Good news from the New York Supreme Court!

So, can you guess what the New York Supreme Court said on April 4, 2013? Can you? (well, if you follow me on Twitter you can, obviously!)

The case was The People of New York State v. Diana Shanks. The situation? A German Shepherd named Ranger was leashed to a porch railing. He broke his restraint and attacked an American Pit Bull Terrier, named Ghost, who was being walked past on the sidewalk by his pregnant owner. Ghost was both collared and harnessed, and was at no point unrestrained during the conflict. Both dogs inflicted injuries on one another, and Ghost's owner, though not injured by either dog, miscarried.

Even though Ranger perpetrated the attack, his owner filed charges against Ghost, seeking to have him declared a dangerous dog. Even though Ranger perpetrated the attack (and many people feel that German Shepherds are "dangerous dogs", by the by), Ranger's owner thought that Ghost was the dangerous one because he is an American Pit Bull Terrier.

Product Review: Bergan Dog Auto Harness

It's something that's been on my mind for awhile, but Dogster also had an article lately about whether car restraints for dogs are in fact adequate safety devices, or just a placebo. Of course, I have the EzyDog Chest Plate Harness, which Elka wears on walks (attached to both a leash and her collar, with Liberty's Attachment, for backup safety) and has worn in the car since we got it. She'd already ridden in the backseat once I'd realized that an air bag could kill a dog. But, was the EzyDog Chest Plate Harness safe enough, or only to prevent driver distractions? Should I look at other options as well?

Then one day I was browsing the Animal Rescue Site, and lo and behold, I saw the Bergan Dog Auto Safety Harness, which claimed to be safety rated. It certainly bore investigation! I contacted the Bergan Pet Products company via their web site, and they were kind enough to provide a harness for me to review.