Nov 7, 2017 | Dogs in the news
Roundup
I’ve been gathering some articles and news lately that feature Morkies. Enjoy!
New Dog Park will feature separate runs for large & small dogs
Town counsel in Bellmore (New York) have welcomed suggestions from pet owners about where a new dog park should be, and some of the details. One thing everyone agreed on was two different, separate areas. One for big dogs and one for small dogs.
In the excitement of off-leash play, a large dog can seriously injure a small one, just by stepping on him.If you take your Morkie to a dog run or dog park, be sure and watch carefully for large dogs. Your Morkie might start barking wildly, as Morkies will do, and push the bigger dog into play that’s too rough or even aggressive behaviour.
For more on dog park safety, please check out this blog: www.aboutmorkies.com/dog-park-safety

Thor (left) and Max the Morkie, cool off at the Newbridge Road Park in Bellmore last month. Next year, town officials hope to have a new dog park finished which will feature totally separate runs for large dogs, and for small dogs.
Morkie a star at Paws on Parade on Halloween
Benji, a Maltese/Yorkie mix, donned his chef outfit for the costume contest. He took second place in the “Dashing Dudes” division, edged out by an adorable long-haired Chihuahua dressed in the theme of the movie Up.

Paul Bandong photo.
Sadie the Morkie looks after her owner

Heart attack patient Tim Secrease credits his Morkie Sadie, with helping him get back on his feet faster.
“It’s wonderful,” he said. “I’m not healthy. She sleeps on my pillow next to me, tends to me. She’s my emotional support dog.”
Tim Secrease credits Sadie, 2, his Morkie, with helping him cope with serious medical issues. In this photo, Sadie was visiting Secrease in the hospital, where he was being treated for a heart attack.
“She was there to comfort me after my fourth heart attack,” said Secrease of Crystal City. “I’ve had a fifth heart attack since then.”
First support dog was a Yorkie
Many (including Animal Planet researchers) believe that Smoky, the war hero dog from WWII, was the first therapy dog.
Found wandering in the jungles of New Guinea by an American soldier, Smoky was a full grown 4 pound female Yorkshire Terrier. Not able to find the owner, eventually Smoky turned over as winnings in a card game, won by American Corporal William Wynne. (Value: about $6)
She served with Wynne for almost 2 years, living in primitive conditions, running on coral in equatorial heat and surviving on army rations. Smoky was so smart and easily trained, that she performed many valuable functions for the army.
During her service, Smoky even parachuted!
After the war, Smoky was so talented, that Corp. Wynne began taking her to see wounded veterans in hospital. One of her first visits was to the Mayo Clinic where she cheered up servicemen. She soon became a regular visitor, as doctors noted her positive effect on the patients.

Burbank writer is inspired by his German shepherd-collie mix and the family Morkie

These stories can serve to inspire us to act better as people.
Fifty-four year old Mark Rickerby has already contributed 17 stories for the successful series “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” The family’s German shepherd-collie mix, Charlie, was often the source of inspiration for his success. Although Charlie is a large dog, he’s nicknamed the Gentle Giant.
Mark and his wife adopted a second dog, tiny Pixie, a Yorkie-Maltese mix. Pixie turned out to be much more aggressive than Charlie and would bully him without mercy. But the big dog never retaliated.
“We all have room for improvement,” he said. “We can all be kinder and gentler. I think dogs just teach us in general. Charlie’s my teacher, but I think every dog is kind of a teacher to a receptive student.”

Maltese-Yorkie mix is her best friend, says KidsDay reporter Leanna Tortorella
One Sunday in December a couple of years ago, Leanna came home from a sleepover with her friend, Sabrina. She went upstairs to unpack and that’s when her mom screamed her sister’s name, her brother’s name and her name. The kids all thought they were in trouble!
But, their dad was standing there with a new dog. Leanna had longed for a replacement for her older dog, Bruno, who had died the year before. But the parents were adamant, no more dogs.
“My mom said we were not going to get another dog, but she plays with Gino the most — like wow, mom!” says Leanna.
She continues, “Now when I leave for school, Gino knows and goes in his little doghouse, and it makes me so sad. When I get home I play with him and let him outside. Gino will grow to be only 10 pounds. At the moment he is 6 pounds. Gino is a Morkie, which is a Maltese and a Yorkshire terrier mix. I love him so much.”
Morkie is a Superhero
The Monmouth Park annual festival is a great play for families to enjoy displays, rides and games. And of course, pet costume competitions. Here’s The Kessler family with their little superhero Wonder Woman Morkie.
GOT MORKIE NEWS?
Be sure to let us know, at deb@morkienation.com
Sep 11, 2017 | Dogs in the news
Florida media is reporting that pets have been abandoned in huge numbers as Hurricane Irma approaches Florida. And even worse than just let out, some dogs have been chained to cars. These cars will be underwater within hours.
Animal Cruelty Charges Considered
As Hurricane Irma bore down on the Florida Keys with 130-miles-per-hour winds Sunday morning, Florida animal control officers were scrambling to rescue dozens of pets that had been abandoned by their owners before the Category 4 hurricane raked up Florida’s west coast.
Palm Beach County Animal Care reported animal control had found – and rescued – more than 50 dogs and cats abandoned outside ahead of Hurricane Irma. Given the danger of the approaching hurricane, many have characterized the pet owners’ abandonment as animal cruelty.

Besides the obvious danger of rising water and winds, even sand – blowing at over 100 miles per hour – can do serious damage to a dog.
Florida State Attorney Dave Aronberg is furious. He told CNN:
“This is a prime example of animal cruelty,” Aronberg said. “We will find you, and we will prosecute you.”
A harder but more humane choice was made by many other owners, who surrendered their pets to their local County Animal Shelter. Once surrendered, there’s no guarantee that owner will get his dog or cat back.
Officials across Florida are asking the public to be on the watch for abandoned animals and if it is safe, to please take them in and shelter them during the storm. Once winds reach 35 mph, animal control officers can’t go out and rescue, because of their own safety.
Not a chance of survival
This poor guy would have drowned for sure, locked in this cage. Luckily he was discovered before the storm surge, and taken to a shelter.

Also don’t shoot at the hurricane
OMG, who does this??? Well, the same people in Florida who think it’s OK to tie up a pet to inevitably drown during a hurricane, was also told, no shooting bullets into the storm. They’ll come back around and can of course, kill.

Very sad that people need this message:

Jun 6, 2017 | Dogs in the news
Great, great news.
The Yulin Dog Meat Festival – also known as the Lychee and Dog Meat Festival – HAS BEEN CANCELLED …for this year!
At this annual “celebration” in China, it’s estimated that 10,000 to 15,000 dogs are killed and eaten each year. It’s hard to even imagine the size and scope of this living nightmare.
Condemned to die a barbaric death
Eating dog meat is highly offensive to most of the world. But even worse – the tens of thousands of dogs stolen, bought or specially raised each year – are skinned alive and boiled. Then they are butchered up and served as a delicacy. Visitors can even pick their choice from cages crammed full of live dogs – and it’s quickly skinned, boiled and served. Read more about Yulin festival here on wikipedia

This little pup doesn’t know he’s about to be skinned alive, boiled and served up for dinner at the Yulin dog meat festival. Reported by the Daily Mail.
Over 11 Million Signatures made it happen
After many, many years of protest around the world, Mr. Mo Gong Ming, Yulin Party Secretary of the government, put a temporary ban on the practice of eating dogs at the Yulin Festival, for this year only. The ban will come into effect on June 15—one week before the “festival” starts. It’s meant to be strictly enforced, with hefty fines and the risk of arrest for violations. It’s a wonderful first step – but it’s simply that. Why do I say that?
- dogs and cats will still be killed and cooked in advance of the festival
- it may continue next year
- food safety and regulations aren’t followed, so many things slip under the radar
- trucks and cars are not banned from carrying pets into the area before the “festival”
What can you do?
Help make the ban permanent.
Please speak out now on behalf of animals still at risk, and appeal for an end to this intolerable horror for all time. Andrew Rowan, President and CEO of the Humane Society International urges us to continue the fight – you can sign the NEW petition here.

Yulin Protest T-Shirts

These are great t-shirts – quality fabric and excellent printing. And even better, every single shirt you buy from the website IHeartDogs.com, helps provide food to shelters across the United States. A t-shirt for example, means 7 shelter dogs fed a meal. Hoodie = 15 meals, and so on.
In partnership with Greater Good & Rescue Bank, the website IHeartDogs.com donated over 6 million meals to shelters in 2016!
There are lots of choices and styles, in men’s and women’s sizes.
(By the way, I do not receive any money for promoting IHeartDogs.com)
May 24, 2017 | Dogs in the news

According to the Humane Society International, animal welfare laws in Canada haven’t changed much since 1892. Yup, that’s right EIGHTEEN 92, not 1992. Penalties may have increased in recent years, but the scope and application of the current laws remain pathetically weak. So even the WORST animal abuse offender is very hard to punish.
Outdated and far behind
Our laws in Canada on animal abuse are hopelessly out of date.
The few updates that have been made over the years are rife with loopholes. For example, the law views animals as ‘chattel’ or mere possessions. In fact, under the Criminal Code, animal cruelty crimes are considered property offences instead of violence against a living, sentient creature.
Raising animals to fight is NOT illegal
The Canadian Criminal Code also does not provide protection for animals being trained to fight each other. It is an offence to engage in animal fighting, but not to train animals to fight nor to accept money from animal fighting.
The requirement to catch perpetrators in the act makes it very difficult to prosecute cases of dog fighting.
What can YOU do about it?
Take heart, when we band together we can make real change happen. Here are just a few of the steps we can take every day.
