ANIMAL CONNECTION

Archive for the ‘Cows, Chickens, Farm Animals’ Category

Do you care about animals?  Would you like to find a new job, or need a job? Listening to the news I would think the economy is coming back, but not when I talk with a lot of people around the country.  Making a living still seems to be a challenge for most.  Many people are very unhappy doing the work they are doing everyday.  They have passions and desires that are not being fulfilled.  Others are out of work and say they want to find “anything” because they need the income.

This is the perfect time to evaluate what is really important to you, what your passions are AND help animals at the same time.

If you are out of work, or would like to do something else, this is the best time to open the doors for the kind of work YOU want to do.  Do you know what you’re really passionate about?  Most people have no idea.  Don’t think in terms of income but what kinds of things get you really excited and leave you happy and fulfilled when you are finished. It could be ANYTHING:

1. Walking in the woods

2.  Doing crossword puzzles

3. Meeting new people

4. Caring for animals

5. Gardening

6. Talking on the phone

7. Reading

8. Traveling…..the list goes on and on

Recently I’ve had a number of friends ask me to help them figure out what they should do, they are not happy doing what they are doing, or they got laid off and fear they won’t find a job in their industry.

If you know what you’re passionate about, you can use that passion to help animals and open doors for your next career.  Yes, CAREER, not job. The animal organizations, and charities, around the country need help now, more than ever before.  Funding has dried up so they can’t hire the people they need.  They also can’t afford to buy the food and supplies needed to care for the animals.  Everyday I get requests from these organizations for volunteers and donations.

Right now you are asking yourself, “How can helping an organization help me”?  It can, in MANY ways. You meet new people who might open the door to your next position.  You also get to do the things you are passionate about.  It’s a great way to find out if it’s something you want to do for a living.  If so, you can put the experience on your resume.  Most people have only worked in the field they have been trained in, but that is not what they love doing.                                                                                                    

Here are some ideas for you to think about:

1. Walking and caring for animals at a shelter (if you like being outside)

2. Help the staff with ideas about how to raise money and supplies (doing crossword puzzles)

3. Feeding baby animals or holding ones that are afraid (caring for animals)

4. Cleaning up and landscaping the facility (gardening)

5. Making calls for supplies, donations, volunteers, etc.  (talking on the phone)

6. Research and help find new ideas that can benefit the organization (reading)

7. Animals and supplies need to be transported to other locations (traveling)

These are only a few ideas.  I could go on for quite sometime.  There are also a lot of animals that need to be fostered until a permanent home can be found.  They can be cats, dogs, ferrets, iguanas, pigs, etc.

What kinds of animals do you like?

1. Tigers

2. Dogs

3. Cats

4. Birds

5. Horses

6. Monkeys

7. Deer

8. Pigs

There are organizations caring for any kind of animal you can think of, all over the country.  All of them need help. You can Google the kind of animal you want to help with “rescue” or “shelter”, then your area.  (Ex: ferret shelter Florida)  You will most likely find something in your area.  If not, call or email the ones that pop up.  The animal community is very small and we all help each other the best we can.

I hope that this post will inspire people to find their true passion, and use their passion in a way that will fulfill them personally and help animals that have a lot of needs.  At the very least, you will open doors by meeting other people who might know a company that needs a position filled with someone who has your qualifications.

Would you and your family like to really get away this summer?  How about becoming one with nature again, if you could sleep in a comfortable bed and take a nice hot shower?  There is a place like that in the North Carolina Mountains.  It is called Clear Creek Ranch. Nestled in a quiet valley in the Great Smoky Mountains at an elevation of 3,200 feet, Clear Creek Dude Ranch is surrounded by the beautiful Pisgah National Forest.  They welcome guests from April to Thanksgiving.  Some of the activities you will enjoy are horseback riding, camp fires, golf, fishing, hiking, swimming and many more.

It is owned by some wonderful friends of mine, Rex and Aileen Frederick. Rex was a great basketball star at Auburn University.  He became only the 3rd Auburn Tiger to have his jersey (#32) retired.  Rex is in the Auburn Hall of Fame.

Rex and his wife, Aileen, have always had a passion for animals, especially horses.  They decided to buy a dude ranch. It has been a wonderful experience for them but it is time for them to move on.  They are at that age where they want to travel and enjoy other things life has to offer.

They have been running this ranch 24/7 for many years.  It is not as easy, and glamorous, as you might think. Can you imagine having to get up at the crack of dawn to meet your guests as they arrive for breakfast every morning?  Then organize the activities, make sure everyone is having fun, oversee the business of the ranch, etc. At the end of the night making sure you are still awake to tell your guests, having a nightcap in the Cantina, good night before turning in?  Talk about a long day, everyday.  They have wonderful staff that come back year after year because of the way they are treated.  Even in the winter, when it is closed to the public, they need to care for all of the horses and other animals, as well as continue to run the ranch.

I hope you will visit Rex and Aileen before they sell this beautiful ranch.  If you go, tell them I said hi.  If you, or someone you know, has interest in buying this ranch, please let me know.   I’m selling the ranch for them.

Please enjoy this video of the ranch.

I want Friday’s to bring awareness to other organizations that are doing wonderful things for animals. I also want to empower people. The best way to do that, give people options so they can make a difference.  All of my posts give you options to help.  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!

At the end of this post is a wonderful, entertaining, loving, inspiring video from National Geographic.

My Adopter

1.  You’ve adopted animals but have you ever been adopted by an animal?  Here is a website where you can read stories about animals that have a happy ending.  Join the Story Club. It is totally free and safe. Just by joining you will be helping to save lives and ease the suffering of unfortunate animals.

Floyd the Dog writes, and encourages others to write, stories about animals and their interaction with each other and with humans. His concern and compassion for animals is the basis for the free website publication of these stories both here and on his Story Club.

Daphne adopted me. She hates the cold and was flying from the north of England, where she says she was born, to her winter home in the much kinder climate of southern Spain.  Click here read more about my adopter.

Greyhound Needing A Home

2. With the seasonal closing of the Melbourne track in Florida, it is wonderful how various Greyhound organizations have supported one another to ensure good homes for the Greyhounds. While Gold Coast Greyhound Adoptions has already fostered a handful from Melbourne already, they need additional foster homes.

Gold Coast Greyhound Adoptions is greyt to work with, as they pay for all expenses related to the care of the fostered Greyhound.  It includes food, medical, crate, etc.  All you do is supply the love.  It takes anywhere from 2 days to several weeks to find a home for a Greyhound.  You are not expected to adopt the fostered Greyhound, either.

Mombo Needs A Home

If you are able to foster, or know of someone interested in fostering a Greyhound, contact Joanne at: joanne.wuelfing@gmail.com

Update—April 14, 2010: Congratulations, New Hampshire advocates! At around noon today, the New Hampshire Senate overwhelmingly voted to end greyhound racing in the state forever. We expect that the governor will sign the bill into law. Click Here To Keep It Enforced and get the bill passed in your state!

3. This was sent to me by, Jacob Versnel, one of my contacts in the Netherlands. It’s a hard story to read but they are working towards a happy ending.  You can help.

No rest. No water. No care…  He traveled more than 1,000 miles to his death.

Bred only for food, he spent his life unloved and unnamed.  His final indignity was the tortuous journey from Romania to Italy to his slaughter.

Every year over 50,000 horses are transported from Eastern Europe to Italy for slaughter. Compassion has investigated the long distance transport of horses across Europe – we were shocked by what we found.

Just imagine being pushed and pulled into a truck, standing for hours on end, without water or a chance to rest. It is proven that horse welfare deteriorated after 8-12 hours of transport. Yet our investigators found that the truck filled with horses that they followed, traveled for over 24 hours.

What a sad reflection on modern Europe that this cruel practice is still allowed to continue. But you can help.

The final journey – When our investigators followed a truck transporting horses from Romania to Italy, they found the drivers broke an important EU regulation by not providing these animals with water. They also broke with basic human decency, in their cruel disregard for animal welfare.

If, like us, you believe that no farm animal should be transported for more than 8 hours, please support our work to end live transport and factory farming.

We want to stop to this heart-breaking disregard for animal welfare. Through investigations, lobbying and vigorous campaigning, we’re working to limit transports of farmed animals to 8 hours and ultimately to stop the long distance trade in live animals. At the very least, we want to see the existing welfare laws properly enforced.  YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY CLICKING HERE.

Tony the Tiger

4.  The eye of the Tiger.  Have you ever heard of Tony The Tiger?  He does exist.

Tony the Truck Stop Tiger is a 9 y/o Siberian/Bengal tiger who has lived his whole life at a truck stop in Grosse Tete Louisiana. His home is one of concrete and steel. In Dec 2009 the Louisiana Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries granted a permit to Tony’s owner to keep him at the Truck Stop. This permit is valid for 1 year.

Tony’s living conditions are abhorrent.  He is not living the life of a Tiger. He urgently needs to be rescued and allowed to live out his life in a sanctuary. Big Cat Rescue will take him in.  Tony needs heros, click here to help.

The people who have Tony say that they have had him since he was a baby and he’d be traumatized if he were sent to live someplace else. They also say the Big Cat Rescue would not love, and care for him, the way they do. They say they are providing him a good home.   The owner, Michael Sandlin, says: “People from out of state are telling the most outrageous lies and half truths about Louisiana’s Tiger Truck Stop. When they came to the Parish Council Meeting to argue against my rights, they resorted to yelling and name calling, finally stooping so low as to demean me and my family by labeling us as “inbreds”.  Classy talk from supposedly sophisticated activists.”  Michael’s family and friends extended every courtesy to those people and were repaid with ugly slurs and hate speech.

Please let us know your thoughts and ideas to resolve a situation like this.  There are a lot of issues like this in the US and around the world.

5. They lay on an ice pan, just a few feet apart — two seal pups sleeping quietly, blissfully unaware that a sealing vessel was bearing down on them, just 100 meters away.

As painful as it is to bear witness to this horror, the people with HSUS know they have to keep going there — because every picture, video, and word that they send out to the world touches the hearts and minds of people and governments. That’s why the sealing industry doesn’t want them there. And that’s why they need your help.

Give now and your donation will be tripled by the Giant Steps Foundation and other generous donors.

Watch this video of the beautiful harp seal nursery to see what your donations and support are working to protect.

6. “The Cove”, a documentary and winner of audience awards across the world, including Sundance, SilverDocs and Hot Docs. The Cove follows a team of activists and filmmakers as they infiltrate a heavily-guarded cove in Taiji, Japan. In this remote village they witness and document activities deliberately being hidden from the public: More than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises are being slaughtered each year and their meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is being sold as food in Japan, often times labeled as whale meat.

Under the direction of the film’s Ric O’Barry, Save Japan Dolphins.org/Earth Island Institute is actively working in Japan to shut down this brutal practice.

There are ways you can help make a difference.  You can donate here or you can send letters, emails, sign petitions or help in other ways.  Learn about other options here.

7. What will happen to the rescued animals that Martina Navratilova has at the sanctuary she owns, but is selling?

Martina and her partner were very much in love when they paid more than $1 million for land where they could rescue 26 malnourished cows likely to be made into dog food.

They bought the land through their new company, MT Nest. M stood for tennis legend Martina Navratilova; T was her partner, Toni Layton.

The couple turned the 20-acre site in East Sarasota County into a sanctuary where about 100 cows, horses, pigs and other animals, many saved from slaughter, could live in peace.

But in 2008, the couple split and Navratilova threw Layton out of her luxury home on Casey Key, a claim by Layton based on lawsuit records.

Now Layton and other local animal lovers say Navratilova plans to sell the sanctuary and the animals with it. Animal activists who placed animals there are worried they will now be sold to farmers and slaughtered for meat.  Read the whole story here.

8.  Watch this video that was on National Geographic.  It is funny, heartwarming, educational and something that will make you feel good all over.

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?

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.

In the news there has been a lot of publicity about Jaycee Dugard and what she is doing to return to a “normal” life.  Part of her healing comes from an unexpected source, horses.  There is a very deep bond between a horse and a human.

Horses react as a mirror to the person who’s with him.  He’s a prey animal so he wants to feel safe and is always on the lookout for predators. A horse will become very fearful if he’s with someone who’s aggressive, noisy, disrespectful or too controlling. On the other hand, if the person makes requests rather than demands the horse will begin to cooperate. They are always looking for a leader.

Heart of a Horse Program

There is clinical evidence that being in the vicinity of horses changes our brainwave patterns. They have a calming effect which helps stop people becoming fixated on past or negative events – giving them a really positive experience.

Research shows that many cognitive disabled, physically disabled and “at risk” youth benefit from a therapeutic riding program. Therapeutic riding is particularly effective in dealing with a variety of disabilities, such as developmental delay, learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Multiple Sclerosis, stroke victims, Down Syndrome, and visual or hearing impairments.

A horse is a large, strong animal.  It deserves respect while also being guided.  The mix can be a very fine line.  People can learn how to deal with a variety of emotions from being around horses.  Someone might have a lot of hidden anger and hurt inside.  From spending time with horses, and learning how to interact with them, people can overcome these very difficult emotional challenges.

There is a fine line between learning trust and getting the certain behavior you want when working with horses.  That is no different that dealing with people in this world. Once there is trust, there is a very deep bond between a horse and a human.

There are a number of wonderful organizations that do this kind of training.  “Heart of a Horse” as well as “Above and Beyond Ordinary, Inc.” are just two of the many programs.

Many of these organizations are looking for volunteers who can help care for the horses.  If you have interest, please contact your local organization.

If you would like to add your program to our “Resource/ Organization” list, please feel free to do so.

Mill Creek Farm, A Retirement Horse Farm in Florida told me:   RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES INCREASE FEED COSTS!

An unusually cold Florida winter brought with it below freezing temperatures, several frosts and iced over water troughs.

To help our horses endure, we fed extra grain and hay. Here is what our costs were to keep our horses warm for the whole month of January: 550 bales of hay, 40 rolls of hay and 11.5 tons of senior feed costing a total of $15,713.00. That works out to over $125 per horse for feed alone.  To donate, or help, click here.

P.S.  Tonight on ABC, 20/20 they will talk about Jaycee Dugard and her horse therapy.

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!

Jake

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.

Donna Paige and Rescued Horse

There are lots of horse issues rearing their heads.  From horses being bred then discarded for not performing, to horses being roundup in the wild, captured and kept in corrals.

This past weekend I asked my local TV station go with me to our local polo fields.  I wanted to do an interview with a local Restaurateur, Jaymie Klauber, who is a polo player but also rescues horses that need a home.  If she did not adopt them, they would be sent to the slaughter house. She takes them then trains them to play polo.  They have a wonderful home and a productive life playing polo.  The day I was with her she got a call that other horses needed to be rescued.  If she can’t take them she does find them homes.  She will not let them go to the slaughter house.  If you are looking for horses, let us know.  We can get you in touch with Jaymie.

Jaymie Klauber & Her Horse

I also met with Larry Robinson, NHL Hall of Fame, Stanley Cup winner and on the board of Animal Connection.  Larry is a polo player and also rescues animals that need a good home.  He was raised on a farm and has always had a special place in his heart for animals.

Donna Paige, Larry & Jeannette Robinson

Click Here to see the interview with Larry Robinson and Jaymie Klauber.

Not all horses are cared for as well as these polo ponies. There is an issue going on in the Wild West…..there has been a big roundup going on in Nevada.  There have been over 2,500 wild horses captured.  They use helicopters and horseback riders to herd them into corrals.  These corrals are in the Black Rock Range, a chain of mountains 100 miles North of Reno.  The local Land Management estimates there are nearly 37,000 wild mustangs. About half of them live in Nevada, with others concentrated in Arizona, California, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. The Land Management feels if this is not controlled now, the horse population will double in 4 years.  They also say that many of these horses are ill.  The challenge, where will these horses end up?  The plan is to have the horses adopted or sent to holding facilities in the Midwest since the space near Reno is full.

The roundup has upset a lot of people for many reasons.  Using helicopters frightens the horses which can cause injuries like broken legs, and is inhumane.  If a horse breaks its leg it has to be put down.  There is also the risk of respiratory illness to these horses.  Foals also can’t keep up and get separated from their mothers.

There are a number of celebrities who do not approve of this roundup.  Two of these include Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow.  Willie Nelson has said he feels these animals will become extinct if this continues.

Please give us your feedback and thoughts in the “Comment” section below.

When most people think of Larry Robinson they think of the NHL Stanley Cup player, coach and inductee into the NHL Hall of Fame.   Most people are not aware of his passion and background with animals.

Larry was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on a dairy farm.  It was a working farm where they had cows, chickens, horses and dogs.  He would collect the eggs, milk the cows, etc.  The products were then sold to consumers.  He lived there until he was 17.  Then he left to play Junior Hockey in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.    The rest is history.  His older brother took over the farm but eventually it was sold.

Larry has always had a special bond, and connection, when it comes to animals.

He has had dogs throughout his life.  There was one Great Dane he adopted who was a Canadian Champion.  The couple that owned him was getting divorced and would not keep him.  Great Danes don’t live that long (average age is 8 ) but Larry still felt the dog needed a good home, so he took him.  A very strong bond was formed between the two of them.  The dog lived to the rip old age of 10.

One day a woman found a dog on the side of the road.  She brought the dog to Larry, knowing how he cared about animals.  Larry kept the dog and named him Cracker.  The dog was a mix breed, part Chow.  He lived to be 20+ years old.

Larry was also very involved with the Guide Dog organization in Ontario, where he volunteered and helped them raise money.

For the past 25+ years Larry has also been raising polo ponies and playing polo.  If he doesn’t have a hockey stick in his grip he substitutes a polo mallet.  Larry has owned up to 14 ponies at one time.  On his farm right now he has 7 ponies of his own.  13 other horses are housed there but belong to other people.

It seems that Larry’s always had a special touch, and talent, when it came to hockey.  He certainly has a gift when it comes to helping and caring for animals.

Larry supports our show, Animal Connection, as well as our mission of helping animals around the world.

Today I got some emails I wanted to share with you.

1. Did you know that November is “Go Vegan” month?

I, honestly, was not exactly sure what vegan meant.  I hear “vegan”, “vegetarian”, raw diet”, etc.  Because of this information,  I learned a lot more about being vegan.  I was aware of Georges Laraque, the NHL player,  who went vegan this summer to bring awareness to animal rights and issues.  I also knew that Portia De Rossi and Ellen Degeneres also became vegan earlier this year.  Until now I never really investigated it.  If you would like to learn more here is one website you can check out.  Vegan month.

2. November is also, National Pet Diabetes Awareness Month.

Today 50 percent of our pets are overweight or obese, which certainly can predispose them to developing diabetes. Both dogs and cats develop the same two types of diabetes seen in humans. The greater majority of dogs develop Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus where the body simply does not produce any insulin.

Most cats, on the other hand, develop Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus. In cats the disease is due either to not producing enough insulin or an inability to utilize the insulin that is produced in the body — the same as Type 2 diabetes in humans.

Treating and caring for a diabetic pet takes a huge commitment in both time and dollars.  Initial symptoms of diabetes are excessive thirst and urination, possible sudden weight loss and frequent urinary tract infections. Lack of energy and listlessness also are on the list.

Be sure you take your pet to the vet at least once a year for a full physical.  Make sure it is, and stays, healthy!

3.  Here are some pictures a friend of mine took of some Javelina.. also known as Collared Peccary.   They are so cute I had to share them with you.  He had 14 of these critters come out from under his house a few weeks ago, with a couple of new born babies!!!
If you would like to learn more about these interesting animals just check out this link.

4.  This came from Judy Landers, one of my board members:

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we are working urgently to help stop the intense suffering of turkeys. Their situation is grave. The abuse they endure on factory farms is difficult to even imagine. Farm Sanctuary’s public awareness campaign to expose the hidden horrors of commercial turkey production, combined with our efforts to rescue and provide refuge to the victims of this cruel industry, are having an impact – opening hearts and minds and creating real change. But we need your help to expand our reach even further. Please help END the abuse.

5. ALSO…This Sunday night 60 Minutes will feature an unprecedented exposé on the factory farming of pigs in Australia which has been underpinned by an investigation conducted by Animals Australia.  You can learn more from this link.

6.Denmark is a big shame

The sea is stained in red and it’s not because of the climate effects of nature. It’s because of the cruelty that the human beings (civilised human) kill hundreds of the famous and intelligent Calderon dolphins. This happens every year in Faroe Island in Denmark. In this slaughter the main participants are young teens.
WHY?   To show that they are adults and mature….

In this big celebration, nothing is missing for the fun. Everyone is participating in one way or the other, killing or looking at the cruelty “supporting like a spectator”. Is it necessary to mention that the Calderon dolphin, like all the other species of dolphins, is near extinction and they get close to men to play and interact in a way of PURE friendship . They don’t die instantly; they are cut 1, 2 or 3 times with thick hooks. And at that time the dolphins produce a grim cry extremely compatible with the cry of a new born child. But he suffers and there’s no compassion till this sweet being slowly dies in its own blood.

MAKE THIS ATROCITY STOP NOW!