PETS

We all love spoiling our pets, and amid the spoiling we do to ourselves on Thanksgiving with all the delicious food, some of us consider doing the same for our pets.

Surveillance video shows how a group stole a Chihuahua puppy valued at $7,000 from a store in Palm Beach County.

Are you a dog lover who has struggled to return to the office, now that you’ve spent the past year or so around the house more often for your furry friend?

Federal authorities announced on Friday a ferret that was sneezing and coughing in Florida tested positive for the coronavirus.

Surveillance video shows a 36-year-old man from Hialeah taking off his belt, lassoing a dog named Rocky, and strangling him.

Suzan Marciano said she didn’t have time to think when she saw an alligator attacking her dog, an 11-year-old golden retriever mix. She just sprang into action.

During the first half of the Canes home opener, fans sitting in the west end zone began to notice something a little out of the ordinary.

Animal advocates are looking for volunteers to adopt more than 120 cats found in a crowded and filthy area of a home in Pompano Beach.

The playful, happy girl is about seven years old, but instead of living with a family in a home, she’s spent most of her life with the Paw Patrol Animal Rescue and Sanctuary.

While there are countless unofficial national holidays seemingly each day (we can’t believe we just missed National Cuban Sandwich Day), this holiday is im-paw-ssible to skip — Thursday, Aug. 26, is National Dog Day. We’ve rounded up some of South Florida’s most dog-friendly happy hours, hotels, and restaurants, and even some special dog events, to make memories you’ll remember fur-ever.

French bulldogs,1-year-old Blue and 2-year-old Gucci, survived about five days away from home. They were reunited with The Garriga family in Miami-Dade County.

A neighborhood cat went missing, and shop owners know why — he was killed by coyotes in Pembroke Pines.

A man allegedly abandoned his two dogs on the side of the road in Pembroke Pines, and now authorities are sorting through clues to catch and arrest the suspect.

Miami-Dade Animal Services is making a plea to the public after an overwhelmingly large number of cats and dogs desperately need loving permanent or temporary homes — especially those older in age.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of things going forward, one of which is the way pet owners and veterinarians interact during visits.

With Independence Day on the horizon, there will be plenty of celebrations and fireworks. While it might be a party for you, it’s not so much for your pets.

If you’re a dog lover, what’s your favorite breed?

Miami's most popular dog breed of 2021 is none other than the French Bulldog, affectionately known to French Bulldog-owners as the “Frenchie.” Goldendoodles are also taking the Magic City by storm.

Several Broward County libraries will be collecting donations this summer to help support homeless pets.

A puppy returned home after a woman stole it from a veterinarian’s office on Tuesday in Miami-Dade County.

A distressed dog owner is searching for their puppy after a woman allegedly stole their puppy in plain sight in Miami.

This little Pekingese named Wasabi won the hearts of the Westminster Dog Show Sunday night, as well as the hearts of America.

Being home for those first couple months of the pandemic really made for a lot of free time for some, and wasn’t it the perfect time to adopt a new puppy or kitty?

The popularity of pet ownership during the coronavirus pandemic is shining a light on a pitfall. Many didn’t expect that when they lost their jobs they would have to struggle to cover the cost of veterinary care.

As people begin to return to the office, it may be a difficult transition for pets and their owners. NPR's Rachel Martin got some tips from veterinarian Douglas Kratt.

Bella made it back home to her family after a perilous adventure. It started with a frightening carjacking and ended in a forsaken alley.

Vivian Portanova said she was on her way to work when she spotted a coyote in Miami-Dade County’s Richmond West neighborhood.

Mike McCoy was walking with his puppy near a pond right behind Paul R. Smith Middle School when an alligator suddenly popped up out of a nearby pond, pulling the chocolate Labrador underwater.

In a shocking twist, this “only in Florida” story doesn’t involve a ‘gator in a swimming pool — it involves two adorable, yet wild lemurs who seem to have escaped from their home.

Miami-Dade Animal Services personnel is searching for a forever home for two dogs with a strong bond. The pair recently survived a house fire. While Miami-Dade firefighters fought the flames, Miami firefighters helped them to take care of the dogs.

Lawanda Blocker’s is missing her Pomeranian Shih Tzu. A pair of thieves snatched the one-year-old puppy on Tuesday from her home in Boynton Beach.

The Easter bunny is bringing treats for everyone this year, including your dog

Five-year-old Jordana Schwartz and her 6-year-old brother Leo Schwartz said they miss Nessa and Nori, their neighbor’s two cats. A woman said she had picked up the cats and taken them to Bella’s Promise Pet Rescue. AdStatement from Bella’s Promise Pet Rescue:“There are two ear tipped community cats at foster homes with Bella’s Promise Pet Rescue that match the description of those referenced in the article issued by Channel 10 Miami. There does not appear to be language within the ordinance establishing ownership for community cats, or any distinguishing nature of ‘community’ vs. ‘owned’ cats other than the voluntary registration program. Often community cats are unsocialized (also called ‘feral’) and do not like to interact with humans.

As America went under a nearly year-long shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more millennials, Gen Z-ers, and older adults felt a new sense of isolation. According to pet insurance company Trupanion, puppy ownership increased dramatically across the U.S. this past year, and more households brought puppies into their lives. Furthermore, pets such as puppies are believed to reduce stress and improve overall health and well-being, which further adds to the reason for the puppy boom. The company analyzed more than 600,000 insured pets to determine the top 10 puppy names of 2021, which are:AdLuna Charlie Cooper Bella Milo Lucy Bailey Daisy Coco MaxPlus, the company discovered the states that saw the largest increase in puppy ownership. The top five states are, in order: Texas, Oregon, New Jersey, Washington, and Florida.

Especially when ordinances were set in place to quarantine for prolonged periods of time, pet owners turned to their pets for companionship during their long hours of work, and many without pets even turned to pet adoption or breeders to get a four-legged companion. This is why Banfield Pet Hospital has conducted a new survey to discover if the “quarantine pet” will be a trend that may change the future of the workplace as we know it for good. AdSo far, the findings point towards this shift in more pet-friendly work environments. Fears such as separation anxiety are prevalent among pet-owners. However, most are hopeful the future will look more pet-friendly.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Two women in a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood were attacked by a raccoon, city fire officials confirmed. Video provided by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue shows the moments Fish & Wildlife Conservation responded to a home Friday morning after neighbors said a raccoon attacked a woman living there. “Our crews were actually being chased by the raccoon when they went up and tried to treat the woman,” said Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan. AdBroward County’s health department issued a rabies alert for the next 60 days. The only preventive measure for human exposure to rabies is rabies specific immune globulin and rabies immunization.

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – It’s unclear how a Yorkie Terrier named Rosie traveled from Broward County to Tallahassee, but after nine months of being away from home, identification technology helped to make a happy reunion happen. Monsi Bermudez said that after Rosie vanished from her home in Pembroke Pines she distributed flyers and put up a banner outside of her house. Finally, on Tuesday, the staff at the Tallahassee Animal Service Center contacted Bermudez to tell her Rosie was in their care. Don’t delay!”For information about how to get the microchip implant in Miami-Dade County, visit this page. For information about how to do so in Broward County, visit this page.

When Dylan Wafer learned there were 256 small animals living with a hoarder in the Fort Meyers area, she started to reach out to organizations for help. Eventually, Dylan decided to drive more than 600 miles for about 18 hours to help the animals escape from a world of neglect inside a small dirty barn. Ad“Dogs and cats, there are a lot of them on the streets, but they usually have a lot of shelters who can help them,” Dylan said. “Rabbits don’t get the same opportunities, not very often.”Dylan has 14 rabbits, including 11 bottle babies, and 12 guinea pigs available for adoption. She is asking people who can’t adopt the animals to contribute through the organization’s wish list on Amazon and to a GoFundMe page.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is restricting the sale, breeding and possession of Tegu lizards and green iguanas. The proponents of the ban said the reptiles have overrun Florida’s native ecosystem. There was pushback from breeders and sellers who argue they’ve been helping to get rid of the invasive species since the business is an incentive to keep hunting them. He has been in contact with other breeders around the state to figure out what to do next to stay in business. Those who already have a Tegu lizard or a green iguana as pets will be able to get a license, authorities said.

DANIA BEACH, Fla. – The coronavirus pandemic has decreased the supply of dogs and cats, and this is hurting the Humane Society of Broward County. Angela Caballero said she is spending more time at home now, so she has more time for a pet. The shelter has had to reach out to other shelters in rural areas, but even that hasn’t been enough. There are 80 spots for dogs at the Humane Society’s shelter at 2070 Griffin Rd., in Dania Beach, but only 17 were occupied on Friday afternoon. AdThe Humane Society of Broward, a private, non-profit organization that was founded in 1944, has an annual budget of about $7 million.

Wood worked for nearly 12 years at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which conducts scientific research on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy. Five days into her new job on Friday, Wood was adapting to her duties as the new director of the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center in Fort Lauderdale. She has also worked at the Contra Costa County Animal Services and at the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA. AdEmily Wood walks inside the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Pet Adoption Service building on Thursday in Fort Lauderdale. Wood is passionate about her new mission in Broward County and she said she has already clicked on the reset button.

WILTON MANORS, Fla. – Some residents in a Wilton Manors neighborhood said they are living in fear that authorities could return a dangerous dog. Video shows the attack that prompted the case in October. Maria Zapata was walking her Australian silky terrier named Wufus, when the dog, which looks like an American Pit Bull Terrier or a mix, attacked them. And although animal control confiscated the dog, Wilton Manors code enforcement officers said the case remains open. “They won’t release that dog until this case is closed, so I don’t know what the outcome is going to be,” Wilton Manors resident Don Proietto said.

Officer Regina Dean, right, worked with Ares, a Miami-Dade police dog, until his death on Wednesday. MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A Miami-Dade Police Department dog named Ares died on Wednesday after a veterinary procedure, police said. The German Shorthaired Pointer completed the Transportation Security Administration’s national explosives detection canine program and joined the department on Feb. 22, 2013. “We will never forget his honor and service,” Police Director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez III wrote on Twitter. Ares was assigned to work at the Miami International Airport with Officer Regina Dean as his handler.

MIAMI – Norma Magarin said she has been missing her companion of 18 years and she needs the public’s help to find her. It has been more than two weeks since a burglar stole Peaches, her cockatoo, from her home in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood. Kimberly Machado, Magarin’s daughter-in-law, said Magarin has been very depressed since she loves the citron-crested cockatoo like family. Machado said a burglar had stolen Peaches before in 2011, but they were able to recover her. Magarin is hoping that with the public’s help, Peaches will be back home for Christmas.

The Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department (Animal Services) reminds families you can’t put a price on love with the launch of the Pets are Priceless holiday pet adoption campaign. Now through Dec. 31 adoption fees at Animal Services’ Pet Adoption and Protection Center and satellite adoption centers are waived for all cats and dogs 4 months and older. You could meet the love of your life this holiday season at the Pet Adoption and Protection Center, located at 3599 NW 79 Ave. in Doral, or any of Animal Services’ satellite adoption centers. Animal Services also offers virtual adoptions. For more information regarding the Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department, pet adoptions and programs available for pets and pet owners, visit www.miamidade.gov/animals or call 311.

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Luisa Escudero is asking the community for help finding her service dog Odin, a 9-year-old bullmastiff mix. Escudero said Odin was in her blue 2013 Ford F-150 STX when she stopped at the Chevron gas station on Davie Boulevard and Southwest 31st Avenue. She is asking the thief to drop her dog off at an animal shelter or a fire station. Odin is microchipped and works with disabled adults and children at the United Community Options of South Florida. “He does listen to Odeen, or Odin or fat boy and I just need you guys to help me,” Escudero said.

Miami-Dade police officers said the rope around his neck was tied so tightly that it left cuts in his skin. White Park in Miami-Dade’s Richmond Heights neighborhood when police officers found him suffering. “When the call came out it was stating that there was a dog that was possibly dead,” Officer Albert Hernandez said. “He was just extremely, extremely dehydrated, and very, very anemic,” Ferreira said. Officer Lauren Garcia stepped up after colleagues told her the story.

We found the following 11 photos from Getty Images, and we thought they were worth a share. (Getty Images)Pierre, a 5-year-old basset hound, apparently is a loyal fan of then-President Johnson -- and was happy to pose with a campaign button. (Getty Images)A dog wears a campaign sticker for Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden during a campaign stop at the Buttercup diner on March 3, 2020 in Oakland, California. This photo was taken in front of the White House as the pups wore campaign buttons for Lyndon B. Johnson for President. (Getty Images)In Honolulu, Hawaiian women are seen casting their votes during a presidential election -- and even a dog doesn't dare peek.

WILTON MANORS, Fla. – An American Staffordshire Terrier’s aggressive tendencies are at the heart of an animal control investigation in Broward County after a vicious attack while the dog was unrestrained. Surveillance video shows the muscular American Staffy named Katya attack Wilton Manors resident Maria Zapata and her pet on Sunday morning. Ernesto Zapata, who is married to Maria Zapata, said he is glad authorities impounded the tan-colored dog. Records show Animal Services responded to the dog’s Wilton Manors home nine times since September to investigate incidents involving the medium-sized dog. Animal Services will make the final call.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Firefighters rescued a dog from an apartment fire on Thursday in Fort Lauderdale. According to the Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Department, it was a “heavy fire” and the dog’s rescue happened during the firefighters' “aggressive attack.”Firefighters responded to an apartment fire on Thursday evening in Fort Lauderdale. (FLFD)American Red Cross volunteers also responded to the apartment on Northwest Fifth Way and reported the blaze left two people homeless. Firefighters responded to an apartment fire that left two people homeless on Thursday evening in Fort Lauderdale. (FLFD)Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Emily Hales contributed to this report.

MARGATE, Fla. A friend of the son who survived a vicious dog attack that killed his 84-year-old mother said he was shocked that the pit bull went on the rampage. Her son, 57-year-old Joseph Varanese, was taken to Northwest Medical Center with serious injuries. Jimmy said he drove his friend, Joseph, home from the hospital and was told what happened. The dog grabbed her ankles and he started beating the dog with the wheelchair, Jimmy said. As far as the mans injuries, Jimmy said: The dog messed him up pretty good.

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. Pembroke Pines police are searching for a man who allegedly stole a $6,000 dog from a pet store. The theft was reported Monday morning at a Petland store off University Drive just north of Pines Boulevard. A store manager told Local 10 News that the man, who had a distinctive Mohawk hairstyle, asked to see a pompapoo, which is a cross between a Pomeranian and a toy poodle. The manager said the man began acting erratically with the puppy named Toby before pushing an employee and walking out of the store with the dog. Anyone with information about the thiefs identity is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

Can your pets be art? A millennia-spanning exhibition at the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas in Austin is devoted to our fascinating four-legged companions. Anna Werner reports.