July 21, 2009

(ZT Pet News Photo Courtesy of BYU Infant Development Lab)

Dog Drags Infant from Crib; Dog Survives Drowning; Babies Understand 'Dog-Speak; Alligator Found in Colo. From tragic to heart warming, pets brought several stories of note to animal lovers around the world early this week.

NEW YORK -- Pet owners and parents alike were shocked to hear the news on Tuesday of a 3-day-old infant being carried from his crib by the family dog and taken 150-yards outside the home to a neighboring woods.

The unusual incident happened on 1p.m. Monday in the home of parents Michael and Chrissie Smith on Beaumont Road, in Nicholasville, Ky., a central, rural area of the state.

"It's unique by far. You think you've seen everything and then something new happens," Jessamine County Chief Deputy Major Allen Peel said in an interview with ZT Pet News. "We're a county of 40,000 and everyone is just as bewildered as I am."

Dakota, a 4-year-old Native American Indian Dog, apparently was carrying the baby in his mouth when the parents realized both the infant and dog were missing.

Michael Smith ran to the backyard, where Dakota had a history of taking things he had swiped from the house, as reported by The Associated Press.

The Jessamine County Sheriffs department reported Smith then chased the dog, which left the baby in the nearby woods 150 yards from the home.

"We do not know if the family had introduced the baby's scent before (arriving home on Sunday evening)," said Peel. "I'd like to know what kind of instincts a dog has that would make it do that -- did it think it was a pup or something, I don't know."

Emergency personnel transported the three-week premature infant to the University of Kentucky Medical Center, Children's Hospital in Lexington.

According to Major Peel, the baby suffered puncture wounds to the torso and head, and was listed in critical condition. However, on Tuesday afternoon The Associated Press reported that Alexander James "A.J." Jones had suffered two collapsed lungs, a skull fracture, broken rubs and various cuts and bruises.

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No charges have been filed against the parents and an investigation is still open; meanwhile Dakota is in quarantine at the Jessamine County Animal Control.

"I was able to get in there and interact with him, and he was very scared -- it's a new setting, a strange place and lots of barking," said Earl Hatter, animal control officer of Jessamine County. "I mean he didn't curl up in my lap or anything, but he didn't show any signs of aggression -- just scared."

One of three dogs the family has had for years, Dakota had never before shown signs of aggression to the family's two other children from a previous marriage.

"We don't know how the family introduced it, or any of the things that might have happened to have this occur -- there are a lot of things that we have to fill in and that's what we are doing now," said Hatter of the incident and subsequent investigation. "But it's not our call what happens to the dog."

Hatter called it "a freak accident" and something that was shocking and flabbergasting to the community, but cautioned that even a dog which wouldn't hurt a flea has to be watched carefully with young children.

"Often times when a baby cries, they don't understand why they are crying, but they want to fix it," Hatter said. "So if you keep an eye on them then you can make sure there is correct interaction.

"Just like you would introduce another dog to another dog, but you want to keep that reinforcement, and never let them get into a situation where it crosses the line -- and if you keep a watchful eye, then you can correct it before something happens."

Babies Understand 'Dog Speak'

In the news from Utah's Brigham Young University, a study was released which shows that babies from 6- to 9-months-old can understand how canines communicate.

The study worked with infants who had never been around dogs before and determined if the children could match the friendly stance of a dog to a friendly bark, or the photo of an aggressive stance of the same dog to a warning bark.

"We chose dogs because they are highly communicative creatures both in their posture and the nature of their bark," said BYU psychology professor Ross Flom, lead author of the study, in a released statement.

BYU's Infant Development Lab researchers wanted to find if infants could understand the emotions of communication before their ability to speak. The complete findings were published in the July edition of "Developmental Psychology."

Nearly Drowned Pup Adopted

While not much is more adorable than babies and animals, nothing beats an adoption story, yet in Cary, N.C., a happy ending started rather tragically.

On Thursday, a 4-month-old puppy's muzzle and paws were duct-taped together and was thrown into an apartment complex's pond by her owner. Witnesses saved the German-Shepherd mix and took her to an animal hospital.

The Good Samaritans later reported the owner, 18-year-old Jahmal Clark to the authorities, who arrested him on felony charges of cruelty to animals.

Clark told Wake County police he couldn't afford the $100 to put the puppy down, or the gas money to drive her to the SPCA. Clark has now been banned from residing at the apartment complex as he awaits his August 6 hearing.

The puppy, nicknamed by officers "Miracle," has now been adopted by a family wishing to remain anonymous. The puppy, who will permanently be called Miracle, joins a loving home with five other rescued dogs.

Alligator Found in Colo. Ditch

Unfortunately many people do dumb things to their pets and in Hotchkiss, Colo., a four-foot long alligator was found dead in an irrigation ditch.

Authorities believe it was released by its owner alive and the reptile succumbed to the mountain regions cold climates.

"The water that comes out from the irrigation ditches was from the snow and I am sure that alligator was not doing well when we was in that ditch," said Doug Homon, district wildlife manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, in a ZT Pet News interview.

Ironically, Homon reports that just above where the alligator was found several warm springs ponds can be found.

So when Homon got the call that an alligator was found, he grew a little nervous.

"The first thing I am thinking, 'oh my gosh, do I have to go out and wrestle this thing and try to capture it'," said Homon, who was quickly relieved to learn it was already dead.

"When they pulled him out, the hides was bubbling, so that says he would have been in there for a while deteriorating."

Homon says that while alligators are not commonly found in Colorado, smaller species and exotic pets can cause great harm to the region's eco-system.

"We've had issues of science teachers asking me about releasing frogs they have used in the their science projects -- some are African species -- to be released to the reservoir, but that would devastating to the local population," Homon said.

Now, the Colorado Division of Wildlife is using this unusual event to remind residents that releasing any non-native species -- even fish, frogs, snakes or birds -- is illegal. Instead, the agency suggests pet owners go to their local animal control office, a vet or a Division of Wildlife office to discard of unwanted pets. For more information, visit fws.gov.

Robin Wallace is the editor for Zootoo Pet News and can be reached at rwallace@zootoo.com.

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