ohmidog!

Authorities seized 127 dogs from an apparent dogfighting operation in western North Carolina and arrested the man who wrote the book on raising fighting dogs — or at least a book.

Officials of the Humane Society of the United States said Thursday that three arrests were made during the raid at Wildside Kennels in McGrady, N.C., which was the culmination of a three-year  investigation by the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office, Wilkes County Animal Control agency and HSUS.

One of the men arrested, Wildside Kennels owner Ed Faron, is a known pit bull breeder and an influential figure in underground dogfighting, HSUS said. He co-wrote The Complete Gamedog: A Guide to Breeding and Raising the American Pit Bull Terrier, which includes graphic, supposedly fictional accounts of dogfight injuries.

More information about the kennel can be found on its website.

Faron and the other two men were each charged with felony counts of dogfighting and baiting; additional charges are pending.

Authorities found suspected dogfighting paraphernalia on the property and seized 127 dogs. Several dogs had scars consistent with dogfighting, according to an HSUS report.

“The raid of this suspected dogfighting operation is the culmination of an extensive investigation, and dogfighters everywhere should worry that they could be next,” said Chris Schindler, deputy manager of animal fighting law enforcement for HSUS.

It is a felony to possess a dog for the purpose of dogfighting in North Carolina. Those involved in illegal dogfighting can receive four to 10 months in prison.

(Photo: Ed Faron, from Wildside Kennels myspace page)

A family’s pit bull charged at a gun-wielding intruder who broke into an Oklahoma City home, scaring him off, but getting shot three times in the process.

“It is amazing, it’s amazing that he want after that guy, and that I still have a family,” family member Angelic Shoemaker told News9 in Oklahoma City.

The family said their pit bull, D-boy, saved their lives.

Roberta Trawick was sitting on the couch when a man busted in, through the front door. “He came in, pointed a gun at me and said, ‘Get down on the ground’,” Trawick said. D-boy ran in from another room, ready to attack. But before D-boy could get a hold of the intruder, the man started shooting.

“I seen him shoot the dog twice,” Trawick said. “He shot him once in the head and he was still going after him and the guy shot him again.”

D-boy was shot three times, altogether, by the intruder, who then ran away. The family said they didn’t know why the man broke in — or how D-boy survived.

“The vet said if it wasn’t for his hard head he wouldn’t be here,” Trawick said. “He’s got a hard head.”

After the original broadcast aired, pointing out D-boy’s medical bills were already over $1,500, offers of help came in from across the country.

Petfinder has announced the results of its dogs in ugly holiday sweaters contest, and they’ve chosen three submissions to go on ugly holiday e-cards that you can send by going here.

Of course, we’re using “ugly” in a nice way. Perhaps we should spell it a different way, like phat instead of fat. How about “uglee?” Something that is uglee, pronounced ug-LEEEE, is so hideous as to actually be cool; whereas ugly, pronounced UG-lee, is, well, just plain ugly with no redeeming value.

Feel free to use my newly coined hip phrase at your will. But back to the contest winners.

Above is Bella, a lab/pit bull mix adopted from the Bowling Green Warren County Humane Society (in Kentucky). Her owner, Megan Fisher, says they call this her ”Cosby Sweater” and reports that she loves wearing it.

 The other finalists included Kasey, who has outgrown the number being modeled above, and Landon, a Yorkie mix currently up for adoption through PPAWSS, Promoting Pet Adoptions and Welfare in Sulphur Springs (Texas).

Then there was Hot Momma, the Chinese-Crested (a breed that actually needs sweaters) who was submitted by Angela M. Shatzer of Carolina Poodle Rescue in Spartanburg, SC; and Isabel, whose owner notes she ”definitely looks like a chub of sausage in this sweater.” Isabel’s not fond of the sweater, but it keeps her from rubbing the hair off her belly.

You can see all the finalists and read about them on Petfinders blog.

But be forewarned, they (the sweaters, not the dogs) are ug-LEEEEEE!

(Photos courtesy of petfinder.com)

A Sheboygan, Wisconsin woman has been cited for animal neglect after leaving her overweight dog outdoors in single-digit temperatures, where it froze to a sidewalk but survived.

Shelter workers say Jiffy, who remains in their custody, was left in frigid weather last week but the “morbidly obese” (120 pounds) border collie was protected by layers of insulating fat.

Police issued 59-year-old Alice Bigler an ordinance violation for animal neglect. A misdemeanor animal neglect charge could be filed Dec. 22, when Bigler is scheduled to appear in court.

A number for Bigler was disconnected. It wasn’t immediately known whether she had a lawyer, the Associated Press reported.

Meanwhile, also in Sheboygan, police arrested a 37-year-old man Tuesday, who is accused of abandoning a sickly pit bull by leaving it tied to a pole in an alley. A nearby resident saw the dog and called authorities, according to another Associated Press report.

According to police, the dog was extremely underweight and had frostbite on its front paws, front legs and left ear. The dog is expected to recover.

A tract of land earmarked for a dog park in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs is too nice for dogs, city leaders have decided.

The city had initially planned fenced-in enclosures for large and small dogs at the Great Park at Morgan Falls, an area north of the Morgan Falls dam.

Since then, city workers have cleared invasive bamboo from the bluff, revealing a stunning riverfront view, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Now, city leaders want to move the dog park somewhere else so they can develop the bluffs as an “elegant” oasis for families.

“We didn’t realize what we had,” said councilman Tibby DeJulio. “We realize this property is too valuable, has too much beauty. We can put the dogs any place.”

Boo. Hiss. Dogs and dog owners and families with dogs don’t enjoy a riverfront view? And how does a little, or even a lot, of bamboo keep a city from realizing it has stunning riverfront property? Sounds to me like somebody’s being bamboozled, and dogs are getting the short end of the stick.