While people oftentimes turn to a puppy to take home, there are so many advantages to having an elder companion.

As a matter of fact, dogs aged seven and older are typically housebroken, less destructive, and calmer than younger dogs. The devastating reality, however, is senior dogs have a 25% adoption rate, compared to a 60% adoption rate for younger dogs and puppies, according to ASPCA.

“After about 12 years of volunteering in animal shelters, what I noticed was the older dogs that I fell in love with were getting passed over for puppies,” said founder and CEO of Muttville Senior Dog Rescue Sherri Franklin.

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Franklin vividly remembers when of her favorite dogs at the shelter — a cheerful 8-year-old Beagle Basset — was euthanized for space because she wasn’t considered adoptable.

“I knew I had to do something,” Franklin said. “I started taking home dogs one at a time, fixing them up, getting them to see my vets and finding them homes on my own.”

It was such a large mission, which led Frankin to start a nonprofit in 2007. In the past 16 years, Muttville Senior Dog Rescue has saved over 9,000 senior dogs.

“I like to say we made senior dogs sexy,” she said.

Did you know older dogs often end up in shelters after their owners pass away, get sick, or transition to assisted living?

“I know for me personally, one day I’m going to grow old, or older, and I hope at some point in time when I need it, there will be someone out there that’s going to provide the assistance that I need,” said Doreen Jakubcak of Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary.

While there are many benefits to adopting senior dogs, be prepared to accommodate semi-annual veterinary checkups, special diets and decreased mobility.

The key is to address any and all health issues as early on as possible, Jakubcak advises. Catching any health ailments before they worsen can oftentimes rectify the issue or at least save the dog before it becomes untreatable.

“People often ask us how do you do it when you have to say goodbye?” Jakubcak said. “We focus on that quality of time, we focus on knowing that we did our best and we gave that dog the best care we could during that period of time they were with us,” Jakubcak said.

So what are you waiting for? This is your sign to run to a shelter and take home a loyal senior dog today.

The baffling incident occurred in the area around 106th Street and Fifth Avenue, a spot popular with dog walkers. NBC New York spoke to a man who said that he and his wife were walking their 13-year-old German shepherd-pit bull mix named Eli and their other dog, Sadie, on leashes in the area around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

The man, who only wished to be identified as Brian, said they walked by a man with three pit bulls, at least two of which were unleashed.

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“One of his dogs tried to bite my little dog and he tried to tell me that it’s OK. And I tried to talk sense into him,” Brian told News 4.

He and the man started to argue, as his dogs attacked Eli.

“I kicked one of the dogs off my dog at one point,” Brian said. “But then he took out a knife and started carving. And my dog growled. He stuck him…and I was helpless at that time.”

Brian said he took a photo of the man as he walked away (below). The couple then took their dog to the veterinarian, where Eli had to be put down.

“He’s a great dog, you know. He’s my boy,” Brian said.

Several dog owners in the area said they’ll now be even more cautious when walking their dogs at that location, and they’re also asking for more protection. Many expressed hope that the man who stabbed Eli is soon caught.

No arrests have yet been made. An investigation was ongoing, according to police.

Dr. Robert Moore’s family put out the word on the Nextdoor app, asking people to dress up their dogs and parade them in front of their house to help their dad celebrate the milestone.

The response was incredible.

Alison Moore told NBC Bay Area she was expecting about 20 to 30 dogs to show up for her dad’s party. Instead, she said that about 200 dogs and their owners came by to wish him a happy birthday.

In fact, there were so many dogs. The line stretched all the way around the block and down the street.

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There were dogs in cowboy hats, tuxedos, pups with disabilities, pulling carts and canines in classic cars.

Robert is an avid dog lover and a retired dean from San Jose State University. He was positively elated to meet each dog and their owners.

“My father, he was so touched. He pet every single dog that came through. Every person brought the dog up to him. It was so lovely,” Alison said.

But it didn’t stop there. Even though most people didn’t know Robert, they brought him flowers, cupcakes and made him drawings and posters.

The Moore family said they were definitely touched by how the community came together to help their dad celebrate his 100th, a birthday he will never forget.

At his grooming salon in San Diego, anything is possible: Bernedoodles become giraffes and poodles become Pokémon.

Feitosa, a native of São Paulo, Brazil, opened Gabriel Feitosa Grooming Salon in 2018, capitalizing on a $1.3 billion global pet grooming market. 

Feitosa and his 10 employees groom about 20 dogs a day, and at least 500 per month, the 31-year-old tells CNBC Make It. But many of the animals he works with don’t just get a haircut — they get a full makeover. 

As a dog grooming artist, Feitosa combines traditional grooming techniques with unique designs, and uses vegan, pet-friendly dyes. His larger-than-life creations have amassed a cult social media following, with over 2 million followers on TikTok and 400,000 on Instagram. 

The intricate designs can take between 3 and 5 hours to complete, including food and bathroom breaks for the pup, and cost anywhere from $500 to $1,200. In a typical week, Feitosa works between 40 and 50 hours. 

The salon brought in about $1.2 million last year, according to tax documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Feitosa earned another $125,500 in 2022 for brand deals and sponsorships. 

“This salon is a dream for me,” says Feitosa. “I came to the U.S. with two scissors and a clipper, and now I have a place where I feel like an artist and show the world that this career is possible.”

Finding career inspiration while running an errand

Feitosa’s dog grooming career began when he was 12. 

Feitosa would take his sister’s dog, Icaro, to the local groomer in São Paulo whenever he needed a bath and a haircut. 

Little did he know these trips to the groomer would jumpstart a fulfilling career of his own. Feitosa was fascinated watching the groomer bathe, cut and spruce up the dogs. 

“I thought, ‘Wow, this lady gets to play with dogs all day and make money?'” he says. “I just got obsessed.”

Feitosa was eager to learn more, so he asked the groomer to teach him how to wash dogs. Soon, he started working at the shop after school. 

He left high school right before graduating to pursue dog grooming as his full-time career, working at the salon and teaching dog grooming at a vocational school based on his real-world learnings. Pet grooming does not require specialized education or certification, and Feitosa says he did not complete a formal education program.

From artist to entrepreneur

Shortly after he turned 23, Feitosa was offered a grooming internship with a dog breeder in Sacramento, Calif. and moved to the U.S.

He spent the next three years working with groomers and dog shows around the U.S. as part of the internship before settling in San Diego with his then-husband in 2017. 

In San Diego, Feitosa got a part-time job as a dog groomer for a small salon with a pet boutique and bakery in the front. He took on a second part-time gig assisting a poodle breeder to make ends meet. 

Several months later, Feitosa’s boss approached him with a deal: She would sell him her grooming business, which included all of the equipment in the shop, as well as her client list, for about $40,000. He would also have to pay the $1,100 monthly rent for the space.

Feitosa took the offer and grew his grooming business in the back of the building while his former boss ran the pet boutique and bakery in the front.

Feitosa says it was challenging to balance his artistic pursuits with the responsibilities of being a business owner.

But having the freedom to experiment with designs trumped the headaches of running the shop, like renovating the space and managing employees.

“Sometimes, you need to take a leap of faith not knowing if it’s going to work out,” he says. “But I was excited to create a safe space where people — and their dogs — could feel good, and I could do what I love.” 

The salon shut down for two months at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, but was deemed an essential business and allowed to re-open in May 2020.

That same month, Feitosa’s former boss retired, and he took over the lease for the entire ground floor of the building.

He received a small business loan of about $60,000 from the government, which helped cover the costs of renovating the space and hiring additional help. 

‘It brings so much joy to people’

In 2021, Feitosa was cast on “Pooch Perfect,” a competition TV show for dog grooming artists on ABC, where he was a finalist. 

That opportunity helped him grow his social media following and business. Feitosa says people have flown in from other states just to bring their dogs into his salon.

He’s transformed shelter pets waiting to be adopted, family pets and therapy dogs that work in hospitals. 

“The designs might seem fancy and unnecessary, but the amount of smiles you put on people’s faces by walking by with a dog in one of these designs is an unforgettable experience,” he says. “It brings so much joy to people.”

Looking ahead, Feitosa hopes to open a second grooming salon in Los Angeles and host his own dog grooming TV show. He thinks his 12-year-old self would be proud of where he ended up. 

“I’ve learned that success is a consequence of following your passion and your purpose,” says Feitosa. “If grooming dogs is the most random thing, but that’s what you love doing and you do it to the fullest and hardest you can … why can’t you achieve wealth and success?”

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Scary surveillance footage shows the moment a driver lost control and crashed into Sniffers Doggie Retreat & Training Center in Rockville on Thursday.

A woman can be seen standing at the front desk, talking with an employee. She turns as a silver SUV breaks through the glass doors. She freezes for a moment and then runs for her life.

The SUV plows 30 feet through the lobby, smashes the front desk and makes it into the dog boarding area.

Remarkably, no people or dogs were hurt. But one dog kennel was tipped over, and two dogs ran away. One of the pets was tracked down within hours. But the other dog was nowhere to be found. Sniffers asked for help from the community to find her.

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Then, an employee arriving at work on Saturday morning made a discovery.

“The dog was just outside of the business waiting, and she just walked in the door with our staff member,” Sniffers co-owner Hillary Stains said.

The kennel owner said the family of the driver reached out to try to help. Information was not immediately released on why the crash occurred.

Now that both dogs are home, the business will turn to rebuilding.

But even though nearly half of states already allow canine dining outdoors, the issue is far from settled, with many diners and restaurants pushing back against the increasing presence of pooches.

“I’d like to be able to enjoy my meal without having to worry about fleas, pet hair, barking and entitled dogs and their owners,” said Tracy Chiu Parisi, a food blogger in New York, who was once startled by a dog that stuck its head in her lap while she was reading a menu.

Restaurants have been required to allow service dogs for decades. But it wasn’t until the mid-2000’s that a handful of states — including Florida and Illinois — began passing laws allowing dogs in outdoor dining spaces, according to the Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State University. Twenty-three states now have such laws or regulations.

But the legal landscape is confusing. Michigan law doesn’t allow dogs in outdoor dining spaces, for example, but lets restaurants apply for a variance from their county health department.

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So in 2020, the Conference for Food Protection — a group of food industry and health experts that advises the government — asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance for states. It cited a 2012 risk assessment in Australia and New Zealand that found that the health risk to human diners from dogs was very low.

The FDA’s updated food code, issued late last year, says restaurants can have dogs in outdoor areas if they get approval from a local regulator. Restaurants should have signs saying dogs are welcome and should develop plans to handle dogs and their waste. They should ensure dogs remain properly restrained and provide separate food bowls so dogs don’t use plates or utensils meant for humans.

The new guidance comes as U.S. pet ownership is rising. Nearly 87 million U.S. households now have a pet, up from 85 million in 2019, according to the American Pet Products Association.

And experts say more people are looking for dining options that will accommodate their dogs. Yelp searches for businesses using the “dogs allowed” filter jumped 58% between the year ending May 1, 2021, and the year ending May 1, 2023. A total of 47,415 businesses now describe themselves as “dog friendly” on Yelp, the company says.

“Younger pet owners, Millennials and Generation Z, have incredibly strong bonds with their pets and they are willing to act upon that,” said Steven Feldman, president of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute. “They are more likely to frequent — and express a preference for — pet-friendly businesses.”

Monty Hobbs, the managing director of a digital marketing agency in Washington, can often be found at local restaurant patios with Mattox, his 5-year-old terrier and miniature schnauzer mix. Some waiters even bring Mattox bits of bacon.

Hobbs stresses that he doesn’t take Mattox everywhere. “He’s my dog. He’s not my child,” he said.

But Mattox is well-behaved, he said, so it’s nice to know they can drop in at a neighborhood bar if they’re out taking a walk.

At Zazie, a San Francisco bistro, diners get $10 off a bottle of wine on Mondays if they bring their dogs, who get treats donated by the pet store across the street.

“It’s great for business. People really enjoy bringing their dog out with them,” said Megan Cornelius, Zazie’s co-owner.

But other restaurants are saying no to Fido.

The Salty Dog Café in Hilton Head, South Carolina, allowed dogs on its patio when it first opened in 1987. But two years later, it banned them. Too many dogs were barking through meals, fighting, lying in walkways and stealing hot dogs from kids’ plates, says Tim Stearns, the Salty Dog’s chief operating officer.

If diners object, the Salty Dog points them to a separate dog-friendly deck where they can eat takeout food from the restaurant. But most diners seem to appreciate the policy.

“We are all dog lovers at Salty Dog, but we remain a restaurant for humans,” Stearns said.

The Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory in Key West, Florida, banned dogs because it didn’t want to be held responsible if a dog ate iguana droppings — which can make them violently ill — or tripped a child or an elderly diner. In at least one case, an unleashed dog at the restaurant killed a neighborhood cat.

Julie Denzin, who has worked as a restaurant server in Milwaukee for more than a decade, has watched dogs drool, fight, growl and relieve themselves on restaurant patios. Dogs have bitten her and knocked her over, causing her to spill scalding hot coffee. She has also encountered diners who are allergic to dogs or afraid of them.

Denzin doesn’t think dogs should be banned, but says restaurants should consider designating dog-friendly areas or specific hours when dogs are allowed.

“It’s not a matter of liking or disliking dogs,” she said. “The point is, regardless of what the owner might say — no matter how perfect and obedient they insist their dog is — there’s no way to ensure the safety and comfort of other guests.”

Maddie Speirs, a dog trainer with Pawsitive Futures Dog Training in St. Petersburg, Florida, said many people hire her with the goal of training their dogs to eat out at restaurants. Not every dog is cut out for that, she said; they need to be comfortable with noise and unsolicited interactions and able to be able to sit near food for long periods.

She urges owners to think about who benefits from restaurant visits: them or their dogs.

“If you think it’s for your dog, what exactly are they getting out of it?” she said. “It’s not as fun of a social interaction for dogs as it is for us.”

A purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, Bobi lives with his owner Leonel Costa, 38, and his family in the rural village of Conqueiros, in Leiria, Portugal, according to Guinness World Records.

Bobi, who eats only human food and loves a good nap, will celebrate his birthday in style with a blowout bash on Saturday that will feature more than 100 guests, some of whom are flying in internationally for the occasion.

Bobi’s party will be a “very traditional” Portuguese party, Costa told Guinness World Records. Local meats and fish will be served with extra helpings, of course, for the birthday boy.

A dance troupe is also set to perform, and Bobi will participate in one of the dances.

Bobi is not only the oldest living dog in the world, he’s the oldest living dog ever. Guinness World Records honored him with both titles in February.

“We’ve had a lot of journalists and people come from all over the world to take a picture with Bobi,” said Costa.

Bobi’s birth date, May 11, 1992, was confirmed by Serviço Medico-Veterinário do Município de Leiria (Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria), who registered Bobi in 1992.

His age was also verified by SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government and managed by the SNMV (Sindicato Nacional dos Médicos Veterinários; National Union of Veterinarians).

Costa, who has lived with and cared for Bobi since he was 8, said Bobi is in good health, although he noted that he recently took Bobi to the vet because he was concerned that Bobi’s fame was causing him physical and mental stress.

“There were a lot of pictures taken and he had to get up and down many times. It wasn’t easy for him,” said Cosa.

“His health was a little damaged, but now it’s better,” he added.

Several of Costa’s dogs have live long lives, including Bobi’s mother, Gira, who lived until 18. But even Costa never could have imagined that a dog of his would reach his 30s.

“If Bobi spoke only he could explain this,” said Costa.

Costa credits Bobi’s lifestyle, which includes a “calm, peaceful environment,” for his longevity. A “very sociable” dog, Bobi has always been allowed to roam the forests surrounding Costa’s home and has never been chained or leashed. Although these days, Bobi, who has difficulty walking and whose eyesight is declining, prefers to stay in the family’s yard.

Like many old timers, Bobi relishes his rest, particularly after a good meal. On cold day, he naps by the fire.

Costa said that living with Bobi for all these years helps him to remember loved ones who are gone.

“Bobi is special because looking at him is like remembering the people who were part of our family and unfortunately are no longer here, like my father, my brother, or my grandparents who have already left this world,” he said.

“Bobi represents those generations.”

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Lepshi (prounouced LEEP’-she) happens to be co-owned by country music and “1883” series star Tim McGraw. But that distinction was just playing in the background of a chorus of cheers as Lepshi and eight other examples of his handsome Italian hunting breed took their turns in the ring Tuesday at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.

“He’s a wonderful ambassador for the breed,” handler Ryan Wolfe said after the 6-year-old’s win. Lepshi aces the breed’s trademark ground-covering trot, Wolfe explained, and “he loves everybody.”

McGraw, known for hits including “Something Like That,” and his wife, country luminary and “1883” co-star Faith Hill, have had a number of bracchi at home and featured them in social media posts. In one 2020 video, a bracco howls along as one of the couple’s daughters sings some high notes.

“Stromboli is happy that Maggie is home from college!!!!!” McGraw wrote at the time. A message was sent Tuesday to a representative for him about Lepshi’s groundbreaking Westminster win.

Wolfe, who handles the dog for McGraw and co-owners Kristi Libertore, Tony Libertore and Jenell Tonini-Zanotto, said it was “an honor to be first.”

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Lepshi was eliminated in the semifinals but made the judge’s initial cuts in his group.

The bracco ( pronounced BRAH’-koh) has an ancient heritage in Europe. It became eligible to compete at Westminster this year after getting recognized by the American Kennel Club, which is the nation’s oldest dog registry and acts akin to a league for many U.S. dog shows. Recognition is voluntary and entails inking an agreed-upon standard for the dogs and various other criteria.

AKC recognition can increase everyday recognition, which has some bracco owners cautioning that would-be owners need to understand what the soulful-looking, amiable dogs require.

“We want these dogs hunting,” said Siva Aiken, whose bracco Tillie-rye Hogwallop — yes, she uses that whole name — was named the breed’s best female competitor Tuesday. (When a female wins, a male gets such an award.)

Bracchi can be easygoing at home, but only if they get enough activity, Aiken said. Tillie-rye Hogwallop, for instance, hunts quail, pheasant and other birds. She and Aikin’s other bracchi also roam two to six miles a day (three to 9.5 km) a day at a nature preserve near Aiken’s home in Aiken, South Carolina.

“It’s not a breed for everyone,” she said. “This breed needs to be worked.”

___

New York-based Associated Press journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.

A petit basset griffon Vendéen named for the late rock ‘n’ roll legend won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night, a first for the rabbit-hunting breed. Buddy Holly bested six other finalists to garner the most prestigious dog show award in the United States.

“I never thought a PBGV would do this,” handler and co-owner Janice Hayes said. “Buddy Holly is the epitome of a show dog. Nothing bothers him.”

Indeed, his white-tipped tail didn’t stop wagging while he competed in the stadium where the U.S. Open tennis tournament’s top matches are played. Not even while he posed for countless pictures after a win that Hayes called “so surreal.”

“We’re so proud of him,” she said.

His competitors included Rummie, a Pekingese that came in second after aiming to bring home the third trophy in 11 years for his small-but-regal breed — and for handler, owner and breeder David Fitzpatrick. He guided Pekes Malachy and Wasabi to Westminster wins in 2012 and 2021, respectively.

Rummie is “true to Pekingese type, lots of carriages, presence — everything in one, here,” he said Monday.

Winston the French bulldog was gunning for the title after coming oh-so-close last year. An Australian shepherd named Ribbon, an English setter called Cider, a giant schnauzer named Monty and an American Staffordshire terrier called Trouble also were in the pack of contenders.

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If Buddy Holly was feeling the pressure, he wasn’t letting it show ahead of the finals. Instead, he seemed more concerned late Tuesday afternoon with playing with his people and rejecting the notion of a nap in his crate.

“He just screams PBGV,” Hayes said. “They’re just very independent but very charming and just silly. Their goal is to make you laugh every day.”

Originally from France, the small hounds are the 154th most prevalent purebreds in the country, according to recent American Kennel Club rankings. (Their name means “low-lying, wire-haired dog from the Vendée region” and is pronounced peh-TEE’ bah-SAY’ grihf-FAHN’ vahn-DAY’-ahn.)

Buddy Holly — so named because “he’s a buddy,” breeder Gavin Robertson explained — has also lived and competed in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia.

About 2,500 dogs of 210 breeds and varieties vied for the trophy. Among them: the newly eligible bracco Italiano breed, won by a dog co-owned by country music star Tim McGraw.

Besides the chosen finalists, there were other fan favorites, too.

There was the bloodhound that bowed deeply before a judge, the golden retriever cheered by the breed’s many fans, and the spunky German shorthaired pointer that did a few leaps before its lap around the ring. Spectators applauded 10-year-old handler Audra Maes and her shiba inu, and breeder/owner/handler Alexandria Mitchell and her Ibizan hound. They made the judge’s first cut, an accomplishment at a show where many exhibitors handle other people’s dogs as a career.

The Westminster show, held this year at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, also includes obedience and agility competitions that are open to mixed-breed dogs.

And what was next for Buddy Holly? A good night’s sleep, “upside down, rolling in pillows,” Hayes said.

“He just gets to go back to being a dog.”

Associated Press writer Anna Furman contributed. New York-based AP journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.

Yet here, at an ambling trot, comes Winston. The Frenchie with NFL connections is a strong contender at this week’s Westminster Kennel Club dog show, less than two months after the release of rankings showing that his kind has become the country’s most prevalent dog breed.

Frenchies’ rise has been stunning: from 83rd most popular to No. 1 in three decades. It also has been dogged by concerns about their health, debate over the ethics of breeding, denunciations of a gold-rush-like market with ever more “exotic” variations, and a recent spate of high-profile and sometimes fatal robberies.

If all that says something about these stumpy-snouted, pointy-eared, deep-chested, quizzical little bulldogs, what does it say about the culture that loves them?

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THEIR MEDIA IMAGE IMPACTS THEIR POPULARITY

“Just like humans, dogs get characterized for what they can do, but more importantly what they can symbolize,” says Cameron Whitley, a Western Washington University sociology professor and the chair-elect of the American Sociological Association’s Animals and Society section. Whitley argues that breeds’ popularity depends less on their traits than on their portrayal in media and pop culture.

Indeed, a 2013 study found no indication that longer lifespans, better behavior or other desirable characteristics make a dog breed more sought-after. One of the authors, Western Carolina University psychology professor Hal Herzog, also has observed that parabolic spikes in dog breeds resemble those in baby names, hit songs and other boom-and-bust commodities of pop culture. In short, they’re canine memes.

“The dogs have become a form of fashion,” says Herzog, who wrote a book about human attitudes and conduct toward animals.

French bulldogs have a colorful, centuries-long history involving English lacemakers, the Parisian demimonde and Gilded Age American tourists who brought the dogs home. (One even died in the 1912 sinking of the Titanic. ) But the breed’s U.S. heyday soon ended.

Then Americans got a fresh look at Frenchies in the current century. They turned up on domesticity maven Martha Stewart’s TV show, then in narrative series and movies (such as “Modern Family” and “Due Date”), ads (including Super Bowl spots for Skechers in 2012 and Bud Light this year) and the social media accounts of celebrity owners (Lady Gaga, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and many more).

French bulldog fans point to attributes beyond camera-readiness to explain the dogs’ appeal. They boast easy-care coats, modest exercise needs, an apartment-friendly size and a demeanor memorably described as “a clown in the cloak of a philosopher.”

Yet that hasn’t translated into wins at Westminster, where each dog is judged against an ideal for its own breed, not against others.

Still, longtime breeder and French Bull Dog Club of America spokesperson Patty Sosa posits that Frenchies “might have been out-flashed” by showier-looking breeds, such as poodles. (Labrador retriever partisans harbored similar theories during the 31 years their breed topped the popularity charts; it’s still winless at Westminster.)

Winston, however, came within a whisker of the trophy last year, taking runner-up to the first bloodhound ever to win. The Frenchie later won another prominent competition, the National Dog Show in Philadelphia in November. He heads into Westminster Monday as one of the show world’s most-winning dogs (the top prize will be awarded Tuesday night).

If a pooch can get a competitive edge through osmosis, the cream-colored 4-year-old probably has. He lives with part-owner Morgan Fox, a Los Angeles Chargers defensive end, when not on the show circuit with handler and part-owner Perry Payson.

Moreover, Winston “has the structure, he has the outline, he has the head, and he has the movement” of a winner, says Sosa. “And by God, he has the attitude.”

PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT THEIR HEALTH

While applauding Winston’s success, she says Frenchie folk have mixed feelings — one part joy, one part misgivings — about seeing the dogs get any more recognition.

Longtime breeders who adhere to health testing and other guidelines feel that Frenchie fever already has attracted opportunistic, slapdash people producing anything-goes, possibly unhealthy pups. There’s concern that “we’re losing the battle with education and just promoting a well-bred dog,” Sosa said.

Some veterinarians also are worried for Frenchies — all of them.

Partly because of their pushed-in, wrinkly faces, the animals are susceptible to breathing, eye, and other problems. While other breeds also have predispositions and mixed-breed dogs can be a question mark, recent research in Britain suggested Frenchies’ health is “largely much poorer” than that of other canines.

The British Veterinary Association has “strongly” recommended against buying any flat-faced dogs, and the Dutch government has prohibited breeding very short-snouted canines. In the U.S., the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association — a professional group with a focus on animal welfare advocacy — wants “to counter the dramatic increase in demand” for push-faced dogs, partly by discouraging their use in advertising.

“Owners who really love these dogs don’t understand how much the dogs are suffering,” says the group’s education director, Dr. Lorna Grande. (The broader American Veterinary Medical Association, meanwhile, has said it’s exploring ways to improve flat-faced dogs’ well-being.)

Dr. Carrie Stefaniak has seen French bulldogs with breathing difficulties in her practice in Glendale, Wisconsin. She urges would-be owners to understand the breed’s health risks and the potential expense of treatment. She emphasizes researching breeders carefully.

But she’s quick to add that Frenchies can flourish.

“The general public talks about the unhealthy ones,” Stefaniak says, “but we don’t often hear about the 13-year-olds that are still out there, doing great, or the ones that are doing agility or taking long hikes.”

Her own two French bulldogs do both those things.

___

New York-based Associated Press journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.

Pert little Melanie had been abandoned at one of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ community veterinary clinics. Tip’s owner had been overwhelmed by six dogs and four cats. Friendly, retriever-like Rainbow, surrendered by someone who could not care for him, snoozed in the adoption office.

While the Westminster Kennel Club crowns the cream of the canine elite on one of tennis’ most storied courts this week, the ASPCA’s facility across town will be tending to dogs that have had far darker lives.

New York is home to both the United States’ most prestigious dog show and its oldest humane society, the ASPCA. Their histories connect: Some proceeds from the inaugural Westminster show, in 1877, helped the young ASPCA build its first shelter years later.

Westminster, being held 10 miles east, feels like worlds away.

“We have different priorities, different visions,” said ASPCA President Matt Bershadker. “The dog shows are focused on breed and composition and movement. And we’re focused on the heart and the inside.”

Westminster stresses that it aims “to create a better world for all dogs,” and the club donates thousands of dollars a year to individual breeds’ rescue groups and to pet-friendly domestic violence shelters. Still, the show draws protests every year from animal-rights activists who argue that spotlighting prized purebreds leaves shelter pets in the shadows.

Bershadker, for his part, says ASPCA leaders “don’t have a problem with purebreds, but we want them to be responsibly bred.”

At the adoption center, there’s little reference to breed or might-be breed. Instead, staffers try to characterize dogs by, well, characteristics.

During a recent visit, Sauce (“great on a leash,” in adoption center leader Joel Lopez’s description) was paired with Gordon (“likes hot dogs!”) in the airy, windowed training room.

The two young adult males with gut-twisting histories — Sauce had been stabbed, Gordon starved — were there to learn to play and be around other dogs in a city of shared spaces. They sniffed each other and ran around on leashes, with occasional interventions from staffers when the interactions began to intensify.

Elsewhere in the Upper East Side building, a terrace gives a taste of the outdoors to dogs that may seldom have been there. There’s even a mock living room where volunteers can bring animals to get used to just hanging out at home.

“Regardless of where these animals are coming from, these are great pets. They just need a little bit of help to just get them over the hump and get them into the rest of their life,” Lopez said.

That help is part of a $390 million-a-year organization that responds to disasters and large-scale animal cruelty cases nationwide. Its wide-ranging work includes a Miami vet clinic, an Oklahoma City horse adoption initiative, a Los Angeles-area spaying and neutering service, a behavioral rehab facility in North Carolina, and more.

Established in 1866, the ASPCA is familiar to many Americans from its fundraising ads featuring woebegone animals, particularly a 2007 spot that featured singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and ran for years. The charity spent over $56 million on advertising and promotion alone in 2021, the last year for which its tax returns are publicly available.

Bershadker says the organization affects hundreds of thousands of animals annually, and its marketing communications form “an essential part of the ASPCA’s lifesaving work” by increasing public awareness and action.

On another end of the dog-rescue spectrum, the all-volunteer Havanese Rescue Inc. takes in an average of about 30 Havanese each year and finds new homes for many within two to four weeks, according to group leaders.

Getting $5,000 from the Westminster Kennel Club this year is “huge” to a group with a $60,000-a-year budget and dogs that have come in needing $10,000 surgeries, President Jennifer Jablonski said.

Westminster also is giving $5,000 apiece to the Newfoundland Club of America, which has a rescue arm that found new homes for 67 Newfs last year, and to Lagotto Romagnolo Dog Rescue.

At the ASPCA, the New York animal hospital alone treats 9,000 to 10,000 patients a year. In late April, there were at least 50 animals apiece in the adoption and recovery centers and about 100 or more in foster care, with kitten season looming.

There are numerous animal shelters and rescue groups in New York City, and the ASPCA isn’t the go-to place for stray and lost dogs and cats. (The city largely directs such inquiries to Animal Care Centers, another nonprofit group.)

The ASPCA’s charges often come through its work with police, but also from clinics, a food bank partnership and other efforts to connect with people struggling to support their pets because of financial, health or other problems.

While the group helps police to build criminal cases, that’s not the only outcome.

One small dog in the recovery area in late April was to be reunited with its owner. What had seemed like abandonment turned out to be a pet-sitting foul-up, but the owner also needed help with some veterinary issues, said Kris Lindsay, who oversees the recovery center.

“This,” she said, “is one of the cases that we like.”

This one, too: Rainbow has a new home — with a Connecticut man who had adopted dogs before.

___

New York-based Associated Press journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.

The former “Saturday Night Live” funnyman shared a message to fans on Dave Sirus’s Instagram page to announce Henry’s death. Sirius is a frequent collaborator of Davidson’s who writes for Davidson’s new Peacock comedy series “Bupkis.”

“Hey guys. I know today is the Bupkis premiere day but I wanna use today to remember my dog Henry. Yesterday we lost a key member of the Davidson family. Henry was only 2 years old but unfortunately got very sick very fast,” Davidson wrote next to a carousel of images of Henry.

“My mom, sister and I got Henry at the beginning of the pandemic and he saved our lives. Not sure id even be around without him,” he continued.

Davidson described Henry as “the happiest and sweetest dog ever.”

“He used to get excited when he saw me and would pee everywhere,” he wrote. “When I was working at SNL my mom would send me videos of him watching, smiling and making noise when I came on screen.”

The “Meet Cute” star went on to say that he is normally “far too scared” to watch himself onscreen, but he “didn’t mind” watching himself alongside Henry.

“He was truly the best. My mom, sister and I are broken and will miss him forever. We love you Henry. Thank you for making our lives fuller and reminding me what actually matters,” he wrote.

Davidson’s fans sent their condolences in the comments of the actor’s post.

“I’m so sorry Pete. Dogs are truly like family except they never do anything wrong and are always happy to see us,” wrote one.

“So sorry to hear of you loss, but very glad you got to spend those moments together with Henry when they mattered most,” wrote another.

Davidson was scheduled to appear as the host of “SNL” on May 6 alongside rapper Lil Uzi Vert as musical guest, but the show has been canceled in light of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.

The Guild, which represents film, television, radio, and new media writers, announced on May 1 that it had unanimously voted for a walkout after major studios — including Amazon, Apple, Discovery-Warner, Disney, Paramount, Sony, NBC Universal and Netflix—  did not meet its new contract demands.

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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But there’s a lot more than that to getting to and exhibiting in the United States’ most prestigious canine event, now in its 147th year.

So here are the ins and outs of the show, which starts Saturday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

HOW MANY DOGS COMPETE?

Twenty-five hundred dogs from 210 different breeds and varieties signed up to vie for the best in show trophy that gets awarded Tuesday night. (Varieties are subsets of breeds. Think smooth, longhaired and wirehaired dachshunds.)

Hailing from 49 states and 13 countries, contestants range from tiny Chihuahuas to giant Great Danes. They include familiar breeds like Labrador retrievers, rarities such as the sloughi, and a newcomer, the bracco Italiano. Agility and obedience contests Saturday involve a few hundred more dogs, including some mixed-breed ones.

HOW DO DOGS GET INTO THE SHOW?

All the dogs are champions, meaning they’ve racked up a certain amount of prior wins and points. Certain top dogs in the sport’s complicated rankings are invited, but other pooches also can enter.

The process of becoming a potential best in show begins when breeders suss out which puppies in a litter have the physical attributes and disposition to shine in what’s known as “conformation” competition.

Some pups eventually get to Westminster with owners who learned the ropes after unexpectedly getting a show-quality dog. Other canine contestants crisscross the country by road or even air, hitting shows every weekend with big-name professional handlers and a strategy that can entail gathering intel about rivals’ schedules, pondering judges’ past picks and even running ads to celebrate the animal’s accomplishments and boost its profile. They don’t call it “campaigning a dog” for nothing!

WHY IS THE WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW NOT AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN THIS YEAR?

It’s a new venue for Westminster, which was held for decades all or partly at Madison Square Garden. The pandemic prompted a move to outdoor digs at an estate in suburban Tarrytown, New York, for the past two years. Organizers were keen to return to New York City this year. Amid construction plans at a pier building that used to house the show’s early rounds, organizers linked up with the U.S. Open tennis tournament’s base in Flushing Meadows. “An iconic dog show event in an iconic venue,” Westminster President Donald Sturz enthuses.

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HOW DOES THE COMPETITION WORK?

“Conformation” dogs first face off against others of their breed – sometimes dozens of others, sometimes few or even none. Each breed’s winner moves on to a semifinal round of judging against others in its “group,” such as hounds, herding dogs or terriers. In the final round, the seven group winners compete for best in show.

WHAT DO JUDGES LOOK FOR?

They’re tasked with determining which dog best matches the ideal, or “standard,” for its breed.

The standard is derived from the breed’s original function and may speak to anything from teeth to tail to temperament. For example, a hound developed to hunt in rough terrain might be required to have thick paw pads. A herding dog might need proportions that allow for quick, tight turns.

Judges do hands-on examinations and watch the dogs in motion, taking in each dog’s assets and imperfections. Especially in the finals, distinctions can be very subtle. Show folk often say that victory can go to “the dog on the day” — or as the rest of us might say, the one that just brings it.

WHAT BREEDS HAVE WON THE MOST?

In records going back to 1907, Wire fox terriers have scampered away with the top prize 15 times, most recently in 2019. Scottish terriers, English springer spaniels, standard poodles and Pekingeses all have five or more wins.

Many breeds have yet to triumph, including such popular ones as the Labrador retriever. But winless breeds should never say never: A bloodhound took best in show for the first time just last year.

Westminster’s agility and obedience competitions were added only within the last decade. So far, almost all the agility championships have gone to border collies, and nearly all the obedience titles to Labs. One Lab, named Heart, won five times in a row.

HAS A MIXED-BREED DOG EVER WON?

While Westminster has said there a few mixed-breed entrants in early shows, the best in show prize wasn’t awarded until 1907 and has gone only to purebreds. The pedigreed set also has won all the agility and obedience trials to date, but there’s a special prize every year for the top mix (or “all American dog,” in show parlance).

The focus on purebreds irks groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which regularly protests Westminster as a reprehensible canine beauty pageant. The kennel club says it celebrates all dogs while highlighting “preservation breeding” of those with skills and traits that have been honed over generations.

WHAT DO WINNERS GET?

Bragging rights and trophies. There are no cash prizes, though the agility and obedience winners each get to direct a $5,000 Westminster donation to a training club or to the American Kennel Club Humane Fund.

SO WHAT’S THE POINT?

Showcasing dogs, particularly breeds that many people don’t see regularly, participants say. Many also value the friendships that develop at shows that bring dog lovers together across miles and backgrounds.

“We can all talk about dogs,” says dog expert David Frei, who hosted the Westminster telecast for over two decades. “That’s the beauty of the sport, and the beauty of dogs.”

HOW TO WATCH THE 2023 WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW?

Select coverage of the Westminster Kennel Club events will air on Fox, FS1 and FS2. Check local listings for times. You can also stream live and watch on-demand on westminsterkennelclub.org, the FOX NOW App, and the FOX Sports App.

Fido-themed fundraisers can wag their tails in a variety of settings, including parks and pet shops.

But finding a woofer-oriented event on the high seas? Or at least an area of the ocean that is close to a major city?

This is far more unlikely, which is one reason why Pet Day on the Bay is so memorable.

The annual happening, which finds people and their costumed pets enjoying a picturesque ride on a City Cruises boat around San Diego Bay, raises funds for the Helen Woodward Animal Center.

Attendees of the April 29 gathering were “… encouraged to bring an unopened, unexpired and non-prescription bag of dry or canned pet food to help Helen Woodward Animal Center’s AniMeals program.” Once on the boat, several special goodies awaited, including actual goodies for the pup passengers courtesy of Kahoots Feed & Pet.

The 2023 events — there were four daytime adventures in all — just passed, which means we can now set our periscopes on 2024 and all of the furry fun that awaits.

If you’re eager to find early inspiration for the next outing, or you simply want to “awww” over pooches rocking some seafaring garb, scroll on for a few salty snapshots taken during the 2023 happening.

The blast occurred just before 10 a.m. and the fast-moving flames quickly spread to the attic, according to Poway Fire Department’s Deputy Fire Chief Brian Mitchell.

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Within 20 minutes, crews had knocked down the fire, according to Poway Fire Battalion Chief Jesus Ramirez.

A woman who was home alone with the dog was able to get out safely and uninjured, Ramirez said.

“She told me that she was able to get notification from her dog who nudged her that something was off in the house,” Chief Ramirez said.

The family of four was displaced by the fire.

Crews have not confirmed what caused the fire, but officials believe the blast may have come from firearms ammunition and paint in the garage.

Pearl, a two-year-old female chihuahua from Orlando, Florida, has been crowned the world’s shortest dog living, according to Guinness World Records.

At just 3.59 inches in height, Pearl is shorter than a popsicle stick and slightly taller than a teacup. Her length measures 5 inches, approximately the size of a dollar bill. She weighs 1.22 pounds.

But don’t let her size fool you.

Pearl’s owner, Vanesa Semler, told the host of Guinness’ Italian talent TV show “Lo Show Dei Record” that the pocket-sized dog is “a bit of a diva.”

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Semler also said that Pearl is “a child at heart” despite her being two years old. Besides Pearl, Semler has three other dogs, but only Pearl is considered small. 

“We’re blessed to have her and to have this unique opportunity to break our own record and share with the world this amazing news,” she said.

Pearl is related to the previous record holder Miracle Milly, who was 3.8 inches. Milly passed away in 2020 before Pearl was born in September of that year to one of Milly’s identical sisters. Both dogs weighed less than an ounce at birth, according to Guinness World Records.

Using a dog-measuring wicket while following a straight vertical line, Pearl’s vet measured her height from the base of the leg foot to the top of the shoulder blades. Guinness World Records says she was measured three times with brief breaks in between.

Semler says Pearl’s favorite foods include chicken and salmon and that Pearl enjoys “dressing up nice.”

The pursuit of a 27-year-old attempted murder and carjacking suspect began Friday around midday near 101st and San Pedro streets in the South Los Angeles area. Police pursued the pickup with a heavily damaged front suspension into the LAX area, where the driver rammed through cars at a stoplight before stopping and getting into a getaway SUV stopped on the street.

At some point, the puppy was placed in a designer bag and throw from the moving vehicle. LAPD officers rescued the dog, who was turned over the South LA Animal Services.

The dog appeared to be unharmed, police said.

The dog will remain in the care of Animal Services, pending an investigation, police said.

The chase continued through several South Los Angeles communities with a line of patrol SUVs in pursuit. At some point, a rear tire of the SUV was damaged.

The chase ended in a West Carson neighborhood with three people, including the attempted murder suspect, in custody.

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The dog appeared to have endured tough times when she was rescued by the La Belle Foundation in Los Angeles.

“This young dog has been through the wringer and back,” said the rescue organization in a social media post. “She has horrible scratches on her swollen face and goopy eyes, not to mention two giant lumps in her sweet head.”

Shelters previously had thought the lump on the head was a tumor and wanted to put her down. But tests showed that it was scar tissue from an old injury and not life-threatening.

When Strawberry was all healed and ready for adoption, the Kuhlman family in South Pasadena saw her online and “couldn’t resist.”

“Something spoke to me about her,” said Kristen Kuhlman, the matriarch of the family. “She wasn’t able to find a home for quite a while. We waited and thought about it. And we kept seeing her on the website.”

The family, who was just bouncing back from the sadness of losing a dog of 15 years, decided to bring Strawberry home and shower her with love and affection.

“She’s a good snuggler,” said Claire Kuhlman, the twin daughter of Kristen’s, while laughing. “She’ll lay on top of you. She’s heavy and big.”

It’s unimaginable that the gentle and sweet dog was almost euthanized, the Kuhlmans said.

“We wondered a lot about how the bump got there,” Jack Kuhlman, the twin son of the family, said. “I think that’s another reason why it took her so long to get adopted.”

The pup came with the name “Strawberry,” and the family decided to keep it because it felt like a good “fit.”

“It’s cute. It is a lot of syllables, so we sometimes call her ‘Strawbs,’” explained Jeff Kuhlman, the patriarch. “We found a leash that had strawberries. It all seemed to work.”

The kids said the first things they do after coming home from school are playing fetch with Strawberry and snuggling with their new dog.

Strawberry the unicorn dog also has some fans in the neighborhood as the pup is quite recognizable with her unique bump on the head, according to the family.

“People would roll down the windows and say, ‘Hey strawberry,’” Kristen Kuhlman explained. “She’s very loved by many people.”

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Some of the puppies arrived safely at their temporary home at Wagmor Pets Dog Rescue in Studio City.

A day before, the pups — some pregnant, but mostly all with ribcages sticking out — were living off of the Lancaster desert trying to survive.

“I received a call that there was a property in Lancaster that was known as a dumping ground — they go by and dump dogs,” Melissa Bacelar of Wagmor Pets Dog Rescue said.

Bacelar says the man living on the property has been overwhelmed by the amount of dogs that have shown up, counting 40 of them at least.

Many are pregnant, sick and some have even been found dead.

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“We found transporters. We found places for the dogs to go. We are raising donations. That is the biggest thing,” Bacelar said.

They managed to save 10 puppies and immediately took them to the vet.

Bacelar says these puppies are starving since they have had to scrounge for food, which is evident by their protruding bones and their low weights.

“These puppies are sick. They have bacteria. They are not treated well. They weren’t eating well,” Bacelar said.

But, saving these puppies is no easy feat. The cost is a lot for a rescue to take on and they don’t have any extra space so they have to rely on fosters to come forward.

“When you are hit with situations like this, it is unfortunately almost every day now there has been more of an influx of dogs,” Bacelar said.

Even though resources are thin, she says it is worth it.

“The best part of the whole thing is …. making sure dogs are fed and making sure they are happy and safe the rest of their lives,” Bacelar said.

Because they have no more room to take on any more rescues, five of them are going to a foster home.

Rescuers say they are surprised by how social the dogs are, they will be ready for adoption in two weeks.

As for the rest of the dogs in Lancaster, the rescue team is working closely with the man on the property, helping to provide food and resources.

Those interested in learning more about adoption, fostering or donating can visit Wagmor Pets’ website and Instagram page.

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HOUND-HAPPY HOTEL: There are several vibrant inns and stylish stay-over spots around the Golden State, the pretty places that display more than a little moxie in their easygoing approach to hospitality, zazzy design, and plentiful amenities. Quite often, pets are invited to tag along with their humans to these destinations, and the amenities extend to the four-footed set, a perk that is especially nice for people who adore adventuring alongside their pooches. Then there are those hotels that go the dogly distance on delighting their furriest visitors, with a line-up of packages, special events, and other canine kindnesses. Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach has become well-known on the tail-wagging travel scene, a reputation that stems, in part, from a party thrown for pups and people on the picturesque Ocean Lawn.

PUP FEST… will again summon belly scratches, sunny skies, and springtime smiles on Sunday, April 2. The five-hour meet-up will feature “(b)arky bites and beverages,” performances from local bands, costume contests, and some adorable activities geared to the dogs in attendance. A general admission ticket is $50, but there is a VIP option available if you’re thinking of making a day of it (there are two drink tickets included). And speaking of the VIP life? The hotel offers a Very Important Pet package, which features a host of goodies including “dog-friendly accommodations,” take-home souvenirs, and a waived pet fee. Pop by this site for Pup Fest information and more on the ways the beach-close hotel dotes upon the dogs that visit.

IF YOUR SCRUFFY SKIPPER… looks adorable in an ocean-inspired outfit but hasn’t ever enjoyed the Big Blue, save for quick romps on the beach, there may be a way to savor a seaworthy adventure together. It’s Pet Day on the Bay, an annual fundraiser for the Helen Woodward Animal Center, and it involves people and their pups taking a breezy and beautiful hourlong cruise, all to soak in the spectacular sights of San Diego’s picturesque skyline. Pups won’t need to raise the masts or read the radars; they’re simply there to bask in the salty sunshine and rock some pretty sweet looks, get-ups that pay playful homage to the Pacific. Canine costumes aren’t a requirement, of course; rather, the desire to enjoy a rare chance to cruise with your cutie is the fun focus of the festivity.

50+ LANDMARKS: The narrated cruise will give guests the chance to admire dozens of local structures and points of interest from the vantage point of a boat, while pups can snack on treats from Kahoots. Representatives from the Rancho Santa Fe center will be there, too, to chat about adopting a new best buddy. And as for goodies that humans might hanker for? No need to woof or whine; a snack bar will be open with beverages and noshables for sale. A ticket is $35 for an adult, and reading up on what you should know before you and your bestie go is a must (pooches must be leashed at all times, and one dog per person is permitted). If you love the other well-known fundraisers for the Helen Woodward Animal Center, like the superheroic PAWmicon, you’ll want to set sail for this page and lap up all the information.

The dog, whom the group called Allie, was stranded outside Des Moines International Airport in Iowa four days after Christmas, on Dec. 29. Her owner apparently left her in front of the terminal when he was told he couldn’t fly her home without a crate.

It didn’t take long for other travelers to report Allie’s abandonment to authorities. One of the families who spotted her that day adopted her Wednesday, the Animal Rescue League of Iowa says. The rescue group, which cared for more than 10,000 pets last year, says the new family reached out to say Allie has been settling in quite well.

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As previously reported, Allie’s original owner had been returning home via Newark Airport after working in Iowa. He could face a dog abandonment charge in Iowa, though there were no indications of abuse, the rescue group has said.

The Associated Humane Societies shelter near Newark International Airport says they see abandonments too often.

“We get dogs tied up, left at parks and we get them constantly. You get four out, you get 10 more in,” Lindsay Papa, the manager of the shelter, said.

Still, staffers expressed outrage that such a sweet and kind puppy, as the Iowa group described Allie, would be left so haphazardly.

“You buying a dog, to give it love, care. Just to drop if off — that would be like dropping my kid off,” Associated Humane Societies Newark Supervisor Hakim Green said.

Shelters just like the one in Newark have plenty of dogs ready for adoption. Learn more about adopting pets here.

The 1-year-old pup, named Allie, was left abandoned at the airport in Des Moines, Iowa, on Dec. 29th. She was tied up out front of the terminal when her owner was told that without a crate, he couldn’t fly her home.

It took just moments for travelers to alert police to Allie’s abandonment, after her owner — identified as Charles Bigsen — decided to catch that flight back to New Jersey without his pet.

Despite the 1,000-mile flight, Bigsen won’t be able to escape the long arm of the law. He was returning home just before New Year’s after working in Iowa, but will potentially face a dog abandonment charge in the state. There were no signs of abuse, however.

“I think the previous owner has relinquished all rights of ownership verbally to us,” said Joe Stafford of the Animal Rescue League-Iowa, where Allie is now up for adoption. “She really is very loving, sweet caring young dog that exhibited lot of puppy behaviors.”

NBC New York was unable to reach Bigsen for comment.

Back in Newark, at the Associated Humane Societies shelter near Newark International Airport, staff said that abandonments in general aren’t that rare.

“We get dogs tied up, left at parks and we get them constantly. You get four out, you get 10 more in,” said Lindsay Papa, the manager of the shelter.

While Allie is now getting plenty of attention and love, especially on social media, there is a measured outrage at the Newark animal shelter that any dog could be abandoned in such a manner.

“You buying a dog, to give it love, care. Just to drop if off — that would be like dropping my kid off,” said Associated Humane Societies Newark Supervisor Hakim Green.

Shelters just like the one in Newark have plenty of dogs ready for adoption, but Allie has no such worries now back in Iowa. The Animal Rescue League told NBC New York that one of the travelers involved in the rescue will like be her new owner in a week or so. 

“We’re seeing animals, particularly dogs, coming in in numbers we’ve never seen before,” said Lisa Jenkins, program Manager with County of Santa Clara Animal Care & Control.

Jenkins with the county of Santa Clara Animal Services said their shelter in San Martin has been at or over capacity since March. She added that they reached a point where they’re literally overflowing at 150% capacity.

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“If we don’t have the public stepping forward to adopt or foster, we’re going to be faced with making euthanasia decisions we haven’t had to make in the years I’ve been here,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins and others like the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA believe families are giving up or abandoning their pets like never before because of economic reasons, including cost of living and vet services.

In fact, a survey by the American Pet Products Association found the number two reason families have fewer pets now than they did three months ago, as they can no longer afford to take care of their furry family members.

It’s not just shelters. Spay and neuter nonprofit clinics like animal fix clinic in Richmond said they’re overwhelmed.

Hundreds of pet owners are calling them for help because they can’t afford surgery.

Animal fix clinic said they’re conducting about 40 surgeries a day and their waitlist is more than three months.

Shelters across the Bay are asking pet owners not to abandon animals on the street and instead to take them to your local shelter. But if you can, first consider getting help from animal food banks and non-profit spay and neuter clinics.

A lab named Amanda is spreading holiday cheer in the community alongside Miami-Dade Officer Manny Rodriguez after being rescued from life in the shelter.

“This is my K-9 partner Amanda. She’s a police therapy dog,” Officer Rodriguez said to a kid playing in the Doral park.

Amanda is one of the first dogs in a program designed by former Miami-Dade Commissioner Sally Heyman to take dogs who are in the shelter and turn them into police K-9s.

“This has definitely been one of the most rewarding things I have done with the department,” said Rodriguez.

Yes, Amanda goes to schools and to senior facilities, but one of her most important jobs is supporting Miami-Dade police officers who are going through traumatic situations. Earlier this year, officers have been shot and lives have been lost.

“For me personally, it’s been amazing,” said Rodriguez. “If I’m going through something, I am able to lean on her. Recently, we’ve had a lot of officers that have either been hurt or killed in the line of duty, and that’s something very difficult for all of us to deal with.”

Amanda’s name has a tremendous amount of meaning inside the Miami-Dade County Police Department. She is named after officer Amanda Haworth, who was killed in the line of duty just over a decade ago.

“She’s comfort. She’s no judgment, you know. You go to an animal and it’s unconditional love, and that’s what she gives out to the department, and that’s what she gives out to the community,” Rodriguez told NBC 6.

“When an officer is going through something traumatic, all she does is walk into the room and you see these big burly officers they become kids again,” he said. “They’re on the floor rolling around with her as if they were children, and for that time they completely forget about anything that’s going on.”

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the shelter-to-service K-9 program is “a creative win-win kind of solution.”

Levine Cava says the dogs have been there in the worst of times.

“We have used these dogs for care and comfort not only to the community at large but to the families of those who have been affected by tragedy,” she said. “When our own officers are harmed in the line of duty, these dogs have been a great source of comfort. I’ve seen them embraced. I’ve seen people break down crying.”

Amanda is a year and four months old, and it took her about six months to get trained to be able to go out and do this kind of work in our community.

Right now, the department has three other K-9s like her, and hopefully, another one is also on the way.

Amanda’s message tonight is to not forget about her friends at the shelter.

You can dial 3-1-1 or go to MiamiDade.gov/animals to inquire about a furry addition to your family.

He also has a heartwarming adoption story that began more than a year ago when he arrived at Best Friends Animal Society’s center in Los Angeles covered in ticks. Not much is known about Elf’s life before he was taken in by Best Friends, but it likely wasn’t easy.

“It was evident that this senior boy had had a rough time,” Best Friends said in a news release. “Upon arrival, he was covered in ticks and was timid around most people.”

In a case of serendipitous timing, Sabrina Maharaj started volunteering with Best Friends a few weeks later in June 2021. Over the next few months, Maharaj kept an eye on the handsome senior brindle super mutt who just couldn’t seem to meet the right person.

It turned out, the right person was watching over him all along.

“Every time I saw Elf go into a foster home I would get so happy, but then he’d be back in the shelter again,” said Maharaj. “It was obvious what a unique, funny, and super sweet soul he was. He never barked at the shelter, which is incredibly rare. Despite this, I was afraid he would continue to get overlooked by potential adopters because of his age.”

In October, Maharaj’s adopted boxer Finn died due to cancer. No dog can be replaced, but she knew Elf might help fill that dog-shaped hole in her heart.

“I couldn’t allow grief to stop my family from getting Elf home for the holidays,” Maharaj said.

Shelters throughout the country are struggling with higher animal intake levels as adoptions, fosters and rescues try to keep pace, according to Best Friends. The result: Animals staying in shelters for longer periods.

Embrace Pet Insurance will cover adoption fees at all Best Friends Animal Society lifesaving centers and programs in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Northwest Arkansas, Salt Lake City, and sanctuary in Kanab, Utah through Dec. Animals are fixed, vaccinated, microchipped, and ready to go home.

According to the American Kennel Club, although traditional Thanksgiving foods — like a turkey bone — may seem like tasty treats to dogs, a handful of them are unsafe. The American Veterinary Medical Association notes that fatty foods are hard for animals to digest, and poultry bones can damage a pet’s digestive tract.

Additionally, while sweets and desserts may be a human’s favorite item on the menu, for a dog, they can be deadly or poisonous.

These Holiday Foods Are Unsafe For Dogs:

• Turkey bones, skin and gravy: The AVMA notes that even a small amount of turkey or turkey skin can cause pancreatitis in dogs.
• Yeast dough: While bread is not typically harmful for pets, yeast dough can lead to painful gas and dangerous bloating. “When a dog eats bread dough, the yeast continues to make the dough rise, distending your pup’s stomach and releasing toxic levels of ethanol into the bloodstream,” the AKC says.
• Desserts that ontain chocolate or Xylitol: Chocolate is toxic to dogs, the AKC says. Signs of chocolate poising, which include vomiting, diarrhea, increased urination and restlessness, usually appear within 6-12 hours.
• Onions, Garlic: According to the AKC, onions and garlic contain toxins that can lead to anemia in dogs.
• Raisins, Grapes: Both are known to be highly toxic to dogs, the AKC says.

Additionally, stuffing, casseroles, mashed potatoes, creamed peas, ham and alcoholic beverages are all considered unsafe due to fat content, or unsafe or unhealthy ingredients.

So how can your dog participate in holiday eating? The AVMA and AKC suggest these holiday-safe alternatives to offer your furry friends.

These Holiday Foods are Safe For Dogs

• Apples: As long as you are cutting around the core, the AKC says, since “large amounts of apple seeds can be toxic.”
• Plain Turkey: According to the AKC, plain turkey is ok to offer your dog “as long as it has not been prepared with any seasoning.”
• Green Beans: Similar to turkey, green beans are a healthy option for dogs as long as they are plain, and without added ingredients like butter or spices.
• Pumpkin: “Pumpkin helps with digestive health and it’s great for a dog’s skin and coat,” Dr. Gary Richter, MS, DVM says. However, “make sure its just pumpkin, and not the pre-spiced pie mix.”
• Carrots: “While carrots are generally safe, it is important to cut whole carrots and even carrot sticks into bite-size chunks before feeding them to your dog,” the AKC says.
• Sweet potato: Another great option, as sweet potatoes without any added ingredients contain “dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C and beta-carotene,” Richter says.

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Moon Jae-in, a liberal who left office in May, received the two white “Pungsan” hunting dogs – a breed known to be indigenous to North Korea – from Kim following their peace summit in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang in September 2018.

The dogs are officially considered state property, but Moon took the pair and one of their seven offspring home after he left office. The move was made possible by a change of law in March that allowed presidential gifts to be managed outside of the Presidential Archives if they were animals or plants.

But Moon’s office on Monday said he decided he could no longer raise the three dogs because the current government of President Yoon Suk Yeol was refusing to cover the costs for the animals’ food and veterinary care. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said that the dogs were returned to the government on Tuesday and that the parent dogs originally sent from Kim were being examined at a veterinary hospital in the city of Daegu.

In its statement released on Facebook, Moon’s office accused Yoon’s office of “inexplicably” blocking the ministry’s proposal to provide government funds for the animal’s care.

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The ministry confirmed it had drafted a budget plan to provide a monthly 2.5 million won ($1,810) in subsidies, including 500,000 won ($360) for the dogs’ food and veterinary care and 2 million ($1,450) for hiring workers to look after them. But the ministry said the plans were put on hold for months because of unspecified “opposing opinions” from within the ministry and the Ministry of Government Legislation.

“It seems that the presidential office, unlike the Presidential Archives and the Interior and Safety Ministry, has a negative view about entrusting the care of the Pungsan dogs to former President Moon,” Moon’s office said.

If that’s the case, Yoon’s government should be “cool” about ending that entrustment, Moon’s office said.

“There would be disappointment and regrets as they were companion animals (Moon) grew attached to, but there would be no way to reject the termination of entrustment,” it said.

Yoon’s office shifted the blame to Moon, saying it never prevented him from keeping the animals and that the discussions about providing financial support were still ongoing.

“It was entirely the decision of former President Moon Jae-in to return the Pungsan dogs to the Presidential Archives” instead of waiting out a legislative amendment to secure the subsidies, Yoon’s office said.

Moon and Yoon’s spat over the dogs sparked criticism online, with users lamenting that the animals were being treated only as properties.

Staking his single presidential term on inter-Korean rapprochement, Moon met Kim three times in 2018 and lobbied hard to help set up Kim’s meetings with former U.S. President Donald Trump. But the diplomacy never recovered from the collapse of the second Kim-Trump meeting in 2019 in Vietnam, where the Americans rejected North Korea’s demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for dismantling an aging nuclear facility, which would have amounted to a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.

Kim has since vowed to bolster his nuclear deterrent to counter “gangster-like” U.S. pressure and sped up his weapons development despite limited resources and pandemic-related difficulties. The North has fired dozens of missiles this year, using the distraction created by Russia’s war on Ukraine to increase arms development and ramp up pressure on the United States and its regional allies.

Eclipse, a dog who became famous for taking the bus by herself in Seattle, has died. 

The official Twitter account of the King County Metro confirmed her death when they shared a photo of Eclipse in what appeared to be a dog park.

“Eclipse was a super sweet, world-famous, bus-riding dog and true Seattle icon,” the account shared on Friday, Oct. 14. “You brought joy and happiness to everyone and showed us all that good dogs belong on the bus.”

“Rest in peace, Eclipse,” they added. “Thank you for bringing us so many smiles.”

Eclipse’s Facebook page also confirmed her death on Friday and said that she “passed in her sleep about 7 this morning,” just two days after announcing that Eclipse had “cancerous tumors.”

In 2015, Eclipse became a local celebrity when she was spotted taking the bus by herself to a nearby dog park.

Eclipse learned how to ride the D-Line all on her own when she took previous trips with her owner, Jeff Young.

Her first trip started when Young took too long to finish a cigarette by his Queen Anne apartment so Eclipse hopped aboard the bus before Young could join her.

The black Labrador-mastiff mix traveled all the way to Belltown with Young following closely behind. Since that day, she’s made numerous trips to the park on her own and local bus drivers even started to recognize the pooch when she climbed aboard.

“People on the bus, now, they look for her,” Young told TODAY in 2015. “She really makes their day. … If I show up without her, people are like, ‘Hi. Where’s Eclipse?’”

According to the NBC affiliate KIRO 7, Eclipse would even have her own bus pass attached to her collar.

“She gets along with everyone, and she smiles,” Young’s girlfriend Lauren Campbell told TODAY in 2015. “It’s a really distinct smile, and it’s really cute.”

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ADORING A PARTICULAR BREED? You know that finding a t-shirt, a mug, a scarf, a tote, or a water bottle with your go-to growler’s gorgeous mug on the front won’t be too hard. Pet vendors specializing in large dogs, small dogs, and quirky cuties offer an assortment of intriguing items that shower love upon particular Lassies and Laddies. But finding a breed-centered celebration, one that’s taking place in a charming space, the sort of festivity that gives people the opportunity to hobnob with other humans who dote upon a specific breed? That can be trickier. California, which is famous for hosting multiple festivals honoring the same foods, passions, and pursuits, is also home to a number of notable Fido festivals. And some of those events lavish affection on different breeds, like the So Cal Corgi beach-based bashes or Pugtoberfest in San Diego. But if you’re a Poodle person or a Bernese Mountain Dog enthusiast, feel the cheer: Two hound-tastic happenings are trotting this way as October 2022 begins.

POODLE DAY… is ready to charm Carmel-by-the-Sea on Saturday, Oct. 1, complete with a pooch-packed parade, cocktail soirées, and chances to chat up other Poodle-ists. The beneficiary of the furry fun? It’s the NorCal Poodle Rescue. And in Half Moon Bay? One of the biggest Bernese Mountain Dog romps around will weave through the picturesque pumpkins at Farmer John’s. The verdant patch welcomed “well over 130+ Bernese guests” in 2021. You can expect dozens of delightful dogs and their companions to visit in 2022, for pictures, pumpkin browsing, and wet, sloppy smooches. The upcoming date? It’s all raising a happy howl on Sunday, Oct. 2.

Acute stress changes the compounds found in human sweat and breath, research has shown. For the new experiment, four dogs were presented with sweat and breath samples collected from human volunteers — before and after the people engaged in a difficult math exercise.

The canine participants were able to detect with a greater than 90% accuracy which samples came from before and which came from after the 36 human volunteers had spent three minutes trying to count backward, aloud, from 9,000 in units of 17, according to the report published Wednesday in the scientific journal PLOS One.

“This study provides further evidence of the extraordinary capabilities of ‘man’s best friend,’” said the study’s first author, animal psychologist Clara Wilson.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com.

SALTY DOGS: There are Salty Dogs (we’re speaking about the spirited cocktail here) and salty dogs (when your sassy pup talks back, letting you know he’d like a second or third snack). And then, on a special September Sunday at Del Mar Dog Beach? There are salty dogs, the sort of shaggy sweeties that have taken a dip or two or twenty in the Pacific surf. These damp doggies are out on the sand to A) have fun and B) pose for playful pictures and C) help the Helen Woodward Animal Center of Rancho Santa Fe. The critter-assisting spot is known for its memorable fundraisers — this is the organization behind PAWmicon each July, the superhero-cute parade ahead of Comic-Con International — and its late-late-summer celebration is a memory-maker, for sure. For pups make for the beach during the annual Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon, all to hang out with their humans, romp in the water, and enter adorable costume contests.

YOUR OWN PUP… can play a part at the Sept. 18 fundraiser. Nope, you and your tail-wagger won’t have to head out into the ocean to hang ten, er, twenty, or um, thirty, but you can enjoy the big beach scene, which boasts dog vendors in the pop-up BARKet Place, an area with kids’ activities, photo opportunities, and the aforementioned costume contests. And the theme of the dress-up-your-dog to-do in 2022? “Sporting legends” is the inspiration. However you choose to do the day, know that all proceeds will benefit the center. “Dogs love the beach, but more than that, dogs absolutely love spending time with their favorite human friend,” said Helen Woodward Animal Services Manager Katrina Cauzza. “This event is a beautiful way to witness the incredible bond between pups and pawrents while also enjoying the gorgeous sights San Diego has to offer.”

After Queen Elizabeth II’s death was announced on Thursday, Sept. 8, royal watchers and dog lovers everywhere had one lingering question: What would happen to her beloved pets?

The queen was known for her love of corgis (and dorgis, a crossbreed of corgis and dashchunds), as well as other animals. At the time of her death, she left behind four dogs, including one dorgi, Candy, who was photographed with her during the Platinum Jubilee. The other three dogs including two corgis and one cocker spaniel.

On Sunday, Sept. 11, a source close to Prince Andrew, the queen’s third child, confirmed that the two corgis would move to his home in Windsor. There was no word on what would happen to the other two dogs.

Prince Andrew recently had his patronages and military affiliations removed after he was accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre, a woman who alleges she was trafficked to Andrew by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Giuffre alleged she was 17 at the time. Guiffre and the prince settled their civil suit in Feb. 2022.

Prince Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, “bonded with the queen over dog walking and riding horses,” said the source. Ferguson and Prince Andrew divorced in 1996 but remained in contact.

“Even after her divorce, she would continue her great friendship with the Queen by walking the dogs in Frogmore and chatting,” the source continued.

In 2021, Prince Andrew gifted Queen Elizabeth with a dorgi and a corgi. According to the source, Sarah had found those puppies.

On Instagram, the duchess paid tribute to her former mother-in-law, thanking her for her “extraordinary legacy” and “fantastic example of duty and service and steadfastness” before taking a more personal note.

“To me, she was the most incredible mother-in-law and friend. I will always be grateful to her for the generosity she showed me in remaining close to me even after my divorce,” she wrote, alongside a photo of the queen smiling in pale purple. “I will miss her more than words can express.”

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The San Diego Humane Society (SDHS) is taking in the beagles for much-needed care and love before they’re ready to be placed in their forever homes. The pups will arrive at Gillespie Field via a Greater Goods Charities Flight on Wednesday and then be transported to the Humane Society’s El Cajon Campus. Once there, the dogs will undergo intake and health exams.

“For our staff and volunteers, this day could not come soon enough,” San Diego Humane Society President and CEO, Dr. Gary Weitzman, said in a statement. “These beagles deserve this second chance and we’re very glad to be able to open our doors to them, just as we will soon ask our community to do,” Weitzman continued in his statement.

After receiving the necessary care, 50 dogs will be placed in foster care by SDHS and the remainder of the beagles will be placed with rescue partners PAWS of Coronado and the Rancho Coastal Humane Society.

The pups are coming from a facility run by Envigo, which is now facing a lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The lawsuit states the facility bred the dogs and sold them to laboratories for experimentation.

According to the complaint, the facility had up to 5,000 beagles since July 2021. About 4,000 dogs in total will be removed.

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Since 2015, NBC Bay Area and Telemundo 48’s Clear the Shelter campaigns have helped more than 23,000 animals at shelters find new forever homes in the Bay Area. Nationally, more than 700,000 pets have been adopted through the program.

“When we opened at 10 a.m., we basically had a line down the street,” said Berkeley Humane Executive Director Jeffrey Zerwekh.

Zerwekh said that this year’s campaign has been especially successful.

“We’ve had more animals available than we’ve had in the past couple of years. Part of it is that people are ready to come out and adopt, and part of it is that the shelters are very full. At Berkeley Humane, we had over hundred animals, or at least we did this morning,” he said.

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By early Saturday afternoon, there were only two dogs left for adoption compared to 98 when they opened in Berkeley. 96 dogs already had new homes, along with dozens of cats.

One of the adopted dogs, named Akamu, is now headed to a new home in Santa Rosa, where the family chose a new addition specifically from a shelter instead of a breeder.

“Because we want all of these animals to have lovely homes where they’re cared for and loved. They just deserve it,” said Santa Rosa resident Maureen Nicholas.

Some of the animals were named after NBC Bay Area anchors and reporters who have been working to spread the word about Clear the Shelter events.

“So, I’m here to adopt Marcus Washington, who is the little kitten over there. I initially saw him over at the Oakland Animal Shelter, and I absolutely fell in love with him,” said Victoria Schaefer.

Schaefer said she was set on rescuing “Marcus” as she said she did her research, learned he’d be here and came early to adopt him before he was gone.

“I’m so excited. He’s going to have so much love,” she said.

The free adoption, Clear the Shelter event at San Jose’s Animal Care Center was also a great success as dozens of animals found their forever homes Saturday.

While NBC Bay Area doesn’t have final numbers from all of the shelters as of Saturday evening, it’s safe to say many Bay Area pets are now enjoying new homes and new families thanks to this annual effort.

Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious viral disease that typically causes acute gastrointestinal illness in puppies. According to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, CPV generally appears in puppies between six and 20 weeks old but can also affect older dogs. Vomiting and diarrhea are signs of the disease, though a press release shared by MDARD said a dog who exhibited these symptoms tested negative for CPV at a veterinary clinic.

The disease is not transmissible to people or other animals.

Earlier this month, on Aug. 8, Otsego County Animal Shelter issued a public service announcement on its Facebook page, revealing the alarming occurrence of deaths.

The post shared that multiple dogs had been reported to have become sick in the past month with what appeared to be parvo.

In a statement issued to TODAY, a spokesperson for MDARD explained, “Parvovirus is not a reportable disease to the state veterinarian, so there isn’t a direct case count number to provide. What we have is anecdotal information placing the parvo case number somewhere between 15-25 or so, but no confirmation.”

Reports of illness and deaths have come from outside Otsego County, Northern Michigan. According to the Otsego animal shelter, reports have been issued in Vanderbilt, Michigan, the City of Gaylord, west of Gaylord, and south of Gaylord.

Nora Wineland, Michigan’s state veterinarian and Animal Industry Division Director at MDARD, shared on the department’s website that the investigations into the situation are in the early stages.

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“We are still in the early stages of this investigation, but some of the first samples submitted to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory were positive for canine parvovirus. However, there are more results pending and more to be learned,” Wineland explained. “When MDARD first learned of these cases in northern Michigan, we immediately reached out to the veterinarians and animal shelters involved and began our response efforts.”

“Protecting animal and public health is one of the department’s key pillars, but it is a team effort,” the statement continued, before issuing a a guidance to pet owners. “Dog owners need to ensure their pet is up to date on routine vaccinations as it’s the first step in keeping your pet healthy.”

According to MDARD, there are various steps owners can take to ensure that their pets are protected, including ensuring all dogs (puppies included) are fully vaccinated before allowing them to interact with other animals.

Owners are advised to ensure that vaccinations cover canine parvovirus, rabies, canine distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis. Dogs and puppies with symptoms or illnesses should be sheltered at home and away from other dogs. Owners should also immediately contact their veterinarian. All owners should also be diligent about picking up their dog’s waste while on walks or outside.

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A man found the woman in a rural area of Clay County on Monday but couldn’t get close to her because of several large dogs, NBC affiliate KTIV-TV reports.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says the man reported what he found and deputies determined the woman was dead. She was identified as Mindy Kiepe, 43, of Rossie.

The state medical examiner said Wednesday that Kiepe died of multiple dog bites. An investigation determined Kiepe’s Great Danes caused her death.

Kiepe lived at a farm near where her body was found.

The sheriff’s office said the dogs were euthanized.

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Bohnert doubted it, but still curious, he went to the cave site near his rural Missouri home. That’s when he saw the picture one of the rescuers took.

“I said, ‘that’s my dog,’” Bohnert recalled Monday.

Making Abby’s tale even more amazing is the fact that she’s just weeks shy of turning 14. Yet somehow, she managed to survive nearly 60 days out on her own, apparently much or all of it in a barren, pitch-dark, 58-degree Fahrenheit (14-degree Celsius) cave.

Abby and Bohnert’s other dog, Summer, do everything together, including misbehaving.

On June 9, the pair ran away from home, Bohnert recalled. It had happened before, and in the rural area near Perryville in eastern Missouri, it was generally no big deal. The dogs would scamper through the fields, maybe chase something, then head home.

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When Bohnert awoke the next morning, Summer was back home but Abby was not.

“They never separate,” he said. “I figured something bad had happened. I mean, she’s old. She could just get overcome by the heat.”

Bohnert posted about his missing dog on Facebook, reached out to neighbors and contacted police, but no one had seen Abby.

On Aug. 6, Gerry Keene and five other adults, along with five children, had just entered the Berome Moore Cave, planning a day of exploring. One of the kids ran ahead of the group and yelled back to his dad, “There’s a dog in here.”

“Their dad was like, no there’s not,” Keene said.

Yes, there was.

“She was just lying there curled up in a ball,” Keene recalled. “She lifted her head and looked at us but she didn’t respond to verbal commands. She looked like she was pretty close to being done.”

Keene enlisted the help of another caver who happened to be there, Rick Haley. They knew Abby couldn’t make the estimated 500-foot walk back to the entrance, especially since it was through tight passageways and up a steep incline.

Haley was trained in cave rescues, and he retrieved a duffel bag and a blanket from his truck. They put the blanket inside the bag, then the dog, who immediately took to the warm blanket after weeks laying in the cold mud.

Still, getting Abby out was tricky given her fragility.

“It was critical that we not give her any rough handling,” Haley said. In the rocky areas through small passageways, “We would carry her short distance, set her down, then kind of move in front of her, reach back, pick her up, and put her in front of us.” He described it as “kind of a leap-frog kind of thing.”

Soon after initially finding Abby, Keene briefly went to a few homes nearby to see if anyone was missing a dog. One neighbor reached out to Bohnert, who lives close enough to the cave site that he can see it from his home.

He went there assuming it couldn’t be Abby — how could a 13-year-old dog have survived such an ordeal?

To his amazement, she did, and roughly an hour-and-a-half after the rescue began, she was out. One of the rescuers gave Abby a bite of beef.

“She almost ate his finger off,” Keene said. Almost immediately, she began to perk up.

Bohnert figures Abby ended up in the cave after falling into a sinkhole or a hidden entrance. Haley said there were paw prints everywhere, indicating she initially tried to get out.

After that, Haley and Bohnert believe she hunkered down, able to essentially live off her own body fat.

“I think she was just in a preservation mode,” Bohnert said.

Abby normally weighs about 50 pounds, Bohnert said, but he guessed she lost half her body weight in the cave. Since her rescue, she has regained weight and started to get back the voice she likely lost barking for help.

She’s also wagging her tail again, showing she’s putting the trauma behind her.

“It’s amazing how she’s springing back already,” Bohnert said. “She’s acting like herself again.”

To learn more about Clear The Shelters 2022 and search for adoptable pets in your area, visit cleartheshelters.com. You can also donate to your local animal shelters and rescue groups by visiting clearthesheltersfund.org.

More often than not, you may find yourself stopped by some shrubs, staring at the pedestrians walking by, as your dog snuffles at the same leaf for several minutes. But before you pull your dog away from that tree (or fire hydrant, or bush, or scrap of sidewalk…), it may be worth it to consider the walk from their point of view.

And for dogs, that point of view is more of a point of smell.

According to the American Kennel Club, “Just as we use vision as our main sense for understanding our environment, dogs use their noses. The way something smells gives dogs more information than the way something looks, feels, sounds, or tastes.”

Of course, it’s well-known that dogs have an excellent sense of smell. Man’s best friend helps detect everything from bombs to drugs to COVID-19.

But the degree to which dogs excel at smelling may come as a surprise.

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“They are smelling machines, basically,” said Tommy Dickey, a researcher and professor at UC Santa Barbara. His recent research has involved working with therapy dogs, specifically the use of medical scent detection to screen for COVID-19.

“The dog’s senses are generally much better than ours, with the exception of daylight vision,” he explained. But it’s not just that a dog’s nose is better than a humans.

According to Dickey, dogs are 100,000 times more effective at being able to sense smell than people are.

They have nearly 1,100 genes that bake their sense of smell into their DNA, while humans have just about 800, Dickey explained. The dogs also have about 20 times more odor receptor cells than humans, which means a lot more power when picking up a smell from the air or ground in the first place.

“However, extra scent receptors don’t just mean dogs can sniff subtle odors we would miss,” the American Kennel Club explains. “They also allow dogs to detect a complexity in odors that humans can’t. You might smell chocolate chip cookies, but your dog can smell the chocolate chips, flour, eggs, and other ingredients.”

That ability to distinguish separate smells extends to other animals, too.

“Dogs also sense fear and anxiety via their noses,” VCA Animal Hospitals, a veterinarian group based in Los Angeles, says on its website. “When we are stressed or scared, we secrete the fight-or-flight hormone, adrenaline, which dogs detect even though we can not smell it. When we are anxious, we also have increased heart rate and blood flow which carries body chemicals to the skin surface where dogs can pick them up more easily.”

And once they’ve picked up that scent, they dedicate a lot more brainpower to figuring out what it means — literally. According to Dickey, “about a third of [the dog’s] brain is devoted to smell, whereas for humans it’s only about 5%.”

The numbers are general estimates from a wide variety of scientific research, since genes and receptors vary based on the breed of dog being studied, he said. But no matter how you slice it, dog sniffing power beats that of humans by a long shot.

Also adding to the power of the dog’s nose, the nose itself is very large compared to that of a human, Dickey said.

When the dog inhales, they intake air through their nostrils. But rather than exhaling through the same orifice, the air when they exhale goes “through flaps on the side of their little black noses,” he said. That process lets them sample scents better as the air circulates through.

Instead of breathing in and out like humans do, through the same holes, the flaps on the side of the dog’s nose let them keep ahold of “the odors that are most interesting or important to them,” Dickey said, and focus in on just that smell.

Once the air is inside their nose, dogs also have more membranes dedicated to all those smell receptors. “That enables them to smell much more,” Dickey said.

Of course, being good at smell doesn’t mean dogs are lacking in other sensory departments. They’re also well-known for their keen hearing, which is “actually 5 times better than a human’s” and lets dogs hear up to a mile away under the right conditions.

And while they’re not as good at seeing things as people are, they’re not as bad as common wisdom would suggest.

Dogs aren’t actually completely color blind, Dickey said — they just have a more limited range, covering the yellow-to-blue part of the spectrum and leaving out red.

And when it comes to night vision, dogs once again have humans beat, thanks to a membrane at the back of their eye that reflects light back into the sensing area.

In the end, scent is big for dogs, but so are other senses, just like for humans, Dickey said. It’s like “in tennis,” he explained. “Obviously you’re watching the ball, but the sound of the ball coming off the racket is almost as important to make your decisions [about what to do next].”

But where the human mostly gets information through sight, the dog’s primary way of getting information about the world around them is via smell.

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So when the dog is on a walk, “the dog is seeing the world through their nose,” Dickey said.

The dog stopping at the fire hydrant for what feels like years is actually smelling all the other dogs that came there before — and if it’s the same dogs on a regular schedule, Fido can distinguish which smell is from which dog.

“What we really should do, if we’re really considerate of our animals, is let our dogs sniff all they want,” Dickey said.

The American Kennel Club also recommends “allowing ample chances to sniff.” However, it’s best not to stay at the same landmark for too long — it’s better to have some stretches of guided leash walking, followed by “sniff breaks,” or periods of time where your dog knows they can relax and smell around.

And, according to the American Kennel Club, while your dog is sniffing away, you might get some benefits as well. Walking your dog can boost your mood, because you know your four-legged friend is having a good time, connects you with nature, and helps manage stress while you exercise.

To learn more about Clear The Shelters 2022 and search for adoptable pets in your area, visit cleartheshelters.com. You can also donate to your local animal shelters and rescue groups by visiting clearthesheltersfund.org.

James Howard Jackson, 19, was arrested Wednesday without incident by members of a U.S. Marshals fugitive task force, multiple law enforcement sources told NBC4’s I-Team.

Jackson is one of five people charged in the February, 2021 assault on Ryan Fischer, who was shot as he walked the singer’s dogs on a sidestreet in Hollywood.

He was released from jail in April, 2022 after a computer system was updated and incorrectly indicated all charges against him had been dismissed.

The news comes as one of three men charged in the case pleaded no contest to second-degree robbery.

Jaylin Keyshawn White, 20, was immediately sentenced to four years in state prison in connection with the robbery plea and a sentence enhancement that another defendant was armed, according to Deputy District Attorney Michele Hanisee.

Three other charges — attempted murder, conspiracy to commit robbery and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury — were dismissed as a result of his plea, the prosecutor said.

White was charged in April 2021 along with Jackson, and Lafayette Shon Whaley, 28, in connection with the Feb. 24, 2021, shooting.

The U.S. Marshals Service announced a reward of up to $5,000 last month for information leading to Jackson’s arrest.

Fischer was walking three French bulldogs belonging to the singer when he was shot, and two of the dogs were stolen in the 1500 block of North Sierra Bonita Avenue, near Sunset Boulevard.

Surveillance video from a home security system shows Fischer walking on the sidewalk when a white sedan pulls up and stops in the street, with two people jumping from the back seat and saying, “Give it up.”

A struggle ensued and one gunshot was fired, prompting Fischer to fall to the ground, screaming. The assailants each grabbed one dog — named Koji and Gustav — and got back into the rear seat of the car, leaving Fischer on the ground yelling for help.

The singer’s other bulldog, Miss Asia, ran back to Fischer on the ground after the assailants’ vehicle disappeared from view.

Jennifer McBride — who police said reported that she found the dogs and responded to a reward email to return them — is charged with one count each of being an accessory after the fact and receiving stolen property.

The 52-year-old woman, who brought the dogs to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Olympic Division, allegedly had a relationship with Harold White, the now-42-year-old father of Jaylin White, according to police and prosecutors.

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Harold White is charged with one count each of being an accessory after the fact and possession of a firearm with an enumerated prior conviction involving a firearm.

Lady Gaga, who was in Italy filming a movie at the time of the shooting, had offered a $500,000 reward for her pets’ safe return and praised Fischer, saying he risked his life “to fight for our family. You’re forever a
hero.”

In a Instagram post about a month after the crime, Fischer said he had been recovering well from the shooting when his lung collapsed and he had to have emergency surgery.

Los Angeles police said detectives did not believe the victim was targeted because of the dogs’ owner, but suspect that the great value of the breed was known and was the motivation for the robbery.

The dog was in the car, parked on the top floor of a Bellagio hotel parking garage, for about two hours on the afternoon of July 20, when temperatures reached 113 degrees. The dog was left without food, water or air conditioning.

Someone notified casino-hotel security about the dog. They helped it out through the SUV’s open sunroof and called police.

Video from Las Vegas police showed the panting husky cooling down in the seat of a SUV and officers taking the vehicle’s owner into custody.

“Do you realize how hot it is outside?” an officer asked the 50-year-old Corona Del Mar man. “You had the vehicle off, windows up, and you had tape around your dog’s mouth.”

The dog was brought to animal control for medical treatment, police said. Details about the dog’s condition were not immediately available.

Temperatures soar inside a car, whether a window is left open or not, causing animals to overheat. On an 85-degree day, for example, temperatures inside a car can reach 120 degrees, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Many states, including California and Nevada, and local governments have laws that prohibit leaving an animal unattended in a car in dangerous conditions like hot days.

In California, changes were made to the law in 2016 that allow a person to take reasonable steps necessary to remove an animal from inside a locked hot car if that animal appears to be in immediate danger. The law protects people who intervene from criminal liability for actions that are taken in good faith.

In Nevada, certain individuals, such as law enforcement officers, are allowed to use any force necessary and reasonable under dangerous conditions to remove an animal from a hot car.

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Families began taking the beagles home Thursday, after the dogs arrived at Priceless Pet Rescue locations in Chino Hills, Claremont and Costa Mesa. 

“You can never replace a dog that you’ve lost but our other dog was a rescue and we loved him for 12 years,” said one pet parent. “We know how important it is to love them and they become really happy dogs.” 

Further down California, in Rancho Santa Fe, the Helen Woodward Animal Shelter also took in puppies. 

The Virginia facility owned and operated by Envigo RMS LLC bred dogs to be sold to experimental laboratories. The company is currently the subject of a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice. 

According to the suit, the facility has had up to 5,000 beagles since July 2021. The citations include dogs being euthanized for treatable conditions, unexplained puppy deaths and malnutrition. 

“We find homes for pets every single day but these beagles are a special case,” said a worker at Priceless Pets. “They’ve had such a horrible life and to see them getting to sleep in warm beds tonight… is super exciting.”

The bracco (pronounced BRAH’-koh) goes back more than two millennia in Europe but wasn’t brought to the U.S. until the mid-1990s, according to the AKC. It’s sometimes called the Italian pointer or Italian pointing dog.

The ideal bracco should be “tough and adapted to all types of hunting, reliable, docile and intelligent,” while also friendly and neither shy nor aggressive, according to the AKC’s standard for the medium-to-large breed.

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“They’re very easy to live with and be around, and yet it’s like a light switch — when it’s time to jump in the back of the truck and go hunting, and they’ve got a job, they just light up like a Christmas tree,” said owner and breeder Lisa Moller of Portage, Wisconsin.

She and husband Dale relied on Labrador retrievers as pheasant-hunting helpers before a friend introduced them to a bracco about five years ago. The couple was quickly struck by the dog’s methodical hunting style in the field and affectionate nature at home: “They’re very Velcro,” Lisa Moller said.

The dogs — the proper plural is “bracchi Italiani” — have a deep bark and readily deploy it on spotting backyard wildlife, so “they may not be the right dog for everybody,” she noted.

AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo called the bracco a great companion for active families who can provide “the love and attention it needs.”

The AKC opened the nation’s oldest dog registry with a mere nine breeds in 1878. In the last decade alone, the club has added over 20 breeds, ranging from the teeny Russian toy to the powerful dogo Argentino. Criteria involve the total number and generations of registered dogs nationwide, their geographical distribution and other factors.

There remain many breeds that are registered elsewhere but not by the AKC, or aren’t formally recognized at all. Some aficionados eschew, or are torn about, the exposure that AKC recognition brings to a breed.

Animal rights activists denounce dog breeding, and they say that adding more breeds just exacerbates faddish demand for purebred pets and fuels puppy mills that feed it.

The AKC says it promotes responsible breeding aimed at preserving characteristics that equip dogs for various tasks and ease owners’ search for a pup they can live with and commit to.

On June 14, Virginia Havens of Idaho Springs, Colorado, was cooking dinner while her children, ages 11, 8, 7, and 4, played in the backyard and their father, Daniel, cleaned the car.

Suddenly, their 2-year-old dog Lady, a pit bull-Chihuahua mix, started barking aggressively in the yard.

“I heard my husband screaming, ‘Get in the house now’ and my kids crying, ‘Wolf!'” Havens, 37, told TODAY Parents, adding that she ran to her front door. “I had a surreal moment where I thought, ‘Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?'”

A “huge” mountain lion, which Haven estimated to be at least five feet long, was facing Lady.

According to Havens, Lady charged at the lion and the animals started fighting while the family ran inside.

Havens wanted to run back to help Lady, but it was too dangerous, so she fled to her daughter’s second-floor bedroom. There, she opened the window and hurled a pair of pink roller skates at the cat, to distract him from the bloody scuffle with Lady.

“I was frantic and my kids were crying,” said Havens, who called 911 from the house.

Officers arrived within five minutes and fired three non-lethal bean bag rifle rounds, two of which hit the lion, forcing it to retreat into the mountains.

Idaho Springs Police Chief Nathan Buseck told TODAY Parents that animal-on-animal attacks do not require the use of lethal force, although a responding officer was prepared to shoot the lion with a rifle had the family been in danger.

Lady survived the 20-minute fight and as she trotted toward the house, Havens was hopeful, despite her injuries.

“She was bloody and had a hole in her skull,” recalled Havens. “As she got closer, I could see her right eye bulging and she had labored breathing.”

Havens scooped up her dog and wrapped her in a towel. The family drove to Evolution Veterinary Specialists, an animal hospital nearby.

Lady was taken into triage, where doctors said her outlook was dim.

“She had three holes in her skull and the underside of her snout was punctured, which is why she couldn’t breathe well,” explained Havens. “Doctors couldn’t guarantee she’d live through the night.”

The Havens family made the devastating decision to put Lady down.

“Doctors gave Lady pain medication but she was whimpering uncontrollably,” said an emotional Havens, adding that she had prepared her children for Lady’s “owies.”

“The kids were in a puddle of tears but seeing Lady like that also helped them understand the reason to let her go,” said Havens. “We said goodbye and kissed Lady and thanked her.”

Havens said park rangers informed her family that the lion wouldn’t likely return because it didn’t make a kill.

According to the Native Animal Rescue shelter in Santa Cruz, Calif., once lions kill their prey, they eat the carcass until full, then bury the rest. After a fasting period, they return and continue eating.

Havens is comforted by the unlikelihood of the cat returning, but she’s wary about allowing her children to play in the yard as they have for the past nine years. According to Buseck, it’s not uncommon for a mountain lion to enter a residential yard, although bears tend to be a larger problem in the area.

While Lady will never be replaced, the family has welcomed another dog into their home: a puppy named Boaz.

A photo of Lady is now mounted on the Havens’ wall.

“Lady was our little angel,” said Havens. “She was a warrior.”

Related video:

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ARF! WOOF! LICK! If you’ve read a comic book, specifically one featuring a superhero or two, chances are you’ve seen various sound effects appear in balloons when the action gets intense. KAPOW!, BAM!, and all sorts of colorful words bring the exciting antics of superheroism to comic-cool life, complete with exclamation points for emphasis. But what if the superheroes in question are dogs? Would those words be ARF! or LICK! or BARK! or something more canine-centric? Best ponder this topic as you decide what superhero your own dog will dress as when you attend PAWmicon, a furry fundraiser leaping into San Diego on July 17. Nope, PAWmicon is not part of Comic-Con International, but it has traditionally taken place just ahead of the pop culture convention, all to raise animal awareness and help the Helen Woodward Animal Center of Santa Fe.

WELCOME BACK: The 2022 gathering is, by the by, a return to an in-person event for PAWmicon, which took place online in 2020 and 2021. And there’s a new location, too: The Town & Country Resort in Mission Valley. Attendees can expect a host of houndly happenings during the four-hour festivity, including “themed photo experiences, music, games and activities for kids, Comic and Pop Culture Trivia, opportunity drawings, a BARKetplace & Artist Showcase, an AR Scavenger Hunt powered by Omniscape and more.” There is a quintet of quirky categories to sign up for, including Super Villains and Cartoon Canines, giving pup parents much to think about. But you say you also want to join in? A number of people also dress for this lighthearted lark, and they theme their own look to their Lassie or Laddie, competing in the Dynamic Duos category (multiple dogs can also take part).

ARE YOU READY… to ARF! BARK! WOOF! LOVE! your whimsical way into this now-famous competition, one that gives back to adorable animals in need? Don your cape and fly by the Helen Woodward Animal Center site now for more information.

On Friday, NBC’s Kerry Sanders served as a judge at the 2022 World’s Ugliest Dog contest in Petaluma, California, and helped crown a hairless Chinese crested-Chihuahua mix named Mr. Happy Face as the winner.

Mr. Happy Face’s owner, Janeda Banelly, said the title was an honor. In August 2021, she adopted the dog from an Arizona shelter after he was rescued from a hoarder’s house.

“I believe that this humble soul is also being an example, in subtle ways, to help humans realize that even old dogs need love and a family too,” Banelly said.

According to the official website of the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds Event Center, Banelly said that she was told that Mr. Happy Face would only have around a month to live because he was an “old dog” who needed lifelong medication.

He also suffered from tumors and multiple conditions and could have possibly been inbred.

Banelly knew the challenges that she would have to face if she brought Mr. Happy Face home. Still, she decided to love him to the best of her abilities.

“He was the happiest creature that I had ever met,” she said. “He hobbled up to me and chose me. I vowed that day, he would be so loved that he would never remember how awful his previous life had been.”

Sanders was one of five judges at the competition. He got to get up close and personal with the pooches vying for the title, including a Pekingese named Wild Thang that reminded him of the fictional Tribble species in “Star Trek.”

“He’s a Tribble. Sometimes, he’s just trouble,” his owner laughed.

In the show, Tribbles were small furry creatures that could reproduce at an alarming rate. Wild Thang certainly had the mane to match the fictional creature.

Most of the dogs that entered the contest were rescued from shelters and puppy mills by loving parents.

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While showing the importance of adoption, the contest helps to “celebrate the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique,” a press release said.

It doesn’t matter if some of the animals have missing fur, crossed eyes or duck waddles — they can enter the contest to show off their unique beauty.

“Since the ’70s, the Contest has been a testament that all dogs do not have to meet AKC pedigree standards to be man’s (or woman’s) best friend,” the release said.

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The stations’ month-long “Adopt & Donate” effort features virtual pet adoptions and ways to donate online to participating shelters and rescues. The campaign runs from Aug. 1 through Aug. 31, 2022.

What Is Clear The Shelters?

Clear The Shelters is an annual, nationwide pet adoption and shelter donation campaign that is spearheaded by NBCUniversal Local, a division of NBCUniversal. Each year, NBCUniversal Local’s NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations, plus affiliated stations, partner with animal shelters and rescues in their communities to host Clear The Shelters events.

How Did Clear The Shelters Begin?

NBCUniversal Local’s Clear The Shelters campaign was inspired by a 2014 North Texas pet adoption event hosted by NBC 5/KXAS and Telemundo 39/KXTX and dozens of area shelters that resulted in the most adopted pets in one day for North Texas. Since 2015, NBCUniversal Local’s Clear The Shelters pet adoption campaign has resulted in more than a half-million pets finding new homes.

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How Can I Adopt a Pet Through Clear The Shelters?

The WeRescue app enables users to browse for adoptable pets in their area by breed, gender, size and other factors using their smartphone. Users can also submit their adoption applications and ask questions directly to shelters through the app.

How Can I Make a Donation to a Local Animal Shelter?

Clear The Shelters features online donations through partners Greater Good Charities and The Animal Rescue Site, which host the fundraising and cover all transaction fees so that 100% of donations go directly to shelters and rescues in need. Online donations can be made to participating shelters or rescues during the campaign at ClearTheSheltersFund.org, which is also accessible via ClearTheShelters.com.

Where Can I Find More Information About Clear The Shelters 2022?

You can find more information about participating animal shelters, rescues and local adoption events on ClearTheShelters.com or the Spanish-language site DesocuparlosAlbergues.com.

You can also follow Clear The Shelters on Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date on this year’s pet adoption and donation news:

• Twitter @ClearTheShelter
• Instagram: cleartheshelters
• Hashtags: #ClearTheShelters & #DesocuparLosAlbergues

To learn more about Clear The Shelters 2022 and search for adoptable pets in your area, visit cleartheshelters.com. You can also donate to your local animal shelters and rescue groups by visiting clearthesheltersfund.org.

The online retailer for a variety of pet items apparently knows how to get to our feels: There’s a longstanding practice at the company to acknowledge the loss of customers’ pets with flowers or, sometimes, even paintings.

That’s what artist Anna Brose learned the other day when she tried to return a no-longer-needed bag of dog food to the company. As she tweeted on Wednesday: “I contacted @Chewy last week to see if I could return an unopened bag of my dog’s food after he died. They 1) gave me a full refund, 2) told me to donate the food to the shelter, and 3) had flowers delivered today with the gift note signed by the person I talked to??”

Her tweet has since gone viral, leading Brose to follow up with a sweet pic of her now-departed dog, Gus. “Thank you for all the kind messages and shared stories in the comments,” she wrote, adding a blue heart emoji. “Gus would have been blown away!”

Naturally, Chewy replied, saying, “It’s the least we could do, Anna. We hope these flowers will help to keep your spirits up.”

For all the cynics out there: Yes, this is a terrific bit of customer service-turned-promotion. But it also appears to be meaningful to grieving pet owners and more.

Animal shelters have even taken notice. One shelter worker wrote in a response to Brose’s tweet: “I work at an animal shelter. This is legit. We often have people reaching out to donate because Chewy told them to reach out to a local shelter. I can’t express what this means to shelter’s like mine. Truly a gift.”

“Showing up for our customers during important milestones in their pet parenting journey is core to our DNA,” Andrew Stein, senior director for customer service at Chewy, told TODAY, adding that they’ve offered such gestures to their customers since the company’s “very early days.”

And it’s not always flowers. Twitter user Molliexmartin wrote in response to the tweet, “we will forever be grateful for this painting you guys sent us after we had to put daisy down. we still aren’t positive how y’all knew as we still had other dogs and didn’t cancel any good orders. we put her up where we see her everyday. thank you guys so much!”

“What you have seen … is representative of the responses we consistently receive,” says Chewy’s Stein. “Each and every time we see a customer post, we all get excited and start forwarding it around Chewy; it never gets old.

“For many customers, their pet is a primary companion in life, and when they lose their fur baby, they may feel alone and in need of someone to lean on. In those moments, they understand that Chewy is also part of their family, and they are so grateful.”

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The adorable corgis and their enthusiastic owners returned to Ocean Beach Saturday for the annual event. The event was held for the first time in three years.

Hundreds of dogs competed in races and costume contests. Organizers said that everyone was happy to be together again.

“It’s great to see people back and the corgis, I think there’s just a level of energy, that people have been excited for a long time for this event,” said organizer Aaron Beltran.

The event was free and open to anyone who has a corgi or just enjoys being around them.

Organizers said the sixth annual Corgi Con was bigger than ever. Corgi Con is usually held every June and October on San Francisco’s Ocean Beach.

So say officials with San Francisco Animal Care and Control and the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, both of which have waived adoption fees temporarily to encourage more adoptions.

Pandemic-related delays in spay and neuter surgeries have filled shelters in the city — as well as elsewhere in the Bay Area and across the nation — with homeless dogs, local officials said.

Compounding the issue is a decline in people adopting dogs, especially larger breeds, as life slowly returns to normal, officials said.

“When you adopt, you’re not just saving one animal’s life; you’re also opening space in our shelter so we can save another animal,” said Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, leader of the San Francisco SPCA. “If you’ve been thinking about adopting, now is a great time. Our shelter is full, and we have a huge variety of dogs, especially bigger dogs.”

Scarlett and Virginia Donohue, animal care’s executive director, are hoping that waiving adoption fees will lead to many of dogs finding new homes.

“The number of dogs in our care, especially large ones, has significantly impacted our operations,” Donohue said.

The SPCA is waiving adoption fees for all adult dogs age 5 months and up as part of its Summer of Lovin’ adoption promotion.

Animal care is waiving adoption fees for all dogs through June 30.

View adoptable dogs at the SF SPCA at sfspca.org/adoptions/dogs and at animal care at sfanimalcare.org/adoptable-animals/dogs/.