Sit, Stay, Speak! Where South Florida talks pets | Sun-Sentinel Blogs

So many thoughts, so little time.

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:57:18 -0500

As I mentioned earlier this week, today is the final day for Sit, Stay, Speak! -- at least in its current incarnation. Who knows, maybe it will be back some day. But for now, my editors have asked me to spend my time concentrating on other things. None of this has anything to do with you, the wonderful advocates for animals that you are. So many of you have taught me so much, and shared your personal experiences. I will miss that. I still will be able to do some stories on companion animal trends and product safety issues like pet food recalls, however. And you can contact me any time: 954-356-4295 or dlade@sunsentinel.com. Sifting through my blog file last night, I came across Jpegs that I have squirreled away over the last eight months -- photos that I thought would perfectly illustrate something I wanted to say at some point, when I could get a minute to post it. Now those minutes are up. Here's the best of what I was saving... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I met Sami and Danni, 7-year-old littermates, at Tri-County Humane Society in Boca Raton, when I was doing a story on pets left behind when their families lost their homes to foreclosure. Now these two girls have a forever home -- and were adopted together. I applaud every one of you who has taken in an abdonned pet, and those of you who work tirelessly for animal rescue. Some of you find the patience to foster multiple dogs or cats, which amazes me. You guys are my heroes and heroines. This poor kitty was left behind when Tropical Storm Fay hit the northern part of Florida. Please remember your pets when you make your hurricane plans next year. Times are harder, and probably are going to get harder this next year. Your animals still need you to care for them -- and that includes at least basic veterinary care. There are low cost clinics in the area that can help. Democat or Replicat -- Socks always will be my favorite First Pet, maybe because my Franny looks so much like him. Don't forget to vote next week. And finally: This is Zack. An fourth-grade elementary school class, who heard that Zack's arthritis kept him from playing and walking with his family, raised money to buy him this wheelchair. That's the amazing thing about the animals that we share this planet with -- they can bring out the very worst but also the very best in us. Here is Zack's letter back to the students: Dear kids! Hi, this is Zack from Melbourne, Florida. I am so sorry that I have not written to tell you guys thank you for my cart but my mom has been very busy because my baby has been sick so she was taking care of him. Now that she has had a chance to take some pictures of me and my new wheels I wanted to send an note to thank you for your generosity. It is such a great thing that you guys are doing by helping handicapped pets. Some people think that because a pet can not walk that they are not worth having, they tried to tell my mom and dad that because I could not walk that they should not keep me anymore, boy am I glad that they did not listen! Anyway, things are going okay for me right now, I still have to take medicine twice a day but I am happy that I can take walks again and skateboard with my boy. The new game that my baby likes to play with me is following me around while he is in his walker (and I am in mine) trying to grab my tail! I am really not interested in playing with him until he starts eating "real" food that he can throw down from his highchair for me! Anyway, thank you again from the bottom of my heart! Keep up the great work that you are doing, hopefully kids like you can help teach the big people in this world a valuable lesson. I hope that you guys had some enjoyment in knowing that you were able to do something kind for someone else (even if that someone else is a furry four legged "person"), sometimes the joy of giving is the best present of all! With lots of licks! Love, Zack =] And thank you, SSS! readers, for the gift of your time, attention and support -- and for all you do for our animal friends. Diane

What to do when bringing a shelter dog home.

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:55:45 -0500

If you have adopted a shelter dog recently: Congratulations! You have opened your home to an animal that had lost theirs; I personally think they usually sense your kindness and are forever grateful. But shelter dogs may need a little extra patience adjusting to you and their new home, given what they have been through. And you may know little about their background or past experiences. Robin Edwards, a dog trainer from Weston helps pet parents through her Bark Busters business, wrote in to offer these suggestions: * Hold a family meeting to discuss how the dog will be cared for and what he will be allowed to do in the house. Can he sleep on the bed and couch? Who will walk him? Be consistent or the dog will become confused. * Dogs like a “den,” where they can sleep and get away from the commotion, so set up a roomy crate for him in the house. But limit the amount of time he spends in it. * Get everything in advance for your dog before the big move: ID tags and collar, leash, feeding bowls, toys, grooming tools, a crate and bedding. * Bring your dog home on a weekend or when you will be home for several days. But before he steps through your door for the first time, give him a long walk to tire him out a little. * Make sure your dog sees a veterinarian within a week after his adoption for a health checkup. * Limit visitors for the first few days, while your dog adjusts to his new family. And when you do have guests, tell them they can help train your pooch by ignoring him when they first arrive until he calms down. * Dogs need a pack leader, or they’ll try to become the leader themselves. That leader should be you, and the humans in your home over age 12. Learn obedience skills and your dog will see you as the leader – and be happier, and better behaved, for it. Here’s more from the Humane Society of the United States on easing your shelter dog’s transition to his new home. Rescue. Raise. Love! PS: Want to see if your pup's behavior makes the grade? Take this Bark Buster quiz and find out if he's an A student or in danger of flunking out.

Dog day afternoon this Saturday full of fun.

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:52:34 -0500

Have fun with your dog – and support a good cause. The Boca Raton Dog Club is hosting Nutts For Mutts from 9 am to 4 pm this Saturday at the Sunset Cove Amphitheater, 12551 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Admission is free, parking $5. All the proceeds will go toward purchasing pet oxygen masks for Palm Beach County fire and rescue vehicles. And activities? Will there be stuff to do! · Learn pet CPR. · Get expert advice from Dr. Robin Valentine, an emergency medicine veterinarian. · Interfaith animal blessings by a rabbi and a priest · Kids dog show · Contests for pet/owner look alikes, doggy vocal talent, and best trick. · “Wedding” of therapy dogs (??) For more information, call 561-394-4404. Or go to the Boca Raton Dog Club’s Web site. Click here for a previous post on pet oxygen masks. Raising money for this equipment is a fine project for any group that cares for animals.

Poor little rich pets inherit millions.

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:56:27 -0500

There was a fascinating article by Jeffrey Toobin, in The New Yorker magazine recently, that looked at the trouble with Trouble -- the Maltese pup that inherited $12 million from the "Queen of Mean," Leona Helmsley. Toobin's piece explored Helmsley's complicated relationship with her family, and her motivation for leaving $12 million to her dog. Toobin also suggests that lawyers and animal activists are encouraging this practice -- and that it gets to the heart of the ongoing legal debate over if companion animals are property or -- well -- companions. Here is an excerpt: The size of the bequests, to Trouble and to dogs generally, has generated widespread astonishment. In fact, the clear motivation underlying Leona Helmsley’s will—her desire to pass her wealth on to dogs—is more common than might be expected. Pet-lovers (many of whom now prefer the term “animal companion”) have engineered a quiet revolution in the law to allow, in effect, nonhumans to inherit and spend money. It is becoming routine for dogs to receive cash and real estate in the form of trusts, and there is already at least one major foundation devoted to helping dogs. A network of lawyers and animal activists has orchestrated these changes, largely without opposition, in order to whittle down the legal distinctions between human beings and animals. They are already making plans for the Helmsleys’ billions. One of the most insightful points, however, came at the end of the piece: At the end of the day, an aging Trouble probably would have vastly preferred to be on a threadbare couch with someone who loved her rather than napping on a Louis XIV sette alone. The conclusion of the article: Throughout her life, Leona Helmsley demonstrated not just a lack of affection for her fellow-humans but an absence of understanding as well. The irony is that, for all that her will purports to show her love for Trouble, Leona didn’t seem to understand dogs very well, either. “What is funny about giving all this money to one dog is that it doesn’t deal with the fact that the dog is going to be sad that Leona died,” Elizabeth Harman, who teaches philosophy at Princeton, said. “What would make this dog happy is for a loving family to take it in. The dog doesn’t want the money. The money will just make everyone who deals with the dog strange.” So what do you think? Should people will large sums to their pets? Does a large trust ensure an animal companion will receive better care? In case you want more on this topic, here's another story on a squabble over millions willed to animal welfare groups in Houston. (above photo from The New Yorker) WOMAN'S WILL LEAVES MILLIONS TO CARE FOR ANIMALS By BILL MURPHY c.2008 Houston Chronicle ( HOUSTON -- After her marriage soured in the mid-1980s, Ann Slemons Young left her home in Newport Beach, Calif., and moved to Houston, where she found consolation in her pets. Her passion for animal causes grew. Before dying last year, the 70-year-old mobile home park owner specified that much of her estate would go to finding homes for unwanted animals and helping set up a veterinary clinic. Everyone agrees that Young's estate left about $2 million to $4 million to animal causes. But there is immense disagreement over which animal organization should receive the money.

News about Sit, Stay, Speak!

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:19:33 -0500

Dear readers and animal friends: Thought I should give you a little advance notice... This is the last week for Sit, Stay, Speak! The blog's final day (at least in its current incarnation) and my final post will be on Friday. This decision was not made solely on the basis of readership numbers. Basically, the editors are looking to maximize our newsroom resources and, for now, it was felt it was best for me to concentrate on other things. My beats are aging issues and consumer news, so I'll still be bringing you updates on recalls, safety issues and companion animal trends in the Sun Sentinel. So stay in touch! You still can reach me at dlade@sunsentinel.com. Diane

Rescued Florida lab one of multiple movie Marleys.

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:14:03 -0500

So a rescue dog has hit the big time in Hollywood! One of the multiple Marleys cast for the film "Marley & Me," from the book by former Sun Sentinel columnist John Grogan about his ill-behaved yellow Lab, was selected from a Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida foster home. Apparently, the dog was from central Florida. This from the "Orlando Sentinel's" Animal Crazy blog. Hi everyone - wanted to share this with you all. For those of you who don't already know, one of our Lab Rescue dogs (Rudy -- fostered with Sooz) has made it to Hollywood. When the producers of the movie Marley & Me were searching for a senior Marley for the film -- Rudy was chosen. Rudy actually became owned by the trainer of the movie and lived in Hollywood for over 6 months during the filming. Marley & Me is scheduled to be released on Christmas. Rudy is back with Sooz but as all big Hollywood stars, now has an agent. Part of the agreement between Lab Rescue and the producers was that Lab Rescue will not publicize/promote, etc. Rudy until after the film is released plus only when the publicity/fundraiser, etc. has been approved by the films' producers/attorney, Rudy's agent, etc. So bottom line, while Lab Rescue does plan to have a couple of fundraisers with Rudy/Marley, it cannot happen until sometime in 2009 and only with approval. I can't tell you exactly which dog is our Rudy, but he is one of the adult dogs appearing several times in this trailer. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did and go see the movie when it comes out:

Wanted: Small dogs and friends for meetups.

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:35:58 -0500

Wanted: Small dogs and their two-legged friends want to meet the same for conversation, nose-touching and a nice run at the park. If this sounds good to you: Join the South Florida Small Dog Social MeetUp group. Pet boutique owner Kim, petsitter Tracy and Get A Life Pet Rescue volunteer Stacy organized this community of more than 200 pet parents who discuss things online, as well as get together at various dog parks and events. Members were out in force for the big Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie release party in Pembroke Pines on Sept. 27. The blinged-out pooches dazzled the pup-arazzi -- and Stacy and Chiquita were interviewed on the red carpet by the Deco Drive television show. Want to make the next meetup? Go here to sign up and get on the mailing list. The next meeting is at 4 pm, Nov. 2 at Gary B. Jones Parks for Pups and People, 8101 Southgate Blvd., Margate. But you must register in advance. The site also has links to rescue dog meetups -- and even cat meetups!

First Las Olas Yappy hour is tonight.

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:36:45 -0500

Looking for a great way to meet some new two and four-legged friends -- and walk your dog at the same time? Head over to the first Dogs Night Out Yappy Hour Pup Crawl from 6 pm to 9 pm tonight on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Guest celebrity Jo Jo Harder, creater of America's Top Dog Model, will be at the Riverside Hotel signing copies of her book. The Humane Society of Broward County's mobile adoption service will be in the house. Oh, and Indigo restaurant at the Riverside will unveil its new 4 Paws U menu, the first in the city specifically for dogs. Even includes doggy "beers." Dress your dog up in a Halloween costume and get an early start on trick-or-treating. Bone appetit! (photo from America's Top Dog Model)

Howl-O-Ween is going to the dogs -- and cats.

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:11:40 -0500

Who knew that trick-or-treat time would become a pet parent’s favorite holiday? My Inbox has been flooded with animal costume contests, some that you enter in pet person and others that just require a photo. PetSmart even has a “Howl-O-Ween” Central section of its Web site – and costumes are on sale right now. Local PetSmarts already had their in-store contests and pet parades, and the photo competition ended last week. The grand prizewinner was this tabletop pup. But I say extra credit should have been given to whoever was able to get a cat into Elizabethan finery; this was the only feline among the finalists. The PetSource.org costume photo contest still is going on, if you want to get in on the action. Click here to enter. The competition ends on Friday. The winner gets a buncha pet swag, plus $1,000 to give to the local humane society or shelter of his/her choice. So: Are you trick-or-treating with your pet this year? What’s your costume? I noticed there are some companies selling owner-and-pet ensembles, so you can go as a matching pair. Here are some things to remember to help your dog or cat have a Happy Howl-O-Ween: * Don’t feed candy to dogs or cats – especially chocolate or raisins, as these foods can be toxic to animals. * If you go trick-or-treating outside, keep your pet on a leash and scan the ground for dropped candy that might be scarfed up. * Keep decorations away from pets. * Put your pet in a secure spot inside if trick-or-treaters will be coming to your door. And be careful when picking out your party animal’s outfit. The pet-purrfect Halloween costume is: * Roomy but does not drag on the ground in a way that would trip your pet. * Has no parts that could be easily chewed off and swallowed. * Made of flame-retardant material. * Should not have tight masks or capes that could choke your pet. Thanks to the Animal Medical Center in New York City and VPI Pet Insurance.

Old dogs can be the best dogs.

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:11:31 -0500

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog month. And I would like to encourage anyone interested in sharing their life with a pooch not to only consider giving a forever home to an animal that has lost theirs, and truly needs a new one. Why not also consider a mature dog? Puppies aren't for everyone, and especially not for those who aren't home a lot or who don't have the patience and energy to train a young dog. Older dogs, on the other hand, usually are already housebroken and well-behaved. They are mature enough to have slowed down some, but still full of fun and life -- and ready for a game of fetch. Yet shelter workers and rescue groups will tell you that any dog beyond 1 or 2 years old has the odds stacked against him or her. But there are people out there who recognize the virtues of the older dogs, and for that I say: thanks to all of you. Here are two recent success stories involving mature rescued dogs featured in SSS! And in both cases, they were pair adoptions -- not an easy task. First are Rosie and Sunshine, two 3 year old longhaired dachshunds that were turned over to Florida Dachshund Rescue (FLDR) when their owner lost her home. Both dogs had been well-loved but had bladder stones and urinary tract infections. The pair was bonded, so FLDR was insisting they stay together. A couple weeks ago, FLDR volunteer and foster dad Mack told me the girls had found a home with a wonderful couple who is paying lots of attention to them. Then there are Sami and Danni. I met these two sweet-faced Spaniel-mix sisters when I did a story earlier this year on pets left behind when their families lost their homes in foreclosures. Sami and Danni, both 7, were found in the back yard by a Relator; their owners had left the name of their veterinarian and their shot records. Tri-County Humane Society in Boca Raton took them and every now and then, I would check up on them by phone. "A lot of people have looked at them but they're still here," society founder Jeanette Christos would tell me when I called. "People are worried that they can't afford two dogs." Plus they were 7, hardly puppies. It got to the point I hated to ask. But I did again, about three weeks ago. "They're gone!" Christos cheered. Sami and Danni were adopted together, as the shelter insisted. Someone looked into those lovely brown eyes and saw the potential, undimmed by years. So please, let's not turn our backs on our older animal friends -- who still are as loving and worthy of our love as the day they were born. Mack and other rescue group volunteers have told me they are seeing quite a few older dogs these days. Maybe the bad economy is making people worried about the extra care senior pets may need. But doesn't the saying go: In sickness and in health? If you need someone to talk you into giving older pets a chance: Check out this discussion board and support group at HandicappedPets.com. This one is specifically for senior pets, but there also are boards for blind pets, those with serious medical conditions or amputations, and others. Washington Post writer (and former Miami Herald editor) Gene Weingarten has just come out with a book called "Old Dogs Are the Best Dogs," that documents canine senior citizens. Let's make our older pets years their best years. And blessings on the people who adopted Sami and Danni, and Rosie and Sunshine, and to everyone who opens their heart to any shelter cat or dog. Have any good stories to share about old dogs and cats? Please speak!

TGIF! Oh, no, my cat is Emo.

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:59:26 -0500

Happy Friday! I've posted other videos from PhotoAnimationGuy before but this one is my absolute fav. The lyrics alone are priceless: I look at him he looks away, I try to pet him anyway, What happen to the Kitty I know? Oh, no, no, no, no... my Kitty is Emo! And the song is a headspin. Plus that hair... Enjoy, even though I am posting too late for proper Friday procrastination.

Hartz recalls rawhide chips.

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:12:22 -0500

The Hartz Mountain Corporation, working with the US Food and Drug Administration, has voluntarily recalled 4,850 bags of its Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips due to possible contamination with salmonella bacteria. The products were sold at major retailers nationwide. Dog owners should check the bag for the lot code JC23282. If the bag has this code, or if no code is visible, stop using the product. The UPC code on the recalled items is: 3270096463. The company, based in Secaucus, NJ, issued the recall after an independent test detected salmonella in a bag of the chips. A second test of the same lot, however, came back normal. Consumers should call Hartz at 800-275-1414 for more details or to obtain reimbursement if they purchased the suspect product. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in pets include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some animals, however, can be carriers showing no symptoms and can pass the pathogen to other animals or humans.

On the trail with pet detectives.

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:33:38 -0500

Some desk relocation issues here at work have kept me from posting this morning. So until I can sit down to the computer, here is a story from the Los Angeles Daily News on pet detectives who use dogs to search for dogs in the land of the celebutants. (photo by Evan Yee. Landa Coldiron and Glory are on the right) MISSING PETS HAVE A LOCAL CHAMPION By Brandon Lowrey c. 2008 Los Angeles Daily News LOS ANGELES - Landa Coldiron and her crew showed up early at the suburban Glendale home in a pair of SUVs big enough to hold her two bloodhounds and three other search-and-rescue dogs. They wanted to get there while the scent of the missing was still lingering in the crisp Saturday-morning air. Dressed in military-style camouflage with her red hair tucked under a matching cap, Coldiron pulled a restless hound from the back of one SUV while friends and family of the disappeared drew up "missing" posters on the front lawn. A few minutes later, the hunt began with the seriousness and urgency befitting the search for a missing child. But Coldiron and her Valley team weren't looking for a toddler who'd wandered off in the wee morning hours. They were looking for Chloe, a 2-pound teacup poodle. In a region where puppy-philes spend as much money and attention on their pets as others do on their children, Coldiron has few clients balking at her $800-a-day fee. The price was was well worth it to Chloe's owner, 23-year-old Catalina Gracia. Gracia was on a European vacation with her boyfriend and left Chloe at home with her friends and family. But the adventurous Chloe, left alone in the backyard for just a few moments, squeezed through a tiny hole in the fence and ran off into the neighborhood. When Gracia found out, she said her vacation was ruined. She just couldn't enjoy the streets of Paris or the canals of Venice while imagining Chloe being run over by a car or devoured by a coyote. The tiny dog slept in Gracia's bed, snuggling up along her shoulder. She was more than a pet. "She's like my child," Gracia said. "She's everything to me. She goes to work with me every day. She goes in the bathtub with me. Even the shower. We're as close as even two people could be." So with Gracia an ocean away, her friends contacted Coldiron and Annalisa Berns, who are among the only pet detectives in Southern California to use search dogs to find missing pets and one of only 15 to 20 nationwide. A couple of days later, she and her hounds were on the case. Kicking off the hunt that Saturday morning last month, Coldiron took Chloe's tiny pink Juicy Couture T-shirt out of a zipped plastic bag and let her bloodhound, Ellie Mae, have a whiff. Coldiron commanded, "Search!" The droopy dog bolted off, nose to the ground, dragging Coldiron through bushes and across front lawns. Some neighbors watched, bemused, from their porches - potential witnesses the pet detective would interview later, Coldiron noted. Berns trailed behind, watching the ground for a collar, blood droplets or tufts of fur. Ellie Mae circled the neighborhood twice, paused at a few homes, and then crossed a major street and abruptly stopped, sniffing a bit, then looking up expectantly for a treat - signaling that her searching work was done and that Chloe was probably picked up in a car by a well-meaning rescuer. Unfortunately, Chloe had no tag or other identification. "It would be the equivalent to a woman losing a diamond ring on the sidewalk," Berns said. Even with the inconclusive results, the prospects still seemed good with the pet detectives on the case. Over the past month, Coldiron said her dogs found 15 out of 17 pets they searched for. The dogs led her and Berns directly to seven of the lost pets, though five were dead. Even if the dogs don't lead directly to the pet, she calls all the nearby veterinarians and pet shops and teaches her clients the finer points of launching a flier-and-poster campaign - hundreds of fliers and bright, fluorescent posters that loudly promise generous rewards to whomever finds the lost pet. But with coyotes prowling Glendale's busy streets, could tiny Chloe have possibly survived? A rare breed Coldiron, a former apartment manager who hated her old job, learned her skill from pet detective pioneer Kat Albrecht, executive director of the Seattle-based National Center for Missing Pets. Albrecht came up with the idea to track lost pets with scent dogs when she was a police detective in Santa Cruz County. One of her trained search-and-rescue dogs got loose and went missing in the woods, so she used another scent-trailing dog to find it. It worked, and she eventually went into business for herself. She's written two books - a guide book and a memoir, titled "The Lost Pet Chronicles." And Albrecht said she's had her share of odd requests: A documentarian asked her to use her dogs to find Bigfoot, and another man asked her to track down the dog who constantly defiled his lawn. She turned them both down. But now, she focuses her efforts on training other pet detectives. The intensive process takes months, and sometimes years. "One of the problems is we don't have enough people trained up in this industry," Albrecht said. "So it's becoming a service that only people with enough money can afford."

Ratchet the war dog has arrived.

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:45:42 -0500

Ratchet is here! This is just one of many blogs that has been following the story of the dog befriended by an Army sergeant in Iraq who was determined to bring him back to the states. Although Ratchet initially was confiscated by military officials when he was on his way to the Baghdad Airport, he finally received permission to go. SSS! reader Tara alerted me a few hours ago that Ratchet had arrived in Washington. He got off the airplane sporting a red, white and blue bandana, tail wagging. He's already had his veterinarian check-up and is in great health. So he soon should be in Minnesota, waiting for Sgt. Gwen Beberg to join him after she is deployed. I couldn't manage to snag television footage of Ratchet's arrival. But I did find this very moving video from Operation Baghdad Pups, which facilitated the rescue of Ratchet and many other dogs and cats adopted by our service men and women in Iraq. Look closely and you will spot Beberg, Ratchet and Nubs, another famous war dog who followed his soldier to a new outpost after the man had been forced to leave Nubs behind. Welcome to your new home, Ratchet. And thanks, Tara.

Iraq war dog heads to US

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:46:12 -0500

If all went well, Iraqi War dog Ratchet should be on American soil today. CNN is reporting that Operation Baghdad Pups received permission to pick up a dog adopted by Army Sgt, Gweb Beberg on Sunday and fly the animal to the United States. Ratchet got a spot on a charter plane into Kuwait yesterday, and is scheduled to be flown to Washington today on a flight donated by Northwest Airlines. If veterinarians determine he's healthy, he'll be sent to Beberg's home town in Minnesota. The military, which prohibits soldiers from adopting pets and sending them home, had confiscated Ratchet after Beberg, whose deployment soon was ending, was trying to get her dog on an air transport bound for the US. Beberg was afraid that Ratchet, who was rescued by soldiers from a burning trash pile, might be euthanized if left behind. Thousands signed a petition, that I posted about earlier, to grant Ratchet clemency. Maybe all those signatures mattered. Here's the story from CNN. And go here if you want to see a photo gallery of other war dogs that have been rescued by American soldiers. (Oct. 19) - An animal rescue group on Sunday picked up a U.S. soldier's adopted dog from Iraq, ending the soldier's weeks-long struggle to send the animal to her Minnesota home. Operation Baghdad Pups, which said the U.S. military prevented its first attempt to take Ratchet the dog on October 1, picked up the animal in Baghdad with military clearance and flew it to Kuwait on Sunday. The dog is expected to be flown to Washington on Monday, and if a veterinarian determines it is healthy, sent to Sgt. Gwen Beberg's home state on Wednesday, Baghdad Pups publicist Larry Garrison said. Beberg, who adopted the dog after soldiers rescued it from a burning trash pile in May, tried to have the group fly Ratchet to the United States on October 1 as her deployment neared an end. But the military, which prohibits soldiers from adopting pets abroad and bringing them to the United States, confiscated the animal after Beberg put it on a convoy bound for Baghdad Airport, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which runs OBP. Ratchet and Beberg, 28, drew the attention of thousands of people who signed two online petitions -- linked through the SPCA's Web site -- urging the military to let Ratchet go to the United States.