Smokey the dog going to Arizona sanctuary Smokey the dog will be flying south for the winter and beyond. The Rottweiler/collie mix — which attracted worldwide attention from animal rights groups after it was accused of biting a child and later was beaten with a baseball bat and hit with a car — likely soon will be on his way via pet transport to Tara's Babies Animal Welfare sanctuary in Young, Ariz. Greene County Commissioner Rick Perales said Tuesday the liability paperwork has been worked out and the next step is to raise the money to pay for the flight. No county money will be used for transportation, which was estimated to cost less than $1,000. No date is set for relocation. Record 264 Bears Killed On First Day Of Jersey Bear Hunt The second day of New Jersey's controversial six-day bear hunt has begun, leaving behind it a record 264 bears killed in the first day. To curb the growing bear population of the state David Chanda of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife said, “Hunting is one necessary component of our management plan. It's likely going to be an annual hunt.” But are hunters getting ahead of themselves? The state hoped to reduce the approximately 3,400 bear population by 300 to 400 by the end of the week, which they're on track to doing by later this afternoon. Chanda estimated that as many as 700 could be killed by the end of the week. IDA: Elephant aggression may lead to tragedy at S.A. Zoo An animal rights group fears tragedy may be on the horizon at the San Antonio Zoo. In Defense of Animals (IDA) filed a complaint in California against the San Antonio Zoo saying aggressive behavior between the two elephants, Lucky and Boo, will most result in ‘dire consequences'. The group says Dr. Joyce Poole, one of the world's leading elephant scientists who has studied elephant behavior in Africa and Asia for over 30 years, reviewed a videotape captured over a two-day period. Poole determined that Boo exhibited aggressive behavior toward Lucky. ‘The Price Is Right' Host Bob Barker Honored for Protection of Animals Bob Barker has been named an honorary fellow of the Oxford Center for Animal Ethics for his “exceptional contributions to the protection of animals.” The former Price Is Right host is the first person from the entertainment industry selected for the honor, which has been given to Nobel Laureates, philanthropists, academics and others who have worked on behalf of animal welfare. The award acknowledges Barker's efforts to encourage the teaching of animal law at colleges and universities. Rescue mission launched for abandoned South Korean dogs Animal rights activists in South Korea have called for the rescue of hundreds of pet dogs left behind on Yeonpyeong Island, following a bombardment from North Korea recently. North Korean military forces rained missiles down on the island, which lies upon a contested border, killing two marines and two citizens. The attack precipitated a mass exodus of nearly all of the island's 1,500 inhabitants on ferries, which were too crowded to transport their pet dogs. BM
