Stray Dogs

What's Gov. Corbett got against puppies? After years of complaints from dog lovers and people who unknowingly purchased sick and dying pets that had been raised inside puppy-mill cages no bigger than a rabbit hutch, Pennsylvania passed a 2008 law ensuring humane treatment for tens of thousands of kennel dwellers. That law, aimed at ridding Pennsylvania of its reputation as the worst puppy-mill state in the East, has served as a model for 20 other states. But Corbett isn't interested in its enforcement.

WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE? This man, who declined to identify himself, has taken in nine stray dogs (because he's soft-hearted, he says). And four times a day he walks them - eight at a time, which is the most he's comfortable handling. Here the motley assemblage lurches onward along Wingohocking Street on the edge of Hunting Park.

GRATUITOUS GESTURE A BIT TOO GRAND, SAYS TIPPLER The tippler wasn't tipsy when he gave her a $1,000 tip on a $3.95 gin-and-tonic, says waitress Ruth Bullis. But, the tippler says regardless, he overtipped and wants a refund. No way, says Bullis. Besides, it's already spent. Bullis and her coworkers at Stanford's Restaurant and Bar in Lake Oswego, Ore., say the 50ish gent wasn't even addled when he signed the gratuity-generous credit-card slip in November. Besides, "once someone gives you a tip, that's it," explained Bullis.

The president of the Modena Borough Council and borough residents had a similar complaint at the council meeting Monday night: stray dogs. President Clayton Ayers was particularly upset at the Chester County SPCA, which has a contract with Modena to handle strays. "The SPCA tells us to catch the dogs, and then they charge us $35 to pick them up," said Ayers. "We shouldn't have to be doing their job. " It is the SPCA's job to catch the dogs, according to Ayers. "The SPCA expects us to trap and bundle the dogs," he said.

When Sheena Bowa was 3, she traded her tricycle for a dog. "It just followed me home," she explained to her mother, neglecting to mention the swap. Her mother, reasoning that not too many strays come equipped with a leash, quickly reversed the transaction. Bowa's first pet was a cat, and a cocker spaniel and black spitz followed. When she was married to Larry Bowa, the former Phillies shortstop, he knew exactly how to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. He gave her a cocker spaniel, which Sheena named Muggsy.

HARRISBURG - With animal shelters closing their doors to homeless dogs and other shelters facing financial pressures, the question plaguing animal-welfare advocates is this: Where to put the thousands of stray dogs found roaming throughout state each year? The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture convened the first-ever statewide meeting of shelters Tuesday to address this issue. About 50 representatives of shelters from Erie to Philadelphia, along with humane officers, municipal officials, rescue groups, and state dog wardens, outlined an array of animal-control problems facing communities.

Allowing Fido to wander through this quaint little town could become expensive soon. Effective immediately, borough police will enforce long-ignored dog laws and cite owners who allow their puppies to piddle on sidewalks or fertilize lawns. Failing to scoop behind a dog could mean a fine of up to $300. Costs for picking up strays will be at least $65. Borough Council members told police to start issuing citations after residents complained last month. The problem is especially potent on playgrounds near Goodnoe Elementary School and walkways through Linton Park, said Borough Council President Marcia Scull.

Bensalem dog owners may soon have to comply with a leash law in the township, which would prohibit canines from running at large. Besides the dog control ordinance, the township administration is considering possible regulations that would limit the number of dogs a resident could own. Dick Bolinski, Bensalem's animal control officer, said he had asked the Township Council to enact a leash law because some residents created a nuisance by...

Gloucester County freeholders moved a step closer yesterday to building a much-debated animal shelter by naming a Willingboro architect to design the facility. The board authorized the county to negotiate a contract with Gary Evans Ryan, who designed Burlington County's animal shelter in Westampton Township. "That's the reason (Gloucester County) was interested in me," Ryan said. "They saw the building here in Burlington and they approached me. " Animal-rights activists have lobbied hard for a county-run shelter, which they said would be far better than private facilities scattered in various communities.

Two stray dogs caused havoc at a Cheltenham elementary school, with one adult crossing guard being bitten and one dog being killed, according to police reports. At 8:24 a.m. Tuesday, a Rottweiler and a malamute were seen near Myers Elementary School at Montgomery and Union Avenues. While children were crossing the street near the school, witnesses said, the dogs approached the crosswalk. The Rottweiler began to growl at the children and the crossing guard. When the guard backed away, the Rottweiler attacked her, biting her left arm and causing her to fall to the ground.

What's Gov. Corbett got against puppies? After years of complaints from dog lovers and people who unknowingly purchased sick and dying pets that had been raised inside puppy-mill cages no bigger than a rabbit hutch, Pennsylvania passed a 2008 law ensuring humane treatment for tens of thousands of kennel dwellers. That law, aimed at ridding Pennsylvania of its reputation as the worst puppy-mill state in the East, has served as a model for 20 other states. But Corbett isn't interested in its enforcement.

A dog that shelter workers called the victim of the worst cruelty they had ever seen is recovering at the Delaware County SPCA. It will be five to seven days before it is known if the pit bull-boxer mix, dubbed Curious George for his curious nature, will survive, said Justina Calgiano, spokesperson for the Media-based shelter. The dog weighs 35 pounds, half what it should, she said. His nails are overgrown, and he has sores on his backside, probably the result of sitting too long in one spot.

A dog that shelter workers called the victim of the worst cruelty they had ever seen is recovering at the Delaware County SPCA. It will be five to seven days before it is known if the pit bull-boxer mix, dubbed Curious George for his curious nature, will survive, said Justina Calgiano, spokesperson for the Media-based shelter. The dog weighs 35 pounds, half what it should, she said. His nails are overgrown, and he has sores on his backside, probably the result of sitting too long in one spot.

How much do Americans love their dogs? Enough to spend an annual average of $1,955 per pet to feed them, tend to their medical needs, clothe them, groom them, amuse them, and have them professionally walked, among modern canines' many needs. But the national passion for pooches seems to wane when it comes time to license them. The large majority of owners do not make the potentially lifesaving purchase of a tag. There are an estimated 3.2 million pet dogs in Pennsylvania, yet only about 20 percent have the required state license.

  Almost a year has passed since the Delaware County SPCA warned it would get out of the lost-and-found business as of this summer. Townships and boroughs that for a century had deposited their stray animals at the Media shelter - as many as 2,000 critters last year and 4,300 the year before - would have to find other accommodations. But with the July 1 deadline bearing down on them, most of the 49 municipalities still have no Plan B. They include Upper Darby and Chester City, which last year accounted for 41 percent of the strays dropped off at the SPCA.

HARRISBURG - With animal shelters closing their doors to homeless dogs and other shelters facing financial pressures, the question plaguing animal-welfare advocates is this: Where to put the thousands of stray dogs found roaming throughout state each year? The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture convened the first-ever statewide meeting of shelters Tuesday to address this issue. About 50 representatives of shelters from Erie to Philadelphia, along with humane officers, municipal officials, rescue groups, and state dog wardens, outlined an array of animal-control problems facing communities.

When Sheena Bowa was 3, she traded her tricycle for a dog. "It just followed me home," she explained to her mother, neglecting to mention the swap. Her mother, reasoning that not too many strays come equipped with a leash, quickly reversed the transaction. Bowa's first pet was a cat, and a cocker spaniel and black spitz followed. When she was married to Larry Bowa, the former Phillies shortstop, he knew exactly how to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. He gave her a cocker spaniel, which Sheena named Muggsy.

When Sheena Bowa was 3, she traded her tricycle for a dog. "It just followed me home," she explained to her mother, neglecting to mention the swap. Her mother, reasoning that not too many strays come equipped with a leash, quickly reversed the transaction. Bowa's first pet was a cat, and a cocker spaniel and black spitz followed. When she was married to Larry Bowa, the former Phillies shortstop, he knew exactly how to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. He gave her a cocker spaniel, which Sheena named Muggsy.

Philadelphia's dog lovers have a reason to smile. With perked ears and eager eyes, Miss Mickey, a 20-pound Australian cattle dog, can run, jump, and even catch a ball. It wasn't always that way. On March 13, the white and brown stray was following a family across Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia when she was hit by a car. She was saved by the quick actions of three police officers who rushed her to the Pennsylvania SPCA on Erie Avenue. Yesterday, Miss Mickey and her "foster parent" from the Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Association dropped by the Third District Police Station at 11th and Wharton Streets with a $150 donation to the city's Fallen Officers Fund on the dog's behalf.

Philadelphia's dog lovers have a reason to smile. With perked ears and eager eyes, Miss Mickey, a 20-pound Australian Cattle Dog, can run, jump and even catch a ball. It wasn't always that way. On March 13, the white and brown stray was following a family across Washington Street in South Philadelphia when she was hit by a car. She was saved by the quick actions of three police officers who rushed her to the Pennsylvania SPCA on Erie Avenue. Yesterday, Miss Mickey and her "foster parent" from the Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Association dropped by the Third District Police Station at 11th and Wharton Streets with a $150 donation to the city's Fallen Officers Fund on the dog's behalf.