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The Fringe
March 28, 1996
Web posted at: 6:15 p.m. EST
Legless Chihuahua happy, but hoppy
From affiliate KADY
CAMARILLO, California (CNN) -- Meet Chuy Pollock, by most accounts your average 4 pound, 6 ounce Chihuahua -- except Chuy was born with no front legs. Owner Cherie Pollock blames the deformity on inbreeding -- "partly I think because of breeders' greediness to get more puppies out of a litter."
She said it could also just be one of those weird quirks of nature. "Sometimes there's genetic tricks that we just may not be aware of," she said.
Chuy may not know he's special, but everyone who sees him does. A cashier at the grocery store even made him a special harness out of a in-line skate kneepad and wheels, to help him get around. (1MB QuickTime movie)
Chuy never learned to walk, but only to hop, so it took him some time to get the hang of the harness. And although the 8 month old puppy can get around pretty quickly on it now, just one false move and he's more like a turtle. "He'll come really fast, he'll be carrying a bone and he'll follow you, and sometimes he just nosedives and falls over like a turtle," said Cherie's daughter Liana.
His family says the harness is too heavy for a dog only four times its weight, and they're worried he'll hurt his neck when he falls. So they're looking for someone with ideas or construction skills to make his life a little easier.
What might they have in mind? "I think to expand on the idea of his wheels, so that he could have freer mobility, if he falls over, he could get back up on his own, pull out of the device, and be able to right it and get back in on his own. I know he's smart enough, he has the capability," Cherie said.
While Chuy may sometimes get jealous of what other dogs do have, his family says some four-legged barkers are jealous of him. It's not just his Rollerblading skill, but his attitude, that could make humans sit up and pay attention to this doggy's training.
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New Jersey Senate votes to repeal rats' rights
TRENTON, New Jersey (CNN) -- If rats could talk, they'd probably be shouting their protests on the steps of New Jersey's state house, especially after Monday's ruling to repeal their rights.
The state Senate unanimously voted to exclude rats and mice from protection under the state's animal cruelty laws after an animal welfare group attempted to prosecute a man for bashing a rat to death in his garden.
"Finally, the people get a victory over the rats," said Sen. Wynona Lipman, the bill's sponsor.
The Assembly, which has already let the legislation die once before, will vote on it next.
The bill would allow people to kill and dispose of rats, mice or other animals deemed by the state Department of Health to be "significant threats to public health."
Monster accused of killing farm animals in Florida
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Ever since the death of more than two dozen goats, chickens, and geese last week, residents of the Miami suburb of Sweetwater have whispered the name of what they say is the killer ... chupacabra.
Chupacabra, Spanish for "goat sucker," is a creature of Caribbean mythology that has fiery eyes and resembles a cross between a giant dog and a lizard. Chupacabra is said to walk upright on two feet and kill its victims by drinking their blood.
Residents of Sweetwater, a largely Hispanic community, have been living in fear since an elderly woman accused chupacabra of attacking her farm animals last week.
Olympia Govea said that most of the animal's necks were snapped and that they had large puncture wounds there as well.
Ron Magill, assistant curator at Miami's Metrozoo, said Tuesday that a large dog is probably the real killer.
Govea's neighbors fear more attacks from the giant dog-lizard.
"She got out there and told a very good tale and showed how the beast stalked its victims. Everyone ate it up," Magill said. "But now we have a situation where a story has gotten out of hand and could be dangerous. There are people out there with their pets locked up at night and they are sitting at their windows with shotguns on their laps."
Magill said that he found dog prints in the pen where the animals were killed. "The attacks exhibit all the signs of a canine who kills for sport, but people want to believe in chupacabra instead."
He tried to dispell the story by cutting one of the deceased animal's neck to show that its blood had not been drained but the story spread anyway.
"If this were a chupacabra, I'd be the first one trying to catch it," he said. "People would knock down the gates of the zoo if we had one on display."
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