James Douris of Pennsylvania is a disabled and unemployed veteran who lives alone and relies on his dog to pull his wheelchair and fetch items.  In court on Tuesday Douris lost his yearlong effort to qualify his male boxer as a dependent member of his household in calculating food stamp benefits.  As the court noted, federal law is clear that food stamp benefits are intended for humans only.  News of this case prompted lawyers to offer their help, and Douris plans to appeal the decision. For complete story click HERE.

Unlike many other states, California provides a monthly allowance for service/assistance dogs! The Assistance Dog Special Allowance (ADSA) Program provides a monthly payment of $50 to eligible persons who use a guide, signal, or service dog to help them with needs related to their physical disabilities. The allowance is to help pay the costs of food, grooming, and health care for the dogs. For complete story click HERE.

Hermosa Beach has barred pet stores from selling dogs and cats.  The City Council unanimously approved the law this week. A final vote is planned April 13.  The ordinance, modeled after a recent ban in West Hollywood, is designed to raise awareness about puppy mills and cat factories and encourage pet adoptions. For complete story click HERE.

Ellen DeGeneres is working with the U.S. Postal Service to promote a stamp campaign for shelter pets.  USPS awareness stamps displaying pictures of shelter animals will be for sale at the post office starting April 30, 2010 but you can also pre-order them! For complete story click HERE.

Kashka, a giraffe that lived at a New Mexico zoo for 15 years, was euthanized last week because of a debilitating leg injury.  It was later discovered that Kashka’s body, dismembered from a routine necropsy, had been tossed into a zoo dumpster at the zoo.  While zoo animals are sent to the landfill when they die, they certainly are not to be tossed away in a dumpster!  Zoo employees were instructed to take Kashka’s remains to the landfill but instead of taking the giraffe to an area designated for dead animals at the landfill, a zoo worker put the giraffe carcass in a zoo dumpster.  Albuquerque’s Cultural Services Director Betty Rivera, who oversees Albuquerque’s Rio Grande Zoo, said the way Kashka was handled is shocking. Mayor R. J. Berry’s office has launched a full investigation into what went wrong. For complete story click HERE.

Weighing in at over 40 pounds, Ralph might be the world’s largest rabbit!  He’s bigger than many of our dogs and he eats $15 worth of food every day!  He’s massive! For complete story click HERE.

The Taronga Zoo in Australia welcomed a male elephant calf, born early on Wednesday.  He is being called the ‘miracle’ baby because breeding experts said the unborn elephant’s heart had stopped beating days earlier and was expected to be a stillborn. The calf was described as “very weak” soon after he was born but managed to take his first steps and drink some milk. The calf will remain in the zoo’s heated elephant barn while he is given intensive care by the elephant birth team. There’s no guarantee of his long-term survival but zoo staff and veterinarians remain hopeful. For complete story click HERE.

In a country where guns are tightly controlled, UK street thugs have turned to dangerous-looking dogs to cow their victims.  As part of a proposed crackdown on the country’s dangerous canines, British dog owners maybe forced to microchip and insure their pets.  Microchipping would help trace the owners of dogs involved in attacks, while third-party insurance would ensure that victims of dog attacks were properly compensated for any injuries. Many citizens complain that the insurance plan would impose a financial penalty on innocent pet owners — while criminals who own violent animals will simply shirk the law. For complete story click HERE.

A 20 year old, 130-pound potbellied pig named Oscar was crowned the Guinness Book of World Records’ oldest living pig!  He had a party and celebrated with friends. For complete story click HERE.

About two weeks before Christmas 2009 an 85-lb German shepherd named Deacon went missing from his family home in rural Virginia.  After a couple weeks the family gave up hope and assumed the dog died or had been stolen.   In late February an animal control officer from Florida called to report he had Deacon at his shelter!  The Holts believe Deacon was stolen by people who had hoped to breed him, unaware that he had been neutered. Thanks to a microchip, Deacon is now back with his family in Virginia! For complete story click HERE.