Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Help for Pet Owners / Vet Care Costs

While I cannot vouch for any of these groups, personally, I am cross-posting this in hopes some will find this info useful;

Here are some groups "they say" that can help you afford the
vet bills:

American Animal Hospital Association
http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/home/
"Through the AAHA Helping Pets Fund, veterinary care is possible for
sick or injured pets even if they have been abandoned or if their
owner is experiencing financial hardship."

Angels 4 Animals
www.Angels4Animals.org
"Our services range from financial aid to complete treatment
to those pets and pet owners in need."

Care Credit
www.carecredit.com
A credit card company for health care, including veterinary care.
"With a comprehensive range of plan options, for
treatment or procedure fees from $1 to over $25,000, we offer a plan
and a low monthly payment to fit comfortably into almost every
budget."

Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP)
http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/
"Seniors, People with disabilities, People who
have lost their job, Good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten - any
of these folks may need financial assistance to save a beloved companion."

The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501
(c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and
kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save
their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.

God's Creatures Ministry
http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html
"This fund helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help."

Help-A-Pet
http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html
"Our efforts focus on serving the elderly, the disabled, and the
working poor."

IMOM
http://www.imom.org
"We are dedicated to insure that no
companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker
is financially challenged."

The Pet Fund
http://thepetfund.com/
"The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association that
provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need
urgent veterinary care."

United Animal Nations
http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html
"The mission of LifeLine is to help homeless or recently rescued
animals suffering from life-threatening conditions that require
specific and immediate emergency veterinary care. We strive to serve
Good Samaritans and rescue groups who take in sick or injured
animals. In certain cases, LifeLine can also assist senior citizens
and low-income families pay for immediate emergency veterinary care."

UK Assistance with Veterinary Bills
http://www.petloversonline.co.uk/financial.htm
"Most of us can cope with the financial commitment involved in the
day to day care of our pets. However, how many of us come out in a
cold sweat when our pet is ill or injured and we know we have to take
it to the vet? Most of us are fortunate enough to be able to afford
it but, some of us who love our animals dearly cannot. Unfortunately
we do not have a PDSA or a RSPCA Centre within our area, but there
are a few charities who may be able to help."

Other Groups Who are Breed or Injury Specific:

Corgi Aid
http://www.corgiaid.org/

Dachshunds Needing IVDD surgery
http://members.rushmore.com/~dds/applyforhelp.htm

www.doberman911.org
It's for special needs and senior dobermans who need medical help.You
can donate to help them, or have them put your dobie up there if you
need help too!!

HandicappedPets.com
http://www.handicappedpets.com/Articles/help/
"From time to time, HandicappedPets.com recognizes a caretaker of
handicapped pets that need some special attention, and a little extra
help. There are those who are so selflessly dedicated to their animal
families that they give up a little more than they can afford."

Labrador Lifeline
http://www.labradorlifeline.org/success/2005-abbey.htm

LabMed: Rx For Rescued Labs
http://www.labmed.org/aid_main.html[/QUOTE

Mandatory Breed-Specific Spay & Neuter?

Now I fully support mandatory spay & neuter for non-breeders, but NOT this kind of prejudicial breed-specific mandatory spay & neuter for pit-bulls only. A law like this should apply to all non-breeding dog owners, and breeders should be more closley regulated (and taxed) as well, according to their production.
Here is the article that appeared in a Kansas Newsblurb recently;

No reason to give up your pit bull

Pit bulls and mixes of pit bulls will have to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped starting July 1. If you cannot afford to have this done please contact Spay-neuter Kansas at 263-4200. They will do this surgery for $40 ($50 for females 50lbs or greater). If you cannot afford this ask them about Grant money to help you pay for this surgery. There is no need for you to give up your pet because you can't afford to have them spayed or neutered.

http://wichitapaws.com/kellygirl/blog/4382

Dog Detective Becomes "FidoFinder.Com"

Announcement

You are receiving this email as a subscriber to Dog Detective Shelter Alerts. FidoFinder.com, the largest lost and found dog website in the U.S., has acquired DogDetective.com. All services on the DogDetective.com domain have been turned off and users are now encourage to use Fido Finder for reuniting lost dogs with their owners.


Shelter Alerts

Dog Detective previously offered shelter alert emails for registered organizations. Your email was on that list. On Fido Finder, shelters can register to receive similar email notifications of all lost dogs reported in their service area. We encourage you to register for our shelter alerts to continue to help reunite lost dogs. To sign up for Fido Finder Shelter Alerts please go to FidoFinder.com.

Click on title above to go to;
FidoFinder.com - Where Lost Dogs Are Found

Monday, June 29, 2009

Pet Odor Problems? Dr. Jon Can Help.



I highly respect Dr Jon and will try anything he recommends that I might have a use for;

Dr. Jon of PetPlace.Com;
Senior Management Team

Dr. Jon Rappaport, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Founder – Dr. Jon Rappaport, is the founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Intelligent Content Corp. He received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1982. In 1983, he completed an internship at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital focusing on small animal medicine and surgery and in 1985 he completed a residency at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in small animal internal medicine specializing in fiber optic scoping and ultra-sound. Since 1985, Dr. Rappaport has developed a number of state-of-the-art animal hospitals in the South Florida area. His clinics are among the largest providers of quality veterinary care in the Southeast and have succeeded through a combination of quality, trust, ethics and understanding the human-animal bond coupled with the highest degree of customer service, convenience, and one-stop shopping.

Responsibilities: Dr. Rappaport is responsible for ensuring that the vision of the company is achieved.


Click on title above to view his informative pet-care site;http://www.petplace.com/about-us.aspx
Be sure to sign up for his email newsletter for interesting tips and insights regarding pet care.

Article by Dr Jon;

Do you have a pet urine odor problem in your home? If not, consider yourself lucky! You are an exception rather than the rule.

Many pet owners struggle with this problem. In fact, pet odors are one of the MOST frustrating aspects of pet ownership. (When we ask dog owners what they like least about their pets, one of the top answers is, "odors".)

Because pet-related odors can be so frustrating, I've searched high and low to find the solution: a product that will remove pet odors.

A while back, I heard about a product called Zero Odor. I heard that it was good, but I wanted to find out for myself. So I asked some of our pet owners to test Zero Odor. I found some people with real odor problems and asked them to test it. Then I asked them to tell me what they thought of the product, and to be as honest as possible because I wanted the truth.


To find the right test group, I asked some of our pet owners to tell me about their odor problems.

Marianne Pfister wrote this ...

Dr. Jon,

I really need this pet odor product. I am ready to rip up my wall-to-wall carpet. We have tried everything from soaking the carpet in vinegar, ammonia, carpet cleaning product and even peeling back the carpet and replacing the wood and the padding in the offensive section.

What happened is we had a cat with chronic urinary infections who could not always make it to the litter box, so she chose a spot right under the dining room table. The cat died 2 years ago and after rigorous cleaning the smell subsided except in the humidity.

We now have 2 dogs and one of them favors this same spot to urinate on occasion and the smell has become overwhelming. We would welcome the trial of this product to help us eliminate the returning odor.

If it was in a corner or a hidden part of the room, we could take it up and replace it with some of the remnant we have left but since it is right smack in the middle under the dining room table, that would be impossible.

Marianne Pfister, East Islip New York

We thought Marianne had a bad odor problem, so we sent her some Zero Odor to test.

Here's what she had to say after the test:

Dr. Jon,

As I mentioned before one our dogs were urinating in the dining room. We tried everything from soaking the carpet in vinegar, ammonia, carpet cleaning product. Zero Odor REALLY seems to work best. It has been 2 weeks and the dogs have not chosen that spot to relieve themselves any more. We can now use the dining room to eat and have no offensive odor. Thank you so much!

Marianne Pfister

Now, it has been over a year since we asked Marianne to test Zero Odor. Knowing that some products may seem to work at first but then they just don't measure up, we decided it was time to check back with Marianne to see whether or not her opinion of this product had changed.

So my team just got in touch with Marianne and guess what? There have been no accidents at all since she used Zero Odor! That really is great news.

Pet odors can be frustrating and they can really take away from the many wonderful aspects of pet ownership. If you have a pet odor problem, I encourage you to give Zero Odor a try.
One more thing ... if your dog or cat is suddenly urinating in a new location, the best thing to do is to take them to your veterinarian. Don't assume it is a behavioral problem. Many pets will urinate in different locations due to a variety of medical problems. Please make sure it is not a medical issue before assuming it is a behavioral problem.

Until next time,

Dr. Jon

P.S. Right now PetProductAdvisor.co is offering Zero Odor at $3.00 off the regular retail price. This is our most popular product ... and people just love it. Try it and see for yourself ... and save $3.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Firefighter Shoots His Adopted Dogs so he can Go on Vacation Cruise




Firefighter shoots pets to go on cruise
June 28, 10:53 AM

AP Photo/Firefighter David SantuomoColumbus (OH) firefighter David Santuomo pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty and one count of of possession of a criminal tool (a homemade silencer).

Officer Santuomo, 43 years of age, had previously taken two dogs he had adopted in January 2007, to the basement of his house, and tied them to a pipe, partially suspending them. Officer Santuomo then shot them multiple times. In fact, one dog was reported to have been shot six times in the head. He then dropped the bodies unto a plastic sheet he had previously laid down under the dogs. He wrapped the bodies up and dumped them in the fire station's dumpster.

Later Officer Santuomo bragged to this fellow officers of his actions, allegedly even making jokes. Not amused, his fellow officers reported Officer Santuomo to the authorities.

In a letter written to his Fire Chief, Officer Santuomo claimed that his dogs were suffering after having drank anti-freeze. Santuomo claimed that he shot his dogs to "save them" from their misery. Apparently the thought of calling poison control, or taking the dogs to the vet, never occured to him. In any event, a necropsy disproved Officer Santuomo's story and a later investigation revealed that Officer Santuomo killed his dogs because he did not want to pay for the cost of boarding them while he and his girlfriend went on a cruise. Adding insult to injury, Officer Santuomo's neighbors had offered to take of the dogs for free.

Judge Harland Hale condemned Officer Santuomo to 90 days in jail. Officer Santuomo was also ordered to pay $4,500 to cover the costs of the investigation, and fined $150. Officer Santuomo was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service, and to serve five years probation during which he could not own any pets or firearms. Judge Hale also ordered Officer Santuomo to write a letter of apology to a national firefighters magazine and to The Dispatch, the local newspaper. Officer Santuomo will be allowed to serve his 90-day sentence in 10-day increments over a 2-year period.

Officer Santuomo's attorney claimed that this was an "isolated incident" and "totally out of character." However, Officer Santuomo has reportedly received several reprimands for being discourteous to fellow officers, writing a bad check, not paying a traffic fine, and letting his EMT license expire.

As a last gesture of regret at the end of his hearing, Officer Santuomo, who offered no apology for killing his dogs, raised his middle finger to the reporters assembled to cover his story.

Officer Santuomo remains on active duty while awaiting a disciplinary hearing. Let's just hope he has no children who need watching while he serves his jail sentence.


Author: Jean-Pierre Ruiz

http://www.examiner.com/x-9726-Seattle-Pet-Laws-Examiner~y2009m6d28-Firefighter-shoots-pets-to-go-on-cruise?cid=examiner-email

Israel Launches Anti-Fur Campaign

Thank GOD for people like MK TIROSH-is there an email so that I might thank this beautiful person?

"the fate of animals is of greater inportance to me than the fear of appearing ridiculous. It is indissolubly connected to to the fate of man". Emile Zola (1840-1902)

--- On Fri, 6/26/09, melgraj2@aol.com wrote:


Subject: Israel: Fur flies as Knesset bill threatens 'shtreimel' supply

Date: Friday, June 26, 2009, 10:25 PM


Fur flies as Knesset bill threatens 'shtreimel' supply.
By REBECCA ANNA STOIL

Although fur hats might seem like a distant concern for most
Israelis as they settle in to a steamy summer, it was exactly
such headgear that threatened to stand in the way of an
otherwise popular bill that passed its first reading on the
Knesset floor Wednesday.

MK Ronit Tirosh's bill to ban imports of fur products from
east Asia earned the rare support of the coalition but irked
haredi MKs who worried that nothing less than a centuries-old
tradition could be at stake. Tirosh proposed the private
member's bill after watching an investigative report on
Channel 10 news in which they revealed that products
manufactured in China and labeled as containing synthetic fur
were actually made using the pelts of dogs, cats and rabbits.

Tirosh jumped to the aid of the four-footed friends and
drafted a private member's bill that would forbid importing
furs or textiles containing dog, cat or rabbit fur from east
Asia. Any offender could find themselves facing a year in
prison. In her explanation of the bill, Tirosh explained that
the animals that are raised for their pelts are kept in
horrific conditions and that sometimes the pelts are ripped
off the animals while they are still alive.

Tirosh's bill was met with enthusiastic support from all
directions, and Agriculture Minister Shalom Simchon even
suggested that it be expanded to include all fur from all
animals and to bar imports from throughout the world, and not
just the far east.

One house faction, however, was less than satisfied with the
bill. UTJ Faction Chairman MK Menahem Eliezar Moses, who
represents Agudath Israel, immediately jumped into action,
fighting to preserve the round fur hats known as "shtreimels"
worn by a number of hassidic groups as well as by members of
certain other Jerusalem haredi communities.

Shtreimel prices are already high for many wearers, and some
have already begun to turn to synthetic furs as an alternative
to the multi-thousand dollar hats that are made from rabbit,
sable, stone marten, baum marten and American gray fox.

Tirosh, in turn, presented rabbinic opinions arguing that the
conditions in which the animals were raised and slaughtered
violated Jewish principles of preventing cruelty to animals
and offered to work together with a haredi representative to
try and find a solution to the furry near-crisis.

The bill met with a second unexpected hurdle last week when it
was pulled at the last minute from Wednesday's agenda as part
of the opposition's struggle against the government - even
though the ministerial committee for legislation had already
agreed to support it.

But a week late, and with UTJ opposition quieted, Tirosh got a
first taste of victory as the bill sailed through the house by
a vote of 32-1 with one abstention. Although no UTJ members
were present during the voting, the bill did earn the support
of a number of their haredi counterparts in Shas.
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =====


“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is
violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Idiot Vet Refuses Treatment for Seriously Ill Dog Left on Clinics Doorstep



Brace yourself for this one! Click on title above to learn about the Idiot Dr Anderson and his Inner-City Vet Clinic in Buffalo, NY. Talk about heartless, unscruplous vets, this one has got to take the cake!

SOS for Sick Cat in NJ - Owner Poor, Vet Demands Payment Upfront

Highland Park, NJ--woman needs vet $ and ride to vet for sick cat

Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:13 pm (PDT)


Forwarded message - please reply to emilyrose.myres@yahoo.com

Highland Park, NJ--woman needs vet $ and ride to vet for sick cat

Hi,

Rose called concerning her cat Emily who is suffering with very bad
allergies. She's afraid of losing her- can't breathe.
She needs a ride and a vet who would perhaps keep a payment
plan for her.

She is in Highland Park, NJ. Her vet is Dr. Goldsmith who will not
see the cat unless she can pay upfront
.

If you can help in any way, please email Rose at
emilyrose.myres@yahoo.com or call 732-317-9401.

Thank you,
Jan
--------
Bloggers Note;
This one is going into our "Bad Vets" site; click on title above to go there;
http://www.freewebs.com/robbervets/

Press Release - New Jersey State Legislature Passes Fur Labeling Bill

New Jersey State Legislature Passes Bill to Protect Consumers from
Unlabeled Fur Products

(June 25, 2009) — The Humane Society of the United States praised the
New Jersey State Senate for passing legislation requiring all garments
made of animal fur to be labeled as such. Introduced by Sen. Jeff Van
Drew, D-1, S. 2472 passed with a vote of 37 to 1. In March a similar
bill, A. 2653, sponsored by Assemblymember Nilsa Cruz-Perez, D-5,
passed the State Assembly with a vote of 61 to 16. The Senate bill
now goes to the Assembly for concurrence, and if enacted, New Jersey
will become the fifth state to pass a strong fur labeling law.

"This bill has to do with the consumers' right to know what they're
wearing — whether it's cotton, silk, polyester, mink or dog fur," said
Sen. Van Drew. "The bottom line is that there are people walking
around wearing dog fur, who don't know it. By requiring labels to
contain the content of the garment, we would be giving consumers
the right to determine what they put on their bodies."

"Consumers have the right to know exactly what they are buying
so they can make informed purchasing decisions," said Michael
Markarian, The HSUS' executive vice president and chief operating
officer. "Many people have allergies to fur, have ethical objections to
fur, or choose to avoid fur from particular species of animals. We
applaud New Jersey lawmakers for passing this important consumer
protection bill and hope it moves to the governor's desk quickly."

A recent investigation by The Humane Society of the United States
revealed that many designers and retailers were selling unlabeled
fur-trimmed jackets as "faux," "raccoon" or "rabbit" that actually
came from domestic dogs or raccoon dogs, an Asian canine species.
Domestic dog fur has also been found on unlabeled garments sold
in the United States despite being illegal.

Thursday's vote in favor of S. 2472 — a simple, but important
consumer protection measure — will require all garments containing
animal fur sold in New Jersey to be labeled with the type of animal fur
and the country of origin.

A loophole in the federal fur labeling law allows products with a
"relatively small quantity or value" to go unlabeled. This loophole
means that many unlabeled garments are falsely advertised as the
wrong species or even as "faux" fur, so consumers cannot be sure
what they are getting. U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Reps.
Jim Moran, D-Va., and Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif., introduced Truth
in Fur Labeling Act (S. 1076 and H.R. 2480) in the U.S. Congress to
close this federal loophole and protect consumers nationwide.

Timeline:
2005 – The HSUS begins investigation into the raccoon dog fur trade.
February 2006 – The HSUS announces widespread industry scandal
finding raccoon dog fur for sale in the United States.
December 2006 – Tests commissioned by HSUS investigators find
raccoon dog fur on jackets advertised as "faux" and labeled as other
species such as raccoon or coyote.
February 2007 – Tests commissioned by HSUS investigators find
domestic dog fur on unlabeled jackets advertised as "faux" fur.
February 2007 – U.S. Reps. Jim Moran, D-Va., and Michael Ferguson,
R-N.J., introduce the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act,
H.R. 891.
March 2007 – The HSUS files petition with the Federal Trade Commission
seeking to enforce the Fur Products Labeling Act.
Aug. 15, 2007 – New York Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal's
legislation to require fur labeling signed into law in New York.
November 2007 – New York fur labeling law goes into effect.
September 2008 – U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Norm
Coleman, R-Minn., introduce the Truth in Fur Labeling Act, S. 3610.
November 2008 – HSUS files suit against a number of major retailers
including Macy's, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue for engaging
in false advertising and mislabeling of fur garments.
May 2009 – The Truth in Fur Labeling Act, introduced in the U.S. House
of Representatives and Senate, as H.R. 2480 and S. 1076, to protect
consumers by bringing much-needed accuracy and full disclosure to
fur labeling laws. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. and Reps. Jim Moran,
D-Va., and Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif. introduced the bills.

Background:
The Federal Fur Products Labeling Act of 1951 was passed to protect
consumers by requiring all garments with real fur to indicate species
and country of origin on clothing labels, but a loophole allows some
fur-trimmed garment to be exempt.
Delaware, New York, Massachusetts and Wisconsin have all passed laws
to require more complete fur labeling.
Raccoon dog is the most commonly unlabeled or misrepresented type
of fur sold in the United States, according to HSUS investigations.
Raccoon dogs have been documented to be skinned alive in China for
their fur.

Media Contact: Liz Bergstrom, 240-751-0659,
ebergstrom@humanesociety.org

PETA adds $2,500 to reward in Vineland dog-dragging incident

BY KRISTI FUNDERBURK GANNETT NEW JERSEY • JUNE 25, 2009

The reward for information about the case of Reese, the dog dragged
behind a pickup truck earlier this month, just went up to $3,500 on
Wednesday.

PETA, or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, added $2,500
to the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals' reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction
in the case.

The SPCA already had offered $1,000, but Executive Director Bev Greco
is happy to have the extra help from PETA.

"If it helps anyone to come forward, we're very glad to have it," she said.

A Vineland resident called 9-1-1 at 10:05 p.m. June 13 to report a
green pickup truck with a matching cap on its bed was dragging the
dog as the vehicle traveled east on Elmer Road and turned left onto
East Avenue. Police were unable to locate the truck or the dog that night.

A resident of the 1400 block of South East Avenue found the injured
dog on his porch with a pink jump rope tied around its neck shortly
before 8 a.m. the next day, according to a police report. The chocolate-
colored mixed breed dog suffered road bruises on her right side,
injuries to her face, and the pads and nails on her front paws were
severely injured.

Reese is currently in veterinary care and authorities expect she will
recover. Greco said Reese is up and walking, but likely will remain in
the hospital for two weeks.

David Perle, senior communications coordinator for PETA, said the
animal rights organization wanted to help catch the person or people
involved with the incident.

"We definitely like to catch anybody involved in cases like this," Perle
said. "There's a link between cruelty to animals and violence to other
people. Obviously this is a terrible case, but there are other issues."

Greco said no arrests have been made yet from the June 13 incident.
She said the process is slow as they are gathering information. She
added they gladly would take any information the public may have
about the incident.

SPCA investigators are trying to make contact with Omar Davis, who
was in possession of the dog at the time of the incident, for further
questioning, but Greco said he has not recently returned calls or come
forward.

Greco said there are no other persons of interest at this time besides
Davis.

How To Help

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact
the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals at (856) 691-1500.

For article, click on title above;
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990625015

PA - Why Is Kennel Owner Still Allowed To Have Dogs?

POSTED: 06-25-2009Just days after the Department of Agriculture
raided a local kennel and removed hundreds of dogs, more details
are coming out about how the investigation was handled. The state
Inspector General's Office was asked to review the handling of
inspections at the Almost Heaven kennel. WFMZ's Jaccii Farris reports.

Representative Doug Reichley says at least one Department of
Agriculture employee has been fired and two or three more employees
may lose their jobs by the time the investigative process is over.
Before October, 2008, Almost Heaven in Upper Milford Township
passed numerous inspections by the Department of Agriculture.
That's when an undercover investigation revealed unsanitary
conditions and resulted in the seizure of 50 sickly animals.. The
department says it started looking at their own inspectors.

>> DOUG REICHLEY: At least more than one allegation that these
folks were tipping off Eckhart as to when the inspections were going
to take place or were not actually recording the conditions that were
there.

>> REPORTER: The department of Agriculture confirms it asked the
Office of the inspector general to review its inspections of Almost
Heaven. But would not comment on any action taken. Representative
Doug Reichley says so far one person has been fired and other
terminations may follow. Almost Heaven's license wasn't renewed
in 2009. But officials say they had to wait until Almost Heaven's
appeals process ended before taking action. Tuesday and Wednesday,
the Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania SPCA raided
Almost Heaven again..seizing 216 dogs. 21 dogs and other animals
remain on the property. The Department of Agriculture says Derbe
Eckhart will never be allowed to operate a kennel in the state again.
Reichley says Almost Heaven is also in hot water with the department
of revenue for allegedly not paying $90,000 in sales tax charged to
customers. Reichley says a lien was filed on the property, but the
state didn't follow through.

>> When we asked them why they said if he's out of business he's
not going to pay back the sales tax.

>> REPORTER: 69 News was unable to get comment from the
Department of Revenue. All of the dogs seized have been taken to
shelters for adoption, including the Berks County Humane Society.

Friday, June 26, 2009

The AKC's Horrible New Breeding Incentive Plan!




The American Kennel Club, (AKC) professing a desire to "share their passion" for dogs(and breeding)with mixed-breed owners, has created a registry for mutts! One dosent have to be an Einstein or a brane sturgeon to know that a reckless program like this is not about a passion for "sharing," but a passion for the almighty buck! Do they really think the American Public is that stoopid? What mixed-breed dog-owner wouldnt want "papers" on his dog? Imagine, being the proud owner of a bona-fide pure-breed "Pedigree Mutt!" Just think of the millions of dollars the AKC will net annually in the way of registration fees, "products & services" and other promotional gimmicks. This program is nothing but the promotion of wholesale back-yard breeding on a grand scale, with no thought to the so-called problem of pet over-population or the high cost of veteinary care that prohibits most people who would otherwise have a pet but are unable to afford them. Below is a link to an article on the AKCs new "Mutt Registration" Program; Please contact them and let them know what you think of this terrible idea!

Click on title above to go to article;
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3810

See also this recent article about a Texas shelter in crisis that may have to euthanize dozens of animals due to lack of funding; The situation is the same all over the nation and is a(nother) National Disgrace that more is not being done to correct these preventable problems;

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa090620_lj_animalshelter.d618414.html


Thanks!

PA Action Alert - SUPPORT HB 39!

Please send this out to everyone you have ever met!

Action alert coming from Bill Smith at Main Line Animal Rescue. The guy who got Oprah to do the puppy mill show.



----Original Message-----
From: MainLineRescue@ aol.com (at aol.com)

PLEASE SEND THIS OUT TO EVERYONE YOU HAVE EVER MET. SUPPORT H.B. 39.



It takes an Amish farmer less than 5 minutes to "debark" one of his breeding dogs by hammering a steel rod down her throat - and breaking her jaw and shattering her back teeth. It takes 5 minutes for that same farmer/commercial breeder to cut off one of his dog's tail - in a filthy, dark barn without anesthesia. And it takes about the same amount of time for his thirteen year old son to tie the dog down and cut the puppies from her belly. Five minutes more to crop her ears using a pair of rusted hedge shears - the dog squirming and crying out in unbelievable pain.



So why is it taking Senator Stewart Greenleaf more than a week to decide that this is wrong? When we called his office last week to ask why his Committee is sitting on H.B. 39, we were told by his aide that Senator Greenleaf is "reviewing" the bill. What's to review? Everyone on Capital Hill knows about this bill. It is the companion bill to H.B. 2525 that passed into law last fall. When ask, repeatedly, if Senator Greenleaf would support H.B. 39, his aide would would commit. This is surprising to us considering Senator Greenleaf not only toured Pennsylvania' s puppy mills with a reporter from the Inquirer in 1995, seeing firsthand the conditions these animals face, but he also coined the expression "Puppy Mill Capital of the East Coast" and expressed an urgent need for change. Well, Senator Greenleaf, here's your chance to bring about change and help these dogs!



H.B. 39 would make it illegal for anyone other than a licensed veterinarian to perform these procedures, or if it is already illegal for anyone but a licensed vet to perform the procedure, it will toughen the penalties. Please contact the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to vote the bill out of their committee so it can finally go to the floor of the Senate for a vote. The bill passed the House unanimously, and passed the Senate Agricultural Committee unanimously two weeks ago (thank you members of the Ag Committee!). This bill is a crucial step toward protecting the dogs of Pennsylvania.



Please email (or call) the below legislators and ask them to to support H.B. 39 and move it to the Senate floor. Important to note, Senator Greenleaf represents Montgomery County. MLAR covers Montgomery County and many of us live in Montgomery County (I know I do) so let your voices be heard!





Bill Smith

Main Line Animal Rescue

Seal Alert-SA, Media Release 25 June 2009









Good News for Seals! Thanks for all your hard work Anti-Furs!

Seal Alert-SA in Talks to Buy-out Namibian Sealing Industry,
end the Seal Cull and Save Cape fur seal Species

Days before the world's largest seal cull is about to begin on 1 July. Francois Hugo of Seal Alert-SA receives offer from Namibia's last seal skin buyer, Hatem Yavuz to purchase Namibia's sealing industry lock, stock and barrel.

Talks are underway, and Seal Alert-SA plans to after ending the seal cull in Namibia, turn the sealing factories into Seal Museum's for tourists, any revenue obtained to go towards scientific research on Cape fur seals to assist Namibian government further its protection of this species. I have asked for the seal cull to be halted whilst discussions and agreements are being finalized.

Thereafter I will turn my attention to returning seals to extinct former seal islands and assist Namibia where ever possible to protect this species.




Seal Alert-SA also publicly appealing for any financial partners to come forward to help to make this a reality.





Its right for Namibia, the Namibian Sealers, the fur buyer and the Cape fur seals - and the world will be pleased.

South Africa stopped its seal cull in 1990, and with this development the commercial culling of this species will be for the history books, ending 500 years of cruelty.

For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
27-21-790 8774

Update: Whale Wars



Subject: Fear and Loathing in Madeira (Final Report from the 61st IWC Meeting)

Commentary by Captain Paul Watson

It’s hard to believe that Dr. Sidney Holt is attending his 50th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) here in Madeira. From that very first meeting he attended in Cambridge in 1959 until this very strange and weird and wacky whaling commission meeting today, he has seen a lifetime of frustrations, blatant greed, hysteria, hypocrisy, profound stupidity, awesome arrogance and incredible ignorance. He has also observed the threads of consistency that has tied every IWC gathering together - ineffectiveness, posturing, bureaucratic nonsense and confusion laid down on a patchwork foundation of grisly slaughter, greed and self-interest.

The IWC has always been and continues to be an insane cruel joke, certainly cruel to the whales and if not for the agonizing suffering of these intelligent and gentle creatures, these annual affairs would be hilarious. Most of these clowns posing as delegates share the same macabre character traits of the infamous Joker. They talk with casual insensitivity about the murder of sentient beings whose brains are larger and more complex than their own. It’s like what an annual conference of Nazi concentration camp guards would have been like if Hitler had been victorious.

I can imagine discussions like the importance of lethal medical research and a population assessment of the Jewish and Gypsy populations and the effect of their consumption patterns on German beer supplies. Or scientific panels to investigate if Jews actually feel pain and ways to make improvements for humane gas chambers. The type of delegates now attending the IWC meetings would be the same ones expected to condemn any measures to save Jews in established Jewish protection zones.

The Dr. Mengele wannabe’s in the Japanese Institute of Crap Cetacean Research are immune to the screams of dying pregnant whales. They measure and dissect whale foetuses with the same cold dispassionate professionalism as the butchers of Buchenwald displayed to the world only a mere year before the founding of the IWC.

Japan’s crappy science arguments were hysterically funny. They actually insisted on showing a power point presentation of the analysis of the contents of whale entrails during the lunch hour. The only research that Japanese whalers are conducting is product development and marketing of whale meat research. The current issue of New Scientist dismisses the credibility of this ridiculous ploy of scientific research whaling. In seeking to make fools of the rest of the world, the Japanese are making a laughing stock of themselves in the scientific community.

Last night I had to laugh to see Icelandic whaling boss Khristjan Loftsson sitting in the lobby of the Pestana Casino Park Hotel with three other men sipping on a pink fruity drink with little apricot coloured umbrellas.

The entire Icelandic whaling operation continues is because of this one girly man and the reputation of an entire nation is being sullied in blood because of this man’s particular cetacidal perversion. His insistence on penetrating innocent whales with the exploding harpoon replacing his little penis is nothing short of pathetic.

Meanwhile some of the African and Caribbean delegates were making good use of the funds slipped into their pockets by the Japanese in exchange for their votes. It’s amusing to see whores spending money on whores and tossing chips onto the roulette table like confetti while smoking Cuban cigars, all under the pretence of regulating whaling.

The delegates to the IWC are divided into four camps. On one side are the barbaric whaling nations of Japan, Norway, Iceland, and Denmark with their entourage camp followers of paid for third world rinky dink nations that have prostituted their vote out to their Japanese puppet masters. On the other side are the die hard whale conservation nations led by Australia, the United States, Great Britain, and New Zealand. The fourth camp are the aboriginal “subsistence” hunters who tend to confuse and muck up the entire process with their insistence that murdering whales is part of their culture.

The only thing all four camps can and do agree with is to condemn Sea Shepherd and

once again the Japanese whaling delegation has ensured that the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society receives the maximum amount of attention at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission.

Dr. Sidney Holt wrote in the June 25th edition of Eco that, “The IWC has just spent much time again, discussing the interaction between the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (“the organization that they will not name”) and the Japanese whaling fleet in the Antarctic last season. What concerns me is the injustice of such discussions in which only one side is heard – that of the government of Japan. If the IWC Commissioners want to act as judges and turn Plenary sessions into a rump court then the very least they could do is hear Sea Shepherd’s version of events; Paul Watson is in Funchal; why not invite him in? The Japanese video is not definitive. I, with millions of others have seen the Sea Shepherd’s helicopter footage, showing a very different story. I don’t know who is right or wrong but the IWC judgements of one side of a serious legal controversy is lamentable.”

For the third year in a row, the Japanese whaling delegation have taken up the delegates time and tried their patience by forcing a motion onto the floor to condemn the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The motion is labelled Safety at Sea and accuses Sea Shepherd of being a threat to the safety of Japanese whalers.

This year they seem to have an understanding that they are giving us free publicity and some of them are now referring to us as the organization that will not be named, or the “organization in question” or the “organization previously discussed.”

The issue of safety at sea is just another bad joke in an organization that specializes in bad jokes. We already know that Japanese whalers present a safety threat to Antarctic whales and they also present a safety threat to themselves.

This annual effort to condemn Sea Shepherd has only served to make us very visible in a meeting that were not allowed to participate in. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is the only organization in the world banned from attending the IWC meetings.

It is a honour we are extremely proud of, and we are flattered that the Japanese recognize that we are a pain in their ass by constantly promoting us as their primary opposition.

The Japanese government spends an outrageous amount of time trying to discredit and damage the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. They are telling governments that we are terrorists yet they are not issuing any formal charges for fear of drawing more attention to their illegal whaling activities. They constantly try to bully other nations where our ships have been registered into taking our flag away from us. They have forced Canada, Belize, the Cayman Islands and Britain to submit but fortunately the Dutch don’t take their orders from Tokyo and we remain registered in the Netherlands. They tried to get us kicked out of the hotel where the IWC meeting is taking place and where we are registered guests but they were foiled in that effort also.

It is comical watching the fifty or so Japanese delegates trying to avoid the Sea Shepherd crew. They refuse to walk through the lobby when we are there, they walk out of restaurants if we are there and they tend to stay sequestered in their rooms, avoiding the bars, the casino and the pool. They seem to feel comfortable only behind the security guards and the police in the restricted area where the conference is being held. It’s like they are not even at the hotel. It’s great fun watching them pretend that we are terrorists and their feigned expressions of fear in our presence.

Read more...
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1775393098#/note.php?note_id=97981471117&ref=mf

Please Donate to Sea Shepherd and invite your friends to join the whaledefenders
Sea Shepherd is the only organisation that is defending
whales all the other organisations are just talking like the IWC!


Namasté
Hans Lak
Whaledefenders stop the killing
hans@wildlifefoundation.info
http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.wildlifefoundation.info
Please add me in your favorite social network!
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.mynameise.com/HansLak

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Man turns himself in to collect reward for shooting his dog



June 25, 9:51 AM

Brenda Holmes/www.examiner.com/x-7450-Little-Rock-Dogs-Examiner

A father and his son, Travis L. and Terrance L. Hedin, were charged with first-degree animal cruelty after tying their dog to a tree and shooting it, leaving it for dead.

The dog, a Rottweiler named Maynard, had bitten Travis' wife several times within two months. Father and son drove the dog to a wooded area in North Bend (WA) and tied Maynard to a tree near a steep embankment. The indictment states that the father told the son to "start shooting and don't stop until the dog is dead." Maynard fell down the embankment after the first few shots but neither man bothered to ensure that their dog was dead. Maynard was later found by hikers who called Animal Care and Control. Maynard was struck by three bullets and paralyzed. As a result, he had to be euthanized.

Pasado's Safe Haven offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Allegedly, one of the two men turned himself in an effort to collect the reward.

The pair was charged with animal cruelty, not for shooting Maynard, but rather for failing to ensure that the dog was dead. "If you try to take matters into your own hands, you have a responsibility to do it right and in such a manner that does not cause undue suffering," said King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg. The men were charged with first-degree animal cruelty, a Class C felony punishable by up to one year in jail and a $10,000 fine. Both men are free pending their arraignment on July 7.

Pasado's confirmed that neither rocket scientists are eligible for the reward.


http://www.examiner.com/x-9726-Seattle-Pet-Laws-Examiner~y2009m6d25-Man-turns-himself-in-to-collect-reward-for-shooting-his-dog?cid=examiner-email

Sunday, June 21, 2009

HBO, viewers happy to see more 'Blood'

No wonder we are such a bloodthirsty Nation, we are selling violence to our kids, wrapping it all up in attractive packages with the promice of success (kids emulate) and we are cramming it down their throats, on TV, in their video games, their music, their dress, their "cool-to-be" Gangsta' attitudes. Its love of sex & violence, money and drugs we are instilling in them,...and we are reaping the price of it all everyday in America when we turn on the news and hear all the violent acts carried out by our mad angry violent youth of today..

...June 18, 2009

By Joe Flint Los Angeles Times

HOLLYWOOD - HBO's sultry vampire drama "True Blood" has become a surprise hit for the pay cable network and almost single-handedly has put the network back in the cultural zeitgeist discussion.

The second-year show, which premiered Sunday to numbers the network hasn't seen since the last days of its mob drama "The Sopranos," is also on track to become HBO's next cash cow.

For Time Warner's HBO, it couldn't come at a more opportune time. There has been a perception that the network has been in a creative funk since "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City" ended their runs. Although the comedies "Entourage" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" have loyal audiences, neither has broken through the way "True Blood" appears poised to do.

At the same time, rival Showtime has seen its fortunes rise with risk-taking shows such as "Weeds," "Californication," "Dexter" and, most recently, "Nurse Jackie." Basic cable networks including FX with "Rescue Me," AMC with "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad" and TNT with "The Closer" also have invaded HBO's turf with stronger programming. HBO always has been a financial success - people close to the channel say it generates roughly $1.4 billion in annual profit - but it also relishes its role as a critical darling. The emergence of "True Blood" as a hit and the strong buzz for the network's upcoming comedy "Hung," about a teacher who decides to become a male escort, might get HBO its cool crown back.

DVD sales for the first season of "True Blood," which went on sale a few weeks ago, have generated north of $30 million in sales, according to industry research company The Numbers. "True Blood" also has become one of the top iTune downloads.

Because HBO produces and owns "True Blood," most of that money will flow back to the cable network. At a time when the rerun market is drying up for broadcast shows, HBO has become successful selling its shows there as well, although the racy content of "True Blood" might require severe editing even for basic cable.

"True Blood" isn't cheap to make. Although a typical drama on broadcast television may cost north of $2 million an episode, HBO's dramas cost as much as $4 million an episode. When it premiered last year, "True Blood" drew only 1.4 million viewers and looked like it would join "John From Cincinnati" and "Tell Me You Love Me" as another quirky flop for the network. As the season wore on, however, the popularity grew. Sunday's premiere drew 3.7 million viewers, the highest number for an HBO show since the finale of "The Sopranos."

HBO reran the episode later that night, drawing a total viewership of more than 5 million. Those numbers are even more impressive considering that "True Blood" did not have a powerful show leading into its telecast and went up against ABC's coverage of the National Basketball Association Finals.


http://license.icopyright.net/user/viewContent.act?clipid=312529682&mode=cnc&tag=3.5963%3Ficx_id%3D157677

Saturday, June 20, 2009

NM Gaming Bird Group Fighting to Keep their Cocks (fighting)

File challenge to ban and, if lost, may have to eat them!

New Mexico cockfighting ban challenged in federal court
June 19, 2:08 PM

AP PhotoEarly last month, the New Mexico Court of Appeals upheld the state's law banning cockfighting. Less than a week later, New Mexico's cockfighters, lead by the the New Mexico Gamefowl Association, filed a $77M class-action lawsuit in Federal District Court in Las Cruces (NM). The suit alleges that the state's criminalization of cockfighting violates the cockfighters's civil rights.

In 2007, New Mexico became the 49th state to enact a law which made cockfighting illegal (Louisiana became the last in 2008). Amendments to Section 38-19-01 eliminated Subsection K excepting cockfighting from the definition of animal cruelty. Moreover, the amendment to Section 38-19-9 created a criminal penalty for anyone convicted of cockfighting.

Law enforcement officials believe that cockfighting continues unabated due to the fact that it is considered to be a misdemeanor. Moreover, officials believe that New Mexico cockfights attract gamblers and spectators from the four out five neighbor states where the practice is a felony.

Shortly after Governor Richardson signed the law into effect, cockfighting proponents filed suit in the state's court. The trial court rejected the challenge and upheld the bans on all grounds ruling both that the Plaintiffs lacked standing and that the challenged statute was constitutional.The proponents of cockfighting argued that 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the American-Mexican war, conferred a "cultural" right to engage in cockfighting.The Plaintiffs alleged a right under Article II, Section 5 of the Treaty which states:

"[t]he rights, privileges and immunities, civil, political and religious guaranteed to the people of New Mexico by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo shall be preserved inviolate."

The Plaintiffs alleged that cockfighting was part of the cultural heritage under Mexican law and such was meant to be recognized by the Treaty. After a very thorough review of the Treaty and associated materials, the Court rejected the argument and deemed the amendments making cockfighting a criminal endeavor constitutional.

In cockfighting, roosters are bred and trained to fight in an arena for the purpose of entertaining (?) the spectators. Tens of thousands of dollars are reportedly gambled during the fights. The birds are equipped with gaffes, 3- to 6-inch long, curved steel implements, sharp as a razor blade, designed to inflict severe injuries. The birds are also injected with a variety of drugs which "enhance" their aggressive nature, and allow them to fight longer. Fights can last from less than half-a-minute to half-an-hour and, most often end, with the death of one, or both of the birds. Common injuries include punctured lungs, broken bones, and pierced eyes. Often, if the losing bird is not killed outright in the arena, its owner feels embarrassed and ashamed and will either abandon the bird for it to die slowly of its injuries, or slam it against the ground or wall to kill it. In addition to illegal gambling, firearms and other weapons are reportedly common at cockfights. Moreover, law enforcement officials have documented a strong connection between cockfighting and the distribution of illegal drugs, often learning of illegal cockfights as a result of a narcotics investigation. According to the Humane Society of the United States, cockfighting attracts a wide variety of participants, including upper middle-class and wealthy individuals, in numerous environments, including well-to-do neighborhoods.

The New Mexico law makes cockfighting a misdemeanor (a felony for a 3rd or subsequent offense). Possession of the birds for cockfighting is also a misdemeanor. However, it is still legal to be a spectator or to possess cockfighting paraphernalia.



For more info: .N.M.S.A 1978, Section 30-18-1 to -9: ; Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: www.mexica.net/guadhida.html; Court of Appeals decision: http://coa.nmcourts.gov/documents/opinions/NM Gamefowl Ass'n FO.pdf.



http://www.examiner.com/x-9726-Seattle-Pet-Laws-Examiner~y2009m6d19-New-Mexico-cockfighting-ban-challenged-in-federal-court?cid=examiner-em

A Pilot Protests Over NYC Goose-Killing

I am so proud of these people!

Dozens Protest Killing of Geese Near Airports


Rachel Cernansky for The New York Times


Demonstrators protested a proposal to remove at least 2,000 geese from more than 40 city-owned parks and other sites within five miles of the city’s airports.
Just a few blocks north of Union Square, a crowd gathered outside the headquarters of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Tuesday afternoon to protest New York City’s plan to kill at least 2,000 geese during their molting season, a time when the geese cannot fly. The protesters accused the mayor’s office of planning the action in secret, in conjunction with the federal Agriculture Department and the Port Authority.

The Port Authority brushed off the protest, insisting that the culling was necessary to prevent bird strikes — and adding a rhyme for good measure. “Our responsibility is to think about safety for people before peace for geese,” a Port Authority spokesman, Stephen Sigmund, said.

The authorities announced the plan to kill the geese on Thursday, in response to the bird strike that resulted in the nearly disastrous ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in January. The first 100 geese were killed on Monday.

The protesters asserted that the geese culling was both inhumane and ineffective.

“This is absurd,” said Edita Birnkrant, New York director of Friends of Animals, the group leading the protest. “This is not going to solve any problems. This won’t make planes any safer.”

The geese that took down Flight 1549 on Jan. 15 were migratory geese, while the geese that are going to be killed in the next few weeks are resident birds, the protesters pointed out. The disruption of their habitats would not have prevented the accident in January, they said.

Ms. Birnkrant said that the Port Authority was “passing the buck” and that officials there told her they “would have” looked into nonlethal methods, but the decision to destroy the birds had already been made by the Agriculture Department. Ultimately, Ms. Birkrant argued, it was up to the mayor to approve the action.

“This is a terrible precedent to set, that anytime there is a problem with wildlife — to just slaughter them is not a way to solve the issue,” she said. The Humane Society of the United States says that Canada geese can be effectively managed with nonlethal techniques like aversive conditioning, egg addling and landscape management.

At the protest, as many as 30 people chanted slogans such as “How many geese did you gas today?” Asked whether the protest was having any effect, Ms. Birnkrant said: “A lot of people are giving the thumbs up and are supporting us. Some people don’t even know that this is going on.”

For their part, the authorities have said that the removal of the geese is necessary and comes on top of other steps to protect the aviation system.

“This new initiative will build on measures the Port Authority is already taking to eliminate wildlife hazards at the airports,” Chris Ward, the Port Authority’s executive director, said in a statement last week, “including the installation of a state-of-the-art bird radar trial program at J.F.K. Airport, hiring a second wildlife biologist — two of only seven airport biologists in the nation — expanding shotgun training for field supervisors, and returning to Rikers Island for the sixth straight year of roundups.”

Martin Lowney, director of the Agriculture Department’s Wildlife Services program, said last week that research had shown that resident Canada geese in several New York studies “stay within five miles of a particular location” and that 74 percent of wildlife strikes occur at or near the airport. Removing the geese will improve public safety “without harm to the species as a whole,” he maintained.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/dozens-protest-killing-of-geese-near-airports/

Update 3: NY Goose-Killing Protest / Mon. June 22

Dear friends of Canada geese:

If you're in the New York city area on Monday, June 22, please participate in a protest at City Hall. Here's more info:

What: NYC Protest of Canada Geese Slaughter


NYC PROTEST OF CANADA GEESE SLAUGHTER: Monday, 6/22/09
=============================================================

WHERE: New York City Hall, New York, NY
WHEN: Monday, June 22 * 12:00 noon to 2:30PM *
WHO: Various animal rights groups and activists including
Friends of Animals

Thank you for being the voice for Canada geese.

Choo

--
Please visit Love Canada Geese. We have updated stories of our geese friends and we're introducing other friends over the coming weeks.
Visit us and our friends at:
http://www.lovecanadageese.com

Friday, June 19, 2009

"The Onion" Does PETA

Heroic PETA Commandos Kill 49, Save Rabbit
March 19, 1997 | Issue 31•10




NORFOLK, VA—In what has been dubbed the most "devastating and brutal siege in the history of animal-rights activism," an elite, paramilitary squad of commandos from People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA) attacked and killed 49 employees at Couture Cosmetics' Norfolk, VA, research facility while saving a rabbit during a daring midnight raid Monday.


An elite squad of PETA commandos rescues a floppy-eared rabbit (center) from Couture Cosmetics' Norfolk, VA, facility. Forty-nine researchers were executed in the raid.

"Never in my life, not even during my tour of duty in Korea, have I seen such carnage," tearstruck Couture CEO Herman Frankel said, surveying the carnage. "My God, what will I tell the families of the victims of this massacre?"

According to the handful of survivors of the raid, Couture workers were first immobilized by gunshot wounds to the knees before being shot execution-style in the back of the head. PETA officials assured that no animals were harmed during the destruction of the complex.

The rabbit, a floppy-eared, speckled gray longhair with an adorable pink nose, was being used by Couture as part of an eyeshadow-allergy research project at the time of the rescue.

"Look at the cute bunny," said PETA commando Shirley "No Mercy" Dorn, a Norfolk-area petcare volunteer and leader of the PETA strike force. Lovingly cradling the rescued rabbit as she walked past the charred and dismembered bodies of its captors, she added, "Look at his nose! Look at his nose!"

In addition to the 49 executed, some 150 other animal researchers were savagely beaten. "They're lucky they escaped with their lives," PETA field marshall Donna "Skull" Saunders said. "Those who survived with only severed limbs got off too easily. They were probably putting itchy-powder in Flopsy's big, beautiful eyes."

Adressing the rabbit, Saunders continued: "Who's got a little powder-puff tail? Who? Who? Oh, yes, you do! Oh, yes, you have a furry little puffy-tail!"

She then fed the rabbit a carrot, causing its adorable pink nose to wiggle up and down, up and down as it chewed, making cute little chewy-faces.

In a statement released Tuesday, Couture Cosmetics maintained that, though the rabbit in question was being used for research purposes, the company has adhered to a strict "cruelty-free" policy since 1992, and that the rabbit was "at no time subjected to any pain or discomfort."

The Aftermath of a 1995 PETA raid on a Gillette testing laboratory.

"That old line? Don't try handing us that," Saunders said in response. "Those filthy barbarians probably were sticking Mr. Bunny with needles and all sorts of things. They were human garbage who got exactly what they deserved: swift, merciless extermination at the hands of trained professionals." Turning her attention to the rabbit, she added, "Didn't they? Didn't they?"

In addition to liberating the rabbit, PETA commandos seized an office-cubicle plaque with a picture of a panda bear and the words, "I Hate Mondays."

"Look at Mr. Panda-Tummy," PETA operative Warren "Death's Head" Pleth said, holding the plaque. "Look at Mr. Fatty-Fat Panda Man."

An attempt by the families of the Couture Cosmetics victims to bury their loved ones was met with equally savage resistance from PETA commandos, who strafed the mass funeral procession with machine-gun fire before spraying the cemetery with explosive flaming phosphorous gel, scattering the assembled mourners and killing seven.

"The holes they were digging in the ground threatened to disturb the habitat of a native population of moles," an official PETA statement read, "Moley moley, mole mole. Are you a little digger? Oh, yes, you are!"

On Tuesday, PETA officials supervised the rabbit's release back into the wild where, within minutes, it was chased down, torn to pieces and fully devoured by a fox.

Despite the extreme cruelty of the fox attack, PETA officials have no plans to take action against the animal. "Foxes are lovable furry forest friends," PETA president Joy MacInnis said. "Not like the hairless, human, animal-hating scum who so richly deserve to get their skulls smashed in with the back end of an automatic weapon


http://www.theonion.com/content/news/heroic_peta_commandos_kill_49_save?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Update 2: Goose-Killings, NY, NJ

Activists object to killing of geese in N.J.

Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:02 am (PDT)


Forwarded message - for info, please visit
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20090618_Activists_object_to_killing_of_geese_in_N_J_.html

By Matthew Spolar
Inquirer Staff Writer
June 18, 2009

Around this time each year for about a decade, the U.S. Department
of Agriculture has rounded up Canada geese from parks and airports
across New Jersey, herded them into pens, and euthanized them with
carbon dioxide.

The process has begun again, and it is set to continue through July
as the government fights an overabundance of geese up and down
the East Coast, responding to complaints about waste, property damage,
and aviation safety.

But the program is not without detractors in the animal-rights community.

"What they're doing in New Jersey is totally unnecessary. It's based upon
a lack of understanding of wildlife behavior," said David Feld, director of
GeesePeace, which helps communities remove the birds using "nonlethal"
methods.

Efforts to cull geese this year have received more attention than in the
past, especially in New York City. In January, US Airways Flight 1549 had
to execute an emergency landing on the Hudson River after being struck
by geese.

In response, the city has asked the USDA's Wildlife Services to capture
and kill at least 2,000 geese at city parks and sites within five miles of
airports, angering protesters who gathered outside the Port Authority of
New York and New Jersey on Tuesday.

Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, which helped organize
the protest, called the culling of residential geese in the hope of improving
flight safety a "mean-spirited, inane idea." She pointed to a study by
Smithsonian scientists that concluded the geese that hit Flight 1549
were migratory.

"We recognize that there can be people who don't agree with it," USDA
spokeswoman Carol Bannerman said. "It would be nice if there were
somewhere to take the geese to . . . but in New Jersey, especially, there's
not a place to put them."

The USDA doubled the geese it removed in the state from 1,000 in
2006 to 2,000 in 2008, Bannerman said. This year, 20 locations in nine
counties, including Burlington, Mercer, and Salem, have requested
geese removal.

Officials choose this time of year because geese are molting, or
shedding their feathers, and cannot fly.

A primary alternative touted by Feld is pouring corn oil on goose eggs,
which prevents them from hatching. This process, he argues, is more
effective at stopping the population problem at the source and can
discourage the goose who laid the egg from returning.

Bannerman said Wildlife Services had treated 2,000 eggs in more than
300 nests in New Jersey. She said that despite this and other tactics,
such as discouraging residents from feeding the geese, it was difficult
to make them leave the area, citing research that showed geese moved
an average of only 21/2 miles in two years.

Feld countered that if more emphasis had been placed on non-lethal
methods, the geese would have been gone by now.

"Because they're not doing appropriate management practices, they've
got a program where the only answer is killing them," he said. "It gives
people a false sense of security and gives them justification for
something they wouldn't have to do in the first place."

Though the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a report in 2002 that
set a goal of cutting New Jersey's population of 80,000 Canada geese
in half, Bannerman said the USDA's job was not to reach that quota
but simply to respond to requests from municipalities and landowners.

For this reason, Tori Perry, a senior cruelty caseworker with People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the group had focused on
those requesting the geese removal instead of the government. When
a PETA member hears about a removal request, the organization
calls the landowner to suggest other methods.

"Most people want to be kind, want to be compassionate," Perry said.
"They just need to be educated."

Contact staff writer Matthew Spolar at 856-779-3829 or
mspolar@phillynews.com.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Brace Yourselves; Worse Equine Neglect Case Ever!






WARNING: Very Graphic Pics

CALL TO ACTION! URGENT: Horse Abuse Case-Action Needed--Please Help

PLEASE CROSS POST

This is a Call for Action directed to any and all people who have feelings of respect, and love, and compassion for animals, and who care enough to help seek justice, and safety, for two horses who have suffered terribly at the hands of an alleged abuser.

The photos are graphic--but they are real. They are documentation of just how much suffering was inflicted on these two innocent animals at the hands of the person responsible for their care. Look at them, and please: stand up for justice. Stand up with us to protect the future of these animals. Stand up with us to send the message, loud and clear, that animal abuse in New York State will not be tolerated, and will be punished, with a vengeance.



Stand up for Suzi, who has hurt so much, for so long. Join forces with others who care. Be her voice. Tell her story. Defend her right to live without pain and suffering. Send the message, loud and clear, that there are people who will fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, with voices, with letters, with phone calls, with faxes, with their hearts and minds, with their outrage--outrage that animal cruelty is not viewed as an accountable crime, that people can do such things, and simply--walk away: walk away with the very animal they tortured beside them, his/her heart hammering with fear and despair as people do nothing more than shake their heads and turn away.



Look at Suzi and consider just what it is this sweet horse has endured at the hands of the person entrusted to care for her. Should the person who caused this go unpunished? One count of misdemeanor cruelty is the charge, when Suzi's pain went on for days, and months, and is still going on. Suzi is still receiving daily visits from the vet. Should this person be allowed to receive Suzi back again? That is Keum H. Lee's plan: she has refused to surrender ownership of these horses. Should the fact that she starved Suzi's companion be dismissed, as if that suffering did not occur, was not worthy of mention in the charges against this person?

The Defendant: Keum H. Lee, female, age 58, occupation: physicist

Click on title above for full story;
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090428/NEWS/904280324

On the night of Thursday, April 16th, near midnight, a call reporting a horse loose on a Wallkill road came in to the police station. The attending police officer reported "it smells like the horse's face is rotting off"--which indeed, was exactly the case. On Friday, April 17th, Animal Control and an equine vet went to the property of the horses' caregiver, Keum H. Lee, to investigate.



Suzi, described as a palomino mare, was declared to be approximately 600 pounds underweight, and suffering from extreme untended facial wounds, and infection. Her companion was found to be approximately 200 pounds underweight. Under the direction of the investigating veterinarian, the horses were immediately transported to a local equine rescue organization for proper care and rehabilitation. Everyone's heart went out to these two survivors--and yet, they are hardly now in a situation that can be called safe.



The Case
Although reportedly charged with two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty, Keum H. Lee is now charged with only one count. This, despite the obvious, documentable, and agonizing suffering and starvation imposed on one animal in her care, and the obvious neglect and starvation of another animal in her care. Keum H. Lee has yet to pay one vet bill. She has refused to surrender her right to care for these animals. She is, in fact, pleading Not Guilty to the single charge against her--despite overwhelming evidence against her.



The Abuse:
Removal of Suzi's halter revealed wounds filled with maggots. Because a salivary duct on the right side of her face was crushed during the ongoing ordeal, and the condition was not treated, she leaks saliva through her jawbone. After a six hour operation, Suzi is reported as not recovering well.

Prior to Suzi escaping to the road--an act that likely saved her life--numerous reports had been filed regarding abusive conditions for animals at Keum H. Lee's address. No action was taken by authorities until Suzi was reported loose in the road--at which time, action was taken because the situation was a public safety one.

What Is Going To Happen?
If no one cares, and no one acts, this is what will happen: Keum H. Lee will be found Guilty, or found Not Guilty, of misdemeanor animal abuse. If found Guilty, she will pay a small fine. The horses will be returned to her--despite the statement of the examining equine veterinarian and the observations of the clinic veterinarians that these horses suffered, were starved, were abused--despite the documented agonies she has already inflicted on these animals: the horses will be returned to Keum H. Lee.

The Alternative: Express Your Outrage!

You can make a difference. Person by person. Caring heart by caring heart, we can make a difference in the lives of these two horses.

Call, write, and fax the following people and politely and intelligently DEMAND:
that the correct felony charges be brought against Keum H. Lee for her willful extreme neglect and abuse;
that Keum H. Lee be charged on separate counts for the abuse inflicted on two different animals;
that Keum H. Lee NOT be allowed to receive these animals back under any circumstances;
that Keum H. Lee be required to pay for all related veterinary care provided;
that Keum H. Lee be refused the right to care for any animals as long as she lives in the state of New York.
Please forward the story of Suzi and her companion, and how they have suffered and are suffering still, to everyone you know, and ask them to stand up with you in support of helping these two horses to a life of health and safety.
Who to Contact: Express Your Outrage!

Francis D. Phillips, District Attorney
255 Main Street
Goshen, NY 10924
Phone: (845) 291-2050
Fax: (845) 291-2085
fphillips@co.orange.ny.us

Andy Kass, Esq.
c/o Orange County District Attorney's Office
18 Seward Avenue
Middletown, NY 10940
Phone: 845-615-3640
Fax: (845) 346-1189

Tanya Beamer, Esq.
c/o Orange County District Attorney's Office
18 Seward Avenue
Middletown, NY 10940
Phone: 845-615-3640
Fax: (845) 346-1189

From Suzi's heart to me, and our heart to yours: thank you for caring.

WE ARE ALSO ASKING PEOPLE TO SHOW UP OUTSIDE THE COURT (WITH SIGNS IF POSSIBLE) TO SHOW THE JUDGES AND LEE HOW WE FEEL. MAKE SIGNS THAT SAY THINGS LIKE "WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY" OR "LEE DESERVES JAIL TIME FOR HER CRUELTY" OR "NO BREAKS OR PLEA DEALS FOR ABUSERS" - OR THINK OF YOUR OWN VERBIAGE...BUT SHOW UP! BE THERE ON JUNE 24TH AT 11 AM. Wallkill Township building, 99 Tower Drive, Middletown, NY.

This comment was made by her caretaker:
"I just came in for the night and before leaving I say goodnight to each one....when I reached her stall I saw her struggling to chew her hay, the pain in her jaw is so obvious, I soak her feed (25 pounds a day) but we have decided, the vet & I, that she has to continue to chew or else the arthritis caused by this will weaken her ability to eat in the future...she's trying so hard........if adding my name and the org name and contact info adds any weight or credence....please do so. I'm angry at this woman. I'm sad for this kind soul who is suffering. Thank you for sending this out to people. Sending up a prayer that it helps and that she will not suffer forever.....thanks."




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>

Deliver a Message to NYC's Animal Murdering Mayor

Speak Out For:

Enslaved Carriage Horses, JFK's Murdered Feral Cats,
Shelter Animals & soon to be Slaughtered Geese

Friday, June 19 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

WAR Action Alert / NYC Wild Goose Killing

Winning Animal Rights (WAR) is planning a demonstration at Mayor Bloombergs House next friday (June 19) over New York Citys plan to capture and kill by gassing 2,000 wild geese. Rescuers have offered the authorities several options to the killing, including some methods proven to have been successful in other problem areas. Some wild-life preservationists have even offered to take and relocate hundreds of these doomed geese, but all to no avail. The authorites say there are no alternatives and are determined to go through with their killing plan. Well WAR has a plan for their plan. Wont you join them if you can? For more details, continue reading down, and pass this around to all your NYC friends of feathered friends!

Thanks!

CJ/MK

---------------
ALERT FROM WAR;

Join Win Animal Rights this Friday evening, June 19, 2009, as we protest the killing of 2,000 Canada Geese by New York City. In a program devised by Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office and with the complicity of the Port Authority, the USDA has already begun rounding up geese from New York City's neighborhood parks in the vicinity of the airports. This time of year the geese are easy to catch as they are molting and unable to fly. After capturing the geese they will be gassed. This despite the fact that there are numerous non-lethal alternative methods like habitat manipulation, dogs and non-lethal chemicals.

This is just another sham to make New Yorkers feel that the Mayor is concerned about safety instead of his own shameful re-election to an illegal third term. A term that is unethical and contrary to the will of the people, who have voted twice for term limits, which Bloomberg has conveniently overlooked. Recently the Mayor has made inconsiderate statements about the geese slaughter that have proven once and for all that he is cold hearted and that he has no compassion for the defenseless.

During his tenure, Bloomberg has stood in the way of humane and animal friendly legislation, while at the same time cutting funding to our city's shelters. His remarks have been rude, offensive and snarky and he is turning New York City into an animal unfriendly city. It is only a matter of time before this attitude starts to effect tourism as travellers turn to friendlier, more progressive cities to visit.


Date: Friday, June 19, 2009
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Where: Bloomberg's Residence - 17 E. 79th St. (off 5th Ave)


If you cannot participate in the protest, please take the following action:

Contact Mayor Bloomberg:

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10020-1175

PHONE 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC)
FAX (212) 788-2460

e-mail: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

or write the Mayor at home:

Michael Bloomberg
17 E. 79th St.
New York, NY 10075

Contact the Port Authority:

Ray Tragale
Deputy Director
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
225 Park Avenue South, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 435-3730

Port Authority Corporate Headquarters
General number: (212) 435-7000
Public Affairs: (212) 435-7777
(Get a live person on the line and demand to speak to someone about the Canada Geese — keep calling until they respond)
Fax: (212) 435-4032

Anthony R. Coscia,
Chairman, Board of Commissioners
The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
Phone: (732) 846-2120 (direct line), 732-846-7600 (general number for Mr. Coscia's law firm)
Fax: (732) 846-8877

On-line Feedback form for Port Authority Board of Commissioners:

http://www.panynj.gov/feedback.php

Note: Everyone is welcome at our protests and events. We will not limit your freedom of speech or your freedom of expression. We will not censor your signs or what you choose to wear.

Tuesdays Action June 16, 2009

Tuesdays Actions;

Dozens Protest Killing of Geese Near Airports, NYC 6/16/09
Posted by: "rjyager" rjyager@yahoo.com rjyager
Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:31 pm (PDT)


http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/dozens-protest-killing-of-geese-near-airports/

Dozens Protest Killing of Geese Near Airports
By Rachel Cernansky

Rachel Cernansky for The New York Times Protesters decried a proposal
to remove at least 2,000 geese from more than 40 city-owned parks and
other facilities within five miles of the citys airports.

Just a few blocks north of Union Square, a crowd gathered outside the
Port Authoritys headquarters on Tuesday afternoon to protest New York
Citys plan to kill at least 2,000 geese during their molting season,
a time when the geese cannot fly. The protesters accused the mayors
office of planning the action in secret, in conjunction with the
federal Agriculture Department and the Port Authority of New York and
New Jersey.

The Port Authority brushed off the protest, insisting that the culling
was necessary to prevent bird strikes and adding a rhyme for good
measure. Our responsibility is to think about safety for people
before peace for geese, a Port Authority spokesman, Stephen Sigmund,
said.

The authorities announced the plan to kill the geese on Thursday, in
response to the bird strike that resulted in the nearly disastrous
ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in January. The
first 100 geese were killed on Monday.

The protesters asserted that the geese culling was both inhumane and
ineffective.

This is absurd. This is not going to solve any problems, said Edita
Birnkrant, New York director of Friends of Animals, the group leading
the protest. This wont make planes any safer.

The geese that took down Flight 1549 on Jan. 15 were migratory geese,
while the geese that are going to be killed in the next few weeks are
resident birds, the protesters pointed out. The disruption of their
habitats would not have prevented the January incident, they said.

Ms. Birnkrant said the Port Authority is passing the buck, and that
officials there told her they would have looked into nonlethal
methods, but that the decision to destroy the birds had already been
made by the Agriculture Department. Ultimately, Ms. Birkrant argued,
it’s up to the mayor to approve the action.

This is a terrible precedent to set, that any time there is a problem
with wildlife to just slaughter them is not a way to solve the issue,
she said. The Humane Society of the United States says that Canada
geese can be effectively managed with nonlethal techniques like
aversive conditioning, egg addling and landscape management.

The protest saw up to 30 people chanting such slogans as, How many
geese did you gas today?? Asked whether the protest was having any
effect, Ms. Birnkrant said, A lot of people are giving the thumbs up
and are supporting us. Some people don’t even know that this is going
on.

For their part, the authorities have said that the removal of the
geese is necessary and comes on top of other steps to protect the
aviation system.

This new initiative will build on measures the Port Authority is
already taking to eliminate wildlife hazards at the airports,
including the installation of a state-of-the-art bird radar trial
program at J.F.K. airport, hiring a second wildlife biologist two of
only seven airport biologists in the nation, expanding shotgun
training for field supervisors, and returning to Rikers Island for the
sixth straight year of roundups, Chris Ward, the Port Authoritys
executive director, said in a statement last week.

Martin Lowney, director of the Agriculture Department’s Wildlife
Services program, said last week that research had shown that resident
Canada geese in several New York studies stay within five miles of a
particular location and that 74 percent of wildlife strikes occur at
or near the airport. Removing the geese will improve public safety
without harm to the species as a whole, he maintained.


Coming events: Mark your calendars now!

June 20 & 21 - June Justice Weekend - Protests on behalf of Prisoners of Conscience
June 26 - 28 - Let Live Conference - Portland, Oregon
July 16 - 20 - AR2009 National Animal Rights Conference - Los Angeles
(see the WAR calendar at Yahoo for details and web-links)


Visit the WAR Calendar for future events: http://calendar.yahoo.com/winanimalrights
Visit the WAR MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/winanimalrights
Visit WAR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Win-Animal-Rights/25169195791


For more info contact Win Animal Rights at: winanimalrights@optonline.net
Call: 646.267.9934 or visit the WAR website at: http://war-online.org

W.A.R. (WIN ANIMAL RIGHTS) is an independent non-profit organization not affiliated or associated with SHAC, SHAC USA or any other group or organization and does not conduct or incite any illegal activity. The above information is not meant to incite or request any illegal actions or illegal activities of any kind. If you have any questions about the legality of any act, we encourage everyone receiving this (or the) action alert(s) to check your local laws and ordinances before proceeding to do anything.

Update on Molly, the pony with a prosthetic leg



Molly, the pony with a prosthetic leg, inspires wherever she goes
8:13 PM, June 16, 2009
For those whose family, friends and coworkers aren't into sending forwarding e-mails, it may be necessary to introduce Molly the pony, whose story made the rounds a while back.

Kaye Harris, who owns a pony farm north of New Orleans, rescued Molly and other animals displaced by Hurricane Katrina. At the time, Molly was an average, four-legged pony -- but in tough times and close quarters, a dog also rescued by Harris mauled her. Molly sustained numerous injuries to her head, neck, abdomen and legs.

"One of her legs was so bad she could hardly stand," Harris told CBS News. She worried that Molly, a 15-year-old Pony of the Americas, might not survive; fortunately, she turned to Louisiana State University's veterinary school for help.

"Amputation is not commonly done on a horse or pony," said Dr. Rustin Moore, director of LSU's Equine Health Studies program. "The main reason is that adult horses are not very good at living on three legs because the opposite leg of the one missing usually fails." But since veterinarians had little hope for Molly's recovery without the procedure, her right front leg was eventually amputated below the knee.

Soon she was fitted with a prosthetic replacement and now gets along like a champ. "It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse," said Dr. Allison Denny-Barca, a veterinarian who worked with Molly after her injuries and continues to see her for check-ups.

Molly has become a source of inspiration for many humans who, like her, have lost limbs due to injury or illness. Earlier this month, she attended the No Barriers festival in Miami, an annual event that uses adaptive technologies to help people with disabilities enjoy outdoor activities such as scuba diving, cycling and kayaking. There she met Army Spc. Chris Miller, whose right leg was amputated after being injured in Iraq last fall.

Molly also spreads her unique brand of cheer to children who have similar challenges (for a great video of the pony in action, check out CBSNews.com), and her story has even been made into a children's book.

Photo: Molly with Army Spc. Chris Miller at the No Barriers Festival in Miami. Credit: Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press

Posted by LATimes on June 16, 2009 in Animals Helping People , Health , Horses | Permalink | Bookmark it:
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Click on title above for article and place to leave comments; http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/06/molly-amputee-pony.html

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Miami-Dade Serial Cat-Killer Caught?




Well, maybe. Remember, "innocent until proven guilty."


Teenager charged with animal cruelty in Florida cat killings

June 16, 2009

The Florida teenager accused of mutilating and killing 19 cats in two South Florida towns, Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay, was charged Sunday with 19 counts each of animal cruelty and improperly disposing of an animal body. Tyler Weinman, 18, also faces burglary charges in relation to four of the cats' deaths.

Authorities have been searching for the responsible person or persons since shortly after the killings began in April. Miami-Dade Police Department Maj. Julie Miller told the Associated Press that more arrests may follow, but declined to name suspects or give any specific details.

A judge today ordered that Weinman be held on $249,500 bond and demanded a psychological evaluation to determine if he is a danger to himself or others. His attorney, David W. Macey, insists Weinman is innocent and said in an e-mail to the Associated Press that his client "welcomes his day in court, so that he will be completely vindicated."

Weinman was known in his community as an animal lover, according to United Press International. He even belonged to a Facebook group called "Catch the Cat Killer," and authorities intimated that his writings about the crimes on Facebook and MySpace caused them to become suspicious. (Since his arrest, more Facebook groups have sprouted up, the Miami Herald reports. One such group, called "Justice for Tyler," reminds members that Weinman is innocent until proven guilty. Another, apparently more popular group calls itself "Justice for Cat Mutilations.")

An additional detail emerged: Weinman's divorced mother and father, between whose homes he apparently split his time, live in Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay, respectively. Four of the confirmed cat killings were reported on his mother's street in Cutler Bay, the Associated Press reports.

-- Lindsay Barnett


http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/06/teenager-charged-with-animal-cruelty-in-florida-cat-killer-case.html