Sausage sticks it to The Man - REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis
Viva la Sausage!
Sausage the Greek Riot Dog – While the Greek economy comes apart at the seems, most dogs still prefer to leave the drama to humans. All, that is, except “Sausage the riot dog.”
Sausage (or “Loukanikos”) has been a part of every protest in Syntagma Square (central Athens) for years now, and has become a celebrity in Greece and abroad. When people took to the street yesterday to protest the latest government cuts, Sausage was at the front lines again, barking at police, and disrupting their attempts to hit protesters with batons.
don't tase me bro!
Interestingly, although Greeks are up to their necks in economic problems, they still serve as an inspiration to much of the world in their handling of stray dogs. In Greece, stray dogs are not euthanized, or left to rot in tiny city kennels. They are neutered, given vaccines, and even microchipped. All 2000 or so of them wear collars and tags, making them easy to identify.
Greek hero
After such humane treatment, it is fitting that a stray dog like Sausage has become a symbol of freedom in Greece. Let’s hope that Athen’s financial crisis doesn’t lead to an end to their inspirational stray dog program*
Update: I see evidence that the program might not be as successful as I had initially heard. It looks like Greece has their share of problems with stray dogs, and cruelty against them from city residents. Maybe dogs like Sausage will help them gain respect.
World’s Most Interesting Dog
Could this be the dog?
He can speak French, in Russian… You can see his charisma from space… Sharks have a week dedicated to him…
He also played a key role in the recent raid on Osama Bin Laden’s compound, and has become the world’s most interesting dog.
According to sources, a military dog joined (led?) the American raid on Bin Laden’s compound last week. The mysterious dog was reportedly strapped to the back of a Navy SEAL who was lowered from a Black Hawk helicopter in the raid that ultimately killed Osama Bin Laden.
Last year when asked about dogs role in the war on terror, General Petraeus was quoted as saying, “The capability they bring to the fight cannot be replicated by man or machine.”
Although the White House and Pentagon won’t confirm that the dog took part in the raid, it is reported that the U.S. military employs over 2,700 dogs who are very popular with U.S. Troops; the most common dog breeds being German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. (Although Labrador Retrievers have had a recent increase in popularity, walking ahead of troops to sniff out potential danger)
The mystery dog’s role in the raid is also unknown, but one can speculate that it’s mission included sniffing out potential explosives or people hidden within the compound. (Remember that Saddam Hussein was found hiding in a “spider hole” under ground)
News of the mysterious canine hero has been reported by media outlets including the New York Times.
Who is this mystery dog? Stay thirsty, my friends.
more: Who’s the Dog Hero of the raid on Bin Laden’s Compound? – NY Times
bin laden raid dog
Million Dollar Baby - Hong Dong
Red Tibetan Mastiff Dog Sells for $1.5 Million
If you thought that the thousands of dollars some celebrities pay for purebred puppies is a lot, consider Hong Dong, (meaning “big splash” in Chinese”) the Red Tibetan Mastiff puppy who just sold for well over $1 million dollars in Shanghai.
Tibetan Mastiffs have become extremely popular recently with Chinese elite, as the the prestigious large breed is thought to be purely Chinese, rarely being found outside of Tibet. (and not yet owned by Paris Hilton)
Once owned by public figures including Genghis Khan, the Tibetan Mastiff can grow to be over 200 pounds and is known to be an excellent guard dog. The dog can actually be seen as a good investment, as stud fees for Tibetan Mastiffs can reach $15,000.
Hong Dong takes the “world’s most expensive dog” title form another Tibetan Mastiff, Yangtze River Number Two, who was sold in 2009 for over $600,000. After being purchased, Yangtze River Number Two returned to his new home in a motorcade of 30 black limousines.
more: World’s Most Expensive Dog
