A Utah town councilmember allegedly shot and killed his neighbor's 9-month-old Chihuahua, Rocky, simply because he was annoyed by the puppy's barking. Yes, there was reportedly alcohol involved, but surely even an inebriated government official should know that you try talking to your neighbor instead of hauling out the heavy artillery.

Unfortunately, hotheaded numbskulls like the person who killed Rocky lurk in just about every neighborhood. PETA regularly receives reports about unattended animals who have been shot, poisoned, beaten, or even set on fire right in their own yards. Rocky's tragic fate should serve as a reminder not to leave animals outside unsupervised.
 

PETA staffer Daphna Nachminovitch never lets little Gilli out of her sight when they go outside.

 
If you hear a dog in your neighborhood barking 'round the clock, go have a chat with the dog's guardian. Most localities have noise ordinances, and dogs who are outside barking all the time may be neglected, so have a look. Let guardians know how dangerous it is to allow their dogs to bark nonstop. It's better for them to get a wake-up call from a neighbor—or even the police—telling them to keep the dog inside than it would be to wake up to gunfire one day and find their beloved dog lying dead in the yard, killed by an angry neighbor.

 
Written by Michelle Sherrow

When a good Samaritan found 10-week-old Kiwi wandering in the woods, the puppy weighed just 2 pounds and was barely bigger than a softball. Nearly frozen in the frigid temperatures, the tiny Chihuahua was thin and dehydrated and suffered from a severe genital infection. The person who found Kiwi immediately called PETA for assistance.

During his short stay at the PETA office, Kiwi won the hearts of everybody he met.

Uh-oh. Kiwi is caught being ridiculously adorable on the job.

After receiving some much-needed medical care and TLC, Kiwi was adopted by PETA members who can't believe the fantastic puppy was homeless. Kiwi's new family includes a 70-pound canine "brother," Higgins, who is so enamored with his little pal that he won't eat a bite of his own food until he knows Kiwi doesn't want any of it. Kiwi is always game for adventures at work, school, or wherever his family is heading. What a happy ending for this little fella!

Written by Michelle Sherrow

zimbio / CC

With Mason's dashing arrival and our fave fauxvocative sister becoming Mrs. Lamar Odom, the Kardashian clan has been busy. But on last night's episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Kim's storyline went beyond her on-again sparks with Reggie Bush and made dog lovers everywhere give her "two paws up." Kim found an abandoned Chihuahua outside a nail salon, named her Princess, and took her in. She then brought Princess to a vet who performed lifesaving uterine surgery and whose assistant eventually adopted her. Kim was so moved by the experience that she even went back to volunteer at the pound where she first brought Princess. Aww! Maybe this experience (and some help from lil' sis Khloe) will be enough to convince her to star in our "Be an Angel for Animals" ad campaign?

Written by Christine Doré

mamapop / CC

Just think—if wasn't for Louise Brooks, Audrey Hepburn, and Brooke Shields, Americans might never have discovered the glories of the bob, the LBD, and bushy eyebrows (which, BTW, I hear are making a comeback). And if it wasn't for today's celebrities* like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, who "accessorize" their red carpet looks with Chihuahuas, animal shelters wouldn't be deluged with pint-sized cast-asides. Oakland Animal Services reports the facility sometimes receives 10 Chihuahuas a day. That's mind-boggling, don't you think?

Sure, it takes only a minute to fall in love with the perfectly trained pooches on starlets' arms or featured in films like Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but in real life, dogs chew, bark, make messes, and require a lifetime of love and commitment. They may be small, but like all dogs, Chihuahuas need daily training and walks, expensive veterinary care, and a ton of love and attention.

New York Post columnist Cindy Adams recently wrote, "Paris Hilton with her kennel-to-kennel Chihuahuas? She hasn't even been in bed with as many TWO-legged dogs." While PETA pleads with Hilton to curtail her consumption of Chihuahuas (and other animals), please remind everyone you know that dogs are not "fads." They're a lifetime commitment. Forward our beautiful new ad featuring Joanna Krupa to everyone in your e-mail address book—and learn more at HelpingAnimals.com.

Written by Karin Bennett

*I use that term very loosely.

Remember when Al Roker suggested to Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt that there are some people who believe that they just might be "everything that is wrong with celebrity in this country"?

thesebootsaremadeforstalking / CC

It looks like the dreaded "Speidi" are proving Mr. Roker's point for him. Much like other famous airheads, "Speidi" have shown their total disregard for the plight of homeless animals by buying themselves a "designer dog."

When the duo first expressed an interest in adding a canine member to their family, PETA sent them a letter clueing them in to the importance of adopting dogs and cats from shelters—but, apparently, Heidi and Spencer are too caught up in themselves to care about the 6 to 8 million dogs and cats who are turned over to animal shelters every year.

We probably shouldn't be surprised, though. Here's a question for you: What happened to Bella the Chihuahua?

Written by Amanda Schinke

This morning, when Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with President Obama at the Canadian Embassy in D.C., he got a welcome that I'm sure he won't forget any time soon.

Three "seals" covered with red paint writhed on the ground to illustrate what happens to hundreds of thousands of harp seals in Canada.

Fifteen other demonstrators held up stop signs reading, "Harper: Stop the Seal Slaughter."

With D.C. traffic already backed up, the cops weren't thrilled with the additional congestion.

Luckily, the officers weren't armed with hakapiks.

If Prime Minister Harper wants a warmer welcome next time, the first thing that he should do is stop the annual seal slaughter.

Written by Liz Graffeo