Latest news with #dog
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Tim Dowling: I need to drop everything so I can get back to doing nothing
I am sitting in my office shed, marvelling that an email from a car hire company I last used six years ago feels entitled to employ the subject line DROP EVERYTHING. 'It's hard to imagine,' I say, 'how a 20% reduction in rental rates for the month of June could be sufficient cause for anyone to suddenly abandon their present business, be it knee surgery, adoption proceedings or, in this specific case, Wordle.' The dog, which is lying on the step in front of the open door, lifts its head to look at me – an emboldening reminder that as long as I'm sharing space with an animal, I'm technically not talking to myself. 'Then again, I have sort of dropped everything to read this email,' I say. My wife walks up to the door, leans in and hands me a small box. 'I found these in the car,' she says. 'You requested them at some point.' The box contains wooden plant labels – essentially ice lolly sticks with one pointed end – which would have served a definite and supportable purpose about three weeks ago. 'Yeah, a while back,' I say. 'Not at all,' my wife says, turning for the kitchen. I examine the box: the back bears a photographic illustration of a properly deployed plant label, stuck pointy end down into some soil next to a seedling. On the label someone has helpfully written 'Plant Name' in a neat cursive hand. The accompanying instructions say: 'Simply push in.' 'Can it really be that simple?' I say, looking up to find that the dog has followed my wife back to the house. I gaze across the rows of seedlings I planted out in the raised bed in a frantic hurry when they outgrew their trays – some struggling, some thriving, all of them unlabelled. I convinced myself I would remember which row was which – I was wrong. But now, I realise, a solution is at hand: I can write 'Plant Name' on all my new labels, and simply push them in. Ten minutes later, my wife returns. 'I have someone coming for lunch,' she says. 'Could you possibly mow the lawn?' I swivel my chair to look at her. 'What, just drop everything?' I say. 'What is it you're actually doing?' she says. 'That,' I say, 'is not a question I feel the need to answer.' 'She's coming at one, so,' my wife says. 'Fine,' I say. All things being equal, I am an enthusiastic supporter of basic safety precautions. That said, I'm pretty certain it's not a good idea to mow the lawn in flip-flops, and yet I have already made the decision not to change out of them and into shoes. I resent having my working day interrupted, even though I'm not working. Writing involves a certain level of tactical time-wasting – you sometimes have to bore yourself into concentrating. Absorbing menial chores – cutting the grass, say – are no help. I need to get back to doing nothing, and quickly. Anyway, I tell myself as I begin, the lawnmower has a sort of dead man's handle – if I keeled over from a heart attack the blades would stop turning. What's the worst that could happen? This question is answered almost as soon as I ask it: pulling the lawnmower backwards from a tight corner, I step out of my left flip-flop and partially run it over. It's not ruined – just scarred – but the sight of it is immediately sobering. My wife's guest arrives at one. It's not clear, from my vantage point at the other end of the garden, how my own lunch plans are affected. Am I invited? Or am I supposed to wait until the guest departs, and then slither over to feed on whatever scraps remain? The dog comes out and resumes lying in front of my office door. 'What's going on in there?' I say. 'Are they eating yet?' The dog stares straight ahead, as if it hasn't heard me. How long, I think, before hunger drives me to go and investigate? The answer is: not that long. The guest, it turns out, is our friend Louise. 'Hello,' I say, looking at the plates. 'Well done for staying away for a whole hour,' my wife says. 'I've saved you some food.' 'I can't eat now,' I say, 'I'm busy.' 'He's busy,' says Louise. 'I just came in to say hi,' I say, turning to leave. 'There he goes,' my wife says. 'Flip, flop, flip, flop.' Back in my office, I sit at my desk, staring at a blank white screen and thinking about just dropping everything and hiring a car.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Peterborough 'deliberately drowned' dog investigated by RSPCA
The discovery of a decomposed corpse of a dog attached to a weight in a river is being investigated by the RSPCA. The charity was called to Riverside Mead, in Peterborough, on 13 May, after the animal was found by a member of the public. The RSPCA said it was an "incredibly distressing discovery" as the dog's harness had been "attached to a large heavy brick stone". The dog was believed to have been a female terrier, about five years old, and had been dead for some time. An RSPCA spokesperson said: "It is believed the dog was sadly most likely deliberately drowned as their harness was attached to a large heavy brick stone."The animal welfare charity's rescue officer Maya Thakrar, who attended the scene and took the dog away, said: "This was an incredibly distressing discovery for the member of the public and we are grateful to them for reporting this to us."Given the items found with the dog it is likely they were probably drowned which is just unthinkably sad."We're urging anyone who may have seen something suspicious to please get in touch with us as we're keen to find out what happened."The RSPCA said the dog was "possibly female" and had been dead "for a number of weeks, if not months".The incident was also reported to Cambridgeshire Police. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
CTV News
4 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Police urge caution after bear cub incident in Timmins neighbourhood
Northern Ontario Watch A Timmins resident sustained non-life-threatening injuries after intervening to protect their dog from a bear cub spotted in a tree on Lozanne Crescent early this morning; police, who have handed the case to the Ministry of Natural Resources, warn against approaching bear cubs, while locals report mixed experiences with wildlife in the area.
CBS News
5 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Delta flight from Detroit to Los Angeles diverted after dog becomes ill
A plane carrying nearly 200 people was diverted on its way to Los Angeles after a dog fell ill on Monday. Delta Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement provided to KCAL News, saying that the plane landed early so that the four-legged passenger could receive care. Delta flight 694 took off from Detroit and landed in St. Paul, Minnesota, after a veterinarian onboard assisted the dog. "The safety of our customers and people comes before everything else at Delta," reads a statement provided to KCAL News from Delta Airlines. "That's why Delta flight 694 diverted to MSP to ensure a cabin pet that became ill received proper care." Delta said 181 customers and six crew members were onboard at the time. Upon arrival in Minnesota, medical personnel took the dog into their care. The airline didn't immediately update the current status of the dog. The diversion delayed customers by about 2-and-a-half hours. The flight eventually landed safely at LAX.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Everyone can see the dog – but can you spot 12 differences between the family barbecue scenes in this brain teaser
TEST your vision to the max with this sizzling summer brainteaser, that is guaranteed to leave your mind boggled. Everyone can see the dog, but can you spot the 12 differences between the two family barbecues? 2 Whether you're trying to improve your sight, or test your IQ, this puzzle will prove a challenge to many readers. Put your observation skills to the test and figure out whether you have what it takes to spot the convertible in just a few seconds. Make sure to set your stopwatch before undertaking this challenge, to make it extra hard for yourself. If you can do it in under one minute, you are said to have the eyes of an eagle. The perplexing puzzle, provided by Mecca Bingo shows two images of a family enjoying a BBQ in the sun. At first glance, it looks as though both images are exactly the same. However, those with hawk eyes will immediately spot that this is not the case. There are in fact a total of 12 differences between the two images. Unless you're lucky enough to spot the differences straight away, we recommend analysing the images very closely. The visual deception of this image will have you peeling your eyes, but the payoff is worth it. Only one in four hawk-eyed geniuses can find the odd-one-out number sequence in under 40 seconds If you need a hint, we recommend first focusing on the family's pet dog. The most obvious difference can be found on the two different images of the canine. If you're looking for more of a challenge, only the most sharp-eyed will be able to spot the spade amongst the sea of card suits in this tricky puzzle. If that's not hard enough, try looking for the five hidden utensils in this office scene. How can optical illusions and brainteasers help me? Engaging in activities like solving optical illusions and brainteasers can have many cognitive benefits as it can stimulate various brain regions. Some benefits include: Cognitive stimulation: Engaging in these activities challenges the brain, promoting mental agility and flexibility. Problem-solving skills: Regular practice enhances analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Memory improvement: These challenges often require memory recall and can contribute to better memory function. Creativity: They encourage thinking outside the box, fostering creativity and innovative thought processes. Focus and attention: Working on optical illusions and brainteasers requires concentration, contributing to improved focus. Stress relief: The enjoyable nature of these puzzles can act as a form of relaxation and stress relief. And only those with a high IQ will be able to spy the odd one out in this grid of new-build houses. Finally, you're a genius if you spot the convertible in under 15 seconds in this mind bending puzzle. Coming back to our challenge, were you able to solve it in under 15 seconds? For those struggling to find the answer, we have marked the solution for you. 2 How many did you get right?
