Tag Archives: dogs

CHOCOLATE is made with cocoa beans, and cocoa beans contain methylxanthine alkaloids in the form of theobromine and caffeinea, which are toxic to dogs. Chocolate can also contain high amounts of fat, which can put your dog’s health in jeopardy as well. How much is too much? Different dogs react differently to the methylxanthines and reactions can vary according to the age, size and overall health of the dog. The smaller the dog, the smaller the dose needed to produce an effect. If your dog’s health is already weakened by other medical conditions, they are more susceptible. The same holds for older dogs. Theobromine is present in differing amounts in chocolate: white chocolate has 1mg/oz, hot chocolate 12 mg/oz, milk chocolate 44-66mg/oz, semi-sweet chocolate 260mg/oz, dark chocolate 450mg/oz, while baking/bitter chocolate or cocoa powder varies as much as 150-600 mg/oz. A potentially lethal dose in a 16-pound dog is only one pound of milk chocolate. Only two ounces of baking …

FOR any dog lover, spending time walking and caring for the animal is a really enjoyable experience and so placement at a dog kennels was ideal for one participant during EmployAbility Clare’s annual Job Shadow Week last year. Job Shadow Week, a national initiative, takes place each year in the last week in April and is designed specifically to introduce people with a disability to the world of work. For many people, it is their first employment opportunity, spending time shadowing someone in their workplace and finding out about different work environments and jobs. Rosaleen and Mark Burns, owners of Dysert O’Dea Dog Kennels, hosted a job shadow for the first time last year and found it a rewarding experience. “We had the most fantastic young man with us for a job shadow. He’s a dog lover and our kennels and newly-opened daycare service are very busy, so he helped out walking the dogs and learned about the importance of …

THE Clare contingent will travel with a fair degree of confidence to the National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel this week-end, with some worthy representatives in the classics. Pride of place goes to Kilmihil, with three runners representing the parish at Powerstown Park. A lot of attention will also be focused on Mullagh native, Dr Paddy O’Kelly, whose unbeaten and Gerry Holian-trained Reikers Iskand (Adios Alonso – Blades of Glory) is second favourite for the Boylesports Derby. He won a good trial stake at Westmeath United and his prospects have been given a huge boost since then by winning the Corn na Féile puppy stake at Abbeyfeale, an event regarded as a good barometer for Clonmel. The favourite is his litter brother, Blades of Fire (6/1), also trained by Gerry Holian. He is owned by Mary Guiney (Rathkeale). The draws were made in the Horse and Jockey Hotel, the sponsor of the Oaks, on Friday night last. Out of the hat …

DOG owners in the Tulla Road and Knockanean area of Ennis are being advised to keep their pets under control following two separate incidents where traps were deliberately left in open areas. In the first incident, poison-laced food was picked up by a German Shepard that subsequently died, while in another incident, a dog had to have surgery after swallowing a sausage baited with a treble fishing hook. County dog warden Frankie Coote has appealed to dog owners to be on the alert when out walking their pets and to ensure they remain under their control at all times. “This is very sinister. Although we did have a couple of incidents last year where cats were poisoned and shot with air guns, the use of the treble hook is new to me. I would just ask people to be on alert, keep their pets under control and that way they can’t pick up anything harmful,” he said. “If pets are …

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) members dressed as giant pink and blue “condoms” and holding signs that read, “Dogs and Cats Can’t Use Condoms: Spay and Neuter!” descended on Ennis today (Monday). Their message? Five homeless dogs are euthanised every day in Ireland, and the only way to manage the cat and dog overpopulation crisis is to have animal companions spayed or neutered. “Hundreds of thousands of unwanted cats and dogs suffer on the streets of Ireland every day, and most will never finding a loving home”, says PETA director Mimi Bekhechi. “Dogs and cats can’t wear condoms, so PETA is calling on guardians to take responsibility and spay or neuter their animal companions.” PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – notes that every year in Ireland, thousands of unwanted cats and dogs enter animal shelters, and many of them are euthanised because there simply aren’t …

THE founder of an animal rescue organisation in Ennis has described the number of dogs being put to sleep at the Clare pound as “worrying”. In the first four months of this year, 64 dogs were euthanised at the pound, a figure which Deirdre Ryan of Rover Rescue believes is far too many. Figures show the equivalent of a dog a day being surrendered to the pound in the first four months of this year, with Ms Ryan saying more needs to be done to ensure dogs brought to the pound find new homes. And she says that people who surrender their dogs need to be more aware that there is a possibility that the animal may be put to sleep. Statistics released to The Clare Champion by Clare County Council show that the number of animals being euthanised at the pound has dropped steadily in recent years. From January to April of this year, a total of 64 dogs …

The IFA has warned dog owners to keep them under control at all times, as marauding dogs can inflict horrendous damage on a sheep flock. IFA National Sheep chairman John Lynskey said the country’s 34,000 sheep farmers are currently preparing to lamb down 2.4 million ewes, adding that pregnant ewes on the point of lambing are particularly vulnerable to dog attacks. Mr Lynskey said recent dog attacks have been reported to IFA from flock owners in counties Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly and Galway. He pointed out that dog owners are responsible for ensuring that their pets are under control at all times and can be held responsible for losses involved in dog attacks, with serious financial and legal consequences. Mr Lynskey said statistics collated by IFA indicate that the problem of dog attacks on sheep may be in the order of 300 to 400 attacks per annum, with 3,000 to 4,000 sheep injured and killed. He said data on dog attacks …

CLARE’S representation in the National Coursing Meeting at Powerstown Park, Clonmel this weekend has been greatly reduced through the forced withdrawal of Redzer Ferrari from the Boylesports Derby, Mad Moment in the Horse and Jockey Hotel Oaks, Windfarm Ivy in the Grace Bruton Champion All-Aged Bitch Stake and Roquefort Barney, who was first reserve for the Kevin Smith Champion Stakes. Redzer Ferrari picked up an injury at the weekend, much to the disappoinment of joint owners Pat Reddan (Killaloe) and Brendan Maunsell (Abbeydorney). He won his ticket at the Newcastlwest meeting but taking his place in Clonmel will be the runner-up, Scattery Alonso, trained by Dan Brassil for members of the Scattery Syndicate from Killimer. In the first round of the Derby, Scattery Alonso goes to slips with Nemos Django, who was a winner at Roscommon. However, Pat Reddan and Brendan Maunsell still have Redzer Green in the Derby. The Miltown Malbay qualifier meets the New Ross winner, Jet Stream, …