This weekend, many public swimming pools are going to the dogs. As they close down for the season, they are allowing owners to bring their pups for a swim. And if you don’t have a dog, lots of these venues are also having special adoption events.

El Paso’s Nations Tobin Aquatic Center is just one of many pools that are encouraging dog lovers to bring their four-legged pals for a dip over the next couple of weekends.

We are all fairly familiar with the phrase love happens when you least expect it. It’s a phrase used by many people in many different ways over time. For this couple, a simple trip to a grocery store just fifteen minutes before closing time, brought some much needed Karma in their lives, and an unexpected addition to the family.

"My husband and I stopped at the grocery store, at 10:45pm – 15 minutes before it closed. While we were there, someone in a car dumped a dog in a cage in front of the doors. When we came out, people were staring at the cage, debating what to do. We decided to take her home and see if we could call a rescue the next morning, since we already had three dogs.

Once home, we realized something was wrong. She had multiple abrasions, was dazed, wasn’t moving her jaw, was panting and anxious and bleeding from her mouth. We rushed her to the emergency vet who said she had been hit by a car and she had a broken jaw and head trauma. He said the prognosis was poor and her care would be costly. We decided to give her a chance and do the x rays for a further diagnosis. When I pulled out my credit card and paid her bills, that was the moment that I knew that she was ours".

Cerbero the dog, originally from Lima, Peru, has been globetrotting since he was 11 years old. Now 14, the pup has hit some seriously dreamy destinations, some of which have been documented by adorably whimsical travel photos on his owner's blog. From the hot springs of Italy, to the beaches of Mexico, this little seasoned tourist has been to some pretty cool places.

A newlywed couple were left cursing a cheeky pooch after it gulped down their wedding cake.

Matt and Kelly Gamblin had tied the knot at York Register Officer before their reception in a marquee at Skipwith Hall, Selby, Yorkshire.

When they arrived at the marquee they found their beautiful red velvet cake, which had been lovingly made by Kelly's grandad, Richard Varley, had been demolished.

Initially the couple, who have been together since November, 2009, thought it had been damaged in transit, but quickly noticed a trail of paw prints across the dancefloor.

"Then we saw the dog hairs all over the remaining half and it was quite clear.

Matt said: "There was probably someone who saw their pet with its face covered in icing and chocolate so they probably knows which dog it is.

Kelly's mum pointed out that the cake would probably not have agreed with the canine thief.

I will admit a little schadenfreude when I realised someone somewhere probably had a slightly poorly pup."

In total, 80 dogs took part in the Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon at Dog Beach, Del Mar, on the southern California coast.

Despite hurricane warnings, the four-legged athletes took to their boards in a fight to become the yearly contest’s top dog.

Eight-year-old English Bull Dog, Dozer, won the award for the best overall canine surfer for the second year in a row.

On a recent Thursday afternoon, human residents of a Sunrise Senior Living home in Washington, D.C. enjoyed white wine and crabcakes, while Bugsy the beagle nosed around the dining room for crumbs before heading outside for a quick romp in the garden.

Bugsy is a former shelter dog, now in the company of a whole bunch of retirees. And he's not alone, since on top of the 115-odd people who live at his facility in a quiet part of the nation's capital, he's got a formerly-homeless, three-legged cat buddy named Nesbitt to keep him and the humans company, too.

It's one of a number of places where retired people and shelter pets are living our their golden years together, including hundreds of other Sunrise locations.

Since Sunrise Senior Living started in the early 1980s, it's encouraged those who are capable of caring for their pets to move in their animals, too. Which they've done, bringing in a lot of cats and dogs, and "the
occasional bird," says Jansen.

But for those who haven't brought their own, each of Sunrise's 300-odd locations have at least two in-house, communal furry friends -- usually a cat, who in most of the homes spends the bulk of time with folks with memory loss, and a dog, who hangs out everywhere there's food and/or a nice spot for a nap. The majority of these animals have come from shelters.

"Many residents struggle with the transition to assisted living, as they have had to give up their homes and do not feel as independent as they once were,"...

"Welcoming a rescue animal into our community allows them to feel that they are giving a pet what Sunrise is giving them -- a second chance at an independent and joyful life, just in a new place."

Along with unemployment, small wages and other problems, citizens of Sarajevo have to think twice before leaving the security of their homes. The reason being that in almost every district there are packs of stray dogs that attack pedestrians and often end in injuries.

The last attack occurred on Friday morning in a part of Sarajevo called Ilidza. A pack of stray dogs attacked an older woman who, at 7.30, was on her way to the job. Several dogs bit her and she had to be taken to the hospital. Fortunately, the woman was saved from a much darker fate with the intervention of passersbys, who what was taking place and rushed to help her.

Another woman, who was attacked few days ago, in Grbavica settlement, was not so lucky. A pack of dogs attacked her on the way to the market place and she was also bitten several times resulting in her suffering an artery cut on the hand. Witnesses said that all of dogs had labels that they were sterilised.

In June this year, a pack of dogs in Bjelave district attacked an eight year old girl, who was riding her bike. Neighbours rescued her and her younger brother who tried to help her. Their mother was on the balcony forced to watch as wild dogs attacked her children.

According to statistic records, in Sarajevo alone live more than 12 thousand stray dogs. Almost every part of the city is endangered by at least one pack. According to Law on animal protection, adopted few years ago, it is forbidden to kill stray dogs.

Sarajevo have asylum for dogs but, due to the low capacity and lack of money, this institution cannot take any more dogs from streets.

Statistic records say that in eight months this year, stray dogs, individually or in pack, attacked people in 687 cases. Last year, relevant institutions recorded more than 500 attacks. Veterinary inspectors agree that it is a very large number, adding that the problem can escalate if rabies occur.

A California-born Cairn Terrier mix named Link just became a YouTube star in Canada after a summer-ending snowstorm shocked this rescue pup.