Qondor, a 21-month-old Doberman, escaped his crate for a second time before a flight at Dulles airport.  Fortunately, he has been found and is now scheduled for a 5:15pm flight to Norway.  To read more about it, click here.

Dogs are more than just man’s best friend!  Check out the video here:  Hide and Go Sheep

Thanks to a microchip, a German shepherd puppy missing for 2 months was reunited with his owners – 600 miles away.

A Virginia couple has been reunited with their German shepherd, which was found hundreds of miles from home in Florida. Pamela Holt, of Stuart, Va., says she thought DeLand Animal Control Officer Gary Thomas was playing a “mean trick” when he called to say he found 18-month old Deacon. The dog had been missing since December. The Holts thought their dog had died.

To read more, click here.

A seriously injured cat was saved by a persistent dog in Florida.  Toby, a Schnauzer, led his owner into a wooded area where the cat was discovered.

“When the owners finally followed Toby, they discovered a cat completely infested with maggots. The infestation was so bad that the cat’s face was nearly eaten off, but the feline was still alive. 

The cat was brought to Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary and Hospital for treatment.”

To read more, click here.   Warning: graphic images.

When was the last time you went to the dentist for a teeth cleaning?  Now think about the last time your little furry friend had his teeth cleaned…  Did you know that his bad breath could be a sign of something serious, like gum disease?

According to the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC), periodontal disease is the most common clinical condition in companion animals, and 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have the disease by age 3.

To combat and prevent dental problems for your pet, start by scheduling your pet’s annual dental exam at your veterinarian.

You can also care for your pet’s teeth by brushing them regularly, managing your pet’s diet and giving him dental-friendly toys and treats.

To read the entire article, click here.

A 15-year-old dog is credited with saving an elderly man’s life after he led his owner to the 94-year-old’s unconscious body.

Police credit a 15-year-old German Shorthaired dog with saving the life of an elderly, unconscious man in Pine City. Brett Grinde said he took Effie out for their usual walk on Monday evening, but within a couple minutes she started pulling on the leash, wanting to go in a different direction.

Effie then took off running, leading Grinde to a neighbor’s house where a 94-year-old man was on face down on the driveway. The dog started licking the man’s face. Grinde called 911, then started CPR.

KARE-TV reported the eldery man, William Lepsch, regained consciousness and is in serious condition at North Memorial Medical Center.

An 18-month old golden retriever, Angel, saved her 11-year-old owner, Austin Forman, from a cougar attack in his backyard.   Austin was outside collecting firewood when the cougar suddenly appeared.

When the cougar charged, Angel ran to protect the boy.

“She intercepted the cougar,” Forman said. “Austin came into the house very upset, and I had to get him to calm down so I could understand what he was saying. Finally he said ‘there’s a cougar eating Angel.’”

Angel and the cougar fought under the family’s deck, while Austin’s mother called 911 for help. A constable was in the area and able to make it to their home and kill the cougar quickly.

Forman said when her nephew pulled the cougar’s body off Angel, who at first appeared fatally injured, the dog sucked in a “big breath of air and then got up.” Ever the protector, Angel “walked to Austin, sniffed him to make sure he was alright, then sat down.” Despite receiving a few deep bites and scratches Angel’s prognosis is good.

To read the entire article, click here.

The nation’s largest pet insurer has released a list of the top dog and cat names for 2009. 

For six years in a row, Max ruled the top spot. But in an upset that is sure to have dog owners talking, Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, has declared Bella the most popular dog name of 2009. VPI crunched the numbers on its more than 475,000 insured pets to determine this year’s most common names, and Bella beat out Max by more than 400 dogs. Fans of Max, however, can rest assured that for cats, that name is still top dog – er, top cat.

The top 3 dog names:  Bella, Max, Bailey.
The top 3 cat names:  Max, Chloe, Bella.

To see the complete list of top 10 dog and cat names, click here.

This week’s Friday Cuteness Overload is a video. 

(Warning:  If you’re a softie like me, this video may bring tears to your eyes…)

View the video by clicking here

Or by following this link:  http://www.1140wrva.com/cc-common/news/videos/player.html?loc=18&pimg=&count=3&redir=yes