ANIMAL CONNECTION

Archive for the ‘Resources’ Category

I recently had a veterinarian in India contact me.  He brought up the subject of using animals for the benefit of science.  He wanted to get feedback from people around the world. This is a very controversial topic.  On one side people are all for it.  They have a family member that is very sick, or they are sick themselves.  They would like to find a cure before they die.  On the other hand there are people who say, why should lots of animals die trying to find a cure for humans?  Aren’t animals living, caring, feeling creatures too?  There is still another side, why not do the trials on humans?  There are people who would not have a problem doing this as long as they were financially cared for and all related expenses were taken care of for them.  The challenge, it’s illegal in the US.  I’m not sure about other parts of the world.

So what is the answer? Here are a number of responses I have received from around the world.  You can read more of these comments, and join a group that I started by clicking here. The group is for people who want to share their thoughts, ideas and stories about animal organizations, charities or issues. We also want to get ideas and feedback on things people can do to help.  We are already inundated with the negative things going on in the world.  Let’s come up with some solutions that people can implement in their own lives.

This new group is also for people in the film, TV, media industry.  I want to find ways to spread the word on some of the wonderful solutions people come up with.  The show, Animal Connection, will be a series bringing a lot of these things to the forefront to be shared around the world.

Here are some recent comments:

1. Kim: I am not a Dr. therefore my viewpoint is tilted and objectivity is lost. More and more research is showing us that animals are sentient beings and do feel pain and suffering.

That being said, if one of my children were suffering and there was a cure that required animal testing to determine it’s effect, then obviously my point of view would be altered…therein lies the dilemma.

2.  Dr. Mishar: Definitely there are developments on certain area where animal models can be replaced by tissue culture. I think, it’s used wherever it can be. However, we are far from developing a model to replicate human biosystem which is a human being only.

Now the issue is with Animal drug development. We did a historical analysis to get a result that nearly 60% of animal drugs are translated from human pharmaceuticals. Faster the human drug development, faster the translation into veterinary products for animal’s ailments. Drugs like Vancomycin are also available for animals after successful launch for human beings. Animal pharma market is not as attractive as human pharma to invite heavy investment for new drug development. Mostly animal pharma gets benefited from human focused pharma innovations. Recently one drug named Carprofen with minimum side effect in human beings got translated for animal’s use also. This drug can actually reduce the side effect of earlier drugs and can reduce animal pain with minimal side effect.I being a vet and running a clinical research organization for animal’s well being, vouch for faster human drug development which can in turn help animal world.

Now the debate remains and I agree with you Kim and Vanessa, wherever substitute available, it has to be explored first before even thinking about animal trial. Just in case of unavailability of alternatives, don’t we think that a faster development of human drugs actually helps animals also?   Please feel free to give your views and all type of perspectives.

3.  Vanessa: You give a very interesting perspective on the matter. I don’t think that the fact that medication for animals can be developed sooner by animal testing should be a justifiable reason to do so.

I will admit that I do not know a lot about this and there are probably a lot of facts unknown to me however here are my thoughts. I am a mother of 7 children and blessed that all are in perfect health. However, if one of my children had a life threatening illness, I would want anything that could be done to save them to be looked at.

Please don’t get me wrong, I am very careful over the name brands I purchase –I make sure they are environmentally friendly and non-animal tested. I have also been a vegetarian for the past 13 years because I would never want another animal to die for me when I can easily substitute the meat. I also have 10 animals at home that I completely love and cherish.

So hypothetically speaking, if there was a lift threatening illness where the only way scientist knew how to create a cure is through animal testing, I can understand the reasoning. However, if you are talking about creating a medication for something more superficial such as medicine to make you look younger or to help someone’s seasonal allergies, then I can not see that as reason enough for it.

4. Rose: I also do not have a medical background, but my line of work does put me in touch with animals in the environment of energy healing and animal communication.

I respect the perspectives of everyone here, but have a slightly different one. Animals are sentient beings who feel many of the same emotions we do and feel physical pain. They understand and accept being part of the food chain as natural, however experimentation on animals is not natural, it is something that mankind has developed for personal benefit. I feel that animals have the right to decide if they wish to volunteer for experimentation just as humans do. This is a question of ethics, science has determined that animals think and feel, why should we subject them to terrible quality of life for our benefit? It my belief that we should put more money into finding ways to prevent many of the illnesses that are caused by how we treat our bodies, the earth, and our food sources rather than into drug research.

I do not have children, but I do have sisters, and a father who died of cancer. I still feel that experimentation on animals is wrong for any reason. Just because you can do something does not mean you should.

5.  Carolyn: I understand and respect everyone’s reasoning, this is probably going to be a really interesting conversation!

Personally on both an intellectual and an emotional level I am strongly against the use of animals for testing, especially in the development of cosmetics. This is not only from an animal welfare point of view. I started in on this when I was very, very young. I was pretty rabidly anti-vivisection and testing purely for welfare reasons, and then went on to research more about the viability and “sense” of animal testing.

So far our conversation has focused on drug development/testing. It is my understanding that using animal tests to model drug effects can give dangerously misleading results. i.e. thalidomide.

There are many other ways in which animals are being used for medical research and development.

As far as I remember, nobody has yet talked about other uses of animals in medical/scientific research. As an example- the mouse who had an ear grown on his back.

Where are the boundaries for everyone else here?

If we remove the outright tortures of draize testing, toxicity testing, deliberately poisoning animals or creating tumours etc in animals, what views do all of you have on this issue?

Will an appropriately human based medium for testing and research etc ever be developed when world leaders are religiously and and/ or anthrocentrically obsessed to the point of banning stem cell research etc?

P.S  Dr Mishrah I somehow had the idea that university students in the UK do sometimes “volunteer” (and sometimes get paid) to participate in drug/chemical trials. Is this correct?

Have you ever thought about going on vacation but you’re concerned about what to do with your pet?  How about taking your pet with you?

It is estimated around 85% of pet owners travel with their pets by car. If you’re planning to take your pet with you on trips in the car, start early when the pet is young so they get used to the routine.   Short jaunts across town and back, or easy day trips, will get your pet used to the ride.  A carsick pet can make the trip miserable for everyone.

A seat upholstery protector, such as a pet hammock or waterproof seat cover will make clean-ups easier in case your pet does get sick or has an accident.

Be sure to bring along cleaning supplies to avoid having to search out a place to purchase them at the last minute.

If you are going to be riding on buses or trains you need to check the state and local restrictions. Some prohibit pets from riding on buses or trains unless they are assisting visually impaired or physically challenged persons. Always check in advance with these transportation providers to find out what regulations they may impose.

Before you travel with your pet, check with your veterinarian to make sure your pet is physically able to make the trip. Some senior or physically impaired dogs and cats do not travel well. You may want to consider a local, reputable kennel for your pet, or if your pet is would be more comfortable at home, you may want to contact a pet sitting organization to locate a pet sitter in your area who can take care of your pet in its own, familiar surroundings.

If you decide that your pet is able to take the trip there are still a number of things to consider.

Traveling with pets internationally can be much more challenging than domestic travel with pets because of long waiting periods, quarantine requirements and other importation regulations. If you are considering traveling internationally with your pet, it’s important to begin planning way ahead of your intended time of travel. Proper planning will help better prepare you and your pet for the trip, lessen the stress on both of you and provide realistic expectations of international pet travel.

Here are a few things you should think about:

1. What types of airline restrictions do you have for international pet travel?
2. Do you limit the number of pets allowed in cargo and in the cabin?
3. Are certain breeds of pets not permitted or not advised to travel internationally?
4. What are the container requirements?
5. Will my pet have to change planes?
6. Will my pet be able to relieve himself somewhere if it is a long flight?
7. When and where should I drop off my pet?
8. What documents will I need to transport my pet?
9. Where will my pet clear customs?

What do you do if your pet needs emergency care, at home or while you are away? What if your pet gets lost or even worst, what if there is a disaster in your area?  You will need to find resources for all of these issues.

We can help you find answers to these and other issues.  If you have suggestions you have used for your animals, please post them so that other pet owners can learn from your experience.

Please join our new group on Linkedin.  Click here go to that group.

People are discussing animal issues around the world as well as thoughts on distribution from people in entertainment, social media, film, etc.

Here are a few of the current topics that were started by members:

1. I am living in Asia (Vietnam). In this part of the world, people use to eat domestic animals like dogs… How can we react to that? Do we have to react to this habit?… Don’t we also eat domestic animals, like horses? Can’t we compare the relationship of horse to man with the dog’s one?…

The cultural (mis-)understanding is a problem we can find in all aspects of the life!…

Could you be interested in such an approach?… We could produce a series about such problems everywhere in the world!…. What do you think about that?

2. Marketing Animal Issues around the world can be a challenge. Below is a link that helps with some thoughts. If you have other thoughts or feedback please share them.

http://cheetahlink.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/animal-health-marketing-marketing-roi-measuring-roi-online-marketing/

3. Where I have lived most of my life, roaming dogs have always been a rare experience. In my travels though I have found some areas have a greater amount of wandering pets than others. Most obvious was on a recent trip in the South West where I was overwhelmed by a great number of loose dogs. …obviously many were accustomed to the begging lifestyle.

I assume economics play heavily into this situation, but I wonder how much of it could be due to their cultural animal human relationship.

4.  Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization. Our mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.

Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately-balanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations.

Please join Linked Sea Shepherd NL at:   http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=1807037&trk=anet_ug_grppro

4. I’m in Tidewater VA off the Chesapeake Bay.  The animal-culture here in the SE-USA is not comfortable or familiar to me; dogs often live in yards, even in gorgeous wealthy enclaves with waterfront views + deepwater slips for the family boat, the dog may live outside… which is bizarre to me.

The neighborhoods with roaming dogs here are poor; they are also the neighborhoods that tend *not* to S/N. :—( which of course means the roaming pets are more-often intact, and litters result.

One non-profit is providing FREE s/n for residents of one large neighborhood, every Friday; U sign-up for a block-appt, drop off the dog or cat at 8-AM, pick em up after 1 to 2-PM, all done.

One woman here must have 20 cats, and most are tuxedos; I swear U could make a bed-throw for a twin-bed from her intact-adults, all in black + white. if they ALL breed, by this Sept U could make a bed-throw for a double-bed of black-and-white pelts.
Heartbreaking, crazy, they are slinking under cars, jumping into dumpsters, its incredible.

I am dropping $100 on a commercial-grade 3-ft long double-ended live-trap; I am going to catch + desex every cat I can get into the trap, get their ears notched, and bring them back.

I cannot BEAR to see this new-crop of kittens get winnowed by illness, HBC, fights + abcesses, dogs attacking them, poison… its too much. so I am going to take EVERY roaming intact cat + get them done…  their nominal *owners* of the few that supposedly have homes have not even gotten them rabies-vaxed, and rabies is ** very! ** very hot, here. :nonod:

With a chip + notched ear, their rabies-status will be able to be publicly tracked. the initial shot is annual; after that, they only have to come in every 3-years. most will not make it more than those 2 shots, to tell the truth.

If any that come in are friendly, i will do my best to get them *indoor* homes.
the kittens are sometimes salvageable, if U get them early-enuf.

Girding my loins, ;–) wish me luck… and no bites or scratches, I hope!

Today there are believed to be fewer than 2,500 breeding adult Tigers left in the wild, and their numbers are declining. Tigers are listed as Endangered by the IUCN.

A friend of mine is getting ready to do a documentary about these Tigers and made me aware of this horrific practice.

The greatest threats to Tigers are habitat loss, poaching and lack of sufficient prey.

Once found across Asia, from Turkey to eastern Russia, over the past century Tigers have disappeared from south-west and central Asia, from Java and Bali in Indonesia and from large parts of South-east and East Asia.

Tigers have lost 93% of their historic range, and more than 40% of their range in the last decade. Much of the remaining habitat is becoming increasingly fragmented.

Today, Tigers are found only in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and VietNam, and possibly in North Korea.

Tigers, and numerous other species of endangered wild life, have to contend with poaching! Regardless of the tigers’ classification as a “Critically Endangered” species, the demand for its parts has drastically increased at an alarming rate since the end of the 20th Century. The tiger is primarily killed to supply underground black markets with its organs, pelts and bones. These items are highly regarded in eastern medicine, claiming to posse’s capabilities to heal all sorts of human illnesses and dysfunctions. In addition, this regal and magnificent symbol of nature’s beauty and power is hunted recreationally for sport/trophies, perceived fear, and just out-rite ignorance! Unfortunately, poaching is not isolated to any one subspecies or population. All tigers, no matter were they live, seem to be under attack!

The import and exportation of tiger parts is a sizable business.  The penis sells for $6,000 (USD in 2008) which is used in a soup as an aphrodisiac.  Dried white tiger penis is worth even more. It is probably the most expensive piece of animal material in the world and probably the reason for the deaths of many magnificent wild tigers.   A large number of Chinese still believe that the body parts of animals can cure their ailments. And the doctors who practice traditional Chinese medicine haven’t yet decided to do what they do in the west, substitute animal parts for man made ingredients.  Despite the widespread availability of aspirin, a highly effective pain killer and indeed many other pain killers, many Chinese prefer to ingest crushed tiger bone for pain relief.

This practice takes place in China, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia and the other Asian countries.  In 1990, over 4,180 pounds of tiger bones were exported from Taiwan to Japan. Documented records from the Korean government state that over 8700 pounds of tiger bones were imported into South Koreas from Indonesia.  In Hong Kong black markets, venders sell a pound of powdered tiger humorous bone sells for over $1700.

Other tiger body parts are believed to do the following to the person who consumes them:

• 1. Heart – gives strength and courage
• 2. Tail – body rub for skin problems
• 3. Bones – put in wine for rheumatism
• 4. Brains – body rub to cure acne
• 5. Eyes – turned into pills for epilepsy
• 6. Whiskers – cure for toothache

It is still cheaper to kill and export the body parts of a wild tiger than to farm them.  At this rate how long will it take for their complete extinction in the wild? Keep in mind that all of these so-called treatments are completely unproven by science and have absolutely no real medical value.

How is man considered to be of superior intelligence compared to these animals when this happens?

If man has no respect for such a remarkable animal as the tiger, how can mankind be expected to protect all of the other animals, plants and wild places sharing the planet with us?  One way to help, don’t purchase items made from animal parts or made by animals (elephant paintings).

Many organizations are in need of volunteers to help save these animals and educate the public.  To learn more about the tigers and things you can do,  go to these websites:

Wildlife 1

Traffic

Tiger Homes

I want Friday’s to bring awareness to other organizations that are doing wonderful things for animals. If you have information you want to share, send me a paragraph on the topic with a link to the website, by 11am on Thursday.  I will do this each Friday.  Please pass this link on to bring awareness to these wonderful organizations, thanks!

1. Have you ever thought about the food you eat?  How does it affect your body and health?

There is a new movie called Food, Inc.  It educates people about the food they eat. Oprah dedicated one of her shows to this topic.  Alicia Silverstone wrote a book called “The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet”. She also discusses this topic.

When we used to cook quality food at home our health care costs, and medical needs, were much lower.  Our world has changed.  People buy fast food an average of 4 times a week.  With that increase there has been an increase in health issues and health care costs.  Animals are force fed and given all kinds of hormones.  This impacts the animals, as well as the humans that consume them.  A few of the topics discussed in the movie:

1. Where our food comes from
2. How it affects our health
3. How to purchase quality food at the best price
4. Restaurants that serve high quality food that has been raised caged free

What are your thoughts about this?  You can comment below.

2. They say bears hibernate in the winter, right?  Watch the video below to see what they really do in the comfort of their own caves!  This is live video inside a bear’s den!

A team of  biologists go to a black bear den to study a female bear and her two newborn cubs. The group recorded each cub’s weight and gender and examined the mother bear.   Please listen to what they have to say about the bears and humans interacting.  Sound familiar about other animals in the wild?

THESE ARE WILD ANIMALS, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS ON YOUR OWN!!

3. Kirsten Starcher plays bass in a Vancouver-based rock band and while performing in Toronto, Canada in 2006, took a poignant photograph of a homeless man with his dog nestled in his arms.  Her photo has touched many hearts around the world.  Her consent to “Pets of the Homeless” to use her photo set a wave in motion.

“Years later, it still amazes me how this one tiny action, which almost didn’t happen, has had a ripple effect I never would have predicted,” wrote Kirsten for an article in the March 2010, Pets of the Homeless Newsletter.

People started writing to tell Kirsten about how the photo affected them.  More charities asked to use it in their writings; artists asked to paint their own versions of it; a musician wrote a song about it. She received email from a woman in South Africa who found it on a flyer on the beach and was deeply moved. One of the artists planned to give a percentage of his gallery’s earnings – for a month – to a local homelessness charity, by way of appreciation.

This stunning photograph can be seen on the Pets of the Homeless website.

Our world is ever changing. Remember when there were only three networks on TV?   Now there are so many choices that people are overwhelmed.   You add reality TV networks to the mix and it’s impossible to keep up.  A lot of people record, or “Tivo” shows so they can see them “when they have time”.  When does that happen?  We have become so overwhelmed with keeping up with work and family life that most people don’t have time for TV.  When they do watch it I wonder, how many people really take in what they are watching?  Are their minds still on something else?

Now, add the internet to the mix. Most people are on their computers for work and play.  It’s no wonder TV shows try to direct you to their website.  That’s where most people spend their time.  It is the place to find love, food, cars, investments, TV shows you missed, coupons and specials, old friends, as well as anything you need regarding animals.  That is why I am placing my show on the internet, so I know you will see it!

I wanted to share with you some sites I think you might want to put into your database.  You never know when you might need them.  You’re already on the computer reading this    I have posted them below.

There is also a term a lot of people have heard but really don’t understand.  It is called “Fostering”.  I recently did a report on Greyhounds.  The dogs are rescued, sent to prison and trained by the prisoners.  After they are trained they are sent to foster homes, or rescues, until they are adopted.

I always thought that fostering meant you HAD to keep the animal until a new home was found.  That is not the case. Most of the time animals are only with you for a short time, maybe a week or two.  If you have to leave for a trip, the organization will take the animal.  If you only want a “friend” for a few weeks or a month, that is fine.  There is a HUGE NEED for foster homes everywhere.  There are all kinds of animals that need a foster home.  It can be fun to learn about a new animal without the long term commitment.  The animals come with food.  Any medical care is also taken care of for you.  All the animal needs is a safe and loving place to stay, temporarily.  In addition, think of the love you will get in return.

The other nice thing about fostering is that you just opened up a spot for another animal.  If it had not been for you, that animal might have been put down because there was no place for it to go.

If you would like to find out more regarding fostering, I suggest you contact your local shelter, rescue or other animal organization.  Ask, “what does takes to be a foster parent”?

If you are looking for animals to adopt:

1.www.petango.com – These are all PetPoint Shelters.  They also have a web based store and will make a donation to a selected shelter as a result of the person’s purchase.

2. www.adoptapet.com – People can do a “search saver” which will send them an email when a specific breed they are looking for becomes available.

3. www.pets911.com

4. www.petfinder.com

5. www.akc.org – breed specific rescue groups

If you lost an animal:

1. http://petharbor.com

2. http://helpmefindmypet.com

3. http://dogdetective.com

4. http://haveyouseenthispet.com

5. http://www.pets911.com

6. http://petfinder.com

7. http://www.missingpet.net

Organizations that will help owners that cannot afford vet care.

Most of them handle serious medical conditions and injury.  Some focus on low income, elderly and handicapped owners.  A couple of them are for rescue organizations and homeless pets.

1. www.angels4animals.org

2. www.carecredit.com

3.www.fveap.org/sys-tmple/door

4.www.imom.org

5.http://thepetfund.com

6.www.uan.org/lifeline

7.www.corgiaid.org

8.www.handicappedpets.com

9.www.labradorlifeline.org

I am sure there are many more organizations that can be added to this list.  If you would like to post about one you know of, please submit it under our “Resources/ Organizations” page.  Thanks for all you do for animals around the world!

What is your first impression when you hear a rescued dog was sent to prison?  Do you conjure up images that are not pleasant?   READ THE INFORMATION AND GO BEHIND THE SCENES, WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW. I think you will be pleasantly surprised and your heart will pound, in a good way.

There is an organization called 2nd Chance at Life.  They place Greyhounds in prisons once they have been rescued.  They have placed over 600 dogs nationwide. These dogs are fostered by the prisoners.

What Does The Greyhound and Inmate Prison Partnership Do?

Greyhounds

1. Delivers an Obedience Trained Greyhound to the Community

2. Provides a Network of Prison Foster Homes for Greyhounds

3. Gives them a place to live until they can be adopted

4. Allows two 24/7 inmate caretaker’s for each greyhound

5. Saves thousands of retired racing greyhounds

Prisoners

1. Allows inmates to give something back to the community

2. Allows inmates to experience un-conditional love

3. Relieves inmate idleness in prison facilities

4. Teaches inmates patience and responsibility

5. Establishes vocational jobs for the inmates

ALL OF THE DOGS ON THIS POST ARE UP FOR ADOPTION!

Who is a typical adoptable Greyhound?

They’re really a 45 mile an hour couch potato!!!!!!

Usually between eighteen months and five years old.

They do not require a great deal of space to run, as many people think, but they do enjoy their daily walks.

These ex-racers are intelligent, quiet, clean, good-natured, adaptable, sensitive, dogs who adjust readily to their new home environment.

They are eager to please and respond positively to any attention.

They provide their new owner with never ending loyalty and affection.

What does Gold Coast Greyhound Adoptions do?

Find the best prescreened, match as possible for your family, with current shots, cleaned teeth. Prescreening includes cat testing that would help ensure compatibility with cats and other small animals.

Find loving and qualified homes for the Greyhounds entrusted to our care. We spay/neuter provide vaccinations and make sure all Greys are in excellent health, including teeth.

Provide ongoing support to those who adopt Greyhounds from Gold Coast Greyhound Adoptions, Inc. or any other group.

Educate the public and raise awareness about the availability and suitability of retired racing Greyhounds as pets.

Promote harmony and teamwork among all segments of the worldwide Greyhound community.

How can someone adopt a prison trained or even a non-prison trained rescued Grey?

There are a number of organizations where you can adopt these wonderful  dogs.  One that I know about, in my area, is Gold Coast Greyhound.

ALL OF THE DOGS ON THIS POST ARE UP FOR ADOPTION

You can complete the adoption form from Gold Coast Greyhounds here. You can also call them  at 941-312-1750.

More Foster Homes Are Needed!!

1. They provide extension into the community

2. Conduct reference checks

3. Provide ongoing support to the Grey and his forever home.

4. Great option for snow birds or anyone without a long term commitment.

Everyone asks, “Is it difficult to give up a foster?” Yes and No.  It’s very easy to develop an emotional attachment but when you place a happy Grey in his forever home with wonderful & caring families we are very happy! Then we know we can foster another Grey and help them find a loving home.  If you cannot foster and cannot adopt, donations help support the cost of caring for our Greyhounds and preparing them for our prison training program.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION….

ALL OF THE DOGS ON THIS POST ARE UP FOR ADOPTION.

Racing Greyhounds spend most of their lives in the company of other dogs, their trainers and handlers. Racing Greyhounds have all the advantage of breeding and training when it comes to being a good pet. Their social ability generally makes them great with other pets. Their temperament makes them wonderful around children and friends. Their intelligence and breed make them perfect house pets. A clean, quiet loving companion, a well-mannered Greyhound could be just the pet for you.

I want Friday’s to bring awareness to other organizations that are doing wonderful things for animals. If you have information you want to share, send me a paragraph on the topic with a link to the website, by 11am on Thursday.  I will do this each Friday.  Please pass this link on to bring awareness to these wonderful organizations, thanks!

Enjoy the 6 posts below:

1.  A Love Story: A) Here, his wife is injured and the condition is fatal.  She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.

B) Here he brought her food and attended to her with love and compassion.

C) He brought her food again but was shocked to find her dead. He tried to move her….a rarely-seen effort for swallows!

D) Aware that his sweetheart is dead and will never come back to him again,he cries with adoring love.

E) He stands beside her, saddened by her death.

F) Finally aware that she would never return to him, he stays beside her body with sadness and sorrow.

Millions of people cried after seeing this picture story in America and Europe and even in India .  It is said that the photographer sold these pictures for a nominal fee to the most famous newspaper in France .  All copies of that newspaper were sold out on the day these pictures were published. And many people think birds and animals don’t have a brain or feelings!!

1. 2.  On December 15th, 2009 the SPCA of Texas took custody of 26,000 exotic animals from US Global Exotics in the largest animal seizure in US history. USGE was a major distributor of exotic animals from wallabies to hamsters; warehousing them in horrific conditions until they could be brokered to stores, breeders and retailers. Thousands of reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, arachnids, and many other animals were cruelly confined in filthy conditions, literally crammed into cattle-feeding troughs, boxes, bags, and even pop bottles. They did not have food, water, or veterinary care. According to reports 500 animals a day were dying at USGE, ending up tossed in their dumpster.

Thanks to an undercover PETA investigation the animals were permanently awarded to the SPCA of Texas on Feb 1, 2010. Love or hate PETA you have to give them credit for this one.  Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary was proud and honored to be selected as one of 30 rescues in the nation to receive some of the rescued animals from the US Global Exotics animal cruelty and neglect
case. Located in Northern Illinois Critter Camp board member Shary Stelter made the trip to Nashville, TN to meet up with the SPCA of TX transport on Superbowl Sunday where she was interviewed by Nashville Television station WSMV.  See the 75 critters from USGE now calling Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary their home, including adorable Texas Spotted Ground Squirrels, short-tailed opossum , Roborovski hamsters and little white mice; and find links to more information on our Global Exotics Rescue Page:
Click Here For More Information.

Critter Camp is the only exotic pet sanctuary of its kind in the U.S. giving a safe, healthy happy home to the elderly, sick, disabled and aggressive un-adoptable exotic pets that have nowhere else to go, currently caring for over 300 animals of 36 different species!  Click Here to go to Their Website

3. Pepsi is funding grants in various categories until 2/28. Many Houston dogs are euthanized due to heartworms in a good economy, it is at a horrendous pace currently.

The drug to treat this is very expensive and each bottle only treats 22 lbs. This group is desperate to move up into the funded top ten. More information and pictures of saved dogs are on the site.  This could help dogs at many rescue groups and shelter.  People can vote every day, until the 28th. PLEASE, CLICK HERE to go to this site to vote today, and everyday until the 28th.

4. TAKE ACTION TODAY!!! 36,000 elephants were killed last year for their ivory. In 16 DAYS 111 tonnes of ivory will be traded at the CITIES* conference if certain countries have their way.

This will pretty much kick-start the ivory trade in a massive way meaning the end for tens or even hundreds of thousands of elephants.

If this bothers you too, please try and stop this happening by signing this petition, CLICK HERE (you’ll need to confirm your signature).

5.   A documentary was just completed.  It’s about No Kill Pet Rescues and Shelters as well as the challenges they face. In November of 2008 a family adopted a new family member from the Animal Welfare Society and learned about the lack of awareness of the No Kill shelters.  They took it upon themselves to finance and create a program about these shelters.   They have pledged 60% of all profits to go to the AWS and if they can get great distribution, will split some for other local shelters in the Detroit area.

6.   Dachshund Rescue of Bucks County & NJ  have on-line workshops. They are hosted by dachshund experts and are designed to help you have a long and happy relationship with your doxie of any size.  There is a small donation fee charged for attendance with all proceeds donated to DRBC for the high medical fees incurred in the rescue and rehabilitation of our beloved breed.

This Month’s First Topic: Dental Disease and Your Dog
Those amazing toofers. How to keep them clean, bright and where they belong.  Are doxies more prone to dental disease?   How often should I clean my dogs teeth. How often should my vet clean my dogs teeth?   Dental and cardiac disease,yes, they are related.  Did you know there is anew vaccine to eliminate 4 out of 5 of the causes of tartar?   You can find out all about it at this session.

Click Here To Register

An update on my post last week….. The West Hollywood City Council passed an ordinance on February 16, 2010 banning the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores unless from rescues and shelters.  I was overwhelmed by the number of people wanting to know, how can they do the same thing in their own town?

I contacted Carole Davis with the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) to get the information.  They did the work to get this passed.  The Animal Legal Defense Fund and Humane Society of United States helped as well.   CAPS now helps other cities with the drafting of legislation against puppy mill sales in other communities.  Here are excerpts from The American Dog Magazine, with links to each article and videos.

If your state has the puppy lemon law then move forward by going to your pet stores and asking for information about the breeder they buy from.  If not, ask your legislators to get the Lemon Law.  This law allows you to get the information about the breeder from the pet store.  Once you have that information, go to CAPS website and fill out a puppy complaint.   Please read all of the information below if you have interest, or know someone who does.  It was very time consuming and costly for CAPS to do this, but it has been worth it.

1. Pets, Lies & Legislation

Puppy mills are a hot political issue. Public outrage is growing over the legal multi-billion dollar puppy-producing business that forces millions of breeding dogs to endure inhumane treatment in factory-like conditions until death. They’re kept 24/7 in wire cages caked with their own feces, with no veterinary care or socialization. Average dog lovers want puppy mills to become illegal.

Consequently, a war about dogs is escalating in America -  a battle as complex as any fought in the history of social movements and waged with a proportionate scale of strategists, lobbyists, and commanders vying for control, power, and money.

To puppy mill investigators, the idea that commercial breeders are treating their dogs well or socializing them is laughable. A miller’s idea of playtime is to throw a bunch of females in heat with a male in one cage. As for being responsibly placed, mass volume breeders use brokers to ship barely weaned (and often sick) pups indiscriminately to pet retailers around the country. The dogs are crated in trucks for thousands of miles at an age when they need food and water every two hours. They are also sent in crates to buyers across the country on long flights with layovers. Transporting eight-week old dogs that way isn’t safe, and according to Lewis Turner, owner of the Petcare Company in California, four out of ten dogs that were trucked in to him by brokers Lambriar and Hunte were sick, “with green liquid coming from their eyes or nose.” Hardly “responsible placement” by any standard.

To Read More about This Subject Click Here.

2. Spay and Neuter Laws ……..Humans Debate While Dogs Die

It’s Tuesday, 9 AM at a Los Angeles shelter and a worried little terrier has just been “red-listed.” Unless someone adopts her, she’ll be killed. Another dog will take her place and that dog, too, if he isn’t adopted, will be killed. Could spay and neuter laws make a difference in this dog’s life?

In California, in 2008, municipal shelters reporting to the California Department of Public Health took in 833,304 dogs and cats. Of those, 429,987, or 51%, were killed. That would be a sad enough number for the whole country but it’s just for the state of California. In the U.S., the number of pets killed in shelters is astounding. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) reports that every year, between six and eight million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters and three to four million of those animals are killed because there aren’t enough homes for them. In 2009, uncontrolled breeding compounded by record job losses and home foreclosures are causing the number of animals flooding our shelters to rise sharply. When the figures are finally reported, they’ll be tragic.

Until we get a handle on this crisis, we need to refrain from buying animals and adopt from shelters instead. We ought to promote adoption to our friends. And we must fix the dogs we have.  To Read More About This Click Here.

3. Undercover Investigations Prove Pet Shop Puppies Were Coming From Puppy Mills

Though there has been lots of press coverage on the subject, there are still people who don’t know that pet stores are supplied by large brokers and inhumane breeding operations. There is no other way for pet shops to have a constant supply of puppies of different breeds. It was time to take a stand and convince puppy buyers to stop shopping and start adopting. Los Angeles, the second largest market for pets after New York, was the perfect place to tell the public about the ugly truth behind the pretty store fronts.

In California, they have a Puppy Lemon Law, which requires pet store owners to post the name and address of the breeder of the dogs on their display enclosures. Putting that law to use, people were recruited who were willing to do some reconnaissance trips to pet stores. They wired themselves up with undercover cameras and disguised themselves.They fanned out across the city, hitting all the pet stores to find out exactly where the puppies were coming from.

They called on some professional investigators from LCA (Last Chance for Animals) to go and film the addresses they provided. When the photos and video came in, the proof was irrefutable. Bingo. Just like they expected, the puppies at Posh Puppy were coming from a puppy mill.

What they found out through their in-store investigations is that pet stores are openly defrauding the public – not just Posh Puppy in Beverly Hills, but all the pet stores they visited. They discovered that pet store owners, managers and employees routinely lie to people.   To Read More About This Subject Click Here.

4. A March for Free Speech for Those Who Have No Speech – PUPPY MILL DOGS

On December 19, 2009, the Saturday before Christmas, eighty animal welfare activists marched in a silent vigil for dogs suffering in puppy mills. The grass roots group was also marching for the five million companion animals who are killed every year in the shelter system because there are not enough homes for them. Local activists had been planning the event for months following an investigation by the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), which claims that Barkworks, a pet store chain in California, sells animals from puppy mills. The CAPS investigation included evidence from the United States Department of Agriculture inspection reports that the Midwest commercial breeders supplying the stores had multiple violations.

The puppy mill awareness drive that took place on the busiest puppy-buying day of the year, was intended to raise the awareness of consumers and to steer them to the overcrowded Los Angeles shelters to adopt or rescue a pet for Christmas.  Read More Here.

5. Victory for Dogs as Pet Stores Go Humane

Sadly, millions of dogs are suffering in shelters and puppy mills. This year, a record number of dogs are being dumped and euthanized at shelters because of the current economic crisis. Commercial breeders and pet stores are also feeling the pinch. “People just aren’’t buying puppies right now,” says pet store manager Justin Vanert.

Growing numbers of commercial dog breeders in the Midwest are selling their homes for a pittance – advertising them as “turnkey investments,” which often include kennels with hundreds of breeding dogs “free with the property.” As bleak as it all sounds, this recession just might have a silver lining for the dogs who are wasting away in puppy mills and shelters.  Perhaps this economic downturn might be a dog’s chance to get out alive.

The dog trade is showing signs of weakness. Successful business is all about supply and demand and right now the demand side is shrinking as buyers of puppy mill dogs snap their wallets shut. But the reasons aren’t just the economy – it’s a combination of decreased spending, public awareness of inhumane breeding practices, legislation that limits and criminalizes dog factory cruelty and effective campaigns led by animal rights activists.

This spring, a group of Los Angeles activists celebrated yet another victory. After five weeks of protests, the owner of Elaine’s Pet Depot signed an agreement to hand over all of her puppy mill dogs to Good Dog Animal Rescue for adoption. The agreement with the lynchpin store of a national chain of pet stores included a statement that reflected the store’s commitment to working with rescue organizations. The store agreed to hold adoptions and end its sale of puppy mill dogs. Reliable sources from within the franchise claimed that the entire Pet Depot chain was considering conversion to a humane business model within a few months. If the large chain stops buying from brokers and mass volume breeders, the strategy to cripple the puppy mill industry by hitting them where it hurts, in the wallet, is working.

The “go humane or go out of business” campaign has been able to gain momentum by combining its ability to exploit the current economic downtown and its skilled use of visual evidence from undercover investigations. The stores that were protested saw as much as 70 percent of their weekend business deterred by activists brandishing signs depicting graphic photos of dogs suffering in mills. An increasing number of stores in the heart of Los Angeles have been closed down or converted – more than a dozen so far in a little over a year.  Learn How You Can Do This, Click Here.

6. Now the Internet is overflowing with puppy mill sales

As the animal protection movement wages its battle against the maltreatment of dogs in puppy mills, it faces a powerful new enemy -  the Internet Pet Store. The Internet, as helpful as it has been for rescuing animals with sites like AdoptAPet.com, has become a perfect stealth shield for abusers of animals looking to make a buck. A Google search for information on dog breeds will lead any gullible browser to tens of thousands of online breeders. For the buyer in a hurry, there are Web portals to make shopping easy, like NextDayPets.com, which unite hundreds of dog dealers on one site. With a click, you can pay to have a pup mailed to you in a crate. Though it’s a convenient way to buy a dog, you might be inadvertently contributing to animal abuse.

Deborah Howard, president of the Companion Animal Protection puppy dealers. “One should never, ever buy a dog on the Internet because you’re not seeing the conditions under which the puppy is being raised,” she said. “There are no good ones because reputable  reeders don’t sell puppies this way.” “The HSUS receives hundreds of complaints about sick and dying puppies sold over the Internet,” says Kathleen Summers, Deputy Director of the puppy mill campaign of  The Humane Society of the United States. “In fact, several of the puppy mills that the HSUS has helped close down recently were Internet sellers, including a mill in Tennessee with almost 700 dogs and a millin West Virginia with almost 900 dogs. Both of these facilities posed online as small family breeders.”

A lot of them arrive sick with Parvo, worms, Giardia, coccidia, kennel cough or pneumonia. It’s even more dangerous than buying in a pet shop because legal recourses are more challenging. You have to file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office in the state of the breeder and if you want to sue the seller, you have to go to small claims court in their state, not yours. These Internet sellers know this.

Many of the sites linked to substandard breeding operations will say anything to deceive buyers into believing the business is ethical or humane. They often describe themselves as “Christian” and “familyrun.” A common lie is that their dogs are “raised in the home.”

Read More About This Here.

I want Friday’s to bring awareness to other organizations that are doing wonderful things for animals. If you have information you want to share, send me a paragraph on the topic with a link to the website, by 11am on Thursday.  I will do this each Friday.  Please pass this link on to bring awareness to these wonderful organizations, thanks!

Urgent: Jake needs a new home today, Friday! This dog is at Suncoast Humane Society in Englewood Florida. Jake is cage stressed and is going to be euthanized on Friday. He is a great dog and loves people and toys. He just doesn’t like being confined in a run and has damaged his tail. A great dog. We can help with transport from englewood to anyone that will take him. He is fully vetted.
If you can help email Michele at doggieresqr@yahoo.com

1.  A documentary on the pairing of seniors with seniors was recently completed.  The purpose is to raise awareness, and secure more homes, for older shelter pets as well as bring companionship to the elderly.  It’s called:  Old Friends… Timeless Love.  Perfect Pairings.

“Old Friends…Timeless Love” came about when Maureen Kelly realized the beautiful energy of pairing seniors with seniors: bringing companionship to the elderly, saving older pets from shelters, and honoring the magic that animals bring into our lives.

Working with a variety of organizations across the United States, she has had the great joy of meeting not only hard-working, loving people, but remarkable dogs, cats and horses.

This is a film in their honor.  Hopefully, it will ignite a spark that will inspire many more such pairings.

View the heartwarming video here.

2. Pattie Roberts has a ranch called Dudette Ranch. Pattie spent years promoting good causes with local radio station KFROG and then with her own agency, MarketingWithACause.com. Through the years she has served on various Board of Directors. She has worked tirelessly to promote organizations such as Exceed, work programs for Adults with Disabilities, Animal Friends of the Valley, the Memory Walk for Alzheimer’s awareness, she supports four school districts Student of the Month programs and many others good causes.

Last year she relocated her horse ranch to Murrieta and retired from advertising to pursue her lifelong passion of horses. She started the Dudette Ranch.  The concept is a local take off of the vacation destination Dude Ranch. “Although we aren’t wrangling cattle or sleeping under the stars, this is a working horse ranch and the monthly membership allows members daily access to hang out at the barn and work with the horses as we care for, train and ride.

Here is one great story: Dakota is a tall rangy bay Quarter horse gelding, he was a competitive working cow horse in his younger day.  A knee injury took him out of the show ring years ago. Dakota has been totally healed from his injury for years, but he still favored it not out of pain but out of fear.  This beautiful horse, with plenty of life left in him, was just standing in a stall.  This summer he became the best friend of a troubled teen.  She worked with him daily, riding him slow and easy until he got stronger and realized his knee didn’t hurt any more.  He thrived on the attention and got strong and muscled up again.  Unfortunately, the teenager went back to her old ways and left Dakota alone.  Lucky gelding though because he now has a brand new best friend!  A really nice lady named Micheal.  She has fallen in love with him and signed up to sponsor him.  She already takes lessons here and after riding him last Saturday well….no other horse would do she just had to have him!

Individual Sponsorship programs are one way you can have a horse without really owning one, there are horses available for Adoption and Lease and a Sponsorship Program Geared to the whole family!  To learn more click here.

3. Small Angels Rescue, a non-profit based in Frederick, MD, finds homes for rescued chinchillas, degus, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice and rats.

They do not have a shelter and use a network of foster homes for these rescued animals until they are permanently adopted.  They have very dedicated foster parents involved with this organization.  One guinea pig foster mother-in-charge has a wonderful web page (click here) where you can scroll through, looking at pictures and reading very engagingly written bios of rescued guinea pigs awaiting adoption.

Enzo and Eva, a bonded pair of guinea pigs, were adopted. I’ve been told the Small Angels vetting process is very meticulous.  The owners of Enzo and Eva had a process to go through before adopting.  They were invited to the foster mother-in-charge’s home to meet her and the guinea pigs. This kept Enzo and Eva from being subjected to undue stress by taking them from place to place to show to prospective adopters. Then they had to fill out a detailed, five-page questionnaire containing questions that would really screen the potential owners to be sure they’re responsible. It takes about a week for the application to be approved.  The new owners said, “Adopting from Small Angels Rescue has been one of the most satisfying things we’ve have ever done”.

To learn more about Small Angels Rescue, click here.

4.  Nature’s Variety Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall

Nature’s Variety has initiated a voluntary recall of their Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet for dogs and cats with a “Best If Used By” date of 11/10/10 because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Click here to learn more.