Posted on

Texas Governor Vetoes Anti-Dog Cruelty Legislation

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (screen capture)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (screen capture)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (screen capture)

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed Senate Bill 474, known as the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act, that would have made it illegal to leave dogs chained up outside without drinkable water, adequate shade or shelter.

The bill passed in the Senate 28-3 and the House 83-32.

From the Texas Tribune:

Abbott said Texas already has the statutes in place to protect dogs from animal cruelty, and the penalties proposed in Lucio’s bill seemed excessive.

“Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing and over-criminalization,” he said in the veto statement.

Shelby Bobosky, executive director of Texas Humane Legislation Network, a nonprofit that lobbies in support of animal rights, said the organization’s members are devastated by the veto, and the bill would have “clarified the vague language that makes the statute completely unenforceable.”

The hashtag #AbbottHatesDogs began trending on Twitter soon after Abbott’s veto.

Posted on

One Year Ago Today: Snoopy The Wonder Dog

Snoopy the wonder dog

Snoopy the wonder dog

One year ago today our lives were changed for the better when this guy became a part of our family for far too short a time.

Snoopy adopted us on June 22, 2020, after being surrendered by his only family at the age of 14 and a half. A short time later we discovered he had advanced cancer.

We did everything we could for the Snoop, including some chemotherapy treatments. But we kept his quality of life at the center of every decision we made in terms of his care.

We had three amazing, fun-filled months with the Snoop.

June 22, 2020 – the day we met Snoopy

At one point, we noticed he could have a charming gruffness to him that reminded us of Ed Asner’s ‘Lou Grant’ from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. There were moments he was playful as a puppy and other times when he’d look at us and seemed to be channeling Lou Grant’s famous line, “I hate spunk,” and then look away.

I know this could be read as a sad post, but it’s not. The gift of life this guy gave us changed us forever. We miss Snoop every day but we’re so glad he happened to us. Please consider adopting adult/senior dogs.

I made this video for Michael for Christmas celebrating Snoopy and the awesome life he shared with us last summer.

The song – Sammy Davis Jr.’s cover of The Mary Tyler Moore Show theme song – is a nod to our ‘Mr. Grant.’ And the lyrics so perfectly described Snoopy’s effect on everyone he met.

Posted on

First Dog Champ Biden Passes Away At 13

The Biden's 13-year-old German Shepard passed away today.

Champ, the Biden’s 13-year-old German Shepard who brought dog-hood back to the White House, died today.

According to President Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden Champ “died peacefully at home.”

“He was our constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family. Even as Champ’s strength waned in his last days, when we came into a room, he would immediately pull himself up, his tail always wagging, and nuzzles us for an ear scratch or belly rub.”

“Wherever we were, he wanted to be, and everything was instantly better when he was next to us. He loved nothing more than curling up at our feet in front of a fire at the end of the day, joining us as a comforting presence in meetings, or sunning himself in the White House garden.

“In his younger days, he was happiest chasing golf balls on the front lawn of the Naval Observatory or racing to catch our grandchildren as they ran around our backyard in Delaware.”

“In our most joyful moments and in our most grief-stricken days, he was there with us, sensitive to our every unspoken feeling and emotion. We love our sweet, good boy and will miss him always.”

Champ is survived by the Biden’s younger German Shepard, Major, who was rescued from a shelter in 2018.

Posted on

Mother Shoots Her Son While Firing At 6-Month-Old Puppy

Six-month-old Bruno the Boxer
Six-month-old Bruno the Boxer
Six-month-old Bruno the Boxer (screen capture)

A mother accidentally shot her own 5-year-old son in the stomach while aiming at a 6-month-old puppy.

The mother, Angelia Mia Vargas, has been charged with deadly conduct with a firearm.

From ABC News affiliate KTRK in Houston:

According to neighbors, Vargas, her son, and another family member were riding bikes down the street when a dog ran out.

That dog, named Bruno, is a 6-month-old boxer puppy. Bruno’s owner did not want to appear on camera, but told us what happened.

“I came out of my house because Bruno was barking and barking. I thought my brother was coming,” said the owner, who thought Bruno’s barking was to indicate his brother was at the door. “So, I open the door just a little bit and he comes running out.”

In Ring doorbell video obtained by ABC13, you can see Bruno running out with the owner following immediately behind. The owner can be seen telling the dog to come back in the house. The dog roams out onto the street, and less than a second later, multiple shots rang out. Gunshots were then followed by extended screaming by the little boy’s parents.

Struck in the abdomen by one of three bullets fired, Vargas’s 5-year-old son was rushed to the hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening wounds, police say.

Bruno’s owner told KTRK, “She could have handled it differently. You know, she was there, her husband was there, I was there, nothing would have happened. Nothing bad like that.”

If you watch the video, you can see only a few seconds elapsed from the time Bruno ran out the door to when you hear the bullets. Bruno’s owner was issued a Class C misdemeanor citation for having a loose dog.

It’s worth noting that the Texas legislature recently passed a new law allowing open carry of handguns without a permit or training.

Posted on

Furry Goodness: Brians And Crop Tops And Bears – Oh My!

PA state Rep. Brian Sims and Bear
PA state Rep. Brian Sims and Bear
PA state Rep. Brian Sims and Bear (via Instagram)

What could be better for ‘Furry Friday’ than a bear in a crop top?

Out Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims recently reversed his opinion about pets in clothes when he posted a pic on Instagram of his adorbs doggo Temper wearing a t-shirt from his campaign store.

“I WAS WRONG: I recently expressed misgivings about pets in clothes, and I was wrong,” admitted bearded Brian. “Clearly Bears in crop tops are the Moment!”

He added the hashtag #Sims4Pa along with a link to his online store as the 42-year-old lawmaker is running for Lieutenant Governor of the Keystone state.

To be honest, both ‘bears’ in the photo are pretty cute.

I’ve been a fan of Sims for a long time because, basically, what’s not to like?

He became the first out lawmaker elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2012, and he’s been loud and proud about LGBTQ issues as well as the BLM movement and women’s equality.

Plus, he’s not shy about expressing himself whether it’s regarding coronavirus recklessness by his colleagues, flipping the bird at former Vice President Mike Pence, or boldly discussing his use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

Head over to his official campaign site for more info about Sims. And while you’re there check out his campaign merch where you can find Bear’s pink & white crop top or this ‘I Believe in Trans Excellence’ t-shirt:

And then there’s Temper, who’s a regular feature (hashtag #BearAttack) on his Instagram. Here’s just a sample of the furry goodness.