Kids Club E-newsletter

Hey kids! June is finally here and do you know what that means? It’s officially the start of the chilly winter season, everyone’s studying hard for their half-yearly exams and, since we’re halfway though the year, we can finally start counting down the months until Christmas 2009. But what’s the most exciting thing about June? It’s only a month until the July school holidays — yay!
     To keep you entertained until the holidays roll around (well, for a couple of hours anyway), we’ve dug up a few crazy canine tales that are sure to make you smile and a few doggy events to keep you occupied during the school break. We’ve also got paw-tastic Kids Club prizes up for grabs — check out DOGS LIFE JULY/AUGUST #96 to see how you can win.

 

Catch ya soon… and enjoy!

Natasha – Kids Club Coordinator

Crazy canine tails from around the world...                                                              

 

Mail for mutt: eye test for pooch?

A pooch owner thought he needed to get his eyes checked when he received an eye examination reminder in the post… for his pooch. Addressed to Harry Fryer, a 12-year-old Newfoundland, the reminder from Vision Express, a UK optician and eyeware specialist chain, also came with an offer for a free glasses nosepad-widening service and a 50 per cent discount for family members and friends.
     Rob Fryer, Harry’s owner, says that while his pooch is heading into old age, his eyesight is near perfect.
     “He is getting on for a Newfoundland really, he's 12 and they usually live to the age of 10, so I thought it was a special offer for pensioner dogs or something,” Fryer says. “But he can still see all right - there's nothing wrong with his eyesight.”
     He adds: “He hasn't given me an answer yet - maybe he needs his glasses to read it!”

Odd couple

Cute and cuddly canines always make the best of friends — and a stray goat, found walking the streets of Bristol, US, with a pooch pal, apparently thinks so too…

     Loretta Smith, who found the unlikely buddies, was astonished when she looked out of her window one particular morning.
     “I looked out my window and saw a goat and a dog walking down the street,” Loretta says. “They stayed right together and, after the dog ate, the goat laid down beside him and then got up and started eating the flowers. After that, he decided to walk over and dance on top of the car.”
     “It was so funny,” she laughs.
     Shortly after, animal control officers arrived to collect the stray pooch. However, its bleating buddy had a different idea and showed the officers just how close the two were.
     What happened next? Well, the goat eventually got his own way and now the happy duo — now named Thelma and Louise — are up for adoption and ready to find a new home… together.

 

Hound dog and Orangutan mate

There must be something in the water because another unique furry friendship has also been forged between a hound and an Orangutan in South Carolina, US.
     Roscoe the Blue Tick hound, who was once a stray dog, became fast friends with Suryia the Orangutan when the pair met in woodlands near Myrtle Beach. Dr Bhagavan Antle Suryia, the institute’s director, was walking with Suyria when the unlikely duo met and has since opened the gates of his wildlife preserve to the pooch with open arms — and Suriya couldn’t be happier.
     “They will spend a few hours each day together rolling around and swimming,” Dr Bhagavan says. “Suryia will take Roscoe for walks around the enclosure and even feeds him some of monkey biscuits. When they are both feeling a little lazy they will go for a ride on the back of Bubbles our 27-year-old African elephant.”
     Roscoe and Suryia are set to became TV stars too and are scheduled to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show as part of the show’s “Amazing Animal Friendship” special.

Three cool things to do this month...                                         

#1 GOLD COAST PET EXPO – Saturday 27 June and Sunday 28 June 2009

Make doggy tracks to Varsity Lakes and have a tonne of fun at this year’s Gold Coast Pet Expo! There you can enjoy heaps of fun activities, entertainment and even meet celebrity vet Dr Chris Brown! Visit www.goldcoastpetexpo.com.au to find out more.

#2 RSPCA WA SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM – Monday 6 July to Friday 17 July 2009

Nothing planned for the holidays? The RSPCA WA is holding a bunch of super cool activities just for you these school holidays, including sessions on: pet photography, doggy training and pet care tips. Bookings are essential, visit www.rspcawa.asn.au/education/education for more info.

#3 SAMFORD SHOW – Saturday 18 July to Sunday 19 July 2009

 

Tell us about your dog…                                                                                                  

Crazy canine!

Meet Jack. According to his owner Rebekah, Jack is always on the go because he’s a little white fluffy ball of energy! But although Jack’s fun and furry, watch out because he can be a bit of a cranky pants too…
 

Do you think your precious pooch is the best pet in the world? Or have a barking mad story to tell us? Then we want to know about it!
     Tell us all about your furry friend by flicking an email to dogslife@universalmagazines.com.au with the subject heading “Kids Club: Tell us about your dog…”. And don’t forget to send a happy snap too!

PAW-TASTIC PRIZES

What super cool giveaways do we have just for you this month? Thanks to our friends at Disney, we’ve got five copies of the fun and furry movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua to give away, as well as five copies of the cute book I Don’t Want A Posh Dog by Emma Dodd (Orchard Books) — a must-read if you have a pampered pooch!

 

Want to win? Then flick to page 93 of Dogs Life July/August 2009 (OUT NOW!) to find out how you can be a winner!