THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — All Washington County fire trucks are now equipped with oxygen masks specifically designed for dogs and cats.

Springdale and Fayetteville received theirs in May, and the Humane Society of the Ozarks completed the donation by recently handing them out to the county’s 19 volunteer fire departments.

Each kit contains three masks, one for cats, and medium and large sizes for dogs. In the past, firefighters used masks designed for humans. Results were mixed, said Springdale Fire Chief Duane Atha. (more…)

Photo courtesy of Out of the Woods Rescue — River and his new owner play.

KRISHA WILLIAMS TURBEVILLE

RESCUE IN THE ROCK

No party is planned for the third anniversary of Out of the Woods Animal Rescue of Arkansas.

“We have too much to do!” said president Kathy Woods, who founded the nonprofit in 2007 to help animals other shelters in the area could not.

“We don’t turn people down. That’s what sets us apart,” Woods said. “We’ll help anybody who’s willing to take on the responsibility for the animals they’ve taken in.” (more…)

SYNC

LITTLE ROCK — It’s always been hip for young professionals in Arkansas to flock to New York City. If you can make it there, and all that. The financial, media, arts and cultural center that is New York has long been something of a dream destination, especially for young people from the South. But now it’s even hip for Arkansas dogs.

Pups at high-kill shelters or abandoned dogs on the streets of Little Rock and in more rural areas are finding posh new homes in Manhattan thanks to Gina Hartsell and her rescue organization, All About Labs.

The organization began in 2005 when Hartsell became dissatisfied with other rescues and shelters. (more…)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

VIOLET, La. — Double-bunked behind the bars at the overrun St. Bernard Animal Shelter are more victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill: shiny-coated Labrador retrievers, long-haired Chihuahuas and a fluffy Shih Tzu.

Among the more typical skinny, stray mutts are healthy, seemingly well-tended dogs whose owners, because of the massive spill, suddenly don’t have the time or money to keep them.

“It’s the economy, the uncertainty of the future, for sure,” said shelter director Beth Brewster, who saw 117 owners surrender their animals last month — up from 17 in June 2009. (more…)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — Bulldog and pug owners beware: Short-snouted breeds accounted for roughly half the purebred dog deaths on airplanes in the past five years, Transportation Department data released Friday shows.

Overall, at least 122 dog deaths were reported since May 2005, when U.S. airlines were required to start disclosing them, the department says. The dogs died while being shipped as cargo.

English bulldogs account for the single highest number of deaths among the 108 purebreds on the list: 25. Pugs were next, with 11 deaths, followed by golden retrievers and labradors, with seven deaths each, French bulldogs with six, and American Staffordshire terriers, four. (more…)