Tidbits from Friday Reading

Be kind to animals - for profit!

Ohio State University says their research shows that farm animals who are handled gently are better producers:

"The idea behind animal welfare education is to turn people's negative behaviors -- kicking, hitting, shouting -- into positive behaviors -- walking slowly, talking calmly and being more physically gentle."

The university recently began offering animal welfare training to swine and dairy producers. So far, participating farmers have noticed an increase in animal productivity. Milk production rose by five percent and sows gave birth to more piglets, Botheras said.

"We have a substantial amount of research that points to a clear and consistent relationship between how dairy cows, pigs and laying hens are handled and their productivity. Basically, those animals that are most fearful have the lowest productivity," she said.

Makes sense, in a logical, thoughtful kinda way.

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New York City Housing Authority Punishes the Poor and their Pets

Effective today, residents of public housing in NYC are prohibited from owning a breed of dog on the Housing Authority's Bizarro Blacklist or any dog weighing over 25 pounds. The list, and commentary, from Blue Dog State:

Akita Inu, Alangu Mastiff, Alano Español, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Argentine Dogo, Bedlington Terrier, Boston Terrier, Bull and Terrier, Bull Terrier, Bully Kutta, Cane Corso, Dogue de Bordeaux, Dogo Sardesco, English Mastiff, Fila Brasiliero, Gull Dong, Gull Terr, Irish Staffordshire Bull, Korean Jindo Dog, Lottatore Brindisino, Neapolitan Mastiff, Perro de Presa Canario (Canary Dog), Perro de Presa Mallorquín (Ca de Bou), Shar Pei, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tosa Inu.

Also: any dog predicted to weigh more than 25 lbs. when full grown

And even more: Even though this is all supposed to commence tomorrow, the list of breeds seems to change several times a day. The above list came from an NYCHA publication. Since then Boxers, Dobermans, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers have been included in assorted other news items. I think I saw Golden Retrievers on one.

I guess NYC must be another one of those cities with no real problems since they directed resources be spent on getting Boston Terriers out of public housing during a worldwide economic crisis. Must be nice.

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E-mail circulating from Best Friends

This craigslist posting is from a Best Friends e-mail requesting assistance:

As part of our First Home Forever Home campaign, we’re donating 29,000 lbs. of dog food to Las Vegas rescue groups and human food banks and shelters.

The challenge is getting it there!

How You Can Help

Best Friends needs help in transporting the dog food from Kanab, Utah, to Las Vegas in the next couple of weeks. We’re looking for someone who can donate the use of a big rig with a lift gate and pallet jack and a qualified driver.

If you or someone you know can help, please contact:
Ellen Gilmore, First Home Forever Home campaign coordinator, at elleng@bestfriends.org.

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Find a Friend

This weekend, May 2 & 3, is the Pet Adoptathon 2009 - a nationwide shelter effort to get pets into homes.

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Confession: I'm a Wannabe Egyptologist

You may not find this as incredibly interesting as I do but a mummified puppy, thought to be a Jack Russell type dog, has been found in an Egyptian tomb with his mummified owner. This is the first I've heard of any sort of a JRT type dog being kept as a pet in ancient Egypt. The find has been dubbed "Hapi-Puppy":

The cause of Hapi-Puppy's demise remains unknown, but the dog's age suggests it was killed upon his master's death.

"We see this as a senseless slaughter today, but in ancient Egypt it would've been viewed very differently," Monge explained. "People then felt life on Earth was very short. Hapi-Men wanted to spend all of eternity with his dog."

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