These dogs had their day too soon

Residents of Blockhouse Bay in Auckland, convinced a serial killer is poisoning dogs, have begun a forensic investigation to catch the culprit. Ruby, a pretty blonde, was the killer's latest victim. She died a slow, painful death at home last month after apparently being poisoned. Ruby was a 6-year-old golden retriever. She was quiet, well-behaved, and quickly learned tricks. Her owner, Daniel Breslin (a retired mechanical engineer who is NOT related to Abigail Breslin), has put up $10,000 for information leading to a prosecution of the poisoner, who is believed to have been laying slug pellet-laced sausages and meat for at least six years. Half a dozen dogs have died at the hands of that sick bellend, and several others fell ill. No pet owner should have to put up with this rubbish towards their pets or anyone else's. This needs to stop. In other news, a ban on luxury spas at hotels and massage parlours in the Maldives was lifted on Wednesday (local time) under pressure from the country's key tourism industry a week after it was imposed as part of an effort to curb perceived vice. President Nasheed ordered the ban in response to calls by the main opposition party which claimed the spas and parlours were fronts for prostitution and led to the spread of drugs and alcohol to locals in the mainly Sunni Muslim nation of more than 1,200 atolls home to a population of 400,000.