ohmidog!

True, we’re a dog website, but sometimes we just have to veer to deer, especially when we come across something like these elegant and ethereal creatures.

Native Americans considered them magical. So did Jeff Richter, a nature photographer who went to track down a herd he had heard about in north central Wisconsin. “I was just instantly hooked by them,” he says.

Richter’s book, released last year, is the result of his 10-year quest.

According to John Bates, the Wisconsin naturalist who provided the text for the book, references to the deer — he considers them albino, despite the lack of pink eyes — can be found in the journals of European explorers. They are thriving now in Wisconsin because state law prohibits hunting them, and communities have taken to feeding them.

Richter says the white deer, a genetic fluke, can be born to regular deer, and seem not to be singled out by other deer because of their color. “They just seem to be regular deer as far as the deer are concerned,” said Richter.

There are several other well-established populations of white deer, including an enclave at the closed-down Seneca Army Depot in Romulus, New York, where in the 1950s a depot commander issued orders forbidding the shooting of them.

Richter’s book is available from Manitowish River Press

To see a video of the deer, click below: 


(Photo by Jeff Richter)

Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah, and Operation Scarlet, a Shar Pei rescue group based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania have won the first round of voting — and $1,000 grants — in the The Animal Rescue Site’s $100,000 Shelter+ Challenge.

A total of $100,000 in grants will be awarded to shelters and rescue organizations in the 2009 Challenge, which wraps up July 26.

Members of the public can vote for their favorite shelters once a day at theanimalrescuesite.com.

This year, a grand prize of $20,000 will go to the top vote-getting organization. The second place winner will receive $5,000 and third place will receive $3,000. Honorable Mentions of $1,500 will go the fourth and fifth highest vote-getters.

“Because the voting lasts for fifteen weeks on our site, there is plenty of time left for new shelters to leap into the lead,” said Rosemary Jones, a spokesperson for The Animal Rescue Site. “We’ve also increased the number of grants, so there are more even opportunities for all types of Petfinder.com shelters and rescue organizations to receive anywhere from $1,000 weekly winner (for the most votes cast that week) to regional awards to the $20,000 grand prize.”

As of April 30, the top ten shelters in the Challenge in alphabetical order were: Best Friends Animal Society, Kanab, Utah; Days End Farm Horse Rescue; Lisbon, Maryland; Humane Society of Huron Valley, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation, Inc., Pittsville, Wisconsin; Oasis Sanctuary, Benson, Arizona; Operation Scarlet Inc, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary, Ovando, Montana; SBU Cat Network, Stony Brook, New York; Seminole County Animal Services, Sanford, Florida; and Wynne Friends of Animals, Wynne, Arkansas.

Andre, a dog who was forced to chew off two of his legs to escape an illegal trap in Alaska, was equipped with two prosthetic limbs this week in Denver.

Andre was rescued last winter when a woman saw him dragging himself across a country road, leaving a trail of blood behind. Though he’s a large mixed breed, he weighed only 38 pounds. Since then, Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue has been caring for him.

On Wednesday, the surgery to attach the prosthetics was completed. Now, he begins the process of learning to walk on all fours again, though he had managed to learn to get around on two.

“Andre is just like a bicycle. If he’s moving he has balance and can keep upright. As soon as he slows down, he has to lean against something or sit down,” says Martin Kaufmann of OrthoPets, who fitted Andre with his new legs.

“Right now he has to learn to figure out he can touch the ground with his back leg and front leg. And he actually has to learn there is a leg to use again,” Kaufmann told Fox News in Denver.

Kaufmann created the artificial limbs using plastic, foam and bicycle tires.

“Use your legs,” he told Andre as they tested out the devices in a parking lot.

Andre arrived in Denver last week and was taken to OrthoPets on Monday to begin what was a three- day process, according to the Denver Post.

Denver’s American Humane Association contributed $2,000 to Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue to put towards Andre’s medical bills. Orthopets and the woman that found Andre are footing the rest of the bill.

A Baltimore man is honoring his dog tonight by toasting his memory in a fundraiser for the Maryland SPCA.

Matt Crance didn’t have Sam long — or nearly long enough — but it was obvious from seeing the two of them at Riverside Park that they had a deep connection. The two were hiking in Patapsco State Park when Sam saw a deer, gave chase, and ended up being struck by a car on the highway.

Matt emailed me the news, and having seen me with my camera a few times at the park, asked if I had any photos of Sam. I sent along those I did.

Tonight, from 6 to 9, Matt’s hosting a happy hour in memory of Sam at Nobles Bar & Grill in Federal Hill (1024 S. Charles Street). The $15 cover charge includes beer and mixed drinks, and a third of it will be donated to the Maryland SPCA, where Matt adopted Sam last fall.

Matt thanks Nobles and Sobo Sports for helping arrange the fundraiser, and invites all friends and dog lovers to attend. Those who can’t are invited to make a donation in Sam’s name to the Maryland SPCA.

Bark Busters is looking for the naughtiest dog in America.

For National Pet Week (May 3-9), the world’s largest dog training company announced the “National Naughty Dog Contest,” inviting the public to submit videos of dogs behaving badly to BarkBusters.com via YouTube.

From the videos submitted (between May 4 and July 13), they’ll select one dog to receive free dog training.

“So many dog owners get a dog hoping he will be an ideal member of the family, only to discover the dog rules their household instead,” said Liam Crowe, CEO and master dog behavioral therapist at Bark Busters USA. “We want to help owners realize they can address these unwanted behaviors and build a stronger relationship with their canine companions, and we want to showcase this fact by training America’s naughtiest dog and having a bit of fun along the way.”

The winner will be announced and posted online at BarkBusters.com on July 21. The participant whose dog is chosen as the Naughtiest Dog in America will receive free in-home training.

“With more than 65 million dogs in the US, we are sure to find some naughty ones,” said Crowe. “This is an opportunity for us to help America understand that any dog can be trained – even the nation’s naughtiest dog.”

For more information on Bark Busters’ National Naughty Dog Contest, including specific entry rules, go here.

 Pet Airways — the animal-only airline we told you about last month — has added Baltimore to the list of cities it will serve.

The flights, which will start in July, will travel to Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago and New York.

Pets will fly in kennel crates in the main cabin of the aircraft, watched over by a flight attendant, and tickets will start at $149 each way.

For a list of the airports served, click here.

(Photos: Petairways.com)