Pet Gifts: All I Want for Christmas is You

In my morning reading, I came across a Veterinarian offering a list of Christmas gifts for pets and astonishingly, there's more than one that involves giving money to Veterinarians. There's also the obligatory taboo on "people food" which is a pet peeve of mine. There is no such thing as "people food". There is food. We all eat it.

At any rate, I offer my own list as an alternative:

• Bring your outside dog in from the cold or provide a warm outdoor shelter for him.
• Prepare some homemade meals or treats (more recipes here and here). Most dogs love home prepared food. With cats, your mileage may vary but cat owners usually know at least a couple things their kitteh likes.
• Spend some extra quality time with your pets. They don't care about presents really, it's your presence that matters to them.
• Drop by your local no kill shelter and donate some canned food or your time. Shelter pets appreciate visitors.
• Ask your local no kill shelter if they have a foster program for the holidays. Many shelters do and if you have the ability to care for another pet for a few weeks, you'd be giving a shelter animal the opportunity to get out of his cage or kennel and into a home. Even if it's temporary, it's a gift you can't put a price tag on.

Treats on the Internets

The No Kill Advocacy Center honors six no kill advocates with the Henry Bergh Leadership Award

Follow-up: The NY woman accused of torturing pets to death with her kids and charged with misdemeanors is now likely to be indicted on felony charges and as such, is being held on $100,000 bail

Oh, South Carolina!

Sad story in TX of the killing of an emotional support dog who belonged to a war hero - as is often the case, I doubt the penalty will fit the crime

Someone in MN thought it would be funny to glue a cat's paws to the highway

Action Alert: Some seized Pitbulls in a NM case have been reclaimed by owners, others have not and may be killed

FL high school kids make dog beds to get shelter dogs up off the floor

SnOMG!

Not pet related: Snowflakes up close

No Kill Action Alert for MN Residents

From my inbox, sent by the Animal Ark Online Community:

Following a report that the Animal Humane Society is violating Minnesota law by failing to hold all stray animals for the required 5 day period, Minnesota residents are being asked to contact members of their city councils to demand they enforce the law.

The Animal Humane Society contracts with nearly 2 dozen cities in and around the Twin Cities metro area (complete list is here). Furthermore, the Animal Humane Society accepts stray animals from private citizens whether or not they are the designated impound center.

Documented cases of have shown that Animal Humane Society will kill stray animals, without scanning them for microchips, without listing them in their lost & found system, and without providing possible owners any opportunity reclaim their pets. In one documented case, a heathy stray kitten was killed within 5 minutes of arrival at the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley.

In another case, the guardian of a group of cats arrived within hours of them being brought to the Animal Humane Society shelter in Woodbury. But the cats were already dead.

Residents are urged to contact the members of their city council and demand that they enforce the law. Additionally, everyone is asked to share this story with other residents in MN.

So long as Animal Humane Society continues to violate state, none of our pets are safe.

Chicago Police Officer Charged with Animal Cruelty

Richard Kleinpass, a Chicago police officer, is being charged with seven counts of cruelty to animals after authorities seized five dogs and two birds from his weekend home:

[Kleinpass] called the charges against him an overreaction. The animals were safe and secure, he said.

Safe and secure in urine and feces apparently:

"I've never smelled anything like it," [investigating officer Joe] Manges said. "They were living in their own urine and feces."

Some of the dogs' teeth were rotted, and the animals are now on soft-food diets, Manges said. Others were suffering from skin diseases and were emaciated, he said.

[...]

Manges said police made several attempts to contact Kleinpass. After four days, police got a warrant to enter the property and rescue the animals, which they said were left without food or water. The home wasn't heated, and the temperature dipped to about 30 degrees at night, Manges said.

Kleinpass has forfeited the pets and they will be rehomed or taken to a no kill shelter. Kleinpass is under investigation for another matter by Internal Affairs and has been stripped of his powers as a police officer. He is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing next month.

Danville Area Humane Society Kills Pets, Wants More

Do you read/watch interviews and want to butt in to the conversation and question the answers given by the interviewee instead of just letting them slide? I do. This is possibly why Larry King never calls me back.

Michael Markarian, President of the Humane Society Legislative Fund has an interview posted on his blog with Paulette Dean, shelter director for the Danville Area Humane Society (DAHS) in VA who lobbies for anti-chaining laws:

About 10 years ago, we strengthened our adoption guidelines. We knew that it would be a controversial move since we have a high euthanasia rate, but we also knew it was the right thing to do. We were laying a foundation for the future. Adopted dogs cannot roam and be chained, and adopted cats must be kept inside.

*butts in* How "high" is your kill rate?

From the data provided on the shelter's website for the year 2008:

Intake: 2005 dogs, 3666 cats, 94 "other" pets
Returned to owner: 140 dogs, 26 cats
Adopted: 243 dogs, 142 cats

By my math, that makes the totals: 5765 pets in, 551 pets out.

Although no numbers are provided for how many pets killed, if we make an assumption that the pets who were neither returned to owners or adopted were killed, that works out to an approximate kill rate of 90%. So yeah, I guess I'd have to agree that the shelter's kill rate is "high", if by "high" you mean "insanely cruel". I can see why you'd want to restrict and thus discourage adoptions.

And the shelter director spends her time lobbying for anti-chaining ordinances? From the shelter's site:

The Danville Area Humane Society is thrilled to tell you that an ordinance was passed unanimously by Danville City Council tonight that bans the constant tethering of companion animals! As of July 1, 2010, it will be illegal to:

Tether a companion animal for more than 4 hours in a 24 hour period,
Tether a companion animal when the temperature is below 32 degrees
Tether a companion animal under 4 months old
Tether any sick or injured animal
Tether any companion animal to a fixed point. (specifics to be made public at a later date)

Well hurrah. I guess the shelter will take in even more pets after this ordinance takes effect. And presumably most all of those will be killed. How "humane".

The shelter's website is full of rhetoric against no kill and reads like a blame-the-public manifesto. The director admits in the interview that Danville "has the highest unemployment rate in the state, and also struggles with low education and high poverty rates." Knowing that, is it truly helpful to restrict pet ownership further by imposing ordinances many owners will be financially unable to meet, especially when seizing those pets means they will most likely be killed?

My feeling is that 24/7 chaining is cruelty and should be prosecuted as such. But chaining for 4 hours or to a "fixed point" (?) is something many responsible pet owners do who can't afford a fence. As long as quality shelter and clean water are provided, I'd certainly rather see a dog chained for part of the day by an owner who loves him than to see the dog in a garbage bag at the DAHS. That is, if we have to choose. And apparently, according to this shelter director, we do.

Treats on the Internets

You gotta have Faith

A USDA licensed exotic pets warehouse in TX was raided by authorities this week, more than 20,000 animals seized

Bo steals the show as he shows off his training during Oprah's visit to the White House

Article on TNR in IL and another on an effort to neuter feral cats in the UK and put them to work as critter control on farms

Small study indicates no difference in how much owners love cats adopted for free from shelters vs. cats adopted for a fee

Morris Animal Foundation survey finds cats suffer from a bad reputation

I just loop my leashes through the handle in order to dispense with the need for a collar so I'm not sure how useful this leash would be for me

I hate to hear about young dogs dying of cancer - this one was a successful crime fighter

Proposed "Caring for Animals" license plates in AR will cost extra but the money will go toward a spay-neuter program for low-income residents

OR program to send senior rescue dogs to live at youth correctional facility

Report on GA Shelters Reveals High Kill Ratios

Thank you to reader Valerie for pointing me to the Georgia Voters for Animal Welfare (GVAW) Survey of Animal Services in Georgia. The purpose of the survey was to obtain statistics from shelters and make the results available to the public. Valerie has posted the report in full on her blog. I will post some excerpts.

The main challenge to the collection of data was apparent apathy or refusal to participate on the part of animal control organizations and shelters in GA:

The primary limitation of this study is that, despite the enormous amount of time, energy and expense invested, GVAW is unable to produce a complete data set, a testament to the need for state-mandated collection of and public access to comprehensive shelter data. For example:

· 45 counties (28%) of the total 159 surveyed did not respond;
· 63 animal control units and/or shelters (32%) did not respond;
· 5 animal control units and/or shelters refused to complete the questionnaire citing
O.C.G.A. 50-18-70(e); and,
· 19 animal control units and/or shelters did not provide intake and/or euthanasia numbers.

In all, 84 animal control units and shelters either didn’t respond at all or didn’t provide intake and exit numbers as requested.

They did receive responses from 162 GA animal control units and shelters. Based upon those responses:

· 50 counties (31%) have no form of animal control;
· Total number of 2007 shelter admissions reported was 245,034;
· Total number of 2007 euthanasias reported was 152,297, representing an overall 62% kill rate;
· Based on the average number of animals killed per shelter, GVAW estimates there were at least an additional 105,000 animals killed in the non-reporting shelters, for an estimated total of 260,000 animals killed in Georgia shelters in 2007

The report loses focus on the need for mandated shelter statistics reporting by veering into the "pet overpopulation" myth and anti-tethering issues but the conclusions regarding the relevant shelter pet numbers are interesting:

Georgia is killing more than its share of companion animals in “shelters” that are funded by taxpayers. National figures on shelter kill rates are reported as low as 4 million and as high as 11 million per year. Using 2008 Census Bureau statistics, Georgia’s human population represents 3.2% of the national population. Factoring Georgia’s estimated annual kill rate of 260,000 shelter animals into a nationwide per person equation, Georgia’s pro rata share is 128,000 animals. Using this formula, Georgia is killing twice the national average.

Just to be clear, from where I'm sitting, even if GA was able to halve its kill rate of shelter pets, that would still suck for 130,000 animals a year. But it would be better than where the state, and much of the South, is at now. I hope GA shelters can get the ball rolling and start saving more of the pets they are charged with sheltering.

SC: Robbers Steal Kids' Presents and Pet

Do not pass go, do not collect $200, just go straight to hell:

Amanda Henderson did not weep when she talked about the items someone took from her home, including the Christmas gifts she had purchased for her 13-year-old son.

But she wept when she talked about the 2-year-old family dog, a pit bull named Mala, the thieves had taken along with everything else.

Now what makes Mala so special, above and beyond the many stolen items?

Henderson, a U.S. Army staff sergeant, said that of all the possessions taken, the family pet matters the most.
[...]
Henderson, 33, said she and her husband, Patrick, purchased Mala in 2008 while the two were stationed in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Mala is special, she said, because within two months of the time they bought her, Patrick was gone.

"He passed away in September 2008," she said. "Because of that, Mala is beyond special to me and my son."

So to recap, these thieves broke into the home of a military family serving our country, took their stuff including the kid's Christmas presents - a kid whose father died just a year ago - and stole the family pet, whose sentimental value can not be measured.

The scumbags did leave two things behind that they brought with them so hopefully that will aid police in their investigation. Beyond that, to quote John Lennon, "Instant karma's gonna get you".

Food Porn, Part Five

Thank you to reader Jess who turned me on to this addicting page on the historical feeding of Hounds. Lots of great excerpts to read from various sources and I will include a few.

From Stonehenge on the Dog (published 1887):

If Indian meal [corn meal] is employed, it must be mixed with water or broth while cold, and then boiled for at least an hour, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning. If it is intended to mix oatmeal with the Indian meal, the former may be first mixed with cold water to a paste, and then stirred in after boiling the latter for three quarters of an hour; then boil another quarter, reckoning from the time that the contents of the copper came to the boiling- point a second time.
Wheat-flour should be boiled from fifteen to twenty minutes, and may be mixed with the oatmeal in the same way as the Indian meal.
[...]
The flesh with the bones should be boiled for hours, until the meat is thoroughly done; then take it out and let it hang till cold, cut or strip it from the bones and mix with the puddings or stirabout according to the quantity required. The broth should always be used, as there are important elements of nutrition dissolved in it which are absent in the boiled flesh. It is, therefore, necessary to make the puddings or stirabout with it or to soak in it the biscuit, when this is the food selected. The bones should be given for the dogs to gnaw, together with any others from the house which can be obtained, but taking care to remove all fragments small enough for them to swallow whole.
[...]
Proportions given are two third puddings or biscuit to one third cooked meat, but the amount of meat should be reduced for growing dogs which have not much exercise. "Most people prefer a much smaller proportion of meat, especially for hounds, pointers, setters, and spaniels, which depend on their nose, this organ being supposed to be rendered less delicate by high feeding." It is also suggested that dogs which are fed two thirds pudding to one third meat require a great deal of green vegetables, which should be given once or twice a week during the summer to prevent their becoming overheated and getting skin eruptions. "Green cabbage, turnip-tops, turnips, nettle-tops, or carrots, as well as potatoes, may all be given with advantage boiled and mixed with the meal and broth, in which way they are much relished."

From the Kennel Gazette, November 1927, an exchange of letters regarding new-on-the-market "dog biscuits" (what we would call kibble now) vs. meat.

From the meat purveyor, seeing a business opportunity to sell meat to dog owners:

Dog biscuits doubtless have their merits, but meat is, without a doubt, a vital foodstuff in the diet of any animal whose digestive organs are of carnivorous design.
[...]
[I]f dog owners are being educated to the fact that dog biscuits constitute the best food for dogs, it stands to reason that the feelings of dog owners towards meat will shortly become more distant than ever.

From the dog breeder, in response to the meat purveyor's letter:

[T]he carnivorous appetite can be appeased by means other than the giving of fresh meat.
"For many years now, dog biscuits in one form or another have come to be considered the staple diet of a dog. There is good reason for the acceptance of this theory - or shall I say 'this truth'. Firstly, whether meat is a necessity or not, the most ardent advocate of meat will not deny that meat alone, no matter how much a dog likes it, would sooner or later become nauseating to the dog himself. A cereal food must accompany meat so as to provide the dog with a balanced ration, i.e. a ration complete with its complement of carbohydrates and protein, without which life itself cannot function on normal lines.
[...]
[A] dog biscuit is to a dog what bread and meat are to man - only more so! The cereal part of a biscuit includes most, if not all, of the wheat berry and other nourishing cereals. Added to these is an adequate quantity of sterilized meat. To feed a dog on biscuit, therefore, is to give a concentrated 'cereal-meat' diet, in easily digestible form. It does more. The hardness of a biscuit compels mastication and so ensures the dog using his teeth and jaws, and incidentally,the act of mastication releases saliva and other vital digestive juices, so facilitating thereby the process of digestion and assimilation. Meat is just meat - beef, mutton, or 'what not' are all more or less the same to a dog. Variety is lacking, and once again, this is where a biscuit holds the advantage.
"There are numerous varieties of biscuit foods. Some are for puppies and young dogs only; others are specially made for the adult dog. Some contain meat, others are plain. There are the square or round biscuits, and there are the broken kinds, commonly known as hound or terrier meal. From among the assortment available, there is no difficulty whatsoever in catering for any and every breed of dog and puppy.
"If meat must be fed, then see to it that a goodly percentage of the daily feed includes biscuit. I hold no brief for this or that biscuit, and the only reason I have for writing at length on a dog's food is to warn dog owners against the use of too much meat. There is meat in dog biscuits, and it is sufficient.

Previously in this series:
Food Porn (Part One)
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Pig Ears and Cow Hooves Recalled

Due to possible Salmonella contamination:

The recall includes all pig ear products packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight, Pork Tasteez and Pet Carousel. The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley's, Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel.

All of the recalled products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. The company said all sizes and all lots of the pork ears purchased on or after Aug. 16, and all beef hoof products purchased on or after Sept. 16, are included in the recall.

Pet owners who have purchased any of the recalled products should take them away from their pets and return them to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions can contact the company at 800-231-3572.

Carrie Underwood Donates $200,000 to HSUS

What will Carrie Underwood's $200k be spent on?

It could almost cover the annual salary of HSUS' CEO/President ($207,000 per 2008 tax return) or could likely cover the salaries of either the Executive VP of Operations ($191,850 per 2008 tax return) or the Senior VP, International Prog. ($190,900 per 2008 tax return).

Unfortunately, Carrie Underwood's donation will fall well short of covering some HSUS expenses such as "Production Services" (Mersey Masala Inc was paid $278,555 by HSUS per 2008 tax return) and "Online Fundraising" (Donor Digital was paid $222,111 by HSUS per 2008 tax return). And $200,000 is merely a drop in the bucket for HSUS' "Direct Mail Service" expenditures (National Outdoor Sports Advertising Inc was paid $1,840,839 by HSUS per 2008 tax return).

Ms. Underwood made the donation because she reportedly cares about animal rescue and getting pets into homes. I'm sure she'll be delighted with the results of her donation.

Chit Chat

Random ramblings...

I watched the US premiere of the BBC documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed last night. Did you? What did you think? I began coveting Cavaliers when I got to know one who boarded at the vet clinic where I worked 20 years ago. I've never met one since that seemed to be anything less than perfectly lovely. Unfortunately the health problems plaguing the breed have kept me away. As Billy asked me last night, "Do you think someone would ever consider breeding them specifically for good health?" I hope that there are indeed Cavalier breeders already doing just that. Of course I'd expect them to be blackballed by many breed fanciers and so perhaps hard to find. It seems a terrible shame that such a sweet and gentle dog should have fallen into the hands of people who care more about dog show ribbons than they do pain and suffering of the dogs.

Speaking of gentle creatures victimized by man, manatees are concentrated in the warm waters of the FL coast in November through March. If you are boating this winter, watch out for them.

Feeding dogs a vegan diet vs. a raw meaty bones diet - this article is not long enough to go in depth, but it brings to light the argument of cruelty on both sides.

If you enjoy the drawings of famed animator Chuck Jones, you'll want to check out his pet gallery on exhibit in San Diego this Sunday.

That's about all the chit I've got in my chat at the moment. Please feel welcome to chime in with your own randomness.

VA: Beagle Shot and Killed by Animal Control Officer

I have a 10 year old Beagle. She is a great pet. Luckily we don't live in Chesterfield, VA:

Chesterfield police say an Animal Control officer was in the area and in the middle of putting a pit bull in his truck when Clifford [10 year old Beagle] came up to the officer. Davis [the Beagle's owner] said her dog has never bit a person or an animal. But Chesterfield Police Captain Steve Neal said Clifford was aggressive and attacked the pit bull. Attempts to separate the two said Neal were unsuccessful.
[...]
"He pulled the gun out and shot the dog. Shot him in the hip. The dog fell in the street. He couldn't get back up and then bent down, and put the gun to the dog's head, up against his head, and pulled the trigger," said Davis.

So I guess, after the first shot, which apparently left the senior Beagle unable to get up, the AC officer perceived him as a continuing threat to the Pitbull and felt compelled to shoot him in the head too. Right in front of the family, including a 13 year old girl who had grown up with the dog.

[A]n internal investigation is underway to determine whether the Animal Control officer [...] followed the law and procedure.

Well gee, I hope not.

TV Program Alert

Pedigree Dogs Exposed will be aired in the US for the first time tonight on BBC America channel. Check your local listings.

"Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved."

If you've ever loved a dog, or a kid, you should read this story from the Dogkisser blog.




Title from Eugene O'Neill.

Treats on the Internets

From the FDA: Pet Health & Safety widget for your site

Study finds turmeric and pepper compounds helpful in fighting cancer

Giant tortoise dies at French zoo, he was 146.

WI Greyhounds in need of homes due to racetrack closing will not be killed, contrary to online rumors

Some legal rulings in the ongoing battle over the BBC documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed

Interview with the author of the book Righteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms

Video of Ray, a former Vick dog, doing agility and CGC work at Best Friends

Cow born without dollar sign on head

Richmond SPCA reports that Merial is doling out heartworm drug to those it deems most needy during shortage

Wayne Puts the Smack Down

You guys! Oh my god you guys! I heard from Brent that over on the Wayne's World blog, Wayne posted a note that he was passing around Mrs. Pigglewiggle's class in 4th period. And in that note, he says that Marcie has a big butt - AHAHAHA! I mean, he doesn't actually say Marcie by name, in case Mrs. Pigglewiggle would have gotten hold of the note you know, but it's totes obvious he's talking about Marcie. And not only that, but you know how Marcie is so uppity and all "I'm Class President" and stuff? Well Wayne's now saying that he's the Class President and he thought of the whole idea of having a Class President and he's gonna get us beer at the prom! Isn't he teh awesome?
OK Code 9. G2G.

Beef Recall Due to Salmonella

From CNN:

Beef Packers Inc., based in Fresno, California, recalled 22,723 pounds of ground beef products produced on September 23, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a statement. The labels on the beef include the establishment number "EST. 31913," the agency said.

The beef was repackaged at a distribution plant in Arizona, then sold under different retail brand names, the agency said. The agency's statement did not identify brand names.

Right. We wouldn't want to reveal brand names because that might hurt business. If only consumers had a government agency to look out for them the way corporations do.

The products were sold in Arizona and New Mexico, said Mark Klein, spokesman for Cargill Inc., which owns Beef Packers, Inc. Consumers in those states should check with stores where they purchased meat to determine if they bought the recalled beef.

Good old Cargill.

No Kill Gift Giving: Outside the Box

My local no kill shelter, Animal Protection League of SC, has a wonderful gift idea for the pet loving friends and family on your Christmas list. From their newsletter:

Honor Loved Ones This Holiday Season with a Black Pearl Gift

Make a donation in someone’s honor or memory, and we will send your gift for you.

The APL holiday sponsorship program is focusing once again this year on our Black Pearls—those beautiful, lovable black dogs and cats who end up in shelters across the country in disproportionate numbers and who are statistically more likely to be euthanized than their brown, gray, orange, white, or mottled counterparts.

The APL has worked for years to draw attention to the plight of our own Black Pearls. In 2007, we even won a grant from Maddie’s Fund for dramatically reducing the black cat and dog population at our shelter through adoption.

By giving Black Pearl gifts this holiday season, you can honor or memorialize a loved one, bring attention to the plight of these precious animals, and support the mission of the APL—all at once!

This year, we have two Black Pearl gift options: for a donation of $50 or more, we will send your honoree either a two-toned cotton tote bag (19" x 15" x 6") with the Black Pearl logo printed on both sides or a shirt, black or white, with an embroidered Black Pearl logo in the contrasting color. Each gift comes with a letter explaining the Black Pearl program.

To honor or memorialize someone, fill out the sponsorship form and mail it in along with your donation. Order by December 19 to ensure local delivery by Christmas. Out-of-town deliveries may take longer.

***************************************************************************
Another swell gift idea comes from Pets Alive, a no kill shelter in NY:

Want to give someone the gift of a dog this holiday season, without the responsibility of feeding, walking, and cleaning up after the dog? Did you know that shelters fill up in January with puppies and kittens that have been abandoned by people who can't handle the responsibility of caring for them?

We have the answer. With GiveADog you can give someone you love the joy of following one of our rescued dogs on his or her journey from being alone in a shelter or foster home to the Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary facility to his or her forever home.

The person who receives your gift gets a thank you card and when they choose their dog, a beautiful certificate announcing that they have saved that dog.

They also get an account at GiveADog where they can go to follow the progress of their dog. Once or twice a week they will get email updates about their dog as he or she embarks on the journey to a forever home. Their personal page has the current status of their dog, pictures of their dog, notes about their dog and a place to communicate with us about their dog. They can even see videos of their dog.

I love hearing about innovative ways no kill shelters help pets all year round. If you hear of others, please share.

HSUS Relies on Bloggers for Moral Compass

"The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest and most effective animal protection organization...". And by "effective" I assume they mean "morally bankrupt".

• In 2007, HSUS doesn't realize it's wrong to ask donors for money to care for Michael Vick's dogs - which they did not have in their possession - while simultaneously advocating to have all the dogs summarily killed. But when called on the carpet about it online, they quickly 86'd the money seeking campaign.
• For years, HSUS doesn't realize it's wrong to use their influence and money to get all bust dogs killed. But after the dog blogs erupted in protest earlier this year over the killing of the Wilkes Co, NC dogs and public outcry rose to a level which threatened their donation stream, HSUS turned around and changed its policy on bust dogs to include evaluations.
• This week, HSUS doesn't realize it's wrong to use images of Fay, a rescued bust dog whose bills are being paid by someone else, to ask donors for money so HSUS can "save thousands of animals like her". Let's be clear - HSUS didn't spend one red cent on helping Fay, they just used her to try and get money for themselves. I call that a swindle. But when bloggers raised a stink over the deceptive fundraising plea, HSUS pulled an "Oops, don't expose us as frauds again and make our donors aware - here have some money".

Each time HSUS gets exposed for their swindling, they hit back. Remember the lengths they went to trying to quash the expose done by ABC News in Atlanta?

So I ask, do they truly not realize what they're doing is wrong when they do it but only see the light after bloggers make a fuss? Or do they know what they're doing is wrong but go forward anyway figuring that bloggers can't catch them on everything and they'll continue to rake in the cash from unsuspecting donors in the meantime?

Is one scenario worse than the other? I can't decide. But for myself, I can't afford to donate to every animal cause out there so I have to choose carefully when it comes to who gets my support. I choose my local no kill shelter. I visit them in person with my donations and spend time with the dogs while I'm there. I can see first hand the kind of care the dogs get and I don't worry that they are just photos on a flyer being used to sucker me into sending a donation. They are real pets, being cared for by real people, and I feel good about making a small contribution toward their care. I wish I could do more. But at least the shelter workers there know the difference between right and wrong without repeatedly having to be called on the carpet for their shady practices. I wish I could say the same about the country's "most effective" animal advocacy group, HSUS.

We are the real humane society. Find your nearest no kill shelter here.


Added: KC Dog Blog weighs in on HSUS throwing money at the Fay debacle.

Treats on the Internets

Oregon DA surprised that a judge gave a woman convicted of starving her horses 30 days in jail because usually there is no jail time for animal cruelty

HSUS up to its usual deceptive fundraising shenanigans

From Our Pack - article on helping a dog develop good dog manners

Christmas related:

Today only: Dogswell offering a stocking stuffer treat for your dog

Fun online dog themed advent calendar

The idea of getting shelter dogs into homes for the holidays is becoming more popular

Gift ideas for your No Kill friends and family

Just Sayin'

If you've ever tried to engage a religious zealot who knocked on your door to convert you in a reasonable discussion of the "Live and let live" principle, you know the meaning of pointless. They are driven to show the world that everybody else is wrong, they're right and good news, you can - and absolutely must - join them (unless you want to burn in the eternal fires of hell).

You know what group reminds me of those people? Cesar Millan haters.

If you think Cesar Millan is Satan incarnate, yippy damn skippy for you - have a balloon. Whatever. You don't have to watch his show, read his books or say anything nice about him ever. But seriously, if you feel compelled to go frothy on every e-mail list, forum or blog post that mentions the man's name, you might want to consider changing the channel in your brain once in awhile. This is getting really old.

What is there a sale on jumper cables?

At one of his HSUS sponsored whitewashing engagements, Michael Vick says he would like to have dogs again, "more than anything in the world":

He said he's hopeful one day he'll have a dog again. "I don't know when that day is going to come. It's up to my judge at his discretion," he said.

Maybe the HSUS will recommend to the judge at some point that Vick should be allowed to have dogs again, I don't know. But it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Added: Apparently Vick denies electrocuting dogs, despite evidence to the contrary.

What's So Funny 'bout Peace, Love & Understanding?

What's so scary about not killing shelter pets?

Unless a pet is medically hopeless and suffering, I don't understand why considering alternatives to death is such a difficult concept to embrace. It's true that some dogs will be deemed dangerous by shelters but even for those dogs, sanctuary options may exist - why not seriously consider those options when death is the only other card left in play?

Why do so many of us seem to be stuck in old-think even as we say we support new ideas?

Old-Think: There is a pet overpopulation problem in this country.
New Idea: There are enough homes for all the shelter pets in this country and pet overpopulation is a myth.
I refuse to consider this New Idea: Fine then - any objection to at least trying to improve matters and kill fewer pets?

Old-Think: Breeders and irresponsible owners are to blame for pets being killed in shelters.
New Idea: Shelters do not have to kill pets in their care. Instead of laying blame, they can reach out to the community to improve the situation by offering low/no cost neuter services, TNR programs and adopting out pets.
I refuse to consider this New Idea: OK so how is the Blame Game working out for you so far - any improvement in kill ratios?

Old-Think: There are a limited number of spaces in shelters, rescues and foster homes for homeless pets so some pets must be killed in order to make room for others.
New Idea: The no kill community is growing, not remaining static. New spaces will continue to open up for pets in need as we continue to expand our movement.
I refuse to consider this New Idea: Change=life. Absence of change=death. If you're living, your world is changing. Join us.

Old-Think: Dogs deemed "dangerous" must be euthanized.
New Idea: Many people (myself included) are not qualified to determine if a dog is truly dangerous. A qualified individual should conduct a fair evaluation of a dog in order to determine the next step in rehab training. Evaluation is not a pass/fail, life/death test. It is a step in the process of helping a dog.
I refuse to consider this New Idea: Well hopefully you will at least network with rescue groups and release the dog to a qualified rescue if such an offer is made. No one wants to kill a dog when a reasonable alternative exists, right?


Title hat tip to Elvis Costello:

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding

As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity.

I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?

And each time I feel like this inside,
There's one thing I wanna know:
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?

And as I walked on
Through troubled times
My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes
So where are the strong
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.

'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry.
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?

So where are the strong?
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.

'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry.
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?

Great Expectations

When Michael Vick goes to Atlanta to play football next week, he expects a standing O:

Vick will play his first game in Atlanta since 2006 when the Philadelphia Eagles visit Sunday.
[...]
Vick smiled when asked about the kind of reaction he expected from Falcons fans.
"I'm going to get a great reaction from the crowd. It's going to be a standing ovation," he said, smiling.

Vick, let me be the first to offer you a standing FU.

Recipe: Twice Baked Potato and Sour Cream Treats

This was sort of a leftovers extravaganza: I baked about 8 small potatoes and scooped out the flesh when cool. (Skins got tossed into the dogs' dinner bowls.) I beat in about 2/3 of a medium carton of sour cream, a couple eggs, 6 or so tablespoons olive oil, and added some milk to thin it out. Then I sprinkled in some dill and added enough wheat flour to make a dough (maybe 6 cups). Roll dough on to greased cookie sheet, bake at 325 degrees F for about 45 minutes and cut into squares.

Food Porn, Part Four

Shots of both sides of an old bag of kibble sent to me by a generous commenter on the Pet Connection blog. The bag arrived with what appears to be kibble crumbs still inside! I accidentally washed the bag (and the envelope - ahem) and interestingly, the kibble crumbs were still clinging inside after the coming out the washer. Sorry I don't have a date on the bag but here is a tidbit on the company:

In the early 20th century, Chappel Brothers of Rockford, Ill., supplied canned horse meat to the hungry citizens of France, Holland and Italy -- and exported the scraps back to the United States as dog food. Chappel Brothers marketed Ken-L Ration and at its apex slaughtered more than 50,000 horses a year.

For the PetFoodiCurious, more tidbits on Chappel Bros (and general history of dog food) can be found here, here and here.

And while we're looking at old dog food packaging and advertising:

http://store.vintagepaperads.c.....Dog/Detail

http://flickr.com/photos/theda.....888826853/

http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/p.....ts113.html

http://graphic-design.tjs-labs.....;size=FULL

http://www.tias.com/3943/Inven.....387/1.html

Previously in this series:
Food Porn (Part One)
Food Porn, Part Two
Food Porn, Part Three

Treats on the Internets

Toronto Humane Society President, General Manager, Head Veterinarian and others charged with animal cruelty and related crimes

MN animal "shelter" kills lost police dog after deeming him unadoptable

Nathan Winograd looks at the proposed Oreo's Law in NY, the opposition to it, and a similar law in CA

2002 article from NYT on the domestication of dogs from wolves

Man climbs into Brown Bear enclosure at Swiss Zoo for picnic, becomes lunch

Tampa man found by authorities playing video game in apartment full of dead exotic pets and feces

VA rescue that places homeless pets in homes (not PETA, obviously) wins cash prize

SC "pet food flavoring" maker to build dog and cat research facility to study what pets eat (Hint: not flavoring)

What I'm Thankful For

Before we eat, I thought we could go around the table and each say something we are thankful for (I saw this on Dexter). I'll start.

I'm thankful for Good Samaritans:

BURLINGTON, N.C. -

Jennifer Mann said at first she didn't see anything wrong with Sadie, a chocolate lab, when she found her Thursday.

"When I got up to her, her whole left side was completely ripped back like a deer carcass. It was terrible," she said.

Mann recognized the dog and went to her owner, but the owner said he didn't want to help the injured lab. So Jennifer took Sadie to veterinarian Dr. Sharon King.

Ms. Mann is now trying to raise money for Sadie's vet care:

The "Saving Sadie Fund" has been created at MidCarolina Bank locations in Greensboro, Graham and Mebane. For more information, you can contact Theresa Vernon at 336-538-1600.

There is video of Sadie at the vet clinic at the link.

Vet Laments Loss of "Rational Euthanasia Policy" after Shelter Embraces No Kill

The Porter Co Animal Shelter in IN has made a number of changes over the past 18 months in an effort to implement a no kill policy:

While the effort has already resulted in a noticeable decrease in the number of cats at the shelter, she [the shelter director] predicted the problem will really start coming under control within the next five years.
[...]

Veterinarian Mary Ann Sheller, who was replaced on the shelter board as part of last year's change in operations, disagreed with the rosy assessment, saying she continues to hear about animals being turned away or dumped because the shelter is full.

"In essence, what they have done is exchange a rational euthanasia policy for a warehouse policy," Sheller said.

Too bad, so sad. The community tossed you off the shelter board and did away with your pet killing ways. Now all you have to fall back on is the tired old "warehousing" (pdf) argument. *dabs tear*

Monkey in a Cage Acts Like Caged Monkey

I guess nobody thought to advise "Sammy" he's a pet monkey:

Police said their investigation showed Green was holding her granddaughter near the cage that held Sammy, a monkey kept in the home as a pet. The baby started crying. Green then noticed the monkey had reached outside of its cage and grabbed the hood of the coat Brenna was wearing. Police said the monkey began pulling on the hood, causing the baby's head to repeatedly strike the metal cage. The monkey let go of the hood but started pulling the infant's hair, police said.

The baby was checked out at a hospital in IN and released. Luckily, there were no serious injuries... this time.

WI Greyhound Track to Close

Dairyland Greyhound Park in WI is set to end racing on December 31, 2009. From their website:

Wisconsin State law provides that the greyhounds are to be adopted to new homes, sent to another racetrack for racing purposes or returned to their owners. Our kennel compound will remain open until all greyhounds are properly placed.

If you are interested in adopting a racing Greyhound, visit the website for more information.

Dinner at Chez Dog

We've got weevils. (Don't worry, that's not what's for the dog dinner.) They can apparently get into most anything and I don't know how we're going to get rid of them. For starters, I'm trying to cook everything in the cupboard to diminish their food supply. Unfortunately this also diminishes our food supply so I'm not sure what the end game here is exactly. At any rate, I boiled up every kind of pasta we had in the cupboards. (Note: Weevils float to the top of the pan as soon as you dump the pasta in so you can skim them out if you don't want the added protein.) I then cooked up some spinach, carrots and yellow squash and stirred them in. Minced parsley, yogurt and cottage cheese were added and I topped each dog's bowl off with a couple hunks of mozzarella. Add calcium and oil (I used fish oil caps for this meal) and serve.

Treats on the Internets

Another "Uga" - the University of GA Bulldog mascot - has died. He was 4 years old.

Animal terrorism indictment for MN man likely linked to IA research facility break-in

Veterinarians in Morgan Co, CO work with local rescue to offer low cost neutering

Marion Nestle reminds us there is ONE FOOD SUPPLY and all us mammals eat from it

AVMA has a page for news on H1N1. Some cats and ferrets have contracted the virus and one cat has died.

Woman in Scotland stabbed her dog because he was barking, had her pets taken from her as a result, and now has gotten them back. She was reportedly "under a lot of stress".

For those wanting to know more about Pets Alive, the sanctuary that offered to take Oreo, they have a nice slideshow.

Bill proposed in Ontario to repeal the dreadful Pitbull ban

Blue Light Special on Shelter Pets

In OH, infamous dog killer Tom Skeldon has resigned as Lucas Co dog warden. A PETA representative wrote a Letter to the Editor at the Toledo Blade praising Skeldon's killing:

No one wants to end the need for euthanasia more than the brave people who hold the syringe, but pushing dogs out the door like clearance merchandise or releasing vulnerable breeds into a world that holds only suffering and death for so many of them isn't the way to do that.

If we overlook the fact that PETA is among the "bravest" of us, killing tens of thousands of pets without even trying to adopt them out, we might focus on the thinly veiled slam on poor people. Yes poor people (and others) love clearance merchandise. It means getting a bargain, a good deal on some desired product. What's wrong with that?

In fact, would it be so awful to get dogs off the killing table and "out the door" by marketing them as "clearance merchandise"? As long as homes are adequately (and not overly) screened, I certainly don't have a problem with it. Everyone loves a good deal and many people are willing to buy last year's model, as it were, or slightly irregular products if it means added value overall.

Maybe some people consider shelter pets to be clearance rack type pets as opposed to new-in-the-box, bright and shiny puppies and kittens. So what? The fact is that retail stores manage to attract a good number of shoppers to their clearance racks and move merchandise. Isn't that what we're trying to do for shelter pets - attract buyers with the prospect of a good deal and get pets into homes?

Once again, PETA has it all wrong in my opinion. Pushing dogs out the shelter doors and into homes is the goal. Of course potential owners must be screened and no one wants to guilt anyone into taking a pet they're not prepared to accept responsibility for or a pet who would be a mismatch for the owner's lifestyle. But aside from the screening process, "pushing dogs out the door" is exactly what we want to do for shelter pets. If it takes a clever marketing ploy such as a blue light special to help achieve that, I say go for it. Obviously PETA chooses the blue needle special for the unfortunate pets who fall into their hands. But they are fast becoming dinosaurs in the world of homeless pets. We are a no kill nation of people who care about pets. Join us.

Two Pieces from 'USA Today' on Oreo

USA Today has an interview with Dr. Stephen Zawistowski, a behaviorist with the ASPCA who worked with Oreo. He is asked about the opposition to releasing her to a sanctuary instead of killing her:

"Unless she was put in virtually complete isolation," she'd live a "life of constant stress," he said. She was so reactive to so many things that she was almost always agitated. "We tried to desensitize her, and that tended to make her more reactive. The kind of love, attention and handling that has worked with so many other dogs made her more hostile," he said. Drugging her might have lowered her aggression, but if drugs succeeded, "you have to be certain someone would always maintain and monitor this treatment for the next 12 to 14 years … and there can be organ damage over time." And finally, complete isolation from all people and animals is "not a quality of life we can accept."

In another piece, USA Today heads down the well worn path of rationalizing killing while pepetuating the myth of pet overpopulation:

In shelters across the country Friday, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dogs met Oreo's fate for the same reason she did: They were too violent — because people made them that way. At least Oreo got the benefit of months of efforts to try to make her capable of living peacefully in this world; most of the rest did not because most shelters haven't the time, resources or expertise to work with such animals.
[...]
[A]lso on Friday, thousands of perfectly friendly dogs lost their lives in shelters simply because of the numbers reality: No more animals could be crammed in, but more are always arriving because people get bored with them or don't feel like training them, or let them create litters. So discarded pets must die to make room for more discarded pets.

At some shelters, the kill rate is 90%, and the vast majority aren't too vicious or too sick to save. They're merely victims of overpopulation.

The piece suggests that compassionate people must come to terms with these "truths" even though it may be uncomfortable. The truth is that there is no such thing as pet overpopulation. The truth is that shelter pets do not have to be killed in order to make room for more. The truth is that we are a no kill nation of people who care about pets and know they deserve better.

Facing these truths may be uncomfortable at first for some, but the nature of life is change and evolution of thought. Thinking about the value of the lives of shelter pets and changing how we go about saving those lives is one way forward.

Yeah, He's Cute NOW

I Wish Wilkes Co was in NY

NY state legislators seem to take the business of needless dog killing seriously:

From the Office of Assembly Member Micah Kellner in Manhattan:

We are preparing to introduce legislation this week along with State Senator Tom Duane to require shelters to release any animal they plan to kill to a bonafide rescue group or humane organization which requests possession of [the animal].

The legislation is titled "Oreo's Law".

Added, 11-19-09: pdf of letter from No Kill Advocacy Center regarding Oreo's Law.

What Kind of "Injuries, Illness or Behavior"?

The Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO) has been handling hundreds of dogs seized as part of a multi-state dogfighting bust this year. HSMO took the dogs seized in MO and IL. 100 dogs seized in other states were sent to other rescues. Some of the HSMO dogs have been released to rescue groups or foster homes but the numbers don't seem to add up:

• 120+ dogs placed in foster homes (or scheduled for placement last week)
• 117 dogs awaiting placement
• 2/3 of the dogs "tested well for nonaggression and adoptablility"
• 160 dogs killed "because of injuries, illness or behavior"

If we add together 120(+), 117 and 160, that comes out to approximately 400 dogs. If 2/3 of those tested as adoptable, that would be approximately 132 that didn't test well. Perhaps we could toss in another 28 that were medically hopeless and suffering ("injuries, illness"?) and that would make it 160.

But hold on. That would mean that every single dog who did not test well for adoptability was killed. In other words, the evaluations were used as a pass/fail determiner of life or death. Is this "rescue" for these dogs?

I consider this Maddie's Fund page on behavioral evaluations to be the gold standard. It is very detailed and outlines fair evaluations for shelter dogs as an initial step toward determining their future path. Sadly, there are some aggressive dogs who do not respond to training and drug therapy and will have to be euthanized because no sanctuary option exists. Of course some dogs will respond to behavioral modification training and drug therapy and will be able to be adopted out eventually. But not if they are denied that chance. The fact that every single dog who did not test well for adoptability was killed by HSMO leads me to believe that none were given the opportunity for behavior modification.

If the evaluation is used as a pass/fail justification for killing, one has to question the value of the test. To my mind, it would be akin to getting a suicidal person to sit down with a therapist and after the first hour the therapist says, "Sorry but you failed, you'll have to be killed". Is that such a great service to have offered the suicidal individual?

I'm not arguing that every dog of these 400 absolutely should have been saved regardless of circumstances. While I wish that every dog who could not be rehabbed had a guaranteed place for life in a wonderful sanctuary, I know that's not the reality. But I absolutely believe that every dog deserves a chance. The behavioral evaluation is an excellent start if it is used properly as a guide to which direction the dog needs to be headed next. If it's used merely as a killing tool, then what's the point? Surely no one thinks we pushed for individual evaluations for every bust dog just for the sake of the evaluations themselves? They are a tool for determining the needs of the dog and what type of rehab may be fitting. Using them as a pass/fail is nothing short of a disgrace.

A "fair evaluation" means a qualified individual testing the dog to determine what, if any, special needs must be addressed in training. Every dog deserves a fair evaluation.


Thank you EmilyS for sending me the link to the AP article.

ASPCA Euthanizes "Oreo"

Some of you may have been following the story of "Oreo", a Pitbull mix in NY who survived terrible cruelty thanks to the care of the ASPCA. On Friday, the ASPCA euthanized her due to aggression:

Because adoption was not an option, the ASPCA looked at placing Oreo in a long-term resident facility. However, because of the aggressive behavior displayed, it is almost certain that Oreo would have lived out her entire life in seclusion from other dogs and people. Her contact with the outside world would have been minimal at best. Her quality of life would have been reduced to virtually nothing. Thus, we arrived at the painful yet clear decision to humanely euthanize Oreo.

I don't know that I disagree with euthanizing a dog with extreme aggression, especially when extensive rehab efforts have been made as in Oreo's case. But it is hard to support the decision to euthanize when a reasonable alternative exists. Pets Alive, a no kill shelter in NY with a proven track record regarding difficult dogs, had offered to take Oreo:

We offered to take Oreo to our facility and work with her. If she was adoptable we would adopt her out. If not she would live at the sanctuary for the rest of her life. That’s our standard offer.

As an outsider, it seems to me the ASPCA should have at least considered the offer and taken a tour of the facility where Oreo would live. This would give them a concrete idea of her potential quality of life, rather than the assumption they were basing their decision on. By refusing to consider the offer, the ASPCA comes off as irresponsible to my mind. The ASPCA must be held to a very high standard due to their size and influence and they must set an example for preventing cruelty to animals, like the name says. I can't see how they've met this burden or fulfilled their obligation to Oreo by refusing to consider a reasonable alternative to her death.

Dinner at Chez Dog

Sweet potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, turkey livers and turkey gizzards - add calcium and oil, serve.

I found the organ meat for a good price in a freezer bin at the grocery store. Never having bought them before, I was a little leery because they were labeled "turkey gizzard" and "turkey liver" (each singular) and were in white plastic containers that you can't see into. I was envisioning some monster sized organ falling out of each but alas, when opened, the containers revealed multiple organs, regular sized.

Bad Animal Control Ideas, Nebraska Edition

In summary:

The Gothenburg Animal Hospital serves as Gothenburg’s city pound.

Now, because of a new state law that changes how animals are handled at city pounds statewide, it will be more expensive to adopt a dog or cat.

“It will be much more costly,” said Gothenburg Animal Hospital owner and veterinarian Roger Dudley.

Under a Gothenburg City Council proposal driven by state law, all adopted cats and dogs must be spayed or neutered.

A for-profit veterinary clinic can't possibly serve the needs of the city's shelter pets at the level they deserve. Basically, the staff is moonlighting by taking in strays but obviously their top priority will be their business. If they don't keep focused on making a profit, they won't have a business anymore. Shelter pets deserve better.

The Vet is obviously thinking in terms of profit when he talks about the greatly increased fee to adopt neutered shelter pets. The community needs someone who thinks in terms of public service with regard to saving pets and getting them into homes. Why not get the community involved and see if those goals can't be accomplished?

Unfortunately, there are more problems:

Dudley said the city currently pays the Gothenburg Animal Hospital $10 a day for cats and $12 for dogs to board strays only if they are euthanized but not if they are adopted.

Financial incentive to kill is never a good practice when the goal is saving pets.

[T]he city pays for four days of boarding. If the clinic keeps a pet longer for adoption, the business is not reimbursed.

See above.

Since he’s been in the veterinary business, Dudley said he doesn’t think problems with stray dogs have increased but cats have.

“Cat’s [sic] continue to multiply and that’s difficult to shut down,” he said. “There are so many, I don’t know what could be done.”

Is this the person the community wants in charge of caring for stray pets - someone who says he has no ideas on how to handle the local cat population? Perhaps the idea of TNR for feral cats doesn't appeal to him due to the issue of profit. But it would be worth bringing up to the city and recruiting volunteers from the community to help reduce the feral population. And what about low cost neuter services so local pet owners can afford to get their cats neutered? Maybe that falls under the lack-of-financial-incentive category too.

What say you Gothenburg?

Tips for Avoiding Factory Farm Products

A guide to shopping and eating for those who wish to avoid supporting factory farms:

Most people share at least the following traits: they want to be healthy; they like animals; and they value clean air and water. Yet relatively few Americans connect those concerns with their food. As more people start making the link (especially if they've seen graphic video footage of industrial animal operations), many decide it's time to stop eating foods from factory farms. This is a guide for doing just that.

Among the author's recommendations:

• Eat less meat. Eat better meat. (The same goes for dairy products and eggs).
• Know your labels (and their shortcomings).
• Explore alternative stores (independent grocery stores and co-ops).
• Pasture is the gold standard.
• Grass fed is very good (but the label is weak).
• Organic is very good, (but the label isn't perfect).
• Free range is okay (but the label is seriously flawed).
• Antibiotic free doesn't mean much.

NY Woman Accused of Torturing Pets

After Sharon McDonough's eldest son turned her in to authorities, 5 dogs and a cat were found in terrible condition in filthy cages at her home. The remains of 20 dogs were excavated from the backyard and are being checked for microchips. Local residents whose pets have gone missing in past are fearful they may have been victims of cruelty at the home.

Douglas McDonough, 21, who turned his mother in to authorities on Nov. 5, called the home "a concentration camp for the animals" in comments to reporters after the arrest.

"She would have the oldest kids hold down the dog while we duct-taped his mouth and she would hit him," he said, adding that he and his sisters were all forced to take part in the abuse.

On Tuesday, a judge removed the six girls — ages 18 months to 13 years — from the custody of McDonough, who is widowed. Her court-appointed attorney, James D'Angelo, called the animal cruelty counts a "low-level offense."

Let's hope the charges get increased to a level more impressive to the attorney and better fitting to the allegations.

Good News from Afghanistan

Via BBC (includes video):

A sniffer dog lost in battle in Afghanistan 14 months ago has turned up safe and well and rejoined its Australian unit.

Defence officials said Sabi the dog was recovered by a US soldier at an isolated patrol base.

The dog returned to a celebrity welcome from visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and US commander Gen Stanley McChrystal.

Sabi is being tested for disease before a possible return to Australia.

The black labrador bitch was with a joint Australian-Afghan patrol that was ambushed in Uruzgan province in September 2008.

Veterans Day

Honoring all those who serve - thank you.

• Watch some clips of dogs in over-excitement mode when their owners return from service overseas
• Detailed history of Stubby the military dog
• VetDogs helps veterans get service dogs

Al Franken Meets a Service Dog

I got a bit choked up watching this vid featuring Senator Al Franken (D-MN) talk about the event that inspired him to draft service dog legislation for our veterans.

Don't Let the Door Hit You on Your Way Out

The Memphis Animal Shelter director, having had his shelter raided by law enforcement this week as part of a cruelty investigation, should have been on his A Number One best behavior. And yet, on his watch, the shelter killed someone's pet this week without even contacting the owners. Finally, the Mayor has fired the director:

“You’ve got a mayor now who, perhaps to a fault, likes to be hands on,” said [Mayor] Wharton during a morning press conference at the shelter. “I am not an expert on (animal shelters), but I can walk in there and tell you if there is enough food or water in the bowl, or if they followed our own procedures.”

Perhaps the most startling bit from the article though is how the director, Ernest Alexander, came to be in charge of the shelter:

Despite allegations of mistreatment of the animals he oversaw at a shelter in Albuquerque, N.M., Alexander arrived in Memphis in the spring of 2008 after former mayor Willie Herenton launched a nationwide search for an administrator who could improve conditions at the shelter, long a source of controversy for local animal rights activists. [emphasis mine]

Either there is a conspiracy cloud hanging over this guy's head or he brings animal suffering and death with him wherever he goes. I'm glad he's out. I hope they also sack every last one of the employees who weren't whistleblowers. It's way past time to take out the trash there.

"A dog wags its tail with all its heart"

All Eyes on Memphis Animal Shelter

Webcams up and phone number to the "Mayor's Action Center" if you see anything worthy of reporting.

Search Warrant for Memphis Animal Shelter

According to the search warrant served on the Memphis Animal Shelter (pdf) Puppy #199287 was admitted on August 18, 2009. Her records indicate she is a friendly pup and specify that she was to be held for a pending court case involving animal cruelty. Sadly, she ended up as evidence in a completely different cruelty case after the shelter allegedly starved her to death. Photographs documenting her condition from arrival until she was found dead in her cage on September 4, 2009 appear in the search warrant along with the necropsy results by the ASPCA Vet. That report concludes Puppy #199287 died of "non-accidental" "end-stage starvation". First her body consumed its external fat in an effort to stay alive. When that supply was exhausted, her body consumed organ fat and finally bone marrow fat. Normal bone marrow fat levels are 60% or higher but this pup's was 2.3%. Although she had not been fed for days, someone apparently gave her a small amount of food shortly before death which she did eat. So Puppy #199287 could and would eat, the shelter just didn't feed her.

The search warrant references a whistleblower (identity withheld) who, along with many other shelter volunteers, had long been advising those in charge at the shelter that animals were being starved, living in feces/urine filled cages with Parvo dogs and receiving no or dirty water. All these people are back on the job today while the investigation continues. Perhaps the only saving grace is a temporary halt to killings at the shelter, ordered by the mayor. But of course that doesn't cover pets starved to death or being forced to live in inhumane conditions. The Mayor is apparently not too concerned about that. If he was, he wouldn't allow the people who condoned this suffering to keep collecting their paychecks and remain responsible for the care of pets at the shelter right now.

I ask again - Are they feeding the pets NOW?

Treats on the Internets

NY Times article on psychiatric service dogs

111 pets die in fire at TX no kill shelter and the community steps up to help

There are 2 sides to every story but only 1 side to dead

Poultry farm trash (such as feces and feathers) is regularly fed to cattle but some want that practice changed

Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare in UK has published its report "A Healthier Future for Pedigree Dogs" (pdf)

This is how I feel about Debbie Downer Cattle on social networking sites

AC officer steals dog and lies to cover up her crime

Memphis Animal Shelter Abuse Photos

:::LANGUAGE WARNING::::ALERT:::etc.

This pup was brought into the Memphis Animal Shelter on August 18, 2009:


This is the same pup on September 4. She was found dead in her cage:


Fuckity fuck fuck.

This was not a one off case. This shit has allegedly been going on for a long, long time.

I wonder if they're feeding the dogs NOW?

I can't help looking at that sweet face and seeing just the spot I'd like to leave lipstick on that pup - right between the eyes.

Fuck.

Home is Where the Heart is

If you have dogs, you probably step outside without a coat and sensible shoes like I often do. It might be to fill a water bucket or scoop the yard or let a dog out to potty at 3 a.m. Whatever the reason, you know that chill that hits you at certain times of the year - the one that makes you curse into the night air and start jumping around while willing the dog with your mind to hurry up.

For me, this chill has taken on new meaning due to people moving into a nearby trailer and tying two dogs up to trees in the front yard. The dogs are tethered 24/7 on very short ropes and have no shelter (the trees are very small and provide no cover). They get rained on, sometimes all day, and then the chill comes at night and they stay tied to their trees, wet and cold. Although the dogs are usually quiet, sometimes they cry - pitiful yelps that go on for a good while. The sound is almost unbearable to me, I can't imagine what it's like living in that trailer but the people never come out to shush them. In fact, I've never seen the family interact with the dogs at all but presumably they are giving them food since they are still alive.

I have no problem with responsible tethering (or crating or kenneling for that matter). But a dog tied, without shelter, day and night - that's not responsible tethering. That's cruelty.

Now when I step out in the cold and the wet, I think of those two dogs suffering next door and the owners, just a few yards away, safe and warm inside the trailer. It breaks my heart. And I wonder how it could be that it doesn't break theirs.

Another Huge Ground Beef Recall

CBS News reports that dozens of illnesses and 2 deaths may be linked to the latest recall of half a million pounds of ground beef:

Ashville, N.Y.-based Fairbank Farms recalled almost 546,000 pounds of fresh ground beef that may be tainted with E. coli bacteria. The meat was distributed in September to stores from Virginia to Maine.

The ground beef was sold at Trader Joe's, Price Chopper, Lancaster, Wild Harvest, Shaw's, BJ's, Ford Brothers and Giant stores. Each package carried the number "EST. 492" on the label. They were packaged Sept. 15-16 and may have been labeled with a sell-by date from Sept. 19 through Sept. 28.

Also, ground beef packaged under the Fairbank Farms name was distributed to stores in Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. That meat was likely repackaged for sale and would likely have differing package and sell-by dates.

So basically, good luck figuring out where the meat you bought came from. Business as usual.