September 21, 2009

A Chinese woman, only known as Mrs. Wang, paid the equivalent of $585,000 for the black Tibetan Mastiff, pictured above.

NEW YORK -- A fortunate animal shelter in California is receiving $2.4 million from the estate of wine icon Rodney Strong. The size of the bequest came as a surprise to the no-kill Healdsburg Animal Shelter, which was aware it would benefit from the will when Strong died three years earlier, but not by how much.

Neither Strong nor his wife, Charlotte, who had died in 2003, had children or siblings. Charlotte Strong had been a judge for the American Kennel Club and also used to show her own old English mastiffs.

The bequest will allow for construction of a new animal shelter in Healdsburg. Construction on the new 4,500-square-foot shelter on a new 3.7 acre site will be ready for occupancy by the end of 2010.

Eds. Note: This article is brief summary of several news stories happening right now in the world of pets and animals. Be sure to watch the Zootoo Pet News videocast above to stay current.

Fox Used as Dogfighting Bait

Illegal dog-fighters in London may be using foxes and cats to work dogs into a frenzy for illegal dog-fighting, local police said recently.

A local urban ecology group met with local council members and residents at an emergency meeting, after the carcasses of two foxes and three cats were found. The foxes were reportedly thrown in with the dogs to whip them into a frenzy as "bait" to ready the dogs for fights. The foxes appear to have died of shock from being chased or held, while the bodies of the cats were found ripped to shreds.

Local residents became concerned when they spotted local gangs going into the woods at night with nets and spotted them near an old football stadium where foxes are known to live under the stands.

Woman's Most Expensive Best Friend

A black Tibetan mastiff has become the world's costliest dog after a Chinese woman paid the equivalent of $585,000 for it last week. The woman, known only as Mrs. Wang, is one of the many millionaires now benefiting from China's ragingly successful economy.

Apparently without a trace of irony, Wang referred to the 18-month-old and 2-and-a-half foot tall dog as her "priceless pet," adding, "Gold has a price, but this Tibetan mastiff doesn't."

Wang said she had spent a long time searching for an original Tibetan mastiff -- an ancient breed that originates with nomadic cultures of Central Asia and northern India. The flock guardian breed is renowned for being tenacious in its ability to confront predators such as wolves and leopards.

Newspaper reports have suggested that a pair of these mastiffs killed tigers while guarding sheep in the highlands of Nepal.

This year, a family in West Boca Raton, Florida paid $155,000 for a Labrador, cloned from its original Lancelot.

A Bargain Too Cute to Pass Up

Goodwill employees in Huron, Ohio heard mewing inside the store and traced the sound to a recently donated sofa. After they removed the cushions, the head of a gray-and-black striped kitten popped through a slit in the fabric covering the springs.

The donor called the store later to see if a kitten she was missing was inside the couch. When she learned the cat had turned up, she told the shop to let a customer adopt it. Back in March, Zootoo Pet News reported that a cat missing in Washington was found in a thrift store couch, bought for $27.That cat, 9-year-old Callie, was returned to her owner, who had reported her missing days earlier.

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