Off The Track - Animal Lover
Cory Joyce, NASCAR

Cory Joyce was a UARA-Stars Series driver originally from Gilford, New Hampshire. Joyce began his racing career at eight years old with a go-kart he received as a Christmas gift from his parents. Following his success in go karts in New Hampshire, Joyce and his family began to build the Cory Joyce Racing program and relocated to North Carolina.

Besides racing, Cory is also a big animal lover. Joyce made regular visits to local shelters to draw in media attention and help deserving animals find new homes.

One of Cory's dogs was a Pit Bull-Lab mix named Macy who was adopted from a homeless woman when the animal was 3 months old. He kept her photo on his cell phone, ready to show anyone who asked. Cory sometimes took Macy to the racetrack, where you could find her under the car with Cory, but instead of handing him tools, she licked him in the face.

If you've seen Cory's car on the racetrack, you have no doubt also seen the Humane Society logo on the hood of his car. Off the track, Joyce is an avid supporter of the Humane Society of the United States and works closely with the organization on animal awareness and welfare projects to remind people that there are still animals out there that desperately need homes.

77-Pound Dachshund
Nora Vanatta

Nora immediately put Obie on a prescription veterinary weight loss diet. She believed he only needed about 500 calories a day. She fed him a half-cup of food four times a day, and he started gradually losing weight.

Obie wasn't able to exercise, as he wasn't able to move much when Nora first obtained him. Nora had two other dogs, and as Obie lost the weight and was able to move, he got into a routine of exercising with her other dogs

Nora collected thousands of dollars in donations for Obie from supporters, and said the money was used for his care. He still needed dental work and had surgery to remove the excess skin that remained after he lost 40 pounds in 8 months. The excess skin needed to be removed, as it was dragging on the ground and impeding his movements.

Before the surgery, Obie was down to 37 pounds and four ounces. After detailing Obie's progress on a Facebook page and getting some major media attention and gaining fame in the process, the Oregon Dachshund Rescue organization's owner filed a lawsuit seeking custody of the dog. However, the lawsuit was settled and Obie stayed with Nora.

Obie's fight with obesity can be followed on the Facebook page Nora created on his behalf.

Who Doesn't Like Dogs? - Dr. Debbie

I love dogs, and always have. But what happens when you discover a close friend doesn't merely not like dogs, but actually hates them?

I've been operating under the assumption that those who don't like dogs must have some evil lurking in their spirit and were destined to a life of incarceration. Just look at the statistics of criminals that abuse animals early on and who later progress to physical abuse of people, murder, or other sociopathic behaviors.

I'll admit not liking dogs is a far cry from turning one's hand to injure an animal or person, but some uncomfortable association is still there. As a full-fledged dog lover, or enthusiast of any animal for that matter, I cannot understand the psyche of an individual that is satisfied going about their life without animal companionship.

Any pet lover can spout off a list of benefits their furry one brings to their life…the steady comfort of companionship, a non-judging ear to hear out the day's tribulations, a workout or hiking buddy and a source of unconditional love at the end of a long day.

So, imagine my shock when I realized that a couple I know doesn't like dogs. Not just that they don't have dogs or misunderstand them - they actually dislike dogs.

Hint of this fact should have been apparent long ago when they were over for dinner and they politely stood stiff as a Calvary front line, when greeted by my yapping terrier mix. Or that they failed to stroke my Labrador's chin after receiving the gentle nudge of the typical canine greeting upon entering the home. The polite perfunctory smiles went un-noticed by me. "Sure, they don't have dogs," I reasoned as to why they weren't charmed by my little dog's amusing tail wagging display or by the steadfast devotion of my Labrador's greeting.

All of these sign posts I missed. I clearly misjudged all along. The couple, who I just assumed were just not yet fortunate to understand the benefits of pet companionship, were actually formidable dog dislikers.

Realization struck me during a recent conversation with this couple. I was laughingly describing the vast differences in dog breed behavior comparing my former Labradors, to that of my current Bouvier. My comments must have been mistaken as some underhanded means to convince them the right breed was out there for them. At that moment, my guest raised hands and said, "I know what I like and don't like, and I don't want dogs." Clearly they didn't like dogs - and they misunderstood my comment as some means to turn them over to the canine side against their will. Astounded, I marveled how this response was not unlike a person who is recommended a mushroom containing side dish or gourmet meal from a fine restaurant, and who declares "I can't stand mushrooms and don't want anything to do with mushrooms!"

Police Dogs Wear Camera
A technology used by the military is available to civilian police departments. Because of the cost, a Massachusetts' Plymouth County Sheriff's Department was the first agency in New England using a camera mounted on a dog wearing a bullet-proof vest. The dogs were in the line of fire and Ken Ballinger of the sheriff's department said while no one wants the dogs harmed, the risk is outweighed by the benefit. The goal was to get cameras positioned regionally so the technology will be available to more police departments.

Insurance Claim - Elephants Did It!
People in Sweden don't usually have to worry about elephant damage to their property. Yet the one family ran into that exact problem when a group of escaped circus Indian elephants were caught wandering around their yard. One of the giant pachyderms even started crashing into the side of their house before they all made their way to a nearby field. The homeowner called police, who in turn called the circus to see what was being done about the elephant problem. The circus reportedly gained control of the animals, although its unclear exactly how they got away for their stroll.

How Intelligent Are Pigeons?
Scientists used digital age tests to determine how intelligent pigeons were. According to Phys.org, the psychologists at the University of Iowa proved that the birds are able to use problem-solving skills to make intelligent choices. Using touch screen computers, the scientists had the pigeons peck at buttons on the screens to move a virtual bowl of food toward them. After a number of correct pecks, the pigeons were rewarded with real food. Apparently, the pigeons were able to make correct choices between 74-percent and 90-percent of the times. While the tests showed that pigeons are smarter than once thought, it also proved the power of the digital tests.

Blood Collected From Wooly Mammoth
A team of Russian scientists claimed they discovered blood in the frozen carcass of a woolly mammoth. The carcass of the extinct beast was found by a group of researchers on an island in Northern Russia. The expedition leader said that when the group broke a number of ice cavities below the mammoth's belly, "blood came running out." He described the blood as "very dark." The researchers were able to collect vials of the animal's blood for further research. Judging from the mammal's teeth, the scientists estimated the mammoth to be about 50 to 60 years old when it died.

400-Pound Feline Had 4-Pound Hairball
Veterinarians stated that a tiger fully recovered after having surgery to remove a gigantic hairball. The tiger hadn't eaten for two weeks and that's when it's owner got concerned. Vets examined the 400-pound feline and realized it had a hairball the size of a basketball in its body. The hairball weighed four pounds.

Animal Communicator Located Trapped Horse
Officials in Washington State were able to rescue a trapped horse with a little help from a telepathic animal communicator. A four-year-old horse escaped from her stall. Caretakers spent hours searching for the animal before they called in horse communicator. The animal communicator telepathically told her that she was in a tight space near shrubbery that was close to a road and water. The owner guessed that meant a nearby ravine, which is exactly where rescuers found her horse, who had slipped 70 feet before coming to a stop on a ledge. The horse was pulled out and was doing well after what her owner called a miraculous rescue.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#1327)