Animal Rights Issues

[LilPuma]

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?   

[MuffyBee]

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

[LouiseVargas]

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.

[LilPuma]

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. 

[Nut44x4]

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.

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

[LilPuma]

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.

 

[LilPuma]

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. 

[LilPuma]

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]

[Observer]

 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

[LilPuma]

I

 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
 
Since this came by e-mail I can't provide a link, but the HSUS web address is www.hsus.org. 

[MuffyBee]

Thank you LilPuma! 

[bleachedblack]

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


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



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

[LilPuma]

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/

[LilPuma]

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


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

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. 

[LilPuma]

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.   

[pdh3]

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/

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.

[LilPuma]

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. 

[LilPuma]

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. 

[WhiskeyGirl]

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/

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.

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

[LilPuma]

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