Fluffy Tornado

Chow takes fright, then takes flight.

Chow chow Shine took fright when a RAF Tornado jet screamed low overhead. Valerie Wilshaw’s took a flying leap dog out of the window and fell 16ft into the back garden. Fortunately a privet hedge broke the terrified pets fall but the fall still shattered the eight-year-old dogs leg in six places and his injuries were so severe that it was touch and go whether surgeons would be able to save his life.

Mrs Wilshaw 54, from Bispham, Lancashire is blaming the Ministry of Defence for the accident and is demanding that they pay her £1,500 veterinary bill.

‘He was in a terrible state’ she told the Daily Mail ‘Initially we thought he was impaled on a post or something because there was so much blood. We managed to get him to a vet and he said it was touch and go. After Shine had spent 24 hours on a drip the vet decided to operate to save his life.

Vet, Andrew Mellor, inserted four stainless steel and three carbon fibre rods into Shine’s leg. He said: ‘He was in a bad way but dogs are amazingly resilient and we are monitoring his recovery.’

A spokesman for the MoD confirmed that they are dealing with a claim made by Mrs Wilshaw. He said: ‘at the moment we are trying to establish the facts of the case before taking it forward:

Mrs Wilshaw said ‘He’s such a big softy and a real character and we really love him.

We decided to do everything we could to help him. Many owners may have put him down but we have persevered. He has had excellent veterinary care but it all costs a lot of money.

I think the Ministry of defence should pay the bill because they are to blame for his injuries.’

Doggy paddling

Former professional footballer Craig Harrison, 26, who played for Middlesborough and Crystal Palace has set up the Four Paws Hydrotherapy Centre in Morpeth, Northumberland, after his career was ended by injury.

Business is booming and dog owners are flocking to the specially built swimming pool and paying up to £44 to give their pets twice a week sessions.

One minute in the hydrotherapy pool is said to give pets the same exercise as a one-mile walk.

Pampered pooches appear to love doing a few laps of the heated 20ft swimming pool, swimming against a current created by underwater jets. They follow this up with a relaxing wallow in a bubbling Jacuzzi.

Craig says: ‘busy people just don’t have the time to walk their pet for an hour twice a day, as they should. A few minutes in the pool provides plenty of exercise.’

Police dogs hurt while training with the Northumberland Force are also sent to Four Paws and fat, old or injured dogs are also helped by the big swim. Corinna Bell, Harrisons 25 year old girlfriend said ‘It has become the in thing to take your dog swimming. Owners like to keep up with the Jones’s.’

Celebrity Interview

In a rare interview, reclusive, snack addicted canine superstar Scooby-Doo talked to SKY Magazine about his movie career.

He is the greatest of Danes. The King of cartoon Canines. As such, Scooby-Doo makes his own rules.

To promote his big-screen debut, in the eponymously titled Scooby-Doo, the star of one of the most popular animated series in TV history spoke to a panting press over a loudspeaker line from Australia, where the movie and its sequel were filmed.

As soon as we hear his unique voice, we know that we are in the presence of a showbiz giant. Or, at least, a huge talking dog.

Bob Strauss of Sky magazine asked Scooby what the hardest part of making the movie was. ‘Righting ronsters. Rey rere scary’ Scooby replied, admitting that he thought the monsters were real.

‘How is it working with flesh and blood co-stars.’ Asked Bob

‘Rery rifficult. Rey’re rery remperamental!’

‘How do you respond to tabloid allegations that you may not be 100% Great Dane?

‘Rats rubbish!’ he snapped ‘Ri’m a rurebred!’

‘What about your love life?’

‘Ri have a rove affair with food. The rest rart of raking a movie are re snacks. I rot around rone rillion Scooby Snacks. Mmmmmm!’

Finally Bob put to him the really tough question. ‘Despite your undoubted world-wide fame, it took several decades for you to make the leap to a big time Hollywood movie. The uncharitable have said that this may be because of your allegedly fictitious nature.

‘Rhat? Ro! Ro way!’ he responded, clearly indignant over the hurtful suggestion. ‘Ri’m a regend.

With thanks to Sky The Magazine.

Dachs’s Dach

Barney the Dachshund has hardly put the ‘dash’ into Dachshund.

He only managed three miles in 21 hours on a little trip recently after escaping from his present home in Rotherham, South Yorks.

Owners Dan and Natalie Daniels think Barney was on his way to his old home in Nottingham 30 miles away. A warden found him.

Said Dan 34 ‘He’s not the fastest dog, his road sense is useless. I’m amazed he survived.’