Latest news with #Labradorretriever
IOL News
20-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
How a pet rescue is helping federal workers find solace after job loss
Tim, one of the kittens Mollie Kolaitis is fostering, holds onto her right foot. Image: Mollie Kolaitis As a 10-year-old, Denise Joseph told everyone she wanted to be Mother Teresa. While Joseph never became a saint, her passion for public service drew her to the Education Department, where she began working as an analyst in 2015. But when Joseph was placed on administrative leave in January - and learned three months later she would be fired - she turned her attention to something else: dogs. Joseph began fostering two mixed German shepherd and Labrador retriever puppies, Wren and Wrigley. 'I have a reason to get up in the morning,' Joseph told The Washington Post, 'to walk the dogs and feed them and, you know, to help calm me.' Joseph is one of a handful of former federal employees who are taking advantage of an animal rescue's recent offer in Arlington, Virginia. Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is providing free supplies, including food, toys, bowls, leashes, collars, treats and crates, to fired federal workers who foster dogs or cats. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Wren, a mixed German shepherd and Labrador retriever puppy, is being fostered by Denise Joseph Image: Denise Joseph Mirah Horowitz, Lucky Dog's chief executive, said the program is great for the pets who get a temporary home, and also the foster volunteers, who might find solace in caring for a pet. 'The cost to the former federal employee or contractor would be, you know, their time and their love,' Horowitz said. 'And we will provide the rest.' When sweeping job cuts in the federal government began in February under President Donald Trump's administration, Horowitz said her already overflowed rescue became more crowded. Some fired federal workers gave up their pets because they were moving or could no longer afford veterinary care, Horowitz said. In the following weeks, Horowitz said she considered waiving the $200 to $500 adoption fees for fired federal workers. But she realized they might need a more flexible situation while they look for new jobs and possibly new homes, she said. To make the program feasible financially, Horowitz said Arlington's Dogma Dog Bakery agreed to sell food to the rescue at a reduced cost. She said foster volunteers in the program save between $100 to $200 per month. Donna Davis of Arlington, Virginia, began fostering 1-year-old King, a mixed Rottweiler and German shepherd, last month. Image: Donna Davis One volunteer is Donna Davis, who said she was fired from her contracting position with the Defense Department in February. However, when Davis picked up King, a mixed Rottweiler and German shepherd, last month, she was uncertain if the partnership would work out. King, who weighs nearly 80 pounds, pulled Davis into streets while she held the leash and barked at other dogs. He ate a David Mamet book Davis borrowed from the library, prompting Davis to spend hours taping the pieces of paper back together. But a few days later, the 1-year-old pup became attached to Davis. When Davis took King to the Shirlington Dog Park in the evenings, King looked back every few minutes to ensure Davis was still there. Lucky Dog provided Davis squeaky toys, two beds, a leash, crunchy biscuits and bone broth treats. Davis made her own beef liver treats. Tabitha and Tiffani, kittens Mollie Kolaitis is fostering, nap together Image: Mollie Kolaitis King has become a beloved figure at Davis's church, where she takes him on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. A week after Davis began fostering him, King growled when others approached Davis - a sign he was protecting her, Davis said. They ran a five-kilometer race together at Theodore Roosevelt Island. Davis has struggled to find work, she said, and has considered leaving Arlington. On April 30, she posted a picture of King on Facebook, seeking his permanent home. But now, Davis said she is considering adopting King - even if she's dreading the librarians' reactions when she tries to return the book King ate. 'I gave up a lot of my life for this dog,' Davis said. 'And that's okay. I feel like that's not necessarily a bad thing.' While Lucky Dog's program is for fired workers, former federal employees who recently accepted buyout offers have also fostered pets with their spare time. Mollie Kolaitis, who took a buyout from her job as an attorney adviser in the Department of Health and Human Services in March, has turned her home office into a room for her new foster cats. The nine kittens she began fostering last month have been distracting, running across her desk in Waterford, Virginia, and accidentally opening Microsoft Excel when they step on her laptop. But Kolaitis, 41, said the experience has been rewarding. Wrigley, a mixed German shepherd and Labrador retriever puppy, is being fostered by Denise Joseph. Image: Denise Joseph 'It's something nice to pour yourself into and take your focus off of things that are happening right now,' Kolaitis said, 'and just feel like you're doing a little bit of good for the world when it doesn't feel like there is a lot.' Since taking the buyout, Kolaitis has also fostered a Chihuahua mix and her four babies. She mixed dog food with formula and fed the puppies through a syringe in her sunroom. She house-trained them before they were adopted a few weeks later. 'People who go into federal service, they have an interest in the public, and they have an interest of wanting to help others,' Kolaitis said. 'And, you know, if they're looking for something to do, this is a really good way to spend some time.' Joseph, the analyst who was fired from the Education Department, said she couldn't sleep after she received an email Jan. 29 with a letter attached. It said she would be placed on administration leave 'pursuant to the President's executive order on DEIA,' referring to Trump's efforts to end diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs in the federal government. Walking Wren and Wrigley around her neighbourhood in Waldorf, Maryland, three or four times a day has brought her joy. She has house-trained them - but she still bought a patch of turf to place in front of their crates in case they relieve themselves inside. While Joseph said Wren and Wrigley, both 16 weeks old, are bigger than she prefers - they're each roughly 35 pounds and counting - she plans to foster them until someone adopts them. Then, she might find more dogs to foster while she job hunts. 'I just have this mindset to help people and to help raise them and train them,' Joseph said, 'so they can be their best selves - or their best animal selves.'
Newsweek
24-04-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Dog Owner at Vet Told Has 'Beautiful German Shepherd' but There's a Problem
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A dog owner went viral after revealing what happened at her last visit to the vet, and internet users can't stop laughing at it. In a viral TikTok video shared on Friday under the username @dogtrainerlindsey, the woman, who has been a professional dog trainer for 22 years, can be seen looking rather confused at a comment someone made about her dog in the waiting room. "When you're at the vet and a lady in the waiting room tells you that you have a beautiful German shepherd," she says in the clip. However, as she tilts the camera down toward the pup, there is a very obvious problem, the pup isn't a German shepherd, or any other breed that looks remotely similar to it. The poster's dog is a yellow Labrador retriever. Labrador retrievers are very popular dogs across America, in fact, they were America's number one favorite dog for 31 years straight, up until 2022, when French bulldogs dethroned them and pushed them to second place. As of the last survey carried out by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2024, French bulldogs are still first on the list, followed by Labrador retrievers in second place, golden retrievers in third place, German shepherds in fourth, and poodles in fifth. What makes Labrador retrievers so popular? According to the AKC, they are incredible dogs in every possible way. They're affectionate with family, great around children, and around other dogs too. They're also very intelligent, easy to train, energetic, and don't bark much. On top of that they are also very playful, easy to adapt, and open to strangers, while still making pretty good guard dogs. However, these sweet pups are also prone to some health conditions, including ear infections, heart problems, hip and elbow dysplasia, exercise-induced collapse, progressive retinal atrophy, and hemangiosarcoma. A stock image shows a veterinarian checking her phone while holding a book. A stock image shows a veterinarian checking her phone while holding a book. getty images The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 1.3 million views and 201,300 likes on the platform. One user, Chloe | SC Hairstylist, commented: "I wonder what she thinks an actual German shepherd is lol." JaneABoomer said: "You have a fabulously faux albino German rare." SpiderCools added: "Well that's one way to find out about your family tree. How will you calmly tell the dog?" Newsweek reached out to dogtrainerlindsey for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Hans India
24-04-2025
- Hans India
Last salute to Police sniffer Tara (Dog)
Adilabad: Tara, a Labrador retriever (Dog) of 2013 batch, served the Adilabad police dog squad for 12 years. Two years after retirement, Tara fell sick few days ago and passed away on Thursday morning. Superintendent of police Akhil Majahan participated in the last rites organized on this occasion and paid rich tributes her. He, decorated Tara with a shawal and garlands. SP saluted Tara for her services and gave her due respect for her services. Speaking on the occasion SP praised police vigilance for its exceptional services in detecting explosives and conducting security checks during the visits of VIPs to the district. He instructed the police officers to provide facilities and amenities to the police vigilances. He suggested that cooler facilities be setup for each vigilance in view of the summer season. Reserve inspector D. Venkat, and Tirumalesh and others were present.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Study reveals dogs outperform humans in detecting killer pests: 'The extra time ... is not as important as it is to find them"
Dogs could help save your local vineyards and forests with their amazing sense of smell, according to Cornell University. A new study published in the journal Ecosphere found that trained dogs can detect the eggs of spotted lanternflies, an invasive insect that kills grapevines, apple trees, hops, and other plants we need. The discovery offers fresh hope for catching these destructive pests before they spread. Spotted lanternflies first appeared in Pennsylvania in 2014 and have spread to 18 other states. The insects threaten American farms and forests. Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. When they attack vineyards, they can kill up to 100% of the vines in just one growing season. Farmers often have no choice but to increase pesticide use by 170% to fight back. But there's good news: A Labrador retriever and Belgian malinois, trained by experts at the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference and Working Dogs for Conservation, proved better than humans at finding lanternfly egg masses in forests near vineyards. While people spotted more eggs in the vineyards themselves, the dogs excelled in complex forest environments where the eggs are harder to see. This can help protect both farms and wild spaces. The study found that areas of vineyards closest to forests faced the highest risk. "If you're searching in a vineyard close to the forest, that's more likely where they're going to be," said Angela Fuller, study lead author and Cornell professor. "The extra time that dogs take to find them is not as important as it is to find them in the first place, because you need to detect the egg masses in order to eradicate them," Fuller explained. "A spotted lanternfly infestation in a vineyard can cause 80% to 100% mortality of the vines in one growing season," she added, showing how early detection by these talented dogs could make all the difference in protecting our food supply and natural areas. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
