<rant on>But how long will it survive for as these "purse sized" pooches have a lot working against them genetically and I think that it's cruel to try and breed them that way as well. A fellow here was doing that and his rarely made it past 3-4yrs and their last months/weeks were very sad indeed to witness. :-(

Needless to say he didn't last long in that business and if Mother Nature (the only god that is) intended them to be that small then she would've done it herself and done the job properly in the 1st place. ;-).

As a long time dog owner I find that it's a very sick trade that needs to be outlawed immediately (if not last year, or the year before, at the very least as these types of super undersized dogs don't live pleasant lives in the end). ;-\ </rant off>

I place these over miniaturised victims of man's arrogance alongside Pugs, Pekinese etc with muzzles so squashed they can hardly breath, dachshunds with backs so long they can (and do) break into two (or more parts) - the list of day types that are mutilated to suit man's desire at the expense of the dogs' health is very long and really gets my blood boiling.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

I agree with both Wiggo and rob smith.

I have had many dogs and a few cats over the years, most of the dogs have been "curbstone setter's" (mixed breed) as my late father liked to call them when someone asked him "what kind of dog is that?"

The obsession with breeders trying to mess with mother nature to make a "designer doggie" as in your examples is absolutely animal cruelty. That includes those trying to make "mixies" such as Golden Doodle's, etc or trying to make the "perfect" purebred pooch with so many potential health issues later in their lives.

I have always gone to the local shelter(s) when it's time for a new furry companion. Save a dog or cat from unnecessary death and find a new furry companion.

I rescued 2 chihuahuas from people who could not properly care for them. Both were bog standard in breed. I knew the people who had custody of them and took over their care. I knew that they had a better and longer life with me. They became my shadows until the end. They both made it to old age.

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<rant on>But how long will it survive for as these "purse sized" pooches have a lot working against them genetically and I think that it's cruel to try and breed them that way as well. A fellow here was doing that and his rarely made it past 3-4yrs and their last months/weeks were very sad indeed to witness. :-(

Needless to say he didn't last long in that business and if Mother Nature (the only god that is) intended them to be that small then she would've done it herself and done the job properly in the 1st place. ;-).

That could be said for all breeds of dog since it was human beings who bred them to be the way they are.

As a long time dog owner I find that it's a very sick trade that needs to be outlawed immediately (if not last year, or the year before, at the very least as these types of super undersized dogs don't live pleasant lives in the end). ;-\ </rant off>

I do agree with your sentiment, though. Breeding tiny, teacup dogs is irresponsible. There are other "breeds" who fit into the category.

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~Sue~

I place these over miniaturised victims of man's arrogance alongside Pugs, Pekinese etc with muzzles so squashed they can hardly breath, dachshunds with backs so long they can (and do) break into two (or more parts) - the list of day types that are mutilated to suit man's desire at the expense of the dogs' health is very long and really gets my blood boiling.

Amen!

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~Sue~

Sugar-craving bear breaks into car, guzzles nearly 6 cases of soda

A British Columbia woman captured photos and video when a bear made a late-night visit to her home and raided 69 cans of soda from her car.

The owner says the thirsty bruin took a particular interest in the Orange Crush she had stashed inside... but gave up after sampling some diet cola.

See what happens when you drink diet soda. The god awful taste of a bunch of them.

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You can't bribe me down from here...
ComEd crews rescue cat from atop a transformer in Rolling Meadows Illinois

ComEd said the crew first de-energized the power lines and then tried to get the cat to walk into a bucket attached to a high voltage hot stick.

When they realized that wasn't working, they decided to add an incentive. They added some tuna to the bucket and once again tried to convince the kitty to get inside so they could bring it down.

But that didn't work either. So one of the lineman climbed the ladder higher and managed to grab the cat by its scruff and brought it down.

The cat's owner was very grateful and hugged her cat when it was returned to her.

You can't bribe me down from here...
ComEd crews rescue cat from atop a transformer in Rolling Meadows Illinois

ComEd said the crew first de-energized the power lines and then tried to get the cat to walk into a bucket attached to a high voltage hot stick.

When they realized that wasn't working, they decided to add an incentive. They added some tuna to the bucket and once again tried to convince the kitty to get inside so they could bring it down.

But that didn't work either. So one of the lineman climbed the ladder higher and managed to grab the cat by its scruff and brought it down.

The cat's owner was very grateful and hugged her cat when it was returned to her.

One of my cats was chased up a tree several years ago. Must have been by a dog, but my memory is foggy. (My dogs are okay with my cats, and my neighbor didn't have a dog.) Anyway, there was no easy way for the cat to get down, so I rested my very long/high, aluminum ladder on the side of the tree and walked away. The ladder almost reached up to the height of the cat so I was convinced it could get down. I was right. When I went back outside, the cat was no longer in the tree. Yay!

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~Sue~

Up until 1981 it was regarded as our most dangerous critter and 1 of the worse of its kind in the world.

Funnel-web spiders unusually active in Sydney boost Australian Reptile Park anti-venom stock.


What's this, don't like spiders?

Cheers.

Is that the one that was also known at the "Ooooo-argh" after its penchant for living (and building its web) just out of sight under the lid of thunderboxes?

I'll leave it to the reader to work out why it gained such a name.....

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Lol. That is why a inspection stick is used before getting comfortable.

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Redbacks under the dunny seat Rob. ;-)


Cheers.

I only have to walk 250m to see these critters at play, but in nearly 2 decades of hiking through this particular national park I never ever saw 1 (though you could find them in many others). That maybe about to change.

Platypuses return to Sydney's Royal National Park after disappearing for decades.

Platypuses have been relocated to the Royal National Park in Sydney, after they disappeared from the park's waterways about 50 years ago.

The iconic Australian animal is believed to have disappeared from the national park after a major chemical spill on the Princes Highway in the 1970s, but numbers may already have been in decline.

A joint project by the University of New South Wales, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the World Wildlife Fund has reintroduced five females to the Hacking River, with a group of males to follow next week.

The platypuses were taken from southern NSW and have been kept at Taronga Zoo's purpose-built platypus refuge while they waited to be taken to their new home.

Rob Brewster, from the World Wildlife Fund said separating the sexes initially was key to their early survival.

"We've put females in a week to ten days before the males go in, just to let those girls settle in without those males who are a bit bolder, a bit boisterous," he said......

I wish them good luck.

Cheers.

Yankees fans stunned by squirrel during game vs. Orioles

TV cameras caught a squirrel scurrying along part of the Yankees wall, giving jump scares to fans along the way before jumping off the perch, flying through the air onto the field.

Just another typical night in Florida...
Knock knock. Who's there?
Aligator!

The critters that we down under have to live with that will try to kill a person and a lot you won't even see.

Western Sydney mum loses leg after white-tailed spider bite.

Raccoon politely orders a doughnut from a Dunkin’ drive-thru ‘like a regular’

Shoot, I'd give him a doughnut and millk.

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~Sue~