Scared Monkeys Discussion Forum

I didn't know if I should start a thread on a subject that often sparks heated debate, but when I got an e-mail from a trusted friend about Saving a Monkey's Life, well, I thought it was a "sign".   So I'll start this thread and hope it doesn't become a source of animosity.  Felix is a monkey who is being used in vivisection and there are those trying to get him released.  If you oppose the use of animals in experiments, please go to this site and sign the petition.  

For more information about Felix click on:
http://www.speakcampaigns.org/Felix/felix.php

Thank you. I cannot bear to even think about the ways monkeys and other animals are abused.

I know what you mean.  Some of what is done to animals in the name of science is really is horrific.  

Albert Schweitzer said:  
Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.

I got this e-mail this afternoon from HSUS:  

Last night at 8:06 p.m., I watched history happen. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act.

The House of Representatives passed the same bill, H.R. 137, late last month by a vote of 368 to 39. What this means is that after an almost six-year battle, the struggle to
enact meaningful federal penalties for animal fighting has passed its final congressional hurdle. The legislation now is headed to the desk of President Bush, who is expected to sign the measure into law. The new law will take effect immediately, and I can assure you that this is a dark and long-dreaded day in the dogfighting and cockfighting worlds.

I cannot tell you know grateful I am for the efforts of each of you who sent emails, made phone calls, wrote letters and visited your federal legislators on Capitol Hill and in their home districts. You kept the pressure on and your tireless efforts and support made the difference. The cockfighting lobby was organized, and its leaders poured hundreds of thousands of dollars to derail the legislation -- but we out-hustled them and we carried the day.


Nearly every week, there are reports of dog fighting and cockfighting crimes in the United States. It is a vast underground network of people who revel in seeing animals tear one another apart and gamble on the outcomes of the staged spectacles. Now federal law enforcement officials have the tools they need to uproot these underground animal fighting enterprises and put a halt to the the abhorrent cruelty inflicted on dogs, birds and other animals.


I hope this victory inspires you to keep working on behalf of public policies to protect animals. Animal fighting pits will be closing throughout the nation, and it is joyous day for animals. This victory reminds us to never to give up, and that there are rewards for compassionate action and perseverance. Please share this tremendous news with others and let them know that you had a part in making it happen.

Sincerely,





Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States


P.S. The fight is not over. Now that Congress has done its job, we will continue working in your state legislature to toughen the state laws and give animal fighting the knock-out punch.

Another senseless killing. After they killed the extremely rare and harmless cat they just left it there..

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070423/sc_nm/russia_leopard_dc

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Hunters in Russia's Far East have shot and killed one of the last seven surviving female Amur leopards living in the wild, WWF said on Monday, driving the species even closer to extinction. A hunter shot the leopard through the tail bone. It tumbled over and was then beaten over the head with a heavy object, WWF said. Amur leopards have not been know to attack humans.

This is an announcement about a victory for wild horses in Congress.  The Humane Society of the US is still working to prevent horses from being sold and sent overseas for slaughter.  Go to www.HSUS.org if you want to read more and please contact your Senators and Reps.  
April 27, 2007


Permanent Ban on Horse Slaughter Advances in Congress

Dear ****,

Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (277-137) to restore a 34-year-old ban on the commercial sale and slaughter of America's wild horses and burros. On Wednesday, the bill to ban the sale and transport to slaughter of all American horses cleared a critical Senate committee by a decisive 15-7 vote. These victories move us even closer to banning horse slaughter in the United States permanently.

Here's what happened: Your U.S. Representative, *******, voted yes on the wild horse bill. Please call Representative ******** and express your thanks.

Your calls and emails are key to winning this fight. Everyday this past week, as I walked the halls of the House and Senate with other Humane Society of the United States staff, shoring up support for these two votes, every office we visited said the same thing: "We are getting a lot of phone calls from our constituents about the horses." Please help keep the momentum going:

Click here to urge support for restoring protections to wild horses and burros.
Click here to urge support for banning the slaughter of all horses.
To shut down the horse slaughter industry in the United States and to stop horses from being exported to other countries for slaughter -- where they face longer transports and an even more grisly death -- we need everyone who cares about horses to get involved. Please tell your friends, family and colleagues how they can help.
Thank you for your continued commitment to ending horse slaughter. Together, we have made tremendous progress. And together we will finish the job and shutter this barbaric business for good.


Sincerely,




Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

I only wish the hunter had been shot instead.  When will we "evolve" to the point that killing an animal is no longer considered fun or sport.

I'm very much an animal lover, but just wanted to post warning about Wayne Pacelle and the HSUS (NOT your local HS).

He/they have a definite agenda. Ultimately, they want to make it illegal to own pets.

When things calm down, I'll post some info.

He's a real weirdo.

I know that both PETA and HSUS have some things on their plates that I disagree with.  In some cases, usually PETA, I agree with their cause but not their tactics.  The fact is, they also do some good things.  Like get some laws passed about animal fighting and horse slaughter.  Donations are another matter.  I'll send to local shelters, ASPCA, D.E.L.T.A Rescue or Black Beauty Ranch (you may have heard of them--they took in Katrina animals).  

Having said that, people should be informed, so I hope you will post some info about HSUS.

Why I don't hate HSUS:  They got this legislation passed in Illinois.  They're working to expand it.  

e-mail from HSUS dated May 25, 2007:  
Horse Slaughter Halted in Illinois

Governor Signs HSUS-Backed Legislation Shuttering Nation's Last Horse Slaughter Plant

Dear ####

Good news!  

On May 24, horse slaughter for human consumption became illegal in Illinois when Governor Rod Blagojevich signed House Bill 1711 into law.

Sponsored by Rep. Bob Molaro (D, 21) and Sen. John Cullerton (D, 6), and backed by The HSUS, H.B. 1711 was passed decisively by the Illinois Legislature, with a Senate vote of 39-16 and a House vote of 74-41.

Effective immediately, this legislation also shut down the only horse slaughter facility operating in the United States, the Cavel International slaughterhouse in DeKalb. This is an incredible victory for horses and we are enormously grateful to all of the Illinois animal advocates who helped make it happen!

The HSUS has written to Cavel International officials to urge them to relinquish horses currently in their custody, en route to the facility or on Cavel property to sanctuaries. We have offered to coordinate the rescue and adoption of those animals, as we did with the 30 “Miracle Horses” rescued from Cavel last month.

It’s a historic moment that this statewide ban has passed, but our campaign to halt horse slaughter for human consumption at the national level continues. Unless Congress acts to protect horses, thousands of these creatures could face grueling trips to slaughter facilities in Canada and Mexico.


Take action now to help pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act and ban horse slaughter for human consumption nationwide. Let us use the momentum from this exciting victory in Illinois to move forward with renewed vigor in our fight on the federal front.


Thank you for all you do for animals.

So are there any thoughts about Micheal Vick and the dog fighting scandal?  I think he should be put in a cage and made to fight until he can't stand... and then .... well y'all can finish the rest...

and I was once a fan :?  

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO disgusted and the NFL really needs to kick butt on this one

I totally agree.

EDWIN HALL, arrested for the murder of Kelsey Smith, has bragged on his MySpace page about harming animals.  This according to Mike & Juliet -- Jeanine Pirro and Geraldo are on and saying this.

This is an e-mail I received from Defenders of Wildlife.  The e-mail said that Jeff Corwin, whom some may know from Animal Planet, spoke about this on the Today show.  

A Declaration of Independence
Once upon a time, the bald eagle was in trouble. Our national symbol had suffered from illegal hunting, habitat loss and the devastating effects of the pesticide DDT. It was so bad, that only a few hundred were left in the lower 48 states. But thanks to the efforts of dedicated conservationists and protections under the Endangered Species Act, this tale has a storybook ending. Just in time for this week's July 4th celebration, the bald eagle has declared its own independence of sorts, soaring off the list of endangered and threatened species -- hopefully to live happily ever after.

I just posted on the FP (Vick article) a web address for CBS Chicago because they're having a special on dog fighting Thursday night (7-19, I believe) and I'm adding it here.  http://cbs2chicago.com/

I also tried a little googling experiment.  I typed in "dog fighting Peoria" and got lots of hits.  I typed in "dog fighting Cleveland" and lots of articles came up.  I then tried "dog fighting Oakland" and again got a lot of hits.  Please try this with your city and find out what's being done and what you can do to help put a stop to this.  

WATCH YOUR PETS!  As I also mentioned on the FP, they will steal pets to use as bait for their fighters.   :evil:

I couldn't agree more.

Michael Vick pleaded not guilty to charges today.  Trial is scheduled for November.  He apologized to him mom for the turmoil, asked that people reserved judgment until all facts were in.  He was booed by crowds as he entered the courthouse.  

Here's an excerpt from the article I read:  


Vick contended he knew nothing about a dogfighting operation at the home, where one of his cousins lived, and said he rarely visited. He has since declined comment, citing his lawyer's advice.

Attorney Lawrence Woodward, who has also represented Allen Iverson and Vick's younger brother, Marcus, has not returned several phone messages.

Charged along with Vick are Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach; Quanis L. Phillips, 28, of Atlanta; and Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton. They all face up to six years in prison, $350,000 in fines and restitution if convicted.

Animal rights organizations have seized on the case as an opportunity to raise awareness of the largely underground and always gruesome world of dogfighting, where two dogs are trained to fight to the death - sometimes for hours - until the end.

Early Thursday, activists, supporters of the athlete and the media gathered outside the federal courthouse. Some members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals dressed in dog costumes and carried signs, including one with the image of a battered pit bull and the words "Dogfighting Victim." Some people brought their dogs.

According to the indictment filed July 17, dogs not killed in the fighting pit were often shot, hanged, drowned or, in one case, slammed to the ground. The document says Vick was consulted before one losing dog was wet down and electrocuted.

It alleges that the dogfighting operation began in 2001, not long after Vick parlayed a dazzling two-year run as the quarterback at Virginia Tech into being the first overall selection in the NFL draft. His first contract was for $62 million. In 2004, he signed a 10-year, $130 million deal, then the richest in league history.

The indictment says the fights offered purses as high as $26,000, and that Vick once paid $23,000 to the owner of two pit bulls that had beaten Bad Newz Kennels dogs. That owner is one of four cooperating witnesses cited in the document.

Associated Press Writers Dionne Walker, Larry O'Dell and Michael Felberbaum contributed to this report.
http://tinyurl.com/3dw3kv

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2007-07-26 11:08:58

His career is over. Period.

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k304/LilPuma04/vickdog.jpg)

I'd like to see this without the helmet or padding.  Like the dogs.

The following is an e-mail I received from HSUS today.  

I know you heard from me earlier today or yesterday, but I wanted you to be one of the first to know: Nike announced today that it has suspended Michael Vick's contract without pay and will stop selling all Vick-related products at its stores.

This is a big victory, one that simply would not have happened without your action and those of more than 165,000 others.

As you know, the allegations against Michael Vick are so serious and disturbing that The Humane Society of the United called on his corporate backers to end their commercial relationships with the star player. I’m so pleased that Nike has signaled it has a zero tolerance policy for athletes who may be involved with staged animal fights and other forms of malicious animal cruelty.
 
Nike's statement reads as follows:
 
“Nike has suspended Michael Vick’s contract without pay, and will not sell any more Michael Vick product at Nike owned retail at this time. As we’ve said before, Nike is concerned by the serious and highly disturbing allegations made against Michael Vick and we consider any cruelty to animals inhumane and abhorrent.  However, we do believe that Michael Vick should be afforded the same due process as any citizen in the United States, therefore, we have not terminated our relationship.”

Also today, Reebok agreed to stop selling Michael Vick-branded products. The company does not have a contract with Vick but has an official relationship with the NFL to sell its merchandise.

Very extra good news... did you see his hometown is giving him a group hug because he deserves a fair trial...

OMGoodness... I say just electrocute him!

I read that Mike Vick could get six years in jail for what he's done.  Make them dog years, and give him 72 years.   6 x 7= Mike Vick Jail Term.

I love that idea!  I also think he should have to participate in a work-release program where he works at someplace like the ASPCA and sees abused or abandoned animals coming in and being cared for by caring humans.  He could clean out cages and disinfect the exam tables.   :)

U.S. House Votes to Take Horses Off the Menu
 
 
August 3, 2007


Late last night, the U.S. House of Representatives once again agreed to stop slaughtering American horses for human consumption, by adding a provision to the Agriculture spending bill for 2008 that prohibits the use of funds to allow horse slaughter to continue.

The funding restriction for horse slaughter was first enacted two years ago, but the USDA has stubbornly refused to implement the law, opting instead to charge horse slaughterhouses a per horse fee for inspection services. Although the federal district court in Washington, D.C. ruled last spring that USDA's scheme to circumvent Congress is unlawful, the ruling is on hold pending an appeal to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, thus enabling horse slaughter to continue. This year's amendment, sponsored by Reps. John M. Spratt, Jr. (D-S.C.), Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), and Ben Chandler (D-Ky.), was accepted with the strong support of Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.).

"With anti-slaughter laws in Illinois and Texas, and now with this anti-slaughter language in a major spending bill in Congress, the writing is on the wall for the Belgian-owned slaughter plants in the United States," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "The American people and their elected representatives want an end to horse slaughter -- not later, but right now."

https://community.hsus.org/ct/BpAzNuK1_Rko/

According to Fox News, Michael Vick has pleaded guilty to dog fighting charges.  I'm sure you'll hear more on the news, and Red might doing more FP commentary.  But I'm hoping that this highly publicized case will make people more aware of the horrors of it AND the fact that it's going on everywhere.  Since I know many monkeys are from Alabama, I googled Dog Fighting Alabama.  Here's a recent article (excerpted): 

The most common abuse toward dogs that we receive calls about is dog fighting. I am a pit bull lover and have a pit bull of my own. The publicity and the reputation that these dogs have is false.

Dog fighting is a huge activity that takes place almost everywhere in Montgomery. Every day these dogs are put into this horrific situation for money and entertainment for people. A pit bull is a very loving animal, but when you take it and beat it, feed it hot peppers, gunpowder, blood and teach it to be violent, you will not have a friendly dog. You can take any animal and make it mean or you can take any animal and make it a loving pet.

The dog fighter sees the pit bull as a money making tool and basically betrays the trust of man's best friend. They take the pit bull and leave it chained up all day on a chain that weighs 80 to 100 pounds. They starve the animal, making it mean, and they cut the ears off with scissors or knives so the dog will not have its ears pulled off in a match.

These dog fighters have no remorse for what they do to these animals. If the dog does not perform in the pit, the owners themselves dispose of the animals. I have seen dogs that have been hanged, electrocuted, shot, beaten to death, set on fire while still alive, or just left to die in the owner's garage. We find their dead mutilated bodies beside the road or in dumpsters behind buildings.

The dog fighter's opinion of dog fighting is that "it's like boxing." How can you even make that comparison? If you are part of a sport like boxing or wrestling, you usually volunteer. These dogs have no choice; they do it or they are killed.

If you want to compare dog fighting to a human sport, it would have to be humans fighting with razor blades or knives. The dogs are biting, cutting each other with their teeth and tearing at each other's throats. It is a little more brutal than two humans boxing. A boxing match is also timed, but a dog fight can last anywhere from five minutes to five hours. Dog fighting is not a sport.

I am enjoying my time being a humane deputy; however, as you can see it is very hard. So many of the animals we help are injured, starved, sick or afraid of people, but most of them know that we are there to help them. When we remove animals from a cruel owner or an abandoned house, we know they will at least get the help they need.

We try to save as many as we can, but we know that we can not save them all. We try to give these animals some peace and comfort in their last few minutes, which is more than some have had in their entire lives.

Michael Morrow is a humane deputy with the Montgomery Humane Society.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070813/OPINION0101/708100373

The Humane Society of the United States has charted an increase in law enforcement activity since the Vick indictment, with at least 32 animal fighting rings broken up in 15 states in just the last month alone. Vast numbers of other cases, however, need attention -- and to that end, we’ve doubled our standard reward to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of dogfighters.

Our phones are ringing off the hook with requests for help by law enforcement officials, who often want our expertise in both investigating these crimes and coordinating the logistics involved in rescuing large numbers of animals from abusive situations.
This was from an e-mail from HSUS, so no link is available.

I do hope some of you will contact local officials and/or news sources and encourage more aggressive investigation and enforcement of laws that will close down these dog fighting rings. 

A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR ANIMALS IN TEXAS
http://www.txfederation.org/Legislation.htm

Personally, I don't think I could call this a "very good year" for animals in Texas, but it's certainly an improvement as far as the changes in law. 

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is asking people to vote for the cutest animal.  The field has been narrowed down and the 5 finalists are: 
Dolphins
Pandas
Penguins
Polar Bears
Snow Leopards

If you'd like to vote for the CUTEST, go here: 

http://tinyurl.com/2yzn6s

You will be subscribed to their e-newsletter, but you can always opt out later if you want. 

But, but...How could I choose just one?  They are all so dang cute! :smt060

LOL!@Mrs.Red!! He will get his punishment someday and noo I am not talking about a year in prison and losing up to 100 million...Charma will  bite this guy in the face at some point..God Willing..

I hope some of you heard the discussion by Laurie from HSUS on Dana's show last night.  I wanted to relate two dog fighting instances that I saw on Animal Planet.  Mon - Friday, Animal Planet has a show at 10:00 eastern that follows animal cruelty investigators from NY, Phoenix, Miami, Detroit or San Fran.  One story shown was the NY animal cops getting a call about a dog fight in progress under a bridge.  The investigators went there and found a small group of young boys with a couple of pit bulls.  The fight didn't get started yet and the animal cops siezed the pit bulls because the kids weren't old enough to have pit bulls (apparently a NY law).  Turned out that one of the dogs had been stolen from a woman because this kid wanted a pit bull to fight!  The dog was a loving member of this woman's family, not "bred to fight".  Another was in Detroit where a little Chow mix puppy had been put in with a fighting dog and chewed up by it.  The fight was broken up with a water hose and when the Detroit investigators arrived, the little puppy was sitting on the front porch shaking, bleeding and dripping wet.  Of course the dogs were siezed and arrests were made and the Chow mix went on to heal and get adopted. 

As I've said before here, dog fighting rings will steal pets and use them as bait to train their fighting dogs.  Sometimes, puppies being offered as "free to a good home" will be taken and used to fight or as bait to train the fighters.   It's important that we not think this is rare or doesn't happen in our neighborhoods.  Watch for the signs that Laurie talked about and call police.  If police in your area don't take it seriously, contact the local humane society, HSUS, ASPCA or the Animal Legal Defense Fund. 

I get absoulutely livid at this ... can't even think of how people can be so damn cruel...

"Whoopi on 'The View,' Day Two: She Doesn't Condone Michael Vick's Dogfighting"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090502493.html

What do you all think of this?  I don't buy the culture thing on this one myself.   There is just absolutely no excuse for the way the dogs were treated.  NONE!!  jmho of course  :smt093 :smt093

Muffy, I agree there's no excuse.  Even if their upbringing included dog fighting and cruelty as "acceptable", it's still illegal and an adult still has a choice whether or not to engage in cruel and abusive behavior.  I also get Whoopi's point, which is if we're going to solve the problem, we have to go to the source of it. 

The World Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is sponsoring a petition asking the United Nations to take action on behalf of animals worldwide.  If you'd like to read and sign this petition, here's a link. 

http://tinyurl.com/386v2s

The WSPCA is the organization that went into Iraq and Afghanistan to help animals after the US invasions. 

A winner has been chosen!  Over 23,000 of you voted for the animal you wanted to win. You narrowed a field of 40 animals to one, and we're pleased to announce that the winner of WWF's World's Cutest Animal Contest is the panda! 
If you'd like to read more about WWF's efforts at conservation and protection of the Panda, here's a link: 
http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/site/PageNavigator/WCA2007_Result?enews=enews0907c

Awwww.  Well, if only one had to be chosen, the panda is an excellent choice.  :smt041

My kids went to see Jack Hanna last night. He is truly a wonderful, and kind man, and he was very nice to my son who was shy about meeting him. He has much to say about endangered species, and how we can help. He is very dedicated to his mission, and he's a good ambassador for vulnerable animals who face extinction. Some of his stories are heartbreaking.
My children learned a lot from his lecture, and even got to see some very rare animals. It was a wonderful experience.
After hearing what Jack Hanna had to say, I am even more worried about how we treat our planet, our animals that are so dependent on us, and what it says about us as humans when we don't treat animals with care, and try to protect their environment. If we destroy the world for them, then we are also destroying it for ourselves. Why is that so hard to understand?
If someone thinks it's ok to adopt a puppy under false pretenses, and use it as bait for a fighting dog in this country, how can we criticize someone poaching in Africa to feed his family?
We have to change attitudes in the US as well as in Africa and China, and the rest of the world.
This dog-fighting scandal just highlights how universal animal mistreatment really is, and how callous some people can be.

When are people going to start taking some responsibility?  This is going on and he didn't know?!  He better get some better friends or employees.  Just ask Mike Vick about that...
DMX's Dogs Died Violently, Sheriff Says
by Josh Grossberg
Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:12:14 PM PDT
http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=596a07ba-9e34-4315-97ed-b146484ab53c&sid=fd-news
(snipped)Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies raided the 36-year-old rapper's property in the suburb of Cave Creek on Aug. 24, after being tipped off about possible animal cruelty. The deputies evacuated 12 half starved pit bulls that had been caged without proper food and water in the desert heat.

Also found were the remains of three dogs, a stockpile of assault weapons and ammunition, a quarter-ounce of marijunana and drug paraphernalia. Meanwhile, a mysterious white powder recovered from the homestead tested negative as an illicit drug.

A spokesman for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department confirmed that necropsies showed one of the dead dogs sustained bite wounds, while another exhibited major trauma to its abdomen. The third animal was burned beyond recognition, preventing investigators from reaching any definitive conclusions.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said no charges have yet been brought against the rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, or any of his associates. But that could change, especially if officers reconstructing a timeline determine DMX was at the residence at the time of the abuse.

"Someone's going to have to pay for this," Arpaio told the Associated Press. "We have 12 dogs who were abused and 3 dogs buried in the yard—someone's going to have to pay."
(snipped)
------------------------------------
Mike Vick had tried to say he was hardly ever around his  house where the dead and abused dogs and fighting paraphenalia was found.  Sounds like same thing DMX is pleading.  Whether they were  home or not, does that mean they had no knowledge of what was going on there, EVER?!  This doesn't appear like some stray, one time deal.  Something bad was going on at this house with the poor animals over time. :smt093

Well, well, well.  Looky here.  It seems this isn't the first time DMX has been called to question on his treatment of animals.  This would be a second strike, imo...
(snipped)
The hardcore hip-hopster faced remarkably similar allegations in 1999, when police raided his home in Teaneck, New Jersey, and discovered enough guns to arm a militia and 13 caged pit bulls. He copped a plea in 2002 to avoid jail time and was ordered to make a series of PSAs urging children to be wary of guns and kind to animals.
http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=f000bf7b-2d8c-4d62-8bb5-7a635b3b9b16&entry=index
---------------------------------------
This article doesn't comment on the condition of the dogs other than that they were caged.  But to avoid jail time he was ordered to make a series of PSA's to be wary of guns and kind to animals.  Makes me believe there was a highly paid legal team on this one and he got off lightly.  And once again, he's back with firearms and dog problems.  Don't know yet if the firearms were legal, but the dogs were in bad shape.  Doesn't look like the little hand slap (even IF it could be called that) had much influence on DMX.  Having to make a Public Service Announcements to be kind to animals just didn't seem to work this last time.  Give DMX a sentence with a little more TEETH in it or a BITE to it.  Pun intended.

Thank you so much for bringing this over; I hadn't heard it on the news.  This makes me so mad.  How can people not see that lack of respect for animals and their environment reflects a lack of concern and respect for humans and our environment?  Violence is violence whether it's toward a small animal, big animal or human animal and enjoying it for it's own sake is sick and that means we as a society are sick.  We need to start saying this is WRONG and we're not going to take it anymore.  (And why am I thinking about Natalee now and the society in Aruba that accepts what their young men do with tourists?)

The Bad: 

Tom Finley,  "a well known panhandler in the loop" (downtown Chicago) left his 12 year old dog outside a McDonalds in the west loop on September 7.  When he came out the dog was gone.  This man is not homeless, although he has been at times.  He currently has a small apartment and pays his rent from his Social Security checks.  Reba, a husky mix, is his only family, his only companion.  Who would do this? 
 :gaah:
The Good: 
Mr. Finley starts asking passersby if they've seen his dog.  Office workers get together and print up flyers for info on the dog.  A woman gives Mr. Finley a pre-paid phone card so he can field calls that may come in from the flyers.  A reward is set up with the Anti-Cruelty Society and donations get up to $500.  Two weeks later, a woman shows up at the Anti-Cruelty Society, crying, with Reba in tow.  She turns the dog over to the Society, refuses to accept the reward.  Mr. Finley is reunited with Reba, and the Society gives Mr. Finley the reward money and Reba gets free vet care for the rest of her days. 

My guess is the woman who returned the dog is the mother of some kid who stole Reba.  But I love that people pitched in and helped.  There's still some good out there, although sometimes it seems to be a rarity.  Without that help, who knows what would have happened to Reba or the man who loves her so much. 

 :smt038

Egyptian city to go back to shooting stray dogs
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-09-30-dogs_N.htm
CAIRO (AP) — The population of stray dogs in Cairo's twin city of Giza will once more be controlled by shooting and poisoning the animals because it is cheaper than sterilization, the municipal veterinary department announced.

In an interview Saturday with the flagship state-owned daily Al-Ahram, department head Dr. Abdullah Badr said that it was simply too expensive to implement a sterilization program.

"It is necessary to return to the traditional ways of killing dogs with bullets or poison," he said "This method is used around the world, particularly in developing countries."

The discovery of dogs carcasses in upscale neighborhoods and near the famed Pyramids of Giza in May provoked an uproar and petitions to the government from local and international animal welfare organizations to end the traditional methods of controlling strays.

Animal rights activist and former sex symbol Brigitte Bardot even addressed the Egyptian government over the matter and subsequently President Hosni Mubarak called for an investigation into using more humane methods to the city's population of strays.

According to Badr, however, the cost of sterilizing all the stray dogs would be some about $9 million a year, while the amount allocated in the national budget was only $70,000.

He said due to numerous complaints from citizens and reports of dog bitings, a wide ranging campaign to shoot the animals would begin next week.

"We can't wait to receive the necessary funding for the sterilization operations, we are faced with an imminent danger to our children," he added, saying that local animal welfare organizations had not lived up to their commitments to provide funding for the process.

Nadia Montasser of the local chapter of the People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals was shocked at the decision and said that local organizations would soon take action over the matter.

"We've had many promises from the president that this is not going to happen any more," she told The Associated Press.

"It has affected the tourists significantly," she added, explaining that many tourists contacted their embassies after seeing shot dog carcasses in the streets near the Pyramids.

"I really don't know what they're thinking," she said about the recent decision. "Egypt is one of the only countries that has an overpopulation of stray animals because we are using the old methods of shooting animals instead of spaying and neutering them."

Montasser added that local organizations have been gathering international funding to pay for sterilization programs.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,

This surprises me about Egypt.  I don't think of them as a developing country.  It's so sad and senseless.  I've heard people talk about so many strays in Aruba.  I doubt they have laws, or enforce them if they do, about humane treatment.  I know that many countries don't seem to care about the suffering of animals, including dogs and cats.  Some Iraqi vets have even gone to great lengths to bring animals home with them.  So much to be done and so few people to do it.  I do spend a good deal of Internet time writing people about all kinds of animal issues.  I find myself saying "sorry I didn't get to your e-mail until now, I'm trying to save (wolves, whales, dogs, etc.)."  LOL 

The American Humane Society has a tradition of calling October Adopt-A-Dog month that includes campaigns to encourage people to adopt from their local shelters.  Somewhere out there is a dog waiting to find his forever home.  From there website, here are some reasons to adopt a dog: 

Why Adopt a Dog?

The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too. ~Samuel Butler

Dogs are generally considered faithful and fun companions. But there are many other benefits of dog ownership.

According to a survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, an increasing number of dog owners are citing health benefits and “walking, jogging and exercise” as top benefits of having dogs in their lives. Pets help lower blood pressure, prevent heart disease and fight depression and loneliness.

Dogs can also serve as a “social aid” -- they can facilitate introductions to new people, promote conversation and encourage increased social contact and greater bonds between people. Studies show that pet owners are more likely than people without pets to participate in community activities and do favors for their neighbors.
http://www.americanhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pa_adoption_aadm

With the holidays approaching, I thought some of you might be interested in the holiday card collection offered by the American Humane Society.  Lots of puppies and kittens in there!  Here's a link to see them online. 

http://www.holidaycardcenter.org/2007/ISG/AH/main.asp?mailcode=AH075265

I got samples in the mail and have ordered from them in the past.  The quality of the cards is excellent.  Proceeds help to support the American Humane Society. 

A true dog story:
A few years ago my Dad was very ill and had been hospitalized for a long period.  He  was making poor progress, and had little interest in things he used to enjoy.  I asked one of the nurses if Dad would be well enough to wheel downstairs and outside the hospital to see his little chihuahua Mabel.  They told me I could bring her up to see him in his room!  I kept Mabel's visit a surprise.  I brought her into his room and put her on the end of  his bed.  Dad opened his eyes and you just should have seen the look on his face.  Dad cried tears of joy, and the little dog ran over and licked and rubbed her face on his.  Priceless.  Dad began to slowly improve and looked forward to a weekly visit of Mabel until he got out a month later.  Dad passed on  six months later in the hospital with  Mabel by his side.  Mabel didn't want to be picked up and taken off the bed this  last time and snapped and barked fiercely. I think she knew he was gone and was guarding.  My point is:  animals are good , faitfhul and loving.  They can make a big difference in a person's life.  We should treat animals accordingly for the unconditional love they offer. 

$600K Pledged for Louisiana Pet Shelter
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-brf-hurricane-evacuation-pets,0,6782868.story
By Associated Press
    6:03 AM EDT, October 9, 2007
BATON ROUGE, La. - An animal rights group has pledged $600,000 to build an emergency animal shelter at a prison in case of future evacuation or natural disaster.

The grant announced Monday by the Humane Society of the United States will create space for up to 500 animals on the grounds of the Dixon state prison. Trained inmates will tend to the pets.

"This is a win-win situation for everyone involved," said Warden James LeBlanc. "In addition to the benefit for the animals, the inmates have a long-term opportunity to incorporate animal care and handling into their rehabilitation regimens."
n Hurricane Katrina, more than 10,000 animals had to be rescued after evacuations, either because they were left behind or because owners were not allowed to take them on buses.

I heard that on the news recently, Muffy.  Supposedly the programs that give well-screened inmates, juvenile or adult, a chance to train a shelter dog so it can be adopted have been very successful.  It gives the inmates a sense of purpose, some say they can relate to the "unwanted" dogs that come to them, they have a sense of pride and accomplishment when their dog is trained and goes on to be adopted.  Some also said that in prison, you can't show emotion.  There's definitely no love.  Working with a dog gives them a chance to feel something again and get love back from the animal.  They showed one young offender who was working with a dog while incarcerated.  His brother died and he wasn't able to attend the funeral.  He layed on his bunk and cried and the dog came over and licked his face.  No one else gave a damn.  There was also one inmate who was getting very impatient with the dog and wasn't given a second chance; he was immediately removed from the program and quite upset about it. 

Here's a real winner.  It reminds me of an incident where someone in the city wanted to save money, so they took the cats and dogs in cages and submerged them until the animals were dead, at the water treatment plant.  I don't have link for that one, since it was a couple of years ago.  But here is this one:

Pets Hurled Off Bridge in Puerto Rico
Oct 12, 6:27 PM (ET)

By OMAR MARRERO
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071012/D8S7VACO0.html
AN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Animal control workers seized dozens of dogs and cats from housing projects in the town of Barceloneta and hurled them from a bridge to their deaths, authorities and witnesses said Friday. Mayor Sol Luis Fontanez blamed a contractor hired to take the animals to a shelter.

"This is an irresponsible, inhumane and shameful act," he told The Associated Press.

Fontanez said the city hired Animal Control Solution to clear three housing projects of pets after warning residents about a no-pet policy. He said the city paid $60 for every animal recovered and another $100 for each trip to a shelter in the San Juan suburb of Carolina.

Raids were conducted on Monday and Wednesday, and residents told TV reporters they saw the animal control workers inject the animals. When they asked what they were giving them, they said they were told it was a sedative for the drive to the shelter.

"They came as if it were a drug raid," said Alma Febus, an animal welfare activist. "They took away dogs, cats and whatever animal they could find. Some pets were taken away in front of children."

But instead of being taken to a shelter, the pets and strays were thrown 50 feet from a bridge in the neighboring town of Vega Baja, according to Fontanez, witnesses and activists, apparently before dawn Tuesday.

"Many were already dead when they threw them, but others were alive," said Jose Manuel Rivera, who lives next to the bridge. "Some of the animals managed to climb to the highway even though they were all battered, but about 50 animals remained there, dead."

Rivera said he alerted officials, who spread lime over the animals' corpses to control the stench.
(snipped)
At least 175 dogs have been rescued in the last couple of years from Yabucoa Beach, which activists nicknamed "Dead Dog Beach" because of the strays that roam the coast and are sometimes found dead of disease, starvation or gunshots. Similar rescue efforts have been undertaken in the Bahamas and elsewhere in the Caribbean.

Animal Rights Groups to Offer Legal Aid to Owners of Pets Thrown Off Bridge

Sunday, October 14, 2007
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301699,00.html
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico —  Animal welfare groups will help Puerto Rico housing project residents pursue legal action after animal control workers seized their pets and hurled them to their deaths from a bridge, an activist said Sunday.

Puerto Rico-based Friends of the Animals, which rescues and rehabilitates abandoned pets and farm animals, and several other groups will help the grieving pet owners aggressively pursue claims of animal cruelty and civil rights violations, said the organization's director, Elizabeth Kracht.(snipped)

Glad to hear it.  I read another article on this after you posted the original.  I don't know what's up with people who do this kind of thing.  Whether it's a deer, bear, bird or dog, they have physical and emotional feelings and need to be treated with respect and compassion. 

If you know any attorneys who would like to attend this, please pass it along.  It's a hot topic these days and this symposium qualifies for CLE for attending attorneys. 
 
DePaul University College of Law
& The International Institute for Animal Law
Present
How Much is Fido/Fluffy Worth?
Animal Valuation Issues Raised by the Pet Food Recall and Other Litigation

Thursday, October 25, 200712:00—2:00 pm
DePaul Center, Room 8005
1 E. Jackson Blvd., Chicago

DePaul University College of Law’s Animal Law Program, with support from The International Institute for Animal Law, is sponsoring a symposium on the valuation of pets—economic and non-economic damages for tortuous destruction of companion animals. This program offers a diversity of viewpoints, from practitioners and theorists on the evolution of law on this subject.

$40 includes lunch and 2 hours of MCLE credit. Students, $10.

The panel includes:

Victor Schwartz, attorney and co-author of the nation’s leading torts casebook, Prosser, Wade & Schwartz’s Torts, as well co-author of a Pepperdine Law Review article, Non-Economic Damages in Pet Litigation: The Serious Need to Preserve a Rational Rule

Chris Green, attorney, animal advocate, and author of the Animal Law Review article, The Future of Veterinary Malpractice Liability in the Care of Companion Animals

Jay Edelson, Blim & Edelson, Chicago attorney working on the class action lawsuit for wrongful death of companion animals from tainted pet food

Margit Livingston, DePaul University College of Law Professor, author of, The Calculus of Animal Valuation: Crafting a Viable Remedy, Nebraska Law Review

Please join us for this exciting program.
Reservations are required.

Contact Cherie Travis at ctravis2@depaul.edu

This was copied from a post on an AOL message board about dogs.  I thought it was interesting since pets have taught me a lot about patience, love and living in the moment.  I'm hoping some of you might post what pets have meant to you.   

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog,"
or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog."

They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for "just a dog."

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog."

Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog,"
but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog,"
and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understand
phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."

"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust,
and pure unbridled joy.

"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.
 
Because of "just a dog", I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,
the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away
from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog",
but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being
"just a man or woman."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog"
just smile...
because they "just don't understand




.

 :thumleft: :smt038 :smt041 :smt045

Something I thought might interest some of you.  Alecia Evans is an Animaly Communicator (Pet Psychic) who also works with people and pets to increase their health and wellness.  I listened to this call online a last week and it was interesting.  I just got this e-mail this morning, so "this Friday" would be the 16th. 

Alecia and I are giving another
free teleconference this coming
Friday to talk about pet communication,
pet loss, and nutrition for your pet.

http://www.petconversation.com

Why?

Two reasons.

Reason #1:
Enough of you missed the first
call last Thursday and wrote in
to ask for another ... let's say
you were "begging" for it like Maui
begs for chicken.


Reason #2:
The webcast technology cut off
the last 15 minutes of the call
for those listening online ...

... don't worry, I figured out what
went wrong and it won't happen again.

But I still "owe you" this call.

So please join us this Friday night
at 6pm PST / 9pm EST to hear Alecia
and me talk about all things pet.

Warm Aloha,

James Jacobson
Creator, Do You Remember Love?
Author, How to Meditate with Your Dog
Maui, Hawaii

PS: If you want to learn more about
the class Alecia is teaching to
help your pet stay healthy and happy,
check this out:

http://www.packwisdomsecrets.com

This is a link to a slide show and narrative written by a man whose dog is 14 years old (98 in dog years) and blind.  It's written from the dog's perspective and tells what the dog has learned in life.  There are some lessons in here for all of us, especially at the very end.  It's well worth a few minutes of time.  In fact, I found myself thinking about Beth's words about Natalee while thinking about the message here. 

http://doyourememberlove.com

 

Nov 14, 12:35 AM EST

12 Dogs From Vick Go to Shelter

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) -- A dozen dogs seized from the rural Surry County property owned by Michael Vick have been transferred to a Virginia Beach shelter for evaluation and potential adoption, the Humane Society of the United States said Tuesday.

The Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it won't tell prospective owners which dogs were taken from Vick's property last April as part of an investigation into a dogfighting ring.

"We don't want to adopt these dogs to anybody because it's a 'Vick dog,'" said Sharon Adams, executive director of the shelter.

The dogs, including nine beagles, two Rottweilers and one 100-plus-pound dog of an unknown breed, had been in the custody of the Surry County animal shelter.

Tuesday also was the deadline for animal-rescue organizations to apply to take custody of the 48 pit bulls seized from the property.

Vick and three co-defendants pleaded guilty to a federal dogfighting charge and are to be sentenced before the end of the year. Each faces up to five years in prison.

Vick and his co-defendants still face state charges in Surry County.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VICK_DOGS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Pet massacres carried out in Puerto Rico

By YAISHA VARGAS and ANDREW O. SELSKY, Associated Press Writers Wed Nov 14, 6:24 PM ET

TRUJILLO ALTO, Puerto Rico - Back roads, gorges and garbage dumps on this tropical island are littered with the decaying carcasses of dogs and cats. An Associated Press investigation reveals why: possibly thousands of unwanted animals have been tossed off bridges, buried alive and otherwise inhumanely disposed of by taxpayer-financed animal control programs.


Witnesses who spoke with the AP said that, despite pledges to deliver adoptable strays to shelters and humanely euthanize the rest, the island's leading private animal control companies generally did neither.

News that live animals had been thrown to their deaths from a bridge reached the public last month when Animal Control Solutions, a government contractor, was accused of inhumanely killing some 80 dogs and cats seized from three housing projects in the town of Barceloneta. A half dozen survived the fall of at least 50 feet.

The AP probe, which included visits to two sites where animals were slaughtered, found the inhumane killings were far more extensive than that one incident. The AP saw and was told about a scale and brutality far beyond even what animal welfare activists suspected, stretching over the last eight years.

A $22.5 million lawsuit against Animal Control Solutions and city officials — including those who helped round up the animals — was filed on behalf of 16 Barceloneta families whose dogs or cats were seized under rules prohibiting pets at the city projects. The animals' deaths show "a cold and depraved heart and has stirred public outrage around the whole world," the lawsuit says.

Julio Diaz, owner of Animal Control Solutions and a co-founder of another company, Pet Delivery, declined AP requests for an interview but told reporters there is no proof his company was responsible for the Barceloneta pet massacre. "We have never thrown animals off any place," he said.

A police investigation into the Barceloneta killings has not led to charges, but police Sgt. Wilbert Miranda, who heads the probe, said the information gathered so far indicates Animal Control Solutions was responsible. He declined to give details.

Maria Kortright, a lawyer involved in the suit, said it's clear the pets Animal Control Solutions removed from Barceloneta were the same ones hurled off the bridge because the survivors have been identified by their owners.

"Last Tuesday, I saw one of the survivors back at its home," Kortright said.

Animal welfare activists have complained to government agencies for years about allegations of improper disposal of animals, but say officials didn't act. Preventive action also is almost nonexistent: Puerto Rico has at least 100,000 stray dogs and cats — and no island-wide spaying or neutering programs.

Activist Alfredo Figueroa said the animal disposal companies acted with impunity because government agencies ignored allegations of cruelty, rather than investigate the companies or address the overpopulation of strays.

"There is apathy," Figueroa said. "No one wants to take responsibility."

A former employee of one of Diaz's companies told the AP that the firms rounded up thousands of animals over the years, brutally killed many of them and discarded the corpses wherever it was convenient. One of the former employees led the AP to two different killing fields and he and another former employee described a third.

"Not a single animal was turned over to a shelter," a former dogcatcher for Animal Control Solutions told the AP. Both he and an ex-employee of Pet Delivery, who was interviewed separately, spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. Both said they left the animal disposal jobs voluntarily.

The AP contacted all eight animal shelters and sanctuaries across Puerto Rico, and they confirmed that none had received animals for potential adoption from Diaz's companies.

Diaz co-founded Pet Delivery in 1999 and created Animal Control Solutions in 2002. Pet Delivery appears to be defunct, having reported no earnings since 2004. Facing little competition, the companies had 85 contracts with municipalities and other clients worth $1.1 million in the past eight years, according to the Puerto Rican comptroller's office.

The AP could find no sign that any of the municipalities checked to make sure the companies dealt with the strays humanely.

"It wasn't our responsibility," said Edwin Arroyo, special assistant to the mayor of Barceloneta, which paid Animal Control Solutions up to $20,000 per year and in October hired the company to remove banned pets from housing projects — allegedly the ones that wound up at the bottom of the bridge.

The pet disposal scandal adds to Puerto Rico's poor reputation for treatment of animals. Cockfighting is legal, with matches shown on television. One of the island's beaches is known as Dead Dog Beach — a place where teenagers drive over live puppies sealed in bags or cruelly kill them with machetes and arrows, according to animal welfare groups that photographed the atrocities.

Figueroa says he met Diaz in 1999 and introduced him to city officials in Fajardo. The city then awarded Pet Delivery a contract to remove strays. But Figueroa said he later learned that Diaz's company also was removing pets with collars and ID tags, and dumping their bodies in a field.

"Crying children, old people, a sick woman were all calling us, thinking we were involved," Figueroa said.

A former Animal Control Solutions employee told the AP that he witnessed another worker in 2005 dragging 12 to 15 small dogs out of a van along a road outside San Juan. Normally, workers injected animals with a euthanasia drug but on this day there was none. The animals were instead given an overdose of a sedative and flung 50 feet into a trash-filled gully. Some of the dogs were alive as they crashed on top of junked beds, bottles and other garbage.

"I could hear some of the dogs whimpering as they hit the tree branches and then the ground," the former employee said as he stood with AP journalists in the muck at the site, which still holds the stench of death.

Not all the dogs died, however. A dog that was not a stray, but a sickly pet whose owner wanted it euthanized, managed to limp home. The angry owner telephoned the company and demanded it retrieve the dog and do the job right, the former employee recalled.

The former employee also showed AP reporters a highway rest stop near a gorge outside the town of Cayey where, he said, workers would inject dogs. At the edge of the gorge lay the skeletal remains of more than a dozen dogs amid matted fur and two dog collars with no tags.

Asked if the number of dogs and cats killed by Animal Control Solutions was in the hundreds, the former employee shook his head.

"It is in the thousands," he said. "On a good month, we would pick up 900."

One dog, stuffed in a sack, was found recently at the Cayey site among other bagged carcasses. It apparently survived the fall and managed to poke its head out of the bag before dying, said Carmen Cintron, who runs an animal shelter.

"I am having nightmares when I think about what that poor dog went through before it died," Cintron said.

Until 2003, Pet Delivery ran a shelter where workers injected strays, often not knowing what the drugs were or their proper doses, the former employee of that company told the AP.

Some animals were adopted from the shelter, but others — including puppies and kittens — were euthanized, the ex-employee said. Euthanizing animals that cannot be adopted is standard practice in pet shelters, but the former employee said animals at Pet Delivery's shelter were inhumanely killed.

"Any available employee at that moment would use the drug that was available and they were thrown half dead into a hole, and that's why there were some live dogs among them," he said. "What he (Diaz) had us do was to throw dirt on top of the live dogs along with the dead ones, so they all would die."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071114/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/puerto_rico_pet_massacres

Thanks, *******.  This is a link to a campaign by In Defense of Animals to tell the Puerto Rican government what we think about the bridge killings.  There's a form letter, but you can revise it any way you wish.  It only takes a minute!  Please write Monkeys! 

http://ga0.org/campaign/prgov



Muffy, you know those beagles were being used as chew toys for the fighting dogs.  Beagles are often chosen to be used in research because of their gentle nature.   :-x

Lil Puma I am glad the nine beagles will be able to be homed.  When I first read there were a number of dogs seized from the property, I feared all would be put to sleep, because of the way they had been treated/raised and I wasn't sure of their condition and whether they would be adoptable for families.  I am so relieved there are some of the dogs that will get a home.  The idea the beagles were probably used as "bait" just makes me ill.  The airports sometimes use beagles in the baggage claim areas to sniff for meat, fruit and veggies being brought in.  They are used because they are gentle and non-threatening, walking among the passengers and bags. 

Abandoned horses pose dilemma for ranchers
11/19/2007 1:41 PM
By: Associated Press
http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=195543

LA GRANDE, Ore. -- Ranchers in the old West saw their herds of horses depleted by rustlers. Today, it's different. Increasingly, people are abandoning unwanted domestic horses on ranches and public lands.

High hay prices and the closure this fall of the nation's last domestic horsemeat processing facility in Illinois may be partly to blame.

But even trucking horses to Mexico and Canada for slaughter may end. Congress is considering legislation to prohibit killing and processing horses for human consumption or transporting them across international boundaries for that purpose.

At least nine horses have been turned loose on Wannie MacKenzie's ranch north of Jordan Valley, Oregon, in the past 18 to 24 months. He's bracing for more old and hungry horses as cash-strapped owners in Idaho's Treasure Valley run out of winter hay.

A spokesman for the Amarillo, Texas-based American Quarter Horse Association says he's heard similar stories "from all over" of horses being abandoned at livestock sale yards.

-----------------------------------------
This is very, very sad.  What a way to treat horses...

Update and Petition on Puerto Rican Pet Killings: 

Here's an excerpt: 

On Sunday October 21, hundreds joined a march in San Juan to protest the pet massacre and, according to media reports, Puerto Rican authorities have started an investigation into the mass killing of dogs and cats. So far, more than 16,000 people have signed Nadia’s petition.

To read more and sign the petition: 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/nadiad.html

As one of the people who sent out many e-mails to close down the horse slaughter industry in this country, this is very sad news.  Horses are such magnificent animals.  I always think of Elton John's words "like freedom feels when wild horses run".  It's a beautiful image and these creatures deserve better.  Sadly, there are those who move and leave cats and dogs behind also, alone in yards or apartments.  Unless some neighbor is aware and alert and willing to get involved, these animals don't stand a chance.  Be aware that people do things like this.  Be aware.  Get involved. 

    
NFL Fines 5 Falcons for Vick Tributes    
Dec 18 03:24 PM US/Eastern
NEW YORK (AP) - Roddy White and four other Atlanta Falcons were fined by the NFL for violating uniform regulations with tributes to Michael Vick during last week's Monday night game.

Vick, Atlanta's suspended Pro Bowl quarterback, was sentenced to 23 months in prison on federal dogfighting charges the morning of Dec. 10. The Falcons played at home against New Orleans that night.

After scoring a touchdown, White displayed a "Free Mike Vick" T-shirt under his jersey.

He, along with tight end Alge Crumpler and cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Chris Houston, were fined $10,000 each. Crumpler, Hall and Houston all wore black eye strips with written tributes to Vick, which the league called "displaying an unauthorized personal message."

Wide receiver Joe Horn was fined $7,500 for pulling up White's jersey to show the black T-shirt with handwritten white lettering. The fines were confirmed Tuesday by NFL spokesman Randall Liu.

Hall also had a poster of Vick on the field during pre-game introductions.

The Falcons lost the game 34-14.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8TK2PS00&show_article=1
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I wasn't sure where to post this, but since it had to do with Mike Vick, I thought it appropriate to post it here.  Tributes to Vick?  Maybe he was a good athlete, but in my opinion, he had a black heart for what he did in regard to the dogs.  No need to glorify one so cruel to poor, defenseless animals. 

Free Michael Vick?  That's disgusting.  Anyone who abuses another living, breathing being who is smaller than him, dependent on him, is a sorry excuse for a human being.  Drown the dog, beat the dog, electrocute or hang the dog because he isn't the fighter you want him to be.  Maybe that's what should be done to those Atlanta good ol' boys if they don't perform.   :-x  I'd like to see signs outside the stadium to that effect next time they lose.  Scum.   :-x

The battle by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to stop the slaughter of baby seals in Canada continues.  I hope that all of you (Canadians especially) will go to this site and express your objection to this practice. 

www.stopthesealhunt.com


Here's an excerpt: 

On the opening day of the Gulf seal hunt, IFAW monitors bore witness to the astounding cruelty of baby seals being shot in loose ice. One sealing vessel followed by an IFAW team searched out small pans of ice for seal pups, firing at seals on slushy, moving ice.

Seals were seen in agony after being shot at and injured, but not instantly killed. One seal was hauled alive onto the deck of the boat with a steel hook before finally being beaten to death.

Tell the world in your own words

www.stopthesealhunt.com

In an e-mail I got this week, the National Anti-Vivisection Society reported this: 


“Chimp Haven is Home Act” Passes House and Senate and awaits President’s Approval

Amidst the passage of other significant energy and budget legislation, the U.S. Congress has found time to help chimpanzees. A long-awaited amendment to the CHIMP Act, the Chimp Haven is Home Act, passed both the U.S. Senate and House, making the retirement of chimpanzees under the Act permanent.

The Chimpanzee Health Improvement, Maintenance and Protection (CHIMP) Act, which passed in 2000, contained language that would have permitted chimpanzees who were retired to the federally-designated sanctuary to be returned to research, if needed. NAVS, which was instrumental in passing the original CHIMP Act, worked diligently towards making this retirement permanent.

Please give your thanks to Representatives McCrery and Melancon and Senators Burr, Vitter, Landrieu and Durbin for sponsoring this legislation and giving chimpanzees once used for research the opportunity to live in peace.

Representative Jim McCrery (R-LA) (202) 225-2777
Representative Charlie Melancon (D-LA) (202) 225-4031
Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) (202) 224-3154
Senator David Vitter (R-LA) (202) 224-4623
Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) (202) 224-5824
Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) (202) 224-2152

The legislation passed without opposition on December 19, and awaits the President’s signature.
 

I'm really happy the lawmakers were compassionate and made the effort to insure the chimps permanent retirement.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is working to stop the killing or capture of wild animals by those who then sell these products, like ivory or animal pelts, on the Internet, including eBay.  I was appalled to read that even live wild animals are being sold.  Please: 

Keep your eyes open when surfing the Internet!

If you come across online offers on the Internet dealing in wildlife products or live protected animal species, then you should report these activities to your national authorities:

Richard Charette, Compliance and Enforcement Office - Environment Canada, 351 St-Joseph boulevard P.V.M., Gatineau QC J8Y 3Z5, E-mail: Richard.Charette@ec.ge.ca
 
(I copied this portion from an IFAW alert I received by e-mail)

Okay.  Will keep an eye out.  I wouldn't have known where to report it if I had seen anything.  Now I know.  Thanks LilPuma.

Possible, according to this: 

Posted Jan 5th 2008 5:15PM by JJ Cooper
Filed under: Falcons, Atlanta, NFL Police Blotter, Featured Stories

Michael Vick might be back sooner than we think.

Humane Society and PETA picketers better keep those posters ready, as there's a chance Michael Vick could be back on the field for the 2009 season.

Yahoo! Sports is reporting that the Falcons quarterback could end up serving as few as 12 months of his 23 month sentence thanks to his entry into a drug rehab program in prison. By connecting the dots, the story speculates that Vick could be back in the NFL for the 2009 season, as he would likely wrap up his sentence early next year.


Apparently the drug treatment program, which is only in place at the Leavenworth, Kan., federal penitentiary, allows inmates to wipe off up to a year of their sentence if they complete the drug treatment program. Vick has tested positive for marijuana, which ended up likely adding time to his prison sentence. But now that same drug test might end up helping him cut time from his current sentence.

Vick has to be in the program for a year, which apparently hasn't begun, so he's likely looking at a February or March 2009 release.

Now, there are several other obstacles to Vick getting back onto an NFL field. Commissioner Roger Goodell will have to end his indefinite suspension, he'll likely have to pass frequent drug tests, and probably most importantly, he'll have to find a team willing to have a dog killer on their roster, with all the bad publicity that will come with it.

But getting his prison sentence over six months or more before the 2009 season does make it much more likely that Vick will end up getting back onto the field.

Hat Tip: Sports By Brooks

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/01/05/vicks-prison-sentence-may-be-shortened/?ncid=NWS00010000000001

 :smt076

If he gets back on the field and loses, will he be drowned or hanged? 

This is from an e-mail from IFAW (asking for donations).  While I don't expect folks to run over to www.IFAW.org and send money, I don't expect anyone to become an animal rights activist (although it could happen!   :D), but I am trying to raise awareness among a group of compassionate people.  The e-mail talks about Russian hunters using dogs to kill mama bears, but dogs have also been used in "our" neck of the woods to chase bears up a tree until the hunter can come along and shoot it.  That's called sport and fun.   :-x

In Russia, wealthy hunters pay more than US$2,000 to rouse brown bears from hibernation and kill them.

The hunters' dogs dig and bark at the den while the hunters wait nearby with rifles poised. When the bear climbs out of the den, the hunters shoot and the bear's cubs are made orphans.

Each year 3,000 to 4,000 bear cubs are left with no chance of survival by the Russian bear hunt.

You are their only hope

Since 1995, IFAW has funded the Orphan Bear Project, run by world-renowned scientist Valentin Pazhetnov. More than 100 Russian bear cubs have been rescued by the Orphan Bear Project. Mr. Pazhetnov’s innovative techniques for raising and rehabilitating bear cubs have resulted in hundreds of bears being successfully released into the wild.

Most bear cubs when rescued weigh only one or two pounds and cannot survive without their mothers. But with your help, these tiny handfuls of fur will grow up to become healthy bears – eventually released into Russia’s protected forests.

The rescued cubs are bottle-fed warm milk formula five times a day, massaged after each feeding, and warmed with special carpets. Voices are never used while working with the cubs and human contact is kept to a minimum, enabling the cubs to successfully return to the wild without becoming tame.

The more contributions IFAW receives, the more cubs we can save

In many places in Europe, brown bears are extinct in the wild. The bears being hunted in Russia are from the last healthy brown bear population in the world.

IFAW has already successfully campaigned for a ban on den hunting in three Russian districts and is pushing hard for federal anti-cruelty legislation in the Russian Parliament. Together, we can make a real difference for these cubs and other animals around the world.

A $5,000 reward is being offered in my city for information leading to a conviction on dog fighting. 

 :smt038 :smt041 :cheers: :smt026

I'm sure mine isn't the first, but it would be great if more cities did this. 

As many of us are sending prayers and good thoughts to the crew of the Persistance, I thought I'd post about other heroes on ships.  This from a Greenpeace e-mail: 

January 15, 2008

It's taken 8 weeks, but we found them!

The Japanese whalers thought they would escape us. Using the cover of darkness and help from the Japanese navy, they gave us the slip as they departed Japanese waters eight weeks ago. Then came some tough luck for Greenpeace when we had to leave our helicopter, Tweety, behind in New Zealand for repairs. But even in the vast and unforgiving Southern Ocean, against all odds, we've tracked down the whalers.

Some would call that luck. I call it fate.

Now, we've got them on the run. We've been tailing the factory ship Nisshin Maru for 5 days now and we've literally chased them out of their hunting grounds. As long as the factory ship is on the run, the fleet can't conduct any whaling.

If they do try to start whaling, we're ready to do what we do best - to place ourselves between the whales and the grenade-tipped harpoons of the whalers. We'll use high-powered water pumps from the back of our boats to create a curtain of water and shield the whales from the harpooners' view.

We're doing our part to protect the whales here in the Southern Ocean. Now it's your turn. You don't have to place yourself in harm's way to protect whales but you can take action now.

We need YOUR help to ask President Bush to demand that Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda immediately abandon this illegal and unnecessary whaling operation and to spread the word to your friends and family. The fight to defend the whales has never been more urgent.

Please, take action and support our efforts to defend the whales. I promise to keep in touch with you over the coming days and weeks as we work tirelessly to protect the whales. Thank you for the support you've given us already, and I hope we can continue to rely on you.

Sincerely,



Heath Hanson
Boat Driver

More News on Whales:
If you haven't already heard, thanks in large part to our pressure, the Japanese government has already agreed to abandon plans to kill threatened humpback whales this year. While this is good news for humpbacks, we won't rest until the nearly one thousand whales still being targeted by the Japanese government are safe.


 
www.greenpeace.org/USA

Just when you think you're doomed, the Aussies show up. 
 ::MonkeyDance::

Update e-mail from Greenpeace about illegal Japanese activities: 

For eleven days, we've been chasing the Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru through Antarctic waters. Every day they've spent trying to outrun us has been a safe day for whales. In fact, we estimate that by shutting down the whaling operations, we've saved as many as 82 whales through our efforts.

But today, the Nisshin Maru engaged in a different type of illegal activity, and we were there to stop it. It attempted to refuel in Antarctic Treaty waters. The Panamanian flagged ship Oriental Bluebird arrived on the scene, in an effort to refuel the fleet and take on packaged whale meat, processed in the weeks before we located the fleet. Refueling in the Antarctic is dangerous and a serious threat to the Antarctic environment which is recognized internationally as a specially protected area.

We immediately launched our inflatable boats, including mine. We steered a course between the Nisshin Maru and Oriental Bluebird. The Esperanza warned the vessels of our presence, but they continued to maneuver together, essentially trapping us between the two huge ships.

Two of the Japanese hunting ships were also on the scene, harassing our activists for more than an hour by performing close-quarter maneuvers near our boats, as we documented the exchange of whale meat and fuel between the Nisshin Maru and Oriental Bluebird.

Our boats are less than 26 feet in length, but we managed to keep the Goliath whaling ships apart long enough for another ship to appear on the horizon: Australia's Oceanic Viking. Now the Australian government is on the scene and documenting the Japanese whaling fleet's illegal activities for themselves.

LilPuma ~  Thank you for bringing the information and articles. 

an 26, 3:42 PM EST

An Unlikely Rescue for Pit Bulls

By CHERYL WITTENAUER
Associated Press Writer
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/A_DOGS_JOURNEY?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

His back resting comfortably against her chest, Hector nestles his massive canine head into Leslie Nuccio's shoulder, high-fiving pit bull paws against human hands.

The big dog - 52 pounds - is social, people-focused, happy now, it seems, wearing a rhinestone collar in his new home in sunny California.

But as Hector sits up, deep scars stand out on his chest, and his eyes are imploring.

"I wish he could let us know what happened to him," says Nuccio, the big tan dog's foster mother.

Hector ought to be dead, she knows - killed in one of his staged fights, or executed for not being "game" enough, not winning, or euthanized by those who see pit bulls seized in busts as "kennel trash," unsuited to any kind of normal life.

Instead, Hector is learning how to be a pet.

After the hell of a fighting ring, he has reached a heaven of sorts: saved by a series of unlikely breaks, transported thousands of miles, along with other dogs rescued with him, by devoted strangers, and now nurtured by Nuccio, her roommate, Danielle White, and their three other dogs.

The animals barrel around the house, with 4-year-old Hector leading the puppy-like antics - stealth underwear grabs from the laundry basket, sprints across the living room, food heists from the coffee table - until it's "love time" and he decelerates and engulfs the women in a hug.

Nuccio wishes he could let her know all that happened.

But what she does know is this: Hector has come such a long way since he was trapped in the horrors of Michael Vick's Bad Newz Kennels.

---

Authorities descending last year on 1915 Moonlight Road in Surry County, Va., found where Vick, the former NFL quarterback, and others staged pit bull fights in covered sheds, tested the animals' fighting prowess and destroyed and disposed of dogs that weren't good fighters.

Vick is serving a 23-month federal sentence after admitting that he bankrolled the dogfighting operation and helped kill six to eight dogs. Three co-defendants Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips and Tony Taylor also pleaded guilty and were sentenced, and the four now face state animal cruelty charges. Oscar Allen, who sold a champion pit bull to Vick's dogfighting operation, was sentenced Friday on a federal dogfighting charge.

Officers who carried out the raid found dogs, some injured and scarred, chained to buried car axles. Forensic experts discovered remains of dogs that had been shot with a .22 caliber pistol, electrocuted, drowned, hanged or slammed to the ground for lacking a desire to fight.

A bewildered Hector and more than 50 other American Pit Bull Terriers or pit bull mixes were gathered up. So were "parting sticks" used to open fighting dogs' mouths, treadmills to condition them, and a "rape stand" used to restrain female dogs that did not submit willingly to breeding.

The dogs, held as evidence in the criminal prosecutions, were taken to a half dozen city and county pounds and shelters in Virginia.

Hector was bunked in the Hanover pound in a cage below a dog named Uba who was smaller and more clearly showing anxiety.

Uba flattened on all fours when Tim Racer, an evaluator on a team assembled by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, arrived at his cage.

"Are you going to kill me now?" was the message another evaluator, Donna Reynolds, read in Uba's eyes.

The black-and-white dog tried to wriggle away once out of the cage, but he came around after a while. He wagged his tail when the team showed him a 4-foot doll, to test his response to children. He spun around and got into a play position when they brought out a dog.

"This is the big secret. Most of them were dog-tolerant to dog-social. It was completely opposite of what we were led to believe," Reynolds said.

How much to trust the capacity of fighting dogs to have a new life as pets or working dogs in law enforcement or therapy settings is an issue that has divided animal advocates; some believe most such animals should be put down as a precaution, while others say they must be evaluated individually. One dog seized at Bad Newz was euthanized as too aggressive, but the others, four dozen plus in all, have had different fates.

Nearly half have been sent to a Utah sanctuary, Best Friends Animal Society, where handlers will work with them. None showed human aggression and many have potential for adoption someday. Others, evaluated as being immediate candidates for foster care and eventual adoption, went to several other groups.

Among the latter was Hector.

A team of animal welfare experts got things rolling last July when federal authorities sought ownership of the seized dogs. The result, they say, was groundbreaking.

The Oakland, Calif.-based pit bull rescue and education group Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit bulls, or BAD RAP, which had done similar rescues from fighting busts in California, asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gill for permission to evaluate and rescue as many of the dogs as possible, with the hope of eventually placing them in adoptive homes.

"Much to our amazement, he said yes," said Reynolds, who heads BAD RAP. "This doesn't happen. People don't say yes to pit bulls."

Gill declined to comment, but those familiar with the Vick case said the Justice Department hoped early on to find a way to give the dogs a second chance. As part of his plea deal, Vick agreed to pay for the dogs' care.

The court even appointed a guardian and special master, Valparaiso University animal law expert Rebecca Huss, who oversaw the dogs' disposition and recommended which rescue groups would accept them.

One result of the unusual process, said ASPCA's Stephen Zawistowski, is that shelters that always euthanized such dogs are now saying "you've given us permission to care" about giving them a second chance.

Each dog was evaluated as an individual. Huss recalled the good-natured but quiet Rose, whose overbreeding had led to mammary tumors. In the end, needing surgery but unable to tolerate anesthesia, Rose was mercifully put down, just days after being transferred to a foster home.

"The good thing was she didn't die in the shelter," Huss said. "She had a little time in the sun, not enough, but a little time in the sun."

Huss received reports from an ASPCA-led evaluation team and from volunteers who observed and worked with the dogs where they were being held as evidence in shelters and pounds.

Nicole Rattay, a volunteer from BAD RAP, spent six weeks visiting the Vick dogs in shelters every day, e-mailing and phoning her observations to Huss.

"Some dogs were ready to learn 'sit' and obedience," she said. "Some needed more time to accept touch and feel comfortable in their surrounding. Sometimes I would just sit in their kennels." For some, bits of roasted chicken became a "motivator," she said.

She mentioned Handsome Dan, who bridled at touching at first but gradually grew more comfortable, though not enough for foster home placement, at least not yet. He ended up going to Best Friends.

"I hope that he can overcome what was done to him," said Rattay.

---

BAD RAP won government approval in mid-October to transport a group of dogs to California foster homes to get them out of confinement.

Hector and a dozen others were about to make the cross-country trip in a rented 33-foot Cruise America RV.

But first, they had to get ready.

Four BAD RAP members - Racer, Reynolds, Rattay and Steve Smith - cruised a Richmond, Va., Wal-Mart, loading up with doggy sleeping mats, crates, bowls and chew sticks. The next day, they split up in twos to pick up, bathe and exercise the 13 pit bulls from four shelters. Then they loaded them up.

Rattay walked through the RV, cooing and checking her cargo to the thump-thump-thump of happy tails against dog crates. Alert to an adventure, one dog circled his bed. Another stretched and yawned. A third slathered her outstretched hand with kisses.

"Oh my goodness," she cooed to them. "It's nice to see you again. Hi buddy, hi."

At first, the caretakers put cardboard between the crates to offer the dogs privacy and calm. "But they were happier when they could see their neighbor," Rattay said.

She and Smith took turns driving and napping on the 2 1/2-day trip (Racer and Reynolds flew home to prepare for the dogs' arrival).

The dogs drifted to sleep in their crates - atop the RV table, benches, queen bed and couch, and an area above the cab - but jumped right up each time the RV stopped for a break at a highway rest area.

Assembly-line style, the couple walked, watered, and fed each of the 13 dogs, causing some gawks from other drivers who'd stopped, but never any questions from the dogs.

"They did fabulous," Rattay said. "They understood the program right away and got in and out of their crates."

Mostly things went fine for Hector and his fellow passengers in the rolling kennel, though one incident briefly worried Smith and Rattay.

It hadn't occurred to them to map a route that avoided places with ordinances banning pit bulls. A groundskeeper at an Arkansas rest stop warned them that "further down the road, they will take that dog from you unless you have proper paperwork."

"We finished it up and got moving," Rattay said.

At 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, Rattay pulled the RV in front of Racer and Reynolds' house.

It had been a long trip, and soon after the two couples unloaded and walked the dogs, both drivers and animals fell asleep in the living room waiting for foster families to arrive.

Smith snored a little, Rattay remembered, and a dog gave a low grumble.

---

Hector's settling into his new life, getting further and further from his past.

Weekly AKC "canine good citizen" classes are correcting his social ineptitude. And he's taking cues on good manners from patient Pandora, a female pit bull mix who's queen of the household's dogs. Once Hector graduates, he'll take classes to become a certified therapy dog, helping at nursing homes and the like.

For now, he's learning the simple pleasures of a blanket at bedtime, a peanut butter-filled chew toy, even classical music.

"I put on Yo-Yo Ma one day and he cocked his head, laid down and listened to the cello next to the speaker," Nuccio said. "He's turning out to be a man of high class and culture."

-----------------------------------

I am relieved to see that some of the dogs that were seized from Michael Vick's place are being worked with and may be able to find homes.  I was so worried that after the way the dogs  were treated and with the fears that the dogs would be a danger and a menace and not be able to be homed, there would be a mass killing of the dogs.  However, it  looks as if the dogs are being taken on a case by case basis for evaluation. Some can be homed and some will be going to Best Friends in Kanab, Utah.  I was also glad to see Mike Vick is having to pay for the dogs care.  As should be!

 ::MonkeyDance::  This makes me so happy.  There usually isn't enough money, people or patience for pit bulls brought out of a fighting situation.  Obviously the shelters are afraid of liability if they adopt out a dog that is aggressive.  This is such great news! 

I got an e-mail with cute pics of dogs and kids.  At the bottom was this saying: 


In the heart of every stray is the singular desire to be loved.   

I wanted to remember it.  Now go and and get yourself a shelter dog, ok?   ::MonkeyWink::

HORSES

Closure of U.S. plants sends more horses to slaughter in Mexico

More horses are being sent to Mexico for slaughter since the 2006 closure of three U.S. horse-slaughter plants in North Texas and Illinois for violating state laws.

The grueling cross-border journeys stretch for hundreds of miles with horses crammed in double-decker trailers.

The road to Mexican slaughterhouses usually begins at auction, either in Willcox or Benson, Arizona. From there, horses are bought and taken to El Paso, Texas, and eventually cross the border to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. There, so-called "killer buyers," purchase the animals.

Slaughter plants in the United States use a captive-bolt piston to stun horses; the air pressure shoots a bolt through the horse's skull. But in Mexico, a number of recent media reports and videos show that horses were being stabbed repeatedly to sever the spinal cord.

Officials at a Juarez slaughterhouse said this month they are now using captive-bolt pistols, but requests to tour the plant were denied.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says more than 45-thousand horses went to Mexico for slaughter last year, up from about 11-thousand the year before.

http://www.keyetv.com/content/news/topnews/story.aspx?content_id=50500913-cde6-46bb-9a1e-da6fe9b582bf

Your story was horrific. As I've aged, I cannot stand to see animals tortured in a slaughter house - or anywhere else.
 
I cannot stand to see "road kill' ... cats and other animals run over in the street. I've never seen dogs run over. I've had incidents where I wanted to change lanes so I didn't run over the animal again. Horns honking behind me until someone let me into the other lane.
 
Seeing a road kill ruins my day. Recently when walking to my AA meeting, I saw a small dead wild animal near the curb. I don't know what it was. It was white with a pink tail, it had short hair and a very pointy snout and black claws. There was blood coming from the mouth. There was nothing I could do but I still could not stand it. I said some prayers.

Hollywood nestles below hills. From where I live to Griffith Park, a huge amount of small animals live up there. I'm about four blocks from the hills. We have squirrels and we put nuts out for them.

Thank you for a very poignant post.

HSUS is trying to get lawmakers to close the loophole that allows horses to be sold for slaughter outside the U.S.  There was a "call your Congressman" day in January for this topic.  If you go to their website, www.hsus.org, there's an Action Alert button to click on in the upper left corner of the page.  You can get your name on a list for e-mails when they need people to call or write various officials on these issues. 

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/09/america/dogs.php

Cruelty to stray animals under new scrutiny in Puerto Rico

BARCELONETA, Puerto Rico: This much seems certain about the events of last October at three housing projects in this town near Puerto Rico's northern coast: Men working for the municipality entered the projects, rounded up dozens of dogs and cats that they said violated the housing authority's no-pets policy and took them away.

What happened next is less clear, but a lawsuit filed on behalf of 33 families claims that city employees and contractors drugged and brutalized dozens of animals and then flung them from a highway bridge that was 50 feet, or 15 meters, high into a weed-choked ravine and left them to die.

Witnesses say they found a pile of dog corpses and skeletons beneath the bridge, but the contractors have denied wrongdoing and city officials have denied responsibility.

News of the incident became an international embarrassment for Puerto Rico and something of a vindication for animal rights advocates here and on the U.S. mainland who had long tried, mostly in vain, to draw attention to the plight of animals on the island.

Animal rights advocates contend that the inhumane disposal of animals was routine, with unwanted dogs, cats and even farm animals hurled from bridges, intentionally crushed by vehicles or butchered with machetes. Government nonchalance, they say, has allowed this to go on.

But only with the Barceloneta incident, they say, did anything start to happen. The case spurred threats of a tourism boycott, inspired the government to begin addressing more forcefully the issue of animal welfare and precipitated soul-searching among the Puerto Rican people.

"In our culture we have not addressed these issues because, probably, we did not think they were important," said Carlos Carazo, director of the animal disease division of Puerto Rico's State Office for Animal Control, in an interview in San Juan last month.

"In Puerto Rico, we have so many issues to address, we haven't had the leisure time to think about animals," he said. "But this is probably the time to start thinking about it."

Puerto Rico, among U.S. territories, has long had a poor international reputation for the treatment of animals. There is no government program for mass sterilization or registration of pets and little animal welfare education in the schools. The island has only about a half-dozen animal shelters, and while municipalities are charged with rounding up strays, that duty has largely been ignored, government officials and animal advocates say.

Puerto Rican pet owners will often dump unwanted animals along roads or on beaches, animal advocates say. Roaming packs of mangy dogs are common in many towns.

One of the most notorious dumping grounds is a spit of land on the southeastern coast near the town of Yabucoa. It is known as Dead Dog Beach. According to animal welfare advocates, thousands of dogs have wound up there in the last decade.

"I've found dogs poisoned in the bushes," said Sandra Cintron, 37, an animal rescuer who lives in Yabucoa and drives to the beach every morning with a sack of dry food and jugs of fresh water for the shifting population of abandoned animals. "Sometimes they put them in bags and toss them in the jungle."

Cintron, whose volunteer work is supported by several Puerto Rican and international animal welfare groups, has been tending to the stray dogs at Dead Dog Beach since 2001. She has taken hundreds to be neutered and has found homes for dozens. She has named them all and keeps photographs of them in albums.

Animal rights groups say that over the years they have been inundated with letters and e-mail from tourists offended by the stray dog problem.

A 2002 study by the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association estimated that the stray animal problem was costing the commonwealth about $5 million a year in lost tourism. "Numerous groups and conventions have canceled plans to hold meetings in Puerto Rico after observing the stray dog and cat situation," the report said.

Still, it was five years before the government acted.

"In Puerto Rico, nobody has taught our culture animal control and protection concepts," said Carazo of the animal control office, which was formed last year. "We are now beginning to address those issues."

Since the Barceloneta incident, the animal control office has accelerated regulations and guidelines for animal control specialists, shelters and law enforcement agencies on how to manage strays, adoptions, spay clinics and licensing.

Completion of the guidelines will result in the disbursement of $1.5 million in seed money to establish animal shelters in each of the commonwealth's 78 municipalities, said Wilma Rivera, executive director of the office.

The government has also created a program to educate two police coordinators in every region, who will train the rest of the police force in the proper handling of pet cruelty cases. In addition, the commonwealth's tourism agency has formed a committee to push for more government action, complementing an animal welfare committee that operates under the auspices of the hotel and tourism board.

Meanwhile, a group of lawyers is drafting more comprehensive animal protection legislation with stiffer penalties.

Still, animal welfare advocates are concerned that as the Barceloneta incident wanes, the government's interest may flag.

Edilia Vázquez, a lawyer and director of an animal rights foundation, said the Barceloneta incident has unified the once-fractured animal welfare community. "We realize we need to work with each other and keep the finger in the side of the government," she said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wolves in Alaska are being chased down by hunters in planes and helicopters and shot to death once they've run as fast and far as they can.  The people of Alaska have voted down aerial hunting more than once, but the practice continues.  If you'd like read more, here's a link and an e-mail address for Alaska's governor if you'd like to voice your opposition. 

http://www.alaskawolfkill.com/Rep_Miller_Letter.html


Here's some wolf poetry I found online: 

Silent Paws
Jerri K. McCann


Silent paws trotting
on a well beaten trail,
alone in the wilderness,
so young and so frail.

Little yips go unanswered,
the moon is now his guide,
looking for ones just like him,
or have all of them just died?

He sniffs the dampened ground
and senses man everywhere,
the silence is deafening
no howls in the air.

Oh why did he venture
so far from his den,
while his pack fell silent
at the hands of men?

His stomach is growling
but the hunger he’ll endure,
his pack family is out there
it’s their blood he smells for sure.

He stops in his tracks
and raises his head up high,
the terror overwhelms him
as he lets out another cry.

But still there’s no answer
he can’t understand why,
he’ll follow their trail
or he surely will die.

For days now he’s traveled
his spirit and body gone weak,
he lies down in white clover
no more energy left to speak.

Soon the soul hovers
over this tiny, frail pup,
whose future now will be guarded
as his soul travels up.

What right does man have
to take life from a living thing,
that has no way to voice its defense
against a human being?

The wolf is a symbol,
a brother, a friend.
it’s time now for action
before his existence comes to an end.

 

 

The Cry
Karen Evans

 

He stands alone at the top of the hill
And sings his mournful cry,
His mate and cubs are missing
He's not certain why.

He had been out hunting
Was gone for only a day,
And hurried back with empty jaws
So scarce now was their prey.

He wasn't gone long
Eager to get home,
But the den was cold and empty
And he sensed something was wrong.

The smell of man was everywhere
With footprints in the dirt,
And blood shed from his family
He knew they had been hurt.

He sat and waited day by day
With hopes they would return,
There wasn't much he could do
Except quietly sit and yearn.

Why would man come all this way
To hunt and shoot them down,
To interrupt their quiet lives
When no harm had been done?

Their territory plainly marked
And not once did they stray,
For they would rather starve to death
Than to get in man's way.

The smell of chickens, cows and sheep
Were so tempting at times,
But instincts warned not to hunt them
Or they would lose their lives.

And so they lived a quiet life
Existing on small game,
Careful it was only wildlife
And nothing man had tamed.

So he could find no reason
For the blood shed on that day,
So peacefully they lived here
So far out of man's way.

Maybe they'd be coming back
His cubbies and his mate,
Wolves are mated once for life
So he would sit and wait.

That was many moons ago
And they have not come back,
But he will not stop hoping
For the reunion of his pack.

He now knows men are murderers
But still does not know why,
And every night he climbs his hill
And sings his mournful cry.

 

The National Antivivisection Society (NAVS) has announced some progress. 

Chimp Retirement Becomes Permanent:  It took 7 years, but on 12-26-07, President Bush signed the Chimp Haven is Home Act.  That means that chimps who are no longer needed for research can retire permanently to a sanctuary.  Previously, these chimps could have been taken from the sanctuary and put back into the horrors of research.  Chimps, like dogs, are social animals and just keeping them alone in cages is something I consider inhumane.  I hope to see the day when we will no longer use them for research. 

New Jersey Bans Animal Testing on Personal Care Products:  The Governor signed a law in December 2007 that prohibits manufacturers and contract testing facilities from using animal test methods when alternatives are available.  Why should an animal be hurt for my shampoo or mascara when manufacturers already know (tests have been done many many times) which ingredients are harmful and which aren't?  There are in vitro tests that have been shown as more reliable anyway.  New Jersey is home to many consumer products companies that have relied on animal tests, so NAVS considers this a real victory. 

Killing Dogs to Train Doctors will end:  Case Western Reserve Medicine in Ohio, the last medical school in the U.S. to use dogs in training doctors, has announced it will not longer continue to operate on dogs in cardiology courses.  The dean of the school said that there are other ways to study heart functions and students would become just as good doctors without using dogs. 

Just a note that a lot of companies that torture animals under the guise of keeping  you safe will use those same test results against a consumer if you ARE harmed by their product and try to sue them.  Most of the ingredients used in products have been tested, toxicity levels are known, and repeating those tests in a way that is so painful to animals is not needed.  Other ways of testing have been developed, but changing minds and methods is difficult.  You might want to consider "going green" and purchasing products made with less toxic ingredients than are currently in most of the products we buy to clean our homes.  Those less toxic products might still be harmful if you get it in your eyes or a child drinks it, but they're less likely to cause permanent harm and do not contribute to indoor air pollution.  They also don't poison our environment like others.  Seventh Generation has good products and a good website, but there are now lots of companies and products that are less harmful to the planet because they're made with less toxic or non-toxic ingredients. 

The killing of baby seals isn't just a Canadian thing.  Many countries, including the U.S. (and The Netherlands :-) ) are part of the carnage.  Right now, the European Commission is considering proposing a ban on the trade of seal products in the European Union (EU)—a move many believe could spell the end of commercial seal hunting globally.   If you'd like to add  your name to the petition to encourage the Commission to pass this legislation, please go to this link (Humane Society of the US) and add  your name.   The text of the petition is below.  Short and to the point.

http://tinyurl.com/5vfgk9

Full pledge text: 

We the undersigned call on EU Member States, the European Commission and the Parliament to ban the trade in seal products by adopting, before the end of 2008, legislation prohibiting the import, export and trade in seal products within the European Union.

 
Signed by:
[Your name]
[Your address]

 Group of Gibraltar's Barbary apes to be killed

By HAROLD HECKLE Thu Apr 17, 8:45 PM ET

MADRID, Spain - A renegade group of Gibraltar's Barbary apes has annoyed residents so much that authorities announced plans Thursday to kill them.
ADVERTISEMENT

A cluster of 25 Barbary apes — a species of monkey usually weighing about 15-25 pounds — moved to a popular beach-side area some months ago where they have been stealing food, entering rooms through open windows and harassing tourists, officials said.

The territory's tourism minister, Ernest Britto, has decided to kill the beach dwelling group, government spokesman Francis Cantos said.

"I can confirm that tourism minister Britto has decided to issue a license for a cull," said Cantos.

"The decision was not taken lightly. It is a last resort," Britto told the Gibraltar Chronicle newspaper.

The newspaper said two monkeys have already been captured and given lethal injections.

The pack, part of the territory's population of around 200, invaded a sandy beach area called Catalan Bay where they remained because they were able to rummage for food. The area is popular with tourists and has a luxury hotel.

Britto said he determined that the monkeys posed a danger to public health.

The animals mainly inhabit the high ground of Gibraltar, a British colony off Spain's southern tip.

The British Army, which is responsible for their care, has in the past often had to replenish Gibraltar's population with monkeys from Africa. Barbary apes also live in Morocco and north Algeria.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080418/ap_on_re_eu/gibraltar_barbary_apes

I ::MonkeyDance::

 got an e-mail update from the Humane Society of the U.S. today.  One year after the Michael Vick raid and the attention brought to this cruel activity, the HSUS reports: 

One year ago today, authorities raided Michael Vick's property in Virginia, gathering evidence that led to his imprisonment on charges related to dogfighting. Although The Humane Society of the United States has battled animal fighting for more than fifty years, your actions last summer and into this year have helped us make great strides in bringing more animal fighters to justice.

These are just a few of the many milestones we've already reached in 2008.

Raids on dogfighting operations increased from 27 between January and April last year to more than 67 raids to date in 2008 -- more than doubling the number of reported arrests for this crime.

Wyoming and Idaho made dogfighting a felony offense -- and these two states had been the last holdouts with weak penalties for fighting crimes. Lawmakers in Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Oregon, and Virginia also passed stronger laws against dogfighting, as part of a wave of 26 states considering legislation to increase penalties.

Our program granting awards to people helping us bust animal fighters, made possible by the Ware Foundation and our donors, precipitated dogfighting raids in half a dozen states. We paid out 20 rewards and have several pending. The cases range from a Texan who reported on his neighbor and his six scarred pit bulls to major busts with dozens of animals confiscated.

In February, we worked with the Pima County sheriff to bust two of the nation's most notorious dogfighting kingpins, Pat Patricks and T.L. Williams, in Arizona. Officials seized more than 150 dogs and arrested six people.

Our press conferences announcing the reward program -- held with five state attorneys general, the Chicago Police Department and the Los Angeles County district attorney -- have shined a bright spotlight on dogfighting. We plan more conferences with attorneys general in three additional states.

We trained more than 700 law enforcement officers on animal fighting and produced a new video about dogfighting. Tens of thousands of our rewards posters are helping ferret out animal fighters across the country.I'm proud to report this progress, and I thank you for helping to make it all possible. Please donate now to extend our successful rewards program and help us continue to save animals from vicious fighting rings and bring their abusers to justice.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of dogs are exploited by dogfighters and countless vulnerable animals suffer hunger, thirst, malicious wounding, and death. You can put a dedicated, powerful team on their side with your monthly gift to the Animal Cruelty Response and Reward Fund.

Thank you for your donation, and for all you do to help animals every day.


Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States
 ::MonkeyDance::
Since this came by e-mail I can't provide a link, but the HSUS web address is www.hsus.org. 

Thank you LilPuma!  ::MonkeyDance:: ::MonkeyDance:: ::MonkeyDance:: ::MonkeyDance::

Articles like the following just make me so angry I could crack someone upside the head. How in Gods name ANYONE could want to harm a small and helpless animal is beyond me. Being aware that such senseless things go on can only serve to make us as a society more vigilant, and hopefully then as parents, friends, etc., it might be possible to end such violence. The punishment for those found guilty should be swift and set an example IMO


+++++++++++++++++++++++

(http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/722442.jpg)

Weka found with dart through eye

10 May 2008
Vets who operated on a weka shot through the eye with a crossbow dart are hopeful it will not lose its sight.

A tourist found the injured bird in a car park at Tauranga Bay, 14 kilometres west of Westport, on Thursday and notified the Conservation Department.

"When our ranger got there he found the weka had been shot with a crossbow and the dart was embedded in the face of the weka through one eye," DOC community relations manager John Green said.

Vets who removed the dart thought it might have been lodged in the bird's head for a while.

Weka are fully protected under the Wildlife Act.

"Weka are now becoming very rare in some parts of New Zealand and it is disturbing to see acts of extreme cruelty carried out like this within our community," Mr Green said.

The department is keen to hear from anyone with information about the attacker.

The vet who operated on the weka said it would probably be left with some sight in one eye.

"It probably hasa blinding headache, though."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4518586a11.html

I've recently seen coupons in the newspaper for some personal care products called Pure & Natural.  I haven't seen these products in stores, but since I don't use products made by companies that test on animals, I thought I'd check this one out to see if it "qualifies'.  Turns out the products are made with ingredients like almond oil, rosemary and grapefruit AND they give $100,000 each year from their products sales to the World Wildlife Fund.  They're sold at Wal-Mart, KMart, Target, Meijer, Safeway, Kroger, Publix and some other stores I haven't heard of.  If you like products that are more nature than chemical, I'd encourage you to give it a try.  Because of their support for WWF, I'm going to.  Watch for the coupons! 
http://www.pure-natural.com/

Sorry, I had to delete the picture.  But here's another story about the cruelty of people towards animals "cause it's fun" it seems. 

By SHARON HENDRY

Published: 10 Mar 2008
 
RSPCA chiefs are appealing for help after teenage thugs beat to death two swans in a park.


Up to seven yobs aged around 15 chased the young female birds away from a lake then battered them with tree branches.


Animal charity Inspector Paul Adams called the attack �pointless but particularly savage�.


He said: �Witnesses tell us six or seven young people chased one swan and ripped branches off trees to beat it.


�They then chased another and beat it to death. There was so much vegetation the birds didn’t have a chance to take off.


�Once the attackers were between the swans and the water they had no escape.


�In my 17 years working for the RSPCA it’s the worst thing I’ve experienced. The birds would have suffered greatly.


�What will these children go on to do when they grow up if they are doing this at 15?�


The attack took place soon after 5pm last Wednesday in Kelsey Park, Beckenham, Kent.


It is the latest in a series of violent acts by yobs in what The Sun has dubbed Broken Britain.


Anybody with information can call the RSPCA cruelty hotline in confidence on 0300 1234999.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/justice/article895304.ece

I didn't copy the picture of the bloodied swan.  Makes me want to cry for the animals and makes me wonder what we're doing that there is increased violence among our young  people, towards people and animals. 

Here's Dana's show link when the HSUS rep discussed violence against animals and people. 
http://tinyurl.com/5j8l4f


Here's something to ponder -- just a quick google to get a link.  It's not hard to find horrific stories of cruelty to animals. 


NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATIVE ALERT
SUPPORT A. 7870-A AND S. 5206
TO INCLUDE WILDLIFE IN FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY LAW

Two swans were fatally beaten and stabbed in the Bronx. A Canadian goose was strangled in Hamburg. A red hawk was set on fire, tied to a bicycle and dragged down the street on Long Island. A baby goose was beaten to death with a hockey stick in Potsdam. Birds were trapped and crushed to death on Long Island. In West Eaton, state highway workers reported seeing a car speed up and swerve to hit a fawn, while the occupants of the car were laughing as they sped by. In Staten Island, a peacock was beaten to death.

New York's felony animal cruelty law did not apply to any of this cruelty since the animals tortured were not companion animals.

A. 7870-A, introduced by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, and S. 5206 , introduced by Senator Frank Padavan, would expand New York's felony animal cruelty law by making it applicable to wildlife.
http://www.humanesocietyny.org/legislation.shtml#wildlifefelony

It's not just in America.  I also found an article from this year of two thugs in England who chased and beat to death two swans.  The tree canopy prevented the swans from flying and the kids got between them and the water and beat them to death with sticks.  I have no words for what's become of mankind when there's so much of this in the world.    ::MonkeyNoNo::

I use a lot of Pure and Natural products. I like them, and hopefully by buying them I can contribute in some small way.



These stories make me sick. My animals mean so much to me, and to my children. I just can't grasp the callousness of it all.

I went to a Rainbow Bridge website this morning to pay tribute to my little furball who died a year ago today.  I often thought that my little one would be good at welcoming the animals (and people) who had no one while here.  Cats and dogs who were abandoned, abused, neglected.  She had more strength, courage and love in her than most people I know.  This is a tale (tail?) about those animals who have no one to wait for at the Rainbow Bridge. 

(If you click on the link, you'll hear America the Beautiful while reading; better that way, but I copied it here anyway.) 

http://www.petloss.com/welcome.htm

WELCOME AT RAINBOW BRIDGE


by Alexander Theodore, Bouvier, Fourth Year Resident

On the morning of September 11, 2001, there was an unprecedented amount of activity at the Rainbow Bridge. Decisions had to be made. They had to be made quickly. And, they were.

An issue, not often addressed here, is the fact that many residents really have no loved one for whom to wait. Think of the pups who lived and died in hideous puppy mills. No one on earth loved or protected them. What about the many who spent unhappy lives tied in backyards? And, the ones who were abused. Who are they to wait for?

We don't talk about that much up here. We share our loved ones as they arrive, happy to do so. But we all know there is nothing like having your very own person who thinks you are the most special pup in the Heavens.

Last Tuesday morning a request rang out for pups not waiting for specific persons to volunteer for special assignment... An eager, curious crowd surged excitedly forward, each pup wondering what the assignment would be.

They were told by a solemn voice that unexpectedly, all at once, thousands of loving people had left Earth long before they were ready.

All the pups, as all pups do, felt the humans' pain deep in their own hearts. Without hearing more, there was a clamoring among them - "May I have one to comfort?" "I'll take two, I have a big heart." "I have been saving kisses forever."

One after another they came forward begging for assignment. One cozy-looking fluffy pup hesitantly asked, "Are there any children coming?

I would be very comforting for a child 'cause I'm soft and squishy and I always wanted to be hugged." A group of Dalmatians came forward asking to meet the FireFighters and be their friends. The larger working breeds offered to greet the Police Officers and make them feel at home.

Little dogs volunteered to do what they do best, cuddle and kiss. Dogs who on Earth had never had a kind word or a pat on the head, stepped forward and said, "I will love any human who needs love."

Then all the dogs, wherever on Earth they originally came from, rushed to the Rainbow Bridge and stood waiting, overflowing with love to share - each tail wagging an American Flag.

p.s.  There's a kitty version of this too. 

My local paper reports that tough economic times have resulted in record numbers of pets being relinquished to shelters.  Even worse, some pets are simply abandoned on the streets, in forest preserves or even left behind in the yard or home.  So I'm posting this to help  make people aware of the problem.  If  you know of someone who is being hit hard financially and they have pets, please bring up the subject.  The news article I read offers some tips: 

1.  If you are able and willing to foster the pet(s) until the owners are back on their feet financially, offer to do so.  Local shelters may have a program in place where you could do this for someone you don't know. 

2.  If someone must find a new place to live, local shelters know where there is "pet friendly" housing.  If you've adopted from a shelter, you already know you must prove that your residence allows pets, so contacting them is a good way to prevent having to give up your pet because the new residence doesn't allow pets. 

3.  There are often programs for low cost spaying/neutering and vet care and even food pantries often have a pet section where you can get pet food along with regular groceries.   Make a few calls or do some googling to see what's available in your area. 

4.  Be alert for pets that are left behind after an owner moves.  Hard to believe, but people will do this.  Did you hear a cat howling or a dog barking from a house down the street as you walked the dog last night?   If this isn't typical, check it out.  Do you see the cat roaming even though you know the neighbors moved?  Has the dog been in the yard 24/7 lately but the house seems dark or you haven't seen their car?  Owners will leave food and water thinking the landlord or bank official will come along and take care of the animal.   Often, no one comes in time. 

5.  If you're thinking of adopting, go to a shelter.  They probably have a lot of loving pets who did nothing wrong but ended up in a shelter and are looking for a family to love. 


If you decide to reach out to someone in need, maybe a bag of groceries or free babysitting while they look for work or housing, remember the pets -- include some dog/cat/bird/gerbil food with the people food, offer to walk the dog or make some of the calls mentioned above.   It's a heart breaking situation for the people and the animals. 

Thanks.  I found the coupons, but didn't know where to find the products.

Another tip led to another arrest for dog fighting.  I hope more charges are filed against this guy.  Right now they've charged him with the minimum.  I sure hope the dogs are not returned to him.  But I copied it here not just to share my happiness that another scumbag harming animals has been arrested, but the article says that he's a sex offender.  These are bad guys doing bad things to people and animals.   So if anyone thinks it's ok, these dogs are bred to fight, whatever, keep in mind that a lot of other crimes are being committed by those who are involved in dog fighting. 

CHICAGO -- A Chicago man has been charged with 21 counts of possession of dogs by a felon after police seized 32 pit bulls and dog fighting paraphernalia from a West Englewood home on the Southwest Side Friday morning.

The pit bulls, including 11 puppies, were seized during the execution of a search warrant about 9:50 a.m. Friday at 7114 S. Oakley Ave., Cook County Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Penny Mateck said.

Six of the dogs found had very serious injuries including open wounds and cuts on their snouts and faces. Authorities also suspect some of the animals may have been used as "bait dogs," according to Mateck, who said "bait dogs" are smaller dogs which are preyed upon by dogs being trained for fighting.

Animal Care and Control Operations Manager Mark Rosenthal said 32 dogs, including 10 puppies, were seized from the home. Mateck said 31 dogs were taken from the residence.

Larue Jackson, 50, of the Oakley Avenue address, has been charged with 21 counts of misdemeanor possession of certain dogs by a felon. He was released on $100 bond and is scheduled to appear in court at Harrison Street and Kedzie Avenue July 31, according to Mateck, who said more charges are possible.

Jackson is a registered sex offender, according to a U.S. Department of Justice database. He was convicted in Cook County of unlawful restraint and aggravated criminal sexual assault against a 13-year-old when he was 37-year-old, the search showed.
Chicago Police and Cook County Sheriff’s Department authorities who carried out the search also found dog cages throughout the basement and garage of the home, a breeding pen in the basement and a jaw strengthening device used to strengthen the jaws of fighting dogs. Dog fighting magazines and other related printed materials were also discovered, Mateck said.

"Dog fighting is a very lucrative underground activity that is seen a lot in gangs," Mateck said.

She could not comment on whether the remaining dogs showed any visible signs of injuries.

All the dogs are being completely examined by a veterinarian through Animal Care and Control to determine what other kinds of injuries they may be suffering, according to Mateck.

"They might have injuries that are at not visibly apparent," Mateck said.

The evaluations of the dogs by the veterinarian will not be completed Friday and may take several more days, Rosenthal said.

The search warrant executed Friday was the culmination of a month-long investigation spearheaded by the Cook County Sheriff’s office. The investigation was launched as a result of a tip the department received, Mateck said.

The dogs will be held by Animal Care and Control as evidence during the on-going criminal investigation, but are still legally the property of the person who owns them, Rosenthal said.

http://www.nbc5.com/news/16602461/detail.html?rss=chi&psp=news

Has sympathy and empathy gone the way of the 8 track? 

Are children being raised or merely allowed to grow older?

I know many of you read the articles on the FP about Big Brown, Eight Belles and of course, Barbaro, even if you're not interested in horses or horse racing.  Today's e-mail from the Humane Society of the U.S. (www.hsus.org) says that Congress may take action to standardize the treatment of horses in horse racing.  Apparently each state has their own laws right now, and of course when there's money involved, some will not act in the best interests of the horse.  The e-mail went on to ask me to contact my U.S. Representative to support this action.  Anyway, here's the relevant part of the e-mail: 


America's Race Horses Need Protection

Dear [lilPuma],

Every year, hundreds of race horses suffer career ending and even fatal injuries on race tracks across the country. The recent, high-profile deaths of Eight Belles and Barbaro put a spotlight on the high risk faced by these majestic animals, who are literally "run to death" in some cases. Take action to protect America's race horses.

Currently, only a handful of states ban the use of steroids in horse racing, but most states do not. Decisions regarding track surfaces, young horses racing while their bones are still developing, and other horse welfare concerns are made on a state-by-state basis, resulting in widely varying degrees of protection across our country.

Fortunately, Congress is considering the formation of a national commission to address these concerns and provide uniform regulation of the horse racing

Lil Puma~ on the subject of race horses and their treatment:  I would like to see horse whips banned as used by jockeys and trainers, for starters.  Poor Eight Belles was whipped toward the finish line, as her legs were breaking.  Terrible.  Just terrible. 

ARUBA ANIMAL SHELTER USING CRUEL KILLING METHODS; PETA ASKS PRIME MINISTER TO ACT

Witnesses Say They Hear Dogs Howling in Pain When Injected With Painful Chemical

For Immediate Release:
July 29, 2005

Contact:
Teresa Lynn Chagrin 757-622-7382 

Oranjasted, Aruba — PETA has sent an urgent letter to Aruban Prime Minister Nelson Oduber, urging him to stop the use of a chemical called T-61 to kill animals in the government-run shelter in Oranjasted. PETA—which learned about the chemical’s use from a U.S. veterinarian visiting the country—points out that T-61 is considered an unacceptable euthanasia agent and that it has been withdrawn from the market in several countries, including the United States.

The visiting veterinarian told PETA that nearby residents complain of hearing dogs "wailing" and "yelling" when workers inject them and seeing the animals killed in full view of others—a practice unacceptable even by minimum standards for animal sheltering. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), if it is used at all, T-61 must only be administered intravenously, but PETA has learned that the shelter has been injecting the chemical directly into animals’ lungs.

PETA, the AVMA, and major animal protection organizations concur that intravenous injection of sodium pentobarbital is the kindest and most humane way to euthanize animals. The AVMA also states, "Distress vocalizations, fearful behavior, and release of certain odors or pheromones by a frightened animal may cause anxiety and apprehension in other animals. Therefore, for sensitive species, it is desirable that other animals not be present when individual animal euthanasia is performed."

"We are not disputing the unfortunate need for shelters to euthanize unwanted animals," says PETA Director Daphna Nachminovitch. "But we urge the prime minister to immediately direct the shelter to stop the use of T-61 and to use only recommended agents and methods of euthanasia that ensure that the animals’ deaths are painless and peaceful." PETA has offered to assist in euthanasia training.

PETA’s letter to Prime Minister Oduber is available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA’s Web site HelpingAnimals.com.

 http://www.peta.org/MC/NewsItem.asp?id=6832&pf=true

********************************************

Caribbean Nation Switches to Kindest Known Method for Euthanizing Unwanted Animals  Summer 2006
PETA worked with Aruba's government to help replace T-61--an unacceptable euthanasia agent that can cause extreme burning pain and is difficult to administer humanely--with sodium pentobarbital, the most humane method of euthanizing unwanted, sick, or injured cats and dogs.
http://www.peta.org/about/victoryItem.asp?VictoryID=541

********************************************

A lot of countries, including Mexico and Puerto Rico, have a long way to go when it comes to the treatment of animals.  The newsbriefs above are the reason I don't hate PETA, although I don't always agree with them and some of their tactics.   Good to see there are some in Aruba trying to do things right, even if it's an uphill battle. 

********************************************
We hear so much bad news about Aruba but here's a link to pics of young people volunteering there time to make a positive difference.  They're  helping the Aruba Animal Shelter prepare for thei 2007 Open House. 
http://www.arubaanimalshelter.com/archive/openhouse2007/openhouse2007.html

From what I've read, quite a few Americans have adopted animals from Aruba, and they are cooperative in getting the vet clearances and paperwork needed to bring the animals back to the U.S. 

The Aruba animal shelter has some goals - from their website -

Like Katrina and other hurricanes and natural disasters, animals, both domestic and wild, pay a price.  The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is one of the organizations working to help animals in the flooding in the midwest.  (Fortunately this time around, no one proclaimed that animals had to be left behind to die or should be shot if found as strays.)  I've copied a message from IFAW below.  If you'd like to read more or make a donation, here's a link. 

http://tinyurl.com/6ghy5l

You have stood with us before...

When Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area, you were there to help us rescue the survivors…when a tsunami slammed into Southeast Asia, you were there to help us feed and vaccinate animals…and when the recent earthquakes rocked China, you were there to help us provide life-saving supplies for animals and people.

And now that floods are ravaging the US Midwest…will you please stand with us again?

We’ve all seen the awful images of the flooding…whole cities under feet of water, people standing on their cars on washed-out roads, residents sobbing as they pick through their destroyed homes searching for family photo albums and personal mementos.

And then there are the animal victims.

Their stories are so moving…like the 20 fawns that have been rescued after floodwaters separated them from their mothers – they now rely completely on the IFAW team, who are bottle-feeding them and watching over them as their mothers would have…Or the kitten that was plucked from the rushing water - she was so cold she didn’t stop shivering for hours, but she is now safe and warm and in the loving care of the IFAW rescue team.

Your support helps us save animals like these, and more animals are coming in by the hour.

Your life-saving gift will help us rescue and care for so many animal victims.

IFAW’s highly-skilled Emergency Relief team is caring for all of these animals at our temporary rescue shelter at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Illinois. The county has welcomed IFAW’s team – among the first animal rescue groups on the scene - and is allowing use of their barns and fairgrounds. The IFAW Emergency Relief team will care for pets and livestock that will eventually be reunited with their owners, and wild animals that will be rehabilitated and released into the wild.

The meaning of community

Midwesterners have an incredible sense of community and generosity – people have been working for days on end to bolster levees with sandbags…neighbors help each other - even those they have never met - just because they feel it is the right thing to do. And now you have the chance to do your part.

Any amount you can spare will help us care for the dogs and cats, horses, chickens, pigs, fawns and any other animals that need us. It will help provide the food and medicine to give the animals the strength they need to survive. And it will help us rescue even more animals.

You have stood with us before. Please stand with us again, by giving what you can.

Thank you,

Fred O'Regan
President and CEO

p.s. We just received word that our Emergency Relief team is planning a major rescue operation to save some farm animals stranded atop a levee. Please give now to help keep our rescue efforts going.

read the rest here -

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/printstory/0,25585,24002768-5016681,00.html (http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/printstory/0,25585,24002768-5016681,00.html)

Thanks for the article Whiskey Girl.  Pamela Anderson has been involved with PETA on other issues too, like fur.  Glad to see her speaking out for farm animals also.  I'm vegetarian, but if you choose to eat meat, chicken and fish, you should be aware of the cruelty involved.  There's no need to treat animals that way, even if they are raised for food.  Humane treatment of all animals, domestic, wild and farm animals is the goal.  Thanks again for contributing to the cause--awareness is key.  Many don't know what's happening.  Some would rather just look away, not think about it.  The HSUS found that downed cows -- cows that couldn't walk -- were being used for food.  They had no idea if the cows were sick or if their illness could be transferred to humans.  They were also beating and using cattle prods to try to get these poor sick or crippled animals to get up and walk to their deaths.  HSUS conducted an undercover investigation and brought this problem to light just a few months ago.  Whether or not you choose to eat animals, I hope you'll speak out for humane treatment -- your own health and that of your family might be at stake also. 

 ::MonkeyDance::

Several organizations have been working to keep wolves in the U.S. from being hunted and killed.  There are many arguments on both sides; I strongly believe those who are for wolf slaughter favor unnecessary, cruel and inhumane treatment of these beautiful social creatures.  In any case, I'm posting this "temporary" victory for wolves here, because I put my own time and effort into this and, as we saw with proposed Amenesty Bills for illegals,  because it's an example of how OUR system works. 

From National Resources Defense Council: 

It's the best possible news. Seven weeks after we went to court, a federal judge has ordered the Bush Administration to restore endangered species protections for wolves in the northern Rockies until the full case can be heard.

This interim victory is nothing less than a life-saving reprieve for hundreds of wolves outside Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. Since the Bush Administration stripped the region's wolves of federal protection, a total of 110 wolves have been brutally killed in as many days.

But Judge Donald Molloy ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service "acted arbitrarily" in taking the wolf off the endangered species list and turning their management over to the states.

That means Wyoming, Montana and Idaho will be forced to abandon plans to allow the extermination of hundreds of wolves this fall as part of a massive public hunt -- the first in more than three decades.

Simply put, the wolves of Yellowstone and the northern Rockies are much, much safer today than they were just last week.

This incredible, eleventh-hour victory never would have happened without your strong support. Your donations and online activism have fueled this campaign since day one.

Thanks to your backing, a tenacious coalition -- composed of NRDC, EarthJustice and 11 other conservation groups -- has worked tirelessly to save these magnificent creatures in one of America's best-loved places.

Make no mistake: the fight for Yellowstone's wolves is far from over. Judge Molloy's injunction is temporary. We must now wage the courtroom battle for a final ruling in favor of wolves.

You can help us win that fight by making an online donation now. Your contribution will also help support our grassroots operation, which is collecting thousands of Save the Wolf Petitions from tourists in Yellowstone National Park this summer.

With your support, we are going to win both in the court of law and in the court of public opinion –- for the sake of wolf survival. Thank you for making this latest victory possible!

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

We have helicopters and thermal cameras, but it's the dog that goes in, risking its life, and twice takes the bad guys down.  Cool video. 


http://tinyurl.com/2e3ekz

Note to bad guys:  you can't outrun a police dog. 

If you go to this website, you can read about how the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering euthanizing wild horses in order to balance their budget, according to HSUS.  They have a take action  link where you can send an e-mail to them telling them what you think of that.  There's a draft of a letter that you can modify. 

https://community.hsus.org/humane/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=26165056

 ::MonkeyNoNo::

Aug 10, 3:53 PM EDT

La. finally quits cockfights, last state to ban it

By DOUG SIMPSON
Associated Press Writer

 BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Gory and bucolic all at once, cockfights have drawn crowds to small-time pits and full-blown arenas in towns around Louisiana for generations. By next week, they'll be against the law. Everywhere.

On Friday, Louisiana will become the last state to outlaw the rooster fights, a move that cockfighting enthusiasts say marks the end of a rich rural tradition.

"The culture, the custom of the Cajun people, it's gone," said Chris Daughdrill, who breeds fighting roosters in Loranger (lor-AHN-zher), a community about 50 miles north of New Orleans. "It's another one of the rights that big government has taken away from the people."

Maybe so, but supporters and opponents agree that the blood sport won't be wiped out entirely. Like bootlegging, cockfights will continue on the sly in remote areas, and getting caught could mean fines or even prison.

"They're still going to fight, they're still going to fight for years to come," said Elizabeth Barras, who with husband Dale ran a cockfighting pit in St. Martin Parish for 14 years. "They've still got cockfighting in every state. They just hide it from the law."

The fights between specially trained roosters are held in large arenas or in backyards. The birds are fitted with sharp metal blades or curved spikes on their legs, and instinctively attack each other. The match can last over an hour, with one or both animals dead or maimed.

In banning the fights, Louisiana relented after years of pressure from the Humane Society of the United States and other animal-rights groups. For those willing to travel, cockfighting remains legal on American soil in Puerto Rico, American Samoa and Guam and is popular in Mexico, the Philippines and other foreign countries.

High-profile defenders of cockfighting in Louisiana began softening their stance of the fights after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, seeking to improve the state's backwards reputation.

Then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco - a native of Cajun country, where the fights have deep roots - signed the ban last year, closing a loophole in state law that excluded chickens from animal cruelty laws. First-time offenders caught participating in cockfights will face maximum $1,000 fines and six-month prison terms.

Though the ban on cockfighting takes effect Friday, it has been illegal since last year to gamble on cockfights - a separate law passed last year as a precursor to the total ban. Wagering is part of cockfighting's appeal, and the threat of state police raids pushed pit owners to close their businesses, Daughdrill said.

"Cockfighting may still be going on with much smaller venues, in the back woods, but my understanding is there hasn't been any big activity since the gambling ban" took effect, said former lawmaker Art Lentini, who led the push in the Legislature to outlaw rooster fights.

Barras said the gambling ban was the reason for shutting down the Atchafalaya Game Club, a Breaux Bridge pit seating hundreds, that she ran with her husband for more than a decade. She said it wasn't worth the risk of getting arrested if some of her patrons were caught wagering on the fights.

Congress last year toughened federal animal fighting laws and criminalized commerce in cockfighting weapons - razor-like blades attached to roosters' legs during fights. Transporting roosters or other animals across state lines for fighting was boosted from a misdemeanor to a felony.

The combination of new federal and state laws has combined to sap Louisiana's cockfighting industry, which supporters said eliminated what used to be a regular source of business for the state's hotels, restaurants and feed stores.

Daughdrill, head of the Louisiana Gamefowl Breeders Association, said the number of large, active cockfighting pits has dropped from 20 last year to about six now. Membership in the association - breeders fans and the like - has plummeted roughly 90 percent, from 6,000 last year to 600.

"A lot of people are going to quit. They're just going to shut down," Daughdrill said.

Billy Duplechein, who raised fighting roosters as a boy and never stopped attending the fights, said the new law will criminalize a rich, generations-old Cajun tradition.

"I think it's a loss for us," said Duplechein, 38, of St. Martinville. "We're losing out on an opportunity to keep our heritage and our culture."

There's reason for him to take heart, however: Daughdrill said he's attended many illegal cockfights in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi and expects they'll be held in Louisiana, too.

"In all these other states," he said, "I can go up there on any given weekend and go to a rooster fight and it's wide open - like it's not against the law."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LAST_COCKFIGHT?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Glad to hear it, Muffy.  ::cartwheel::

 Let's hope they enforce it vigorously. 

Animal Planet will have a special on this case Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008 at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time. 

Many of  you have followed coverage of the storm, some have been in the path of Gustav.  From what I've heard and read, most monkeys have come through it ok.  We will all prayer for those of you in the hurricane belt as more storms form and threaten you, your neighbors, homes and the animals of the southeast and gulf. 

This time around, several animal groups were in the area as the storms formed, helping people and their pets.  The Humane Society of the United States was one of them.  In at least one instance, there was a mega-shelter for animals set up in Shreveport, LA, ACROSS THE STREET from the shelter where the owners were staying.  So owners were able to visit with their pets each day as they all hunkered down to wait for the storm to pass. 

Here's a video if you'd like to see the happy faces of the pets, their owners and the animal rescue teams.  What a difference some letters, e-mails and phone calls have made since Katrina, where pets were considered expendable, where orders to shoot strays were given, and the resulting pain and suffering of both humans and animals was the result of lack of foresight, planning and compassion. 

http://tinyurl.com/63a57v

God bless America, where people can make changes for the better and government and private agencies will respond to calls for those changes.  We've seen it with Jessica's Law, and we've seen how it doesn't work in places like Aruba.  So keep fighting.  Even if gains are small and progress slow, it's worth it when you see the positive results. 

Stay safe, southeastern monkeys! 

A friend just sent me an animal-themed tribute to 9/11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoxxix0QQdU

 ::MonkeyWink::

Once again, let me express my hopes and prayers that all monkeys affected by Ike are ok. 

I've gotten several reports from animal rescue groups working in the Gulf that dogs have been rescued as they tried desperately to not drown in the flood waters BECAUSE THEY WERE CHAINED UP BY THEIR OWNERS AND LEFT THERE..    I don't understand the lack of I.Q. or compassion that makes people do this, but please don't leave pets behind, and if you have to for some reason, do not leave them chained or crated so they don't have a chance in hell.  It's a death sentence in many instances.  Be aware of neighbors who might do this too and contact authorities if you can't do anything yourself.  Here's a link to the HSUS and some of the rescue stories: 

http://tinyurl.com/696o4w

This has made me so sad  ::MonkeyWaa:: On the U of M campus  ::MonkeyWaa::


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbcroc1002pnoct02,0,5781296.story

Crocodile found dismembered at University of Miami
Staff Report
October 2, 2008
An endangered American crocodile was found dismembered Wednesday at the University of Miami, where the huge reptiles have become a common sight around campus.

The headless, tailless carcass was found in a canal by campus police. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the crime.

Once on the verge of vanishing, the American crocodile has made a strong comeback in the past few years, showing up at golf courses, parks and canals around the southern tip of Florida. They are much rarer than their wider-ranging, freshwater cousin, the alligator. Although alligators have killed people, there is no record of a crocodile attack on a human in Florida.




http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-1010um-crocodile-death,0,6599903.story

Reward offered in UM crocodile killing
The Associated Press
5:36 AM EDT, October 10, 2008
CORAL GABLES - A $2,500 reward is being offered for information on the death of an American crocodile on the University of Miami campus.

The crocodile's headless and tailless carcass was discovered in a campus canal earlier this month.

The Humane Society of the United States and the HSUS Wildlife Land Trust are offering the money for information that would lead to an arrest and conviction in the case.

American crocodiles are listed as an endangered species in Florida and a threatened species under federal laws. The penalty for killing the crocodile in Florida is up to five years in prison and a fine of $5,000.

E-Bay has decided to ban the sale of elephant ivory on its site.  This is great news and a huge victory for elephants.  Here's the article and link to the page: 

IFAW applauds eBay’s decision to protect elephants
 
 
I have some great news in IFAW’s fight to save elephants.

eBay, the world’s largest online trading community, has just announced that they will institute a global ban on the sale of elephant ivory. IFAW is thrilled with this news, and congratulates eBay on this very important step to protect elephants.

Please join me in congratulating eBay by sending them a “thank you” e-mail.

Killing with keystrokes

eBay’s decision was announced just hours before the release of IFAW’s latest investigative report showing that Internet trade in wildlife poses a significant and immediate threat to the survival of elephants and many other endangered species.

The report, Killing with Keystrokes, followed a six-week investigation that tracked more than 7,000 wildlife product listings on 183 Web sites in 11 countries. eBay was singled out as the largest contributor to the problem, responsible for almost two-thirds of the online trade in wildlife products worldwide.

We couldn’t have done it without you

This is a victory we can all celebrate, as it is truly a testament to the power of IFAW’s supporters. Without your help, IFAW could not conduct the investigations that lead to these important victories for animals.

So thank you for allowing us to do the important work we do.

And, of course, we are most happy for the true winners in this – the elephants.

 
http://tinyurl.com/65bb93

There's a video at the link below that describes some of the victories for animals this year, including rescuing pets from hurricanes, protecting seals and getting the EU closer to banning the sale of seal skin, getting eBay to ban the sale of ivory, passing more and tougher laws about dog fighting and rescuing animals from and closing puppy mills.  (There are some sad images, but nothing too graphic, like seal slaughter or dog fighting.) 

https://secure.hsus.org/01/yearend08video_homepage

 ::MonkeyDance::

http://www.ajc.com/falcons/content/sports/falcons/stories/2009/05/19/michael_vick_nfl_future.html
Michael Vick’s future: What’s next?
No team interested in trade yet

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

With the time near for Falcons quarterback Michael Vick’s release from federal prison, here are five things to know about Vick’s future:
Home confinement

For two months Michael Vick will be confined to his home in Hampton, Va., with his fiancée and two of his children. He will be allowed to leave for work and church. He is set to be released from federal custody on July 20, 2009. He also has to serve three years of supervised probation. Also, he cannot own any dogs.

Return to the NFL?

Vick is currently suspended by the NFL and remains on the Falcons roster. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell does not have a meeting set with Vick or his representatives to discuss reinstatement. He wants to see that Vick is truly remorseful for his actions. Goodell finds himself in uncharted waters. The one-year suspensions of Paul Hornung and Alex Karras for gambling don’t provide any guidance. Previously, they were the league’s longest suspensions. Vick will have to explain why he initially lied to Goodell about the dogfighting operation.
<SNIPPED>

Raising some cash

Vick is currently in bankruptcy and needs to raise some cash. There have been discussions about a reality show and a book deal. Vick reportedly has written his book while in prison and is seeking a publisher and a co-author.

***********
I wonder if Michael Vick is truly "remorseful for his actions" or is he sorry he got caught?  JMHO

Wow I did not know that we had this thread.  I must say that I love it! 

In response to Muffy, I do not think that Vick is at all remorsefull, he is only upset that he was caught and lost his job and all of his endorsements.  Had this man not been caught, this crap would still be going on.

I have listened to his celebrity friends attempt to "defend" him, and in each conversation each of the individuals makes reference that Vick is not very smart.......he passed through life on his tallent for football alone.  I am sorry, but that gives him no pass here, nor should it have given him a lesser sentence IMO.  Those animals did not have a choice.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/20669920/detail.html

Group Asks Safeway, Trader Joe's For Egg Crate Warning

Posted: 11:21 am PDT September 1, 2009

WASHINGTON -- An animal rights group is calling on the nation's largest grocery story chains to post warnings on egg cartons that unwanted male chicks are ground up alive, after videotaping the common industry practice at an Iowa egg hatchery.

In letters sent to the companies this week, Chicago-based Mercy for Animals says its undercover videotape at Hy-Line North America's hatchery in Spencer, Iowa, "exposes one of the industry's best kept secrets -- that the egg industry tears male chicks' bodies apart in grinding machines while they are still alive."

The group wants the chains to include a label on egg cartons that says, "Warning: Male chicks are ground-up alive by the egg industry." The letters were sent to 50 chains, including Walmart, Whole Foods, Safeway, Harris Teeter and Trader Joe's.

"The violence that you will see is standard and acceptable within the egg industry, and consumers have a right to know about this cruelty so that they can make informed and compassionate purchasing decisions," wrote Mercy for Animals' executive director, Nathan Runkle.

A spokesman for United Egg Producers, a trade group for U.S. egg farmers, called the proposal "almost a joke." Spokesman Mitch Head said Mercy for Animals had no credible authority, as well as questionable motives. "This is a group which espouses no egg consumption by anyone -- so that is clearly their motive." The video does in fact end with a call for people to adopt a vegan diet, which eliminates all animal products -- meat, eggs or dairy.

Hy-Line said in a statement it has started an investigation "of the entire situation," adding that it would have helped their investigation "had we been aware of the potential violation immediately after it occurred."

The video, shot with a hidden camera and microphone by a Mercy for Animals employee who got a job at the plant in May and June, shows a Hy-Line worker sorting through a conveyor belt of chirping chicks, flipping some of them into a chute like a poker dealer flips cards.

These chicks, which a narrator says are males, are then shown being dropped alive into a grinding machine.

In other parts of the video, a chick is shown dying on the factory floor amid a heap of egg shells after falling through a sorting machine. Another chick, also still alive, is seen lying on the floor after getting scalded by a wash cycle, according to the video narrator.

Hy-Line said the video "appears to show an inappropriate action and violation of our animal welfare policies," referring to chicks on the factory floor.

But the company also noted that "instantaneous euthanasia" -- a reference to killing of male chicks by the grinder -- is a standard practice supported by the animal veterinary and scientific community.

According to Mercy for Animals, male chicks are of no use to the industry because they can't lay eggs and don't grow large or quickly enough to be raised profitably for meat. That results in the killing of 200 million male chicks a year.

The United Egg Producers confirmed that figure and the practice behind it.

"There is, unfortunately, no way to breed eggs that only produce female hens," said spokesman Head. "If someone has a need for 200 million male chicks, we're happy to provide them to anyone who wants them. But we can find no market, no need."

Using a grinder, Head said, "is the most instantaneous way to euthanize chicks."

There is no federal law that ensures the humane euthanasia of animals on farms or hatcheries, according to Jonathan Lovvorn, vice president and chief counsel of the Humane Society of the United States.

Hy-Line says on its Web site that its Iowa facility produces 33.4 million chicks. Based on that figure, Mercy for Animals estimates a similar number of male chicks are killed at the facility each year. Hy-Line did not comment on that estimate.

Runkle, of Mercy for Animals, said most people would be shocked to learn that 200 million chicks are killed a year.

"Is this justifiable just for cheap eggs?" he said.

As to more humane alternatives to disposing of male chicks, Runkle said the whole system is inherently flawed.

"The entire industrial hatchery system subjects these birds to stress, fear and pain from the first day," he said.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/pets/detail?entry_id=46679&tsp=1
Chicks ground up alive, caught on video

The egg industry is known as one of the cruelest and inhumane on the planet. But an undercover video, filmed and publicized by the Chicago-based animal rights group Mercy for Animals shines the spotlight on an industry practice that is beyond horrific.

The video (below), which is not for the faint of heart, shows hundreds of unwanted male chicks being ground up ALIVE at an Iowa hatchery owned by Hy-Line North America, the nation's leading egg producer. (Click on above link to watch video)

 Mercy for Animals employee who got a job at the plant shot the video using a hidden camera and microphone. It shows a Hy-Line worker casually sorting through a conveyor belt of fluffy chirping chicks, "flipping some of them into a chute like a poker dealer flips cards."

Hy-Line admitted that "instantaneous euthanasia" (e.g. grinding up male chicks) is a standard practice and claims that it is also supported by the animal veterinary and scientific community. (Male chicks are less valuable because they can't lay eggs or be raised quickly enough for meat.) Mercy for Animals estimates that 200 million male chicks are killed annually and United Egg Producers confirmed this figure.

In addition to releasing the video to the press, Mercy for Animals also sent letters to the nation's 50 largest grocery store chains, including Walmart, Whole Foods, Safeway, Harris Teeter and Trader Joe's, asking them to include a label on egg cartons that reads: "Warning: Male chicks are ground-up alive by the egg industry."

Spokesman Mitch Head told the AP that Mercy for Animals had no credible authority in addition to questionable motives. "This is a group which espouses no egg consumption by anyone." He also offered to provide the unwanted 200 million male chicks to "anyone who wants them," adding that there is no current market for them.

No federal law exists to ensures the humane euthanasia of animals on farms or hatcheries. According to the Humane Society of the United States, even egg farms that sell cage-free eggs, get their hens from hatcheries that kill their male chicks.

Why is it "okay" in our society to treat chickens in this fashion? Does this information change the way you think about buying and eating eggs?

(There are 125 comments on this article, so far)