Monday, February 28, 2011

Chamberlain's Story

Abandoned by his owners when they moved away, left out in the back yard chained to a tree, for at least two months with out food, shelter or water. No one knew he was there until one day someone decided to mow the lawn;

First days; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuPtQaoLf18

Therapy; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHbl4i7Jm7k&feature=related

Warning, vids not easy too watch. Chamberlain lay starving, a mass of skin and bones, helpless and immobile for so long he lost the use of his legs.

Several weeks into recovery, Chamberlain has gained some weight and gets his new chair;



However, he still receives therapy to hopefully get those legs working again someday, all four of them.

Good luck Chamberlain. We love you!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Did You Get Rid of Your Dog Because of this Article?

There was an article in the January 24th edition of USA Today about The Danger of Dogs Sleeping in Bed.

Before you knew it, this story was being reported in news across the nation with the media playing to the terrible dangers of pets.

This story really upset me so I wanted to have a vet or two respond with an honest and irreverent opinion. So, once again I turned to the Irreverent Veterinarian for opinions on this topic.

To read the response from the Irreverent Vet, go to: http://www.petplace.com/irreverent-vet-speaks-out-on-the-danger-of-dogs-sleeping-in-bed

Was this article just irresponsible reporting or are there really significant dangers from letting pets sleep in your bed? Find out. And PLEASE don't make any decisions about allowing your dog in bed or getting rid of your dog before reading this article.

Until next time,

Dr. Jon

P.S. On a lighter note - I'd love to share some adorable photos of dogs sleeping (many in bed). These are adorable. Take a minute to check these out because they are sure to make you smile. Go to: http://www.petplace.com/Sleepingdogs

Friday, February 25, 2011

Saturday, February 19, 2011

ALDF's 3rd Annual National Justice for Animals Week

February 21-25 marks the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s third annual National Justice for Animals Week. Please invite your readers to join us for a week-long campaign to fight animal abuse and honor animal victims!

Each day during National Justice for Animals Week, ALDF will post an action that your readers can take part in to bring us closer to real justice for animal victims. Check us out on Facebook and ALDF’s blog to find out how your readers can participate in quick and effective actions each day this week! For example, we’ll kick off the week on Monday by asking our supporters to write an Letter to the Editor (LTE) to their local paper—those who get an LTE published win an ALDF prize pack!

We’ll also be announcing America’s Top Ten Animal Defenders. Here’s a sneak peek of the defenders being recognized this year by the Animal Legal Defense Fund:·

*Suffolk County, New York Legislator Jon Cooper, who sponsored the historic “Justin’s Law,” passed by a unanimous vote last October, which creates the nation’s first mandatory public registry for criminals convicted of animal abuse.

* Joshua Crain, who sought felony charges in a jury trial in Tennessee against a man who, after his 2-year-old Siberian Husky chewed on some wiring in his home, beat him and then used a metal file to grind down the dog’s teeth.

National Justice for Animals Week is also a great opportunity to ask your readers to sign on to demand that their state require animal abusers to register in their communities. Check out the petition here: www.exposeanimalabusers.org.

Thanks to supporters’ signatures 20 new animal abuser registry bills have already been introduced in various states in 2011!

More information about National Justice for Animals Week will be available on our website starting Monday, please visit: www.aldf.org

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Puppy Mill Pups on eBay? Say NO!

Puppy mills" are large-scale commercial operations where dozens of dogs are kept in small cages for their entire lives, forced to give birth to litter after litter until they're no longer fertile, at which point they're usually killed. Puppy mills are unsafe, inhumane, and produce thousands of puppies with serious health problems every year.

Now, puppy mills have found a national vendor: eBay.

A few years ago, eBay had plans to sell animals via online auction. Responsible breeders would never sell dogs via online auction, so this would have resulted in the site becoming a haven for puppy mills. eBay users and anti-cruelty activists spearheaded -- and won -- the fight to prevent eBay from selling live animals.

But now all that's changed.

Despite eBay's claims that it "do[es] not condone unethical treatment of animals," eBay now allows puppy mills to sell dogs in its classified section.

This practice enables flagrant cruelty to dogs, and it has to stop. Tell eBay to shut down its sales of cruelly treated puppies and all live animals.

Puppy mill dogs spend their entire lives in small wire cages, without companionship, and often without vet care, exercise or shelter from the elements. As far as puppy mill owners are concerned, the dogs have one purpose: to supply the pet trade.

The USDA recently admitted that they’ve failed to effectively monitor commercial breeders and puppy mills. When it comes to sites like eBay Classifieds, it’s even worse: Breeders who sell directly to customers online aren’t subject to any USDA regulations.

The best chance we have to shut down puppy mills is to hold vendors accountable.
Click here to tell eBay to shut down all live animal sales immediately:
http://www.change.org/petitions/ebay-classifieds-stop-selling-live-animals?alert_id=JhDDcGIQNR_KjsPUDxOJd&me=aa

Thanks for taking action,
Judith and the Change.org Team

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Hi-Kill Shelters Wanted for HBO Doc

Permission to Crosspost
Granted & Appreciated

HBO is looking to film a documentary series about high kill shelters this March. The producer is looking to use this film as an opportunity to shed light on both the the staggering numbers of adoptable dogs that are euthanized for space restraints and some of the methods of euthanasia (such as the gas chamber and heartsticks) that the public probably doesn't know about.

We are looking for a shelter that uses either the gas chamber or heartsticks that would be willing to be filmed to participate in this film. The filming would take place over 1-2 days and the camera crew would need unrestricted access to the day to day activities of the pound. It would be hard to overstate what an incredible opportunity this would be for any shelter that was featured. Not only would it greatly increase the profile of a potentially small, rural pound and help increase adoptions and donations- but at least one dog from this shelter would be pulled by PAWS New England (http://www.pawsnewengland.com/) and may be featured in this film.

As HBO reaches a large national audience, this series has the potential to be ground breaking for shelter dogs around the country. Thank you, in advance, for helping make this a success!

If you are interested in participating, please email Kelly Parker immediately at kesalerno@gmail.com.

Many thanks!
Kelly Parker
Cofounder PAWS New England



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

I am going to suggest our own local Hi-Kill shelter, the Mohawk-Hudson Humane Society in Menands, NY,...who wont even divuldge their kill-rate; http://www.mohawkhumanesociety.org/

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Reward Offered for Info on Sled Dog Culling

Please ask your readers to help the Animal Legal Defense Fund speak out for sled dogs. Sponsorship is the biggest source of revenue for the race; have them contact the Iditarod’s corporate sponsors and request that they no longer fund this deadly and horrific event. Here’s the link: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5154/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5388


*MEDIA ALERT*
$1K REWARD OFFERED FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ILLEGAL “CULLS” OF SLED DOGS

This week, a shocking report from the British Columbia Worker's Compensation Board has sparked outrage across North America--the general manager of a dog tour company filed an application for post-traumatic stress disorder after having killed 100 sled dogs on April 21 and 23, 2010, as allegedly ordered to by his employer. The execution-style cull is now the subject of an animal cruelty investigation. Many aspects of the Howling Dog Tours case suggest the possibility of culls occurring in similar sled dog operations elsewhere, driven by the poor economy and the high cost of maintaining the dogs. That is why the Animal Legal Defense Fund (www.aldf.org) is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone engaged in the illegal killing of sled dogs in the U.S. or Canada.

According to the British Columbia SPCA, the slaughter of unwanted dogs is “a problem with the sled dog industry in general,” and one of the companies involved in the incident says they expected a cull to take place. The British Columbia government announced today that it will consider changes for the dogsledding industry generally. In the U.S. the industry goes largely unregulated, and mushing is actually exempt from state cruelty laws in Alaska (Alaska Stat. § 11.61.140(e)). If there is an economic incentive for dog sled operators to engage in culls and little oversight of the practice, similar culls may be happening in the U.S. and elsewhere in Canada.

Media reports suggest that the killing of unwanted dogs is standard practice in the mushing industry:

· Iditarod musher John Cooper wrote a story for the Anchorage Daily News about getting rid of unwanted puppies by tossing them in a creek;
· Iditarod musher Frank Winkler was charged with animal cruelty for bludgeoning 14 sled dog puppies with an ax handle;
· Dan MacEachen, owner of a sled dog center at Colorado’s Snowmass Village, allegedly shot old, injured, and unwanted huskies with a rifle and buried them in a pit;
· Musher Charlie Campbell said to the Anchorage Daily News, "I’m definitely going to have to cull some dogs,” and “we're going to have to be ruthless about who we keep;"
· Musher Frank Turner told the CBC, “Competitive kennels, or even kennels that may not be competitive but aspire to be, often breed more dogs than they're actually going to be able to keep, afford to keep and pay for the vet bills, the food and all the other associated costs.”
Law enforcement and the American people need to know about the abuse behind the dogsledding industry. If you have information relating to the practice of behind-the-scenes dog culls at sledding operations, please contact the Animal Legal Defense Fund at 707-795-2533 x1035.

More: ALDF was founded in 1979 with the unique mission of protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals through the legal system. For more information, please visit www.aldf.org.

Media Contact: Lisa Franzetta (ALDF)--707-795-2533 x1015; lfranzetta@aldf.org