700 Puppies Rescued from Tennessee Puppy Mill

In one of the largest puppy mill raid in Tennessee ever, the Humane Society of the United States led a massive effort in ending the puppy business by Pine Bluff Kennels puppy mill operation. These dogs were here for one reason only—to breed more puppies. They live in horrific conditions, several dogs even laid dead in kennels.Watch the video of the rescue on the HSUS site

Join in the millions of people in the fight to end the puppy mill business by spreading the word, by donation, grab a t-shirt on the HSUS site, raise a banner by posting a badge on your blog or website.

Filed under: Take Action, animal cruelty, dogs and cats, humane organizations, puppy mills , Humane Society of the United States, puppy mill raid in Tennessee

Peta: Friend or Foe?

I’ve wanted to write something about PETA for the longest time, but I could never think of a constructive way to talk about this from a fair angle.

PETA is undeniably the most aggressive animal rights group, known for their in-your-face campaigns. For those who support PETA such as myself, I believe in the organization’s intense passion in their work towards a better world for animals, yet I sympathize with those who oppose PETA’s tactics, which can be construed as extremist and annoying. So don’t call me a PETA lover, I’m just trying to understand just as much as you do.

While I find it questionable when PETA splashes red paint (fake-blood) in anti-fur rallies as a way to bring awareness to people about the issue, I wouldn’t want my friends or their kids get caught in the middle. I certainly wouldn’t do that myself, or teach my future children to conduct in this manner. But you have to ask why PETA do the things they do—unlike other animal organizations that also do important work, PETA’s approach is to stir you up, make you think and annoy you enough in hopes to get you to SEE the grave conditions in which animals of the world live and die. There is always one kid in a class who stands out who does outrageous things to get your attention, whether you like him or not, and PETA is that kid.

I don’t think it’s fair to dismiss PETA based on their tactics, however, we are entitled to have strong feelings about them. There are sites out there dedicated to defeating PETA and its work. I don’t know enough about either sides’ convictions to make judgement on who is right or wrong. However, I know that PETA stand up for important causes and have made tremendous, victorious progress to diminish the suffering of animals. Like them, I hope for change, for the end of fur, cruel and unnecessary animal testing, for Canada to stop hunting baby harp seals for profit, and for dogs and cats to stop being abused, tortured and killed for no good reasons.

In close, PETA may still be a worthy cause to stand behind, though I wish they would think of more ways to promote advocacy. But actions speak louder than words, and we’ve left this to PETA to advocate. If you don’t condone the way in which they advocate for a better world for animals, at least stand behind them in spirit, or simply support another organization that cares for animals.

Update 7/1/2008: I visited PetaKillsAnimals.com and learned about some pretty nauseating things about what PETA does, so now I have another point of view. There are some good arguments about their tactics and why PETA is doing more harm than good. If they are really using only a miniscule portion of our donations to actually HELP animals, then I might just rethink this. I’m an animal lover in every way, and will continue to look into both sides of the fence. If you’re interested in what this site has to say, visit PetaKillsAnimals.com

Filed under: hunting

Arctic Drilling

President Bush called on Congress to lift a long-standing ban on U.S. offshore oil drilling. With global warming so apparent and urgent this is clearly bad. Alaska has been under long debate for years for open drilling. Although shot down by Congress numerous times, those in favor of domestic oil are getting closer to victory.

If you don’t get why this is a bad thing, just watch Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”. Global warming is a serious threat to our planet. Drilling in the Arctic would not guarantee to produce a drop of oil for at least 10+ years, while we should be exploring alternative fuels. Drilling will also destroy habitat for the animals, and this will for sure push them into extinction. And so on…

Call on Congress to oppose Big Oil and preserve wildlife. Take action today so you can help safeguard future generations and much of the wonder of our planet.

Filed under: Global Warming, Take Action, international issues, local issues , An Inconvenient Truth, arctic animals, big oil, environment, Global Warming, polar bears, president bush, wildlife

Polar Bear Heads On Your Wall

Just as Polar Bears got listed on the Endangered Species list, the Safari Club International has filed a lawsuit against the Federal government and the Dept. of Interior. No longer allowed to hunt polar bears in Alaska, they now are fighting to go to Canada to hunt and bring them back as trophies. This is absurd.

I never understood the allure of having some animal’s head pinned onto a wall. Does it make those who hunt feel and appear more masculine or admired, at the expense of some poor animal who is doing nothing but fighting to survive? Polar bears are already at risk of extinction, thanks to global warming. There are so many things wrong with what we people do to this beautiful planet. And while the subject of global warming heats up everyday, hunters still have the audacity to fight for this entitlement. Help end this now by sharing this fact with friends, and/or make a donation to Defenders of Wildlife here.

In Alaska, people are trying to raise $600,000 of campaign funds to defeat a ballot measure by the Safari Club. Please make a contribution so no more polar bears are lost in needless cruelty.

Filed under: Global Warming, Take Action, animal cruelty, hunting, international issues , animal cruelty, defenders of wildlife, hunting, polar bears, safari club international

Cats Round-up at JFK Airport – Help Now

JFK Airport in New York City are rounding up 300-500 cats and kittens who live in or nearby for euthanasia, despite humane organizations such as the Humane Society of US’s protest and offer of assistance for humane intervention (Trap-Neuter-Return /TNR program). Though airport employees and animals rescues tended to the cats, the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey are planning to move forward with the plan. These cats are believed to be mostly lost companion animals by travelers over decades that somehow survived and continue to breed and dwell around the airport.

The problem of growing cats around the premise could simply be helped by the TNR program. They are not in the way of air and ground traffic so there is simply no need for extermination. Please make a brief, polite phone call to Governor Jon Corzine at 609-292-6000. You will likely speak to a staff member– tell them that this is not necessary and the program is a proven strategy to control this situation. Thank you.

For more information or to share this with your friends, visit this link: https://community.hsus.org/humane/join-forward.html?domain=humane&r=tdLzjTpqOh-L&

Filed under: Take Action, dogs and cats, friends, humane organizations, local issues , airport, animal control, cats and kittens, euthanasia of animals, feral cats, HSUS, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program

Animals in Disasters

Animal cruelty is by far not the only horrible thing that happens to animals of the world, natural disasters claim many of them as well. Hurricanes, tornadoes, avalanches, fires, and floods not only affect humans in terrible ways, but in some ways even more horrible for animals, as they are helpless in these situations. They can only cry for help, but they are never first to BE helped, as people’s lives take precedence over theirs. Stranded, abandoned, and left for dead, as so evident in Hurricane Katrina, these poor animals, including dogs and cats like yours and mine, can only wait. Terrified, injured, and starved, they try to survive.

That is why organizations like the Humane Society, PETA, IFAW, ASPCA among thousand others are so important. Their focus is to save as many as possible, revive them, care for them and find them homes and reunite them with the owners. I find this incredibly heroic and touching. I think compassion is every person’s gift. For those who of us who can’t join them in rescue, we can certainly donate money to these organizations so they could continue the work of perpetuating the lives of our animal friends. MAKE A DONATION TODAY.

Photo of the Humane Society of US disaster team in rescue

Filed under: Take Action, dogs and cats, friends, humane organizations, local issues , compassion, disaster, donate, HSUS, rescue, Take Action

Puppy Mill Survivor

Jana Kohl learned the cruelty of the puppy business in Texas firsthand when she was looking to buy a puppy from an internet breeder. Horrified that such a thing exists in this world, she decided to adopt Baby, an older dog with one amputated leg and one of the survivor of a puppy mill, and subsequently went on a crusade to raise awareness of cruelty toward animals. She also wrote a book “Rare Breed Of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere“

ABC News Diane Sawyer did a segment on this story.

I admire people like Jana. It’s never too late to learn something and demonstrate compassion. I wish I could write a book, travel the globe to go undercover and investigate cruelty cases. Everyone has a way of contributing, perhaps even a blog helps. But then again, it’s never enough until everyone sees that there are so much more to be done.

Filed under: Take Action, animal cruelty, dogs and cats, puppy mills , abc news, compassion, diane sawyer, puppy mills, Rare Breed of Love

Great Turtle Race 2008

Our favorite Leatherback Turtles are at it again. The race across the pacific from California and Indonesia to the middle to the Pacific. Last year this has received much attention, as Stephen Colbert had a turtle named after him (he came in second place). Visit the site and see their engaging migration journey and learn more about how you can help preserve them. Follow them each day and see the interactive progress of the turtles!

Filed under: friends , great turtle race 2008, leatherback turtles, stephen colbert

Whales Under Serious Threat

For centuries, whaling had been a tradition for many countries in Europe, particular Norway and Iceland, as well as Japan and some native American tribes. Whales are under threat and decreasing by numbers quickly by global warming, pollution and overfishing. Whale meat are also not as popular as it once were so there is no longer a need to hunt and kill these magnificent creatures.

Right now, Japan and Iceland hold the largest record of whaling for meat. While it is an outcry by many thousands of people around the world, the whaling ban is under threat. It is unfortunately, not yet strong enough to get these countries to stop this barbaric practice.

Even as many several species of whales are listed as endangered, there seems yet to be loopholes for whalers to get around. In 2007, Icelandic whalers have killed 7 endangered fin whales and a minke whale, and reported killed another 69 minkes for their fins, for profit. “Iceland, like Norway, claim whales must be culled because they eat fish. This is nonsense. Human over-fishing is destroying fish stocks, not whales.” reports Campaign-Whale.org. Since 1986, Japan has killed over 6,000 whales for food and research, and this winter, it plans to start killing the magnificent humpback whales for the first time, sold to research labs in Anarctica and the North Pacific.

In 2008, Iceland announced that it would allow 40 minke whales to be killed over the next six months. This is completely against the ban by the International Whaling Commission. Please let your voice be heard now and sign the petition here, or to read more about the subject, visit Campaign-Whale.org

Filed under: Global Warming, Take Action, animal cruelty, hunting, international issues, local issues , animal cruelty, humpback whales, Iceland, International Whaling Commission, Japan, minke whales, Norway, Take Action, whaling