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Dortmund hosts Euro dog diving championship

As the "Dog and Horse" convention throws open its doors to the public in Dortmund on Friday, a small group of people have gathered for one of the most unique sporting contests in the world.

Dortmund hosts Euro dog diving championship
A German hunting terrier leaps from the diving board at the Dortmund "Dog and Horse" convention's dog-diving event on Friday. Photo: DPA

As well as presenting the winners of the nationwide pedigree dog show and a special show for mongrel dogs, the “Hund und Pferd” convention is also home to the European 'dog diving' championship.

Anyone can enter their furry friend into the event, which sees dogs judged on how far they can leap from a diving board into a swimming pool.

An Australian Shepherd jumps into the water after a ball on Friday at the “Dog and Horse” convention in Dortmund. Photo: DPA

According to website dogdiving.eu, the sport was invented in the USA and is mostly practised in the summer, when dogs are happiest to cool off in the water.

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Springt euer Vierbeiner gern ins kühle Nass? Dann auf zur Züchtermesse nach Dortmund! Vom 8. bis 10.05. kann beim PRO PLAN Dog Diving jeder Hund sein sportliches Talent unter Beweis stellen. Erste Eindrücke gibt’s hier:

Posted by PRO PLAN Deutschland on Friday, April 24, 2015

Each dog has a few minutes to make several tries at jumps from the board, which is between 15 and 20 centimetres above the surface of the water.

For the less experienced dogs, life vests are also available.

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PARIS

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.

But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.

Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.

“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.

“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.

Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.

“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.

Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.

Animal rights groups denounced the operation.

The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.

“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.

The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.

The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.

In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.

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