11/03/15

[Maik]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/caminito-del-rey-spain-reopens-worlds-scariest-walkway-in-the-gorge-of-gaitanes-that-claimed-five-lives-10099059.html

[Maik]

One of the municipal councillors, Alekos Kalafatis, has resigned citing authoritarianism and lack of transparency within the council among the reasons.


Not too sure about this one but heard Ithaka will be cut off as Kefalonian Lines won't be running a service there between 10/03/15-05/04/15 due to f/b Nisos Kefalonia being in Piraeus for routine maintenance. No Kefalonian Lines service between Kyllini-Zakynthos during that period but a replacement ferry, Zakynthos I, will be performing the Kyllini-Kef route.


Power outage between 08:00-15:00 tomorrow in Lixouri and surrounding areas due to necessary maintenance work.

[Maik]

Google’s initiative dubbed “Grow Greek Tourism Online” will expand to six more destinations in Greece, it was announced at a press conference on Tuesday.

The initiative will now expand to the Peloponnese, the Cyclades, the Ionian Islands, Macedonia, the Dodecanese and Attica.

According to figures, 51 percent of EU households use the Internet for travel planning. In Greece, only 10 percent of international tourist arrivals come via the Internet due to the low web presence of the country’s tourism enterprises.

http://news.gtp.gr/2015/03/10/google-plans-to-grow-greek-tourism-online-in-6-more-destinations/

[Maik]

Pig owner prosecuted after refusing to have his beloved pet put down

The owner of one of world's oldest pigs has been prosecuted by the RSPCA because he couldn't bring himself to have his beloved pet put down when it fell ill.

 A court heard he didn't take Mr Pig to the vets because he couldn't come to terms with having the elderly hog euthanised.

The RSPCA were tipped off and officials seized Mr Pig and had him destroyed without informing Mr Skinner, a retired pet shop owner.

The first he heard about the death of his trusted pet was while he was being interviewed by RSPCA officers.

Mr Skinner, a divorcee, lives in an idyllic old mill cottage in the village of Corfe Mullen, Dorset. The 13 bed, grade II listed property backs on to the River Stour and featured in the Doomsday Book.

Mr Pig had the run of a nine acre island at the back of the cottage and could be patted and fed by guests staying at the B&B.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11461032/Pig-owner-prosecuted-after-refusing-to-have-his-beloved-pet-put-down.html

A woman on a mission to save Italy's pigs

At a small farm in northern Italy one woman is on an impossible mission - to save the nation's pigs from becoming salami.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31762555

[Maik]

Giant Spanish 'Superslug' set to invade British gardens

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/11461200/Giant-Spanish-Superslug-set-to-invade-British-gardens.html

[Maik]

Dogs are left for some time either tied to their "bench" and benching areas are at times very empty. Dogs are quite often left in their travelling crate, where food could be very quickly and surreptiously given between the bars.  We showed dogs briefly a few years back and still go from time to time.  Cat showing is generally very friendly and mostly not that competitive, but mostly pretty much OK - even to complete newcomers.  Dog showing distinctly cool and unwelcoming to newbies and can be pretty darned competitive.

Crufts in crisis as petition to strip Best in Show winner of title surpasses 100,000 amid animal cruelty claims
Rebecca Cross has been criticised for holding her Scottish Terrier by its neck and tail, as RSPCA investigate reports that a man allegedly beat his dog in the show car park

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11462847/Crufts-in-crisis-as-petition-to-strip-Best-in-Show-winner-of-title-surpasses-100000-amid-animal-cruelty-claims.html





Edit: vid clip added

[Maik]

Microsoft Windows update addresses FREAK flaw, Stuxnet worm

http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-windows-update-addresses-freak-flaw-stuxnet-worm/

[TonyKath]

Dogs are left for some time either tied to their "bench" and benching areas are at times very empty. Dogs are quite often left in their travelling crate, where food could be very quickly and surreptiously given between the bars.  We showed dogs briefly a few years back and still go from time to time.  Cat showing is generally very friendly and mostly not that competitive, but mostly pretty much OK - even to complete newcomers.  Dog showing distinctly cool and unwelcoming to newbies and can be pretty darned competitive.

Crufts in crisis as petition to strip Best in Show winner of title surpasses 100,000 amid animal cruelty claims
Rebecca Cross has been criticised for holding her Scottish Terrier by its neck and tail, as RSPCA investigate reports that a man allegedly beat his dog in the show car park

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11462847/Crufts-in-crisis-as-petition-to-strip-Best-in-Show-winner-of-title-surpasses-100000-amid-animal-cruelty-claims.html





Edit: vid clip added

You can't really see what this woman is doing in the clip.  We've seen something like it quite often and if you were to look back over the Ch 4 coverage I'm sure you'd see it several times. It's not as bad as you'd imagine and I'd be the first to say if I thought it was.  It's guiding a dog as you scoop it down in quite a quick downward movement and very little weight is actually taken by the tail.  When Kath showed one of our dogs she would support the front of its chest and hold it by the bum (not the tail) as she lowered it.  It could look like she was holding the neck, given the shape of most small dogs.

However, on Sunday we did see a handler actually hit a Tibetan Terrier (our breed) with a grooming brush fairly hard.  The brushes are fairly light but the wooden back can give quite a whack.  Never seen it before in show judging and we were very shocked.  I don't know if the judge saw it and to be honest I don't know what the show rules are that would cover it.  We didn't say anything at the time and perhaps we should have.  In fact many others watching must have seen it but didn't speak up.  Would have caused quite a kerfuffle but that's no reason not to.

Tony

[HiFi]

I don't show my kids off to judges to tell if they're a good breed or not, and try and win a prize should they choose to have valuable children when they're older. I certainly would never do it to my dogs either.

[Maik]

Wow, HiFi, that's a thought inspiring post!

Cat shows, dog shows, beauty pageants and the like have never held any interest for me and Tony's posts have given me a better idea of why PETA staged a brief demo at Crufts.

Sounds as though these dog shows are taken far too seriously and I'm wondering if some of the breeders don't view the dogs as just another commodity to be sold, like a can of beans on a supermarket shelf. (Or, er.............. cows in a field).

[TonyKath]

Cat or dog shows are not everybody's cup of tea by any means, though a remarkable number of Joe Public turn up at a big event like Crufts and watch it on TV.  But if you reckon that the whole thing is a bit daft then you're bound to think it's taken too seriously.  Just like car rallies, preserved railways, antique fairs, horse racing, football matches, beer/food  festivals and most other interests people have.  If a cat or a dog wasn't happy at a show it wouldn't show very well, lacking the essential "sparkle" to catch the judge's eye and so wouldn't be worth paying the 30 plus quid entry cost and driving all the way there.  Actually there is no money in showing cats or dogs and our expenses have been eye-watering and people only do it for enjoyment and/or status of winning.   Cat breeding loses money overall while dog breeding does make a profit.  (All excluding cat/dog farming of course where animals are very often kept in poor conditions and is utterly reprehensible.) People can make money out of breeding dogs and a very small number do well out of it.   

Most people love their animals and are more accurately accused of treating them like spoilt children, as most Brits do with their pets.  As in anything there are exceptions and we have known a few.  Since the scandal of the Panorama programme several years ago the Kennel Club has worked very hard to raise breeder standards.  We only have a litter every couple of years (or less) and are Assured Breeders with the KC, for which there is now a substantial annual fee.  We (house, garden, dogs) were thoroughly inspected (and photographed!) just over a year ago and have very stringent guidelines to adhere to especially about inherited conditions and health and welfare.  Puppy purchasers are strongly encouraged to give feedback about us and their puppy direct to the KC which we do not see and is a significant part of our accreditation.

Tony

[HiFi]

Fair point Tony.
But I'd  have KFC every time over KC.

[Maik]

As you mentioned football matches, Tony, let's use that. If someone can go to a football match, enjoy it regardless of who wins and then go for a drink with supporters of the other team, IMO that's great.

When people become obsessed with 'their' team winning, get despondent when they don't, and/or feel they have to engage in violence with or towards supports of the other team, IMO that's taking it waaaaay too seriously.

In the past, lots of people enjoyed watching lions kill gladiators. There's still quite a lot of people who enjoy watching bullfights and, even now, lots of people (er, lots of men) still enjoy watching beauty contests. Lots of people may enjoy watching Crufts but I doubt they're the ones who take it too seriously.

The BBC dropped Crufts and the RSPCA has this to say:

Born out of frustration with beauty pageant style dog shows like Crufts which judge dogs on the basis of their looks, even when it’s those looks that can cause them to suffer unnecessarily, we created Ruffs!

Ruffs, is our alternative dog show, which welcomes all dogs no matter what they look like, from the 'Golden Oldies' to the 'Perfectly Imperfect'.
This dog show with a difference celebrates dogs for the right reasons - their health, happiness and welfare.

http://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/dogownership/crufts

Ever wondered why the RSPCA refuses to attend Crufts? Or why the BBC will no longer air the dog show on any of its channels?
Selectively breeding animals for exaggerated physical traits, obsessing over “pure” bloodlines and making close family members mate with one another isn’t just creepy – it’s a recipe for genetic disaster and causes immense suffering to dogs.

http://blog.peta.org.uk/2015/02/6-dogs-who-are-winning-at-crufts-but-losing-at-life/

I think it's good that breeds are preserved, but not good that some breeders engineer dogs for 'beauty' or e.g. aggressive qualities. I doubt our views are far apart. I said “I'm wondering if some of the breeders don't view the dogs as just another commodity to be sold” as I'd buy a cat or dog from you, Tony,  with complete confidence.

[Maik]

Fair point Tony.
But I'd  have KFC every time over KC.

Can't say neigh to that, it's real brain food!


http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/kfc-apologizes-serving-chicken-brain-andor-kidney-uk-student-146362

 

[Maik]

Beautifully preened Springer Spaniel Max left his owner red-faced and the turf brown when he answered nature's call and submitted his own entry.

While cheerily trotting around the prestigious dog show's arena with his owner Dylan Thomas, Max decided he had to go. There and then.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/crufts-2015-watch-nervous-spaniel-5290233




Just in case anyone's wondering... definitely not my mutt Max. He's few qualms about where he goes but he refuses to remain beautifully preened.

And before any of you lot ask 

No, I've absolutely no idea who he gets that from.

[TonyKath]

Fair point Tony.
But I'd  have KFC every time over KC.

 

So you won't be going to Thailand then! 

Tony

[TonyKath]

The issue of exaggerated characteristics is a very real one which the Beeb and PETA are very right to raise.  Funnily enough we saw a few Shar Peis and bulldogs at Crufts and I thought they were a bit less extreme than ones I had seen before but further to go with the bulldogs. 

Cat shows include very popular classes for household pets (which I once judged!) and there was one famous instance where the household pet cat won best in show over all the pedigrees to the great annoyance of many owners of the pedigree cats!  The Kennel Club run "Scruffts" which has its final at Crufts (though little reported), but separate from its main annual programme of pedigree shows across the country which it really shouldn't be.  Great organisations like the Dogs Trust run fun all-dog shows but I wouldn't be surprised if one or two owners took it seriously!  Shows like this do a lot to promote responsible pet ownership.

"Best rescued household pet cat" is a common class at cat shows and the occasional cat with a Greek name turns up and a few cat shows include a class for household pets "with a little bit missing" - ear, tail, leg etc. 

Tony