Click on My Badge and Help Feed Homeless Dogs

Everyone, please click the badge to the right, and spend 2 minutes doing the quick activities through Social Vibe. You will totally help with feed homeless dogs in shelters at th LACPA. Happy Holiday!

Filed under: Take Action, dogs and cats, friends, humane organizations , animal causes, social vibe

Help Animals This Summer

I’ve gathered 10 items from various sources with suggestions on how you can help the animal causes this month. They are all easy to do and some will feel really rewarding. Small steps – big leap for animals!

1. Write to corporations and governments that practice or support puppy mills (including your local pet shop selling puppies), factory farming, and other abuse you feel passionate about.

2. Learn to cook a fabulous vegan or vegetarian meal, and share the recipes with your friends! Get recipes here

3. Meet people like you anywhere like online communities, who advocate for animals – share ideas and debate. Go to Causecast.org and learn more, or social sites like Humane Society Network.

4. Volunteer at your local animal shelter or the ASCPA, in New York City/Brooklyn, a great one that needs a lot of help is BARC Shelter in the Dumbo district. You will help walk dogs around the park, bring a friend.

5. Scout out 3 animal welfare organizations that fit your cause, and donate $25, $50 or whatever you feel comfortable with to each organization. You would be surprised how much good a little money can do. My favorites are Defenders of Wildlife, Humane Society of the United States, International Fund For Animals. Local shelthers like the Northshore Animal League is no-kill, and Bide-a-Wee in NYC as well as BARC in Brooklyn.

6. Start a blog about animals, whether it’s just about the pure love of your favorite animal, breed. Or get even more active with a welfare blog. Make taking pictures this summer fun by starting a photo blog of the dogs and cats you see in your neighborhood.

7. Go to a local dog park, and enjoy a nice summer day. Appreciate the simplicities of life.

8. Attend a show at Cirque Du Soleil, a non-animal circus. They are amazing and far more entertaining than watching elephants get whipped into a standing position. See their show listings and schedule here.

9. Adopt a cat or dog at your local shelter. If you can, adopt one from a kill-shelter, as you can save lives, especially an adult who has a lesser chance of getting a loving home, or a cat with one eye who suffered abuse. They deserve your love. Go to Petfinder.com and browse the thousands of animals.

10. Decide on an animal welfare topic most close to your heart, and make a simple flyer (don’t forget to include instructions on what they can do to make a difference) and pass it out at a farmer’s market, dog park, supermarkets, etc. This one takes a little bit of guts – I’ve done it once on the subject of Veal Cows – you will get positive encouragement from people, or some people just don’t care, but that’s how you start something important!

And finally, have fun!

Filed under: Take Action, circus, dogs and cats, farm animals, friends, humane organizations , animal shelters, animals in need, summer activities, Take Action, what to do this summer

China’s Dog Slaughter Aftermath Prompts Changes

From Reuters

After more than 36,000 dogs were slaughtered for fear of the rabies epidemic in China, a positive change may emerge. Now even the Chinese civilians are beginning to protest to such barbaric cruelty. The Chinese government and officials begin to debate and try to put in new laws to protect animals – a first, believe it or not, as China remains one of very few industrialized nations without such laws.  Unfortunately, they may not reach this goal until 2010, which means many more animals, including cats, will continue to be killed for unnecessary fear and reasons. However, this is a step in the right direction. See full article here and watch the video (not too graphic) from Reuters.

If you can, write to the Chinese government to express your outrage and urge them to adopt changes. Thank you!

Filed under: animal cruelty, dogs and cats, international issues , animal rights, China dog killing, rabies, Chinese government

Dog Slaughter in Hanzhong, China

A death squad pursues a terrified dog in Hanzhong, China

Dogs beaten to death in Hanzhong, China’s street

Right now as I write this post, China’s government for fear of a few random cases of rabies death, has ordered a massive killing of more than 30,000 dogs.  Dog Death Squads and civilizians alike take to the streets with bats, iron bars, sticks and rocks, chasing poor dogs, mercilessly beating them to death. Many of these dogs were claimed to also be health family pets. One by one, the dogs are “pulled out with a pair of long metal tongs, and brutally beaten with a stick – then even some may still seem to be alive, they’re tossed into a pit to be burned” – via International Fund For Animals.

China’s massive animal killing spree is nothing new. During the Olympics, they rounded up over half a million cats off the streets and brought them to be gassed, boiled, killed in mass. Each instance an epidemic of disease occur, the Chinese blame the animals first and out of fear, instead of learning about what can be done, resort to immediate killing of these poor animals.

Friends, right now, dead dogs lie and fill the streets of this village, and many more at one point or another in China’s history. Please spread the word. Don’t just read this post — Donate to this critical cause or WRITE TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT and express your outrage. Thank you.

Filed under: Take Action, animal cruelty, dogs and cats, humane organizations, international issues , china, dog killing, dogs, epidemic, hanzhong, hunting, Take Action

Animal Testing Debate

I’ve always wanted to write about this subject, but it’s hard to sum it all up in one post. So I guess I have to start somewhere and start this debate on this blog.

Animal testing began as early as the dawn of modern civilization, when some might argue was necessary. That I do understand – how else would we have known the level of toxicity of ingredients in household and cosmetic goods? We had to start somewhere, and we couldn’t experiment on humans. How else could we explore the intricacies of the mammal body and come up with cures and treatments? It is completely understandable to me that at one point, animal testing was necessary.

But is it necessary today? We have gotten so advanced in the scientific research on so many things. We know what shouldn’t go into cosmetics, and we know that bleach is toxic. We know that cleaning products contain poisonous ingredients, and we know that there are pesticides in our foods. We know that asbestos can be fatal, and we know that certain things shouldn’t go into our eyes. So why do we continue to subject animals like dogs, cats, primates, rats, rabbits to horrific testing when we know it will hurt and kill them? Why do they have to continue to suffer when so we already know so much?

Then there is medical research. I’ve seen some pretty horrific images of primates being dissected alive while researchers poke at their organs, cats’s skulls exposed while being tested for sleep deprivation, beagles’ skin burned, animals forced to ingest poison, mice given cancerous tumors, and so on. I’m so saddened by this but there is the bigger question of whether this is necessary.

I’m conflicted. I believe that humans are superior beings and we do come first in this world, despite my compassion and love for animals and that I do not in any way wish them harm and suffering. As we advance in medical research every day, there seem to be a need to experiment on animals so that we can live longer, healthier. Without the animals, we would have to test on human subjects even more than now. This conflict lies in the very nature of human significance over the lesser mammal, and I know that this may never end. Thanks to animals, we live, and our animal companions live as well. I know that if my veternarian didn’t attend Cornell Feline Veterinarian School, where I presumed he dissected all sorts of animals, he wouldn’t be as good a doctor to my cat today. Some things are just necessary.

Of course, if there was another way, I will be all for it. I love animals and wish that one day there will be NO animal testing AT ALL. That doesn’t excuse the horrible ways in which animals are experimented. I KNOW that there are more humane ways to treat them and test on them. What are your thoughts?

P.S. buy non-animal tested consumer products please!

Filed under: animal cruelty, animal testing, corporations that fund cruel practices, dogs and cats

Anyone Needs a Hug?

Not all posts have to be about sad animal welfare issues. Yes most of the time, but here I’d like to share something that will warm most good people’s hearts. via Nearly-Normal on Flickr.

Cat Hug

Filed under: dogs and cats, friends , cats, kittens, sweetness

Another Puppy Mill Raid in Tennessee

This morning, the ASPCA, helped by American Humane Association’s Red Star Animal Emergency Service, raided a puppy mill in White County, Tennessee, and rescued over 250 dogs found in inhumane conditions. These dogs were living in filthy conditions and were deprived of the most basic veterinary care, with little food and water. American Humane Association’s site report “The dogs are small breed under 20 pounds, including Boston and Jack Russell terriers, Pomeranians, Shih Tzus, Chihuahuas, poodles, miniature Pinschers, and Schnauzers. The animals were examined immediately on the scene, with those needing emergency care transferred to White County veterinarians, who lent their services. The rest of the animals were transported to a temporary emergency shelter staffed by the American Humane Association”

You can help by donating to the organization. This will perpetuate the effort of humane agencies to expose puppy mills and provide emergency aid to revive, foster, and get these poor animals adopted into loving homes.

Filed under: animal cruelty, dogs and cats, humane organizations, local issues, puppy mills , dogs, puppy mills, tennessee

Puppy Mill Heartbreak

When I see an image like this, my heart breaks a little. Because like the words on this poster say, “her (dog shown) only hope of escaping a lifetime of forced breeding is to die from abuse first”, there is simply no other way to say it more accurately.  In puppy mills across the country, and in this particular case in Wisconsin, animals are forced to breed without concern for their physical and emotional needs, and then killed at the end of their reproductive lives.

Spread the word about this atrocity, and support your local animal welfare organizations in helping to end the puppy mill industry.

This poster via The Wisconsin Humane Society.

Filed under: animal cruelty, dogs and cats, humane organizations, puppy mills , animal cruelty, forced breeding, puppy mills

Vote and Help Save Lives!

Humane Society and local shelters across the nation and elsewhere are sponsoring a Spay Day Photo Contest. By voting your favorite pet online and making a small donation (as little as $5) you will be helping to get dogs and cats spayed/neutered so there is less euthanasia of unwanted animals all over the world. Please visit HERE to learn more.

Or vote for Muddy Waters, my kitty and let her represent you in her crusade to help animals in need!

Filed under: Spay/Neuter programs, Take Action, dogs and cats, friends, humane organizations , dogs and cats, humane society of the U.S., photo contest, spay and neuter program

Animal Control – Out of Control

According the the WSPA, in some countries, armed dog control officers randomly shoot dogs in crowded streets. If not killed instantly, the dogs end up wounded and left to die. They are shot at, drowned, hung, and electrocuted and there are far more cruel ways to exterminate unwanted animals. In countries ravaged by war, famine and olitical upheaval, animal suffer equally if not worse. This is not the way to control animal population; it is ineffective and the numbers increase around the world, prompting more unnecessarily killings in the first place.

Please help stop the bloodshed. With your help, animal welfare organizations will provide mobile clinics and medical attention to homeless dogs and cats in rural communites. Please do your part and make a donation and spread the world. Thank you!

Filed under: Take Action, animal cruelty, dogs and cats, humane organizations, international issues , animal advocacy, animal cruelty, animal protection, dog and cat fur, dog rescue, Take Action