Pull over for the pet ambulance

After spending more than 30 years caring for animals, Elizabeth Martinovic founded Adirondack Pet Emergency Transportation Services (PETS), which provides transportation for pets in emergency and nonemergency situations 24 hours a day throughout upstate New York. “I needed the service in the past and there was nobody available around here who could help when I needed it,” Martinovic said. “I don’t want anyone to feel that they can’t get their pet where it needs to go.” Adirondack PETS is staffed by trained professionals certified to provide pet first aid and CPR. The staff works out of a fully equipped modern ambulance that is stocked with first aid supplies, a pet stretcher, and oxygen.

Serial cat killer on the loose near Seattle

Law enforcement officials are searching for the person or people responsible for killing and mutilating cats in Washington. Several cats have been killed in Thurston County since February, according to Erika Johnson, Thurston County Joint Animal Services lead investigator on the case. On Sunday, a seventh cat was discovered. That cat was found killed and mutilated near a park in West Olympia. In Thurston County on Saturday and Sunday, law enforcement officials went door to door, warning homeowners of the serial pet killer. A suburban-Seattle animal sanctuary is offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the suspect.

Puppy adoption sites scam potential pet owners

As more consumers turn to the internet to find new pets, more scams are popping up online. Scammers are targeting consumers looking to buy pets by telling a convincing, heart-tugging backstory about the pet, but in reality the pet doesn’t exist. Better Business Bureau spokesperson Jenn Love says, “So what they’re doing is [this]: you’ll find a website or an organization that’s giving away puppies or rehoming puppies. So you’ll go on the website and they’ll usually have some heartfelt story.” Along with the heart-wrenching story of the pet, the scammer will also threaten to euthanize her if they’re not paid.

Surfer dudes—er, surfer dogs—compete in World Dog Surfing Championships

Thousands of fans and more than four dozen amateur and top dog surfers participated last Saturday in the third annual World Dog Surfing Championships in Pacific, California. Dogs were matched according to their weight. Categories included solo dog surfing and tandem surfing with a human. Lifejackets and vests were required. The dogs also competed out of the water with Frisbee catching and ball fetching, as well as in canine fashion. The judges were human, and one said evaluation is “Subjective. You’re looking for style.”

Rachael Ray dog food line subject of lawsuit

A New York City man is suing celebrity chef Rachael Ray’s “natural” dog food brand, Nutrish, for allegedly containing the “potentially harmful” herbicide glyphosate. In the five-million dollar class action lawsuit, Bronx resident Markeith Parks argues that it is deceiving for Nutrish to market its food as natural. “These claims are false, deceptive, and misleading,” reads the suit. “The products at issue are not ‘natural.’ Instead, the products contain the unnatural chemical glyphosate, a potent biocide and endocrine disruptor, with detrimental health effects that are still becoming known.” The chemical is often used in weed killers such as Roundup.