Spain: Catalonia bans bullfighting in landmark Spain vote The parliament of Catalonia has voted to ban bullfighting - the first region of mainland Spain to do so. The vote took place as the result of a petition brought to parliament, signed by 180,000 people who say the practice is barbaric and outdated. 7/28/2010 6:14:45 AM

Dogs 'mimic movements of owners' Dogs "automatically imitate" the body movements of their owners, according to a study. This automatic imitation is a crucial part of social learning in humans. But Austrian researchers report that the phenomenon is evident in many other animals. 7/28/2010 6:12:48 AM

Canadian priest sorry for giving dog Holy Communion A priest in Canada has apologised after giving Holy Communion to a dog. Reverend Marguerite Rea of St Peter's Anglican Church, in Toronto, received complaints from Christians all over Canada after she fed communion bread to a German Shepherd cross named Trapper. 7/27/2010 3:55:32 PM

Dog owners beg for park access Two hundred dog owners marched in a pooch protest Sunday to demand more on-leash parks. The canine convoy of 117 hounds paraded along Abbott Street from Strathcona Park to Kinsmen Park to show their displeasure with the limited supply of green space near downtown. 7/27/2010 10:03:39 AM

Australia: Dog saves owner from rape at knifepoint A woman in Melbourne, Australia, who was hit, dragged and threatened with a knife by a man who tried to rape her, was only saved when her dog fought him off. The 29-year-old woman was walking alone with her dog in a park at about 10pm when the attack took place. 7/26/2010 7:42:13 PM

Man pleas guilty after dog's penis mutilated A man who put a condom on his dog's penis and tied it tight says he wasn't trying to torture his pet — he was trying to stop it from urinating in his apartment. Anjalo Abeywickrema, 51, pleaded guilty in court on Monday to one count under the Criminal Code of causing unnecessary pain, injury or suffering to an animal. 7/26/2010 6:28:39 PM

Vernon: Court dispute threatens Canada's oldest horse track (Video) Horse racing enthusiasts crowded into the bleachers at Vernon's Kin Racetrack on Sunday to watch what may, pending the outcome of a brewing legal battle, be the venue's final race. The City of Vernon and the North Okanagan Regional District have been trying to replace the track with sports fields for years. 7/26/2010 9:11:31 AM

Chase: Rancher 'flabbergasted' as his 30 horses saved A B.C. rancher whose 30 horses were saved from the slaughterhouse over the weekend said he is “flabbergasted” by the support he has received. Lee Oakford, of T-Bar Ranch in Chase, lost his farm due to financial difficulty. Unable to sell them, Oakford feared they’d be destined for a trip to the meat factory by Monday’s deadline. 7/26/2010 7:31:21 AM

Dog's rescue after several weeks in North Shore woods an inspiring tale The North Shore News ran a miracle dog story Sunday. Under the headline Dog Beat Odds to Survive, reporter Lara Howsam chronicled the heart-warming story of Honey, an 11-year-old dachshund with a heart condition, being returned to its owners after surviving almost four weeks in the woods. 7/26/2010 7:25:45 AM

B.C. horses destined for meat market snapped up by saviour-buyers A herd of thoroughbred horses in the B.C. Interior destined for the slaughterhouse because their owner could no longer afford to keep them are being snapped up by buyers in a last-minute campaign to find homes for them. Lee Oakford of T-Bar Ranch in Chase is losing his farm and felt he had no choice. 7/25/2010 10:50:11 AM

SPCA seizes starving dogs in Duncan Shocked B.C. SPCA officials are trying to figure out why the owner of a young Labrador-cross starved the dog and her eight puppies and left them covered with maggots under bushes on a rural Duncan property. The adult dog, named Dawn, and one surviving puppy out of eight are fighting for their lives. 7/25/2010 6:22:56 AM

Pet Health Insurance: Will Your Pet's Illness Make You Broke? California may be the first state in the nation to shine a light on the pet health insurance industry. As many dog and cat owners know, vet bills can be crippling. Yet only about one percent of Americans have health insurance for their animals. Even those with health insurance may be shocked. 7/24/2010 7:25:37 PM

Up to 3,000 coyotes now live in Metro Vancouver British Columbians and their pets have experienced all manner of dangerous run-ins with wildlife in recent weeks, from bear, coyote and cougar attacks to rampaging deer. One reason for the surge in encounters is that wildlife species in and around the Lower Mainland -- and throughout B.C. -- are thriving. 7/24/2010 6:47:35 PM

Bear gets stuck in car, goes on brief joy ride (Video) If you think you've heard it all, follow this tale of a hungry black bear who went for a ride, literally. Douglas County, Colorado, Sheriff's deputies early Friday got a call about a honking car and a commotion inside. Perhaps it was teenagers or a thief, they thought as they approached Ralph Story's Toyota. 7/24/2010 1:03:03 PM

Chase: Meat market looms for B.C. horses A herd of thoroughbred horses in the B.C. Interior might be headed to the slaughterhouse Monday because their owner cannot afford to keep them. Lee Oakford of T-Bar Ranch in Chase is losing his farm and has no choice but to sell his 30 horses for meatfor $500 a head, supporters say. 7/24/2010 5:13:41 AM

Finding beach space for dogs Do you build a water park for dogs in the middle of a dessert? It’s a topic Kelowna city council plans to address Monday as they prepare to weigh whether city staff should investigate whether a water park for dogs might resolve to the ongoing fido vs. the people debate on local beaches. 7/24/2010 5:03:10 AM

Colorado bear toots horn, takes car on short joyride A Colorado teen said a bear got into his empty car, honked the horn and sent it rolling into a thicket with the bear inside. Ben Story said he and his family were asleep in their Larkspur home, 30 miles south of Denver, during the joyride early Friday. 7/23/2010 2:03:22 PM

Special device keeps Neo the dog on the walking trail When a friend needs help, you pull out all the stops. And that is exactly what Laura Legere is doing for her dog, Neo. The 11-year-old black lab and Chesepeake Bay retriever mix and his best friend are often seen on their frequent walks in Dartmouth< Nova Scotia. 7/23/2010 12:43:05 PM

Swimming kitty proves she’s no fraidy cat Swimming has helped one lucky kitty walk again after being paralyzed. Nazzaning, a 6-year-old Turkish Van, was injured in June and was unable to move her left side. Her owner, Florence Rostami, took her to the hospital, initially believing she had broken her paw. 7/22/2010 11:13:38 PM