Showing posts with label dog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog. Show all posts

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Dog receives communion - people outraged

NOTE TO SELF: SOME PEOPLE CAN BE SO UNCHARITABLE

So a man and his 5-year old pooch, Trapper, walk into an Anglican church in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the man wants communion. Nothing wrong with that - right? Think so? The priest welcomed the pair and when it was time for the human to receive communion, his dog followed him. The priest, Margaret Rea, didn't see anything wrong with giving both human and pooch communion, an act which is causing an uproar.

Rea said she had nothing to add to the apology she has already offered to her congregation.

"The incident is done, it's over and I have no more comment about it," she told AFP. "I am not going to discuss anything about it."

Thing is, presumably, the offense is giving a non-human communion. One wonders if the Higher Power finds it as equally offensive as some church members. The whole incident has made some people smile but one parishioner took it further and filed a complaint with the Toronto Diocese.

There's a nice photo of Trapper who is luckily oblivious over the stir he caused here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100728/wl_canada_afp/canadareligionanimaloffbeat_20100728141055

Monday, May 19, 2008

Canine lifeguard barred from beach

NOTE TO SELF: WHEN A PERSON IS DROWNING, A LIFEGUARD IS A LIFEGUARD IS...

Britain's only lifeguard dog, Bilbo, who is on guard duty patrolling Sennen in west Cornwall, has lost his job.

His beach duties have been assumed by the RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution due to a dog ban on the beach. Understandably, Bilbo's owner is barking mad but the Penwith council who decide on these things, is backing the RNLI.

Seems that the canine has been part of the lifeguard team for three years and has been praised for helping to prevent a swimmer experiencing problems. Wearing a special yellow jacket, he can paddle (presumably the dog paddle) out to swimmers in distress, pulling a rescue float with him.

His owner, Steve Jamieson, was informed by the RNLI that a concession which got Bilbo round a beach ban, was no longer acceptable for safety reasons. Bilbo had been allowed to carry out his life guarding duties in the past because he had been carried on an all terrain bike (ATB) when he was not at the lifeguard hut or in the sea.

Now that the RNLI has taken over life guarding duties, it is not allowing him on their ATBs.

Read the rest of this sad dog's tale here in addition to a photo of Bilbo in action: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/7408021.stm

I dunno. To me, this could be personal. It was alright to have the pooch help out for three years and suddenly he's personna non grata? They are offering to allow Bilbo help out in public relations/marketiing work and safety education in schools but still...it was his (Bilbo's) career and now...

Meanwhile in Italy where they obviously see the value in dog rescuers, scores of specially trained dogs have been deployed as lifeguards on Italy's busiest beaches this summer. The dogs, mostly of the Newfoundland or Labrador breeds, are trained to jump out of helicopters and boats and swim to the rescue of struggling swimmers. They are credited with having saved several lives by taking lifebuoys to swimmers and towing them to safety.

Read how Italy values its dog lifeguards here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6924827.stm

You can voice your opinion regarding this issue by contacting the Penwith District Council here:

Penwith District CouncilSt ClarePenzanceCornwallTR18 3QW
Tel: 01736 362341 (0845 672 2124 out of hours emergencies)Fax: 01736 336575
Email: web@penwith.gov.uk