Cat declawing now a crime in San Francisco and Beverly Hills – CA

For the couch: Some pet owners have their cats declawed to prevent damage to household items. (AP File Photo)

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco has become the first major city in the nation to outlaw the declawing of cats.

Some pet owners declaw their felines to protect themselves, or their furniture, from scratches. But pet advocates condemn the practice as animal cruelty.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted 9-2 to enact a ban on the declawing of cats. Supervisors Sean Elsbernd and Michela Alioto-Pier voted against the legislation.

“It is well-documented and well-understood from a medical prospective that [declawing] is torture. It is a form of animal cruelty,” said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who introduced the legislation.

Other California cities are considering adopting similar bans. The Los Angeles City Council is expected to vote on whether to enact a ban by the end of the year. West Hollywood banned declawing in 2003. Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Berkeley are considering similar ordinances. Declawing is illegal in 20 countries, including most of Europe, Brazil, Japan and Israel.

The California Veterinary Medical Association opposed the legislation. (Shame on them… it is like AMA, who stands up for Big Pharma and money making procedures, not patients.) The group said declawing should be left up to veterinarians and not politicians.

“I don’t support the board making those types of medical decisions,” Alioto-Pier told The Examiner after the meeting. “It seems misplaced. I think that the doctors and the vets should be making those decisions. And if it’s a bigger issue than that then the state of California should be outlawing that.”

Violators of the ban, such as anyone who declaws a cat or a pet owner who approves of a declawing, could face up to six months in jail or a fine of up to $1,000.

Many cities have decided to consider such a ban because a state law was recently adopted that would prohibit cities from enacting the bans after Jan. 1.

Vote was held and passed on Nov 5th in Beverly Hills.

Options:  Get your cat a scratching pole, take them for a walk on a leash and clip their nails.

Try Pedi-Paws -

Chinese University targets cats in H1N1 fear : report

MORE CAT HATE-China is now going to do mass killings of cats because they believe they will catch H1N1. You talk about INSANE. Maybe the Chinese government should start killing off their own people because HUMANS carry H1N1 – NOT CATS. I HATE CHINA!

A sophomore from Beihang University is quarantined at the university hospital. A freshman died from H1N1 at the university last week.

A famous technology university in Beijing is alleged to be ridding its campus of homeless cats because of fears the animals will pass A(H1N1) to students.

“I was informed by a security guard in this university they will clean up approximately 50 abandoned cats in the campus, starting on Wednesday,” a student surnamed Kui from the Beijing University of Technology (BUT), who looked after the cats, said.

“The security guard told me the decision was made at a university presidential meeting, but they refused to tell me how they would get rid of them,” he said.

This appears to support a report by the Beijing News on Saturday, in which a security guard said the plan was genuine.

However, security guards and the university’s administration department denied the existence of such a plan when contacted by METRO yesterday.

Despite the denial, a cat shelter was set on fire by a cigarette on Saturday, one day after the decision was reportedly made.

Three cats escaped but were now in serious danger from exposure to the freezing weather, Kui said.

More than 700 freshmen at Beihang University were infected with H1N1 at a military training camp last week. A male student later died.

Kui said his university was concerned about the situation at Beihang University and was trying to take action, which included getting rid of homeless cats.

After learning of the plan, a retired professor surnamed Xu from BUT told METRO she approached the security office and asked them how they would remove the cats. She was told they would first try to find people to adopt them, and would leave those remaining in a field on the outskirts of Beijing.

“I am afraid some cats will be hurt or even killed,” Xu said.

Qin Xiaona, president of the Capital Animal Welfare Association, a charity organization established in 1997, said cats who have undergone sterilization operations and vaccinations are not harmful to people.

According to Kui, nearly 80 percent of the cats in BUT have had sterilization operations. Those who hadn’t been sterilized were either too young to have the operation or too old to be fall pregnant. Students and teachers covered all the costs of the operations.

“I spent almost 300 yuan ($44) a month to feed them and I know of another retired professor who spent 1,000 yuan recently to have three cats sterilized,” Xu said.

“There is not a single medical expert or research to suggest any connection between the H1N1 virus transmission and cats. Furthermore, the university didn’t spend a penny on them and the cats don’t cause any trouble. I don’t understand why they want to get rid of them,” Xu said.

Xu is now contacting kindly people and animal shelters to see whether they can adopt the cats. The Capital Animal Welfare Association is also involved.

“Adopting abandoned cats is not really encouraged because it promotes other cat abandoners to follow suit,” Qin said.

“The best way to protect abandoned cats is find responsible people to take care of them, let them stay where they are, and give them sterilizing operations and vaccinations,” Qin added.

Qin told METRO she would contact BUT and try to convince them to keep the cats.

In February, a group of male students from BUT angered netizens when they stamped on an abandoned cat and left it in a dormitory lobby until it died to days later.

China Daily – Updated: 2009-11-02 10:45

Dog Meat in Beijing Ordered Off Menus for Olympics

Olympic Clean-up Chinese Style:  Beijing’s Shocking Cat Death Camps

No Dog Slaughters: End China Dog Culls

Please Sign Petition: Boycott China to Stop Mass Killing of Animals – The Petition Site

Posted:  Just One More Pet

Couple’s Chihuahua Pitched Into the Catoctin Creek

Man admits to throwing dog, charged with animal cruelty

Caisha and Tim Wantz

BRUNSWICK, Md. — Maryland State Police charged a man with throwing a Frederick County family’s Chihuahua off a bridge.

Caisha and Tim Wantz encountered a man with a station wagon and talking on a cell phone at the end of their driveway in Point of Rocks on June 19 as they were driving to get gas in preparation for their big weekend plans. They argued with him after asking him to leave. He told them he wanted to stay and make a call, the couple told NBC4’s Pat Collins.

“I told him I was going to call police,” Caisha Wantz said. “He laughed at me.”

She said he mocked her and started driving toward her like he was going to run her over.

Dog Thrown off Bridge in Frederick

“I yelled out to him, ‘Go ahead, you. Run over me in front of my family,’” Caisha Wantz said.

She was holding thermos of coffee and she decorated his rear window with the beverage.

Charging documents state that 34-year-old David Beers left but came back after the couple left and drove up to their house. Beers told police that he grabbed the 4-pound, 1-and-a-half-year-old dog named Zoey when she walked up to his car.

As Beers drove home over Catoctin Creek Bridge, he threw the dog over the bridge, police said. He later admitted to throwing the dog, which was never found.

“I have made, a few months ago, the worst decision of my life, and I want everyone to know that I deeply regret the pain and suffering that I caused the Wantz family,” Beers told Collins. “I have dealt with this stuff very heavily, and it’s affected my family and friends, and to them I own an apology as well.”

“She was my companion,” Caisha Wantz said. “She was our family companion. She went on vacation with us; she would travel to the store with us. I often had her in my purse.”

Beers has been charged with theft less than $500, trespassing and animal cruelty. He told Collins that he is undergoing anger management and seeing a psychiatrist.

A Sept. 17 court date has been set.

By MATTHEW STABLEY

Copyright Associated Press / NBC Washington – First Published: Aug 28, 2009 7:20 PM EDT

I really think it is time to start charging these people with what it is… murder, or at least man(pet)slaughter as well as will emotional distress for the pet parents, which should include any medical bills!  Theft, trespassing and animal cruelty should be add-on charges.  Throw the book at this guy and all the other nuts who these kinds of things.

Because they are uncaring crazies or animal haters at best and sociopaths and/or both domestic and animal abusers at the other end of the scale, and we are not making examples of them, they are willing to do these things without a second thought.

Posted: Just One More Pet

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• Charges in Dog Beating Upgraded to Felony
• Dog Dead After Neighbor Beats it for Barking – VIDEO
• Two Teens Torture, Kill Family Dog – VIDEO
• Man “Regularly Beat Dog with Shovel Handle”
• Community Service for Dog Killer
• Teen Who Killed Kitten Only to Serve One Year in Prison
• Humane Society of the U.S. finally changes its policy on fighting dogs
• Teen Kills Kitten in Oven; Faces 10-Year Sentence
• Is Your Pet a Voiceless Victim of the Tanking Economy?
• Where there is a will…
• Warning Signs That Your Child’s Behavior Is Dangerous To Pets
• Jesse Compares Michael Vick to Jackie Robinson
• Not Everyone Wants Michael Vick to Come Back
• Brooklyn Woman Assaults Two ASPCA Agents
• Speak Out For Those Who Cannot Speak For Themselves… Always Stand-up for Them and Join the ASPCA
• Don’t Think for a Minute that Dogs (or any pet) Can Survive in a Hot Car
• Joan of Ark – Joanie’s Story
• Help Feed Hungry Pets
• Father Arrested for Allegedly Killing Family Dog in Front of Children
• Domestic and Animal Abuse
• Glenn Beck – Teen punks murder American Hero’s Dog
• Alabama Dog Fighting Bust
• Ohio Woman 75, Accused of Beating Fawn to Death
• 18-year-old Charged in Florida Cat Mutilations
• And the Verdict is… GUILTY!!  YES!!!
• Brooklyn Man Arrested for Neglecting Aging Pet

Brooklyn Woman Assaults Two ASPCA Agents

On July 23, ASPCA Supervisory Special Investigator Annemarie Lucas and Special Agent Kristi Adams arrested Brooklyn resident Andrea Stewart, age 39, after the woman attacked the two Agents.

Responding to an anonymous tip about a neglected cat, the Humane Law Enforcement agents arrived at Stewart’s residence to find a seven-week-old, one-pound orange tabby with his whiskers cut off and a serious injury to his right front paw. “The kitten’s leg was broken,” says Supervisor Lucas. “As of now, he might lose his paw and is suffering from a rib fracture as well.” It was determined that Stewart had failed to get medical attention for her cat.

Says Joseph Pentangelo, Assistant Director of ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement, “In response to the agents’ decision to seize the kitten, Stewart choked and knocked down one of the ASPCA uniformed officers and punched the other.”

Stewart was arrested by ASPCA Special Agent Kristi Adams and taken to Kings County Hospital for observation. The agents were treated for injuries at local hospitals, while the kitten, named Macaroni by officials, was taken to the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, where he’s expected to recover and be readied for adoption.

Since it is a felony to assault a New York State Peace Officer, Stewart could receive two counts of felony assault and one count of animal cruelty.

Posted:  Just One More Pet

It really is time that the punishment for these inhumane offenses to animals is raised to a much higher level and that offenders are given the maximum.  If you think about it, it is pretty crazy.  The women is charged with two counts of felony assault for attacking the ASPCA Agents (and should be), but is only charged with one count of animal cruelty for maiming and torturing her cat and then not getting it medical help.  We are all God’s creatures and no animals should be treated inhumanely, including wild animals and livestock… farm and ranch animals deserve to be treated in a humane manner, and especially domesticated animals that people choose as pets.  It is time that we begin considering ourselves as guardians of the animals and pets in our domain instead of “owners”.  The cruelest animals on the planet really are uncaring humans and the rest of us need to keep them in check!!! … Ask Marion, JOMP~

Teen Kills Kitten in Oven; Faces 10-Year Sentence

On June 3, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents arrested Cheyenne Cherry, a 17-year-old resident of the Bronx, for allegedly killing a two-month-old kitten by burning her to death in an oven. In addition to cruelty to animals, Cherry was charged with multiple counts of burglary, arson and criminal mischief. Under New York State law, Cherry is considered an adult and faces more than 10 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

Cherry admits that she broke into the home of an ex-roommate on May 6 with the intent to “play a joke and mess up her apartment.” Cherry and an accomplice allegedly threw bleach on the walls of the apartment, slashed furniture and stole various items. Before leaving, the pair put the victim’s kitten, Tiger Lily, into the hot oven.

When police arrived at the Bronx apartment to investigate smoke complaints, Tiger Lily was found dead. Her remains were taken to ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, where veterinarians had to perform a necropsy to determine the sex of the badly burned kitten.

According to Joseph Pentangelo, Assistant Director of ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement, Cherry’s explanation for placing the kitten in the oven was simply: “I hate cats.”

If you know of a child or teen who is hurting animals, please report his or her behavior to the proper authorities—kids who assault animals may eventually act out on people. The ASPCA offers a list of ways to intervene when a child or teen displays dangerous behavior around animals.

To report animal cruelty in New York City, contact the ASPCA anonymous tip line at (877) THE-ASPCA. Visit our Report Cruelty FAQ to learn how to report cruelty elsewhere.

Photos of Cat Killer and Victim – Kitty Heard Screaming

***”Horrible” and I’m glad to see that the girl might get 10-years, but I honestly think she should get 10-years+ for killing the cat alone and then additional time for burglary, arson and criminal mischief.  What a horrible way to die for that kitten.  And it has been proven that people who can treat animals that way are also prone to domestic violence and cruelty to children, and are often sociopaths. Her statement where she killed this kitty for no reason in this heinous manner with no remorse and then makes a flippant comment like “I hate cats” kinda says it all.  I say throw the book at her without parole, mandatory counseling, and a lifetime tracking band like child abusers get when she gets out including a provision of no contact with animals… or something like this or worse will happen with this gal again!!  I’d be up for life without parole like the police dog killer got!!

Related Articles:

• Police Dog Killer Gets Life Without Parole
• Domestic and Animal Abuse
• Father Arrested for Allegedly Killing Family Dog in Front of Children
• Warning Signs That Your Child’s Behavior Is Dangerous To Pets
• Manhatten Man Arrested For Beating Dog and Girlfriend
• Alabama Dog Fighting Bust

Cheyenne Cherry tossed her ex-roommate’s kitty, Tiger Lily (above), into the stove, then left so she didn’t have to hear the cat’s anguished cries.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/06/05/2009-06-05_evil_teen_who_tossed_cat_in_the_oven.html

Cheyenne Cherry is currently scheduled to appear in court on July 15, 2009.

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***We highly recommend you snail-mail or fax to those contacts without
working or publicly available email addresses.

Robert T. Johnson, Bronx District Attorney
The Office of the Bronx County District Attorney
198 East 161st Street; Bronx, NY 10451
ph: 718-590-2000, 718-590-2312; fax: 718-590-2198
email: angueirl@bronxda.nyc.gov

Steven Reed, Director of Public Information
The Office of the Bronx County District Attorney
198 East 161st Street; Bronx, NY 10451
ph: 718-590-2235, 718-590-2234

Joe McCormack, Assistant District Attorney
Bronx County District Attorney’s Office
198 East 161st Street; Bronx, New York 10451
ph: 718-590-2000, 718-590-2026; fax: 718-781-1129
email: mccormaj@bronxda.nyc.gov

Nancy Borko, Senior Assistant District Attorney
Bronx District Attorney’s Office
215 East 161st Street; Bronx, NY 10451-3511
ph: 718-838-7114

Maria T. Rivero, Administrative Assistant District Attorney:
riverom@bronxda.nyc.gov

Anthony Girese, Counsel to the District Attorney
Bronx County District Attorney’s Office
198 East 161st Street; Bronx, New York 10451
ph: 718-590-2175; fax: 718-992-0545
email: giresea@bronxda.nyc.gov

ALL EMAILS FROM ABOVE, to cut/paste in TO or BCC line of your email:
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Easily modify letter. Copy/paste it into an email or print letter to fax or mail.
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The Office of the Bronx County District Attorney:

Thank you for recognizing public concern in the case of Tiger Lily, a kitten scorched alive inside an oven on May 6, 2009. I understand Cheyenne Cherry, 17, is charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty, burglary, arson, criminal trespass, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.

I respectfully ask for your utmost deliberation in the investigation of
Cherry and her accomplice, who allegedly broke into ex-roommate Valerie Hernandez’s home and trapped Tiger Lily inside an activated stove.  Apparently, they ransacked the apartment and raised the stove’s heat before fleeing with stolen items. The girls never heard Tiger Lily’s last screams and scratches against the oven door.

Please seek maximum adult incarceration of two years for felony animal
cruelty. Cherry also faces possible jail terms of 15 years for second-degree
burglary, one year for arson, and four years for criminal mischief. I urge
you to hold both teens accountable. Both require psychological evaluation
and therapy. Both should be barred from possessing or working with animals.

At the very least, they ought to be interned in a juvenile detention hall
until age 18 (if applicable). Then, reassessment of the girls’ personality
traits can determine if adult imprisonment is necessary.

Adolescents who commit brutal crimes against humans usually begin with animals. Columbine shooter Eric Harris, 18, smashed mice with a crowbar and set them on fire. Washington D.C. serial killer Lee Boyd Malvo killed stray cats with a slingshot. Kip Kinkle blew up a cow and burned a live cat. He then shot 25 classmates and murdered his parents in Springfield, Oregon.  After Luke Woodham, 16, mortally stabbed his mother and shot nine others, he confessed to bludgeoning his dog with baseball bats and setting her on fire.

These murderers, like Cherry, were able to torture and kill without remorse. Indeed, the intentional burning of an animal is a “particularly significant predictor of violent and even homicidal behavior,” says Dr. Randall Lockwood of ASPCA Anti-Cruelty Initiatives and a frequent consultant for cruelty investigators, law enforcers and mental health professionals.

Cherry “thought we would play a joke on Valerie.”  But she and her friend are not guilty of warped humor or bad choices. Roasting a defenseless kitten is the calculated action of a sociopath and a predator.

Thank you for prosecuting Cherry and her accomplice to the fullest degree allowed by law.

Sincerely,

=============================================================
SOURCE OF INFORMATION / REFERENCE LINKS
=============================================================

Terri Kelley, Kinship Circle Investigative Research Aide
pawsitivedirections@yahoo.com
BRONX LOVE SPAT SPURS SICKENING KITTEN SLAY
http://www.nypost.com/seven/06052009/news/regionalnews/bronx/bronx_love_spat_spurs_sickening_kitten_s_172665.htm
Bronx teen confesses to roasting kitten
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/06/05/2009-06-05_evil_teen_who_tossed_cat_in_the_oven.html
Petition to have Cheyenne Cherry tried as Adult
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/332/petition-to-have-cheyenne-cherry-tried-as-adult

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Posted:  Just One More Pet

Where there is a will…

One of the greatest tragedies of the failed housing market is the cost to pets and animals.  And although highlighted now and again after some tragic event where a pet has been left behind to starve without food or water in an abandoned house or chained to a tree when their family moved, it has been under reported. 

Losing your home, often after having also lost your job in today’s uncertain financial environment, can be both scary and overwhelming.  People become panicked and often make rash and unsound decisions under the pressure or go into a state of denial.  But leaving your pet or any animal behind without making arrangements for them to be taken care of could end up haunting both you and your family forever.  A pet is a family member and abandoning them, besides being illegal, could leave permanent scars, especially on children. 

Often lack of planning is the greatest culprit.  Friends or family members will usually take your pets, either permanently or until you or an adoptive family can take them, if you really cannot or do not know where you are going or cannot take them along.  Running an ad in the local paper, online, or in the neighborhood ad sheet is usually free for pet ads, but people tend to want to believe that things will get better so often wait until the last minute when they are out of time and therefore often also out of options.  I have seen people walk their pets or sit outside a market with them wearing a sign:  ‘I need a home’ or ‘Will you take me home?’ with relative success.  Networking with friends, neighbors and co-workers, or putting up signs at markets, at your veterinarian’s office, church, and on community boards and mailboxes are also great sources, as well as contacting local rescues and no kill shelters.  Many pet sites also have message boards where you might find an adoptive parent or  a foster family for your pet, giving you more time to find another solution. 

I have also seen people negotiate with new landlords or network to find a place that will allow their pets to move with them, even though the listings originally said no.  Getting a written reference from either a former landlord or neighbors is helpful and working through a realtor or leasing agent also usually ups your chances.  Remember if you are going to rent, the owner pays their fee, not you. 

Be creative!  I recently came across someone who traded their car for an old camper by running an ad in the newspaper.  It gave the family and the pets a crowded but temporary place to live and stay together.  We are surrounded by community, sometimes our greatest failing is the fear or hesitance to ask for help. 

Where there is a will… there is a way, and it starts with planning.

By:  Marion Algier/Ask Marion 

 

Related Articles:

• Economic Forecast: One Million Pets May Lose Homes in the U.S.
• Father Arrested for Allegedly Killing Family Dog in Front of Children
• Abused and abandoned pets need our help
• Doomed Dogs Get On The Rescue Wagon to Other Shelters

Father Arrested for Allegedly Killing Family Dog in Front of Children

A Wisconsin man has been arrested for allegedly killing the family dog in front of his children. After an 11-year-old drew a picture at school, his father now faces felony charges in Waukesha County. 52-year-old Michael Tessmer will appear in Waukesha County Court on Thursday.

Authorities found out about what happened after the man’s son drew a picture of a dog at school along with the phrase “My Dad Is A Killer”. The boy told police his father was angry because the dog had relieved itself inside the home. Police say Tessmer shoved a urine soaked paper towel in the dog’s mouth then kicked it five or ten times.

The boy’s mother who is getting a divorce from Tessmer brought the dead dog to the Humane Society. If Tessmer is convicted he could be fined ten thousand dollars and get three and a half years in jail.

If this father truly did this I hope he gets the maximum sentence as well as extended probation that includes long-term required psychological counseling!!  I also think someone really needs to look  at ‘only  supervised visitation’ with his children and Michael Tessmer should be restricted from owning or working with animals ever again. There is no justification, explanation or excuse for his actions!!  Many serial killers and batterers of all kinds started with harming, torturing or killing animals.  This type of behavior should not be tolerated or excused in any way and should always be reported!

It is everyone’s responsibility to stand up,  intervene and report violance and abuse ofany kind toward animals, children and all victims no matter how small or how heinous.  It is the only way it will stop!  You can bet that this isn’t the first and only time this man has been abusive and violent and this would have been prevented if someone had stood up to him or reported him before.  I also must wonder about the accuracy of this story.  If the wife had taken the abused and murdered dog to the Humane Society why had they not reported it to the police?

As the saying goes…  You are either part of the solution or part of the problem!! Let us all always be part of the solution!!

Related Articles:

Reasons Dogs Urinate In The House

Warning Signs That Your Child’s Behavior Is Dangerous To Pets

Warning Signs That Your Child’s Behavior Is Dangerous To Pets

Children are naturally interested in interacting with—and getting a reaction from—the family pet. It’s not uncommon for them to hide food, play a little too rough, play dress up with the pet or put makeup and hair products on her. In these situations, parental guidance is needed, as a pet may feel uncomfortable or suffer harm if dangerous substances are ingested.

More serious, however, is when a child intends to hurt an animal. Whether the cause is peer pressure or a cry for help, true malicious animal cruelty is not a behavior that children outgrow by themselves. Professional intervention may be needed to prevent behavior problems that can stay with a child into adulthood, and even be acted out on other human beings.

The following behaviors may indicate that intervention is needed to guide your child away from cruel behaviors toward animals:

• Chasing a fleeing pet
• Locking a pet in a closet
• Leaving a pet outdoors
• Knowingly or unknowingly feeding a pet harmful human foods.
• Feeding human medications that are dangerous to pets to see what effect the pills will have
• Placing a tight rubber band around a paw
• Painting a pet’s body
• Putting a small animal in a washing machine, microwave or other appliance
• Staging fights between dogs or letting one animal chase another
• Deriving pleasure from seeing a frightened or suffering pet
• Responding to adult reprimands by engaging in secretive, hostile acts toward the pet
• Burning an animal
• Teasing an animal with firecrackers
• Repeatedly showing off the inhumane handling of a pet to others
• Putting an animal in dangerous situations, such as dangling her outside a window or bringing her into the road

Taking Action

If you discover your child repeatedly putting an animal into dangerous situations, act swiftly to teach him that these behaviors are not acceptable. The following guidelines may help:

• Do not ignore or dismiss pet-unfriendly actions. Most children, when dealt with as though they’ve committed a serious offense, will think twice before repeating the behavior.
• Use the same serious tone of voice that you would use if you saw your child running across the street without stopping to look for oncoming traffic.
• A simple, clear statement such as, “We don’t hurt animals” is far more effective than lecturing.
• If your child persists in hitting, kicking, pinching or teasing your pet in spite of your repeated corrections, consult with your pediatrician or an expert in child development.
• You set the example. Never hit, shake, jerk or yell at your family pet—your child may imitate you and go too far.
• If you overreact in anger toward your pet, show your child that it’s all right to apologize to the pet, just as you would apologize to a person.
• If your teenager involves the family dog in high-risk activities such as dog fighting, not only should you intervene, but check in to see if your child is being influenced by alcohol, drugs, gambling or other unhealthy behaviors that involve peer pressure.
• Remember that for most children, learning empathy and respect toward animals is part of the normal socialization process. These values are instilled the same way as learning not to hit friends or tease mercilessly.

Dogwise, All Things Dog! 

285 Dogs Are Out and Never Looking Back

This is why we always encourage you guys to report, report, report animal cruelty! Thanks to the complaints of folks looking to purchase dogs, a puppy mill was busted today in White County, Tennessee, where the ASPCA seized 285 dogs this morning from miserable conditions.  From Their Press Release:

“The dogs are small breeds under 20 pounds and include Boston and Jack Russell terriers, Pomeranians, shih Tzus, Chihuahuas, poodles, miniature pinschers and schnauzers. According to Dr. Melinda Merck, the ASPCA’s Senior Director of Veterinary Forensics, the dogs are suffering from a general lack of husbandry, such as little to no food or water, lack of proper ventilation in enclosed areas, and feces encrusted pens. Conditions such as matting, sores, mange, poor teeth, abscesses, and a host of other medical conditions are prevalent.”

We’re thrilled that the dogs are now getting the TLC and medical care they deserved all along. Special shoutout to the White County Sheriff’s Department of Tennessee, who requested our assistance and gave us the authority to investigate. So that’s great for the dogs, but what about the puppy mill? The ASPCA is evaluating the dogs found at the site and collecting evidence for the prosecution of the criminal case. 

 

The ASPCA’s best and brightest are currently on the ground in White County, TN, managing operations of a puppy mill raid that began Wednesday morning, February 11. Our forensic cruelty investigation team, led by Dr. Melinda Merck, ASPCA Senior Director of Veterinary Forensics, is evaluating dogs and collecting evidence for the future criminal prosecution of the puppy mill’s owners. Members of the ASPCA Disaster Response team and several of our legislative professionals are also assisting at the site. More than 285 small-breed dogs—including Boston and Jack Russell terriers, Pomeranians, shih tzus, Chihuahuas, poodles, miniature pinschers and schnauzers—were recovered from multiple buildings on the raided property. According to Dr. Merck, the dogs are suffering from a general lack of basic care, such as little to no food or water, feces-encrusted pens and lack of proper ventilation in enclosed areas. Conditions such as matting, sores, mange, poor teeth and abscesses are widespread.  Dogs in critical condition were examined immediately on the scene and in the Mobile Animal CSI Unit, and those needing emergency care were transferred to local veterinarians who have volunteered their services.

Local officials became concerned about this particular puppy mill last September after a visitor to the property—someone who had intended to purchase a dog—alerted the White County Humane Society to the poor conditions of the animals. The White County Sheriff’s Department began a formal investigation, ultimately enlisting the ASPCA’s support for this week’s raid. Other parties assisting in the rescue include American Humane Association, Nashville Humane Association, several local veterinarians and PetSmart Charities, which provided the majority of sheltering supplies and an emergency relief vehicle.

Back in June, the ASPCA assisted in the raid of a puppy mill in Lyles, TN—the state’s largest raid to date. Thankfully, the Tennessee General Assembly is taking action to address the state’s puppy mill problem—last week, a consumer protection bill addressing large-scale commercial breeders was introduced in the Senate; introduction of a House companion bill is expected soon. How can you help to ensure a safe future for dogs like these? When you donate today, you will help us in all of our life-saving efforts, including ones like the puppy mill raid in Tennessee. To learn more about the White County raid, please visit our blog to see pictures of the puppies we rescued.   

	Before your report cruelty, be sure to gather as much information as you can to help the authorities investigate. If you have evidence—photos, videos, etc.—even better!

Woman Cited For Dragging Her Pit Bull

From wire service reports
Posted: 12/04/2008 03:14:28 PM PST

DOWNEY – A woman taking her pet pit bull to a Downey shelter today to be put to sleep was cited for animal cruelty when the dog jumped out of the bed of her pickup truck and was dragged the rest of the way, an animal control captain said.

The woman drove her truck into the parking lot of the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority’s shelter in the 9700 block of Seeaca Street in front of horrified bystanders, said Capt. Aaron Reyes, SEAACA’s director of operations.

The bloodied dog, named Prada, was immediately unleashed and taken into the facility’s veterinary division, where she is expected to recover, Reyes said.

The Norwalk woman told authorities she brought her 1-year-old pit bull to the shelter to be “put to sleep because it had a skin condition,” Reyes said.

“A female witness drove behind the (woman’s) truck and watched in horror as the dog screamed and flailed against the asphalt for several blocks,” Reyes said.

The woman was cited by SEAACA officers for felony animal cruelty and for misdemeanor “illegally transporting an animal in the back of a vehicle,” Reyes said.

She has not been formally charged by the District Attorney’s Office, but should be!!!

“Once again, we’d like to stress that it is illegal and unsafe to transport animals in the back of vehicles meant for cargo in the state of California,” Reyes said.

This women was taking her one year old dog (technically still a puppy) to be euthenized because the pup had developed a skin disease, that has turned out to be a curable condition and then illegally put it in the back of her truck and ended up dragging the dog behind her truck… animal torture and abuse on all counts.

What kind of a person has their dog put to sleep because it develops a skin condition… any kind of a skin condition?  What kind of a person has their dog put to sleep for a condition they haven’t even checked out?  What kind of a person drags their dog behind their car and doesn’t notice?

This woman should never be allowed to have an animal again!  And these kinds of behaviors need to be prosecuted.  Animal cruelty, like child abuse, will only stop when:  we all work together;  we pay attention; we report these aggregious behaviors; and we insist on prosecution.

Perhaps petcare classes, just like childcare classes, need to be offered to every new parent of any species?