ERIE,Pennsylvania- Animal rights groups are demanding the promoters of dog shows, whose theme is to make poodles look like other animals, stop immediately. "It's insane and immoral and hard to even put into words how weird these people are," sputtered PETA spokesman Neal Kevlon. "Dogs shouldn't be made to look like a camel or a buffalo or any ridiculous whatever else these morons are doing. A dog is a dog and has the right to be just that."

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida- A wild hog charged a woman in her yard Monday and then led nine rescue and animal control officials on a violent chase through a St. Petersburg, Fla., neighborhood. Cassandra Frank, 26, spotted the black sow just as the 200-pound animal made a run at her, catching her calf with a tusk and pushing her against a tree. Fire Rescue Lt. Dan Robinson, who hunted wild hogs as a boy, tracked her down and got charged too, leaping over a fence just before being gored. "I seen what they can do. They'll take a dog and just rip it right open. They can take those tusks and open a car door and drive off if they want to," Robinson told the St. Petersburg Times.

BEIJING, China- Thousands of dolphins blocked Somali pirate ships from hijacking a Chinese merchant ship China International Radio reported. The Chinese merchant ships were set upon by pirates but suddenly thousands of dolphins leaped out of the water blocking the pirates path. The pirate ships stopped and turned away. "Perhaps these dolphins saved the merchant ships because they support capitalism," said Lillian Lum, spoke person for Kaitzu Shipping.

ST. JOSEPH, Michigan- A buffalo's 50-minute rampage took it through a residential area and a terrifying run through a kid-filled playground, Saturday. The buffalo's roam ended when police shot and killed it near the intersection of Hilltop and Cleveland roads, after it charged St. Joseph Police officer Paul Komdeur. "Are the deer and antelope next? Either way, we're ready," said police spokesman Barton Hatches.

GRASS VALLEY, California- Sky divers occasionally see birds but rarely are they harassed by a hawk until they leave the sky. Wilbur Rickenbacher said, "That red tail just wanted me out of his backyard. It ripped at my chute, dove at me, and screeched incessantly until my feet hit the ground. Then it just took off."

WASSILLA, Alaska- Cece and Bobby Bonner thought the zoo had a new raccoon exhibit. And if the railing was so close to the masked critters why not dangle their son over the edge to feed them? The only problem was these were wild raccoons who have been hanging out at the zoo's currently unused tortoise exhibit. Bobby Junior is currently being tested for rabies.

MALINDI, Kenya- A Kenyan man bit a python which wrapped him in its coils and dragged him up a tree during a fierce three-hour struggle, police have told the BBC. The victim told police he managed to reach his mobile phone from his pocket to raise the alarm when the python momentarily eased its grip after hauling him up a tree. To free himself Mr. Nyaumbe resorted to chomping down on the snakes tail, which caused the python to release him. "We are still seriously looking for the snake," said Supt. Katam. "We want to arrest the snake because any one of us could fall a victim."

MEDICINE BOW, Wyoming- When wildlife come into urban areas it is generally to search for food. But when two deer peer into the window of a drive-through liquor store it raises questions. Have they developed a taste for liquor? "They just stood there for the longest time," reports store owner Pat McGuire. "They stared at a Jaegermeister display for about 30 minutes."

GRAND HAVEN, Michigan (AP)- Mail carriers have long worried about biting dogs. Now in Grand Haven, they're facing attacking turkeys. In the past month, eight or nine turkeys has been disrupting mail delivery. Carrier Jeremy Bogerd says the tom turkeys are "super aggressive. They chase us around the neighborhood screaming like little girls. Sometimes they won't even let us out of the truck." Postmaster Barb Kiehborth tells the Grand Haven Tribune she doesn't even "know what to tell my people what to do, anymore."

JACKSONVILLE, Florida- Cyclists and joggers are used to being treated rudely by motorists but now they also have to worry about alligators. Deputy State Game Warden Barry "Bullhead" Thorton reports, "This new generation of 'gators will sit there with their eyes closed like they're sleepin', then strike at the next Lance Armstrong pedallin' by. If gators ever learn how to go full-camo join the gym cuz' exercising outside is over!"