These
are shelters, organizations, causes and people that are trying to help all kinds of animals that need urgent
attention right away. Great care and concern is needed to help safe
guard their well being and the places they call home. Let's see what we can do to
help...
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 4:30 PM
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| Dear Friends, The Animal League recently rescued JuJubee from a puppy mill where she lived in neglectful conditions. Upon rescue, it was discovered that she suffered from an untreated broken jaw. Due to the nature of the injury, it is likely that JuJubee suffered this fracture as a result of a traumatic event. Will you help? |
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| Please read JuJubee's story and watch her video. Thank you for your support, The Animal League |
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March 1, 2012
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If
you watched the Oscars last Sunday night, you might have seen it: A
phony "consumer alert" ad attacking The Humane Society of the United
States.
Your HSUS is under attack by a shadowy front group called HumaneWatch, which placed that ad. Led by a notorious D.C. lobbyist who will do anything for a buck, the group is funded by unknown special interests that want to stop you and me from fighting against animal cruelty in all its forms - especially in our nation’s puppy mills, factory farms, and other industries that profit from animal abuse.
Pledge to End Animal Homelessness!
Homelessness is not just a human problem. U.S. animal shelters must put to death nearly 4 million dogs and cats every year because of simple math: There are too many animals and not enough worthy adoptive homes. You can help prevent this—it's as easy as Animal Birth Control! Never Breed or Buy. Always Adopt. Always Spay and Neuter.
Sign This Petition and see the video clip
To sign the petition and speak for those who can't: https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2065
Although the new HBO series "Luck" does expose the inherent cruelty of horse-racing, two horses have already died during the show's filming. Prior to filming, PETA contacted
series creator and producers to discuss safety measures that would have
prevented these casualties. Their efforts were not taken seriously.
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141 HUNGRY AND THIRSTY
DOGS NEED YOUR HELP! Imagine being stuck in the back of a U-Haul truck for 1,800 miles with no light, no fresh air, no food or water and no bathroom stops — and you can begin to imagine the ordeal these dogs have endured. During a routine stop off Interstate 40 by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, over 140 dogs were discovered in a U-Haul truck and a van being towed by the truck. The dogs were packed 4 or 5 to a crate with no fresh air to breathe, and they were living in squalor as the result of several days on the road stuck in those crates.  Our Red Star™ Animal Emergency Services team is headed to Tennessee today to assist in the rescue and care of the dogs. The dogs have been moved to a safe, warm and roomy shelter where our team will help ensure they have food, water, medical care if necessary and the comfort and kindness they deserve. Our responders, led by Red Star Program Manager Tracy Reis, were asked to respond by the District Attorney's office of Fayette County, TN and are working with both Fayette County and the Collierville Animal Shelter. With your donation, we can help these animals in dire need. |
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The
dunes sagebrush lizard survives in one of the smallest habitats of any
lizard -- a tiny area of oak-covered sand dunes in southeastern New
Mexico and west Texas. This habitat covers less than 2 percent of all
land in the Permian basin, but is threatened by oil and gas development and herbicides sprayed by ranchers.
Powerful oil and gas interests and right-wing congressmen
are crusading to kill the lizard's shot at Endangered Species Act
protection, without which it will be lost to extinction. Speak out against this blatant political interference into science and the Endangered Species Act.
In December 2010 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed
to protect the lizard, triggering a one-year deadline to finalize
protection; but since then, apparently caving to industry pressure, the
Service has delayed lifesaving protections by an additional six months.
Please submit comments to the Service in support of
protecting the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species now,
before it's too late -- public comments are due Jan 19.
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Click here to find out more and take action. |
From Facebook
- ΤΗΕ HORRIBLE CRIME....
Show your support: Join the Cause..
That's me below smiling proudly on their website after joining.
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Urge federal officials to stop their reckless pursuit of risky offshore oil drilling.
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Imagine it: Millions of gallons of oil spilled in one of the most fragile marine environments -- home to polar bears, walrus, bowhead whales and more.
What's worse, there's currently no adequate plan for cleaning up a disaster of this magnitude in the remote and treacherous Arctic waters.
So why is the Obama Administration pushing forward with risky drilling in this fragile habitat?
Take action now: Urge federal officials not to forget the Deepwater Horizon disaster -- and to stop their reckless pursuit of risky offshore oil drilling.
Right now, the Obama Administration is proposing a 5-year offshore leasing plan that puts our shores at risk of another Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster. The plan would open the door to increased drilling in remote stretches of fragile Arctic waters that America's struggling polar bears depend on for survival.
But it's not just the sensitive seas of the Arctic. In the Gulf of Mexico, the Obama Administration wants to continue to expand risky drilling before it has completely assessed the causes of the 2010 Gulf oil disaster and its effects on sea turtles, dolphins and other wildlife that live there.
Speak out now for sea turtles, polar bears and other marine wildlife. Urge the Obama Administration to stop risky and dangerous drilling off our coasts.
After millions of barrels of oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon well -- killing thousands of birds and hundreds of sea turtles -- President Obama promised that drilling under his watch would be cleaner and safer.
But Gulf drilling continues with little meaningful environmental review -- and his administration is setting the stage for increased drilling in the fragile Arctic Ocean.
Our marine wildlife needs your voice. Please take action today before the Monday, January 9th deadline.
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Sincerely, |
Protect the Arctic Ocean
- Target: U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar
- Sponsored by: Pew Environment Group-PEG
Tell DOI it should not include new lease sales in the U.S. Arctic Ocean until:
- the large gaps in our understanding of the Arctic marine ecosystem identified by USGS are filled;
- biological hot spots and subsistence use areas are identified and excluded from the leasing program; and
- oil spill containment and response equipment is tested and proved to work in extreme Arctic conditions, including broken ice.
You can help protect the Arctic Ocean! Tell Interior Secretary Ken Salazar that, without protection of important areas and infrastructure to support a major spill response effort, DOI should not sell more of the U.S. Arctic Ocean.
Even if you've never donated before, now is the time to make a difference for wolves and other wildlife. Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation today to help save wildlife.
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Federal sharpshooters are preparing to gun down up to 75 wolves from aircraft on public lands in Idaho, capitulating to the misguided fears of anti-wolf extremists.1 Montana "sportsmen" are offering $100 bounties for dead wolves.2 Some radicals are even calling for the "wolf war, round two."3
If it seems ridiculous, it's because it is. But this extremism is what we're up against in the fight for a lasting future for our wolves -- and it's the most dangerous weapon the anti-wolf crowd has.
Please make a year-end, tax-deductible donation now to help Defenders of Wildlife stop aerial gunning in Idaho and lay the groundwork for sensible, science-based solutions to ensure a lasting future for America's wolves and other wildlife.
Our fight for wolves isn't about inflamed rhetoric. It isn't about extreme measures. It's about treating wolves and other native wildlife as they should be -- as natural parts of a balanced ecosystem.
That's why we're working on the ground with those who are living closest to these amazing animals -- and have the most at stake. Our pioneering work with ranchers in the heart of wolf country has saved countless wolves by protecting livestock with non-lethal deterrents.
That's why we're collaborating with state and local officials in places like Oregon and Washington -- to find the best solutions possible for wolves as they begin to return to their native homes in these states.
That's why we're working to reform the Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services program -- to ensure these federal servants take a more balanced approach toward wildlife and move away from lethal control and adopt more non-lethal solutions.
Defenders supporters have already sent more than 50,000 messages to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging him to stop the ill-conceived plan to kill up to 75 wolves in Idaho from airplanes. And we've gathered more than 75,000 comments opposing Wyoming's shoot-on-sight wolf plan.
Save Costa Rica’s Wildlife from Electrocution
Thousands of wild animals have been violently injured and killed by electrocution in Costa Rica as a result of coming into contact with uninsulated power lines and transformers, and they continue to suffer this preventable fate every day when they mistake electrical lines for vines and trees, or come into contact with vines and trees that are touching live power lines. Costa Rica is estimated to have lost half of its monkey population alone between 1995 and 2007.
While alternative methods including bridges and cutting branches near power lines have been tried and have helped some, these methods are not as effective as the obvious solution: insulating power lines and transformers, or running cables underground.
Unfortunately, immediate steps to save wildlife are not being because the cost of installing conventional systems is cheaper, leaving those who want to take the steps necessary to protect wildlife to foot the bill for additional costs.
TAKE ACTION!
Please sign the petition asking Costa Rican officials asking them not to install any new uninsulated power lines and transformers, in addition to taking steps to modify existing systems to prevent more deaths. Visit Nosara Wildlife Rescue for more information.
Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/save-costa-ricas-wildlife-from-electrocution-2.html#ixzz1hnnFxPUW
by Alicia Graef December 22, 2011
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We recently e-mailed you about extremely troubling heart failure experiments on dogs at Wayne State University. In experiments conducted by Donal O'Leary, Ph.D., dogs undergo multiple surgeries, have catheters and medical devices implanted in them, and are forced to run strenuous treadmill tests. I’m writing to let you know what PCRM is doing to stop this practice.
On Dec. 14, PCRM filed a state cruelty complaint against Wayne State University for these experiments, and we need your help to keep the pressure on the university. Please e-mail the university’s president and ask him to end these inhumane experiments today.
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Urgents @ Brooklyn / S.I. Shelter
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Super Urgents
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First, some background…
New York Center for Animal Care and Control is a non-profit agency contracted by the City of New York to house and care for any abandoned, relinquished, or homeless animal within the five boroughs. They are not permitted to turn any animal away for lack of space. They are also contractually obligated to respond within 24 hours to complaints or “tips” regarding unleashed dogs, stray cats, and assorted wildlife---even though one of Julie Bank’s first responses to heartless budget cuts by the DOH was to stop having field officers pick up stray cats. Finally, they also shelter seized animals in cooperation with the police. All animals seized by eviction, arrest, or for health reasons (such as owners in the hospital or hoarding situations) come to Animal Care and Control of New York City. Not the ASPCA.
Although AC&C is technically an independent contractor, and not a “city agency”, the truth of the matter is that funding for the organization comes out of the budget of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, usually referred to as the DOH. The Department of Health oversees AC&C and presents its contract under terms AC&C cannot refuse. Not surprisingly, they allocate a truly shameful budget to its redheaded stepchild. In fact, New York City has one of the most underfunded animal control agencies in the United States. (for more information on how the NYC Gov't controls the AC&C, please read this: http://www.shelterreform.org/WhyDOHShouldBeRemoved.html )
In order for AC&C to qualify for desperately needed (but
still not even close to enough) supplementary monies from Maddie’s Fund,
a grant foundation dedicated to promoting a no-kill community in New
York City, certain benchmarks must be met to be eligible for the
donation. This year, the benchmark of progress is that no animal can be
euthanized for the documented reason of lack of space. Under Maddie’s
edict, an animal can only be euthanized if it is ill, or if it is
otherwise deemed unsuitable for adoption.
This is why the city euthanasia list currently shows only two reasons for the killing: “Illness”, or “Temper”.
SHAME ON AC&C!
These terms may not have originated with AC&C, but they were not
picked randomly, either. They are carefully chosen so that the vast
majority of ordinary people believe that the only animals dying in city
shelters are either very sick or aggressive. Reformers, such as all of
us at “urgent”, charge that these definitions are, for a vast majority
of animals, misleading and unethical, discouraging adopters and claiming
a progress for homeless animals that is unearned and not at all
accurate. New York City is not only killing the “sick and the
vicious”. Instead, they are killing some animals with genuine
aggression, either toward other animals (much more common) or toward
people, but also many animals who fall into the following categories:
- hyper or under socialized dogs,
- fearful cats,
- emaciated or underweight animals who guard food,
- animals who develop cage aggression after days of isolation and a constant assault of the senses, untrained animals,
- “frisky “cats,
- highly strung and traumatized animals
- animals who are withdrawn, shy, or unresponsive…
How is an animal classified for behavior and temper at AC&C?
There are currently three established, generally accepted ways of evaluating an animal’s behavior at AC&C:
1.
For all animals: Medical employees can “score” an animal based on how
easily the animal handles during a routine medical exam, which includes
being given vaccinations. An animal can score anything from a “no
concern” (the highest rating) to “mild” to “moderate”, “questionable”,
or even “severe”. To urgent’s knowledge, there is no employee manual
that allocates certain behaviors to ratings, so a cat who flinches, or a
dog who struggles when he is held down, could be viewed as “mild”,
“moderate”, or “questionable” based on nothing more than the employee’s
inherent attitude and bias at the time.
These behavior ratings
are a snapshot of how the animal behaves within anywhere from 1-12 hours
after they arrive. Animals are supposed to be evaluated again once they
have settled in. This step is missed for far too many animals, far too
often.
In addition, any animal who enters the shelter
tranquilized (if police officers use that as a precaution when seizing
animals from a house) defaults to a “questionable” rating. These
animals are supposed to be evaluated again when they recover, but
sometimes are forgotten, keeping the “vicious” label throughout their
stay.
SHAME ON AC&C!
Way too many animals die with only the initial assessment by medical.
Impartial auditors have seen medical technicians yelling at dogs to
“sit”, demonstrating unreasonable fear and muzzling/restraining animals
who are already afraid, and shaking the temporary cages that hold cats.
2.
For dogs: Dogs who receive a formal evaluation (not all do) are subject
to the SAFER behavior test. The SAFER behavior test was developed by
former ASPCA employee and dog behaviorist Emily Weiss, and according to
her own website (which has since been taken down, though you can read
the text here), the test has limited value as a predictive tool, even
when administered by certified professionals under recommended space
conditions, neither of which AC&C honors.
“The SAFER assessment should only be used as one of many sources of information to help with
adoption
decisions.”, Weiss also asserts that all behaviorists utilizing her
method become officially certified because: “Without internal checks,
and without analyzing technique, testing can be inaccurate - which means
unsafe dogs on the adoption floor, and even more tragic, safe dogs that
do not make it to the adoption floor.” (taken from
http://www.shelterreform.org/SAFERWEISS.html).
Dogs are tested for their reactions under the following conditions, with some minor variations from tester to tester:
a. Look- the dog’s head is cupped in the assessor’s hands, and eye contact is made and sustained.
b. Sensitivity- the dog is pet and touched to see how they respond.
c.
Tag- the assessor attempts to engage the dog in play, and while the dog
is somewhat engaged, they tap the dog on the hind quarters.
d. Squeeze (2 versions) a dog’s paw is pinched, not to the point of pain.
e.
Food- a dog is given wet dog food to eat, and then a plastic hand
attached to a long stick (marketed by Sue Sternberg as Assess-a-Hand,
shown here) removes the food, lifts up the dog’s lips, and otherwise
obstructs the dog while she is eating.
f. Toy- a dog is given a toy to play with while the plastic hand attempts to take it away
g.
Rawhide- a dog is given a rawhide and then attempts are made to remove
the rawhide or interfere with chewing by the plastic hand
h. Dog
to dog- a “helper dog” is brought in by an assistant, leashed, while the
tested dog, also leashed, reacts. If the dog does not lunge or display
aggression, the dogs are allowed to greet each other.
SHAME ON AC&C!
As this article is being published, AC&C is in the process of
abandoning the list/score method of presenting the SAFER test in favor
of a narrative style that makes it easier to “interpret” the test
according to their agenda. Once again, AC&C is more concerned with
concealing the fact that they have no space than they are in saving
animals or ensuring the safety and solvency of rescue groups.
3.
For cats: Employees, either specifically hired to care for cats or
general kennel workers, perform a test that is not codified and has no
standard of accuracy. They literally make it up! Sometimes they use
common sense and test by observing where the cat holds herself in the
cage (far back to the wall or up front and ready to greet), holding
their hands to the cage to allow sniffing, attempting to pet the cat on
the head, and attempting to scruff/pick the cat up. However, there are
multiple documented instances of employees scoring cats based on their
response to having their back quarters or stomachs pet, both of which
many perfectly adoptable and friendly cats object to. Cats who allow
scruffing, but squirm after a time, are also marked down.
What
is so wrong with testing for behavior in an animal shelter? Don’t we
want to protect people, especially children, from animals who may hurt
them?
YES. Animal attacks are serious. They happen, even the
smallest dogs can disfigure and even the tiniest kittens can bite and
scratch. Other animals in the home are particularly vulnerable, and
anyone who has been in the middle of a fight between two animals will
tell you that it is emotionally traumatizing at best and tragic at
worst. Therefore, any hint of aggression should be noted and taken
seriously, with a strong emphasis on safety rather than risk taking.
Even if there was a magic wand to identify those animals whose behavior
requires significant professional intervention and perhaps a lifetime of
restrictions, AC&C’s adopters are a varied lot, some with
extensive experience with animals and some with none at all. They may
engage in behavior that provokes a dangerous reaction, such as
yelling/fighting in the house, allowing children to
tease/overhandle/carry the animal around like a toy, not following
proper procedures for introducing two animals, or tethering/tying up an
animal to increase frustration. There are plenty of animals who would be
wonderful in one kind of home and terrible in the next, but for a high
volume shelter, the moral obligation for the safety of everyone is to
assume that any animal in their care will go to the most inexperienced
home, with the most poorly behaved children, and dominant animals, and
nonstop people coming in and out, with no place for the animal to retire
to. When there is little to no adopter screening and no resources for
follow up or counseling, such as with AC&C, defaulting to the worst
is often the safest method.
The SAFER test, and
the cat-test-which-has-no-name, are inherently limited, even when
performed perfectly, and they are not performed anywhere close to
perfectly. AC&C still refuses to certify the majority of its testers
or make video footage of the test available for review, despite
continual pressure
from rescuers. A tester’s subjective opinion
counts for a lot in these tests, and the people responsible for this
task know just as much about animals as you or I, or anyone off the
street. Ask yourself how you would interpret the following reactions,
all taken from actual SAFER records at the ACC:
- Dogs eyes are averted with slightly tense body ,low tail and ears back
- Dog takes the rawhide away, places body between the assessor and the rawhide but remains loose in body
- Dog jumps on the assessor ,and will not allow the assessor to conduct the assessment
- Dog gently places mouth over the assessors hand applying moderate pressure
- Approaches the helper dog by rushing in with stiff body, head high and tail curved over spine.
None of these behaviors point directly to aggression, and yet any
one of them could mark down a dog to “moderate” status, the score at
which a dog can be killed for its “temper”. That’s correct. The most
evasive and elastic of all the behavior scores, the one that reads
almost exactly like ‘mild’ over 60% of the time, the score that
corresponds to a “B” grade or less in familiar terms, is the point at
which an animal can be killed for “temper”
Interesting fact - The ASPCA will not destroy a dog for failing the food portion of the SAFER. The NYC AC&C will destroy a dog that failed the food portion, yet passed every other test with high marks. That means that a dog can score all 1's (A) on every portion of the test but if they scored a 3 (C) on Food, they will be labeled as "temper" and added to the euth list.
SHAME ON AC&C!
While previous years saw only dogs rated “questionable” and “severe”
as eligible for euthanasia for temper, in 2010, under the leadership of
Julie Bank, “moderate” dogs were killed …and then marked, counted, and
marketed as unadoptable animals with behavior problems, thus concealing
the problem and deceiving the public.
For cats, well…how many of
us love a wonderful companion kitty but know not to touch his belly?
How many of us know cats who will hide for a time when meeting new
people, only to be coaxed out with nothing more than patience? How
quickly are employees attempting to hold a cat, and how are they holding
him? We don’t know, because an employee has no one to answer to, is
under no obligation to duplicate his or her results again with the same
cat, is not under any surveillance, and has the blessing of shelter
managers to measure adoptability on standards that are inherently
prejudicial to cats’ natural instincts and responses.
What happens to animals who don’t score well on their test? Someone told me that they go to New Hope to get rescued instead. Sure
they do. They also probably told you that all the dogs get walked and
all the cats get outside of their cage once a day. This like so much of
the rhetoric is either the articulation of wishful thinking or a self
serving lie.
SHAME ON AC&C!
Animals that don’t score well on their test are removed from the
adoption ward and left to wait to die. If they are a dog, they are not
walked. If they are a cat, they get their litter changed and the paper
lining changed, but are not held or engaged in play.
How long
they are allowed to languish unseen is just a matter of space concerns
in the shelter. New Hope, the arm of AC&C that works with partner
organizations to get animals into rescue situations, may decide to take
up the cause and email their photo and bio out to groups, but the
animals chosen to be advertised as rescue candidates are completely at
their discretion, and they are absolutely allowed to refuse to email out
an animal’s photo based on his or her behavior scores or medical
status.
Why should I care about this? There are enough animals
who need homes who show perfect behavior, right from the start. We are
in the middle of a recession and people are suffering. Why should I
waste time on animals who may not even be good in a home?
Because
the test was meant to be part of many opinions and observations to give
a full picture for both safety and the animal’s sake, so it is
unethical to use it to cover up the fact that they need a cage. It
encourages people’s prejudice about shelter animals and produces long
term problems for an illusion of progress. New York deserves real
progress, not a shift in the language to make us all feel better.
Also,
if you are reading this article, you are probably an animal lover, and
may already be familiar with the homeless animal problem on some level.
Perhaps you give money to rescue organizations, or perhaps you have
taken in a stray or two once in your lifetime. These rescue
organizations are largely responsible for the progress AC&C takes
credit for. The number of animals placed via walk in adoptions versus
those animals placed by rescuers is very low, too low, and AC&C has
no motivation to increase adoptions and do their job as long as rescue
groups bail them out. These people are angels, working on scraps, and
out of respect for the fact that a rescuer takes legal responsibility
for an animal for the duration of its life, AC&C owes them the
courtesy of honest evaluations performed by a professional and long term
planning to reduce the number of animals coming in. They cannot rely on
the few rescuers actively pulling to exhaust their savings and their
bodies while the executives at Park Place pat themselves on the back for
their improved adoption numbers. In urgent’s opinion, rescue groups are
the saviors of the system and genuine angels on earth, and their needs
should be top priority for an agency that would look like a war zone
without them. Instead of being treated like the heroes they are,
however, rescue groups are thwarted at every turn by overwhelming
euthanasia lists and inadequate or inaccurate information.
The
time has come for us all to join forces and demand reciprocity! Hey,
AC&C---the “adoption” numbers on your site come from our hard work
and tears. It’s time for you to pitch in and do your part.
What can I do about all of this?
It seems like there is so much that needs to be fixed. I don’t know what I can do to help.
There
is a lot that needs to be fixed, but the good news is that being a
pest, especially in the form of polite but firm letters, embarrasses
people in authority and puts pressure on them to respond. Speak up!
Demand on behalf of NYC’s animals:
- Certified SAFERists in every shelter
- Video footage of said test available to rescue partners
- At least two evaluations per animal
- Increased adoption events
- Increased partnerships with storefronts and other animal friendly organizations to display either live animals or updated photos
- Bulletin boards in every shelter with printouts of sick animals with URI, so the public can be made aware of their presence
- Increased awareness for pit bulls in NYC, with accurate information about this misunderstood breed on AC&C’s website
- Aggressive foster recruitment for bottle babies and other easily predictable seasonal surges.
- Clear employee policies for handling animals, including penalties for non compliance.
- Reformation of the terms used in the behavior tests to stress the experience level needed to adopt.
These are just a few improvements we can think of that are low/no
cost and proven to work in other shelter environments. What are YOUR
ideas for improving the chances for AC&C animals? We welcome your feedback, ideas, and questions.
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Hidden-camera footage, taken at Sparboe Egg Farm facilities in Iowa, Minnesota and Colorado, reveals:
Veterinarians and animal welfare experts confirm what common sense already tells us: Egg-laying hens, like all animals, should be given the freedom to walk, stretch their limbs, turn around and engage in natural behaviors. Yet, this McDonald's supplier deprives hens of even these most basic freedoms. Barren battery cages are so cruel that the entire European Union and the states of California and Michigan have banned their use. Additionally, leading food retailers, such as Whole Foods, Hellmann's, Wolfgang Puck and Subway, and hundreds of colleges and universities refuse to use or sell eggs from hens subjected to the inherent abuses of battery cages. MFA is calling on McDonald's Corporation to end its use of eggs from hens confined in battery cages in the United States, as it has already in the European Union.  Sadly, not a single federal law currently provides any protection to birds at the hatchery, on the factory farm, or during slaughter. Further, most states - including those in which this investigation was conducted - have sweeping exemptions for farmed animals, which allow abuses to run rampant without prosecution. As the largest egg purchaser in the United States, McDonald's has enormous power in effecting improved standards of care for egg-laying hens. Click here to sign MFA's petition urging the fast-food chain to uncage hens. While McDonald's has the moral obligation and purchasing power to lessen the cruelty suffered by the millions of hens who are abused and exploited to produce eggs for its restaurants, consumers also hold enormous power of their own in preventing animal abuse by adopting a compassionate vegan diet. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation in support of MFA's vital work on behalf of abused and neglected farmed animals. |
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Draft horses are known for being tough -- but even they aren't tough enough to survive New York's abusive horse-drawn carriage industry. Carriage horses work for an average of only 4 years. (Horses for the mounted police can work for 15.) The short lifespan is due to medical neglect, inadequate diet, long work hours in every kind of weather, and paltry living conditions while working in stressful city environments they’re just not meant for. And once they’ve outlived their usefulness to the industry, "retiring" carriage horses can be auctioned for slaughter. The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages is an advocacy group working to end this cruelty, and has started a petition on Change.org to support a ban being proposed by New York state Senator Tony Avella. Will you sign the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages' petition calling on the New York state Senate to shut down NYC's abusive horse-drawn carriage industry? Public outcry has peaked after the collapse and death of a New York City carriage horse named Charlie last month. Six other horses have been involved in traffic accidents or collapsed in the street since July. Now is the time to shut the horse-drawn carriage industry down. Please sign the petition telling the New York state Senate to outlaw horse-drawn carriages now: http://www.change.org/petitions/ban-horse-drawn-carriages-in-new-york-city-new-bill-needs-support Thanks for being a change-maker, - Stephanie and the Change.org team P.S. People are using Change.org to fight for animals every day. Here are some top animals petitions that need your support right now:
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| Protections for struggling polar bears and sea turtles could end up on the federal chopping block. |
Tell Congress: Don't Slash Wildlife Conservation
Congress is now formulating a comprehensive spending bill for the
federal government -- and it's not looking good for our wildlife.
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The House of Representatives has slashed funding for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, denying threatened and endangered sea turtles vital habitat protections and inching these ancient seafarers even closer to extinction. |
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Congress is considering a 20% cut to programs that protect hundreds of threatened and endangered species -- animals like America's threatened polar bears. Without help, these beloved bears could disappear from our country by 2050. |
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The House is considering significant cuts to the already underfunded National Wildlife Refuge System -- a move that would threaten the survival of rare Sonoran pronghorns and hundreds of other species. |
We need to ensure that the budget axe doesn't swing on our nation's most vulnerable wildlife and wild places.
Take action now -- tell Congress to stand up for wildlife and keep America's treasures off the chopping block.
Demand Change at the Detroit Animal Control. This dog was killed.
- signatures: 10,633
- signature goal: 10,000
- Target: Detroit City Officials
- Sponsored by: Animal Welfare Advocates
Please Help Animal Flood Victims Today!
With hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the floodwaters affecting Bangkok volunteers are working literally around the clock in aid of Bangkoks other residents the dogs and cats. People evacuating to temporary emergency shelters are not allowed to take their pets with them. Pet owners are forced to leave their animals behind in their houses, many on top of roofs and buildings to protect them from the flood but often with no food or water. In addition Bangkok is home to tens of thousands of street dogs and cats who rely on the local urban environment to survive. With flood waters reaching up to 2 meters depth north of Bangkok these animals have nowhere to turn. I am writing you about an important and very urgent matter. As you may be aware the flood situation in Bangkok and surrounds is worsening.Your help is needed today to save animals affected by this natural disaster.Volunteers are working around the clock to get as many animals as possible to safety and they need your help.Donations are urgently needed for cages, food, transportation, medicine, temporary shelter and of course veterinary help. Bangkok based animal welfare organization TREAT is rescuing and treating animals in distress. The Soi Dog Foundation in conjunction with TREAT is raising funds towards securing the necessary supplies and equipment needed for the flood relief to continue. Margot Homburg co-founder of Soi Dog and founder of TREAT Bangkok is coordinating the distribution of donated funds to volunteer groups. Time is of the essence and donations towards continuing the rescues are urgently needed.
I am asking for your help today! Please give as generously as you can so that more lives can be saved.
Dogs at puppy farms and animal shelters have been abandoned with many drowning in their cages. Animal shelters where hundreds of unwanted dogs and cats are cared for have flooded with huge numbers drowned.
Dogs and cats in locked cages can be seen floating in the water, most already dead from drowning. As rescuers move through the flooded areas in boats hundreds of dogs are seen swimming for their lives.
An emergency appeal fund has been established. Donations may be made online at: www.soidog.org/en/flood-relief.
All donations go directly to helping the animals in distress.
Sincerely,
John Dalley
No Justice For Rocco
September 8 ,2011
On
February 16 a call went to animal control about a "dead dog" in the
back yard of Ms. Tucker Clementon home. Officer T. Cooper of the NJSPCA
responded to the case and Rocco was found dies in the yard. The Pit-bull
was taken for a necropsy. This was to be performed by Dr. Heather
Lingley. Rocco had a heavy burden of whipworm and also heartworm. He
also had circular erosion in the inner lining of his intestines or
ulceration likely from the heavy parasite load. There was no fat
surrounding the heart which is the very last fat store to be used up by
an animal caused by starvation. Dr. Lingley states "the patient
succumbed due to starvation; the starvation was compounded by the
parasite burden, intestinal worms and heartworms".
Judge Larsen made his decision in September, 2011 in Berlin Borough Municipal Court. Ms. Tucker was charged with two Disorderly Persons for Depriving a Living Creature of Necessary Sustenance and Failing to Provide a Living Creature with proper food. Mr. Brandon (Shroeder) Tucker was charged with two Disorderly Persons for Depriving a Living Creature of necessary Sustenance and Cause or Procure by any direct or indirect means any such acts to be done. The NJSPCA felt that these people would be held accountable for their horrible act of intentional neglect of this poor dog. The NJ State Statute allows for Jail time when found guilty for this crime. Judge Larsen stated this was a torturous way to die, it did not happen in a brief period of time, it was long term and there was no excuse why they did not take the dog to the vet or to the shelter or anyone that would have helped out. He also stated he was merging the one ticket into the other for each defendant. This means that they would only have one count each. Ms. Tucker was sentenced to do 10 days community service and Mr. Brandon Tucker was sentenced to perform 14 days of community service. Due to their economic position they were only fined minimum 250.00 each. Officer T. Cooper of the NJSPCA asked that the Prosecutor request the other dogs in the home be turned over due to their economic hardship. Ms.Tucker stated the other dogs are fine and have been to the veterinarian.
www.njspca.org OR http://www.njspca.org/Does%20the%20punishment%20fit%20the%20crime.html
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Judge
Craig Larsen denied Rocco the justice he deserved. What good does it
do to fight for stronger laws to punish abusers if the very judges who
should be defending the weak and defenseless refuse to enforce them. We
can not allow this injustice to be swept under the rug or Rocco
fogotten. We must be Rocco's voice. Please write to the following
addresses and let them know the judgement does not fit the crime.
Please remember to be stern but polite or the message will not be
heard. Remember you are doing this for Rocco and the many like him.
** Not only should the judge have imposed the maximum fine of $1000.00 on each of Rocco's abusers he should have also imposed an animal ban for life and allowed the NJSPCA to remove the two dogs still in their custody. Let the judge know that is what SHOULD have been done!**
Judge Craig Larsen
Clementon Court 101
Gibbsboro Road Clementon, NJ 08021
Fax: 856-783-3413
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North Carolina wildlife officials stormed Wayne Kinley's farm in Randolph County and shot the nine domesticated deer on his property -- including two fawns Wayne had been nursing back to health. No warning, no appeal -- just shotguns. These deer had been living peacefully on Wayne's property, fenced in a two-acre area, for years. One of the deer, Jezel, had been rescued by Wayne's neighbor Jo Henderson three years ago. Jo, now heartbroken and angered by the deer killings, is demanding answers. She is petitioning the state of North Carolina to investigate these killings, the abuse of power that led to them, and establish new protections for domesticated deer. When the wildlife officials came to Wanye's farm, they claimed to have a warrant that said his deer needed to be killed to test for Chronic Wasting Disease -- a disease that has never even been found in North Carolina. And since Jo started her petition drive on Change.org and with paper petitions, local store owners have even been told by the local sheriff that the petitions are illegal and that they need to be taken down. The media in Winston-Salem have picked up on this story, reaffirming what locals already know: State wildlife officials have "gone wild." |
Puppy Mill Petition: Tell the White House that Dogs Matter | Michael Markarian: Animals & Politics
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Puppy Mill Petition: Tell the White House that Dogs Matter
Posted: 17 Oct 2011 11:37 AM PDT
Last week’s rescue of more than 160 Malamutes from a Montana puppy mill that was selling sick puppies over the Internet underscores once again the need for more oversight of large-scale commercial dog breeding operations, especially online sellers. While the owner of this puppy mill was selling dogs as “show-quality” over the Internet and through newspaper ads, they were lacking even basic care: The dogs were kept in filthy chain-link pens strewn with metal debris and trash, with no food in sight and only buckets full of moldy, black water. Some of the dogs were found with parts of their ears missing, open sores, and other injuries.
Kathy Milani/The HSUS
The Animal Welfare Act regulations, enforced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, currently cover only puppy mills selling wholesale to pet stores, and exempt those selling directly to the public—allowing the Internet puppy sellers to escape any federal oversight whatsoever. That’s why The HSUS, HSLF and ASPCA have launched a puppy mill petition on the White House website as part of the new “We the People” feature, which encourages citizens to weigh in on federal issues. Our petition urges the Obama Administration to help close the “retail loophole” that allows thousands of puppy mills that sell directly to the public to operate without a USDA license.
Add your name to the White House petition urging the President to crack down on puppy mills.
The puppy mill petition is now the top animal-related petition on the White House website, and #8 overall in popularity among all citizen petitions, with more than 17,000 signatures. But we want to aim higher. We want to show the White House that animal protection issues matter by making this one of the top petitions on the site. We only have one week left to reach our new goal of 25,000 signatures—that means we need to add more than 1,000 signatures a day.
Following up on an act of Congress, the USDA recently produced a rule to restrict the imports of dogs from foreign puppy mills. Now it’s time to address this major puppy mill problem inside our own borders—where breeding dogs are languishing for years in small, wire cages, with no exercise, human interaction, or veterinary care.
Please add your name to our White House petition urging the President to crack down on puppy mills. And please help to promote the petition, before the deadline of October 23, by sending it to your friends and family, posting it to Facebook and Twitter, and spreading the word in any way you can. We only have a week left to reach our goal, and to speak for the dogs suffering in these unregulated mills.
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Dear J
Right now, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is asking for your input on a plan for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that, for the first time, could recommend wilderness protection for the entire refuge, including the coastal plain. The 19-million-acre refuge is the heart of the Arctic, boasting rich biological diversity and breathtaking landscapes. Oil companies and their friends in Congress have been pushing to drill in the refuge for decades. Now is our chance to stop them: This plan will guide how the Arctic Refuge will be managed for the next 15 years or more.
A wilderness recommendation could protect this unparalleled area and the abundant wildlife that depends on it -- including polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, musk oxen, caribou and millions of birds from around the globe. But to make sure the final version of the refuge plan includes a wilderness recommendation, we must demonstrate overwhelming support for protecting the refuge. If we speak with a loud and united voice, we'll be sending a strong message that Secretary Salazar can't ignore.
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Lead kills. That's why we've taken it out of gasoline and paint. Yet, lead is still allowed in ammunition, which means tons of lead are left in the wild every year to poison fish and wildlife »
The Environmental Protection Agency can, and should, ban lead ammunition under the Toxic Substances Control Act. Birders, hunters, scientists and environmentalists all agree that leaving lead in hunting and fishing equipment isn't worth the terrible cost to wildlife. Besides, there are plenty of other materials available.
One guess who doesn't like the idea: The NRA. They've pushed their buddies in Congress to introduce a bill that would strip this authority from the EPA. Apparently, not wanting falcons and eagles to die incredibly painful deaths from lead poisoning is "extreme."
The only thing that's "extreme" is the NRA's completely inhumane and unreasonable position. Lead ammunition and fishing tackles left in the wild kill birds up and down the food chain. They poison wolves, bears and panthers. There is a better way -- why not take it?
Tell Congress to oppose the NRA's toxic legislation and save America's wildlife »
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Thanks for taking action! Emily V. Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team |
| Stop the NRA's Toxic Legislation |
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Dear J |
Last
Friday, the Obama administration announced that it would be withdrawing
the proposed updated national ozone standards, delaying until at least
2013 a safeguard that would protect our families from dangerous smog
pollution. In
making this decision, the Obama administration has caved to big
polluters at the expense of protecting the air we breathe. It is a huge
win for corporate polluters and a huge loss for public health. I’ve
worked on environmental issues in Washington, D.C. for more than 30
years – and I’ve worked with Democratic administrations for nearly 15 of
those years. As I reflect on this extremely
dissapointing decision, there’s no doubt in my mind that this is the
worst environmental decision ever made by a Democratic president in that
window of time. Letting
the polluters off the hook won’t create jobs and won’t fuel innovation.
But it will cost lives and endanger the health of children and seniors.
It is terrible policy and terrible politics. A
new standard for smog would prevent up to 12,000 premature deaths,
5,300 heart attacks and tens of thousands of cases of asthma and other
serious respiratory illnesses each year. This is the true cost of the
ozone smog standard – doing nothing puts our lives and health at risk. Yet
the White House decision is a severe disappointment for the millions of
Americans who had hoped for something better than the usual special
interest control and influence over federal policies. It runs counter to
the important work the Obama administration has already done to improve
public health safeguards and protect vital clean air standards. And that’s why President Obama needs to hear from you today. Thank you for taking action and making your voice heard.
Click
here to send a message to President Obama. Tell him that you are
extremely disappointed in his decision to delay vital clear air
standards.
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Help Us Run Our Ad Help us run this ad in key newspapers across the Northern Rockies to ensure a lasting future for wolves.
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New hunting seasons and heavy-handed state management plans could cost the lives of hundreds of wolves across Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies.
While some state officials continue to push for deadly measures for wolves when conflict arises, we have a better answer.
That's why we're launching new ads in the Northern Rockies to
promote support for wolves and secure a lasting future for these
magnificent animals.
Please donate now to help fight for our wolves with powerful ads in key newspapers in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
Wolves are a vital part of a healthy ecosystem in the Northern Rockies
-- they're native wildlife and should be treated as such.
But instead, some are pursuing a reckless approach: Idaho's hunting season includes allowing a nearly unlimited number of wolves to be killed throughout most of the state. And Wyoming's plan allows wolves to be shot-on-sight in most of the state -- including on national forests that belong to all of us.
Help us change hearts, minds and actions with our new ads. Donate now for a lasting future for wolves and other wildlife.
Ads like these can make a powerful difference.
They can educate. They can inform. And they can shift public opinion, which too often can paint wolves in an unfavorable light.
Please donate today.
Your support will also help Defenders...
- Advocate with state and federal officials on behalf of sound, science based wolf management and urge officials to adopt a more sensible approach to wolf management.
- Mobilize grassroots opposition to reckless wolf management in Idaho and Wyoming. We'll soon rally tens of thousands of supporters to urge federal officials to oppose Wyoming's shoot-on-sight plan for wolves on National Forests.
- Expand our proven coexistence plans to build social tolerance for wolves. We're expanding our pioneering efforts to enable ranchers and wolves coexist to protect wolves and livestock alike.
- And much more to protect the wildlife and wild places you care about.
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Please take a moment to read this urgent e-mail and forward it to anyone you know who might be able to help.For the past week, in anticipation of Hurricane Irene's landfall, PETA has been aggressively reaching out to communities in North Carolina and throughout the areas facing this massive storm with the lifesaving message that there are critical preparedness steps that can be taken to ensure the safety of both people and their animals. Click here to see how to protect your animal companion during a disaster. PETA's home office in Norfolk, Va., is in one of the areas potentially facing the full fury of this dangerous hurricane. The cats who live at our headquarters have been evacuated to our international intern house, and all our vans have been moved to high ground and are stocked with food and water to help animals in crisis during and after the deluge. Extra staff and volunteers are on call, and we are as ready as we can be at the hands of Mother Nature. You can read a personal account from PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk on our preparations for this epic storm on our blog. Please visit PETA.org for updates on this crisis—and please pass this e-mail along to anyone you know who might be in harm's way as Hurricane Irene approaches the Eastern Seaboard. Thank you for your support and for all that you do to help animals. Sincerely, 
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Dear J, P.S. Please help us win even more groundbreaking victories for animals by making a special donation today |
I'm writing about a very exciting development that will make a world of difference for captive elephants! 
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Disaster Alert: Red Star™ deployment to flood-damaged North Dakota
This summer, the Souris River in North Dakota rose to record levels,
severely flooding the city of Minot. People rushed to evacuate to
safety. They surveyed their homes, deciding what had to be left behind
and what was essential to move out quickly — photo albums, furniture
and, of course, their pets.
Right now in North Dakota, beloved pets are living in a temporary emergency shelter. Tomorrow, our 16-wheel Red Star™ Rescue Rig and Animal Emergency Services team will arrive to help shelter and care for more than 300 displaced animals in Minot. Here's what your donation to our Red Star program could do:
$50 - Feeds six cats for a week For now, our Red Star™ team will make sure the animals get what they need: shelter, food and a little bit of love. |
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   We rescued animals from life-threatening floodwaters in Memphis.   Help us rescue and shelter more animal victims like these. |
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Minot, N.D.: River Floods the City; Animals Flood the Shelter
June 30, 2011 by Julie Hauserman
With more than 4,000 homes and businesses under water from flooding in Minot, N.D., the need to keep animals safe is acute. The Humane Society of the United States is on the ground, helping the Souris Valley Animal Shelter care for more than 500 animals at a shelter. Some 12,000 people were forced to evacuate when the Souris River began its dangerous rise, and they brought pets in droves to the emergency animal shelter. The shelter sits outside the flooded town, and it is a bustling scene where volunteers feed and care for animals and try not to think about their submerged homes.
"There are a lot of folks who can't go back into their homes, and it may be weeks before they can go back," said Justin Scally, The HSUS' interim manager for disaster response. "Others will not be able to go back to their homes at all because their homes are completely destroyed."
The people—and pets—of Minot appreciate any help they can get, Scally said. PetSmart Charities has pitched in to provide food. "Some of these folks who are helping in the animal shelter are displaced from their homes themselves," Scally said. "They are glad that we can work together to help animals and the community in this tragedy." The HSUS has five staffers on the ground in Minot, and will stay to help animals as the community recovers.
Will you help The HSUS help the animals?
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We
need your help. A few days ago, an Australian television program
shared shocking footage of Australia's live cattle export trade to
Indonesia. The footage, captured by Animals Australia and reviewed by
RSPCA Australia, shows Australian cattle being treated brutally within
Indonesian slaughter houses.
Silia Smith
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Urgent Help is needed in Egypt to help with the raising numbers of abandoned animals.
Help needed urgently for animals in Egypt
Urgent veterinary help, including emergency amputations, is needed for badly injured animals.There has been a large increase in abandonment of animals onto the
streets of major cities. Some of this is due to foreigners leaving the
country but not being able to take their animals with them.Mona Khalil from ESMA said in an email dated 2nd Feb ‘..we are left with a list of names and homes to check on animals and others are trying to find people to care for their animals , friends were leaving in a devastating state and crying horrifically today as they were driven to the airport. We are collecting abandoned animals too, that are clearly home animals as some did not know what to do so they released their pets on the streets’ Susie Nassar, Founding member of ESMA has said that the situation is mayhem. ESMA are currently trying to care for 600 animals at their shelter and provide support for the animals being abandoned onto the streets. Susie says ‘We are terrified of how many 'pets' may have perished in the locked up pet shops. We are in a continuous struggle to 'keep afloat' at our shelter. We didn't have any vets for one week as they were unable to get to the shelter due to road blocks and curfews. The shelter and the care of our 600 plus animals was the responsibility of a few workers who agreed to stay 24/7 at the shelter. Unfortunately the absence of our vets has resulted in some deaths and serious cases for some of our animals. We are continually struggling to locate/buy food, medicines, pay the rent and the workers salaries, and even find detergents and disinfectants. We are only able to offer our animals one meal, instead of the usual 2 meals per day. Some of the very sick animals will be taken by rented car tomorrow to an outside vet for x rays, treatment, and a possible amputation needed for one of the dog . |
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If you'd like to help: http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?UID=F9E8GZ8QHMQ
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To help: http://us.mg6.mail.yahoo.com/dc/launch?.gx=1&.rand=9tlpjj6q9jgrn
Distemper Situation Update – Urgent Work Continues... Thailand
We are currently sourcing from suppliers in Thailand large quantities of the vaccine. We are ordering 1,000 vaccines at a time and have gotten the price reduced to 100 baht per vaccine ($3.30/2.50 Euro). Total cost for 1,000 vaccines is 100,000 baht ($3,300 or 2,500 Euro) There is a less expensive vaccine but the one being used also vaccinates against rabies.
After
this initial emergency response we will need to purchase approximately
400 vaccines per month on an ongoing basis in order to maintain
containment of and ultimately eradicate the disease. This equates to
40,000 Thai Baht per month (995 Euro or $1,332).
Your monthly donation of $10 (33 cents or equivalent per day) will allow us to vaccinate 3 dogs against both distemper AND rabies each month. A monthly donation of $20 (66 cents per day) wll vaccinate 6 dogs! Please consider helping today. This is one of the most effective ways you can help…
If you would like to help: http://www.soidog.org/
Surviving Against All Odds
URGENT NEED FOR DOG CRATES/IGLOOS/AND MORE
Angie, the Fairy Dogmother of Dallas and Animal 3’s December project, is in urgent need of additional dog crates/shelters. Angie will be thankful for doghouses in any condition, but she would be especially appreciative of igloos in large and extra large sizes. This is an especially urgent situation as Angie is finding dogs literally frozen to death – the igloos especially are lifesavers in extreme weather. If you have any used dog crates you can spare or would like to donate to buy some new one’s please contact Monique 214-601-2345 – thanks so much!
Mission Statement
Animals Abused &
Abandoned, Inc (Animals3) provides funding for emergency medical and
surgical care for domesticated animals, regardless of age, who are ill
or victims of traumatic injuries and who have been abused, starved
and/or abandoned by their owners.
Here is Angie’s story in case you missed it before: http://www.animals-abused.org/spotlight-story.htm
If you'd like to read more or help:
Help these cruelty victims
get off the chains and help them get into a warm bed and a loving
forever family. They do deserve better.
Send photos of chained dogs in Pennsylvania with county to photos@dogsdeservebetter.org
Dogs Still Living Chained in Cambria County RIGHT NOW:
See More Currently Chained Dogs in Sullivan County, PA
Send photos of chained dogs in Pennsylvania with county to photos@dogsdeservebetter.org
Johni Bull 1 minute ago
What I posted: I have always believed animal cruelty should have been a felony long ago. I wish it could be an eye for an eye but these days the pen is mightier than the sword. I would love to help make cruelty to any animal a felony with every conviction !!
http://www.causes.com/causes/644096-maximum-penalty-for-the-criminal-who-sledgehammered-the-dogs-in-mosxato-greece?recruiter_id=148355078&template=cause_mailer%2Finvitation&causes_ref=email