I'm back from an extended stay in Fort Lauderdale. It started as a work
trip for Jim and a visit to my parents for me. We stayed an extra week.
Something about a 9-1-1 call, a night in the E-R and the removal of a
gall bladder for Jim. I commuted to Broward General daily and learned a
little about hospital administration. Jim is fine now with a few
interesting new spots on his belly.


I wasn't thinking I'd have anything dog-related to say except that there
were plenty of dogs on the beach where I didn't think they were allowed
and that they all seemed to be having a grand time going out for a daily
splash. Oh, and there were cordonned off 5'x5' areas with signs on them
saying not to disturb because they were sea turtle nests. That's not
dog related, but I thought folks here would appreciate.


Then on the last day (the 2nd last day as there were 2, the first being
interrupted by Jim's weird symptoms between the arugula salad and the
arrival of the entrees) I saw this in the Herald:


http://www.nbc6.net/news/13523624/detail.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19298249/


I'm not sure what say except that I find it all interesting. I'm sorry
the puppy millers are as bad as all that. I knew they were bad but
hadn't realized they were that bad. I'm delighted the Humane Society is
bringing suit. I hadn't thought of non-profits as bringing suit, but it
does sound like that's the best action to take to fulfill their mission.


While down there, a friend said that his mother had bought a Maltese,
and we teased him about how she should get a real dog. He countered
that his mother's husband was the frou-frou dog type, and we teased him
about that. Then he said the puppy had died from an accident in the
vet's office and went into some detail that I don't remember. We'd just
been teasing him so the tone of the conversation changed. It didn't
sound right to me that a puppy could die from a bump to the head when
being carefully handled in the vet's office. Now I'm wondering if his
mother got one of these badly bred pups that gets injured and dies at
the least provocation. I sent my hard copy of the article to him. I
can't imagine that it would do his mother any good to get in on the
class action suit, but anything that draws attention to and puts the
evil breeders out of business has to be a good thing.


--Lia