THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

When a stray dog or cat is brought into the North Little Rock Animal Shelter from outside the city limits, a green tag will distinguish it from those brought in from within the city.

“The county ones go down first before the North Little Rock dogs and cats,” Billy Grace, North Little Rock’s Animal Control director, said of having to euthanize those that aren’t adoptable as pets and aren’t claimed by an owner within a few days.

In 2009, North Little Rock’s animal shelter in Burns Park took in 1,863 dogs and 1,148 cats from North Little Rock, Grace said. Another 656 dogs and 116 cats were brought in from the county, for a total of 3,783 animals. (more…)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES — One hundred sheriff’s deputies and 400 part-time deputies were laid off. Narcotics and gang units were disbanded. Helicopters were grounded.

K-9 police dog units remained on the job.

To absorb more than $30 million in losses, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department had to focus almost exclusively on answering emergency calls, but police dogs and their handlers survived the cuts. It’s a scenario that is playing out among the thousands of K-9 teams across the U.S. that have survived deep budget cuts to stay on the job. (more…)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

FULTON, Texas — A former Air Force sentry dog handler in Vietnam has one last mission.

He’s working with others to honor military canines with a national monument.

“Our war dogs deserve recognition for the lives they saved,” said Larry Chilcoat, who patrolled the combat perimeter of Camp Cameron, Vietnam, throughout 1969 with a German shepherd named Geisha. (more…)

THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Before Donald Ellis was buried last week at Oakland Cemetery in Monticello, his healthy 2-year-old Yorkie was euthanized and put to rest alongside him.

Ellis’ sister, Marilyn Mc-Daniel of Star City, said the family wanted to fulfill her brother’s desire to be buried with his pet, Tom Tom.

“Donnie said if he should ever die, he wanted his dog to go with him because nobody would love him like he did,” McDaniel said. “He loved that dog very much.” (more…)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES — Neil Patrick Harris is the narrator of a PBS documentary exploring the bond between service dogs and those they help.

Harris recorded the narration this week for Through a Dog’s Eyes, which is set to air next month.

The film details how dogs learn to serve people with disabilities and how animals and humans are paired. An Iraqi veteran who became a quadriplegic after a car accident and a 6-year-old with cerebral palsy are among those featured in the film. (more…)