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6:23 PM, July 31, 2008
There are 59,684 registered Chihuahuas in L.A. County, followed by 58,071 Labradors. This makes the little dogs the county's most popular breed. Well, at least among those who bother to register their dogs.
This bit of trivia comes from "L.A.'s Top Dogs," a new database compiled by The Times. The slightly addictive database lists popular breeds, provides maps showing where certain dogs reside and even lists popular names. Click on "Princess," for example, and you'll discover that's the name of 1,262 Chihuahuas. And to show Angelenos have a sense of humor, it's also the name of 206 Rottweilers.
One click takes you to Carla Hall's report on the dogs of L.A.
Photo credit: Julie Jacobson/Associated Press
3:52 PM, July 31, 2008
The August issue of Orange Coast magazine includes a 2008 Pet Guide, with listings for "pet food and specialty treats for the family drooler," shopping possibilities, obedience classes and, naturally, spa services. (Our favorite name for an emporium that caters to pets is "The Spaw," which "juggles doggie day-care and nutrition services in addition to its full-service grooming salon.")
But the star (and cover boy) of the August issue is Tyson, the "world famous" skateboarding English bulldog. Tyson lists his hometown as Huntington Beach and, naturally, he has his own website and "hundreds of unofficial video clips and photos." We caught his act on "Oprah" once and, yes, he really does ride a skateboard in style.
The Orange Coast article includes "Eight Life Lessons," among them, "Fame is Fleeting." (There are other skateboarding dogs now, but Tyson seems to be taking it all in stride.) Perhaps he can take comfort in kicking back, turning on the DVD player and watching himself in the movies "Lords of Dogtown" and "Undiscovered." The roles were small ... but unforgettable ... at least if you're Tyson.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the August issue is that Tyson somehow triumphed as cover subject while Oscar winner Kevin Costner was relegated to page 86.
-- Alice Short
12:19 PM, July 31, 2008
Scientsits were thrilled -- as were dino-lovers all over -- when researchers announced three years ago that they had found what appeared to be soft tissue inside a fossil bone from a Tyrannosaurus rex. The researchers, working in Montana, had been forced to break a femur into chunks small enough to be transported by helicopter.
But now another group of scientists suggests that the rubbery material found inside the bone is really 70-million-year-old slime made up of bacterial colonies. As often happens with science, opinion is divided on the matter. The Times' Wendy Hansen has all the details on the T. rex femur.
Photo: Chris Gardner / Associated Press
12:03 PM, July 31, 2008
A golden retriever in the Midwest may just win the best-mother-of-the-year award. The Associated Press reports: CANEY, Kan. — A dog at a southeast Kansas zoo has adopted three tiger cubs abandoned by their mother. Safari Zoological Park owner Tom Harvey said the tiger cubs were born Sunday, but the mother had problems with them.
A day later, the mother stopped caring for them. Harvey said the cubs were wandering around, trying to find their birth mother, who wouldn't pay attention to them. That's when the cubs were put in the care of a golden retriever, Harvey said.
Harvey said it's unusual for dogs to care for tiger cubs, but it does happen. He said he has seen reports of pigs nursing cubs in China, and he actually got the golden retriever after his wife saw television accounts of dogs caring for tiger cubs.
Puppies take about the same amount of time as tiger cubs to develop, and Harvey said the adoptive mother just recently weaned her own puppies.
"The timing couldn't have been any better," he said.
The mother doesn't know the difference, Harvey said. He said the adopted mother licks, cleans and feeds the cubs.
The Safari Zoological Park is a licensed facility open since 1989 and specializes in endangered species.
Photo credit: Rob Morgan / Associated Press
11:08 AM, July 31, 2008
From the Chicago Tribune: Former game show host Bob Barker wants the Chicago City Council to support a cause he famously ended "The Price of Right" with for decades: getting pets spayed and neutered.
Chicago is considering a proposal to require all dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they're 6 months old.
Barker told the council Tuesday the measure would reduce the number of unwanted pets. He says a similar law in Santa Cruz County, California, caused a 60 percent drop in cats and dogs placed in shelters in the following decade.
Those against the proposal say animal owners should decide whether to get their pets fixed.
3:22 PM, July 30, 2008
A king vulture looks crossed-eyed at the camera at the Berlin Zoo. King vultures, brightly colored scavengers known (not surprisingly) for their piercing eyes, are mainly found in Central and South America. That impressive yellow mass of flesh crowning this one's beak is called a caruncle.
Photo: Franka Bruns/Associated Press
12:49 PM, July 30, 2008
 The San Francisco Chronicle reports on the death of Gezi, a 9-year-old mother giraffe:
A previously undiagnosed disease is the likely cause of a 9-year-old giraffe's death Tuesday at the San Francisco Zoo, officials said.
Gezi, who had given birth to a male calf in February, collapsed at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, suffering from cardiac and respiratory arrest. A necropsy is scheduled for this afternoon, and its preliminary results on what led to the animal's death will be released today, according to a statement from zoo leaders.
Giraffes typically live between 15 and 20 years in the wild and several years longer in captivity. At 9, Gezi was considered a mature, "middle-aged" animal....
In addition to Barbro, the calf born Feb. 25, Gezi gave birth to Terrance in 2006. Barbro remains at the San Francisco Zoo, while Terrance (pictured at left with his mother) was given to a facility in Illinois.
The death is sure to lead to criticism from local animal welfare activists, who for years have charged that the zoo is more interested in making money and pleasing visitors than taking care of animals.
Photo: Paul Sakuma / Associated Press
12:45 PM, July 30, 2008
Meet Princess Chunk, a 44-pound cat, who is just two pounds shy of the 1987 Guinness World Record for overweight cats.
South Jersey, to be sure, has seen its fair share of the indictable variety, but never before has it seen the likes of the portly pussycat found waddling in Voorhees.
News reports, including one in the Philadelphia Inquirer, state that the Camden County Animal Shelter is trying to find the feline's owner ... and trying to develop an exercise routine for its suddenly famous resident.
"She's bigger than my Yorkie dog," said shelter volunteer and "foster mom" Deborah Wright.
According to the Inquirer report: Dennis Green, a librarian at the central branch of the Philadelphia Free Library, researched records on the fattest cat in the world. Green said the record was held by 46 pound, 15 1/4 ounce Himmy of Australia who was entered into the 1987 Guinness Book of World Records, the last year the organization had the weight category for cats. Himmy died of respiratory failure.
Photo: John Costello / McClatchy-Tribune
12:43 PM, July 30, 2008
Apparently, the world of cooking for people is not enough for Rachael Ray. Now she's targeting animals as well. J.M. Hirsch, the Associated Press food editor, reports:  In the latest expansion of her culinary empire, celebrity chef Rachael Ray has launched a charity-driven line of dog foods based on recipes she has created for her pit bull, Isaboo.
Ray, who came to fame with her “30 Minute Meals” Food Network show, said all of her proceeds from sales of Rachael Ray Nutrish pet foods will go to Rachael's Rescue, which she founded to help at-risk animals. The outspoken dog lover regularly features recipes for pet food in her magazine, Every Day With Rachael Ray.
“It seemed like not a lot of extra time to donate to something that could potentially raise millions of dollars for championing these little creatures that can’t speak for themselves,” Ray said. A line for cats also is planned.
Ray’s pet charity group recently selected its first beneficiary, a terrier mix named Spirit that made national news earlier this month after a man was caught on videotape savagely beating it at the U.S.-Mexico border. The dog suffered multiple fractures. Rachael’s Rescue has offered to cover all medical costs for the dog’s recovery.
Photo: PR Newswire
9:58 AM, July 30, 2008
Along with some whimsical illustrations, the user-friendly package addresses a number of questions, such as "What should be in your pet's suitcase?" and "Will a sedative make it easier on my pet?" (Forget the pet, what about me?)
Then there's the question many of us have asked: "How can I prepare my dog or cat for a long car trip?" The answer: "Make sure you give the animal plenty of small trips before going on your vacation. That will acclimate the animal and make it less jittery. You want your pet to see the car as a fun, safe place." Wish we'd thought of that.
Other nifty tips can be found in "Flying with Fluffy and Fido: airlines' pet policies."
-- Steve Padilla
Illustration: Marc Boutavant / For The Los Angeles Times
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