Johnny Depp’s wife faces charges over bringing dogs Down Under

SYDNEY | Australia’s “war on terrier” with Johnny Depp has taken another turn, with authorities saying Thursday the Hollywood star’s wife faces charges over bringing their two dogs into the country.

The Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for biosecurity, said actress-model Amber Heard was served with a summons on Tuesday to answer charges for allegedly breaching quarantine laws.

“(This) action follows an incident where a biosecurity officer attended a Gold Coast property… and found two dogs alleged to be illegally imported,” a department spokeswoman said.

Reports said the case was due to be heard in September in a Queensland state court, though it is not known whether Heard will appear in person.

Penalties for contravening the Quarantine Act range from fines to a maximum of 10 years in prison for the worst cases.

Terriers Pistol and Boo created a media storm earlier this year when they were discovered in Queensland, where Depp is filming “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”, seemingly having bypassed the usual conditions for animals brought into Australia.

The dogs’ presence in Australia only came to light when they were taken to a grooming salon.

Dogs are subject to strict controls for biosecurity reasons, with a permit mandatory and a minimum 10-day stay in a quarantine facility on arrival required.

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce threatened to have the animals put down unless they were removed, warning in May that: “It’s time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States.”

After the summons against Heard was issued, Joyce said he was unable to comment on matters before a court hearing but the law was the same for everybody.

“You come into our nation, you have to abide (by) biosecurity protocols,” he told reporters on Thursday.

RABIES FEAR

Joyce said a rabies outbreak, a major fear from dog importation, would have widespread ramifications.

“It’s not just the people on the streets that would be affected, if that got out into the general wild dog population in Australia, which is massive, it would have devastating effects,” he said.

“It’s also a pathogen that could make its way into the bat population, and how many towns do you know that have a bat colony smack bang, unfortunately, in the middle of town? We’ve got enough problems with them, let alone if they became rabid.”

Pistol and Boo returned to the United States in the days after their discovery in late May. Speaking to Australian media later, Heard indicated an unwillingness to return to the country.

“I have a feeling we are going to avoid the land Down Under from now on just as much as we can thanks to certain politicians there,” she told Australia’s Channel Seven in an apparent reference to Joyce.

“I guess everyone tries to go for their 15 minutes (of fame), including some government officials.”

Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton said Thursday the law should apply equally to passengers on commercial flights and private jets.

“Regardless of whether people are coming in by Qantas flight or coming on a private jet, they should be subject to the same clearance arrangements and that is the way in which the law is written,” he told Sydney radio station 2GB.

“So, we need to make sure that in practice that is happening as well, and we need to make sure that the proper checks are undertaken.”

Depp has charmed Australians during his stay in Queensland, spending time with fans on location and visiting sick children in hospital dressed as his pirate character Jack Sparrow.

source: interaksyon.com

Boracay, Guimaras raise number of rabies-free islands to 14

MANILA, Philippines -- World famous Boracay in Aklan and Guimaras province were declared “rabies-free” by the Departments of Health and of Agriculture, raising the number of islands that have registered zero incidence of the fatal disease for at least three consecutive years to 14.

The declaration was made Friday, "World Rabies Day."

The other islands previously declared rabies-free are Siquijor, Batanes, Biliran, Camiguin, Marinduque, Limasawa, Camotes, Olimpia in Bais City and Apo, both in Negro Oriental, and Palawan’s Coron, Culion and Busuanga.

All these places effectively eliminated human and animal rabies, primarily by vaccinating 70 percent of the dog population and impounding strays.

"Rabies is considered as a neglected disease. That is because even if it is 100 percent fatal, it is also 100 percent preventable," Health Secretary Enrique Ona noted.

The disease " continues to be a significant public health problem that is responsible for 200 to 250 deaths annually,” he added. “In 2012, a total of 213 rabies cases and 414,553 animal bites were reported to the DOH."

For decades, said Ona, "effective and safe vaccines to prevent the disease in humans and animals have been available."

"Therefore, none of these deaths need have occurred if we had only made use of the tools necessary to prevent rabies from infecting and killing both humans and animals," he stressed.

He acknowledged that poverty and ignorance are the main obstacles to rabies prevention and elimination.

The Philippines hopes to eliminate rabies by 2020.

Rabies naturally affects only mammals and is transmitted to humans and between animals through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite. In the Philippines, dog bites are responsible for 87 percent of human transmission.

Its initial symptoms include fever, pain or unusual or unexplained tingling and burning sensations or pricking at the site of the wound. When the virus spreads to the central nervous system, it could lead to the fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cords.

Region 4-A reported the most number of human rabies cases (37); followed by Region 1 (22); Region 3 (20); Region 2 (19) and Region 12 and Region 9 (18 cases each).

"The key to successful rabies elimination rests on combined efforts of effective dog vaccination program as part of responsible pet ownership and human vaccination after rabies exposure from rabid dog bites," Ona said.

Dog vaccination is mandatory under Republic Act 9482 or the Anti-Rabies  Act of 2007.

Ona said immunizing a dog ever year costs only P20 compared to P1,500 for vaccinating a person bitten by a dog.

source: interaksyon.com

Life with the friendliest dog in the world

Vodka, my Bichon Frise, started to own me the day I saw her. I could not leave the home where I found her until I had her with me.  That was two years ago. Vodka celebrates her second birthday on Aug. 16.

I guess it is because she is my baby. This is not to say that I don’t love all my pet companions. I live with five cats, which I have picked up on my regular runs in the village where I live. I also have four other doggie companions. Each of them I love in unique ways.

We feast on cake, vanilla ice cream and loads of barks and lots of licks. You see, as far as I am concerned, living with pets is just like living with people — just more fun, love-filled and relaxing. Where in the world would I get to come home to five doggies who are so excited to see me enter the door?

But, Vodka, like any baby, always has a ready smile for me when I get home, and she loves to cuddle, just because. In truth, my doggy companions don’t know they are not human.

Aside from Vodka, my pet companions are named Tasha, Nik, Yuri, and Gorby.  My five cats are Pepsi, Spotty, Bunny, Garfield and Snowy. And I might add my newest additions Kuting and Frances, who I picked up off the streets a few weeks ago.

I have read often enough that pet companions make the life of humans better. This I have learned for real.  Why do humans with pets like me do the strangest things for our pet companions? Let me share with you a few reasons:



1. Pets reduce stress and depression. When you reach middle age and menopause starts to set in, there is nothing like owning a dog or dogs that are devoted to you. My dogs always make me laugh because they do the funniest things and that keeps stress and depression at bay.

2. I have read that pets are good for the elderly. No, I am not yet among the elderly, but in midlife I truly welcome the undivided love and attention my doggies give me.

3. Pets give us bigger hearts. Pets open our hearts to offering kindness to all we meet — after all, my pets are always kind to me. And I believe that if we are given kindness, we need to give kindness back.

4. Pets are the best company. If you are single, like I am, chances are you spend lots of time alone. Owning a pet keeps the loneliness at bay.

5. I have met so many people because of my pets. Whenever I take Vodka with me, I am sure to meet a few new people because they want to meet Vodka. In the neighborhood where I live, I get to meet lots of people, too, more so if they are walking their dogs in the morning. I stop for people with dogs.

I’ve met a lot of people whom I may not have liked, but I have never met a dog that I did not like. I guess that’s because dogs put on no masks, no pretensions. They never try to impress me — they always just are and that makes them all the more lovable.

If only people were the same way.

source: philstar.com

Lowfat is home at last, Derek Ramsay elated

Derek Ramsay was hoping to wake up Wednesday morning with his beloved Pomeranian, Lowfat, by his side. When that didn’t happen, the actor remained undaunted and still hoped for his return.

Lowfat and another of Derek’s dogs, the English bulldog Beyonce, went missing over the weekend, and the TV5 hunk had issued desperate tweets for help to find them since Sunday night.

Beyonce was found the next day, but Lowfat — who used to belong to Derek’s ex-girlfriend Angelica Panganiban —  remained at large.

“Lowfat is a brown pom. His right back leg is limp. He knows his name well and is over friendly so if you call his name he will approach you,” he tweeted on Wednesday, hoping and praying that at least one kind soul among his 775,000 plus followers would have already encountered his missing dog.

At around 3PM, the prayers of Derek and his fans were answered. “God is good! Thanks for all your prayers. Lowfat is back! We are complete again,” he happily tweeted.

The good Samaritan was Twitter user Chesca Arrieta, who presumably lives in the same village in Muntinlupa where Derek resides.  She posted, “Hi, @IAmDerekRamsay my mom returned Lowfat. My mom said, please take good care of your pets because the maids are pabaya. Thanks!”

Describing Lowfat as “so malambing”, Arrieta also posted a photo of the dog which she said was taken “for the last time” using her phone.

But it seems like Derek’s dog woes were not over yet as Arrieta again tweeted, “Your maid said that Jamba is missing too. Hope you’ll find Jamba when you get home.”

Derek, who was out of the house when Lowfat was returned, posted again past 5PM, “Heading home to see lowfat. Thanks again for your help. Thanks to my neighbours who helped out. too”.

As for his haters who have been posting nasty tweets against him since ex-flame Angelica decided to spill the beans on their controversial breakup, Derek implored his own followers not to retaliate anymore.

“Pls don’t fight them na”, he asked one fan. Other than that, it was pretty much back to normal again for the Kapatid actor. By 6PM, Derek was once again in an inviting mood.


 “Guys catch tonight’s episode of TARP later…I’m happy my dogs are back”, he tweeted to his followers.

source: interaksyon.com