Go fish

I love offbeat news stories as much as the best person, but I love 'em even more when they hit closer to home:

In what really shouldn't have been an entertaining story, employees at a Philadelphia pet store were shocked this weekend when they opened what they believed to be a shipment of exotic fish and instead found a cadaver.

Jon Kenoyer, of California, died unexpectedly last week and had requested his body be donated to Alzheimer's research in Allentown, Pa. His body, flown across country by US Airways, somehow got mixed up with a shipment bound for Pets Plus USA.

When the package arrived at the store, the owner knew immediately that something was amiss. The package was not opened.

If you take a second to think about it, this story is horrible, but the one shred of lightheartedness was the wife's statement that her late husband was a practical joker and she considers this his one last prank.

Important to note that this should not dissuade people from donating their bodies to research, she added.

RIP Gus

Sad news, everyone: Gus, the World's Ugliest Dog, is dead.

The 9-year-old pooch, who won the ugly crown in June, lost his battle with cancer today.

Gus, a hairless Chinese crested from Florida, had one eye and three legs. His adopted family reportedly rescued him after learning he was being kept in a crate inside someone's garage. He had one leg amputated because of a skin tumor and lost an eye in a cat fight.

Owner Jeanenne Teed said Gus passed away in her arms this morning. The skin cancer he had been battling had wrapped around his spine and the dog had lost half of his body weight. He was in a lot of pain and needed to be put down, she said.

As World's Ugliest dog, Gus had been featured on the Today show, Fox & Friends, Rachel Ray. He even had his own Animal Planet special.

Chinese crested dogs have a reputation for being pretty ugly, but poor Gus...he was hideous.

Goldie on healthcare?

For whom would your dead goldfish vote?

Even if you hate Heidi...

"The Hills" star Heidi Montag lost her stepbrother--an Iraqi and Afghanistan war veteran-- Thursday in a freak accident.

Eric O'Hara, 24, slipped off a roof attempting to remove snow at the Steamboat Grand Resort Hotel in Steamboat, Col. He survived 15 months of service, but died just one a month after he returned home.

"I just loved him more than anything. He was very much a brother to me.” - Heidi Montag, to PeopleMagazine.com

Even if you're a member of Team Lauren, this is really sad.


And at the risk of sounding insincere... On a lighter note, I caught a quick teaser for the next eight episodes of The Hills--which premieres March 24--and that led me to the video below: the ultra incredible-looking "Season Three Continues" trailer. If you have not yet seen it, please indulge. It's dripping with faux reality drama, but it looks sensational.



One final note, Lauren posted a bulletin on MySpace with pictures of her new puppy, Chloe. How cute!

Sounding like a freak on a leash

A girl being lead around London on a leash was thrown off a bus earlier this week, but the bus company has apologized for its actions.

Tasha Maltby, 19, is a self-proclaimed "pet" of her 25-year-old fiance, Dani Graves.

"I generally act animal-like and I lead a really easy life. I don't cook or clean and I don't go anywhere without Dani. It might seem strange but it makes us both happy. It's my culture and my choice. It isn't hurting anyone." - Tasha Maltby in an interview with the Daily Mail.

Hmm, yeah, that actually does sound like a really relaxed lifestyle. And I'm sure happily being referred to as your husband's pet (possession, object, whathaveyou) is going to do wonders for you as a woman.

Regardless, they probably shouldn't have been discriminated against in the way they were. Maltby and Graves, dressed in Gothic-style clothing and being lead by Graves on a leash, boarded the bus but were reportedly told by the driver: "We don't let freaks and dogs like you on."

Arriva, the bus company, said Wednesday they would not comment on the instance but apologized for the way the couple had been treated. A spokesperson did say that the driver was concerned for the safety of those on the bus.


And judging by all the reactions (and one death wish) I received from the last entry I used the word 'freak' to describe someone, I must mention a disclaimer: The title of this entry is just a play on words. These people are allowed to do, wear and say whatever they want. Just a play on words. Thank you.

This dog list bites

The American Kennel Club yesterday announced its annual rankings of the 157 recognized dog breeds, and arguably one of the uglier dogs has made a reappearance for the first time since the mid 1930s.

At the top of the list is the Labrador Retriever, which has been at the top for 16 straight years. Boring! The Yorkshire Terrier, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever and the Beagle followed behind.

The Boxer, Dachshund, Poodle and the Shih Tzu made up ranks 6 through 9.

And back in the top 10 for the first time in 75 years is the Bulldog. Ugh. My brother has one of these dogs and I think it is so incredibly un-cute.

But apparently owning a Bulldog has become as trendy as those little purse dogs that Paris Hilton put en vogue. Actors Adam Sandler and George Clooney both own Bulldogs, and the breed is the second-most popular dog in Los Angeles, according to the club.

My thoughts--Beagles are terrible, Poodles are hideous and Labs and Retrievers all look the same. Where's the Husky!?