This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
The Barking Lot
THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.
TODAY: Mostly Cloudy and cold, but dry. "D"
SUNDAY: Sunny with normal temperatures for this time of year, finally. "C"
A few years back I worked with a young lady who, after having a trying day, would stop at the local pet store to admire the puppies and occasionally play with one of them. I don’t have that kind of willpower. If went to a pet store or the Humane Society you can be guaranteed one thing: I WILL come home with a warm ball of fur. Nope… I just can’t window shop at the Humane Society. (That’s the main reason I stopped volunteering there!)
On the other hand, I absolutely love looking at cute pet photos that friends and family share. I even enjoy pet photos of “strangers.” The things I look forward to most in Kevin’s Photos Of The Week are the pet photos towards the end, and I am always hoping there will be at least one dog shot. I can get my “fuzzball fix” and not have to worry about my heart breaking as I walk away from a puppy’s whimpers that I am convinced are dog-speak for “Please take me home and love me.”
I’m sure everyone reading this blog has received at least one chain email of adorable photos of puppies (and kittens) in unbelievably sweet poses, the kind that make you actually “Awww…” out loud. And I’m sure that at least 75% of you have passed that email on to at least one other animal lover you know. I’d bet you a bag of kibble that your friend passed it on to at least one other friend, and on and on and on. Suddenly a whole group of people are cyber-linked by a photo of a fat fuzzy puppy chewing on a toy or being cuddled in a blanket. And for a brief moment every one of those people has a smile on their face because of that simple “forward.”
If just an email of dog photos can spread faster than you can say “Lassie” then imagine how Ustream.com’s PuppyCam swept the nation! What started as a private way for a couple to keep watch on their litter of puppies while they were away turned into a phenomenon that no one expected. Of course I’ve received forwarded emails about this, as everyone knows I would love watching puppies romp in their kennel. I expect this to continue to grow in popularity. After all, who couldn’t use a five minute break of puppy play along with their morning coffee?
Read the entire article, including a link to the PuppyCam, here. ENJOY!
---Jennifer Fischer
Thank you, darling wife of mine. Oh my goodness. It's that time, time for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines. And since Jennifer and I were gone last Saturday, we've got TWO WEEK'S worth of dog news to catch up on. Let's unleash what we've uncovered, shall we? As we often say, the news isn't always good.
Of course, the big news was the revelation that Petland, the largest chain of puppy-selling pet stores in America has been supporting dastardly puppy mills. The Humane Society of America made the stunning annoucement after an 8-month long investigation.
In Chicago, they're calling it, "an absence of shame." The Chicago Tribune writes, "The Englewood basement was cramped, chaotic. Fifty people -- parents, kids, a pregnant woman -- huddled around a bloody 10-foot-by-10-foot ring, cheering two pit bulls trained to kill.Barbaric to most, this medieval blood sport remains a routine source of shameless entertainment in large swaths of the city." Here's the paper's story on dogfighting.
Michael Vick put family pets in rings with pit bulls, and thought it was "funny" when dogs died.
But aren't pit bulls a great family dog?
Goodbye Gus.
In Baghdad, the mascot of the ABC News Bureau is shot.
Here's an update on a previous Barking Lot. States are considering banning pets in laps while driving. It's only a matter of time before someone in Madison proposes this stupid idea.
In Vegas, there's debate over a proposed pet sterilization ordinance.
A chihuahua is caught in a legal tug of war between a Playboy bunny and her ex.
Could this.....
...... be the service dog of the future?
How many dogs do you know that have honorary degrees?
Rio knows when her owner needs rest, or a trip to the hospital.
Everyone's writing or talking about Barack Obama and the dog he's going to get for the White House. This columnist must know my wife. She's suggesting Obama get one right away. Contrast that view with this writer who's urging Obama to forget the whole deal. And even the allergists are offering opinions. Whatever Obama chooses, that dog is bound to be a celebrity.
Who is Cesar Millan? He is the advice guru for pets.
Sorry, Jennifer. There's a catch to this one.
And these babies are still walking around Franklin...
The solution? Dogs, of course.
Is that it?
Are we finally done?
Whew!
That's a lot of dog stories. And not a single one bitten by a man.
Thanks for checking in to The Barking Lot. We do appreciate it. This week, we close with part of the soundtrack from the Disney movie, "Bolt," that opens in theaters this weekend. Miley Cyrus and John Travolta, voices from the movie, team up on this duet.
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