Blogging About Critters Since 2007

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Animal Abuse Increasing in London

What's up with London? Dog abuse is up by a third and there has been a six-fold increase in dogs confiscated in the city in the last two years.

On the plus side...

96 people were convicted in London last year; the 2007 Animal Welfare Act has made it possible for authorities to act sooner when concerns are raised. Banning orders are up by over a quarter, investigations are up 12%, 42% more people are going to prison and all together 92% of convictions by the RSPCA resulted in a conviction.

PETA Targeting J-Lo?

It's possible and I hope they do it. I don't care for Jennifer Lopez, even aside from her fur-wearing ways.

Greenpeace Rates Your Supermarkets for Seafood Sustainability

Check your state here to see how they are graded on seafood sustainability issues.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Cormorants Get Culled Too

Too many double-crested cormorants in Middle Island (one of the Toronto islands in Ontario) led to a culling by Parks Canada last spring.

And although animal protection groups continue to strongly oppose the culling, one activist agreed that Parks Canada staff followed procedures and were mindful of the cormorants' environment.

"The most humane way, of course, is to leave (the cormorants) alone. We've made our position clear and that hasn't changed," said Liz White of Animal Alliance and Cormorant Defenders International. "But to their absolute credit, (park staff) did what they said they would do. They carried out the cull carefully ... maintaining all the practices they agreed to."

Start Paying Attention to the Arctic

Supposedly, there's a hell of a lot of oil and gas in the Arctic and everyone's salivating over it. The US might even ratify the Law of the Sea treaty to get a fair shot at the prizes up north.

Animal rights and environmental advocates need to pay attention to this. Look who lives in the Arctic: polar bear - caribou - musk ox - wolf - wolverine - arctic fox - ermine - lemming - arctic hare - arctic ground squirrel - birds - whales - harp seal - walrus.

Here's a great article giving an overview of the politics. Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski is pushing for treaty ratification. Always watch out when Alaska is in support of something.

Monday, July 28, 2008

June Count of Fundraising Letters

I get a lot of fundraising letters....a LOT. I decided to start tracking these letters to see how many I actually get in a month (animal and environment groups ONLY).

Here is June's count. Thirty-eight (!) mailings!

Three (3) mailings from Best Friends Animal Society and Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge,

Two (2) mailings from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Wild Animal Orphanage, ASPCA, The Fund for Animals, Humane Society Legislative Fund, Jane Goodall Institute, Doris Day League, Ocean Conservancy, Alley Cat Allies,

One (1) mailing from The Ginny Fund, Defenders of Wildlife, People Helping Horses, Kindness Ranch, The Humane Farming Association, SPCA International, International Wolf Center, National Anti-Vivisection Society, Rainforest Action Network, Suncoast Primate Sanctuary Foundation, Noah's Lost Ark, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

That's a lot of paper.

Sea Shepherd Video

OK, I'm wearing my Sea Shepherd t-shirt, which is my favorite, so here is a photo montage video set to music (the images aren't disturbing).

Sunday, July 27, 2008

The Wolves are Back in Oregon

This after a 100 year absence.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife wolf coordinator Russ Morgan heard at least two adults and two pups answer his howls under a bright moon in the predawn hours Friday on the Umatilla National Forest in northern Union County.

"After searching and monitoring and surveying for two years, doing this - to actually confirm multiple wolves - was a bit of a surprise," Morgan said from his office in La Grande. "We are talking about a very rare animal in the state of Oregon. That makes locating them difficult. It is satisfying to see part of that effort pay off."

Pets on Buses

There is a drive in Canada to allow people to take pets on buses. Is there really a need for that kind of thing? Seems like a pretty shaky idea to me.

Yoga for Dogs

Somehow I suspect the dogs aren't really getting it.

Friday, July 25, 2008

The Politics of a Coke Bottle

Sometimes you just can't do anything right.

Today I purchased a bottle of Coke. Look at all the issues tied up in one lone bottle.

1. The bottle was made of plastic. Plastic is made of oil and it never biodegrades. Bad environmental decision.

2. Coke has a large concentration of high fructose corn syrup. Corn! That's what's fueling this crazy biodiesel fever. Food or fuel? What does one do?

3. Coca Cola Company has bad ethics problems (You'll find plenty about them on the Internet. Plus, they're mentioned in my Business Ethics textbook).

4. There is an advertisement on the bottle for the Beijing Olympics. Beijing, of course, is in China, a country with huge animal and human rights issues.

Aargh! All from one bottle!

Quote of the Week

One drop of water helps to swell the ocean...None are too small, too feeble, too poor to be of service. Think of this and act.


-Hannah More

Emmylou Harris' Dog Sanctuary

Emmylou Harris has a dog sanctuary in Nashville. I found out about that from Best Friends.

The sanctuary is called Bonaparte's Retreat. From the site:
Bonaparte's Retreat is dedicated to providing nurturing foster care for shelter dogs when their allotted time at the shelter has elapsed; to prevent these wonderful animals from being euthanized and to find them permanent, loving homes.

Bonaparte's Retreat was created to rescue dogs who were unadoptable from Nashville Humane Association. It has evolved into rescuing dogs who have run out of time at Metro Nashville Animal Control.

We are working on starting a foster program for the dogs. For information on being a foster parent, please contact kate@emmylou.net

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Proposition 2 Targets California Egg Producers

I don't think this measure will pass anyway, but I also don't believe the egg industry would leave CA en masse if it did. A large proportion of CA eggs are from out-of-state anyway.

Proposition 2 would establish a state law requiring that certain confined farm animals be allowed enough space to extend their limbs or wings fully, lie down, stand up and turn around. Laying hens would have to have space to spread their wings without touching the sides of the cage or other hens.

That would practically eliminate the current practice of confining laying hens to small cages, raising the cost of production 20 percent or more, and require the industry to invest about $500million in new housing for the chickens, said Daniel Sumner, co-author of the study released Tuesday and director of the Agricultural Issues Center at UC Davis.

Those are expenses state egg producers can't absorb while remaining competitive, he said.


As always, it would be interesting to know where the guy got his research dollars.

And the co-author was Joy A. Mench, a UC Davis professor and director of the Center for Animal Welfare at UC Davis. You can visit their web site which hasn't been updated for a while...(their "projects" page announces a paper to be presented on September 11, 2001!)

Gray Wolf Returns to Federal Protection

This is good news.

Judge Donald Molloy of Montana ruled Friday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner when it removed wolves in the Northern Rockies Region from the endangered species list in March.

He agreed with arguments made by environmental and animal rights groups that wolf populations in Yellowstone National Park do not yet interbreed with wolves in Idaho and western Montana to an extent that ensures genetic diversity. He also ruled the agency approved Wyoming’s state wolf management plan last year despite previously saying the basic tenants of that plan that allow wolves to be killed without regulation in 90 percent of the state, was inadequate to protect wolves. Lastly, Molloy ruled the groups proved that wolves were likely to be harmed by public hunting seasons planned in each state this fall.

EU May Enact More Regulations on Seal Pelt Trade

The EU may institute a curbs on sale of seal pelts. Lets hope this ugly trade goes away soon.
Reuters reported Wednesday that the proposal stops short of calling for a total ban. It said the EU's executive body proposes products from the 900,000 seals hunted each year should be accepted in the EU only with guarantees that the seal has been killed as humanely as possible.
It's a start I suppose.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Cool T-Shirts from the Humane Society

I'm not trying to sell their products, but the Humane Society has some cool t-shirts with the "Chimps Deserve Better" motto. I'm sorely tempted to get the ringer tee, although I can only imagine the looks I would get.

As I grow older, I'm feeling more "in your face" about animal issues. I know that's not "diplomatic" or "strategic," but I get so tired of that crap.

Anyway, check out the other humane gear on the site. Some of this stuff is pretty clever.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Cat Adopts Bunny

Another hard hitting video from Youtube. OK, I'm supposed to be doing more writing. But, it's 9:24 and I don't feel like it. And it's not like I was looking for this video. Because I wasn't. Really.

Thanks for Nothing, Ethanol

I'm not a big ethanol fan, particularly not after hearing this story on NPR a few weeks ago.

Basse says a few years ago, organic grains like corn could be sold at a healthy premium over conventional crops, more than making up for the added costs and labor. But biofuels have reversed that equation. Ethanol's appetite for corn of any kind has driven up the price of conventional grains faster than organics, all but erasing the premium.

{Economist Dan} Basse says this is bad news for organic dairy producers. Midwest farmers are abandoning organic grain production at a time when organic milk is experiencing a glut. That oversupply has delayed any severe jumps in the cost of organic milk -- at least for now.

But as feed costs force dozens of organic dairies go out of business, {economist Dan} Basse says it's only a matter of time before consumers are left holding the tab.


ALF Targeting UCLA Vans

One was burned several weeks ago. Another one was apparently stolen according to an a anonymous report on Biteback.
"Kudos to whoever lit that UCLA van ablaze a couple of weeks ago. Your action inspired us to look into these vans as well. You were right. They are everywhere.

We effectively removed one of them from it's location in Riverside county last weekend. The funding that UCLA spent on purchasing this particular van will be redirected to save animals rather than the torturing of monkeys that UCLA is doing. Awashed in shame and the blood of innocents UCLA will continue to be held accountable. Hopefully by a rapidly growing number of people doing whtever it takes. Activists: GET OUT THERE!!!"
Seems kind of a pointless way to protest.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Very Funny Video

There are a couple of these under Simon's Cat on Youtube.

Veterinarians Struggle with Midwest Flooding

Not enough news out there about the flooding's impacts on pets and other animals. But the problem has not gone away and veterinarians are still trying to help.

Hay Prices Hurting Horse Lovers

A friend of mine has five horses on Vashon Island and she is struggling with hay prices. She told me that she is currently stock piling as much hay as possible because of the rising costs. She's also had to pay for a new shelter to house the hay and keep it dry in the Pacific Northwest climate.

She told me that part of the problem is that so many fields are being turned over to corn production for ethanol. Hay is in short supply and costs are rising. While she'll probably be okay, it's the horse rescues that will be in serious trouble.

Here's an article about hay prices and how owners who can't afford their horses anymore are sending them off to slaughter. Slaughter where? To the hell holes of Canada and Mexico.

Loyola University's Sad Record on Animal Treatment

Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) has uncovered that Loyola University has had 22 violations for their treatment of animals..
“The negligence at Loyola had been fatal to five dogs and 7 rabbits, and others suffered without veterinary care” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director, SAEN. “This facility must face serious consequences,” he said. One experiment involving dogs had a 44 percent mortality rate. Reporting errors included inaccurate reporting of experiments involving dogs. The Animal Welfare Act violations occurred during three consecutive inspections from March of 2006 - November 2007. The Loyola Animal Care and Use Committee racked up 18 infractions. One of the violations was fraudulent reporting and two other related to inadequate veterinary care.
That's especially bad when Bush's USDA actually finds violations. Or maybe it's because they aren't corporate enough. If it was Haliburton, they'd let them get away with using puppies for target practice.

Leopard Kills Crocodile

OK, it probably won't make the front page of the news, but it's still an interesting series of pictures. That must be one mean leopard...

Sunday, July 20, 2008

The Last Lonely Lobster at Albertson's

What a pathetic scene.

We shop at Albertson's. There are always lobsters for sale. Today, as they played a sad Air Supply song, there was only one lobster left in the tank.

The lobster was all by itself in a corner of the tank. Its claws were taped together and it was "reduced to sell." That was the worth of its life. I don't know how old it is or how old it could have been. But it was now just another "product" that someone was getting rid of.

All I could think of was how happier I would have been if it had lived its life free from display and incarceration, in the ocean where it was born and where it belonged.

Is it possible to buy one and just set it free back into the ocean? Or is it contaminated by human tampering so that it could never return?

Worth looking into....

Anyway, crappy morning.

Stupid Air Supply.

Why the Internets Were Invented

It's so people like you can watch stuff like this.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

China Kills Pet Dogs Over 35 Centimeters (13.77 Inches) High

That's right, dogs over 14 inches high are picked up by authorities and killed. No word yet on whether they eat them. Nice.

Friday, July 18, 2008

The Coolest Dog in the World

Watch this, and I think you will agree.

Jeannie Thirkill's Excellent Work in Turkey for Cats and Dogs

Jeannie Thirkill runs a shelter in Turkey for cats and dogs. Judging from the pictures on her site, she takes care of a lot of animals.

The reason I mention this is because someone commented on an earlier post we did about her. Sometimes it's hard to find information on people like this, so I wanted to post about it. I remember when I originally looked for her on Google, it was really hard to find stuff (or even her site for that matter). Now I see that when I googled her again, our old posting comes up.

In fact, I don't think I ever did find the website I linked to above. The person commenting on that story left a link to Jeannie Thirkill's site.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

It's the Dog Parents That Suffer Most at Puppy Mills

Here is a good (and short) video about the nasty legacy of puppy mills. Nothing gross or anything. Just a good video about people talking about it from Doggy TV.

Rogue Guinea Pigs Discovered in New Zealand

I think the headline says it all. When cornered, rogue guinea pigs can become very frightened and emit high pitched squeaking noises.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Have a Ham!

Quote of the Week

Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage.


~Sri Aurobindo

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Monday, July 14, 2008

Study Shows Vegetarians Live Longer

The title says it all....bwa-ha-ha!

Bush Lifts Executive Ban on Off-Shore Drilling

Screw Bush.

The move will have no practical effect unless Congress acts, too. Both executive and legislative bans must be lifted before offshore exploration can happen....

The president's direct link between record gas prices and offshore drilling glossed over a key point. Even if Congress agreed, the exploration for oil would take years to produce real results. It is not projected to reduce gas prices in the short term. Even the White House routinely emphasizes there is no quick fix.

That did not stop Bush from building his case around today's prices at the pump.

He said every extra dollar that families must spend on gas is one they could be using to put food on their table or to send a child to school. The American people, he said, are now "waiting to see what the Congress will do."

The White House says that acting now on a long-term solution would send a serious signal to the market that more oil supply will be coming on line. That, in turn, could ease oil prices, advocates say. Business groups and many Republican lawmakers applauded the move to expand the energy supply in the U.S.

Democrats were unmoved.

"The Bush plan is a hoax," responded House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "It will neither reduce gas prices nor increase energy independence."



We'll see where this ends up. I have a feeling the Dems will cave. That's what they do best.

More on China's Dog Eaters

Yet another article on China's shameful culture of dog abuse and eating. Oh, and I say that knowing full well that the Chinese authorities agree 100 percent that it's shameful. That's why they are trying to hide it when the world comes to watch their official authoritarian spectacle. Shame.

I'm sure once the games are over, dog meat will be back on the menu. Shameful.

Cool Illusion

This is a really cool optical illusion. And, since it's a cat running, it's critter-ish.

Enjoy. Monday has sucked so far today for me. But, we are going to the library, which has been closed for more then a year. Now that's excitement.

Choosing Between Feral Cats and Coyotes

Here is an interesting story about coyotes feeding on feral cats.
University officials said experts from the California Department of Fish and Game and specialists in animal behavior had advised that "if a predictable source of prey is removed, the coyotes will typically move."

Activists say the cats are scapegoats in this case.

"If they're concerned about the safety of people, get rid of the coyotes," said Bill Dyer, Southern California regional director for In Defense of Animals, a national animal protection group.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

More on Extending Rights to Great Apes

The New York Times has an article about the new Spanish law that will extend certain rights to great apes.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Busy Bloggers

Today has been a busy day. I had a wedding to attend and Mr. Barky had a new Xbox to break in.

More blogging tomorrow!

Friday, July 11, 2008

China Says "No Dog for You!"

How considerate...(insert dripping sarcasm here)

China has ordered dog meat to be taken off the menu at its 112 official Olympic restaurants in order to avoid offending foreign visitors.

Restaurant workers are advised to "patiently" suggest other options to diners who order dog.

Any restaurant found violating the ban would be black-listed, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Dog - known as "fragrant meat" - is eaten by some Chinese for purported medicinal properties.

The ban, issued by the Beijing Catering Trade Association, forbids all designated Olympic restaurants from offering dog and urges other food outlets to remove the meat from menus.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Pet-Abuse.com Now Even Better

They have re-vamped their site with a number of new features. Among them, if you click on "Local Cases", it will take you to a list of recent abuse cases in your state. They also have a Most Read section, and a special video section which shows you news reports.

They are hoping to raise $15000 by the end of the year, so I hope people donate (I just did). I know I always say how depressing it is to read their site, but they really do fantastic work.

Boston Globe Pet Issue This Sunday

The Boston Globe has been sending me their daily digest for some time now, so the least I can do is highlight their special pet issue of their Sunday Magazine. They have a series of fantastic photos of adoptable animals here.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Personal Philosophy and Animal Rights

For a long time, I've thought that the route to animal rights lay along proving to humans that such a cause is in their best interests. Improving animal rights would lead to an improvement in human safety and health. In fact, it would be good for the world economy, the environment, everything, yadda, yadda.

I've been taking a class in Business Ethics and it has really had an impact on my thinking. I don't think you can ultimately "sell" animal rights, particularly to a species that is so short-sighted anyway. It's not a matter of economics, politics or health. It's really a matter of personal philosophy. Animals should be protected and respected because it's the RIGHT thing to do, not just when it's expedient. People already have some ethics, but they have not included animals in them yet. Once they do, then you don't have to "sell" the idea.

And it really does start with children. I get very cynical about classroom speakers teaching about caring for animals, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there is a long-term impact that I just don't see because I don't have (or want!) children of my own.

Media Bias #102991

"Attorney Makes Outrageous Demands in Animal Neglect Case" the headline blares. I was expecting the lawyer to request that the judge impanel a jury of cats in a dog abuse or something. And the "outrageous" story? Not so much. Mainly he asked that the judge move the media from the jury box (I assume the judge will be deciding the case). That, and a couple of procedural motions, including that the judge be recused. Shocking!

And I don't say this to defend an alleged animal abuser (and remember it is only alleged at this point). It's just that the story from the headline on down seems a little overwrought.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

McCain Loves Pets, Obama Eats Puppies

It's amazing what utter crap passes as journalism these days. This article on an LA Times blog touts how McCain has all these pets, and Obama doesn't have any. Money quote:
It's amusing to picture the urban-dwelling, Ivy League lawyer Obama, surrounded by sunglassed Secret Service members, out walking his Maltese on Chicago's South Side and bending over by the curb for the pick-up with a plastic bag on his hand.
Republican framing at it's best. One guy owns seven houses and has a private jet, but the other guy is the elitist. And, yes, I know this is a blog, but it's an LA Times blog written by a journalist.

UPDATE - Max Blumenthal debunks this whole stupid poll.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Stop Using Those Plastic Bags!

The City of Seattle has a pending ordinance to institute a fee (or tax, not sure what it is exactly) on plastic bags. They're following San Francisco's lead with the intention of changing consumer behavior. Right now, businesses are offering cloth bags for a $1 each in anticipation of the tax (or fee).

I'm all in favor of it, although at 0.20 per bag, I worry that it is a regressive tax. I think it should still be passed, even though measures should be taken for free cloth bags to be given to certain populations.

Plastic bags are bad for the environment and they are particularly bad for marine life that consume them. There are horror stories of the awful deaths of marine animals that have ingested this stuff.

Anyway, it's hard to remember those cloth bags. Here's a note on how tough it can be, but how important it is to do so.

ALF Attacks Charles River Lab in France.

From the "communique":
Explosive devices were used against an administrative building and against refrigerated trucks at the largest center in France for breeding animals for death under the scalpel: Charles River France - Lieu-dit Les Oncins - 69210 Saint Germain sur l'Arbresle.
Tel: 04 74 01 69 69 (RENAUD Real, DRANSARD Thierry and MOLHO-Davide Andrea)

In this concentration camp, each day untold numbers of rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, monkeys (see photographs)… are incinerated after being tortured for months or years.
Others are bred to be sold to pharmaceutical companies like Novartis, HLS, Sanofi…
This activity of barbaric torture is profitable, and money motivates this system!

We have not finished with you… The cause is right and nothing can stop the ALF: neither your millions, or repression…

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Jim Rome on PETA

Call it a love hate relationship...

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Animal Movies Make a Killing

Isn't it interesting how so many animated features based on animals make a TON of money? Last year it was Ratatouille, this year it's Kung Fu Panda. And let's not forget past years' Finding Nemo, The Lion King, A Bug's Life, Over the Hedge, etc.

But people don't give a ^&*# about those real-life animals' survival, quality of life and welfare. But they'll give money just to say "awwww" about those imaginary animals on the screen (I can hear it now...."but ladykat, they can TALK!")

How hypocritical.

The Man Behind PETA's Crazy Tactics

The Telegraph has an interesting article about PETA senior vice-president Dan Mathews. I'm not always a fan of their tactics, but the guy knows how to get publicity for the group. It's a good article, and I think it's helpful to put a human face on the group. Even if he does wear a chicken suit sometimes...

Pet Cloning Firm Takes "Best Friends" Name

This is just sleazy. A company called BioArts, which will clone pets for large amounts of cash is using the name "Best Friends Again" on it's website. Coincidence? From the Best Friends Blog:
Note to Lou Hawthorne, CEO of BioArts:

Don't tell us you didn't realize there was a possible conflict of identities. You've known Best Friends for years. You even sent a team here, back in the days of your old company, to check out how we shelter dogs and cats.

And you actually requested that we give or sell you the "bits" from our spay/neuter surgeries so you could experiment with them. (We declined.)
Here is the website. On it, they ask, "what if you could best friends again?" This is such a stupid question. Animals are more then their genetic material.

We have a cat named Charlotte that is not long for this world. She's an awesome cat. She's cranky. She thinks she's better then us. And she's also very sweet. She started life as an alley cat. Her mother was the meanest cat I've ever seen. When we used to put food out, the mother cat used to smack Charlotte away from the food. And yet, when Charlotte was eating, our other soon-to-be-pet Jenny used to run-up on her two front lets (her back legs don't bend) to try to get some food. She was boney, and half crazy from starvation. Charlotte used to back away from the bowl to let Jenny eat. To our knowledge, Jenny is not related to Charlotte. And, yet, despite leading a hard life, Charlotte displayed truly altruistic behavior.

Would I clone her? I wouldn't do it if it were free. What would be the point? It might look like her, and have better teeth, but it would absolutely not be the same cat. She is the way she is, because of the way things were. Not because of her DNA.

This company is taking bids to clone a pet. I would hope that nobody takes them up on this revolting concept. Best friends again? Why not take this amount of money and donate it to the real Best Friends. Or if you don't have 100 grand lying around, I hear they'll take smaller donations.

Friday, July 4, 2008

The Conflicted Consumer

I came across this article a couple of days ago. It's about the "conflicted consumer."

There are those consumers who don't care about company ethics or where products come from. They just want stuff. Then there are those who will buy "green" no matter what. Then there are those in the middle who are actually concerned about incorporating ethics into their consumer choices, although they may not always be able to do so. This is the "conflicted consumer" and this is the group that could have impacts on businesses who choose to ignore ethics in their company practices. According to the author,

...some good data from the marketing agency BBMG gave us some more guidance on what this conflict is really about. In their survey of U.S. consumers, they discovered something really interesting about what attributes of products are "very important" to people when they shop. Ranking the attributes, quality and price were #1 and #2. No surprise there. But convenience and other sure-thing attributes had dropped from 3, 4, and 5, to be replaced by three aspects:

- Where was the product made?
- How energy efficient is it?
- What are the health benefits?

These three attributes explain a great deal about the rapid rise of some products, such as organic food.


While the article focuses on "green issues," animal rights should definitely benefit from these trends. We just need to keep the issue in the consumer's mind.

Light Blogging Today

It being a holiday, I'm not going to be doing too much of anything today. I looked for animal stories and all I came up with were stories about keeping pets away from fireworks and a bunch of depressing stories about animal abuse. Depressing. So, I think I'll do something else.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

How to Get a Jockey Off Your Back

This horse has the proper technique. No bucking bronco here. Scary...


Mugabe Supporters Invade Wildlife Farm

Mugabe supporters invaded a wildlife farm in Zimbabwe that keeps, among many species, the endangered black rhinoceros. They are demanding that the owner leave the property.

The animals get to suffer right along with the humans in this political catastrophe.

$8 Billion for Dogs?

Leona Helmsley's $8 billion may go to help dogs according to recent reports. Note, this comes from a statement of intent, not directly from her will.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Update on Charlotte the Cat

Charlotte, the cat with terminal cancer, is still alive. She alternates between senility, disgruntlement and bossiness.

Rrrrow!

Quote of the Week

I believe I am not interested to know whether Vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't. To know that the results are profitable to the race would not remove my hostility towards it.


--Mark Twain

Pet Semetary?

They are selling a pet cemetery in Milwaukee. Sooo, some of the owners are digging their pets up. Yuck. What I want to know, is who is going to buy this place and start digging up all the rest of them so they can use the property for something else. Now that would be creepy...

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Top 10 Reasons Dogs and Cats Are Left At Shelters

Thanks to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy for these two lists.

First, top ten reasons dogs are left at shelters.

1. Moving
2. Landlord issues
3. Cost of pet maintenance
4. No time for pet
5. Inadequate facilities
6. Too many pets in home
7. Pet illness (es)
8. Personal problems
9. Biting
10. No homes for littermates

Next, top ten reasons cats are left at shelters.

1. Too many in house
2. Allergies
3. Moving
4. Cost of pet maintenance
5. Landlord issues
6. No homes for littermates
7. House soiling
8. Personal problems
9. Inadequate facilities
10. Doesn't get along with other pets

Do Muslims Hate Puppies?

Apparently so according to this article. The Tayside police in the UK issued some postcards for their non-emergency number with...gasp...a puppy on it. Dogs are considered "unclean" according to Islam (although I think some Muslims disagree on that). Some shopkeepers in the town of Dundee have been so outraged they have taken to NOT displaying the offending card. OMG! The police then went so far as to apologize.

Dundee councillor Mohammed Asif, a member of the Tayside Joint Police Board weighed the options of A. just ignoring this whole stupid controversy and B. speaking out and making all Muslims look like puppy hating morons. He decided to speak, although he basically just said that people were offended.

It's a picture of a puppy for pete's sake. If you don't like it, don't look at the picture. And while you're at it, I think you really need to check this site out.
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