William Randolph Hearst once said “Show me a magazine with a woman, a dog, or a baby on the cover, and I’ll show you a magazine that sells.” Perhaps following that logic, the Tayside Police Department in Scotland thought that they had the perfect postcard to send to citizens: featuring their new telephone number and this picture of a puppy named Rebel sitting in a police officer’s hat. Instead, the new number was inundated with calls from irate Muslims who view dog as “unclean” — even cute ones.
Shopkeepers in Dundee have heard so many complaints that they have agreed not to show the advert in their windows. The culprit is a dog-in-training named Rebel — a German Shepherd pup born in December.
The Muslim view of dogs as unclean has raised issues in this country, click here. In the meantime, it is not clear what the future of Rebel may be, but his work as a mascot appears to be at an end.
For the full story, click here.
“the new number was inundated with calls from irate Muslims who view dog as “unclean””
Heroic German Shepherds:
Bruno 1995
Brooklyn, Newfoundland. Bruno, a nine-month-old German Shepherd saved the life of eleven-year-old Donnie Skiffington when he was thrown from his bicycle into a ditch, where he lay unconscious and bleeding severely. Bruno licked Donnie’s face until he regained consciousness, and began to pull him by the shirt collar towards home.
Nellie
1994
Vienna, Ontario. Nellie, a six-year-old German Shepherd traveled three kilometres back to her home to get help for 78-year-old Ken Emerson, who lay injured after his tractor had overturned and crushed his pelvis. When Nellie returned home, Mrs. Emerson realized that the strip of her husband’s shirt wrapped around Nellie’s collar was an S.O.S. message, and immediately sent for help.
Brit
Brit won many awards such as the Apprehension Citation in 1997 from the Saddle River P.B.A., the Unit Citation in 1995 by the Waldwick Police Chief, the Certificate of Recognition in 1994 by the Allendale and Waldwick P.B.A. for burglar apprehension, the Exceptional Duty Award in 1998 by the Allendale and Waldwick P.B.A., and the Support Services Award by the Ho-Ho-Kus P.B.A. On October 6, 1997, “Brit” died and was given a full police funeral. On October 21, 1998, Sgt. Litchult received a posthumous K-9 Service Award for K-9 “Brit” from the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum in Miami, Florida.
Sam
1994
Mississauga, Ontario. Sam, an eight-year-old German Shepherd saved her owner, Phyllis McLeod, from drowning when she fell through a frozen river. As Phyllis fought the swift current, she grabbed Sam’s collar and hung on until she was pulled far enough out of the water to scramble to safety.
Hustler
1992
Mirror, Alberta. Hustler, a three-year-old German Shepherd is credited with saving the life of his owner, Debbie Inions. After a fall from her horse left Debbie seriously injured and unable to move, Hustler repeatedly fought against vicious attacks by two preying coyotes until they were discovered nine hours later.
Tracker
1992
Sudbury, Ontario. Tracker, a 10-year-old German Shepherd, owned by Sergeant Larry Bigley, was the inspiration behind the Service Dog of the Year Award. Over the seven years that Tracker served in the Sudbury District, he was involved in approximately 500 searches for missing persons, criminals, drugs and security details.
Dick
1989
Montréal, Quebec. Dick, a police tracking dog owned by the Sureté du Québec, was honoured for his bravery during a 14-hour manhunt through the woods near St. Eustache, Québec. The four-year-old German Shepherd was wounded by a shot intended for his handler and left permanently deaf in one ear and blind in one eye as a result of the incident.
Wolfey
1985
Ancaster, Ontario. Wolfey, a German Shepherd, awoke his owners, Dr. and Mrs. John Holbrook, and alerted them to a fire that had started in their all-wood home.
Maude
1983
Pictou County, Nova Scotia. Maude, a German Shepherd, owned by Deborah Johnston and Bernard Chisholm, saved a three-year-old girl from drowning in the frigid waters of Pictou Harbour. Gripping the child’s overalls in her teeth, Maude pulled the child out of the deep water.
Lance
1981
Kitchener, Ontario. Lance, a German Shepherd police dog with the Ontario Provincial Police, tracked a missing Kitchener woman in a swampy conservation area for three hours, and led her safely through the dark woods to safety.
Mr. Baggins
1976
Revelstoke, British Columbia. Mr. Baggins, a female German Shepherd with absolutely no tracking experience, tracked and located a six-year-old boy who had been missing for hours after having been buried under a snowbank.
Timmy
1973
Brantford, Ontario. Timmy, a four-year-old German Shepherd owned by Anne Nemes, protected her from being robbed at gunpoint by two men. When the men confronted her, Timmy leaped at them and gripped one of the men’s arms, and a shot was fired. The men fled and Mrs. Nemes and Timmy continued their walk home.
Rex
1971
Paris, Ontario. Rex, a German Shepherd repeatedly hurled himself against the door leading to the Misic and Zegarac families’ living quarters, arousing the two families during the night as fire engulfed their gas station and the living quarters above.
Kanaka
1970
Ontario Provincial Police Canine Team – Kanaka, a black German Shepherd was responsible for numerous rescues and arrests as well as the recovery of evidence, stolen property and money throughout years of distinguished service. In one incident, Kanaka tracked a lost hunter for 20 hours across freezing swamps and an ice-covered lake, before finding the man. After the ordeal, Kanaka required medical attention and was commended with saving the hunter’s life.
Thunder
1996
Following a robbery suspect across a frozen river, the ice gave way and Deputy Stanley Wontor slipped backwards under the ice. He called out “pull” (a command Thunder, a police dog, had not been trained to use) and Thunder pulled him out of the freezing waters to safety.
Orient
After graduating from the Seeing Eye Program, Orient was placed with Bill Irwin. Orient led Irwin on an incredible trek on the complete length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Profiled in Irwin’s book Blind Courage, Orient faithfully and unconditionally assisted Bill Irwin for over nine years.
Daisy
1980
Ottawa, Ontario. Daisy, a German Shepherd, saved her owner’s three-year-old son, David, who had wandered into a busy intersection. Daisy pulled the child to safety, as two motorists who were watching the dog and the child in the intersection collided.
http://www.angesgardiens.ca/ANG/Famous.htm