Odds and Ends: Dog froze to sidewalk; fat helped it survive

By The Associated Press

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. – A dog weighing more than 120 pounds survived being frozen to a sidewalk overnight, probably because he was insulated by layers of fat, authorities said.

The Sheboygan County Humane Society says the “morbidly obese” dog, an aging border-collie mix named Jiffy, froze to the sidewalk when he was left out overnight Wednesday. Shelter manager Carey Payne says few dogs could survive the single-digit temperatures, and it was probably the fat that made the difference.

Jiffy’s 59-year-old owner was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of animal neglect, Sheboygan Police Lt. Tim Eirich said. She told police she tried to get the dog inside but couldn’t, and instead checked on him every few hours.

The dog is 11 or 12 years old, Eirich said. Shelter workers poured warm water over Jiffy’s back end to unstick him from the sidewalk, Payne said, and it was too soon to say whether he suffered any long-term effects.

Man spends $7,500 to fight $115 parking ticket

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NEW YORK – A retired New York City man says he’s spent $7,500 fighting a $115 parking ticket because he’s got “nothing else to do.”

Former electrical hardware firm vice president Simon Belsky says he was erroneously ticketed two years ago. The 63-year-old says the ticket cites his van for blocking a Brooklyn fire hydrant even though the only hydrant on the street was down the block.

The November 2006 fine has ballooned from $115 to about $200 with penalties.

Belsky was in court last week and is due back Feb. 2. He says if he wins he’ll file a civil suit against the city to recover the $7,500 he’s spent on legal work. He says if any compensation is awarded he’ll donate it to educational programs.