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This picture provided by the SPCA shows a car containing 22 dogs in Pottsboro, Texas on Monday, Feb. 9, 2009. North Texas authorities seized 22 dogs found crammed inside the station wagon with their owner. The owner locked the car doors and refused to come out when a constable tried to serve her a warrant, said SPCA spokeswoman Maura Davies. (AP Photo/SPCA)

February 9, 2009
POTTSBORO, Texas—North Texas authorities seized 22 dogs found crammed inside a station wagon with their owner. The owner locked the car doors and refused to come out when a constable tried to serve her a warrant for the seizure of the dogs early Monday, said SPCA spokeswoman Maura Davies.

Two puppies and 20 dogs were taken to a shelter until a judge decides who gets custody, the SPCA said. A hearing on the custody of the animals is set for Feb. 16 in Denison.

The dogs were in the car along with a pot of water, blankets and waste. Read entire story

300 small breed dogs seized from alleged puppy mil
By Steve Herring And Kenneth Fine
Published in News on February 6, 2009 12:57 PM

Clad in overalls and wearing masks to hide the stench of ammonia, animal rescue workers early this morning began removing the first of some 300 adult dogs and puppies from what is being called a "puppy mill."

A steady procession of local animal control workers and workers from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) brought the animals from sheds at Thornton Kennel, 180 Westbrook Church Road just miles from the Wayne-Sampson County line.

The animals were taken after the county filed a civil injunction late Thursday afternoon against Virginia Thornton alleging she was "willfully and intentionally" depriving the animals of a proper living environment.

The operation, that was initiated by Wayne County Animal Control Director Justin Scally, is being called the largest ever in the state. It culminates a year-long investigation. The dogs, some with matted fur and swollen eyes, were shivering as they were brought out to be checked by veterinarians, photographed and have identity bands placed on them before being loaded into a large trailer.

In the yard, family members milled around and instructed deputies not to allow the media onto their property. The family did not respond to a request for comment. The animals were located in several sheds, some near the house and others across the road. The first load of about 100 animals was taken to a makeshift shelter at the Wayne Regional Fair-grounds for further examination.

When they arrived, volunteers and veterinarians were waiting. They had been since 5 a.m. -- building cages and unloading food and medical supplies despite the bitter cold. But as soon as that truck pulled in, the squeaks, barks and yelps drew them to the animals. It was 9:45 when the first was walked into the home it will know for the remainder of the weekend.

A volunteer stepped off the truck holding a curly-haired mutt with a swollen eye and mud covering its white coat. It was shivering. But each time the woman's hand a ran down its back, his tail wagged -- as much as it could. Another volunteer was close behind, holding a pair of Chihuahuas shaking uncontrollably. "It's pretty sad," said Amanda Arrington, president of the state chapter of the HSUS, as the volunteer passed by. But the scene, she added, was far worse.

Wayne Sheriff's deputies and animals control officers arrived there about 6:30 a.m. and were expected to be there for most of the day. "Most of the animals are breeding females," said Jordan Crump, HSUS emergency services public information officer. "Most were females. She (Ms. Thornton) was trying to get the most out them."

In some cases, the animals were so old they produced single puppies and small litters, she said.
The animals, she said, were confined in small dirty wire cages -- some several to a cage -- in buildings lacking proper heat and ventilation. The animals did have food and water.

Ms. Crump said the lack of ventilation had created such strong ammonia smell that in some cases caused the animals' eyes to swell shut. Ammonia fumes that strong can also cause skin infections, she added. In some cases the animals have been in the cages for up to eight years, she said. Most were small breed animals -- poodles, Pomeranians, Lhasa Apso, Shih-Tzus and Chihuahuas.

Assisting the county's Animal Control Department were representatives from the Humane Society, PetSmart Charities and United Animal Nations. The workers came from Florida, the Midwest and HSUS headquarters in Washington, D.C.

A hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Wayne County courthouse to determine whether a permanent injunction will be ordered and whether Ms. Thornton should pay for the cost of care for the animals while they are in county custody. The petition for the injunction includes an affidavit from veterinarian Kelli Ferris, assistant clinical professor at N.C. State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Scally submitted photos and video taken at the kennel for Dr. Ferris to review.

"The photos and video provided lead me to believe that many animals are being subject to animal cruelty in this facility," Dr. Ferris wrote. "Puppy mills are dog production units where dogs are housed for years in cramped conditions with no environmental enrichment or opportunities for normal exercise." The animals will remain in the custody of Wayne County Animal Control pending final custody decisions.

Should Ms. Thornton surrender the animals or be ordered to do so by the courts, HSUS will work with animal control as well as rescue groups in other states to rehabilitate and find homes for the dogs. Many of the animals might be taken back to the Washington, D.C., area, Ms. Crump said.

The animals mostly were being sold over the Internet, she added. A sign in front of the house lists a Web site www.thorntonkennels.com, advertising "Toy and Designer breeds." Ms. Crump said Ms. Thornton would not allow people to visit the kennel and met potential customers at other locations.

That, she said, should be a "tip-off" to people that something is amiss. People can unknowingly support "this horrible industry" by buying over the Internet or not checking a kennel. "The only way to stop this is through legislation," she said. She urged people interested in adopting an animal to visit an animal shelter Scally said he asked for the assistance of HSUS when he realized how many animals were at the kennel.

"We realized we did not have the resources to handle all of these animals by ourselves," Scally said. "I can finally rest easy knowing that these animals are no longer living in constant confinement." County Commissioner Steve Keen, in whose district the kennel is located, rode to the scene with animal control officers. Keen said some people had questioned the expense the county went to when it built its new animal center. These animals, he said, underscored how important the shelter is. "But this is so overwhelming," he said.

"These dogs have may need extensive rehabilitation, but they are already beginning to warm up to their temporary caretakers. I believe they are on their way to leading new lives as loving family pets," added Janell Matthies, UAN emergency services manager. Residents of North Carolina interested in taking action for animals can sign up for the upcoming Humane Lobby Day, which The HSUS will host on Feb. 12 in Raleigh. Local advocates will gather at the Capitol to lobby for animal welfare legislation - including the puppy mill bill

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization -- backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, the HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. For more information visit www.humanesociety.org. None of the dogs seized this morning were in critical condition.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to investigate potential Salmonella contamination of peanut butter and paste made at the Blakely, Georgia facility of Peanut Corporation of American (PCA), and is informing pet owners that the recall also includes some pet food products.

Many companies that received peanut butter or peanut paste from PCA have in turn issued recalls.

Information current as of 11 AM January 26, 2009

Note: This list includes food products subject to recall in the United States since January 2009 related to peanut butter and peanut paste recalled by Peanut Corporation of America.

List of recalls for Pet Food Peanut Paste Products from Brand:

Peanut Corporation of America or Parnell's Pride

Category: Pet Food Peanut Paste
Brand Name: Peanut Corporation of America or Parnell's Pride
Product Description: Pet Food Paste

De-icing of sidewalks and driveways may prevent falls, but the ice melt products themselves can be deadly to pets.

60 percent of American households use salt-based ice melt products in the winter. Children, pets and the environment can be adversely affected by the use of these products. These products sit on ice and snow for a long period of time prior to penetrating into the ice. When let outside, dogs frequently eat the snow and ice (or cats lick their paws), thereby ingesting these pellets. The salt can heat up as high as 175 degrees and not only burn their skin, but their mouth and digestive system.

Salt and salt residue left over from these products can harm asphalt, concrete, wood decks, floors and rugs, and can harm the environment by killing lawns and plants, or contaminating wells and drinking water supplies.

The good news is that there are alternatives to harmful salt-based ice melts. This winter season, look for an ice melt that is safe for your family, your pets and your environment.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1208523.html

By Anne Blythe, Staff Writer Comment on this story

DURHAM - Duke Forest, the sylvan refuge for joggers, nature lovers, bird-watchers and environmental researchers, will soon become a firing range.

In recent years, some parts of Duke University's 7,000-acre forest have been plagued by an overpopulation of white-tailed deer. With nearly four months of controlled hunts on four of the six sections of the forest, Duke hopes to thin the herd.

"This is being done legally; this is being done with a lot of thought based on what we think is good science," said Judson Eideburn, the forest's resource manager. "We're not acting like the Lone Ranger or that sort of thing."

On Mondays through Thursdays from Sept. 15 through Dec. 30, Duke Forest's Durham, Eno, Hillsboro (forest maps still use the old spelling) and Blackwood divisions will be closed to recreation. Designated hunters from two selected clubs will be allowed on the properties to take aim at the woodland creatures that have been foraging through forest research areas, devouring almost all vegetation in their path.

"They've just eaten it all in some places -- anything from 4 feet high down. There's nothing left," Eideburn said. "They're even eating eastern red cedar."

For more than 75 years, Duke Forest has been a living laboratory for students interested in forestry studies and environmental and ecological sciences. The property, with tracts in Durham, Orange and Alamance counties, offers a variety of forest covers, plant species, soils, topography and wildlife to study.

Several years ago, forest overseers collected data that showed as many as 80 deer per square mile in some parts of the forest. Wildlife resource officials, Eideburn said, recommend no more than 20 deer per square mile.

Much to many hunters' dismay, Eideburn would not divulge the names of the hunting groups that will cull the herds. But he stressed that the efforts would be administered under guidelines issued by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Bow and gun hunting will be allowed on the Blackwood, Eno and Hillsboro divisions. The Durham Division, just west of the university campus off N.C. 751, will be open for bow hunting only.

In some neighborhoods near the forest, deer are considered pests that trample flower beds, chew up vegetable gardens and wreak havoc on landscaped yards. Not many complaints have bubbled up from there.

"I have so many deer in my yard I think it's good to get the herd down a little," said Tom Kirby, a Durham resident who also runs through the forest on weekends with the Carolina Godiva Track Club.

As president of the running club, though, Kirby hopes to get the word out about the trail closings during the week. He worries that some people who come into the forest through nontraditional routes might miss the warnings posted at the head of major trails.

Kathy Rudy, a professor of ethics and women's studies at Duke, said she has mixed feelings about the hunts.

"The problem is that deer have no predators, and we've kind of put an imbalance in their ecosystem," Rudy said.

The topic has been fodder for her students. "We've talked a little bit about hunting already and hunting for sustenance," Rudy said. "If you think hunting is right, then this is the most sort of conscientious way to do."

What troubles her is that the hunting will go on for months.

"I can't imagine that somebody couldn't go in there in two or three days and do what they need to do," Rudy said.

Hunters who have not been invited to participate in the thinning said there could be some big bucks in the forest.

"The idea," Eideburn said, "is to basically go after the doe population. But the hunters can take bucks per the hunting laws."

anne.blythe@newsobserver.com or (919) 932-8741

Friday, August 29, 2008

Where Do the Veep Candidates Stand on Animals?

The political talk over the last couple weeks has swirled around two subjects: the party conventions, and the vice presidential nominees. Now that Barack Obama and John McCain have both selected their running mates, it's time to look at the animal protection records of the two vice presidential hopefuls.

As of today, the contrast could not be more clear: While Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) has been a leader in the Senate to protect marine mammals and exotic wildlife, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) has denied the threats facing polar bears and has led her state's efforts to gun down wolves from airplanes and helicopters.

McCain announced this morning that the GOP ticket now includes Gov. Palin, who is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and, despite her youth and good looks, is a throwback on animal issues. Having her one heartbeat from the presidency should strike fear into any animal advocate in the nation. The Palin Administration has waged an all-out war on Alaska's predators to artificially boost the populations of moose and caribou for trophy hunters, and has tried to pass legislation making it easier for state officials to gun down wolves and bears from the sky.

Last year, the state offered a $150 bounty as an incentive for pilots and aerial gunners to kill more wolves. And leading up to this week's statewide vote on Measure 2 to stop the aerial shooting of wolves and bears, Palin's Board of Game spent $400,000 of public money on brochures and radio ads to influence the election. She not only took an inhumane and unsporting position at odds with the principles of wildlife management and fair chase, but did it in an undemocratic and underhanded way.

Gov. Palin also penned an op-ed in The New York Times earlier this year arguing that it was the "wrong move" to list the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act. Later, when the Bush Administration announced its listing of the polar bear as a threatened species, she filed a lawsuit seeking to reverse the decision. Environmentalists fired back over Palin's lawsuit and said "her head-in-the-sand approach to global warming only helps oil companies, certainly not Alaska or the polar bear."

On the Democratic ticket, Sen. Biden has been a longtime friend of animal welfare in the Senate, and has received high marks year after year on the Humane Scorecard. In the current session of Congress, Sen. Biden co-sponsored measures to stop horse slaughter, upgrade the penalties for animal fighting, ban the possession of fighting dogs and attendance at a dogfight, and call on Canada to stop its annual massacre of baby harp seals. He has consistently signed onto letters requesting increased funds for the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and the federal animal fighting law.

Biden has not only supported animal protection legislation during his career, but has also led the fight on important issues. He was the co-author with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) in the 108th Congress on legislation to ban the netting of dolphins by commercial tuna fishermen. He was the lead author of a bill in the 107th Congress to prohibit trophy hunting of captive exotic mammals in fenced enclosures, and he successfully passed the bill through the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The crack down on dog fighting
is stirring a new form of cruelty
called “trunking.”
(Pet Pulse Photo by Zhenia Koval , Design by Mike Lloyd)

NEW YORK -- One of the most barbaric forms of animal cruelty has an underbelly which for years has remained literally hidden in darkness: “Trunking” is dog fighting’s ugly secret.

“It’s just that taboo,” Tio Hardiman, a Chicago-based, dog fighting consultant to the Humane Society of the United States.

Capt. Steve Shatkin of the New Jersey SPCA described trunking to Pet Pulse at the state’s headquarters in New Brunswick.

“Two dogs will be thrown, literally, into the trunk of a car like this,” Shatkin said, pointing to a mid-sized car in NJSPCA’s parking lot. “(The) trunk is closed, and the operators either drive around for a set period of time, or just leave them in there with the trunk closed."

“And after a certain time, open the trunk, and the best man left is standing. And it’s a bloody mess in there, and that’s how they declare a winner.”

The carcass of the defeated dog is typically tossed to the side of the road, says Hardiman, who also is a pit bull advocate.

“Once in a while I’ve seen it, OK?” Hardiman said. “I know some guys may have put some dogs in a trunk. They fought, and then the next thing you know they turned the music up real loud -- for about 15 minutes, maybe 30 minutes.

“And then you open up the trunk, one of the dogs might be dead, the other one might be mangled up.”

Across the country, Pet Pulse conducted numerous interviews with officers in animal control and law enforcement specializing in animal cruelty cases. Due to the nature of trunking, relatively few had even handled a trunking case first-hand.

For some dog fighters, trunking is a chosen method because it is so difficult for police to detect, in fact nearly impossible, authorities say. Typically it can neither be seen nor heard.

“(For) law enforcement driving by, it wouldn’t raise an eyebrow,” said NJSPCA Cpl. Al Peterson, whose beat includes known dog fighting ghettos in the crime-ridden city of Newark.

Inner cities are prime trunking territory, with participants partial to larger cars with spacious trunks, Peterson says.

“I found out about it through police intelligence coming out of North Carolina,” Peterson said of how the re-born crime hit his radar. “The criminal element never sleeps. They’re always thinking of some kind of way to do something to get it done.”

Trunking has existed for at least two decades, authorities say. Yet not a single agency contacted by Pet Pulse could claim one arrest, much less a conviction for trunking.

“It’s out there,” Shatkin said. “And it’s a technique that amateur, urban dog fighters will use as a way to thwart law enforcement. It’s just another creative, brutal method of dog fighting.”

While fighting dogs in trunks is not new in concept, the term, “trunking,” is, Hardiman says. The results of a Google search proved it with barely a notable entry surfacing after entering “trunking” and “dog fighting.”

During his younger days, Hardiman says he ran Chicago’s mean streets and associated with dog fighters. While the illegal blood sport is still rampant in the Windy City, Hardiman says trunking is more prevalent on the East Coast.

“Nobody’s heard about it,” said Hardiman, as he walked through the West Side of Chicago’s Austin section with his own pit bull. “This is the first time that it’s really come up again, and it’s resurfaced just a little bit.”

Urban youth, often unable to afford entertainment, sometimes use trunking for amusement at the expense of helpless dogs, Hardiman says.
“If your music is blasting, you can actually be driving around. So it’s like a thrill,” Hardiman said. “It’s exciting just to have those dogs gorging each other up in the trunk, while you’re smoking a blunt or something like that.”

But the web of dog fighting’s underground hierarchy is best defined by three levels, according to Hardiman.

“Level One:” one-on-one street fights arranged by teens, with little or no money gambled.

“Level Two:” fights in abandoned buildings or garages, often involving those with gang affiliations, with hundreds to thousands of dollars wagered.

“Level Three:” sophisticated dog rings, like Michael Vick’s, carried out in a pit with spectators, handlers and a referee, with up to hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake.

Trunking typically happens on Level Two, and can serve as a dog-fighting training ground for dogs and breeders, Hardiman says.

“You can definitely build your reputation, because every time you come out of the trunk and you don’t have many scars on you, you won the fight,” Hardiman said.

“Once they let you out of the trunk, your reputation gets bigger, and bigger and bigger because you had the baddest fighting dog.”

Recalling a cruelty call in Norfolk, Va., Mark Kumpf, a former animal control officer for the city, told Pet Pulse he confronted juveniles suspected of trunking.

“The dogs had some clearly fresh injuries on them. And we were able, through our investigation, to determine that they had actually placed the dogs in a vehicle a short time before and allowed the dogs to fight,” said Kumpf, who now is the president of the National Animal Control Association in Kansas City.

Stacey Coleman, president of Indy Pit Crew, a pit bull advocacy group in Indianapolis, says some known gang members told her they were involved in trunking.

“It was something that these particular young people were aware of,” Coleman told Pet Pulse. “They suggested they had participated in it.”

To end the streets’ appeal of dog fighting, Hardiman helps rehabilitate former dog fighters and their pit bulls through the Humane Society’s Campaign to End Dog Fighting. A few of the program’s participants and their dogs roamed the streets with Hardiman during Pet Pulse’s interview.

One of those men -- a former dog fighter -- says he no longer fights dogs and advocates against the practice.

Wanting to only be referred to as “Marco,” he recounted his dog fighting days, telling Pet Pulse the mutilation of innocent dogs had only bothered him for one reason in particular.

While the loss pinched Marco’s wallet, Pet Pulse asked if the dogs’ injuries ever hurt his conscience.

“Back then you didn’t really care. You trained it, fed it to do what it do,” Marco said.

Marco’s candor continued with an answer about if, at that time, he had any feelings at all for a dog maimed in a fight.

That lack of empathy toward the canine victims represents a prevailing attitude among those involved in trunking, Hardiman says.

“Guys are just in the swing of things, guys in the community,” he said, adding they figure, “Hey look, it sounds like it’s something good to do, fight some dogs in a trunk, OK?”

The HSUS told Pet Pulse that national statistics on animal cruelty convictions from dog fighting are not kept. While the NJSPCA says that since the Vick case, tips from the public have increased but dog fighting arrests have not.

“I don’t think we’re going to just be able to put the brakes on it,” Shatkin said. “We just have to persevere, and we have to continue our efforts in law enforcement.”

To report suspected trunking, dog fighting or other illegal animal fighting, call 877-TIP-HSUS.

Tell us what you think about “Hidden in Darkness: ‘Trunking’ is Dog Fighting’s Ugly Secret” below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204.

Dog protected abandoned newborn, doctors say

CNN) -- A dog sheltered a newborn baby abandoned by its 14-year-old mother in a field in rural Argentina until the boy was rescued, a doctor said Friday.

The abandoned infant was found in a field with this dog and her newborn puppies.

A resident of a rural area outside La Plata called police late Wednesday night to say that he had heard the baby crying in a field behind his house.

The man went outside and found the infant lying beside the dog and its six newborn puppies, said Daniel Salcedo, chief of police of the Province of Buenos Aires.

The dog had apparently carried the baby 50 meters from where his mother had abandoned him to where the puppies were huddled, police said.

"She took it like a puppy and rescued it," Salcedo said. "The doctors told us if she hadn't done this, he would have died.

Dr. Egidio Melia, director of the Melchor Romero Hospital in La Plata, said police showed up at the hospital at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday with the baby, who doctors say was only a few hours old.

Though the infant had superficial scratches and bruises and was bleeding from his mouth, he was in good shape, Melia said.

The next morning, the child's mother was driven by a neighbor to the hospital and told authorities that the 8-pound, 13-ounce infant is hers, Melia said.

The teenager was immediately given psychological treatment and was hospitalized, he said. She has said little about the incident.

The child has been transferred to a children's hospital in La Plata, 37 miles from Buenos Aires

Animal Advocate Ginny Wiltsey Joins the Board of Directors of the Humane Society of The Piedmont

High Point, NC, USA – 08/01/08 – Local Animal Advocate and Business Owner Ginny Wiltsey was inducted to the Board of Directors for the Humane Society of the Piedmont Wednesday, July 30, 2008.

“I am deeply honored to be given this incredible opportunity to assist The Humane Society of the Piedmont in its efforts to eliminate animal cruelty and the tragedies of pet overpopulation through an aggressive spay and neuter program,” said Ms. Wiltsey.

The Humane Society of the Piedmont addresses a variety of animal issues, but is currently focused on the need for implementing widespread sterilization programs by educating pet owners on the urgency of spaying and neutering all companion animals. The issue has been critically compounded by the housing crisis as pet owners all over the nation abandon pets when they abandon their foreclosed homes. Additionally, more people are giving up their pets as they determine ways to trim their budgets due to rising gas prices and the impact to the cost of living.

“I've been directly involved in animal rescue and related efforts for years now and I consider this my challenge to advance to the next stage, which is creating an educated public whose single-minded goal should become reducing animal population to controllable levels,” added Ms. Wiltsey.

Ms. Wiltsey went on to say she does not intend to cease her efforts in animal rescue. “I think we must address the absolute need to change society's view of animal issues by championing new laws to reduce cruelty via stronger and harsher penalties, and by creating avenues of animal welfare education that jump start our youth at an early age onto the path of compassion and responsible care for the animals in our world. Early education on responsible pet ownership is the key and the challenge is to find multiple ways to create a different mind-set in our society so future generations are not as careless about animal population control tactics and more caring towards saving animals.”

Ginny Wiltsey is the Owner, President and Designer of Classy Sassy Paws, Inc., a locally based wholesale pet couture company. She is also a couture designer for people and celebrities on a custom order basis. She is an animal welfare & rescue advocate active in rescue, event coordinating, adoption, fostering and fund-raising. She is a public speaker on various topics related to animal advocacy such as Responsible Pet Ownership. Ginny is also the creator of Animal Rescue Groups of North Carolina (www.argnc.com), a web site dedicated to being a one-stop information clearinghouse for various aspects of animal advocacy, including rescue, spay & neuter clinics and public education on animal welfare.

Pet owners spending more on veterinary care
11:52 AM CDT on Monday, July 21, 2008
By JESSICA MEYERS / The Dallas Morning News
jmeyers@dallasnews.com

Debra Gwathney spent her $600 stimulus check on her three cats.

Summer Rose took on a second job to pay for her pug's hip replacement.

And Christine Lewis says she dishes out more on her beagle than her friends do on their toddlers.

Quirky, neighborhood cat-lady types? The kind who dress their animals in knitted sweaters and feed them organic cheese-nip biscuits?

Far from it. But the three Dallas women are part of a growing legion of pet owners around the country choosing to invest in their animals' well-being even as their own health-care costs are rising.

"If you are an animal lover, it's worth it," said Ms. Rose, 30, as she waited for her dog to get $300 worth of shots at Hillside Veterinary Clinic on Mockingbird Lane.

LARA SOLT / DMN
Jake, a 16-year-old cocker spaniel, recouperates at Hillside Veterinary Clinic in Dallas.
View larger Photography Photo store She has shelled out at least $12,000 on a litany of dogs and cats in the past decade.

Even with the latest accounts of abandoned pets and packed animal shelters, owners are expected to spend a record $43 billion on their pets this year, $2 billion more than last year, according to a survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

About 67 percent of U.S. households own a pet, and chances are they spend half their pet costs on vet visits and over-the-counter medicine, the survey said.

"Pets don't live in the back yard anymore," said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, a professor of small-animal medicine at Texas A&M University. "They live in the house. Their role in our lives has changed. Some say they're family members."

This means pet owners are making more sacrifices, especially since veterinary advancements in the past two decades have made health care pricier, Dr. Beaver said.

Katherine Wells, a veterinarian at the Veterinary Referral Center of North Texas, said she's seen clients take out a second mortgage to pay for their pets' surgery.

Her Far North Dallas clinic offers everything from animal ophthalmology to radiology and internal medicine. Surgical procedures can cost more than $3,000.

Still, on a recent weekday morning, dogs and cats filled the small waiting room.

Although pet owners – many of whom are young professionals without children or empty nesters who have replaced their kids with animals – are willing to pay for major procedures, veterinarians worry they will cut down on basic care with the economic downturn.

"They are shying away from preventive things that will cost them more money in the long run," said Bernadine Cruz, a veterinarian and official of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Cruz recommends pet insurance – a health-care option better known in the United Kingdom – along with annual trips to the vet.

Less than 1 percent of pet owners in the U.S. have pet insurance, but the market is expanding. Only a handful of companies existed when Veterinary Pet Insurance, the country's oldest and largest animal health-care provider, started business in the early 1980s, said company spokesman Brian Iannessa. That number has since doubled, and Mr. Iannessa said business is better than ever.

"People are recognizing its value more so these days and holding on to their medical plans as they face economic uncertainty," he said. "They want to make the best medical decision without finances getting in the way."

The company has about 450,000 clients, double what it had six years ago. It charges about $25 a month for dogs and $20 a month for cats.

None of the current 11 pet insurance companies cover pre-existing conditions, a factor that has Fort Worth residents Ben and Carolyn Cason skeptical of such organizations.

"I just don't trust it ... all those disclaimers. You think, 'Gosh, what are they going to do?' " she said.

The retired couple, both 66, has spent more than $50,000 on their Shih Tzus in the past decade.

This week, they took Sassy, one of their five Shih Tzus, to the Veterinary Referral Center for a swollen lymph gland.

Ms. Cason shrugged. "I don't know. It doesn't matter. They're just like our children. They're a reason to get up in the morning."

July 4th Fireworks Are No Blast For Pets

The Humane Society of the United States

Returning home from a holiday celebration, Sharon Moore and her family discovered feces on their living room floor.

The sliding glass door to their backyard was open, and a hole had been dug under their fence.

The Moores were gone for only four hours, but D.O.G., their 2-year-old, aptly-named white German Shepherd, was gone. Left on her own to face the tumult of fireworks and loud celebrations, she escaped, apparently to seek the familiar—her family—even if she had no idea where to look.

"From what we can tell, when D.O.G. heard the fireworks she freaked out and pooped on the floor inside—for the first time ever—then she opened the sliding glass door with her paw, and dug a hole outside our fence.... She went searching for us," said Moore, of Maitland, Fla.

The Moores' search for D.O.G. ended when she was found dead alongside a road where she was often walked.

Moore believes that D.O.G., who wasn't normally scared of thunder or other loud noises, panicked from the cumulative effects of the fireworks, the excited voices outside, and being left alone inside the house.

The Moores' tragic loss isn't unique. Pets often become frightened and frantic by the noise and commotion of Independence Day. In fact, animal shelters across the country are accustomed to receiving "July 4th" dogs—dogs who run off during fireworks celebrations and are rescued by animal control officers or good samaritans who take them to the safety of a local shelter.

Fortunately, preventing pet problems on Independence Day is possible by simply planning ahead and taking some basic precautions.

"With a little bit of planning and forethought, you can enjoy the excitement of the Fourth of July and know that your animal companion is safe, sound, and enjoying a little peace and quiet," said Nancy Peterson, an issues specialist with The Humane Society if the United States.

Resist the urge to take your pet to fireworks displays.
Do not leave your pet in the car. With only hot air to breathe inside a car, your pet can suffer serious health effects—even death—in a few short minutes. Partially opened windows do not provide sufficient air, but they do provide an opportunity for your pet to be stolen.

Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you've removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company while you're attending Fourth of July picnics, parades, and other celebrations.

If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.
Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn't leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Animals found running at-large should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners.

If you plan to go away for the holiday weekend, read our information on Caring for Pets When You Travel.

If you follow these simple precautions, you and your pet can have a safe and happy Fourth of July.

Bearing horrific scars, Gunny the pit bull has inspired people to give and to care.

By Karen Sullivan

ksullivan@charlotteobserver.com

JONATHAN YOUNG - jyoung@charlotteobserver.com

Gunny the pit bull relaxes with Amy Murphy, his caretaker, largely unhindered by his amputated leg and scarred body. Murphy suspects Gunny was once used as a “bait” to train other dogs in the fighting ring.

Meet GunnyWhen : 7 tonight.

Where : The Wine Vault, 9009-1 J.M. Keynes Drive in University Place shopping center.

Details : www.northmecklenburganimalrescue.org

Gunny developed a following online at www.northmecklenburganimalrescue.org, where Amy Murphy writes bios of the animals.

You can send a donation to the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 241, Harrisburg, NC 28075.

Gunny’s body is scarred and he’s missing part of one leg, but otherwise it’s hard to believe this dog was once apparently bait in a dog-fighting operation.

The pit bull terrier survived his ordeal with his spirit unbroken. He’s loving, gentle and eager for affection and playtime.

Hundreds have donated money and gifts, followed his recovery online and found inspiration in his character. Now they plan to celebrate.

Gunny’s caregiver, Amy Murphy, is inviting his supporters and the public to meet him today at the Wine Vault in the University City area.

Other dogs aren’t invited. Gunny is still recovering from two surgeries, and as many as 100 people hope to attend, based on e-mails.

“One of the things I’ve learned from Gunny is how willing people can be to help,” said Murphy, a volunteer with the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue who took Gunny in last month.

One of the first people to help found the 2- or 3-year-old dog on the side of a road and delivered him to an animal rescue agency. It didn’t take pit bulls, so Gunny ended up at an animal control center in Greenville, S.C.

Laurel Watson, a Dallas, N.C., volunteer for the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, was scanning the animal control center’s Web site in May. Pictures of Gunny with a badly mangled leg moved her.

She didn’t want to see the dog suffer for days waiting to be euthanized.

Watson took Gunny to Lake Cross Veterinary Hospital in Huntersville. A veterinarian there said that Gunny didn’t have to be put down, but he urgently needed medical attention.

Murphy, a friend of Watson’s, agreed to take Gunny in temporarily.

Gunny brushed against Murphy, seeking affection, when she arrived to pick him up from the veterinarian’s office. He was so dirty she asked if he might have a contagious condition.

His body was covered with scars – so many bite marks that no one has counted.

At first Murphy thought he was wearing a purple cast on his leg.

The leg was, instead, badly swollen, disfigured and infected, with a 3-inch wound that oozed so continuously it left a puddle.

“That’s when I started crying,” Murphy said.

Murphy and Watson said a dog of Gunny’s nature, one who would not fight, would have been used as bait, tied down near fighting dogs that likely tore into him in “training” sessions.

Watson and Murphy and others circulated e-mails to raise money for Gunny’s medical care.

Donations so far total about $1,800, and treatments have cost about $2,100.

“This is a very rare thing to have his medical bills paid for,” said Beth Phillips, president and co-owner of the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue in Harrisburg.

His injured leg has been amputated and a second surgery unblocked his salivary glands.

Gunny, as tough as the gunnery sergeants he was named for, licked the caregivers who prodded, poked and subjected him to other painful medical procedures.

“His spirit is amazing,” Murphy said. “He has every reason to be afraid and timid. He has no reservations about people or animals. His ability to let things go and move on is so incredible.”

Gunny gets along well with Murphy’s other dog, Oscar, and three cats – all rescued castoffs.

Murphy, who lives in Harrisburg, still regularly posts information about Gunny at the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue Web site, as she does for many animals that are available for adoption.

Gunny, though, developed a following.

“That dog has been to hell and back, but he looked like the happiest dog you could ever see,” said Gene Pleas, who met Gunny this month at a birthday party that Murphy hosted for her dog Oscar. “He was hopping around on three legs with a ball in his mouth.

“If we can’t draw some kind of parallel, I think we’re missing the boat.”

As many of you know we do not have a/c at the shelter. The animals are suffering terribly from this. We have collected enough money for one unit, and one unit has been donated. To finish cooling the dog ward we need one more unit. Please go to the below link to donate for the shelter. The animals need everyone's support. Thank you.

By RODRIQUE NGOWI, Associated Press Writer
Mon Jun 2, 5:27 PM ET

AP Photo: Heather Watkins,
a first year veterinary school
student holds a four-year-old
miniature pinscher named 'Jack'...

FRANKLIN, Mass. - Diana Bardsley wiped tears from her eyes as she recalled taking food off her plate to feed her beloved spaniel Hunter and two Siamese cats.

Her greatest fear: that she could be forced to surrender the animals as she struggled to stretch her food stamps and Social Security income to meet the escalating cost of living.

Some hope was restored after she visited a local food pantry, which has started offering free pet food to help owners keep their animals out of shelters.

"I know a lot of people will probably say, 'Well, if you don't have enough money to be able to feed your animals, that you shouldn't have pets,'" said Bardsley, 53, of Franklin, as Hunter played in the living room with three of her grandchildren.

But, "Just because financially you may go downhill a little or a lot, doesn't necessarily mean you have give the part of your family that you love," she said.

The rising costs of fuel, food and housing — and the rising tide of foreclosures — have generated a surge in requests for pet food from traditional food pantries and prompted some pet owners to give up their animals. Others are trying to save money by forgoing veterinary care.

The Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge, Ill., has seen the average number of pet owners getting monthly rations from its pet food pantry increase by more than 50 percent since last year. Meanwhile, the number of people seeking service at its discounted veterinary clinic has more than doubled, said Linda Estrada, the group's director and president.

"We could do it every day if we had enough food, I mean, that's how bad it's gotten," Estrada said. "The line goes all the way down the street" as pet owners gather once a month for supplies.

In Santa Cruz, Calif., a pet food bank run by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has seen demand spike by about 20 percent just in the past six months. The facility typically hands out about 5,000 pounds of free pet food a month.

"In the past, the demographics has been people who are disabled or on disability and senior citizens," said executive director Lisa Carter. "Nowadays, during the pet food program, I see people who are able-bodied and not able to find a job."

The deepening foreclosure crisis also is having an effect. A growing number of pet owners are abandoning their pets or surrendering them to shelters after losing their homes or being forced into housing that doesn't allow animals, said Brian Adams, spokesman for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Animal Medical Center.

"We've seen where people have abandoned dogs in the house, we've seen dogs that have been surviving for weeks on toilet water, we've seen dogs that have either been chained up outside or left in the yard when the people have left, we've seen cats who are just set free," Adams said.

"We've seen people do something sort of in the middle of the road — where they don't abandon it, they don't surrender it, but they give it to a neighbor or friend and then that person brings it in maybe a week or two later when they realize, you know, it was something that was sort of dumped on them when they weren't really ready for it yet," he said.

Petco Foundation, the charity arm of Petco Animal Supplies Inc., is establishing a program to provide up to $5,000 in grants to shelters to train, care for or find new homes for pets abandoned during the foreclosure crisis, said director Paul Jolly. The program will also benefit shelters that help pet owners find homes that allow pets or supply food to disadvantaged homeowners who want to keep their animals.

Dianne Dunning holds Jacqueline, a just-bathed 6-year-old beagle that served as a research and teaching dog at NCSU.

Animal welfare advocates hoping to save the lives of nine dogs have frantically contacted N.C. State University's veterinary school this week, after an e-mail message hinting at the canines' imminent demise was widely circulated on the Internet.

If you've seen that message, relax. The dogs most certainly will not be euthanized by Friday, as feared. In fact, it's highly unlikely they will be put to sleep at all.

The message that started the furor was originally intended just for students, faculty and staff of NCSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. The impassioned plea sought help finding homes for nine dogs that had been used for teaching and research.

The message said that if the dogs were not adopted by Friday, they would "go to a terminal study." It noted the service the dogs had given to research. It listed their names. It linked to color photos.

Sometime Friday night or Saturday morning, the message was posted on Craigslist. From there it was copied and pasted to numerous other Web sites, asking people to call or send a message to the veterinary school.

Dianne Dunning, assistant dean at the school, started getting calls Saturday. She was still getting them Wednesday afternoon. More than 130 so far, including one from an animal-rescue group in California that said it was prepared to send a plane to North Carolina to get the whole canine crew.

"It's been wonderful," said a patient and smiling Dunning, who hasn't been able to get much else done for trying to return the calls and e-mail. "People really care."

The dogs were not in immediate danger of being euthanized, said Dunning and Warwick Arden, dean of the vet school. In fact, Warwick said, NCSU's is one of only a handful of vet schools across the nation that has made it a practice to try to find homes for all its research animals: dogs, cats, ferrets, anything that would make a good pet. The school has had the placement program for 14 years.

NCSU buys its research animals, most often from breeders who raise them for that purpose, Dunning said. Most dogs used for research are beagles or hounds, and the animals may stay at the vet school for a few months or a year.

While they're there, Dunning said, they're well cared for, doted on by students and faculty. They have regularly scheduled play times, plenty of food and the best in animal health care.

In exchange, they may be used to teach veterinary students how to draw a blood sample, how to listen to a heartbeat or what a healthy limb should feel like during a physical exam. They may be used to test how fast a medication enters and exits the system.

At the end of their service, the animals are offered to the people who have worked most closely with them -- those who teach and study at the vet school. If suitable homes are not found for all the animals that way, Dunning said, the school works with local agencies that handle animal adoptions.

Only as a last resort, Warwick said, would the animals be euthanized, and that rarely happens at NCSU. Warwick said schools that routinely euthanize their research animals do so in a way that contributes to research or teaching, such as using tissue samples to study disease and develop treatments.

Already, Dunning said, arrangements have been made for three of the nine dogs now available for adoption. Enough people have called in that the other six will be placed in homes, too, she said.

It takes awhile, she said, because the dogs are state property, and a lot of paperwork is involved in transferring them to private ownership.

Warwick said that although it's gratifying to see such interest in these dogs, "The real tragedy is that at animal shelters across the country there are 3 million dogs and cats euthanized each year" because no one offers them a home.

From: Carrie Weeks <carrie@carrietransport.com>
Sent: Sun, 25 May 2008 3:32 pm
Subject: Albrightsville, PA - DNA/DNR/DNT/DNF

DNA/DNT/DNR

It is with a very heavy heart I have to tell you about a situation that occurred last night.

My transport for this weekend included a little 10 week old puppy….he did great all day yesterday and arrived at his overnight safe & sound. I had talked with her at length yesterday about his care and the adoption process and what
would need to happen should she want to adopt him and she understood. Several emails and a reference check later
I decided to allow her to have him for the night….it was only to be about 12 hours.

I got a phone call at 6:45 this morning from the overnight that she wanted to keep him. She explained that her
daughter had stepped on his foot accidentally and that she would just pay his adoption fee and get him to the vet.

I told her this was not acceptable and that she needed to get him to the transport. He had just 3 hours left to get to
his rescue and he would be treated there. She agreed but called back about an hour later and asked again, could she
just keep him.

I asked her at that time to just PLEASE get him to the transport and we would go from there.

She brought him to the transport and immediately the next driver knew that this was more than a stepped on toe or
foot. The next couple of legs were all very concerned for him. He had a vet appointment waiting for his immediate
arrival and was taken there. Upon examination he did not have a broken toe or foot…he has a broken pelvis!!!

You don’t get a broken pelvis by stepping on a puppies foot. I have spoken with the gal again and tried to get the real
story from her, but she stuck to her guns…she did not admit anything to me and once again said that she would just
“pay for the puppy and keep him”

Obviously this is NOT going to happen. He is now safe at his rescue and they will treat him and get him fixed up…but
this cannot be allowed to happen again.

The woman involved was: Laura Churchill
Albrightsville, PA 18210

This woman should not be allowed to adopt or drive or overnight or foster or anything else that
concerns the health and welfare of animals. I am sorry to everyone that trusts me to find good
people…this time I failed miserably and I feel like crap. Please say some prayers for this little guy.
He needs help to stay still and strong as he will have a rough road the next few weeks and beyond.
If you would like to help by making a contribution for his potential treatment, please let me know.

Carrie Weeks
Independent Transport Coordinator
Stillwater, NJ

I've written articles over the years about horses who survived amputation surgery. There was Boitron, the California Thoroughbred stallion who could service mares after amputation surgery. There were Dr. Ric Redden's dramatic cases of founder survivors who galloped around his paddock on artificial feet with "transplanted frogs". Dr. Chris Colles had the never-say-die Appaloosa in England with the spring-loaded foot. And who can forget that paint yearling in India ? Or the landmine-maimed elephant amputee in Thailand ? Longtime Hoofcare and Lameness Journal readers will remember them all.

So when I first heard that a pony had survived amputation surgery at Louisiana State University 's (LSU) equine hospital, I didn't run to the keyboard and beg for photos. A few weeks later I did, though.

Meet Molly. She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana . She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.

But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.

"This was the right horse and the right owner," Moore insists. "Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble." The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana . The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.

"The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life," Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports. "And she asks for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too." And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. "It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse," she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she had a good time doing it.

"It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life," Moore said, "She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others."

"She's not back to normal," Barca concluded. "She's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself."

This week, Molly the Pony, a children's book about the pony who has already inspired thousands of people around New Orleans , has been published.

It's not a book about amputation or prosthetics, it's a book about people and ponies. But the photos you see here are from the book.

Maybe Molly won't make the vet textbooks, but she might reach more people from the pages of this book for children. If you know a child, a library, a hospital, or maybe a therapeutic riding program that can use a lift, here's a book that can do that. And you can explain how the leg and hoof work!

HOW TO ORDER: This book is an oversized, square "laminated" (so it wipes clean) hard cover book. Hoofcare Publishing is proud to offer it for sale to you at the price of $15.95 each plus $6 post. A portion of the sales price will go toward Molly's fund. To order, send check or money to Hoofcare Books, 19 Harbor Loop, Gloucester MA 01930 . Telephone orders to ( USA ) 978 281 3222. Fax orders to ( USA ) 978 283 8775. Email orders to books@hoofcare.com. Visa or Mastercard accepted; please supply account number and expiration date. When ordering, please give phone and/or email details.

This is Molly's most recent prosthesis. The bottom photo shows the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind!

Jan Rasmusen, author of the national-award winning book, Scared Poopless: The Straight Scoop on Dog Care,, and two anonymous dog lovers announce a combined $35,000 matching gift to The Rabies Challenge Fund. Jan’s gift is being made on behalf of her dog, Chiclet, in honor of Chiclet’s companion, Jiggy, who developed autoimmune liver disease after a rabies shot.

Jan Rasmusen says, “By helping to fund the Rabies Challenge studies, we have the chance to help better the lives of, not just hundreds of dogs, or even thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dogs. We can potentially help to improve the health of every pet dog in America. How exciting is that!”

The anonymous donors add: "We are totally dedicated to the Rabies Challenge Fund and its mission and are so pleased to be able to support it with this matching gift of $25,000.”

From May 1st to August 31st, for donations of $100 or more, Jan and the anonymous donors will match $1 of every $2 donated up to $35,000, and Jan will send an autographed copy of her book for donations above $500 as well. Also, Chiclet has enlisted the support of canine movie star, Benji, who says "This important study is long overdue. I give the Rabies Challenge study four BIG paws up!"

"Donations from our team of dedicated supporters, like Jan and the anonymous dog lovers, along with steady grass-roots public contributions have launched our second year of fund-raising with a bang!" responds Fund Co-Trustee, Dr. W. Jean Dodds.

Funded by grass-roots donations, the rabies challenge studies began in November 2007 with the goal of extending the required interval for rabies boosters to five, and then seven years. Dr. Ronald Schultz, Chair of the Department of Pathobiology of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, is conducting the studies according to USDA vaccine-licensing standards. Previous French research on the rabies vaccine demonstrated a minimum of five years duration of immunity by challenge. American serological studies showed a minimum duration of immunity of seven years.

"It is so exciting and important to get support for the Rabies Challenge Fund from as many dog owners as possible. The very generous combined $35,000 matching gift from Jan Rasmusen and the anonymous donors will go a long way to provide the funding required for these critically important rabies vaccine studies,” comments Dr. Schultz.

Fund founder, Kris L. Christine, says, “We’re thrilled about these generous gifts and Benji’s endorsement, which will make a huge difference in helping us meet our second year’s budget for the studies!”

Find more information on the matching $35,000 gift to The Rabies Challenge Fund at our website designed by Andrea Brin www.RabiesChallengeFund.org and on Jan Rasmusen’s Truth 4 Dogs website at www.truth4Dogs.org.

By Kim Campbell Thornton MSNBC contributor updated 8:46 a.m. ET, Mon., April. 28, 2008

Courtesy of Ellen Franklin After alerting his family to a fire in the house, Tripp, a three-legged dog, received the Golden Retriever Club of America’s G.R.A.C.E. award, given to rescued goldens with significant and exceptional accomplishments.

A man followed a trail of blood that led beneath his house. There he found a cat, skinny and full of fleas, that had been shot in the leg. He took the stray to a veterinarian, where the initial decision was to euthanize the animal.

“I had just given him a tranquilizer and when I sat by his cage, talking to him, he started purring and licking my hand, so I asked the doctor if he could try to save him instead,” says veterinary technician Randi Golub, of Eugene, Ore. “He had to have one of his legs amputated because it had been shattered by the gunshot.”

Golub cared for the cat as he slowly regained health and eventually adopted him. Now three years later, Cassidy climbs to the top of his cat tree with as much agility as Golub’s four-legged cats.

Historically, most animals like Cassidy were euthanized without much of a second thought, under the rationalization that their lives wouldn't be worth living minus a leg or an eye. Today, while there are no hard statistics on how many pets undergo surgeries such as amputation or removal of an eye instead of euthanasia, veterinarians say there's more discussion about and use of other options.

Part of the reason is that modern advances in rehabilitation techniques, pain management and cancer therapy have contributed to the successful treatment of dogs and cats with devastating injuries and other disfiguring diseases and conditions.

There's also an increasing realization that these animals adapt extremely well to disabilities that people would view as crushing handicaps. Because pets are already agile, flexible and adaptable, those skills really help them when they lose a leg or their vision, experts say.

"It’s always a very emotional thing," veterinarian John Hamil of Canyon Animal Hospital in Laguna Beach, Calif., says of the decision to either euthanize an animal or try to save it, even when that means the loss of a body part.

"But with explanation of how well animals can cope," he says, "I’ve never had a lot of resistance."

The animals can cope, but can they really get around as well as four-legged animals?

“We have a number of patients who’ve had a leg amputated,” says Susan Little, a veterinarian in Toronto, Canada, and president of the Winn Feline Foundation. “They’re so good on their three legs that I have to remind myself that they only have three legs because they’re just so competent. It’s quite amazing what they can cope with.”

Longfellow, a dachshund, was 10 months old when he was adopted by Sheila Phillips of Tybee Island, Ga. She trained him as a therapy dog and he visited schools, hospitals and nursing homes. He loved to run and placed third in the local Weiner Dog race in 2005. Longfellow had one bad habit, though: He was anescape artist.

ourtesy of Sheila Phillips Losing a leg hasn't kept Longfellow the dachshund out of the game. He won the local Weiner Dog race last year.

“In July of 2006 he escaped from our beach house and went playing out in the street,” Phillips says. “Next thing we knew, he had been hit by a car. We did not think he would make it because he had a broken leg, a severed sciatic nerve, a crushed pelvis and many other injuries. We were devastated. He loved to run so much and now we thought he never would again.”

Longfellow survived, but his hind leg had to be amputated. Phillips took him swimming to help strengthen his other legs and he attempted to run with other dogs until he could get along pretty well on three legs. He also resumed his therapy dog visits.

“We started going to Memorial Health Rehab Center, where he visited patients who’d had their legs amputated. He was a big hit there,” Phillips says. “One gentleman at the rehab unit said, ‘If Longfellow can do it, I can too.’

Advances in rehab techniques such as aquatic therapy for animals help pets like Longfellow recover as well as they do. Prosthetic limbs are rare, but pets with paralysis issues can get around with the help of carts that keep them rolling along.

Last year, Phillips entered Longfellow in the Wiener Dog race again. He won, beating 178 four-legged Dachshunds on his three legs, and is currently practicing for the 2008 race.

When an animal loses a limb, the location of that missing limb can play an important role in adaptation. Cats, for instance, carry the majority of their weight on the hind legs.

“If they lose a front leg, that’s the half of the body that doesn’t carry as much weight, so it’s a really quick adaptation,” Little says, “but even if they lose the hind leg, they just learn how to shift the weight onto the other three legs.” It was just the opposite for Longfellow.

“Our vet ... said if Longfellow had to lose a leg, it was better to lose one on the back,” Phillips says, “because most of a dachshund's weight is on his front.”

Three-legged hero
Tripp, a golden retriever, is another example of a dog that has overcome adversity and gone on to great — in this case, heroic — things.

A stray dog hit by a car, he ended up in the care of Tennessee Valley Golden Retriever Rescue, but by the time they took him in, his leg was irreparable and had to be amputated. Then fortune found him. He caught the eye of Ellen Franklin of Marietta, Ga., when she saw him listed on petfinder.com.

“Nobody wanted a three-legged dog, but I have to tell you, there hasn’t been a problem,” Franklin says. “He doesn’t know he’s only got three legs.”

Tripp is also a therapy dog, and he and Franklin visit local nursing homes where he’s quite popular with residents. But what he’s famous for occurred last year.

Franklin’s daughter had come over to spend the night. Late at night, Tripp woke them up.

“He was barking and biting at me and then he ran across to my daughter’s bedroom door and jumped up and then ran back to me,” Franklin says.

The house was full of smoke. Franklin called 911 and they all got out of the house safely. Because of Tripp’s early warning, the house was saved, too.

He was honored by the local fire department and later received the Golden Retriever Club of America’s G.R.A.C.E. award, given to rescued goldens with significant and exceptional accomplishments.

Relying on other senses In some cases, animals that have sustained devastating injuries, particularly a loss of vision or hearing, can adapt by relying more heavily on their other senses to guide them. Take Jimmy, for instance, a stray kitten who lost both eyes to infection.

Golub, who took in Cassidy the injured cat, adopted Jimmy last Christmas. "We were trying to find a home for him when Cassidy just fell in love with him, decided that was going to be his kitten," she says. "Cassidy took him under his wing.

" Today, Jimmy is thriving. “Unless you look at his face and see that he has no eyes, you really can’t tell that he’s blind,” Golub says. “He uses his other senses and of course he has his whiskers. He goes by feel a lot, but he can navigate the whole house.”

When animals lose their sight early in life, like Jimmy or Little’s one-eyed cat Lily, the brain’s plasticity at that young age helps pets adjust rapidly to their new situation.

“I’ve talked to other people who have blind cats, and we’re convinced there must be another way they can see because they do things that just seem impossible,” Golub says. “I’ll toss a sock toy to him that makes no noise at all and he’ll immediately run toward it and start playing with it.

If a cat on the other side of the room gets up, he’ll run right toward that cat to play with it.” Lily’s eye was removed when she was 5 or 6 weeks old.

“She’s grown up seeing the world through one eye,” Little says. “I’m sure her brain just switched developmental pathways, and she adapted quite quickly. She’s the most acrobatic of all my cats.”

When adult animals lose an eye, their brains aren’t as flexible, but they can still adjust with time. Owners may find that they jump a little less or move more hesitantly, but as long as the furniture stays in the same place, they do quite well.

When Golub tells people about Jimmy, they sometimes ask why she didn’t euthanize him.

“I spent a lot of time thinking about this before we adopted him,” Golub says. “He can do everything he needs without eyesight, and the fact that he can’t see makes absolutely no difference to him.”

Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning author who has written many articles and more than a dozen books about dogs and cats. She belongs to the Dog Writers Association of America and is past president of the Cat Writers Association. She shares her home in California with two Cavalier King Charles spaniels and one African ringneck parakeet.

North Carolina Lawyers Weekly
By DIANA SMITH, Staff Writer

A little girl scrambles along the edge of a swimming pool at a Wisconsin resort, her eyes fixed upon a chipmunk flailing in the aqua water.

Her parents, escorting her to dinner, assure her that the furry creature will paddle its way to safety. But on the family’s return trip, it was still struggling.

Before anyone can stop her, the youngster seizes the animal, and it scurries to safety but not before thanking her with a farewell bite.

That was Raleigh attorney Calley Gerber at age six, a compassionate child with a love for two things animals and how to protect them.

“It’s always been that way,” she said. “Animals first.”

Now, Gerber is applying that sentiment to her profession. Today, she opens her own practice Gerber Animal Law Center which will focus exclusively on animal issues.

It’s the first of its kind in North Carolina, according to Bill Reppy, who heads Duke University’s Animal Law Project. Other lawyers might handle a handful of cases involving animals cruelty, dog bites, custody issues but very few strike out into such territory on their own. Reppy knows of just two attorneys who have created self-sustaining animal law practices, one in Illinois and the other in Washington state.

That makes Gerber’s new firm a groundbreaking, but risky, venture. And she knows it.

“I decided to open an animal law firm, which some people which all people say you can’t make a living at,” Gerber said. “If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. I’ve done a lot of things people told me I couldn’t do.”

But increased attention to animal abuse in recent years, both in the Carolinas and nationally, may mean that the tides have turned in Gerber’s favor. North Carolina is the only state in the nation with a statute that allows private litigants to bring civil charges against violators of animal cruelty laws.

Other positive examples: In the past three years, laws were passed in both Carolinas that upgraded cockfighting to felonies. In 2006, South Carolina became the fourth state in the nation to ban “hog dog” fighting, where trained attack dogs fight trapped feral pigs.

Still, North Carolina placed in the bottom tier for the comprehensiveness of its state animal protection laws in 2007, according to an Animal Legal Defense Fund study. South Carolina fared slightly better, ranked in the middle tier.

A lifelong animal lover, Apex attorney Marianna Burt felt that she would be unable to make a living with an animal-only practice when she graduated from UNC in 1989. Today, she relies on her indigent criminal defense work as her bread and butter, but devotes 50 percent of her time to animal law cases. However, 60-70 percent of that animal work is pro bono, she said.

But winds of change appear to be blowing. Ninety-six of the 196 ABA-accredited law schools in the United States now offer courses in animal law, up from nine that offered them in 2000.

“This is probably the right time for someone to be doing this full-time,” said Burt. “Certain practices that are more lucrative, such as veterinary malpractice and custody issues, are really taking the field. You didn’t see that a few years ago.”

‘SAVE THE WORLD’ Gerber’s decision to open her animal law firm did not come easily. She spent her first five years after law school as a prosecutor in Colorado a dream come true for the woman who wanted to use her position to promote legal reform.But then my student loans came out of deferment, and I realized that I couldn’t live on that,” she said. “I was taking a pack of Saltines and a can of peas for lunch. I literally lost two sizes in one month. I finally had to say, ‘If I’m going to starve to death to prosecute, I probably should do something else.”Gerber moved to North Carolina and joined Wakefield Development as in-house counsel. But after eight years, she felt increasingly unfulfilled. She just didn’t love her work.“I’ve always had that ’save the world’ pull. I think that’s why I wanted to prosecute,” she said. “But I told myself to be grateful that I had a job that allowed me to pay my debts.”

With her two dogs, Presley and Justice, at her side, she sought happiness through increased activity with Great Dane rescue and other animal organizations.

But spending 40 or more hours of the business week doing unrewarding work took its toll. Gerber began to doubt if she was even meant to be an attorney a terrifying thought for a woman who told her mother at age 12 that she was going to be a lawyer.

So she hired a life coach.

A battery of tests revealed two things: Gerber was born to be a lawyer. But she would never be happy in corporate law.

“The next day, I quit,” she said.

She gave Wakefield three months notice. It was not an acrimonious breakup. Before her departure, the company even created a temporary Web page for Gerber to advertise her new endeavor.

Doubt inevitably crept in.

“The reality of quitting feels good for the first five minutes, and then there’s this ‘Oh, my God, how am I going to pay my bills?’ sensation,” she said.

“Then I decided fear is not a positive emotion and that I had to let the bad stuff go so that good things could come in.”

And so Gerber Animal Law Center was born.

DREAM BIG Gerber’s life coach posed a hypothetical question: “You’re on the cover of a national publication. What’s the magazine and what’s the story?”“It was the easiest question for me to answer,” she said. “I’m on the cover of Time magazine, and I’ve stopped factory farming.”Indeed, the treatment of farm animals is one of the issues that Gerber hopes to tackle as she develops her animal law practice. One exemption to the criminal statutes for animal abuse N.C. G.S. Sect. 14-360 precludes prosecution for cruelty to animals raised for food and agribusiness.“The abandonment of the North Carolina legislature about the treatment of farm animals is shocking,” said Reppy, from Duke. “It’s so irrational that it’s unconstitutional.”

That’s why Reppy is “simply delighted” that Gerber is willing to be an animal law pioneer. He envisions collaboration between Duke’s animal law clinic and Gerber’s new practice.

“We’ll be able to help Calley by getting the students in our clinic to work with her and do research,” Reppy said.

And while Gerber has her dream projects like the creation of more humane livestock laws, teaching at area law schools and amending the law that treats animals as property she is adamant that she is a realist, not an extremist.

“I’m not saying that animals need to have the status of human beings, but at the same time, if someone intentionally kills your animal, they shouldn’t only recover just the actual cost of property,” she said.

“If your dog is a mutt, you get zero damages under the market value test in most states. It just isn’t clear where North Carolina stands on that,” Reppy said.

In the past few weeks, publicity and word-of-mouth has led more than a dozen people to call Gerber with animal law questions. One woman wanted to know what actions she could take against a neighbor who shot and killed her dog as it ran away from him.

“A lot of people just want someone to listen to them,” said Gerber. “Granted, that doesn’t make any money or make the firm go, but in the early stages that’s what I’ve been doing.”

The sad reality is that some of those callers will have to be turned away.

“To sue is costly, and the remedy is limited in these cases, so there’s a decision to make,” Gerber said. “I know a lot of these cases will be take-it-and-lose, take-it-and-lose, take-it-and lose. But at the same time, that’s how the laws get changed.”

FOCUS AND PRIORITIES Exactly what will Gerber Animal Law Center do? It’s a work in progress, Gerber said.While she would never shy away from prosecuting, one of the major focuses of Gerber’s firm will be preventive measures that protect animals.Included in that category is the establishment of pet trusts and estates. According to the 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey, 63 percent of American households now own pets. But very few owners have set up protections for them when they die.

“Five hundred thousand animals are euthanized each year because owners haven’t made provisions for them,” said Gerber.

Gerber also wants to use her legal expertise to help people in animal-related professions such as dog groomers and dog-walkers set up businesses and draft contracts. Also falling under the umbrella could be veterinary malpractice cases. She’d even be happy to do special prosecution if the D.A.’s office was overburdened, she said.

One of Gerber’s grand visions is to see a rescue organization hold a fundraiser that would give it the money to retain her services to go after someone accused of cruelty, such as dog-fighters.

“I don’t know if this is something I can live on,” she said. “I’ve been told that it’s been tried before and that it’s very, very hard, depressing work. Because the protections aren’t there, you’re constantly faced with not being able to get the right thing done. You have to tell people that the law isn’t there yet. I know that people won’t necessarily be calling me because they’re happy. Usually something bad has happened.

“Maybe I’ve read too many of those books: Follow your passion and everything else will fall into place. I’ve been in practice 12 years. If I fall on my face, I can get another job. But if I never try, how will I know?

“You achieve what you believe, and I very much believe that.”

Questions or comments may be directed to diana.smith@nc.lawyersweekly.com.

ANIMAL LAW EDUCATION

A look at what law schools in North Carolina offer in animal law courses and related student organizations:

Duke University Home to the Animal Law Project, which offers courses and a clinic. Has the student Animal Law Society.Wake Forest University First offered an animal law course in Fall 2004.Established a Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter this year

Fox News.com
Thursday, April 17, 2008

U.S. streets could soon be overrun with cats if communities fail to get a handle on growing feline populations, a veterinary medicine researcher says.

The problem is growing numbers of not just strays, but also other free-roaming pet cats. The strays are likely to go unneutered or unspayed, and therefore to reproduce like mad.

On top of that, though, more than 38 million households own an estimated 88 million cats — that’s about one cat for every 3.5 Americans.

Those that aren’t “fixed” often can and do still wander freely outdoors or get lost and make kittens.

cat

• Click here to visit FOXNews.com’s Natural Science Center.

Fertile female cats produce an average of two litters of four to six kittens per year. As a result, up to 5 million U.S. cats are euthanized in shelters each year, according to estimates by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

A coordinated action on the part of policymakers, shelter organizations and cat owners is needed to try to control cat overpopulation, said researcher Linda K. Lord, assistant professor of veterinary preventive medicine at Ohio State University.

RelatedStories
Ancient Elephants Spent Most of Lives in Water Dancing Bears Filmed in Wild Humane Society Sues to Protect Sea Lions Western States Schedule Wolf Hunts China Gets Shy Pandas to Perform ‘Sexercise’ “If we don’t change something, we’re going to continue to lose this battle,” Lord said. “We’re going to have more and more cats reproducing, and we need to think about collective community approaches to prevent that.”

One city is taking strong measures. A mandatory pet sterilization ordinance goes into effect this month in Los Angeles. Cats and dogs must be spayed or neutered by the time the animal is 4 months old. Service and breeder dogs are exempt.

Cats have surpassed dogs as the most popular pet in the United States, according to a 2007–2008 National Pet Owners survey conducted by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

Feeding stray cats

To figure out what people want to do to prevent a profusion of street cats, Lord analyzed data from a telephone survey done last year of 703 households of Ohio, a state where many people say they tend to feed roaming cats and the population of cats entering shelters is on the rise.

The number of cats euthanized also is increasing, despite a stable human population. The study results showed that about a third of those surveyed see cats roaming the streets daily (which could include cats belonging to a neighbor, lost cats and strays).

About a quarter of respondents feed roaming cats and about a quarter of those folks feed the cats daily. About a quarter of the stray-cat feeders took the animals to the vet for some kind of care, including spaying or neutering.

The same percentage reported knowing the cats they fed had delivered at least one litter of kittens in the past year.

“I was surprised by how many households were feeding cats,” Lord said. “In an ideal world, if you’re going to take the responsibility to feed a cat, which is going to make it viable longer, then it would be best to at least try to get the cat altered, so it’s not adding to the numbers.”

The spay/neuter rate for cats among the surveyed owners ranged from an average of 75 percent in rural areas to 90 percent in urban areas, but “there is a huge population of cats that people provide some care for but don’t consider their own,” Lord said.

The spay/neuter rate for those cats is much lower.

The survey, detailed in the April 15 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, also found that perceptions about the need to regulate the cat population in Ohio differs among rural and urban dwellers and among cat owners and people who do not own pets.

It is reasonable to suggest that attitudes toward cat populations among those surveyed in Ohio might resemble those of people elsewhere in the country, she wrote in the journal, since Ohio is ranked seventh among states in human population and includes two of the 50 largest cities in the country.

Who herds cats?

The perception is that the government provides funding for the control of cats, but “by and large, that is not the case in Ohio,” Lord said. “Government has tended to not want to be involved with cats. And I don’t know if they can avoid it anymore.”

Most survey subjects approved of a “trap-neuter-return” approach, which relies on volunteers to trap colonies of wild cats, oversee spaying or neutering at a veterinary clinic, usually at low cost, and then returning the cats to their outdoor haunts with some mark that indicates they’ve been “fixed” (often a tiny tip of one of the cat’s ears is clipped off).

Trap-neuter-return programs are one piece of the puzzle and work for the wild or feral cats, Lord said, but they don’t deal with the other free-roamers.

In the past, much of the cat overpopulation burden has fallen onto humane societies, and “I don’t know if they have resources by themselves to do it,” she said. “I think that it is going to take a partnering.”

It’s important also to make sure all owned cats have tags or implanted microchip IDs, so neighbors can tell that free-roaming cats “are somebody’s,” Lord said.

More about cats

Other cat stats in Ohio:

— 60 percent of subjects owned pets, and 31 percent owned cats.

— Two out of three subjects said they like or love cats.

— About 40 percent of owners allow their cats to go outdoors.

— Half of survey respondents think laws should prohibit owners from letting cats roam outdoors (only one third of cat owners agree with this).

— 60 percent support spay-neuter laws for cats.

— 48 percent support using tax dollars to subsidize spay-neuter programs.

— Three quarters supported mandatory identification for all owned cats.

— 88 percent supported laws requiring rabies vaccines for cats.

Here are Lord’s tips for owners nationwide: Make sure pet cats, along with those you feed but don’t own, are spayed and neutered. Be willing to support ways to work with local government, veterinary groups and shelters to figure out how to address the problem of free-roaming cats.

“It gets very emotional, but I think groups have to work together to recognize there is not one solution that is going to work in every community,” Lord told LiveScience.

“Some of it is elevating the status of cats,” she said.

They are less likely to be tagged or carry other ID markers.

They are hardly ever reunified with owners, if lost, and “they get less veterinary care, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association,” she said. “Vet visits for cats is lower than that for dogs, the frequency of going. Is that because they are healthier? I’m not sure we can make that assumption.”

April 17, 2008 Guilford County Commissioners Public Meeting
Let's get something positive happening for the animals. They are counting on you and we need your help and support

If 16,000 arrive, 8,000 killed made headline news in the morning, we would all stop to find out what in the world was going on. Unfortunately it didn't and hasn't make headlines and it continues to go on unnoticed. It keeps on happening year after year. The unwanted, abandoned, neglected and abused animals of Guilford County pay the price as 8,000 sweet souls are euthanized year after year.

The SPCA of Triad and the Director of A New Leash on Life SPCA of the Triad have been working with the Animal Control Coalition Work Group, Animal Rescue Groups and a fairly large, diverse group of residents from our community who are speaking out to create awareness and change for the animals in Guilford County who have no voice to ask for help.

We have been granted an audience with the Guilford County Commissioners at their Regular

2) Resources and services now being offered and stretched to the limit and request an opportunity to make change for our animals by working with the Guilford County Commissioners in ongoing sessions at their regular work sessions.

What we need from you, the animal community, volunteers and supporters of animals, is a very BIG, STRONG TURNOUT at the meeting. As well as being heard, our strength in numbers needs to be seen. I am asking that you come and bring everyone you can. We have been advised that numbers (of supporters) are heard much more clearly than spoken messages with our representtives and law makers. Please come and raise your hands for the animals.

Let's get something positive happening for the animals. They are counting on you and we need your help and support.

CLICK HERE FOR RELATED VIDEO
Seventy-seven dogs and three dead puppies were seized during a search warrant executed at a home located at 10430 N.C. 194 north near Todd Thursday evening.

The search warrant was the result of a joint investigation between the Watauga County Sheriff's Office and the Watauga County Animal Care and Control department.

Animal Care and Control officer Steve Norris holds one of
the seized dogs that appears to be suffering from mange.
Photo by Caroline Monday

According to officers with Animal Care and Control, the investigation began with a stray dog picked up in that area of the county. The dog was in poor condition leading to an investigation.

Animal Care and Control officer Steve Norris holds one of the seized dogs that appears to be suffering from mange. Photo by Caroline Monday

On March 13 Animal Control officers visited the residence on N.C. 194 with a sheriff's deputy and seized three dogs and one dead dog.

Anna Mae Warner, 18, was charged at that time with three counts of cruelty to animals, with another charge filed at a later date. She is scheduled to appear in district court on April 22 in lieu of a $2,500 unsecured bond to face those charges.

The investigation into Warner's treatment of the numerous animals at her home continued after that arrest warrant was served.

Warner is alleged to have been breeding dogs for sale. Of the animals seized, there were miniature schnauzer, Papillon, Maltese, Jack Russell, toy poodles, Yorkshire terriers, shih tzu, chihauhua, pug, Pomeranian, spitz, Pekingese, Boston terrier and cocker spaniel breeds.

A statement from the sheriff's office said the cause of the seizure was the lack of medical treatment for the dogs and the animals not being fed and watered properly.

Local veterinarians are seeing the animals beginning on Friday, treating them for malnutrition, dehydration and mange.

The investigation by the Watauga County Sheriff's Office is ongoing and further charges against Warner are pending.

The bulk of the animals are being housed at the Animal Care and Control office, while the Watauga County Humane Society is assisting the officers with the care of the animals.

The younger puppies, pregnant dogs and some others are in the Humane Society's shelter. That location is better equipped to handle those special needs animals, according to officials.

The dogs that have been seized are considered evidence in a criminal case. Therefore, the animals are not available for adoption or foster care. They must remain in the custody of Animal Control and the Humane Society until the disposal of the case through the court system. The Animal Control officers may only feed, clean and provide medical care to the animals until a decision is reached in court.

The public can help by fostering the other dogs in the care of Animal Control. The facility is near full capacity due to the seizure.

Other strays and unwanted animals need foster homes until a permanent location can be found.

/>
The animals will be kept at the county facilities and at the Humane
Society shelter until the court decides the case.
Photo by Caroline Monday

Warner's operation falls under the classification of a puppy mill. The legal definition of this term is anyone who owns more than five breeding age, unspayed female dogs and is not licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a dog breeder.

Humane Society shelter manager Lynn Northup said, "The problem with puppy mills is that they do not care about the quality of the animals. There is more concern for the money than for their care and well being."

Northup also gave warning signs for those interested in purchasing a pure breed dog. "If you're going to buy a pet instead of getting one from a shelter or a breed rescue, ask to see the parents, ask to see where they were living."

She said red flags to look for include advertisements for five to six different breeds from the same person, or the breeder asking to meet in a parking lot or place other than the kennel.

If the pictures donâ€™t come through go to this link:
http://www.wataugademocrat.com/2008/0407/0411dogsseized.php

Adopting a four-legged veteran
By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Mar 24, 2008 11:00:42 EDT
Armytimes.com

GREG SOUSA / GOLDSBORO NEWS-ARGUS
Benny, a former military working dog,
was adopted after retirement.

Benny was declared “excess” by the military and scheduled to be euthanized by January, according to his military medical records.

Today, Benny — a spry German shepherd — is anything but excess to Debbie Kandoll, who found him during a determined search to adopt a retired military working dog.

Even at the advanced dog age of 10, with degenerative bone disease, Benny has become an integral part of the Kandoll family since he was adopted from Langley Air Force Base, Va., on Jan. 4.

Kandoll, the wife of an Air Force Reserve officer currently on active duty, wants to get the word out to other military families and civilians that retired dogs are available for adoption at military working dog facilities across the country, as are some younger dogs who may have washed out of the program.

She has launched a Web site that includes phone numbers for 125 military working dog facilities.

The idea of supporting the troops, said Kandoll, who lives near Goldsboro, N.C., “should apply to all veterans, not just the human ones.” Kandoll said she thought at first that she could adopt retired dogs only through the Defense Military Working Dog School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.“People should check with regional facilities to see what is available,” she said.

As for Benny, he’s thriving and his mobility has improved, she said — partly because he now gets to sleep on comfy pillows instead of concrete. Although Benny is no longer on military patrols and sniffing for drugs, he is anything but retired. He visits hospitals, including the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Durham, N.C., as a certified therapy dog. Kandoll and Benny make appearances at local events to raise awareness and encourage more civilians to adopt retired military working dogs.

Last year, 360 retired military working dogs were adopted or transferred to law enforcement agencies, according to officials at the Defense Military Working Dog School, with the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland. Of those, 103 were transferred to law enforcement agencies, 139 were adopted at Lackland and the remaining dogs were adopted elsewhere, many likely by former military working dog handlers.

Under a law passed in 2000, dogs declared “excess” by the Defense Department can be adopted by law-enforcement agencies, prior military handlers and the general public. “A lot of people still don’t know they can adopt dogs,” said Ron Aiello, founder of the U.S. War Dogs Association and a former military dog handler in Vietnam. “They don’t know dogs were used in Vietnam and that they are being used now. I’d like to see more veterans adopt military working dogs.”

Aiello said he works closely with Kandoll to provide information to people who want to adopt dogs. Interest has come from a number of Vietnam veteran dog handlers, many of whom had to leave their dogs behind in Vietnam. He and Kandoll think adopting the dogs can be therapeutic for veterans.

To adopt a military working dog, prospective owners fill out a basic application with questions about their experience with dogs, other pets in the household, yard size, fencing and children in the household, officials said. Once a match for a prospective adoption is made, an agreement is signed for the transfer of ownership, in which the new owner releases the Defense Department from liability. The dogs are free, but the new owners must pay all costs, including transportation.

Officials at the Military Working Dog School said they have not had to euthanize any dogs for lack of someone to adopt them. In fact, they’ve had to establish a waiting list because there are not enough dogs to meet the high demand for them in the community and with law-enforcement agencies.

Kandoll’s dream is to build a Web site that connects people to working dogs. “These people at Lackland go above and beyond to place dogs in a home,” she said. “But it’s such an overwhelming job. The problem is that the word hasn’t gotten out that after the handlers and law enforcement, civilians can adopt the dogs.

“That’s why the kennel master had this smile in his voice when I called and asked if he had a dog available for adoption on the afternoon of Nov. 29,” she said. “He said, ‘Yes, I do. ... His name is Benny, and he’s a great big goofball.’”

Kandoll had checked with Lackland officials earlier in November, but Benny was not in their database of dogs available for adoption, although he had been declared “excess” — ready to be retired — in October. “If I hadn’t had the military connection, I would not have known how to contact these other facilities,” she said. She and her husband drove to Langley Air Force Base on Jan. 4 and picked up Benny.

As part of the adoption process, Kandoll received Benny’s military medical records. She quickly noticed that on Nov. 29, Benny officially had been scheduled for euthanasia in December or January. Nov. 29 was the same day Kandoll had made her 20th phone call — the one that led her to Benny

To find out more about adopting a Four Legged veteran visit the links below:
www.uswardogs.org/

Black pups face doggie discrimination
Dark-coated pooches tend to linger in shelters the longest

Photo Illustration by msnbc.com
Big, black dogs are often the last to be adopted from animal shelters — a phenomenon known in pet rescue circles as "black dog syndrome."

Melissa Dahl
Health writer
msnbc.com

It's not like Pamela Gregg was a stranger to helping out the underdog. She thought she knew what kinds of pooches linger the longest in animal shelters: Older dogs, abused dogs, sick or injured dogs — dogs like George Bailey, the hound mix she'd rescued after he'd been struck by a car.

But black dogs? While searching for a companion for George Bailey, Gregg was shocked to see a banner on an Ohio animal shelter's Web site that detailed how tough it is for big dogs with black coats to find homes.

"It said something like, 'We know that you people prefer colors, but we've got wonderful black dogs here, won't you please consider them?'" recalls Gregg, who's 49 and lives in Xenia, Ohio. "I was shocked, because I think that black dogs are beautiful — and I couldn't believe people would not get a dog based on its color."

To the uninitiated, the idea seems so strange — doggie discrimination? But among those in animal rescue circles, the phenomenon is commonplace enough to have earned its own name: "black dog syndrome."

"There's not a lot of that type of statistics on many aspects of sheltering," says Kim Intino, the director of animal sheltering issues for the Humane Society of the United States. "But I think that every person that has worked in a shelter can attest that in shelters animals with black coats can be somewhat harder to adopt out — or to even get noticed."

Even after a year had passed at a Los Angeles animal shelter, no one had noticed Estelle. Except, of course, for the staff; they fawned over the big black dog and her gentle demeanor. They started letting Estelle roam the office during the day, which let one couple see her in action — outside her cage and calmly interacting with people. They fell for her, and took her home.

But not every black dog is lucky enough to get that kind of special attention, says Madeline Bernstein, the president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles.

"They're the hardest to adopt out, they're in the shelters the longest and therefore, they're most likely to be euthanized if nothing happens," Bernstein says. (Breeders don't tend to face this problem at the level that shelters do, simply because they have fewer animals to deal with than a city shelter that takes strays in every day.)

Bernstein has plenty of theories about why people might not want black dogs in animal shelters. It's mostly an unconscious thing, she says, which may explain why black cats have the same problems finding a home. People who are aware of superstitions about black cats (don't let them cross your path!) may also be unconsciously harboring superstitions about black dogs.

In British folklore, such as stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sir Walter Scott, the black dog is a creepy, spectral figure that haunts cemeteries and is an omen of death. (Non-lit geeks who've never heard of those stories have at least seen "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," in which a big black dog called the Grim stalks Harry.) Another Englishman, Winston Churchill, battled serious bouts of depression which he called "the black dog."

But some speculate that black dogs just don't have the right look to catch the eye of potential adopters.

"Black dogs might appear older; even when they're young, they have bits of facial hair that may be white or gray," Bernstein says. And the ignored breeds are often those who simply look a little big and scary, and whose bad reputations may have preceded them, such as Rottweiler, Doberman pinscher and pit bull mixes.

Bernstein says some people turn in their black dogs to the shelters because they've gotten new furniture and don't like the dark fur their pet sheds.

Too hard to see
But it may be the simplest reason that's costing these dogs a good home — their black coats can make them invisible in poorly lit kennels. (Same problem happens with amateur photos on shelters' Web sites, which is how many people find the dog they intend to adopt.)

"Sometimes if a potential adopter sees a whole row of black dogs, they think, 'Maybe they're not being adopted for a good reason. Maybe there's something wrong with these dogs,'" Bernstein says.

So volunteers at some shelters put extra energy into getting their black dogs noticed. They place brightly colored, eye-catching blankets and toys in their kennels. At Bernstein's shelters, they tie pink ribbons around the necks of the girls, and fasten big bow ties around the necks of the boys.

One shelter in Kettering, Ohio, the Society for the Improvement of Conditions for Stray Animals even ran a special discount on black dogs in February, slashing adoption fees in half after executive director Rudy Bahr realized that out of his shelters' 42 dogs, 28 of them were big and black. Bahr instructs his employees in the same sort of tactics Bernstein's shelters take to attract attention to black dogs, like tying bandannas around their necks and taking the dogs to a well-lit area outside to have their photo taken for their Web site.

It was that kind of photo on the shelter's site that attracted Gregg's attention as she continued her search for a companion for George Bailey. "I was trolling through their pictures and there she was," Gregg says. "She was a hound mix like George Bailey, but Molly is sleek, shiny black. As soon as I saw her I completely fell in love. I couldn't get in my car fast enough."

Molly and Bailey turned out to be a perfect match, and if Gregg someday rescues another dog, she says she'll definitely go for a big black dog.

"If and when I get another dog, I will probably deliberately look for another black dog, only because I've learned of black dog syndrome," Gregg says. "Bring 'em my way, because I love 'em."

Service Dogs May Help Autistic Children
Many Parents Who Spoke to ABC News Raved About Their Experience With the Dog Therapy

By BOB WOODRUFF
April 1, 2008

Matthew Plunk's parents say they have seen a vast
improvement in their autistic son since he got a service dog.

On Matthew Plunk's third birthday, his parents, Jeff and Jennifer, received some life-changing news: Their son had autism.

Matthew Plunk's parents say they have seen a vast improvement in their autistic son since he got a service dog.The diagnosis came as no surprise to the Plunks, who had long struggled to contain their son's emotional outbursts and antisocial behaviors.

"He had a lot of fears," said Jennifer. "Just a truck going by would make him want to climb up you."

After years of trying different therapies and experimental diets for Matthew, the Plunks noticed he had made significant progress but still suffered from intense anxiety and difficulty interacting with strangers.

"The biggest thing I was looking for [was] a calmness for Matthew," said Jennifer. "His mind is just going 90 miles an hour. It's like his foot is always on the gas pedal."

So when Matthew was 6, Jennifer went online in search of something else she hoped could help him -- a dog. She had heard about service dogs specially trained to work with children with autism so she researched a program that would help her find a canine companion for Matthew.

Her research led her to 4 Paws for Ability, one of several organizations that trains and places dogs to work specifically with autistic children, helping them to become calmer, more social and more comfortable in the world.

As part of their application to the training program, the Plunks submitted hours of home video to demonstrate the problems that Matthew was having, as well as lengthy descriptions of their family's habits and challenges.

Once accepted into the program, they were then required to raise the $12,000 necessary to train the dog, which they did through the generosity of friends, family and their community.

With the money raised, the Plunks headed to the 4 Paws center for a two-week training course in which they were introduced to Matthew's new service dog, Ajax, a Great Pyrenees-boxer mix.

"It was amazing," said Jennifer, describing their first day at the center. Matthew, who had always struggled with forming new bonds with strangers, recognized a picture of Ajax and immediately ran to him.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Board will study panel for shelter
It did not discuss concerns about euthanasia by gas

Stokes County commissioners said last night that they will consider creating an advisory board to oversee the county’s animal shelter.

About 30 people, including members of a local animal-rights group called Stokes Citizens Against Gassing, attended the commissioners’ meeting. Four people spoke, urging the county to change shelter practices, including the use of carbon-monoxide euthanasia.

Velvet Kitzmiller, who moved from Maryland to Stokes County about a year ago, presented a petition to the commissioners with what she said was more than 2,200 signatures of county residents who objected to carbon-monoxide euthanasia at the shelter.

“We have decided as citizens in this county, this is not an acceptable practice and we will come to you on a monthly basis until this is changed,” Kitzmiller said. “It’s time that we move forward in this county.

“I do understand that you are considering the options and you’re not ready to make a decision,” she said. “I can’t for the life of me understand why we would be considering keeping the gas chamber.”

Jennifer Turney, who lives in Forsyth County and serves on a Forsyth County animal-control board, told commissioners that Forsyth County was in the same position as Stokes County 15 years ago.

“Much like you, our county commissioners had a lot of difficult choices to make,” Turney said. “I’d like to ask you to look at this issue very carefully.”

The Forsyth County Animal Shelter now uses lethal injection to euthanize animals.

Commissioners didn’t discuss the comments by animal-rights advocates last night, but they did discuss a proposed animal-control advisory committee.

County Manager Bryan Steen asked that the proposed animal-control advisory committee be put in place to make recommendations on how money donated to the shelter should be spent.

“I would like to have input, rather than it being an expenditure decision made solely by the county manager,” Steen said.

Commissioner Ron Carroll suggested that an animal-control advisory committee do more than just recommend how to spend money donated to the shelter.

Carroll said he wants to have a committee to advise the board on any animal-control issues.

“There is certainly a lot of interest there, and I think it would be wise to tap into that,” he said.

Commissioners will discuss the proposed animal-control advisory committee again at the their next meeting on April 14.

Human Foods, Products Can Kill Pets
Medicines, Fruits, Veggies Dangerous For Animals
Barbara A. Besteni, Staff writer

An apple a day may keep the doctor away for humans, but the cyanide in apple seeds can kill your dog.
Surprised? You're not alone.
In 2007, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center received more than 130,000 calls. Most cases of animal poisoning were caused by common household items.

Sixty-eight percent of the calls had to do with an animal having ingested a medicine or drug normally prescribed for humans. It is the most common cause of pet poisoning in the U.S. And it's not just a case of Fido getting into his pet parent's medicine cabinet.

In many cases, experts say, pet owners give their feline and canine friends an over-the-counter medication to ease an animal's pain. But acetaminophen and ibuprofen, the active ingredients in many common pain relievers, are extremely toxic to dogs and cats. They can cause gastric ulcers, liver damage, kidney failure and sometimes death.

In 2007, the discovery of rat poison in some brands of popular dog and cat foods sparked a massive recall after dozens of animals reportedly got sick or died from eating the tainted food. And while you wouldn't dream of intentionally feeding your pet rat or mouse poison, it's easy enough for them to accidentally eat it if it's left somewhere where they can get to it. Be a responsible pet parent and keep all poisons in tightly sealed containers on shelves high enough where your curious pets can't get to them.

Mothballs are another common cause of poisoning in pets. Those that contain 100 percent naphthalene can be deadly.

If you use fabric softener sheets, keep them away from your pet pals. These sheets contain detergents known as cationics that are potentially harmful, especially to cats.

Pennies minted after 1982 are made of copper plating around zinc core. APCC experts say that the zinc in just one penny can cause kidney failure and damage red blood cells in pets.

While it's OK to occasionally treat your pets to people food, beware that many foods that humans enjoy can be dangerous to animals. Here are a few of the most toxic.

If your Cinco de Mayo celebration calls for guacamole, keep your pet pals away from the table. Avocados contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage heart, lung and other tissue in many animals.

And we've all seen the cute commercial where a dog goes to the refrigerator and gets his human a beer. But there's a reason why you never see the dog sharing that beer. Alcoholic beverages can cause the same damage to an animal's liver and brain as they cause in humans. But the effects can be deadly on smaller animals.

Nuts are also common party fare that can be hazardous to pets. Walnuts and macadamia nuts are especially toxic.

Chocolate is supposedly good for human hearts. But chocolate contains theobromine, which if eaten in enough quantity, can kill your pet pal. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are especially dangerous.

Another problem is candy or anything containing Xylitol, a common sweetener found in some diet products, which can cause a sudden drop in an animal's blood sugar, loss of coordination and seizures. If not treated, the animal could die.

Keep cherry pits, peach pits, pear pips, plums pits and apricot pits far away from your pets. Like apple seeds, they all contain cyanide. There's also the danger that an animal may choke on large pits.

Coffee, tea or any product that contains caffeine stimulates an animal's central nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to restlessness, heart palpitations and death, depending on how much the animal consumes.

Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill them. And their effect is cumulative, meaning that even if a dog eats just one or two grapes or raisins regularly, the toxicity that builds in his system will eventually kill him.

Onions are another common food that can be highly toxic pets. They can destroy an animal's red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness and breathing difficulties. Their effects are also cumulative over time.

According to APCC, June, July and August are the deadliest months of the year for pets. About 47 percent of pet poisonings during those months involved exposure to pesticides and herbicides.

Something as harmless as a walk through a lawn newly treated with one of these products can poison a pet that licks its paws afterwards.

You should also watch for wild mushrooms that sprout up in your yard. They can cause abdominal pain, drooling, liver and kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma and death.

If you pride yourself on growing your own tomatoes, keep your pets away from them. Tomatoes contain atropine, a product sometimes used to treat eye problems in animals. But too much atropine can cause dilated pupils, tremors and heart arrhythmias. The leaves and stems of tomato plants have particularly high levels of atropine.

Despite all the precautions you take to keep your pet pals safe, accidents do happen. That's why the ASPCA, Humane Society and animal advocates advise pet owners to keep the telephone number of their local veterinarian and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center -- (888) 426-4435 -- in a prominent location.

Common signs of poisoning include muscle tremors or seizures; vomiting and diarrhea; drooling; redness of skin, ears and eyes; and swelling and bleeding.

If you suspect your pet has consumed, inhaled or come in contact with a toxic substance, stay calm and call for help immediately.

Your pet's species, breed, age, sex and weight
Exact name of product ingested, inhaled, or absorbed. If possible, have the product's container available
How much the animal consumed or came in contact with
How long ago did this occur?

If you see your pet consuming anything you think might be toxic, seek emergency help immediately even if she is not exhibiting any symptoms

By Steve Marcus for USA TODAY
Rose Terry, 55, a resident of the Shade Tree women
and children's shelter in Las Vegas, visiter with her
six-year-old Norwegian Forest cat Byron at the
shelter's "Noah's Animal House."

When Rose Terry finally resolved to leave her abusive boyfriend, she knew she'd have to live in a shelter for a few weeks before she could start life anew. She had no reservations about that.
But she anguished over Byron, the cat who had seen her through the awful times. None of her friends could take the female feline (the family was first told she was male, hence the name), and she couldn't bear the thought of placing her in an animal shelter until she got back on her feet. "I was desperate, weeping," Terry says. "She's my family."

When Terry learned one Las Vegas domestic violence safe haven, Shade Tree Shelter, had just built a pet-boarding facility on its grounds for residents' animals, "I was in such relief." Terry packed up her suitcase and her cat just before Christmas and checked in. "It's just so good to get to visit with Byron every day," says Terry, 55, who has a new job and nearly enough savings to lease an apartment and start over. "It helped so much that I didn't have to worry about her."

Domestic abuse shelters have long recognized that abused families, often kept so isolated that pets are their only friends, won't leave the abuser because they know animals left behind may be harmed as a power play or retaliation. So shelters have worked with animal-welfare groups that provide temporary pet care to ensure that everyone gets out of the situation.

Today, the emerging alternative is for domestic abuse shelters to provide on-site pet boarding. So far, fewer than a half-dozen such shelters exist, says Allie Phillips, director of public policy for the non-profit American Humane Association. But the numbers are certain to increase, as efforts are afoot on two fronts.

American Humane has just compiled and distributed a how-to guide, and Phillips' goal is that by year's end, at least 15 shelters will offer or will soon offer on-site pet boarding. Doorways for Women and Families Safehouse in Arlington, Va., will be the first to use American Humane's Pets and Women's Shelters (PAWS) Program start-up guide — officials there are in final planning to provide pet housing later this year — but Phillips has been contacted by others seeking advice.

"Shelters are overworked and underfunded, and the last thing they feel they can do is add more to their plates, even though they might be inclined toward having on-site pet care. My goal was to simplify everything, answer all the questions, debunk all the myths and walk them through the process, from how to raise money to fund it … to how to keep the people and animals safe," says Phillips, a former prosecuting attorney who was presented with hundreds of domestic violence cases and spent nearly a year putting together the guide.

Having a blueprint that reduces to minutes or hours the animal-care planning discussions that heretofore would probably have taken weeks "removes a lot of the obstacles" that have prevented many shelters from launching such a program, Phillips says.

'Enormous' need for service, comfort

Concurrent efforts are in the offing from Staci Columbo, a Las Vegas marketing executive who launched Noah's Animal House, the pet facility at Shade Tree. She's developing her own guide "to take to other communities" this year. Her goal: "at least six across the country in five years." The need, she says, "is enormous."

Noah's, which accommodates up to 15 cats and 18 dogs, has drawn so many pet-owning families since its opening in October that it is full most of the time. Expansion plans already are being discussed.

Some abuse victims are satisfied with placing their pets temporarily in an animal shelter. But there are downsides: Sometimes the shelter is full, and some animals don't adapt well to that environment. And often, the already-stressed families are further troubled by their pets' absence, and they're not allowed to visit the animal for fear the abuser might track them there, putting people and animals at risk.

"When a person is in the midst of nothing familiar, the comfort a pet can provide is enormous," Phillips says.

"We had the experience with several women who would arrive with a garbage bag full of possessions and a pet in tow and refuse to check in when they learned that we would find a safe place for the animal, but it couldn't stay here with them," Columbo says. "We've known of women who lived in their cars so they could keep their pets with them and women who stayed in a shelter but kept their pet in the car parked on the street, and, of course, women who wouldn't leave their abuser because of concern for the safety of their animals. Each situation like this tore your heart out."

Still, many say there are good reasons for not housing pets in domestic violence shelters — concerns about allergies, noise and bites; debates about whether pets on the grounds may put everyone at risk by attracting the spurned partner; and worries that a pet's presence may prevent a victim from focusing on addressing her own issues.

Marci Sanders, director of the Shelter for Abused Women & Children in Naples, Fla., says her staff had to consider all those questions when contemplating providing on-site care for residents' pets. But they moved ahead five years ago, "and the benefits so outweigh the negatives," she says. It costs less than $1,000 a year to care for about 100 pets annually in crates in an out-of-the-way room. And although "we've had a dog that dug holes in the yard, and one that barked for a while," she says, "in the big picture that is nothing."

Phillips hopes that within 10 years, "these kinds of arrangements will be commonplace." She placed a petition seeking support of on-site pet facilities at domestic abuse shelters online Feb. 23 at thepetitionsite.com; it has attracted more than 18,000 comments.

Tue Mar 11, 11:01 PM ET
Man clinging to boat: Save my dog first

CORE, W.Va. - Life jackets are made for people, not dogs. So, when Randy Earl's small boat capsized while he was fishing with his dog Lacy, a black spaniel mix, he stayed in the water with his life jacket while making sure Lacy was OK.

"When the boat flipped over, I put the dog on top of the boat," Earl told The Dominion Post of Morgantown.

While waiting for someone to rescue them on Mason Lake in northern West Virginia, Earl clung to the 12-foot boat's hull. The water temperature was about 50 degrees, said J.M. Crawley, a senior conservation officer for the Division of Natural Resources.

Another fisherman, Jan Thorn, watched from shore as a state trooper paddled out to rescue Earl and Lacy.

"He asked the state trooper to take the dog first," Thorn said. "It was very touching."

Earl, 53, said Lacy means a lot to him and his wife since they lost both of their children in a car accident 15 years ago.

Saturday, March 1, 2008
Stokes' animal shelter is closed today for cleaning and painting

The Stokes County animal shelter is off of Sizemore
Road near Germanton. It will not be open to the public today.
(Journal File Photo)

By Lisa Boone-Wood
JOURNAL REPORTER

Stokes County officials are closing the county’s animal shelter to the public for the day in an effort to make the shelter cleaner and safer for animals.

The shelter off Sizemore Road near Germanton will be closed all day to be cleaned and painted, and to have sealant applied to the floors, officials said.

The Stokes shelter, which has been criticized by animal-rights advocates for using carbon-monoxide euthanasia, is making arrangements to offer training in lethal-injection euthanasia to employees, County Manager Bryan Steen said.

The N.C. Board of Agriculture adopted new euthanasia rules Feb. 13 that strictly govern the use of carbon-monoxide euthanasia.The rules still have to be approved by the state’s Rules Review Commission, but approval could come as early as April. Stokes wants to be prepared if the rules are adopted, Steen said.

Shelter officials are cleaning the shelter because some areas have had a rise in a new strain of parvovirus, a dog disease that attacks the gastrointestinal tract and is highly contagious, officials said.

They are planning to use a new cleaning substance called Nu-quat that will rid the shelter of parvo, Steen said. County officials have also ordered a high-powered steam machine to keep the shelter clean, he said.

“It’s also trying to enhance our infection-control program so that animals are unable to acquire or pass along infections from any other animals that are in the shelter,” Steen said. “This is a good time of the year because the calls haven’t started picking up from a natural birth cycle from these animals.

“If we didn’t do it now, we would probably have to delay it because of capacity issues until January or February of next year.”

Steen has met with town government officials throughout Stokes County. He has asked each town to consider encouraging spay and neuter programs and adopting animals from the county’s shelter with information sent out from the towns, he said.

County officials are also considering a policy that would require that any animal adopted from the county’s shelter be spayed or neutered before adoption to control the number of unwanted pets and reduce the need for euthanasia, Steen added.

“We’re trying to do our part to treat animals as well as we can in the circumstances that we’re dealing with,” Steen said.

LOS ANGELES - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed one of the nation's toughest laws on pet sterilization, requiring most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they are 4 months old. The ordinance is aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating the thousands of euthanizations in LA animal shelters every year.

"We will become a no-kill city and this is the greatest step in that direction," Councilman Tony Cardenas said as he held a kitten at a news conference. Councilman Richard Alarcon, who like Cardenas is a co-author of the bill, brought his two pet Chihuahuas to the event to be neutered in a van operated by the city.

The ordinance exempts some animals, including those that have competed in shows or sporting competitions, guide dogs, animals used by police agencies and those belonging to professional breeders. The average pet owner, however, must have their dog or cat spayed or neutered by 4 months of age (as late as 6 months with a letter from a vet). People with older unneutered pets and newcomers to the city with animals have to obey the law.

First-time offenders will receive information on subsidized sterilization services and be given an additional 60 days. If they still fail to comply they could be fined $100 and ordered to serve eight hours of community service. A subsequent offense could result in a $500 fine or 40 hours of community service.

The ordinance brings the nation's second-largest city into line with about a dozen of its neighbors with similar laws. Many states require animals adopted from shelters to be sterilized, and New York City requires the same for animals bought from pet shops, but restrictions such as those in Southern California are rare. A 2006 Rhode Island law requires most cats to be sterilized.
A measure similar to Los Angeles' passed the California Assembly last year but did not gain state Senate support.
LA animal shelters took in 50,000 cats and dogs last year and euthanized approximately 15,000 at a cost of $2 million.
Bob Barker, who famously ended every "Price is Right" show with a call for sterilizing pets, pushed for the law's adoption and was at Tuesday's news conference. "The next time you hear me say, 'Help control the pet population, have your pet spayed or neutered,' I can add, 'It's the law in Los Angeles,'" a jubilant Barker said.

"How many rescue groups have you actually done home visits on? Do you rely on "word of mouth" for a reputation of a group or person? Have people called you for help on how to handle an animal abuse issue? Let's unite and head off any situations that could lead to same like All Creatures Great & Small, who knows this could be happening in your own back yard!"

GET INVOLVED......UNITE NOW with c C.A.R.E. for Animals. Click on logo below for more details

c C.A.R.E. for Animals - citizens Concerned About Rescue Efforts for Animals – Our goal is not to police, but to help.

ARGNC is on Myspace:
Visit ARGNC on Myspace <~~ click here. Stop by our Myspace page and be our friend, why not even leave a comment, we would love to hear from you.

WINONA, Minn. - Bella, a 3-year-old golden retriever/collie mix who was once rescued as an abused puppy, returned the favor to her owners by alerting them to a house fire. With help from Maddie, a 6-month-old golden retriever, Bella helped get Sue Feuling and her 9-year-old daughter, Mckenzie, out of the house last week. The dogs didn't make it.

"Those dogs were without a doubt the heroes," said Winona Assistant Fire Chief Jim Multhaup.

Bella had jumped on Feuling's bed early Friday morning and started barking, and Feuling then smelled smoke, grabbed her daughter and rushed out of the house.

But Feuling couldn't coax the dogs out of the house, even when she tried to run back in to yell for them.

A firefighter who arrived at the scene tried to save the dogs, but it was too late. The Feulings were taken to an area hospital for smoke inhalation monitoring, but were OK, Multhaup said.

The fire, which was caused by an overloaded electrical outlet, gutted the home, Multhaup said.

While an assistance fund was set up, Sue Feuling said she was only thinking about her dogs. "Everything I lost is nothing compared to them," she said.

Animals available for adoption are held at the shelter for five days before being euthanized.
(Journal photo by Jennifer Rotenizer)

Stokes County officials defended the county’s animal shelter yesterday against critics who say that the county doesn’t hold animals long enough before euthanizing them.

State law requires shelters to hold animals picked up without rabies or other identification tags for at least 72 hours, and says that animal-control officers should first make an effort to find owners.

Shelter logs for 2007 show that some animals were killed the day after they were brought to the shelter.

County Manager Bryan Steen said that the county’s animal-control ordinance requires that animals that are diseased, wounded or rabid be euthanized immediately.

“We are believing that we are in compliance,” Steen said yesterday. “The matter is under review, and if there are things that need to be done, we will do it.

“We are inspected without notice, and our inspections have not said that we’re violating any rules,” Steen said. “If there were some other issues, the state would have told us that.

He said that the county animal shelter holds animals that are healthy and available for adoption for five days.

Steen and the county attorney, Ed Powell, also noted that state law applies only to animals that were picked up for not having rabies tags and does not apply to animals brought to the shelter for other reasons.

Shari Strader, a member of the N.C. Coalition for Humane Euthanasia, which has been pushing for changes at the shelter, said that it is important that animals are held for the state-mandated time period.

She provided the Winston-Salem Journal with a sample of shelter records and said that her review found many examples of animals euthanized before they were there for 72 hours.

“If someone’s pet just happens to get loose, by the time the owner gets off work and looks for the dog for a little while and then gets to the shelter, the animal could already be dead,” Strader said. “Another reason is just to give them a chance to be adopted.”

In 2007, the Stokes shelter took in 3,246 cats and dogs, and about 86 percent of those animals were euthanized, county records show.

Fifty percent of the animals taken in by the shelter cannot be adopted because of health issues or because they do not get along well with humans; 14.6 percent of all animals taken in are returned to owners, records show.

Forsyth County built a $4.3 million shelter in 2006 after animal advocates complained about conditions in its shelter. In 2002-03, Forsyth County euthanized 86 percent of animals in its shelter.

To euthanize animals, Stokes County uses a carbon-monoxide tank attached to a dump truck parked behind the shelter.

North Carolina law requires counties to follow procedures approved either by the Humane Society, the American Veterinary Medical Association or the American Humane Association when euthanizing animals picked up without identification tags.

All three organizations prefer lethal injection as the method for euthanizing animals.

The guidelines from the American Humane Association say that carbon-monoxide euthanasia should not be used for any animals.

The American Veterinary Medical Association and the Humane Society of the United States approve of carbon-monoxide euthanasia under some conditions.

But they both agree that carbon monoxide should not be used for animals that are sick, injured, pregnant or younger than 16 weeks.

According to the shelter logs in Stokes County, in some instances puppies, kittens and sick dogs were put down in the carbon-monoxide chamber.

“I don’t know that there is truly any prohibition against this means of euthanasia. I am not aware of any statutory prohibition of the use of carbon-monoxide euthanasia,” he said. “We have a different viewpoint on this from other entities that have an interest in this matter.”

Kimberly Intino, the director of animal sheltering issues for the Humane Society of the United States, said that old, young, sick, pregnant or nursing animals should not be euthanized by carbon monoxide because they may have poor blood pressure, weak hearts or other systemic issues that could delay the effects of carbon monoxide and cause the animals stress before they become unconscious.

“Those animals may have biological concerns that could make the proper absorption of carbon monoxide difficult,” Intino said. “With animals that are really young, they may not have the lung capacity to inhale the carbon monoxide.

“In pregnant animals, it is likely that the mother will die before the puppies or kittens, so they could die of suffocation.”

State officials are working on revising state law to ban the use of carbon monoxide.

If the rules are approved by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the state’s Rules Review Commission, all shelters would have to stop using carbon-monoxide euthanasia by Jan. 11, 2012.

Fewer than 40 of the state’s 102 public, licensed animal shelters use carbon-monoxide euthanasia, state officials for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said.

Steen said that if the new euthanasia rules are approved, the Stokes shelter will do whatever is necessary to heed them.

He said he is working with local veterinarians to create a program to spay and neuter animals to prevent the need for some euthanasia.

Strader said that the coalition is urging Stokes officials to change the way that animals are euthanized in the county.

“We want to make it clear to Mr. Steen and the county that we want to help them,” she said.

Caroline Sanders said it's also possible that dogs found at a Stoneville home on Jan. 28 had the disease. (Blog)

REIDSVILLE — Just a week ago, Caroline Sanders was wishing for more space inside the cramped quarters of the Rockingham County Animal Shelter.

This week, she has more than enough space. A parvovirus outbreak wiped out the majority of dogs that were housed there. "We had a real, real bad outbreak of parvo and had to put 61 dogs down," said Sanders, the shelter director, late Tuesday. "It's pretty sad right now."

The canine parvovirus, commonly referred to as parvo, is spread through physical contact. Sanders, who is also a veterinary technician, said infected dogs have about a 50-50 chance of survival.

Sanders said a veterinarian recommended that she euthanize all the animals, shut down the shelter for two days and conduct a mass cleaning.

Sanders suspects the outbreak stemmed from a litter an owner surrendered at the shelter. She learned Sunday that a dog that had been fostered had the contagious disease. When Sanders returned to work Monday, two dogs were symptomatic and later tested positive for the disease.

Once an animal is exposed to parvo, it takes 7 to 14 days for the animal to show symptoms, which include vomiting, bloody diarrhea and lethargy, Sanders said.

Sanders said it's also possible that dogs found at a Stoneville home on Jan. 28 had the disease. The apparent owner had died, and the animals were being evaluated for adoption. Four of them had died by Saturday, and the remaining ones were euthanized.

"If people would vaccinate their dogs, we wouldn't have these kinds of situations happening," Sanders said.

The crisis also highlights the urgent need for a new shelter, she said. County officials are planning for a shelter in Wentworth, but they currently rent space from the Reidsville Veterinary Hospital. The cages have no barriers to prevent transfer of urine and feces.

Also, Sanders said, up-to-date facilities vaccinate dogs as soon as they arrive at the shelter. "We don't have the funding to do it," she said.

Pat Sanford, a board member of the Animal Protection Society of Rockingham County, said vaccinating animals as they come to the shelter is crucial to managing disease.

"This is critically important, and it's not that expensive," said Sanford, who was executive director of the Orange County Animal Shelter for 17 years.

A week ago, Sanders made an appeal to the community to relieve the crowded shelter, which was followed by a spurt of adoptions at the shelter. There were nine adoptions over the weekend, Sanders said.

One woman adopted two puppies, one of which became infected. The woman returned both puppies, and they were euthanized, Sanders said.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Stokes residents object to animal-shelter policy
County commissioners take public comments on issue
By Lisa Boone-Wood
JOURNAL REPORTER

Stokes County residents and animal-rights activists turned out to talk about issues at the county’s animal shelter during a commissioner’s meeting last night.

Citing state laws, animal-rights activists said that they were concerned that the shelter was operating in violation of euthanasia laws and urged the Stokes County Board of Commissioners and county officials to investigate the practices at the shelter.The commissioners did not discuss the animal shelter last night, but heard comments from the public. Of about 20 people who showed up, eight people signed up to speak.

“The homeless animals of Stokes County are suffering,” said Shari Strader, a representative of the N.C. Coalition for Humane Euthanasia.The shelter, Strader said, is using carbon monoxide to euthanize animals. The shelter should be updated.

Strader said she obtained copies of the county fire marshal’s report that showed levels of carbon monoxide could be endangering employees at the shelter.Strader donated a digital camera to the county so officials could take photos of animals to start an adoption program and offered assistance to get grant money to renovate the shelter.

Velvet Kitzmiller, who has lived in Stokes for about a year, has worked with animals and wildlife for about 19 years. She and her husband, Ted, care for animals at their business, Noah’s Ark.

Kitzmiller suggested more veterinarian care, spaying and neutering programs to keep the number of stray animals down, adoption Web sites for healthy homeless animals and improving the conditions at the shelter.Using carbon monoxide to euthanize animals at the shelter is “painful, cruel, and unprofessional,” Ted Kitzmiller said.He said he was a bit ashamed that a beautiful county such as Stokes has such a policy on euthanizing animals.

Sam Hill, who also lives in Stokes County, was the last to speak. His opinion was different from that of the others.Hill said he respected the opinions of those who spoke before him but he disagreed with their views on using carbon monoxide to euthanize animals.Hill said he didn’t hear empirical evidence that suggested that euthanizing animals by lethal injection was better than using carbon monoxide. Hill said if he were going to be euthanized, he would want carbon monoxide because he would “gently fall asleep and never wake up.”

Commissioner Leon Inman, the board’s chairman, said that county officials are investigating the issue.“We are still gathering information and looking at that issue,” Inman said.

In other business, the commissioners unanimously approved accepting about $72,000 for an emergency-medical-dispatch grant that could cut about 30 seconds off the county’s emergency medical dispatch time.

Commissioners also voted to replace three county fuel tanks, which were cited for violations by the N.C. Department of Natural Resources last year.

Foreclosures lead to abandoned animals
By EVELYN NIEVES, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jan 29, 6:06 PM ET

STOCKTON, Calif. - The house was ravaged — its floors ripped, walls busted and lights smashed by owners who trashed their home before a bank foreclosed on it. Hidden in the wreckage was an abandoned member of the family: a starving pit bull.

The dog found by workers was too far gone to save — another example of how pets are becoming the newest victims of the nation's mortgage crisis as homeowners leave animals behind when they can no longer afford their property.

Pets "are getting dumped all over," said Traci Jennings, president of the Humane Society of Stanislaus County in northern California. "Farmers are finding dogs dumped on their grazing grounds, while house cats are showing up in wild cat colonies."

In one such colony in Modesto, two obviously tame cats watched alone from a distance as a group of feral cats devoured a pile of dry food Jennings offered.

"These are obviously abandoned cats," Jennings said. "They're not afraid of people, and they stay away from the feral cats because they're ostracized by them."

The abandoned pets are overwhelming animal shelters and drawing fury from bloggers, especially as photos of emaciated animals circulate on the Internet.

The first people to enter an abandoned house, such as property inspectors and real estate brokers, have discovered dogs tied to trees in backyards, cats in garages, and turtles, rabbits and lizards in children's bedrooms.

No one keeps track of the numbers of abandoned pets, but anecdotal evidence suggests that forsaken animals are becoming a problem wherever foreclosures are climbing. Stockton and Modesto have some of the nation's highest foreclosure rates.

Despite months of warning before a foreclosure, many desperate homeowners run out the clock hoping to forestall an eviction. Then they panic, particularly if they are moving to a home where pets are not permitted.

The situation has become so widespread that the Humane Society urged home owners faced with foreclosure to take their animals to a shelter.

Shelters are trying to keep up, but the spike in abandoned pets comes at a time when fewer people are adopting animals. Home sales are plunging to their lowest level in decades, and new homeowners are often the most likely to seek a pet.

"People are not bringing home puppies because times are tough, and animals cost money," said Sharon Silbert, president of Animal Rescue of Tracy, a community near Stockton.

The mortgage crisis showed few signs of easing Tuesday after a real estate tracking company announced that many homeowners started to fall behind on mortgage payments in the last three months, setting the stage for more foreclosures this year.

The San Joaquin Animal Shelter in Stockton is fielding more desperate calls from animal owners about to be evicted. Many call as a last resort after being turned down by various rescue groups with no room for more animals.

"They're usually breaking down on the phone," said Kathy Potter, a shelter dispatcher. "I'm quite direct with them that there's a 50-50 chance the animals might be put down."

"They may be euthanized at a shelter," said Stephanie Shain of the Humane Society of the United States. "But they'll be fed and have water and have a humane euthanization, as opposed to spending the last days of their lives eating carpet or wallboard."

Bloggers are furious with the "foreclosure pet" phenomenon, especially after seeing photos of emaciated animals on the Internet. Some critics say the pet owners have already proved they are irresponsible by buying houses they could not afford or mortgages they did not bother to understand.

"They see a pet as property, no different than a worn sofa tossed into the alley when the springs pop," says a posting about foreclosure pets on About.com.

The problem is exacerbated because most people grappling with foreclosure are returning to rental housing or moving in with relatives — two situations where it can be difficult or impossible to bring pets.

"What we've always known is that when times are hard for people, they're hard for their pets," said Stephen Zawistowski, a vice president at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Abandoning animals is illegal in most states under anti-cruelty laws, but the laws are not rigidly enforced.

In Stockton, shelter workers recently reunited a family with two rottweilers they had left behind in their foreclosed house. The family was staying in a homeless shelter, the dogs being cared for by neighbors at the family's behest. Shelter workers were able to find housing for the family and their dogs.

"Their best shot is for the owners to plan ahead some," Jennings said. "But they didn't plan when they bought their house. I don't see that happening anytime soon."

Russell Jenkins
A pet dog missed the family’s dead cat so much that he dug up his grave and brought the body back into the house.

When Oscar’s owners woke up the next morning they discovered the dog curled up beside Arthur, the late cat, in his basket.

His owners, Robert Bell, 73, and his wife, Mavis, of Wigan, Greater Manchester, believe that the dog had licked the cat clean before falling asleep.

Mr Bell said that the two pets were constant companions. Arthur, who was a large cat, used to help Oscar to climb on to the sofa.

Oscar, an 18-month-old Lancashire Heeler, had watched Mr Bell dig a grave in the garden and then lower the cat into the hole.Mr Bell said: “He had managed to climb out through the cat flap in the night, obviously with the intent to get Arthur back. Bearing in mind that Arthur was a huge cat, Oscar must have used all the strength he could muster.

“Then he pulled him into the basket and went to sleep next to him. Arthur’s coat was gleaming white. Oscar had obviously licked him clean. It must have taken him nearly all night.”

Arthur is now reburied in a secure grave. And Oscar has a new playmate, a kitten called Limpet.

The SPCA of the Triad has been recongnized by Maddie's Fund with a cash award for its marketing campaign, Adopt Your Own Mini-Panther. Created by SPCA Program Director Lisa Crosby & volunteers and launched during the Carolina Panthers football season, the campaign marketed black cats as "Mini- Panthers." For reasons of perception and notions of asthetics, black cats have a difficult time finding homes. The initiative helped re-imagine black cats as something special: "Curl up with your own mini-Panther and watch the football game" was the tag line. Every black cat in the SPCA adoption centers found a home within weeks.

Almost 200 rescue groups, shelters and animal control agencies across the country competed for the Maddie's Fund prize. SPCA of the Triad was among eight top winners.

Maddie's Fund is one of the largest animal welfare foundations in the world and is commited to helping create a no-kill nation.

Please let the Cornelius NC town officials who have worked so hard for this cause know how much you appreciate them leading the way for our local animals and support their efforts. I am sure they have heard enough complaining!

Mayor Jeff Tarte JTarte9156@aol.com,
Town Manager Anthony Roberts aroberts@cornelius.org,
And most persevering Commissioner Jim Bensmen jbensman@attglobal.net

Press Release:
By Jan Scere
Friends for Life LKN
704-606-1337
FFLLKN@aol.com or lknanimalshelter@aol.com

Last night at the Cornelius Town Board meeting we learned that sometimes politics and animal welfare can mix...If you have the right people at the towns helm!

After four to five years (depending on when you came on board) of hard work and dedication to the mission to get a new animal shelter for our towns located in the Lake Norman/North Mecklenburg area. Cornelius has stepped up to the plate alone. It had been our hopes that the towns of Cornelius, Huntersville and Davidson would be able to work in a cooperative manor to make this a multi town effort. But its seems differences on the philosophy of animal welfare and animal care service policies will keep that from happening at this time. So in a bold move, motion, and a decision the town board voted to build the shelter in Cornelius alone. The new shelter will replace the antiquated 14 year old facility currently used by the towns of Cornelius and Huntersville.

It would seem that the Cornelius towns officials have heard the cry (and howl) of their residents and have decided to err on the side of animal welfare as a whole. Siding with the concerns of shelter volunteers and local rescue organizations such as Friends for Life LKN. Forging ahead in a motion made by Commissioner Jim Bensmen and passed by the board it was decided to go it alone (at least for the time being) to build a animal shelter and animal services facility that will offer additional animal services, such as adoptions and look into different opportunities to provide low cost spay/neuter programs to help reduce the animal over population problem in our area. It is our hopes that the towns of Huntersville will change their minds about proposing just a 5 day holding facility that is currently offered up on the Huntersville Commissioners table. Also, that they, along with the town of Davidson will come on board with the facility provided by Cornelius. It was stated by Bensmen at the meeting last night both the towns of Huntersville and Davidson are still more than welcome to participate in the full service shelter proposed for Cornelius.

At the meeting, FFL staff, shelter volunteers, and concerned citizens were overjoyed with the boards brave move and decision to go ahead to build the new shelter alone if needed. They (FFl and shelter volunteers) have pledged to help raise the rest of the monies that will be lost if our other two communities decide not to come on board. So far the volunteers and citizens have raised about $75,000 towards the building. We are also hoping for local business and contractors to make in-kind contributions for construction and outfitting of the building. Everything from concrete to landscaping and appliances to cupboards and desks will be welcome as donations to help put as much money as possible into the building itself.

FFL will be planning a fund raising drive during our Best Friends Super Adoption event to be held in Cornelius on May 10th. The event is part of the May 3rd to 11th visit of nationally acclaimed animal welfare organization Best Friends from Utah to North Carolina for North Carolinas week long celebration for the animals.

I, along with all of the FFL staff and the shelter volunteers want to personally thank Commissioner Bensmen (who deserves an award) for his years of dedication to the shelter initiative. We also want to thank Cornelius town manager Anthony Roberts for all of the research he has done on this project, and our brand new Mayor Jeff Tarte for jumping on board and hearing the concerned voices in the community. I hope that everyone will let them know how grateful we are for their insight and wisdom concerning our communities future.

If you would like to contribute to the new shelter being built in Cornelius you can do so by sending a check to the town of Cornelius or to the Lucky Cat Shelter Fund mailing to either contribution site it will be tax deductible.

Rescue Groups Needed - All Creatures Great and Small Closed

Hello NC and Area Rescue Groups,

We need your help! All Creatures Great and Small is a facility in Hendersonville, NC that ALDF and
other animal protection groups have been following for some time. As posted yesterday on the North
Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service website: "By court order, the North Carolina
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) has the authority to direct the removal
of at least 350 animals from the All Creatures Great and Small (ACGS) site in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
" The NC Department of Agriculture is requesting that any rescue organization with space take in as many
animals as they can, as soon as they can. At last count, there were 284 dogs, 220 cats, 6 rabbits, and 2
guinea pigs in need of your help. (Please note that ALDF does not have breed information on the animals).

In the hopes that many of the NC and area rescue organizations we are contacting can take in some of these animals,
we are forwarding the following link to the Department of Agriculture website where they have posted intake procedures:
http://www.agr.state.nc.us/vet/aws/ACGSadoptions.pdf (please copy and paste link if needed). More information about
the NC Ag Department’s efforts on behalf of the animals at ACGS can be found here: http://www.ncagr.com/

If you have any questions, please contact:
Mary Ann McBride, DVM
Assistant State Veterinarian
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Raleigh, NC
Office 919-733-7601
Mobile 919-740-2894
Maryann.mcbride@ncmail.net

The Humane Society of the United States Partners with Chrissie's Fund to Expand Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Resources in North Carolina

(Jan. 2, 2008) - The Humane Society of the United States and Chrissie's Fund are proud to announce donations totaling $200,000 to the Spay Neuter Assistance Program of North Carolina (SNAP-NC). Each group is donating $100,000 to SNAP-NC to increase the availability of low-cost spay and neuter services to the residents of the Triangle region and statewide. The donations will allow SNAP-NC to purchase a new mobile surgical hospital.

Formed seven years ago by licensed veterinarians and led by Dr. Laureen Bartfield, SNAP-NC was the first mobile low-cost spay-neuter service in the state of North Carolina. Since its inception, SNAP-NC has safely performed over 37,000 successful spay and neuter surgeries.

"SNAP-NC has done a fantastic job of reducing the number of unwanted litters of puppies and kittens born in its operating region of North Carolina," said HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle. "Providing low-cost spaying and neutering services is a critical component of the larger strategy of ending the tragedy of euthanizing homeless pets."

Reducing the number of unwanted dogs and cats born every year was one of The HSUS' earliest priorities, dating back to the organization's founding in 1954.

"Dr. Bartfield's passion, energy and expertise make her and her organization a perfect partner for our inaugural grant,' said Dwight Lowell, founder of Chrissie's Fund and a member of The HSUS' board of directors. "We are honored to be working with The HSUS. To be able to collaborate on this with the premier animal protection organization in the country is truly a dream come true."

Chrissie's Fund is a California-based foundation established in 2007 to honor the memory of a shelter dog named Chrissie. The foundation provides funding to help reduce dog overpopulation, promote suitable adoptions and support programs targeted to eliminate the suffering of dogs. The donation is the organization's first major project.

"Overpopulation is the leading killer of companion animals in the United States. By attacking the problem at its source with our newly expanded fleet of mobile clinics, we will be saving the lives of countless animals," said Bartfield. In addition to running SNAP-NC, Dr. Bartfield is the contract veterinarian for Wake County Animal Shelter and Control in Raleigh. She is also the veterinarian for Chatham County, N.C., and a certified animal cruelty investigator.

Dr. Bartfield and her crew have specially designed the new unit to allow for additional large kennels. The new hospital's target population will be large mixed breed dogs as they tend to be the most difficult to adopt out from the shelters. The unit is due to be delivered next month.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- On the web at humanesociety.org.

A HOAX: On www.snopes.com a site that exposes internet hoaxes, states it is a hoax. Here is the link pertaining to the ibuystrays.com site: http://www.snopes.com/in boxer/hoaxes/ibuystrays.asp
The domain name is a registered as “private”. The owner administration contact email is to a “gmail” account which makes absolutely no sense, because most people would have a .com account.

DO NOT VISIT THE SITE: The owner of the site makes money by people visiting the site and clicking on the google sponsored ads, this is also referred to as a “troll site”, so we encourage flooding the email account: sales@ibuystrays.com but not visiting the site.

We will continue to research this site until we are completely satisfied that this site is truly a hoax.
As we know people can be so cruel and sick humored.

Ginny & the Furry Gang!
ARGNCwhere the volume of your help does not determine the value of your help!

"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way the animals are treated-Gandhi

Violent acts toward animals have long been recognized as indicators of a dangerous psychopathy that does not confine itself to animals. “Murderers ... very often start out by killing and torturing animals as kids,” according to Robert K. Ressler, who developed profiles of serial killers for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Studies have now convinced sociologists, lawmakers, and the courts that acts of cruelty toward animals deserve our attention. They can be the first sign of a violent pathology that includes human victims.

Ted Bundy - As a child, serial killer and rapist Ted Bundy—ultimately convicted of two killings but suspected of murdering more than 40 women—witnessed his father’s violence toward animals, and he himself subsequently tortured animals.

"Son of Sam" - David Berkowitz (a.k.a. “Son of Sam”), who pleaded guilty to 13 murder and attempted murder charges, shot a neighbor’s Labrador retriever.

Jeffrey Dahmer - Serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer impaled the heads of dogs and cats on sticks.

April 1999/Littleton, Colo. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shot to death 12 fellow students and a teacher and injured more than 20 others. Both teens had reportedly boasted about mutilating animals.

May 1998/Springfield, Ore. Kip Kinkel, 15, killed his parents and opened fire in his high school cafeteria, killing two and injuring 22 others. He had a history of animal abuse and torture, having boasted about blowing up a cow and killing cats, chipmunks, and squirrels by putting lit firecrackers in their mouths.

March 1998/Jonesboro, Ark. Mitchell Johnson, 13, and Andrew Golden, 11, pulled their school’s fire alarm and then shot and killed four classmates and a teacher. Golden reportedly used to shoot dogs “all the time with a .22.”

December 1997/West Paducah, Ky. Michael Carneal, 14, shot and killed three students during a school prayer meeting. Carneal had been heard talking about throwing a cat into a bonfire.

October 1997/Pearl, Miss. Luke Woodham, 16, shot and killed two of his classmates and injured seven others after stabbing his mother to death. Woodham’s journal revealed that, in a moment of “true beauty,” he and a friend had beaten, burned, and tortured his own dog, Sparkle, to death.

12/27/07

NEW Animal Shelter Rules, comments to NC Board of Agriculture through December 31, 2007.

Due to public pressure, the N.C. Department of Agriculture has re-written new proposed rules for animal shelters, much of which deals with the tax-funded killing of unwanted pets. Your help is desperately needed. The Board of Agriculture is accepting written comments and objections to the new version of proposed rules through December 31.

If you sent a comment for the first rules version last summer, please send a new letter for the new version!

The use of gas chambers and other extreme kill methods are still allowed under these new rules. These kill practices in North Carolina animal shelters have come under fire from animal welfare supporters across the nation. Representatives from In Defense of Animals, American Humane Association, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and Humane Society of the United States spoke at a public hearing in July in opposition to portions of the new rules. Gruesome killing is funded by taxpayers in more than 35 public animal control facilities in North Caroilna.

Euthanasia by injection is almost universally regarded by humane organizations as the only humane form of euthanasia. This is the same method used in all veterinarians' offices.

More than 250,000 animals are killed in North Carolina shelters annually. Hopefully some day people will be responsible enough to spay and neuter, to keep their pets contained, and to adopt homeless animals rather than buy from pet shops and breeders. Even then, unfortunately, there will always be lost and unwanted pets which end up in our shelters and are not reclaimed or adopted in time. The very least we can do is end the lives of these animals peacefully and humanely, while we search for solutions to the problem.

The new proposed rules for North Carolina animal shelters have been revised to include a sunsetting of the gas chamber, complete with loopholes, effective Jan. 1, 2012. We can do better. Why wait four years to only partially end this cruelty?

The N.C. Board of Agriculture is accepting comments through Dec. 31. Please ask that gas chambers other inhumane kill methods be put of of use in North Carolina animal shelters immediately. You're paying the bill. The animals pay with their lives.

Write to David S. McLeod, 1001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1001, fax 919-716-0090, or e-mail david.mcleod@ ncmail.net.

For a form letter see below, complete version of proposed animal shelter rules, and more information, visit http://NCCHE.com.

David S. McLeod, Secretary
NC Board of Agriculture
1001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1001

I thank the Board of Agriculture for taking time to accept public comments on the new proposed rules for North Carolina animal shelters. Please consider making changes to the following rules:

Rule 02 NCAC 52J .0401 Euthanasia by injection should be the only allowed method in North Carolina animal shelters. This is the method used in all veterinary offices, and the only method approved by every national humane organization in the United States. The cost is comparable to the use of inhalant gases.

Rule .0601—Object. All gas chambers, using any poisonous inhalant gas to kill animals, should be put out of use now, not in the year 2012. Many animal control employees using these machines are at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, and thousands of animals are suffering an inhumane death. The second part of the rule allowing for the continued use of carbon monoxide should be removed. Inhumane killing is not acceptable in any circumstances.

The entire section on carbon monoxide should be removed. I do not wish to fund animal cruelty with my taxes.

Rule .0701 Extraordinary circumstances should not be unlimited. The words “not limited to” should be removed. This loophole allowing extreme kill methods in practically any circumstance is not acceptable.

Rule .0702 allows for gunshot and "other extreme methods of euthanasia" to be used in extraordinary circumstances. There is no explanation of what these other extreme methods are. It is not acceptable for taxpayers to fund unknown extreme methods of killing at their local animal shelters.

Rule .0704 Object—Any person euthanizing animals should be trained and certified to ensure the process is done safely and humanely.

Rule .0418 "Duties of a Certified Euthanasia Technician" does not require verification of death before disposing of animals. This is a major problem, given reports of animals waking up in landfills, freezers, and dumpster's after being assumed dead.

Rule .0407 B-6 requires training to include "Proper euthanasia techniques not utilizing injected chemical agents." Since more than half of animal shelters in North Carolina now euthanize by injection only, they should not be required to learn another less humane method. This rule should be removed.

The North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture is amending its regulations particularly concerning euthanasia. The Dept. will still allow gas chambers to be used in public shelters. It’s time to end this cruel practice. Click here for a look at the proposed regulations and a letter you can send to the Dept. to let them know gas chambers should be banned. Don’t wait. The deadline for submitting comments is Dec. 31.

The national No Kill Advocacy Center, Cathy Nguyen, a volunteer animal rescuer, and Rebecca Arvizu, a Los Angeles County taxpayer and animal rescuer, have jointly filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County, its Department of Animal Care and Control, and the Department’s Director, Marcia Mayeda. The lawsuit alleges unlawful and abusive treatment of animals at all six Los Angeles County animal shelters.
Among the allegations in the 29-page complaint filed today in Superior Court, the County Department of Animal Care and Control routinely:
• Kills healthy and treatable animals before their state mandated holding period expires;
• Misclassifies animals as “ill” or “injured” in order to kill them before their holding period expires even though the animals are not irremediably suffering as required by state law;
• Kills lost animals without making reasonable attempts to find the animals’ owners;
• Fails to provide adequate veterinary care to impounded animals, resulting in animal deaths;
• Fails to provide adequate nutrition, water, shelter and exercise to impounded animals and to treat the animals humanely and kindly;
• Refuses to release animals to rescue groups that are willing to care for the animals until adoptive homes can be found and, instead, kills the animals.
In addition, the County Department of Animal Care and Control unlawfully retaliates against animal rescuers and volunteers who publicize its unlawful treatment of animals.

The lawsuit asks a Superior Court Judge to order Los Angeles County, its Department of Animal Care and Control, and Department Director Mayeda to comply with state laws that protect animals from arbitrary and inhumane treatment. The lawsuit is being handled by the Los Angeles law firm of Eisenberg, Raizman, Thurston, and Wong, LLP.
“The Los Angeles County animal shelter system is supposed to provide a reasonable safety net of care for lost and abandoned animals,” said Nathan J. Winograd, Director of the No Kill Advocacy Center. “Instead, the system betrays the trust of the citizens of Los Angeles County by failing to treat the animals humanely and kindly.”

“Los Angeles County and its Department of Animal Control fought the existing animal protection laws that safeguard shelter animals when those laws were pending in the legislature. They fought the laws after they became effective through a regulatory challenge. Now, it appears they have decided they are just going to ignore those laws,” stated Winograd. “But Los Angeles County shelters are supposed to enforce laws related to animal welfare, not violate the laws themselves and then retaliate against rescue groups who want to save these animals and make their demands public. This is the worst form of hypocrisy and cannot be tolerated—especially since animals are not only suffering, they are needlessly being killed because of it.”
“I have tried to work with the Department and Director Mayeda regarding the conditions at Los Angeles County shelters for many months to no avail,” said plaintiff Cathy Nguyen, who works with rescue groups trying to save animals that Los Angeles County shelters are putting to death. “I cannot sit quietly and do nothing about this and have no choice at this point but to demand that they follow the law.”

“As a taxpayer, I don’t want my taxes to pay for the killing of animals when there are rescue groups willing to save them at their own expense,” said Los Angeles county taxpayer and plaintiff Rebecca Arvizu. “These shelters also do not reflect my values and those of my fellow citizens who love animals. Since they are supposed to be working for us, I want them caring for animals humanely. That’s the law and those are the values a majority of us hold dear.”
The No Kill Advocacy Center is a national non-profit organization trying to end the systematic killing of animals in U.S. shelters. It has drafted model legislation, works with municipal and private shelters nationwide, and helps animal lovers throughout the United States reform their local shelters.

The lawsuit is based on violations of California laws, especially the 1998 Animal Shelter Law. The law sought to reform California shelters which were unnecessarily killing in the face of cost-effective lifesaving alternatives. It follows a successful lawsuit in Kern County where a Superior Court judge held the Kern County animal control shelter in violation of law and ordered that shelter to cease its legal violations.

For a copy of the press release, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing.)
For a full media kit, which includes a copy of the 4-page Demand Letter the plaintiffs sent to Ms. Mayeda before filing their lawsuit, the 3-page letter protesting the Department’s retaliation, the 29-page Complaint, video footage, and high resolution images of animal suffering in Los Angeles County’s shelter system, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing.)
Please help us pay for the legal costs. To donate by check or make a secure online donation, click here or go to nokilladvocacycenter.org.

State Threatens To Shut Down Lincoln County Animal Shelter

Changes Must Be Made Within 60 Days

LINCOLNTON, N.C. -- So many animals are crowding the Lincoln County pound that the state has told the sheriff's department things have to change or the shelter will be shut down.

Animal Control workers recently had to put down 43 dogs in one day a day that wasn't their assigned euthanization day because the shelter was too full.

Edward Hayes, a resident who adopted his dog days before she was to be put to sleep, said he was shocked to hear about the problem.

"It's terrible. I'm an animal lover, he said. The county has got enough money where they can build a bigger place."

County Commissioner Alex Patton said it's a problem that shouldn't be happening. He said Animal Control was told to make more room months ago. He said the county allocated a few dollars to expand outdoor space because the county has experienced a population boom in the east, adding thousands more people and their pets.

Patton said a Department of Agriculture inspection earlier this year revealed small problems, but after last week's re-inspection the shelter was given 60 days to improve or be shut down.

"I knew that we need to do something, and it's just time to do it,"he said. "It has been put on the back burner long enough."

The sheriff's office and county manager are working on plans to add on the shelter. They will need to have plans in place to report to the state by January 1.

Dear Rescue Group Friends,
Please read about the situation that Yorkie Haven Rescue experienced this past week while attempting to rescue a Yorkie Mix “Mia”. Please join us in writing the below listed county manager and county commissioners in York County South Carolina regarding your concerns of Mia not receiving the proper medical attention that she deserved. We tried multiple times to offer medical treatment but was refused. Please do not let Mia’s death be in vain. We are asking that “sick” or “injured” animals be allowed intervention by rescue groups during the 10 day wait period. Please forward to all of your members and help support our cause. Together as one voice we can make a difference in the lives of so many furry creatures.
Thank you,
Sherri Stenberg
Yorkie Haven Rescue
336-917-7685

Dear YHR Members:
Some of you may not be aware of what has happened over the past week. Our member Cherlyn of Charlotte, NC was trying to pull a pup from a shelter in York Co. SC that was hit by a car and not given any treatment. The shelter would not release her for 10 days, and she died on the 7th day. Below is the information.
We are trying to contact all news, newspapers, animal welfare agencies, and government officials to report this story so poor Mia (as named by Cherlyn) did not die in vain, and so that another animal does not have to suffer what she endured.

Attached below is one of many emails we have sent (the below email is to a reporter at MSNBC that specializes in dog and cat articles) and details Mia's story.

Cherlyn is asking that you all PLEASE either call, fax, or e-mail your support for changing the policy of keeping an injured animal for 10 days without appropriate medical care. We want them to release injured animals to 501c3 rescue organizations so proper medical care can be obtained for the animal.
Please forward your comments to the following:
Jim Baker, County Manager
York County Agricultural Building, P. O. Box 66, 6 South Congress Street, York, SC 29745
E-Mail: county.manager@yorkcountygov.com
Phone: 1-803-684-8511
Fax: 1-803-684-8550
County Commissioners are as follows:
paul.lindemann@yorkcountygov.com
tom.smith@yorkcountygov.com
roy.blake@yorkcountygov.com
buddy.motz@yorkcountygov.com

Dear Kim Thornton:

I am Vice President of Yorkie Haven Rescue (a 501c3 nonprofit animal rescue based nationally). I am writing to you about a case of abuse/neglect on the part of York County Animal Control in SC. A dog was hit by a car, denied treatment, left to suffer in confinement, and died due to York County Animal Control's neglect. Our rescue offered to pull the dog and get her to a vet, but we were denied and told there was a 10 day wait on her release. We believe that laws were broken and were hoping you could do a news story on York County Animal Control's treatment of this dog so that another animal does not have to suffer for 7 days without treatment before dying alone. This is not humane. Below are the details of these events:

Details:
A stray yorkie-chihuahua mix pup was hit by a car 11/26 and brought to York County Animal Control. On the morning of 11/29 we became aware of the pup and one of our members, Cherlyn Tumlin from Charlotte, NC, called to offer to pull the pup so we could get her to a vet to provide her with medical care (the pup was a female only about 3 years old). Animal Control would not release her and told us they must hold the pup for 10 days. Mind you, York County Animal Control told us the vet said the pup had a fractured pelvis, yet they DO NOT have an X-ray machine and were just giving the pup pain medication. Also of note, they said their vet is retiring soon so he is only there from 9 am - 12 pm each day.

We were VERY concerned that the pup could have internal bleeding because the photo of the pup (which we have attached) shows some blood spots on the floor of the awful space the pup was kept.

On the afternoon of 11/29 Cherlyn spoke with some firefighters who told her that the County Manager could have the pup released early (instead of holding her 10 days with injuries and no treatment). Cherlyn proceeded to call Anna Wilson who is the Asst. County Manager in charge of the York County Animal Control on Friday. Ms. Wilson said, "There was too much of a liability issue to let the dog be released early." Ms. Wilson also said she spoke with the vet at York County Animal Control and the vet told her the dog should be fine until this Wednesday 12/5 (the 10th day of confinement). Cherlyn pleaded for Ms. Wilson to allow the pup to be released and for us to get her treatment, but was denied. I had an appointment scheduled with my vet, Dr. Pete Gilyard of Clemmons Animal Clinic in Clemmons, NC for Wednesday at 3:00 pm so we could bring the pup straight to him after we picked her up on Wednesday. Needless to say, Cherlyn called York County Animal Control 12/3 to check on the pup, and was told by a shelter worker, "Oh, we found her dead this morning."

This shelter has beautiful offices, but the pups are kept in terrible pens. They use inmates to work in shelter and the shelter staff is abusive - Cherlyn has seen them throw dogs across the room on prior visits when she pulled dogs from them. York County Animal Control needs to be investigated for cruelty to animals and needs to have their management looked at. Also Ms. Wilson should NOT be in charge of the Animal Control if she can't even take the time to look at a poor suffering dog that had a chance at life and was denied by her.

We believe York County Animal Control's and Ms. Wilson's lack of treatment for this animal is a violation of SC Law:
SECTION 47-1-30. Repealed by 1998 Act No. 367, Section 9, eff May 27, 1998. SECTION 47-1-40. Ill-treatment of animals generally.
(A) Whoever knowingly or intentionally overloads, overdrives, overworks, ill-treats any animal, deprives any animal of necessary sustenance or shelter, inflicts unnecessary pain or suffering upon any animal, or by omission or commission knowingly or intentionally causes these things to be done, for every offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by imprisonment not exceeding sixty days or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, or both, for a first offense; by imprisonment not exceeding ninety days or by a fine not exceeding eight hundred dollars, or both, for a second offense; or by imprisonment not exceeding two years or by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, or both, for a third or subsequent offense. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a first offense under this subsection shall be tried in magistrate's or municipal court.
(B) Whoever tortures, torments, needlessly mutilates, cruelly kills, or inflicts excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering upon any animal or by omission or commission causes the acts to be done for any of the offenses is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be punished by imprisonment of not less than one hundred eighty days and not to exceed five years and by a fine of five thousand dollars.
(C) This section does not apply to fowl, accepted animal husbandry practices of farm operations and the training of animals, the practice of veterinary medicine, agricultural practices, forestry and silvacultural practices, wildlife management practices, or activity authorized by Title 50.
Thank you for any help you can provide to shed light on this deplorable treatment of an animal and to help ensure this does not happen again.
Cherlyn Tumlin can be contacted at 704-201-6443 and I can be contacted at 336-655-7955. Thank you.

Michelle Belaustegui
Vice President
Yorkie Haven Rescue
www.YorkieHavenRescue.com

Please look at the attached story from the Lincoln County times. We need to help Tri-County Rescue they have worked so hard and have done so much for the animals, lets help them survive! Our counties and rescues could be next!!! Instead of punishing the people who are trying to help the animals (and save us tax dollars, if I may add) with these new laws, they need to punish the back-yard breeders and irresponsible pet owners. They are a direct cause of this animal over population problem we see in North Carolina when they do not spay and neuter. That's what they should be writing new laws about but yet they go unchecked!

click here to read Gypsey's Story
DO YOU OWN A DOG?
HOW ABOUT 2 DOGS? HOW ABOUT 4 DOGS? HOW ABOUT 10 DOGS OR MORE?
HOW MUCH LAND DO YOU OWN?
Lincoln County Commissioners are CHANGING the ordinances so that we can only have 10 dogs per acre of land. If you own .1 acre then you can have 1 dog, .2 acres – 2 dogs, .44 acres – 4 dogs, .65 acres – 7 dogs, and so own. If they pass this on December 17, they will give us until July 1, 2008 to get in compliance or we WILL be FINED! We will be fined for every dog over our limit for every day until we get to the "CORRECT" number. If you have 6 dogs and are allowed only 2 and it takes you 10 days to find them a home, then you will receive 4 citations per day for 10 days for a total of 40 citations. IF YOU ARE AGAINST THIS, PLEASE CALL OR WRITE THE COMMISSIONERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THEY ARE VOTING ON DECEMBER 17, 2007

Or Call; Mrs. Amy Atkins, Clerk to the County Board of Commissioners by phone at (704) 736-8473 or by email at aatkins@lincolncounty.org

THOMAS R.
ANDERSON (R)
P.E. Chairman
3740 Burton Lane
Denver, NC 28037
(H) 704-483-3229
Term Expires: December 2008
tande4834@bellsouth.net
ALEX E.
PATTON (R)
Vice Chairman
2740 Gold Rush Drive
Lincolnton, NC 28092
Term Expires: December 2008
awdar@charter.net
JAMES A.
KLEIN (R)
7628 Sedgebrook Dr. E
Stanley, NC 28164
(H) 704-820-3980
Term Expires: December 2010
jaklein5@yahoo.com
BRUCE
CARLTON (R)
8147 Malibu Pointe Lane
Denver, NC 28037
(H) 704-483-5049
Term Expires: December 2010
bruce.carlton@ge.com
MARIE
MOORE (R)
7955 Lucky Creek Lane
Denver, NC 28037
(H) 704-483-4365
Term Expires: December 2008
moor505@attglobal.net
A Message From Gypsy:
Thank you, Gypsy
LTN49525-121007

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