The ordeal began when Tig was doing her regular habit of chasing rabbits in the fields some yards from William Fitzgerald Way. As Tig’s owner Ged allowed the Jack Russell to explore, a rabbit appeared, encouraging the mischievous canine to chase the rabbit. As the rabbit crept back into the underground burrow, Tig decided to immediately follow it into the tight, compact enclosure.

Following the incident, Ged waited approximately five hours for the Jack Russell to reappear, but to no avail. As 7pm drew closer, Ged knew he was to make his way home and try to rest up for the night. Despite his efforts, Ged said:

‘I never slept all night and I was back at half six in the morning shouting on her.’

After some time scraping mud away from the opening of the underground tunnel, Ged realized his pet dog was too stuck to be removed without some kind of assistance.

The SSPCA had had no luck, so local fire fighters made their way to the fields at approximately 10.30am on Sunday, before leaving for other duties. Upon their return at 2pm that day, the fire fighters made use of a 5 foot pole and a quality fibre-optic camera. After two hours of locating the Jack Russell and luring her with chicken, Tig appeared dirty, but happy. Ged has thanked the dog rescue team for their hard work and prompt reaction, due to Tig being short of food at the time of being trapped. Despite lack of food, Tig is now healthy and back in the arms of her owner.

Gwen Risby, 76, of Norwich, collapsed at home after a massive cardiac arrest. Sensing that something was wrong, her 16 week old pup Candy, a Shih Tzu / Jack Russell cross, managed to revive her.

Mrs Risby came to as her pet pawed and scratched at her, and somehow found the strength to make a phone call to her daughter. She said:

“I definitely owe my life to Candy.”

“She was absolutely brilliant. She was so young but she had the sense to bring me round just enough to make a phone call.”

“I was scratched and bleeding but I didn’t really care. Candy just sensed that there was something wrong. Without her I would not be here because no one would have known.”

Critically ill, she was rushed to Norwich University Hospital and was hooked up to life support. thankfully, she recovered fully and was reunited with Candy.

It has long been thought by some that dogs have an spooky sixth sense when it comes to their owners being in danger.

Jenny Smedley, author of several animal books, thinks that dogs are ‘in tune’ with humans, and know when things go awry. She said:

“In the case of the heart attack victim, the dog did not understand what her owner was experiencing but she did sense that her energy had become dangerously low and this would have given the puppy the urge to try to revive her.”

John Barrett, from Essex, admitted the charges of failing to comply with a noise abatement notice that ordered that he kept the dogs quiet at night.

The notice was issued on September 28th last year after the council received several complaints from neighbouring residents about Barrett’s Jack Russell and German Sheppard, Colchester Magistrates Court heard. The dogs were still barking continuously, keeping neighbours awake, so on November 15th the council installed recording equipment into his neighbours’ properties.

One of the complaints that they received had come from Brian Hockley, 71, who suffered attacks of anxiety and nervousness brought on by the barking dogs after been deprived from sleep.

The dogs’ barking was recorded a total of 63 times in 8 days, from November 22nd to November 30th. The barking was recorded from 9pm to 7am the following morning.

Barrett did not appear in court, but released a statement saying that he could not hear the barking when he was asleep because he wore headphones and suffered from tinnitus. He claimed that the first he knew about a problem was when he received the letter from the council.

He had tried several methods to stop the dogs barking, including paying almost £900 in obedience classes. He has since given the dogs up to other homes.

After the court hearing neighbour Mr Hockley said:

“It was absolute hell. It was all day long while he was at work, but it got particularly bad at night.”

“I couldn’t sleep and it was a big problem. I became quite ill, so I had to get hold of the environmental people. I’m so relieved it’s over.”

“Mr Barrett took the dogs and found them different homes. I’ve got nothing against him. He’s a nice lad and he did exactly what he said he would.”

Barrett was fined £150 pounds with costs of the same amount and paid a £15 victim surcharge. Stopping your dogs from barking at night isn’t easy once they’ve formed the habit, but with dog training from an early age it shouldn’t be a problem.

In the most recent attack, a woman described how the huge bird of prey tried to carry her Jack Russell puppy away.

Rebecca Walsh was walking her 4 month old Jack Russell, Fleur, in Millbank Gardens when the hawk decided to attack. At first she thought that the bird was being friendly but then realised that it was a bird of prey.

“The hawk really dug its talons in. There was blood everywhere, in Fleur’s mouth and on her nose,” she said. “We thought the talons dug into her eye and blinded the puppy. We were distraught.”

Fleur was rushed to the vet and sedated so that the cuts could be treated and she has now fully recovered.

The other dogs that were attacked were both miniature dachshunds. Nick Robertson owns the Harris hawk that attacked a dachshund He insisted the birds are not trying to kill the dogs, but are in fact attacking because they are afraid. He said his hawk was so traumatised by the event that is has not been used for pest control since.

The Greater London Authority has been using hawks to help control the infestation of pigeons. They are also used to help keep Wimbledon pigeon free during the tennis season, in June.

Pest control experts insist the attacks were nothing more than ‘freak accidents’.

These incidents almost make the dogs/birds/cats relationship a rock/paper/scissors scenario: dogs chase cats, cats chase birds and birds chase dogs.

A blanket ban of all postal deliveries was implemented on December 7th after the postal worker was allegedly savaged by the cute bundle of fur, who is a member of the Joyce family. The attack is said to be the latest in a long line of incidents involving the terrier.

Now, nearly two months after the attack, services have been reinstated.

The family behind the furore have said that they are “devastated” by the affair. The Joyces owned four dogs – Peggy, the terrier in question, a Jack Russell/terrier cross called Molly, a Jack Russell pup named Pippy and Shrek, a pug.

However, the row has left them with only one dog. Kathleen Joyce said:

“The only dog we have now is Peggy. Molly was the one they were saying was causing all the trouble – even though she wasn’t she would not hurt a fly.”

“I was heart-broken to part with her, she had been in the family for years. She has now been sent to live with my brother in Oxford. Shrek has also been sent there. And our little Pippy who is only a puppy has been stolen.”

“People just don’t like us and we would like to move to a Gypsy site where we can just get on with our lives.”

One resident, who wishes to withhold their name, expressed relief at having the post back to normality.

Officials at Northampton Borough Council became involved in the matter. A spokesman said:

“The legal process is still continuing and we are keeping all options under review for several weeks more. This will give us time to make sure that the dog has gone and the problems have ended.”

One 60-year-old resident who did not want to be named said:

“It is such a relief to have our post back. We are so relieved to have things back to normal.”

A spokesman for Northampton Borough Council said:

“The legal process is still continuing and we are keeping all options under review for several weeks more. This will give us time to liaise with the tenant and also with local residents to make sure that the dog has gone and the problems have ended.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said:

“Postal deliveries to Dorset Gardens resumed yesterday after we received assurances that our delivery staff are no longer at risk of attack from a dog in the street.

“We would like to apologise to customers for the disruption caused to their deliveries whilst this matter was resolved.”

Safestix – a rubber substitute for, well, a stick – have hit the shelves in the UK amid advice that real sticks can be harmful to your dog’s health and prevent any unnecessary claims on your dog insurance.

The 2ft long pliable toy was dreamt up by Paul Blair, a sergeant in the Army, after Razzle, his four year old Jack Russell terrier, was hurt during a game of fetch.

After failing to find a safe alternative to a piece of wood, 39 year old Blair spent 18 months with designers, vets, and his wife Helen, 29, to make the toy and hopes that it will be a hit during the run up to Christmas.

He said:

“I was just throwing a normal stick for my Jack Russell. He ran on to it in an awkward way and a splinter came off and punctured the inside of his mouth.”

“I started researching similar injuries online and found that they are very common so I decided to do something about it.”

Fending off possible criticism usually levelled at health and safety measures, he commented:

“I’m not trying to be the fun police but I do want to get the safety message out to educate dog owners about the dangers of throwing sticks.”

Convinced that he was on to a good thing, the Parachute Regiment sergeant put every penny of his savings into the project, and also managed to get support from his friends and family.

He now plans to retire from his 16 year long career in the Army to develop the Safestix in the United States and Europe.

Photographs from safestix.co.uk

Chad Strenge, of Colman, South Dakota, heard the commotion whilst at home on his farm. He went to investigate, and discovered that Jack, his Jack Russell terrier (very clever with the names these Americans), had chased a mountain lion up a tree on his land.

Now, you really have to imagine the scene here. Jack Russell Terrier – Mountain Lion. One is a short, snappy dog – the other is a very large predator.

After spending some time clinging to the top of the tree, the mountain lion, also known as a cougar, made a break for it and, with Jack’s assistance, Mr Strenge chased it down and shot it. You could have guessed that a story involving a wild animal and an American would have ended in one shooting the other.

The lion weighed in at 150lb (68kg) – a full 133lb (60kg) heavier than the plucky terrier.

Mr Strenge praised his dog, commenting:

“He trees cats all the time. I suppose he figured it was just a cat.”

Jonathan Jenks, a professor and expert on the migration patterns of mountain lions, stated that a hunter would usually need at least three dogs to chase one up a tree. Speaking to newspaper The Argus Leader, he said:

“It very well could have lost a territory and decided to take off from the Black Hills and head this way.”

The cougar was taken to South Dakota State University for study, and Arden Petersen, a spokesman for the Game, Fish and Parks Department of South Dakota confirmed that no charges will be made against Mr Strenge.

Residents of South Dakota can lawfully kill cougars when they feel that they are threatening the lives of their pets, livestock or themselves.

Isn’t that lucky, but perhaps not for the cougar.

Kiko’s owner, Jerry, had a very serious infection at the time – one that could have become fatal. Jerry had Type 2 diabetes, but it was undiagnosed and it was centred in his big toe. The reason Jerry’s diabetes hadn’t been diagnosed was because he foolishly tried to conceal the infection from family and friends, and even his wife didn’t know about it. Kiko, the dog, knew though – and Kiko knew just what to do.

One evening Jerry’s blood sugar level was reaching dangerous levels, at around 560. The normal level someone is around 80-120. With the pain becoming too much to bear, Jerry got himself blind drunk (rather than calling for an ambulance) and then passed out cold. This is when doctor Kiko leapt into action, setting about the infected toe and surgically removing it with his teeth.

Jerry’s wife Rosee explained the moment when her husband awoke to realise that his surgery at the paws of the dog had been successful.

“Jerry had had all these margaritas, so I just let him sleep. But then I heard these screams coming from the bedroom, and he was yelling, ‘My toe’s gone, my toe’s gone!’”

When Jerry woke up he found the dog sat next to him, having removed his toe, and the room covered in blood. Jerry was immediately taken to hospital, where it was found that the dog had saved his life. The rest of his toe needed to be removed, although comments from Jerry asking if the toe could be bagged up for his dog were laughed off.

Liz reported Penny’s disappearance at the time to Stratford District Council, but they lost the details and the dog was subsequently rehomed when it was found.

All’s well that ends well though as Liz and Penny have now been reunited.

Liz Hiorns had to take matters pretty far however, even launching a £4,000 legal fight to get her dog back. The dog cost the new owners just £80 when they bought it from the rescue centre, and on the day before the case was due in court they gave in and returned Penny to her rightful owner.

Mrs Hiorns commented:

I’m absolutely delighted, thrilled to have her home.

The last month has been extremely stressful but I am just so relieved it is all over. I will certainly be keeping a close eye on Penny in future.

This should never have happened and I am very angry with the local council who were too quick to palm her off onto someone else.

Meanwhile, Stratford District Council has apologised for their mistake – a mistake that saw Penny sold to a couple when she already had a loving and caring owner. A spokesperson for Stratford District Council added:

This is the first time such an incident has happened and the district council regrets this and will use its best endeavours to ensure this does not happen again.

Sadly, the district council picks up a number of dogs weekly and scans the dogs routinely for identification in the form of a microchip or any other distinguishing marks.

Unfortunately on this occasion the missing dog, Penny, had no form of identification and was found with an eye infection covered in fleas and ticks.

There are lessons to be learned but the council assures the public that they make all reasonable efforts to reunite stray dogs with their owners.

The district council is currently reviewing its procedures and considering putting photographs of stray dogs on the website in the future.

Penny is now delighted to be back home with her owner, on the farm.

Luckily the dog was found by a dog warden and taken to a rescue centre in Tibberton, Danemere Animal Rescue Centre. However, because the dog had no nametag, or a microchip, staff had no way of tracing the owner. Following their own procedures, they sold the dog to a family living 30 miles from Liz Hiorns.

Mrs Hiorns only discovered that her dog had been found, and subsequently sold, after she contacted a local vet on the advice of her friend. The vet told her that a dog that sounded as though may have been Penny was found in Stratford-upon-Avon in April, and was taken to the dog rescue centre. Upon contacting the rescue centre, Mrs Hiorns was told that her dog had been sold and they couldn’t give her the contact details of the new owners.

Mrs Hiorns commented:

I’m not in the first flush of youth and I was widowed last year and Penny’s a real little character and had been a great favourite of my husband’s.

To think she now has a new owner and probably a new name is devastating.

All I want to do is write a letter to the couple who now have her telling them there has been a huge mistake.

I’m sure that if the family she’s been re-homed with knew what had happened they’d want to do the right thing. I miss her desperately.

The chairman of Danemere Animal Rescue, Michael Quinlan, added:

Once a dog has been rehomed we would not contact the new owners. There is nothing we can do.

Had Mrs Hiorns’ dog been microchipped, the rescue centre would have known instantly who she belonged to and would have contacted Mrs Hiorns to claim her dog.