Rottweilers Ate My Laptop

Rottweilers. Computers. Cameras. World Domination. Not necessarily in that order.

Rottweilers.
Computers. Cameras.
World Domination.
Not necessarily in that order.

Update: more on show dog heat stroke deaths

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I am still getting a fair amount of traffic from those looking for updates on Mary Wild, the Missouri dog handler who left eight show dogs in a cargo van overnight, causing the heat-related deaths of seven of those dogs. Previous posts with links to news stories are at:

Killer heat: don’t let it get you and yours
Update: show dog heat stroke deaths

Di left a comment today reminding us that there is still time to write to Jefferson County’s prosecuting attorney to ask that a plea bargain not be allowed. Ms. Wild has been charged with eight counts of animal cruelty, and arraignment is on August 12.

Di also left a link to Kinship Circle’s post on the subject, where you will find all of the contact information and a sample letter should you need help gathering your thoughts.

From some recent articles in The Dog Press, it would appear that the Jefferson County prosecutor’s office is taking this case quite seriously, but it is a sad fact that in general, it’s rare for animal cruelty cases to get the maximum sentences available. Put in your two cents if you feel, as I do, that your opinion might make a difference. And read the articles from The Dog Press:

Dog Handler Charged
Mary Wild Kills 8 Dogs

Even if you do not think this has anything to do with you because you don’t send your dogs out with a handler, or you don’t show dogs at all, please read at least the portions of the posts and articles that talk about heat stroke. Remember it’s August and the possibility of heat stroke should be a concern to us all. It’s not only show dogs in the so-called care of an irresponsible handler that are at risk. There have been deaths or illnesses reported this summer to police dogs (and you would think K9 handlers, like show handlers, would have more concern and consideration than the average person), pets… and children. Stay cool, everyone.

(NaBloPoMo | August ’09: 5 of 31 | 75% Challenge: 193 of 274)

In the news: Burr Oak Cemetery, K-9 Bear

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The dogs are not doing anything interesting (Looks of horror from Axe and Freya: What could she mean? We are always absolutely fascinating! Even when we are just lying around looking cute!) and nothing much happened today (well, that’s not quite true, but I don’t have photos yet of the fix-up to our front-yard planter bed). So just a few comments from me on a couple of current news items.

First, the sad and horrible story of grave desecrations for profit at Burr Oak Cemetery. Four former cemetery employees were involved in a scheme where existing burial plots were re-sold and the rightful occupants were dug up and dumped elsewhere on cemetery property. To add to the nightmare, this is a very old cemetery, records are in disarray, and it is possible that not all remains can be positively identified. Following are some links to coverage from the Chicago Tribune over the last few days:

Burr Oak court document paints gruesome picture
Cops: Cemetery Workers Dug Up Bodies, Resold Plots
FBI Sets Up Command Center At Burr Oak

I would like to say I can’t imagine this happening to our family, but the truth is that I can. My maternal grandmother is buried in a very old municipal cemetery in Honolulu. The quality of upkeep by the city and county has deteriorated over the years, even though like Burr Oak, the cemetery has occupants and monuments of historical significance. The cemetery where my Uncle Ted is buried has gone through a bankruptcy. I have to wonder what might happen in the future at both places.

Some lawsuits have been filed and while I am not usually a fan of lawsuits as the solution to everything, I really object to some of the stupid comments I’ve seen on those stories, mostly accusing the people suing of not caring about their families, just about the money, since they “obviously” hadn’t visited the gravesites recently. Forget about how unspeakably rude it is to judge how someone else remembers their deceased loved ones. Practically speaking, as someone who lives far from where my deceased family members are buried, I go to the cemeteries once or twice a year. If something like this happened there, it could easily happen between my visits, and not because of my perceived lack of caring.

EDITED 8/19/09: Since there are still visits here searching for information, I’ve just added this link to the Cook County Sheriff’s Burr Oak Cemetery Information website, where a searchable database of headstones is now available, as well as other information for those who have family members buried there:
http://www.burroak.net/

Next item: Chicago police dog Bear goes missing again

K-9 Bear escaped from his yard during a thunderstorm a couple of months ago and was found and returned within a few days. Awww, good deal, feel-good and all that. Not so cute and no good feeling to hear that he escaped again.

Now some of you might think that since Axe got out of the yard a few days ago, I must be a big giant jagoff to criticize someone else for their dog’s escape.

Well, I am not a professional dog trainer or handler. My dog was off our property and out of my control for about a minute before he was back in my hands, because I was out there with him. He did not jump over a fence that was known to be too low; he charged through a gate that someone else had unclipped. Know that since that night, I have not gone out the door with him without checking that clip first.

Is it that hard to put a top on your dog’s outdoor run, or for that matter, just to stand out there with him, if he has an escape artist history? There are supposedly other issues, like another dog in the household that doesn’t get along with Bear. Sorry, been there too. Jake and Oscar had to be kept separated for all five years that they both lived here. They were both house dogs. When one was loose, the other was crated. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but we made it work. They both lived long and mostly happy lives and never did get the opportunity to harm each other.

I do hope Bear is found and returned, and I hope his handler does the right things this time to keep him safe in the future.

(NaBloPoMo | July ’09: 13 of 31 | 75% Challenge: 170 of 274)

Update: show dog heat stroke deaths

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I’ve tried to keep my June 26 post about Mary Wild and the heat-related deaths of the show dogs left overnight in her van after a show weekend updated with new links as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has posted additional articles.

Today’s update reported that Wild has been charged with eight counts of animal cruelty, and is free on $2,500 bond.

While I absolutely think that Wild was criminally negligent and that criminal charges are appropriate, I was a little surprised to find that this would still be considered a misdemeanor; specifically a Class A misdemeanor, which could involve up to one year of imprisonment and up to $1,000 in fines.

I say a “little” surprised because in the past few years, many states, including Missouri, have made changes to their animal cruelty statutes. But as in most states, the death of an animal, even in a case like this, would not be a felony unless it was a repeat offense or unless torture was involved. I’d put heat stroke up there as a horribly torturous way to die, but I don’t believe that is how it will be seen by the courts.

We’re about to get another wave of high temperatures here in the Chicago area this week. Put the safety of your human and animal family members as a major priority. If you see someone stupidly putting their children or pets in danger, get help or get involved. Stay safe and cool, everyone.

(NaBloPoMo | July ’09: 6 of 31 | 75% Challenge: 163 of 274)

Where were you when…

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During the coverage of Michael Jackson’s death last week by the mainstream and “new” media and around the blogosphere (you know, I really don’t like that word), there were more than a few instances where people said “I will always remember where I was when I heard the news of Michael Jackson’s passing.”

For me personally, it was not a “where were you when…” moment. I always thought those should be reserved for, well, more historical moments than the passing of an entertainer, no matter how significant. But then again, who am I to say what should be important to you?

The events in my lifetime that I would consider my “where were you when…” moments include President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963 (five years old, home from school, adults all in shock, all of us glued to television or radio), astronaut Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon in 1969 (another glued to the television moment), the space shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986 (working midnights, in a bar after work that morning, watching the news, then dead silence and someone dropped a glass and it seemed to shatter forever) and 9-11-2001. There are many other historical or personally significant moments that occurred between 1960 and now, but those are the few I consider most significant.

There were also a number of comparisons between Elvis Presley’s death and Michael Jackson’s death. August 1977 was the summer after my freshman year in college. That is a long time ago, and I don’t really consider it a “where were you when…” moment, but I do remember it well enough to marvel at how the internet and social media has really changed how many of us get our news.

I first heard of Elvis’ death in the car on the radio, and got more of the story later on television and from the newspaper. I first heard of Michael Jackson’s death on Twitter, and maybe it was just the old people like me who were also tweeting that we were waiting to hear it confirmed by some “real” media, which apparently means someone other than TMZ. I was leaving work, so my “real” media confirmation came from the CBS affiliate radio station WBBM rather than any of the usual online sources.

Hmmmm. So maybe things haven’t changed as much as I thought. But it is still fascinating how many of us got our initial report on Twitter, and went to other online sources first to get more information. We did turn on the television at work, but most of our hunt for news was done online.

(NaBloPoMo | June ’09: 28 of 30 | 75% Challenge: 155 of 274)

Another bit of my youth is gone

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Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson passed away today, and with them went another little bit of my youth.

Farrah’s passing was expected. We all watched her fight against cancer, and her work at educating the public about colorectal cancer and its prevention, and we are still hugely saddened at the inevitable outcome. Even more so for the many of us whose family and friends have also faced and beaten, or not beaten, cancer. And at age 62, she was far too young to have to leave this world.

We knew her first from “that” poster. Not too many guys around my age didn’t have that poster back then. I was totally blown away by something from an interview in Time magazine with poster photographer Bruce McBroom. He said “Farrah didn’t like the way she looked in a bikini.” Wow. Farrah. Slender, athletic, beautiful, and *she* didn’t like how she looked in a bikini? Wow.

Michael’s passing was a complete and total shock. He was my age. My. Age. We listened to the Jackson 5 all through elementary and junior high school. Tiger Beat and 15 gave him equal heartthrob billing with Donny Osmond. I still love listening to the old stuff (“I’ll Be There” is my favorite, in case anyone was wondering).

The image of who he grew up to be is just so at odds with the image I prefer to keep in my memory: the young man fronting the Jackson 5, with a natural look and not who and what he surgically morphed into later. Michael Jackson was an extremely talented, but troubled and fragile individual who left this world far too soon.

(NaBloPoMo | June ’09: 25 of 30 | 75% Challenge: 152 of 274)