Aranwood Kennels in Mahwah bills itself online as “trustworthy indoor/outdoor boarding for dogs.” But the owner, 57-year-old Richard Dubarton, has been arrested and charged after the jarring find was made by a customer the week of Feb. 18.

“The caller stated he located a Dutch Shepherd dog which appeared to be in near-death conditions located inside a garbage bag, which was inside a dumpster in the parking lot,” court records state.

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Miraculously, there is a bit of good news: The dog survived, police said.

Dubarton said “someone must’ve dumped it there.” Investigators said he got the dog months earlier from Irvington police after its original owner surrendered the canine.

Irvington officials had no comment, nor did the kennel when reached by phone by NBC New York.

Police said Dubarton has worked as an animal control officer in several New Jersey communities. That includes Plainfield, which said that after the Humane Society terminated its working relationship with the town in 2023, they started working with the kennel.

“We entered into a contract with them, hopeful that this partnership would provide a reliable and compassionate solution. However, recent developments have cast a shadow over this decision,” a statement from Plainfield officials on Thursday read. “Allegations of mistreatment within Aranwood Kennels have come to light, prompting an immediate investigation by our police department…in response to these disturbing reports, we acted swiftly to ensure the safety and care of our community’s animals, none of whom remain under the care of the implicated facility.”

Police said they have since recovered 37 dogs from Dubarton’s property. He locked “multiple dogs'” outside in sub-freezing temperatures for an extended period of time, according to court papers.

The animals taken away have since been vetted and taken to various rescue facilities, police said. Some of the rescued animals may have to be euthanized. An investigation is ongoing.

A voicemail for Dubarton was not returned. He is next scheduled to appear in court during the first week of March.

Police said an anonymous tip from a concerned citizen on Saturday led them to a suspected dog-fighting ring at a home in Neptune Township, and rescuers were able to rescue the injured dogs from the “horrific” conditions they were being kept in.

Members of the Monmouth County SPCA went with law enforcement to the Embury Avenue address, where they found a concrete walkway with a fresh trail of blood leading to a shed in the backyard.

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They could hear several barking dogs inside the locked structure. Once the locks were removed, six dogs covered in filth were found in separate crates lined with woodchips, the SPCA said. Each of the canines had scabs, scarring and other obvious injuries.

“Two dogs were tethered outside with heavy chains around their necks,” said MCSPCA Executive Director Ross Licitra.

Given the puncture wounds to their ears and mouths, officials believe the injuries were consistent with dog fighting, possibly having been used as “bait dogs” in the illicit ring.

Law enforcement sources told the I-Team the occupants of the home were not cooperative and that officers could not reach the apparent owner of the dogs.

One of the homeowners was arrested at the scene for disorderly behavior, police said.

Licitra said crews “worked late into the night to investigate this horrific scene and get the 8 dogs to safety. All of the dogs are being cared for by our compassionate staff and can finally be free of fear and pain.”

The Monmouth County SPCA will look after the dogs to get them healthy and rehabilitated for adoption. Veterinarian Michelle Brognano told the I-Team that several of the dogs have been placed on antibiotics, but all are expected to survive.

In addition to taking the dogs, investigators also seized two treadmills and what may be animal steroids. A tenant told NBC New York she had no idea what was happening until the raid by police was going down.

An investigation is ongoing, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said.

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According to his owners, Cecil, a 7-year-old goldendoodle, was a bit hungry and ate $4,000 in cash.

Carrie and Clayton Law said they recently placed an envelope with the cash on their kitchen table. They were saving it for a home improvement project in their neighborhood in Pittsburgh.

Carrie shared the funny, although crazy, story on Instagram and said, “This is Cecil. He has never done anything bad in his life… until he ate $4,000.

“I was I was in disbelief,” Cecil’s owner, Carrie Law said. “I was like, I couldn’t believe that happened. And the funny thing was I found a corner of a $100 bill in his water bowl. So, it’s like he had to kind of just wash it down.”

The couple recovered the cash-turned-expensive appetizer, but it was easier said than done.

They had to wait…and wait for Cecil to go to the bathroom and vomit to get their cash back. They sifted through Cecil’s vomit and feces to recover as much of the money as possible. And of course, it was gross and in pieces.

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“It took us about three days to recover everything and then wash, dry, and tape it,” Carrie said. “The puzzle process took several hours and lots of patience because we had to keep waiting for him to go to the bathroom until we could get more pieces.”

Carrie says Cecil is doing well now and besides getting a little sick, it didn’t really faze him.

“I think he just took a nap afterward,” Carrie said.

As for their money, they’ve gotten most of it back.

“We’ve been able to recover around $3,550 so far,” Carrie said. “We have around $400 in totally mutilated bills. We might frame some of those,” she said with a laugh. 

Maple was a happy, healthy 7-month-old Australian shepherd until last Saturday, when she began coughing. Her owner, Adrianna Deffenderfer of Fontana, California, became scared when the pup’s cough progressed quickly, keeping Deffenderfer up through the night.

“I was just holding her, trying to comfort her as best as I could,” said Deffenderfer, 23. “I could tell that she was scared, too.”

At the vet the next morning, the young dog was tested for various respiratory illnesses, all of which eventually came back negative.

“The vet called me and he said, basically because there’s no definitive proof of this illness yet, we don’t know really what’s causing it,” said Deffenderfer.

Read the full story at NBCNews.com here.

The pneumonia-like illness, TODAY reported, starts as a cough and gradually worsens, with the illness also being resistant to antibiotics.

According to officials, dogs are most likely to contract the illness by coming into contact with other dogs, with places such as dog parks, kennels and groomers posing a larger risk.

Here are the symptoms to watch out for and which states symptoms of the illness have been reported in.

Symptoms associated with the mystery illness

In addition to coughing, sneezing, discharge from the eyes or nose, trouble breathing and fatigue have also been observed, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Dogs who exhibit symptoms may also test negative for common causes of respiratory illnesses.

Dog owners who observe any of the above symptoms are advised to take their dog to a vet immediately.

While vets encourage dog owners to keep their furry friends away from places where other dogs are likely to be, it is stressed that dogs in need of veterinary care are seen as soon as symptoms are shown.

Vets also advise owners to ensure that their dogs are up to date with necessary vaccinations.

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Officials with the Oregon Department of Agriculture said that cases they have observed have fallen into one of the following three categories:

• Chronic mild-moderate tracheobronchitis with a prolonged duration (6-8 weeks or longer) that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics. 
• Chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.
• Acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24-36 hours.

Dog owners are advised to contact their veterinarian ahead of exposing their dogs to an environment with multiple other dogs.

States symptoms have been reported in

TODAY reports that veterinarians in the following states are confirmed to have observed cases that match the description of strep zoo:

• Oregon
• Colorado
• New Hampshire
• California
• Indiana
• Illinois
• Washington
• Idaho
• Georgia
• Florida

How to keep your dog safe

Though dog owners are advised to be careful, experts also clarify that owners should caution rather than worry, offering the following tips to help protect dogs from respiratory illnesses:

• Reducing contact with large numbers of unknown dogs. Just like with other respiratory pathogens, the more contacts your dog has, the greater the risk of encountering a dog that’s infectious. 
• Reducing contact with sick dogs. This can be harder to determine but if a dog looks sick (coughing, runny nose, runny eyes), keep your dog away from it. 
• Keep sick dogs at home and seek veterinary care. 
• Avoid communal water bowls shared by multiple dogs. 
• Ask your veterinarian for advice on which vaccinations your dog should have. Common vaccinations include canine influenza, Bordetella and parainfluenza.
• If it’s sick, consider having your dog tested with a PCR test to help determine the causative agent (viral/bacterial), if possible.

The Hoboken Community Center is hosting its second annual dog costume contest and parade.

The event will take place Oct. 28 at Church Square Park in Hoboken.

There will also be live music and an array of local vendors selling pet items.

Registration is now open and is $15 per dog online or $20 at the door.

Proceeds will benefit the Hoboken Community Center, a nonprofit that provides essential services and spaces to support the well-being of the Hoboken community. Some of the organization’s current projects include providing affordable housing for 96 low-income men, a food, hygiene, and pet supply pantry, and a 40,000+ square foot community and recreation center under rehabilitation at 1301 Washington St.

For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

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Did you know the happiest hound in America lives in Fort Worth, Texas? That’s according to a TrustedHousesitters.com contest.

Monica Wesevich entered Hershey into the house-sitting website’s national competition where owners and pet sitters submitted pictures of their pups.

On her Instagram, @MommaToHershey, where Wesevich chronicles life with Hershey, she said he’s been on every single pet-sitting adventure, close to 80 in four years.

“[Hershey’s] superpower is building lasting fur-riendships,” said owner Wesevich. “He does this by his calm and pleasant presence to all animals. We can literally see pet’s anxiety decrease right before our eyes thanks to Hershey.”

Monica said Hershey has befriended numerous dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits, sheep, goats, guinea pigs, finches, fish and even a hamster.

His happy disposition earned him the title of Happiest Hound in America. Wesevich wins a free year of membership with TrustedHousesitters.

Frederick D. Moorefield Jr., the Pentagon’s deputy chief information officer, 62, and co-defendant Mario Flythe, 49, were charged by federal authorities with promoting and furthering an animal fighting venture. At their initial court appearance on Sept. 28, a federal judge ordered both defendants released pending trial.

According to an affidavit, Moorefield and Flythe used encrypted messaging to talk to people around the U.S. about dogfighting. Moorefield allegedly used the name “Geehad Kennels” and Flythe allegedly used the name “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their respective operations. 

The two men and their associates allegedly used encrypted messages to exchange dogfighting videos and to set up fights. Moorefield and the others also discussed how to hide their dogfighting from law enforcement, according to the affidavit.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com here.

Around 20 royal fans and their pet corgis gathered to walk their dogs outside the palace in central London to remember Queen Elizabeth II a year since her death.

Corgis were the late queen’s constant companions since she was a child, and Elizabeth owned around 30 throughout her life. Generations of the dogs descended from Susan, a corgi that was given to the queen on her 18th birthday.

Agatha Crerer-Gilbert, who organized Sunday’s event, said she would like the corgi march to take place every year in Elizabeth’s memory.

“I can’t see a better way to remember her than through her corgis, through the breed that she loved and cherished through her life,” she said.

“You know, I can’t still get used to the fact that she’s not physically around us, but she’s looking at us. Look, the sun is shining, I thought it would shine on us today,” she added.

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Aleksandr Barmin, who owns a corgi named Cinnamon and has taken the pet to attend past royal-related events, said the parade was a poignant reminder that Elizabeth is no longer around.

“It’s a really hard feeling, to be honest … it’s really sad that we don’t have (the queen) among us anymore,” he said. “But still, Her Majesty the Queen is still in our hearts.”

Sept. 8 will be the first anniversary of the death of the 96-year-old queen at her Balmoral castle estate in Scotland. She was queen for 70 years and was Britain’s longest-reigning sovereign.

The scary incident occurred just before 3 p.m. Tuesday at a Chinatown apartment, according to police. The boy suffered serious puncture wounds after his aunt’s pet pit bull mix lunged at him while the family was inside their apartment in the Smith Houses.

The boy, who neighbors said is named Joshua, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital where he underwent surgery to repair tissue damage stemming from the attack. The bites were so severe, the child required skin grafts to help treat them.

Neighbors said the boy and his brother had recently moved in with his aunt. The NYPD Emergency Services Unit had to be called in order to safely remove the dog from the home.

The dog was put in a crate and taken to Animal Care Centers of NYC. It was not immediately clear if the canine would be put down.

Prior to the annual celebration of pups on Aug. 26, Evans stopped by the Animal Haven in New York to tour the kennels and play with some of the dogs.

There, Evans met with Animal Haven’s executive director, Tiffany A. Lacey and learned all about the animals at the shelter.

“There are literally thousands of dogs waiting to be adopted all across the country, just like my dog, Dodger,” he said in a video that the premium dog wellness brand Jinx shared on YouTube.

In the clip, Evans, who is a huge advocate for pet adoption, was spotted playing with some of the pooches, including one named Humphrey, another that hailed from Puerto Rico, and one who used a small dog wheelchair.

The “Avengers” star was also seen giving one of the dogs a tummy rub and then getting kisses from a litter of pups.

“Any of the dogs that we met today that get adopted, Jinx is going to donate a year’s worth of dog food,” he said.

How did National Dog Day start?

National Dog Day started in 2004 when pet lover Colleen Paige wanted to raise awareness about sheltered dogs. It became popularized when people from around the world soon caught on and started celebrating the pet-centered day also noted as International Dog Day.

If you’re not quite the dog lover, Paige is also the founder of National Cat Day, which is celebrated on Oct. 29, and National Pet Day, which is observed on April 11.

When is National Dog Day celebrated?

National Dog Day is observed every year on Aug. 26, the day when Paige’s family adopted their first rescue dog “Sheltie” from a local animal shelter, when she was 10 years old. The special day celebrates the beloved animal and pet while also honoring the different roles that they have played in society from working dogs to assistance pets.

The day is often marked with special events and activities for pet lovers who want to show their pooch some extra love.

What should I know before adopting a dog?

If National Dog Day has sparked your interest in adopting a dog, then below are a few things to know before bringing home a new pooch, according to The New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

1) Make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible in your new house. To do this, it’s recommended that you carefully introduce your new pet to any existing pets you may have. Think about your pet’s temperament and their history at previous homes. It’s also advised that potential pet owners consult a pet adoption counselor if they have questions.

2) Introduce your new animal friend into your household slowly. Give them a chance to make themselves feel at home before leaving them alone for a long period of time.

3) Make sure you know if your dog is children-friendly. Does your dog like being around children? Some animals may be fearful of loud noises and sudden movements, which may be common actions among young children.

4) Make sure your house is pet-friendly. Prep your house for your new pet, such as locking your trash cans, putting away any hazardous cleaning products or items of interest that you don’t want to get wrecked and any medicine that might make your dog sick.

5) Make sure you have what you’ll need for a dog. Some of the basic dog supplies to have are: a bed, a feeding and water bowl, a collar and leash and a few safe toys that the dog can play with.

6) Be patient with your dog. It will take them some time to adapt to a new schedule and a new home.

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Whether it’s a loyal companion or pet, a service animal, a police dog, or a rescue dog, these amazing creatures have been playing a crucial part in humans’ lives. They offer unconditional love to us humans and make our lives fuller and more joyful.

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International Dog Day 2023: History

International Dog Day has been observed since 2004, when a pet lover, Colleen Paige, celebrated the day as a way to raise awareness about dog shelters. Since then, International Dog Day has become a global celebration for all pet lovers who participate in events and activities to honor their pets and also to raise awareness about humans’ best friends. Paige is also the founder of National Cat Day and National Pet Day.

International Dog Day 2023: Significance

International Dog Day is observed to highlight the conditions of hundreds of dogs who are in need of being rescued as they are deprived of proper care. The main aim of International Dog Day is to encourage people to take care of these needy animals.

On this day, people are encouraged to adopt stray dogs and also raise awareness about the problems facing them. Additionally, the message that this day conveys is to tell people to provide a safe, loving and caring environment for all dogs.

The purpose of this day is to spread awareness about dogs’ lives and to encourage the same, a theme is set to disseminate among pet lovers.

If you’re an animal lover who wants to adopt a furry friend, you need to understand some key points prior to making such a crucial decision.

Here are some of the necessary considerations that one needs to make before adopting a dog:

• Make sure that you will be able to handle the financial expenses of keeping a dog.

• Take your time with the pet, as they will become a part of the family after the adoption.

• No more last-minute weekend getaways, as you will have a pet to take care of. Otherwise, you’ll need to plan and find a dog sitter or dog boarder in your vicinity.

• Dogs need to get outdoors and in the backyard, so you will need to take care of your pet’s walk every day for the betterment of their health.

• You’ll have to bear with dog hair everywhere in your house when you adopt a dog. If you are a cleanliness freak, then you might find it irritating.

Visit cleartheshelters.com if you are interested in adopting a new furry friend!

Beyond the notorious chocolate threat, there are a handful of foods that can seriously compromise your dog’s health. 

Here’s a list of foods you should keep out of reach from your dog’s plate to ensure their well-being:

1. Citrus Fruit

Large doses of citric acid can lead to irritation and, in severe cases, may even cause nervous system depression.

2. Coconut oil

Coconut oil may have its benefits, but consuming too much can result in an upset stomach for dogs.

3. Dairy products

Dogs do not have a significant amount of lactase, which prevents them from effectively digesting lactose.

Dogs lack a significant amount of lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose. Consuming dairy products can lead to digestive upset. 

4. Raw meat

Raw meat can contain harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli, which are detrimental to both humans and dogs. 

Steer clear of this potential health hazard by ensuring your dog’s meat is thoroughly cooked. 

5. Cinnamon

As surprising as it sounds, cinnamon can cause various issues for dogs. It has the potential to irritate their mouths and make them sick. 

In more severe cases, it might lead to breathing difficulties, coughing, choking, liver disease, and even low blood sugar levels.

6. Onion

Onion consumption can lead to gastrointestinal irritation and blood cell damage.

While cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if large amounts are consumed. 

7. Avocado

Though a popular superfood for humans, avocados can pose a serious risk to dogs.

Avocado consumption can lead to cardiovascular problems for dogs. 

While it can be tempting to share our favorite foods with our furry companions, it’s crucial to prioritize their health and safety by being mindful of what they consume. 

With a multitude of options available, choosing the right day care for your four-legged friend can seem overwhelming. Not only that, but suitable day care has to also provide a proper diet and appropriate regular exercise for your dog, which the American Kennel Club said, along with grooming and routine checkups, are necessary for your dog’s health.

How to make sure which day care is a good fit for your dog? Read on for tips on choosing the right day care for your furry companions.

What is dog day care?

Dog day care offers a multitude of services that share some similarities with day care for children, except it is for canines. Day care facilities provide short-term, daytime care for dogs when owners are busy at work or otherwise occupied. A typical day care usually has designated play areas, either indoor or outdoor, that help stimulate social engagement and physical activities for pups. Owners have the options to choose between a full day and a half day for their dogs.

While dog day care doesn’t come cheap — at $12-38 per full day and $6-25 per half day, according to DaySmart Pet — it comes with many benefits such as socialization, physical and mental stimulation, and in some cases, relieves separation anxiety.

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What to look for when selecting a dog day care

According to the Professional Animal Care Certification Council, some things to look for when selecting a dog day care include the facility’s cleanliness, whether it has secure fencing, if the area is hazard-free, and the staff-to-dog ratio.

The AKC provided a list of questions about day care centers that owners may find useful in their quest for the perfect facility. For instance, “What kind of training does the staff have?”

Staff qualification is an important factor to keep in mind, since the employees should have been trained in animal behavior, basic care, and safety procedures, according to the AKC. Trained professionals are crucial as they are also responsible for the well-being and safety of the pups while providing them with the necessary mental and physical stimulation throughout the day.

Similarly, the staff-to-dog ratio affects whether your pet gets sufficient attention and care. A high staff-to-dog ratio means each dog receives personalized supervision, proper attention, and a tailored experience that can contribute to their well-being while they’re away from home.

Alternatives to dog day care

If dog day care doesn’t seem like the best fit for you and your pup, there are other alternatives to meet your pet’s needs such as dog walking, in-home pet services, or dog boarding. Choosing the “paw-fect” option helps ensure your dog’s safety and well-being in your absence.

With so many pets in the country, it’s no surprise that there are apps available to help pet owners take care of their furry friends. Here are three mobile apps that you might find useful.

1. Whistle 

This app is perfect for pet owners who worry about their pets running away. Whistle is a pet tracking app that syncs up with a special collar. This way, you can keep track of your pet’s location and receive alerts if they go beyond a predetermined perimeter.

Additionally, the collar glows in the dark, making it easier to find your pet at night. 

Whistle also has an add-on that tracks your pet’s physical activity throughout the day. You can set goals based on their age, breed, or weight, and even monitor their health information and habits. 

2. 11 Pets

If you’re looking for an app to help you keep track of your pet’s medical needs, 11 Pets might be the one for you. With this app, you can set reminders for anything health-related, including vet visits, storing medical records, and managing follow-up alerts. 

You can also record your pet’s vitals, weight, height, and body temperature. Sharing this data with a veterinarian can help them get a complete picture of your pet’s medical needs. 

Keep in mind that while the app offers exceptional utility, some features may be more tailored to a European audience.

3. GoodPup

This app is perfect for pet owners who want to improve their dog’s behavior. GoodPup offers lessons with certified trainers to help pet owners train their dogs. The app guides you along a course that includes a weekly video consultation, daily training goals, and 24/7 chat support.

GoodPup puts an emphasis on positive reinforcement, which is a technique endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association. 

Lessons include potty training, teaching commands like sit, stay, come, and let go, as well as improving socialization with people and other animals.

It’s important to note that we have not personally tried these apps, so this information is purely for informational purposes. However, if you’re a pet owner looking for ways to make life easier for you and your furry friend, these apps might be worth checking out.

Make sure to do your research to know what products work best for you and your family.

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The man was a licensed pet groomer but not a licensed veterinarian, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post.

The 61-year-old Collier County man was charged with animal abuse and practicing veterinary medicine without a license.

The 6-year-old Chihuahua named Sugar died following the surgery in May. Sugar’s owners had been introduced to the man as a veterinarian and reached out to him because the 6-pound (2.7-kilogram) dog appeared to be having difficulty delivering her puppies, the sheriff’s office said.

The man came to the owners’ home and performed a cesarean section on Sugar in a converted ambulance. He removed a stillborn puppy and charged $600, according to the sheriff’s office.

After Sugar became ill from an infection a week later, her owners took her to an emergency pet hospital where staff told her that the incision was closed with string or thread instead of standard suture material. They said that could have contributed to her infection. Sugar died hours later.

“A doctor at the emergency pet hospital told detectives a C-Section is not an uncommon surgery on pregnant dogs and that had a qualified veterinarian performed the procedure on Sugar she likely would have survived,” the sheriff’s office.

The man’s case hadn’t yet been placed in an electronic docket at the Collier County court clerk’s office so it was unknown if he had an attorney who could comment.

Laurie Davis is suing the owner of a German shepherd — who is also the owner of La Librairie des Enfants — after her dog, Chloe, was attacked back in May. Davis is seeking around $6,000 in small claims court for vet fees.

“The next thing I know, the white dog has Chloe in her mouth,” said Davis. “She did have emergency surgery. And what I was most afraid of was her losing her friendly sweetness. Thank god she didn’t.”

Davis is among a group of dog owners upset the owner of the French children’s bookshop routinely keeps five German shepherds at the store on East 92nd Street between Lexington and Third Avenue.

Lucas Bandenalle lives above the bookstore and says his dog, Trasila, was also bit in recent weeks by one of the German shepherds who came out of the shop.

“I think the dogs need a new home or be taken care of properly,” he told News 4. “I don’t think she can be in the neighborhood anymore. All the dogs are suffering.”

Possibly the most gruesome attack took place just last week, when the owner of Baby says one of the dogs ran outside and bit her small dog, breaking its spine. The injuries were so severe, she says she had to put the toy poodle down.

The New York Times first reported about a series of dog attacks linked to five German shepherds owned by the store’s operator, Lynda Hudson.

Other neighbors, who did not want to go on camera, confirmed the dogs at the store have been a concern for years and that many people cross the street rather than go near the bookshop.

Cary Cromelin, however, says she’s never had an issue when walking by with her Golden retriever.

“I hold on tighter when I hear a big dog barking, but I haven’t had any problems,” Cromelin said.

The city’s Department of Health investigates bite cases and says it was only aware of the attack involving Davis’ Chloe. But no action appears to have been taken because no people were bit and there was no official record of a bite history involving other animals.

“I would like her to pay my bills and those dogs never to be here again,” Davis said.

Hudson could not be reached for comment. Some neighbors say the operator has taken her dogs up to Westchester County.

It all starts at the grooming table with shampooing, hairstyling, and sometimes hair coloring. Every dog groomed by Gabriel Feitosa gets a full makeover and they love it. He can tell in the affection they show post-spa treatment.

“I think it’s their way of saying thank you for spending time with me,” Feitosa said.

Feitosa has been specializing as a dog groomer for 20 years. His heart for the profession originated in Brazil, and over the years his artistic talent has reached different corners of the world. In San Diego, he’s merging his passion with purpose to give pups like Wonderland a paw-stive experience.

“We’re hoping that by giving them a good time and a spa treatment on top of it, making it more visible, that they would be more noticed,” Feitosa said. “We have a chance to give them hopefully a forever home.”

Wonderland has been at the shelter for five months waiting for a permanent place, and he’s not the only one seeking to join a San Diego family.

“We have more than 1,100 pets available for adoption and that’s just available for adoption,” Nina Thompson with the San Diego Humane Society said.

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Feitosa is partnering with the San Diego Humane Society to help these sweet friends have a better chance of finding a new home.

“It’s very important that these animals find homes because a shelter environment is not a natural environment. We are here for them and we will take care of them as best as we can, we’re giving them food, medicine, walks, but there’s nothing like a family,” Thompson said.  

NBC 7 is partnering with several local animal shelters and rescues to promote pet adoption this month.

From Aug. 1- Aug. 31adoption fees for all dogs, cats, puppies and kittens at the San Diego Humane Society will be reduced by 50%.

To learn more about Clear The Shelters 2023 and search for adoptable pets in your area, visit NBC7.com/cleartheshelters or T20.com/DesocuparLosAlbergues.
You can also donate to your local animal shelters and rescue groups by visiting clearthesheltersfund.org.

Follow the latest updates on social media @NBCSanDiego and @Telemundo20 using #ClearTheShelters and #DesocuparLosAlbergues.

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According to a release by The Village of Liberty Police Department, a dog was barking for more than two hours for help in the area of Edgar Street, Liberty, after her friend was trapped in the water in an underground box culvert, unable to reach the platform.

Upon arriving on the site, officers found one dog clinging onto a rock ledge and unable to jump up from the water while the other dog stayed on the platform and continued to bark, refusing to leave the friend’s side, the release said.

Due to the threat of a collapsing roof, officers entered the tunnel by “climbing through a hole in a chain link fence and sliding down a 7-foot concrete wall.”

“As the officers got closer, the dog began to behave aggressively, appearing to protect her trapped friend,” the release said.

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Both dogs were then rescued from the tunnel and lifted seven feet up a concrete wall to safety, though it took the officers some persuading and reassuring.

“At one point, the female literally jumped into the deeper water to protect her friend,” said Dog Control Officer Joanne Gerow. “This was a beautiful example of canine loyalty at its highest level.”

Gerow took the dogs into custody and is looking to locate their owner. Anyone with information is asked to contact Gerow at Catskill Animal Rescue.

The Butler County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Friday that searches of two locations tied to the nonprofit Helping Hands for Furry Paws also turned up 90 living dogs kept in inhumane conditions.

Suspect Rhonda Murphy is described as the organization’s owner and operator. She faced “dozens of charges of neglect and cruelty to companion animals, both felony and misdemeanor,” the office said.

It wasn’t clear if she was arrested, booked, or formally charged. Court records turned up no information on the matter, and Murphy wasn’t listed as an inmate.

It wasn’t clear if Murphy had legal representation. The public defender for the area did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The sheriff’s office said its dog wardens and humane officers found the dead dogs at a rescue location that was one of two addresses searched in Madison Township.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com here.

But forgoing an income wasn’t an option. In fact, she needed to make more money to pay her monthly expenses: a car payment, rent for her one-bedroom Chicago apartment and food and vet bills for Addy, her adopted papillon chihuahua mix.

Chan, who was already paying other people to walk Addy through pet care platform Rover, realized she could make extra money boarding dogs in her South Loop home while she studied for the bar. She created a profile on the app, and began watching strangers’ canines.  

Chan has been caring for dogs for three years now, and made $32,000 on Rover in 2022, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. This year, she’s on track to earn an average of $3,750 per month.

Some of that money, about $250 per month, goes toward stocking dog food, treats and beds, but Chan says offering those amenities is part of the reason she’s able to charge more than her South Loop competitors.

The side hustle also let Chan keep her full-time job and create another stream of income while studying for the bar. Now, she works full-time as a remote paralegal, uses her Rover earnings to pay her monthly bills and deposits her paychecks from her salaried role directly into her savings account.  

“When I did my taxes last year, I realized [my side hustle] was like a second salary,” Chan, 29, tells CNBC Make It.

But her dog-sitting gig didn’t become lucrative overnight. Here’s how she built a reputation and clientele on Rover, and how she juggles the side hustle with a full-time job.

Setting boundaries

Chan, who grew up around dogs and cats, says it took about a year and a half to figure out a business model. At first, she charged owners about $35 for overnight stays, but quickly realized her prices were lower than nearby competitors.

Most of that money didn’t even end up as profit, either. She had to pay out of pocket to cover things like food, dog beds and toys, and Rover takes a 20% service fee from every sitter transaction, according to its site.

She also had to set boundaries — a lesson she learned the hard way. Once, a client’s dog chewed through its carrier and relieved itself all over her apartment.

Now, before boarding a new pet for the first time, she asks its owner a series of questions, including: “Is your dog crate trained?”; “Has it ever shown signs of aggression?”; and, “Can it be alone for three hours at a time?”

Establishing a routine

Once the animals are screened, they can freely move around her apartment while she works. Chan clocks up to 40 hours per week dog-sitting, but some of those hours are passive, especially if it’s between 9-to-5, she says. The dogs can sleep, play with toys or interact with one another while she’s logged on to her paralegal job.

She also has three two-hour drop-off and pick-up windows — one early in the morning, one at lunch and one after work — so her full-time job isn’t interrupted by her side hustle. During those breaks, she interacts with the pets and sends their owners updates.

“I didn’t realize at that time you can set your own rules and expectations with your clients,” she says.

Reigning in the “chaos” has helped her establish a routine, create relationships with clients and raise her prices. So far, it’s working. Between 2021 and 2022, Chan nearly doubled her Rover income, and her earnings per month have increased this year, too.

Now, Chan charges about $80 per night and boards up to three dogs — not including 8-year-old Addy — in her apartment. Through Rover, she also walks dogs, lets them out at their own homes and “nannies” them at clients’ weddings.

The extra income on a flexible schedule is ideal, but the relationships she’s built with the dogs and her clients are why she plans to keep the side hustle running even after she passes the bar, which she’s retaking this month.

“I have a steady income coming in, and I would be giving that up when I already have an established clientele,” Chan says, adding that both her clients and their pets have started feeling like family.

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Rocky is a nine-year-old boxer from Bloomington, Illinois who was just named the world record holder for longest tongue on a living dog.

With a tongue measuring in at 5.47 inches, Rocky beat out the previous Guinness World Record holder, a Labrador/German Shephard mix named Zoey.

Rocky’s owner, Crystal Williams said she always knew his tongue was super long but it wasn’t until other people started noticing it and strangers started pointing it out that she was assured that it wasn’t just her thinking that.

Williams didn’t know a world record for the longest tongue on a living dog existed until she saw it on a TV special. It was there that she saw the new record was between three and four inches. “Oh my gosh, I think we have a shot,” she said. “I gotta look into this.”

After a rigorous amount of paperwork and documentation, Guinness accepted Rocky’s application a few months later.

Guinness sent Rocky’s veterinarian, Dr.Bernard Bleem at Kruger Animal Hospital, specific requirements on how to measure his tongue. Rocky was put under anesthesia in order to measure from the end of his nose to the tip of his tongue and the official measurement was 13.8cm or just under 5.5 inches.

Williams said it’s just something fun and “to laugh at.” And to say, “Oh my gosh, look at his tongue,” she added.

Dr. Bleem said Rocky’s a great dog and “he really deserves this.”

On June 23, NBC’s Gadi Schwartz served as a judge at the 2023 World’s Ugliest Dog contest in Petaluma, California. He helped crown a Scooter, a 7-year-old hairless Chinese Crested pup, the winner.

Adopted by Linda Celeste Elmquist, Scooter has quite the story. Scooter was born with deformed back legs. His joints and legs are backwards. When he was born, a breeder turned him into animal control in Tucson for euthanasia. He was fortunately saved by the Saving Animals From Euthanasia (SAFE) rescue group, of which Elmquist is a member.

A man in the group first adopted Scooter and kept him for about seven years. During that time Elmquist had checked on Scooter and taken him to medical appointments. After the man was unable to continue caring for Scooter, Elmquist adopted him and has had him for seven months.

Scooter has walked on his front legs since he was a pup and as he gets older he tires easily, according to his owner. To rest, he sits on his back legs like a tripod. Because his feet are backwards, when he goes to the bathroom it lands on his feet — but Scooter just flings it up in the air.

However, Scooter was evaluated by a physical therapist to get a cart. And while it took some time for him to adjust to it, he now moves faster and can do things he could never do like sniff his surroundings.

Elmquist says aside from his deformity, is just like any other dog and loves braunschweiger sausage.

Schwartz celebrated Scooter’s win, telling TODAY.com that it was “so perfectly deserved!”

“From the second he sits his hairless little booty and backward legs on your lap, you feel his warm, huggable power to change the meaning of the word ugly!” Schwartz says. “He leaves you feeling love and inspiration for the differences, difficulties, perseverance and happiness that he radiates like a little heater! Even when he’s gone you can’t help but smile thinking of that sideways tongue hanging out his tiny precious mouth. (He also smells so much sweeter than he looks!).”

Last year, a hairless Chinese crested-Chihuahua mix named Mr. Happy Face took home the top spot. Mr. Happy Face was adopted from an Arizona shelter after he was rescued from a hoarder’s house.

The contest, held annually for nearly 50 years, is meant to showcase the importance of adoption.

“Many of the contestant dogs have been rescued from shelters and puppy mills, to find loving homes in the hands of those willing to adopt,” the contest’s website reads. “Please join us in raising awareness and support for the pets yet to be placed in a loving home.”

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While people oftentimes turn to a puppy to take home, there are so many advantages to having an elder companion.

As a matter of fact, dogs aged seven and older are typically housebroken, less destructive, and calmer than younger dogs. The devastating reality, however, is senior dogs have a 25% adoption rate, compared to a 60% adoption rate for younger dogs and puppies, according to ASPCA.

“After about 12 years of volunteering in animal shelters, what I noticed was the older dogs that I fell in love with were getting passed over for puppies,” said founder and CEO of Muttville Senior Dog Rescue Sherri Franklin.

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Franklin vividly remembers when of her favorite dogs at the shelter — a cheerful 8-year-old Beagle Basset — was euthanized for space because she wasn’t considered adoptable.

“I knew I had to do something,” Franklin said. “I started taking home dogs one at a time, fixing them up, getting them to see my vets and finding them homes on my own.”

It was such a large mission, which led Frankin to start a nonprofit in 2007. In the past 16 years, Muttville Senior Dog Rescue has saved over 9,000 senior dogs.

“I like to say we made senior dogs sexy,” she said.

Did you know older dogs often end up in shelters after their owners pass away, get sick, or transition to assisted living?

“I know for me personally, one day I’m going to grow old, or older, and I hope at some point in time when I need it, there will be someone out there that’s going to provide the assistance that I need,” said Doreen Jakubcak of Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary.

While there are many benefits to adopting senior dogs, be prepared to accommodate semi-annual veterinary checkups, special diets and decreased mobility.

The key is to address any and all health issues as early on as possible, Jakubcak advises. Catching any health ailments before they worsen can oftentimes rectify the issue or at least save the dog before it becomes untreatable.

“People often ask us how do you do it when you have to say goodbye?” Jakubcak said. “We focus on that quality of time, we focus on knowing that we did our best and we gave that dog the best care we could during that period of time they were with us,” Jakubcak said.

So what are you waiting for? This is your sign to run to a shelter and take home a loyal senior dog today.

The baffling incident occurred in the area around 106th Street and Fifth Avenue, a spot popular with dog walkers. NBC New York spoke to a man who said that he and his wife were walking their 13-year-old German shepherd-pit bull mix named Eli and their other dog, Sadie, on leashes in the area around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

The man, who only wished to be identified as Brian, said they walked by a man with three pit bulls, at least two of which were unleashed.

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“One of his dogs tried to bite my little dog and he tried to tell me that it’s OK. And I tried to talk sense into him,” Brian told News 4.

He and the man started to argue, as his dogs attacked Eli.

“I kicked one of the dogs off my dog at one point,” Brian said. “But then he took out a knife and started carving. And my dog growled. He stuck him…and I was helpless at that time.”

Brian said he took a photo of the man as he walked away (below). The couple then took their dog to the veterinarian, where Eli had to be put down.

“He’s a great dog, you know. He’s my boy,” Brian said.

Several dog owners in the area said they’ll now be even more cautious when walking their dogs at that location, and they’re also asking for more protection. Many expressed hope that the man who stabbed Eli is soon caught.

No arrests have yet been made. An investigation was ongoing, according to police.

Dr. Robert Moore’s family put out the word on the Nextdoor app, asking people to dress up their dogs and parade them in front of their house to help their dad celebrate the milestone.

The response was incredible.

Alison Moore told NBC Bay Area she was expecting about 20 to 30 dogs to show up for her dad’s party. Instead, she said that about 200 dogs and their owners came by to wish him a happy birthday.

In fact, there were so many dogs. The line stretched all the way around the block and down the street.

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There were dogs in cowboy hats, tuxedos, pups with disabilities pulling carts and canines in classic cars.

Robert is an avid dog lover and a retired dean from San Jose State University. He was positively elated to meet each dog and their owners.

“My father, he was so touched. He pet every single dog that came through. Every person brought the dog up to him. It was so lovely,” Alison said.

But it didn’t stop there. Even though most people didn’t know Robert, they brought him flowers, cupcakes and made him drawings and posters.

The Moore family said they were definitely touched by how the community came together to help their dad celebrate his 100th, a birthday he will never forget.

The pair of 15-week-old Chihuahuas, named Freddy and Tanto, were brought to a local animal hospital while suffering from symptoms of what a a toxicology report revealed to be cocaine overdoses, the Suffolk County SPCA said. It wasn’t clear how the two pups ate the opioids, but Narcan effectively reversed the overdose.

The county SPCA said that cocaine can be deadly to dogs.

On Thursday, 53-year-old Adam Dziomba was charged with two counts of animal cruelty, according to the county’s SPCA. The Port Jefferson man was scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

At his grooming salon in San Diego, anything is possible: Bernedoodles become giraffes and poodles become Pokémon.

Feitosa, a native of São Paulo, Brazil, opened Gabriel Feitosa Grooming Salon in 2018, capitalizing on a $1.3 billion global pet grooming market. 

Feitosa and his 10 employees groom about 20 dogs a day, and at least 500 per month, the 31-year-old tells CNBC Make It. But many of the animals he works with don’t just get a haircut — they get a full makeover. 

As a dog grooming artist, Feitosa combines traditional grooming techniques with unique designs, and uses vegan, pet-friendly dyes. His larger-than-life creations have amassed a cult social media following, with over 2 million followers on TikTok and 400,000 on Instagram. 

The intricate designs can take between 3 and 5 hours to complete, including food and bathroom breaks for the pup, and cost anywhere from $500 to $1,200. In a typical week, Feitosa works between 40 and 50 hours. 

The salon brought in about $1.2 million last year, according to tax documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Feitosa earned another $125,500 in 2022 for brand deals and sponsorships. 

“This salon is a dream for me,” says Feitosa. “I came to the U.S. with two scissors and a clipper, and now I have a place where I feel like an artist and show the world that this career is possible.”

Finding career inspiration while running an errand

Feitosa’s dog grooming career began when he was 12. 

Feitosa would take his sister’s dog, Icaro, to the local groomer in São Paulo whenever he needed a bath and a haircut. 

Little did he know these trips to the groomer would jumpstart a fulfilling career of his own. Feitosa was fascinated watching the groomer bathe, cut and spruce up the dogs. 

“I thought, ‘Wow, this lady gets to play with dogs all day and make money?'” he says. “I just got obsessed.”

Feitosa was eager to learn more, so he asked the groomer to teach him how to wash dogs. Soon, he started working at the shop after school. 

He left high school right before graduating to pursue dog grooming as his full-time career, working at the salon and teaching dog grooming at a vocational school based on his real-world learnings. Pet grooming does not require specialized education or certification, and Feitosa says he did not complete a formal education program.

From artist to entrepreneur

Shortly after he turned 23, Feitosa was offered a grooming internship with a dog breeder in Sacramento, Calif. and moved to the U.S.

He spent the next three years working with groomers and dog shows around the U.S. as part of the internship before settling in San Diego with his then-husband in 2017. 

In San Diego, Feitosa got a part-time job as a dog groomer for a small salon with a pet boutique and bakery in the front. He took on a second part-time gig assisting a poodle breeder to make ends meet. 

Several months later, Feitosa’s boss approached him with a deal: She would sell him her grooming business, which included all of the equipment in the shop, as well as her client list, for about $40,000. He would also have to pay the $1,100 monthly rent for the space.

Feitosa took the offer and grew his grooming business in the back of the building while his former boss ran the pet boutique and bakery in the front.

Feitosa says it was challenging to balance his artistic pursuits with the responsibilities of being a business owner.

But having the freedom to experiment with designs trumped the headaches of running the shop, like renovating the space and managing employees.

“Sometimes, you need to take a leap of faith not knowing if it’s going to work out,” he says. “But I was excited to create a safe space where people — and their dogs — could feel good, and I could do what I love.” 

The salon shut down for two months at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, but was deemed an essential business and allowed to re-open in May 2020.

That same month, Feitosa’s former boss retired, and he took over the lease for the entire ground floor of the building.

He received a small business loan of about $60,000 from the government, which helped cover the costs of renovating the space and hiring additional help. 

‘It brings so much joy to people’

In 2021, Feitosa was cast on “Pooch Perfect,” a competition TV show for dog grooming artists on ABC, where he was a finalist. 

That opportunity helped him grow his social media following and business. Feitosa says people have flown in from other states just to bring their dogs into his salon.

He’s transformed shelter pets waiting to be adopted, family pets and therapy dogs that work in hospitals. 

“The designs might seem fancy and unnecessary, but the amount of smiles you put on people’s faces by walking by with a dog in one of these designs is an unforgettable experience,” he says. “It brings so much joy to people.”

Looking ahead, Feitosa hopes to open a second grooming salon in Los Angeles and host his own dog grooming TV show. He thinks his 12-year-old self would be proud of where he ended up. 

“I’ve learned that success is a consequence of following your passion and your purpose,” says Feitosa. “If grooming dogs is the most random thing, but that’s what you love doing and you do it to the fullest and hardest you can … why can’t you achieve wealth and success?”

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Lee Yat Sing, of Flushing, was arraigned Wednesday in connection with the death of a 4-year-old Maltese named Kele, Queens DA Melinda Katz said.

The dog was dropped off at Furry Babies Pet Grooming on 45th Avenue during the early evening on March 2, according to the charges. Surveillance video from inside the groomer’s shows Sing “aggressively and inappropriately manipulating Kele,” the DA’s office stated.

In addition to hitting the seven-pound dog with scissors while restraining her head and neck, Sing lifted the pup off the table by her head and neck, as well as by pulling on her beard, according to the charges. Kele was said to have struggled and resisted throughout the session, and later showed irregular and strained breathing.

The dog eventually went limp, and Sing didn’t get help or try to administer care, Katz alleged. Instead, the groomer continued to handle Kele very roughly for another six minutes, even though she was unresponsive, the DA said.

A necropsy done after Kele’s death found that the otherwise healthy dog died from respirator failure as a result of the abuse, which caused bruising, pain and distress.

“When we entrust our beloved pets to caretakers, they should be returned to us in the same healthy condition. Instead, this pet owner learned his dog had cruelly died during a routine grooming service,” Katz said.

Sing’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 26. If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison.

Scary surveillance footage shows the moment a driver lost control and crashed into Sniffers Doggie Retreat & Training Center in Rockville on Thursday.

A woman can be seen standing at the front desk, talking with an employee. She turns as a silver SUV breaks through the glass doors. She freezes for a moment and then runs for her life.

The SUV plows 30 feet through the lobby, smashes the front desk and makes it into the dog boarding area.

Remarkably, no people or dogs were hurt. But one dog kennel was tipped over, and two dogs ran away. One of the pets was tracked down within hours. But the other dog was nowhere to be found. Sniffers asked for help from the community to find her.

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Then, an employee arriving at work on Saturday morning made a discovery.

“The dog was just outside of the business waiting, and she just walked in the door with our staff member,” Sniffers co-owner Hillary Stains said.

The kennel owner said the family of the driver reached out to try to help. Information was not immediately released on why the crash occurred.

Now that both dogs are home, the business will turn to rebuilding.

But even though nearly half of states already allow canine dining outdoors, the issue is far from settled, with many diners and restaurants pushing back against the increasing presence of pooches.

“I’d like to be able to enjoy my meal without having to worry about fleas, pet hair, barking and entitled dogs and their owners,” said Tracy Chiu Parisi, a food blogger in New York, who was once startled by a dog that stuck its head in her lap while she was reading a menu.

Restaurants have been required to allow service dogs for decades. But it wasn’t until the mid-2000’s that a handful of states — including Florida and Illinois — began passing laws allowing dogs in outdoor dining spaces, according to the Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State University. Twenty-three states now have such laws or regulations.

But the legal landscape is confusing. Michigan law doesn’t allow dogs in outdoor dining spaces, for example, but lets restaurants apply for a variance from their county health department.

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So in 2020, the Conference for Food Protection — a group of food industry and health experts that advises the government — asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance for states. It cited a 2012 risk assessment in Australia and New Zealand that found that the health risk to human diners from dogs was very low.

The FDA’s updated food code, issued late last year, says restaurants can have dogs in outdoor areas if they get approval from a local regulator. Restaurants should have signs saying dogs are welcome and should develop plans to handle dogs and their waste. They should ensure dogs remain properly restrained and provide separate food bowls so dogs don’t use plates or utensils meant for humans.

The new guidance comes as U.S. pet ownership is rising. Nearly 87 million U.S. households now have a pet, up from 85 million in 2019, according to the American Pet Products Association.

And experts say more people are looking for dining options that will accommodate their dogs. Yelp searches for businesses using the “dogs allowed” filter jumped 58% between the year ending May 1, 2021, and the year ending May 1, 2023. A total of 47,415 businesses now describe themselves as “dog friendly” on Yelp, the company says.

“Younger pet owners, Millennials and Generation Z, have incredibly strong bonds with their pets and they are willing to act upon that,” said Steven Feldman, president of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute. “They are more likely to frequent — and express a preference for — pet-friendly businesses.”

Monty Hobbs, the managing director of a digital marketing agency in Washington, can often be found at local restaurant patios with Mattox, his 5-year-old terrier and miniature schnauzer mix. Some waiters even bring Mattox bits of bacon.

Hobbs stresses that he doesn’t take Mattox everywhere. “He’s my dog. He’s not my child,” he said.

But Mattox is well-behaved, he said, so it’s nice to know they can drop in at a neighborhood bar if they’re out taking a walk.

At Zazie, a San Francisco bistro, diners get $10 off a bottle of wine on Mondays if they bring their dogs, who get treats donated by the pet store across the street.

“It’s great for business. People really enjoy bringing their dog out with them,” said Megan Cornelius, Zazie’s co-owner.

But other restaurants are saying no to Fido.

The Salty Dog Café in Hilton Head, South Carolina, allowed dogs on its patio when it first opened in 1987. But two years later, it banned them. Too many dogs were barking through meals, fighting, lying in walkways and stealing hot dogs from kids’ plates, says Tim Stearns, the Salty Dog’s chief operating officer.

If diners object, the Salty Dog points them to a separate dog-friendly deck where they can eat takeout food from the restaurant. But most diners seem to appreciate the policy.

“We are all dog lovers at Salty Dog, but we remain a restaurant for humans,” Stearns said.

The Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory in Key West, Florida, banned dogs because it didn’t want to be held responsible if a dog ate iguana droppings — which can make them violently ill — or tripped a child or an elderly diner. In at least one case, an unleashed dog at the restaurant killed a neighborhood cat.

Julie Denzin, who has worked as a restaurant server in Milwaukee for more than a decade, has watched dogs drool, fight, growl and relieve themselves on restaurant patios. Dogs have bitten her and knocked her over, causing her to spill scalding hot coffee. She has also encountered diners who are allergic to dogs or afraid of them.

Denzin doesn’t think dogs should be banned, but says restaurants should consider designating dog-friendly areas or specific hours when dogs are allowed.

“It’s not a matter of liking or disliking dogs,” she said. “The point is, regardless of what the owner might say — no matter how perfect and obedient they insist their dog is — there’s no way to ensure the safety and comfort of other guests.”

Maddie Speirs, a dog trainer with Pawsitive Futures Dog Training in St. Petersburg, Florida, said many people hire her with the goal of training their dogs to eat out at restaurants. Not every dog is cut out for that, she said; they need to be comfortable with noise and unsolicited interactions and able to be able to sit near food for long periods.

She urges owners to think about who benefits from restaurant visits: them or their dogs.

“If you think it’s for your dog, what exactly are they getting out of it?” she said. “It’s not as fun of a social interaction for dogs as it is for us.”

A purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, Bobi lives with his owner Leonel Costa, 38, and his family in the rural village of Conqueiros, in Leiria, Portugal, according to Guinness World Records.

Bobi, who eats only human food and loves a good nap, will celebrate his birthday in style with a blowout bash on Saturday that will feature more than 100 guests, some of whom are flying in internationally for the occasion.

Bobi’s party will be a “very traditional” Portuguese party, Costa told Guinness World Records. Local meats and fish will be served with extra helpings, of course, for the birthday boy.

A dance troupe is also set to perform, and Bobi will participate in one of the dances.

Bobi is not only the oldest living dog in the world, he’s the oldest living dog ever. Guinness World Records honored him with both titles in February.

“We’ve had a lot of journalists and people come from all over the world to take a picture with Bobi,” said Costa.

Bobi’s birth date, May 11, 1992, was confirmed by Serviço Medico-Veterinário do Município de Leiria (Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria), who registered Bobi in 1992.

His age was also verified by SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government and managed by the SNMV (Sindicato Nacional dos Médicos Veterinários; National Union of Veterinarians).

Costa, who has lived with and cared for Bobi since he was 8, said Bobi is in good health, although he noted that he recently took Bobi to the vet because he was concerned that Bobi’s fame was causing him physical and mental stress.

“There were a lot of pictures taken and he had to get up and down many times. It wasn’t easy for him,” said Cosa.

“His health was a little damaged, but now it’s better,” he added.

Several of Costa’s dogs have live long lives, including Bobi’s mother, Gira, who lived until 18. But even Costa never could have imagined that a dog of his would reach his 30s.

“If Bobi spoke only he could explain this,” said Costa.

Costa credits Bobi’s lifestyle, which includes a “calm, peaceful environment,” for his longevity. A “very sociable” dog, Bobi has always been allowed to roam the forests surrounding Costa’s home and has never been chained or leashed. Although these days, Bobi, who has difficulty walking and whose eyesight is declining, prefers to stay in the family’s yard.

Like many old timers, Bobi relishes his rest, particularly after a good meal. On cold day, he naps by the fire.

Costa said that living with Bobi for all these years helps him to remember loved ones who are gone.

“Bobi is special because looking at him is like remembering the people who were part of our family and unfortunately are no longer here, like my father, my brother, or my grandparents who have already left this world,” he said.

“Bobi represents those generations.”

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Xavier Burgos is holding out hope his 5-month-old Frenchie, Enzo, will soon be returned safely, days after the pup was allegedly stolen in what his owner believes was a “setup from the jump.”

Burgos said he thought he was taking his dog on a puppy playdate at a park in Woodbrige. He was supposed to meet a friend of a friend who claimed he also had Frenchies, but when the pair went to a nearby apartment complex with a third man Burgos didn’t know, everything took a turn for the worse.

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“By the time I get back outside my car, they had already taken my dog, threw him in the car and sped off,” Burgos told NBC New York.

Burgos said he took his eyes off the dog for less than a minute — but that’s all it took.

“I was outside the car when they started driving off,” he said. “I tried texting them and it wasn’t going through and that’s when I knew: they’re stealing my dog.”

Even worse, Burgos said he got a text message from the suspect demanding $8,000 in ransom for the return of his beloved puppy.

“Frenchies are very sought after and my dog is rare, worth a lot more money,” he said. “I was mortified honestly, because it was so close to home.”

Burgos says he didn’t pay and hasn’t heard from the accused thief since the weekend. Police are now investigating as a theft.

“It’s been rough on my entire family, it’s like losing a family member,” said Burgos.

Lepshi (prounouced LEEP’-she) happens to be co-owned by country music and “1883” series star Tim McGraw. But that distinction was just playing in the background of a chorus of cheers as Lepshi and eight other examples of his handsome Italian hunting breed took their turns in the ring Tuesday at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.

“He’s a wonderful ambassador for the breed,” handler Ryan Wolfe said after the 6-year-old’s win. Lepshi aces the breed’s trademark ground-covering trot, Wolfe explained, and “he loves everybody.”

McGraw, known for hits including “Something Like That,” and his wife, country luminary and “1883” co-star Faith Hill, have had a number of bracchi at home and featured them in social media posts. In one 2020 video, a bracco howls along as one of the couple’s daughters sings some high notes.

“Stromboli is happy that Maggie is home from college!!!!!” McGraw wrote at the time. A message was sent Tuesday to a representative for him about Lepshi’s groundbreaking Westminster win.

Wolfe, who handles the dog for McGraw and co-owners Kristi Libertore, Tony Libertore and Jenell Tonini-Zanotto, said it was “an honor to be first.”

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Lepshi was eliminated in the semifinals but made the judge’s initial cuts in his group.

The bracco ( pronounced BRAH’-koh) has an ancient heritage in Europe. It became eligible to compete at Westminster this year after getting recognized by the American Kennel Club, which is the nation’s oldest dog registry and acts akin to a league for many U.S. dog shows. Recognition is voluntary and entails inking an agreed-upon standard for the dogs and various other criteria.

AKC recognition can increase everyday recognition, which has some bracco owners cautioning that would-be owners need to understand what the soulful-looking, amiable dogs require.

“We want these dogs hunting,” said Siva Aiken, whose bracco Tillie-rye Hogwallop — yes, she uses that whole name — was named the breed’s best female competitor Tuesday. (When a female wins, a male gets such an award.)

Bracchi can be easygoing at home, but only if they get enough activity, Aiken said. Tillie-rye Hogwallop, for instance, hunts quail, pheasant and other birds. She and Aikin’s other bracchi also roam two to six miles a day (three to 9.5 km) a day at a nature preserve near Aiken’s home in Aiken, South Carolina.

“It’s not a breed for everyone,” she said. “This breed needs to be worked.”

___

New York-based Associated Press journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.

A petit basset griffon Vendéen named for the late rock ‘n’ roll legend won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night, a first for the rabbit-hunting breed. Buddy Holly bested six other finalists to garner the most prestigious dog show award in the United States.

“I never thought a PBGV would do this,” handler and co-owner Janice Hayes said. “Buddy Holly is the epitome of a show dog. Nothing bothers him.”

Indeed, his white-tipped tail didn’t stop wagging while he competed in the stadium where the U.S. Open tennis tournament’s top matches are played. Not even while he posed for countless pictures after a win that Hayes called “so surreal.”

“We’re so proud of him,” she said.

His competitors included Rummie, a Pekingese that came in second after aiming to bring home the third trophy in 11 years for his small-but-regal breed — and for handler, owner and breeder David Fitzpatrick. He guided Pekes Malachy and Wasabi to Westminster wins in 2012 and 2021, respectively.

Rummie is “true to Pekingese type, lots of carriages, presence — everything in one, here,” he said Monday.

Winston the French bulldog was gunning for the title after coming oh-so-close last year. An Australian shepherd named Ribbon, an English setter called Cider, a giant schnauzer named Monty and an American Staffordshire terrier called Trouble also were in the pack of contenders.

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If Buddy Holly was feeling the pressure, he wasn’t letting it show ahead of the finals. Instead, he seemed more concerned late Tuesday afternoon with playing with his people and rejecting the notion of a nap in his crate.

“He just screams PBGV,” Hayes said. “They’re just very independent but very charming and just silly. Their goal is to make you laugh every day.”

Originally from France, the small hounds are the 154th most prevalent purebreds in the country, according to recent American Kennel Club rankings. (Their name means “low-lying, wire-haired dog from the Vendée region” and is pronounced peh-TEE’ bah-SAY’ grihf-FAHN’ vahn-DAY’-ahn.)

Buddy Holly — so named because “he’s a buddy,” breeder Gavin Robertson explained — has also lived and competed in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia.

About 2,500 dogs of 210 breeds and varieties vied for the trophy. Among them: the newly eligible bracco Italiano breed, won by a dog co-owned by country music star Tim McGraw.

Besides the chosen finalists, there were other fan favorites, too.

There was the bloodhound that bowed deeply before a judge, the golden retriever cheered by the breed’s many fans, and the spunky German shorthaired pointer that did a few leaps before its lap around the ring. Spectators applauded 10-year-old handler Audra Maes and her shiba inu, and breeder/owner/handler Alexandria Mitchell and her Ibizan hound. They made the judge’s first cut, an accomplishment at a show where many exhibitors handle other people’s dogs as a career.

The Westminster show, held this year at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, also includes obedience and agility competitions that are open to mixed-breed dogs.

And what was next for Buddy Holly? A good night’s sleep, “upside down, rolling in pillows,” Hayes said.

“He just gets to go back to being a dog.”

Associated Press writer Anna Furman contributed. New York-based AP journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.

Yet here, at an ambling trot, comes Winston. The Frenchie with NFL connections is a strong contender at this week’s Westminster Kennel Club dog show, less than two months after the release of rankings showing that his kind has become the country’s most prevalent dog breed.

Frenchies’ rise has been stunning: from 83rd most popular to No. 1 in three decades. It also has been dogged by concerns about their health, debate over the ethics of breeding, denunciations of a gold-rush-like market with ever more “exotic” variations, and a recent spate of high-profile and sometimes fatal robberies.

If all that says something about these stumpy-snouted, pointy-eared, deep-chested, quizzical little bulldogs, what does it say about the culture that loves them?

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THEIR MEDIA IMAGE IMPACTS THEIR POPULARITY

“Just like humans, dogs get characterized for what they can do, but more importantly what they can symbolize,” says Cameron Whitley, a Western Washington University sociology professor and the chair-elect of the American Sociological Association’s Animals and Society section. Whitley argues that breeds’ popularity depends less on their traits than on their portrayal in media and pop culture.

Indeed, a 2013 study found no indication that longer lifespans, better behavior or other desirable characteristics make a dog breed more sought-after. One of the authors, Western Carolina University psychology professor Hal Herzog, also has observed that parabolic spikes in dog breeds resemble those in baby names, hit songs and other boom-and-bust commodities of pop culture. In short, they’re canine memes.

“The dogs have become a form of fashion,” says Herzog, who wrote a book about human attitudes and conduct toward animals.

French bulldogs have a colorful, centuries-long history involving English lacemakers, the Parisian demimonde and Gilded Age American tourists who brought the dogs home. (One even died in the 1912 sinking of the Titanic. ) But the breed’s U.S. heyday soon ended.

Then Americans got a fresh look at Frenchies in the current century. They turned up on domesticity maven Martha Stewart’s TV show, then in narrative series and movies (such as “Modern Family” and “Due Date”), ads (including Super Bowl spots for Skechers in 2012 and Bud Light this year) and the social media accounts of celebrity owners (Lady Gaga, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and many more).

French bulldog fans point to attributes beyond camera-readiness to explain the dogs’ appeal. They boast easy-care coats, modest exercise needs, an apartment-friendly size and a demeanor memorably described as “a clown in the cloak of a philosopher.”

Yet that hasn’t translated into wins at Westminster, where each dog is judged against an ideal for its own breed, not against others.

Still, longtime breeder and French Bull Dog Club of America spokesperson Patty Sosa posits that Frenchies “might have been out-flashed” by showier-looking breeds, such as poodles. (Labrador retriever partisans harbored similar theories during the 31 years their breed topped the popularity charts; it’s still winless at Westminster.)

Winston, however, came within a whisker of the trophy last year, taking runner-up to the first bloodhound ever to win. The Frenchie later won another prominent competition, the National Dog Show in Philadelphia in November. He heads into Westminster Monday as one of the show world’s most-winning dogs (the top prize will be awarded Tuesday night).

If a pooch can get a competitive edge through osmosis, the cream-colored 4-year-old probably has. He lives with part-owner Morgan Fox, a Los Angeles Chargers defensive end, when not on the show circuit with handler and part-owner Perry Payson.

Moreover, Winston “has the structure, he has the outline, he has the head, and he has the movement” of a winner, says Sosa. “And by God, he has the attitude.”

PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT THEIR HEALTH

While applauding Winston’s success, she says Frenchie folk have mixed feelings — one part joy, one part misgivings — about seeing the dogs get any more recognition.

Longtime breeders who adhere to health testing and other guidelines feel that Frenchie fever already has attracted opportunistic, slapdash people producing anything-goes, possibly unhealthy pups. There’s concern that “we’re losing the battle with education and just promoting a well-bred dog,” Sosa said.

Some veterinarians also are worried for Frenchies — all of them.

Partly because of their pushed-in, wrinkly faces, the animals are susceptible to breathing, eye, and other problems. While other breeds also have predispositions and mixed-breed dogs can be a question mark, recent research in Britain suggested Frenchies’ health is “largely much poorer” than that of other canines.

The British Veterinary Association has “strongly” recommended against buying any flat-faced dogs, and the Dutch government has prohibited breeding very short-snouted canines. In the U.S., the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association — a professional group with a focus on animal welfare advocacy — wants “to counter the dramatic increase in demand” for push-faced dogs, partly by discouraging their use in advertising.

“Owners who really love these dogs don’t understand how much the dogs are suffering,” says the group’s education director, Dr. Lorna Grande. (The broader American Veterinary Medical Association, meanwhile, has said it’s exploring ways to improve flat-faced dogs’ well-being.)

Dr. Carrie Stefaniak has seen French bulldogs with breathing difficulties in her practice in Glendale, Wisconsin. She urges would-be owners to understand the breed’s health risks and the potential expense of treatment. She emphasizes researching breeders carefully.

But she’s quick to add that Frenchies can flourish.

“The general public talks about the unhealthy ones,” Stefaniak says, “but we don’t often hear about the 13-year-olds that are still out there, doing great, or the ones that are doing agility or taking long hikes.”

Her own two French bulldogs do both those things.

___

New York-based Associated Press journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.

Pert little Melanie had been abandoned at one of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ community veterinary clinics. Tip’s owner had been overwhelmed by six dogs and four cats. Friendly, retriever-like Rainbow, surrendered by someone who could not care for him, snoozed in the adoption office.

While the Westminster Kennel Club crowns the cream of the canine elite on one of tennis’ most storied courts this week, the ASPCA’s facility across town will be tending to dogs that have had far darker lives.

New York is home to both the United States’ most prestigious dog show and its oldest humane society, the ASPCA. Their histories connect: Some proceeds from the inaugural Westminster show, in 1877, helped the young ASPCA build its first shelter years later.

Westminster, being held 10 miles east, feels like worlds away.

“We have different priorities, different visions,” said ASPCA President Matt Bershadker. “The dog shows are focused on breed and composition and movement. And we’re focused on the heart and the inside.”

Westminster stresses that it aims “to create a better world for all dogs,” and the club donates thousands of dollars a year to individual breeds’ rescue groups and to pet-friendly domestic violence shelters. Still, the show draws protests every year from animal-rights activists who argue that spotlighting prized purebreds leaves shelter pets in the shadows.

Bershadker, for his part, says ASPCA leaders “don’t have a problem with purebreds, but we want them to be responsibly bred.”

At the adoption center, there’s little reference to breed or might-be breed. Instead, staffers try to characterize dogs by, well, characteristics.

During a recent visit, Sauce (“great on a leash,” in adoption center leader Joel Lopez’s description) was paired with Gordon (“likes hot dogs!”) in the airy, windowed training room.

The two young adult males with gut-twisting histories — Sauce had been stabbed, Gordon starved — were there to learn to play and be around other dogs in a city of shared spaces. They sniffed each other and ran around on leashes, with occasional interventions from staffers when the interactions began to intensify.

Elsewhere in the Upper East Side building, a terrace gives a taste of the outdoors to dogs that may seldom have been there. There’s even a mock living room where volunteers can bring animals to get used to just hanging out at home.

“Regardless of where these animals are coming from, these are great pets. They just need a little bit of help to just get them over the hump and get them into the rest of their life,” Lopez said.

That help is part of a $390 million-a-year organization that responds to disasters and large-scale animal cruelty cases nationwide. Its wide-ranging work includes a Miami vet clinic, an Oklahoma City horse adoption initiative, a Los Angeles-area spaying and neutering service, a behavioral rehab facility in North Carolina, and more.

Established in 1866, the ASPCA is familiar to many Americans from its fundraising ads featuring woebegone animals, particularly a 2007 spot that featured singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and ran for years. The charity spent over $56 million on advertising and promotion alone in 2021, the last year for which its tax returns are publicly available.

Bershadker says the organization affects hundreds of thousands of animals annually, and its marketing communications form “an essential part of the ASPCA’s lifesaving work” by increasing public awareness and action.

On another end of the dog-rescue spectrum, the all-volunteer Havanese Rescue Inc. takes in an average of about 30 Havanese each year and finds new homes for many within two to four weeks, according to group leaders.

Getting $5,000 from the Westminster Kennel Club this year is “huge” to a group with a $60,000-a-year budget and dogs that have come in needing $10,000 surgeries, President Jennifer Jablonski said.

Westminster also is giving $5,000 apiece to the Newfoundland Club of America, which has a rescue arm that found new homes for 67 Newfs last year, and to Lagotto Romagnolo Dog Rescue.

At the ASPCA, the New York animal hospital alone treats 9,000 to 10,000 patients a year. In late April, there were at least 50 animals apiece in the adoption and recovery centers and about 100 or more in foster care, with kitten season looming.

There are numerous animal shelters and rescue groups in New York City, and the ASPCA isn’t the go-to place for stray and lost dogs and cats. (The city largely directs such inquiries to Animal Care Centers, another nonprofit group.)

The ASPCA’s charges often come through its work with police, but also from clinics, a food bank partnership and other efforts to connect with people struggling to support their pets because of financial, health or other problems.

While the group helps police to build criminal cases, that’s not the only outcome.

One small dog in the recovery area in late April was to be reunited with its owner. What had seemed like abandonment turned out to be a pet-sitting foul-up, but the owner also needed help with some veterinary issues, said Kris Lindsay, who oversees the recovery center.

“This,” she said, “is one of the cases that we like.”

This one, too: Rainbow has a new home — with a Connecticut man who had adopted dogs before.

___

New York-based Associated Press journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.

The former “Saturday Night Live” funnyman shared a message to fans on Dave Sirus’s Instagram page to announce Henry’s death. Sirius is a frequent collaborator of Davidson’s who writes for Davidson’s new Peacock comedy series “Bupkis.”

“Hey guys. I know today is the Bupkis premiere day but I wanna use today to remember my dog Henry. Yesterday we lost a key member of the Davidson family. Henry was only 2 years old but unfortunately got very sick very fast,” Davidson wrote next to a carousel of images of Henry.

“My mom, sister and I got Henry at the beginning of the pandemic and he saved our lives. Not sure id even be around without him,” he continued.

Davidson described Henry as “the happiest and sweetest dog ever.”

“He used to get excited when he saw me and would pee everywhere,” he wrote. “When I was working at SNL my mom would send me videos of him watching, smiling and making noise when I came on screen.”

The “Meet Cute” star went on to say that he is normally “far too scared” to watch himself onscreen, but he “didn’t mind” watching himself alongside Henry.

“He was truly the best. My mom, sister and I are broken and will miss him forever. We love you Henry. Thank you for making our lives fuller and reminding me what actually matters,” he wrote.

Davidson’s fans sent their condolences in the comments of the actor’s post.

“I’m so sorry Pete. Dogs are truly like family except they never do anything wrong and are always happy to see us,” wrote one.

“So sorry to hear of you loss, but very glad you got to spend those moments together with Henry when they mattered most,” wrote another.

Davidson was scheduled to appear as the host of “SNL” on May 6 alongside rapper Lil Uzi Vert as musical guest, but the show has been canceled in light of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.

The Guild, which represents film, television, radio, and new media writers, announced on May 1 that it had unanimously voted for a walkout after major studios — including Amazon, Apple, Discovery-Warner, Disney, Paramount, Sony, NBC Universal and Netflix—  did not meet its new contract demands.

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But there’s a lot more than that to getting to and exhibiting in the United States’ most prestigious canine event, now in its 147th year.

So here are the ins and outs of the show, which starts Saturday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

HOW MANY DOGS COMPETE?

Twenty-five hundred dogs from 210 different breeds and varieties signed up to vie for the best in show trophy that gets awarded Tuesday night. (Varieties are subsets of breeds. Think smooth, longhaired and wirehaired dachshunds.)

Hailing from 49 states and 13 countries, contestants range from tiny Chihuahuas to giant Great Danes. They include familiar breeds like Labrador retrievers, rarities such as the sloughi, and a newcomer, the bracco Italiano. Agility and obedience contests Saturday involve a few hundred more dogs, including some mixed-breed ones.

HOW DO DOGS GET INTO THE SHOW?

All the dogs are champions, meaning they’ve racked up a certain amount of prior wins and points. Certain top dogs in the sport’s complicated rankings are invited, but other pooches also can enter.

The process of becoming a potential best in show begins when breeders suss out which puppies in a litter have the physical attributes and disposition to shine in what’s known as “conformation” competition.

Some pups eventually get to Westminster with owners who learned the ropes after unexpectedly getting a show-quality dog. Other canine contestants crisscross the country by road or even air, hitting shows every weekend with big-name professional handlers and a strategy that can entail gathering intel about rivals’ schedules, pondering judges’ past picks and even running ads to celebrate the animal’s accomplishments and boost its profile. They don’t call it “campaigning a dog” for nothing!

WHY IS THE WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW NOT AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN THIS YEAR?

It’s a new venue for Westminster, which was held for decades all or partly at Madison Square Garden. The pandemic prompted a move to outdoor digs at an estate in suburban Tarrytown, New York, for the past two years. Organizers were keen to return to New York City this year. Amid construction plans at a pier building that used to house the show’s early rounds, organizers linked up with the U.S. Open tennis tournament’s base in Flushing Meadows. “An iconic dog show event in an iconic venue,” Westminster President Donald Sturz enthuses.

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HOW DOES THE COMPETITION WORK?

“Conformation” dogs first face off against others of their breed – sometimes dozens of others, sometimes few or even none. Each breed’s winner moves on to a semifinal round of judging against others in its “group,” such as hounds, herding dogs or terriers. In the final round, the seven group winners compete for best in show.

WHAT DO JUDGES LOOK FOR?

They’re tasked with determining which dog best matches the ideal, or “standard,” for its breed.

The standard is derived from the breed’s original function and may speak to anything from teeth to tail to temperament. For example, a hound developed to hunt in rough terrain might be required to have thick paw pads. A herding dog might need proportions that allow for quick, tight turns.

Judges do hands-on examinations and watch the dogs in motion, taking in each dog’s assets and imperfections. Especially in the finals, distinctions can be very subtle. Show folk often say that victory can go to “the dog on the day” — or as the rest of us might say, the one that just brings it.

WHAT BREEDS HAVE WON THE MOST?

In records going back to 1907, Wire fox terriers have scampered away with the top prize 15 times, most recently in 2019. Scottish terriers, English springer spaniels, standard poodles and Pekingeses all have five or more wins.

Many breeds have yet to triumph, including such popular ones as the Labrador retriever. But winless breeds should never say never: A bloodhound took best in show for the first time just last year.

Westminster’s agility and obedience competitions were added only within the last decade. So far, almost all the agility championships have gone to border collies, and nearly all the obedience titles to Labs. One Lab, named Heart, won five times in a row.

HAS A MIXED-BREED DOG EVER WON?

While Westminster has said there a few mixed-breed entrants in early shows, the best in show prize wasn’t awarded until 1907 and has gone only to purebreds. The pedigreed set also has won all the agility and obedience trials to date, but there’s a special prize every year for the top mix (or “all American dog,” in show parlance).

The focus on purebreds irks groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which regularly protests Westminster as a reprehensible canine beauty pageant. The kennel club says it celebrates all dogs while highlighting “preservation breeding” of those with skills and traits that have been honed over generations.

WHAT DO WINNERS GET?

Bragging rights and trophies. There are no cash prizes, though the agility and obedience winners each get to direct a $5,000 Westminster donation to a training club or to the American Kennel Club Humane Fund.

SO WHAT’S THE POINT?

Showcasing dogs, particularly breeds that many people don’t see regularly, participants say. Many also value the friendships that develop at shows that bring dog lovers together across miles and backgrounds.

“We can all talk about dogs,” says dog expert David Frei, who hosted the Westminster telecast for over two decades. “That’s the beauty of the sport, and the beauty of dogs.”

HOW TO WATCH THE 2023 WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW?

Select coverage of the Westminster Kennel Club events will air on Fox, FS1 and FS2. Check local listings for times. You can also stream live and watch on-demand on westminsterkennelclub.org, the FOX NOW App, and the FOX Sports App.

Rebecca Klein went to the courthouse in Rockland County and said she’s essentially been found guilty of animal neglect — with no hearing and no criminal charges. 

“No one was calling me back, no one would talk to me and tell me this was going to be resolved. Months went by and I’ve sat home crying,” Klein told NBC New York.

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It took a lawsuit she filed against the Hudson Valley Humane Society for Klein to have her first day in court. Five months ago, her two pups — Lily, an emotional support animal who was pregnant, and Max, who had suffered a broken leg after being hit by a car — were seized by the group as peace officers executed a search warrant at the Suffern.

Klein has said she still has not been charged or has any idea what she did wrong — but still isn’t allowed to see her beloved dogs.

“I didn’t do anything to hurt them. They were the best thing that ever happened to me,” Klein previously told the I-Team.

The president of the Humane Society told NBC New York there is no definitive process when they seize animals and it could take up to two years to file charges. 

“You’re not seeing everything. Trust us, we are. We don’t get a warrant lightly,” said Hudson Valley Humane Society President AnnMarie Gaudio.

“You can see the lack of treatment of the dog — the dog had a displaced fractured that…for 21 days it wasn’t addressed,” said Todd Gilbert, the attorney for the Hudson Valley Humane Society.

What’s not in dispute is that Max got loose in Nov. 2022 and broke his leg after being hit by a car. Klein documented visits to clinics and veterinarians. As a registered nurse, she says she opted for a splint rather than expensive surgery — indicating one vet wanted $8,000.

Klein insisted that she did take Max to different clinics, but decided against surgery, saying she believed the dog could be safely splinted. He has since needed two surgeries. Gaudio said that Lily, who gave birth to seven puppies at the shelter, was removed from the home “for her safety.”

She also said there is more than meets the eye in this case.

“When you learn what happened in this case, you’ll be aghast,” Gaudio previously said to NBC New York.

The humane society said it has up to two years to file criminal charges and is still investigating and gathering final veterinary reports. But Klein’s attorney said it’s unacceptable that the dogs were taken without any sort of hearing.

“If you take someone’s property — in New York or anywhere else — you have to have a hearing, you have to afford people, in this case, people who own dogs, a hearing, and explain why you took the dogs. That’s why we brought this action,” said attorney Michael Koplen.

“Isn’t this America, innocent until proven guilty? I feel like I’m in another country,” Klein said.

The judge said she will read the arguments on both sides and then issue a decision. Klein says she will keep fighting to get her dogs back and to clear her name. Meanwhile, the Hudson Valley Humane Society said it is pressing the district attorney’s office to file criminal charges.

But, as dog owners, we do it anyway, because our four-legged friends can’t do it themselves — and put simply: it’s the right thing to do. In Battery Park City, how you dispose of your dog’s stool is just as important as getting it done.

The Battery Park City Dog Waste Composting Program consists of maintenance teams that collect, test, sort, and compost waste daily before eventually applying it to park grounds.

“By composting the dog waste, we’re sure about it not ending up in a landfill, not ending up in the stormwater drains or in waterways, and we’re turning it into something that ultimately goes back into the soil,” Ryan Torres, Vice President of Parks Operations for Battery Park City Authority, told NBC New York.

The Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) launched the pilot program during Climate Week 2019 to further their sustainability efforts. Since then, they’ve been able to process thousands of pounds of dog waste into compost.

“We’ve collected over 5,500 pounds of dog waste to date,” Torres said, adding that they’ve still got a long way to go.

Earlier this year, the authority expanded the program outside the City’s three dog runs and into the park. “It has been a successful pilot. So, now we do it consistently,” said Torres.

In all, it’s a year-long process where the cured dog waste sits inside of a fully-enclosed composting system, anywhere between 7 and 12 months to bake.

BPCA tells NBC New York that they are in the process of implementing a new system that would speed up this process moving forward.

“Typically, when we pick up our dog waste we put it in a plastic bag that ends up in the landfill,” Torres said. “That dog waste, and especially one in the plastic bag, creates methane gases that are not good for our environment.”

It’s just the kind of problem Van Calvez of Green Mountain Technologies (GMT) has a passion for solving.

Earth Cube: A Planet for Microbes

Composting is a bacterial process where things are heating up and happening at a microscopic level.

“We can take pet waste and make it into something that’s beneficial and beautiful,” Calvez told NBC New York.

A zero waste guy himself, Calvez developed the Earth Cube that Battery Park City Authority uses now to compost pet waste. The cube is a repurposed container made out of polyethylene plastic. “It’s the same thing that milk jugs are made out of,” but on a much larger scale.

The goal of the Earth Cube is to create the perfect conditions for the trillions of microbes (also known as bacteria) to live, thrive, eat, and in turn produce good quality compost.

The hope is that gradually more communities will adopt similar eco-friendly techniques that would make landfills obsolete. For Calvez and GMT clients like Battery Park City Authorit, that work doesn’t stop at the dog run.

Calvez admits food waste is still a top priority, but that it’s now important for cities to adopt programs like this one that encourage people to think about other ways they can pitch in to help.

“Everything has to be recycled in order for life to continue,” Calvez said. Pet waste included.

What is Battery Park City’s Dog Waste Composting Program?

Launched in 2019, the Battery Park City Dog Waste Composting Program creates nutrient-rich compost from dog waste and a mix of newspaper or wood chip materials. That then gets applied to gardens in a safe and sustainable way. It also diverts fecal and plastic waste from ending up at landfills.

Where can I deposit my dog waste in Battery Park City?

There are 8 locations where you can deposit dog waste in Battery Park City. All three dog runs have a dog waste receptacle, including three across the Esplanade, which runs along the Hudson River.

BPCA provides scoops and newspaper to dispose of the poop in a designated bin.

The North End Dog Run is located at Liberty Green, 300 North End Ave, New York, NY 10282

How much dog waste is collected every day?

An estimated 75 lbs. is collected every day, according to a BPCA study. That’s 27,375 lbs. of dog waste per year.

Is it safe?

Yes. Also, at this time, BPCA says their dog waste compost is not put in highly-populated areas with children and other dogs.

For more BPCA Earth Week activities, click here.

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The blast occurred just before 10 a.m. and the fast-moving flames quickly spread to the attic, according to Poway Fire Department’s Deputy Fire Chief Brian Mitchell.

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Within 20 minutes, crews had knocked down the fire, according to Poway Fire Battalion Chief Jesus Ramirez.

A woman who was home alone with the dog was able to get out safely and uninjured, Ramirez said.

“She told me that she was able to get notification from her dog who nudged her that something was off in the house,” Chief Ramirez said.

The family of four was displaced by the fire.

Crews have not confirmed what caused the fire, but officials believe the blast may have come from firearms ammunition and paint in the garage.

Pearl, a two-year-old female chihuahua from Orlando, Florida, has been crowned the world’s shortest dog living, according to Guinness World Records.

At just 3.59 inches in height, Pearl is shorter than a popsicle stick and slightly taller than a teacup. Her length measures 5 inches, approximately the size of a dollar bill. She weighs 1.22 pounds.

But don’t let her size fool you.

Pearl’s owner, Vanesa Semler, told the host of Guinness’ Italian talent TV show “Lo Show Dei Record” that the pocket-sized dog is “a bit of a diva.”

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Semler also said that Pearl is “a child at heart” despite her being two years old. Besides Pearl, Semler has three other dogs, but only Pearl is considered small. 

“We’re blessed to have her and to have this unique opportunity to break our own record and share with the world this amazing news,” she said.

Pearl is related to the previous record holder Miracle Milly, who was 3.8 inches. Milly passed away in 2020 before Pearl was born in September of that year to one of Milly’s identical sisters. Both dogs weighed less than an ounce at birth, according to Guinness World Records.

Using a dog-measuring wicket while following a straight vertical line, Pearl’s vet measured her height from the base of the leg foot to the top of the shoulder blades. Guinness World Records says she was measured three times with brief breaks in between.

Semler says Pearl’s favorite foods include chicken and salmon and that Pearl enjoys “dressing up nice.”

Rebecca Klein says she was unfairly accused while caring for her own pets. Her two pups — Lily, an emotional support animal, and Max — were seized by the Hudson Valley Humane Society while the group executed a search warrant.

“I didn’t do anything to hurt them. They were the best thing that ever happened to me,” said Klein, who sobbed as she spoke with the I-Team.

She has not been allowed to see them since that day. The president of the Humane Society told NBC New York there is no definitive process when they seize animals and it could take up to two years to file charges. 

“You’re not seeing everything. Trust us, we are. We don’t get a warrant lightly,” said Hudson Valley Humane Society President AnnMarie Gaudio.

What’s not in dispute is that Max got loose in Nov. 2022 and broke his leg after being hit by a car. Klein documented visits to clinics and veterinarians. As a registered nurse, she says she opted for a splint rather than expensive surgery — indicating one vet wanted $8,000.

“I opted to do the splint because I myself had surgery and I suffer from other problems, complications… I don’t think I was negligent,” said Klein. “I don’t think I did anything that should be looked at as negligent. I was definitely on top of it.”

Her ex-husband lives in the same Rockland County home and says she adores the dogs.

“When I think of animal cruelty, I think of dogs sitting out in the winter like those commercials when they try and raise money for the humane society,” said Robert Klein. “Rebecca is the opposite. This woman loves animals.”

But apparently, someone disagreed and flagged the Humane Society, which confiscated both dogs. Lily, who was pregnant at the time, gave birth to seven puppies at the shelter. 

So why did the Humane Society feel it was necessary to take both dogs, even though they claim that Max was the one mistreated? Gaudio said that “for her safety, we took Lily.” She also said there is more than meets the eye in this case.

“When you learn what happened in this case, you’ll be aghast,” Gaudio told NBC New York.

Klein’s next-door neighbor, a licensed therapist, said she went to the Humane Society and volunteered to foster the dogs. Her children often played with them.

“I was threatened that I was going to be arrested if I didn’t get off the property,” said Miriam Sultan. “Why not leave the dogs with me and my children if we’re willing to take them in. Especially because they know us.”

But the animal group wasn’t hearing any of it,

“It’s just another way to get the dog and give it to her — we’re not going to do that at this juncture,” said Gaudio, adding that she expects criminal charges to be filed in the next several days.

Meanwhile, Klein is still waiting for answers as to what she did wrong.

”You want to show me what I did that was wrong? I am willing to listen. I’m standing humble before these people. They have my dogs,” she said. “I’m lost here. If I did something wrong, I am sorry. If I did something, it wasn’t malice. Just tell me what I have to do to get my dogs.”

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Victor Castillo, of Kingsbridge Heights, was arraigned Thursday on an indictment charging the 32-year-old with aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony charge.

“This was a spectacularly brutal act of animal abuse. The defendant is being held accountable for allegedly causing multiple fractures to the little dog’s head, killing him instantly,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark.

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According to the investigation, Castillo and his ex got into an argument on Feb. 9 in her apartment on Arthur Avenue. At some point during the exchange, he picked up her 9.5-pound Pomeranian named Ken-Shin by the neck and slammed the tiny dog’s head onto a wooden coffee table, the DA’s office said.

Blood splattered around the room, and the 7-year-old pup was killed instantly, the investigation found. A necropsy performed by the ASPCA’s veterinary forensic team revealed several skull fractures and cuts to Ken-Shin’s brain, which caused its death.

“We were saddened to learn about this devastating situation and will continue to support the investigation as part of our ongoing partnership with the NYPD to respond to suspected anima cruelty across New York City,” the ASPCA said in a statement.

Attorney information for Castillo was not immediately available. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 4.

The video shared on social media has been viewed thousands of times, though that doesn’t mean it’s not difficult to watch, especially for Nashan Brown. His dogs were the ones seen in the video being kicked by his partner.

“I’m the victim of the situation, I was at work, I didn’t know what was going on, I walked into this,” he told NBC New York in an exclusive interview.

Brown is still trying to wrap his head around what happened and why, as well as why his dogs have been taken by investigators.

“Do I understand why people are upset? Yes. Do it look like it was excessive? Yes. Is he that type of individual? He’s really not,” Brown said.

The Riverdale resident said he was at work while his boyfriend was dog-sitting, and one got loose on a walk. There was a mad scramble to save the dog as a neighbor started yelling, and then the boyfriend stepped into the elevator with the dogs.

“Do I feel like he meant any of that? No. Do I feel like he’s sorry and he’s hurting right now? Yes,” said Brown. “I was crying yesterday. He asked me, ‘I’ll just leave out your life. If you don’t want me here, just say that’ … He’s really, really remorseful and that’s what social media don’t see.”

Despite his apparent remorse, the NYPD still sees it as a crime. The boyfriend has been arrested and is facing charges that will be determined during a court date set for April 27.

Meanwhile, Brown now has his own legal drama. He said that investigators came with a warrant on Monday and took all three dogs.

“I wasn’t the individual that you said abused the dogs, you gave me my dogs back and then you come back three days later and take my dogs,” he said.

Brown also claims he’s is being unfairly judged and his privacy has been violated after someone leaked the video to social media along with his address.

“I have no dogs, I have no privacy. I’m getting no respect. I’m getting no help from anyone,” said Brown.

The dog appeared to have endured tough times when she was rescued by the La Belle Foundation in Los Angeles.

“This young dog has been through the wringer and back,” said the rescue organization in a social media post. “She has horrible scratches on her swollen face and goopy eyes, not to mention two giant lumps in her sweet head.”

Shelters previously had thought the lump on the head was a tumor and wanted to put her down. But tests showed that it was scar tissue from an old injury and not life-threatening.

When Strawberry was all healed and ready for adoption, the Kuhlman family in South Pasadena saw her online and “couldn’t resist.”

“Something spoke to me about her,” said Kristen Kuhlman, the matriarch of the family. “She wasn’t able to find a home for quite a while. We waited and thought about it. And we kept seeing her on the website.”

The family, who was just bouncing back from the sadness of losing a dog of 15 years, decided to bring Strawberry home and shower her with love and affection.

“She’s a good snuggler,” said Claire Kuhlman, the twin daughter of Kristen’s, while laughing. “She’ll lay on top of you. She’s heavy and big.”

It’s unimaginable that the gentle and sweet dog was almost euthanized, the Kuhlmans said.

“We wondered a lot about how the bump got there,” Jack Kuhlman, the twin son of the family, said. “I think that’s another reason why it took her so long to get adopted.”

The pup came with the name “Strawberry,” and the family decided to keep it because it felt like a good “fit.”

“It’s cute. It is a lot of syllables, so we sometimes call her ‘Strawbs,’” explained Jeff Kuhlman, the patriarch. “We found a leash that had strawberries. It all seemed to work.”

The kids said the first things they do after coming home from school are playing fetch with Strawberry and snuggling with their new dog.

Strawberry the unicorn dog also has some fans in the neighborhood as the pup is quite recognizable with her unique bump on the head, according to the family.

“People would roll down the windows and say, ‘Hey strawberry,’” Kristen Kuhlman explained. “She’s very loved by many people.”

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Canine parvovirus (CPV) is highly contagious and can spread through direct contact and contaminated surfaces. Symptoms develop within two to 14 days of infection and include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, fatigue, fever and abdominal pain.

The New York City Department of Health and Hygiene (DOHMH) released an alert last month noting Animal Care Centers had diagnosed 14 dogs as of March 14, which exceeds the normal number treated in just a single year, according to the release.

Many of the pets were found in the Bronx and Manhattan, but the expected number suggests a surge in certain neighborhoods.

Bond Vet is a veterinary urgent care with several locations across the boroughs. According to Dr. Hannah Lau, a veterinarian at Bond Vet, the number of parvovirus tests tripled from February to March.

“Young, unvaccinated dogs are at highest risk of parvovirus. Any breed of dog can become sick from parvovirus, but Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, American Pit Bull Terriers, English Springer Spaniels, and German Shepherds may see increased risk,” Dr. Hannah Lau told NBC New York.

Dr. Lau noted that CPV cannot spread to humans, cats and other at-home pets but can occur in raccoons, skunks and coyotes. Diagnosed dogs should be placed in isolation having their previous environment thoroughly disinfected.

Parvovirus can be tested by stool antigen testing or viral PCR. Treatment depends on individual examinations, but in severe cases, it often includes hospitalization, electrolyte therapy and antibiotics.

Upcoming pet parents should be careful when adopting from a shelter and are encouraged to vaccinate their new family addition.

“Timely and appropriate vaccination is the best way to protect your dog from parvovirus! Prevention of disease is the best medicine. Schedule a wellness exam for your new puppy as soon as possible to discuss vaccination with your veterinarian,” said Dr. Lau.

Some of the puppies arrived safely at their temporary home at Wagmor Pets Dog Rescue in Studio City.

A day before, the pups — some pregnant, but mostly all with ribcages sticking out — were living off of the Lancaster desert trying to survive.

“I received a call that there was a property in Lancaster that was known as a dumping ground — they go by and dump dogs,” Melissa Bacelar of Wagmor Pets Dog Rescue said.

Bacelar says the man living on the property has been overwhelmed by the amount of dogs that have shown up, counting 40 of them at least.

Many are pregnant, sick and some have even been found dead.

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“We found transporters. We found places for the dogs to go. We are raising donations. That is the biggest thing,” Bacelar said.

They managed to save 10 puppies and immediately took them to the vet.

Bacelar says these puppies are starving since they have had to scrounge for food, which is evident by their protruding bones and their low weights.

“These puppies are sick. They have bacteria. They are not treated well. They weren’t eating well,” Bacelar said.

But, saving these puppies is no easy feat. The cost is a lot for a rescue to take on and they don’t have any extra space so they have to rely on fosters to come forward.

“When you are hit with situations like this, it is unfortunately almost every day now there has been more of an influx of dogs,” Bacelar said.

Even though resources are thin, she says it is worth it.

“The best part of the whole thing is …. making sure dogs are fed and making sure they are happy and safe the rest of their lives,” Bacelar said.

Because they have no more room to take on any more rescues, five of them are going to a foster home.

Rescuers say they are surprised by how social the dogs are, they will be ready for adoption in two weeks.

As for the rest of the dogs in Lancaster, the rescue team is working closely with the man on the property, helping to provide food and resources.

Those interested in learning more about adoption, fostering or donating can visit Wagmor Pets’ website and Instagram page.

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The Leon are mourning the death of their small dog, Leona, who wandered out of her backyard at their Briarwood home on March 12, just before noon.

Animal Care Centers of New York said that the pup was found not too long after by a good Samaritan in the middle of the road on Smedley Street near Grand Central Parkway. She was brough to the ACC’s shelter in Brooklyn, where her family thought they would be able to pick her up.

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But the ACC said that Leona had a heart murmur, severe dental issues, was blind and deaf — so she was ultimately euthanized. The group said that “a comprehensive physical exam was done by a veterinarian indicating Leona was in a very debilitated state, suffering from progressive neurological symptoms,” and opted to end her life.

“When I heard my dog was at a shelter, I was happy to know we found her. I thought shelters were a safe haven,” said Ericka Leon. “What they did was wrong. I am still in disbelief of what happened to my dog.”

Her brother, Juan Carlos, had similar feelings about the issue.

“She should have come home to us, and she should’ve died on our terms. Or family should have made that decision, when to start her end-of-life story,” he said. “ACC threw all of her health conditions at our face over the phone. They tried to tell us, as if we had no idea our dog was sick.”

The Leon family insists that the ACC Brooklyn shelter violated its own policy of waiting a full 72 hours to give a potential owner time to reclaim a pet.

The shelter disagreed, saying that the veterinarians acted in the best interest of the dog who was 19 years old and very sick. In a statement, the ACC said that “the law specifically states that although the stray-hold period is 72 hours, euthanasia may be performed if a licensed veterinarian deems that the animal is suffering.”

New York City Councilmember James Gennaro is formally requesting the city’s Department of Heath, which oversees animal control centers, open an investigation into the case. Meanwhile, the family is considering legal options.

“No matter how much it hurts, I am gonna talk about this everyday and fight for it everyday,” Ericka Leon said.

“A part of me truly is gone. A part of us is truly gone,” said Juan Carlos Leon. “We need answers. My family wants answers. We don’t understand how ACC operates like this.”

As a result of the incident, a spokesperson for the ACC of New York told NBC New York that they want to encourage residents to place identifications or microchips on their pets at all times, as they can help the centers track the animals back to their owners.

CORRECTION: A previous headline for this story incorrectly stated the Leon family was from Brooklyn. The family lives in Briarwood, Queens.