dog saves boy . . . a good story in the midst of carnage . . .

[OneBlueSky]

A not-so-shaggy dog story, complete with happy ending
Scruffy family dog rescues boy, 7, from death in coastal Indian village

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6778468/

(snip)

While water lapped at Sangeeta’s heels as she rushed up the hill, the scruffy yellow dog named Selvakumar ducked into the hut after Dinakaran.

Nipping and nudging, he did everything in his canine power to get the boy up the hill.

Sangeeta, who like many south Indians only uses one name, had no idea of the drama unfolding below. Once she had crossed the main road to safety she collapsed into tears, screaming over the loss of her eldest son.

“I had heard from others that the wall of my house had collapsed, I felt sure that my child had died,” said the 24-year-old mother.

- more . . .

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6778468/

[Garbo 2004]

1. Thanks for the link. Good story. n/t

[JHB]

11. The hero...

...sleeping through his photo op:

[fortyfeetunder]

2. Once again proves dog is human's best friend

What a doggie!

[Cronus Protagonist]

3. Yeah, try and find a cat story like that

I never understood why people like cats.

:(

[Vektor]

5. I've got one.

I never understood how any person could NOT like any animal.
I've always had both as pets...I love both cats and dogs, equally.
But it was my cat that woke me up when my apartment building caught fire in 1992. He jumped up on the bed meowing and ran frantically back and forth from my bed to the window until I got up. I sleep with earplugs, so I never heard the sirens. The dog was cowering in the living room, hiding under the coffee table. We all got out ok. Thanks to the cat.

People like cats because they are relatively quiet, clean, easy to care for, and beautiful. They also do not eat vomit and shit from other animals like dogs do. But, hey, I guess if the dog enjoys that....(???)

I like cats because they don't start wars, steal elections, judge others, and commit atrocities. In other words, any non-human animal is ok with me. But cats are particularly great. They do not need constant reassurance, which is a relief. Their self assuredness is quite nice. If you want a pet that will follow you around, obey commands, and make you feel important, get a dog. If you already have a healthy sense of self-esteem, and just want a buddy to hang out with, get a cat. If you genuinely like animals, and don't discriminate, get both.

This WAS a wonderful news story. And the dog/hero in the picture is absolutely adorable.

[theHandpuppet]

6. Smart cat

... but undoubtedly self-serving nonetheless. I'm sure the cat was trying to wake you because he knew you would let HIM out of that inferno! LOL! Sorry, but I have 3 dogs and 3 cats and though I love 'em all, I would never presume my cats to act from a sense of altruism.

[Cronus Protagonist]

9. True dat

I don't hate cats, they're just, let's face it, not loving animals like dogs are. Dogs, being pack animals, work with the rest of the pack to survive, cats just have to fend for themselves. It's as simple as that.

And contrary to what the previous poster said, cats are not clean. Not in the least. They shit in your house, scrape through the litter box to cover it up and get bacteria all over their beautifil little paws.

Then they walk all over surfaces that the human part of the family use for things like food preparation (hopefully they've been "trained" away from there with water pistols), eating, drinking, sleeping and so on.

Then they lick the feces and bacteria off their paws and spread it all over their bodies with their tongues, making sure you'll pick some up next time it's your turn for the "scent depositing" ritual that cat owners seem to love so much - when the cat rubs it's scent glands all over your legs and hands - anything it can get to, in fact.

Then, off it goes to kill a possibly rabies infected rat and drop it inside the house. Soon after, it will lick all the bacteria it picked up from the rat all over its body again, and deposit on you, your furniture and everywhere it goes. Of course, then you feed it and off is goes back to the filthy litter tray to get some more feces and urine on its paws to begin the whole cycle over again.

If anyone thinks cleaning the litter tray is done by scooping out a few pellets, they need some lessons in basic hygene - the whole litter box need to be cleared out and sanitized after every poop, the tray cleaned with bleach and entirely new litter put back in. Only if you do that can you minimize, but not elmiminate, contact with the bacteria in the cat's feces.

And they're "clean"? Sure, if you work on the usual "faith based" system that cat owners always seem to live inside, but in reality, they're filthy, and a good cat owner knows this and takes as much precaution as possible to minimize the risk.

[Vektor]

13. We could go on for days....

But in reality - everything you just described, every icky little thing, dogs do too. The licking of dirty things, the killing of rabid animals, the inappropriate shitting...(all my animals DO live indoors, the dogs get supervised walks, though) the cats use a litter box, without fail. The dogs, if an accident occurs, will relieve themselves directly on the floor. They also rub their rectums on the carpet quite commonly, and yes, again, they eat vomit and shit. The will lick their anus, then your face. Oh, in fact, a neighbor's cat ingested and shit out a mouse carcass and buried it at the border of my property. My dog, on a walk, DUG IT UP AND ATE IT. In all my years of pet ownership, THAT was the sickest thing I have ever seen. I tried to intervene, but she was too fast. She gobbled that mess up in seconds. A cat may "shit in a littler box" but a dog will eat that shit like it's Almond Rocha. With relish. So, while a cat may "scrape through litter and get bacteria on it's paws, and lick its paws" a dog will cut out the middleman and EAT cat shit right out of the box. This is why we have to put our litter boxes on an elevated platform. The dogs will eat all the contents. I am not making this up. I have witnessed it.

Do you bleach and sanitize your toilet bowl after EVERY use? I have news for you, you are FAR more likely to get sick from bacteria humans harbor than you would from anything an animal, cat or dog, has. Especially indoor, healthy, vaccinated cats like mine.

Look, there's no reason to argue about animal hygiene. Animals, ALL OF THEM are not as clean as (some) humans are. All I can tell you is that with everything you just described, dogs do it too. AND having indoor pets of both varieties, the dogs require weekly baths, because their natural body odor is pungent, and gets stronger with each passing day. So let's be fair. My cats are FAR more affectionate than my dogs, and though you claim to "not hate cats" your rant just now was so hate filled and negative, that it's clear you have some sort of deep-seated germ-phobic prejudice. In fact, you sound like you don't even have cats - why would you, you have all sorts of irrational fears about them and their "bacteria." To sit there and go off on how "sick and disgusting and bacteria laden cats are" but insinuate dogs are somehow less so is not really accurate. If you think by having dogs you are avoiding "risk" or "bacteria" you are mistaken.

I love dogs, I really do, but to say they are pristine and wonderful, whereas cats are filthy and loathsome is way off. It's highly unfair. Spend a day in my house, and you will see how much more difficult is is to keep these dogs clean versus the cats. Spend a month with a dog and a cat, and don't bathe either, and see who smells better. And there is no "risk" involved in owning cats unless you are a pregnant woman deliberately eating the fecal matter of an un-vaccinated cat who may carry Toxoplasmosis. My family has owned cats and dogs since we got off the boat and no one has ever gotten sick from any of them. So while you have made it clear that you do have some sort bias against cats, you don't have to go out of your way to say horrible things about them that are mostly based on personal prejudice and nothing more. If you are truly concerned about bacteria and odor, all animals have it, people too.

Oh, and "faith based system?" More like the reality based system of someone who actually HAS cats, so therefore has a realistic view of just how "dirty" they really aren't.

[Cronus Protagonist]

14. I'm glad you agree that cats are NOT clean

Which, of course, was the point of my post. Most people continue with the illusion that cats are clean when, in fact, they're filthy.

[Vektor]

15. Filthy is a bit harsh...they are clean-ish.... :-)

And, dogs can be dirty too. Admittedly, all animals can be icky, and I think owner maintenance and assistance does wonders. Outdoor cats (or dogs) are definitely much grosser, except, no bathroom mess in the house. I don't think my cats are filthy, because I take meticulous care of them, as I do my dogs. All puppies and kittens I have ever adopted have had worms and other parasites to be remedied - and while cats bodies smell a little better (IMHO) their excrement smells a little worse.

Can we call it a draw? And maybe say any animal can be downright gross if not properly cared for? But that either a cat or a dog can be a pleasant companion if the owner takes the time and effort to maintain them?

[Vektor]

10. Well whatever the case...

...it worked! I think a dog would likely act for the same reason - senses danger, makes noise, noise results in "pack leader" IE, human, taking over. Same with cat. Having had many cats over the years of my life, and a few now, I can tell you that while some have been pretty aloof, others definitely seem to be more loving and, yes, altruistic. I think that cats and dogs can both sense danger, but differing levels of timidity either lead them to act, or cower.

We may have to respectably agree to disagree on our pets' motives here, because of the four cats I have currently, I have no doubt for various reasons, that three of the four would "look out for me" so to speak in the event of an emergency - one, well, he's kind of a shit. :-) (Plus, realistically, I can only speak of my own experiences with my own pets, and not yours or anyone else's.)

My two dogs have made it clear that it's all about them. Though being shelter rescues, and likely deprived of some much needed socialization in their puppy-hood, I am working with them to help them bond better. Maybe then, they will show a little more altruism and bravery. I'm a patient person, with all the time I the world...provided, of course, nothing catches fire!

[Jesus H. Christ]

19. The cigarette in the couch story.

From a famous author, can't remember who. Anyway, he was trying to quit smoking. And he had done so for several weeks, he was doing OK. But then one night he woke up at 2 AM and had just an irresistable urge for a cigarette. He didn't have any, so he figured maybe there would be one in the couch, maybe one had fallen down with all the loose change. So he dashed out into the living room in the nude, tore of the cushions, pushed the couch to look underneath, and finally tipped the couch on end and shook it to hope that one might fall out. None did, so he sat down on the floor feeling horrible. He then realized that both his cat and his dog were staring at him. They had seen the whole thing. The dog, he realized, was concerned for his master, he was worried about his health and his craving, and would do anything to help his master through the tough situation. The cat was just laughing at him.

[Vektor]

20. Tee-hee

I think I'd have laughed too. :-)

[Skittles]

18. because some people don't need animals to DO things for them to love them

I don't understand people who don't like cats

[Vektor]

21. Me neither, Skittles!

:-)

[Ruffhowse]

4. Wonderful story. It shows how noble our dog friends are. Thanks.

[xchrom]

7. love that story

ya gotta love dogs, man -- gotta love 'em.

[Vidar]

8. Great story. Thanks for posting.

[ernstbass]

12. What an inspiring story - thanks

[evolvenow]

16. Beautiful! We need to pay attention to our smart, fluffy friends...they

are deeply connected, and pay attention.
Do everything you can to protect and take care of all living beings!

If you would like some interesting reading, look into any of Rupert Sheldrake's work, fascinating.

Change the world...Go Veggie!
:pals:

[alphafemale]

17. Great Story! nt