More sickening animal stories

Company director, 49, accused of killing next-door neighbour's Alsatian with a carving knife

A millionaire property tycoon has appeared in court accused of stabbing his neighbour’s guard dog to death with a kitchen knife.

Mark Deeley, 49, knifed an Alsatian called Max below his front right leg after it ran into his garden and mauled his seven-year-old Labrador Bertie, it is claimed.

The alleged attack happened in the front garden of Deeley’s £534,000 detached house in an exclusive area of Coventry just after 8am on November 26.

Mark Deeley knifed an Alsatian called Max after it ran into his garden and mauled his seven-year-old cream Labrador Bertie, it is claimed

His owners, brother and sister property developers Susan Kaur, 39, and Tarlo Singh, 33, discovered Max’s body under a hedge and called the police.

They say five-year-old Max squeezed through a gap in the wire fence which separates the courtyard of their £1-million property with Deeley’s front garden.

On Tuesday the father-of-two appeared at Coventry Magistrates Court charged with criminal damage relating to the death of Max.

 

More...

• Caught on CCTV: The sickening moment diplomat's son battered lovable labrador puppy 20 times

Deeley, who is listed as a company director of a lettings agency in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, only spoke to confirm his name and address during the five-minute hearing.

Jez Newsome, prosecuting, told the court: ‘A neighbour’s dog got into his garden and attacked his own dog.

‘He went into the kitchen and put his hands on a kitchen knife and delivered one blow killing the dog.

‘A lengthy investigation still needs to be processed.’

Max was owned by brother and sister property developers Susan Kaur and Tarlo Singh. Ms Kaur is pictured outside his kennel

The alleged attack happened in the front garden of Deeley's home (pictured) in an exclusive area of Coventry

District Judge Ian Gillespie granted Deeley unconditional bail and ordered him to appear back at court on January 6.

Mr Tarlo and Miss Kaur attended the hearing and sat in the public gallery.

Today Miss Kaur, who is not married and has no children, said Max was trained by Sussex Police as a guard dog.

She added: ‘Max ran over to a gap in the hedge by his kennel. I came out half-an-hour later and found him dead on the floor under the hedge.

‘Max had obviously crawled back under the hedge where he bled to death. 

‘At first I thought he was sleeping but then I saw a huge blood patch spreading underneath his body. It was horrific.

Miss Kaur, who has lived next door to Deeley for five years, also has four other pet dogs, eight-month-old Alsatian Sky, Yorkshire Terriers Snuggles, three, and Freddie, one, and a four-year-old Miniature Maltese called Poppy.

Deeley, who is captain of Kenilworth Cricket Club in Warwickshire, bought his sprawling property for £345,000 in 1999 but it is now believed to be worth around £1million.

Animal abuse crosses all classes:

Caught on CCTV: The sickening moment diplomat's son battered labrador puppy 20 times because he was 'having a bad day'

A diplomat's son who viciously kicked and punched his puppy because he was 'having a bad day' after being turned down for a job has narrowly avoided being locked up for the horrific attack.

Mohammed Abou-Sabaa, whose father is a prominent Tunisian official, was caught on CCTV raining down more than 20 blows on his labrador, Poppy, as she cowered in terror.

In a final, sickening, attack, the 21-year-old student was filmed kicking the blameless pet down a flight of steps outside his luxury city centre flat.

Attack: Mohammed Abou-Sabaa was caught on CCTV brutally abusing his five-month-old labrador puppy

Abou-Sabaa was seen raining down more than 20 blows on the puppy as she cowered in terror

But despite his behaviour being branded 'despicable' by RSPCA inspectors, magistrates agreed to let him walk free from court, imposing a suspended prison sentence and banning him from keeping animals for four years.

They told him they were letting him off because he was in full-time education - however it emerged yesterday he is likely to face disciplinary action from the authorities at Manchester University over his conviction for animal cruelty.

Brazen Abou-Sabaa punched and kicked the dog outside the entrance to his building, stopping when a fellow resident went indoors before resuming the unprovoked assault.

Punishment: Diplomat's son Abou-Sabaa was given a six-week sentence, suspended for two years,

An investigation was launched after the appalled caretaker saw the attack on CCTV and contacted the RSPCA.

When he appeared in court, shocked magistrates asked for the gruelling six-minute video footage to be stopped because they couldn't bear to sit through it all.

It shows the uncomprehending, mild-mannered pet cowering while Abou-Sabaa beats it ferociously, stopping only to mop his brow.

At one stage he yanks the puppy up by its neck then slaps it to the ground, also standing on the terrified dog with his full weight.

Finally he uses his knee to launch her down a stairwell. 

Poppy was seized by RSPCA inspectors and has made a full physical recovery from the attack in July.

Abou-Sabaa told investigators he had been having a bad day after learning he had failed with a job application and was training the dog.

But David McCormick, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told Manchester magistrates it was a sustained and brutal attack – a 'wanton and deliberate act of cruelty.'

'The defendant was seen wiping sweat from his brow and only stopped the assault when people entered the building and then carried on when they had gone,' he added.

John Hera, defending, said Abou-Sabba had acted out of character. 'Something clicked inside him and there was lots of anger. He is full of remorse.'

Abou-Sabaa, from Manchester, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Poppy.
Magistrates decided not to jail him immediately because of his age, his guilty plea, and because he was in full-time education.

Jane Dyson, chairwoman of the bench, said: 'This is simply a terrible demonstration of cruelty to a vulnerable puppy. None of us have seen anything like it – you have just avoided prison.'

He was instead given a six-week sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work. 

He was also banned from keeping animals for four years and told to pay £1,000 costs.

Afterwards RSPCA inspector Paul Heaton said: 'It was a despicable act. I was incensed when I saw the video – it just went on and on. 

Recovered: Poppy the labrador has now made a full recovery and the RSPCA is trying to rehome her

'He said he had applied for a job apparently and had not got it and he was having a bad day. 

'I do not know of any training school that says that smacking a dog is a way of training it.'

Abou-Sabaa's father, a Tunisian diplomat, travelled from his home country to hear the case. 

He said afterwards: 'I have had words with my son and my family and I want to apologise for what he did.'

Abou-Sabaa is studying mechatronics - a combination of engineering and electronics.

While a criminal conviction for animal cruelty doesn't automatically bar him from the course, he could be suspended for bringing the university into disrepute.

A spokesman for Manchester University said: 'We are looking into this case.'

Poppy is being looked after by the RSPCA and is likely to be rehomed in the new year after the court signed her over to their care.

Mr Heaton added: 'Poppy is fine now. She is doing okay.

Britain's staffie problem continued

Just in case anyone failed to watch this when it came out a couple of months ago. Be warned, there are some upsetting scenes.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tcfmp

No such thing as a dangerous dog

Today saw the happy return of one of my favourite little clients, a small Yorkshire terrier called D. D was a fairly regular client of 4Paws along with his 'sister' B until earlier this year. Tragedy struck when D and B were being walked on Hampstead Heath, near the South End Green fair ground site. Out of the blue the dogs were attacked by a staffie/mastiff cross and poor B was mauled to death. The killer dog was being walked by a couple of youths who fled with their dogs after the attack. That's right, once their dog had savaged another in an unprovoked attack they turned around and left it to die. Despicable.


Despite D & B's owners' best efforts the owners and dogs responsible for this attack have not been brought to justice. After all they don't care, nor apparently do the police. Today was D's first day of daycare since the attack and he brought with him his new baby sister 'G' a beautiful 5 month old Yorkie.


But this sad tale isn't over . A few weeks ago G and D were once again attacked by a pair of staffie/mastiff crosses on Hampstead Heath. This time on the tree lined avenue leading from East Heath Road, just near the water fountain. At the time of the attack G weighed just 1.5 kilos, she was set upon by a much larger dog who made a beeline for her. Despite the dog wearing a muzzle G suffered serious injuries, her eye was prolapsed and it was feared she might lose the sight in it. However, after several weeks of hospital treatment G is doing really well and we were happy to meet her properly today.


When B was attacked I offered my sympathies to the owners and tried to reassure them by saying it was an unlucky, one in a million event. Yet less than 6 months later the very same thing happened in the same place. Despite living only five minutes from some of the most beautiful outdoor space London has to offer D's owners will no longer walk him and G on Hampstead Heath, and who can blame them?


Such attacks are clearly not random or isolated, if you ask dog walkers on the Heath all know of someone who has had a dog recently attacked. Almost without exception these dogs have been attacked by staffie/mastiff mixes and Rottweilers. 


It is outrageous that such a large dog walking community should live in fear of these animals. Just the other day I met a man with a young staffie that was being walked off the lead and without a collar. I asked myself how he expected to control the dog should a dangerous situation present itself. Similarly there is an owner who is now being avoided as he has an out of control young staffie and an older rescue Rottie. Too many people who have seen the animals 'at play' have mentioned that this pair are an accident waiting to happen. 


We in the UK are known to be animal lovers yet it appears to be a twisted combination of naivete and political correctness that allows dangerous dogs to walk the street leaving death and destruction in their wake. Far too many people hold staffies up as loyal and friendly dogs yet they are the number one animal killer on our streets and their presence has left many dog owners terrified. 


Staffordshire Bull Terriers were bred to fight and kill, they have a strong prey drive and tend to be very dog aggressive. Anybody who tells you otherwise is lying. Yes, there are some that are lovely but I would never trust one not to turn, it is in their nature. I don't judge the staffies for being like this anymore than I judge a lion for killing its prey. I lay the blame at the feet of a society that is burying its head in the sand and is unwilling to accept that we really have created a monster.


Mainly, however, I feel sad, sad that so many of these dogs are being bred, sad that they are being used as a status symbol and encouraged to fight, sad for the hundreds of pet owners (myself included) who have suffered the heartache of having their pet savaged by someone else's, sad for every dog who is killed unnecessarily, sad for the scarred and traumatised survivors like Dulce and Gigi, and sad that so many of these killer dogs end up being euthanised.


This problem is already out of hand. I, like many other small dog owners, no longer walk my dog in the local parks of Islington, nor on the streets near my home. Why? because I can guarantee that I will see staffie after staffie, many of them without leads or even collars and I don't want to have my dog dicing with death. 


Did I mention that there's apparently no such thing as a dangerous dog?

It's that time of year...kennel cough is doing the rounds again

Once more kennel cough is doing the rounds of North London parks causing suffering to both dogs and their owners. But how serious is it and how best to treat it? 


Well the good news is that kennel cough is rarely serious and never fatal. Usually it is what vets call 'self limiting'  - this means that it goes away all by itself without the need for any veterinary treatment. In this way kennel cough (KC) is much like a human cold, and like human colds no two strains are the same. KC tends to be caused by a combination of a virus and bacteria and while there are strains which are more common these change all the time.


For most owners the first sign that their dog is unwell is the classic cough. Typically this sounds like your dog has something stuck in his throat and is often accompanied by retching and the dog bringing up a little phlegm. Depending upon the severity of the strain your dog may appear completely well except for the cough or he may seem a little listless. Unless your dog is very young, old or suffering from other health problems a trip to the vet is probably not necessary. Instead if you want to ease the symptoms you can offer your dog a small amount of cough linctus with glycerol/honey a few times a day. This will help soothe his throat and hopefully minimise coughing. Beyond this you should keep your dog warm and quiet at home until the symptoms disappear. 


Kennel cough is very contagious so it is a good idea not to exercise your dog in public until his symptoms have gone. Bear in mind however that by the time your dog exhibits symptoms he will have been carrying the bug for a few days and so could have inadvertently infected his friends.


While this may sound worrying there is little that can be done after the fact except warning your friends to keep an eye on their dog's health. Again, much like the human cold KC can spread rapidly and, while irritating, it is not usually a cause for concern.


Some vets offer a nasal spray which helps protect against KC. Much like the flu jab in humans this can be beneficial for the young, old and infirm but will not protect against every bout of KC doing the rounds. Instead it aims to reduce your dog's susceptibility to picking up KC when your dog is exposed to it and ultimately limit the severity of the episode should your dog still catch kennel cough.


Usually your dog should shake off KC within about 10 days. However if it lasts much longer a trip to the vets is recommended.

Panorama - UK chain of vets exposed

It Shouldn't Happen at a Vets


Back in July Panorama aired a programme exposing the rather dubious practices carried out by one of the UK's largest veterinary chains. Panorama showed secret footage of rough, inconsiderate handling of pets, procedures being carried out by untrained staff, inflated prices and overcharging amongst other things. This programme is well worth watching and raises questions about who we allow to care for our pets in their hour of need.




Click HERE to watch this documentary

Hampstead Heath toy and small dog play group

We have recently set up a playgroup for toy and small dogs in North London. The meetup group is called Hampstead Heath toy and small dog play group. The idea is to hold regular meetings on Hampstead Heath for toy dogs and their owners. Hampstead Heath provides the ideal location for dogs to run around and have lots of fun, something even small dogs like to do! 

Our first meeting is scheduled for Saturday September 11th, time and exact location tbc.

Click HERE for more info

Cross country running with your dog!

Canine Cross Country Running in London (CaniX Event)

More familiar with the sound of traps springing open and greyhounds pounding the tracks, this September East London is hosting a whole new kind of dog race.  Hackney Marshes sees the London debut of CaniX, canine cross-country racing, on Sept 11th as part of the Two2Go Family sport festival.

CaniX is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK and sees owners and their four legged friends taking part in distance races together.  Whether it is simply with a collar and lead or with the more dedicated running harness, dogs run alongside their owners (or occasionally pulling them along!) creating a unique and exciting experience for the runners, the dogs and the spectators!  A wonderful way to get fit whist exercising your dog, CaniX is a unique discipline with competitive races taking place all over the UK and Europe.

Up until now, CaniX races have been mostly restricted to the countryside and large open spaces, but for the first time the dogs are going urban and are coming to London. Two2Go expect to see well over a hundred participants with dogs of all sizes and breeds race 5k around the famous Hackney Marshes.  Anyone can take part and everyone is welcome with no special equipment, fitness level or training required – just a dog, a lead and a sturdy pair of trainers.  

So come and join in with this brand new sport for London: CaniX – where your dog takes YOU for a walk!

Due to it’s original and innovative nature, Two2Go have been granted Olympic Inspire status for this event.

Two2Go family sport festival is taking place on Hackney Marshes, Homerton Road, E9 5PF on Saturday 11th Sept from 10am – 6pm.  Other events include a trail marathon, 10k, 5k, guided historical walk, free drop in sport & exercise workshops, face painting, live music, art workshops and food & drink.  Come and join in the count down to London 2012.

For information about entering the CaniX 5k race and registration, go to:https://www.canix.co.uk/shop/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=479

Cushings in dogs

Cushings Syndrome V Cushings Disease 

Cushings is something that you only really find out about once you look after a dog who suffers from it. But what exactly is Cushings?

A common misconception is that cushings disease in dogs is the same as cushings syndrome in dogs. The reality is, they're not one and the same.

Cushings syndrome and cushings disease are similar, but they're actually two different things. They both involve high amounts of cortisol in the dog's body. The difference is, though, that cushings disease is the name for the problem when it originates in the dog's pituitary gland. Cushings syndrome, on the other hand, is the name that is given to any increased cortisol problem in a dog, no matter how it occurs.

Cushings disease as well as other forms of cushings can occur in a dog of any age. It's much better to catch it early or take measures to prevent it, though, since it can be harder to treat any form of cushings when it's complicated by other medical conditions.

Common Causes of Cushings Syndrome in Dogs:

Some of the common causes of cushings syndrome are adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal tumors, as well as pituitary tumors. Since the pituitary gland controls the dog's adrenal glands, both gland types can be affected, not to mention other systems in your dog's body. For example, cushings can cause heart and liver problems for your dog, if it is left untreated.

Another common cause is drugs (iatrogenic causes). Essentially, if your dog is taking any steroid medications for unrelated medical problems, it can cause the hormonal balance in their body to be thrown off, creating a case of cushings. So, if your dog is showing signs of cushings, you may want to examine any medications that they are on, such as prednisone.

Homeopathic Treatment:

You may want to consider homeopathic treatment for cushings disease in dogs as an option for your pet. After all, a lot of traditional medications for cushings have harsh side-effects. Herbal remedies and supplements do not.

The practice of homeopathy is over two-hundred years old. One of the interesting things about it is that it often uses a diluted version of a substance to create a cure for that substance. Also, homeopathic remedies are always all natural. That means they're made of things that are commonly found in nature, like herbs, minerals and plants.

The thing that you need to remember about your dog is that, originally, dogs roamed wild and free. They fended for themselves and they ate whatever they found out in the wild. Now that they've been domesticated, though, they are often exposed to environmental toxins, processed foods and other things that are just not good for them at all.

As an owner, it's your responsibility to pick up the slack and compensate for the domestication of your dog. He or she can't fend for themselves like their wild ancestors. So, talk to your dog's vet about the best all natural ways to prevent or cure cushings disease in dogs, as well as other diseases and disorders that your dog may be prone to.

Article courtesy of Janet Markowitz. 

Gardening with dogs, some safety tips from the Dogs Trust

• Make sure that your fence and gate is high enough and secure enough. Most dogs will not be able to scale a 6 ft fence, but this can depend on breed and how determined your dog is to escape.
• Make sure there are no broken/unsafe parts to your fence/other garden furniture, such as no protruding sharp edges and no nails sticking out.
• Store chemicals and sharp tools safely, out of reach or locked in the shed, garage or outbuilding. Garden chemicals such as pesticides and fertilisers will make him very ill if eaten. Oils, paints and antifreeze are also very harmful. Pets are very attracted to antifreeze in particular and will lick it up if you forget to mop up any spills.
• Most slug pellets are poisonous to pets and could kill. Use pet friendly alternatives such as beer traps or try to encourage frogs into your garden to eat them. Ant killer gels and powders and rat poisons should only be used where your dog cannot get to them.
• Cocoa husks or mulch used in borders and around plants to discourage weeds is very attractive to dogs, who will eat it in large quantities. However, this contains theobromine (the same dangerous chemical found in chocolate), is very poisonous and can be fatal. Use an alternative such as bark chippings or gravel.
• Keep all rubbish/recycling bins securely closed.
• Make sure that ponds or pools are covered so that a young dog or puppy cannot fall in and drown.
• Be careful not to leave gates open.
• There are several poisonous plants that could affect your dog if he is partial to eating greenery. Here is just a selection of those to be wary about. Remove them if possible or restrict access to them: Azalea, Buttercup, Castor bean, Daffodil bulbs, dumb cane, false hellebore, foxglove, holly berries, Laburnum, Lily of the valley, Lobelia, Mistletoe berries, Moonseed, Narcissus, Oleander, Philodendron, Rhododendron, Rhubarb leaves, wild cherry tree, Wisteria, Yew.
• To download a more extensive list of poisonous plants and substances found in the home please click HERE

The bottom line part 3 - signs to watch for

Characteristics of Diarrhea

Color	Likely Cause	Likely Location
Yellowish or greenish	Rapid transit	Small bowel
Black, tarry	Upper GI bleeding	Stomach or small bowel
Red blood or clots	Lower GI bleeding	Colon clots
Pasty, light	Lack of bile	Liver
Large, gray, rancid	Inadequate digestion	Small bowel or absorption

Consistency	Likely Cause	Likely Location
Watery	Rapid transit	Small bowel
Foamy	Bacterial infection	Small bowel
Greasy, often with oily hair around the anus	Malabsorption	Small bowel, pancreas
Glistening or jellylike	Constains mucus	Colon

Odor	Likely Cause	Likely Location
Foodlike, or smelling like sour milk	Rapid transit and inadequate digestion or absorption (suggests overfeeding, especially in puppies)	Small bowel
Rancid or foul	Inadequate digestion with fermentation	Small bowel, pancreas

Frequency	Likely Cause	Likely Location
Several small stools in an hour, with straining	Colitis	Colon
Three or four large stools in a day	Inadequate digestion or absorption	Small bowel, pancreas

Condition of the Dog	Likely Cause	Likely Location
Weight loss	Inadequate digestion or absorption	Small bowel, pancreas
No weight loss, normal appetite	Large bowel disorder	Colon
Vomiting	Enteritis	Small bowel, rarely colon

A vet's eye view of the benefits of neutering

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS TO THE DOG?

There are several health benefits to neutering, both medical and behavioural. One of the most important concerns the prostate gland, which under the influence of testosterone will gradually enlarge over the course of the dog’s life. 


With age, it is likely to become uncomfortable, possibly being large enough to interfere w/defecation. The prostate under the influence of testosterone is also predisposed to infection which is almost impossible to clear up without neutering. Neutering causes the prostate to shrink into insignificance thus preventing both prostatitis as well as the uncomfortable benign hyperplasia (enlargement) that occurs with aging. It is often erroneously held that neutering prevents prostate cancer but this is not true.


Other health benefits of neutering include the prevention of certain types of hernias and tumours of the testicles and anus. Excessive preputial discharge is also reduced by neutering.

WHAT BEHAVIORAL CHANGES CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER NEUTERING?

The only behavior changes that are observed after neutering relate to behaviors influenced by male hormones. 


Playfulness, friendliness, and socialization with humans are not changed. The behaviors that change are far less desirable. 

• Interest in roaming is eliminated in 90% of neutered dogs. 

(Male dogs can sense females in heat through pheromones. These are airborne chemical attractants that are liberated from the female when she is cycling. They travel through the air for great distances. If dogs are neutered at an early age, they will not sense or respond to pheromones, and would certainly be less stressed and tend to stay home.)

• Aggressive behavior against other male dogs is eliminated in 60% of neutered dogs. 
• Urine marking is eliminated in 50% of neutered male dogs. 
• Inappropriate mounting is eliminated in 70% of neutered dogs. 

An additional behavioral advantage occurs when you are training or working your dog, or using him for field work. If neutered, he will be a much better student with a much longer attention span when there are females nearby that are in heat. This is because he will not be constantly distracted by pheromonal stimuli.

WHAT EXACTLY IS DONE SURGICALLY?

An incision is made generally just forward from the scrotum. The testicles are removed through this incision. The stalks are tied off and cut. Castration is achieved. If the testicles are not removed, the desirable benefits listed above cannot be realized. The skin incision may or may not have stitches.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT UPON DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL?

The scrotum is often swollen in the first few days after surgery, leading some people to wonder if the procedure was really performed. If the dog is immature at the time of neutering, the empty scrotum will flatten out as he grows. If he is mature at the time of neuter, the empty scrotum will remain as a flap of skin. Sometimes the incision is mildly bruised. Most male dogs are eager to play by the day after surgery but, to keep the incision intact, it is best to restrict the dog from boistrous activity.

AT WHAT AGE CAN NEUTERING BE PERFORMED?

Neutering can be performed at any age over age 8 weeks provided both testicles have descended. Dogs neutered before puberty (generally age 6 months) tend to grow a bit bigger than dogs neutered after puberty (testosterone is involved in the causing bones to stop growing so without testosterone the bones stop growing later). The same behavior and prostate health benefits can be realized no matter what age the dog is. (In other words, a dog does not become "too old" to obtain the same health and behavioral benefits of neutering.)


The traditional age for neutering is around 6 months of age and many veterinarians still recommend neutering at this age.

WILL HE GET OVER-WEIGHT OR LETHARGIC?

Activity level and appetite do not change with neutering. A male dog should not gain weight or become less interested in activity post neuter.

WHAT IF A DOG HAS AN UNDESCENDED TESTICLE?

Undescended testicles have an increased tendency to grow tumors. They may also twist on their stalks and cause life-threatening inflammation. For these reasons, neutering is recommended for dogs with undescended testicles. This procedure is more complicated than a routine neuter; the missing testicle can be under the skin along the path it should have descended to the scrotum or it may be inside the abdomen. Some exploration may be needed to find it thus there is often an incision for each testicle. The retained testicle is sterile and under-developed. If there is one descended testicle, this one will be fertile but since retaining a testicle is a hereditary trait, it is important that the male dog not be bred before he is neutered.