Pets in the News

~ On her first day as co-host of The View, Whoopi Goldberg defends Michael Vick, former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, on allegations of funding illegal dogfighting and the death of 6-8 pitbulls.

~ Max, the foot-long, 22 year-old goldfish, died last week as a result of power outages in Chicago.

~ When Leona Helmsley died last month she left $12 million dollars to her eight year old maltese named Trouble. Now former staff who took care of Trouble are trying to cash in.

~ Russian woman houses 130+ cats in her small apartment. Ok, she wins. I see a few smackdowns brewing in that first picture. (More from Reuters and The Orlando Sentinel.)

~ School is in session for New York cats.

~ Rhode Island man threatens to kidnap his mother’s cat and ransom it for $20,000. Apparently he’s tried this a few times.

~ I’ll pass. (Fair warning: mentions consumption of cats.)

~ Chupacabra or desiccated, roadkill dog? Hmm, which one will make more money?

~ Cat owned by Pete Doherty, star of the UK band Babyshambles, found with traces of cocaine in its system. (Check out Gallery of the Absurd’s take on the incident.