, as she believed there are now fewer strays. “For the first time in a long time, I have some hope that we are actually getting where we need to be,” she told <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/potcake-place-puppy-turks-and-caicos/index.html"><em>CNN</em></a>. “No more homeless dogs.”</span></p> <p>Will you add this place to your travel bucket list? Let us know in the comments.</p>

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